Chapter 180

Sizzle! Fwshhh!

The spicy aroma wafting through the hall made Lee Gang-hye’s mouth water.

It smells delicious.

She loved spicy chicken feet ever since she first tried it during her college days and continued to enjoy them now. Judging by the scent, they were prepared just how she liked…super spicy.

Lee Gang-hye swallowed hard as she sipped her yakgwanmun tea with anticipation.

Mmm, tasty.

It tasted like traditional herbal tea but better. As she smiled contentedly, Kang Jin emerged carrying a tray.

“Here is your order of Spicy Chicken Feet Trio.”

“Trio… I guess you could say three dishes: spicy chicken feet, egg stew, and rice balls.”

Kang Jin responded to Lee Gang-hye’s comment, “Please enjoy.”

Lee Gang-hye leaned forward at Kang Jin’s words.

“Let’s share.”

“I’ve already eaten lunch, so please enjoy it comfortably.”

“In that case…I won’t refuse.” Smiling, Lee Gang-hye put on the disposable gloves Kang Jin handed her and grasped a chicken foot with one hand, using her thumb to separate its joints.

With a swift motion of her thumb, the bones popped out effortlessly.

Women really know how to eat chicken feet.

Even the virgin ghosts had used their thumbs similarly when consuming them.

As soon as she took a bite, Lee Gang-hye’s face flushed red.

“Huff! Huff!”

Kang Jin chuckled at her reaction.

“It’s spicy, isn’t it?”

Lee Gang-hye laughed, her cheeks still rosy.

“The spiciness helps relieve stress—it’s delicious!”

Lee Gang-hye held onto one chicken foot with her left hand while quickly molding rice balls with her right. Her fingers swiftly shaped each rice ball. Suddenly, she stopped to examine them closely.

Rice balls were simply clumps of rice dusted with sesame seeds. People usually mold these rice balls by mixing dried anchovies and rice with their hands.

“Mmm… Did you add some dried anchovies here?”

“Yes, mixing fried dried anchovies with rice makes it tasty.”

Nodding at Kang Jin’s explanation, Lee Gang-hye formed a small rice ball and popped it into her mouth.

“Hmm… It’s delicious. Sweet yet savory.”

“I added honey when frying the anchovies for that sweetness. It’s all about balance - sweet and salty, just like spicy and tangy can be enjoyable too.”

Nodding at Kang Jin’s explanation, Lee Gang-hye popped another rice ball into her mouth and smiled.

“Your cooking is truly delicious, Mr. Kang.”

“I told you! Even I think it tastes great.”

“You’re right. Now I understand why you were so confident.” This time, Lee Gang-hye turned her attention to the egg soufflé. It bubbled like lava on top of the earthenware pot, making it aptly named “volcano egg soufflé.” The dish was beautifully garnished with carrots and green onions, enhancing its visual appeal as well.

Swoosh!

Lee Gang-hye scooped up some soufflé with her spoon, took a bite, and grimaced slightly due to the heat from both the spiciness and temperature. Despite this…

“It’s delicious,” she praised, appreciating the smooth texture and balanced seasoning of the egg soufflé.

Lee Gang-hye smiled at the perfectly seasoned and smooth egg dish. She then asked:

“Could you please bring me some dipping sauce?”

“You mean soybean oil sauce?”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin mixed salt and pepper with the soybean oil as per Lee Gang-hye’s request before bringing it out to her.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Gang-hye dipped a piece of chicken foot into the sauce and popped it into her mouth. A smile spread across her face.

Seeing this, Kang Jin asked:

“Do you find it more delicious when dipped in the sauce?”

Lee Gang-hye looked surprised at his question.

“Haven’t you tried eating it with the sauce before?”

“I’ve never had chicken feet with soybean oil sauce.”

“You should give it a try.”

Kang Jin eyed the chicken feet, smacking his lips hesitantly.

“I made them, but they seem too spicy for me.”

“They’re meant to be enjoyed for their spiciness. Plus, using the oil-based sauce can quickly tame the heat from spicy foods.”

“Really?”

“They say that fat helps neutralize spiciness. That’s why dipping spicy food in oil slightly reduces the heat and quickly washes away the lingering spice.”

“Is that so?” Kang Jin looked at the chicken feet with newfound curiosity.

He had never tried eating them with sesame oil before.

Noticing his interest, Lee Gang-hye picked up one piece of chicken foot with her chopsticks and offered it to him.

“Give it a try.”

Kang Jin took the chicken foot from her.

“I’m curious about the taste.” As he spoke, Kang Jin dipped the chicken foot in sesame oil and popped it into his mouth.

Instantly, his eyes widened as he tasted it.

It’s too spicy!

However…when mixed with sesame oil, the spiciness quickly dissipated. Moreover, the salt mixed with sesame oil subtly enhanced the sweetness of the dish. It was surprising to taste sweetness from salt, but indeed, it brought out a pleasant flavor when combined with sesame oil. The initial heat also faded away as he continued chewing.

“It’s delicious. A delightful spicy kick.”

Lee Gang-hye nodded at Kang Jin’s remark.

“Isn’t it?”

As Lee Gang-hye smiled, Kang Jin nodded and continued munching on the remaining chicken feet.

“I didn’t expect such great flavor just by dipping them in sesame oil.”

“Dipping spicy food in oil enhances its taste.”

“That’s good to know.” Smiling, Kang Jin noticed Lee Gang-hye looking at the chicken feet.

“Let’s share these together.”

“I’d be happy to join you.”

Despite being referred to as the honored guest, there was only one person present—Lee Gang-hye herself. Eating alone would have been quite dull for her.

As Kang Jin reached for some chicken feet, she heard the door opening.

Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling!

Kang Jin looked up at the chime and saw Choi Jong-hoon entering the store.

“May I come in?”

“Sure, please do.”

At Kang Jin’s invitation, Choi Jong-hoon bowed slightly before stepping inside.

“I…”

“Hyung.”

“Yes?”

“You should call me ‘hyung’.”

“Oh… Hyung.”

Kang Jin smiled at Choi Jong-hoon’s response.

“It’s cold outside, isn’t it?”

“A bit.”

“That sounds like more than just a bit. How about you, Jongsu?”

With that, Choi Jongsu peeked out from behind Choi Jong-hoon.

“Hyung.”

“Come on in. It’s freezing out there.” Kang Jin approached them and pulled both brothers inside.

“Just give me a moment.”

Kang Jin quickly made some warm tea and brought it to them.

“Please drink this first.”

“Thank you.”

As Choi Jong-hoon handed the warm tea to Choi Jongsu, Kang Jin asked:

“Finished with your work?”

“We just need to drop off the collected items at the guild office now.”

“Hungry? Want to eat something?”

“My hyung is taking us out for dinner at Mom’s place.”

“Oh, family time, huh?”

“I’m usually alone, so I’d appreciate eating with someone.” Choi Jongsu added as Choi Jong-hoon fidgeted with the bag he was holding.

“Hyung, do you like fish-shaped pastries?”

The mention of fish-shaped pastries made Kang Jin smile.

“Who doesn’t love fish-shaped pastries?”

Kang Jin’s words prompted Choi Jong-hoon to slowly extend the bag towards him.

“This is…”

“Fish-shaped pastries?”

“Yes.”

At Choi Jong-hoon’s confirmation, Kang Jin opened the bag. Inside were slightly soggy fish-shaped pastries.

“Please help yourself.”

“You bought these for me?”

“There’s this vendor at Apgujeong Station who gives us several pastries whenever we visit. I brought some back thinking you might like them.”

Kang Jin chuckled at Choi Jong-hoon’s awkward explanation.

“Thanks.” With that, he picked up one of the pastries and popped it into his mouth.

Although they had lost their crispiness due to being soft, the sweet and nutty red bean paste spread throughout his mouth.

“Wow! These are delicious.”

“The vendor here makes the best fish-shaped pastries.”

Kang Jin nodded at Choi Jongsu’s assertion. It was indeed delicious. The texture of the beans and their taste indicated they were using high-quality ingredients.

He looked down at the pastries. “Have some.”

“You eat them, hyung. We’ll be on our way now.”

Kang Jin didn’t refuse this time. The Choi brothers wanted to give him something, as exchanging gifts often strengthened relationships. Conversely, constantly giving or receiving from one side could potentially drive people apart.

“Sure. Thank you. I’ll enjoy these.”

Choi Jong-hoon smiled at Kang Jin’s words.

“We should get going.”

As soon as Choi Jong-hoon led his brother out of the store, Kang Jin spoke up:

“Come back tomorrow at eleven o’clock.”

“I…”

“It gets boring eating alone, so come around that time and have lunch with me.”

At Kang Jin’s words, Choi Jong-hoon stopped declining his offer and bowed his head gratefully.

“Thank you very much.”

“No need to thank me for sharing a meal together. See you tomorrow.”

With that, Choi Jong-hoon left the store alongside Choi Jongsu. Watching them go, Kang Jin then turned toward Lee Gang-hye with the fish-shaped pastries.

“Would you like one?”

Lee Gang-hye eyed the treats before taking one from him.

“They seemed quite young earlier. Are they having family troubles?”

Kang Jin pursed his lips at her question.

“It’s not my place to say anything about their situation, but children should grow up under adults’ protection… Still, they’re admirable.”

“Does collecting cardboard make money?”

Kang Jin shook his head at Lee Gang-hye’s question.

“A part-time job is better than collecting cardboard.”

“But why collect cardboard then?”

“It can be hard finding a part-time job if timing doesn’t align. Plus, during school breaks, there’s plenty of competition for those jobs.”

“Oh…” Lee Gang-hye nodded and picked up a chicken wing.

“So that’s why you give them extra rice?”

“Not really giving it away; I just serve more when I eat with them.”

“That’s still very kind.”

“There’s no reason to be stingy with rice when running a restaurant. We always have plenty left over.” Kang Jin smiled and stood up. “Enjoy your meal.”

“What about you, Kang Jin?”

“I need to prep ingredients for dinner service. Please enjoy your food.”

Lee Gang-hye nodded at Kang Jin’s words and continued eating her chicken feet and dipping the rice balls in sauce. As she relished every bite, Kang Jin returned with a glass of milk.

“Did you enjoy it?”

“It was really delicious.”

As Lee Gang-hye spoke, she wiped away sweat with a tissue. Her face and hair were drenched, even slightly dampening her clothes.

“I feel so refreshed now.”

“Here, please take this.”

While Kang Jin spoke, Lee Gang-hye sipped her milk and looked at the glass.

“Did you add ginseng?”

“I mixed dandelion root with honey before blending it with milk.”

“It soothes my spicy mouth.” Smiling, she finished the milk and grinned again. “Today has been quite stressful, but thanks to you, sir, I feel much better now.”

“That’s great to hear.”

Lee Gang-hye responded, “How much do I owe you?” As she handed over her card, Kang Jin accepted it.

It looks like a JS VIP card.

Kang Jin noticed its resemblance to the card given by Lee Taewoon. He swiped it through the card reader and presented her with a receipt.

As Lee Gang-hye took the receipt from Kang Jin, confusion crossed her face.

“Seven thousand won?”

Considering she had eaten three dishes, seven thousand won seemed too cheap.

Kang Jin noticed her surprise and smiled. “I ate with you, so I’ll cover half.”

“But you only had one order of chicken feet!”

“It counts as eating together. And honestly, I would have preferred to treat you without charging anything at all.”

“Oh really?”

“You might not believe me…but if you eat for free here, you’d have to pay it back later when you’re dead.”

“When we’re dead?”

“There’s no such thing as ‘free’ in this world. Whether good or bad deeds, everything gets settled accordingly after death.”

“Settled…”

Lee Gang-hye chuckled and shook her head at Kang Jin’s words.

“I believe in living life diligently while alive, but I’m unsure about what happens after death… Still, it’s best to lead a virtuous life. Now then, please take all the money; you’re not charging enough.”

“But I ate with you,” Kang Jin replied.

Lee Gang-hye looked at him, chuckled softly, and put her card back in her wallet.

“It was delicious.”

“Come again when you feel stressed. I’ll make sure it tastes just as good next time.”

“Will you charge me properly next time?”

“Of course. Enjoying proper food at its rightful price isn’t sinful. Trying to undersell things too much can also result in settling accounts later.”

“So, every item has its appropriate value?”

“That’s right. It’s not like digging up treasures from the ground.”

Lee Gang-hye chuckled at Kang Jin’s response. “It seems like you worry about many things even after death, sir?”

“Actually, yes.”

It was inevitable for him since Kang Jin knew what happens to people when they die and where their souls go.

Lee Gang-hye nodded understandingly before turning around. “Well then, see you tomorrow.”

With a pleasant expression, Lee Gang-hye left the restaurant. Kang Jin bowed once more and headed back into the kitchen.

Outside, Lee Gang-hye approached a car parked nearby. As the driver hurriedly tried to open her door, she waved him off and entered herself. Once he joined her inside, she gave her instruction:

“Please head to the research center.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Vroom!

As the car started moving, Lee Gang-hye waited a moment before speaking up again.

“It’s as comfortable as you said, Manager Lee.”

“And it has great food too.”

“You’re right. The taste is amazing…” Lee Gang-hye smiled at the memory of the chicken feet she had enjoyed earlier. Despite having just eaten them, she already craved more.

After a brief pause, Lee Gang-hye spoke up again. “Please find a suitable part-time job for a high school student nearby.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As both her driver and personal assistant, Doh Wonyoung promptly acknowledged her request, allowing Lee Gang-hye to lean back comfortably in her seat.

Settling accounts after death…

She pondered this thought for a moment before chuckling softly.

I guess heaven isn’t in my future.

How many businesses had gone under due to her actions, causing tears of anguish for their owners? However, she didn’t let it bother her. Companies failing amidst competition was inevitable. Throughout her life, Lee Gang-hye had always strived diligently, and she intended to continue doing so.