chapter 16
The governor asked me. We went into the tea room. The nun, who had said that a guest had arrived, brought out tea.
“I only ask one thing.”
The governor said to me. When I met him, he felt a gentle, yet dignified energy.
“Why did you give a job to so many grandmothers?”
Kim Kkot-nim’s grandmother’s letter contained that content. I wrote this to let people know that I am a good person.
He even wrote the names of other grandmothers in detail. Regrettably, he even mentioned the amount per day.
“I farm dried persimmons. With their help, I got the job done safely.”
“Did he give you a generous salary?”
“It was fair money. My grandmother exaggerated it.”
“Do you know why I am talking to you?”
To be honest, I was curious too. If I gave it to him, he would be no different than the head of this temple.
Doing a favor to someone you met for the first time was strange.
“I’ll be honest. At first I thought it was strange. I came here to learn beekeeping, and even the contents of the letter. But the more I looked, the more I felt a strange aura in you. Did a young man in his twenties feel the mature beauty of middle age? That piqued my curiosity.”
I swallowed my saliva. She guessed that I was a special person just by feeling. It was different from ordinary people because of the results of long practice.
“I will listen to it as a compliment.”
“It’s out of curiosity, but I’m also curious. Maybe you can get what you want.”
“Is there a way?”
I asked with my eyes twinkling.
“There is one way.”
“How?”
“As I said before, it will be very hard on your body. You have to know how to persuade Maehwa.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
She smiled as expected.
The physically demanding work was bearable.
“Have you ever heard of going home for a hundred days?”
“Are you going out for a hundred days?”
The word going out rather than a hundred days bothered me.
I have lived my whole life without religion.
“I am not forcing you to be religious.”
She explained to me in detail about the 100-day celibacy.
Even if he went to church for a hundred days, he did not become a Buddhist. He said it would be easier to understand if you thought you would live here for a hundred days.
However, I had to pay for food while I was living. Jijangsa Temple was located at an elevation of 1,500. All materials coming here had to be moved by hand.
It meant working in exchange for food and sleep.
“Even if you learn beekeeping from Maehwa, you cannot stay here carelessly.”
It was something I was worried about from the beginning. It was delayed because permission came first.
She was scratching her itchy back instead.
“If that’s the case, I’m good too.”
“It will not be easy.”
She made a meaningful expression.
“I want to ask you one thing.”
“Please speak.”
“What is your age?”
She laughed out loud.
“Isn’t that an rude question in the first place?”
“sorry. I am also curious about you.”
“I was beaten. Let me tell you. This year will be Jingap (進甲).”
Jingap was the birthday that came back after the 60th birthday.
‘Sixty-one…’
I couldn’t believe it. I thought that no matter how many I caught, I would be in my fifties. I thought it was too much.
It was surprising that he was over sixty by his appearance.
“Do you, by any chance, drink the honey of the plum monk?”
“yes. Shamefully, I eat it every day.”
Hearing the Master’s story made me want to learn more. Monk Maehwa’s honey was definitely a medicine for rejuvenation.
It must have been different from ordinary honey.
“Then see you soon.”
I immediately went to the secretariat and applied for a 100-day ceremonial home. Everyone looked at me with strange eyes.
The man seemed to say that he couldn’t stay here.
It was a temple, but it was nothing like a convent.
“There are no plans yet.”
The secretariat said to me. When he said that he had received permission from the governor, he looked embarrassed. I called and checked it out and received it.
The eyes that looked at me were not pretty.
* * *
As I descended the mountain, I thought of Maehwa. She was a woman who left home at the age of 20 and lived here for 8 years.
Come to think of it, she was twenty-eight this year. he’s the same age as me Just by looking at his appearance, he could have believed he was twenty years old.
All the bhikkunis of Jizos must have been young.
‘The secret of youth lies in the honey jar.’
I was rejected, but my steps were light. The biggest thing was that Ju Ji-ra had a strong background. Either way, it was half successful.
The rest was up to me, as she said.
went straight into the house.
“Mother, I’m here.”
“Where have you been wandering around like that? rice is?”
“Not yet.”
“My father was also waiting for you to eat when you came.”
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
My father was watching TV without saying a word. After the dried persimmon farming was over, my house was very peaceful.
After washing up, the table was set. My parents told me they would start farming lettuce again.
I also had something to announce.
“I have something to tell you too.”
“What?”
“I’m going out.”
“what?”
A grain of rice came out of the mother’s mouth. My parents were not religious like me. I was just bewildered.
Seeing that my expression was serious, my father asked.
“Are you leaving? What does that mean?”
“I plan to learn beekeeping.”
“But why go out?”
I told my parents that I was self-inflicted. My father understood relatively well. Beekeeping also entered the livestock industry.
In particular, he actively agreed with the statement that the village’s fruit trees would be used as a secret source.
This is because the farmer was deliberately called for beekeeping to fertilize the fruit trees.
“By the way, it takes a long time to get to the deep mountains.”
“Indigenous bees are rare in Korea. Not only the technology, but also the bees have to be sold.”
“I heard that native bees are difficult to raise.”
“That’s why I want to go further.”
Dad thought for a long time. He nodded his head in agreement.
“By the way, is it dangerously beekeeping? What if I get shot?”
The mother’s reaction was different from that of the father.
“The dangerous thing is wasps. There is a saying that if the bees disappear, the earth will also perish. It’s such a good insect. It is not dangerous.”
“If you do, I will support you.”
Dad laughed and said.
“When you’re with me, Deokmyeong also told me that we should grow lettuce together.”
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
My mother said with a surprised face.
“You have to do what the young man wants to do. It will be good for our town if we learn well.”
“Now, would you believe me if Deokmyeong made meju with red beans?”
“Then believe it. He is our son.”
“Good luck between the two rich people.”
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
My mother looked sad that I didn’t farm together. I calmed my mother’s heart and lay down.
* * *
The next day, I met Min-seok and Ka-hee. I had to share the situation with them too.
“how have you been doing? Everyone looks good.”
“Because I don’t do hard work. Sleep well.”
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
Minseok smiled and said.
They knew roughly what they were doing.
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
Minseok said that every day is fun.
He was recently teaching computers to the ‘Hadong Ladies’ Hall’ grandmothers. He said he bought a computer from a broken PC room.
I laughed more than when I was farming dried persimmons.
It was ironic to think that he was a person who was in depression.
He seemed to have found a new meaning in life.
Kahi was helping her father with the orchard. There didn’t seem to be anything else to do.
It was to the point where he said that he wanted to build the farm he wanted.
“I plan to do beekeeping in the future.”
“A beekeeper raising bees?”
“right. that beekeeper. As I said in advance, I do not intend to force it. Raising bees is a matter of free will. After that, there will be a lot of work to produce and sell products. You can join me then.”
“It’s saying that you will unconditionally raise bees.”
Kahi said in a blunt tone.
“First of all, I want to learn how to deal with bees. I already had a plan on how to do it. First of all, I plan to learn first. I’m thinking of learning a technique and going to teach it to you guys.”
“Why are you doing that?”
Gai asked.
There was a lot of dissatisfaction in the way he spoke.
“The place is a temple deep in Jirisan.”
“Mt. Jirisan? Then it won’t be a problem.”
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
Minseok waved his hand. He hadn’t climbed a mountain since the army.
I once said that I would never climb a mountain again.
It was already the expected reaction.
Gahee was speechless.
Because I thought she would be the first to object. I have been afraid of insects since childhood. I was surprised to see an ant passing by on the road.
He thought that he would be disgusted with the words “mountain and bee”.
“I want to learn too.”
she said seriously. Me and Minseok looked at her face.
As usual, his expression stiffened.
“The road is tough. Besides, it’s an insect you don’t like. Are you okay?”
“It’s okay.”
It was fine, but it didn’t look good at all.
“Think again.”
“Because I’m going. Say how many times!”
I don’t know why, but I was very angry. Paradoxically, looking at her with a pointed face, a fresh inspiration came to mind.
It was an idea that would captivate Monk Maehwa.
she needed
“Then I’m fine. Pack your bags and leave now. Say goodbye to your parents.”
“Hang in there. I will be here soon.”
I conveyed a few things to Minseok before she came.
A number to call in case of emergency and things to prepare while I am away.
When the story was over, Kahi appeared.
“What do you have in your hand?”
“bag.”
She showed up with a suitcase. He said he was definitely going up the mountain.
Carrier, she didn’t notice what was wrong.
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On the way to Mt. Jirisan, I had to buy a backpack first.
We headed to the foreman.
surviving in the snow
It was inclement weather with snow.
I carried my backpack and climbed the mountain path.
Kahi was chasing after him with a moan.
“Would you like to take a break?”
He didn’t respond to my words. On the way home, we didn’t say a word.
I couldn’t go on like this. It was a section where there were no people.
“Tell me a minute.”
Kahi ran ahead without a word. I grabbed my wrist. She glared nervously.
“Talk about this.”
I let go of the wrist I was holding. Pure white eyes were clinging to her red cheeks.
“Why?”
“what reason?”
Her voice echoed.
“Tell me why you are angry.”
It had never happened before. We’ve been fine so far. I was curious as to why the change of heart had occurred.
She was looking at me with terrifying eyes.
“It’s good to be honest. Besides, we are the only ones here.”
“I hate bugs.”
“It’s not a bug, it’s a bee. Insects.”
“I don’t like insects or anything.”
He knew that even a single ant cub would be startled. I quietly listened to her.
“It felt good to work with dried persimmons. I also felt a sense of accomplishment. It was the first time in my life that I felt that way.”
“By the way?”
“I think I was expecting it.”
“What did you expect?”
“Something better is waiting for you.”
“By the way, I said I was going to raise bees. You choose what you don’t like.”
When I made eye contact, she avoided it.
“I thought the other way around.”
She looked at me with wet eyes. It was the face that said what it meant.
“I was going to give you an important mission.”
tilted his head. The face that seemed to cry just before turned into a face full of curiosity.
“Are you giving me a mission?”
“I have something to show off Jung Ga-hee’s talents.”
“My specialty?”
She looked like she couldn’t understand.
“Hey, Gahee. Bees don’t just produce honey. From propolis to beeswax, you can make a variety of natural substances.”
“By the way?”
“I was thinking of entrusting you with the soap business.”
“soap?”
“right. Natural soap made from beeswax.”