I’m Really a Superstar

Japan.

Korea.

America.

Canada.

The UK.

Australia.

The news spread across the world.

Zhang Ye and Gone with the Wind were once again pushed into the headlines of the news!

…

During the day.

Some guests dropped by the studio.

When Zhang Ye opened the door, he saw a few familiar faces standing outside. Yao Jiancai, Ning Lan, Shu Han, and even Xu Meilan were here.

Xu Meilan waved and greeted, “Zhang’er.”

Ning Lan said graciously, “Do you have any water? I’m thirsty for a drink.”

“Come in, come in,” Zhang Ye said happily. “A warm welcome to you all! What are all of you doing together? And you all even thought of coming up here to my place too? Did you plan this together?”

Yao Jiancai said, “We had an event just now.”

Shu Han laughed and said, “The event just ended, and we happened to pass by, so we talked about coming over to have a look.”

“Welcome, welcome.” Zhang Ye said, “Little Wang, pour some tea for the guests.”

Little Wang said, “Got it.”

Yao Jiancai asked, “How many copies of your novel have been sold?”

Zhang Ye looked to Ha Qiqi.

Ha Qiqi giggled and said, “Over 10 million copies. We could surpass 15 million copies by today.”

Yao Jiancai said in amazement, “I really have to take my hat off to you!”

Zhang Ye said, “I guess it’s doing OK.”

Xu Meilan asked, “Have you seen the news yet?”

Zhang Ye laughed, “Haha, I just saw it.”

Yao Jiancai said with a sigh, “You’re gonna be damn famous now!”

Shu Han said, “That’s right, we specifically came here to cheer you on. The nominees for the Nobel Prize awards will be announced today, right? Are you gonna be one of the nominees?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t received any news about it.” Zhang Ye threw his hands up.

Xu Meilan smiled and said, “That shouldn’t be a problem. Even the Russian president has read your book.”

Zhang Ye shook his head. “That counts for nothing. The president isn’t part of the Nobel Committee.”

Yao Jiancai asked, “Actually, with that novel of yours selling so well and it being so popular, you shouldn’t be far off from the international celebrity rankings. Can you get onto it?”

Zhang Ye waved and said, “I still have a little more to go before that happens.”

Ning Lan explained, “If it were someone else, they would have already gotten onto that rankings index. But for him, he’s still lacking by a bit. Although Zhang’er is the number one celebrity in the country, don’t forget how he got to that position. A lot of it was due to him winning the highest awards in the country and getting the additional percentages added to his popularity score. He has won so many awards, ranging from mathematics, to variety shows, to singing, as well as in the hosting field. As such, his popularity score would naturally accumulate through winning those honors. However, the international entertainment industry does not recognize our domestic awards, nor does it take into consideration the additional popularity scores gained from them. That’s why this guy has the Nobel Prize in Literature on his mind. He’s thinking of forcing his way onto the international scene.”

Shu Han finally understood. “So that’s the reason.”

Xu Meilan smiled. “In any case, we’re all hopeful about you.”

Zhang Ye said helplessly, “Even I’m not so sure myself.”

“Do give our Chinese celebrities something to cheer about,” Xu Meilan said.

Zhang Ye nodded. “We’ll have to see how the selection goes then.”

Shu Han stayed for a while longer before leaving.

Ning Lan, Xu Meilan, and Yao Jiancai did not have anything else to do, so they decided to stay behind and wait for the invitation to arrive from the Nobel Foundation.

The so-called invitation was an important signal.

The Nobel Committee of this world had never announced the outcome of their selection process, like who was being nominated for a certain prize, how many nominees there were, or who got eliminated within the first round of the selections. None of this would ever get detailed in black and white. Each year, they would only send out the Nobel Prize invitations shortly before the Nobel Prize award ceremonies took place. The people that were issued with this invitation would then be considered the main nominees of the Nobel Prizes. This meant the Nobel Prize would only be awarded to one of the people in the pool. If they didn’t get invited to the venue of the award ceremony, that would mean that they stood no chance of winning.

Half an hour.

An hour.

Everyone was chatting as they waited.

Ning Lan kept looking over. “It still hasn’t arrived?”

Yao Jiancai said in amusement, “Could it be that you did not make the final cut?”

Zhang Ye rolled his eyes. “Can’t you pick something nicer to say?”

Xu Meilan said, “You shouldn’t have a problem being selected as a nominee, right?”

“That might not necessarily happen.” Yao Jiancai said, “The international awards’ committees have always had a bias against China, so it’s really hard to say.”

Xu Meilan said, “I don’t think that would happen for the Nobel Prizes, though.”

Suddenly, Tong Fu, who was sitting at his computer, shouted!

“It’s here! It’s here!”

“What’s here?”

“The invitation to the Nobel Prize award ceremony!”

“Ah?”

“It has really arrived?”

“Let me see, let me see!”

In an instant, everyone surrounded him!

It was an email that was written fully in English!

The first line of the email was: “Dear Mr. Zhang Ye.”

The last line of the email was: “Nobel Prize Committee.”

Yao Jiancai cried out, “Damn, it’s really an invitation!”

Xu Meilan gave Zhang Ye a thumbs up. “Impressive!”

Ning Lan asked, “How many Chinese citizens have been nominated for the Nobel Prizes before Zhang’er?”

“He’s exactly the tenth person to have received a nomination.” Xu Meilan had clearly done her research.

China had never won a Nobel Prize before. Be it in mathematics, chemistry, or literature, it had never happened before. But throughout the decades of the Nobel Prize history, there were still nine Chinese citizens who had made the final cut and received an invitation to the Nobel Prize award ceremony. And today, that number increased by yet another, with Zhang Ye becoming the tenth person in China to stand a chance at winning the Nobel Prize!

The date: Eight days later.

The venue of the awards: England.

Dressing requirements: White tie and tails.

Remarks: You may bring along two family members or staff with you. Accommodation and meals for additional personnel are excluded.

The invitation to the Nobel Prize award ceremony was not exactly elegant and was just a short and simple email. It was basically just information related to the event, as well as arrangements for the accommodation and meals. Now that Zhang Ye’s English was no longer the same, he could finish reading it with just a glance. After that, he called over Ha Qiqi and Little Wang.

Zhang Ye smiled and said, “Both of you, get prepared when the time comes.”

Little Wang said in surprise, “Ah? I can go?”

Ha Qiqi asked, “Aren’t you gonna bring your wife and kid?”

Zhang Ye shrugged. “It’s not convenient for Old Wu to go abroad. She would have to apply to the higher-ups, and there wouldn’t be enough time.” Then he looked at Little Wang with a smile. “What? You don’t wish to go?”

Little Wang cried out, “Of course I want to! This is the stage of the most prestigious award in the world!”

It was only then that everyone remembered Zhang Ye’s wife was a deputy minister, so it would be extremely troublesome for her to go abroad since she would have to go through a lot of paperwork.

Tong Fu said in tears, “Director Zhang, I want to go too!”

Little Sun raised his hand. “Director Zhang, me too! I want to go as well!”

Wu Yi said, “It’s the venue of the Nobel Prize awards. It’s something that you can brag about for the rest of your life!”

Zhang Ye smiled and said, “We’ll talk about that another time. You guys wouldn’t be allowed in even if you were there anyway.” He then thought of something. He picked up his phone and said helplessly, “Even I might not necessarily be able to go.”

Yao Jiancai said, “Huh?”

Xu Meilan let out a laugh. “Why couldn’t you go?”

Ning Lan was taken aback before realizing what Zhang Ye meant.

Zhang Ye was already calling the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Du du du.

The call connected.

“Hello, Old Chi?”

“Who is it?”

“Who do you think it is?”

“Oh, kid, it’s you. What is it?”

“I have to travel overseas. Help me with the application.”

“Travel overseas? That’s impossible!”

“Honestly, I have some serious business to attend to.”

“It doesn’t matter what serious business you have; no means no. You’re third on the list of key protected scientists by the military. Who’s gonna ensure your security when you’re overseas? There’s no need for any applications. This won’t be approved by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and even the military itself. If anything happens to you, we can’t answer for it!”

Old Chi was very firm in his answer.

Zhang Ye said angrily: “I’ll be responsible for my own safety. Hurry up and handle this matter for me. There aren’t too many days left. If I can’t go, are you going to accept the Nobel Prize on my behalf?”

Fellow Chi was stunned. “What did you say? The Nobel Prize?”

Zhang Ye said: “I’ve received an invitation from them!”

Fellow Chi couldn’t believe it. “Are you serious?”

“Do you want me to send it to you?” Zhang Ye asked.

Fellow Chi said excitedly: “I understand! I’ll send in the application for you right away!”

Zhang Ye said happily: “Didn’t you say that I’m not allowed to go overseas?”

Fellow Chi said in embarrassment: “If it’s the Nobel Prize, you would still have to go. Which prize are you vying for?”

“The field that I started off in, of course,” Zhang Ye said.

Fellow Chi clearly did not read the news much. “The field you started off in? The Nobel Prize in Mathematics? The Nobel Prize in Physics?”

Zhang Ye coughed and said: “The Nobel Prize in Literature.”

“What?” Fellow Chi said in surprise: “When did your old job have anything to do with literature?” With a pause, he suddenly remembered. “Oh, I nearly forgot. You used to write books and poetry. I still wanted to personally commend you for a citation if you really won the Nobel Prize, but I think I better not since it’s only the Nobel Prize in Literature, which has nothing to do with our scientific field. Why didn’t you work harder, kid? You should have gone for the Nobel Prize in Mathematics!”

Zhang Ye said helplessly: “Old Chi, I’ve just realized how narrow-minded you are. Winning a Nobel Prize is already a blessing, yet you’re still being so picky?”

“Haha, just kidding. Do well, and come back home with the Nobel Prize. It doesn’t matter which field it is. You’ll still be hailed as a hero of the nation!”

Zhang Ye said: “That’s what I like hearing.”

The call ended.

Everyone stared at Zhang Ye in shock.

Zhang Ye smiled and said, “It’s settled. Hmm? What are you all looking at me for?”

Yao Jiancai said, looking astonished, “Since when did you become a key protected scientist by the military?”

“I’ve always been one,” Zhang Ye said with a smile.

Ning Lan said stunned, “You’re even ranked in the top three on that list?”

Zhang Ye said, “I don’t know about that.”

Xu Meilan laughed and said, “He’s the winner of the country’s Highest Science and Technology Award. He the one who built China’s first self-developed and mass-produced aircraft engine, and also participated in the research of the radar systems and design of the fighter jet. If I were the military, I would also be sure to focus on ensuring his safety.”

Yao Jiancai said in envy, “When will I be able to get the treatment this kid is getting?”

Ning Lan laughed and said, “Why don’t you start with becoming a scientist?”

Yao Jiancai waved his hands. “Forget it then, I don’t have his smarts.”

…

The news was revealed!

China was in a heated discussion!

“Zhang Ye has been nominated?”

“He has really been nominated for the Nobel Prize?”

“Is it the Mathematics or Literature Prize?”

“It should be for the Literature Prize!”

“Zhang Ye has really become a nominee for the Nobel Prize! He’s the tenth person in China to be nominated for the Nobel Prize!”

“Oh, my awesome Face-smacking Zhang!”

“India’s Bangalore has also been nominated!”

“The Japanese writer too. There are a total of about a dozen people nominated for the Literature Prize!”

“There are still eight more days to go? This will be an intense battle!”

“I really wish that Zhang Ye brings home the Nobel Prize!”

“Yeah, it’s not only going to be an honor for China and the Chinese people, this will also help Zhang Ye to break into the international celebrity rankings!”

This might be the closest that China will get to the Nobel Prize!”

“You can do it, Face-smacking Zhang!”

“If you don’t win it, don’t think about coming home!”