147 Wooden Pole

"Something about this compared to what I used to do," an intern hesitated, "seems a bit different?"

"Well, yes, there are some minor differences."

"My back wouldn't bend down this low."

"I don't remember it going this deep either."

The other interns began to notice the discrepancies one after another.

"Could he have forgotten?"

"The first few sections were completely standard!"

"These movements are identical in every single round; it's clearly intentional."

"This is meant to stretch the spinal cord," the attending physician said after watching for a moment. "Wu Qingchen's age in the medieval world happens to be his second major growth phase. Appropriately increasing the range of motion for spinal stretching will benefit his height in the future."

"Ah."

"Makes sense."

"That must be it."

"Highly likely."

As quasi-professionals, after a brief moment of thought, the interns readily agreed with the attending physician's explanation.

The fourth section ended, and the fifth began.

"This part is different too."

"Right, it's been modified."

"The angle is turned by an extra third."

"It really should be turned a bit more."

Having heard the attending physician's explanation just moments before, another intern's train of thought opened up: "A child's flexibility far exceeds that of a fully developed adult. Turning a bit more yields better training results, and his physical flexibility will be even stronger later on."

The fifth section ended, and the sixth began.

"This section has changed as well."

"Yes, look at Wu Qingchen's upper body."

Watching all the way through, aside from the first three warm-up exercises, almost every subsequent section of the calisthenics performed by Wu Qingchen showed certain adjustments.

The modifications were not massive—either a deeper squat, a wider angle, or an accelerated rhythm. They were all very easy to memorize and clearly much better suited to Wu Qingchen, or rather, Ross's age and physical condition. Naturally, the training effectiveness was significantly greater, and over time, the cumulative, extra benefits would be quite considerable.

"That's fantastic!"

"Calisthenics can be custom-tailored too?"

"I knew the state would never let Wu Qingchen do simple workouts."

After listening to the professional explanations given by the attending physician and the interns, the patients and their families were filled with joy.

Soon, Wu Qingchen finished the final cool-down exercise.

After walking around the sandy area for two or three minutes to rest briefly, Wu Qingchen began doing push-ups and sit-ups.

These were more ordinary and common training methods, but with the precedent of the calisthenics earlier, people in the ward quickly began to notice the differences.

"Wu Qingchen's hands are placed exceptionally wide apart."

"His head is pressed very low."

"The way he pushes himself up is also a bit different."

Clearly, these were also deliberate modifications made to make Wu Qingchen's workout more effective.

After the push-ups and sit-ups concluded, followed by another brief two-to-three-minute rest, Wu Qingchen moved on to the next training item.

This time, no one could recognize what it was.

"What is this?"

"It looks a bit like yoga?"

"No, not yoga. Yoga movements are much gentler."

"The movements are rather strange."

"They certainly are, but not too complicated."

"They look somewhat similar to massage techniques."

"Massaging himself?"

That was a slightly closer interpretation.

Inside the television screen, starting from the neck, moving to the shoulders, the chest, the back, the abdomen, and down to the legs, every part of Wu Qingchen's body—from top to bottom—repeatedly cycled through simple yet somewhat peculiar movements.

"This must be a truly tailor-made training routine," the attending physician remarked.

"Is this a martial arts secret manual?" The intern who asked this question clearly had a more lively personality.

"For Wu Qingchen, it probably is a martial arts manual. For anyone else..."

Another intern pointed to the lower left corner of the television screen. "Look at what's written there."

Following his colleague's pointed finger, the lively intern saw two lines of red text: Exclusive movements, do not imitate.

The "do not imitate" set of movements was the final item.

In about half an hour, the morning workout concluded.

Wu Qingchen left the secret kitchen.

Given the vital importance of Wu Qingchen and Ross's health—even without considering the compounding effects of his physical conditioning on the world's eight billion people—this small amount of physical activity was clearly not enough.

The workouts in the secret kitchen had strong specific purposes, broad coverage, and had to remain temporarily concealed. While Wu Qingchen's influence was still insufficient, the calisthenics, push-ups, sit-ups, and the final exclusive movements were all too systematic and too easily mistaken for some kind of sacrificial ritual.

Wu Qingchen's routine public activities in the medieval world were actually the bulk of his physical training.

So, during his public activities, what method should be chosen for exercise?

Frontline heavy physical labor could effectively enhance physical strength, but the side effects were too severe; the Earth team and Wu Qingchen avoided it entirely and did not consider it.

Swimming and jogging were the recommendations the Earth team gave to Wu Qingchen.

Of course, those were later recommendations.

If one chose swimming and jogging to exercise, what were the most important factors?

Persevering willpower? A scientifically balanced diet? A progressive scientific method?

None of the above.

Swimming first required Wu Qingchen to know how to swim, and secondly required a swimming pool.

Jogging first required a good pair of shoes, and secondly, a good path.

Since none of these conditions were met, the Earth team advised Wu Qingchen: brisk walking.

Thus, along a slightly wider path with somewhat better road conditions in Eccles Village—along this "Village Ring Road" that had already been officially approved by the Earth team and would become the village's main thoroughfare in the future—Wu Qingchen walked briskly.

"Brother Ross, where are you going?"

As Wu Qingchen passed a certain wooden cabin, a girl about Nina's age sat by a pile of firewood beside the cabin. While snapping branches, she was soothing a crying infant nearby. Seeing Wu Qingchen, or rather Ross, passing by, the girl hurriedly greeted him.

"Heading toward the common land to check on the village cattle," Wu Qingchen replied.

"Huh? Brother Ross, why didn't you go past the three trees?" The girl looked a bit puzzled. "Is the bridge broken again?"

"It's not broken," Wu Qingchen explained. "Who did you hear that from?"

"Nobody," the girl replied. "Going to the lord's common land is much closer that way! If the bridge isn't broken, why did you walk all the way over here?"

"Oh."

Wu Qingchen understood and casually explained, "The road is wider this way, easier to walk."

"By the way, Brother Ross, why are you holding a wooden pole?"

"Um," Wu Qingchen glanced at the wooden pole in his hand, "testing the path to see where it's firmer to step."

By the way, this would provide the delayed-viewing team of road and bridge experts with richer and more detailed renovation data for their future planning and construction of the "Village Ring Road."

About ten minutes later, Wu Qingchen passed another wooden cabin.

"Good day, Brother Ross." Another quedarse-behind girl greeted him.

"Good day," Wu Qingchen nodded.

"Brother Ross, you're going to the forest to check on the beehives again, aren't you?" the girl asked. "If you see my little brother, could you tell him to come back? He forgot to herd the geese when he took the livestock out this morning!"

"But I'm not going to the forest right now," Wu Qingchen replied. "I'm heading to Lord Landlord's common land to check on the village cattle."

"Oh?" The girl was perplexed. "If you're not going to the forest, why did you walk this way?"

"It's easier to walk this way," Wu Qingchen explained once more.

"By the way, Brother Ross, why are you holding a wooden pole?"

"Testing the path to see where it's firmer to step."

Another ten minutes or so passed, and Wu Qingchen passed yet another wooden cabin, conversing once again with the children left behind.

In the evening, the villagers returned home.

"Ross walked past our front door today?"

In the wooden cabin Wu Qingchen had passed in the morning, after the girl left behind made her report, the head of the household began rubbing his chin.

"What was Ross doing here?" the eldest son began to press for details.

"I don't know... he was going to Lord Landlord's common land." As she replied, the girl suddenly recalled another detail. "Oh right, when Ross was walking, he'd walk for a bit, then stop... his behavior was a bit strange too."

"Oh?" Concerned about anything involving Ross, the eldest son furrowed his brows in thought. "What was he doing? Anything else? Think carefully."

"Um," the girl tried hard to recall. "When Brother Ross was walking, it seemed like he kept staring at the road—staring very closely. When he reached the corner, looking at the allotment plot, Brother Ross seemed to shake his head. Oh, and Brother Ross was holding a wooden pole, poking around everywhere with it..."

"A wooden pole!"

The eldest son's expression instantly turned grave, and he turned his head sharply. "Father!"

"I know." The household head's expression likewise turned stern in an instant. "A wooden pole, staring at the road, the roadside, the corners, the allotment plots, shaking his head..."

"It's too obvious!"