I’m Really a Superstar

Later that afternoon.

The news spread.

The list for I Am a Singer’s finale battle of the grand champions was finally confirmed.

On Weibo.

“Have they announced it?”

“It’s gonna be Zhang Ye?”

“*faints* Why is it him again?”

“It’s been so many years. Can he still sing?”

“Hard to say.”

“This fellow should have lost most of his popularity, right?”

“Hai, being away for four years is basically a death sentence for a celebrity.”

“I wonder how the progress of the TV drama that he’s making is going.”

“Can the good ole Face-smacking Zhang rise once more?”

“We’ll know after watching.”

“This will be his first time onstage since his comeback.”

“I’m just afraid that this fellow will be the first to get eliminated.”

…

Qu Dong’s fan club.

In a group chat.

“Why is it him?”

“I know this Zhang Ye. He’s such a cheat!”

“Yeah, his works are all over the language textbooks.”

“His essays are so damn difficult to memorize that I’m sick of him.”

“Me too. I felt like vomiting when I was made to memorize ‘Ode to Young China.’”

“My parents were both his fans in the past. I just don’t get what’s so good about him. He’s not handsome at all and is totally lacking compared to our Qu Dong.”

“Supporting Ququ to win as the greatest champion!”

…

Qi Liang’s fan club.

In a group chat.

“There’s nothing about Zhang Ye to be afraid of.”

“Yeah, our biggest opponents are Qu Dong and Hai Yifei.”

“Zhang Ye might’ve been awesome in the past. I believe anyone would admit to that. But there’s no room left for him to stand in the entertainment circle.”

“Our Qiqi is the most handsome of all.”

“As the most notorious and infamous hacker in the world, Zhang Ye still has the cheek to join this battle of the grand champions? Isn’t he a little too thick-skinned?”

“That’s right, this person has such a tainted history.”

“The people these days like idols who are clean-cut and handsome. He’s only average-looking and has so many blemishes to his reputation. Celebrities like that are already slowly getting marginalized.”

“Qiqi will definitely be victorious!”

“Kick that tainted celebrity out!”

…

Back at home.

Zhang Ye’s mother said, “That kid really went to join the competition?”

His father said, “If he wants to go, let him go. Do you think that you can still control him?”

His mother said angrily, “I’m just afraid that he’ll lose. That would be so embarrassing.”

…

At his eldest younger sister’s house.

His three sisters had gathered to catch the show on TV together.

“Wow, our bro is participating in the competition!”

“It’s true!”

“I’m so looking forward to it!”

“Bro! You can do it! Defeat those hunks!”

…

At Zhang Yuanqi’s house.

Her phone rang.

“Hello, Weihong.”

“Sister Zhang, have you seen the news?”

“I haven’t been paying much attention to the entertainment circle’s news for the past two years. All I get is you calling me to tell me about what’s happening every day. What’s the matter now? Did something happen again?”

“Haha, Teacher Zhang has really gone to join the competition.”

“The battle of the grand champions?”

“Yeah, they just announced the news.”

“I knew that he wouldn’t be able to sit idly by.”

…

Somewhere.

The former Spring Garden group.

Although their group had disbanded, Xiaodong, Amy, and Li Xiaoxian still met up regularly.

“Look at this, Teacher Zhang has been confirmed as the representative of the first season of I Am a Singer!”

“Hahaha, this is awesome!”

“Can he win?”

“Who knows? I only know that this has gotten much more interesting to watch.”

“There are already signs of Qu Dong and Qi Liang’s fans scolding him on the Internet. Pfft, Teacher Zhang has been away in jail for so many years, yet his social relations are still as crappy as ever.”

…

At Zhao Wuliu’s house.

“Old Zhao, Zhang Ye went to join the competition.”

“Really?”

“They’ve already announced it.”

“Hopefully he can help us win back some dignity.”

…

At the studio of a Heavenly King.

“He’s really gonna participate?”

“Zhang Ye is still as ballsy as ever, huh?”

“But what he doesn’t realize is that he’s no longer the Heavenly King from before.”

“Could he be thinking of reclaiming his throne as a Heavenly King?”

“Times have changed. How could it be that easy for him to make a comeback?”

“In this battle of the grand champions, he might end up becoming the first person to get eliminated.”

…

In Zhang Ye’s fan group #37.

Someone sprang out in this previously dead group.

Big Saber Bro: “Brothers and sisters, how many people are still in here? Give me a shoutout if you are! My large saber is again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again unable to endure the thirst!”

Immediately, seven or eight people responded.

“Big Saber Bro!”

“Ah, I haven’t seen Big Saber Bro in several years!”

“Is it the real Big Saber Bro?”

“Where have you been for the past few years?”

Big Saber Bro: “It’s me. I’ve been restricted from using the Internet for the past few years. But now, I’ve finally regained my freedom. I’m currently gathering people by giving a shoutout to everyone in different groups. For those of you who see this message, please pass it on. Tell our brothers and sisters from years ago that Teacher Zhang has returned, and that I have returned as well. How many of you are still willing to follow Teacher Zhang to take on the industry again?”

“Hai, there aren’t that many of us left from back then.”

“Yeah, we used to have a full 1,000 members in each group in the past. Right now, there are at most a 100 or so people left. Many of them have quit the group, and there are many who are just lurkers. It will be very difficult if we want to gather everyone back together again.”

Big Saber Bro: “Gather up however many people you can. Our friendship from years ago and the stories from that time, I’m sure that everyone wouldn’t forget it just like that. It’s only because a long time has passed, and some people have gotten married or had children, so they’re busy with their own matters, that’s all. Teacher Zhang will be taking part in the battle of the grand champions very soon. This will be his first time appearing in public since his comeback, and it’s going to be an elimination round competition as well. We’ve been slapping the faces of others all our lives, so it had better not become us who gets slapped this time! Hurry, hurry, gather everybody. Get as many people as you can so that we can show Teacher Zhang we’re still around!”

“Sure!”

“Understood!”

…

In the Celebrity Goof Group.

Back then, this was the most important celebrity group in the entertainment industry. The people who were added into this chat group were either Heavenly Kings and Queens, or at least A or B-list superstars. But right now, most of the members in this group were washed up or retired from the scene. The chat group was deserted and no longer lively.

Xu Meilan: “@Zhang Ye make sure you don’t lose in the first round.”

Li Xiaoxian: “Teacher Zhang, bring out your abilities and show them what you’re capable of.”

Ning Lan: “@ZhangYe Damn, so you really ended up joining?”

Xiaodong: “Pfft, wasn’t it you guys who urged him to join?”

Shu Han: “We were only saying it for fun.”

Chen Guang: “Haha, Zhang’er, you better seek your own blessings.”

Fan Wenli: “Zhang’er, all of us will be supporting you. Go show those young guns what real singing is all about. That is, provided you can still sing.”

Amy: “Ah? Teacher Zhang can’t sing anymore?”

Fan Wenli: “I don’t know. I haven’t heard him sing since he got back.”

Ning Lan: “We didn’t get to hear him sing either.”

Xu Meilan: “Why does it sound like the chances are getting lower the more I hear about it? I’m about to fall off the S-list rankings, so I was hoping that Teacher Zhang could shield me from that for a while longer. If he can get into the limelight more, the popularity of those male idols won’t increase so quickly, and they won’t be able to catch up to me so soon. Otherwise, I doubt I can stay in this seat for much longer.”

Ning Lan: “Then I guess you better not pin your hopes on him. Let’s place our bets on how many rounds Teacher Zhang can last.”

Chen Guang: “He should be able to last for at least two rounds, right?”

Amy: “I estimate he’ll last only one round.”

Ning Lan: “One round, agreed.”

Xiaodong: “Don’t joke around. Teacher Zhang will be so saddened if he sees this.”

Everyone: “Hahahaha.”

After several years, the group was still as joyous and fun as ever.

…

At around 9 PM, Zhang Ye had finally returned home from Beijing Television.

When he turned on his phone to have a look, he saw many messages from his friends.

Chen Guang: “If I had not had surgery on my vocal folds during these two years, I would’ve gone instead. I’ll leave the responsibility to you then. Don’t disappoint the first season’s class of I Am a Singer. You’re not only representing yourself; you’re also representing the entire lot of our old generation of singers. It’s all up to you from here!”

Amy: “Teacher Zhang, you can do it!”

Xiaodong: “Defeat all of them!”

Big Saber Bro Fan Yingyun: “Teacher Zhang, I’m back as well. The incident from four years ago lifted the lid on some of my past misdeeds, like the matter of helping you to delete your Weibo posts and hacking into the official websites of the other celebrities. Later on, those idiots even banned me from using the Internet. I’ve finally had the restrictions lifted, so I’m trying to gather up the people of the fan club again. Wait for my good news!”

After Zhang Ye read through every one of the messages, he smiled to himself.

Anxiety?

Anticipation?

Excitement?

He realized that he was feeling those emotions all at once.

Zhang Ye was very happy because he discovered that he still hadn’t changed. Although he had taken many detours along the way, had a lot of bumps in the road, and undergone difficult trials and battles, he was still the same person he was before.

Ten years of icy drinks.

Can’t cool my impassioned soul.

Diving back into the struggle tonight.

My spirit is still full of fight.