1953 Bare-handed Tycoon - Chapter 397



Only Krnovel

397 – 1963

The new year of 1963 has arrived.

The first day of 1963 was marked by a bitter cold wave.

Incheon Port, which opened 80 years ago, froze over for the first time, making it impossible for ships to enter and exit.

New Year’s Day morning.

Kijo opened the newspaper that had been delivered to his home.

Harmony between government and people (harmony between government and people)

Chairman Park’s New Year’s message filled with his determination was printed on the front page.

‘To purify politics and promote national unity… … .’

It was a New Year’s banner that conveyed Chairman Park’s will.

After eating breakfast, Kijo listened to the radio with his family.

Chairman Park’s New Year’s speech was heard.

―Dear citizens, as we bid farewell to the year of Im-In (壬寅年), a year of reconstruction and revival that brought about a new turning point in our country’s history, and welcome the new morning of the year of Gye-Myo (癸卯年), the year of the construction of the Third Republic, I wish good luck and glory for the future of our country and our compatriots… … .

After the New Year’s speech, the news followed.

There was news that the President and his wife exchanged New Year’s greetings with many domestic and foreign figures at the Blue House, that children dressed up in colorful clothes visited the Blue House to pay their respects, and that Speaker Park distributed snacks to the children.

Overall, New Year’s Day in 1963 was no different from the First and Second Republics.

Even during President Syngman Rhee’s presidency, his New Year’s greetings were printed in the newspapers, and the president and his wife’s whereabouts were reported on the news on New Year’s morning.

It was the same during the time of Prime Minister Jang Myeon and President Yun Bo-seon.

When Kijo turned off the radio, Pilgrimage suggested that they look at the Tojeong Bigyeol.

“What is the secret to land management?”

“Yes, I gave you the secret recipe for the New Year’s edition of a women’s magazine. Could you help me with it?”

The keynote helped pilgrims who did not know Chinese characters well.

“Let’s just stay still… Our Youngsu was born in 1949… … .”

“It’s the year of Gi-chuk (己丑年).”

The keynote speaker pointed to the corresponding Chinese character with his finger.

Kijo read Youngsu’s fortune for the new year based on his date of birth.

“Our Yeongsu will achieve results in proportion to his efforts. There will be opportunities for promotion or fortune, and there will be opportunities for romance when meeting the opposite sex.”

Perhaps because it was a supplement to a women’s magazine that advertises fortune telling for fun, it seemed vague, concise, and only contained positive content.

Nevertheless, Pilgrimage clapped his hands and rejoiced when he heard that his eldest son, Yeongsu, was doing well.

“It looks like our Youngsoo will pass the middle school exam. And he has a love interest… It looks like Youngsoo will be dating now that he’s a middle school student?”

Youngsoo’s face turned bright red.

Kijo then went on to tell Yeong-eun’s fortune for the new year.

“They say that our Yeong-eun’s family will be filled with happy things. The lucky direction is the northeast, and that she will meet a noble person there.”

I wondered what the pilgrimage meant in the confusing New Year’s fortune. Then I said I understood.

“Our Young-eun is going to start school this year. Kyodong Elementary School is located to the northeast of our house, and since she met a noble person, I think the person who will be her homeroom teacher will be a really great person.”

Everyone laughed at the interpretation that was better than the dream.

Yeong-eun was delighted to hear that she would be entering school this year.

“Please look after Youngjun too, honey.”

“Okay. Youngjun was born in 1958, so it’s the year of the dog… … .”

Kijo found out and read my New Year’s fortune.

“You are born with a fortune for money, and this year you will have a good business opportunity. Start a business. You will become known and your business will prosper.”

The content was so grandiose that even a six-year-old had a hard time interpreting it.

The keynote speaker also pondered how to interpret this.

Pilgrimage, who had been frowning and worrying, finally found the answer.

“Honey, didn’t you say you were going to make a sesame seed this year?”

“that’s right.”

The keynote speech was to instruct the plastics division, which makes the outer shells of Cheongsan Electronics radios, to create an acrylic washcloth.

“Then, how about putting Youngjun’s face as the brand? Moms will like it if you use a cute boy’s face as the brand.”

Kijo said with a smile, “It seems to be an interpretation that roughly matches Youngjun’s New Year’s fortune.”

“Shall we give it a try?”

The same person who read the children’s fortunes also read the pilgrimage’s fortunes.

“You were born in October of the year of Sinmi (辛未年)…”

The keynote speaker read the pilgrim’s New Year’s fortune.

“Take care of your health and that of your family. And maintain good relationships with your neighbors. Then, the year will be smooth.”

“I will keep health and neighbors in mind.”

Pilgrimage answered with a smile.

Now it was Kijo’s turn, but Kijo only knew the year of his birth, not the exact month or day.

There was a date of birth written on the family register, but it must have been roughly entered by someone when he was taken in as an orphan.

However, the keynote speaker looked up the date of birth on the family register using the Tojeong Bigyeol.

“Find your center. Don’t flinch like a captain setting sail on a stormy sea. Hold on tight to the rudder. Then you will get where you want to go.”

The whole family received New Year’s fortunes that were at the level of a good saying, but only the keynote predicted hardship.

Pilgrimage seemed to be pondering what was going on with a troubled expression, and Yeongsu seemed to be thinking about his fortune for the new year while pondering the meaning of the words.

Kijo muttered to himself in front of his family, who suddenly became speechless.

“Well… I guess the ending is good since you can still get where you want.”

I asked if the pilgrimage was still uneasy after hearing the keynote speech.

“Honey, are you going abroad this year too?”

“I think I will definitely go to Japan and Vietnam.”

“Aren’t you going to take a boat?”

“I’ll take a plane. I won’t take a boat.”

Pilgrimage said that even the keynote speech did not give him peace of mind.

“But please avoid the water. The sea is rough… Hey, I told you to read Tojeong Bigyeol for nothing. It’s a crappy book that they give you as a bonus… … .”

Kijo smiled and said to the upset pilgrim.

“Everyone has a different fortune, and there are good years and bad years. I don’t think the horoscope that says “bitterness ends with sweetness” is that bad.”

To change the mood, Kijo suggested playing Yut Nori.

A military blanket was laid out in the middle of the room, and Kijo took a side with Yeong-eun and Yeong-jun, while Seol-ryeol and Yeong-su took a team.

While we were having fun playing Yut Nori, the phone on the floor rang.

Wondering what was going on from New Year’s morning, Kijo quickly went and answered the phone.

It was Lee Man-ik, the president of Cheongsan Construction.

– I’m sorry for calling you on New Year’s morning, sir. I thought I had to report to you.

“It’s okay. Go ahead.”

―It seems that Incheon Port is frozen and there is a problem with the dock gate. I will go and check it out.

“is it so?”

Kijo thought for a moment and then said.

“Let’s go together. I need to check it out too.”

– I feel like I called you for nothing. But I thought it would be better to report to you quickly, so I called… .

“Well done. See you in front of the headquarters.”

-Okay, sir.

Kijo hung up the phone and returned to his family.

Since he could not tell the truth to Pilgrimage, who had strongly urged him not to go to the water’s edge, that he was going to Incheon Port, Kijo made a vague excuse.

“President Lee Man-ik said he’d like to meet me outside for a bit. I don’t think we can have lunch together.”

“What’s the big deal?”

“No. I think it’s because of the construction work related to the US military. The US military doesn’t have a day off on New Year’s Day.”

After saying that, Kijo put on his coat and went out.

Kijo met Lee Man-ik in front of the headquarters and they rode in a jeep together to head to Incheon.

In cold weather, the Jeep’s heater took a while to warm up the interior.

I had to wear gloves while driving and the gears were stiff.

Kijo and Manik arrived at Incheon Port after slowly driving on the frozen dirt road and looked at the lock gate wharf.

The area around the dock was covered with ice about 70 cm thick.

The sea water inside the lock was frozen solid, and the ship was trapped in the ice.

“I think the water will expand as it freezes, putting pressure on the gate.”

“I think so.”

Lee Man-ik nodded and said.

However, no significant abnormalities were found in the dock’s lock gate.

“Do you think there will be a problem?”

“Well, I guess we’ll have to be careful when the weather gets warmer and the ice melts.”

The keynote was that I could roughly understand the situation.

Incheon Port officials appeared to have taken the initiative when they noticed that the dock gates appeared to have broken down due to thick ice.

If the gate were to break down, they would have said in advance that it was broken in order to shift the responsibility to Cheongsan Construction.

Since government agencies don’t have money, they can often throw tantrums like that and pass the responsibility to the construction company to order repairs.

“It’s not our fault if the gate is damaged by ice, but if it’s broken, please fix it quickly.”

The keynote speaker could afford to pay any amount for the gate repairs.

There was no benefit to be gained by arguing with government agencies. Rather, it was better to fix things obediently and win the favor of government officials even though I knew all the details.

They only held the company responsible for their lack of money, but they knew full well that they had done nothing wrong in the liquidation.

In the 50s and 60s, if you were in charge of a government project, you had to show that level of sincerity, and building trust through that helped you win the government project.

The most fearful thing when dealing with the government was the crime of contempt.

Lee Man-ik also understood the keynote and said he would do so, but he let out a sigh.

The captain opened the collar of his coat while carefully checking the other parts of the dock to make sure there were no abnormalities.

Even though I was wearing a scarf and a hat, I couldn’t help but shiver from the cold sea breeze that cut through me.

Lee Man-ik also told Gijo that he couldn’t stand the winter sea wind that beat his face.

“Sir, let’s go back to the car. If we keep doing this, we’ll freeze to death.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

As he was rushing back to the car with Lee Man-ik, Ki-jo slipped on the ice on the dock and fell on his butt.

“oh my.”

“Are you okay?”

Lee Man-ik tried to set the tone, but he also ended up falling on his butt.

“Ouch!”

“Is President Lee Man-ik okay?”

“I’m fine. What about you, sir?”

Kijo moved his body slightly and then smiled and said.

“I’m okay too.”

The two of them sat on the ice floor, laughing together, then carefully left the dock.

After finishing his inspection of Incheon Port and returning to Seoul, Kijo immediately went home and got rid of the chill in his body in the warm attic.

After a cozy evening with my family and going to bed, my butt, which had hit the ground first after falling at Incheon Port, started to hurt.

When Kijo changed his posture and let out a ‘groan’ sound without realizing it, Pilgrimage, who had been in a deep sleep, woke up and asked.

“Where are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I need to go to the bathroom because Sophie needs to go to the bathroom.”

“It’s cold out there. Don’t go out. Go to the bathroom.”

“No. I’ll go out and do some work to cool off.”

Kijo put on his clothes, went outside, and entered the ignition room.

And when I pulled down my pants and looked at my butt, there was a dark bruise on it.

‘No, I think I fell a little bit and got this bruised?’

The keynote speech was absurd, but then he smiled.

“Is my birthday listed on the family register correct? They told me to focus on my fortune for the new year… .”

The keynote speaker turned off the lights in the studio and went back into the room.

“Did you have a nice day at work?”

To Pilgrimage’s question, Gijo answered yes and covered himself with a blanket.

Even though my butt was sore, I felt like someone had told me the exact date of birth when they left me at the orphanage.

The fact that even though he was abandoned as a child, he was not abandoned carelessly warmed Kijo’s heart.

“If anything hurts, please tell me. Don’t hide it.”

Pilgrimage said, holding Gijo’s hand tightly under the blanket.

The keynote speaker held Pilgrimage’s hand tightly and said:

“You too. If anything feels uncomfortable, you must tell me.”

“I will do that.”

The couple talked quietly in the dark, covered by a blanket.

Sometimes, a cold wind would blow through the alley and a sharp sound would be heard from the window, but Gijo’s heart was only warm.