Flowers Are Bait Chapter 3:
Previously on Flowers Are Bait...
"Lee-yeon, it’s time to make some changes." Gye Choo-ja declared, her eyes twinkling faintly as she displayed her phone screen to Lee-yeon.
"What’s this?" Lee-yeon inquired with curiosity, pausing her notes in the treatment diary.
"Are you familiar with Soleil Landscaping Company?"
Lee-yeon gave a nod. The landscaping firm was familiar to all, renowned across the area for their massive undertakings.
"That’s the son of Soleil Landscaping Company’s president," Choo-ja explained, raising her eyebrows playfully.
Lee-yeon rolled her eyes at Gye Choo-ja’s enthusiasm and glanced at the image on her phone. "Oh," she uttered, pulling her attention away from the photo to resume scribbling in her diary. Choo-ja frowned at Lee-yeon’s lack of interest in the snapshot.
"That’s all? Just an ‘OH’?" Choo-ja questioned in astonishment.
"Manager, isn’t he a bit too youthful for you to date? He might even pass for your grandson," Lee-yeon remarked, her attention still on her diary.
"Not for me—for you!" Choo-ja shot back.
"What?!" Lee-yeon burst out, perplexed by the direction of the talk.
"We can no longer keep up with our work. We’ve reached our breaking point. All our big contracts are finished, and D Hospital is seizing every remaining project," Choo-ja stated gently. Lee-yeon noticed the sorrow in her gaze and mirrored it. She tightened her jaw to hide the rising fury and dismay in her heart.
D University Agricultural Biology Department Hospital. A vast botanical facility that constructed a fresh five-story structure complete with its dedicated research laboratory.
D Hospital burst into Hwaido with fierce determination, offering lavish perks to landscaping firms, plant nurseries, construction outfits, and farming businesses. They swiftly dominated Hwaido, with everyone eager for them to handle the deals. This influx allowed them to erect a five-story edifice containing their private research facility.
As these shifts unfolded, Lee-yeon’s clinic struggled to stay afloat. Their agreements vanished in a flash, and losing most of their assignments left the clinic relying on health checks at the local government building, plus a handful of customers choosing lower prices.
"We must act on our predicament! Surrendering isn’t an option," Choo-ja urged with desperation, striding back and forth in the space.
"So what’s the plan?! Shut down our clinic and join D Hospital?!" Lee-yeon retorted sharply. That was the path many Hwaido business owners had taken.
"Sorry, Manager. I didn’t intend to yell at you," Lee-yeon apologized, regretting her outburst of irritation toward her coworker.
"It’s fine. Would you prefer to join D Hospital and scrawl insults in the restroom graffiti?" Choo-ja chuckled while saying it, recalling how Lee-yeon had hurled fertilizer at their building crane before fleeing amid an eco-demonstration against a golf course approval.
"You’re sharp, I know, but perhaps you could reclaim that contract," Choo-ja suggested craftily, extending her phone toward Lee-yeon. Noticing the sly spark in Choo-ja’s eyes, Lee-yeon’s expression turned stern right away. She displayed an image of the fellow, making her upcoming suggestion crystal clear.
"Simply share a cup of tea with him."
"W-what? That’s insane," Lee-yeon stammered, retreating a step as she grappled with Choo-ja’s scheme.
"Sole’s son has come back to Korea for a blind date. Just meet him and say hello. I’ve got the roster of women he’s scheduled to see," Choo-ja added, arching her brows once more.
"No way! You’re painting me as a fortune hunter!" Lee-yeon protested, collapsing into her chair.
"What on earth are you saying?!" Choo-ja elevated her tone.
Lee-yeon had never witnessed Choo-ja elevating her voice at anybody. The elegant sixty-year-old woman appeared far younger than her years. Always impeccably attired, she embodied poise in her high heels. Next to Choo-ja, Lee-yeon often felt out of place, favoring loose, cozy garments instead.
"Consider it thoroughly. In this era, love and romance hold little sway, and you won’t be tying the knot with him immediately. It’s merely tea and a quick introduction. You’re doing this to protect your job, your clinic. Prioritizing your profession isn’t so terrible," Choo-ja persuaded, circling the area to sway Lee-yeon. Finishing her persuasive talk, she positioned herself before Lee-yeon, anticipating a shift in her stance.
"I truly wish to preserve my clinic, but…" Lee-yeon whispered.
"Wonderful!" Choo-ja exclaimed, clapping enthusiastically, her thrill renewed.
"Have I handed you the hotel key?" Choo-ja inquired, diving back into the details of the encounter.
Lee-yeon remained stunned by the abrupt twist in their discussion. She pondered silently and inhaled deeply.
"Hold on! Where did you get this info?" Lee-yeon demanded, halting Choo-ja’s scheming and elation.
"Get what?" Choo-ja replied, puzzled.
"About Sole’s son coming to Korea. And what’s this about a waiting list?"
Gye Choo-ja lifted her finely arched brows and grinned. "From whom else but the president personally?"
"The president? Why would he…"
"Why? I dated him back in the day," Choo-ja boasted with a smirk.
"Choo-ja!" Lee-yeon cried out, leaping up from her chair in shock. To the inexperienced Lee-yeon, Choo-ja’s vibrant romantic history resembled a shadowy fairy tale.
Lee-yeon first encountered Choo-ja at age 17. Freshly escaped from home and penniless, she found shelter under Choo-ja’s care. Choo-ja attempted to show Lee-yeon that life offered more than mere toil, yet the young woman dismissed ideas of romance.
As Lee-yeon reflected on those memories, Choo-ja launched into another lengthy address.
"… Fate plays no role in selecting a mate; you pick them on your own terms. So, persist. Life’s brevity demands savoring flavorful meals. Clinging to outdated ways leaves you with stale crumbs."
As Choo-ja immersed herself in her lecture, Lee-yeon dashed off swiftly. The staunchly traditional young woman clashed sharply with the liberated elder.
Scarcely had Lee-yeon exited when Choo-ja’s shout rang out: "Will you spend your entire life solitary?!"