Chapter 111: Has Spring Come? (2)
Soha-jeong replied with a reluctant expression.
Meanwhile, the inn assistants and cooks crowded around to greet her.
But not a single one of them showed any sign of displeasure at her arrival. She had always taken good care of them, so they liked her rather than disliked her.
“You should start taking care of yourself too, Soha. Just because you’re still young doesn’t mean you can overwork yourself. I’ve seen people burn out in an instant.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
Soha-jeong answered absentmindedly as she returned the greetings of the gathered children.
Even so, the middle-aged man smiled slyly.
“How long will she resist, I wonder…”
He grinned, stroking his elegantly groomed mustache.
When he first began his pursuits, most women had reacted similarly to Soha-jeong. But in the end, they always clung to him, saying they couldn’t live without him.
While appearance was one thing, his true charm revealed itself in bed, and he was confident in that.
“Eventually, you’ll come around too. And this inn, as well as the others, will belong to me.”
Although he would have to leave behind his freewheeling lifestyle, settling down with Soha-jeong didn’t seem so bad.
He had wealth, and he could enjoy the protection of Seok Jin-ho, a highly respected master in the martial world.
Having had countless affairs with women, he needed the shade of protection—and with Seok Jin-ho, that shade was abundant.
“Hmph! Truly, a prestigious family is a prestigious family. Had she been from an ordinary family, I might have dared to try. But as a daughter of the Sachoondang family, it’s completely out of the question.”
The man’s gaze shifted past Soha-jeong to Dang Ha-rin, standing at a proper distance.
Her pale skin, well-shaped eyebrows, and, even beneath the plain robes, her full chest and hips naturally stirred desire.
Yet he hid that lust, carefully suppressing it. If discovered, it would be punishable, so he quickly averted his gaze.
“Phew!”
Still, the image of Dang Ha-rin’s face and figure lingered in his mind like a residual imprint.
Although Soha-jeong maintained her appearance well for her age, compared side by side with Dang Ha-rin, she naturally seemed less striking.
“Soha-jeong is my best option. Anything more would be overreaching.”
Though older, Soha-jeong was not unattractive.
Moreover, Soha-jeong was someone Seok Jin-ho cared for as if she were his own mother.
Therefore, it was imperative for him to win her heart.
“There’s a new teahouse in the market. How about a cup of tea? The weather’s nice.”
“Sorry, I’m busy.”
“It’s not even noon yet, and you’re busy? Come on, just one cup. My treat.”
The man spoke with easy charm.
But Soha-jeong was firm.
“No, thank you.”
“Then how about dinner later? I heard the inn is introducing a new dish today. The chef is very confident about it.”
He smiled slyly, trying to entice her with her known interest in new foods and ingredients.
Once again, her answer was the same.
“I’ll go later. Goodbye.”
Soha-jeong left the inn without looking back, having given instructions to the cooks and assistants.
Even at her curt refusal, the middle-aged man wore a relaxed expression.
“Hoho! It wouldn’t be fun if it were easy.”
Watching her retreating figure, he raised his teacup.
The inn assistants nearby looked at him as if he were insane. They could never understand why he kept trying despite constant rejection.
Meanwhile, outside the inn, Soha-jeong faced similar situations multiple times.
“Would you like to have lunch together today…?”
“I found some new ingredients…”
“I picked this fruit myself today! Have one before you go!”
Shopkeepers—owners of the fabric shop, fish market, and general stores—men of her age, all tried in vain to get her attention.
But their final goal was always the same: to secure a private meeting, not just a casual encounter.
Initially, Soha-jeong had felt flattered by their attention, but now she did not.
“They don’t like me. They want what I have.”
Some were handsome, some diligent and capable. Had she been living in Seokga Market at that time, she might have felt her heart flutter and met them.
But not now.
Knowing that their words were not motivated by genuine affection, she drew a firm line.
“I mustn’t trouble the young master.”
Deflecting all the lustful attention of these men, Soha-jeong walked through the market.
Dang Ha-rin watched her warmly, understanding the reason for Soha-jeong’s behavior.
“Look at that skin. What does she eat to make her skin so good? I’d believe she was in her twenties.”
“Eh, that’s an exaggeration. Her skin is good, but it can’t compete with someone in their twenties. Early thirties, maybe.”
“Oh, early thirties, you say? That’s what you think, right?”
The general store owner squinted his eyes. He was frustrated that she spoke that way while pretending not to care.
“I guess she looks that way, hoho!”
“What’s her secret? Teach me too. Friends share that sort of thing, right?”
“Well, there’s nothing special I eat. Mostly stuff from my own garden.”
“Did you eat that thing?”
“That thing?”
Soha-jeong widened her eyes. She had no idea what the shopkeeper was referring to.
“You know, that. The ‘Seungcheon Martial Lord’ is said to be great at catching clams, especially aged ones. Didn’t you eat that too?”
“I did, but I don’t think it’s because of the clams.”
“The effect might be delayed. And you probably eat it often. We eat it rarely, but you must have it all the time.”
The shopkeeper looked genuinely envious.
Being the same age but busy feeding her children and husband, she envied Soha-jeong’s pampered life. She was especially envious of her living freely without worrying about money.
“We can’t have it often either. Yun usually gets it for us now.”
“Save me some then. Friends share, right?”
Soha-jeong laughed and promised, unable to refuse her friend.
Her friend’s face immediately brightened.
Even a year after the aged clams appeared in Hwanghwahyeon, their popularity and attention remained strong.
Because one couldn’t buy them just by having money, the shopkeeper seized Soha-jeong’s hand in delight.
“Oh, look at those hands. There must be a secret. Are you practicing martial arts too?”
“The young master said I started too late. I don’t have the confidence, and seeing Yun and Maru practice scares me.”
“Same here. It must be so painful, and the weapons… how deadly are they?”
“Exactly.”
“By the way, is there anyone you like?”
The shopkeeper asked in a soft voice, nudging Soha-jeong with her elbow.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“You’re the most popular in the market. If you gathered all the men who flirt with you, the inn’s rooms would be full.”
“Oh.”
“Surely one or two catch your eye. Who is it?”
Curious, the shopkeeper’s eyes sparkled. She wanted to know who might win Soha-jeong’s favor, especially since capable men in Hwanghwahyeon vied for her attention.
“No one.”
“Not even one?”
“No. I haven’t thought about it yet.”
“Oh my, are you planning to enjoy it for a long time?”
The shopkeeper’s eyes widened in surprise, filled with envy. Living as Soha-jeong did, receiving attention from men, seemed appealing.
“No, it’s just that no one genuinely likes me. They all have greed in their eyes, pretending not to, but it’s obvious. I’m not a child anymore.”
“True. At our age, it’s obvious when people are fake. Honestly, I envy you. I’ve never had that.”
“I envy you. You have children, yet live freely.”
“…But you have enemies. And no money.”
Seeing her friend complain, Soha-jeong chuckled gently.
At her age, she understood that one couldn’t always have everything just by desiring it. Effort helps, but one can’t get everything one wants.
“By that measure, I really am living a blessed life.”
Soha-jeong was grateful for each day.
When leaving Seokga Market, she had been worried. She trusted Seok Jin-ho, but she knew the world was harsh and cruel, so her concerns were natural.
Fortunately, things had gone smoothly, avoiding the worst-case scenario, which made her even more thankful.
“That’s why I mustn’t cause the young master any trouble.”
Her treatment in the market was all thanks to Seok Jin-ho. Knowing this, Soha-jeong always tried to behave humbly. She worried her actions might tarnish his reputation, so she was careful—very careful.
Bang!
The middle-aged man slammed the door in frustration.
He huffed, staring daggers at Soha-jeong as she walked away.
“Arrogant woman! If it weren’t for Seungcheon Martial Lord, you’d be crawling at the bottom, yet you dare ignore me?”
The more he thought about how she had dismissed him, the angrier he became.
Especially recalling how he had previously flattered himself in front of her, his face felt flushed.
“Ha! She knows her worth, huh? With so many men throwing themselves at her, of course she’s proud.”
He gritted his teeth and muttered.
Though he owned a shop and had wealth, few men pursuing Soha-jeong were beneath him. They had all made a name for themselves in Hwanghwahyeon.
That made him even more impatient.
“I have to win her before someone else does. Only then will my path be smooth.”
He wasn’t handsome, nor young, but Soha-jeong owned the inn—the most prosperous in Hwanghwahyeon.
And behind her was Seok Jin-ho, the most powerful warrior in the region.
No wonder men coveted her.
“I just need to knock her off balance. Should I use some love potion?”
“Figures there’d be men like this.”
“Eek!”
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice made the man turn instinctively.
He froze in shock, sitting down with a scream.
He saw someone here who should never have been present.
“Not a villain at all.”
“I-I’m sorry!”
Seok Jin-ho’s appearance drained the middle-aged man’s color. He hurriedly knelt, as if to grasp Seok Jin-ho’s pants, desperate to appease him.
Though calm now, Seok Jin-ho had caused chaos in Hwanghwahyeon from his very first day.
He had wiped out the Honggal faction, and shortly after, the Heukgwi faction and Cheongumbang—all in a flash. The man swallowed dryly, prostrating himself fully.
