Upon arriving in Hefei, the two headed straight for an inn. It was one located close to the Namgung Family estate. Ilhwa was the first to wash up in warm water.
Only after scrubbing herself clean a couple of times did the foul stench and sticky feeling finally disappear. After changing into the clothes Seop Mugwang had prepared, she headed downstairs to the first floor, where he was already sitting at a table with food laid out, arms crossed.
Tap, tap.
Seeing her descend the stairs, his lips curved into a crescent-moon smile.
"Come on over, kid! I specially ordered extra-large portions, so eat up!"
The table was laden with bowls of noodles and dumplings. So this is the famous local dish? Just dumplings and noodles?
"..."
Ilhwa stared intently at the dumplings and noodles without even sitting down. Seop Mugwang, who had pulled out a chair for her, tilted his head in confusion.
"Why aren’t you sitting?"
"I ate candied fruit skewers earlier, so I’m not hungry."
Despite her words, her face was filled with disappointment. Blinking, Seop Mugwang belatedly caught on and burst into laughter.
"Just sit down first! Come on, sit! Hurry up!"
As Ilhwa reluctantly took her seat, he placed a dumpling onto her plate.
"What do you think is the most basic food you can find at any inn?"
"Dumplings and noodles."
No matter where you went, it was rare to find an inn that didn’t serve dumplings and noodles. They were that fundamental—and that unremarkable.
"Right. But do you know how hard it is for something so basic to become famous for its taste?"
He tore open the dumpling skin, and rich broth immediately spilled out, pooling in the bowl. With practiced ease, he drizzled a bit of clear soy sauce into the torn dumpling, letting it soak in just enough.
"Anyone can make them, so you’d think they’d all taste the same, but no. This place? People say eating here makes you see the afterlife."
I’ve already seen the afterlife thanks to the Great Rebirth Pill. Was this dumpling really comparable to that? Then again, Seop Mugwang had never taken the Great Rebirth Pill, so he wouldn’t know.
Putting down his chopsticks, he dusted off his hands with a confident grin.
"Go on, try it. You’ll be begging me to order more."
Reluctantly, Ilhwa picked up her spoon, sliced off a small piece of the dumpling skin, and scooped up a bit of the filling, broth, and soy sauce before putting it in her mouth. The moment she did, her eyes sparkled.
"...!"
"How is it? Delicious, right? Absolutely divine, huh? Huh?"
"...!"
Without realizing it, Ilhwa covered her mouth, chewing slowly as she stared at the dumpling in awe. To her surprise, it was genuinely delicious. In fact, it was the best dumpling she’d ever had—including those from her past life.
She couldn’t tell what ingredients had been used, but while staying true to the classic dumpling flavor, it also carried the richness of seafood, filling her mouth with an explosion of taste. It looked ordinary, but the flavor was extraordinary. Meanwhile, Seop Mugwang had already served her a portion of noodles.
After swallowing the dumpling, Ilhwa took a bite of the noodles and was stunned once again by the unexpectedly savory taste. As she devoured the food in a hurry, Seop Mugwang laughed heartily and ruffled her hair.
"Slow down. I’ll order more until you burst."
True to his word, Ilhwa ate until she felt like she would explode. It was the first time she’d ever been so full yet still craving more. --- The next day, when she woke up, Seop Mugwang was gone. The inn’s bill had already been settled.
Though he had disappeared, someone was still following her. From the familiar presence, it seemed to be one of his subordinates who had tailed them on the way to Hefei. Probably for surveillance and protection.
Or maybe it was just to keep tabs in case she took a different route. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Ilhwa left the inn and headed toward the Namgung Family estate.