Chapter 159

“Have one with me.”

The middle-aged man shook his head with a smile at the old man’s offer.

“My wife badmouths you whenever I come home smelling of alcohol, so it’s better if I abstain.”

“Ha-ha-ha! Does your wife still dislike me that much?”

“She dislikes you for making her work too hard.”

Despite being a sensitive topic between bosses and their subordinates, these two had no trouble discussing it openly.

“Well then…I should send over some ribs for Lunar New Year this time around.”

“I’ve already taken care of it, sir.”

Puzzled by what he meant, the older gentleman prompted him to elaborate.

“The wife sends a set of ribs under your name during Lunar New Year and Chuseok every year. Oh, and she also sends them to our families as well. If not, she’d probably have divorced me ages ago.”

“Oh really? Good job.”

The elderly man appeared surprised at this revelation as the middle-aged man poured him another shot of soju.

“This should be your last drink for today.”

“But there’s still plenty of kimchi stew left!”

Seeing the old man wistfully eyeing the remaining food, the middle-aged man shook his head.

“You have appointments scheduled this afternoon.”

At these words, the elder pursed his lips, downed his shot, and turned over his glass.

“If nothing comes up, let’s spend the Lunar New Year holiday at home this time.”

“Yes, sir.”

However, Han Myung-hyun doubted those plans would come to fruition. This was his twentieth year working as O Jami’s legislative assistant, and he could count on one hand the number of times they had properly celebrated either Chuseok or Seollal during that span.

O Jami gestured toward the fried eggs while keeping his eyes trained on his legislative assistant, Han Myung-hyun.

“You should try it too. It’s moist and tender, quite delicious.”

“I can have fried eggs at home, sir, so please enjoy them yourself.”

“No, really, they’re good. Have some.” O Jami insisted, and Han Myung-hyun picked up his plate and slurped down the egg.

Shlurp!

He nodded as he sucked on the egg like eating ramen noodles.

“The egg is juicy, almost like a sunny-side-up.”

“Told you.”

“It’s very tasty. This place seems to serve excellent food.”

“Did I pick well?”

In truth, they had entered this restaurant because they were hungry while passing by, but Han Myung-hyun simply nodded along.

“Yes, indeed.”

Kang Jin checked her watch after finishing lunch service.

“He must be busy.”

Hwang Minsung had promised to join them for lunch, but it was nearing 2 PM, and he still hadn’t arrived. Kang Jin assumed that Hwang Minsung must be busy. He brought the whiteboard from the front door inside before exiting through the back door towards his car.

“Please come in.”

Following Kang Jin’s invitation, Captain Kim and Choi Hun swiftly entered the vehicle. Sung Yongsoo emerged alongside them.

“You were in the car?”

“What else would I do alone? It gets boring,” replied Bae Yongsoo with a nod.

Kang Jin opened another door, allowing the ghosts to enter. As they settled down to watch TV, Kang Jin brought out some homemade kimchi pancakes.

“Here, have a snack.”

Captain Kim and Choi Hun enjoyed the kimchi pancakes while watching television. Since consuming food didn’t diminish its quantity for ghosts, Kang Jin also relaxed, sharing the kimchi pancakes with them.

After watching some television, Kang Jin suddenly spoke up.

“Heo Yeonwook, Heo Yeonwook, Heo Yeonwook.”

As Kang Jin called out to him, Heo Yeonwook promptly appeared beside him.

“Did you call?”

“I had to come when the one feeding me calls.” Heo Yeonwook smiled jokingly.

Kang Jin responded with a request, “Actually, I’m feeling quite tired… Could you please release your saliva on me?”

With a grin, Heo Yeonwook nodded affirmatively.

“Of course.”

Although it might seem like Kang Jin was commanding Heo Yeonwook, in reality, Heo Yeonwook genuinely enjoyed releasing his saliva. As a ghost, he could only do so for Kang Jin and not others, making it a welcome act whenever Kang Jin requested it.

Initially, when Kang Jin expressed her desire for him to take her pulse, Heo Yeonwook intentionally did so with his eyes closed as if he was humoring her. Upon seeing this, Kang Jin retrieved disposable gloves from a drawer beneath the counter, and Bae Yongsoo promptly took hold of her wrist to check her pulse.

“You consumed quite a bit of alcohol yesterday.”

“It’s been a while since I drank that much.”

“A half-body bath would help eliminate the toxins from your system.”

“Is it really built up?”

“Not excessively. Please remove your top and roll up your pants slightly.”

Following Heo Yeonwook’s request, Kang Jin started taking off her shirt but quickly put it back on after noticing Choi Hun watching them. The captain chuckled at her reaction.

“It’s just your upper body; don’t worry.”

Kang Jin glanced hesitantly between the captain and Choi Hun, clearly mindful of her boyfriend’s presence.

Seeing this, Choi Hun smiled and spoke reassuringly.

“I’m not that uptight.”

With Choi Hun’s permission, Kang Jin took off his shirt completely and rolled up his pants to above his knees. Heo Yeonwook then grabbed Kang Jin’s hand and began inserting needles through acupuncture points on his legs, shoulders, hands, and arms. Finally, he subtly moved towards Kang Jin’s eyes.

“Oh! Are you going to put them around my eyes too?”

“Alcohol affects your eyes as well. Once I release the toxins, your eyes will feel refreshed.”

“That may be true…but it hurts near the eyes.”

In response, Heo Yeonwook chuckled.

“But, the effect is immediate.”

Kang Jin pursed his lips at Heo Yeonwook’s words. Indeed, placing needles around the eyes was quite painful. However, just as Yeonwook claimed, the effects were instantaneous. After receiving acupuncture, Kang Jin felt rejuvenated, with clearer vision. As Kang Jin slightly closed his eyes, Heo Yeonwook skillfully continued his work.

The effects of acupuncture were immediate. After receiving needles around his eyes, Kang Jin felt refreshed and noticed clearer vision. He slightly closed his eyes as Heo Yeonwook began placing more needles.

“Argh…”

Needles being inserted hurt, but when they were gently rotated afterward, it was excruciating. Having placed several needles around Kang Jin’s eyes, Heo Yeonwook added a few more on top of his head before retracting his hands.

With multiple needles now embedded in his body, Kang Jin glanced at Heo Yeonwook while watching TV.

“Do you know much about dementia?”

“Dementia…” Heo Yeonwook paused briefly before responding. “Is there someone close to you with dementia?”

“Not personally, but I know someone researching it.”

“Hmm…” Heo Yeonwook sighed momentarily before continuing. “All diseases affect both body and mind, but dementia inflicts the most profound emotional pain. One could call it a heartbreaking illness.”

He then elaborated, “Explaining this through Western medicine might be too complex for you to understand, so let me use Eastern medical principles instead. In traditional Eastern medicine, blood is considered the root cause of all illnesses. When the kidneys weaken and blood becomes impure, it leads to poor circulation in the brain, disrupting the flow of vital energy or ‘qi,’ which results in disease.”

“Is that all?”

“Certainly not. I’ve just provided a simplified overview because delving deeper would get quite complicated.”

“What about treatment options?”

In response to Kang Jin’s question, Heo Yeonwook sighed and shook his head.

“I’ve studied both Eastern and Western medicine, but… dementia remains a significant challenge for modern healthcare. Currently, there is no known cure; we can only slow its progression and alleviate symptoms.”

“How does traditional Eastern medicine approach treatment?”

“The method varies depending on how it developed, but fundamentally, acupuncture is used to calm energy and emotions, while herbal remedies improve circulation and nourish the blood.”

“Is it effective?”

“Yes, it has effects. However, it doesn’t lead to a complete cure; rather, it improves the patient’s condition significantly.”

“Wouldn’t combining Western and Eastern medicine yield better results?”

“Not just for dementia, but collaboration between Western and Eastern medicine often leads to improved outcomes due to their respective strengths and weaknesses. Western medicine offers direct treatments but may burden the body, whereas Eastern medicine, though less direct, effectively supports overall health.”

“Allopathic treatments directly address the illness but can strain the body. On the other hand, traditional remedies may not be as effective for immediate treatment, but they excel at supporting and strengthening the patient’s overall health.”

“Just hearing about this collaboration sounds promising.”

“However, integrating Western and Eastern medicine isn’t easy.”

“But why, if it’s so beneficial?”

“The approaches to treatment differ significantly between Western and Eastern medicine, along with the types of medications used. Some drugs complement each other, while others have adverse interactions. Without thorough knowledge, one must exercise caution when combining them. Additionally, both practices require different equipment, so implementing cooperation would entail acquiring both sets…which poses financial challenges for hospitals.”

“I see…that makes sense.”

“It’s indeed no simple task.”

Seeing Heo Yeonwook’s head shake, Kang Jin suggested, “Among our customers, there is Mr. Hwang Minsung, who heavily invests in dementia research.”

“Is that so?”

During his time at the hospital, Heo Yeonwook had been preoccupied with papers and patients, rarely visiting this shop. Consequently, he wasn’t familiar with Hwang Minsung.

“I heard that from a research institute supported by Mr. Hwang Minsung, they discovered a substance while studying dementia treatments that acts as a female aphrodisiac.”

“That makes sense. Unlike male aphrodisiacs, female aphrodisiacs affect brain hormones, regulating neurotransmitters to increase sexual desire… Hmm… It seems their research might not directly relate to dementia, but it could have yielded insights into brain studies.”

“When he comes next time, I’ll call you over to talk with him.”

Of course, it might not work, but just as an observer can gain more insight by watching games of chess or Go from the sidelines, studying dementia through Eastern medicine could provide valuable perspectives that Western medicine couldn’t offer.

Kang Jin’s words resonated with Heo Yeonwook, who nodded in agreement.

“While Alzheimer’s isn’t my area of expertise…I would like to discuss this further.” As he spoke, Heo Yeonwook began removing the needles from Kang Jin’s hand and knee.

“Ahh!” With each needle withdrawn, Kang Jin let out a small groan—not because of pain, but rather due to the sensation of negative energy leaving his body.

Finally, Heo Yeonwook removed the last needles from Kang Jin’s face and placed them on the table.

Shink!

Then, he released Kang Jin’s hand.

“Ah! That feels refreshing.”

As Kang Jin stretched, Heo Yeonwook smiled and asked,

“Are there any other areas causing discomfort?”

“Even the most painful ailments heal instantly after receiving your saliva.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Then Heo Yeonwook noticed the kimchi pancakes and asked:

“May I have one of these kimchi pancakes?”

“Certainly, please help yourself.”

As Kang Jin gestured towards the pancakes, Heo Yeonwook smiled and replied:

“I’ve already eaten them all.”

Kang Jin looked at the pancakes again, but they still appeared intact to him.

“Not everything is as it seems,” said Heo Yeonwook.

Realizing this, Kang Jin exclaimed with understanding and quickly rose from his seat. Ghosts consume not the physical food itself, but rather its essence or spirit. Although the pancakes seemed untouched, Captain Yoon and Choi Hun had already consumed their spirits, leaving nothing for Heo Yeonwook. Consequently, Kang Jin went to the kitchen, made more kimchi pancakes, and joined the ghosts in enjoying them together.

Suddenly, the ghosts eating kimchi pancakes sprang to their feet.

“Crazy! Already at this hour?”

As Sung Yongsoo hastily moved towards the back door, Kang Jin questioned him.

“The maiden ghost coming?”

“The boss is here.”

Fwshhh! Fwshhh!

The sudden departure of the ghosts through the door puzzled Kang Jin.

“At this time?”

Until now, Kim Sohee had always arrived during dinner hours and never this early.

Why would she come now?

With that thought, Kang Jin opened the door and stepped outside. As he scanned his surroundings, he noticed people parting ahead.

Ssswwww…

People parted…and then,

Bawwww! With a loud bark, Hwanggu charged toward Kang Jin. The dog wagged its tail vigorously while sniffing him, prompting Kang Jin to stroke its head.

“Yes, how have you been?”

Haaah! Haah!

Kang Jin licked his lips as Hwanggu tried to lick his hand with enthusiasm, moving its head from side to side.

Has the elderly gentleman passed away?

Unable to voice this question, Kang Jin continued stroking Hwanggu’s head and then looked up, puzzled. Kim Sohee was slowly approaching, but there was a young male ghost by her side.

He stood tall, with strikingly deep-set eyes, a sharp nose, small yet charming eyes, and slightly smiling lips… Despite being a ghost, he had a handsome appearance reminiscent of actor Park Bogum. As Kang Jin observed him, she couldn’t help but recall someone familiar.

Is it Elder Lee Taehoon?

While gazing at the ghost’s face, thoughts of Lee Taehoon involuntarily surfaced.