Chapter 2023: Promise

One does not go to the temple without a reason.

Zhao Fusheng didn't believe that Lee Boo-jin would visit him for no reason, especially after he had previously rejected her.

It was like two sects that normally had no dealings with each other, when suddenly the daughter of one sect's leader came to the other sect and said, 'I've come to see you.'

Who would believe that?

Zhao Fusheng certainly didn't.

So in his view, Lee Boo-jin must have something on her mind.

"Fusheng, what do you think of Samsung's current situation?" Lee Boo-jin was straightforward; after Zhao Fusheng said that, she asked him directly.

Zhao Fusheng smiled: "Sister Boo-jin, what I think doesn't seem important, does it? What matters is what you think and what Mr. Lee Kun-hee thinks, isn't that so?"

Lee Boo-jin sighed, looking somewhat helpless: "The key is that Father seems to need our stance now."

"What do you mean?" Zhao Fusheng asked, puzzled.

Lee Boo-jin said: "Literally. Father's meaning is that the Lee family has always adhered to the principle of survival of the fittest; there's no such thing as a direct inheritance system. So this time, if I fail and Sister Mi-jin takes the Shilla Hotel, I'll have to accept my bad luck."

Raising gu worms!

In that instant, that was the thought that came to Zhao Fusheng's mind.

In his view, if what Lee Boo-jin said was true, then Lee Kun-hee and Lee Maeng-hee were raising gu worms.

Letting several strong gu worms tear and fight each other, and the one that survives is the strongest gu king—only that person can lead the entire Lee family, commanding both Samsung and CJ Group.

But the question was, weren't they afraid of backlash?

Thinking this, Zhao Fusheng frowned and looked at Lee Boo-jin: "Sister Boo-jin, forgive me for speaking frankly, but don't you have any complaints about Mr. Lee's approach?"

"Why would I have complaints?"

Lee Boo-jin was surprised and looked at Zhao Fusheng strangely: "Isn't that the rule of business? Winner takes all."

Seeing her looking as if it were only natural, Zhao Fusheng found it strange but then realized what was going on.

Winner takes all.

Winner Take All.

In Korean thinking, the final victor in market competition gets all or most of the market share, while the loser is often eliminated—that's winner takes all.

In fact, this happens everywhere in the world.

But in Korea, this winner-takes-all mindset is more thorough.

In Korean thinking, the victor is king, and the loser is a villain; as long as you achieve final victory, any price is worth paying.

This seems somewhat crazy, but many Koreans have this personality.

They care a lot about winning and losing, because the winner deserves everything, while the loser can only leave in disgrace.

As Lee Boo-jin said, in her view, her father and uncle's approach was perfectly normal.

Samsung and CJ Group are themselves behemoths that can influence Korean society. If the leader chosen by the family isn't the best, what qualifies them to lead?

"Alright, I give up."

Zhao Fusheng nodded helplessly; he really had nothing to say.

What she said was absolutely correct. By Korean standards, Lee Kun-hee and Lee Maeng-hee's approach was almost perfect.

Let the heirs each do their best, and ultimately choose the best person in the family to inherit the business.

In Korea, this is very normal.

A big family must have such boldness.

Even if it means suffering some losses, it's worth it.

Lee Boo-jin looked at Zhao Fusheng's expression and smiled: "So, are you going to help me?"

This was the real reason she came to see Zhao Fusheng.

"Help you?"

Zhao Fusheng raised an eyebrow and looked Lee Boo-jin up and down: "Sister Boo-jin, you're joking, right?"

"What, do I look like I'm joking?"

Lee Boo-jin frowned slightly: "Don't you trust my ability?"

"No, no, I didn't mean that."

Zhao Fusheng quickly shook his head: "I trust your ability one hundred percent, but Sister Boo-jin, do you think you can defeat Lee Jae-yong and Lee Jae-hyun?"

That was the crux of the issue.

Both Lee Jae-yong and Lee Jae-hyun were mountains standing in front of Lee Boo-jin.

Although she had some supporters within Samsung, don't forget, she wasn't the heir Lee Kun-hee initially chose, and compared to Lee Jae-yong and Lee Jae-hyun, her gender as a woman also cost her points.

Koreans, on the surface, loudly advocate gender equality, but in fact, they are very traditional at heart.

Without exaggeration, Korea is probably one of the countries that treats women with the least respect. They just always appear polite on the surface.

The mindset of valuing men over women prevails in Korea.

The most obvious example is the Korean idols: sisters and older sisters go out to work as idols and are heavily criticized, while brothers and older brothers enjoy life with the money they earn, and there are many such cases.

Lee Boo-jin was silent for a long time after hearing Zhao Fusheng's words.

She had to admit that Zhao Fusheng was right.

Although she was reluctant to admit it, indeed, whether it was herself, Lee Mi-jin, Lee Mi-kyung, or her younger sister Lee Seo-hyun, none of them were confident of defeating their older brother Lee Jae-hyun or younger brother Lee Jae-yong head-on.

So, in fact, everyone was just choosing sides.

Or more precisely, they were all trying to get the benefits they could.

That was why Lee Mi-jin had set her sights on the Shilla Hotel.

"So you're not going to help me?"

Lee Boo-jin looked at Zhao Fusheng seriously and asked.

Zhao Fusheng smiled: "I will help you. If someone tries to buy up your shares, Future Investment can be your white knight."

After all, Lee Boo-jin had a decent relationship with him and was a reasonable person. Where Zhao Fusheng could help, he certainly would.

Lee Boo-jin nodded in satisfaction.

In fact, she also knew that Zhao Fusheng wouldn't easily get involved in the internal strife of Samsung and CJ Group.

After all, he was the chairman of Future Group, and his connections were too significant.

Jumping in rashly could easily trigger outside speculation.

But what Lee Boo-jin needed was Zhao Fusheng's attitude, since Future Investment was a shareholder of Samsung.

"Thank you."

Lee Boo-jin looked at Zhao Fusheng and said seriously.

Regardless, Zhao Fusheng was giving her face.

Zhao Fusheng smiled: "Since Sister Boo-jin is here, please pass a message to Mr. Lee Kun-hee and Mr. Lee Maeng-hee. When convenient, I plan to pay them a visit."

"A visit?"

Lee Boo-jin was startled and looked at Zhao Fusheng in surprise.

Honestly, she hadn't expected that Zhao Fusheng would want to see her father and uncle.

What exactly did he want?

But regardless, since he had just given her face, Lee Boo-jin knew she couldn't refuse Zhao Fusheng's request.

It was just passing a message, not betraying Samsung's interests.

So Lee Boo-jin nodded: "Alright, I'll inform them."

They chatted a bit more, and then Lee Boo-jin took her leave. She knew that Zhao Fusheng had to attend a welcome reception hosted by Hanxing Investment that evening.

After all, he was a bona fide big boss. When a big boss comes to inspect work, how could the subordinates not be careful? One slip and they could lose their jobs.

After Lee Boo-jin left, Zhao Fusheng smiled and said to Liu Yiming: "Let's go, we'll head down."

"Okay."

Liu Yiming naturally had no objections and quickly nodded in agreement.

……

……

"Zhao Fusheng wants to see me?"

Lee Kun-hee looked at Lee Boo-jin in surprise and asked.

"Yes, that's what he said."

Lee Boo-jin nodded in reply to her father.

"Interesting."

Lee Kun-hee suddenly laughed. He then said to Lee Boo-jin: "You went to see him?"

"Yes."

Lee Boo-jin was quite candid and admitted it with a nod.

Her father and uncle's attitude was just to ignore it, not that they didn't know what the younger generation was doing.

"Reply to him that I'll be waiting for him."

Lee Kun-hee was silent for a moment, then smiled at his daughter: "But you'd better tell him that I haven't been in a very good mood lately."

"Ah?"

Hearing this, Lee Boo-jin looked confused, glanced at her father in surprise, but still nodded.

She always obeyed her father's words, except when she married against his wishes. At other times, Lee Boo-jin had never defied her father.

Because she knew very well that he was her greatest support.