013 Bae Suzy???

Seoul, Jung-gu, Jangchung-dong 2-ga, No. 91, Songdo Memorial Foundation.

Nestled between the Shilla Hotel and the National Theater, directly opposite the deputy minister-level institution PUAC, the foundation occupies an area roughly the size of a standard football field.

Situated at the foot of Namsan Mountain, the grounds are lush with greenery and tranquil surroundings.

The main street-facing building comprises a memorial hall, an administrative center, and a chapel. Further up a gentle slope stands a Western-style house, which serves as Yunhui Yoon’s residence in Seoul.

After finishing his errands, Yunhui did not return to school immediately. Instead, he first went to the memorial foundation to discuss matters regarding investment in independent films.

The resident director at the administrative center, Director Fang, is a professor at Sookmyung Women’s University.

The family ties are somewhat complex: she is the daughter of Yunhui’s grandfather’s eldest sister, hailing from the Fang family of CS Daily. Her husband founded Han’s private equity firm.

In short, Yunhui should address her as... a cousin-great-aunt?

Never mind, she is a trusted relative regardless.

Currently, the Songdo Memorial Foundation has five directors and two supervisors. Except for Yunhui, who is male, the others are all elder women connected by blood or academic ties.

As Yunhui entered the administrative center, he immediately noticed a shining bald head—an old monk. Beside him stood a middle-aged woman dressed in traditional Korean hanbok.

“You must conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles…” (1 Peter 2:12)

“Gentiles” here refers to pagans.

Why on earth was a monk from the native Buddhist Jogye Order visiting? Wasn’t the Songdo Memorial Foundation known for maintaining close ties with the Catholic Church?

The middle-aged woman in hanbok carried a cloth bag emblazoned with a circle containing three dots—the symbol of the Jogye Order.

Yunhui nearly reached for the silver cross pendant at his chest to exorcise the spirits on the spot.

The old monk rose and clasped his hands in greeting as soon as he saw Yunhui. The woman did the same.

Fortunately, the monk refrained from using the customary Jogye greeting, “May you attain Buddhahood.”

Heh.

Although Yunhui’s theological studies have sometimes veered off the orthodox path, he is genuinely a Catholic believer, baptized with the name Xavier.

Born on December 3rd, his patron saint is St. Francis Xavier, the “Apostle of East Asia.” The foundation’s general hospital in Bundang bears that name.

Yunhui stepped aside, nodded in acknowledgment, and approached Director Fang with a puzzled expression. She smiled warmly and introduced the visitors:

“This is Venerable Ilmyeon, a monk of the Jogye Order, and beside him is Laywoman Myeong Seonhwa from the Maha Charity Dance Troupe.”

Ah, really?

What’s that about?

Yunhui’s mind immediately drifted to some unsavory thoughts about these two, which sounded rather inappropriate...

Come on, charity work has its distinctions.

The Songdo Memorial Foundation operates two advanced general hospitals with over a thousand beds each.

Across the peninsula, only 47 hospitals hold such advanced status, and those with over a thousand beds can be counted on one hand.

Therefore, the foundation earns much but also spends quickly. Running hospitals and doing charity are both costly endeavors.

This Venerable Ilmyeon of the Jogye Order and the Myeong Seonhwa from the Maha troupe claimed to be involved in life-sharing and mutual happiness support.

Is that even a topic to discuss here?

Well, let’s check their registration with the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The woman in hanbok, heavily made up, indeed pulled out a stack of documents from her bag.

Yunhui took them skeptically and called over the Ministry of Health and Welfare staff stationed at the foundation for verification.

Strange? Yunhui’s grandfather served as Minister of Health and Welfare during Lawyer Roh’s administration, nearly twenty years ago.

The staff inspected the documents and confirmed all were complete and genuine.

Tsk.

Though genuine, Yunhui was still wary of these unexpected guests.

“Please forgive our caution. There are too many fraudsters in the peninsula. We’ve had troublemakers come to our foundation before.”

“No matter, Director Yun, your dignity is impeccable, and your late chairman would be pleased from heaven,” the monk replied courteously, switching to familiar terms.

“Has the monk met my grandfather?”

“Fondly remembered.”

…

So, not met at all?

What a marketplace of words.

Yunhui glanced at Director Fang but found her enjoying the spectacle.

No! There’s deception!

Director Fang is still at the memorial hall—there’s no way she would let someone dubious inside.

Yunhui dismissed the old monk Ilmyeon from suspicion and focused on the middle-aged woman in hanbok with heavy makeup.

How to read her…

She looked just like an ordinary middle-aged woman.

“We members of the Maha Dance Troupe are ordinary retired women in our forties and fifties. We gather out of passion to perform traditional dances in various communities,” Laywoman Myeong Seonhwa cheerfully explained.

Oh.

So it’s basically a middle-aged women’s square dance troupe.

You scared me.

I thought it was something else.

“Is there anything we can assist with?”

“Our troupe preserves the intangible cultural heritage dances of Gyeonggi Province. We wish to participate in the Songdo Memorial Foundation’s charity gala to secure more donations.”

“Provided the qualifications are in order, I have no objections.”

The foundation’s annual charity gala usually features traditional instrument and dance performances, often in collaboration with universities.

Since they claimed to perform Gyeonggi intangible cultural heritage dances, well... it shouldn’t be too abstract, though the term “intangible heritage” is quite vague in this peninsula.

Yunhui decided not to dwell on it and planned to politely see them off.

However, sensing Yunhui’s distrust, Myeong Seonhwa revealed her trump card:

“Actually, ‘Myeong Seonhwa’ is my Dharma name.”

“Hmm.”

“My real name is Jeong Hyun-sook.”

“Yes.”

“Su-ji is my daughter.”

“Oh.”

“Hmm???”

Yunhui picked up a teacup, blowing on it as he listened to the woman speak—and then heard an outrageous name:

“Which Su-ji???“

“Perhaps Director Yun knows her? The actress Bae Su-ji.”

*Pfft...*

Fortunately, Yunhui hadn’t sipped the tea yet. He scrutinized the suddenly extraordinary woman before him.

Alright.

He couldn’t see any resemblance between her and Bae Su-ji.

But Ms. Jeong enthusiastically pulled out her phone to show family photos with Bae Su-ji.

Now it was clear—the facial shape and features matched almost perfectly, except Ms. Jeong was older and in good health.

Reluctantly, Yunhui chatted with her a while longer, though she seemed overly enthusiastic.

Very talkative.

She recounted their troupe’s charity performances in impoverished villages and slums, their participation in the prayer concert at Dongguk University Hospital, and their donations of blankets, coal briquettes, and rice.

Ms. Jeong showed Yunhui many photos of the Maha Dance Troupe’s charitable work.

She mentioned her daughter Bae Su-ji had been donating to the troupe regularly.

To be honest, despite her overzealousness, Ms. Jeong’s hands-on approach deeply moved Yunhui.

After all, back in his freshman year, Yunhui was so active in street campaigns that he was labeled a radical on-site activist.

If not for his grandfather pulling him home and swiftly arranging his military service, Yunhui might have walked the same path as senior students at Yonsei God Academy.

As for now, having inherited the vast memorial foundation, those fiery candlelit days were long behind him.

“No problem, Ms. Jeong. I warmly welcome the Maha Dance Troupe to participate in our foundation’s events. However, there is one thing I hope Venerable Ilmyeon can understand.”

Yunhui had the authority to decide, and Director Fang hadn’t objected. He turned to the old monk and continued:

“You should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” (2 Corinthians 6:14)

“I understand. I am merely accompanying Laywoman Myeong Seonhwa,” the monk replied politely, clasping his hands in farewell.

As for Ms. Jeong, Yunhui exchanged contact information with her and personally saw her out.

Ms. Jeong gripped Yunhui’s arm tightly, reluctant to part as she left.

Yunhui felt a bit bewildered…

What exactly is going on here?