20. How can such person exist?

As soon the woman was finished ordering Mina came forward.

"Good morning Miss Mina. What should we give you today?"

"What do you have left that is not pre-ordered or set as a side for your family. We don't want that situation again." She smiled at him reminding him at last time situation.

He chuckled.

"I killed today six pigs l. I actually planned five but then we caught this morning wild pig as well, so I have some of that meat as well. I have pre-ordered two and a half pigs and one for us. So three and a half are free to buy."

"Then six heads you give Ko Mea and all insides. I pay for her and for me give me leg, belly..." She chose the parts she wanted to use this time, as there was enough meat for her.

As it was very early in the morning she was lucky to be able to choose the meat in advance. After she paid she looked at a huge amount of meat and sighed.

"How will I bring this all home?"

Suddenly a bunch of children appeared as they were on their way to the forest. She suddenly had an idea. "Kids, can you help me?"

Of course, they rushed to help her. Last time they saw her the thing happened to her so they felt awkward to come by. They all helped with baskets filled with meat and brought it back home while Ko Mea sighed as she gathered the stuff to bring back home all alone.

"Miss Mina, will you go with us to the forest today?" The little cute girl with two buns asked looking at Mina with a big smile.

"No. I need to take care about this meat, or it will go bad. Today, on your way back from the forest come by. I will prepare the sweets that I promised before." The kids cheerfully accepted

As soon she was alone again she cut a piece of meat and minced it to give it to the kitten that waited for her. Looking at her elegantly munching Mina chuckled. "Even your eating habits are so pretty. "

The small creature just looked at her and then continued eating. After finishing off it cleaned its face and paws like a real cat and just laid nearby to bask on the sun. Mina chuckled and in passing softly patted its head. ''Thank you for coming to me. I fell somehow less lonely.''

As she went towards the big table filled with meat, the creature opened his eyes and looked at her doing. She started again making many things. Some meat she salted and left in the cooler room while she took the one large piece and started frying on a slow fire.

She was expecting many people today. The Kang brothers should be on their way to come and rebuild the walls and dig secret storage. And they needed some food to handle that work.

A while later she heard knocking in the main gate so she rushed there. Looking at Elder Kang that came with her sons, she opened the gate widely and let them in.

"Did you eat breakfast?"

"Of course." Elder Kang was about to say more when she smelled freshly prepared food. "You cooked this early?"

Mina nodded and sighed while pointing at the food. "I was cooking for breakfast but we can eat for lunch. You can't deny me that." The Kang brothers already started dismantling the wall side they wanted to extend, so she could only look.

"Elder Kang, sit down, please. I am preparing something sweet now. I'll give you tea and sweets." Mina rushed to bring out some tea and prepared honeyed sweets from the day before.

The new batch was still not ready so all she could do is to give her that.

The sweetness from honey could be felt but as well a strangely familiar sub taste that made Elder Kang eat one more.

"This is not common honey sweets. What is this?"

Mina smiled brightly.

"There is something that can be found only here."

She smiled as Elder Kang realized.

"Actually, I had that idea yesterday. I let the plant dry and after grinding it I realized that its taste and smell was intensified. So I add just tip of spoon worth of powder into this and its taste becomes so amazing. There are many fruits in the forest and when the time comes I will try many other recipes."

Elder Kang smiled at her and winked.

"You are telling me this all as you want me to help you with selling recipes or opening a store. Both are possible."

Mina thought about it but found it bothersome.

"I had the wish to open a special store, but I would have to consider so many things, like where the store is. The people that I hire. Caretakers, servants, stewards... Now thinking about it, I'd prefer not to sell then to find a partner."

Elder Kang became serious.

"In that case, you must talk to Minho. In our Kang family, he has the strongest connections. If he can't find you an appropriate partner, no one will."

Mina turned her head and saw the three Kang brothers already finishing opening the whole wall side. Minho just glanced towards her and then continued to work calmly.

Looking at his cold bearing Elder Kang filled her eyes and sighed.

"That child had a seriously rough life before becoming my son. He lost his memories and was wandering around looking for his family. Unfortunately, no one came forward to claim him. One day he saw a small child drowning in the nearby sea and jumped inside to save it. Almost drowning himself. I just couldn't sit still and offered him to become one of my children. Since then he never asked about his parents."

Mina furrowed her eyebrows. "His bearing..."

"I know, but I don't ask. People have their own secrets. He has his own, I have and you have as well."

"I don't." Mina calmly looked at her.

"What?" For a moment Elder Kang was speechless.

"Secrets. That means I'm hiding something. Too bothersome. Secrets are something for people that have something to hide. To me, secrets are a burden. There are indeed things that I do not wish to say at certain moments. Those are thoughts, but not secrets." The clear difference between those two things made Elder Kang still for a second.

''I see." She could see Min's clear eyes and wonder. How can a person like her exist in this world?