Whispers of Autumn Wind (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 9
“It’s not that what you’re saying is wrong, but your maternal family would have to be quite an exceptional one.”
Ga Eul being admirable was admirable, and her being a cause for concern was a cause for concern. As Ga Eul’s grandmother, Madam Yoon Jung Yeon’s duty was to protect her grandchildren from being hurt.
“Just what kind of family is my maternal family that you’re so worried?”
“Pyeongan Group. Your mother was the daughter of Chairman Oh Gyu Baek of Pyeongan Group.”
“Whewww.”
Ga Eul let out a sound like air escaping. Had she known how to whistle, she would’ve whistled instead.
“What is this? This is beyond anything I imagined. So Mom was the daughter of such a prestigious family? I’d just assumed she came from a comfortably well-off household. Are you saying such a wealthy person just stood by and watched their own daughter die? Hoarding piles of money while pretending not to notice our struggles all this time—only to suddenly claim they want to take us in now?”
Had her maternal family been merely moderately affluent, she wouldn’t have felt this indignant.
“Did the person sent by the maternal family contact you again?”
“They said they’d like to speak with you all and asked for some time to arrange it. So yes, they’ll likely get back in touch.”
Hmm. So that’s how it is.
“When they call, tell them we’ll meet unconditionally. First, I need to see those people’s faces. I need to see just how extraordinary they are—and how extraordinary they think they are, to have looked down on Father and us so dismissively. I need to verify it for myself.”
Ga Eul’s mind began spinning rapidly. Her task was clear: before they contacted her again, she needed to gather information about that family. There had to be a reason they suddenly wanted to take her and Gyeo Wool in—it wouldn’t be without cause. From this moment onward, Ga Eul resolved to uncover that reason.
The real question was how to obtain information about that family. Ga Eul searched “Pyeongan Group” on her phone.
Most search results were news articles about Pyeongan Group’s business operations. There were almost no articles covering the chairman’s family. Only Chairman Oh Gyu Baek of Pyeongan Group and President Oh Sung Jin of Pyeongan Construction were briefly introduced on the portal sites.
Ga Eul set her phone down and rubbed her face dry with her hands. This wouldn’t be easy to find out.
While Ga Eul was pondering how to investigate the chairman’s family, a knock sounded at the door. The President appeared, holding a shopping bag branded with the “Dead House” logo. Ga Eul’s eyes widened.
So the President was also capable of waking up at this hour. While Ga Eul stared at the President in fascinated disbelief, Grandmother warmly greeted him.
“Oh my, President, so early… You came because you were worried about Ga Eul’s condition. Thank you. She’s feeling much better now. She says she’s fine and plans to be discharged today. I’m truly sorry for all the trouble Ga Eul caused you. Not only did you handle everything yesterday, but you’ve also come so early this morning… I don’t even know how to properly thank you…”
“Grandmother, aren’t you supposed to be at work?”
Annoyed at seeing Grandmother bow so deferentially to the President, Ga Eul spoke sharply. She thought, *Is such extreme humility really necessary?* This was, after all, the same woman who, during the days when Father had been successful, had gracefully carried herself as the dignified lady of the main household.
“Oh dear, just look at me! I won’t even get to see you discharged. President, I’m terribly sorry, but could you please see Ga Eul through her discharge? I really must go to work… Shameless as it is, I’m asking this favor of you.”
People nowadays joke, “We may lack money, but do we lack dignity?” I’d like to tell those people: without money, dignity disappears too. Just look at my grandmother—a refined, dignified woman now stooped and humbled ever since Father passed away.
“Please don’t worry and go ahead with your work. I’ll take good care of her.”
“Then I leave it in your hands. Ga Eul, you must obediently follow whatever the President tells you. No stubbornness.”
*Wow.* Just listen to my grandmother. How many times has she even met our President? To tell me to follow his orders obediently? Does she know what kind of person he is? Does she trust him more than her own granddaughter? “No stubbornness,” indeed. Is he really that trustworthy?
Ga Eul was utterly flabbergasted. Her ears blocked up—and so did her nose.
*Hnngh.*
She snorted dismissively. Hearing it, Grandmother shot Ga Eul a sharp glare before leaving the hospital room. *Seriously, this grandmother of mine…*
“Are you really sure you can be discharged today? Staying hospitalized a few more days might be better.”
The President, stripped of last night’s confident swagger, spoke gently. To Ga Eul’s eyes, the left side of his jaw appeared distinctly bruised—clearly where Young Min’s Father had struck him. Seeing that, Ga Eul let go of the grudge she’d been holding against him since last night.
“If it’s about hospital fees… Young Min’s Father has already agreed to cover all medical expenses…”
“Young Min’s family isn’t exactly well-off either. Besides, Young Min and his mother caused that accident themselves.”
“Why should you worry about that? That’s their own affair.”
“We owe Young Min’s family so much already. And they’re long-time neighbors in the same neighborhood. I don’t want to burden the uncle any further. I’ll pay the hospital fees myself.”
“Oh, how noble of you. The same person who charged me 40,000 won for a 32,000-won hangover cure. Aren’t I your neighbor too? Haven’t I done enough for you already?”
*Wait.* How did he even know the hangover cure cost 32,000 won?
“The price was printed right on the box—32,000 won retail.”
The President spoke as if he’d read Ga Eul’s thoughts. She flinched inwardly, scrambling to recall: *Was “retail price” actually printed on the box?* Then she subtly changed the subject.
“President, do you happen to know anything about the Pyeongan Group chairman’s family?”
“Pyeongan Group? No, not really. I lived abroad for quite a long time, after all.”
*Tsk.* As expected—no help at all. My mistake for even hoping he’d be useful.
“Right, of course.”
Ga Eul accepted it easily. *He did claim to be a third-generation chaebol heir—turns out he really is just an empty shell.*
“I was struggling over how to uncover the Pyeongan Group chairman’s internal affairs, and then you appeared right at that moment—I nearly thought, ‘Well, guess we’re destined after all.’”
“Are you still harping on romance? I really should’ve hit your head harder back then—maybe it’d help you snap out of it.”
“My situation is urgent. I sent an email telling Woo Jin not to come to Korea, but he hasn’t replied.”
“Why Pyeongan Group? Want me to look into it for you? It’s not that difficult.”
Dae Woon sidestepped Han Ga Eul’s romantic chatter. Though he kept his expression indifferent, he understood: his plan to place Han Ga Eul within Pyeongan Group was proceeding perfectly—the proof being that “Pyeongan Group” had now slipped from Han Ga Eul’s own lips.
“Could you really do that for me?”
Before Dae Woon could answer, Ga Eul’s phone rang.
“Yes, Grandmother?”
— I came to settle your hospital bill at the front desk, but it’s already been paid. A young man came earlier and settled it before leaving.
“What?”
Ga Eul’s gaze snapped toward the President. Hearing the voice from the phone, he looked at her with a self-satisfied expression, as if to say, *Aren’t I impressive?*
“I’ll deduct it from your salary.”
The President said this as Ga Eul hung up. The “Thank you” forming on her lips vanished unspoken. Instead, she muttered under her breath:
“Why on earth did you put me in a private room anyway? Insurance doesn’t even cover it.”
* * *
Well past lunchtime, Ga Eul returned to Dae Woon Investment’s office after visiting three convenience stores—and found the President sprawled on the sofa, glaring at her with fierce eyes.
His expression practically scolded: *You’re injured—why even bother coming to work?* This had been his look for several days now. Even with her “injury-fueled dedication” to work, she still got scolded instead of praised. Still, Ga Eul smiled brightly and asked him:
“Lunchtime’s long passed. Have you had lunch yet, President?”
“And what have *you* been doing all this time without eating? Are you staging a protest against me—demanding a raise?”
“Of course not. Please don’t belittle my loyalty to you like that. I’m genuinely prepared to devote my entire life to this company…”
Cutting her off with visible distaste, the President tossed a delivery menu onto the table in front of her.
“Just order. I haven’t eaten yet either. Someone needs to place the order, after all.”
Ga Eul’s face lit up.
“What should I get?”
“I’ll have jajangmyeon.”
Her smile instantly collapsed.
“Jajangmyeon again?”
“It’s baffling—you ask me every single time, even though you always get the same answer.”
“President, for bone injuries, they say bone broth soups like doganitang are best. How about having doganitang today instead?”
Ga Eul flipped through the delivery menu and suggested the dish she happened to spot—not because she particularly craved doganitang, but because she was utterly tired of jajangmyeon.
“Did *you* break a bone?”
“I hit my head, didn’t I? My skull is a bone too, you know.”
“Tsk, fine—order it. Doganitang or whatever it’s called. What kind of weird name is that, anyway? Sounds suspicious.”
“President, you’ve never even tried doganitang? It’s extremely good for your health. Just what kind of life have you even lived?”
Sensing his glare, Ga Eul quickly clamped her mouth shut. She needed to order the doganitang before he changed his mind.
“Se Hyun will be here shortly.”
Dae Woon tossed this out casually as Ga Eul picked up her phone. She looked at the President with an expression that plainly said, *So what?*
“You remember that friend who visited the office before—and also came to your hospital room?”
“Oh, that handsome gentleman.”
“Handsome? Is *that* what you call a handsome face? And even in your current state, you still notice good looks?”
So what if she had a bandage on her head? Would that really prevent her from recognizing a handsome man? Ga Eul was about to retort, when the President added:
“I’ve already asked Se Hyun to look into the Pyeongan Group’s internal affairs.”
Ga Eul’s eyes brightened instantly. She abandoned any thought of talking back—insubordination had its limits, after all, and defying the almighty President was unthinkable.
“To be honest, in terms of looks, you’re far superior, President. Your friend just… lacks character, I suppose? His face is too predictable.”
The President is always right. He pays hospital bills. He procures vital information. Naturally, anything he says must be correct.
“At least wipe your saliva before speaking. You talk with so much spit that droplets keep falling.”
“President…”
Unfazed by his scolding, Ga Eul called out to him in a soft, coaxing tone as she stepped closer.
“You like me, don’t you? Even while scolding me, you always end up doing everything for me.”
“We’ll need another CT scan. Your head must’ve taken a real knock—you show no signs of returning to normal.”
Gi Dae Woong subtly leaned backward, sinking deeper into the sofa’s backrest.
“How can your words and actions differ so wildly? Deep down, you must really want to treat me well, don’t you? After all, we’ve built up both love and resentment over time. So…”
Ga Eul moved right up beside the sofa and leaned her face close to Dae Woon’s.
“Wha—wha—so what, exactly?”
Trapped with nowhere further to retreat, Dae Woon reached out to stop Ga Eul from coming closer, tilting his head back.
“Why are you so afraid? Do you seriously think I’m about to eat you alive, President?”
“Talk from over there.”
“So… just date me.”
As if an invisible wall separated her from the President, Ga Eul shouted loudly—as though trying to project her voice right over that barrier.
“How about dating *me* instead?”
The reply came from an unexpected source.
“After hearing the details, that kind of relationship actually sounds acceptable—if it’s with me.”
Jeong Se Hyun, having appeared suddenly, stood at the doorway, head tilted in mild confusion.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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