code: def value_counts_combine(
      x, sort=True, ascending=False, **groupby_kwargs
  ):
      # sort and ascending don't actually matter until the agg step
      with check_observed_deprecation():
          return x.groupby(level=0, **groupby_kwargs).sum()
  
imports: from __future__ import annotations
  import warnings
  from functools import partial
  import numpy
  import pandas
  from pandas.api.types import is_extension_array_dtype
  from pandas.errors import PerformanceWarning
  from tlz import partition
  from dask.dataframe._compat import PANDAS_GE_131, PANDAS_GE_140, PANDAS_GE_200, check_apply_dataframe_deprecation, check_applymap_dataframe_deprecation, check_convert_dtype_deprecation, check_observed_deprecation
  from dask.dataframe.dispatch import concat, concat_dispatch, group_split_dispatch, hash_object_dispatch, is_categorical_dtype, is_categorical_dtype_dispatch, tolist, tolist_dispatch, union_categoricals
  from dask.dataframe.utils import is_dataframe_like, is_index_like, is_series_like
label_desc: Use image node_id 23 for calling a global function with example usage: value_counts_combine(x, sort, ascending) and returns: x