Chapter 42

Chapter 42: The Wind Always Blows from Unexpected Places (2)

Bang Jin-bo sat atop a large boulder, gazing out at the horse pasture. Countless horses grazed lazily on the grass.

Though he had traveled to the Western Regions with the Divine Flower Trading Company, he had never once seen so many horses gathered in a single space.

Watching the horses frolic across the vast pasture, he felt the knot in his chest gradually loosen.

His nose tingled, and he felt tears welling up. Bang Jin-bo rubbed his nose with his hand and rose to his feet.

For someone who had only recently risen from a sickbed, his condition was remarkably good. This puzzled Bang Jin-bo.

"Did hyung give me some kind of medicine?"

He asked Dam Ho, but received no reply.

After scratching his head for a moment, Bang Jin-bo looked around.

The laborers were hard at work. Some herded horses, others prepared feed.

Not a single person among them was idle. Despite the arduous work, they wore bright, genuine smiles.

Watching them, Bang Jin-bo felt that he too should be doing something.

Fortunately, Bang Jin-bo possessed a skill that others did not.

A smile spread across his face.

"Let us see."

He surveyed the area. Near the laborers' quarters, he spotted several large cooking hearths.

Bang Jin-bo approached the hearths. At a well nearby, three women were busy preparing various ingredients.

These women were responsible for cooking for the entire household of the Golden Horse Ranch—including the master's family and all the laborers, totaling over thirty people.

The women, who had been chatting while preparing ingredients, looked at Bang Jin-bo with puzzled expressions.

"You are still sick—should you be moving around so much?"

"I have been lying down too long, and my body feels restless. Is there anything I can help with?"

"Why, are you planning to cook?"

The eldest woman's joke prompted the others to burst into giggles.

Bang Jin-bo blushed and scratched his head.

"Yes!"

"Really? You know how to cook?"

"My father was a chef. Thanks to him, I learned a bit of cooking as well."

"Oh my! A chef has graced us with his presence."

"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a chef."

"Regardless, we would welcome any help."

The women brightened at the offer.

Though it was their daily routine, cooking for over thirty people was no easy task. Even an extra pair of hands would have been welcome, so Bang Jin-bo's offer was met with genuine delight.

"What should I help with first?"

"Can you butcher pork by any chance?"

"Is pork the main dish today?"

"Yes! We happened to slaughter one but have not had time to butcher it. Can you handle it?"

"Leave it to me."

Bang Jin-bo flashed a bright smile and ran to his room. He rummaged through his belongings and produced a cleaver and a whetstone.

"Hehe!"

The familiar feel of the cleaver in his hand after so long brought a comfortable warmth to Bang Jin-bo.

He dashed to the well where the women had laid out a massive pig.

"Can you really handle this?"

One of the women looked at him with concern. Bang Jin-bo did not answer, his eyes fixed on the pig.

A smile spread across his lips.

"Good! Today, we have one whole pig."

"One whole pig? What does that mean?"

The woman asked, but Bang Jin-bo did not reply. His attention was already entirely consumed by the pig.

Bang Jin-bo drove the heavy cleaver into the pig's ribcage.

*Schlick!*

The cleaver bit deep into the thick flesh in a single stroke. Bang Jin-bo brought the blade down further, and the meat split apart along the ribs.

Without withdrawing the cleaver, he changed direction. The blade's edge met the rib bones.

*Swish!*

The cleaver traced a graceful arc along the ribs.

With a flick of his wrist, the attached ribs popped free with a dull *thud*.

"My goodness!"

The women marveled at Bang Jin-bo's dexterous handling—a display bordering on artistry. But their astonishment had only just begun.

*Thud! Thud!*

Ribs were deboned in rapid succession, and the pig was dismantled by section. His knife work flowed as naturally as running water, and the women watched with mouths agape.

"Hehe!"

The butchered meat accumulated in a growing pile. An entire massive pig was broken down into fine cuts in the blink of an eye.

Bang Jin-bo set aside the cleaver and turned to the women.

"Would it be alright if I did the cooking as well?"

"Hmm!"

"Excellent."

When one of the women answered in a daze, Bang Jin-bo let out a cry of triumph and placed the whetstone atop the hearth.

After lighting the fire, he cut the butchered meat into bite-sized pieces.

*Chop-chop-chop!*

The cleaver struck the cutting board with a cheerful rhythm.

In an instant, finely diced meat was piled high to one side.

"Hmm-hmm!"

Bang Jin-bo hummed a tune as he poured oil onto the whetstone. The women's prepared vegetables followed, and finally the meat was added.

*Sizzle!*

Steam rose in an instant. Where an ordinary person would have recoiled in alarm, Bang Jin-bo stepped closer and poured in wine. Flames leapt up briefly before subsiding.

"That takes care of the gamey smell…"

The dish he produced was the stir-fried meat he was most skilled at.

Afterward, Bang Jin-bo continued to create dishes utilizing every part of the pig. Using every部位—a dish so comprehensive it was simply called "One Whole Pig."

"Wow!"

"He's not a would-be chef—he's a full-fledged chef, a chef!"

The women could only marvel at Bang Jin-bo's ability to produce complex dishes in the blink of an eye.

Once the stir-fried dishes using the pig's head were largely complete, Bang Jin-bo began preparing a stew.

He added deboned ribs to make broth, then tossed in pork and various vegetables all at once. Wine was used to remove the gamey taste, and an array of spices followed.

The great pot bubbled as it came to a boil, and a fragrant aroma wafted in all directions.

"What are you cooking today? It smells wonderful!"

"Wow! The aroma is incredible!"

Laborers, drawn by the scent, came rushing over in a group. The women looked flustered. Most of them had been cooking here for over a decade, but this was unprecedented.

The laborers spoke to Bang Jin-bo one after another.

"That little boy made all this?"

"No way!"

"Look at that ladle and cleaver."

"Is it true?"

At the commotion, Bang Jin-bo scratched his head, blushing.

"Why all this racket?"

Just then, someone pushed through the crowd. It was Geum Gwan-cheon, the master of the Golden Horse Ranch. The laborers hurriedly bowed their heads at his appearance.

"Master, you have come out."

"What is all this?"

"Well! This boy says he made all this food."

"Jin-bo did?"

Geum Gwan-cheon looked at Bang Jin-bo.

"Is that true?"

"Yes!"

"You are barely recovered from illness—did you really make all this? When did you learn to cook?"

Geum Gwan-cheon fired off questions one after another. Bang Jin-bo looked overwhelmed.

The women intervened, scolding the master.

"He is exhausted, Master."

"Asking too many questions of a boy who just left his sickbed is not good."

When the women spoke up, Geum Gwan-cheon looked somewhat taken aback. But only for a moment.

"We will save the questions for later. Today, I shall dine here as well."

"This is not really food befitting a ranch master…"

"What? It smells wonderful!"

"But still…"

"Stop chattering and prepare a place for me."

"Yes!"

When Bang Jin-bo answered with resigned acceptance, the women sprang into action.

"The master himself will be joining us—let us hurry and prepare."

A low platform was laid out near the hearth, and a table was set upon it. Meanwhile, Bang Jin-bo went to fetch Dam Ho.

Dam Ho was sitting alone beneath a large tree at the edge of the Golden Horse Ranch.

"Hyung!"

"What is it?"

"Come eat. I made it."

"Is that so?"

Dam Ho rose from his seat.

"Hehe! I think you will enjoy it too."

Bang Jin-bo took Dam Ho by the hand and led him to where the food was laid out.

When Dam Ho appeared, the laborers fell silent. They too could sense that the atmosphere surrounding him was far from ordinary.

At the very least, Geum Gwan-cheon greeted Dam Ho warmly.

"Ho ho! Welcome. The aroma is truly delightful. Let us dine together."

Dam Ho nodded and sat down across from Geum Gwan-cheon.

Only then did Geum Gwan-cheon call out:

"Now, everyone, please enjoy your meal."

"Bon appétit!"

The laborers responded with enthusiasm and began to eat.

"Wow! This is absolutely incredible."

"How on earth was this cooked?"

"Look at how tender this meat is. Wow!"

The laborers' boisterous voices filled the platform.

Geum Gwan-cheon, having tasted the food, nodded and let out an exclamation.

"My! This is truly delicious. At this level, it would rival any chef in the Central Plains."

"Really?"

Bang Jin-bo's eyes sparkled.

"Truly. Of all the food I have eaten in my lifetime, yours is the most delicious."

"Wow!"

Bang Jin-bo let out a cheer of delight.

At that moment…

"I want to eat food made by hyung too."

A small voice came from beneath the platform. drawn by the delicious aroma, Geum So-hye had emerged.

"Of course! So-hye, you eat with us too. Ho ho!"

Geum Gwan-cheon lifted Geum So-hye into his arms. When he offered her food, she nibbled on it contentedly.

"Delicious!"

Geum So-hye's eyes lit up.

"Is it really delicious?"

"Delicious! I only want to eat what hyung makes from now on."

It was the highest praise a young girl like Geum So-hye could offer.

"So-hye knows what she is talking about."

"Eat plenty, So-hye."

The laborers each had a word for Geum So-hye.

In the lively atmosphere, laughter blossomed. Bang Jin-bo wore a happy smile as he watched.

*Yes! This is it. Making people happy through food. This is the path I must take.*

He felt tears threatening to well up.

Bang Jin-bo looked at Dam Ho with reddened eyes.

While everyone else was chattering, Dam Ho ate in silence.

His expression remained as unreadable and stoic as ever. But Bang Jin-bo knew. He knew that Dam Ho was genuinely savoring the food he had prepared.

*Thank you, hyung.*

If not for Dam Ho, he would still be trapped in the grief of losing his father.

He was grateful to Dam Ho for creating all these opportunities.

Suddenly, Bang Jin-bo tilted his head in puzzlement.

Normally, after preparing such a quantity of food, he would have been exhausted. Yet he felt strangely refreshed. More than that, his sense of taste was sharper than ever before. Perhaps because of this, he could detect subtle flavors that he had never been able to perceive before.

*Did hyung give me something?*