The Fortunate Lady and Her Mountain Man

Chapter 234: Chapter 234: High-Maintenance

"Something refined..." Widow Xie recalled Ji Huan mentioning earlier that she had a task for her.

Seeing Ji Huan nod, she looked troubled. "Well... Wuan, I’m illiterate. I’m afraid I can’t manage something so refined."

Ji Huan smiled. "Aunt Xie, this is very simple. You just need to spread a little rumor."

Though it was simple, it would have to wait. The summer harvest had begun.

It was unclear when it started, but it felt as if overnight, the green fields had transformed into a boundless sea of gold.

What rippled like waves in the gentle breeze weren’t just crops—it was the hope of every family.

The village and the fields were bustling with busy figures. Whether they were local laborers or people who worked far from home, everyone had set aside their business to devote all their energy to the great undertaking of the harvest rush.

The crops wouldn’t wait, and the weather this time of year was unpredictable. You couldn’t rest easy for a single day until the grain was safely in the storehouse. Every second counted.

The Hu Family had little else to rely on now, and their future depended entirely on their few acres of land, so they naturally treated the harvest as their top priority.

Besides, Cao Fugui’s leg was broken and wouldn’t heal anytime soon. The rest of the Cao Family was busy with their own harvest, so they couldn’t run their stall for the time being. Dealing with them could wait.

While the entire village was preoccupied with the summer harvest, Ji Huan, ironically, found herself with time on her hands.

Her few acres of reclaimed land on Nanshan were a mixed blessing.

Because the crops ripened at different times, they had to be harvested in batches. This meant there was no need for a massive, multi-day effort, but it was also impossible to finish the work all at once.

The Hu Family had helped her harvest the previous batches of spices when they ripened, so Ji Huan wanted to lend them a hand with their summer harvest this time.

Widow Xie, however, told her not to worry.

"It’s just over three acres of land. With Liangzi, Dacheng, and myself, we’ll be done in a few days."

"Besides," she added, "you have to look after Dabao, and there’s that immobile patient in the earthen hut. You can’t be away."

Ji Huan thought for a moment and didn’t insist, but she did take over the cooking.

Hu Ximei had to stay home to look after the children and the elderly, plus find time to bring water and meals to the fields. It was too much for a young girl to handle on her own.

Ji Huan, on the other hand, could spare the time, and she could always bring Dabao along.

As for the tramp, he was very low-maintenance and didn’t require much attention.

Once he was past the most dangerous few days after the surgery, Ji Huan taught him some basic rehabilitation exercises and static muscle training to prevent his thigh muscles from atrophying and to maintain flexibility in his fingers and toes.

The tramp was exceptionally cooperative this time, exercising diligently and keeping his sessions within the time limits Ji Huan had set.

Two days ago, in the third week after his surgery, Ji Huan had removed the cast from his right leg.

Hu Liang and Shi Yong had helped. They had to specially find a large logging saw from the forestry station and use a few other tools to assist. It took them the better part of a day, leaving both men thoroughly exhausted.

Ji Huan felt apologetic, so she prepared a large dinner with wine that evening to thank them. During the meal, Shi Yong kept wondering aloud how that damn cast had been so sturdy.

With the cast on his right leg gone, Ji Huan added a new exercise to the tramp’s regimen: foot rolling.

It was a simple exercise: find a cylindrical object about fifteen centimeters in diameter, place it under his foot, and roll it back and forth. He had to do this for thirty minutes, three times a day.

This method would help the sole of his foot gradually get used to touching the ground. It was also a great help in increasing the angle of his ankle’s plantar flexion, stretching his Achilles tendon, and loosening any adhesions.

"The tendons in these two spots were only superficially injured. After being reinforced, the external wounds have healed. But just in case, avoid any large movements for now. Just stick to the exercises I taught you."

Those once-horrifying wounds, with their torn and mangled flesh, were now neat and flat after Xin Ziqi’s masterful stitching.

The only thing left was a dense line of stitches, resembling a centipede clinging to his skin.

Ji Huan’s gaze didn’t linger on them for long. She placed the meal on the kang table and handed the chopsticks to the tramp. "Want to try using your left hand?"

Although the injury to his left hand was the least severe of his four limbs, Ji Huan had been cautious and hadn’t let him use it. She and Hu Dacheng had been taking turns helping him with everything, from washing his face to eating.

But now that the wounds had healed, and with Hu Dacheng busy with his family’s chores and her needing to deliver meals to the fields soon, she felt it was time for the tramp to try eating on his own.

The tramp took the chopsticks and gave it a try. His fingers were stiff and wouldn’t obey him, making it impossible to pick up any food.

Ji Huan took the chopsticks back and gave him a spoon instead.

After a moment of adjustment, he was still clumsy, but at least he could manage to get the food to his mouth.

"The casts on your right hand and left foot can’t be completely removed just yet," she said. "You’ll need to wait at least another month and seven days."

The tramp stopped eating and looked up at her. "Wait, a month?"

He meant that since three weeks of the month had already passed, he only had one week to go.

That’s what he had assumed.

"Hey, are you not aware of your own condition? Your Achilles tendons in those two places were completely severed. After being delayed for so long, the fact that they could be successfully stitched back together is a miracle. The ’one month’ I marked down was for switching from a long-leg cast to a short-leg cast. After that, you’ll need another month in the short cast before it can be removed completely. Understand?"

For a typical tendon surgery, the healing time is indeed around four weeks.

But for tendons in specific areas, like the Achilles tendon—the largest in the body—the healing time is at least six weeks.

And since the tramp’s case was particularly severe, he would need two months at the very least.

The tramp was silent for a long while before nodding.

Seeing his reaction, Ji Huan’s heart softened a little.

’It was no wonder he was anxious. Anyone would go crazy being cooped up in this room all day.’

’She often brought Ding over, and Ding really seemed to enjoy making a fuss around the tramp, but the little guy had a quirk: it had to leave whenever she did, completely refusing to provide solo entertainment.’

So most of the time, the tramp was left alone.

Ji Huan had considered using her meal deliveries as a chance to chat with him and offer some words of encouragement.

But the man was as deep as the ocean, completely unfathomable.

Often, Ji Huan would talk on and on, only for him to end the conversation with a single nod or a quiet "Mm."

’What could she do?’

While she was lost in thought, the tramp had already finished his meal.

Ji Huan collected the bowl and chopsticks. After a moment’s thought, she retrieved the crutch she had made for him earlier.

"You can start practicing a little each day now. Use this for support and try walking on your right foot. But don’t do it for too long, and whatever you do, don’t overexert yourself. Understand?"

Ji Huan instructed as she helped the tramp get off the kang.

She taught him to grip the wooden handle of the crutch with his left hand, keep his still-casted left foot raised off the ground, and shift his center of gravity to his right side, placing his weight on his right foot.

The crutch acted as a support for his left side. One side, then the other. He took a step. It was extremely awkward, but he could finally move on his own.

Ji Huan watched him walk back and forth across the main room a couple of times before urging him to return to the kang and rest.

The tramp leaned on the crutch and stood still, his deep, dark eyes fixed on Ji Huan’s face.

She was bewildered by his stare. "What is it?"

"I..." The tramp seemed hesitant, but he finally said what was on his mind. "I need to use the latrine."

"Oh, uh..." Ji Huan stammered. "Do you... want me to go with you?"

’The moment the words were out, she wanted to slap herself. What on earth was she saying?!’

Sure enough, the tramp’s brow furrowed slightly, his expression turning complicated.

But he quickly regained his composure. "No need."

He paused, then added three words: "I can manage."

’Fine, if you say you can manage, I’ll take your word for it. As if I actually *want* to escort a grown man to the latrine! Honestly... If you’re not willing, I’m even less willing!’

Ji Huan grumbled to herself, but as she watched the tramp exit the main room, she couldn’t help but worry.

The day she and Hu Liang had cleaned the earthen hut, the outhouse behind it had also been tidied up—by Hu Liang, of course.

Ji Huan had taken a peek at it. It was the most primitive, old-fashioned country type, and she wouldn’t have dared use it herself, terrified that one false step could lead to a lifetime of regret.

Hu Dacheng had always accompanied the tramp before. Now he was on his own, with his limbs not fully recovered. What if he slipped...

She quickly called out, "Be careful! Don’t fall in!"

The tramp’s back stiffened for a moment, but he kept walking without a word of reply.

Ji Huan shook her head. "So high-maintenance."

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