"Miss, you said I have a steel nail in my ankle bone?"

Zhao Fu lay half-reclined on the bed, looking incredulously at his foot, which was immobilized by a splint: "Isn't that the material that blacksmiths use for forging? How can it be put inside the ankle?"

He'd lived most of his life and this was the first time he'd ever heard of a fracture that could be fixed with steel. Was the young lady's teacher some kind of celestial being?

Su Wan smiled and said, "Uncle Zhao, don't worry. Soon you'll be able to walk like a normal person."

She spent several days preparing for this surgery.

In the past few days, she first carefully observed the condition of Zhao Fu's ankle, then reviewed knowledge about fracture treatment, and prepared surgical instruments. By the time the surgery was scheduled, she had memorized everything.

Careful preparation, coupled with meticulous surgical technique, naturally leads to a successful surgical outcome.

Based on bone growth time, Zhao Fu could try walking without crutches in just six weeks. By twelve weeks, he would be able to walk as briskly as a normal person. Then the steel pins would be removed, and that would be it.

Zhao Fu, who had been lame for so many years, was overjoyed to know he could return to normal, and couldn't help but shed two tears. Embarrassed that Su Wan would see, he quickly wiped them away with his sleeve. He didn't know how to thank Su Wan.

Seeing this out of the corner of her eye, Su Wan stood up and said, "Uncle Zhao, you should rest well. There's Granny Cui in the manor, so you don't need to worry. I'm going out for a meal."

Zhao Fu's limp was caused by her mischievous childhood, and she had been lame for over a decade. She was simply doing something she should have done long ago.

She stepped out of her room into the corridor, opened her arms, and took a deep breath of the fresh, cool morning air. Looking around, she saw Granny Cui leading several maids standing in the corridor, leaning on the railing and peering up at the eaves.

“Miss Lu, come down!” Granny Cui called out, reaching out her hand. “It’s slippery up there. What if you fall down?”

With battle imminent at Xiping Pass, Wei Jingzhuo had sent Granny Cui with a group of maids to the Su residence in Suiyang County a few days ago. These maids were not like the temporary workers Lu Zhao had hired; they were all quick-witted and thoughtful women. With Granny Cui managing things at the Su residence, Zhao Fu could rest assured and recuperate.

Just as Granny Cui finished shouting, Lu Zhao's voice came from the roof: "Granny Cui, don't make a fuss. I've played on the roof since I was a child, and I've never fallen off even when I'm asleep."

When Granny Cui turned her head and saw Su Wan, she quickly said, "Madam, look at Miss Lu... Oh, how can a girl go up on the roof?"

Su Wan shook her head helplessly and called out, "Xiao Zhao."

"Coming, coming," Lu Zhao peeked out from under the eaves, nimbly flipped down, and landed on the railing with both feet. His dark face was flushed. "Did you call me, Mistress?"

Su Wan said, "There's no need to clean the roof anymore. Uncle Zhao is recovering well. Have the kitchen prepare some light meals for him, but avoid spicy food."

"Alright, I'll tell the kitchen right away."

Lu Zhao turned to leave, but Su Wan called out, "Xiao Zhao, has the swelling on your brother's face gone down?"

“It’s gone. I applied the ointment the mistress gave me, and the swelling went down overnight,” Lu Zhao said with a smile. “He doesn’t even dare to leave the house now. My mother is scolding him.”

Su Wan nodded and said, "Very good."

Yesterday, Lu Zhao told her that Lu Lin went to challenge Meng Ruliu to a duel, but Meng Ruliu grabbed him by the back of the neck, slapped him hard, and threw him several meters away, causing him to fall flat on his face and have his face swollen.

This was only because Meng Ruliu had just recognized her as her sworn sister and was in a good mood. Otherwise, given Meng Ruliu's extreme views on men, it's hard to say how badly Lu Lin would have been beaten.

In this way, Lu Lin should not dare to mention going to Xiping Pass again.

Granny Cui led the maids to continue their housework. She went to the dining hall and had a maid serve her a bowl of millet porridge and a dish of pickled vegetables.

After taking a couple of sips, she felt she had no appetite and put the bowl down.

Strange, why haven't I had a good appetite lately?

I remember back in the Western Rong region, I ate beef and mutton with great relish, and even gained weight around my waist. It hasn't been that long, so why can't I eat anymore? Could it be anorexia?

Not only could I not eat, but I also felt uneasy, as if there were some things I couldn't let go of.

She simply leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes to think.

Zhao Fu's surgery was successful; this shouldn't be the cause of the problem.

The Su couple...had already investigated and gone to the capital to find Su Yue'e.

Although Baohetang was burned down, it is already in the process of being rebuilt at a new site.

Could it be Qiu Jie? Actually, I've always felt uneasy about this woman.

But upon closer inspection, it didn't seem like it. Magistrate An had already sent people to investigate Qiu Jie's case. And the Su residence was heavily guarded, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

Oh right, it's Su Yuze.

She slapped her forehead, realizing the reason for her unease.

My brother should have arrived by dawn, so why hasn't he arrived yet? Did something happen to him on the way?

She stood up, intending to call a guard to ask, but after a moment's hesitation, she sat down again.

When Su Yuze was studying in the south, he was protected by four guards carefully selected by Wei Jingzhuo. This time, four more highly skilled guards were sent to pick him up. With eight such experts protecting him, ordinary bandits and thugs would have no chance of getting close.

Perhaps the road is simply difficult to travel, or the horses pulling the cart are tired; they should arrive a little later. Let's talk about it at dinner time tonight.

She picked up her spoon and drank a few more mouthfuls of millet porridge, hoping that Su Yuze would suddenly appear at the door and excitedly run towards her.

The scenario she had imagined never happened, and her unease grew stronger.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!