Chapter 109
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: The Hiking Invitation
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It was a dizzying experience.
Staring at the sight of needles over ten centimeters long being embedded in her abdomen, Choi Guija swallowed a groan.
"I'll attach the electroacupuncture now. Let me know if you feel even a slight sensation."
Electroacupuncture?
Moments later, wires were connected to the needles, and a strange tapping sensation began—tok tok tok.
Unlike physical therapy machines that loosened the skin on the surface, this stimulated the muscles directly, creating an utterly bizarre feeling.
"Does it hurt at all?"
"No, it's fine."
After that, a few more needles were inserted into her groin area, but after the visual shock of the long needles in her belly, she barely even noticed them.
'Whew.'
As she practiced abdominal breathing, the odd sensation returned every time her belly moved.
Choi Guija closed her eyes quietly, continuing her Kegel exercises even with the needles in place.
A short while later.
After twenty minutes, the long needles were all removed. Cupping therapy was then applied to her back, waist, and buttocks—where dozens of needles had been earlier—and the treatment ended.
Her body felt remarkably refreshed, far more than expected.
Her legs were completely loosened up, and thanks to the cupping, her shoulders and waist felt lighter too.
When she tensed her abdomen experimentally, it seemed to engage properly—whether that was just her imagination or not.
"That's it for today. Head on home."
Even after returning home, she diligently continued her exercises.
Not just that day, but the next as well, following the director's advice to set aside dedicated time.
She still couldn't do hip-joint exercises, so she combined Kegels with core work.
A quick internet search revealed various positions for Kegel exercises.
She did them sitting still, with her legs elevated on a gym ball, and even lying down while lifting her pelvis.
"Grandma, I heard you're going to the clinic every other day? Is something wrong with your health?"
As evening fell, Park Sun-yoon knocked on Choi Guija's door after getting off work.
The grandchildren had recently visited to celebrate her half-marathon success, and then the children had come again under the ridiculous pretense of checking on her health, but everyone had now returned to their own homes.
Most companies under the PK Group were in the capital area, and even those in Busan usually lived separately. The only grandchild living full-time at Choi Guija's residence was Park Sun-yoon.
"Mind your own business."
Choi Guija brushed off the conversation.
She had kept her incontinence treatment a secret, but apparently, the housekeeper or driver had let slip about the every-other-day treatment schedule.
"Oh, right. Nothing serious, I hope?"
"No. Don't worry about it—focus on your own work."
"......You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but please make sure to let Director Han know. She'll take good care of you."
Choi Guija clicked her tongue out of habit, but she knew her grandson was genuinely concerned.
'Sigh.'
He was better than those leeches waiting for handouts without building anything themselves.
But this one had too little ambition—it was a problem.
She had thought he wanted a lot, always trailing after his grandparents as a child, begging for old stories. Turns out his big dream was just landing a job at Biologics?
Of course, she had fast-tracked his promotions without him even asking.
"So how did you come to know Director Han?"
"Oh, Driver Kim recommended her. He said she treated his shingles really well. I had a rough time myself once, pulling a book off the shelf in the study and it falling on me."
"You're only in your thirties—can't you take care of your own body?"
"Actually, I turned thirty a while ago."
"Get some exercise! Alright, this weekend, you're running with this old lady. My hip should be fully recovered by then!"
"Sorry, I've got a busy meeting that day...... Take care of yourself, Grandma."
Park Sun-yoon fled.
Pathetic.
The medicine arrived the next day.
'Usage instructions?'
She expected the usual: how many times a day to take it, foods to avoid.
Instead, it detailed exactly how it worked.
Not just listings of ingredients, but thorough explanations of interactions and expected effects.
And it sincerely wished her a full recovery, hoping she'd return to enjoying her daily runs...... Did she write this fresh each time?
Maybe it was because Choi Guija was a special patient, but somehow, she doubted Director Han did that only for VIPs.
'Yes, a true businesswoman knows how to move her customers.'
Choi Guija smiled warmly and downed the prescribed medicine.
The same treatment continued for several days.
At first, the back needles were dizzying, but soon they brought a refreshing sensation.
Her fear that a misplaced long needle might puncture her intestines vanished completely.
They felt routine now, and combining exercise with treatment had noticeably improved the sensation in her lower abdomen.
"You said electroacupuncture strengthens the rectus abdominis—does it do muscle pumping too?"
When Choi Guija asked out of curiosity, the director scratched her head awkwardly.
"Hmm...... Probably not. The best we can do is restore severely weakened function to normal. To build muscle, you'd need intense exercise to tear it down first, then protein intake."
"Hmm, I figured as much."
"To be honest, at your age, your joints can't handle high-intensity workouts. What you're doing now is perfect."
"Oh, just checking. Don't mind me."
"Yes, ma'am. How's the incontinence been?"
Reflecting on the past few days at the question...
"No leaks at all."
Choi Guija was a bit surprised herself.
"You only leaked while running before, right? Your legs are fully healed now, so you could try jogging."
"No. It used to gush out steadily while running, and even at rest, a drop or two...... Not sure what's structural about it, but there'd be a dribble from the urethral tip sometimes. That's gone now."
"The post-void dribbling has cleared up? Any response like that is good news for now."
Post-void dribbling—that term fit perfectly.
She felt completely emptied after urinating now.
With her hip adductor fully healed, Choi Guija went home and jogged a lap around the garden.
'No leaks!'
She confirmed definite improvement.
It was supposed to take up to a month for guaranteed results, but this fast?
"Achoo!"
"Achoo!"
She even tested sneezing.
"Ma'am, are you alright?"
Now the housekeeper was fussing unnecessarily.
"Don't worry. Just a tickle in my throat."
"I'll get you some water."
Anyway, that checked out too.
She hadn't tried long distances yet, but she could definitely handle normal abdominal pressure now.
"Even running was fine! I was a fool for not coming to you sooner, Director."
The next day at the clinic, Choi Guija showered the director with praise.
"Haha, lots of people neglect it because it's not outright pain, just discomfort. Even with improvement, keep coming every other day for a full month at this pace. Then drop to once a week."
"Got it. Keep taking the meds?"
"Yes. Long-term is best. It'll help your marathons too. I always took tonics when training hard."
Training?
Choi Guija's eyes lit up during the consultation.
"What kind of exercise do you do, Director?"
"Hmm."
For the first time, the director hesitated on one of Choi Guija's questions.
From outlandish ones like "Can electroacupuncture build muscle?" or "Why do joints hurt?" to "My friend's grandson has ADHD—can herbal meds fix it?", she'd always answered smoothly.
"Used to be martial arts and some heavy weightlifting, but lately just hiking."
"Oh, really?"
Had she hesitated because she had so many?
Hiking!
Choi Guija loved hiking too.
She ranked running—especially marathons—number one for two reasons.
First, the breathless cardio burn; second, the achievement of finishing 42.195 km, or half that for a half-marathon.
Hiking fulfilled both...... Sadly, after her husband passed, she rarely had chances.
None of her friends enjoyed mountains.
Golf? Swinging a stick barely qualified as exercise—why bother?
Joining a new hiking club now felt awkward, and solo trips risked slips with no one to help.
She could bring staff, but forcing disliked tasks felt wrong.
So running had the edge—you just called for a car when needed.
But hearing the director's hobby was hiking made her heart race.
"Then shall we go together sometime?"
Choi Guija blurted out the invitation.
"Oh, why not?"
The director accepted readily.
"Sun-yoon!"
Back home, Choi Guija summoned her secretary-like grandson.
"Yes, Grandma?"
"What brands do young people like these days? Get the best hiking gear—full sets for me and the director."
It was both thanks for the treatment and a simple gift.
I'd somehow accepted Chairman Choi Guija's hiking invitation.
Too late, I wondered if hobby outings with patients were appropriate, but the very next day, Park Sun-yoon delivered the gear.
"I'd love to join, but I've got a crucial meeting that day...... Such a shame."
So I couldn't back out now.
......Whatever.
I'd already toured a herbal export company with Park Sun-yoon—what was this?
I'd panicked when Chairman Choi asked about my exercise.
I reviewed basic morning forms daily to honor my master's grace.
Weekends, I hiked for energy circulation and meditation—but calling that "exercise" felt off.
Anyway, with things set, I decided to skip meditation this week and hike with her instead.
Better a familiar spot.
I asked if we could climb the mountain behind the clinic.
Not just for me—it would benefit her too.
This world's spiritual energy was scarce compared to the murim realm, both in sky and earth.
Treatment drained my qi bit by bit, making energy gathering from heaven and earth essential, but efficiency paled against that world.
Still, one place teemed with it: the mountain behind our clinic. Not for nothing had I insisted on this neighborhood.
I couldn't tell a soul, but the earth's qi here was top-notch!
Thankfully, without explanation, Chairman Choi agreed eagerly.
A few days later, the promised Sunday arrived.
At the trailhead parking lot, her car pulled in ten minutes early.
"Is the driver joining us?"
I asked as we both stepped out, but she shook her head.
"No. They all hate hiking. Hard to understand—how do you feel alive without exercise?"
Chairman Choi looked truly baffled.
"Tell me about it."
I nodded, though back then, I hadn't loved exercise either.
I trained because it aided martial arts, that's all.
"Thanks for coming along. It's been ages since I hiked. Can't go alone, you know."
Didn't someone like her have lines of people begging to hike together?
Word was, fifty billion for a meal with the world's top rich.
"Nah, I'm honored you invited me. And thanks for the gift."
"Shall we head up?"
We entered the trail.
I followed exactly one step behind her.
In case she slipped—I had to catch her, but no lightness skill in public.