SSH Episode 3

Sitting around in despair wouldn’t change anything. Hongwoo had to keep moving.

At this hour, there was only one place Madam Kim would be.

Sure enough, she was in the yard, hanging freshly washed clothes.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“Madam Kim—”

“Oh, Young Master Hongwoo. Acting like a child again? What is it? What do you need now?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Without a word, Hongwoo clung to her back—just as he used to when he was little. Even as he grew older, he would sometimes do this when he wanted something.

“Do you know how to build a house?”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Madam Kim was his last hope.

***

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Impossible.

Madam Kim found the path in mere moments, while it had taken Hongwoo an entire hour. He knew he was bad with directions, but this was worse than he thought. No wonder people had given him strange looks whenever he asked for directions. Turning a short walk into an hour-long journey was a skill in itself.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Still, realizing that his family home was only a short distance away lifted his spirits.

I’ll get to see my brother and Madam Kim every day.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Carrying a basket filled with a sickle, a hoe, and a shovel, Madam Kim examined the plot Hongwoo had picked. She nodded approvingly. “Not bad,” she said. Then, without hesitation, she laid out the plan: a simple bamboo frame covered with straw. She would gather the bamboo while Hongwoo was in charge of fetching the straw.

When he asked, “Where do I even get straw?” he got a firm smack on the backside and a sharp rebuke: “From tenant farmers!”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Hongwoo was certain his older brother wouldn’t dare harm Madam Kim, the woman who had raised them both like a mother. She was the only person in the household he couldn’t intimidate—or rather, intimidation simply didn’t work on her. No matter what his older brother did, she would scoff in defiance. And yet, Hongwoo recalled how she used to laugh heartily whenever his brother teased him, as if the two of them were perfectly in sync.

Rubbing his sore backside, Hongwoo went around asking for a family that farmed on the Jang household’s land. It turned out that finding a tenant farmer in Bokdeokchon was easier than eating a rice cake in one bite. In fact, it was harder to find someone who hadn’t farmed on the Jang family’s land.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

When he returned with a cart full of straw, Madam Kim wasted no time teaching him how to weave it into thick bundles.

“By the way, Young Master Hongwoo, did you get permission from the landowner?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Come on now. Do you really think I’d just start building a house here like some kind of thief?”

But he had.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Seeing him bristle at the question, Madam Kim gave him a long, knowing look before continuing her work in silence. Whatever. He always figured things out in the end, even if the process was a complete mess.

Once the bamboo frame was up and covered with tightly woven straw bundles, the house actually looked decent.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“This is amazing! Madam Kim, you’re the best!”

Stepping into his cozy new straw house, Hongwoo massaged her shoulders in gratitude for all her hard work. Madam Kim wiped her nose, grinning with satisfaction, then waved him off. “Don’t stop now. Keep weaving.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Young Master Hongwoo, this house is just a temporary fix. You can’t live like this, and you know it. Just think of it as a short-term arrangement. Before long, Young Master Seungwoo will calm down, and when you realize you can’t live without your brother, you should return home.”

Fully aware of the complicated relationship between the Jang brothers, Madam Kim spoke to Hongwoo in a soothing tone. And deep down, he knew she was right. If he ever returned home begging, claiming he couldn’t survive on his own, his older brother would grumble and scold him—but in the end, he’d take him back.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

But now that he had built a house with his own hands, independence no longer seemed like a distant dream.

At some point, he had to stand on his own. As his older brother always said, he couldn’t live under the family’s protection forever. Their father was gone now, and it was time for him to prove he could take care of himself.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

His new home was nothing like the grand Jang estate—not the main quarters, the men’s quarters, the annex, or even the servants’ quarters. It didn’t even have a kitchen, storage, a bathroom, or a bathhouse. Just a humble straw hut.

And yet, it was his. His first home. And he liked it.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“Don’t worry, Madam Kim.”

Hongwoo knew she only said these things because she cared. Pressing her shoulders firmly, he said to himself, ‘I’ll settle down soon and make sure Madam Kim can live comfortably too’.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

With that hopeful thought, Hongwoo and Madam Kim headed home.

Straw still clung to his clothes as he walked, but just as he reached the house, a chill ran down his spine. Instinctively, he froze.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

It was the same feeling a prey animal gets when it senses a predator.

He turned sharply—only to see Jang Seungwoo standing there.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

For a moment, Hongwoo forgot the uneasy feeling. Instead, excitement bubbled up inside him as he rushed toward his older brother, eager to share his fresh start.

‘There he goes again, running straight into the fire.’

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Watching him charge toward danger like a moth drawn to a flame, Madam Kim sighed, shaking her head. She had a feeling this wouldn’t end well. ‘Better slip away before I get caught in the crossfire.’

And just like that, she disappeared without a trace, leaving the Jang brothers alone.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Where have you been wandering off to?”

“Oh, I was just out building a house with Madam Kim.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Seungwoo scoffed. Hongwoo practically radiated excitement, looking like a puppy wagging its tail, hoping for praise.

“Building a house? With what money?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Turns out you don’t need money to build a house.”

Seungwoo’s eyebrow twitched at that. He glanced around, intending to ask Madam Kim what nonsense Hongwoo was spouting, but she was already long gone.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Hongwoo scratched his head sheepishly. “It’s not much yet, but… once it’s in better shape, you’ll be the first person I invite over. You’ll come, right?”

***

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Hongwoo looked at the neatly stacked belongings and turned to Madam Kim.

“This should be enough, right?”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He had only packed the essentials—one set of chopsticks and a spoon, bedding, undergarments, a jeogori, pants, an overcoat, a robe, a long coat, socks, and leg wraps. Just enough to eat, sleep, and dress properly.

[Note: A jeogori is the upper garment of hanbok, fastened with a ribbon-like tie and featuring a rounded or straight collar.]

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Madam Kim took one look at the bundle and smirked inwardly. ‘He’ll be back within three days.’

“Oh, absolutely, Young Master. It’s more than enough.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Since the house is near, I’ll come back for my summer clothes later.”

Hongwoo spoke with such confidence that Madam Kim found it amusing. When she chuckled, he pouted.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Aren’t you even a little sad that I’m leaving?”

She didn’t bother humoring him. Instead, she simply tied the bundle tighter. ‘What’s there to be sad about? He’ll be back before he even settles in.’

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Patting the tightly wrapped bundle, she said lightly, “I’ll come visit often.”

Hongwoo pressed his lips together, his chin wrinkling as he fought to hold back his emotions. His lower lip jutted out in a stubborn pout, but without warning, he threw his arms around Madam Kim in a tight hug. Then, straightening up, he grabbed his bundle and hoisted it over his shoulder.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Madam Kim watched him march off with newfound determination. He’d be back soon enough, but at this moment, it truly felt like he was setting out on his own.

He had always seemed like a child to her. But now, watching his retreating figure, she saw him for what he was—a grown man. When had he grown up?

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Unexpectedly, a swell of emotion rose within her. To steady herself, she got to her feet.

‘Maybe I really am getting old.’ Feeling sentimental over something like this… how ridiculous. ‘I’d better get back to work.’

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Madam Kim had given him a mat, which he hung over the door before laying out his bedding. Spreading the silk pillow he had brought from home, he managed to create a somewhat cozy sleeping space.

‘I should’ve brought some candles.’ It wasn’t urgent, but he’d have to pick them up tomorrow or the next day.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even though he had packed carefully, he kept noticing little things he had forgotten. Mentally, he began making a list of what to bring from home next time.

‘This wasn’t how I imagined independence—just bringing things from home.’

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

The sudden realization hit Hongwoo, and he quickly decided he needed to start earning money.

Thinking had made him hungry.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Then, he remembered a place where he could both look for work and grab a meal. Without hesitation, he got up and headed out.

***

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Oh my, it’s been a while! Should I get you the usual?”

The warm-hearted tavern owner greeted Hongwoo with a smile. He nodded and ordered his usual.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Money was tight, but it was his first day of independence—worth celebrating.