Chapter 46: When Rumors Fall Silent

It was after the afternoon had passed that I realized it.

I wondered why there were no Elders visiting today, and even the Elders who did come hurriedly finished just one cup and left.

“I’m leaving first today.”

“The Tea was delicious.”

“Yes, but where are you going?”

“I’ll tell you tomorrow. Keep up the good work.”

The Elders left in such a hurry they barely said goodbye. If things were like this, it meant something big—a tectonic shift—was happening.

…It was definitely strange.

“Siu, can I ask you to look after the tea house? I think I need to step out for a moment.”

“Yes, have a safe trip!”

“Thanks.”

I didn’t know how reassuring it was to have Siu, whom I could trust and leave things to at a time like this. Of course, he couldn’t make Tea or desserts. But just having someone to serve was enough.

After leaving Home in Siu’s hands, I headed out to the street. The place I headed for was, naturally, Uncle Dusik’s Rice Paddy. Since this was the center of the rumors and the starting point of the situation. So I naturally thought the Elders would be gathered here.

“…They aren’t here.”

No one was there. Not only were there no people from the Ma-eul, but Uncle Dusik was nowhere to be seen either. Was it possible for no one to be here at this time and season?

Just as my mind was becoming more complicated.

“Oh, isn’t that Chansung over there.”

“Uncle Wook.”

Uncle Wook, who was like a brother to Uncle Dusik, approached. But his attire was a bit different.

“Aren’t you going out to The Field today?”

“Hmm? Ah, you must not have heard.”

“Heard what?”

“Suddenly last night, Hyungnim Dusik told everyone to gather. At the village hall.”

“Eh?”

It really was an “eh” moment. Why would he suddenly gather everyone at the village hall? Since Uncle Dusik, the center of the controversy, was the one who summoned them, I felt a strange sensation. A bit of anxiety? Or a strange sense of déjà vu?

“What is he going to talk about…”

“I don’t know. He just told us to gather. So I’m on my way there too.”

“Why you, Uncle?”

“If Hyungnim Dusik starts a sword dance, there needs to be someone to take the lead and stop him while getting hit.”

It probably wasn’t a real sword but a metaphor, yet it felt chilling for no reason. Uncle Wook tapped my shoulder with his thick, bear-like hand.

“Chansung, do you want to come along?”

“I should. I’m worried.”

“True, it’s been a total mess lately.”

“Was it that bad?”

“Don’t even get me started. You’re at the first Home so you might not know the details, but the Elders were truly vicious. Their eyes were rolled back, and they came looking for Hyungnim every chance they got.”

…According to Uncle Wook, Uncle Dusik couldn’t even eat properly. Even if he tried to boil some ramen, people would come and bang on the door.

“The Elders…”

“Try to understand them. The Elders were struggling that much. If it were another Elder and not Hyungnim, I might have done the same.”

“Even you, Uncle?”

“Would my Rice Paddy’s situation be any different?”

After Grandfather left, winter came to Hahyeon-gun. A very cold and bitter winter that seemed like it would never end. Still, Uncle Wook spoke with a hopeful voice.

“But Uncle Dusik’s Rice Paddy has improved. And the fields over at Hyeonung and Hyeonseo’s The Field have improved too. It feels like the wind has changed.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

I could only smile at Uncle Wook’s intuitive words. Without saying much more, I moved my feet.

***

It seemed like everyone from the neighborhood was gathered at the village hall. Seeing this situation, I felt that whatever Uncle Dusik was going to do, he was going to do it properly.

“Wook, are you just getting here?”

“Hyungnim Sanghyun.”

Uncle Sanghyun, who was among the crowd, waved at us. As we approached, he patted my shoulder.

“Chansung, you came too?”

“Yes, I went to Uncle Dusik’s Rice Paddy and heard everyone was gathered here. I came because I was worried.”

“Who are you to worry about that guy? He might act like a bandit, but he’s a guy who thinks straight.”

“Then Hyungnim, do you know what Uncle Dusik is planning today?”

“I don’t know that either. He came to my house last night and asked to borrow the village hall. He’s such a reckless fellow.”

Uncle Sanghyun said that, but he seemed to know something. No matter how tough Uncle Dusik was, he was the type to listen if Uncle Sanghyun said a word. While we were waiting and speculating about what Uncle Dusik would say.

“Oh my, everyone really came? In the middle of the day? Don’t you all have farming to do?”

Uncle Dusik, whom everyone was waiting for, finally appeared on the platform of the village hall. With Uncle Dusik’s appearance, the buzzing sound of the crowd gradually died down. Once complete silence fell, Uncle coughed once as if embarrassed and continued speaking.

“Well, anyway, thanks for the trouble of coming. You Elders over there, did you not break a leg on the way?”

“You brat. Stop talking nonsense and speak up. Why did you call us?”

“Why else? It’s because you’ve been bothering me every day lately.”

At Uncle Dusik’s words, the Elders looked around sheepishly. Taking advantage of that atmosphere, Uncle Dusik’s voice grew slightly louder.

“If there’s anyone here who hasn’t stopped by my Home or Rice Paddy even once, come forward. Ugh, I can’t farm because I’m so distracted. You know?”

“Ahem. That’s because we were curious.”

“Exactly, what on earth did you do to make the Rice Paddy come alive?”

Although the Elders flinched for a moment, their voices grew loud again. The urgency and frustration were clearly felt in that appearance. Even in this atmosphere, Uncle Dusik remained calm.

“I know you’re all worrying about that. That’s why I made this place.”

Uncle Dusik’s words were the same as saying he would tell the reason why his Rice Paddy came back to life. I felt nervous for no reason at those words. ‘What is he trying to say?’

Uncle Dusik is not a person who goes back on his word. He wouldn’t reveal the secret between us. And my expectation was accurate.

“As many of you know, I’m close with people outside who are smarter and more educated than us. They said they’d come to investigate our fields this time.”

“Is that for real?”

“You old folks are just full of suspicion from the news. I knew that, so I specially invited a precious person. Everyone, applause!”

Uncle Dusik clapped loudly, inducing a response. The Elders in front didn’t know what was going on, but they clapped along because they were told to. Once the sound of applause filled the village hall, an Elder who was sitting down stood up.

‘That person isn’t from our Ma-eul?’

I was late to realize because so many people had come. The white-haired Elder went to Uncle Dusik’s side and bowed.

“Now, everyone calm down! Please welcome our professor.”

“Nice to meet you all. My name is Kim Jun-pil, a professor majoring in the bioscience of the five major crops.”

At the word professor, the Elders’ eyes widened. Most of the Elders here had not even received an elementary education. To such people, a professor was a true intellectual high in the sky. Uncle Dusik coughed and continued.

“Starting with Professor Kim Jun-pil here, other eminent scholars will look at our fields.”

At those words, the village hall became noisy again. They had tried to find various ways until now, but in reality, they were in a situation where they had hit a limit on their own. In such a situation, hearing that smart doctors were coming to look gave the Elders a feeling that they had found a way out.

“They’ll look at all our fields thoroughly, and if they find a problem, they’ll fix it. I’ve received a definite answer on that!”

“Oh my, I thought that fellow was just wandering around outside, but he was doing such a commendable thing.”

“No, then you should have said something. We harassed you without knowing that. We feel sorry.”

“Hey, do you think I didn’t want to say? I couldn’t because there was a reason. Now, now. Don’t be like that and listen well. I’ll explain how things will work from now on.”

Uncle talked about what kind of investigation would start and when. And the contents were quite specific. Seeing Professor Kim Jun-pil adding a word here and there while standing next to him, it didn’t feel like empty talk.

“…Wook, how much of what that guy said is true?”

At Uncle Sanghyun’s words, Uncle Wook quickly raised both hands.

“How would I know?”

“Man, if you don’t know, who does? You’re the one who sticks with Dusik the most.”

“No, sticking together is one thing, but not knowing is another. Rather, don’t you know, Hyungnim? Would Hyungnim Dusik not have consulted with Hyungnim about such a big thing?”

“I knew he was doing something, but I didn’t know it was to this extent. Huh, wow. Then that means no one knows since when that guy started preparing?”

Uncle Sanghyun rubbed his neck as if frustrated, then let out a deep sigh and prepared to leave.

“Oh well, I don’t know. It’s the stage he set, so let him handle it.”

“Ah, Hyungnim Sanghyun. Don’t be like that, stay a while.”

“Why.”

“It’s not that Hyungnim Dusik is someone who makes empty boasts, but still, he’s Hyungnim Dusik.”

At those words, Uncle Sanghyun glanced at Uncle Dusik. Uncle Wook wasn’t wrong; in Uncle Sanghyun’s eyes, Uncle Dusik was still an immature kid. In this small village, Uncle Dusik was the only one who hadn’t gotten married yet, so that said it all.

“He probably did it because he had a plan, but maybe even Hyungnim Dusik didn’t know the stage would get this big.”

“…It’s not a day or two that his head has been short.”

“Hyungnim Sanghyun, please look after him. Okay? What if he gets hurt because you didn’t help?”

“Hey, that guy needs to get hurt at least once.”

“Ah, Hyungnim. Don’t be like that.”

I listened to Uncle Wook and Uncle Sanghyun bickering and looked at Uncle Dusik again.

“Now, now. If you’ve heard me right, leave now. Go and work. Ah, go take care of your fields.”

Uncle Dusik’s words were still boisterous. However, there was a big difference between the Elders’ attitude at the beginning and now.

“Oh, then we should go. Our scholar has work to do too.”

“Dusik, thanks. Truly, thank you.”

“Oh, how embarrassing. If you know, that’s enough, so hurry up and go.”

In that appearance, a sense of composure was evident. Is that why? Anticipation and worry rose at the same time. ‘Uncle, are you really confident?’

***

The situation completely settled down, and the Elders returned to their workplaces. Perhaps because Uncle Dusik’s words were unusually reliable unlike other times, the faces of the Elders returning looked quite comfortable.

“Oh, Professor, please take good care of it.”

“Of course. There is great interest on our side as well, so you don’t need to worry.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Don’t worry.”

After everyone left, Uncle Dusik and I moved to the first Home. He looked quite tired, but we had to talk about what needed to be talked about.

“Uncle, can you really solve it?”

“Why, does it sound like I’m just talking?”

“Yes.”

When I spoke boldly, Uncle burst into laughter. Then he ruffled my hair with his rough hand.

“This fellow, this fellow. You’re a funny one.”

“Uncle.”

“I can really solve it.”

Uncle Dusik began to explain.

“I knew the Rice Paddy would change overnight and our county would be turned upside down. So I’ve been preparing since then.”

“…You’ve been preparing for quite a long time?”

“Of course. I carefully checked and recorded the state before the Rice Paddy changed and the state after it changed. Naturally, I prepared samples too.”

At those words, my mouth fell open. I never thought Uncle Dusik would have prepared so meticulously.

“I immediately went to meet the professor I introduced earlier and showed him. I told him to investigate because the Rice Paddy changed in The Day.”

“And then?”

“He came quietly a few times. He brought graduate students and did some tests, identifying the causes and reasons. As a result.”

Uncle said with a smile.

“He found a way to solve it.”