Tomb Raider: I Am Hu Bayi's Cousin

Chapter 273 A Swan Song!

Three hours later, in the afternoon, in a pear orchard in Beijing.

This is the Hong family's property.

It was opened by a friend who came to Beijing with Er Yuehong back then.

This guy, surnamed He, was one of Er Yuehong's most trusted men back then.

Over the years, this is the only pear orchard I've ever opened in Beijing.

It was both a means of making a living and a way to quietly wait for Er Yuehong to come and perform.

The Hong family hasn't touched anything underground for many years; their means of making a living is their specialty, opera.

However, fewer and fewer young people enjoy listening to opera these days, and those who come here regularly are mostly familiar faces.

Some elderly guests.

After receiving the news from the Crescent Hotel, Old He was stunned for a long time.

Immediately afterwards, the opera house was emptied cleanly and the stage was rearranged in the style that Er Yuehong was most used to back then.

Although this trip offended many old customers, Mr. He didn't care.

"Second Master, Second Master! After all these years, I never thought I would live to hear you sing again!"

In the opera house, the white-haired old man He knelt in front of Er Yuehong's wheelchair, tears streaming down his face.

"Old He, you've worked so hard all these years. Get up now. You're getting on in years. Don't keep kneeling down."

"I'm here today to perform my last act..."

Completely different from three hours ago, Er Yuehong was now full of energy and vitality, showing no signs of impending death.
"Second Master..."

Old He was also aware of Er Yuehong's physical condition.

At 102 years old, Er Yuehong had reached her limit.

"This must be the young Master Ming from back then, right?"

Old He looked at Hu Ming, who was pushing the wheelchair behind him, wiped away his tears, and said kindly.

Although Hu Ming is not young, he is still a junior compared to the old man in front of him.

"It's me, Mr. He. I've been away from Beijing for so many years, and my master has been taken care of by you."

Hu Ming nodded and said softly.

"Young Master Ming, you're too kind. I'm Second Master's employee. If it weren't for Second Master, I would have died in that chaotic era long ago."

"We, the Hong family, except for a few scoundrels, are Second Master's people in life and in death!"

Hu Ming knew who the bastard he was talking about was.

Chenpi Asi.

Apart from Er Yuehong, none of the rest of the Hong family had a good impression of this person.

"Alright, Lao He, don't say these things to the child. He has his own life and shouldn't be affected by the grudges of our older generation."

"My time is running out. Take me to change my clothes. I want to perform this last act well!"

Er Yuehong interrupted Lao He, his feelings toward Chen Pi Asi, his former apprentice, were quite complicated.

"Alright, Second Master, come with me, I'll take you there."

Taking the wheelchair from Hu Ming, Lao He pushed Er Yuehong toward the changing room, muttering to himself.

Hu Ming and Yin Nanfeng sat in the chairs facing the stage.

By this time, quite a few people had already arrived.

Zhang Rishan, Xie Yuchen, Huo Xiuxiu, and other familiar faces.

Hu Ming even saw some unfamiliar faces here.

But without a doubt, these people were all people Er Yuehong had a good relationship with.

Those with ulterior motives had already been kicked out by Zhang Yueshan.

No one wanted to disturb Er Yuehong's last performance at this time.

"Young Master!"

Many people stood up and greeted Hu Ming respectfully upon seeing him. These people were mostly younger members of the family and elders of the Hong family. Therefore, they guessed that from today onwards, Hu Ming was probably the Second Master of the Nine Gates!
"sit!"

Hu Ming nodded without saying anything more.

"Hu Ming, after Second Master finishes singing this opera..." Zhang Rishan sat down next to Hu Ming and asked in a deep voice.

"It's time to go. This is a strong medicine, a strong medicine with extremely serious side effects."

Hu Ming looked down at Zhang Yueshan's wrist, where a silver double-ring was worn.

There's nothing to hide.

"Yes... However, Second Master should be able to leave satisfied this time."

Zhang Yueshan closed his eyes and sighed softly.

"According to his last words, I will take his body back to Changsha for burial, and then..."

"After this, you probably won't show up in Beijing so easily again, right?"

"For you, apart from Second Master, there's probably nothing left to miss about the Nine Gates."

Zhang Yueshan gave a wry smile; Hu Ming had already made his meaning very clear to him.

"You won't be coming back to Beijing?"

Yin Nanfeng was taken aback and looked at Hu Ming with an unreadable expression.

"That's most likely it. I have things to do, and Beijing isn't a place I can stay for long. Besides, my parents are both abroad, and as for those assets and influence, I've always entrusted them to Hu Bayi and the others. Whether I come to Beijing or not, it's all the same!"

Hu Ming didn't understand what the girl meant, but he still admitted it.

"Really? I understand..."

Nanfeng nodded, her mind racing, her bright eyes darting around, seemingly plotting something.

Beside him, Xie Yuchen was already silently weeping.

Er Yuehong was his teacher, and in terms of affection, he was even closer to her than to his adoptive father, Xie Lianhuan.

Hu Ming patted him on the shoulder as a gesture of comfort.

In fact, he felt that compared to Er Yuehong's three sons, compared to himself...

Xie Yuchen is more like Er Yuehong's child, after all, he was the one who spent the most time with Er Yuehong.

Since I followed the King
Eastern Expeditions and Western Wars
What was bound to happen eventually did; the time for the February Rainbow had finally arrived.

With her final, swan song, Er Yuehong collapsed to the ground, satisfied.

Before leaving, he clutched a photograph tightly to his chest.

"Second Master!!!"

At this moment, the opera troupe was filled with weeping.

After that, there's not much more to say.

Following Er Yuehong's last wishes, Hu Ming drove to Changsha with the ice coffin containing Er Yuehong's remains.

"No, I mean, you're the big boss of the Crescent Hotel, why do you insist on coming to Changsha with me?"

"You're giving up the family business? Won't your family be worried sick?"

Hu Ming looked at the passenger seat of the truck with a puzzled expression. There, Yin Nanfeng was sitting, dressed in a neat black dress.

"Hmph, Uncle Ming, don't you dare turn your back on me after you've served your purpose. I got your driver's license through connections."

"Otherwise, let's see how you get Second Master to Changsha! Even this truck was arranged by me!"

Yin Nanfeng clicked his tongue lightly, expressing his dissatisfaction.

"...Okay, thank you!"

Hu Ming's lips twitched slightly.

He realized that this girl had really stuck with him this time.

It's impossible to drive them away, especially since we're almost at Changsha city now, so it's unrealistic to expect them to leave.

"In short, now that you've come all this way with me, after the burial, you should just go back home quietly."

"I have things to do next, and going down to the ground is too dangerous and not suitable for a young lady like you."

"And don't argue. If I dare to take you to the fields, not only will your family be spared, but that old bastard Zhang Yueshan will skin me alive!"

Yin Nanfeng wanted to say something more, but after Hu Ming's words, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

(End of this chapter)