Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 75

75. Her Wish (1)

Taesu stopped in his tracks.

[What do you mean? Why hasn’t she returned to her homeland despite the war, even though she’s not from this tribe?]

[You didn’t know, sir? My son, who was betrothed to her, died in the last battle. This happened the day before the wedding.]

The chieftain’s son died in a Bedouin fight.

Taesu was aware of this fact.

[Because of the pact made between the tribes, she’s stuck in limbo. Finding a new husband has been postponed until after the war.]

The war was the problem.

[We made a proposal: on the day the war ends, she will choose her own husband.]

Surely…

[But that day, the man she chose was you, sir. She performed a courtship dance for you and gave you the rope.]

Now Taesu understood why the Bedouin people had teased him so much back then.

The chieftain, who had received the rope back from a perplexed Taesu, came to mind.

The chieftain’s wife sighed.

[Everyone wants to take her as a wife. She’s young, beautiful, and charming. But she has rejected all the desert warriors’ advances.]

[If she’s rejected all the men in the village…]

[Then she’s going to return to her homeland. Could you please persuade her one last time?]

It was a difficult situation.

[She’s a lovely girl. Kind and smart. She would make a good woman, a good wife.]

Taesu knew.

She was a good woman.

She was also a cute woman who wrinkled her nose when she was embarrassed.

[It’s a shame she’s leaving like this. We want her to become a member of our tribe.]

Before he knew it, they had arrived in front of her tent.

The chieftain’s wife said to Taesu,

[She seems to have quite a liking for you, sir. Won’t you try to stop her from leaving?]

[I’ll try.]

The chieftain’s wife called for the dancer.

Hearing the call, the dancer came out of the tent.

Seeing Taesu, the dancer was startled and covered her mouth with both hands.

[How did you…?]

[Have you been well?]

The chieftain’s wife pushed Taesu and the dancer towards each other.

The wife personally closed the door of the dancer’s tent.

And so, late at night, only the two of them were left inside the tent.

[The chieftain’s wife doesn’t want you to leave this tribe.]

The dancer seemed to know why the chieftain’s wife had brought Taesu here.

[Then you heard everything.]

[I did.]

[Are you angry? That I was trying to leave secretly while you weren’t here.]

[I was taken aback. Why are you trying to leave?]

[That’s…]

She wrinkled her nose.

She was as cute as ever, but he didn’t want to see that expression right now.

Taesu took her hand.

[I heard you rejected all the men in the village.]

[I didn’t want to marry another man while I had you in my heart.]

She took Taesu’s hand in return.

She pressed her cheek against Taesu’s palm.

[I’m so glad I could see you before I left. Thank you. It feels like I’ve received an unexpected gift.]

[If I ask you to stay, will you stay?]

[Really? You’re asking me to stay?]

The dancer smiled brightly, overjoyed.

She rushed into Taesu’s arms and wrapped her arms around his neck.

She kissed Taesu on the cheek with a smack.

[Thank you so much. I will never forget your feelings.]

But she didn’t say she would stay.

[Have you made up your mind to leave?]

[Yes.]

She smiled faintly.

[I realized after you left. I couldn’t go to another man while I had you in my heart. But I didn’t have the courage to follow you to a distant land.]

[Does that mean…]

[That’s why I’m leaving. It would be too shameless to keep you in my heart while relying on this village.]

He could understand.

She had come here to marry because of a pact between the tribes.

But unless she chose a husband from among the tribe members, it would be awkward for her to remain here.

[Are your bags packed?]

[Yes. All packed. I need to leave early tomorrow morning, so I need to prepare…]

[Where are they?]

[Over there…]

The dancer pointed to the luggage packed in one corner of the tent.

Taesu strode over and lifted her luggage.

It was just a few clothes.

[Then let’s go.]

[What are you doing now?]

[Aren’t you leaving because you feel awkward staying here? So let’s go with me.]

[Where are you going this late at night?]

[To my place.]

Taesu held a large bundle of luggage in one hand and extended his other hand to the dancer.

The dancer stared at Taesu’s hand.

[I’m going back to my hometown.]

[Then I’ll take you to your hometown. But for now, come with me.]

Her hand trembled.

Taesu grabbed her hand tightly.

Taesu took her out of the tent.

Outside the tent was the Bedouin woman.

[What is going on right now…?]

[I’m sorry I couldn’t persuade her. She says she can’t stay here.]

The dancer bowed to the chieftain’s wife.

[I’m sorry. As I said before, I’m planning to leave now.]

[Is she going to him?]

Taesu held the dancer’s hand tightly.

The dancer looked at Taesu and smiled brightly.

[Thank you.]

She spoke with the chieftain’s wife in Bedouin for a long time.

The chieftain’s wife hugged the dancer tightly with a sad expression.

Taesu couldn’t understand the conversation because it wasn’t in English.

‘What are they talking about? She looks so sad.’

Despite the late hour, people gathered around to say goodbye to the dancer.

After a while, with the tribe members seeing her off, the dancer got into Taesu’s car.

Taesu started the car and drove off.

Vroom.

He drove down the desert road, relying on the headlights.

The dancer said,

[Instead of going to your place, there’s somewhere I want to go first.]

[Tonight? Where do you want to go?]

[I want to go to the place with the eagle-shaped rock.]

That was where the wishing rock was.

[I want to make one more wish.]

[Hmm. Tell me, and I’ll grant it for you.]

[I know. But I still want to go. I want to visit that place again, which is full of our memories.]

[Alright.]

Taesu drove the car towards that place.

* * *

Han Cheong-ho’s study.

Han Cheong-ho sat at his desk with his eyes closed.

Gruesome photos were scattered haphazardly on the desk.

And next to them was a broken watch.

Covered in blood, it was Song Secretary’s keepsake.

Song Secretary, who had said he would return on the next flight, never came back.

“To think that Song Secretary would go like that…”

A short letter typed on a typewriter.

It was written in English.

The sender is unknown.

But Han Cheong-ho knew very well who sent it.

‘It seems the Saudi Minister of Defense holds a great grudge against me.’

It was something he had prepared for to some extent when he cut off Rahman’s hand and betrayed him.

But he didn’t expect to lose Song Secretary so quickly.

It wasn’t easy to find someone as useful as him.

‘It can’t be helped. In a way, it’s a good thing.’

He had been feeling uneasy because he knew too many secrets.

He was a man who had been marked for death, but to think he would go like this.

‘That’s fine. There are plenty of people in the world. I wonder if there will ever be another one like him.’

There must be more than a few who are desperate to become the secretary of the Cheongil Group chairman.

Even this guy is like that.

“Secretary Park.”

“Yes.”

Secretary Park was standing next to the desk in the study.

He had been pushed back by Secretary Song and had not been able to obtain Han Cheong-ho’s closest position for a long time.

He was a man who had been biding his time, grinding his teeth.

“Deliver the condolence money and belongings to Secretary Song’s family.”

“Understood.”

“Take only one photo.”

Han Cheong-ho picked up one of the photos on the desk and gave it to Secretary Park.

It was a photo of Song Secretary, covered in blood, abandoned in the desert.

“The family should at least find the body.”

“Understood.”

Han Cheong-ho’s study door closed.

* * *

Song Secretary’s house.

“I’m sorry to see things turn out this way.”

Seeing the belongings and photos that Secretary Park handed over, Song Secretary’s wife fainted on the spot.

Song Secretary’s daughter received them in her mother’s place with trembling hands.

Song Secretary’s daughter, who was only shedding tears.

“Saudi Arabia, you said? That’s where my father went missing.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’m going to find his body. Thank you. Thank you for bringing this. Please tell the Chairman I said thank you.”

“Then I’ll be on my way.”

Secretary Park left.

Song Secretary’s daughter wiped away her tears with her fist and quickly ran to her room.

She was holding Song Secretary’s watch in her hand.

‘Dad isn’t dead. That’s why he gave me this.’

Song Secretary always emphasized.

-When I send you a number, hurry. It means it’s dangerous.

-I can’t come to pick you up. So you have to take Mom and run away.

Dad sent the number.

Song Secretary’s daughter opened the closet in her room.

There was a secret space inside the closet.

Dad had hidden a safe there.

‘The time the watch stopped is 10:27:53. 102753.’

She turned the dial of the safe.

With a click, the safe opened.

‘This is what Dad wanted me to bring!’

There were several notebooks.

It contained hidden emergency funds, valuables, and passports for them.

Song Secretary’s daughter quickly took it out.

“Quickly. It’s urgent. I have to hurry. It’s dangerous.”

The daughter put what she took out into a large travel trunk.

She began to stuff clothes on top of it.

She quickly packed her mother’s luggage as well.

She packed it tightly, mainly with valuables.

“Mom! Wake up quickly! We have to go to the airport! Hurry!”

Time was of the essence.

And so, they headed to Saudi Arabia.

With Han Cheong-ho’s secrets that her father had prepared.

* * *

Crackling.

The campfire was burning beautifully.

She, sitting with her arms around Taesu’s arm, pulled up the blanket.

The desert night was still cold.

Taesu held her and wrapped the blanket around them together.

Warmth was transmitted from their touching skin.

She leaned on Taesu and said,

[It’s a really beautiful night. I never thought I’d be able to come here with you again.]

[If you like this place so much, let’s come again next time.]

She smiled happily.

[I didn’t think you would catch me. Carrying my luggage this late at night, holding my hand like this in front of the villagers.]

She intertwined her fingers with Taesu’s.

She held it tightly, just like Taesu did when they left the Bedouin village.

[I didn’t know you would be so forceful.]

[Did you not like it?]

[I was happy.]

Is this what the hearts of eloping lovers feel like?

Her heart was pounding like crazy back then.

Various complex emotions poured out like a flood.

The dancer stroked Taesu’s arm that was wrapped around her body.

[Hold me tighter.]

[Are you cold?]

[No, I’m just happy that you’re hugging me.]

Taesu hugged her tightly.

She closed her eyes, listening to Taesu’s breathing.

[I wanted to be your woman.]

[Is it still not enough even though we’ve shared our hearts and bodies?]

The strength in Taesu’s arm holding her increased.

[I like you.]

Taesu returned her confession with a kiss.

It was a deep and intense kiss.

[I like you too.]

[I want to have a child.]

Taesu paused.