Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: 5-Year-Old Hates Sweet Potatoes (1)
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Sizzle—
The soft butter's richness blends harmoniously with the sweet potatoes on the hot griddle.
A sweet, fragrant aroma wafts through the air.
The 5-year-old is drawn in like a honeybee on a spring day.
She toddles over, bumping lightly into my thigh.
Bonk—
"Oppa, Oppa."
"What's up, little miss?"
"Why does it smell so yummy? Whatcha makin'?"
"What do you think I'm making? Wanna guess, Yoon-seul?"
"That's too hard. I've never smelled this before."
"I'm making it with sweet potatoes."
"Eek!"
Sweet potatoes.
Yoon-seul reacts dramatically to the word.
She purses her lips and scrunches up her face.
"Sweet potatoes... hate 'em."
"Why? If you make them tasty, they're great."
"Yoon-seul ate sweet potato mug yesterday and it got stuck in my throat. Made me hurt."
"Yeah, that happened."
In the back of the kitchen, two boxes of sweet potatoes are stacked up.
All sent by Grandma.
[Grandma: Joo-hyun-ah. The Kim family sent us some sweet potatoes that turned out great this time. But we have way too many left, so I'm shipping them to your restaurant. Share with Yoon-seul.]
They arrived with a text like that.
If they'd come just a month later, we could've enjoyed them in peak fall season, but they're plenty delicious now.
They showed up right around break time yesterday, so I thought it was perfect and steamed some for Yoon-seul to try.
Just like she said, it got stuck in her throat, and I had to open a soda for her.
'Ugh... Yoon-seul's done for... Can't breathe.'
That's why.
She's freaking out at the mere mention of cooking sweet potatoes.
Some customers chuckle at Yoon-seul's reaction.
She's lightly clutching her throat while talking about how it got stuck.
A kid with such expressive reactions is always cute, no matter when or how you see her.
"If I make these super tasty, you won't be able to have any, huh? Since sweet potatoes get stuck in your throat."
"That's not true!"
"It's not?"
"Oppa's food is always yummy, that's a given. So even if it sticks, Yoon-seul will eat it."
"What if Oppa says no?"
Bonk bonk—
Bonk bonk—
Sensing my teasing, Yoon-seul narrows her eyes and unleashes her zero-damage headbutt.
Right on my thigh.
"Alright, alright. I'll give you some. Just wait a bit?"
"Ung. Just in case, you better get the soda ready, big time."
Yoon-seul scurries out, struggles to open the fridge door, and hugs a soda can in preparation.
She's gearing up for battle with the sweet potatoes.
I turn back to focus on dessert-making.
A snack made from sweet potatoes.
Let's call it Dal-guma, short for sweet potato goodness.
I peel the sweet potatoes that were steamed soft in the steamer.
Then strain them through a sieve to make the texture fine and smooth. Straining breaks down the fibers, making it even softer.
Add butter, heavy cream, and honey, then slowly mix over low heat.
That creates a thick, sweet sweet potato mousse.
Even with the butter and cream, that signature chewiness remains.
Sweet potatoes through and through.
"Good thing I stocked up on these."
I pull a piping bag from the drawer under the counter.
Fill it with the mousse and pipe it out—swoosh—it forms pretty waves like a Western pastry.
Fry them straight in a pan with the lid on.
That yields a perfectly soft, textured Dal-guma.
The shape is cute too, so it should be pretty popular.
I plate a couple for Yoon-seul and the customers who are eating.
"Service. We got some sweet potatoes in, so give 'em a try."
- Whoa, really? That amazing smell from the kitchen just now—this what it was?
- Oh... awesome. Boss of Onui Restaurant is a real golden hand. How do you even come up with this?
"Not that hard. You just do it."
- That line screams pro.
I serve the customers first.
No way could our siblings finish two whole boxes.
Sharing with customers like this builds goodwill, which'll boost business long-term.
Plus, I've been practicing desserts lately.
Thinking of selling limited quantities soon.
It's been on my mind since before vacation, but now it's pretty much set.
Not long-sitting cafe desserts, but the kind hotels serve at the end for a palate cleanser.
"Mmm... waitin'."
"Ready to eat?"
"Ready! Feed Yoon-seul."
Yoon-seul's turn.
Dal-guma in a small soy sauce dish-sized portion.
I pop it into her mouth.
It's just the size of a thumb joint, so easy for kids or adults to eat in one bite.
"Munch munch... this is!"
"How is it?"
Instead of answering, she hops off the chair, soda in arms, and toddles to the fridge.
She puts the soda can back.
"Don't need soda. Throat's fine."
"How's the taste?"
"Tasty, obviously. 'Cause Oppa made it."
"Guess I should try one too."
I've taste-tested a few times, but I'm curious.
The butter and cream aroma gently coats the roof of my mouth.
And the texture's fun.
The fried bottom is crisp.
The top is chewy and sticks satisfyingly.
Varied textures always win popularity.
"This could sell for money."
"Huh? 600 million?"
"Nah."
"Tch, chocolate..."
Looks like that Demon Archduke novel's earnings are stuck in Yoon-seul's head.
**
Break time rolls around.
I prepped busily today.
Since Yoon-seul said there's a picture book she really wants me to read.
One Hwang Chi-ho recommended yesterday.
- Yoon-seul, wanna read this book?
'What's this?'
- Picture book. Heard you love 'em, so I brought a good one.
'Givin' it to Yoon-seul?'
- Uh... not giving. Lending. From the library, gotta return it.
'Then Yoon-seul will read it for sure! 'Cause uncle said to.'
- Ah, uncle...? I'm your Oppa, Joo-hyun Oppa, but I'm uncle? Even Baek Su-in's Unnie. Call me Oppa too.
'Hmm... nope. 'Cause Oppa looks like this. Uncle's uncle.'
- Twenty-seven is... uncle?!
Hwang Chi-ho, who came for lunch at our place, had this chat with Yoon-seul.
That's the book he handed over.
Gotta return it by the due date, so higher priority than others.
"Oppa! Excited. First time someone's recommended a book to Yoon-seul!"
"Yeah. Wonder what it's about."
I settle Yoon-seul on my lap and check the cover.
[Busy, So Busy! Ant Story]
Feels less like a fairy tale and more like it mirrors modern life, with a strange sense of pathos.
But ants as workaholics is common knowledge, so clever title.
"Oppa, ants busy?"
"Yeah... depends on the ant. Worker ants are busy."
"Then what's not-busy ant?"
"Queen ant probably isn't. Her job isn't working."
"Then Yoon-seul be queen ant."
"What, you don't like being busy?"
"Ung, 'cause rolling around playin' is better. Stack chocolate next to me, sit on Oppa's lap watchin' racing—that's the best."
Our 5-year-old already dreaming of being a rich slacker.
Hoping this book's ants inspire a bit more diligence.
I open the book.
Unlike most folktales starting with "Long, long ago," this begins:
[Under the world where we humans live, who do you think lives there?]
Topic kids could debate.
[Ants who work hard every day. To survive cold winters. To endure harsh windy seasons, ants sweat buckets gathering food daily.]
"Mmm! Workin' super hard. Like Oppa."
In her mind, I'm a hardworking ant type.
Makes me proud.
[Even among those ants, one is famous for working extra hard. Andy. He has a frail little sister to protect, so he gathers more food than others.]
"Frail... little sister?! Oo... good Yoon-seul healthy."
Yoon-seul narrows her eyes, getting immersed.
Tragedy starts wafting from the sentences.
[One day, as always, Andy gathers food and heads home to the anthill. Thinking of his sister Annie makes work fun for him. But suddenly, the anthill center's in uproar. "What's going on?" Andy arrives to see tons of worker ants gathered around the queen.]
"Oppa work thinkin' of Yoon-seul?"
"Yeah... partly. But Oppa loves makin' food and seein' people eat it. Makes cookin' fun."
"Mmm... bit different from Andy. And Yoon-seul healthy, so Oppa not worry much."
"Right. Stay healthy, okay?"
"Obvious!"
[The queen sees Andy and asks worriedly, "Andy, seen Annie?" Andy was just coming back from work. "She's probably home." But Annie wasn't. Others had searched long but no sign.]
"Eee... where Annie go? Andy worry now. Hurry home!"
Immersion skyrockets.
As a little sister herself, she relates hard.
[Andy says, "But Your Majesty, I was coming back from work. She hadn't left home before that." The queen's guard sighs deeply. "Oh no... looks like Annie left the anthill."]
"Mm?! Annie frail. Why leave anthill?"]
Not MacGuffin territory—prelude to tragedy.