Chapter 57 - The Branch Manager of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (3)
In China, a new condo was sold without finishing the interior so the owner could finish it with their choice of wallpaper, flooring, countertop, etc.
Gun-Ho chose luxurious materials for the interiors of his two condos.
Gun-Ho went to the Hwaganghwawon frequently to see the interior construction of his condos. He felt embarrassed to ride a bike to the community, and taking a taxi every time he visited there was not realistic. So he rented a car, an Audi. He chose the Audi because it was the brand that was most frequently seen in that area.
“Even though this is a used car, this Audi is good. There were only 60,000 kilometers on it. I rented this car under the business name, Mando Food that runs the Korean restaurant so I can get a tax benefit which is good.”
Gun-Ho went to Hwaganghwawon in his Audi. The security guard didn’t block him. As Thanksgiving Day would soon be here, Gun-Ho gave 100 Yuan (12,000 won) to the security guard to thank him for his hard work. The security guard seemed to be astonished.
“Are you the Korean who had a business here?”
“That’s me. Haha.”
The impact of that 100 Yuan was significant. From the moment he gave 100 Yuan to the security guard, the guard always gave Gun-Ho a military salute whenever he saw Gun-Ho.
“You look marvelous. Did you serve the People’s Liberation Army?”
“That’s right. I was recently discharged from it.”
Gun-Ho was living in a condo community with a swimming pool, and his apartment had three bedrooms. He was riding an Audi and running a Korean restaurant in a hotel building. In the Korean community in that area that Gun-Ho was living in, Gun-Ho was known to be a rich young man.
“You pricks, it’s not possible to have this kind of extravagant life by running a Korean restaurant. I can only do this because I will have two condos that will be generating additional income.”
The interior was finally completed for Gun-Ho’s two Hwaganghwawon condos. As soon as he put these condos on the market for rent, they were gone, maybe because they were brand new. The rent was priced for 5,000 Yuan each.
So, Gun-Ho was getting an additional income of 10,000 Yuan from these rental properties. At that time, the usual starting salary for a college graduate in China was less than 3,000 Yuan, so 10,000 Yuan was a substantial income in China.
“One was rented to a hospital director of an international hospital. He is from Hong Kong. The other one was taken by a German who is the president of a pharmaceutical company. I don’t think I have to worry about getting rent from them.”
Gun-Ho made a phone call to the branch manager of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.
Gun-Ho was not dumb.
He went to a high school in the metropolitan area, and his family couldn’t afford to support his study with a private tutor. So he was admitted to a college in a province. After dropping out of college, he went to a cyber college and graduated from there. The reason why he went to a cyber college was that he wanted to transfer to another college and take a 4-year course later, maybe a college in Seoul or Incheon where his parents lived in. However, he had to make a living at that time. That was why he clung to the level-9 government job exam.
Gun-Ho studied for the HSK test in his spacious apartment, and he lifted his head and looked outside the window.
“I like the fact that I can focus on this HSK exam. When I was studying in Noyrangjin for the government job exam, I had to work the whole day, and study in the evening. I was too exhausted to concentrate on my studies in the evening after work.”
Gun-Ho took out a cigarette and started smoking.
“Well, I guess I have done all kinds of part-time jobs when I was in Noryangjin studying for the exam. I worked at a convenience store, did a chicken delivery, and carried ice in a seafood market. I even worked in a duct construction field. How could I study at that time? I just wasted my life there.”
Gun-Ho thought about his current life.
“I have two fancy condos. I am running a Korean restaurant in a hotel. I am riding an Audi to commute. I am living in a large and luxurious apartment that measured 36 pyung. I am studying the Chinese language, nothing else. In addition, I have a private tutor. With the help of all of this support, why wouldn’t I concentrate on studying?”
Gun-Ho turned on the TV and watched a Chinese soap opera. He couldn’t fully understand it, but he could understand some simple conversation. It was fun.
“After two or three years, I think I can understand over 90% of the Chinese language”
Gun-Ho fell asleep while watching the soap opera. A happy smile appeared on his face.