“Deung Wi-pyeong, are you that happy?”
Deung Jeong glanced at his grandson, Deung Wi-pyeong, whose joy was unmistakable.
He was usually a cheerful child, but today his smile was as radiant as a flower blooming in spring.
Deung Jeong had a hunch about the reason.
“Of course, Grandpa!”
“I didn’t realize you enjoyed meeting Hyun that much.”
“Grandpa, Kang Hyun is really amazing! I actually wanted to attend his concert in Korea last time, but it clashed with the IMO, and I was so disappointed.”
Deung Wi-pyeong had won the IMO (International Mathematical Olympiad).
He had clinched the gold medal with an overwhelming score in the 1999 IMO, which was known for its historically difficult problems.
Because of this, he was already renowned as a mathematical prodigy in China. Both the authorities and the Chinese mathematics community considered him a mathematician who could surpass Grigori Perelman of the Soviet Union.
“What is it about Hyun that makes you so happy? There are many excellent classical musicians in China, even if they’re not as good as Hyun.”
“Grandpa, Kang Hyun is really different from other musicians! It’s astonishing that he won the Queen Elisabeth Competition at such a young age, but his journey since then has shown he’s a genius among geniuses. I have a strong feeling that Kang Hyun will keep growing. How could any violin enthusiast not love such a person?”
Is it true that geniuses recognize other geniuses?
Even Deung Jeong, a classical music enthusiast, had known about Hyun’s talent for a long time.
Winning the Queen Elisabeth Competition at a young age, performing for the British royal family, and receiving love calls from famous orchestras around the world.
No musician in Asia had ever had a career like Hyun’s.
“Hyung!”
Deung Wi-pyeong was ecstatic to see Kang Hyun at the wedding in New York.
Although he had been invited to a wedding in Beijing, he chose to go to New York without hesitation, mainly because of Kang Hyun.
Despite the long flight, his fatigue vanished as soon as he saw Hyun.
“Deung Wi-pyeong?”
“So glad to see you, hyung!”
“It’s been a long time. But when did your Korean improve so much?”
“I studied a lot. Grandpa is talking to someone else right now, so I came first!”
Though his Korean was clumsy, Deung Wi-pyeong’s dumpling-like face made him seem even cuter.
“Hyung!”
It felt like being the Pied Piper again. Deung Wi-pyeong clung to my side and showed no signs of letting go.
He had grown tall enough for the top of his head to reach my shoulder, but his face hadn’t changed. He still had chubby cheeks like dumplings.
“Deung Wi-pyeong, what have you been up to lately?”
“Studying hard, I won last year!”
“Won?”
“I got a gold medal at the IMO, hehe.”
Though his Korean was rough, his meaning was clear. I knew Deung Wi-pyeong was smart, but I didn’t expect him to win a gold medal at the IMO. Now, his bright eyes seemed less like a child’s innocent gaze and more like a wise mathematician’s eyes.
“I heard you’re a music director in Hollywood now? It’s already a famous story in Beijing!”
“In Beijing?”
“Yeah! Director Gye Ryun is friends with my dad. Whenever they meet, they talk about you. Director Gye Ryun also wants you to be a music director for his films because Director Jim Filmer praised you.”
So the news had already reached Beijing.
Who is Director Gye Ryun? He’s as famous in China as directors John Woo, Ang Lee, and Feng Xiaogang.
To think that such a world-renowned director would want to work with me. Even James Cameron still contacts me these days.
Life is indeed unpredictable, but I never expected to make such a name for myself in the film industry so quickly. Just then,
“Deung Wi-pyeong?”
It was a Chinese woman in a fancy dress. She looked like a traditional Chinese beauty and wore expensive-looking jewelry.
“Miryo noona?”
“It’s been a long time. How have you been?”
“I’ve been good! What about you? Still a university student?”
“No way, I graduated from Tsinghua University ages ago. Now I work with my father. By the way, aren’t you going to introduce the gentleman next to you?”
She spoke to me in Cantonese. She seemed surprised by my fluent Chinese and nodded.
“As I’ve heard, Hyun, you have an exceptional talent for languages.”
“Miryo, you know me?”
“Of course. It’s well known that you have a close personal relationship with the heir of the Geumwang Group. Moreover, you were the big hand behind moving Barbara Tannenbaum, so just building a connection with you here completes my mission.”
What kind of work does she do to know all this? After a brief conversation with Miryo, I moved on. Only then did Deung Wi-pyeong exhale and glance at me.
“Hyung, don’t get too close to Miryo noona. She’s really scary.”
“Scary?”
“Grandpa said so. Her father is one of the most powerful men on the mainland. Miryo noona also works for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
It seemed I had met the daughter of a powerful figure in China.
Many Chinese people recognized Deung Wi-pyeong and approached him. They were likely the children of prominent entrepreneurs or power brokers in China.
They greeted Deung Wi-pyeong warmly and quickly introduced themselves to me. The fact that Soo, the heir of the Geumwang Group, had come to greet me seemed to have greatly stirred them.
“Deung Wi-pyeong, shall we go see your grandfather now? I need to greet him too.”
“Okay!”
Deung Wi-pyeong led the way, and I followed. As we walked, the red fabric adorned with gold thread made me wonder if this was China or New York.
In the distance, I saw Deung Jeong talking to a Westerner.
His white hair, deep voice, and piercing eyes exuded dignity, just as they always had. His presence reminded me of Chairman Wang. Successful grandfathers seem to share some similarities. Then, I saw something that made me doubt my eyes.
“Deung Wi-pyeong, is that the person your grandfather is meeting?”
“Yes!”
As we got closer, the Westerner talking to Deung Jeong became clear. Deung Jeong was certainly no ordinary grandfather.
The person opposite him, greeting him warmly, was none other than the White House Chief of Staff, often called the President’s right-hand man.
Gulp.
I couldn’t help but swallow hard. In my life, I had never met such powerful figures in the world of politics, but today seemed to be the day.
Here.
“Is this the White House?”
Even the White House wouldn’t host a party like this.
Elnon Fox couldn’t hide his astonishment as he looked at the attendees gathered at the grand mansion on the outskirts of New York.
He had been invited as a guest of the bride, but he hadn’t expected it to be this grand. Not only were there wealthy Chinese businessmen, but also influential figures from America.
Elnon Fox was a well-known comedian in America, but compared to these power brokers, his fame was like a firefly next to the sun.
“Chief Cloud?”
He was the second-in-command at the White House. He not only led the advisors but also handled major affairs in the White House.
That such a person would attend the wedding and have a long conversation with the groom! The heir of the Geumwang Group was indeed someone special.
At that moment,
“Hyun?”
Elnon couldn’t believe his eyes. Kang Hyun, who was supposed to be the first guest on his upcoming talk show, appeared at the Geumwang Group’s wedding.
As soon as Kang Hyun appeared, the heir of the Geumwang Group excused himself from his conversation with the Chief of Staff and ran to greet him. Naturally, this drew the attention of the wedding guests.
Who could be so important that the heir of the Geumwang Group would excuse himself from the Chief of Staff to greet him?
The heir of the Geumwang Group was conversing very familiarly with Kang Hyun. Even from a distance, the silence around them made their conversation in Chinese clearly audible.
The heir of the Geumwang Group not only talked to him like an old friend but also introduced his sister, who was another key figure in the group.
Who is he?
That wasn’t the end. After parting with the heir, a chubby Chinese boy immediately clung to Kang Hyun. For a child to be invited to such a wedding, he must also come from an extraordinary family.
Elnon wanted to approach Kang Hyun, but he couldn’t find the right moment. Kang Hyun was as much the center of attention as the heir himself.
“He knows that person too?”
Kang Hyun was greeting an elderly Chinese man warmly.
Elnon also knew who Tianjin’s Deung Jeong was. He was a large landowner in Tianjin, and his family had held high-ranking official positions in the area for generations.
He was so influential that even high-ranking officials in China bowed to him.
How do I know so much?
Elnon was a comedian but also a TV writer. He once produced a program introducing the specialties of Tianjin, China.
It was then that he encountered this old man. The Chief of Staff also went straight to greet him after talking to the heir of the Geumwang Group.
The old man greeted Kang Hyun warmly and then introduced him to the Chief of Staff.
“More than I thought.”
The Chief of Staff was looking at Kang Hyun with interest. The heir of the Geumwang Group had excused himself to greet Kang Hyun, after all.
Even to a stranger, it was clear that the heir and Kang Hyun had a special relationship, so the Chief of Staff didn’t seem too upset.
At that moment, Elnon realized. He had sensed it at a previous charity event but only vaguely suspected it.
But now, seeing the attention and focus on Kang Hyun at the Geumwang Group’s wedding, he couldn’t ignore it.
Kang Hyun, known as the violinist Hyun, was—
“A much bigger deal.”
