Chapter 93
Chapter 93
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: First Winter (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Winter is cold.
It's a climate where crops struggle to grow, and vegetable prices double from the norm.
Which means...
"Come on, kids. Time to eat."
"...Father. No vegetables again today."
Chor-yeon was saying there weren't enough veggies for her to eat.
"Thank you for the side dishes you prepared with such care. But I don't eat meat, Father."
Chor-yeon lifted the meat dish plate and set it down in front of Mangmung.
Mangmung chomped away happily at the octopus sausage.
"Mangmang-!!"
"There you go, eating well. Mangmung."
Thwack-!
At the sight, Hwa-ryeon slammed the table and jumped to her feet.
"Eating well!! If you weren't gonna eat it, you should've given it to me!! Why feed the tasty sausage to that thing!!"
Grrr-!
Hwa-ryeon glared at Mangmung, who was shoving its head into the plate for no good reason, and growled.
"Eat the Mangmung that ate the sausage! Get over here, Mangmung!"
"Ma, mangmang-!"
Mangmung, midway through devouring the sausage, bolted as Hwa-ryeon gave chase.
'Sigh, there goes Hwa-ryeon bullying Mangmung again.'
I grabbed Hwa-ryeon mid-dash around the room while I ate.
"Yi Hwa-ryeon, what are you doing at the table? Sit down now."
"Daddy! Mangmung ate my sausage!"
"Stop picking on Mangmung for nothing and sit down."
"Tch, whatever, mister!"
Huff-!
Hwa-ryeon spun away in a pout and plopped back down to eat.
I approached Chor-yeon, who was stubbornly sticking to plain white rice.
Chor-yeon shoveled rice into her mouth in silence, no sides in sight.
"..."
"Chor-yeon."
"..."
"Look at Daddy, Chor-yeon. That upset over no veggie sides?"
"...Yeah."
Chor-yeon nodded faintly, mouth stuffed full of rice.
The urge to poke her puffed-up cheeks hit hard.
But I held back. As best I could.
"Then Daddy'll make sides you can eat tomorrow."
"...For real?"
"Yep. Promise."
I held out my pinky toward Chor-yeon.
Chor-yeon chewed her rice, staring quietly at my pinky.
Then she hooked hers around it.
"...A promise, Father? I'm your daughter, but I'm still a dragon. I never forget promises. I still remember. You have to keep them, no matter what."
Of course promises get kept.
If we both forget down the line, no harm done.
But if one side remembers? Gotta honor it.
I replied to Chor-yeon, who was extra fixated on promises.
"Got it. I'll keep it, Chor-yeon. Obviously."
"For real? I trust you, Father! You have to make sure I trust you to the end!?"
"You bet."
She must've wanted veggies that bad.
I smiled at Chor-yeon's beaming face.
But Soo-ryeon? Not a fan of the scene.
"Sigh. Daddy's such an idiot."
Shake, shake—
She shook her head, eyeing me like a fool.
I gave Soo-ryeon a stern look.
"Yi Soo-ryeon! Why are your eyes so wide!"
"'Cause Daddy's acting like an idiot. You still don't get dragons. Feels like you don't know me. Upset."
Soo-ryeon said that, then went back to her elegant meal.
I snorted at the sight.
'Cute. Jealous 'cause I goofed around with Chor-yeon a sec?'
Her blunt emotions? Adorably honest.
I brushed off Soo-ryeon's words.
No clue what fate might await me later.
***
Right now.
My cooking skills had plateaued.
Reason? Limited dish categories I could handle.
"Spring, summer, fall—we grew our own veggies. Chor-yeon never fussed over sides."
Winter? Temps plunged to minus thirty.
No way normal crops grow in that.
Had to buy corporate high-tech farmed veggies.
Ridiculously pricey. No chance.
"Vegans sneaking into winter death stats ain't random."
Anyway.
Can't source veggies myself—what's my best move?
Tofu dishes, obviously.
"Today's gonna boost my cooking another level."
I pulled the store-bought tofu from the bag.
Sliced it lightly after peeling off the packaging.
"After slicing like this..."
Quick glance at my phone screen.
Time for another tool.
"Yi Hwa-ryeon!"
"Ang?"
"Get over here!"
Doot doot doot—
Hwa-ryeon bounded over, face lit with excitement.
I thrust the massive frying pan at her.
"Hwa-ryeon, fire."
"..."
Hwa-ryeon stared at me, speechless.
'...Silent Hwa-ryeon? Kinda creepy.'
Ahem—
I clocked the sitch fast, grabbed a snack from atop the fridge.
"Almost forgot your pay. Potato chips. Meal soon, so just a bit."
"Hmph, should've led with chips!"
Hwa-ryeon snatched them and blasted breath at the pan.
"Kraaaang!!"
Pan heated up in seconds.
I splashed oil on, dropped in the sliced tofu.
Sizzle—
Tofu fried golden, dancing across the pan.
Hwa-ryeon sniffed, still flaming away.
"Smells good, huh, Hwa-ryeon?"
"Aah-!"
Hwa-ryeon replied mid-breath.
She nearly nodded—had to pin her head to save her.
"Almost barbecued the house."
Disaster averted.
Barely snagged this place—nearly homeless.
Hwa-ryeon's firepower rocks, but one slip? House fire. Risky.
'...Gotta drill fire safety into Hwa-ryeon. No house infernos.'
Her flames were powering up lately anyway.
Thought settled, I flipped the golden tofu.
Her help? Good for now.
"Hwa-ryeon, go watch TV with those chips!"
"Hmph, I'll do me! No orders!"
Dash dash dash—!
Hwa-ryeon grabbed chips, parked in front of the TV.
If that's the play, why not just say "okay"?
'Well, that's Hwa-ryeon—not listening.'
Sudden obedience? Different dragon.
Still dug her spunky vibe.
"Tofu done... sauce next."
I parked the fried tofu on a plate to cool.
Started mixing table sauces one by one.
"Soy sauce first... sugar... sesame oil... more sugar... pepper... damn, so many."
Braised tofu this tough? News to me.
All housewives powering through this?
Impressed, I eyeballed the phone, blended sauce.
Result?
Sip—
"Mm, seasoning's solid."
Decent sauce achieved.
Tofu back in pan, sauce poured.
Then.
"Yi Hwa-ryeon!"
"Ang?"
"One more assist, kiddo!"
"Ugh, such a pain!"
Hwa-ryeon back, braised the sauced tofu.
Sweet sauce seeped into the tofu's creamy innards.
Kept the heat on a bit.
"Done at last."
Chor-yeon's veggie side.
Soy braised tofu: complete.
Odd satisfaction hit. Called Chor-yeon from the living room, where she romped with Mangmung.
"Chor-yeon! Dinner's up! Come eat!"
"Veggie side day! Coming, Father!"
Chor-yeon zipped to the table, hopped in her chair.
Happiest table face since winter kicked in.
Couldn't stifle my grin, set down the soy braised tofu.
"Ta-da, braised tofu. Promise kept?"
"Hehe, Father's the best, as always!"
Chor-yeon thumbed up at me.
Soo-ryeon sidled over, tugged my collar.
"Not just for Chor-yeon, right?"
"Nope. Dig in, Soo-ryeon."
"...Make my faves next time too."
"Deal. Name it. Daddy's on it."
Her refined palate? Intimidating.
But crafting kid-requested eats one by one?
That's dad-leveling-up.
Warmly watched them chow down.
Chor-yeon, mopey sans veggie sides lately? Grinning ear to ear now.
"Bean-made food! Hehe, yummy! Thanks for the promise, Father!"
"Daddy keeps 'em all."
"Other promises too, right!? Trusting you, Father!"
Other promises.
"Hmm..."
Dodged Chor-yeon's gaze.
"Eat up, everyone."
"You said all promises! Father!"
"..."
We'll forget it eventually anyway.
No sweat.
'Middle school hits? Forgotten... gotta be...?'
Uneasy vibe crept in.
Shrugged off their stares.
'Forget it already...'
Bad feeling brewing.