Chapter 37: Getting Help (6)

Chapter 37: Getting Help (6)

Hwang Jeong-Hu’s enraged voice echoed harshly within the corridor. Choi Myeong-Gil and his fellow school administrators became deathly pale, unable to do or say anything in their defense.

Kang Jin-Ho could only sigh at this scene.

'What on earth...'

This whole soap opera-like scene was making him groan.

It might look like something serious was about to go down to onlookers, but for both Hwang Jeong-Hu and Kang Jin-Ho who knew what was going on... This whole ruse was just bizarre, ridiculous, and rather funny nonsense.

Hwang Jeong-Hu ignored the pleading Choi Myeong-Gil and addressed Kang Jin-Ho. “By the way, why are you out in the corridors and not in class?”

“I was on my way home, actually.”

“Your home? Even though it's still morning?”

“They expelled me, you see.”

“Expelled?” Hwang Jeong-Hu slowly turned his head and glared at Choi Myeong-Gil.

But the one who responded to that glare wasn't the stunned chief director but the principal. "N-no, that hasn't been approved yet, Mister Chairman! Y-yes, the procedure hasn't even begun, and w-we also haven't made the final decision yet!"

Hwang Jeong-Hu cocked an eyebrow. "Well, if my grandson has done something to deserve expulsion, then there's no helping it, now is there? Jin-Ho, how about transferring to a school affiliated with my educational foundation "

Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. "You also run a foundation, sir "

"Large corporations like mine have to fund a foundation or two to avoid getting bad press, you see? That school is located pretty close by, so how about it "

“No, sir. I like it here.”

“Is that so?” Hwang Jeong-Hu shifted his attention over to the principal. “Why is my grandson being expelled? Tell me the reason.”

“T-that is... Well...” The principal faltered and couldn't say anything.

Hwang Jeong-Hu nodded as if he understood everything there was to know from the principal's response, then he glared at Choi Myeong-Gil once more. "You little insect."

“C-Chairman, please...”

“You should've been living the remainder of your life reflecting on your past sins, yet you dare to use your position to oppress other people? Bastards like you aren't even human in my view.” Hwang Jeong-Hu grunted, then turned to Jo Gyu-Min. “That prosecution investigation? Gyu-Min, call them and withdraw the complaints.”

“Sir?”

“This bastard doesn't deserve an investigation like that. Baek Yeong-Gi.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Hwang Jeong-Hu pointed at Choi Myeong-Gil. "Make him go bankrupt in three days or less."

“Understood. However, Chairman...”

“What is it?”

Baek Yeong-Gi also glanced at the stunned chief director. "How about we let the prosecutors continue with their investigation? Considering all the things this man has done, he won't be able to avoid imprisonment, sir."

Hwang Jeong-Hu cocked an eyebrow. “Imprisonment, you say?”

“Yes, sir.”

"He'll spend time in a prison somewhere, then "

“Yes, sir.”

Choi Myeong-Gil's complexion was drained of all color at this exchange. Unfortunately for him, however...

“Tsk, tsk, tsk...” Hwang Jeong-Hu tutted in disappointment at Baek Yeong-Gi. “Fella, how can you be this soft?”

“I beg your pardon?”

"Modern prison are not worthy of their moniker, I tell you! They give you a warm place to sleep, feed you three meals a day, and even let you exercise! A prison might be a tough place to stay for someone with money, but it will be as good as a paradise for a pauper. And this insect is about to become a pauper, so why are you trying to send him to such a nice place "

Baek Yeong-Gi bowed his head slightly. "I see. I was shortsighted, Chairman."

Hwang Jeong-Hu clicked his tongue loudly. “A prison funded by our tax money is too good for an insect like him.”

Kang Jin-Ho sighed again as the situation continued to unfold before his eyes.

The chairman of the Jaegyeong Group had gone through all kinds of ups and downs and had met many types of people in his life. Among them were giants beyond even Hwang Jeong-Hu's reach, while some were so amazing that they left him utterly awestruck. He was quite certain that not a single person in his memories had given off the same mysterious vibe as Kang Jin-Ho had during their first encounter.

"Young man, just who... or what are you "

“It seems that your improved health has also reawakened your curiosity, sir.”

"How can I not be curious? Someone so young—a high schooler possesses a truly mysterious ability. And he's also gutsy enough to choose the path of healing me, so how can I not be curious about you " Hwang Jeong-Hu chuckled in a good-natured way. "If I had been a religious man, I would've probably thought it was God's miracle or something. Maybe I'd be on my knees offering a prayer, thinking that you're the Messiah."

“Good thing that you're not a devotee, then.” Kang Jin-Ho shook his head and looked straight at Hwang Jeong-Hu. “Sir, I'm sure you're curious about many things, but please, pretend that you haven't noticed anything.”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes. Please.”

Hwang Jeong-Hu easily nodded in agreement. Not being excessively curious about your trading partner was one of a merchant's virtues.

Kang Jin-Ho continued. “Oh, and you don't have to be so polite when talking to me, sir.”

“Will that be alright?”

"Mmmm, well..." Kang Jin-Ho quietly studied Hwang Jeong-Hu for a moment or two before slowly nodding. He started thinking that perhaps the latter was still older than him even after calculating all the years he had lived here and back in Zhongyuan. And that opinion wasn't solely based on outer appearances alone, either. "Yes, it'll be fine."

"Got it. Well, then. Shall we get down to the actual matter that brought me here "

Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. “The... actual matter?”

Hwang Jeong-Hu pulled out a bank account passbook from his inner pocket and handed it over to Kang Jin-Ho. "Here, the promised amount. Take a look."

“I'm sure it's correct, sir.”

"You still have to confirm it, young man." Hwang Jeong-Hu urged, so Kang Jin-Ho sighed and opened the passbook to take a gander.

"Mm... " Kang Jin-Ho's head tilted to the side even more. He could see that the account was not under his name but under Hwang Jeong-Hu's name. However, that wasn't really the problem here.

'Let's see. How many... zeroes is this? One, two, three...'

Kang Jin-Ho's face progressively hardened with every passing second. He looked up and muttered. "Sir, this is the wrong amount."

"What do you mean? Are you saying I deposited the wrong amount of money? That can't be..."

Kang Jin-Ho opened the passbook's pages so that Hwang Jeong-Hu could see it. “Sir, I definitely asked for one check’s worth. Didn't I?”

Hwang Jeong-Hu nodded while making an expression of having known it from the start. Even though he did prepare 'one check’s worth' of money, he had been thinking that it seemed way too little. He chalked that down to Kang Jin-Ho's naivety, but now... It seemed that 'one check’s worth’ meant two different amounts to Kang Jin-Ho and Hwang Jeong-Hu.

"...It seems that I have misunderstood you. My apologies. I shall prepare the rest of the amount as soon as possible. How much more do you need "

The bank account passbook reflected the amount of ten billion won. If this was an incorrect amount, then did the boy want one trillion won

Hwang Jeong-Hu could certainly prepare that amount, but it would require him to go through a lot of hoops first. But his mental calculations came to a screeching halt at Kang Jin-Ho's unexpected answer.

“Sir, I was asking for one hundred million won.”

“Pardon?” Hwang Jeong-Hu furrowed his brow, wondering if his hearing was failing him. “Did you... just say one hundred million won?”

“Yes...”

“Wait. So I didn't mishear you? You really said one hundred million?!”

Kang Jin-Ho sounded a little flustered as he asked, "Is there something wrong, sir "

“Are you telling me that my life, Hwang Jeong-Hu's life, is only worth that little?!”

“...”

"...Fuu. So, you’re trying to say that I gave you too much? Is that it "

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded. "...Yes."

Hwang Jeong-Hu directed a weird gaze at Kang Jin-Ho. Rejecting the amount for being too little would be the norm, and not too many people in existence would refuse more money than they had asked for—especially more so when the amount was ten billion won!

However, this young man was displaying the behavior of someone who had already transcended the allure of money. Hwang Jeong-Hu chuckled while pushing the bank account passbook back to Kang Jin-Ho. "Just take it, young man."

1. Ten billion won roughly converts to $7.9 million US. One trillion would roughly be $790 million.

2. Around $79k