How could he possibly be afraid?
He was equally grateful to heaven for bringing her into his life.
Allowing them to fall in love.
Yang Ming took the letter to the flame of the candle, and with a whoosh, the letter was consumed by fire, he could not let others know his wife’s identity.
He then began to wolf down the food his mother had brought, his wife had given him a reason to live, he couldn’t let her down.
Having eaten quickly, he prepared his wife’s clothes and left the house; she was leaving, returning to her hometown, and at least in her final days, he wanted to be by her side.
Father Yang was worried that Yang Ming might do something foolish out of desperation and kept an eye on him. When he saw Yang Ming leave, he immediately asked, "Third son, where are you going?"
"Dad, I’m going to my father-in-law’s house. Don’t worry, I’m fine, I just want to see her off."
Seeing his son seemingly come to terms with the situation and not as despondent as before, Father Yang breathed a sigh of relief, "Let your fourth brother accompany you."
"No need, my father-in-law and his family probably don’t want to see our family members. It’s better if I go alone."
"This..." Father Yang found it difficult to decide. The whole family actually wanted to go, but under the current circumstances...
"Dad, really, I’m fine. Go back inside, I’m leaving."
Father Yang had no choice but to let Yang Ming go by himself.
Yang Ming traveled through the night and reached Stone Village before dawn. He stood at the gate waiting, not wanting to disturb them.
In the morning when Zhong Dalong opened the gate, he found Yang Ming and said unpleasantly, "What are you doing here?"
"Big brother, I’ve come to see Xiaoxiao."
"See what? My sister is dying, what’s there to see?" Zhong Dalong said, slamming the gate shut with a clang.
Being rejected at the doorstep was something Yang Ming had expected; his in-laws were probably hating him to death by now, but he couldn’t leave, he had to be by his wife’s side. He pounded on the door with force, pleading, "Big brother, please, just let me be with her."
Zhong Dalong didn’t care about Yang Ming’s pleas and steadfastly refused to open the door, going back inside instead.
Upon returning inside, the icy demeanor he had towards Yang Ming immediately turned tender, "How is she, any improvement, my sister?"
Xiaoxiao’s mother shook her head weakly, "It’s the same as before."
Zhong Dalong slapped himself, uttering words of regret, "It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t agreed to marry off my sister, she wouldn’t be in this state."
Xiaoxiao’s mother quickly tried to stop her son, crying out, "Ah, don’t talk like that. No one is to blame, it’s just her fate."
Seeing that still no one was opening the door, Yang Ming increased the intensity of his knocking and raised his voice, "Dad, Mom, please, let me see my wife."
His voice reached Father Zhong, who looked displeased, "Dalong, what’s going on outside?"
"Nothing’s going on," Zhong Dalong didn’t wish to discuss it.
Seeing the tone his son was taking, Father Zhong scolded, "Speak up!"
"It’s Yang Ming," Zhong Dalong replied reluctantly.
"Let the son-in-law in, Dad. His yelling outside isn’t good for the neighbors to see, and besides, the son-in-law hasn’t done anything wrong."
Xiaoxiao’s mother pleaded on his behalf, she could see the sorrow in her son-in-law’s expression, his genuine love for her daughter.
Hearing his mother suggest letting him in, Zhong Dalong immediately argued, "How has he done nothing wrong? My sister is in this state, what’s wrong with him standing outside for a while?"