As soon as he walked in with his bag, the scene before him made him pause in surprise.

A mourning hall has been set up on the right side of the hall, with the aunt's black and white photo hanging in the middle.

The middle-aged man sat on a small stool, staring at the photo in a daze.

On the left side of the hall, the two Zhang brothers, along with their wives, were still arguing.

"Zhang Lao Er, you're a beast! Tell me, since Mom got sick, how much money have you spent? Every single time, I've paid the lion's share!"

"You're so stingy, I've wasted my time raising you!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lao Er also roared in anger.

"Go to hell, you shameless idiot. Every time I've split the bill with you, you even try to calculate the gas cost with me. You always overcharge me. Do you think I don't know?"

"Your beat-up car costs four hundred yuan for gas just to go up the hills? Did you drink the gas like it was water halfway there?!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Laoda immediately pulled out the receipt from his bag to show Zhang Laoer.

"Come and see, when have I ever submitted false expenses? And last time when relatives and friends came to visit Mom, I paid for all the meals, did you pay a single cent?"

"I didn't take it out, but why shouldn't I!"

"You heartless, greedy bastard, you pocketed all the money from your relatives' and friends' wedding gifts, and you didn't give me a single cent?"

"I didn't even accept a gift, why should I pay?"

The argument continued as usual, and this time the two men's eyes grew redder and redder as they talked, with their two wives chiming in from the sidelines.

Chen Feng wouldn't be surprised if they started fighting the next second.

He stepped forward and stood behind the man, wanting to offer some words of comfort, since he couldn't pretend not to see what had happened.

As soon as I got behind the uncle, I heard him muttering to himself while looking at the photo.

His expression wasn't sad, but he would occasionally space out, giving the impression that he wasn't prepared.

"Old woman, how could you just leave like that without even saying goodbye?"

"I wasn't prepared at all. They caught me off guard. To be honest, I'm still in a daze."

"Old woman, do you see those guys behind us? They're still arguing. I don't know what they argue about every day."

"Take your time and wait for me for three days. I'll come to see you after three days. I need to make some arrangements at home."

“I can’t just leave a bunch of messy things to see you, I know you don’t like seeing them fight.”

"Don't worry, I will arrange things clearly and thoroughly, so you won't feel uncomfortable."

"Sigh, we've been through thick and thin for almost sixty years. How can I get used to your sudden departure?"

"Wait for me on the road. I'll come find you in three days at most. Three days is fine."

"It's dark outside, how could I bear to let you walk alone?"

The middle-aged man looked at the photo in the mourning hall and a slight smile appeared on his face.

Chen Feng heard these words from behind and felt a mix of emotions.

He stepped forward and whispered to the man, "Uncle, please accept my condolences."

Hearing Chen Feng's voice, the uncle turned around and realized there was someone else behind him.

“You’re back. There’s nothing to grieve over. Everyone has to die eventually. Besides, the doctor said she had at most three months to live, but she lived for more than half a year longer.”

"This is already a profit, but I didn't expect it to happen so suddenly, without even giving me any time to prepare."

The middle-aged man looked at the photo and spoke softly.

Chen Feng was at a loss for words. His instinct was to advise the uncle that the dead cannot be brought back to life, and life must go on.

But he always felt that it was too easy for someone like him, an outsider, to say those words.

He wasn't an older man; perhaps only the person involved truly understands how he felt when his wife, with whom he had lived for over sixty years, left him.

"You don't need to stay here with me, go do your own thing."

"You're a good kid, it's a pity I didn't meet you sooner." The uncle turned around and saw Chen Feng still standing there, and said to him with a smile.

"Uncle..."

Chen Feng said something, but didn't say anything else.

"Go on, you've had a long day, get some rest." The uncle smiled at him, then turned back to stare at the photo, lost in thought.

Chen Feng didn't say anything this time, turned around and went back into the house to pack his things.

He won't stay here any longer.

But before leaving, he settled accounts with the Zhang brothers.

To be honest, when Chen Feng put the money on the table, he really wanted to remind the two of them that the uncle was determined to die.

Chen Feng glanced at the uncle's back, but ultimately said nothing, shook his head, and walked out of the hall.

He didn't know what the older man would choose, but whatever he chose, it would be the best choice for the older man.

He doesn't want to interfere, nor can he.

As Chen Feng drove towards the abandoned mine in the small village, his phone kept ringing.

He joined many gold mining groups, intending to notify everyone when there were events at the gold mining sites.

But now all the messages in the group are about Mrs. Zhang.

Many people have just received this news, and some are still in disbelief in the group chat.

He clearly saw Mrs. Zhang the day before yesterday, and the two chatted for a while. How could she be gone today?

But who would joke about something like this?

Chen Feng asked Zheng Ping for the location, and more than two hours later, when it was already dark, Chen Feng arrived at the abandoned mine in the small village and found Zheng Ping and his group sitting in front of the campfire.

"Fengzi, why did you suddenly come back? That place wasn't good."

Zheng Ping must have immediately assumed that the place was unsuitable, which is why Chen Feng returned.

"No, didn't you guys see the message in the group chat?" Chen Feng sat down and took the tea that Lin Nian handed him.

"I saw it. It said that Mrs. Zhang passed away. Who is Mrs. Zhang?" Yin Xing asked, puzzled.

"Old Mrs. Zhang is the old lady from the mine I visited. When I got back that night, the mourning hall was already set up," Chen Feng said, taking a sip of tea.

"Holy crap, so it was your place? What happened? How did she die?" someone asked in surprise.

"She was old and had an illness. She was almost eighty. The doctor said she had at most three months to live, but she lived for more than a year. It was probably a sudden attack. They rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night, but it was probably too late by the time they arrived."

Chen Feng shook his head and blew on the tea leaves on the cup.

"So that's how it is. There's nothing that can be done about an illness. The people running the mines certainly don't lack money. It's really incurable. And at such an old age, to be honest, it's a blessing to leave this world so peacefully." Zheng Ping said with deep feeling.

His grandfather was seriously ill at the time and was paralyzed for four or five years before he died.

To be honest, during those four or five years, not only did the old man suffer, but his children also suffered.

The old man had said more than once that he wanted to die, but which of his children could bear to actually help him die?

"After being sentenced to death in the hospital, she was able to live for so long, and she was still able to take care of herself. She passed away without suffering any pain. This is already a blessing she earned." Yin Xing nodded in agreement.