Since all these rules and superstitions are outdated, what's wrong with me indulging in some me

She paused, then lowered her voice:

"Young man, you're a doctor, so tell me the truth—is Zhang Ping's daughter very ill? I've been watching her for over a year, and her complexion is getting worse and worse, and she's getting thinner and thinner. Sometimes I can even hear her crying in her room in the middle of the night..."

Lu Changsheng was silent for a few seconds before saying, "She is receiving treatment."

"Treatment?" The old lady sighed. "I think it's making things worse. Before, even though she wasn't in good health, she would at least greet me and occasionally bring me some dumplings she made herself. In the last six months, she's hardly ever left the house, and she avoids people when she sees them."

The old lady looked at Lu Changsheng with worry in her eyes:

"Young man, if you really care about her, try to persuade her to leave. I don't think this illness is curable. Since it's incurable, don't force her to undergo treatment. Try a different approach. As long as she lives well, that's enough."

Lu Changsheng nodded: "Thank you, I will."

He glanced once more at the closed door of room 502, then turned and went downstairs.

Suddenly startled, I turned my head.

The old man has already returned to his room and closed the security door.

But her words sent a chill down Lu Changsheng's spine.

If it can't be cured, try another method...

Lu Changsheng walked out of the building and stood on the sidewalk of Wutong Street, watching the pedestrians passing by.

The sunlight was blinding, but he felt cold all over.

Just then, my phone rang in my pocket.

Lu Changsheng took out his phone, and the screen displayed an unfamiliar local number.

He hesitated for a moment before answering the phone.

"Feed?"

"Is this...is this Dr. Lu?" A female voice came from the other end of the phone.

"I am Lu Changsheng. May I ask who you are?"

"I am Aunt Chen's daughter, Li Mei." The woman's voice was calm. "My mother... my mother passed away last night."

Lu Changsheng was stunned.

Landlady Aunt Chen?

Aunt Chen, who brought him chicken soup yesterday?

"How could this be..." Lu Changsheng was stunned. "I saw her the day before yesterday afternoon, and she was perfectly fine..."

"A natural death." Li Mei's voice was calm, without the slightest trace of grief. "The doctor said it was due to old age... She passed away peacefully."

Lu Changsheng held his phone, his fingers icy cold.

Another death.

"The funeral is scheduled for this afternoon at the Jinghu City Funeral Home," Li Mei continued. "My mother liked you a lot when you were alive, and she said it wasn't easy for a young person like you to work so hard away from home... If you have time, could you come and see her off on her final journey?"

"I will go," Lu Changsheng heard his own voice say. "Aunt Chen is a good person."

"Thank you... thank you."

Li Mei calmly said a few more words and then hung up the phone.

Lu Changsheng put down his phone and stood in the sunlight on Wutong Street, but felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

He hailed a taxi: "To the city funeral home."

The taxi was parked outside the Jinghu City Funeral Home.

This was a modern, gray-white building with simple lines and a solemn atmosphere. When Lu Changsheng got out of the car, he saw several cars already parked at the entrance, and groups of people walking inside.

He straightened his clothes—still the same white coat he was wearing. He had come directly from the sanatorium without time to change. He stepped into the funeral home.

The funeral was held in Hall Number One. Lu Changsheng pushed open the heavy wooden door, and the scene inside made him pause.

There were about twenty or thirty people in the hall, all dressed in dark clothes, standing in twos and threes, talking quietly. Directly in front was Aunt Chen's portrait; she had a gentle smile in the photo, exactly as Lu Changsheng remembered her.

But what made Lu Changsheng uncomfortable was the atmosphere in the hall.

There was no crying.

There was no sorrow on their faces.

Everyone wore a serene smile. It wasn't a forced smile, but a genuine, composed peace. They spoke to each other in a relaxed tone, occasionally punctuated by soft laughter, as if this were not a funeral, but an ordinary gathering.

Lu Changsheng stood at the door, feeling a chill rise up his spine.

"Dr. Lu, you've arrived."

A woman's voice came from the side. Lu Changsheng turned his head and saw Li Mei walking towards him. She was wearing a black dress, her makeup was exquisite, and she had the same calm smile on her face as everyone else.

Her gaze swept over the air above Lu Changsheng's head, her smile faltered for a moment, then returned to normal.

"Ms. Li," Lu Changsheng nodded in greeting, "please accept my condolences."

Li Mei smiled:

"Thank you for coming. Mom really liked you when she was alive. She said you were sensible and knew how to care for others."

Her tone was as natural as if she were talking about today's weather.

Lu Changsheng looked into her eyes, trying to find a trace of sadness, but found nothing. Her eyes were clear, calm, and even carried a hint of relief.

"Aunt Chen... passed away very suddenly." Lu Changsheng chose his words carefully. "When I saw her the day before yesterday, she seemed to be in good health."

"Yes, that's why everyone says it's a blessing," Li Mei smiled. "She didn't suffer; she passed away peacefully in her sleep. My mother had a tough life, and now she can finally rest in peace."

She paused, then added, "And being over sixty is considered long-lived in Jinghu City. Many people don't even live to that age."

Over sixty? Is that considered long-lived?

Lu Changsheng was taken aback.

"Come, let me show you your mother." Li Mei led Lu Changsheng forward.

Inside the crystal coffin, Aunt Chen lay peacefully, her face serene, a faint smile seemingly lingering on her lips. She wore her favorite light purple cheongsam, her hands folded in front of her chest.

People around were talking in hushed tones:

"Sister Chen left at just the right time, without suffering any hardship."

"Yes, my uncle passed away last year. He was bedridden for three months. That was real suffering."

"Being able to walk this path is a blessing earned through good deeds."

"I'm over sixty, that's enough."

His tone was calm, even carrying a hint of...envy?

Lu Changsheng stood before the crystal coffin, gazing at Aunt Chen's peaceful face. He recalled the image of her standing at his door yesterday afternoon, carrying chicken soup, and the frozen smile on her face when she saw "it" above his head.

Now she lies here, never to speak again.

"Dr. Lu," Li Mei's voice pulled him back to reality, "Let's go sit over there, the funeral won't start for a while."

Lu Changsheng nodded and followed Li Mei to the rest area to sit down.

"How's work lately?" Li Mei asked, her tone like a casual greeting. "Are you adjusting well at the nursing home?"

"It's alright," Lu Changsheng replied cautiously, "It's just that I'm quite busy with work."

"My mother used to say that doctors work too hard," Li Mei smiled. "Every day you have to face so many patients and hear so much negative emotion. Most people couldn't take it."

Lu Changsheng's heart stirred:

"Does Aunt Chen know a lot about the work at the nursing home?"

"I wouldn't say I understand her, I just often heard her talk about it," Li Mei said. "She said that doctors in Jinghu City have it tough, having to deal with so many emotionally agitated patients every day. She also said..."

Li Mei suddenly stopped talking.