I am a literary giant in Europe

Chapter 791 The Concert by the Fireplace

Michael's feature requires time to prepare.

Even the guests need to make reservations in advance; you can't just invite them and expect them to come.

Moreover, Leslie's side also needs time to prepare; it can't be done like a makeshift operation, or it will definitely be criticized.

So Leslie continued working on his Hong Kong Island special.

Liu Jin then began a new round of creative work.

It's time to write "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

……

Since Fitzgerald did not write this book, Liu Jin used the film as a template when writing it.

Of course, there were also some changes.

For example, the protagonist, Benjamin Button, is, according to Fitzgerald's original novel, an abandoned son of a nobleman. However, the film doesn't specify this; it only states that he was born into a family in New Orleans.

Liu Jin made an adjustment here, changing the name from New Orleans to San Francisco.

The San Francisco earthquake occurred in 1906.

A Chinese baby was born, but his parents died in an earthquake shortly after his birth.

He was born different from others, with a full head of white hair and a face full of wrinkles, resembling an elderly man in his seventies. If his parents had been American, he would most likely have drowned. But his parents were Chinese, and the innate kindness of Chinese people saved his life.

But unfortunately...

The baby boy was later found by priests at the San Francisco Tuller Church, also known as the St. Francis Mission.

The priest did not reject him because of his strange appearance; instead, he adopted him and named him Benjamin Button.

Under the priest's protection, Benjamin grew up slowly year after year.

At the age of twelve, he met Daisy, who had come to visit her grandfather.

That year, Daisy was six years old.

And so, the older man met the woman who would completely change his life. Her loveliness and innocence utterly captivated him, while Daisy was moved by his sincerity and pure heart. An inexplicable affection planted a seed in their hearts.

However, the full implementation of the Chinese Exclusion Act forced the growing Benjamin to leave the church and be imprisoned at the Angel Island immigration station. At only twenty years old, Benjamin was eventually deported back to China, which was then being humiliated by foreign powers, due to his immigration status.

He joined the Kuomintang and experienced the September 18 Incident.

Later, due to his contact with the Red Party, he changed his faith.

During the Anti-Japanese War, he witnessed the brutality of the Japanese army and took many precious photographs. He was hunted down by the Japanese army and witnessed the corruption and weakness of the Kuomintang... Until the end of the Anti-Japanese War, he was captured by the Kuomintang and faced death.

It was at this time that the old priest arrived from America, rescued him from prison, and then took him back to America.

By this time, Benjamin had shed his childhood appearance and become a middle-aged man.

The old priest died soon after, and Benjamin came to New York alone.

As if by fate, he and Daisy met again.

However, Daisy was already married at this time, and Benjamin was unwilling to break up Daisy's family, so he left sadly...

He went to France and traveled throughout Europe.

And he met a beautiful French woman...

News of Daisy's injury led Benjamin to leave Abbott.

But Daisy, unable to continue her beloved dance and unwilling to let Benjamin see her in her hospital bed, drove him away.

Disheartened, Benjamin left America once again.

A few years later, they met again in a church in San Francisco.

The two rekindled their old flame and, finally, having become a perfect match in age and appearance, spent several happy and wonderful years together.

They had a child.

However, Benjamin is getting younger and younger, going against the grain as if he has been rejuvenated.

He will grow younger and younger, eventually becoming a child.

Left with no other choice, he left Daisy again and returned to China.

Years later, Benjamin returned from China and discovered that Daisy had remarried. They got along well, and Daisy's husband cared for their daughter as if she were his own. This put Benjamin's mind at ease.

At the same time, he also felt sadness.

As I get older, my body gets smaller.

Benjamin was diagnosed with childhood Alzheimer's disease and was sent to an orphanage.

The orphanage staff found a diary on him and assumed it was his father's. Through the diary, they found Daisy.

By this time, Benjamin had forgotten everything and was becoming more and more like a child.

Daisy helped him get adopted and stayed by his side during the last moments of his life...

……

The story's outline is very clear, but writing it out is not easy.

Like Forrest Gump, Benjamin experienced all the calamities of the last century. Ultimately, he died during the 1989 San Francisco earthquake.

Life is like a cycle of reincarnation.

He was born during a major earthquake, and he also passed away quietly during another major earthquake.

From 1906 to 1989, Benjamin witnessed the Chinese Exclusion Act, the fourteen-year War of Resistance against Japan, the rise of America, and the assassination of Kennedy...

Liu Jin decided to create his works slowly by hand.

However, while creating this book, he also began writing "The Book of Wonders".

The first season of Castle ultimately garnered 23 million viewers, meaning he won his bet with ABC.

ABC television network has requested that Liu Jin provide content for the second season as soon as possible.

All of this was exactly what Liu Jin had expected.

And so, time slipped away silently.

The summer of 2009 passed in sadness over the passing of Michael Jackson.

Besides writing, Liu Jin would return to Toulouse every weekend to visit Eva and Alizee.

Both of them had gained a lot of weight, and their moods had become increasingly strange. Liu Jin was also very troubled, but he still patiently comforted them.

In September, my mother visited Gryzan again.

Liu Jin breathed a sigh of relief with his mother's arrival; at least Eva and Alizee wouldn't throw tantrums so easily anymore.

Besides her mother, Eva and Alizee's parents also came.

Faced with this situation, the parents of both children didn't know what to say. They treated the mother very kindly, but when they looked at Liu Jin, they were definitely cold and unfriendly, never giving him a pleasant look.

Liu Jin could only accept all of this.

They ruined someone else's daughter and then refused to give her a proper status.

If he hadn't been genuinely good to the two women and hadn't amassed a fortune of over a billion for them, their parents would probably have already taken action.

……

"How boring!"

Liu Jin returned to Salerno.

The University of Salerno has started its semester, and the assistant is once again immersed in busy translation work.

The Hong Kong edition of "Music by the Fireplace" was simultaneously released on YouTube and Dailymotion.

With Leslie's Oscar and Cannes Film Festival Best Actor titles, it did attract a lot of attention.

However, it wasn't as popular as I had imagined!

"That's normal. Just think about it: most of the people who can watch these videos now are the elite class who use computers."

In a few years, when the barriers to accessing the internet are lowered and people can watch these videos on their mobile phones, they will have a real impact.

"Watch videos on your phone?"

Leslie couldn't help but laugh.

"is it possible?"

"How is it impossible? The speed of technological development is beyond our imagination."

"But we can keep investing in this..."

"How much is this? Are you short of money?"

Liu Jin couldn't help laughing.

Leslie thought about it and realized that it made sense.

"But we've already invited almost everyone from Hong Kong Island."

Next…

"Now, it's my turn."

Liu Jin said confidently.

The repercussions of Michael Jackson's death continue to spread.

Liu Jin had already finalized the guest list for this special feature by the end of July.

Starting in October, a different guest will be invited each week, for a total of thirteen people, to remember and commemorate Michael Jackson.

The first guest was Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone!
The reason for choosing to start in October is that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was already wrapping up.

The second and third seasons of Castle have also been completed.

In July, Theron also successfully went public.

Another children's novel following "Nemo" has appeared, with first-day sales exceeding one million copies, indicating that this will be a huge hit.

Meanwhile, the academic group has already arranged the publication of "Coco," which is scheduled for release on June 1st next year...

"Siconi? You invited Siconi to be on your show?"

When Liu Jin told Eva and Alizee that they would be the first guest on the Michael Jackson special of "Music by the Fireplace," the two immediately got angry.

"No, you can't invite her."

"why?"

“That bitch has said more than once that she wants to test the strengths and weaknesses of Chinese people.”

Looking at Alizee and Eva, who seemed to have their fur standing on end, Liu Jin was a little confused.

"When did she say that? How come I didn't know?"

“Back in 04, after you created Levitating for me, she said that.”

"Yes, she also said that after winning the Life Is Beautiful award."

Eva sneered, "Don't think I don't know who she's talking about, it's you... Back then, the most famous Chinese in America were Yao Ming and you... It couldn't be that Ciccone was interested in Yao Ming, could it?"

No wonder, after Liu Jin sent out the invitation, Cicconi was the first to respond.

Liu Jin said, half-laughing and half-crying, "Don't worry, I have absolutely no interest in fifty-year-old women."

"is it?"

Eva said sarcastically, "But you used to have a really good appetite!"

Liu Jin glared at her. "Eva, I think you want to get beaten up!"

Eva's eyes darted around, and suddenly she shouted loudly outside, "Mommy, Amos is going to hit me..."

"Liu Jin, what are you trying to do?"

My mom was in the next room when she heard Eva shouting in strange-sounding Chinese, so she immediately ran over.

Without saying a word, she went up and pinched Liu Jin's ear.

Liu Jin hurriedly tried to explain, but his mother wouldn't listen to his explanation. She grabbed his ear and dragged him out, cursing as she went.

He glared at Eva.

But then he saw Eva and Alizee making a face at him at the same time.

……

(End of this chapter)