I Became the Eldest Daughter of a Fallen Family - Chapter 73

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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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Episode 73. Have You Ever Heard of Patent Rights? (4)
Wi Jung’s eyes widened.
Regardless of how badly I’ve blundered today, I can’t believe she’s treating me like some ignorant fool who knows nothing at all.
“Miss So. Even if I may seem like this, I was raised as something of a prodigy in Cheongyang County!”
Wi Jung straightened his head sharply and spoke loudly toward So Yeon-hui.
But So Yeon-hui merely offered a light scoff in return.
“Everyone’s a genius and a prodigy when they’re young, you know? But with each passing year—gifted child, talented child, ordinary talent—you keep sliding down the ladder until you reach adulthood and everyone’s calling you pathetic.”
“My, what a sharp tongue you have! I see your words are truly edged like a blade.”
“It’s not untrue. After all, I’m speaking from my own experience.”
So Yeon-hui shrugged her shoulders and spooned another bite of egg custard into her mouth.
Whatever Wi Jung made of it, her words were entirely sincere.
Which child in South Korea hadn’t heard themselves called a prodigy at least once?
But as you progressed through elementary school, middle school, high school, the evaluations kept dropping lower and lower.
The standard path for a Korean test-taker was to face reality at the first mock exam in third year of high school and lower your university aspirations accordingly.
In some cases, students shifted their targets entirely as early as second year.
Faced with her confident tone, Wi Jung found himself with nothing to counter, and closed his mouth obediently.
How could he argue when this was his own experience too?
Should he say you became ordinary talent, but I didn’t?
Whatever he opened his mouth to say would only earn him ridicule—that much was certain. He decided to preserve at least his dignity through heavy silence.
Had Ju Ha-yoon not suddenly interjected.
“Now that I think of it, I once heard from Tae Baek—I mean, from my senior—that his master took on a new disciple late in life, and reportedly this student possessed exceptional talent, which sparked his curiosity.”
So Yeon-hui’s hand stilled.
“Your master spoke of me?”
“Yes. He said he would have preferred to keep you close and observe your progress, but circumstances prevented him from doing so.”
Keep me close and observe?
‘Wasn’t Tae Baek already married for several years with children—a family man?’
What did that mean exactly?
So Yeon-hui’s brows furrowed slightly.
Becoming a woman of the imperial household seemed to offer not a single advantage, not one.
Perhaps noticing her displeasure, Ju Ha-yoon hurried to clarify.
“No, he is a man devoted to his family. When he spoke of wanting to keep you close, it was in the spirit of cherishing fellow disciples who studied under the same master—please don’t misunderstand.”
“That’s only natural. What’s the age difference between us anyway, and besides, I’m not even of age yet.”
She said the words, but her voice remained cold. An awkward silence descended over the courtyard.
Wi Jung, unable to bear the atmosphere any longer, raised both hands and broke in.
“Anyway! What I’m trying to say is this: I am, in my own way, a talented person. We simply have different fields of expertise, that’s all—my learning certainly isn’t that far behind. Something like that…”
Wi Jung trailed off from his self-praise and let out a long sigh.
Even he could see this approach wasn’t going to lighten the mood. As a result, his shoulders visibly drooped.
The sight of him deflated like that stirred something in So Yeon-hui. She swallowed a spoonful of soup, then opened her mouth in a tone considerably lighter.
“What’s wrong with not being a genius? An ordinary talent has his own methods. And besides, they say gifted people can never beat those who work hard, don’t they?”
Wi Jung lifted his head.
“Is there really such a saying?”
“Of course there is.”
If raw intelligence were the only measure of talent, how unfair this world would be.
There had to be gaps that effort could bridge.
But considering this perspective he’d never thought to entertain before, Wi Jung fell silent for a moment, then asked again.
“Then what if the gifted person works hard too? How do you beat someone like that?”
So Yeon-hui paused briefly before answering.
“Then… enjoy it.”
“Enjoy? Enjoy what exactly?”
“Whether it’s learning, work, or even the competition itself—try viewing the difficult problems you face as if they were a game.”
Suffering is ultimately a matter of the heart.
If instead of seeing the hardships of life as mere painful obstacles, you regard them as stepping stones for growth, or like a game, what challenge could you not bear?
As if it were nothing noteworthy, So Yeon-hui lowered her gaze to her plate and continued speaking.
“Then you won’t fear facing difficulties anymore, nor will the process of solving them feel entirely grueling and painful. Naturally, you’ll make more effort and draw out more of your potential, won’t you?”
Wi Jung stared at the girl, his chopsticks motionless, struck by the clarity and simplicity of her logic.
The way she smiled with such certainty was somehow dazzling to look at.
“What are you doing? Eat before your food gets cold.”
At this casual rebuke, he startled as if struck and quickly bowed his head over his plate.
Ju Ha-yoon, who had sensed something ominous in the moment, found himself watching Wi Jung with a calculating gaze.
* * *
“But tell me, why did you use brick for the walls? Generally speaking, it’s considered unlucky and people tend to avoid it as a building material.”
In response to Ju Ha-yoon’s question, So Yeon-hui paused as she was about to put a spoonful of stir-fried fragrant vegetables in her mouth.
“Stone is heavy and difficult to work with. Clay walls are cheap and quick, but they crumble a little with every rain.”
“So you’re saying brick is a material that falls between those two extremes?”
“Exactly. Since the dimensions are uniform, they’re easy to lay, and you only need to repair the damaged sections, which keeps maintenance costs down. It holds up well even to water washing.”
Hearing this, Wi Jung barely managed to swallow the mouthful of rice that had filled his mouth, then quickly joined the conversation.
“But doesn’t firing all those bricks require a lot of firewood and expense? It’s not as if we’re building a defensive wall to keep enemies out—do private homes really need to invest in brick walls?”
“Of course they do. Rats and insects can’t just burrow through brick walls.”
Wi Jung’s chopsticks paused briefly.
“You mean they’re good for storing grain?”
“Naturally. And if you regularly wash the walls to remove dust, your residents will get far fewer illnesses.”
Most pathogens couldn’t survive in hygienic conditions anyway.
Wi Jung furrowed his brows—a habit he fell into when deep in thought. After a moment, he spoke.
“One brick wall keeps out rats and disease both. That would be perfect for storing military provisions.”
“It’s also ideal for building a hospital.”
“A hospital?”
“I mean a large medical facility, a treatment center. It’s easy to clean, pests and rats can’t get in easily, and with proper management it would be perfect for preventing epidemics.”
So Yeon-hui said this casually and continued eating her rice.
Faced with her unflinching demeanor, Wi Jung laughed helplessly and shook his head. There was simply no predicting what this girl would say next.
Every time she opened her mouth, she unveiled something shocking and remarkable.
Now he finally understood why Tae Baek held her as his most cherished disciple.
‘And yet she calls herself ordinary talent. Isn’t that deception?’
Wi Jung felt a sudden bitter taste rising in his chest.
Meanwhile, Ju Ha-yoon had quietly finished his plate in silence. When So Yeon-hui glanced over, he was staring down at his empty dish.
“Would you like some more rice, Ju? I think there’s still a bit of side dishes and soup left over there.”
Ju Ha-yoon lifted his head and hastily waved his hand. Upon closer inspection, the tips of his ears were faintly flushed.
“Ah, no. What I have is already more than enough.”
Meanwhile, So Yeon-su, who had been quietly observing the situation from beside his sister, looked directly at both men’s faces and slowly arched his eyebrows.
‘What is this atmosphere? Both of them can’t take their eyes off Sister.’
It seemed like there was quite a bit of information he’d need to report to Father.

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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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