The Fortunate Lady and Her Mountain Man

Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Watch Your Limits

Hu Liang was feeling cooped up at home, desperate for any excuse to get out. When he heard Ji Huan needed a hand, he agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

However, when Widow Xie found out what was going on, she did everything she could to stop them.

"Isn’t it enough that you’re feeding and watering him? Are you really going to help that tramp get his injuries treated?"

Following Ji Huan’s lead, the Hu Family had also started calling him a tramp.

But whether you called him a beggar or a tramp, he was ultimately a stranger.

The last time Ji Huan had summoned a doctor, she had done so in her own name. Even though Widow Xie later found out it was for the tramp, she had been relieved because the doctor ultimately hadn’t treated him.

She never expected Ji Huan would still be so fixated on it.

"Aunt Xie, I’m not some bleeding heart. How the tramp got injured before has nothing to do with me, that’s true. But it’s a fact that his injuries got worse because he saved Dabao. If I didn’t know, that would be one thing, but to know and just wash my hands of it... I couldn’t live with myself. If it were you, Aunt Xie, and you had the means to help, could you just stand by and watch him suffer?"

As expected, Widow Xie looked conflicted.

"You have a point, but he’s so badly injured. Is that something that can be easily treated? What if he can’t be cured, and something goes wrong? Or what if he just up and dies... What would you do then!"

Widow Xie was afraid Ji Huan’s good intentions would lead to disaster, so she still didn’t approve of her taking this risk.

Ji Huan had no choice but to bring up Doctor Xin.

"...With Doctor Xin around, he’s the doctor. The responsibility is his to bear. Besides, while the tramp’s injuries are serious, they aren’t life-threatening. You can rest easy."

Widow Xie asked skeptically, "Really?"

Ji Huan blinked with utmost sincerity. "Of course it’s true. Do you think I’m the type to let myself be taken advantage of?"

After a moment’s thought, Widow Xie asked, "Since Doctor Xin wants to test his medicine on the tramp, you won’t have to pay for the consultation and medicine, right?"

It wasn’t that Widow Xie was heartless—she was glad the tramp could get treatment. But she wasn’t at all pleased with Ji Huan shouldering the responsibility.

The tramp’s injuries were no ordinary matter. There was no telling how much Silver would have to be poured into his treatment. It could be a bottomless pit!

If Ji Huan’s family were wealthy, she could just grit her teeth and pay the Silver.

The problem was, Ji Huan was as good at spending money as she was at earning it. She was used to being a free-spender.

Widow Xie knew that after building her house, Ji Huan had over twenty-plus taels left from selling dehydrated vegetables. But later, she had stocked up on grain and bought supplies for the New Year, spending quite a bit.

Although Ji Huan had been transcribing books for a few months since the New Year, she did so at a leisurely pace, almost as if for fun. She never seemed anxious about it, so Widow Xie figured she couldn’t have earned much.

With her unpredictable daily expenses, whatever little she had earned must have been spent by now.

Widow Xie estimated that Ji Huan might have, at most, twenty taels left.

It had to be said, Widow Xie understood Ji Huan quite well. Her little nest egg fluctuated, but it really did hover around that amount.

If she were to rely on that small sum to cover the tramp’s medical fees, forget about whether it would be enough—she and Dabao would have nothing left to live on.

That’s why Ji Huan had gotten the plaster and all the necessary medicinal herbs on credit. She had made it clear to Xin Ziqi that the cost would be deducted from her share of the profits from the hand cream.

To put it bluntly, she was shamelessly running a tab, and Xin Ziqi was just too soft-hearted to refuse her.

"Aunt Xie, you know what my finances are like. The consultation fees, the medicine—it’s all on Doctor Xin’s tab. You can rest assured!"

Ji Huan denied it with a perfectly straight face.

"Well, that’s good..."

Since there was no money to be paid and no responsibility to be taken, Widow Xie was relieved and no longer stood in their way.

But she still reminded her, "It’s fine to help, but you need to be mindful of propriety. I heard from Dacheng that you’ve been washing the tramp’s body and applying medicine for him these past few days. I already think that’s crossing a line. You’re lucky so few people go to your part of the village. What would happen if someone saw you? If word got out, how could you ever show your face again?"

Ji Huan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "I was just cleaning the area around his wounds. I never even rolled up his sleeves or pant legs. How did that turn into washing his body? Dacheng is completely unreliable. Don’t listen to him."

Dacheng, standing to the side, made a face. Ji Huan shook a fist at him.

"That’s still not acceptable," Widow Xie insisted. "You have to get married someday. Even if you’re just cleaning wounds, all that touching is improper."

Widow Xie was very firm on this point.

Ji Huan didn’t want to argue with her, so she agreed readily. "Alright, I’ll listen to you. Isn’t that why I came to get Brother Liangzi? With his help, I can save myself the effort and avoid any gossip."

At the mention of Hu Liang, Widow Xie’s expression soured.

Ji Huan looked at the awkward mother and son but didn’t try to say anything to ease the tension.

’Some problems can only be solved by the one who created them.’

"Well, Aunt Xie, I’ll be going now."

Widow Xie nodded at her, not even glancing at Hu Liang.

Hu Liang hung his head, silently turned, and followed Ji Huan out of the courtyard gate.

The ever-restless Hu Dacheng slipped out quietly, caught up to the pair, and clamored to go help.

You can never have too many helping hands, so Ji Huan certainly wasn’t going to turn him away.

They had already gotten the key from the village chief, so the three of them went to Ji Huan’s house first to grab some cleaning tools.

The moment Hu Dacheng stepped into the courtyard, he asked what Dabao was up to. Ji Huan jutted her chin toward the east room, telling him to see for himself.

Hu Dacheng immediately guessed that Sister Wan had given Dabao homework again, so he eagerly ran over, ready to poke some fun.

Once the weather warmed up, Ji Huan no longer allowed Dabao to practice his calligraphy hunched over the low kang table, worried it would be bad for his posture in the long run. She had moved his practice area to the desk by the south-facing window.

Dabao was sitting in a round-backed armchair, one hand holding down the paper and the other grasping a calligraphy brush. His back was ramrod straight, and he looked quite the part.

It would have been a perfect picture if his little face hadn’t looked so glum.

And then there were his feet. Hu Dacheng took one look and burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "PFFT-HAHAHA!"

"Second Brother! Quick, come look! Dabao’s short little legs can’t even reach the floor! HAHAHAHA..."

No one outside paid him any mind.

Dabao shot him a stony-faced glare and called out, "Dahuang."

His voice wasn’t loud, and Dahuang was out in the backyard, watching over the pups while they sunbathed. But somehow, its hearing was so sharp that it shot through the main room’s doorway in a flash.

Dabao pointed at Hu Dacheng.

"Bite him."

Dahuang let out a low growl and prepared to pounce.

Terrified, Hu Dacheng immediately threw his hands up in surrender, nearly bursting into tears on the spot.

"I was wrong! I was wrong! I won’t do it again! I’ll never laugh at you again, Dabao! Dabao, quick, stop him! Sister Wan, help! Dahuang’s going to bite me!"

Hearing familiar footsteps approaching, Dabao called out to Dahuang again. The dog immediately dropped to the ground and lay still.

Ji Huan pushed the door open to find Dabao writing diligently and Dahuang sleeping with its eyes closed. Only Hu Dacheng was there, craning his neck with wide eyes and caterwauling.

Ji Huan shoved the rag and basin she was holding into his arms and pushed him out of the main room. "Stop fooling around. Go on ahead with your brother. I’ll be over in a minute."

Hu Dacheng, whose legs had gone soft with fright: "..." ’I’ve been wronged, and there’s nowhere to plead my case!’

Ji Huan walked over to the desk. Seeing that Dabao was completely unaffected and still copying his characters stroke by stroke, she felt very satisfied and ruffled his hair.

"Dabao, you be good at home. I’m going out for a bit to take care of something. I’ll be back later to cook for you."

Dabao paused his brush and turned to look at her. "Where are you going?"

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