I am a literary giant in Europe

Chapter 673 Funeral
Leslie looked a bit haggard and had lost a lot of weight.

Hmm, it's a bit like his appearance years ago when he held his 'red' solo concerts, with a scruffy beard.

However, her eyes are very bright.

It doesn't seem as decadent as I imagined.

Even when he's smoking, he still looks cool.

"Don't worry about me, I was actually prepared."

When I learned she had cancer in 03, I knew this day would come sooner or later.

She herself said that she is already content to have lived this long! She said that these past few years have been one of the happiest periods of her life. The happiest time of her life was the period when she became famous, followed by these relaxed years.

Actually, I'm happy for her too.

"I know!"

Liu Jin opened a bottle of beer and handed it to Leslie Cheung.

He gulped down a big mouthful, a bright smile spreading across his face.

"She passed away peacefully, without suffering."

"That's very good!"

“We were singing the night before, but when I went to see her the next day, she was already gone.”

"Sing?"

"Yes, I sing some old songs, you must know them."

"The Years of Love, A Chinese Ghost Story, Song of the Setting Sun..."

"Wait a moment."

Liu Jin suddenly got up and jogged back into the house.

A moment later, he came out carrying a guitar, and Tianxian and Maggie followed him out.

Liu Jin sat on the grass, with Eva held in Tianxian's arms.

Julie and Adrian, along with their puppies and a dozen or so mongrels, lay on the lawn, surrounding Liu Jin and the others.

The moonlight was bright and clear.

The evening breeze blowing from the salt lake carried a hint of saltiness.

Liu Jin plucked the strings and said with a smile, "This song was written four years ago when a very important person in my life left me. I only sang it once, and haven't sung it or given it to anyone since."

Today, this is for Anita.

"Amos, wait a minute."

Suddenly, Fairy handed Eva to Maggie and got up to walk into the house.

"Call me Uncle!"

"A little bit!"

Maggie and Leslie Cheung couldn't help but laugh.

Maggie, holding the cat, also opened a bottle of beer and took a big gulp.

Liu Jin then plucked the strings of his zither, and the melodious, slightly melancholic music echoed across the lawn.

"Amos, wait for me, I'm coming!"

The fairy rushed over, holding a DV camera in her hand.

Inside the room, Mr. and Mrs. Jiang, Aunt Liu, and Mr. An also came out.

"It's been a long day without you my friend
The days are so long without you, my old friend.
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again
When we meet again, I will open my heart and tell you everything.

We've come a long way from where we began
Looking back on the long journey we've taken hand in hand

Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again
When we meet again, I will open my heart and tell you everything.

When I See You Again
When we meet again

......"

Liu Jin sang this song once on his way to Cannes after Julie and Adrian left Toulouse for Metz that year.

After that, the song remained sealed in his memory.

See you again.

If Anita Mui hadn't passed away, Lau Chun might have forgotten this song.

It's even possible that in another eighty or ninety years, the original singer of this song will be created.

However, no one knows Julie's story.

Those were memories from Liu Jin's previous life.

At first, Leslie Cheung didn't care much.

But as the melody began, the smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a look of reminiscence.

He reminisced about the heyday of the Hong Kong music scene in the 1980s.

He recalled every little detail since he met Anita.

Tears welled up in my eyes without my noticing.

He took a deep breath, turned to look at Maggie, and saw that Maggie was smiling, but tears were streaming down her face.

“Why'd you have to leave so soon
Why is our time together so short?
Why'd you have to go
Why is parting so helpless?
Why'd you have to leave me when I needed you the most
Why do I feel so helpless only after you leave?
Cause I don't really know how to tell you, without feeling much worse
I don't know how to calmly begin.

I know you're in a better place
Even if you understand your place
But it's always going to hurt.
But saying goodbye still breaks my heart.

......"

The version Liu Jin is singing at this moment is not the well-known "Vegetarian Chicken" version, but the solo version sung by the song's lyricist and composer, Charlie Puth.

This song was originally written in memory of Paul Walker.

However, during the creative process, Charlie Puth recalled a friend who died in a motorcycle accident in 2012 while he was studying at Berklee College of Music, and the song flowed effortlessly from there. Charlie Puth said that the song seemed to appear out of thin air... as if he hadn't even written it himself.

Anyway, the promotional material was all very mystical. We don't know if it was just for publicity or if it was actually true.

However, our ancestors also said similar things.

It's too late to read books in this lifetime!
Great works are there, just waiting to be discovered.

Yes, Liu Jin often says that too.

Just like...

The Old Man and the Sea.

Just like...

Notre Dame de Paris.

This song is sorrowful but not tragic.

Although Leslie Cheung was in tears when he heard the last part, he had a big smile on his face.

When Liu Jin finished singing and was about to stop, he suddenly started chanting.

It's the same song, See You Again, but when he sings it, his slightly husky voice gives it a unique flavor.

Liu Jin was taken aback, but did not stop playing; instead, he continued to play.

Liu Jin's voice was somewhat loud, while Leslie Cheung's singing was more like chanting.

After he finished singing, Liu Jin started singing again.

This time, however, it was a chorus, with high and low notes intertwined, giving the song a different kind of charm.

Maggie sat cross-legged on the grass, with Eva lying on her lap.

She held the wine bottle, swaying her upper body gently.

Her singing was mediocre, far inferior to the two high-pitched and low-pitched singers in front of her, so she simply hummed the tune, and then, following the sound of the piano, she whistled, adding a unique touch to the song.

Sad?
A little!

But there is also a sense of relief, and a sense of anticipation!
……

Anita Mui's funeral was held three days later.

According to her wishes, she will be buried in the cemetery in Grução.

There, you can feel the sea breeze, gaze at the entire Lion Bay, and get a bird's-eye view of the old town of Gruçon, as well as her little house.

The small building was donated to the town of Gryzan, where a music class was established.

From now on, any children in Grysang who want to sing can come here to learn for free.

Leslie and Maggie each donated 200,000 euros to establish a music education fund, which will be operated by the Gruysand town government, though Leslie and Maggie will appoint an accountant to oversee it. Liu Jin also donated 200,000 euros.

Old Jiang donated 50,000 yuan, and Tianxian donated 50,000 yuan.

A total of 700,000 euros is enough to keep the fund running smoothly.

Liu Jin did not attend the funeral.

Because a lot of people from the Hong Kong entertainment industry came.

Among them were familiar faces such as Andy Lau, Tony Leung Ka-fai, and his elder brother, Jackie Chan.

Liu Jin actually really wanted to befriend these people.

But after thinking about it again, I realized it wasn't necessary.

He never intended to scheme or plot in the entertainment industry, and his memories from his later life had long since dispelled any fascination with it, so he felt there was no need to.

He simply watched from afar as Mei Gu was buried, and then returned to the manor.

There's still a lot of trouble to come!

When Anita Mui announced her retirement from the entertainment industry and left Hong Kong Island, she made a division of her assets.

Her total assets are approximately HK$170 million, of which HK$70 million was used to establish a fund to support her family.

After moving to Gruysand, she sold her properties in London and Singapore.

Therefore, after her death, her total assets amounted to approximately HK$260 million.

According to her will, another HK$60 million will be invested in the family fund, and the remaining HK$200 million will be used to establish a children's charity fund specifically for the education and living care of impoverished children... However, given the character of her mother and her elder brother, it is estimated that the family fund will be squandered in no time, and then they will keep squandering it.

In this life, Anita Mui became much more cautious.

When she left Hong Kong Island, she took all her personal belongings with her.

At least, her restless mother can no longer sell used underwear online...

But that's not necessarily true!

Human nature...

……

The town of Grysan experienced a brief period of hustle and bustle.

Anita Mui's funeral attracted a large number of journalists from Hong Kong Island, Taiwan Island, and Southeast Asia, as well as journalists from mainland China.

Seeing that things were not going well, Lao Zhang and Maggie immediately moved into Liu Jin's manor.

For several days in a row, paparazzi were spotted outside Liu Jin's manor.

But this is Gryzan!
Not Hong Kong Island.

Twenty local dogs patrol the estate daily, making it impossible for paparazzi to sneak in.

One of them did sneak into the manor, but was discovered by Adrian.

Turner showed no mercy, grabbing a shotgun and firing three shots at the paparazzi's hiding place, scaring the paparazzi into scrambling away.

This estate is private property, and old Turner won't give them a friendly look!

……

(End of this chapter)