Chapter 185

“We need more!”

“But it’s enough for four people.”

“Considering who they are… Can’t we get better bean sprouts?”

“These are already top-grade.”

“The best bean sprouts come from Jeonju.”

“I know Jeonju is famous for them…but these are also good.”

Kang Jin, who had been clearing dishes in the hall, entered the kitchen upon hearing the ghosts’ argument.

“What’s going on?” Kang Jin whispered softly.

Bae Sungyong glanced at the elderly ghost nearby. “This grandma keeps nagging us.”

“Do it properly, you fools!” The incessant chatter of the elderly ghost made Kang Jin sigh.

“We’ll make sure to do our best. Please go sit with Sonju,” Kang Jin responded gently.

The elderly ghost looked at him skeptically. “Am I not capable of cooking?”

Recalling her previous cooking attempts, Kang Jin chuckled and shook his head.

“Your dishes always turned out too sweet.”

“What do you mean by ‘too sweet’?”

“Sweet, indeed! Don’t worry; we’ll make it delicious for them.”

“But they’re such esteemed guests…”

Seeing the elderly ghost’s anxious gaze towards Bae Yongsoo, Kang Jin smiled reassuringly.

“Have you heard of Woonam Restaurant?”

The mention of Woonam Restaurant brought a smile to the grandmother’s face.

“Oh yes, I’ve only heard about it. During my lifetime, I used to dine there every season. I was a regular since Mrs. Suk was young.”

Kang Jin grinned and pointed at Sung Yongsoo.

“Don’t let appearances fool you - he’s actually from Woonam Restaurant.”

“That ghost?”

“Of course! Plus, Mrs. Suk treated him like her own son. So, you don’t need to worry.”

The elderly ghost’s perception of Bae Yongsoo shifted upon hearing Kang Jin’s words.

Sighing at the grandmother’s reaction, Sung Yongsoo started laying out more grilled pork belly and bean sprouts.

She certainly values appearances.

Mentioning his connection to Woonam Restaurant immediately quieted her down.

Observing this exchange, Kang Jin resumed clearing dishes alone and began washing them in the sink. Once she finished tidying up the hall, she stepped outside to erase ‘Fully Booked’ from the whiteboard sign.

“Kang Jinah, it’s ready!” At Sung Yongsoo’s call, Kang Jin entered the kitchen and checked the steamer pot. The thick slices of grilled pork belly were perfectly cooked, tender and white.

Meanwhile, Kang Jin coated some bean sprouts with oil from the grilled pork belly, ensuring they were evenly covered. She then generously placed them on a large plate and brought out the dish along with condiments and side dishes to the dining area.

“Here’s your meal.”

The sight of the abundant serving of sautéed bean sprouts with grilled pork belly brought smiles to Wo Jiaming and Lee Yoo-bi’s faces.

“It looks delicious.”

“As Kang Jin said, dipping it in this sauce will enhance the flavor,” replied Wo Jiaming, smacking his lips eagerly. He picked up a generous portion of pork belly and bean sprouts, dipped it in the sauce, and popped it into his mouth.

Crunch! Crunch!

The crisp texture of the bean sprouts combined with the savory oil from the grilled pork belly filled his mouth, complemented by the spicy seasoning, eliciting a content smile from Wo Jiaming.

“It’s begging for some soju.”

At Wo Jiaming’s remark, Han Myung-hyun sighed and looked at Kang Jin.

“Two bottles of soju, please.”

“Sure thing.”

“Oh! Do you have any broth-based dishes available?”

“Fish cake soup…”

Kang Jin paused while mentioning fish cake soup, glanced at the grilled pork belly with bean sprouts, then smiled.

“While fish cake soup is quick to prepare, it might be too rich when eaten with this dish. How about spicy kimchi stew instead?”

Wo Jiaming nodded with a grin at Kang Jin’s suggestion.

“That sounds great. Grilled pork belly goes perfectly with kimchi stew.”

“I’ll get right on that.”

Kang Jin brought out two bottles of soju and glasses from the refrigerator before heading back into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Bae Yongsoo was already preparing kimchi stew. He finely chopped kimchi and added it to a broth made from dried anchovies, considered a versatile base for meat broths. After adding some bean sprouts and seasonings, he let it simmer until the spicy kimchi stew was ready. Finishing touch included thinly sliced green onions.

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

While waiting for the kimchi stew, Kang Jin heard the chimes signaling customers entering the restaurant. Stepping out of the kitchen, he greeted them warmly.

“Welcome.”

As the guests sat down and placed their orders, Kang Jin returned to the kitchen to start cooking.

Wo Jiaming’s group had initially come for lunch but soon found themselves enjoying drinks with the delicious appetizers. Naturally, Wo Jiaming drank most of the soju while Lee Yoo-bi occasionally joined him for a toast. The two aides stuck strictly to food without partaking in alcohol.

The two legislative assistants stuck to eating food without drinking alcohol.

“Ah! This is delicious.” Wo Jiaming nodded as he enjoyed bean sprouts and grilled pork belly.

“It’s great that you find it tasty, sir. Please enjoy more of our dishes.” Grandma Geum-sin smiled brightly at his side. She was delighted by the fact that Congressman Wo Jiaming liked her cooking.

Of course, Wo Jiaming couldn’t hear what she said.

“Can I really eat this much?”

“I’m heading back to my constituency after this meal. It’ll be fine once I wake up from sleeping in the car.”

“You visit your constituency quite often, boss.”

“It doesn’t matter if there is an election or not. I need to frequently greet people while addressing local issues. That way, they will vote for me again next time.”

Lee Yoo-bi responded, “But you’ve been elected three times as an independent candidate from the same district. Do you think anything will change next time?”

Wo Jiaming frowned at Lee Yoo-bi’s words.

“That attitude is unacceptable. If everyone thinks they can just coast along without effort, how could politics function properly or improve local communities? We must weed out those with such complacent mindsets.”

Lee Yoo-bi chuckled at Wo Jiaming’s sudden burst of anger.

“I’m not implying that about you, boss. I know you frequently visit your constituency. My comment was directed at those who prioritize party interests over their constituents’ welfare after securing nominations and winning elections. It truly bothers me.”

Seeing Wo Jiaming nod, Lee Yoo-bi poured him another shot of soju and turned to Kang Jin.

“Sir, could you please make one more serving? I think our boss is just getting started.”

Kang Jin smiled at her request. “Would you like something different?”

Wo Jiaming laughed as if he had never been upset, grabbing some bean sprouts.

“No need. This dish suits me today.”

“You seem to have a habit of sticking with what you like, sir. Earlier, it was kimchi stew.”

“Hahaha! Yes, that’s true. There was also a time when I ate stir-fried octopus for a whole week straight.”

“Understood.”

As Kang Jin entered the kitchen to prepare grilled pork belly with bean sprouts, the door opened.

Ding-a-ling!

At the sound of the door opening, Kang Jin looked up and saw Choi Jonghun and Jongsu entering with bright faces.

“Are you here?”

“Yes.”

“How did it go?”

“I start work from tomorrow onwards.”

“That’s good. What hours?”

“From 9 am to 5 pm.”

“It is just right for an 8 hour day.”

“Yes.”

“Good. Where will you be doing cleaning?”

“At that building,” replied Choi Jonghun.

Kang Jin nodded before suddenly turning to him, “Do you want a tip while working, hyung?”

“A tip?”

“Be polite.”

“Good manners go a long way.”

“Absolutely! If you have good manners, people won’t badmouth you anywhere,” Wo Jiaming chimed in with a smile as he ate his food.

Kang Jin chuckled lightly and looked at Choi Jonghun. “Did you hear that?”

“Yes, I did.”

“I’ll be back shortly.”

“You don’t need to bring any side dishes…”

“But let’s grab some…and head to the meat shop where they stiffed you for two months’ worth of wages. You worked hard there, so we should get paid.”

“Oh…” A hint of fear flashed across Choi Jonghun’s face, which caught Kang Jin’s attention.

“What’s wrong? Are you scared of him?” Kang Jin taunted Choi Jongsu.

“That bastard hit my hyung!” Choi Jongsu yelled back.

“Jongsu.” Kang Jin’s expression hardened at his words. “The president who withheld your wages slapped you?”

Seeing Kang Jin’s face, Choi Jonghun instinctively covered his mouth with his hand.

“He gave me one slap.”

Kang Jin’s expression grew even more severe.

“He hit you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“When I asked for my…salary, he…”

Choi Jonghun bit his lip, stopping himself from finishing the sentence.

Kang Jin also clenched his teeth upon hearing this.

‘Did he call you a…a beggar?’

…what?’

Kang Jin guessed what Choi Jonghun was about to say and interrupted him.

“You should have reported it as assault.”

If Kang Jin had been in her shoes, she would’ve done just that: filed an assault charge against Jonghun, then demanded both her unpaid wages and settlement compensation for damages.

“I told you not to look for any part-time jobs around here…”

At Choi Jonghun’s words, Kang Jin let out a small sigh before trying to speak again-or rather, attempting to speak again.

“Did you call me names because I asked for my pay?”

The sound from behind prompted Kang Jin to turn her head, only to see Wo Jiaming and Yoo Rabi staring at them with grim expressions. They weren’t alone; other customers were also watching the scene unfold, their faces similarly frozen.

“Can’t believe there’s still scumbags like him out there.”

“How much could he possibly make from his part-time job to justify stealing?”

“And hitting someone just because they asked for their pay?”

“Wow…what a despicable society we live in.”

Seeing how upset everyone was, Kang Jin gently grabbed Choi Jonghoon by the shoulder as he hung his head low.

“Lift your chin up.”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. The one who is wrong…” He pointed at Choi Jongsoo. “…is that bastard over there. So why should you hang your head? It’s not you; it’s him who needs to bow down in shame.” Kang Jin then guided Choi Jonghun and Jongsoo to sit down.

“Please stay seated here. Once business is done, I’ll take you both home.”

“Yes, sir.”

After settling them, Kang Jin smiled warmly at the guests.

“I apologize if this incident has caused any discomfort.”

“I’m sorry for any inconvenience.”

“Why would you apologize, sir?”

“We heard that you’re taking care of these young men… It’s alright.”

Kang Jin shook his head at their reassurances.

“A restaurant should provide comfort and relaxation… I feel bad for causing discomfort. As an apology, please enjoy some delicious…” He offered each customer a free side dish of fried eggs. “Fried eggs on me.”

“You’re awesome, boss.”

With a slight nod to their compliments, Kang Jin returned to the kitchen where Bae Yongsoo stood with a grim expression.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Where is this place located?”

“Why do you ask?”

“So we can ruin their business once and for all.”

Bae Yongsoo’s words brought a smile to Kang Jin’s face.

“We think alike.” Kang Jin’s words caused Bae Yongsoo to look at him. Kang Jin had already turned on the stove and was retrieving eggs from the refrigerator.

“Let’s ruin this place completely.”

Five ghosts were enough to deter customers. What would happen if they added ten more? People might not even know that there is a restaurant here.

“Okay, let’s do it.”

With Sung Yongsoo’s agreement, Kang Jin cracked some eggs onto the frying pan.

Sizzle! Sizzle!

As he listened to the sound of the cooking eggs, Kang Jin sprinkled salt lightly before turning towards Sung Yongsoo.

Bae Yongsoo was mixing red pepper paste with honey and water in another frying pan.

“What are you doing?”

“Watching someone eat without joining them is unbearable.”

After mixing his condiments, Bae Yongsoo turned on the heat and added sliced fish cakes along with a packet of ramen noodles to the pan.

Kang Jin chuckled at the sight. “Are you making spicy stir-fried ramen for them?”

Bae Yongsoo smacked his lips before replying, “That president is going straight to hell.”

Kang Jin nodded in agreement. “If he goes there, we’ll make sure to get our severance pay first.”