Chapter 79
"Huh? What do you think? It's not because she's my granddaughter, but she's pretty, kind, and rich. She's not the kind of girl you'd be ashamed to introduce."
That's true.
Hong Si-yeon definitely has feelings for me.
But this is something Hong Si-yeon and I should decide, not Madam.
"We'll handle that ourselves."
"Mmm..."
She kept sighing regretfully.
But she didn't say anything more about it.
"Then at least stay for a meal."
"Thank you. I'll enjoy it."
There was no reason to refuse the offer.
.
.
.
Madam said she would prepare the meal herself, so I spent some time relaxing in the room before going out to find a full Korean spread laid out before me.
Wow. Galbijjim, beef, and spicy pork stir-fry too!
The spicy pork is to die for.
"Is the food to your liking?"
"It's incredibly delicious."
This is seriously no joke.
How does spicy pork taste this good?
"Could I have another bowl of rice?"
"Oh my, oh my. Of course! Have some more."
I piled a generous amount of spicy pork into a large bowl and took a big bite.
The spicy heat of the pork spreading through my mouth was incredible.
"You have quite an appetite. It's nice to see. My granddaughters pick at their food, and it drives me crazy."
Madam placed a salt-grilled prawn on my side plate.
Ah. Shrimp.
This is good too.
When I chewed and swallowed it whole, starting with the head, she was startled.
"You eat the shrimp whole?"
"I've been eating them that way since I was at the orphanage... Does it look bad?"
"Of course not. It's nice to see you eat so well. Hehehe."
Then she passed several more dishes into my bowl.
After eating those too, my stomach was completely full.
Oh. I haven't eaten this well in a long time.
"There's dessert too."
"Oof. I don't think I can manage..."
"Still, eat it all before you go."
This really feels like visiting my grandmother's house.
Though I didn't actually have a grandmother.
When I visited friends' houses in high school, their grandmothers would load food onto my plate like this if they happened to be there.
Madam seemed determined as she brought out snacks, fruit, and rice cakes, her eyes sparkling.
"Ah. I already ate so much."
"Just one bite. Just one bite. Okay?"
In the end, I put a few more pieces of melon, rice cake, and snacks into my mouth.
"Would you like some sujeonggwa?"
"...I'm going to die..."
"Oh, come on. Eating this much won't kill you."
What kind of food torture was this?
"Grandma. At this rate, Noah's stomach is going to burst. Give him some later. Later."
It only finally ended after Hong Si-yeon stepped in.
Madam Yang Chun-ja looked extremely disappointed.
"He was so thin that I felt sorry for him. This won't do. Will you come again tomorrow? I'll grill tilefish and make braised beef ribs too. The more you live alone, the better you need to eat. Come have lunch and dinner before you go."
I couldn't even begin to guess how much she intended to fatten me up.
There wasn't the slightest bit of ill will toward me behind it.
"I'm grateful for the offer, but I have work tomorrow... I'll come again next time."
And in my current state, I felt like I could go without eating anything tomorrow.
"What a shame. All right. Come by whenever you like."
"Then I'll be heading out now. Thank you for dinner."
"All right. Oh, Si-yeon. You're not just going to let him leave, are you? Take him home and come back."
"Yes. I understand."
I went outside with her.
Hong Si-yeon fidgeted for a moment, then sighed.
"Mr. Noah. I'm sorry. You were pretty startled, weren't you?"
"Huh? By what?"
"My grandma. She isn't usually like that. I guess she really liked you."
"She's acting that way because she likes me, isn't she? I'm not so oblivious that I can't tell kindness from malice, so don't worry."
"...Hehe. Thank you for saying that. But..."
Hong Si-yeon hesitated for a moment, then asked in a small voice.
"You know what Grandma said earlier."
"Oh. About finding a good match?"
"That! I mean... um. You don't have to think too deeply about it. M-my grandmother might have said that simply because I've never dated a man before..."
Hong Si-yeon's fidgeting face held a slight blush and a hint of anxiety.
She was worried that I might have been offended by the question.
But I wasn't particularly offended.
"That's how adults worry, isn't it? But it's surprising you've never dated anyone. Are your standards too high?"
"I suppose they are. Besides, look at me."
With her signature mischievous grin, she took another step toward me.
"If I'm this pretty, it's okay to have high standards."
"Oh... You certainly seem full of yourself. With that level of confidence, you probably don't have many friends."
"I have lots of friends, you know?! It's just that I don't have any male friends. What about you, Mr. Noah? Do you have many female friends?"
"I have quite a few, don't I?"
"Huh?"
I had friends from the Dunsa Gallery, and friends from the Dunsa Guild.
Weren't we all friends?
I had plenty of friends online.
Besides, Han Yu-na was a female friend too.
......
She looked dumbfounded, then let out a long sigh.
Then, with a mischievous grin, she naturally took hold of my arm.
As always, all she did was give me a bright smile like the sun.
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.
.
A few days later.
I was thinking of going to a café after finishing my broadcast when I got a call.
It was Hong Si-yeon.
"Hello."
-Have you been well?
"Yes. I'm always well."
-That's good! Um... Mr. Noah, are you free tomorrow evening?
"Mao Ziwen has come to Korea."
-Oh dear. I can't hide anything from you!
Laughter drifted through the phone.
I also preferred finishing things in Korea to going to China, so I wanted to meet him while he was here.
-The place we're going is a small private gathering. I'd like you to come with us.
"Yes. I understand."
-Should I have a suit tailored for you? A nice one.
"I'm fine. I have one.."
Han Yu-na had bought me a suit before.
It was fairly expensive, so it should be fine to wear to a gathering like that.
-Then we'll go tomorrow night, so wait at home.
"Yep."
Tomorrow night.
Then I should get all my fatigue out during the day tomorrow.
And so, the next day.
I finished all my tasks during the day and waited in my suit until I received a call.
When I went downstairs, a sedan was parked in the lot in front of my officetel.
"Get in~."
The rear window rolled down, revealing Hong Si-yeon and her grandmother.
A large, burly man was sitting in the driver's seat.
I immediately opened the door and sat in the passenger seat.
"Why are you sitting there?"
"It fits the picture better if I sit up front, doesn't it? Ah. And Ms. Si-yeon and Madam, have this. Driver, you too."
"...Thank you."
A huge hulk.
The man with the impressive scars on his face politely greeted me and accepted the canned coffee.
"Ahaha~! Thank you~! I'll enjoy it~! I was thirsty anyway."
"Why did you bring something like this...? You could've just come."
"Coffee is perfect at night."
"If you drink coffee at night, you won't be able to sleep."
"Then drink it tomorrow. Tomorrow."
"Goodness. You won't even let me refuse."
Madam chuckled and carefully placed the canned coffee beside her.
I saw a future in which she carefully sipped the coffee she had left beside her the next day.
In the meantime, the car began moving.
Inside the sedan speeding along Seoul's roads, she spoke calmly.
"The place we're going today is a gathering of people who wield considerable power even in Korea."
"I see."
"This is the person you need to see there."
She held out the tablet in her hand.
The photo displayed on the tablet showed a man who appeared to be in his late fifties.
This was Mao Ziwen.
Party secretary of Chengdu, Sichuan.
In Chengdu, he was someone whom it would not be strange to call the city's number one figure.
"I'll make the proposal to him. And... let's see how things go before deciding how to proceed."
The car continued moving as we talked.
It stopped in front of a luxurious mansion in Cheongdam-dong.
Do rich people hold parties in places like this?
"Let's get out."
Mr. Kim seemed to be waiting in the car.
I followed her out, and when the mansion's door opened, I walked inside obediently.
It was quite a lavish mansion.
And everyone here seemed to be someone important.
"Wait over there. If you get bored, shall I have our Si-yeon stay with you?"
"Haha. Doesn't Ms. Si-yeon need to move around with you? She's helping you with your work."
"It's because I'm worried you'll be bored."
"I'm fine."
"All right. Then I'll be back soon."
"Yes."
I obediently headed toward a corner.
There were some decent things to eat even in the corner, so I decided to wait while eating.
I was sitting in the corner, watching Madam Yang Chun-ja and Hong Si-yeon move around, when it happened.
A commotion arose from the entrance through which we had entered.
Someone who could be called the main figure of the party was coming in.
Mao Ziwen.
He was the man I had seen on the tablet earlier.
Many people were approaching him.
"Tsk. Look at them fawning over him just because someone powerful has arrived."
Oh... What an aggressive remark.
Looking to the side, I saw a modernized hanbok.
An elderly man wearing the bizarre cloth outfit of the madman who had been my ethics teacher in high school was grumbling with a wineglass in hand.
"Sir, you came with that old lady Yang Chun-ja, didn't you?"
"Yes. Ah, please speak comfortably. You're much older than I am."
"Heh heh. Thank you for your consideration. By the way, has that Kang Noah joined forces with Yang Chun-ja?"
"You know me?"
"Of course. Is there anyone who doesn't know you these days?"
He spoke leisurely as he sipped his wine.
"The eyes of those idiots who can't recognize a person's worth are all blind. They don't even know who they should be approaching right now."
"Haha. You think quite highly of me, Elder."
"You should form a connection with someone who can see the future. Ah, I'm late introducing myself. I make my living lending money. My name is Jeong Hui-tae. If you ever need money, contact me."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kang Noah."
Lending money.
Like Madam Yang Chun-ja, he was in the loan-shark business.
He was practically a rival of hers at this point.
As I read his past, Elder Jeong Hui-tae subtly shifted his gaze toward Madam Yang Chun-ja.
"Do you know about that old woman's son... I mean, the father of that red-haired kid over there?"
"I don't."
"...He was a close drinking buddy of mine. A fishing buddy, too."
His eyes were filled with bitterness.