Chapter 70

“Su-jeong, go play with Yoo-jin over there while Grandpa eats his meal.”

Unexpectedly, Hong Ki-jun stepped in as Cheon Gil-ryong’s savior.

“I don’t mind. I take after our grandpa.”

“Ohoho~. That’s right. Stay here.”

Cheon Gil-ryong had no choice but to eat all the ham.

It would have been awkward eating under the watchful eyes of Son Kwang-yeon and Hong Ki-jun, who joined the meal under the pretense of serving the elder, but thanks to Hong Soo-jung, the atmosphere was warm and cheerful.

Cheon Gil-ryong finished his meal, happily watching Hong Soo-jung, Son Yoo-jin, and the dog playing around.

“Thank you. I’ve received such unexpected hospitality.”

Son Kwang-yeon and Hong Ki-jun cleared the table, and Yoo Se-ra brought out melon for dessert.

Cheon Gil-ryong sat on the porch, observing the men. He nodded with a smile, and when he saw Yoo Se-ra, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Han Yu-young brought out a tray with a glass of water and said, “If you have any good advice, please share it. Don’t hold back.”

Cheon Gil-ryong’s eyes lit up at Han Yu-young’s words.

How did this young lady see through me?

From what Cheon Gil-ryong had observed, people these days no longer trusted mystics. Even in this remote countryside, churches had sprung up, and everyone flocked to them. Village heads no longer came to consult him on village matters. Of course, part of the reason for the loss of trust was due to fraudulent shamans who only told people what they wanted to hear and swindled them.

In any case, the world had come to a point where people hesitated to speak their minds, fearing it might be seen as overstepping. It was time to retreat to the back room as an old man.

“Living long doesn’t mean you’re wise, and being young doesn’t mean you’re foolish. What could I possibly have to say? Hoho~.”

“But still. I like hearing such stories.”

Han Yu-young, who didn’t even attend church, would serve tea to visiting pastors and ask them to share good stories.

She had a way of tugging at the heartstrings of the village Gandalf, like a beloved youngest daughter.

Well, since I’ve been fed, maybe I’ll share a little. Cheon Gil-ryong stroked his beard.

“It’s nothing special. What do I know? Take Mr. Son here, for example. In the old days, the words of the elders were like the heavens to farmers. Isn’t that right?”

Son Kwang-yeon smiled and nodded, keeping his hands clasped respectfully in front of him.

“Back then, the elders would look at the sky and recall the wrinkles of memory to teach when to plow, when to sow, and when to harvest. But this household’s master farms not by the sky or the earth, but by reading people. He has wisdom. That’s why he succeeds. They say the future is the age of knowledge, but knowledge without application is worse than dung. The one who transcends knowledge and turns it into wisdom will succeed in the age of wisdom. In that sense, Mr. Son is ahead by several generations.”

Though he didn’t show it, Son Kwang-yeon felt a chill run down his spine.

He had thought of Cheon Gil-ryong as just an old man living on a high hill surrounded by tidal flats, but now he spoke as if he were overlooking the world.

“Before I turned eighty, I used to meddle and act like I knew a lot.”

A cool breeze passed under the shade of the zelkova tree. Everyone closed their eyes and took a deep breath, savoring the rare coolness.

Cheon Gil-ryong took a sip of water and let out a satisfied sigh.

“One day, I looked in the mirror and saw a stubborn old man. That’s when I realized. Ah, I should have been talking to the mirror. I should have been saying all those things I told others to the mirror. The saying that you must learn until you die, and that you must be humble, I should have said those to the mirror.”

Both Son Kwang-yeon and Hong Ki-jun listened humbly to Cheon Gil-ryong’s teachings.

It sounded like he was telling them not to focus on teaching or finding fault with others, but to work on themselves.

Cheon Gil-ryong turned his gaze.

Jin Hyuk was walking down the path from the bus stop to the house.

Cheon Gil-ryong smiled slyly and continued.

“Isn’t it funny? I only understood the teachings of the *Shimgyeong* that I read in my youth when I turned eighty. Come to think of it, we should call it the *Mirror* rather than the *Classic*.”

Han Yu-young listened intently. Yoo Se-ra furrowed her brows, looking confused.

Seeing Yoo Se-ra’s expression, Cheon Gil-ryong laughed.

“Don’t take an old man’s words as gospel. Filter and sift through them. Even if the words are right and good, nagging should be directed at yourself first, Madam from Seoul.”

“Ah, yes…”

Only then did Yoo Se-ra awkwardly laugh. It was Korean after all, she muttered.

“One person thinks this way, another thinks that way. Conflicts arise when you try to melt others into your own mold. It’s better to just not see each other, but people insist on adding their two cents and creating rifts. Each person should cultivate themselves and seek wisdom in their own way. Look at that guy. Isn’t he something?”

Cheon Gil-ryong’s pipe pointed toward Jin Hyuk, who was entering the yard.

He had changed fate, saved many lives, and could change the world in the future. Yet, he lived day by day without greed.

Cheon Gil-ryong asked Jin Hyuk, who bowed in greeting.

“Did you find a lot of mushrooms? It’s not the season yet, is it?”

“There are plenty in places where feet don’t tread.”

Everyone was surprised, wondering how he knew Jin Hyuk had gone mushroom picking, but Jin Hyuk remained calm. He figured the old man would know such things.

When Jin Hyuk opened the black plastic bag, it was filled with bright yellow mushrooms. They were the prized *Kkoggiri* mushrooms, known for their chewy texture and fragrant aroma, growing on rotten wood in the backyard mountain. They were usually harvested in autumn, but since Hong Ki-jun’s family liked them, Jin Hyuk would pick them whenever he came down.

Cheon Gil-ryong’s mouth formed a round “O” as he laughed.

“See this? Everyone does things their own way. Living, doing things.”

Cheon Gil-ryong stood up, saying he’d stop with the abstract talk. He carefully observed Jin Hyuk’s shoulders, head, and feet, then frowned and clicked his tongue.

“Elder! Don’t do that-.”

Yoo Se-ra urgently called out.

“Why not?”

“Can’t you read my fortune or something?”

Yoo Se-ra, who had never been interested in superstitions like fortune-telling or compatibility, felt oddly drawn to Cheon Gil-ryong. Maybe it was the atmosphere.

Cheon Gil-ryong sat back down. It was hard to refuse the Seoul lady who pestered him like a spoiled youngest daughter.

“Let’s see.”

Cheon Gil-ryong meticulously examined Yoo Se-ra’s face and hands, especially her eyes. Her large, dark pupils reflected the image of the white-bearded old man smiling with curiosity.

Jin Hyuk also sat beside Cheon Gil-ryong, staring intently at Yoo Se-ra. Not that he knew anything by looking, but her face was pleasant to look at. He noticed differences from Hong Soo-jung. While Hong Soo-jung had reddish-brown eyes, Yoo Se-ra’s were completely black.

Yoo Se-ra, meeting Jin Hyuk’s gaze, chuckled and politely asked Cheon Gil-ryong, “Should I tell you my birthdate?”

“That’s what amateurs or frauds look at. They fit it into pre-written phrases. If that worked, how many people would have the same fate?”

Yoo Se-ra nodded, seeing no reason to argue, nor having the knowledge to do so.

Cheon Gil-ryong pointed at Hong Soo-jung and said, “That lady over there must have a daughter who looks just like her. Where’s the son?”

“Huh?”

Yoo Se-ra’s eyes widened, and her hands trembled as if she’d been electrocuted.

‘A son? Who would misunderstand that?’

Yoo Se-ra narrowed her eyes. She began to suspect if this old man was a fraud. Even if he was an elder, wasn’t he being too casual for a first meeting?

“Madam from Seoul, your fortune has changed. You’ve gone from an ice block to a spring breeze. Your husband knows what I mean.”

At that, Hong Ki-jun’s mouth naturally formed a circle.

He knew that since he joined Sein Group, his wife Yoo Se-ra had softened. But there was no hidden son…

Hong Ki-jun silently gestured toward Yoo Se-ra, who was glaring at him.

Cheon Gil-ryong remained calm, as if he hadn’t just made a statement that could stir up trouble in the household.

“Let’s see…”

Cheon Gil-ryong wasn’t one for long explanations, but he wasn’t curt either.

In that way, he was different from city fortune-tellers. Some of them even yelled while taking money. Compared to them, Cheon Gil-ryong was like a kind grandfather.

“Your fortune is too good. Just do whatever you want.”

As if she hadn’t been displeased earlier, Yoo Se-ra beamed. Even if nothing was accurate, hearing that her fortune was good was enough. She was already preparing to do what she wanted. Still, she wanted a clear answer.

“What should I do?”

“You should do something that elevates your name. You shouldn’t be under anyone, nor should you manage too many people. A tree with many branches gets torn by the wind and can’t rest, but your fortune is like an orchid. Orchids must tend to their own stems and remain elegant. Shining alone is the best.”

Wow.

Yoo Se-ra let out an impressed sigh. An elegant orchid. Could there be a more satisfying metaphor for someone with a thirst for honor? She would shine brightly in the history of Korean basic sports. Yoo Se-ra’s eyes sparkled.

Indeed, the interpretation was better than the dream.

“Please read his fortune too!”

This time, Yoo Se-ra pointed at her husband, Hong Ki-jun.

Cheon Gil-ryong glanced at Hong Ki-jun, smiled, and left a simple comment.

“He’s a good man. Loyal.”

With that, Cheon Gil-ryong brushed off his seat and stood up.

But Yoo Se-ra wasn’t one to let him go so easily.

“A bit more detail…”

Cheon Gil-ryong chuckled and sat back down, staring at Hong Ki-jun. “You’re like a leech,” he muttered. This Seoul leech had already made him sit and stand several times, and his knees were sore.

“Let’s see… He has virtue but no greed-.”

Words flowed about governing the nation, conquering the world, and pioneering the future… Things that didn’t come up for Yoo Se-ra.

Hong Ki-jun just laughed it off. He knew it was just flattery for the lady.

“Just take it as entertainment. If you live by fortune-telling, you’ll blame everything on fate or the world. Young people can’t live like that. This gentleman knows that, so he just laughs.”

Cheon Gil-ryong stood up, leaning on his knees with a grunt.

“Don’t hold me back now. I have many guests at home, so I can’t stay away long.”

Yoo Se-ra tried to offer a fee, but he refused, saying it was just the price of the meal.

He also declined Han Yu-young’s offer to see him off.

“You, come with me.”

Instead, he reached out to Jin Hyuk, asking him to accompany him.

Jin Hyuk grabbed a jug of makgeolli and followed Cheon Gil-ryong.

*

When Cheon Gil-ryong and Jin Hyuk were halfway up the hill, Yoo Se-ra asked, “Oppa, who is that old man? He’s impressive.”

“He’s the one who said our house’s location was bad when we built it.”

No, it’s not him. Son Kwang-yeon never managed to distinguish between the brothers.

Even the villagers couldn’t tell Cheon Gil-ryong and Cheon Gi-ryong apart. They just assumed they were the same person because they looked alike.

“That’s why when we rebuilt this house, we raised the ground and changed the orientation. We even built a new dirt house.”

“He doesn’t seem like a fortune-teller.”

“The former village head said he’s not a fortune-teller.”

“Then what is he?”

A sage.

Son Kwang-yeon just chuckled without answering.

It was an answer that would sound foolish.

***

Jin Hyuk, who had been walking silently, finally spoke up.

“Um…”

“Why so hesitant? Do you feel like you’ve died and come back to life?”

Cheon Gil-ryong tilted his head toward Jin Hyuk, his posture oddly gentle.

Though his voice was laced with laughter, his sharp gaze made Jin Hyuk reflexively hold his breath.