They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 16

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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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16. Tasting Corner (2)

Oh Jong-hee reached out and accepted the paper cup. The fluffy potatoes paired with carrots and onions were so visually appetizing that he swallowed hard.

“Yes, thank you.”

He tossed the stir-fried potatoes from the paper cup into his mouth without hesitation.

The stir-fried potatoes danced across his palate before dissolving away in an instant. It happened far too quickly. A single bite wasn’t enough to truly savor the flavor.

What a shame.
Such a terrible shame.
I wanted to taste it once more.

“Another paper cup, please.”
“Pardon?”
“Let me give you another sample.”
“I feel like I’m being shameless.”

As if reading Oh Jong-hee’s mind, Ji-gu generously filled another paper cup with stir-fried potatoes and handed it over.

“The potatoes are so soft that you couldn’t fully taste them, could you?”
“Yes, exactly. How can these potatoes be so incredibly soft…?”

Oh Jong-hee accepted the paper cup and this time placed it in his mouth slowly, savoring the flavor properly.

The savory umami of salt layered beneath the gentle sweetness of carrots and onions, coating his tongue smoothly.

Strangely, eating the stir-fried potatoes made me suddenly crave rice—something I’d forgotten about.

For the past several days, dealing with that bizarre client had left me without appetite. I’d barely eaten properly and felt so weak my vision blurred. Now my sight was crystal clear.

Just moments ago, I’d thought I’d have to go home and hastily eat some rice soup. Now all I could think about was eating a proper bowl of rice.

“I…”
“Would you like a pack of stir-fried potatoes?”

Ji-gu asked gently. One pack felt insufficient. Oh Jong-hee raised two fingers with resolve.

“I would appreciate two packs, if you please…”
“Then please come inside!”

Following Ji-gu’s guidance into Hyang-suk’s Side Dish Shop, Oh Jong-hee’s eyes widened slightly. The interior was filled with décor that evoked the 1990s.

Weathered wooden shelves and glass display cases mingled with the savory aroma of side dishes, stirring waves of nostalgia.

“Customer, do you need any other side dishes?”

Other side dishes. Buying only stir-fried potatoes felt somewhat plain.

“Which ones would you recommend? To be honest, the shop owner changed, and this is my first time visiting.”
“Then would you like to come this way?”

Oh Jong-hee approached the refrigerated display case as if entranced. The variety of side dishes was modest.

“Our most popular side dish is grilled codonopsis. You mentioned earlier that the stir-fried potatoes melted delicately on your tongue, didn’t you?”
“Did I?”
“The grilled codonopsis is also tender and easy to eat.”
“Would you like to try the grilled codonopsis?”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

The moment Oh Jong-hee bit into the grilled codonopsis, his eyes widened so dramatically they seemed ready to burst from their sockets. Why was it so delicious?

The tender texture of the grilled codonopsis harmonized perfectly with the umami-rich seasoning, naturally awakening hunger.

“Delicious, isn’t it! We carefully pound thick codonopsis slices, coat them with fragrant sesame oil and a sweet-spicy sauce, then grill them by hand. The outside is slightly charred and crispy, while the inside remains tender and moist, wouldn’t you say?”
“Yes! It’s truly moist!”
“Plus, the spiciness pairs wonderfully with the stir-fried potatoes.”

Without thinking, Oh Jong-hee reached for more grilled codonopsis.

“And with just stir-fried potatoes and grilled codonopsis, a meal table can feel a bit plain, don’t you think? Do you happen to have kimchi at home?”
“No, I don’t.”

The image of an empty refrigerator flashed through Oh Jong-hee’s mind, and he shook his head.

“Then, what about quick-pickled kimchi? The spicy kimchi cuts through the richness of the aralia shoots and stir-fried potatoes beautifully. Every South Korean needs at least some kimchi on hand, don’t they? And seasoned bean sprouts as well….”

Swayed by Ji-gu’s eloquent persuasion, side dishes began accumulating in Oh Jong-hee’s arms one after another.

“Shall we head to the counter now?”

His arms were laden with side dishes, yet somehow it didn’t feel like he’d bought that much.

“Did I push you to buy too much?”
“I was enchanted by the stir-fried potatoes….”
“The aralia shoots and quick-pickled kimchi are quite popular because they’re delicious, so you won’t regret it.”
“Yes.”

Oh Jong-hee handed over his card and examined the paper bag. The aroma of the side dishes wafting from within was enough to make his mind swim.

“I’ll be back again.”
“Please come again!”

He carried the paper bags in both hands, intending to slip across the street and transfer them to his car.

“Pfft.”

At the sound of a snicker erupting from somewhere, he lifted his head to find Kim Myeong-ja leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching him with an amused expression.

“Why are you carrying so much?”
“….”

Oh Jong-hee adjusted his glasses unnecessarily and averted his gaze.

“You said you were just going to sample the stir-fried potatoes, yet here you come with paper bags about to burst at the seams? Well, well, Counselor—so rigid and stubborn, yet you’re no different from anyone else, are you?”
“I’m human too. When something tastes good….”
“When it tastes good, what?”

As Kim Myeong-ja narrowed her eyes and pressed him, Oh Jong-hee answered confidently.

“I can buy it, can’t I?”
“Ha ha ha!”

Kim Myeong-ja laughed heartily and clapped her hands together.

“That settles it, then.”
“Settles what, ma’am?”
“Why would I have suggested you visit if I didn’t mean it? Lawyer.”

Oh Jong-hee had nothing left to say, so he clutched the paper bag tightly to his chest. The aroma of side dishes wafting through the gaps in the bag lifted his spirits inexplicably.

“Thank you, Grandmother.”
“Hmm? What are you thanking me for?”
“With a good side dish shop nearby, it seems I won’t go hungry for dinner anymore.”

The aroma of the side dishes gave me a pleasant feeling.

***

Whew, I’m exhausted.
My fingers and wrists felt stiff from the excessive movement after so long—they were practically numb.

I’d used up nearly all the sliced potatoes, so the tasting corner was undoubtedly a success. By the end, there weren’t even any displayed side dishes left to sell.

‘That should be enough promotion for the shop.’

I watched Oh Jong-hee’s departing figure for a moment as he left through the shop door, then flipped the sign hanging on it to read “Closed for the day.”

“Meow.”
“Hae-tae?”
“Were you busy?”

Hae-tae swished his tail as he circled around me. With customers flooding the tasting corner so densely that there was barely room to stand, I hadn’t had a moment to chat with him.

“Yeah. It’s all done.”

I scooped Hae-tae up by the armpits and cradled him in my arms.

“Did you eat the stir-fried potato rice I made for lunch and left in the Dimensional Space?”
“I ate it, meow.”

Worried that this glutton of a cat might go hungry, I’d made sure to set aside food for him even in the midst of the rush.

“Thanks, nyah.”
“Hmm?”

Hae-tae rested his chin on my arm.

“You didn’t take care of me, nyah.”

Ah, how adorable. They say cuteness conquers all.

“Is that so?”
“I hate that tone, nyah.”
“What tone did I use?”

I bickered with Hae-tae as I headed toward the Kitchen.

“Oh.”

The dishes were piled high.
The work never ends. Never!

“Eat something first, nyah.”

Hae-tae rubbed the back of my hand with his front paw. Was this meant to be comforting?

“If you’re making food, I want to eat too, nyah.”
“….”
“Why, nyah?”

Right, I need to eat to survive.

“What do you want to eat?”
“What kind of food can you make, nyah?”

What kind of food….

I rummaged through the commercial refrigerator to check what ingredients remained.

“There’s some pork shoulder from a few days ago. Want that?”
“Spicy stir-fried pork, nyah!”

Tonight’s dinner was decided: stir-fried beef.

I placed the chuck steak on the cutting board and diced it into bite-sized pieces with my knife. To make stir-fried beef, I needed the seasoning ingredients, but….

“Wait a moment.”

Before preparing the stir-fried beef, I pulled out the seasoning from the drawer.

But then.

‘There’s barely any seasoning left?’

If I let this slide, I’d forget about it tomorrow. So I retrieved a GS Company notepad from the counter and jotted down the seasonings I needed.

===========
Commercial soy sauce 13L × 1
Commercial roasted sea salt 5kg × 1
Commercial gochujang 14kg × 1
White sugar 3kg × 1
Mirin 1.8kg × 1
Corn syrup 3kg × 1
Oyster sauce 510g × 1
===========

There was quite a lot to get. A lot indeed. I glanced at the wall clock.

It was exactly 8 PM.

‘I can just put the notepad in there, right?’

I placed the notepad in the lower section of the refrigerator and closed the door. Immediately, it opened again.

==========
?
You’re not sleeping?
==========

Not sleeping?

==========
I need to prep the ingredients first.
===========

That’s what I sent back. Then.

===========
Life sure keeps you busy
===========

So I shrugged my shoulders and wrote back briefly.

============
You live a busy life too
============

Then came a strange response.

============
hahahahaha
============

I wrote down exactly what I was feeling.

============
?
Hand over the seasoning.
============

Why wouldn’t they just give me the seasoning?

A loud clatter erupted from the lower refrigerator, and the seasoning I’d mentioned appeared.

‘The seasonings are pretty ordinary.’

They’d said they’d only give me something good the first time, but while I was moving the seasoning, I spotted a notepad that had fallen on the floor.

===========
I heard they set up a tasting corner
===========

I furrowed my brow.

===========
How did they find out about that?
============

Just then, a notepad with ink still wet dropped down to the counter.

============
Word spread around here
============

Right, they did say they were watching me.

============
Thanks for the heads up
============

After that reply, the notepad didn’t appear again. I resumed stir-frying the marinated pork, shifting the seasonings around.

“I’ll grab the scallions, meow.”
“Sure, go ahead.”

I chuckled softly, watching Hae-tae dash toward the Dimensional Space.

I made the sauce by combining red chili powder, gochujang, garlic, sugar, cooking wine, corn syrup, and oyster sauce.

Just roughly chop some onions and scallions, toss them in, and it’s done.

Marinated pork is simple if you have the ingredients. The difficulty is just sourcing them.

Now I just need to wait for Hae-tae to bring back the scallions….

“What?”

I opened the upper cabinet of the Kitchen, intending to retrieve the bowl Grandmother Hyang-suk used frequently.

“Why isn’t it here? I could have sworn I left it in this spot.”

With no other choice, I opened every door and cabinet in the Kitchen, searching desperately for an alternative bowl.

“What’s the matter?” Hae-tae asked.

Hae-tae, who had just returned from the Vegetable Garden with a bundle of scallions, tilted his head curiously as he watched me fumble about in a frenzy.

“The bowls keep disappearing… but now it’s back to normal?”

My eyes widened as I stared at the bowl, which had mysteriously returned to its original state.

“Bowls disappearing?” Hae-tae asked, bewildered.
“No, Hae-tae—just step out of the Kitchen for a moment.”
“…Understood.”

The instant Hae-tae left the Kitchen and stepped through the Back Door, the bowl in the upper drawer vanished—specifically, the very bowl I was reaching for.

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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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