Chapter 8: A Busy Rest Day

"Annyeonghaseyo! Hyo-ri xi, you all are well, it's been a long time." The one who greeted them was Nurse Park, one of the assistants at the pet hospital.

"Nurse Park, hello. Today, I'm here to bring the kids for a check-up."

"Please come this way. Dr. Song, please come over here."

Nurse Park led them to a table designated for examinations.

"Alright, I'm coming." A voice responded from inside.

"Oh! Hyo-ri xi, you're here." Dr. Song came out and greeted Hyo-ri with a smile.

"Dr. Song, hello. I'm troubling you today."

"Our job is to do this, so it's no trouble at all. Let's get started."

The children were examined one by one, and both Lee Shin-haeng and Hyo-ri were there to soothe their slightly anxious moods.

They weighed the cats, took their temperatures, examined their eyes, ears, and noses, opened their mouths to check their teeth and gums, palpated their lymph nodes, checked their fur and skin, evaluated their muscle conditions, listened to their hearts and lungs, examined their legs, paws, and claws, palpated their abdomens, and checked their rectums and reproductive organs, as well as their tails.

In less than an hour, the examinations for the four cats were completed.

"None of the four cats have any major issues. They just need some medication for internal and external parasites," Dr. Song said.

"That's great, thank you, Dr. Song," Hyo-ri said happily.

After getting the medication from the doctor, Lee Shin-haeng and Hyo-ri took the children home.

Back at home, the two of them played with the children on the grass in the yard.

"Kitties, let's go have dinner with your parents today. It's been a long time since you've been back, right?" Lee Shin-haeng suggested.

"Sure~! We can also bring the gifts that Mom sent for your parents."

"Call your mom first and let her know."

"Okay." Hyo-ri took out her phone, found the number, and dialed it.

Seeing that the children were almost done playing, Lee Shin-haeng took them back inside to feed them lunch. They hadn't been fed in the morning because of the check-up.

After a short while, Hyo-ri finished her call and came in.

"Oppa, let's make lunch together~!" Hyo-ri suggested.

"Yo~! What got you interested in cooking today?" Lee Shin-haeng teased.

Hyo-ri huffed, "Mom told me to learn how to cook so that I can at least have something to eat when you're not home."

"Ha ha ha... Your mother really has foresight~!"

"No laughing!" Hyo-ri said, a bit embarrassed.

"Alright, I won't laugh. If you want to learn cooking, that's fine. Just learn a few dishes. I don't want you to spend all day in the kitchen; it's not good for your skin."

"What should we cook?" Hyo-ri asked.

"Let's start with something simple today. Stir-fried vegetables will do. You can use whatever vegetables you like. It's very flexible." Lee Shin-haeng opened the fridge and took out a zucchini. "Kitties, let's stir-fry zucchini."

Hyo-ri took the zucchini from Lee Shin-haeng and said, "Don't touch it yet. Just tell me what to do."

"Alright." Lee Shin-haeng pulled out a high stool and sat at the island. "First, wash the vegetables."

"Okay, washed."

"Cut it in half lengthwise."

"Oh... lengthwise... cut in half." Hyo-ri held the knife and cut the zucchini into two halves, not very skillfully.

"Next, slice the zucchini into thin pieces."

"Okay, thin slices..."

"Chop... chop... chop..." Hyo-ri slowly cut the zucchini, one slice at a time.

Seeing Hyo-ri's unprofessional technique, Lee Shin-haeng said, "Let me show you how to cut vegetables."

He got up, walked behind Hyo-ri, and held her hands, demonstrating how to cut the vegetables.

"Look, hold your hand in a half-cup shape, or you might cut yourself. The knife should be held at an angle, and as you cut, your hand should slowly move back. See... that's how you do it. Practice slowly; you won't learn it all at once."

Lee Shin-haeng let go of Hyo-ri's hands and let her practice on her own.

Hyo-ri took her tasks very seriously, which Lee Shin-haeng appreciated. Although he also liked her cheerful, generous, and free-spirited personality, he especially admired her attitude towards work. The saying "attitude is everything" is not just a saying.

"Phew~! Finally done!" Hyo-ri sighed in relief.

"Next, let's start stir-frying."

"Place the pan on the stove, turn on the heat, and once it's hot, pour in some olive oil." Lee Shin-haeng stood next to Hyo-ri, giving instructions.

"Slowly add the zucchini slices to the pan, not too quickly, to avoid hot oil splattering." Lee Shin-haeng reminded her of the precautions.

"Add some cooking wine." Lee Shin-haeng handed a bottle of cooking wine to Hyo-ri.

Adding a little wine while stir-frying can reduce oil intake. For stir-fried vegetables, using a light-flavored wine can enhance the taste and reduce the bitterness of certain vegetables like bitter melon, spinach, and broccoli. Green leafy vegetables tend to absorb oil easily, so adding wine can help reduce oil intake, which is beneficial for health.

"Here, now you can add some salt. Start with a small amount, taste it, and if it's too bland, add a little more. Don't add too much salt at once."

Lee Shin-haeng handed a pair of chopsticks to Hyo-ri, "Use these chopsticks to taste the saltiness."

Hyo-ri took the chopsticks, picked up a piece of zucchini, blew on it, and put it in her mouth.

"A little bland, but it's okay."

"If it's okay, let's plate it. Be careful not to spill it." Lee Shin-haeng placed a plate nearby.

"Great job." Lee Shin-haeng kissed Hyo-ri's cheek, praising her.

"Of course, who do you think I am!" Hyo-ri said proudly.

Next, Lee Shin-haeng took over the kitchen and stir-fried a meat dish. Then the two of them enjoyed this rare lunch together.

After lunch, they watched TV for a while, and then Hyo-ri went to the bedroom for a nap.

According to Hyo-ri, beauty comes from sleep.

Lee Shin-haeng didn't idle either; he went to the study to continue writing his script.

...............................................................................

At 3:40 PM, Lee Shin-haeng and Hyo-ri, carrying large and small bags, came to the garage.

"Have you got everything?" Lee Shin-haeng asked Hyo-ri, who was sitting next to him in the driver's seat.

"Got it, let's go!"

After about an hour's drive, Lee Shin-haeng and Hyo-ri arrived at his in-laws' house.

After parking the car, Lee Shin-haeng asked Hyo-ri to ring the doorbell first, so they wouldn't have trouble carrying the bags later.

The door opened quickly, and it was Hyo-ri's second sister who opened it.

"Upon hearing the doorbell, I knew it was you. Shin-haeng, come in quickly," the second sister greeted Lee Shin-haeng warmly.

"Second sister, can't you see me standing here?" Hyo-ri said, a bit jealous.

"Hey! Do you need your big sister to welcome you when you come home?"

The two sisters started bickering as soon as they saw each other.

Lee Shin-haeng had been to Hyo-ri's house many times and was used to their bickering. Ignoring the two sisters behind him, he walked into the house.

Just as he was taking off his shoes, his mother-in-law came out.

"Omma, I came to see you," Lee Shin-haeng greeted her.

"Come in, come in, sit down. I knew it was you from the noise outside. Why did you bring so many things again? The last batch you brought hasn't even been finished yet," his mother-in-law welcomed them warmly.

"This time, it's a gift that Omma specially sent for you and Appa," Lee Shin-haeng explained.

"Your mother-in-law is so thoughtful. Shin-haeng, remember to thank your Omma for us," his mother-in-law said happily.

"Sure, Omma," Lee Shin-haeng replied with a smile.

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