Chapter 34
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: A Generous Host
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Scene. 34
This feeling...
“I hear Writer Kim put scenes about harvesting grapes and making wine into the drama. Does our lovely Ye-rim know about that?”
“Of course. I heard that’s when the farm holds its festival.”
“That’s right. It’s a festival. All the neighbors gather here to eat, drink, and have a good time.”
“It sounds like a lot of people come.”
“Not outsiders. Just the local folks. Kids, the elderly, everyone comes. It gets a bit chaotic, but that's how we all enjoy ourselves—harvesting grapes and making wine together.”
Kang Man-dong laughed heartily, his eyes meeting Seong Ye-rim’s.
“As a special treat, I'll give our lovely Ye-rim a hogshead.”
“A hogshead?”
“Ah, maybe you don't know the term? You know what an oak barrel is, right?”
“Yes. You mean the oak casks for aging liquor, right?”
“Right. Most people talk about volume in liters, don't they?”
“Yes.”
“But oak barrels are called different names based on their size, not just a number.”
“Then a hogshead is...”
“Let's see, it's about 250 liters? That's enough for about 300 to 350 bottles of wine.”
At Kang Man-dong's words, not just Seong Ye-rim but everyone else looked astonished.
“Y-You're really giving it to me?”
“How could I not, for someone who speaks so sweetly? I'll even brand your name onto the barrel for you, so look forward to it.”
Envious looks were cast in her direction. Lee Ha-na, who had been trailing along like a wallflower without saying a word, was especially envious.
Feeling this wasn't right, she tried to jump into the conversation, but the foxy Seong Ye-rim gave her no opening at all.
She'd told Manager Park not to worry, asking if he thought she was just an ornament, but now she'd actually become one.
“But you see.”
“Yes, Owner-nim.”
“It doesn't become wine the moment you put it in the barrel.”
“Ah, you’re talking about the aging time, right?”
“Exactly. So there's one small problem.”
“A problem?”
“Like I said, you can't drink it right after it's barreled. And depending on the place, it can turn into vinegar instead of wine.”
“Ah...”
“So, for it to become properly aged wine, it needs to sit in the cellar here for at least a year, maybe as long as three. What do you think? Can you come back later to pick up your wine? You'd have to come back for the next festival.”
“Absolutely! Of course I'll come!”
Seong Ye-rim clasped her hands and nodded emphatically.
A one-of-a-kind, oak-aged wine with her name engraved on it!
How could she possibly not return?
Watching Seong Ye-rim nod repeatedly, her eyes sparkling, Kang Man-dong wore a very, very satisfied expression.
Lee Ha-na was quietly fuming at how Kang Man-dong was only paying attention to Seong Ye-rim.
She hadn't done anything wrong, nor had she made any mistakes.
‘I'm a lead actress too! Why is he only fawning over Seong Ye-rim!’
Just then, Kang Man-dong turned his head toward Lee Ha-na.
‘Huh? Is he going to give me one too?’
Lee Ha-na’s face lit up with anticipation, but an unexpected question came instead.
“It was Lee Ha-na, wasn't it?”
“Yes, Owner-nim. I’m Lee Ha-na.”
“Say, why are you wearing sunglasses?”
“Pardon?”
“They're not even lightly tinted. Can you even see anything through those?”
“Ah. This is... well.”
Flustered by the question, Lee Ha-na stammered.
“It just breaks my heart to think you're only seeing my farm as a black blur.”
Lee Ha-na's expression turned aghast.
‘What is he talking about? It's not that bad!’
“Besides, the sunset here is going to be spectacular in a bit. But with those on, the sunset will just look black too.”
“.....”
“And then you wouldn't feel any of the wonder.”
At Kang Man-dong's words, all eyes focused on Lee Ha-na.
“Aren't you going to take them off?”
“I... I'll take them off.”
Lee Ha-na felt wronged, but she couldn't keep her sunglasses on when he was being so direct.
As Lee Ha-na took off her sunglasses, Kang Man-dong's tone softened as if he'd never been gruff.
“Why would you hide such a pretty face with something so unsightly? My, my. An actress is an actress. Much better to look at.”
“Thank you.”
The situation felt unfair and strange, having to say thank you after being lectured, but that was truly all Lee Ha-na could say.
Perhaps because of this, a strange tension flowed between Director Choi and Manager Park, who were watching quietly from the back. The other managers cautiously distanced themselves, lest they get caught in the crossfire.
“In that spirit, I'll gift you an oak barrel too, Ha-na.”
“What? Really?”
“Yeah. It hurts feelings if I give one to someone and not the other. A person shouldn't be like that.”
Lee Ha-na's feelings had been stung by Kang Man-dong's blunt way of speaking, but at the mention of an oak barrel, her face broke into a wide smile as if she'd forgotten all about it.
She hadn't said anything, but she had desperately wanted one too.
“Ah, thank you!”
This time, the thanks wasn't forced but came out genuinely.
At Kang Man-dong’s words, the others who had been listening all wore expressions that said, ‘What about me?’ But Kang Man-dong just cleared his throat with a ‘Ahem’ and casually looked away as if nothing was amiss.
“Ah, I almost forgot. You know you have to come back in a year too, right, Ha-na?”
“Yes! I'll definitely be here.”
“Good. You look nice when you smile.”
Kang Man-dong studied Lee Ha-na's face and nodded repeatedly, as if he found it quite pleasing.
Watching from the side, Kim Seong-hui finally understood why Kang Man-dong had suddenly offered a farm tour.
‘Owner-nim. Don't tell me... the oak barrels were... hostages?’
Seeing the disappointed faces all around, Kang Man-dong spoke again.
“You all look disappointed. But I have to make a living too. If I give one to everyone here, the farm will go bankrupt. Instead, I'll bring out a bottle of my prized wine at dinner. You can cheer up with that.”
“Wow! Hooray for the owner!”
At Kang Man-dong's declaration of free wine, everyone cheered without exception.
While Kang Man-dong was working on winning over Seong Ye-rim and Lee Ha-na, Yu-hyeon seized the opportunity to work on Yeon Jeong-suk and Han Mi-ra.
“Ladies.”
“Oh, yes.”
“I'll gift each of you an oak barrel in your names.”
“What? No, no. We couldn't possibly.”
Yeon Jeong-suk and Han Mi-ra waved their hands as if burdened by the offer, but anyone could see the disappointment in their eyes.
“It's a gift from your nephew. So please, accept it.”
“I'm not sure if we should.”
“Won't your father say something?”
“No. He'll be even happier. Because it's like you've both promised to come back here in a year.”
Yu-hyeon winked, mouthing, ‘You know, the blind date.’
“This kid is still making that joke.”
Yu-hyeon bent down slightly and whispered into their ears.
“I didn't want to say this, for fear of sounding materialistic.”
“.....?”
“My father is practically a tycoon. His annual income is over ten billion won. Oh, that's ten billion after taxes.”
“Oh my. What a thing to say.”
“And while he used to farm and travel around himself, now he just tends a small garden patch. The farm has over fifty employees, and the pension has thirty staff members. He'll never have to bend his back to farm, so you don't have to worry about that.”
“.....”
“Is that all? Look over there. That sturdy body. Those bulging muscles. Plus, he has a great personality. And his cooking skills are chef-level!”
“.....”
“On top of that, he's lived only for his son all this time, never even glancing at another woman. He's secondhand, but not like something someone used and tossed aside—he's practically brand new. Shouldn't you avoid the tragedy of picking a faulty new model and spending all your time getting it repaired?”
“.....”
“Most importantly, seeing another Korean here is like trying to pluck a star from the sky. The few who come are just passing through. If it weren't for this drama shoot, we never would have had the chance to meet like this.”
“....”
“I don't know how it was in the past, but these days, fifty is the new prime, isn't it? We live in the age of the 100-year lifespan. Whoever snags him will hit the jackpot.”
“.....”
“And me, too. I'd like to have a mother for once.”
The two women didn't know how to react to Yu-hyeon's words.
It was hard to tell if this was an introduction for his father or a home shopping network product pitch.
At first, they thought it was a joke, but as he kept repeating it, they began to wonder, ‘Is he serious?’
‘But it's not like what Yu-hyeon is saying is wrong.’
Both Yeon Jeong-suk and Han Mi-ra felt the same. Thanks to their natural beauty, they were still told they were in their prime, but considering their age, the thought of finding a good man to live happily with before it was too late wasn't entirely absent.
They felt it was absurd to be thinking such things while here to shoot a drama, but before they knew it, they had started to sneak glances at Kang Man-dong.
‘Honestly, he's not bad-looking. And his personality seems refreshing.’
‘He's so full of vigor, he could pass for someone in his thirties…’
The two women found themselves unconsciously sizing up Kang Man-dong before catching themselves with a start.
‘Oh my, what am I thinking?’
‘That boy Yu-hyeon has a knack for swaying people. I need to get a grip, or I'll be in trouble.’
Yu-hyeon observed their expressions, then tossed out a casual remark.
“If you two really feel burdened by the offer... I'd also welcome you introducing him to someone else nice.”
“......”
“......”
The two women, who had just been steeling their resolve, clamped their mouths shut in unison at the suggestion that they could introduce someone else.
‘No, not that. You never know what might happen.’
‘Someone else? I don't like the sound of that.’
Yu-hyeon saw their gazes shift toward his father and nodded in satisfaction.
‘If the wind keeps blowing, anything is bound to sway.’
Kang Man-dong stopped in front of a still-unoccupied pension.
“Ha-na.”
“Yes, Owner-nim.”
“What do you think of this place?”
At Kang Man-dong's question, not just Lee Ha-na but everyone else with them turned their attention to the pension.
“Wow, this place is like the Parthenon.”
“Right? Is that all marble?”
One after another, they voiced their admiration for the pension's design.
Lee Ha-na was also gazing at the building with an impressed look when Kang Man-dong put his hands on his hips and spoke.
“This here is the premium suite! I'm not sure if it's possible, but like I said, someone's bound to get the upgrade service, right?”
At his words, everyone shot him a look that said, ‘Anyone?’
Kang Man-dong met their gazes and nodded.
“When I first came here and was trying to get settled, I faced racial discrimination for being Asian, got looked down on for not speaking English, and had a pretty tough time. That's why I hate discrimination. And I hate people with bad characters even more.”
At the mention of racial discrimination, the mood briefly turned solemn. It occurred to them that although he was now a successful farm owner, Kang Man-dong’s life must have been far from easy getting to this point.
“Why the long faces? That's all in the past now, just a story to tell over drinks. Lighten up. Until the day you leave, just think about getting a chance to stay in here. You flew all this way, you should at least enjoy the premium treatment before you go back, right?”
At Kang Man-dong's words, someone started to clap. Then, as if on cue, everyone joined in, even cheering.
“You're amazing, Owner-nim!”
“Yes, you really are!”
“Hahaha. Well, it's nothing to be called amazing for.”
Kang Man-dong blushed at the unexpected applause and cheers.
Yu-hyeon felt a strange emotion hearing their applause.
‘This feeling…’
He couldn't tell if their applause was a thank you for providing the filming location or a sign of respect for Kang Man-dong's life.
But. His heart swelled with pride, and a smile naturally formed on his lips.
Filled with respect and love, Yu-hyeon joined in the applause.
‘Father. I respect you. I love you. And you are truly amazing!’
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Scene. 35 My Own VIP.
The characters, incidents, and places appearing in this text are works of fiction created for the novel and may differ from reality.