The Textbook of a Lover - Chapter 69

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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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69.
“Do-ah, why does the wind have to blow like this on your discharge day? You need to keep warm.”
As they headed toward the parking lot outside the hospital, Gyu-seon was already waiting with the car running.
She pulled a scarf from inside the vehicle and wound it around Do-ah’s neck.
Just as her weathered hands moved to tie the knot beneath Do-ah’s chin, the girl opened her mouth.
“Grandmother, I’m not cold at all. You wear this instead.”
“I bought it for you. You look so pretty in everything, Do-ah.”
She was already grateful—even ashamed—that Gyu-seon had come to visit, and now to be fussed over like this.
The fact that she hadn’t let Do-ah contribute a single won toward the hospitalization fees or surgery costs was itself a source of guilt, and she couldn’t begin to imagine how to repay such kindness.
“Come now, let’s go.”
At Gyu-seon’s urging, Do-ah moved forward slowly, her eyes continually scanning her surroundings.
In truth, she’d been doing the same thing in the hospital lobby during discharge, and all the way out to the parking lot.
Once settled in the car, Do-ah instinctively glanced toward the driver’s seat.
What met her eyes was not broad shoulders, nor neatly swept short hair tucked behind an ear—only the nape of a stranger’s neck.
“Then we’ll be departing.”
The driver bowed his head politely.
The car, bearing three passengers, pulled slowly out of the parking lot.
The season had shifted considerably during her hospitalization. The trees lining the road had shed even more leaves.
‘He’s not coming again.’
Throughout her stay, Cha Kyung had never once visited her. So she’d harbored a quiet hope that perhaps he would come on the day of her discharge.
‘How busy could he possibly be? He can’t read my messages, can’t reply, and he hasn’t visited me once the entire time I was in the hospital.’
The tips of her fingers grew cold. Even with the heater on in the car, the warmth kept draining from the backs of her hands.
She recalled something Na-hee had once said—that men tire easily of women like her.
‘No. Cha Kyung is different from someone like Kyung-jun. And things were fine until just before the accident; it doesn’t make sense for him to have changed his mind so suddenly.’
Do-ah tried to push away the negative thoughts by turning to Gyu-seon—asking how her knees were doing, what she’d been eating lately.
If she fell silent, she knew her mind would drift back to Cha Kyung.
Fortunately, Gyu-seon engaged her in conversation warmly, and before long the car arrived at the Hyunsin Family Estate.
* * *
“What is all this?”
Jeong-hye and Gyu-seon led Do-ah to the dining room first.
On the table sat a steaming bowl of Cartilage Soup.
In the milky-white, nearly opaque broth floated soft, boiled cartilage and sinew—abundant and rich.
Beside it lay Mixed Kimchi and pickled green onions, Korean Beef Short Rib Braised gleaming with the lustre of added jujubes and chestnuts, and an array of seasoned vegetable side dishes arrayed in luxury.
“You need to eat well to recover.”
“Grandmother, there’s far too much.”
“Too much? This is nothing. Eat all of this and I’ve set aside separate side dishes for you to take when you leave.”
Gyu-seon placed a spoon before the soup bowl—one with her name engraved on it.
‘Can I really accept such abundant love from these people?’
Do-ah suppressed the stinging sensation rising to the bridge of her nose and picked up the spoon.
As the milky broth spread across her palate, a deep, subtle sweetness—simmered from the very bones—seeped beneath her tongue.
The beef was so tender that the meat slid from the bone at the mere touch of chopsticks, and the mixed kimchi was crisp and tangy.
But by the third spoonful, her movements slowed. The interval between lifting the broth to her lips, placing it in her mouth, and swallowing stretched longer and longer.
“Do-ah, aren’t you eating the braised short ribs? Try some abalone.”
“Yes, Grandmother.”
She picked up a rib and placed it in her mouth, but it wouldn’t go down properly.
Only after drinking water could she manage to push it down her throat.
“You’re not eating much. Is your appetite off?”
“No, it’s delicious. I’m just eating slowly, so I got full quickly.”
Do-ah set down her spoon with a smile.
More than half the broth remained, but Gyu-seon didn’t press her further.
She simply glanced down at Do-ah’s bowl, then exchanged a look with Jeong-hye.
“Shall we take a walk? Let’s go to the garden for a bit of air and to help with digestion.”
Gyu-seon rose from her seat first. Jeong-hye draped a Cardigan over Do-ah’s shoulders, and the three of them passed through the living room and out the back door.
The garden of the Hyunsin Family Estate was extraordinarily beautiful.
Along both sides of the well-maintained walking path stood Japanese maples in a row, their leaves beginning to turn—greens and yellows and reds mingling together on the same branch.
Beyond the stone wall in the distance stood a single persimmon tree. Orange persimmons caught the sunlight and glimmered like jewels.
When they returned indoors, they drank Jujube Tea, which Gyu-seon favored. The brewed tea, made from long-simmered jujubes, released a thick, sweet warmth.
“When winter comes, camellias will bloom in the garden. They’re truly beautiful with snow on their petals.”
“Do-ah, you must come back in winter. When Mother sees the camellias fall, she collects them and floats them in a water bowl—it’s lovely beyond measure.”
Spending the entire day in that place was not tedious in the slightest.
It was joyful and warm and happy.
Except for one thing.
She lifted her head to check the clock: already eleven.
She knew it was impolite to linger so long in someone else’s home, yet she had lingered for one reason alone.
To see Cha Kyung—whom she hadn’t laid eyes on since waking in the hospital.
Do-ah had sent him two messages today, telling him she was here.
Thankfully, this time he’d read the messages, but he still hadn’t replied.
Do-ah sent him one final message:
[Are you really so busy you can’t reply? I’m still at your place. I was waiting to see your face before I left.]
A few minutes after sending it, her phone vibrated. Do-ah eagerly checked the message.
[Yun Cha Kyung, Executive: Just get some rest. I won’t be able to make it home tonight, so don’t wait for me.]
After dozens of unanswered texts, this was his only response.
Why hadn’t he visited her in the hospital?
Today was her discharge day—why wasn’t he coming home?
Didn’t he want to see her?
Did I……
The final words never came to completion.
She was afraid that if she spoke them aloud, reality might make them true.
* * *
Two days later, Do-ah returned to Abe.
The elevator doors slid open to reveal Hye-jung standing with two coffees in hand.
“Do-ah. Welcome back to work hell.”
“I’m sorry, Hye-jung. I know things were hectic while I was away.”
“Why apologize when you were the one who was sick? Still, we felt your absence keenly.”
“You’re right. Please take care of yourself.”
Team members gathered one by one. A Vitamin Set, Hot Chocolate Sticks, even jellies.
Five sticky notes were affixed to her monitor’s border, and the last one bore her junior’s handwriting: [Get well soon, senior. Please ㅜㅜ There’s so much work.]
‘I’m not sure if they were worried or frustrated by the workload, but either way, I’m grateful.’
Just as she was beginning the day in fairly good spirits, the team leader called her to the conference room.
When she entered, Na-hee was already there, looking equally surprised at Do-ah’s arrival.
“We need to take the Year-end Sale Campaign proposal to the Hyunsin side. Both of you go down to the headquarters.”
* * *
Every step of Na-hee’s high heels clicked against the marble floor of the Hyunsin Department Store Headquarters Lobby.
Do-ah followed half a step behind, shifting the Document Bag to her other hand.
The atrium rose all the way to the ceiling; massive potted plants stood scattered about; above the information desk hung the golden Hyunsin logo.
‘I stood right here screaming into a megaphone.’
A coldly handsome man had looked at her with eyes full of contempt, then immediately dragged her to the executive’s office.
When she’d received that invoice for twelve billion won, she’d thought her heart would stop.
A ruthless corporate executive with neither blood nor tears had seemed so unbearably cruel, yet somehow she’d become his lover.
Just then, voices of two employees echoed from the left.

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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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