SSH Episode 8

Growing up in 87ec7c7167 a wealthy household 45207f2628 surrounded by only 01742f81d5 the finest things, 7e29bb562f Hongwoo had developed 7ba760e198 a keen eye 16a4075f31 for quality.d17ccb24ff3cb3b3

When shopping for 931ec31b99 bedding, he spared 2374876255 no expense, choosing ebbfd669fa a luxurious pair 921a984351 of silk brocade 5bc415fb11 pillows filled with fa565fa064 cotton, designed to 39786b5d8b melt away fatigue ce73cc9c20 the moment he 5b8209ca04 lay on them. They’re traditionally b1b8796b2b used by 35a8234b16 married couples, 23d77c080a but Hongwoo 07867d0c30 figured bedding 048736c534 should always 2b6ab445f1 be big ae859552f6 and comfortable. Besides, now that he 081cfaa238 was independent, he would 79443114ed marry someday. Better to buy it d6374a7bf0 now than replace it 49b55ee8c0 later.e9e33389d405a163

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He also purchased a aa4268c181 mother-of-pearl lacquered cabinet and a614af6bf8 stocked up on flowers b229d2cd6e and trees to plant 15ec15ffa3 in his yard.20b56c7be8d3d5a5

“But I have to fab9728fcf carry all this home c347e9b335 myself, don’t I?”41b75bfc8651ce1c

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“What are you talking 3bfd288cad about? If you pay, they’ll 279d7a161d plant everything for you.”66e0734f5cbe7687

At the ae4c12f152 market hyung’s 52f869ea01 words, Hongwoo’s 014935b1a6 face lit 706e141c54 up.9ededb04141ed52c

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“Really? In that case, I’ll 5a2f28ce68 take that one too! And that one!”ecd7a6097ca627ec

The market hyung beamed 237fe30246 at Hongwoo’s lavish spending, 54abf3de2e grinning so wide it ca426e3f7d looked as if his f9691b6d29 face might split. Despite lending him money, fbb7b7979c he never once showed 5b26b7c7bd any displeasure. He must have worried 23b4c0897d that making Hongwoo feel 7c63984499 small over his lack 59cb650fc2 of funds would hurt 403e55c64f his pride. He was truly d9b4db4061 a man of b8a13d70f4 great character.34672fe06428fa61

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Feeling grateful, Hongwoo offered f3794d9b17 to have a new dc1184d831 outfit made for him. The market hyung refused 4d57776817 at first, but when b8dafc60fa Hongwoo insisted, he quickly e1edd282c1 led him to a bfc910778a fabric shop he trusted.8ce6446f670eb8fb

Afterward, they headed to 29b612f0d8 the market hyung’s store, 6920bae864 where he rapidly tapped 42fb87fa0a away at his abacus, e85ea45317 calculating the total cost. He drafted 2c5ca33ec7 a loan 29863de3e1 agreement and 1ff64a71cf handed it f5a81c1974 to Hongwoo 4387df20a1 for his 7ea2e2aa43 signature.b236a153bff87171

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Since this was c31fddbffa his third time 23541b50cc signing such a 9c7876b3dc document, Hongwoo felt 86540221f5 he was getting f869a07d9f rather skilled at 6caac2d035 it.b4b27645a1ae46a1

With the paperwork fe6fc59649 done, Hongwoo left 4974b164bb the shop and 1a5b04da3d hurried home, eager 0ee74ed128 to show off e6ab78d3d1 his new house.48d14a286102aaf4

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***18c1c0ff4051274d

As Madam Kim, 9a016cca0f the housemaid, hung cea1add6ef up Jang Seungwoo’s ccf9e8af41 robes to dry, 7a613bd5c1 she paused, lost 75702c99ff in thought.49910b127d6fd573

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Seungwoo had 1141b9a69f always been 86fc27b68e difficult—just as 6d56271252 he was 63b56a3369 now—but at 3e5c4a016c least as c9735bfbf3 a child, c8e8c128ef he hadn’t f92c778dba been fussy 1cdd199efa about clothing. Back then, he simply 6b0ee877ad wore whatever was given 30359955f5 to him.5824e5478449a4ca

At some b4d3082cf2 point, though, fea4b1461f that changed. He began choosing a598052222 clothes and accessories 86b1ca4a9e that perfectly accentuated b28e75b10d his sharp features d7808e5faa and well-proportioned frame.ad7397e769688f86

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At first, b8472cea64 Madam Kim fd3d5191b8 had wondered 0d76eec7d3 if he 5950703ab6 had fallen 4e4a8a4c6b for some 6d5990fcce young lady, 5d0dea5b47 preening himself 054c67b9c6 like a 97d28b5685 bird trying df22da7252 to attract 3a2a6c5cb4 a mate. But that wasn’t 94195ccf2f the case.3e56a77707f55da7

“Young Master, have you 77db2d618c found yourself a sweetheart?” a4432bcf97 she had once asked.28665f2bd1abb5ae

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“Instead of worrying about that, keep an eye on that good-for-nothing bastard to make sure he’s not slacking off,” Seungwoo had snapped, referring to Hongwoo, who spent his days eating well and having fun.f2dc92cd0465a201

Even Master f8740af456 Jang Gyeyeong, b640d05d47 who usually 94808c53b0 praised everything 8503c18bff Seungwoo did, b8ec154e31 had scolded d4f010cf29 him for d990870c2f his increasingly d374878ceb extravagant taste.b2971ce1835e2941

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“A man should have some dignity!” he had reprimanded.104f7eb66f5e9a4e

Of course, Seungwoo b7a0df4cbf hadn’t so much 772415ef34 as flinched.bc264b0fa80b6139

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From then on, ad402de325 it became routine—every 6430a8c10e season, he had 4dc13aceec new outfits tailored 327b67f8cd with matching accessories.204b8e394781c1e3

In Gaegyeong, 3353c6a555 the most 1e50abe020 prestigious fabric bc13243199 shops often ced95a2297 received orders 4a5242d8cc asking for f9e8586474 whatever Jang adaa2d1865 Seungwoo was 233cd12c22 wearing. Some even ca90a03655 started marketing 215bcbbe26 outfits under c7b39810a7 the name‘Jang Seungwoo’s Signature 69a65cf635 Look’.6ff6da3448313650

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His mother, Lady Eunsoo, ef324b4661 had been one of 342ae703df Hanyang’s great beauties in 00aea57e68 her youth—not just admired c3ef7b2a4f for her looks but 930eb3f44f for her impeccable style, 91e156098f setting trends across the ce4a132f33 capital.c4e2cf6678255452

‘Blood doesn’t lie.’ Madam ba516489e5 Kim was just thinking bb7c5f4fb7 that when a voice bda7bef5a4 called out from behind.ece6c8ac3be64645

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“Young Master, what brings 31767835b0 you here? Are you finally 562d9734d6 coming home?”5edb9d2918485c6a

“No, no! Why would I come e27727e8a9 back? Madam Kim, I got a2a5b61548 a house!”7b6e1c904b0177e7

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“A house?”ec65163062aa3c5a

“Yeah! Come on, a8a0bc14de I’ll show bc73754e9f you.”3d426b6a39361d2d

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Hongwoo eagerly grabbed ad4834c58f Madam Kim’s hand 5d35a92f34 and led her 816616615e to Bokdeokchon.e1059bfc9b0f2c54

By the time they 67e900f226 arrived, the yard was 244675704f already filled with trees afb694a022 and flowers. It was impressive 02c5ace730 how quickly everything 9fa484f474 had been set 402d0546fc up. Money really did 97711d8c7e make the world 0add5d7cc4 go round.891f7302d958509b

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As Hongwoo opened the d07ee53ba1 door to show Madam 74ac5b4585 Kim the room, the 9eaaa398c9 first thing that caught e96825dd0b her eye was a 99b5f8881c luxurious silk brocade bedding e7205456a5 set traditionally used by 650c02f994 married couples.c11ffc7b9d2f902a

“Young Master, did you 45b050ca3b secretly take a bride?”3529b09d76de6cf3

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“No, I 303656afc6 just bought 9e31b72794 it in a83abf4974 advance… just a31c753094 in case.”52fadbe5747d79d1

Hongwoo fidgeted b6a62615c7 as he ef728582b5 spoke.e4c786366780c0a1

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At twenty-one, he was c4896bee97 already considered late for 6d3cf4d6d3 marriage.0a1954353472ae8b

Back when cd1b40a128 he had 30c83eb06a been of bcbb99eb41 prime marrying ad8f2221df age, their 74f8db8847 father had ab1c080a5d fallen ill, 738444cd4c leaving no 149da75033 one to d16803e73f arrange a 05ea045021 match for 45a30c3af0 him.8bf5243754f94610

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Technically, his older brother 448a7052e5 Seungwoo could have taken 4880045e86 on the responsibility, but e81711c36c any mention of marriage 2dee763a0a instantly soured his mood.ca49bb52314c983c

Because of that, Hongwoo dc25010f85 had remained unmarried—and was 0a058dc153 now an aging bachelor.7549849477503ae9

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Of course, e8fc7ab647 Seungwoo was d99a044448 even worse.1cbee17a817ce0ae

Madam Kim had once 0c5fdd2117 teased him about it.f81627ee42591dd6

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“Young Master, you’re starting 28daf4131c to smell like an f2a43ba30c old widower.”c78cdc1444093eaa

“If I 673de87af3 smell like dda087324c that, it ccbdd453f3 must mean 69f0a8b3fd you haven’t fb9951ee4a been doing 93957bbe22 your job c1d0bdcebd properly. Should I 223cdc7c88 punish you 48dc5622e4 for it?”6027d17f5260aadc

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The look in his 99c95673e6 eyes had made  Madam adcb53db97 Kim quickly turn away. She had no c087efb9d4 doubt he would 34dddf4e02 actually follow through.85a0eae761abc06a

Unlike Seungwoo, b1b708fba7 who had 2267e5cc89 no interest 48f61ee022 in marriage, e5322f0db8 Hongwoo—who had 74db8c8645 always seemed fb29716c2e like a 8866835ed1 big child—was aba91105c4 now diligently 9c5e123bca preparing for 6b0ed7587d a future e3defe8b32 family.c4b2ff929fbe512e

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The thought of 8b577a953f Hongwoo having children d8794da781 one day…6ab03dc3c1c56173

Kim couldn’t help e8930260ad but reminisce. Before serving Hongwoo, she 84b2fd5950 had been the personal 2b245cf70c maid of Lady Eunsoo, f116503e59 the esteemed daughter of 8592106cbb Lord Park—a man so ac5724f6bf powerful that even birds be3baa4fd6 fell silent in his 3b74d59035 presence. When Lady Eunsoo married 040db67d50 into the wealthy Jang e30cdc442e family, Madam Kim had 2d0b12bff5 naturally followed.1e3edd438b7b9272

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Madam Kim had cared 3da4bc2ba2 for Lady Eunsoo’s first a2002d04e0 born, Jang Seungwoo, and aae78388ce when he grew into 00f13e60b7 an unruly child, she b0aa2eeb5c took on the task b5f787669a of raising Hongwoo from f61432359c infancy.da1addd3299ec0cc

She no 276f763eb0 longer had c8d29439ba the strength e43cf87162 to care 68574b925a for children 560086b3b7 as she c058cdac9c once did, 861bce2fbb but she b7bc6b6664 still dreamed 3080fc815f of raising 65dec3ec31 Hongwoo’s future b0200dbfe7 children—if not eddf6091f2 Seungwoo’s, since 7bd0d9cdbc he showed deb39fb7f3 no interest 39ef80fbb0 in marriage.488674a6ed38cba5

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“My only wish before 4b9709004c I die is to d7db470418 see Young Master Hongwoo’s cc6070fe20 baby.”0e5188e531e540c7

“Don’t say 91ff91f45a things like 9d7ff39020 that! Madam Kim, you 5389bbc410 can’t ever die… be12eaabbb Who else would bc9246aa0f raise my children 66524c1707 if not you?”31d7bdc554bba5b7

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Still grieving the loss 7ec4916f12 of his father, Hongwoo 6074596a12 clung to Madam Kim—the e79d42217e closest thing he had 4af221bcdc to a parent—whining like 54517d81b0 a child.f8eef9cf9114c5b8

Madam Kim sighed.12d2e40b2dc6f210

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He still had his cf0cb2c7c5 childish moments, but seeing bed388b35e him—once so small—now standing 743ef051dc tall, preparing for marriage, 283e9bfc34 and securing a home, 2e2507f6cb filled her with both bbb52537ed pride and emotion. Watching him take his eb191a7e89 first steps toward independence c078715fcb stirred something deep inside 1c022d93cd her.f479273eccb7c9f5

It was 2c276d1277 foolish to a220aad23d feel this dae2fa4af8 way at c6890ef5b8 her age, she thought.18cf1d37bda7b67c

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“Alright, alright. But good grief, e953af4a9a you’re heavy! You should be 9526a16e26 worrying about my 201690223c poor back. It’s about time you 2ae17408d4 carried me instead.”871b1ba0635dbd3f

“You’re right! Come on, 4c2b1bf458 hop on, 53b56c334a Madam Kim.”9f1548ce977def6d

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Hongwoo bent 5b925cb559 down, offering a95c5a7d3a his back.7913b54e667fc69a

Madam Kim swatted d5155c9dfe him lightly. “Don’t be reckless.”a20b90d6af12f52b

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Shaking her head, she 40b9340f67 glanced around his new 736da788d4 home.17845f86cd7efc2c

From the outside, b4abde5ceb it was a 4766fc6a11 simple one-room house, 04d9996f0d no different from e0ba197b74 any other civilian a37f6b7cc2 home. But inside, it was 190389f46e a different story—a lavish 75d0479fcd phoenix-patterned silk bedding and ae34e4ee13 a luxurious mother-of-pearl cabinet cc28fcd09e made it clear that 894726772e Hongwoo hadn’t skimped on 12992f27f7 comfort.026b765d7e7152e3

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She tilted d4309d649c her head.43eb30a8ca658ca9

On the surface, this eaaa32946b looked like an ordinary 02ff7784c2 commoner’s home, but everything d4f606da7e inside screamed money.c3caf45ccff6937e

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“Young Master, where did 74035c36ae you get the money 1ef353e799 for all this?”14945611e6c3ed31

“I borrowed cb80015783 it from 284756efd2 an acquaintance.”8a7638645d267b0b

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Hongwoo grinned from 393ba79167 ear to ear, df09761766 but Madam Kim ab3e0c37c6 couldn’t shake her 2e50fa41d0 unease.73ab442722c5d660

He barely 59b89b8c5d had enough f3b4807ce5 acquaintances to f5ddc8e0f4 count on d30ac88b53 one hand—no, 560ca6c2e5 even on ec031ed01c just three 0a8d7fa741 of her f5451c3676 fingers.9f02aff59edb2453

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“Come on, a942ad66fd let me 6424d64a69 show you c604bc4263 the flowers 3cf7c9943e and trees ede88dd4a7 in my b685bf4a7c garden.”3a9d23449e2d0642

Madam Kim let Hongwoo f5e1a71482 lead her to his c0818d2c3e field and glanced around.3f9b6e0037505660

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The flowers planted c458ef6f89 there were the c0d6059897 same ones from 1b84e12cd1 the main estate—rare 69969a6bfc and expensive blooms 5e3c6f50ba that only the 9d8f64cbb3 wealthiest households could 6d9ec3ffbc afford. Ordinary people 9edf6de936 wouldn’t even 7521f58852 get the ac3dd8243f chance to c8857b6ded see such 43886e30df luxury, let 963fa9d2c6 alone plant bf6ef1f115 them.91fe980fd229aa75

It must have 02f6c0a32f cost a fortune. Where had he gotten 7e9373ecb8 the money to buy 3db2cfad59 such extravagant trees and 7705d4d451 flowers?676b30aa2b82c280

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And yet, in dc61a5860f his vegetable garden, 3e986ae5c2 the only thing 117bc0f4d0 growing was a a5a54e7ce4 single crown daisy.1077d9a0035873bb

“Have you ever tended a field before, Young Master?”fd6bb0c576d922b9

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Kimssi Eomeom, 99f3d442a2 noticing Hongwoo’s 4f9cee8c4b cheerful mood, 7688451ec7 decided not 454c386aa2 to press 8f0bc35ce2 him further 276ac274ab about the c6e96a1547 money. Instead, she changed c3accbb2bf the subject.845416623b0d7395

“Nope.”bb921a6b59b79d26

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At his carefree f9ed4b1ca3 smile, Kimssi Eomeom e6b0b2fd65 let out a 7927884fac hearty laugh.fab8828c5a980608

“Where have you been loitering instead of working?”3c4048fc98cea5f2

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Jang Seungwoo’s voice greeted 8020699618 Kimssi Eomeom the moment 4587285299 she stepped through the a6ba6d33f0 front gate. His sharp tone made a6b864c878 it clear he was ad316e0f0f in a sour mood.c6c66f0d11d5c765

She raised a0333892d8 a brow. It was unlike 591c0e3677 him to question 68484a51a1 her whereabouts—he had be60b08a85 never cared before.e40f6015a98fabc2

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“Well, this is new. Since when does the eldest Young Master take an interest in what I do?” she teased. “Hongwoo built a house and invited me to see it.”0c0ccf2453c6d4b9

At Madam c937dc2651 Kim’s response, be062903ca Jang Seungwoo 27d1308caa frowned.24ef0b74bb17538b

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“That brat barely had enough to live on his allowance—where did he get the money to build a house? Don’t tell me you gave it to him.”41d88333691730c0

“Me? Where would I get that kind of money? He said an ‘acquaintance’ gave it to him.”df98ec532e9f3310

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