The Mysterious Art Museum

Chapter 36 (1) - The Mysterious Art Museum

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The night at the Buam-dong mansion.

Mrs. Kang, working in her study, looks up at the sound of a knock from outside.

"Come in."

Upon her permission, the door silently opens, and a neatly dressed man in his early 40s bows slightly.

"I've brought the documents you requested, Madam."

"Give them here."

After opening the sealed envelope and examining its contents with a magnifying glass, Mrs. Kang, who has been scrutinizing the papers, says,

"Korea Comprehensive Arts University? Isn't it difficult to get into this place?"

"The admission guide emphasizes practical skills significantly more than Seoul National University or Hongik University, making it even harder to enter. The acceptance ratio for the year Mr. Ban Jeong-hoon applied was 116:1."

"Ah."

"However, Mr. Ban Jeong-hoon's high school grades were quite good, ranking second. He could have gone to other schools, but he chose this one for a full scholarship."

"Is that so? I heard the full scholarship part was true."

The man continues in a formal posture,

"As confirmed, Mr. Ban Jeong-hoon's father disappeared at sea when he was 12. Other crew members' bodies were found, but his father's body was never recovered and was declared dead five years later."

"The insurance?"

"If it was an accident, there should have been a payout from the ship's insurance."

"The insurance money was paid by the company, and they used it to move to a house in Gyeonggi Province."

"And his brother is indeed disabled?"

"Yes, he was born with a visual impairment. Records from a school for the disabled and hospital records have been confirmed."

"Hmm."

Mrs. Kang sets down the papers, removes her glasses, and clasps her hands.

"So everything he told me was true."

Mrs. Kang is lost in thought for a moment and then speaks to the man still waiting by her side,

"Secretary Kim."

"Yes."

"About that refrigerator from MG Electronics that Monica mentioned. Can I see it too?"

"It's not released yet, but if we press using the chairman's name, we can get one."

"The board's reaction was positive, wasn't it?"

"Yes, most board members wish to purchase it. There are already 200 units being pre-manufactured for the board's pre-orders."

Mrs. Kang nods and says,

"Have it here by tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Madam."

After Secretary Kim bows and leaves the room, Mrs. Kang puts on her glasses and picks up the documents again. After a brief look, she smiles faintly and mutters,

"A man who only speaks the truth. It's rare to see someone who doesn't try to embellish their past in front of me."

The hallway of the mansion.

Secretary Kim, who just left Mrs. Kang's room, checks around before heading to the garden to make a phone call.

"Yes, Miss. It's me. I've conveyed the information about Mr. Ban Jeong-hoon to Madam as requested. Yes, that's right. I will report again if there's anything unusual. Yes, yes."

After hanging up, Secretary Kim glances at Mrs. Kang's window on the third floor of the mansion and murmurs,

"It's been a while since Madam took an interest in someone. We might need to investigate further."

**

The next day at the Buam-dong mansion.

Like yesterday, I was led by the housekeeper to wait for Mrs. Kang on the sofa, pondering over what conversation could knock on the door of her heart today.

I didn't want to leave after an hour of just rambling about my stories. After all, this is my livelihood; I can't just spend an hour chatting idly.

Then, the housekeeper comes in with a tray of tea, placing it in front of me.

Oh, it's always been coffee, but there are cookies today? They look delicious. But can I touch them? If I spill cookie crumbs in this beautiful living room, it might sound like blasphemy.

The maid, always kind, is particularly kind in her words today.

"I baked these cookies myself. Give them a try."

"Oh, really? I thought they were premium cookies made by some French patisserie."

"Oh, really? Hoho! Do they look like that?"

"Of course, auntie. How did you bake them so beautifully?"

"Hoho, you say such nice things."

"Can I try them?"

"Well, I'm giving them to you to eat, aren't I?"

"I'll enjoy them!"

I expected a crisp sound, but surprisingly, they are moist and soft.

Wow, this taste is incomparable to snacks from the convenience store. Someone with this skill is just a household maid? Even if she opens a bakery, people will line up to eat.

"Wow, it's really delicious!"

"Really?"

"Yes! I've never had cookies like these before!"

"Hoho, this one is Earl Grey, and this one is chocolate flavor. Since they all have different tastes, go ahead and try them all, alright?"

"Thank you, auntie!"

With a delighted smile, the lady glances around and whispers.

"The refrigerator looked really pretty."

".?"

Why is she talking about a refrigerator that hasn't been released yet?

As I make a puzzled face, the lady pokes my side with her elbow and says.

"It's probably so expensive that I can't afford it. Wow, I thought a picture frame came in, not a refrigerator."

What? The way she talks makes it sound like she has already seen the design of the refrigerator. Can that even be possible?

The lady, with a mysterious expression, scrutinizes my face and says.

"You're tall and handsome, and your painting skills are exceptional. How happy must your mother be to have a child like you?"

"Uh...haha."

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