Chapter 656: Heading There

Jinghong Tower.

Creak—

The shovel pierced the moist soil, pried hard twice, and then a large chunk of soil was lifted and covered over the surface of a simple, plain coffin.

Kong Baosheng wiped his wet cheeks with his elbows; he couldn't tell if it was sweat, rain, or tears. He just stubbornly kept his bloodshot eyes open, prying the soil again and again to bury the coffin beneath the theater.

Li Qingshan stood at the entrance of the backyard, watching this scene with a complex expression.

After parting at the theater, Kong Baosheng began to handle his grandmother's funeral arrangements alone. But now that the surrounding neighborhoods had all turned into ruins, there wasn't a single funeral home still in business, so he could only dismantle a few old wooden planks from the theater himself, using nails and a hammer to carefully knock and piece them together, and he never let Li Qingshan help from start to finish.

No one would have thought that the last job this clever boy would do at Jinghong Tower was to build a coffin for his grandmother with his own hands... Although it was crude, it poured out his heart and emotions, and his rough palms were worn raw and bloody.

"Hello, may I ask who Kong Baosheng is?" Just as Kong Baosheng was still struggling to bury the coffin, a voice came from outside the door.

Li Qingshan and Kong Baosheng turned to look and saw several figures at the entrance of the theater, carrying bamboo baskets and peering inside.

"It's me." Kong Baosheng held the shovel, his brows slightly furrowed.

"We are from the Huang Consortium. Our Miss Huang asked us to send flowers to a boy named Kong Baosheng." After the leader finished speaking, several people simultaneously put down the bamboo baskets on their backs. After the lids were opened, a large number of fresh flowers were displayed before Kong Baosheng's eyes.

These flowers were of similar varieties but different colors. Even though they had been away from the soil for some time, they were still fresh, full, and full of vitality.

Kong Baosheng stood frozen on the spot.

"Our Miss originally wanted to send a truckload of flowers... but the surrounding neighborhoods are too badly damaged for the truck to drive in, and there's nowhere to buy flowers right now, so we could only send these." The man paused. "Please check them."

Seeing this, Li Qingshan couldn't help but sigh:

"Miss Huang is truly thoughtful... The world says all merchants are treacherous, but Miss Huang conducts business with a 'benevolent heart.' I'm afraid there isn't a second person like her in the world."

Kong Baosheng stared blankly at the room full of fresh flowers, his lips pursed involuntarily. He bowed deeply to the group:

"Please thank Miss Huang for me. This kindness, I, Kong Baosheng, will definitely repay in the future."

The people from the Huang Consortium left in a hurry after delivering the flowers.

Kong Baosheng carried these bamboo baskets to the backyard and spread them over the soil that had just been leveled. The colorful flowers swayed gently in the wind and rain, and the originally bleak and desolate atmosphere suddenly became vibrant.

Since there was nowhere to get a tombstone, Kong Baosheng could only carve his grandmother's name on a wooden board and finally insert it into the soil amidst the clusters of flowers.

Rustle, rustle, rustle—

The wind and rain made the flowers in the courtyard rustle.

Kong Baosheng, soaked to the bone, stood there, looking down at the inscription amidst the sea of flowers, and said softly:

"Mr. Li... do you think that since my grandmother did so many good deeds in her life, she will definitely be reborn into a good family in her next life and enjoy peace and happiness, right?"

"That is certain." Li Qingshan nodded. "Good people will be rewarded."

Kong Baosheng took a deep breath and turned to look at Li Qingshan:

"Mr. Li, you should go quickly..."

"You have to come with me."

"I don't want to leave... This is my home. Aside from this theater, I have nothing left." Kong Baosheng looked down at the inscription in the sea of flowers, as if he saw his grandmother standing in the theater, smiling at him. His face was full of reluctance.

Li Qingshan knew it would be hard to persuade Kong Baosheng; this child was simply too stubborn... He simply took a light step forward and chopped Kong Baosheng on the back of the neck with his palm, knocking him unconscious instantly.

Kong Baosheng only felt a gust of wind strike, his eyes rolled back, and he lost consciousness, falling straight into Li Qingshan's arms.

"Sorry, Baosheng." Li Qingshan whispered.

Li Qingshan could understand Kong Baosheng's thoughts, but he couldn't bear to watch this child stay behind and face danger alone... Even if he would be hated by Kong Baosheng in the future, he had to take this child to Liu Town.

Li Qingshan picked up his luggage, held Kong Baosheng, and walked straight out of the gate of Jinghong Tower;

The drizzling rain hit him, wetting his black hair. He couldn't help but look back at the empty, deserted theater standing silently in the misty rain...

Li Qingshan knew this might be the last time he would see Jinghong Tower.

"...Goodbye." He muttered to himself.

……

Huang Consortium.

"Miss, the assets have been accounted for."

In the dim room, Uncle Quan walked over with a dozen bodyguards carrying leather suitcases.

Due to the previous large-scale Grey Realm convergence, the power system of the Red Dust main city was basically paralyzed. Even though the neighborhood where the Huang Consortium was located wasn't involved in the convergence zone, it was still affected. Fortunately, it wasn't too dark at this time, so even without lights, one could see the surroundings clearly.

"Speak."

"The cash on the consortium's books is already being loaded into the cars, and the rest that couldn't fit is here; besides that, there's no time to liquidate fixed assets, so we'll likely have to abandon them... including several restaurants, factories, theaters, residences, and a few plots of undeveloped land."

Uncle Quan flipped through his notebook and said concisely, "Fortunately, our consortium's focus is on entertainment, so fixed assets don't account for much. Even if we abandon those things, the loss is not unacceptable... The contracts for the other artists have also been packed up and are in the cars."

"We can head to Liu Town at any time."

Huang Suyu nodded slightly. She picked up the leather suitcase containing her clothes and valuables and was about to leave when her peripheral vision suddenly fell on the corner of the vanity... A gold bracelet was lying there quietly.

Seeing that gold bracelet, a memory flooded into Huang Suyu's mind.

Without the slightest hesitation, she solemnly put the gold bracelet on her wrist, picked up the suitcase, and walked out of the dim door.

"Let's go, we're setting off for Liu Town."

"Yes."

Surrounded by more than a dozen bodyguards, Huang Suyu walked downstairs, where several black cars had been waiting for a long time.

A bodyguard opened the car door for her. Huang Suyu and Uncle Quan sat in one after the other. As the door closed, the car started and drove forward slowly amidst the tremors... Uncle Quan looked deeply at the building that was gradually moving away through the car window and let out a long sigh.

"I don't know what the consortium will look like when we come back... It might even be a ruin by then."

"If it's a ruin, then so be it."

Huang Suyu sat straight in the back seat, the suitcase on her slender legs. She said firmly,

"...Wherever I am, that is where the Huang Consortium is."