“There is no problem with that. I will find out right away.”
* * *
I entrusted Han Gi-tak with the work and headed to Hadong County Office.
I contacted the secretary of Hadong County in advance. The governor of Hadong is on his way back to the county office after finishing the morning event.
When he found out that it was my phone, the governor picked up his phone and left a message telling him to come to him at any time.
When I parked my car in the parking lot of Hadong County Office, there was someone beckoning me.
This is Lee Byung-hwi, the governor of Hadong. He smiled and looked at me.
“It arrived the same.”
Lee Byung-hwi’s face looked good. Even a boat that looks like Namsan looks cute.
“Shall we go inside and talk?”
The secretary put down the green tea and went outside.
Lee Byung-hwi opened his mouth before drinking tea.
“I saw the article. Dubai business is very good. Congratulations.”
“thank you.”
“Remember when I said that we would be recruiting young farmers soon?”
“Yes, we plan to recruit soon.”
“Thanks to Mr. Deokmyeong, Hadong will be younger, heh heh.”
Lee Byung-hwi said with a bright smile.
Just by looking at his face, I could tell what he was thinking about me.
He was paying attention to the activities of the Jirisan farmers. This is because, depending on the achievements of the Jirisan farmers, his achievements may also vary.
I would like to receive a better evaluation than the former governor Kim Chang-dae.
“I met the governor today because I wanted to ask you a difficult request.”
“Please? When it comes to repairing vacant houses, I have already given you orders.”
“That’s not the problem, we need a space for young farmers to educate.”
“I heard that you use the public officials training center facilities?”
“I think it’s difficult to accommodate all the people there.”
“Can’t we just use the training center facilities? Are there so many people? How many young farmers did you mention?”
“I’m thinking about 200 people.”
“200 people?”
Lee Byung-hwi opened his eyes wide and asked.
“I saw it through the press, but I thought it was going to increase in the long term. I didn’t know from the start that we were going to hire 200 people.”
“It was also the Jirisan farmers who managed the Dubai plantation facilities. We will select 200 young farmers for professional training, and about half of them will be sent to Dubai.”
“It’s amazing that something like this is happening in Hadong!”
Lee Byung-hui drank green tea as if drinking cold water. He seemed to be trying to calm his startled heart.
“If the training center is not enough… … Do you have any special place in your mind?”
“I am thinking of Hadong University.”
“Hadong University?”
Lee Byung-hwi’s eyes fluttered as if an earthquake had occurred.
He hesitated and opened his mouth.
“If it’s Hadong University, that’s not an easy problem.”
“I know it as a university built in Hadong-gun. The school is closed now, so it is empty.”
It is a treasure trove of Hadong-gun and a painful finger. Even the new governor is well aware of this fact.
“Everything Mr. Deokmyung said is correct. Hadong University was founded by Hadong-gun, but unfortunately it was closed. By the way, even if a university is closed, it is not a simple matter to use it.”
Lee Byung-hui said with a smile on his face.
“There is a person who has donated a large amount of money to build Hadong University. This is Choi Geum-ja. I have an agreement with him.”
“I know the content.”
“You also knew Mr. Deokmyeong.”
“I’m thinking of getting permission from him too.”
“Are you saying that Mr. Deok-myeong is going to get permission directly?”
“Of course, that’s what I have to do. Before that, I wanted to get the governor’s permission.”
“Of course, I plan to cooperate with the farmers in Jirisan.”
“We are also thinking about the cost of using the building.”
At that moment, Lee Byung-hwi’s face brightened.
As expected, Hadong-gun came out cooperatively.
The problem is golden.
“By the way, Choi Geum-ja is no ordinary person. It will not be easy.”
* * *
Han Gi-tak found out some information about Choi Geum-ja, who donated a large amount to Hadong University.
Choi Geum-ja is a successful businessman in the restaurant business.
He was also the owner of the largest Korean restaurant in Hadong. She also ran directly managed stores in Hadong, Jinju, and Busan.
He was a person who not only had cooking skills, but also had business acumen.
Choi Geum-ja is famous for hard work. Three hundred and sixty-five days a year, without a day off.
The reason he worked so hard was to forget his painful past.
Her son passed away at an early age.
Geum-ja Choi clinged only to work to forget the sadness. With that money, he built a university in Hadong.
The dead son dreamed of becoming a professor. He was trying to fulfill the dream of his son, who left early by building a university. There was also a building named after his son in Hadong University.
It seemed like the decisive reason why Hadong University could not be used for any purpose other than school.
I put the information that Han Gi-tak meticulously organized in my head.
* * *
‘Hadong Cheil Hanjeongsik.’
He trimmed his clothes under the hanjeongsik restaurant run by Choi Geum-ja.
She said that she had something to discuss about Hadong University.
When I said the name of Kim Deok-myeong, she willingly accepted the meeting.
It is a quiet time with no customers.
As I opened the door, I was greeted by a woman with a white face and a hanbok.
“Are you Kim Deok-myeong?”
“yes.”
“Follow me.”
The restaurant was so large that it was impossible to estimate its size. Numerous rooms with white hanji on them caught my eye.
There was also an artificial pond with carp swimming inside.
The woman who was guiding opened the door.
“I consider it.”
Choi Geum-ja appeared.
The three-fold wrinkle on the forehead shows a stubborn personality.
There was a large table between her and me.
It felt like a river that couldn’t be crossed.
The woman who was guiding closed the door and left quietly.
“It’s called Choi Geum-ja.”
“This is Kim Deok-myung.”
“I heard there is something you want to discuss about [Hadong University], what is it?”
She brought it up right away.
I didn’t even intend to turn around.
“I want to ask Ms. Choi’s permission.”
“Permit?”
“I want to use the university.”
“What does use mean?”
“I want to use it as a space for young farmers.”
“I’m thinking of using the school as a means of making money.”
She looked at me with bitter eyes.
Invest for the future
I asked, looking directly at Choi Geum-ja’s face.
“Isn’t the reason Ms. Hadong University was created to develop the region?”
“We are just investing for the future. It was not built for people who want to make money like Kim Deok-myeong.”
Choi Geum-ja answered with a tone that seemed to be sullen.
“I have no intention of using Hadong University as a means of making money. I am doing this now for the future of agriculture and the future of young farmers. If you allow us to use the school, we will use it as a space for young farmers right now, but we plan to revive the university once the cultivation facilities are completed.”
“You want to revive the university?”
she asked with a suspicious look.
“Yes, I am planning to bring Hadong University back to normal.”
“Are you trying to convince me with your words?”
“I have no intention of deceiving Mrs. Choi Geum-ja. I told you the truth. I want to make Hadong University a high-tech agricultural university.”
Choi Geum-ja showed a temperamental expression, then looked at me with thoughtful eyes.
Then a woman with a white face opened the door and came in. She placed a teacup of green tea in front of me.
It could be seen that the green tea scent alone was of the highest quality.
He drank tea and looked at her expression.
“How can you believe in bringing Hadong University back to life?”
Choi Geum-ja frowned and said. The three-figure wrinkle caught between the forehead was clearly visible.
“I swear by the candle school.”
“Candle school?”
she asked, blinking.
“Farmers in Jirisan are running a scholarship business. Scholarships and educational opportunities are provided to underprivileged youths. They even make candles and give them pocket money.”
“So you call it the Candle School?”
“It is an investment for the future.”
“I didn’t know Kim Deok-myeong did such a thing.”
Choi Geum-ja’s expression changed. His eyes, which had been stinging fiercely, became softer.
She opened her mouth carefully.
“I think I need some time to think.”
“of course.”
* * *
Three days after I met Choi Geum-ja, I got a phone call.
This is Jeong Ga-hee, the head of the Candle School.
Her voice was higher than usual.
“There was a strange person at Candle School.”
“person who is abnormal?”
“Did you say that you know Kim Deok-myeong well and ask questions about the candle school? It is the criteria for selecting scholarship students, and the work they have done so far.”
“Are you someone who knows me well?”
“It’s a person called Choi Geum-ja, right?”
“Yeah, I met him a few days ago.”
“But what are you so curious about about the Candle School?”
“Because I swore to him with a candle school.”
“what? What did you swear by the candle school?”
Jeong Ga-hee’s tone of voice increased as if excited.
“Kim Deok-myeong, aren’t you doing something wrong? Please tell me what you swore.”
“You said you wanted to rent Hadong University.”
“Isn’t that a closed school?”
I told her how I met Choi Geum-ja.
“Are you really going to hire a lot of young farmers?”
“The Dubai thing as well. I need a lot of people. For now, Hadong University is the best place.”
“I understand, the next time he comes, I will treat you kindly.”
“Are you sure you made a mistake with Ms. Choi Geum-ja?”
“What was the mistake, you were treated with respect. It means that I will treat you well the next time you come.”
“okay, thanks.”
* * *
A week passed like that.
Choi Geum-ja has not been contacted yet.
Han Gi-tak asked me every day.
“Aren’t you still in contact with Ms.
“Yeah, I haven’t heard from you yet.”
“Seeing that he went to candle school, he seems to think positively… … .”
Han Ki-tak said with an anxious expression on his face. The construction of the cultivation facility is progressing smoothly.
The next step could be taken only when a place was secured.
“I will contact you soon.”
“I believe I will too.”
Han Gi-tak smiled hard.
That afternoon, I got the call I had been waiting for.
Choi Geum-ja’s voice was heard over the receiver.
“Would you like to come to our store like that time?”
“of course.”
“I want to talk to you over dinner tonight, do you have time?”
“good.”
He hung up the phone and tapped Han Gi-tak on the shoulder.
“I got a call from Mrs. Choi Geum-ja asking to meet.”
“really?”
Han Ki-tak jumped up from his seat.
“If I asked you to meet, would that mean that you would allow me?”
“I think it’s a good sign to see that we should have dinner together.”
“Did you ask to have dinner together? Then you are done.”
“It has not been confirmed yet.”
“Yeah, you have to be more calm at times like this.”
* * *
‘Hadong Cheil Hanjeongsik.’
Since it was evening, there were many customers.
When I opened the door and entered, a woman with a white face greeted me.
The woman who guided me to Geum-ja Choi. She recognized me too.
“The boss is waiting for you.”
This is the room where I first met Choi Geum-ja.
Just like then, she alone guarded the large room.
Unlike the first time I saw her, she greeted me with a softer look.
Even the three-fold wrinkle on the forehead felt comfortable.
“Can I prepare the meal right away?”
“Yes, I was still hungry.”
Choi Geum-ja beckoned to the white-faced woman. Soon the table was filled with food. Tteokgalbi and grilled fish looked delicious.
“We talk while we eat.”
She said, holding up her chopsticks.
All the food on the brass plate was neat. Even when the food was put on the plate, I could feel the sincerity put into it.
Choi Geum-ja seemed to be the secret to success in the restaurant business.
“I don’t know if the food will suit my palate.”
“I know when I taste it. That’s why we call this place the best in Hadong.”
Choi Geum-ja smiled for the first time.
While eating, she spoke quietly.
“I learned a little about Kim Deok-myeong. At first, I thought he was just a good young businessman.”