Yang Ruqing said, "Let's go see your father."

Chen Biao's face beamed with gratitude as he eagerly gestured towards the main hall. "Master, Third Uncle, please come in." Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

Several people entered Chen Biao's father's room. Chen Biao's mother sat by the bed, holding a small bowl of porridge in her hand, apparently intending to feed it to Chen Biao's father a few mouthfuls.

>

But the woman was at a loss, sitting there with furrowed brows.

Seeing Chen Biao leading Lao Yangtou and Yang Ruqing in, the woman was very surprised. She quickly stood up and greeted everyone.

Old Yang said, "Spring has arrived, and there's a lot to do at home. I haven't had time to come see you."

“I have some free time today, so I just wanted to come by and see how things are. Let's sit with Old Chen for a while and have a chat.” the old man said.

Chen Biao's mother, with red-rimmed eyes, nodded gently and turned to look at the bed behind her: "Father Biao, Old Yang and your third brother have come to see you. Open your eyes and take a look at them!"

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like translated! ?

Following Chen Biao's voice, Yang Ruqing standing here also cast her gaze towards the bed.

At first glance, she was surprised. There was no sign of Chen Biao's father on the bed! It was just a mess of tangled and wrinkled bedding.

"Where is he?" Lao Yang spoke up, apparently Old Man's eyesight had failed him as well.

"And this?" Chen Biao's mother pointed with her finger.

Everyone followed Chen Biao's finger and looked over. They didn't look, but when they did, they were really startled.

In the midst of a tangled heap of bedding, a bald head drooped there.

Here's the translated text:<<<

The neck, slender and thin, was buried within the wide, voluminous collar of her garment.

The rest of the body was hidden under the covers, too thin to even make out a shape.

Yang Ruqing secretly took a breath of cool air, this was completely different from when she came back last time.

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

It's been a while since everyone entered the house. There was almost no sound from the beds, and the whole room was filled with a suffocating deathly stillness. It felt like life force was constantly draining away.

Well, I guess it's just these two days!

Yang Ruqing secretly thought to herself, she turned her head and glanced out the window. It had already been almost three days since the news was sent out, and there was still no word from Brother Chen Biao.

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like translated! ?

That birdman, that scoundrel, where the heck did he run off to?

...or has it already been done away with, waiting for Chen Biao's father at the bottom?

>

In the room, Old Yang’s startled voice rang out again, pulling Yang Ruqing’s thoughts back.

"My goodness, this...this how did you get so thin?" Old Yang's voice trembled slightly as he stepped forward and leaned over the bed.

"Old Chen, it's your old Yang here. If you can hear me, just nod!" Old Yang said.

The shriveled, drooping head didn't nod or shake. For a moment, everyone thought he was dead, but occasionally there were a few 'huffs and puffs', breaths coming from his chest. It was strange, like pumping bellows.

“Alas!” Old Yang sighed, stood up straight, his face filled with grief and regret.

Yang Huazhong's eyes and nose were red, a tough man standing there stiffly, forcing back the tears in his eyes.

I don't want to cry. I don't want to make the Chen family even sadder.

“I haven't eaten anything for several days, just drinking some soup.” Chen Biao’s voice sounded muffled.

"A few days ago, I sent Ju'er back to Changping Village. We had a meal at Sister Qing's place. At that time, I told Sister Qing, my father just wanted to see my brother one last time,"

"Since yesterday, my father hasn't spoken. Last night, I stayed by his bedside and listened to him calling out names all through the night."

"It's no longer 'Brother,' but calling out to those ancestors who have passed away. Sometimes they say, 'You've come,' and sometimes they say, 'He's also come,' claiming that everyone has arrived."

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

"In the dead of night, I felt a chill run down my spine. It was as if there were a whole house full of people in here. I was terrified, but luckily my mother came to keep me company, and that's how I made it through until morning."

Hearing Chen Biao's words, Lao Yang was so surprised that his eyes widened and his mouth gaped open.

Immediately, he shook his head and let out a long sigh.

“This is all fate, old man. Heaven wants to take your father, such a good man. There's no way, there's no way!” the old man said.

Everyone stood by Chen Biao's father's bedside for a while, and sighed.

Let me know if you'd like me to translate anything else! ?

Chen Biao and Chen Biao's mother invited Lao Yangtou and his party to the next room for tea. Chen Biao also went out to buy vegetables to leave them for dinner.

Given the current situation, who would still have the appetite to stay and eat?

Thus, Lao Yangtou and Yang Huazhong left the gifts they had brought and took their leave.

Chen Biao's mother chased after him to the entrance of the hutong, carrying the gift. "This present, his father wouldn't use it anyway. You guys take it back, give it to grandma, and Lao Yang, you should replenish your body too..."

Old Yang said, "We have some at home too. You keep this one. It's a little something from us."

Chen Biao's mother still wanted to decline, but Chen Biao said, "Mother, Father has already spoken to this point, just accept it."

"When we have the means in the future, I will return this favor to you." he said.

Chen Biao's mother had no choice but to give up. The two of them watched as Lao Yangtou and their carriage left the alley, then turned around and went back to the courtyard.

Let me know if you'd like me to translate something else! ?

In the carriage, Lao Yang said in a low voice: "I think Old Chen will be gone within these two days, he won't make it to the day after tomorrow."

Yang Ruqing remained silent, her face grave.

>

Yang Huazhong said, "Last month when Lao Wu and the others moved into their new house, I was having drinks with Brother Chen at the same table."

“Brother Chen is only forty-two this year, just one year older than me. Both of his sons are still unmarried, and now he’s gone like that.”

"Looking at his appearance, I really felt bad," Yang Huazhong said in a low voice.

>Lao Yangtou said: "To put it plainly, this is all about fate!"

>

“Look at me, I’m almost seventy! If I could, I’d give anything to swap places with your mother and get back your elder and younger brothers!” the old man said.

>

Yang Huazhong remained silent.

The three of them returned to Changping Village in silence.

When getting off the bus, Lao Yang said to Yang Huazhong: “If Chen Biao's father were to pass away, the Chen family would logically send someone to announce the death, wouldn’t they?”

Yang Huazhong pondered for a moment and said, "That should be the case.菊儿 and Chen Biao are still to be married in Rexiao. Our Yang family's four branches and the Chen family are sworn brothers-in-law. They definitely have to come to offer condolences!"

Lao Yang nodded, “While the rest of us don’t engage in formal mourning rites or condolences like Lao Si did by sending wreaths and making a big fuss, we still need to go pay our respects and burn incense for the deceased. After all, respecting the dead is important.”

Yang Huazhong nodded repeatedly, "Father, this is necessary! Even my son understands!"

Lao Yang then felt relieved and got off the carriage.

When Yang Huazhong opened the courtyard gate the next morning, someone from the Chen family had already sent mourners over.

“It is said that he went to burn midnight snacks last night.” Yang Huaming came to Yang Huzhong's house with a serious face and discussed this matter with Yang Huzhong and Old Yang.