Healing in the Country Side with a Baby Dragon - CHAPTER 8 (Village Dinner)

Let’s rewind a bit to yesterday afternoon, right after Seol-ah and I left our neighbor's house.

Inside that house, a little girl named So-yoon was staring at a bowl of golden cherry tomatoes.

"Are you going to eat those tomatoes now, sweetie?" her mother asked gently.

"Let Mom wash them for you. Just wait a moment."

"No, I’ll wash them myself."

So-yoon insisted, clutching the tomatoes Seol-ah had given her as she headed toward the sink.

When her mother pulled off her gardening gloves, the backs of her own hands were exposed—raw and torn up from hard labor. 

"It hurts when your hands touch the water, doesn't it?"

"I'm okay, Mom."

In truth, So-yoon hated meeting new people. Ever since she developed a severe skin disease, everyone avoided her.

‘Ugh, it’s dirty, go away!’

‘Move! I don’t want to play with you!’

Children’s honesty could be incredibly cruel, and adults only ever looked at her with pitiful eyes. Being so young, So-yoon was sensitive and deeply embarrassed by her appearance. That was why she hadn't come outside at first, even though I had gone out of my way to visit.

But then, she had heard Seol-ah’s bright little voice calling out, "Hello!"

To be honest, the poor girl had been terribly lonely. So-yoon’s family was the only one with a child in this tiny rural village. Seeing nothing but empty countryside every day without any peers was exhausting. So, she had braced herself and stepped outside just in case.

Her heart had been pounding, bracing for the usual teasing and stares. But the uncle and the little kid who just moved in didn't do any of that. They didn't care about her skin at all, treating her as if nothing was wrong. And to top it off, they even gave her a gift!

Sure, the baby made some strange, chirping noises, but So-yoon was just thrilled to have a cute younger sibling in the neighborhood. She was deeply touched that they had approached her without hesitation. 

Because it was such a precious gift, she wanted the honor of washing and eating it herself. She felt so good that she didn't even mind the stinging of the water on her raw skin.

Under the sunlight, the freshly washed golden tomatoes gleamed like actual gold.

"Oh my, those tomatoes are gorgeous." her mother amazed, watching happily from the side.

"What variety is that? I've never seen anything like them."

Living in the countryside, they grew plenty of crops themselves. Cherry tomatoes were usually so abundant around their house that they were sick of them. Still, the mother understood her daughter's eagerness to eat a gift from a new friend.

It broke her heart a little. 

'How lonely my child must have been.'

They had moved to the countryside specifically to help treat So-yoon's severe skin condition. Though it was for the child's sake, the mother always carried a heavy guilt, feeling as though she had isolated her daughter. Seeing Seol-ah today brought her an immense sense of relief. Just knowing there was another child in the neighborhood comforted her, and she hoped that if So-yoon and Seol-ah became friends, the loneliness would finally fade.

The mother's mind immediately raced into full childcare-donation mode. 

'I should bring them some children's books. That baby is so cute—do I have any clothes that would fit her? Do they need a stroller? A baby sling? What about toys? I'd love to see her play with dolls.'

While her mother was busy mapping out a massive care package, So-yoon picked up a tomato.

"Mom, you eat first."

"Thank you, sweetie."

The mother smiled brightly, taking the tomato. Of course, So-yoon hadn't actually intended to eat them at first. To be honest, she usually hated cherry tomatoes. Not wanting to reveal to her mom that she was being a picky eater with a friend's gift, she quietly slipped one into her pocket while holding out the golden bell tomato for her mom to try.

But then, So-yoon finally decided to pop one into her own mouth. Her eyes instantly went wide.

"Mom! This is incredibly delicious!"

"Really? Is it that good?"

"Yes! Eat it quickly, Mom! Hurry!"

It was an unprecedented reaction. It was so delicious that the little girl was practically stomping her feet in excitement. Her mother figured So-yoon was just caught up in the thrill of making a potential friend.

But So-yoon urgently held out another tomato, practically shoving it forward.

"Quickly! Here, say 'ah'—"

The mother tried to playfully dodge it, but there was no escaping her daughter's insistence. Grudgingly hiding her distaste—since she was already sick of the mundane tomatoes she and her husband grew—she bit into the tomato So-yoon offered. She expected a typical, boring vegetable.

Until she took that first bite.

"Oh my... oh my goodness."

An exclamation of pure admiration escaped her lips. The aroma alone was stunning.

"What on earth is this? Is it a rice cake? Why is it so chewy?"

The texture was entirely unique, perfectly sweet and dense. Can a vegetable really taste like this?

Mother and daughter locked eyes in sheer shock. In an instant, the cherry tomatoes Jin-sol had gifted them completely vanished.

That evening, So-yoon’s father laughed skeptically when he heard the news.

"Really? Cherry tomatoes can't be 'that' good. Honey, a tomato is just a tomato."

Still, he popped one of the remaining golden bell tomatoes into his mouth.

"......!"

His eyes nearly shot out of his head. 

"It's delicious! This is insanely delicious! Wow—what is this? How does it taste like this?!"

Just like that, the father fell head over heels for Jin-sol golden bell tomatoes.

And then came the next morning.

"Oh my god. Honey, look at So-yoon’s skin!"

"So-yoon!"

The couple gasped as they examined their daughter. The skin that had been covered in red, oozing inflammation the night before had completely calmed down. For a moment, they were simply overcome with joy that their child could finally sleep through the night without crying from the itchiness.

But as they tried to trace back what could have caused such a miraculous recovery, the only anomaly was the tomatoes Jin-sol had given them.

The couple tilted their heads in confusion.

"But how can a tomato cure a skin disease?"

"I don't know... is that even possible? But it's literally the only thing she eat differently."

Right as their doubts peaked, a booming voice echoed from outside.

"So-yoon’s dad! Are you inside? Come out here and look at this!"

It was the village chief, Ham Bong-seok. When they stepped outside, they found the chief standing in their yard with an incredibly anxious expression.

"Did you get a gift from that new young bachelor who moved in yesterday?" the chief asked breathlessly.

"You mean the cherry tomatoes?"

"Yes! Exactly! Did you eat them?!"

"Yeah, we did. Why? Is something wrong?"

"Oh, for God's sake—!" Chief Ham Bong-seok slapped his forehead in absolute despair.

The parents' hearts sank. Was there something wrong with the food? But looking at So-yoon, she was perfectly fine. However, the news the chief delivered was entirely unexpected.

"Those are crops from beyond the Great Gate! They are astronomically expensive! That poor city kid clearly had no idea what he had and just handed them out to the neighborhood!"

The couple’s jaws dropped.

To be honest, I had a few standard worries when I decided to start a new life in the countryside. I worried about rural exclusion, the lack of infrastructure, and general inconveniences. I knew the countryside wouldn't have the perks of the city, and I was fully prepared to deal with those challenges.

But I never, ever anticipated this specific problem.

"Ugh... I’m so full..."

The problem was that my farming was going 'too' well.

The green onion, lettuce and tomatoes growing in my yard—thanks to the hyper-efficient dedication of the earth fairies—were multiplying at a terrifying rate. There was no way Seol-ah and I could consume it all. I had even mobilized the earth fairies to help me eat through the pile, but I tapped out after only a few golden bell tomatoes.

Nearby, a tall, incredibly fluffy ball of white fur was rolling around on the floor.

"Byaaa..." 

Seol-ah groaned, her round belly sticking up in the air.

"Ugh, my stomach is going to explode."

I muttered, rubbing my own protruding belly.

The gravity of the situation hit me fully this morning. Staring out at the rapidly expanding jungle of red and green, I realized we were in a crisis.

"Stop growing! Seriously, stop!" 

I pleaded with the earth fairies.

Thankfully, they listened, preventing the vegetation from completely swallowing my house. But that didn't solve the issue of the crops that had already matured. I couldn't just let them rot.

"Hoot-hoot-hoot... the lettuces are weeping." one of the tiny earth fairies whimpered dynamically.

"If you're just going to abandon us like this, why did you raise us? Mud-mud-mud," another complained.

Hearing the fairies roleplay as tragic, abandoned vegetables made it impossible for me to just throw the food away. But sharing them felt awkward now, too. I had already distributed a batch to the neighbors yesterday. If I showed up with mountains of food 'again', wouldn't they think I was trying too hard or being weird? How on earth was I going to get rid of all this?

Right as I was sighing, munching on a raw piece of lettuce like a depressed goat, a loud pounding shook my door.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

"Are you inside, Jin-sol?!"

It was the urgent voice of Chief Ham Bong-seok.

What happened now? I hurried to open the door, only to find a massive crowd. Nearly the entire village was gathered in my front yard. Judging by their grim, solemn expressions, I braced myself for the absolute worst.

Chief Ham Bong-seok stepped forward, solemnly holding out a large basket. Inside were the exact golden cherry tomatoes I had gifted his family yesterday.

"Where did you get these?" he asked, his voice heavy.

"Uh... excuse me?"

"I asked where you found these!"

My heart hammered. 

'Did they get food poisoning? Did the golden bell tomatoes make everyone sick?'

But Seol-ah and I had eaten them without any issues.

Noticing Seol-ah peeking out from behind my leg with an anxious, terrified expression, Chief Ham Bong-seok quickly softened his tone, realizing he was scaring us. He began a long, impassioned explanation about just how rare, miraculous, and incredibly expensive these golden bell tomatoes actually were. He lectured me on how I shouldn't recklessly give away treasures without knowing their true value.

"You poor kid, you didn't recognize an expensive luxury crop and just distributed it like candy. What a waste." the chief sighed, shaking his head in deep pity for my financial ignorance.

I blinked, thoroughly bewildered.

"Wait... is 'that' why you all gathered here?"

The chief looked at me like I was the crazy one. 

"Of course! Is this a light matter? You essentially found a treasure chest and handed it out to us because you didn't know better. It makes us uncomfortable to accept something so valuable for free. If we let something slick like this slide, how can we look each other in the eye in a tight-knit village like this? We have to live together!"

The chief looked genuinely worried about a potential rift or burden in the community.

"So, I gathered up what everyone had left over. Since this happened out of pure ignorance on your part, let's just return them and call it even, alright?"

'No! Absolutely not! I have too much already! Please don't give them back!'

Just looking at the overflowing basket of tomatoes made my stomach ache with residual fullness. No matter how delicious they were, I couldn't take another bite.

Right then, a glowing blue system message popped up in front of my eyes.

[The Healing Life of a Beginner Farmer]

[Quest: Share the Harvest!]

[There are far too many crops to eat alone. How about sharing them with the villagers? It will surely foster a warm-hearted community.]

A faint smile broke across my face. This was the perfect loophole.

"You want to call it even and take them back? I absolutely can't do that." I said firmly.

Chief Ham Bong-seok’s face darkened instantly, and a worried murmur rippled through the crowd behind him. They clearly thought my stubborn pride was taking over, or that I was offended by their return gesture.

"Because..." I continued, throwing my front door wide open to reveal the backyard. "...I still have way too much left."

The villagers gasped, staring into my yard. Piles upon piles of crisp lettuce and gleaming golden bell tomatoes were stacked neatly on the patio.

"Good heavens, what is all this?!"

"Are those 'all' tomatoes?!"

"Why is there so much lettuce?!"

"Son, you moved in like three days ago! How did you plant this much?!"

Even for seasoned veterans of rural life, the sheer volume of a pristine harvest appearing overnight was completely illogical. I internally braced myself to be scolded for somehow pulling off a miracle, but I didn't care.

"Since you're all here, please, let's just share it!" 

I pleaded, my true feelings bleeding through. 

'Please, I beg of you, take them away!'

As it turned out, the timing was perfect. The village was already planning a pork belly grill-out at the community center tonight to welcome the new residents—which meant me and Seol-ah.

Later that evening, the village hall was alive with energy. The local men, led by Chief Ham, set up the large charcoal grills, while the grandmothers brought out an endless array of homemade side dishes.

The tables were loaded with thick cuts of pork belly, and right next to them, I proudly contributed towering platters of our pristine lettuce and golden tomatoes. As the sun set over the quiet countryside, the community center buzzed with laughter and chatter, breaking a long silence in the sleepy town.

"Ahem! Attention, everyone, quiet down for a moment!" 

Chief Ham called out, capturing the room's attention. 

"Tonight's dinner is officially a welcoming party for Baek Jin-sol and little Seol-ah! They generously provided all this beautiful lettuce and these precious cherry tomatoes, so let's give our new neighbors a massive round of applause!"

The village erupted into warm cheers and applause. Down by my feet, Seol-ah chirped happily, her eyes sparkling at the loud celebration.

Soon, the intoxicating sizzle of pork belly hitting the hot iron grills filled the air.

"Byaa~" 

Seol-ah drooled, staring intently at the cooking meat.

I carefully clipped a perfectly crisped, well-done piece of pork, dipped it lightly in sesame oil, and cooled it down before popping it into her waiting mouth. Seol-ah chewed furiously, her tiny tail wagging.

"Kyaaa!" she squealed in pure bliss, her eyes shining like stars.

"You haven't seen anything yet, Seol-ah." I chuckled.

This time, I tore a piece of our crisp lettuce in half, nestled a juicy piece of meat inside, added a dab of savory 'ssamjang' (seasoned soybean paste), a spoonful of rice, and wrapped it into a perfect little bundle. Seol-ah opened her mouth wide like a baby bird, stuffing her cheeks full.

The flavor explosion was so intense that her little shoulders literally shuddered with delight.

"Hahaha! Look at her! She loves it!"

"Oh my goodness, she eats so beautifully."

The village elders burst into hearty laughter at her reaction, and Seol-ah beamed back at them, her mouth still completely full.

With the ice thoroughly broken, everyone dug into the feast. But within minutes, a sudden, bizarre silence fell over the hall.

It started with Chief Ham Bong-seok. He had made a standard lettuce wrap, but after chewing thoughtfully, he tilted his head in confusion. Slowly, he reached out, picked up a plain leaf of lettuce, and just ate it entirely by itself.

"Hey, Chief, what are you doing eating plain leaves? Eat the meat!" another man teased.

"No... try the lettuce. Just the lettuce," Chief Ham muttered blankly.

The skeptic took a bite of a leaf, his jaw dropping. Within seconds, he too began aggressively inhaling plain lettuce leaves as if possessed. Like a highly contagious virus, the phenomenon spread across the tables. Everyone who tried the lettuce began eating it frantically with expressions of utter disbelief.

Finally, someone voiced the collective shock. 

"What the hell? Why is this lettuce so ridiculously delicious?!"

Chief Ham, who had just swallowed his fifth consecutive leaf, turned to look at me with burning, intense eyes.

"Hey, Jin-sol."

"Yes?"

"Have you ever seriously considered going into industrial agriculture?"

"Uh, what?"

"You have an undeniable, God-given talent for farming!" 

The chief stared at me with the fiery, obsessive gaze of a sports scout who had just discovered a generational athlete. 

"I guarantee it. Son, you were born with the soul of a Master Farmer!"

I offered a weak, awkward smile.

'No, Chief... I didn't grow that.'

Back at my house, hidden safely in the garden, I could practically hear the arrogant, high-pitched giggles of the earth fairies celebrating their victory.