Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: If You've Come to America?
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"You crazy bastard!"
Ah, he's full of energy. Listen to that booming voice.
From the crack of dawn, I'd dragged Dong-hyun along and dumped him in the house I'd lived in before.
Heh heh, Chun-sik.
This is where you'll be staying from now on.
After waking the still half-asleep Dong-hyun and helping him unpack, he finally seemed to shake off the drowsiness.
"Whoa... seriously, what kind of karma did you rack up in your past life to get married twice? And to a 21-year-old elf girl? Man, I'm so jealous, for real."
"Call her your sister-in-law, you idiot."
"Why sister-in-law? It's 제수씨, you fuck."
"Oh, and 5 million won a month, right?"
"Yeah~ you said 5."
At my words, Dong-hyun flashed a rotten grin.
"The store's average shift is 10 hours, yeah?"
"That's right?"
"But California's minimum wage is $20 an hour. $200 a day. Minus one day off, 26 days a month. $5,200. That's about 7 million won at the current exchange rate, boss?"
I replied calmly, as if wondering what the problem was.
"I provide room and board. What's the issue?"
"You're scamming me, you bastard."
"Haha. Just kidding, kidding. Can you handle overall store management?"
"Yeah, it's what I did before."
"Then come in as manager and take care of it. I'm busy making sauce too."
At my words, Dong-hyun grinned slyly.
"Boss, shall we renegotiate the salary?"
Of course, the 5 million was obviously a joke.
No way I'd hire someone to run the whole store for minimum wage, even with room and board.
"I'll give you 10 million. Room and board included. Deal?"
"I'll work my life away for you, boss!"
"Yeah, yeah."
"When do I start?"
"What do you mean? Get ready quick. You're starting now."
"Huh?"
"You came on an E-2 visa."
"Yeah?"
"Key personnel gotta start working fast. What's the point of slacking?"
"Ah... but right away...?"
"Hurry up and get ready! I gotta go check on the place where we stored the jars with Dad soon! Move! Move!"
I shoved Dong-hyun out like that.
Then I introduced him to Amy as the 'new manager' and leisurely slipped out of the store.
Ah.
Now I can finally tend to other business without worry.
Ji-hoon picked up his father, Kim Sung-tae, and drove toward Vacaville.
After about an hour in silence, they finally reached their destination.
"We're here, Dad."
As soon as they got out of the car, Kim Sung-tae couldn't close his mouth at the sight before him.
He was a man who had lived his whole life with soy sauce.
That's why this landscape felt even more special to him.
The land Ji-hoon had rented was not far from where Korean crops were grown.
A vast expanse of about 3,000 pyeong.
On that expansive land, thousands of earthenware soy sauce jars were neatly arranged by section.
The soil had been leveled and packed hard for the jars that needed to breathe.
The brownish jars gleamed in various shades under the sunlight.
As they approached, a rich, deep soy sauce aroma, both pungent and savory, wafted on the wind.
The number of jars easily surpassed 3,000.
It was a spectacular sight, like a massive army of jars standing in formation.
From afar, they even looked like giant brown mushrooms sprouting across a vast plain.
The 3,000 pyeong of land was wide.
There was still plenty of room for more jars.
Ji-hoon was prepared to make even more soy sauce.
Kim Sung-tae silently surveyed the jar field for a long while.
His eyes held not just surprise, but a profound emotion beyond words.
Ji-hoon stood beside his father, wearing a proud smile.
Kim Sung-tae slowly walked among the thousands of jars his son had meticulously prepared.
He inspected each one carefully, occasionally lifting lids to check inside.
It was the gaze of a craftsman who had spent his life with soy sauce.
Suddenly, he asked his son walking beside him.
"The ones brought from Korea—are those used as the seed soy sauce?"
"Yes, Dad."
Ji-hoon answered.
"The flavor difference is too big otherwise."
That's right.
The seed soy sauce, called the 'seed' of soy sauce.
Aged soy sauce added to new batches to deepen the flavor.
Pouring seed soy sauce into fresh sauce preserves the balance of taste and aroma, passing down the family's unique flavor.
Freshly made is called new soy sauce.
After 1-2 years aging: light soy sauce; 3-4 years: medium; over 5: true soy sauce.
As time passes, the bacteria, molds, and yeasts influencing fermentation increase, and umami amino acids abound.
'Seed soy sauce' means selecting the finest true soy sauce and cherishing it through generations.
This creates not just saltiness, but pleasant sweetness and rich, smooth flavor.
And now, on this vast California land, over 3,000 jars.
Inside them breathed sauces made with the very seed soy sauce that Korea's soy master, Ji-hoon's father Kim Sung-tae, had guarded his whole life.
Once fully aged, they would yield an incredible sauce unlike any in the world.
Ji-hoon grinned slyly.
"I promised when I came to America, Dad. That I'd spread your soy sauce worldwide. Kept my promise, right?"
A satisfied smile spread across Kim Sung-tae's face.
The pride of a craftsman bearing that title.
His family's handed-down flavor reaching America beyond Korea was something to boast about.
"You rascal, but is this enough? Feels like we need to make more."
Soy sauce takes time to age, so more was better.
Any excess could age longer and become seed soy sauce.
"That's the plan. I'll keep importing jars as we can afford."
Kim Sung-tae nodded at Ji-hoon's reply.
Then he cautiously changed the subject.
"But... is the marriage okay...? I looked it up—albinism isn't an easy condition..."
He'd apparently researched Lily's illness a bit.
"Yeah... we'll just have to overcome it."
Ji-hoon replied calmly.
"Have you talked much with Lily?"
When Ji-hoon asked, Kim Sung-tae answered with a slightly sulky face.
"Hmph... with your mom glued to her, when would I get a chance?"
"Haha. Plenty of time, so talk to her. You'll fall for her too, Dad. She's so cute."
"Ugh, I don't know. I opposed it, but you're the type to cut ties completely, so I permitted it. Still worried. You're an adult now, settled in America—what can I say? Live well this time."
"Yes. Don't worry, Dad. We'll be happy."
"Good."
Kim Sung-tae nodded, as if trusting his son.
"Why didn't Mom come?"
"Your mom? Tsk... got a daughter-like daughter-in-law, so she's off shopping?"
"What?"
Ji-hoon looked baffled.
"She'll manage. Don't worry too much. She wants to give gifts for bringing in a daughter-in-law."
"Hm... yeah."
From a prominent family, Kim Sung-tae had been well-educated since childhood and spoke fluent English.
Choi Mi-hee was also proficient, hosting foreign guests often—no need to worry.
"Shall we head back?"
"Yeah. No need to check the store?"
"We'll go together for dinner. You like Korean food, right, Dad?"
At that, Kim Sung-tae looked puzzled.
"What are you talking about? If you've come to America, you gotta eat In-N-Out Burger."
"Huh?"
"Tsk tsk, no cosmetics for a girl, and why so few clothes?"
Choi Mi-hee rummaged through the master bedroom closet and clicked her tongue at the sparse wardrobe.
"Hehe. I don't go out much from home. Makeup... I don't know how, Mom."
"Aigoo, that Ji-hoon punk! Didn't buy his wife a single outfit—what has he been doing?"
Choi took a small bottle from the nightstand drawer.
"What's this?"
"Ah! That's sunscreen Hoon bought me! You apply it to exposed skin when going out!"
Tsk tsk.
Choi pulled out the few clothes from the closet, her mood souring again.
All worn-out looking.
Impossible to imagine for a girl just over 20.
"Aigoo. Lily!"
"Yes?"
"Get ready. We're going shopping."
"Sho... shopping? I... I have no money..."
Lily said dejectedly.
At that, Choi pulled a card from her wallet and held it out.
"Here!"
"Huh?"
To the puzzled Lily, Choi said,
"This is my husband's card. To you, it's your father-in-law's."
"Wha..."
"You need to get used to living on the card Ji-hoon gave you. It's not wrong to live on your husband's earnings. Got it?"
"St... still feels bad..."
"No more chatter—get ready quick. Sunscreen first."
"Yeees."
Lily carefully applied sunscreen to her face, arms, and legs.
Truth be told, the hassle kept her indoors, but this premium Aussie sunscreen absorbed instantly without greasiness, leaving skin matte.
"All ready, Mom!"
Lily stood before Choi after finishing.
Choi pondered briefly, then sat Lily at the bed's edge.
"Lily, sit here a sec."
"Yees."
Choi brought out her makeup pouch.
She'd asked AI beforehand.
'Can albinos wear makeup?'
AI said yes, and kindly explained suitable methods for albino skin.
Lily's porcelain-white canvas face.
With careful hands, Choi drew eyebrows with brown pencil.
Light pink blusher added subtle life to her cheeks.
Matching light pink lipstick finished it—Lily's face instantly bloomed with cuteness.
"Mmm~ Aigoo, so pretty. Even lightly done, look at the change. Full makeup would be stunning, my Lily~"
"Hehe. Really?"
With color, her smile was irresistibly lovely.
Ji-hoon would be floored later.
"Alright! Clothes now. Searched—lots of shops on '4th Street' nearby. Let's go, Lily."
"Yes! Mom!"
Lily, who'd never shopped with a mom, buzzed with excitement.
Arm in arm, they left the house with thrilled hearts.
4th Street, Berkeley Downtown.
One of California's Berkeley's busiest shopping streets.
Lined with world-class restaurants, famous brands, chic galleries, and design stores.
From Apple, Lululemon, Madewell to Fitz Coffee, Market Hall Foods.
Pedestrian-friendly wide sidewalks and unique architecture stretched along.
Exiting the taxi, Choi and Lily's faces glowed with anticipation.
Choi thought to herself,
'How long since I shopped with a daughter.'
Youngest Ji-min was grown, shopping only with friends now.
Ages since together.
So she was extra thrilled.
Moreover, Lily... was a total clothes horse.
'Fashion's finish is the face' wasn't said lightly.
A mischievous smile played on Choi's lips.
Today felt like doll dress-up day.
Lily, oblivious, wore a wide-brim white sun hat and white dress.
Sunglasses for sun unavoidable, but no stuffy mask.
Thanks to Choi coordinating the best from what was available, saying 'mask no for shopping.'
Thus, an elegant poised East Asian middle-aged woman and ethereal albino girl walked side by side, naturally drawing gazes.
An unusual, striking sight.