Chapter 23

Chapter 22: A Great Harvest

After eating, he rested for a while, then, seeing that it was about time, he drove back home. On the way home, he stopped by the supermarket to buy some ingredients for the fish he would be preparing later.

As soon as he opened the door, he heard the sound of the TV. He entered with the groceries, changed his shoes, and noticed that Hyo-ri was watching something and hadn't heard him come in.

"I'm back," he said, putting the fish box and vegetables aside and taking off his thick coat.

"Oh~ Oppa is back~" Hyo-ri quickly came over to help him hang up his coat.

"Are you hungry? I'll make you some fresh salmon right away." He picked up the fish and vegetables and headed to the kitchen.

"Oppa, I'll help too." Hyo-ri followed him.

"Sure! Let's do it together." Since Hyo-ri was enthusiastic, he wouldn't want to dampen her spirits.

In the kitchen, he selected the vegetables to cook and put the other ingredients away.

"Kitty, I had salmon porridge, spicy salmon soup, and pan-fried salmon at a restaurant near the fish farm today. They were delicious. I'll make them for you later. I'll freeze the sashimi and make it for you tomorrow." Lee Shin-haeng shared the joy of his day's harvest.

Whenever he tasted something delicious outside, Lee Shin-haeng would try to take Hyo-ri to eat it, or if that wasn't possible, he would make it for her at home. This was one way he showed his love for her. He hoped to take her on trips to see the world's beautiful sights and taste the local cuisines.

"Hyo-ri, wash the vegetables. I'll prepare the fish first. This soup is a bit complicated."

"Okay~ I'll do it, Oppa~" She rolled up her sleeves, ready to get to work, which made Lee Shin-haeng find her very cute.

He washed the rice and started cooking it before preparing the vegetables, so he wouldn't forget.

The spicy salmon soup requires many ingredients and takes a long time to prepare, but it's not difficult to cook.

Main ingredient: Salmon.

Vegetables: Clams, river shrimp, white radish, mushrooms, scallions, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, celery, mung bean sprouts, green peppers, and Chinese celery.

Seasonings: Red pepper flakes, minced garlic, fine salt, flower salt, oyster sauce, pepper, sake, soy sauce, red pepper paste, doenjang, Daesik, and broth (the broth is made from dried cod, scallions, garlic, white radish, and shiitake mushrooms).

Lee Shin-haeng removed the innards from two salmon, washed them several times, and dried them with paper towels. He cut the fish into two portions: a smaller portion for pan-frying, consisting of two pieces of fish belly, and a larger portion of the remaining fish head, tail, and pieces. He seasoned the smaller portion with a little salt and black pepper and marinated it.

He sliced the white radish, mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms, cut the celery into segments, tore the shiitake mushrooms into strips, sliced the green peppers diagonally into rings, removed the old roots from the Chinese celery, and drained the water. He cut the scallions diagonally into segments.

He took out a clay pot, placed the mung bean sprouts in the center, and evenly distributed the radish slices, celery stalks, shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, and white radish slices around them.

He mixed 2 tablespoons of red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of minced ginger, a little fine salt, 1 tablespoon of flower salt, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sake, 1 tablespoon of red pepper paste, a little Daesik, 1 tablespoon of pepper, a little broth, and half a tablespoon of doenjang in a large bowl to make the sauce.

He placed the fish in the center of the pot, sprinkled it with green peppers, scallion whites, clams, shrimp, and the prepared sauce. He poured the broth over the fish and vegetables, turned on the heat, and told Hyo-ri to add the remaining scallion segments and Chinese celery after the fish was cooked for 2-3 more minutes.

Then, Lee Shin-haeng started to pan-fry the marinated fish. He heated a little olive oil in a non-stick pan, added a spoonful of minced garlic, and gently placed the fish in the pan. He gently shook the pan and cooked the fish over low heat until both sides were golden brown and about 80% cooked, ensuring it wasn't too dry and remained tender.

He brought the prepared dishes to the dining table, set the tableware, and served two bowls of rice. The two of them sat down facing each other.

"Let's start with the fish soup. Be careful, it's hot." Lee Shin-haeng said.

Hyo-ri took a spoonful of soup, blew on it lightly, and put it in her mouth. "Mmm~ The soup is so fresh and delicious!" she said, satisfied.

"If you like it, eat more. Try a piece of fish head first." Lee Shin-haeng gave her a piece of fish head, his eyes full of affection.

While they ate, they didn't talk much, but they occasionally passed each other dishes and fish, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere, not the sticky sweetness of young lovers, but the warmth of a simple married couple.

"Phew~ I'm so full~ It was so delicious." Hyo-ri said, patting her stomach with a satisfied expression.

"The fish I caught today is enough for you to enjoy. You go rest in the living room, and I'll clean up the dishes." He stood up as he spoke.

"Let's do it together." Hearing Lee Shin-haeng's words, Hyo-ri also stood up to help. Lee Shin-haeng handed her the washed dishes, and she dried them and put them on the dish rack. They worked efficiently.

After putting the last plate in place, "All done~ You can go watch TV. I still need to clean the fish." Lee Shin-haeng pointed to the fish and said to Hyo-ri.

"Okay~ I can't help with that." Hyo-ri shrugged and walked to the living room.

He looked at the fish box, "Alright, let's get started!" He took out two salmon, cut open their bellies, removed the innards, washed them, and cut off the heads, tails, and bones. He carefully removed the skin and used tongs to extract the bones. He put the two prepared salmon fillets in a bag and placed them in the freezer for sashimi.

The remaining salmon didn't require as much work. He cut open their bellies, removed the innards, descaled them, washed them, and dried them. He then placed each fish in a bag, vacuum-sealed them, and stored them in the freezer.

After cleaning the fish, he put the garbage in a bag, cleaned the cutting board, and went downstairs to dispose of the trash. Smelling the fishy odor on his body, he decided to take a shower. Men usually shower quickly, and he was out in about ten minutes.

Lee Shin-haeng washed a few apples in the kitchen, peeled and cored them, cut them into small pieces, and served them on a plate with two small forks, bringing them to the living room.

"What are you watching? Have some apples." Lee Shin-haeng put the apples in front of Hyo-ri and sat down next to her.

Hyo-ri handed him a folder, "Oppa, this is the variety show we talked about today. What do you think?"

Lee Shin-haeng took the folder and slowly flipped through it.

Hyo-ri didn't interrupt him, turned down the TV volume, and ate the apples while waiting for Lee Shin-haeng.

After about half an hour, Lee Shin-haeng put the folder on the coffee table.

Hyo-ri, who had been waiting a bit bored, quickly asked, "Oppa, what do you think?"

Lee Shin-haeng thought for a moment and said, "This documentary will follow you around all day, which might feel a bit oppressive. No matter what you do, someone will be watching you. But it's also a way for your company to promote your new album, and the effect should be good. Can you handle it?"

"Actually, I want people to see the real Lee Hyo-ri and understand who I am." People only saw her cheerful exterior and didn't see her sensitive side.

"Before you answered me, you already had your answer. Do what you want, and I'll support you," Lee Shin-haeng said.

"Thank you, Oppa." Hyo-ri hugged Lee Shin-haeng and kissed his cheek.

"Is there any mention of when the filming will start?" Lee Shin-haeng asked.

Hyo-ri wasn't sure, "If it's confirmed, it should start soon after the New Year."

"By the way, there's an auction at the coffee shop on the 1st. Want to go?" After the auction, the coffee shop provides drinks, snacks, and alcohol, and you can bring your own food and drinks. People chat, play cards, sing, and play games together.

"Sure, I haven't been to see those kids in a while," Hyo-ri agreed happily.

"January 7th is the New Year. Have you prepared the New Year's gifts for the new bride?" Lee Shin-haeng asked with a smile.

"Besides ginseng, I don't know what else to buy." Hyo-ri was puzzled by this question.

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End of Chapter 22