CLS-Chapter 65

Chapter 65

“No, why!”

“You need to say something that makes sense! Where are you trying to swindle me!”

“If you think about it carefully, it’s a good opportunity!”

“Yes. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be able to share that good opportunity with you, so go find some sucker to share that good opportunity with.”

Ha Dae-bung was firm.

“Krgh.”

Wei Yan-ho trembled with regret. As expected of someone who had rolled around in the upper realm, he wasn’t easy to deal with.

“Hmm, then…”

Wei Yan-ho, who was trying to come up with some solution, began to stretch endlessly.

“Bothersome.”

Just making this much effort was already maximum effort for Wei Yan-ho. This was already the second time he had walked here on his own feet.

He felt like he had done a year’s worth of exercise from being so diligent.

And Jin So-ah was completely dumbfounded.

Of course, it was Jin So-ah who had dragged Wei Yan-ho here.

Some might think that Jin So-ah had ultimately caused this situation, but from Jin So-ah’s perspective, it was an utterly unfair assessment. The person who had said he would introduce someone had been stuck in his room repeating ‘let’s go tomorrow’ for a week now—who wouldn’t be frustrated?

It would have been less frustrating if he had just said there was no one to introduce, but watching someone make grand promises and then not actually move was exhausting just to observe.

So Jin So-ah had finally made a fuss and dragged Wei Yan-ho out. How absurd it was when they arrived at the battlefield after practically carrying him there.

What Wei Yan-ho said to Jin So-ah, who was looking at him with suspicious eyes, was even more bewildering.

‘A hidden genius?’

What genius would be hiding in a battlefield?

And Ha Dae-bung of all people!

Ha Dae-bung, the bloodsucker of Hubei, was supposed to be a hidden genius!

The guy who even beggars run away from when they see him—introducing that money-crazed bastard as a genius, and the fool following him to stand here.

‘I must be crazy.’

There’s no one else to trust.

As they say, seeing one thing tells you ten—I should have broken this up long ago, but what lingering attachment keeps me still standing here?

“Please, don’t do that…”

“Mister, don’t be like that and think about it.”

“I have nothing more to think about.”

“First, please listen to what I have to say…”

“Mister, don’t be like that and think carefully about it.”

“No thanks.”

“No, what I’m saying is…”

“Mister, are you going to keep doing this?”

“Well, I am!”

Jin So-ah finally exploded.

“Ahhhhh! Let me say something too!”

When Jin So-ah let out a shriek, Wei Yan-ho looked at Jin So-ah with wide eyes and said:

“Hmm? That kid has some temper.”

“…A young person interrupting when adults are talking!”

Faced with their united attack as if they had never been fighting, Jin So-ah swallowed his tears.

“I don’t particularly want to work with that person.”

“Huh?”

Wei Yan-ho’s jaw dropped.

“Hey, you need to get your head straight.”

“Pardon?”

“You’re not choosing right now. You should be wondering if we’ll accept you. What great thing have you done that you’re choosing? Choosing?”

“…What did I do so wrong?”

“Being poor is a sin.”

There was nothing to say to that.

Having become like a mute who ate honey, Jin So-ah hesitated, then thinking this still wasn’t right, cautiously opened his mouth.

“I… No matter what, our family has built up a reputation over time, and working with a loan shark…”

When Ha Dae-bung glared at him with fierce eyes, Jin So-ah flinched and shrank his shoulders.

“Loan shark? What’s wrong with loan sharking! You people throw away money you have and act so high and mighty! At least I know how to multiply money!”

That was also hard to argue with when put that way…

Jin So-ah bit his lip tightly.

“But we have pride in practicing medical arts for people. Money? Of course it’s important. But we don’t want to torment people for money!”

“Who told you to torment people?”

“…Pardon?”

Wei Yan-ho said matter-of-factly:

“You just need to treat patients. This mister will make the money.”

Jin So-ah stared blankly at Wei Yan-ho.

“Whether you work this way or that way, you’re doing the same work anyway. Whether you do the same work and make big money, or do the same work and go bankrupt—that’s up to you.”

“But our family’s honor…”

Wei Yan-ho snorted as if it was ridiculous.

“Hey, Jin.”

Irritation and disdain dripped from Wei Yan-ho’s tone.

“Did that great family of yours build their reputation by digging in the ground? Where do you think all that great reputation came from? If they had given everything away like you’re doing now, do you think that Sacred Hand Hall name would have lasted ten years? Did they earn money elsewhere and spend it on patients?”

“…That’s not it.”

“Then anyway, those ancestors you’re so proud of also built the family by treating patients and taking money, right? Looking at the hall that supposedly existed originally, it was quite grand. Wasn’t all that built with money taken from those patients you cherish so much?”

Jin So-ah fell into confusion.

Certainly, hearing it put that way, those words were right. Unless they went somewhere to dig up wild ginseng to sell separately, it meant they had built wealth by treating patients.

“Is, is that how it works?”

Wei Yan-ho spoke as if asking didn’t he know.

“Originally, isn’t your pride in that family because they succeeded as a famous medical family known throughout the world?”

“That’s right, isn’t it?”

“Then you need to make money. You need to build new halls and live grandly so people will think ‘ah, that house succeeded.’ Living like this for a hundred years, who would recognize you?”

“…”

“As far as I know, aren’t all those families called the greatest medical families of the rich World?”

When Jin So-ah hesitated, Ha Dae-bung kindly provided the answer.

“They’re tremendously wealthy. There’s nothing as profitable as being a doctor. When life is at stake, would you skimp on money?”

“See?”

“Ah…”

Jin So-ah felt like the world he knew was crumbling.

‘Isn’t medical art supposed to be humanitarian art?’

But the medical families he respected and wanted to become like were all earning money through patients, and their ancestors had lived the same way—this was destroying his sense of identity.

“Hey, originally jobs are for making money, you know. Why are you thinking so hard about it?”

“Then what have I been doing all this time?”

“What do you mean what?”

Wei Yan-ho picked his nose and answered:

“Foolish things.”

Jin So-ah finally sat down on the ground.

***

“Where did this kid go?”

Jin Ye-ran was in a very bad mood. It was time to be studying medical texts, but Jin So-ah was nowhere to be seen.

Fortunately, it wasn’t time for rounds, so there was no problem seeing patients, but time spent studying medical texts was also extremely important time for a doctor.

Moreover, Jin So-ah was at the prime age for growth.

Thinking that learning at this time would determine his entire life, this was something that couldn’t be overlooked.

“He’s not the type of child to do this…”

Who was Jin So-ah?

Even when the household was intact, he was a child prodigy whose name was famous throughout Hubei.

Wasn’t he the child that both father and mother were delighted about, saying a talent who would greatly revive the family had emerged? Even after the family fortune declined, he was a trustworthy younger brother who never complained once and devoted himself to patients and medical arts.

For such a child to skip studying.

This had never happened even once before, so it was even more concerning. Jin Ye-ran raised her hand to caress the white jade necklace hanging around her neck.

‘Mother.’

Since their parents weren’t here, whether Jin So-ah grew up properly was entirely up to her. That’s why Jin Ye-ran had done her best until now to ensure that Jin So-ah, no matter what happened, could become an excellent doctor.

Thinking that perhaps this moment might be the turning point where Jin So-ah began to go astray, Jin Ye-ran bit her lip tightly.

“I need to pull myself together.”

Jin Ye-ran resolved that when Jin So-ah returned home, she would check why he had skipped studying and then scold him severely. If you let things like this slide one by one, a child can go astray in an instant.

Just then, the area around the front gate began to get noisy.

“They said they’d even provide meals, so just stay one night and come back!”

“I said I have things to do!”

“Then you can go alone, just you! Why are you dragging me along too!”

“If we went together, we should come back together! Didn’t you say you’d give advice!”

“Ugh, this is so bothersome I could die!”

Jin Ye-ran flung open the door.

“What’s this commotion!”

Looking toward the front gate, she saw Jin So-ah half-dragging Wei Yan-ho as he entered.

“How can you be so rude to a guest?”

“Sister, that’s not it…”

“Won’t you let go of those hands first?”

“Yes.”

When Jin So-ah let go with a sullen face, Wei Yan-ho looked at him with a smug, sluggish expression.

“To treat father’s guest in such a manner—do you have any sense!”

“I’m sorry.”

As Jin So-ah bowed his head deeply, Jin Ye-ran went down to the courtyard and bowed to Wei Yan-ho.

“My younger brother was discourteous. He’s not normally like this, so please forgive him.”

“I’m the older one, so I should understand with a generous heart.”

Twitch.

Jin So-ah’s facial muscles began to spasm.

Older brother?

Well, it was technically correct.

It was technically correct, but…

If you’re going to be older by age, shouldn’t you act your age?

Since saying it out loud would obviously earn him a scolding, he could only suffer internally.

“I thought I was going to get cursed at.”

Should I just let it out and get scolded?

That way I probably wouldn’t get indigestion—Jin So-ah began to seriously consider it.

“I have something to discuss with the child separately, so I’m sorry but could you excuse us?”

“Then I’ll go inside.”

“Have you eaten?”

“I haven’t eaten.”

“I’ll prepare a meal.”

“Yes, thank you.”

When Wei Yan-ho nodded and entered the room, Jin Ye-ran glared at Jin So-ah with sharp eyes. At that piercing gaze, Jin So-ah flinched and bowed his head.

“What happened that made you neglect your studies?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Whatever you do, I have no intention of scolding you as long as it doesn’t interfere with your medical studies. But right now is the study time you promised me, isn’t it? Is there something more important than studying?”

“No.”

“Then why did you skip studying?”

‘Because of that person, of course.’

There was so much to say, but he couldn’t make excuses. From experience, he knew all too well that his sister hated hearing excuses.

“I’m sorry.”

So there was only one thing he could say.

“The moment you make a mistake in treatment, the patient’s life is in danger. Would you just say sorry after making a mistake in treatment?”

Jin So-ah felt like he was suffocating. Whenever his sister spoke like this, all room for excuses disappeared.

“No. That shouldn’t happen.”

“Good, you know that. So you’ll have to be punished, won’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Go to your room and copy the Medical Classic ten times. Don’t come out of your room until that’s finished.”

“…I understand.”

Watching Jin So-ah’s drooping figure as he entered his room, Wei Yan-ho clicked his tongue.

‘She’s really controlling that kid.’

He understood that medical facilities had to be strict about even small mistakes since people’s lives were at stake, but this seemed a bit excessive.

“Well, it’s none of my business.”

Wei Yan-ho closed the door and lay down. Jin So-ah was pitiful, but it wasn’t his place to interfere.

But Wei Yan-ho would soon realize that this thinking was wrong.

It was too late when Wei Yan-ho realized that relationships aren’t predetermined from the start but are created as they develop.

***