Chapter 560: Cat Weeping Over Mice: False Pity

Over these two days, more and more people came to pay their respects, filling the place densely; most merely glanced around, offered a stick of incense, and left.

Those with close ties or a conscience would check on Yao Beina's parents, offering words of comfort and urging them to accept the loss with grace.

The two elders had not slept at all, continuously receiving relatives and friends, managing all affairs here.

Those with distant ties offered incense and a small gift of money, then departed—this was perfectly normal; everyone was busy, and just showing up was enough, so you couldn't blame anyone for not coming.

It could only be said that relationships had grown cold, and people had become pragmatic.

Liu Tianxian had been inside, finding a room to chat with Shuchang, Zhang Jingying, and a few other close female friends.

Their conversation centered on heavy topics, past memories, and even metaphysics—such as what had happened on the day Yao Beina died, and what ominous feelings had arisen.

"On the day Yao Beina died, I was practicing singing in the studio, and suddenly the microphone went silent, then came back to life," Zhang Jingying said enthusiastically, unsure whether it was true or not.

Still, it felt like it might have been true.

"That was Yao Beina coming to find you, telling you she was gone and asking you to come see her," Shuchang murmured mysteriously.

The words sent a chill down the spine, making hearts pound uneasily.

"That morning, I also felt uneasy inside, sensing something bad was about to happen," Liu Tianxian recalled.

Fang Hong glanced at her, unsure what exactly she had felt—she had just made love that morning, and had been ecstatic!

But later, she truly had felt unwell, deeply grieved.

Anyway, when several women chatted together, they drifted into all sorts of odd tales, leaving listeners stunned, as if supernatural events truly existed.

It was just hindsight—when no one nearby had died, nothing seemed strange; once someone had died, every little thing felt abnormal.

Fang Hong stayed silent, listening to their chatter.

Being with her close friends, Liu Tianxian felt her emotions steadied considerably; at first she had been heartbroken, unable to accept it, but now she felt somewhat better.

They kept to themselves, not showing their faces or doing anything visible—if they did, reporters and fans would stir up chaos, likely turning it into a fan frenzy.

That would be disrespectful to this solemn atmosphere!

Outside, a crowd of reporters were lying in wait, ready to grab any fresh update.

So many reporters didn't even know whether Liu Tianxian had come; she revealed nothing publicly and didn't show herself, but insiders had leaked that she had arrived.

With such a close relationship, how could she not come?

For these past few days, the internet had been flooded with news of Yao Beina's death, until the 20th, when the memorial service began.

In the morning, the funeral home had been arranged into a chapel, with a glass coffin placed in the center, surrounded by flowers; at the front, above, hung Yao Beina's portrait, flanked by more flowers and wreaths.

Some family members stood on either side, wearing white carnations on their chests, heads bowed in silent grief.

Whenever someone came to pay respects, they would offer a word of thanks.

People came and went in constant motion, shoulders brushing, packed tightly together.

The venue played songs Yao Beina had sung in life—not funeral music; with family approval, they played only her own songs.

These songs looped endlessly, making listeners feel even more heartbroken.

"Please, Chairman of the Writers' Association, Luo Liejie, deliver the eulogy."

Accompanied by background music, celebrities delivered eulogies: "We mourn with profound sorrow."

These eulogies were lengthy, ornately worded, clearly pre-written.

Outside the funeral home, a large screen displayed stories and photos of Yao Beina's life, each image shown one by one.

In the photos, she still smiled as charmingly as ever!

On the square outside, thousands of fans and admirers had already gathered, forming a sea of heads stretching as far as the eye could see.

Yao Beina still had loyal fans.

These fans stood in two lines on either side, leaving a clear path leading straight up to the chapel; visitors passed along this path, ascending the steps to pay their respects.

Not everyone could enter to pay respects—there were simply too many people; only those with names and recognition were permitted inside.

Among the crowd, someone carried a basket, handing out white carnation pins to fans and visitors from all walks of life, to be worn on the chest.

The fans ranged from old to young, male to female; some wore solemn faces, others wept silently with red eyes, some held bouquets of white carnations and portraits of Yao Beina in black and white.

Though the crowd was immense, everyone remained quiet, for banners hung everywhere reading: "Please remain silent, respectfully bid farewell to Yao Beina."

This had become a collective unspoken agreement.

Elsewhere in the venue, every corridor was lined with wreaths sent by figures from all sectors and social organizations, stretching for miles.

Each wreath bore two white ribbons in a figure-eight shape, inscribed with the words "Deeply Mourn."

Liu Tianxian and Fang Hong sent one, written in calligraphy: "Beina, Rest in Peace!"

Outside, parking spaces were filled with cars; due to the volume, traffic police were maintaining order.

Among those stepping out of the cars, besides ordinary people, celebrities occasionally emerged, most wearing sunglasses, blocking reporters with gestures, refusing interviews.

Interviews would cause inconvenience and risk turning the place into a fan frenzy, transforming it into an entertainment gossip spectacle.

That would ruin the solemn atmosphere and formality, so many celebrities avoided excessive interviews, saying at most one or two sentences before falling silent.

Some simply said nothing, waving their hands to signal not to be disturbed.

Of course, some sought to ride the wave of attention, deliberately facing reporters.

So many people came: Wang Zhongjun, Sa Dingding, Tan Weiwei, Lao Zai, and other Sing! China contestants Hou Lei, Lin Yuqun, Bi Xia, Liu Yaqing, Zhong Weiqiang were all present.

After Wang Zhongjun bowed three times in reverence at the chapel and straightened up, whether out of mutual sympathy or hatred sharpened by seeing an enemy, he spotted Fang Hong instantly in the crowd.

Fang Hong stood beside Liu Tianxian, who wore sunglasses, hiding her gaze; she was still grieving.

The two leaders locked eyes, then quickly looked away—under these circumstances, they chose to temporarily set aside their grudges. Most celebrities who had posted condolences on Weibo did not come; their ties were too shallow, merely knowing or having heard of her, and posting a tribute was enough.

"We sincerely thank all relatives and friends. Beina was a spirit—a singing spirit, an artistic spirit—who continuously climbed the peaks of art, striving for the brightest summit.

She loved singing too much, worked too hard, sang with her entire life. Beina was kind-hearted, always thinking of others, afraid of troubling anyone.

Ten days ago, she said to me, 'Dad, I'm not afraid of death—but after I'm gone, what will happen to my parents? An old person burying a young one—I'm sorry to them.'

Her mother never lets me say she was perfect, but as her father, I say she was my teacher—I dare say it, for she taught us so much. Little girl, in our next life, let us still be father and daughter, still be mother and daughter."

This was Yao's father delivering the eulogy; during his speech, he choked up and wept, his grief so profound that some people could not stop crying, and even relatives collapsed from overwhelming sorrow, carried away by ambulance 120.

Some fans were so overcome with tears they could no longer stand, falling to the ground—this was undoubtedly true love.

The security guards had to step forward and carry these people away.

"Aaaah!"

Just as Yao's father was delivering the eulogy, the solemn and sorrowful atmosphere suddenly turned noisy and chaotic, shattering the mood of the place.

From nearby, You Niao appeared, wearing sunglasses and dressed in black, walking toward the funeral hall.

Surrounding her and following behind were a crowd of reporters, turning the previously orderly scene into one of confusion and disorder.

At this time, You Niao was still young; as she walked, she wept to the reporters:

"When I learned she was gone, it felt like losing a family member—I was heartbroken. For these three days, I've replayed her songs over and over, always feeling she's still here."

"It's as if that girl in sneakers is still before my eyes; in our time together, her bright laughter was always the one thing we never lacked."

As she spoke, she wept, wiping her tears with a tissue.

She spoke of her longing for Yao Beina, saying how happy they were together and how their relationship had always been good.

She completely forgot how she had forced Yao Beina to change her song last-minute, ignoring other mentors' advice, causing Yao Beina to leave the "Voice" stage in tears.

Of course, there were hidden reasons: Yao Beina had refused to sign with You Niao, while another contestant had signed—and You Niao naturally favored her own people.

She showed none of a senior's dignity, none of Fang Hong's generosity; Fang Hong hires artists regardless of which company they belong to.

He doesn't care which company an artist belongs to.

You Niao's sudden appearance, combined with her fans causing a commotion, made the previously quiet scene listening to the eulogy far from quiet.

Everyone present focused on her words and actions, completely destroying the atmosphere.

Someone stepped forward to warn: "Yao's father is delivering the eulogy—please don't make noise here, be quiet."

The reporters ignored it and continued interviewing You Niao with questions: "What are your thoughts on Yao Beina?"

Here, she was the only celebrity willing to say anything; everyone else refused to speak.

"I'll just say a few words—it won't take long," You Niao replied, wanting to clarify her history with Yao Beina; if she didn't say it now, she'd never get another chance.

She poured out to the reporters again: "During training, she talked with us about music and food, sharing her passion for life. During the competition, she focused entirely on practicing, remaining strong throughout the brief three months, turning her love for life into musical notes."

"She had the most fiery emotion for music; this foolish girl gave us the most lasting memorial."

The implication of these words was that Yao Beina was a wonderful girl, and that she and Yao Beina were close friends who could talk about anything.

Whether due to pressure or something else, her words sounded pleasing.

It wasn't hard to understand: "The Voice" needed to soothe the public; a good reputation mattered, or no one would watch their show—and that would mean real losses.

And You Niao had been heavily criticized by countless Wangyi, and she too felt pressure.

"Well said!" Suddenly, some fans clapped and cheered; soon, more fans began clapping.

The solemn atmosphere of the memorial service was completely shattered.

This immediately angered the person who had warned them, as well as some family members; the families couldn't say much—after all, she had come to pay respects, and guests were guests.

Others were also displeased, but they dared not offend You Niao, given her status and position; yet the destruction of the solemn, somber mood left them deeply uncomfortable.

"If not for you, Beina wouldn't have been eliminated, wouldn't have become depressed and unhappy, and wouldn't have suffered her illness—you're the root cause, you're the murderer!" Suddenly, Yao Beina's fans expressed their anger and dissatisfaction.

"Exactly! You're one of the murderers—don't pretend to cry over a dead mouse—whose grief are you putting on?" Another shouted.

"You destroyed Beina just to protect your own people!"

"Get out! We don't need you here!"

"Get out!"

"."

Suddenly, many people were outraged, feeling she was merely pretending grief—how could anyone act like this?

You eliminated her through underhanded tactics, and now you come here saying you two were close?

"'The Voice' has its own rules—I had no personal grudge against her; I always treated her like family, we were very good friends," You Niao explained.

"Exactly! How could you blame that sister?" Someone spoke up in You Niao's defense.

Even people like that had fans—what a miracle.

The fans on both sides immediately began arguing, accusing each other; with reporters stoking the fire through their interviews, the scene became a complete mess, utterly devoid of the earlier solemn atmosphere.

Many people were just watching, staying out of it—this wasn't their affair.

The family members lacked influence; seeing this, they felt even more heartbroken.

"What are you all arguing about? Get back immediately!" Fang Hong ran out of the funeral hall, waving his hand before them with a stern tone.

He had seen it all along—he just hadn't expected this woman would come here to put on a performance of her emotions.

(End of Chapter)