I’m Really a Superstar

On TV.

The live broadcast continued.

Guan Xue had been the first contestant to get voted off the stage. However, no one was lamenting this as the second round of the battle of the grand champions was about to take place immediately. Another contestant was going to get voted off. That would cut down the number of competing singers for the culmination battle to three people. The drawing of lots began.

Who would stay on?

Who would advance to the top three?

Who would get a chance to compete for the title of greatest champion the following week?

It would all depend on this next round.

Backstage, the staff had already brought out the little balls representing the order of appearance.

Many people were watching the proceedings nervously on TV.

Hai Yifei picked a ball.

Qi Liang picked a ball.

Qu Dong casually picked a ball as well.

The remaining ball was given to Zhang Ye.

Opening them up, the order of appearances was determined.

Zhang Ye was going to sing first.

Hai Yifei was next.

Qu Dong would be third.

And Qi Liang would go last.

Seeing this outcome, the trio of Qi Liang, Hai Yifei, and Qu Dong heaved sighs of relief. When Zhang Ye didn’t get eliminated, they were all rather surprised. Neither could they understand why that had happened, just like how the people of Zhang Ye’s generation could not understand how this era belonged to the hot, young male stars, and vice versa. Furthermore, being so well-known back then, and with so many legends about him in the industry, they were naturally more wary of Zhang Ye. This time, with Zhang Ye performing first, there was clearly no chance that he could compete with them. Only with this arrangement did they feel relieved. It looked like the climactic battle of the grand champions next week was going to be a fight between the three male idols. In their opinion, this was how it should have been in the first place.

But Zhang Ye didn’t seem to mind and was looking rather indifferent on camera.

…

At Zhang Ye’s maternal grandma’s house.

His three sisters were all getting anxious.

“Oh no, oh no!”

“Our brother is going to perform first?”

“This is not good!”

…

Dong Shanshan’s house.

“He didn’t draw a good lot.”

“This is the worst order of appearance for him.”

“Zhang’er has just finished singing and didn’t get enough rest.”

“Yeah, and his remaining opponents are all hunks!”

…

In Zhang Ye’s fan groups.

“What the hell!”

“Old Zhang is too unlucky!”

“Did he not wash his hands before drawing lots?”

“He’s in danger this time.”

…

Old Chen’s house.

“He just made his comeback, and his popularity hasn’t recovered. It’s indeed a very difficult situation for him to be performing first.”

“I wonder how many fans he still has left at this point?”

“No one knows.”

…

At Xiaodong’s house.

“The remaining contestants are all male idols.”

“How is he going to fight this battle?”

“Come on, Teacher Zhang, show us if you’ve really become old!”

…

On TV.

The host, Cui Na, said, “Next, we’ll be going into the second round of the performances.”

Everyone watched intently.

Countless people were holding their breaths.

The lights flicked off and the moon gate was illuminated.

The figure of a person slowly walked out.

The audience was still as quiet as before, just like how it was when Zhang Ye appeared on stage earlier. Some people had raised their hands to clap, but they suddenly put them down again. Some people were already standing up and getting ready to shout, but they sighed and sat back down again. Nobody knew how they should be reacting. Right now, everyone was experiencing very complex emotions. They were all still intoxicated from the earlier song and by their memories of Zhang Ye.

Zhang Ye’s return had come too suddenly.

The war between humans and machines.

Announcing his comeback.

Producing a television drama.

Taking to the stage of I Am a Singer.

A lot of people were not mentally prepared for this, and they didn’t know how to face this man they had nearly forgotten about, whom they had once loved and hated so much. Time could be terrifying thing sometimes. Just a few years were enough for them to forget about many things. Back at Zhang Ye’s final concert, many of them had shouted and declared that they would wait for Zhang Ye to return, that they would always support him. But it wasn’t until now that they realized they hadn’t fulfilled their old promise.

Shame.

Regret.

Guilt.

It was extremely quiet at the venue.

Many of these people were gritting their teeth.

Many of their eyes had reddened.

Many of them were balling up their fists.

Then the strings of a guitar disrupted the silence.

Rock?

Was this rock ‘n’ roll?

They looked in shock at Zhang Ye, who was onstage. They realized that he was looking back at them. He was looking at everyone in the audience.

He raised his microphone.

Zhang Ye sang ¹ .

“Are you tired yet?

“Will you put out your hands?

“If you want a hug, how can you clench your fists?

“We still have a lot of dreams to achieve.

“And many tomorrows to travel.

“We want to let the world hear our song.”

In the audience, a married couple suddenly started crying. They couldn’t control their emotions anymore!

Qi Liang was stunned!

Hai Yifei was stunned!

This—

This song—

Zhang Ye looked at everyone and sang.

“Are you ready yet?

“Time doesn’t flow back.

“There’s no reason for wanting to fly.

“The ends of the world may get lonely,

“But you will have me by your side.”

All of a sudden, his voice went higher. “We’ve said before that it doesn’t matter how immense the world gets!”

That’s right!

They had said it before!

That they would stay with him all the way!

That they would support him forever!

Why had they forgotten?

Why?

A young stood up in tears!

A young woman stood up with her fists clenched!

Zhang Ye sang loudly.

“Let’s fly to the place highest, furthest, and freest!

“Embrace in the most beautiful moment!

“I wanna see who will stay friends with me to the very end!

“You are the one I hope seeing the most!”

I am back!

I know that you all are still around!

I know it!

It has been four years. I am standing on this stage today because I want to tell all of you that I am back! Perhaps, this is a little headstrong of me. But all those stories that we haven’t finished writing, I really hope that we can complete them together. This journey that we haven’t completed yet, I really wish that we can try again to complete it together!

Will you guys come along with me?

Are you still willing to accompany me on this final journey?

Zhang Ye clutched his chest and sang loudly.

“We can get into trouble, stay quiet, and walk together!

“We can soar together and land together!”

Please let me see all of you again!

Please let me hear all of you again!

I can still fight!

I can still sing!

My passion hasn’t cooled!

But what about you guys?

Have you turned cold?

He opened his eyes and clutched his chest tightly. He shouted.

“Stay with me no matter how immense the world gets!

“Stay with me and roar together!”

At this moment, the crowd erupted with excitement!

At this moment, everyone watching television could feel their pulse racing!

A commotion followed!

All of the audience members shot to their feet!

They crazily stretched out both their hands!

And shouted out like crazy!

Xiao Lu had her right hand held up high!

Tears were streaming from Han Qi’s eyes!

A lot of people were crying and singing with him!

Screams!

Shouts!

Howls!

They had all gone mad!

Everyone was in a craze!

The entire stage seemed to have combusted!

Zhang Ye howled.

“Let’s storm to the place highest, furthest, and vastest!

“Let’s finish singing the most touching song!

“I won’t let go without seeing that immense world for myself!

“Because I have friends that I really want.”

The music stopped.

The accompaniment stopped.

One second.

Two seconds.

Zhang Ye sang lightly, “You are the friend that I want the most.”

With that, he put down the microphone and looked at the audience. Seeing those passionate and excited faces, he smiled. He smiled, grinned in delight, almost to the point of tearing up.

Hello, everyone.

I trust you’ve been well?