Husband, Let Me Touch Your Abs - Chapter 70

Chapter 70

 

Lu Yao was holding a ladle and pouring soy milk when he suddenly heard the bad news. The ladle and bowl in his hands fell to the ground with a loud clang.

 

Zhao Beichuan was also startled. He left the frying dough sticks unattended and quickly stepped forward to ask, “How is my father? Did he hurt himself badly?”

 

The person didn’t say much, only urging them to return home quickly.

 

Lu Yao immediately said with a trembling voice, “Uncles, aunties, brothers, and sisters, something urgent has happened at home, and we must close the stall early today. Please finish your meals without paying; we hope you’ll understand!”

 

Everyone hurriedly stood up. Sister-in-law Liu said, “You two should go quickly. Don’t worry about the stall; I’ll pack it up and lock the door for you.”

 

“Thank you so much, Sister-in-law!” Lu Yao grabbed Lu Miao, and the two ran home. They packed a few clothes, took some money, and Zhao Beichuan hitched up the mule cart. Together with the others, they headed out of town.

 

When they passed the village school, Zhao Beichuan got off the cart, ran in to ask for leave from the teacher, and brought Xiaodou along as they hurried to Lu Family Village.

 

Along the way, Lu Miao couldn’t stop crying, clutching Lu Yao’s hand and repeatedly asking, “What are we going to do, third brother? What are we going to do?”

 

Lu Yao wasn’t much better, but he tried to hold back his tears to comfort her. “Don’t worry, Father will be fine. He’s blessed and will pull through.”

 

Zhao Beichuan, seated in the front, was so anxious he kept whipping the mule, causing the animal to cry out in pain.

 

Lu Yao scolded him, “Stop tormenting the animal. Even if it grew wings, we wouldn’t get there any faster.”

 

Zhao Beichuan felt terrible, thinking about his late parents and wishing he could fly to Lu Family Village immediately.

 

Less than an hour later, the mule cart reached the Lu family’s gate. Lu Yao and Lu Miao almost jumped off the cart and ran into the courtyard.

 

“Father! Father!”

 

The house was filled with people—family members, neighbors, village elders, and even the doctor from town.

 

Lu Yao found his mother and Hu Chunrong. “Mother, how is Father?”

 

Mother Lu’s eyes were red and swollen. She grabbed the two of them and said, “You’re back so soon. Don’t worry too much—”

 

Lu Miao, crying, interrupted her, “How did Father fall off the roof?”

 

“He was being stubborn. We told him not to go out and work this year, but he wouldn’t listen. He went with others to repair houses in town. Everything was fine this morning, but in the afternoon, they brought him back on a cart. They said he slipped on some ice on the beams left from the recent rain and fell off the roof, hitting his head…” Mother Lu couldn’t finish her sentence and covered her mouth, sobbing.

 

Before long, Lu Yun and Wang Youtian also arrived. Lu Yun, in his hurry, stumbled at the entrance and tore his clothes.

 

In the west room, Lu Guangsheng lay on the kang, his face pale, his eyes closed, and his breathing faint.

 

The doctor removed the silver needles from him and shook his head at Lu Lin. “The injuries are too severe. You should prepare for his passing.”

 

“Doctor, please check again! I’ll pay any amount—just save my father!” Lu Lin clung to the doctor’s leg, refusing to let him leave.

 

The doctor sighed. “It’s no use. The injuries are too grave.”

 

“Ah… cough, cough…” On the kang, Lu Guangsheng suddenly coughed and slowly opened his eyes. “Er Lin… don’t trouble the doctor.”

 

Lu Lin let go of the doctor and rushed back to the bedside, kneeling and grabbing his hand. “Father, you’re awake!”

 

“Call your mother in…”

 

“Alright!” Lu Lin quickly opened the door and called Mother Lu and the other siblings into the room.

 

Mother Lu sat by the bedside, tucking in the quilt for him. “I told you not to go, but you didn’t listen. You never listen to me.”

 

“It’s my fault… over the years, you’ve worked so hard for the family…” Lu Guangsheng trembled as he stretched out his hand to grab hers. “Just now, I saw the ocean. He said he’s come to take me to enjoy life. He’s doing well over there, serving officials in the afterlife.” When the old man said this, he looked proud, as if showing off his capable son.

 

Everyone else, however, wept uncontrollably, especially Lu Yun, who cried until he almost passed out.

 

Lu Lin cried like a child. “No! I haven’t done enough for you yet. Why does eldest brother get to take you?”

 

“After I’m gone… the family will depend on Er Lin. Take care of your brothers… don’t let them suffer…”

 

Lu Yao could hardly breathe from crying. He knew this was his father’s final moment, his last words before passing.

 

“I don’t agree! Fifth Brother hasn’t even married yet! You need to recover and help decide for him!”

 

Lu Guangsheng weakly shook his head. Gradually losing strength, he murmured, “Qiuyan, did you feed the mule?”

 

Mother Lu nodded. “Yes, and the pigs too.”

 

“That’s good… that’s good…” Lu Guangsheng slowly closed his eyes and stopped breathing.

 

Mother Lu turned away, covering her face, her sobbing barely audible.

 

“Father! Father!” The children knelt on the ground, wailing loudly, their grief over losing a loved one causing even the onlookers to shed tears.

 

Some elderly relatives from the village stepped forward to console them. “Don’t let your tears fall on your father. Er Lin, take them to another room quickly and start preparing his body.”

 

“Alright.” Lu Lin reached to pull his three younger brothers away, but they wouldn’t budge. Finally, he shouted for Zhao Beichuan and Wang Youtian, and together they managed to drag the three to another room.

 

Mother Lu and a few uncles washed Lu Guangsheng’s body and dressed him in the prepared burial clothes.

 

The coffin and funeral cloths hadn’t been bought yet. Zhao Beichuan and Wang Youtian both offered their carts and competed to handle the tasks.

 

Mother Lu said, “Beichuan, go buy the coffin. Youtian, get the funeral cloths, candles, and paper money. Don’t delay.”

 

The two men quickly agreed, hitched up their carts, and left.

 

In the west room, Xiaonian and Xiaodou stayed with Xiaoshitou. Xiaoshitou, too young to understand what was happening, only found the house unusually lively today.

 

Xiaonian recalled how Uncle Lu had repaired their house in the spring, helped look after the family during Big Brother’s corvée duty in the summer, and even bought them candy. Saddened, he wiped his tears with his small hands.

 

Xiaodou also felt heartbroken but held back her emotions to hug Xiaoshitou, preventing him from running to the other room.

 

In the main hall, Lu Yun had already fainted from crying once. Upon waking, he continued sobbing. Hu Chunrong, worried he’d make himself sick, tried to stop him.

 

“Think of the children at home. If you fall ill, who will care for them?”

 

They had left in a hurry this morning, and with the cold weather, Lu Yun and Wang Youtian hadn’t brought their children, leaving them with their grandmother.

 

Lu Yun nodded, wiped his tears and snot with a handkerchief, and covered his face, still unable to control his grief.

 

Seeing him cry made Lu Miao cry too. He hadn’t married yet and was still half a child. Losing their father felt like losing their pillar of support.

 

Lu Yao, being the eldest, forced himself to calm down and went out to help. The family couldn’t rely on their mother alone; he had to step up.

 

Earlier, he had taken 30 taels of silver from home and secretly handed it to Mother Lu. “I’ll pay for Father’s funeral. Tell Second Brother not to skimp. Do it properly.”

 

“We can’t take your money. Your second brother can handle it,” Mother Lu said.

 

Without a word, Lu Yao stuffed the silver into her hands. “Second Brother is Father’s son, but so am I. I want to honor him too. Please grant me this wish!”

 

Deep down, Lu Yao regretted not giving money to the family earlier. He had planned to bring some home for the New Year. Who would have thought his father would pass before he could give it?

 

If he had given the money earlier, would his father have avoided repairing houses? The more he thought about it, the more guilt consumed him.

 

Mother Lu understood his thoughts and held his hand. “Don’t blame yourself. You know your father’s nature, don’t you? Even if we had plenty of money, he wouldn’t sit idle. Your second brother has long tried to stop him from repairing houses for a pittance, but he enjoyed helping others and showing off his skills.”

 

Lu Yao sniffled and nodded. “Mother, don’t be too upset. Take care of yourself.”

 

Madam Lu wiped the corners of her eyes. “I’m not sad, why should I be sad? Whether he’s here or not… it’s all the same…” Though she said this, tears streamed down uncontrollably, and the mother and son couldn’t help but hold each other and cry bitterly.

 

As the only adult man in the family, Lu Lin didn’t even have the time to grieve. Instead, he was busy with his uncles, arranging his father’s funeral.

 

Lu Guangsheng was fifty-six years old. Considering the average lifespan in ancient times was just over thirty, living to over fifty was practically a celebratory passing.

 

Not long after, everyone finished setting up the mourning shed. The old man, dressed in a blue fine cloth outfit, was laid on a wooden board and carried out by seven or eight men.

 

The mourning shed was set up in the courtyard. A village fortune teller calculated the dates and determined that the body needed to be kept for seven days. The burial would take place on October 20th. Over the next few days, relatives and friends from the village came to pay their respects.

 

Around midday, Wang Youtian returned, bringing three bolts of white cloth, a large bundle of incense candles, and five rolls of paper money. These items alone cost at least six or seven strings of coins.

 

Soon after, Zhao Beichuan also returned, hauling a large elm wood coffin on his cart. The coffin boards were three inches thick! They were carved with scenes from Baixi performances, appearing very luxurious. It took about ten men to carefully lift it off the cart.

 

The helpers began discussing amongst themselves. “Old Lu was really blessed, having two good sons-in-law. Just look at this setup; it’s the best in the village!”

 

“Exactly. That coffin alone must have cost at least this much!” One man gestured with his fingers, indicating ten strings of coins.

 

“Almost. A few years ago, when my maternal uncle passed away, I bought a coffin that was two inches thick, and it still cost six or seven strings of coins. Let alone this one, which even has carvings.”

 

An old man with missing teeth said, “If I could have such a setup, I’d die smiling.”

 

Inside the house, the women and children cut the white cloth. Several sons wore the great mourning, their entire bodies dressed in white, while the sons-in-law wore smaller mourning, only wearing mourning hats and clothes.

 

These clothes didn’t need to be particularly elaborate; a few simple stitches would suffice. After dressing Lu Lin, Lu Yao, Lu Yun, and Lu Miao in turn, they went to the courtyard to kneel and burn paper money as part of the mourning ritual.

 

The four of them cried uncontrollably, leaning on each other with tears streaming down their faces. Lu Yao looked at his father lying in the yard, his heart aching so much it was hard to describe.

 

He still remembered when he first came here, his old father silently helping him repair the house and build a chicken coop. He also remembered when they were building the house, his father woke up early and worked late, despite his age, competing with the younger men in labor.

 

He especially remembered the time his father had gotten drunk and told Zhao Beichuan not to bully his son, that though he had a bad temper, his nature was good, and to be more patient with him…

 

Lu Yao raised his head, struggling to breathe, his mouth open but unable to make a sound.

 

Standing beside him, Zhao Beichuan, with red eyes, patted his back gently, “Lu Yao, don’t cry like this. Your body is weak and you can’t bear this kind of sorrow.”

 

Lu Lin, regaining his composure, comforted him, “Third brother, Father is gone to enjoy peace. Big Brother has taken him to enjoy peace.”

 

Lu Yun and Lu Miao also pulled him along, “Third brother, don’t cry so much, it’ll harm your health.”

 

Only then did Lu Yao manage to make a sound, calling out miserably, “Father… my father…”

 

By evening, people began to disperse, and the men would stay up to guard the body. The women and children couldn’t stay outside. Lu Yao, Lu Yun, and Lu Miao supported each other into the house, leaving Lu Lin, Zhao Beichuan, and Wang Youtian to kneel by the side, burning paper and lighting incense.

 

Madam Lu made a large pot of ginger tea and handed it to the three men to drink. Though it wasn’t winter yet, the weather was piercingly cold, and they feared catching a chill after being outside for so long.

 

Afterward, she had Hu Chunrong take some ginger tea outside to the three men, making sure they didn’t get sick.

 

Lu Yao, lying on the kang, slowly began to recover his mood. He inquired about Xiao Nian and Xiao Dou’s situation and finally felt a little at ease.

 

The next day, Uncle Liu, who lived next door in the town, came over. He had heard from his daughter-in-law the day before about the old man’s passing and had been worried, so he set off early in the morning, walking over ten miles, only to find that the old man had already passed away.

 

Standing beside the mourning shed, the old man wiped his eyes. “Such a good person, why did he have to leave just like that…”

 

Madam Lu quickly invited him into the house and poured him some hot water. “Thank you for coming all this way, at your age.”

 

Uncle Liu waved his hand. “Our families haven’t kept in touch for so many years, it feels distant. But when Guangsheng’s parents were alive, they treated me well, so I should come to pay my respects.”

 

The older folks, the older they got, the more sentimental they became, talking about many past events. Although Madam Lu had resented her mother-in-law for separating them so early, now that death had come and the lights had gone out, all the resentment had long faded away, and what remained was only nostalgia.

 

The old man stayed for an hour before leaving. Before he left, he gave Zhao Beichuan a message, “A family with the surname Lin asked why your son didn’t go to school. I told him the reason.”

 

Zhao Beichuan nodded and thanked him.

 

In the afternoon, the sky became overcast, and the wind carried tiny snowflakes, which dampened their clothes when it hit them.

 

Madam Lu didn’t want them to stay outside burning paper, so she brought everyone into the house.

 

As she put it, “Once a person dies, that’s it. The living shouldn’t suffer too. Even if your father is watching over you from heaven, he wouldn’t blame you.”

 

Lu Yao hadn’t eaten much all day, feeling weak, and lay on the kang, sleeping off and on.

 

Just before evening, he suddenly had a dream. In the dream, Lu Guangsheng, dressed in new clothes, came back from outside.

 

“Father, you… you’re not dead?!” Lu Yao exclaimed joyfully, but he suddenly found himself transformed into a short child.

 

Lu Guangsheng picked him up and asked, “Did you behave at home today, Ah Yao?”

 

“I behaved.”

 

“Look what I bought for you.” Lu Guangsheng reached into his sleeve and fumbled around for a while before pulling out an Ultraman model…

 

Lu Yao took the toy, crying and laughing. He thought to himself, “This must be a dream. What nonsense is this?”

 

After holding him for a while, Lu Guangsheng set him down and seemed to be looking for something in the western room.

 

“Father, what are you looking for?”

 

“I’ve saved some money and didn’t tell your mother. Hurry and find it, don’t let her get mad.”

 

“Where is it? I’ll help you find it.” Lu Yao reached for the chest, but suddenly, he woke up.

 

The oil lamp was lit in the room. Xiao Nian and Xiao Dou were playing with small stones.

 

“What time is it?”

 

Xiao Nian, seeing him wake up, quickly came over, “Sister-in-law, it’s You time.”

 

Lu Yao hurried to get up, just as Madam Lu and Lu Yun came over. It was time for dinner soon.

 

“Mother, I just dreamt of Father.”

 

When Madam Lu heard this, she immediately came over and asked, “What did you dream?”

 

“Father was wearing new clothes, and he even bought me a toy…” Lu Yao tried to smile, but tears started to flow.

 

“He’s thinking of you. That old man never did anything right, but if he’s going to send a message through a dream, why not say something useful, like buying a broken toy?”

 

Lu Yao wiped his face and quickly explained, “Not only did he buy a toy, but he was also searching in the western room, saying he had saved some money and didn’t tell you, because he was afraid you’d get mad.”

 

Everyone became interested, and they took the oil lamp to the western room. Madam Lu, following Lu Yao’s description, reached out and felt around. Before long, she really found a string of coins…

 

“Ha! I knew he must have been hiding money from me. This old man still won’t admit it!”

 

Hu Chunrong comforted the old lady, “He was thinking of you, afraid you wouldn’t have enough money to spend, so he hurried to bring out the savings.”

 

Lu Yao was amazed. He never thought dreams could be so prophetic! Then he thought to himself, “I’ve crossed over from another world, so maybe this isn’t so strange.”

 

After dinner, Xiao Dou hesitated before approaching Lu Yao. “Sister-in-law… I want to go back tomorrow.”

 

He was too young to be of much help here and didn’t want to burden anyone. Besides, he was anxious about his studies, especially when he saw that Lin Zijian had studied much more than he had in the past few days.

 

“You can’t go back. There’s no one at your home. I can’t let you stay alone.”

 

“Then I’ll stay at Zijian’s house for a few days.” Lin Zijian had previously invited him to stay over.

 

Lu Yao called Zhao Beichuan over and explained the situation. “We still have to stay in the village for five more days before the funeral. Xiao Dou is anxious about his studies. How about you take them back first, and then come back when the funeral happens?”

 

Zhao Beichuan was worried about Lu Yao, “No, Xiao Dou, stay here and don’t worry about it!”

 

Xiao Dou pouted, his eyes red. He was afraid his studies would be delayed, and that he wouldn’t pass the exams.

 

“Why don’t you send Xiao Dou to Aunt Liu’s house next door? Give her some money and ask her to take care of him for a few days?” Sending him to Lin’s house was out of the question, as the two families weren’t close enough.

 

Zhao Beichuan thought this was a good plan and asked Xiao Dou if he was willing.

 

Xiao Dou nodded repeatedly, “It’s fine, I’ll stay anywhere, as long as I can go back to study.”

 

Lu Yao rubbed his head. This child really lived up to what the teacher had said about him—diligent and eager to learn.

 

At bedtime, Lu Mu slept in the west room with her three sons, while Xiao Nian and Xiao Dou slept in the east room with Hu Chunrong. Zhao Beichuan and Wang Youtian slept in the central room.

 

Normally, filial children and grandchildren should stay up and guard the body, but the weather was too cold, and the village didn’t pay much attention to such customs, so Lu Mu didn’t allow them to freeze outside.

 

Lu Yao had slept a lot during the day, so he wasn’t tired now. Lu Mu also couldn’t sleep, so the two of them started chatting.

 

“I didn’t expect Old Uncle Liu to come. It’s been so many years since we’ve had any contact.”

 

“Mom, you recognize him?”

 

“If we met on the road, I wouldn’t recognize him, but if I look closely at him here, I can tell. He looks somewhat like your grandmother.”

 

Lu Yao said, “I don’t even remember what my grandmother looked like.”

 

“When we split the family, you weren’t born yet. By the time you were born, your grandfather had already passed. I think your grandmother passed away when you were five.” She couldn’t remember things from so long ago.

 

“Anyway, after the family was split, she never took care of us. You’ve never even eaten a grain of rice from her. If you can’t remember, then forget it.”

 

Lu Yao turned over and lay on his pillow, saying, “Mom, do you think dreams really have such power? I used to think it was fake, but who would’ve thought there would really be money.”

 

Speaking of dreams, Lu Mu started talking, “This thing is mysterious. When Da Hai passed away, he also came to me in a dream. He said he was cold and asked me to burn a few clothes for him.”

 

“Coincidentally, when he passed away, it was summer, and he was wearing just a thin shirt! Later, I measured clothes with your dad, made him a thick cotton coat, and burned it at the grave. After that, when I dreamed of him, he didn’t say he was cold anymore.”

 

These kinds of mysterious stories were the most interesting to listen to. Lu Yun and Lu Miao couldn’t sleep either, so they got up and listened too.