The Junk Dealer Makes Good Money

[126] Lee Min-goo

If he had decided to leave as Siwoo Lee said, he would have left sooner.

But he had nowhere to go.

He even cleaned up all of his personal wealth that he had earned for 10 years to sort out what his friend had done.

When things went well, he had nothing left except to protect this mountain he had bought.

“Don’t bully someone who has nowhere to go and go down. I never intend to do business.”

I couldn’t trust anyone anymore.

Si-woo Lee, who suddenly came and showed good intentions, thought that he had some kind of plan.

A place where even the usual electricity does not come.

Lee Min-goo lights a candle at night and lives.

The reason I had been living with loneliness for two years was because I was disappointed in myself too much.

Rather than saying that he trusted his friend too much, he might have wanted to do business comfortably.

Even if he doesn’t care, he has lived a pathetic life with the thought that his friends and the people of Seo-il Cho will take care of it.

“Are you going to live here for the rest of your life?”

“It was my choice. I’m comfortable right now… … .”

I saw Lee Min-goo’s eyes flutter.

It was fleeting, but nothing was more effective than looking into the eyes when it came to understanding a person’s emotions.

Seeing his strong refusal, Siwoo cut off his words.

“Are you really comfortable with this life?”

“Yes, it is convenient.”

“If the position of representative is burdensome, I will give you another position.”

“Why does it have to be me?”

Many people know about landscaping.

Even today, there were not many people who made a living with landscaping as their main occupation.

Among such many people, I was curious about the intention of Si-woo Lee who chose himself to turn away from the world.

“The business I am trying to do will be arduous and difficult. It’s a business no one has ever tried. I need someone to take responsibility for the business and make it a success.”

“I am already a failure. It will most likely not be successful.”

He was a person who knew his earnestness because he had been a failure.

People who succeed from the start don’t settle for a challenge and do nothing.

Of course, not everyone was like that.

Because there were many successful people who chose a path that others did not go.

But did they really run on the road to success from the start?

“Even if we don’t succeed, no one will hold Lee Min-koo accountable. Are you hiding because you are afraid of failure?”

Lee Min-goo wanted to live comfortably.

I wanted to live a life where I didn’t have to look at anyone’s eyes.

I know how useless and pointless it is to deal with people.

The type that tries to stick a knife in his back when he sees a weakness.

The type who hides their nature in a mask and only wants to use it to eat.

You have to deal with different characters.

Being in business is not something you can do just because you are good at work.

“That coward is right. I have no intention of going out into the world again, so the CEO will break my stubbornness first.”

“CEO Lee Min-koo, can’t you take on the role of CEO with the idea of saving one person?”

“Even if I don’t become the CEO, the CEO doesn’t die.”

It was a battle of spears and shields.

Lee Si-woo and Lee Min-goo, the two of them, had different positions.

“I will not go down the mountain until you accept my offer.”

“You do it yourself. I will no longer care about you.”

Siwoo Lee thought from the beginning that it would not be an easy task.

It takes time to convince someone with a closed mind.

I came here after looking at it for a long time.

“Sir, pitch your tent.”

“Yes, sir!”

* * *

The bright sunlight suddenly disappeared.

Si-woo Lee, who was sitting outside the tent and looking at the sky, scratched his head.

“Did it rain today?”

“Ah, I did say that the rainy season will start today, sir.”

“Why are you telling me that now?”

At the beginning of the rainy season, Siwoo Lee broke into tears.

It looked like it was going to rain soon.

Although I had come up fully prepared, it seemed difficult to avoid the rain.

I came up with only one tent.

“I think we should install a screen to avoid the rain.”

“Well, how about moving places first? If my river overflows, it is a big deal.”

When the three of them were at a loss for what to do, Lee Min-goo looked out the window from the small house.

Lee Min-gu burst out laughing at the unusual sight of the dark clouds gathering around him and hurriedly packed his things.

‘This could also be the CEO’s luck.’

If the river blew, there was a high probability of being isolated.

As Lee Min-gu hurriedly packed his belongings and left the house, Si-woo Lee tilted his head.

“CEO Lee Min-koo, where are you going?”

“Even though I am a natural person, I cannot survive the rainy season. It’s going to rain soon. Come down.”

The rainy season should be as long as a month or as short as 2 weeks.

Of course, they had plenty of food in stock.

However, it was important to not be able to airlift the necessary supplies the moment they were isolated.

If the inner stream increases due to a landslide, this place is not safe either.

Therefore, on rainy days, Lee Min-gu would have to go down the mountain to live in a village.

“Bring your tent.”

“It will rain soon. If you’re a little late, you might be isolated on this mountain. We have to give up the tent and go down quickly.”

The rainy season came earlier than last year.

Still, I packed up my bags on the news that the rainy season was coming.

At his words to hurry, Lee Si-woo gave up the tent spread out and hurriedly descended.

Urreung-

Whoa, whoa, whoa-!

A roar of thunder was heard in the distance.

The four men rushed down the mountain as if running.

If it was later, I really didn’t know that I would be stuck on this mountain.

* * *

As the four of them were descending, a little girl from the village looked up at the mountain.

“If it’s the same, you should have come down in advance.”

“Hey Eunha! Eunha!”

At the beginning of the mountain, the girl who showed her impatience while standing there licked her lips as she saw the woman rushing towards her.

“Kim Eun-ha! It’s going to rain soon, so why are you here?!”

“I mean, Min-goo hasn’t come down yet, Mom.”

“yes? Mingu hasn’t come down yet?”

He was a man who first came to this village two years ago and said he wanted to live in the mountains.

The villagers smirked at his foolishness in saying that he would live in a mountain where there was no electricity.

And I thought it would come down after not even a month.

However, contrary to what the villagers thought, he spent two years in the mountains.

“If it was the same, I should have come down earlier… I mean, the last time I told you the rainy season was going to start early.”

“Well, let’s go home without getting caught in the rain. yes?”

“no. I’ll be waiting for you, Min-goo!”

At the child’s insistence, the woman quickly opened the umbrella she brought.

A woman raising Kim Eun-ha alone, Kim Seol-ha was a woman who became a widow at a young age.

They got married because they loved each other, but the happiness did not last long.

Her husband contracted cancer and passed away at an early age.

“I will be arriving soon. So don’t worry, let’s go home.”

“You can’t get out, are you?”

Kim Seol-ha bit her lip.

The village where Lee Min-gu lives was three hours away.

At the beginning of the rainy season, this mountain was hardly visited by people from outside.

The mountains here are rugged and there are many streams, and when the rainy season begins, rivers overflow everywhere.

The overflowing rivers caused numerous landslides.

After all, would the villagers say that the topography of the mountain changes after the rainy season is over?

“Mingu is not an ordinary mountaineer, and he knows the terrain here well, so he will be able to get out of it without difficulty.”

“Still, I will wait!”

Kim Seol-ha looked at the mountain with a worried expression on the stubborn child.

But if it rained and caught a cold, it was a big deal.

Kim Seol-ha rushed home, holding Kim Eun-ha, who said she would stay, in her arms.

Exactly two hours after the mother and daughter disappeared, four men covered in dirt appeared from the entrance of the mountain.

After two hours of rain, Siwoo Lee and his party managed to reach the village.

“ha… ha… … .”

It was worthwhile to come down in a hurry before the inner stream increased.

Now, the water was so high that it was impossible to cross the river.

Kim Seo-hwan, who sat on the floor and sighed in relief, shifted his gaze to Si-woo Lee.

“Are you okay, sir?”

“I barely made it down. Otherwise, I would have been really isolated.”

Lee Min-gu, who brought Si-woo Lee and his party down, looked around.

Kim Eun-ha, who was always waiting for her during the rainy season, was nowhere to be seen.

‘You must be very worried.’

If it was original, it should have come down sooner.

However, Siwoo Lee suddenly came and missed the descent time.

“What are you going to do?”

“Where is CEO Lee Min-koo going?”

“There is a separate place to stay when you come down to the village to buy daily necessities during the rainy season.”

“I… Don’t worry, can we follow along? I don’t have a place to live because I don’t know anyone in town.”

“Just go home. Why are you struggling with leaving a comfortable home?”

Lee Min-goo shook his head with an expression of incomprehension.

But soon after, Lee Si-woo and his party went into the village.

I saw a shabby house in the innermost part of the village.

When I opened the rusty iron door and went inside, a young girl sitting on the floor greeted me.

“mister!”

“Don’t get hit by the rain, stay under the eaves, Eunha.”

Lee Min-goo approached Eun-ha Kim with a caring smile and looked at the water drops falling from her body.

“But who are these men?”

“They are the guests who came to me. I’m sorry today, but I think I’ll have to spend the day with them.”

“The room is small.”

“I’m going to sleep, okay. Were you worried a lot?”

Lee Min-gu, who couldn’t even stroke his hair with his hands full of water and mud, smiled brightly.

It’s been two hours since it rained.

Kim Seol-ha was worried about Lee Min-goo, who was completely drenched.

“Min-gu, what happened?”

“I missed the descent time because a visitor came. I… I think I should wash first.”

“The boiler is on. By the way, are these people Min-goo’s guests?”

“Yes, Seolha. I’m sorry, but I think the three of us will have to stay together today.”

It was the first time.

I heard that there are very few people looking for immigration from outside.

But a few months ago, people looking for him came to the village.

“There are guests who have visited Min-goo… It’s amazing. Please wash first. I will prepare dinner.”

“Don’t worry, it’s been a while since I’ve been here, so let’s eat out.”

At the word eating out, Kim Eun-ha spread her arms wide.

“I agree!”

“Kim Eun-ha! Min-goo wouldn’t have any money either… … .”

He was a man who lived in the mountains without working for two years.

When I saw him buying only the cheap things and sparingly buying daily necessities, I knew his circumstances were not good.

“I will buy dinner today. Thank you for letting me stay for the day.”

“Mingu-san, you are a guest… … .”

“it’s okay. Because I have to hang on to it now.”

Lee Min-gu’s expression hardened at Si-woo’s words.

“Don’t say anything and come in.”

Kim Seol-ha looked at the three people who were being dragged in by Lee Min-goo with a questioning gaze.

After showering and changing into dry clothes, Siwoo Lee approached the floor.

“Uncle, are you close with Min-gu?”

“no. Not that friendly.”

“Then why did you come to visit Uncle Min-goo?”

“Well, I’m here to ask you a favor.”

At Lee Si-woo’s words, Kim Eun-ha showed a vigilant gaze.

She wondered if they were harassing Lee Min-goo.

“Don’t bully Min-goo.”

Lee Si-woo nodded at Kim Eun-ha’s solemn expression, who suddenly issued a warning.

I didn’t come here to harass Lee Min-goo.

“Little girl, what’s your name?”

“Kim Eun-ha!”

“Your name is beautiful. Eunha-ya, do you think your uncle came to torment Min-gu?”

“I don’t know. But the villagers say so. It could be someone who came to get money from Uncle Min-goo.”

“I didn’t come here to get money.”

“The men did. The reason I live in the mountains is because of money. I owe you money and hid here! But you are not that kind of person.”

Often there were people who settled in the village to start farming, but no one lived in the mountains like Lee Min-gu.

So the rumors about him weren’t very good.

“CEO Lee Min-koo is not like that. How wonderful are you?”

“Really?”

“then. So I’m going to take you there, but it’s a bit difficult.”

Lee Si-woo and Kim Eun-ha were sitting on the floor talking while Min-gu intervened.

“CEO, don’t say useless things and go into the room.”

“This uncle said that Uncle Min-goo was great!”

“Kim Eun-ha, you catch a cold if you go out for a long time. Go in.”

“Hey… I like the rainy days the best.”

Lee Si-woo agreed with Kim Eun-ha’s grumbling words.

“you also? Do I like rainy days the best?”

“Really? Villagers don’t like it when it rains, it’s wet. Don’t all grown-ups hate rainy days?”

“Because everyone has their own tastes.”

Lee Si-woo, who sat next to Kim Eun-ha while stroking Kim Eun-ha’s hair, looked up at Lee Min-goo.

“CEO Lee Min-koo also sits next to me. Hearing the sound of rain puts my mind at ease.”

“Don’t call me representative. At least here, call me Lee Min-goo.”

He scratched his head at Lee Min-goo’s request.

When asked to go out to eat, Kim Seol-ha, who came out with a change of clothes, tilted her head.

“Min-gu, what did you do before entering the mountain? Seeing you call yourself the CEO, you don’t seem like an ordinary office worker.”

As Kim Seol-ha seemed to have heard the title of CEO, Lee Min-gu glared at Lee Si-woo.

“It’s just a meaningless name.”

Kim Seol-ha narrowed her eyes at Lee Min-goo’s denial.

After washing, Lee Mu-yeol and Kim Seo-hwan left the room.

“Chief, the preparations are complete.”

When the two came out, Siwoo Lee stood up holding Eunha Kim in his arms.

“What do you want to eat, Eunha?”

“Noodles!”

“okay? So, shall we go eat Chinese food? Manager Lee Moo-yeol, do you have any cash?”

“Yes, there is.”

It would have been nice to have a card, but maybe he didn’t put the card down in a rural village.

Si-woo Lee and his party left the house, thinking it was fortunate that they had collected enough cash in advance.

As the awkward atmosphere flowed, Kim Seol-ha looked at Lee Min-goo with a suspicious look.

“When you hear the voice of the CEO, you don’t seem like an ordinary young man, do you?”

“I understand that you are a representative of a junkyard company.”

“A junk dealer? Why did such a person come to visit Min-gu in such a mountainous village?”

“It’s my personal matter, Seol-ha.”