He Ham's Love
Some time later, O Guang seemed to take quite a liking to Seo Jun.
"My nephew O Ui serves as a military officer in the Grand General's household and is about your age. Next year, my son O Ban will also begin working there. I'll be sure to put in a good word with my children, so do become close with them."
"Thank you, sir."
The atmosphere had improved considerably. He Ham, who had been quietly observing Seo Jun's face and appearance without asking any particular questions, finally spoke.
"Brother, have you found a place to stay yet?"
He Ham was four years older than Seo Jun. When Seo Jun had offered to address him as elder brother, He Ham had been visibly delighted.
"My family and I arrived only yesterday, so I haven't found anything yet. I'm currently looking for a broker to introduce me to a house."
"Is that so? I know a capable broker. I'll bring him to see you within the next two or three days, so just wait until then."
"I'm truly grateful for your concern, brother."
Wang Guang remained somewhat stiff toward Seo Jun and showed little interest, but by the time the gathering was drawing to a close, both O Guang and He Ham had clearly grown closer to him.
Just as the conversation began to lull, a voice called from outside.
"Father."
"What is it?" He Jin replied.
"It is time for your evening meal. I have prepared food in the adjacent room. Would you and your guests like to continue your conversation over dinner?"
"Very well. I will be there shortly, so make the preparations."
"Yes, Father."
"It seems Ham's wife has prepared the meal. Since this is also our White Dragon's first meeting with everyone, let us all dine together."
"Understood, General."
He Jin informed the group and rose without waiting for replies, heading to the next room. Having reached his usual mealtime and feeling unusually hungry after the pleasant conversation with Seo Jun, he was eager to eat. The others followed him into the adjacent room.
The table was lavishly set with a variety of dishes. Beside it stood a beautiful woman with striking features and a somewhat cold expression, her figure slender and graceful. She greeted He Jin.
"I have prepared the raw fish noodles and braised pork that Father enjoys."
"You have done well. White Dragon, greet her. This is Ham's wife, Yun Hye. Since you have decided to regard Ham as your elder brother, you may address her as sister-in-law from now on."
"It is an honor to meet you, sister-in-law. My name is Seo Jun, and I go by the courtesy name White Dragon. I look forward to your guidance."
Yun Hye gave a slight bow at Seo Jun's polite greeting, then raised her hand to partially cover her face and turned away. Though naturally somewhat aloof, she had felt her cheeks flush upon seeing Seo Jun's handsome appearance and had covered her face to hide it. His looks were the most striking she had ever seen in a man.
"Come now, though our daughter-in-law has her shortcomings, her cooking is excellent. Let us sit and eat!"
"Father!"
He Jin's remark carried a hint of criticism toward Yun Hye despite her efforts. He Ham called out to his father with a reproachful look. Yun Hye, however, showed no change in expression. She quietly bowed and left the room.
"Tsk tsk. How cold she is!"
There was clearly a reason behind He Jin's attitude, but with guests present, Seo Jun found it difficult to comment. The others, except for He Ham, seemed to understand and accept it, making it even harder to speak up.
Outside, Yun Hye walked some distance from the room before letting out a long sigh. She understood why He Jin behaved that way, yet she could not help feeling hurt.
After the meal and a brief round of drinks, the group dispersed. He Ham, looking anxious, hurried back to his residence.
"Wife!"
He called out as he opened the door. He Ham truly loved Yun Hye. When He Jin became Grand General and gained military authority, countless marriage proposals had come for He Ham. Rejecting them all to marry Yun Hye had required tremendous effort on his part. Their meeting had been like fate, encountered by chance while walking through the market. Turning down proposals from powerful and wealthy families to wed a woman from an ordinary scholar-official household had not been easy. Yet it was He Ham's persistent love that had even changed He Jin's once-closed heart. Though Yun Hye had initially felt little attraction to He Ham's frail appearance, she now understood the depth of his affection and strove to treat him with gratitude. She also knew that her marriage to him was the reason her modest family could hope to produce even a local official, and so she worked hard to maintain composure and endure.
"Did you enjoy your meal, my lord?"
"Wife, are you all right?"
He Ham studied her expression, worried that He Jin's earlier words might have upset her.
"I am fine, my lord. Do not worry. Besides, Father speaks that way because of my own shortcomings. What can I do?"
"Even so, doing it in front of guests was too much!"
He Ham pulled her into a gentle embrace and patted her back. Though he said this, he knew she must have been hurt.
"I believe I have found a suitable person for the matter I have been considering. Just wait a little longer, wife."
"What? A suitable person, my lord? What matter are you referring to?"
"There is something. Once things progress, I will tell you right away. Until then, please be patient even if you are curious."
"...Understood, my lord."
Seo Jun left the inn at roughly the same time as the previous day. Today he was heading to Jian Yan's residence in the northern district. Jian Yan had played a significant role in allowing him to arrive in Luoyang so quickly, so Seo Jun could not simply ignore him. Moreover, there was the matter of Jian Gang, who had openly shown her favor toward him, making it wise to maintain good relations.
Upon arriving at Jian Yan's house, Seo Jun was guided by a servant to the inner quarters. As he entered the courtyard, Jian Yan and his wife Jin Eon were waiting for him at the door.
"Young Master Seo, welcome."
"Lord Jian, it is an honor to meet you again."
"This is my wife."
"I am Jin Eon of the Jin clan from Zhongshan. Hohoho~ It is a pleasure to finally meet the famous Young Master Seo."
Jian Yan resembled his brothers in his handsome features, but a darkish hue lingered around his eyes and his frame was thin, giving him a rather sickly appearance. In contrast, Jin Eon possessed a beautiful face and an energetic, lively aura similar to Yi Hyeon, exuding a fresh and vibrant charm.
Quite the contrasting couple.
Seo Jun ended up dining with Jian Yan and Jin Eon that evening as well. Jian Yan's poor health was evident in his small appetite and picky eating. Jin Eon, on the other hand, looked quite pleased watching Seo Jun heartily enjoy the meal she had prepared.
Handsome, strong-looking, and certainly the type to make young ladies swoon. But why is my face feeling so warm?
Jin Eon kept stealing glances at Seo Jun's face, so absorbed that she barely noticed her own unusual behavior. Had Jian Yan been in his usual condition, he might have noticed his wife's odd demeanor, but today he was too unwell to pay attention to his surroundings.
"White Dragon, I am truly sorry. It would have been nice to share a drink, but my body is in poor shape today. I will invite you again when the opportunity arises."
"Do not worry, Brother Yuan. Simply seeing your face today has been more than enough. I hope you recover soon. Sister-in-law, thank you for the delicious meal. I will visit again."
"Yes, please come again."
Unable to cancel their prior arrangement and having endured the visit despite his illness, Jian Yan finally asked Seo Jun to conclude the meeting as he finished his meal. Though the gathering ended earlier than expected, leaving a slight sense of disappointment, it had been a meaningful time to build rapport with the Jian family and learn more about one another. Promising to meet again, Seo Jun left Jian Yan's residence and concluded his day.