I’m Really a Superstar

The next day.

It was the seventh day of the Lunar New Year.

The holidays had ended, but the students had not returned to school yet. Meanwhile, the adults were starting to return to work.

At around 8 in the morning, a major incident occurred in the entertainment circle. After being silent for close to four years, the Weibo account of Zhang Ye’s Studio reactivated.

Original text source from Weibo:

—Teacher Zhang Ye is officially making his comeback.

The entire post consisted of only one sentence.

It was simple, clear, and direct.

There were no unnecessary words.

…

Somewhere.

A female assistant came over quickly. “Teacher Shanshan, Teacher Zhang has announced his comeback!”

Dong Shanshan grinned. “Got it.”

…

Somewhere.

Yao Mi shouted, “I knew it!”

Yao Jiancai smiled and said, “This kid, it looks like he’s really incapable of staying idle for longer than a day.”

Yao Mi yelled, “Watch out for my Uncle Zhang as he commands nature at his beck and call again!”

…

In a house.

Zhang Xia said helplessly, “He’s making a comeback so soon after returning?”

Her daughter covered her mouth in laughter. “Teacher Zhang is still as impatient as ever.”

Zhang Xia laughed and said, “It’s a good thing that he hasn’t changed.”

…

In another house.

Ning Lan was humming a song as she walked down the stairs in a villa.

Her husband was very surprised. “Lan, why are you in such a good mood?”

Ning Lan smiled and said, “Well, an old friend of mine has come back.”

…

Meanwhile.

Jiaomen East.

In the vicinity of Rao Aimin’s place, Zhang Ye was carrying his daughter in his arms when he and his team got surrounded by a group of uncles and aunties.

The crowd was visibly excited.

“You’re finally back, Little Zhang!”

“Uncle Li, how has your health been?”

“Me? I’m doing great! Yo, is this your daughter?”

“Yes. Sisi, greet grandpa.”

“Grandpa.”

“Ai, she’s so adorable.”

“Little Zhang, all of us have missed you so much!”

“Thank you, thank you, my dear neighbors.”

“Now that you’re back, do you intend to return to your old business?”

“Haha, that’s right.”

“You can do it, Little Zhang. All of us will support you!”

“Thank you. Is everyone still into plaza dancing?”

“Yes, of course. We’re dancing every day.”

“It’s a good activity to keep yourselves strong and healthy. That’s pretty good. All of you have to persist, OK?”

“Everyone, did you hear that? Our ancestral founder has spoken. All of you must keep persisting!”

“Damn, what ancestral founder? How long has it been?”

They were all familiar faces and old friends. Seeing them, Zhang Ye felt overjoyed and stayed around for a long time, standing there and chatting with his old neighbors.

They talked about everything.

They babbled nonstop.

At times, the uncles and aunties would utter some trending buzzword, making Zhang Ye stumble and not know how to react. He couldn’t understand those words at all.

He had fallen behind the times.

He was out of touch with this era.

It looked as though he would have to do some catching up afterwards on all that had happened.

After chatting for half an hour, Zhang Ye finally took the elevator up. It was still the same building as before, but it was obvious from many of the other places that the buildings in the neighborhood had become quite decrepit.

Upstairs.

At the door to Rao Aimin’s apartment.

Sisi had already jumped down from Zhang Ye’s arms in excitement. She reached out and knocked on the door. “Sister Chenchen! Sister Chenchen! Sisi is here!”

A moment later, the door opened.

Zhang Ye habitually glanced downward. In the past, he had always known the kid to be at that height. But when the door opened and the figure of a girl was revealed, he was taken aback. He could not help but look up higher from where he originally had his gaze to renew his mental image of the child.

Sisi said happily, “Sister Chenchen!”

Chenchen nodded and put her hand out.

Sisi obediently put her hand into Chenchen’s hand.

Chenchen pulled Sisi to her and looked up at Zhang Ye. Then she reached out with her other hand to pinch Zhang Ye’s face.

Zhang Ye did not shrink away and said with a sigh, “Kid, when did you become so tall?”

Chenchen curled her lips. “I’m already in the first year of middle school.”

Zhang Ye lightly smacked her hand aside and said, “Enough, don’t pinch me anymore.”

Chenchen asked, “Zhang Ye, you have wrinkles now?”

Zhang Ye rolled his eyes. “You’ll have them too when you grow up.”

Chenchen said, “I won’t have them.”

Zhang Ye laughed and said, “Alright, watch and see then.”

Chenchen smirked. “Hur hur!”

Hur hur, your sister!

This kid, she was still as beautiful and annoying as ever.

Zhang Ye asked, “Where’s your aunt?”

Chenchen replied, “She went traveling.”

Zhang Ye said in a speechless manner, “She left you alone at home? Then who’s taking care of your meals?”

Chenchen said boldly, “I go to your house every day for my meals.”

“Sister Chenchen can eat so well.” Sisi giggled.

Zhang Ye was at a bit lost for words. “No wonder my parents insisted on hurrying back home. So it was because they had to cook for you? You’ve been freeloading off my family?”

Chenchen seethed, “I’ve been taking care of your child for you.”

Zhang Ye said happily, “Alright then, thank you for that.”

Then Chenchen behaved like a little adult and adjusted Sisi’s crooked pigtail. She said to Sisi, “Now that your daddy is back, you mustn’t listen to everything that he tells you. He is a very childish person and also very stupid at doing things.”

But Sisi said, “My daddy is the greatest.”

Chenchen sighed. “You must’ve been deceived by his appearance. Eh, why didn’t you wear your scarf? Didn’t I tell you? Winter hasn’t passed yet.”

Sisi stuck her tongue out. “I forgot.”

Chenchen went back into the apartment and grabbed a scarf. “You can have mine.”

Sisi joyfully took it from her. “It’s very pretty.”

Looking at Chenchen taking care of Sisi like a true elder sister, Zhang Ye felt very pleased. He couldn’t help but caress Chenchen’s hair and say, “Alright, you’re all grown up now. So did you miss your Uncle Zhang during these few years?”

Chenchen nodded. “Yes.”

Zhang Ye broke into a smile. “I suppose you still have a conscience.”

But this rascal’s next sentence made Zhang Ye hop in anger.

He heard Chenchen let out a sigh. “There’s finally someone who can help me do my homework again!”

Zhang Ye shouted, “Get lost!”

Upstairs.

At the doorstep of the former Zhang Ye’s Studio.

The sign had not been removed, and a lot of dust had accumulated on it.

Ha Qiqi, Zhang Zuo, and the others were all waiting here. When they saw Chenchen, all of them rushed up and surrounded her. They had missed her greatly.

“Chenchen!”

“You’re this tall already?”

“Do you still remember Auntie?”

Chenchen was pulling Sisi with one hand and holding a key in her other hand. She listlessly greeted them, “Old Ha, Old Zuo, Old Wu, Little Wang, you’re all here?” She then turned the key a few times and opened the door. She turned around and handed the key to Zhang Ye, saying, “My aunt knew that you got back a few days ago, so she called me. She told me to hand the key to you and wait until she got back to discuss the rent.”

Everything in the apartment was fully intact. It was kept in almost the exact same state as Zhang Ye had remembered before he left.

Zhang Ye smiled and said, “This place hasn’t been rented out all this while?”

Chenchen said, “No.”

Zhang Ye felt a warmth in his heart. “Old Rao is still as reliable as ever. Knowing that this bro would be back, she actually left the place empty for me. I won’t call Old Rao a moneygrubber anymore.”

Chenchen suddenly said, “Oh, right. After the studio disbanded, my aunt opened up the place as the original site of Zhang Ye’s Studio for the public to visit and sold tickets at 10 RMB per person, so she made quite a bit of money off it. But there hasn’t been much business in recent years. I suppose it’s because you’re washed up.”

Zhang Ye did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Ha Qiqi and the others started laughing.

Selling tickets?

To the original site of Zhang Ye’s Studio?

Only a miser like Big Sis Rao would think of a rotten idea like that!

However, that did not matter to anyone anymore. Because, when they walked through the main door of the studio again after three years, when they saw this familiar environment once more, most of them got lost in their reminiscence of the place. There was once a time when this was the place they fought their battles. How many storms had they weathered in this place? How many storms did they create in this place? This was where Zhang Ye had gone, step by step, from an ordinary celebrity to become a top celebrity in Asia. It was also in this place that they had gone from being an unknown celebrity studio to one of the most prestigious studios in China, or even Asia. This place encapsulated so many of their memories.

And today, they were back.

Today, they would start all over again from here.

Looking at the tables and chairs in here, looking at the accumulated dust on them.

Memories kept flooding into their minds.

Some of them were excited, some were reminiscing, and some were sad. It was a gush of different emotions for every one of them.

Zhang Ye smiled and clapped his hands. “Come on then! Now that our studio has been reestablished, we cannot leave it in such a dirty state. Our first task will be to clean up the place!”

Zhang Zuo laughed and said, “Alright!”

Ha Qiqi rolled up her sleeves. “It’s time for some spring cleaning!”

Little Wang laughed loudly, “Haha, watch out! The most notorious team in showbiz is back in the game!”