At the signal from the grandmother, the staff straightened up, ready for action.
It didn’t take long to understand what she meant by “not picky.” The staff stood motionless, like statues, while the women from the Ilseong Group leisurely browsed the displayed items, exchanging quiet evaluations among themselves. They didn’t call over the staff to ask questions, nor did they try on or handle the clothes.
Only when something truly caught their eye did they raise a hand to summon a staff member, asking questions in hushed tones.
Nothing in life is easy.
This thought crossed my mind again after about ten minutes of standing there. It felt like a punishment, standing still with no end in sight. The physical discomfort was one thing, but the boredom was unbearable. Eventually, I couldn’t help but yawn, and a young woman caught me in the act.
She chuckled and gestured for me to come over.
When the staff member next to me started to move, she pointed directly at me.
When a customer calls—especially a VIP—you have to respond like a bullet, right?
“Yes?”
“What do you think of this?” she asked, pointing to a necklace as soon as I approached.
“It’s beautiful,” I replied.
The women who had been whispering among themselves suddenly fell silent and turned to look at me. Our staff seemed visibly flustered, unsure of what to do.
Ah, I made a mistake.
“It would suit you very well,” I added quickly.
Now they all started to giggle.
“Mother was right. This young man is amusing,” one of them said with a smile.
As laughter spread, a female staff member hurried over, also smiling.
“This is sterling silver, 36 inches long, with a 19mm diameter. It’s designed for easy wear, embodying the elegance, sophistication, and boldness reminiscent of New York women. This collection captures the power and flair of New York City, as well as the energy of its streets. The design showcases the hardware’s unique practicality with its continuous and natural lines.”
The staff member rattled off the product details without missing a beat, and everyone except me nodded along.
What impressed me was that there were several similar necklaces, yet she could describe each one as if she had memorized every detail. Memorizing the descriptions of the dozens, maybe even hundreds, of items in this room, as well as those in the company brochure, was no different from an actor memorizing lines for a drama.
I was the only one surprised. The staff’s memory and the fact that everyone nodded at such abstract descriptions left me in awe.
Unable to hide my astonishment, the lady of the house finally spoke up, sounding slightly annoyed.
“What’s the matter? Is there a problem?”
“No, not at all.”
“Then why do you look like that? Is there something wrong with them?”
She gestured toward the displayed items.
“Of course not. These pieces were flown in on a private jet just a few days ago,” a flustered staff member replied, waving her hands.
I couldn’t just stand there and let things go south, so I spoke up.
“I apologize, ma’am. I’m new to this and still learning. Please forgive my inexperience.”
“New? So Jin sent a complete novice? How dare he?”
In this world, mistakes might be forgiven, but disrespect never is.
I quickly signaled to the staff member.
“Ah, ma’am. This is Jin Do-jun, the nephew of President Jin. He’s here to take responsibility for this work in the future.”
Once my identity was revealed, the women’s expressions changed. They tried hard to hide their surprise.
“I apologize once again. I should have been better prepared, but time was short.”
This time, I bowed deeply.
“So you’re the chairman’s grandson. Which one are you?”
The grandmother, who was the chairman’s wife, asked with a gentle expression.
“The youngest.”
“The youngest, huh…”
A hint of disappointment crossed her face.
“Are you the one who got into Seoul National University’s law school? The one rumored to be in the top ten nationwide?”
A middle-aged woman, who seemed to be a daughter-in-law, asked cautiously, and I scratched my head.
“That’s all in the past. I hardly attend school anymore, so my brain’s gone rusty. I couldn’t make heads or tails of the product description earlier. It was incomprehensible to me. Haha.”
My light-hearted comment made the young women giggle, but when the grandmother shot them a look, they quickly covered their mouths.
“I see. To be honest, I didn’t understand much of it either. But does it matter? If it’s pretty and you want it, that’s enough.”
The lady of the house smiled slightly and began pointing at items.
“Prepare two of those floppy hats… and a few of those perfumes. That’s enough for me. You all pick what you want too.”
Having finished her shopping first, the chairman’s wife came over and took my hand warmly.
“Leave the rest to them. How about having a cup of tea with this amusing young man?”
Ignoring the curious glances from others, she led me to a sofa in the corner of the room.
“So, what year are you in?”
“This is my final year.”
“I see. Are you planning to work in the department store business?”
“Nothing’s decided yet. There’s no need to rush, is there?”
“Did you need a degree from Seoul National? Planning to study abroad after graduation?”
Why was she asking so many questions? Was she trying to figure out if I was part of the succession plan for Sunyang Group, or just someone who’d receive a modest inheritance and be cast aside? Or perhaps she was considering a potential match for her granddaughter?
Sorry, but that’s not going to happen. Your granddaughter is destined to be the daughter-in-law of a future president.
Even if I couldn’t say it out loud, it must have shown on my face.
“Why are you smiling like that?”
“Oh, pardon me. It’s because of the hat you bought earlier.”
I had to deflect, and it was also a test to see what kind of person this lady was.
“The hat? The floppy hat?”
“Yes, the one with the wide brim.”
“What’s so funny about it?”
“I was just imagining how you’d look wearing it. My apologies.”
“Is it so ridiculous that it’s laughable?”
“Not ridiculous, but it doesn’t quite suit you, to be honest.”
If anyone else had heard me tell the grand lady that she’d look funny, they would have been shocked.
But she showed no change in expression, just a slight upward curl of her lips.
Was it because I was from Sunyang, or was this grandmother naturally broad-minded?
“You should quit the department store business today.”
Her response was unexpected.
“Why do you say that?”
“Even I know that a short old lady like me would be completely hidden under that floppy hat. It doesn’t suit me at all, and I have no intention of wearing it out.”
“But you bought two of them.”
“Because I want them.”
“Excuse me?”
Wanting something is a natural answer, but it doesn’t explain much.
“Even when you’re old, you’re still a woman, right? If you don’t understand a woman’s heart, you shouldn’t be working in a department store. Don’t you agree?”
The petite grandmother stood up from the sofa.
“You’re said to be smart, so you must be good at work. But you’re a fool when it comes to women. Tsk tsk.”
She turned to the women still choosing items.
“Finish up and let these people go. They must be exhausted from waiting.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Grandmother, if you’re tired, you should go upstairs and rest,” her granddaughter suggested, hinting that they still had a long way to go.
The grandmother shook her head and started up the stairs.
“Make sure they buy plenty. We need to earn our keep, don’t we?”
“Yay!”
The granddaughters squealed with delight at the prospect of shopping to their hearts’ content.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” I called out urgently toward the stairs.
“Is Audrey Hepburn the one who understands that feeling?”
Everyone looked at me, puzzled by the random question, but the lady of the house didn’t turn around. She paused on the stairs and tossed a remark over her shoulder.
“Come visit when you have time. I’ll treat you to a cup of tea.”
With that, she swiftly ascended the stairs, her age belied by her quick steps.
A staff member approached me and whispered discreetly.
“Thanks to you, today’s purchase reservations will far exceed expectations. Congratulations.”
The second visit was to KC Group.
Ranked 14th in the business world, they specialize in petrochemicals. The current chairman is the son-in-law of the family.
The founder left behind only one daughter, and the lucky man who married into the family became the chairman.
But there’s something everyone knows but never says out loud: that the only daughter is the real power behind KC Group.
KC might stand for the couple’s initials, but they insist it’s short for Korea Chemical.
When we entered the house, the department store staff turned pale.
The head of the household, who spends more time outside than at home, was waiting for us—the chairman’s wife herself.
One of the startled staff members whispered to me.
“This is our first time meeting her. She never shows up for these shopping events.”
I quickly understood the situation.
Somehow, the lady of the house had gotten wind of my visit to Ilseong Group. She knew that the youngest of the Sunyang Group was coming in person.
Curiosity piqued, she wanted to see what kind of person I was. And if I turned out to be promising, perhaps she could match me with one of her granddaughters.
The lady of the house had a commanding presence. She gave us a once-over and then strode directly toward me.
“Are you Jin Do-jun? Jin’s nephew?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
As I reached for my business card to present it politely, she waved it away.
“Leave the business to the staff and join me for a drink. Or better yet… do you drink? I don’t mind a daytime tipple.”
She was just like the matriarch of the Ilseong Group. She pulled me aside to a secluded spot, sat me down, and began probing with questions, trying to figure out what kind of man I was.
When I returned from the conversation, the staff were all smiles.
Those smiles spoke volumes about the staggering sales figures.
“Wow… Thanks to you, it looks like we’ll fill all our orders for this year’s S/S season just from pre-sales. You’re incredible.”
After that, I visited several other conglomerate families, and the same routine played out. I even found myself waiting for the chairman himself on one occasion.
As a result, I achieved two things.
I made a name for myself among major corporations, and I built connections that allowed me to call up and have a casual chat over tea anytime. Plus, our sales hit an all-time high.
The staff wanted me to stick around for the F/W season as well.
The sales were great, and we wrapped up the business without any of the usual high-handedness from the wealthy families.
And then…
“Hey, you rascal! What on earth have you been up to? Why are there suddenly so many families lining up to set you up on blind dates?”
I received several calls from my grandfather, his voice brimming with joy. Whether it was because they genuinely liked me or didn’t want to miss the chance to connect with the Sunyang Group, I couldn’t say.
After wrapping up what was essentially a high-end VVIP door-to-door sales tour, it was time to gauge Vice Chairman Jin Seoyun’s capabilities.
Around a hundred VIPs gathered at the hotel, dressed as if attending a lavish party.
Among them were a few top-tier actresses.
While these guests enjoyed the dishes prepared by a French chef and his team, my aunt was busy with last-minute checks.
It was quite a sight.
Looks like she knows what she’s doing, my aunt.