Chapter 148

Shhhk.

As the broth started boiling while he sautéed kimchi, Kang Jin added noodles to it.

Sssshh!

The starch from the noodles caused the broth to boil over. Quickly adding some cold water to calm it down, he continued stir-frying the kimchi.

Meanwhile, Yoo Dae-sung and Yoo Seong-tae entered the kitchen.

“That smells delicious.”

“Did you finish cleaning the pots?”

“Yes.” Smiling, Yoo Dae-sung gazed at the bubbling noodles. “My wife used to make kimchi noodle soup quite often during winter.”

With a grin, he looked up from the noodles to Kang Jin.

“Seeing you cook reminds me of my wife.”

Kang Jin responded, “I’d like to offer you a taste, but this needs more time to fully develop its flavor. Please go change your clothes.”

Yoo Dae-sung seemed mesmerized by the kimchi noodles before quickly opening a door to one side of the kitchen and stepping inside.

Is that her room?

With this thought, Kang Jin continued sautéing the kimchi. Once it reached the desired texture, he tasted it.

Crisp! Crisp!

“Tastes good.”

Despite using store-bought kimchi, it was still flavorful compared to what they served at One Meal restaurant.

Kang Jin’s remark made the elderly ghost stare blankly at the kimchi. Seeing this, Kang Jin picked up some kimchi and offered it to her.

“Please try it.”

The grandmother smiled but shook her head, seemingly puzzled about how a ghost could eat food.

Kang Jin grinned reassuringly. “Oh! Go ahead, give it a try.”

The grandmother looked uncertainly at Kang Jin before opening her mouth wide and taking a bite of the stir-fried kimchi.

The elderly ghost’s face showed surprise as she tasted kimchi fried rice for the first time. Of course, it wasn’t actual kimchi entering her mouth but rather its essence, similar to how ghosts consume food during ancestral rites. However, Kang Jin’s cooking would likely taste even better than traditional ritual offerings due to his exceptional culinary skills that resonated with ghosts.

As the grandmother chewed and smiled at Kang Jin,

It’s delicious.

Though unable to speak, her expression clearly conveyed her enjoyment.

Kang Jin observed her reaction and said, “Even those who have passed away seem to enjoy my dishes immensely.”

Seeing the grandmother nod and smile in agreement, Kang Jin scooped more kimchi fried rice into her mouth.

As Kang Jin watched her savoring the kimchi fried rice, she noticed the noodles turning translucent, indicating they were cooked through. She then looked back at the grandmother.

“Let’s go outside and eat together.”

The grandmother raised an eyebrow at Kang Jin’s suggestion, but Kang Jin smiled reassuringly and gestured towards the door.

Moments later, accompanied by rustling sounds, Yoo Dae-sung and Yoo Seong-tae emerged, having changed their clothes.

Kang Jin addressed them, “Yoo Seong-tae, could you please carry this out?”

“Sure thing.”

With Yoo Seong-tae holding the bowl of kimchi noodle soup, Kang Jin followed closely behind, carrying plates and the frying pan with kimchi fried rice.

Once Yoo Seong-tae placed the food on the low table, Yoo Dae-sung brought out makgeolli.

“It’s quite cold outside; would you like to eat inside?” suggested Jinho.

Yoo Dae-sung laughed at Lim Ho-jin’s comment.

“Spicy and hot noodles taste better when shared.”

“I guess to prevent catching a cold?”

“What do you mean by that?” Yoo Dae-sung chuckled as he looked down at his bowl of noodles, prompting Kang Jin to ladle some for him with a serving spoon.

“Not yet, please wait.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“It tastes better when eaten together.”

Kang Jin then served bowls to both Yoo Seong-tae and Lim Ho-jin before pouring himself one lastly and quietly placing it beside him. He turned towards the grandmother sitting next to him.

“Please enjoy your meal.”

Although Kang Jin addressed the grandmother, everyone picked up their chopsticks simultaneously. As they did, Yoo Dae-sung noticed something about Kang Jin.

“Come closer, dear.”

Kang Jin was seated slightly away from the table.

“Eat while it’s still warm,” urged Kang Jin.

As Yoo Dae-sung took a bite of noodles following Kang Jin’s words, Grandma Kim silently moved to where Kang Jin had been sitting and picked up her chopsticks.

Shhhf.

As soon as she picked up her translucent chopsticks, the grandmother looked at Kang Jin.

“Please eat.”

The grandmother glanced between Kang Jin and then her husband and son before lifting some noodles with her chopsticks.

Shhhf.

With translucent noodles wrapped around them, she brought them to her mouth.

Slosh! Slosh!

Watching the grandmother enjoy her meal, Kang Jin turned his attention to Yoo Dae-sung and Yoo Seong-tae next to him. They were also savoring their noodles.

“It really tastes like what my wife used to make.”

“They’re very similar to the kimchi noodles Mother made during winter.”

Their comments brought smiles to the grandmother’s face as she watched them. She then scooped up a large portion of noodles, put it in her mouth, and smiled warmly at Kang Jin.

Thank you.

Kang Jin returned her smile when he felt…a certain presence.

It’s time for her to leave.

The grandmother had smiled at him before, but there was always some heaviness and worry in that smile. However, this time it felt warm and comforting.

“Enjoy your meal,” Kang Jin said with a smile.

Yoo Dae-sung responded by taking a sip of his kimchi noodle soup.

“Make sure you eat well too, son.” Yoo Dae-sung ladled noodles from the pot into Yoo Seong-tae’s bowl.

Caught off guard by his father’s sudden gesture, Yoo Seong-tae looked at him briefly before smiling warmly. “Please enjoy yours as well, Father.”

Yoo Dae-sung grinned at his son’s response. “Yes, let’s dig in!”

As the father-and-son duo happily slurped their noodles, Grandma watched them fondly and began eating her own portion.

And then…

Fwoosh!

As the grandmother finished her noodles, she began to fade away amidst a glow of light. Kang Jin smiled warmly at this sight.

“Take care.”

He whispered softly and looked up toward the sky.

Flutter!

A piece of paper floated down from above. When Kang Jin caught it, it transformed into a check in his hand.

Cross Check

Issuer: Cross Finance

Amount: 1,600,000 won (One million six hundred thousand won)

Pay to the bearer the amount specified on this check.

Issued by: Manuel

Kang Jin’s face showed confusion as he examined the check.

‘Cross…Finance?’

He was familiar with JS Finance, but Cross Finance was new to him. Additionally, the issuer’s name seemed distinctly Western.

‘Manuel doesn’t sound like an Eastern deity. Is he a Western god?’

As Kang Jin pondered over the check, Yoo Dae-sung spoke up:

“You should eat too.”

“Oh right!”

Kang Jin tucked away the check and sat down at the empty seat left by the grandmother, placing some noodles into his mouth. Although it was food previously consumed by a ghost, its quality hadn’t diminished. The only difference was that it would spoil faster than regular food over time. Therefore, if eaten promptly, there wasn’t much distinction.

‘This is delicious.’

Despite being mid-December with chilly weather outside, as per Yoo Dae-sung’s suggestion, eating hot and spicy food on cold days made it even more enjoyable. Additionally…the fact that the grandmother had ascended to heaven seemed to enhance the taste.

‘Grandma, this tastes wonderful.’

As Kang Jin slurped his noodles with a smile, Yoo Dae-sung poured makgeolli from a pitcher.

“Have some.”

Kang Jin accepted the drink and continued eating his noodles. In this manner, everyone silently ate their noodles and drank makgeolli. Of course, Lim Ho-jin only enjoyed the noodles since he had to drive later.

After finishing his meal, Kang Jin joined Yoo Dae-sung for more makgeolli and kimchi fried rice. Meanwhile, Yoo Seong-tae was reviewing documents next to Lim Ho-jin.

“It’s taking quite some time.”

“We need approval from Japan’s Ministry of Health before we can proceed. So, I’m planning to send it next week.”

“Then we should prepare the products?”

“But isn’t it fine to bottle what we have now?”

“I suppose so.”

“What about the expiration date?”

While Yoo Dae-sung and Lim Ho-jin discussed business matters, Kang Jin enjoyed some makgeolli with appetizers as they chatted casually.

“Makgeolli goes well with kimchi.”

“Isn’t there any other food that complements it better?”

“It’s meant for quenching hunger during farm work, not to be paired with fancy side dishes. If you want something more elaborate, just eat a proper meal instead.”

“That makes sense.”

“The best pairing is whatever side dish you’d normally have at home. Oh, and fried tofu works too.” Kang Jin nodded at Yoo Dae-sung's words.

*I guess discussing pairings with him would be futile.*

Yoo Dae-sung might be a makgeolli master, but he wasn’t picky about side dishes to accompany his drink.

*Side dish...*

Kang Jin took a sip of makgeolli and followed it up with kimchi fried rice. Makgeolli has a low alcohol content, so it pairs well with various types of food.

*I wonder if Japanese people would enjoy having side dishes with their makgeolli too?*

However, traditional South Korean and Japanese side dishes differ significantly, so he needed to consider this carefully. There was no guarantee that what appeals to Koreans would also appeal to the Japanese palate, as tastes vary among individuals and nations alike.

*Can dragons inform me about Japanese preferences?*

Previously, when Chinese guests visited, Sung Yongsoo seemed knowledgeable about Chinese culinary tastes.

Yunam Restaurant was quite popular among foreign tourists... so Bae Yongsoo would know these things well.

As Kang Jin pondered this while drinking makgeolli, he suddenly noticed the pot on the table.

“I don’t think I’ve seen that pot before?”

“Sungtae suggested we try fermenting it in there.”

“In a pot?”

“In the past, makgeolli was traditionally made inside pots like this one. However, due to their weight and difficult maintenance, they fell out of use. But Sungtae wanted to give the traditional method a try... So, we retrieved some from our storage.”

“You're changing your brewing process?”

“It's more like returning to our roots. He seemed eager to experiment with this approach, so I agreed.”

Kang Jin refilled Yoo Dae-sung’s glass as per his request.

“You’re doing great! Encouragement helps me perform better, but criticism only dampens my confidence.”

“I see.”

“Of course. Please continue to trust and rely on me going forward.”

“Absolutely.”

As Kang Jin watched Yoo Dae-sung discussing business with Lim Ho-jin while smiling, he asked:

“Oh right, by any chance, do you practice Christianity?”

“Christianity?”

“Yes.”

The thought of the 'Cross Finance' issuing the heavenly checks popped into his mind, as it reminded him of churches.

“I'm not religious, but my wife was quite devout.”

“Oh...really?”

“Can you see that cross over there? That's the church she used to attend.”

Following Yoo Dae-sung's gaze, Kang Jin spotted the building adorned with a cross.

*Does a Christian ghost fall under the jurisdiction of Christianity itself? Is there also a separate bank for them?*

*Is it separate from others?*

Kang Jin pondered this as he nodded.

*I should ask Kang Doochi about this.*

While it didn't matter if he knew or not, his curiosity was piqued.

*Ding!*

Kang Jin entered the store carrying two bottles of soju.

"Back already?"

Seeing Bae Yongsoo waving at him, Kang Jin glanced to one side where Choi Hun and the captain were seated. Various dishes were placed on their table, which Kang Jin had prepared for them before coming to work. Although they couldn't consume the food like humans do during dinner, they could partake in it akin to ancestral rites.

"What if we buy another TV?" Bae Yongsoo asked Kang Jin.

"Why?"

"My eyes hurt from watching Running Man all day."

Bae Yongsoo glanced at Choi Hun as he spoke, prompting Kang Jin to look at the TV. The variety show "Running Man" was playing on it. Since Captain Kang Jin wanted to watch this show, they had left it running when departing for work earlier that morning.

"Why? It's entertaining," protested Kang Jin.

"I prefer dramas though," Bae Yongsoo grumbled.

Kang Jin, seeing his discontent, replied, "Humor me a bit. We've been living only out of our car; we need some enjoyment." With that, Kang Jin placed a large bottle next to the refrigerator and turned back to Yongsoo.

"Have you ever heard of Cross Financial?"

"Cross Financial?"

"You see, this is..." Kang Jin took out a check issued by Cross Financial, causing Bae Yongsoo to raise an eyebrow.

"Nope, never heard of them."

After a moment, Kang Jin pulled out his phone.

'Would Kang Doochi know about it?'

With that thought, Kang Jin dialed Kang Doochi's number.