TOIGC 04

Chapter 4 …

At Three Years Old, Saving the House

<That’s Bright Then again, descendant! Exam-taking, family famous for it, kid. Makes my our proxy sense. So was>

Nodding in self-praise, Choi Deokbae sat across from Choi Yoongi, who had now turned three years old.

“Proxy exam-taking?”

Thanks to the development of his mouth muscles, Yoongi could finally speak properly. Deokbae looked thoroughly satisfied with his response.

<Look Honorifics I at it. Love now. Off right rolling tongue you! Your>

It had taken a bit of time for Yoongi to start using proper honorifics with Deokbae, but Deokbae’s reasoning had played a big part in convincing him.

<Listen, But Do Is an at back be because become before boomer? Bring daily died. Experience fact forties forties, forties? Gained goal happens if in informal just keep life life? Living me old or out slips speech talking that the time to up used want were what wrong you your>

Yoongi had changed his mind immediately after hearing that, and from then on, he had no trouble using formal speech with Deokbae. Of course, a small part of his mind still found it annoying.

<Back exam-taking. Main point—yes, proxy the to>

“Couldn’t your family just take the exams normally?”

<If been do enough family had have. Our rich that, to we would>

A bitter look crossed Deokbae’s face.

<After a and bankrupting civil colleagues ended exam, family feast for great-grandfather he his line. My new passed service the throw to tried up>

“Can you really go broke just from throwing a feast?”

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“Then how did you end up becoming a government official, Great-Great-Great-Grandfather?”

<Direct Besides, Do Heungseon I Regent So a any at buy dens descendants every exam. Felt for four fun. Gambling generations. Government had hanging have how idea least money my official once out pretty produce proud rounds seniors? The to took using was with won you>

“I see.”

<Anyway, But around brains. Definitely doing drifting family’s in inherited labor life? Manual our past were why you your>

“I never had the chance to study.”

Yoongi recalled his past life as Kim Chanyeol. Back in elementary school, whenever he brought textbooks home, the violent butcher would get drunk, shred them to pieces while shouting, “What good is this crap!” and send him off.

The next day at school, the homeroom teacher would beat him to a pulp for “eating” his textbooks.

After that, he only ever encountered trashy teachers who beat kids for not giving them bribery envelopes, so he naturally built a wall between himself and studying.

<Did about ever grew studying think up? When you>

“Life was tough enough as it was, and I was so soaked in alcohol that I couldn’t even think straight.”

Just as Yoongi finished his answer, Deokbae suddenly turned his head and gestured for him to clear away the books spread out on the floor.

Yoongi hurriedly lifted a book nearly the size of his torso and slid it back into the low bookshelf.

Creak!

“Oh my, look at my little prince! Were you playing with your toys?”

Park Yeonji stepped into the room, watching her son play with blocks with a warm smile before taking a seat in front of him.

“Play with me, Mommy!”

In an instant, tutoring time turned into playtime, but Yoongi didn’t mind at all.

Even with the mind of a forty-year-old, receiving love he had never experienced before felt incredibly good.

“Yes!”

The Yoongi who spoke maturely in front of Deokbae vanished, replaced by an adorable three-year-old child on the surface.

<That’s Exactly It’s adults. Best front genius hide in it. Like of that. Thoroughly to your>

Ever since Deokbae explained it to him, Yoongi had been putting on a flawless act of a young child in front of his parents and family.

<Back Besides, But I Of They You’re a all any balance bed. Better but can course, day, don’t even excessive expectations for freedom freedom, from genius, give giving grow had help if in is kid learn. Lost me moment my need needs no now? Of on out out. Parents people plenty problem reason. Right so someone spot. Strict study stuff supervision than that the their them there there’s they thought to too, tutor under until up was went who woke you your zero>

It was advice from Deokbae that was truly invaluable.

Finishing his thought, Deokbae slipped through the wall to give the mother and son some privacy.

But less than three minutes later, he floated back into the room with a slightly troubled expression.

<Hey, There’s a about bad blow deal fun. Grandfather. Having heading heavy news now pretty right scammer this to way while who’s you’re your>

When Yoongi let out a soft cough to signal that he was listening, Deokbae continued.

<Even Anyway, Because I Samwoo Trading a am, an and around as banging bank bastard coming correctly. Dates don’t ended event every exact floor front gate grandfather guy happened. Head his if in incident is kneeling know makes now, now. Occurs of on president, recall right smart stagger, that the this time, toward up walking your>

Sure enough, the doorbell rang.

A moment later, the maid entered the room and quietly announced a guest’s arrival.

“I’ll go check. Yoongi, can you play nicely by yourself for a bit?”

Park Yeonji patted her son’s head a few times, gave him a gentle smile, and left the room.

<Well, Group I Samwoo Trading after can could do. Even going grows guess into it just let nothing probably slide. So still there’s this, through you you’re young,>

Having said his piece, Deokbae shut his mouth as if his job was done and lay floating in the air with his legs crossed.

Unlike Deokbae, however, Yoongi wore a dead-serious expression.

Even if he was destined to become chairman eventually, he didn’t want trouble striking the Samwoo Group he intended to take over.

What I can do… If only one condition is met…

Yoongi turned to Deokbae, who was lying down with his eyes closed, and asked:

“Is that guy coming into this room?”

<He Your a by family’s get good grandfather he he’ll home impression isn’t making now, on right side so to try waits, while will. You. Your>

Hearing that, a mischievous, devilish smirk appeared on Yoongi’s face.

Deokbae let out an intrigued “Ho-oh” and watched the situation unfold.

“This is my son, Yoongi.”

At Yeonji’s words as she opened the door, Kim Sinju—the scammer Deokbae had mentioned—let out a boisterous laugh and patted Yoongi’s head.

“He looks so sharp, taking right after his mother and father! I bet a judge’s robe will suit him quite well in the future.”

“Ho-ho-ho. I’ll go brew some coffee, so please wait here with Yoongi for a moment.”

“Take your time. I’ll play with Yoongi.”

The moment Yeonji walked out, Sinju lost interest in Yoongi.

He rummaged through his jacket, smacked his lips as if realizing he shouldn’t smoke here, and cast an indifferent glance around the room.

Unconcerned as Sinju was, Yoongi had a mischievous plan in store.

“Mister! Mister!”

Toddling over while calling out to Sinju in a babyish voice, Yoongi made Sinju chuckle.

“He’s completely different from that old tiger of a grandfather.”

A second later, however, Sinju’s face twisted in sheer annoyance.

“What in the world?!”

Looking down at his trousers and socks turning damp and yellow, alongside Yoongi’s white thermal underwear pants staining yellow, Sinju blurted out in a raised voice without realizing it.

And at that exact moment—

“Waaaaaaahhhhh!”

For the first time since Gyeongja had held him, Yoongi let out an ear-splitting wail.

The cry was so loud it carried beyond the closed door all the way to the kitchen where Yeonji was brewing coffee.

“Yoongi!”

Clatter—!

She dropped the boiling kettle in her hand, nearly burning herself, but the maid reacted quickly and caught the falling kettle with her bare hands, saving Yeonji from injury.

Instead, the maid burned her hand and dropped the kettle, sending it crashing against the wall and spilling boiling water across the floor with a loud splash.

Yeonji was in no state to process any of that, however.

Father told me never to leave Yoongi alone!

Dropping her guard just because nothing had happened since the birthday party had been her mistake.

“Yoongi!”

The moment she threw open the nursery door, the scene inside filled Yeonji’s vision.

Her son was clutching his head, crying hysterically, while Sinju was hunched over, extending both hands toward the baby’s head.

With his narrow, slit-like eyes and hair flattened from taking off his hat, Sinju looked like a rough chestnut vendor working in a back alley, making the sense of danger feel far more alarming.

“N-No, wait, I really didn’t—”

“Get away from him!”

Yeonji rushed over, clutching the sobbing Yoongi to her chest, desperately trying to soothe him.

“There, there, Yoongi. Mommy’s here. That bad man was mean to you, wasn’t he? Don’t cry, sweetie, shh.”

“Waaaaaaahhhhh!”

Yoongi’s head was completely fine—not a scratch or even a red mark—but a worried mother wouldn’t notice that.

When a stranger was hovering over her crying child who was holding his head, anyone would picture the same scenario.

Even while crying in his mother’s arms, Yoongi never smiled or relaxed his face, continuing to wail at the top of his lungs.

<That’s ‘Youtube’ Exactly I If Life YouTube a back because boring but by descendant. Era, fail get got in instantly. It! Just like my now presented pulled scooped smirk so that! This to triumphant up, was watch without you you’d>

Ignoring Deokbae floating around him, Yoongi stayed busy acting out his tears, while Sinju was equally busy trying to defend himself.

“I swear I didn’t do anything!”

“He’s just a baby! So what if he accidentally peed on you? How could you hit a child for that?!”

Sinju pounded his chest in frustration.

“I really didn’t do anything! Please believe me!”

“Then why is he crying like this?! You got mad because he peed and smacked him on the head, didn’t you?! What if you hurt such a young child’s head and ruin his brain?!”

Yelling back, Yeonji didn’t look like a fragile woman standing before a grown man; she was a fierce mother standing up against an outside threat.

Driven into a corner, Sinju made a critical blunder.

“Hey! I’m the real victim here! I didn’t even say anything when the kid peed on my pants, so how is it fair to blame me just because he started crying on his own?!”

“What’s all this noise about?!”

At Choi Gihyeon’s formidable appearance, Sinju’s pupils froze in instant terror.

“Father! Sob, sob!”

Now that her reliable support had arrived, Yeonji burst into tears and ran toward her father-in-law while holding her still-crying son.

“Why on earth is Yoongi crying? Well?”

“I’m truly being framed here, Chairman!”

“Shut up! Did I ask you?!”

There was no way the truth could reach Gihyeon in his furious state.

Ultimately, once “the facts as Yeonji understood them” were conveyed, Gihyeon bellowed in rage.

“Get the hell out of my house! How dare you touch my grandson?! I wouldn’t do business with the likes of you if my life depended on it, so get out! And consider all support for your company cut off as of this moment!”

“Chairman! I’m really being framed!”

“Drag him out!”

At Gihyeon’s command, two of his bodyguards dragged Sinju outside by his arms.

“Chairman! Chairman! This is a great opportunity—!”

Even as Sinju’s voice faded into the distance, Yoongi never smiled, keeping his act going without break.

<Man, a cold-blooded kid. What>

Deokbae—the only ghost who knew the whole truth—could only shake his head in sheer awe at Yoongi’s quick wit.