"Executive Director Jang Dohyung said that. People who only look at numbers dislike uncertainty the most. Isn't Do-jun a logical thinker, trained in logic? Law school, stock charts, financial investments. Naturally, he doesn't have confidence in handling a card company that runs on bonds."
"Bonds themselves are uncertain, especially when it's a business targeting the general public!"
Vice-Chairman Jin Yeong-gi threw the comment at CEO Lee Minseob as he observed him carefully.
"It's going to be rough ahead."
"Vice-Chairman, if you just keep watching like this..."
"Stop."
Jin Yeong-gi silenced CEO Lee Minseob.
"It's my father's intention. It's been just over two months since it was split like this. We can't create a disturbance so soon."
It wasn't the right time yet.
CEO Lee Minseob quickly lowered his head.
"I'm sorry. I've been too impatient because I'm on the front lines."
"Even though the group's succession structure is in place, my father is blocking it. I suppose you'd prefer to let this pass quietly, right? We should avoid having Sunyang Group becoming the talk of the town."
"Yes." CEO Lee Minseob quietly got up from his seat. "Thank you for taking the time from your busy schedule, Vice-Chairman."
"We're in the same building, so come over often. Let's have a drink and share stories about life. Just because we've divided the shares doesn't mean we have to divide our relationship, right?"
"Of course, Vice-Chairman. As long as it's not you rejecting us, we're always ready."
Minseob emphasized the word 'us' as he spoke.
Jin Yeong-gi wasn't oblivious to the significance of it.
After CEO Lee Minseob respectfully left, Jin Yeong-gi immediately summoned his secretary.
He summarized what Lee Minseob had said, and Secretary Baek Junhyuk was fully focused, not wanting to miss a word.
"What do you think?"
"We should probably start by meeting with Executive Director Jang Dohyung."
"Jang Dohyung? Why?"
"It's because of what he said. We can't be sure if it represents Do-jun's intention or not. Isn't Jang Dohyung an ambitious person as well? He might have something up his sleeve and could have disclosed something to Lee Minseob."
"Why would that guy Jang Dohyung do something like this?"
"He's just too good at what he does. Haha."
"What?"
"Jang Dohyung will reach the end of the road in his current position. He'll never get promoted to CEO. All of Sunyang Life's financial product strategies come from Jang Dohyung's head. Promoting someone like him would mean he'd have to step back from the actual work."
"An ace pitcher has to stand on the mound until their shoulder gives out."
"Exactly. Jang Dohyung is Sunyang Life's ace in the first string."
Jin Yeong-gi thought about Sunyang Life, Jang Dohyung, and Sunyang Card for a moment, but soon he stopped thinking and chose what he did best.
Direction.
Telling people who think deeply and are good at what they do what he wanted. This is exactly what Jin Yeong-gi needed to do.
"Meet with Jang Dohyung. Find out what he wants and see what I can provide."
"Understood, Vice-Chairman."
**********
"What about CEO Lee Minseob?"
"Yes. On New Year's Day yesterday, the first person he met with was Vice-Chairman Jin Yeong-gi. Isn't that somewhat unusual?"
"What about Do-jun?"
"He only met with Executive Director Jang Dohyung."
"If it's Jang Dohyung, it means Sunyang Life."
"Yes."
"Have the old-timers started resisting? Right at the beginning of the new year?"
"It's become a practical reality. They have to go to the son, or rather, the grandson for New Year's greetings."
"They rejected New Year's greetings that would have compromised the pride of the founders and only met with the youngest, Jang Dohyung? Our smart little nephew still has a lot to learn about how to manage adults." Jin Yeong-gi chuckled.
"Vice-Chairman, isn't something suspicious about this?"
In front of Jin Yeong-gi sat three men.
They were the new secretaries that Jin Yeong-gi had put in place after inheriting the heavy industry division.
It was a rational judgment based on the belief that several heads were better than one.
"What's suspicious?"
"If CEO Lee Minseob has any grievances, shouldn't he go to Chairman? He met with Vice-Chairman Jin Yeong-gi, right?"
"What should he say to Father? Should he complain and say he can't work with the kid? Those upper-class folks have no one to rely on, that's why. I bet they hesitated for a moment between my brother and me. The result was that it wasn't my brother."
"Vice-Chairman, did CEO Lee Minseob just express his grievances?"
The secretaries bombarded Jin Yeong-gi with questions and opinions. They were eager to show that they were smarter, having just started their new roles.
People can't be equal. Even if three people have the same position and salary, someone will stand out, and someone will move ahead.
"Is there anything else besides grievances?"
"They have to survive. They probably requested assistance and made a proposal, not just hanging around, as amateurs wouldn't do."
"What's interesting is that the Card Company's CEO has stepped in. The head of the financial subsidiary should be Sunyang Life no matter what, right?"
The group's headquarters has many eyes. These eyes observe someone on behalf of others and report immediately.
The meeting of these two people on the first day of the new year will spread throughout the entire building, and it's obvious that it will soon be discussed as a succession issue.
"They didn't gather to simply raise questions, right? So, what's the conclusion?"
The three men exchanged glances. It was an eye contact that was hard to interpret as agreement or checking each other out.
"I'll meet with Executive Director Jang Dohyung."
"Executive Director Jang?"
"Yes. Executive Director Jang is also from Sunyang Life. It's not unnatural that he met with CEO Lee Minseob."
"He might be the only one who got a glimpse of Do-jun's thoughts. He probably overheard Do-jun's plans for the Card Company and rushed straight to CEO Lee Minseob."