Chapter 6
The room I was staying in was one meant for receiving guests in the outer quarters.
“At first, I thought you wanted to break off the engagement.”
Yeon-hee’s light-hearted reprimand came through. As soon as we were alone, she gave me a knowing look.
“Why would I want that? I was just protesting because everyone seemed so opposed.”
“Really?”
“I told you I’d take responsibility. Don’t you trust me?”
“Chhh…”
“Father was just watching quietly, so there wasn’t much else I could do.”
She couldn’t argue with that. After all, she had agreed with my stance at the time. It would have been fine if she hadn’t brought up the incident from the previous night!
“What good would it do to oppose them? If it gets to that point, I can always leave the house!”
“Yeon-hee, that should be the very last option.”
“Still…”
“I’ll try my best to persuade the elders. Just be patient. I’ve got it all figured out.”
Yeon-hee’s eyes sparkled as if she hadn’t expected that response from me. I was boasting, but I did have several plans in mind already.
A grand plan to escape the Namgung family’s grip as their son-in-law!
“But to do that, you need to help me out.”
“How so?”
“I need to know what your family likes and dislikes. Last time, Mother was pleased with the small gift I gave her, but that doesn’t guarantee everyone else will feel the same way.”
Yeon-hee flinched. It was a minor act of retaliation. After all, I did make a fool of myself last time.
“At least Mother is on our side.”
“And so is the Grand Elder.”
“I should go pay him a visit soon.”
Even though I had acted recklessly, the response wasn’t bad. Despite making a scene right in the middle of the Namgung family’s estate, there were still people showing me goodwill.
‘I’ll make sure they don’t want to acknowledge me.’
I had to convince them.
Make them dislike me.
‘I’ll leave with everyone’s disapproval.’
Of course, I had no intention of repeating my previous failures. I wouldn’t rely solely on Yeon-hee’s words.
I began by getting to know the servants of the Namgung family. I planned to cross-reference what I heard from them with what Yeon-hee told me before taking any action.
‘This time, I’ll succeed for sure.’
I needed to be thorough in every aspect.
“The second brother is a serious problem. People are even saying the family should take action, to the point where it’s been brought up in meetings as an agenda item…”
The first person I approached was Namgung Hyeo. Yeon-hee had mentioned him before.
The second son of the Namgung family, known for his insatiable gluttony.
Even though I had never formally met him, I knew who he was as soon as I saw him.
During the uproar caused by my ruckus at the family head’s quarters, I noticed a man who was oblivious to his surroundings, devouring sweets. I immediately knew he was the second brother.
Still, I was taken aback when I saw his massive frame up close.
‘Is this even a person, or just a mass of fat?’
Typically, children from martial families don’t get fat—unless they completely neglect their martial training.
But Namgung Hyeo was far from lazy when it came to training. Yet, his obesity was at a level that would be impossible for an ordinary person to achieve.
‘He looks like a giant balloon.’
His enormous belly was as wide as a carriage wheel, and his chubby limbs were comparable to the pillars of a pavilion.
“Eat up, everyone~.”
It wasn’t until I had a meal with Namgung Hyeo that I fully grasped the situation.
The table was big enough for eight people to comfortably sit around, yet it was filled to the brim with food. Every dish was greasy beyond measure.
And then there was the yellow wine, filled to the brim in a massive bowl. If he didn’t get fat, that would be more surprising.
“Is the food to your liking?”
“Yes. Thank you for inviting me.”
Namgung Hyeo was too absorbed in his food to pay attention, so it was his wife, Sang-gwan Yeong, who took care of us. She was a lady who had clearly been raised with utmost care and was on very good terms with Namgung Yeon-hee.
“Sister, shouldn’t you stop him?”
“Stop him from what?”
“At this rate, he’s really going to end up buried under a mountain of fat.”
“Why? I think it’s just lovely. He looks so full of fortune.”
The proverb “love is blind” really rang true in this situation.
To be able to look lovingly at such an enormous body… Is it just a special preference?
“Gaga, why are you staring at me like that?”
“It’s nothing.”
Of course, some people are beautiful even without being blinded by love.
‘As I thought, Namgung Hyeo would be the best first target.’
There were several reasons why I chose Namgung Hyeo.
First, there was no strong sense of rejection.
To put it positively, it meant he didn’t have any particular thoughts about me. His only concern seemed to be about what to eat the next day.
Second, his intense gluttony.
Appetite is a primitive desire. That means his rage will be considerable when his desire is obstructed. He was the easiest person to antagonize directly.
Thus, I set a date and secretly called out Sang-gwan Yeong through Namgung Yeon-hee.
“What is it about?”
“It’s not me who wanted to see you, but Gaga.”
Sang-gwan Yeong looked at me with a puzzled expression at Yeon-hee’s response.
It’s only natural since our only interaction so far was sharing a meal.
“Do you truly love Namgung Hyeo, madam?”
“Of course, I do.”
Sang-gwan Yeong answered without hesitation.
“If so, please listen carefully to what I have to say. If things continue like this, my brother-in-law’s lifespan will be severely shortened.”
“How could you say such a dreadful thing!”
It was a rather rude statement.
However, I had to shock her to persuade her.
“I say this with your and my brother-in-law’s lifelong happiness in mind.”
I meant it.
I wanted to help her so she wouldn’t have to mourn for a husband whom she loved despite his obesity.
The eyes never lie.
Seeing the sincerity in my unwavering gaze, she started to listen to what I had to say.
“Obesity is the root of many diseases. I’m sure you know this, don’t you?”
“Well…”
“For now, Brother-in-law might seem fine due to his outstanding martial arts skills, but as time passes, he will be tormented by illnesses.”
“Then what am I supposed to do?”
“Starting tomorrow, please serve only the dishes I suggest. The meals should be…”
Thus began the change in Namgung Hyeo’s diet.
*
To Namgung Hyeo, food was the greatest joy in life.
That was his philosophy.
So, it was no wonder he was baffled when the dishes on the dining table suddenly changed.
“My dear, what is the meaning of this?”
“Lately, I’ve taken an interest in cooking. Please, have a taste.”
Typically, such tasks were left to the servants.
The sudden personal service from his wife made Namgung Hyeo happily pick up his chopsticks.
But something felt off.
The dining table was filled with various chicken dishes: Steamed Chicken, Ginseng Chicken Stew, Triple Cooked Chicken…
These were all dishes Namgung Hyeo usually enjoyed.
However, what stood out was that everything was made solely from chicken breast.
‘It’s edible, but…’
The food his wife had carefully prepared tasted overly healthy.
To someone who was used to meals dripping with grease, it was unsatisfying.
‘It’s too dry!’
Moreover, the dry, choking texture made it feel like torture with each bite.
As his chopsticks moved slower and slower, Sang-gwan Yeong asked:
“Is it not to your liking?”
“That can’t be!”
Namgung Hyeo truly loved his wife.
She was a woman who cared for him endlessly, even when others shunned him as a monstrous figure.
He couldn’t bring himself to complain about the food she made.
‘Would adding salt help?’
The bland taste was accompanied by the gamey smell of chicken breast.
He tried to mask it with seasoning.
It didn’t help at all.
‘It’s not her fault. This is just food that can’t possibly taste good from the start!’
The tough texture made it feel like he was chewing on leather.
Who on earth came up with such a vile cooking method?
The vegetables on the side were his only escape.
‘I can’t believe I’m finding greens to be delicious.’
Contrary to his inner thoughts, Namgung Hyeo showered praise.
“Even if you were to bring in all the delicacies from land and sea, they couldn’t possibly taste better than this!”
“I’m relieved that the Lord is pleased. From now on, I will cook for you every day.”
Namgung Hyeo wanted to scream.
But he couldn’t possibly refuse his wife’s proposal when she looked so elated.
And so, one day passed, then two.
After a week, Sang-gwan Yeong came to find Lee Se-woong.
*
“Brother-in-law, is this really the right thing to do?”
Sang-gwan Yeong barged in unannounced, her face full of worry, eyes brimming with tears.
“What do you mean?”
“I trusted your advice and acted accordingly… but seeing the Lord become more and more emaciated every day is breaking my heart.”
It wasn’t that he was wasting away; he was just losing weight.
I swallowed the words welling up in my chest.
“That only means that Brother-in-law’s condition is improving. It’s actually a good sign.”
“Really?”
“Yes, madam. You must harden your resolve. The suffering is temporary, but health lasts a lifetime.”
I had to remain firm to help her steel her heart.
‘Everything’s going smoothly.’
Chicken breast.
There was no better food for losing weight.
Just pair it with a bit of carbohydrates and vegetables.
But why do so many people fail despite this shortcut being available? Because chicken breast tastes horrible.
Chicken breast is dry.
Whether you boil, bake, or fry it.
No matter what you do, it’s impossible to eliminate its inherent dryness.
And then there’s the gamey smell.
Even if you drown it in all sorts of seasonings, the distinctive odour of chicken breast still seeps through.
And since I prohibited using any kind of seasoning in the name of health, there was no way to mask the smell.
‘Heh, Namgung Hyeo. Suffer as much as you want.’
This must be a first-time experience for him.
He’s probably spent his life sparing no expense for delicious food.
To be deprived of his passion for fine dining.
For someone as gluttonous as Namgung Hyeo, it must be an unbearable torment.
Let him nurture resentment toward me instead of fat.
When two weeks had passed.
The moment I had been waiting for arrived.
Bang!
“Brother-in-law! Are you here?”
Namgung Hyeo barged into the outer quarters, almost breaking down the door.
It was hard to hide the smile tugging at my lips as I looked at his agitated state.
‘You’ve finally come.’
Two weeks had passed since I set the bait through Sang-gwan Yeong.
It was more than enough time for him to reach his limit of patience.
“What brings you here, Brother-in-law?”
“Is it true that it was you who recommended these dishes to my wife?!”
Namgung Hyeo demanded an answer, shouting with urgency.
His appearance had completely transformed from two weeks prior.
The balloon-like fat that once enveloped his body was gone, replaced by a muscular physique that looked as if it was sculpted.
‘Considering how much he trains, changing his diet alone would naturally result in quick weight loss.’
I had instructed Sang-gwan Yeong when recommending the diet.
If Namgung Hyeo ever asked who was responsible for his ordeal, to tell him the truth.
‘He must really hate me now!’
Yes, Namgung Hyeo.
I’m the one who made sure you had nothing but dry chicken breast for your meals.
Have you grown accustomed to the gamey smell of chicken breast by now?
‘How does the taste of the K-diet feel!’
I smirked provocatively, but what came next was unexpected.
“Thank you!”
“What?”
“I didn’t know how to curb my gluttony. Thanks to your advice, I’m healthier now.”
“?”
“I feel so full of energy that my marital life has even improved. We might even have a third child at this rate, haha!”
Laughing brightly, Namgung Hyeo clasped my hands.
“You’re truly a blessing to our family, a blessing! No matter what others may say, I’ll stand by your side. Trust in me, Brother-in-law!”
‘This isn’t how it was supposed to go…’
I ended up gaining two more ardent supporters of the engagement.
—
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