The excitement of the demolition ceremony continues.

There are quite a few talented people in the community. Some are playing old accordions and singing, others are doing acrobatics, flipping and turning around; the sounds of gongs and laughter mix together, and the atmosphere becomes increasingly lively.

But the three elders didn’t remain seated on the stage. Instead, they returned together to the Celestial Essence Mall.

Elder Song, being the eldest, had been out in the cold wind for over an hour, and his face was a bit pale. The other two elders were worried he might catch a chill, so they accompanied him back.

"Getting old, my body doesn’t hold up well anymore." Sitting on an old sofa in the reception area, Elder Song took a sip of hot water from an enamel cup, his expression becoming a bit more animated.

He shook his head with a wry smile, "Back in the day, I could stand guard on snowy grounds for an entire day and night without feeling cold. Now, just a short while in the wind and the chill goes right into my bones."

Cheng Ye sat across from him, looking at the white hair at the elder’s temples, feeling some emotion in his heart.

Elder Song’s generation, they endured through a much harsher old era, leaving behind many injuries and illnesses.

How much longer they can live depends entirely on their personal willpower.

He smiled, changing the subject as he glanced around the newly renovated mall, "Elder Song, has the renovation of the mall been completed?"

"It finished just a couple of days ago." At the mention, Elder Song’s eyes brightened. He put down the enamel cup, his voice carrying a tone of pride, "By the way, I also need to report on the community work during this time."

"Please don’t, I’m still counting on you to lead the team in the future." Cheng Ye chuckled.

Elder Song immediately caught on to the hidden meaning, a hint of a smile in his eyes, but he didn’t continue the topic right away. Instead, he stood and started showing Cheng Ye around the mall.

On the first floor, the previously warped wooden floorboards due to dampness had all been replaced, now covered with smooth, light gray tiles that no longer creaked underfoot.

Outside, a few mottled, broken support columns were painted with a fresh coat of lively green paint, making the whole space appear more vibrant.

"The biggest headache used to be the wiring problem."

Elder Song led Cheng Ye to the corner of the first floor where the main power distribution box was, pointing to the brand new metal box, "Previously, the wiring inside this box was tangled like a spider web, with frequent tripping. Now it’s been replaced with a complete control unit, and the entire mall’s circuits have been reorganized, divided into lighting and equipment paths. There’s no more worry about overload."

Cheng Ye leaned in to take a look, noticing the addition of flashing indicator lights inside the box. A wiring diagram was also pasted next to it, clearly labeled, indeed much more organized than before.

"The water system has also been updated." Elder Song led him toward the stairwell, "Before, there were only two water points on the first and fifth floors, and people had to queue for a long time to fetch water. Now, new plumbing has been installed on every floor, with simple filtration devices added."

The blue water pipes were exposed outside, which is inevitable in such old-era buildings where concealed wiring couldn’t be used.

However, the overall layout was very orderly, and it didn’t look unpleasant.

In addition to this, even the previously overcrowded restrooms during peak times had been improved. The number of stalls on each floor increased from ten to twenty, with simple dividers erected, and the walls cleaned to a snow-white, even adorned with a few "Maintain Cleanliness" slogans, making it much cleaner and tidier than before.

The most striking change, however, was the elevated stalls in the mall that had been as densely packed as Kowloon Walled City.

Previously, these stalls were stacked layer upon layer with rusty iron frames, almost touching the ceiling at the highest points, leaving only a narrow gap for people to pass through, messy and suffocating.

Now, all the decayed iron frames had been replaced with brand new silver steel pipes, and the shabby blankets and mattresses had been uniformly replaced with new deep-blue bedding.

Moreover, the height of the stalls was strictly limited, retaining only two-thirds of the original, transformed into train-style upper, middle, and lower bunks, saving space and preventing any sense of oppression.

"The mall initially had a registered permanent population of four thousand two hundred people."

Elder Song stood in the middle of the stall area, a tone of gratification in his voice, "Even if some work outside and don’t often return, cramming three thousand five hundred people is still too much. Fortunately, the Civil Affairs Bureau coordinated with the empty area at the Vegetable Market, allowing the community to buy it at a low price and has now relocated two thousand people there."

"Oh, is it the previous fruits and vegetables market?"

"Yes, after the infection wave, it came with existing ventilation and drainage facilities. We did a simple renovation, and it’s quite comfortable to live there."

He paused and added, "We gave priority to families with children and individuals who have contributed to the community. Now it’s comfortable sleeping on both sides, and many don’t even want to move out."

This is change.

Change that brings more Happiness than even the pedestrian streets outside.

A few middle-aged folks, who were lying in bed with colds from catching a chill, quickly sat up straight upon seeing Cheng Ye approach, a hint of embarrassment but also a genuinely sincere smile on their faces.

"Elder Song, what you’ve done is remarkable."

Cheng Ye sincerely praised, "Resource allocation is a significant issue. It’s no easy task to get the entire community to listen and ensure everyone can lead a good life."

Hearing this, Elder Song finally smiled, turning to Cheng Ye, "Inspector Cheng, if there’s anything you need this old man to do, just say."

"Not just me, nobody in the community would refuse you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the other two elders quickly nodded in agreement.

"That’s great!"

The group returned to the reception area, where Er Long and some former militia leaders had, unbeknownst to them, also arrived and were standing at the door.