Goblin Library - Chapter 141

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 141.

Lee Hye-eun changed into a simple t-shirt and cotton pants, threw on a light windbreaker, and stepped out from the back seat.
“Trunk!”
At Lee Hye-eun’s word, Choi Tae-sik opened the trunk. She then pulled out a portable hand cart from the trunk, unfolded it, and began loading the abundance of sweet soy milk that had been packed inside.
Choi Tae-sik helped her load the soy milk onto the cart while asking a question.
“Why did you buy so much soy milk?”
“Elderly people love it.”
“Soy milk?”
“When you get older, you often lose your appetite. Your teeth aren’t in great condition either, so there’s no pleasure in chewing… That’s why many elderly people often rely on soy milk for their meals.”
“Shouldn’t they be eating rice?”
“The nurses and family members will take care of that themselves.”
At Lee Hye-eun’s answer, Choi Tae-sik squinted his eyes.
“Then bringing something like this seems like it would just create more work for the staff.”
Lee Hye-eun sighed and looked at him.
“Do you think the people here at the nursing home are healthy?”
“Well… probably not.”
A nursing home was fundamentally a place where people with physical limitations stayed.
“Exactly. They’re elderly and have difficulty moving around on their own. There are a few who are perfectly fine, but… in any case, most of them are like that.”
“Then shouldn’t they be eating even more healthily?”
At Choi Tae-sik’s question, Lee Hye-eun looked at him for a moment before speaking.
“What’s happier—restraining yourself from eating what you want and living a few more healthy years, or eating what you want to eat even if your body is a bit uncomfortable?”
At Lee Hye-eun’s words, Choi Tae-sik thought quietly for a moment before speaking.
“As long as no illness develops, it seems better to just eat what you want and live.”
“That’s what I think too. Living eighty years doing whatever you want is better than living a hundred years healthy while restraining yourself from eating what you want.”
[But isn’t the problem that you could live eighty years unhealthy and sick?]
When Jang Ma-ru interjected, Lee Hye-eun spoke.
“Even if someone smokes, drinks, and eats only ramen, they’ll stay healthy if they’re meant to be healthy. And even if someone doesn’t smoke or drink and exercises consistently, they’ll still get sick if they’re meant to get sick.”
[Still, if you don’t smoke or drink and exercise consistently, you’ll at least get sick less, won’t you?]
“That’s true, but… if you live too ascetically just thinking about health, life becomes boring.”
Lee Hye-eun squinted her eyes.
“My point is that if you live restraining yourself from doing what you want while thinking about health, life becomes too boring. Do you understand?”
[Yes.]
At Jang Ma-ru’s answer, Lee Hye-eun chuckled and spoke.
“I volunteered at a nursing home once, and the director there just told the elderly people who smoked to go ahead and smoke.”
“A nursing home director?”
“His personality was a bit eccentric, but he was a good person. Anyway, he said that whether things go this way or that way, it’s all one lifetime, so they should smoke as much as they want. He said that if you try to quit smoking just because you want to, the stress will only create more illness.”
“It sounds like a bad thing but also a good thing at the same time.”
“He didn’t say it outright, but the message was clear—live however long you have left, do what you want, and find peace in it.”
Lee Hye-eun laughed at her own words.
“You know what’s funny?”
“What?”
“Some of the elderly who heard that actually quit smoking. If they were smoking even after coming to the Nursing Home, it must have been a lifelong habit.”
“Why did they quit?”
“They figured—whether it’s one way or another, it’s all the same. So they decided to save the cigarette money and give it to their grandchildren when they visit.”
“Ah…”
Choi Tae-sik let out an admiring sigh at the words of adults who, even in a Nursing Home, still thought of their grandchildren’s allowance.
“Stop fidgeting with your hands.”
At Lee Hye-eun’s reproach, Choi Tae-sik placed the soy milk back on the cart.
“That’s why I bought the sweet kind. It might not be ideal for adults with diabetes, but it doesn’t have an excessive amount of sugar, and it’s far healthier than carbonated drinks or juice. There’s a plain-flavored soy milk too, but honestly… it’s good for you, but it’s just bland.”
“Is there a big difference in taste?”
“You don’t know the difference?”
“I don’t drink soy milk often.”
At Choi Tae-sik’s words, Lee Hye-eun shook her head and spoke.
“There are two kinds—sweet and plain. If you try both separately, you’ll notice a clear difference in taste.”
She extended the handle of the hand cart, and Choi Tae-sik grasped it and pulled.
As they made their way toward the Nursing Home, Choi Tae-sik asked a question.
“But will they really talk if we just ask?”
If it were something so simple to discuss, they would have already known about it. But if they’d never heard such stories, it meant all the Prison inmates were keeping their mouths firmly shut.
“That’s why we need to coax it out gently.”
“How?”
“You’re going to be my boyfriend.”
“Me?”
“Isn’t that great?”
“What?”
Seeing Choi Tae-sik’s bewildered expression, Lee Hye-eun laughed.
“When would you ever get a girlfriend like me?”
Lee Hye-eun, linking her arm through his, continued with a smiling face.
“Nothing complicated. I’ll just tell them my boyfriend’s younger brother got into trouble and went to Prison. So I’ll ask if anyone knows him and request they look after my brother, and I’ll ask if there’s anyone he should avoid. They’ll give us some information, and then you and I can build on that, ask follow-up questions, and gather more details. That way, we should be able to piece together what we’re looking for.”
“But if they only give us vague information, isn’t that bad?”
“No. When they give us vague answers, you and I flesh it out with more questions and gather other stories. Through that process, we’ll gradually figure out what we want to know.”
As she spoke and walked, Lee Hye-eun let out a quiet laugh.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because you didn’t refuse when I linked my arm through yours.”
At Lee Hye-eun’s words, Choi Tae-sik squinted and tried to pull his arm away, but Lee Hye-eun gripped it tightly.
“There are people watching from the windows.”
At that, Choi Tae-sik looked toward the Nursing Home. Just as Lee Hye-eun said, he could see several people looking out from the windows.
Choi Tae-sik sighed and continued walking, and Lee Hye-eun spoke.
“Let’s make your occupation a mixed martial artist for now.”
“A mixed martial artist?”
“You were in a school gang during your student days, got beaten up by a mixed martial artist, and switched careers to become one yourself. I added this background because your impression and aura aren’t exactly on the virtuous side.”
Choi Tae-sik said nothing in response to Lee Hye-eun’s words. He understood well enough what kind of atmosphere he gave off.
One thing was certain—he didn’t have the air of an ordinary office worker.
“I’ll do the talking, so just read the mood and join in the conversation as needed.”
With those words, Lee Hye-eun entered the nursing home, and a few nurses recognized her and greeted her.
“Go-eun, it’s been so long.”
“It really has been ages on my part.”
“It sure has. The elders keep asking when you’ll visit. Have you been busy?”
“I apologize. I changed jobs, and things have been hectic, so I haven’t been able to reach out.”
“You changed workplaces?”
“That’s what happened. I moved at the same time, and it became too far to come volunteer here.”
It seemed Lee Hye-eun used the alias Go-eun when working here.
“That’s unfortunate, but congratulations on finding a good place to work.”
“And this is soy milk.”
When Lee Hye-eun took the soy milk cart from Choi Tae-sik and handed it over, the nurse sighed.
“You brought something sweet again, didn’t you?”
Choi Tae-sik swallowed a hollow laugh. From the nurse’s tone, this wasn’t the first or second time.
“If I don’t bring something sweet, how else will the elders find joy in eating?”
“Well… I suppose that’s true.”
“Keep it here and distribute it one by one to them.”
“Thank you.”
The nurse smiled and wheeled the cart away, then suddenly asked.
“Should I return the cart to you?”
“Just use it here. Oh! Is Choi Hong-gu around?”
“Of course. Did you come to see him?”
“I have something I’d like to ask him.”
At Lee Hye-eun’s words, the nurse wheeled the cart into the booth and picked up the phone to call someone.
After finishing the call, she spoke to Lee Hye-eun.
“He’s in the Fitness Management Room on the fourth floor. You don’t need me to show you the way, right?”
“Of course not.”
“And who is the person next to you?”
“He’s my boyfriend.”
“He’s quite handsome.”
The nurse smiled and handed over two sheets of paper.
“But you’ll need to fill out the paperwork.”
It was a form for recording visitor names and basic information.
Lee Hye-eun took the paper from the nurse and filled it out with practiced ease.
Then, with a glance at Choi Tae-sik, he also completed the visitor registration form.
Of course, under a false identity.
After completing the paperwork, Lee Hye-eun headed up to the fourth floor with Choi Tae-sik.
As they walked down the corridor, a Fitness Management Room with floor-to-ceiling glass walls came into view.
Inside the Fitness Management Room were bicycles and several exercise machines.
Since it was a space for the elderly, the strength-training equipment commonly found in regular gyms was sparse.
At least the bicycles and treadmills by the outer wall windows overlooking the Mountain made for a pleasant workout environment.
An older man with thinning hair was watching an elderly gentleman ride a bicycle beside him.
Choi Hong-gu.
At Lee Hye-eun’s call, the man turned around with a delighted expression on his face.
Who is this? Go-eun!
The man told the elderly gentleman to rest for a moment, then approached Lee Hye-eun.
It’s been a while. How have you been?
I’ve been well. How about you?
Me? There’s nothing much to worry about. I’m living quietly in a place with good air.
Then the man looked at Choi Tae-sik, and a hint of wariness crossed his face.
It was because he gave off a rather menacing atmosphere.
Seeing this, Lee Hye-eun smiled and spoke.
He’s my boyfriend.
Your boyfriend?
At Lee Hye-eun’s words, the man looked at Choi Tae-sik with confusion.
I’m Choi Tae-sik.
I see. I’m Choi Hong-gu. We share the same surname.
Choi Hong-gu looked at Lee Hye-eun.
But it seems like you came to see me?
I have something I wanted to ask you.
Something to ask?
Choi Hong-gu tilted his head in confusion and spoke.
Tell me.
Not here. Outside.
Seeing Lee Hye-eun’s cautious demeanor, Choi Hong-gu nodded despite his confusion. Then he stepped outside the Fitness Management Room with Lee Hye-eun and Choi Tae-sik, asking the Nurse inside to watch over the elderly man he’d been attending to.
After stepping outside, Lee Hye-eun went to a vending machine on one side and pulled out a beverage, handing it to him.
So what did you want to ask that we had to talk outside?
Lee Hye-eun linked her arm through Choi Tae-sik’s and sighed.
My younger brother is going into Prison this time.
At the mention of Prison, Choi Hong-gu’s face hardened. It was a memory he’d rather not think about.
Watching the silent Choi Hong-gu, Lee Hye-eun spoke with worry in her voice.
My boyfriend may have a bad appearance, but he’s never been to Prison. So I’m worried about how things work there since my brother is going in, and that’s why I brought him here.
Then she cautiously continued, gauging Choi Hong-gu’s reaction.
I remembered hearing before that you’d been there once. I apologize if I was rude.
At Lee Hye-eun’s apology, Choi Hong-gu sighed and spoke.
“No, it’s natural to be curious about where your younger brother is, even if he went to the military. But the Prison System… I can see why you’d be curious.”
Choi Hong-gu turned to look at Choi Tae-sik.
“Is this your brother’s first time in the Prison System?”
“Yes, it is.”
“What did he go in for?”
“He got into a fight after drinking.”
“So it’s assault, then.”
Choi Hong-gu paused in thought before speaking.
“At least he went to a decent Prison System.”
“Are there good and bad prisons?”
Lee Hye-eun asked the question with an expression of complete ignorance, and Choi Hong-gu nodded.
“Of course there are. In the bad ones, the moment you’re marked as an easy target, every single day becomes hell.”
“So the Prison System is different?”
Lee Hye-eun asked, and Choi Hong-gu nodded before offering an explanation.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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