I'm Really a Superstar

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It was very late.

A cellphone’s ringtone rang in a quiet bedroom.

It was Dong Shanshan. “Hello, old classmate. Let me tell you some good news.”

“Hur Hur, what’s the good news?” Zhang Ye feigned ignorance.

Dong Shanshan laughed, “A video was leaked on the internet, showing proof that Li Tao clamped down on our programs on purpose. Now, the SARFT has begun investigations. Our programs might be restored soon.”

Zhang Ye said, “I already heard about it. It’s all over the internet now. Didn’t you see me post on Weibo?”

Dong Shanshan might have been in front of a computer, “You posted on Weibo again? You set up your Weibo account for months now, but never once have your words been good. Let me take a look…” After a pause, the sounds of a few mouse clicks could be heard through the phone’s receiver, “Heh, you sure are wicked. You even put up a red-lettered ‘Happy’ character? Believing that retribution in the human world works? If Li Tao sees this, he will definitely die from exasperation. You should tone down that mouth of yours.

Zhang Ye refused, “He stabbed us, and you still want me to show him face?”

Dong Shanshan laughed, “Yeah, looks like it’s all because of that live broadcast you messed up. A hacker named Kevin Mitnick could not sit idle and hacked into Li Tao’s home computer and found evidence. Hur Hur, but he could be a fan of ours, or one of the other programs’ hosts that got halted. It’s also possible that this KM has a personal grudge with Li Tao. Anyway, regardless of what caused it, it’s all good for us. The Leaders have already said that once our programs are restored and your qualification as a broadcasting host is restored, they will do the rehiring procedures. You can then carry on hosting and producing ‘Zhang Ye’s Talk Show’. The program will carry on, and business as usual.”

Zhang Ye acknowledged, “Alright, help me thank the Leader.”

“Alright, that’s it from me. I’ve got a date with Wang Bei and company to sing karaoke tonight. I probably won’t be back tonight. Are you coming? It’s the KTV below our office.” Dong Shanshan said.

Zhang Ye answered, “No, you guys go ahead.”

After hanging up, Zhang Ye washed up before laying on his bed. He had been waiting for Li Tao to open the trojan horse last night and had woken up early. He did not rest well, and now with things settled, he definitely needed a good rest. No one knew that the hacker, Kevin Mitnick, that was being discussed by others, was in fact Zhang Ye. After fighting on the front lines all this time, he could finally sleep in peace.

An uneventful night passed.

……

The second day was still uneventful.

……

The third day was still…Alright, this time there was something to talk about.

This afternoon, Zhang Ye went to Weiwo company. Wang Xiong had given him a call, saying that the Shanghai SARFT was releasing the results of the investigations, so Zhang Ye went over. Zhang Ye naturally did so without any hesitation. Although he had quit, he had not cut relations with Weiwo company. Besides, waiting on the internet for news was definitely not as fast as getting news directly from Weiwo. Zhang Ye was very concerned about the outcome of the investigations.

Everything was still the same at the company.

The familiar building, the familiar environment, and the familiar people.

“Yo, isn’t this Teacher Zhang Ye?” In the elevator, a youth Zhang Ye did not know greeted him, “You came to the company today?”

Zhang Ye smiled, “Yeah, I came to take a look.”

Another woman waved at him, “Teacher Little Zhang, good morning.”

“Good morning,” Zhang Ye also greeted her back.

The woman immediately said, “I watched the live broadcast video of you at the SARFT press conference the past two days. There’s really no limit to watching it. You cursed so well!”

Zhang Ye chuckled, “Thank you.”

The woman said in amusement, “When will you have another speech like that?”

“When the opportunity arises next time,” Zhang Ye answered very openly.

Ah?

Next time?

There’s a next time?

The youth and another person from the Marketing department were at a loss whether to laugh or cry when they heard this. Come on! That speech of yours caused chaos in the industry and on the internet back then, yet, you are planning on doing it again!? Do you think there’s not enough chaos!? From just a casual chat with Zhang Ye, they could tell how fearless Teacher Zhang Ye’s temper was. Whoever got in his bad books could only blame on their misfortune!

WebTV department.

In the office, his colleagues greeted him warmly.

“Teacher Zhang!”

“Yo, Little Zhang is back.”

“Haha, Zhang Ye, I saw that limerick you posted the day before yesterday. Awesome. The ancients talk about composing a poem in three steps, I think you don’t even need three. One step is enough for you to compose a poem!”

“That companion picture of the ‘Happy’ character was really nice.”

“He even targeted our Weiwo Video? That Li is asking to be cursed at!”

“Let’s see how the matter is settled today. With people from headquarters investigating it, please don’t make it start off with a bang, but ending with a whimper, where no punishment is dealt to Li Tao.”

“It definitely won’t happen. It’s just a matter of how severe the punishment will be.”

“And the crux of the matter was if our few programs would be restored. That is crucial.”

As Zhang Ye greeted everyone, he began chatting with them, before slowly walking to his previous seat. He realized it was still empty. Clearly it had been left intact for Zhang Ye’s return.

Dong Shanshan smiled with her eyes forming a line, “You’ve come?”

“Yup. When will the official statement be released?” Zhang Ye asked with concern.

Dong Shanshan lifted her sleeve and looked at her watch, “They said it would be announced at 9:30. Just in a little bit.” As she breathed out, she closed her eyes and knitted her eyebrows. She was also waiting. At this moment in time, it was unlikely that Dong Shanshan had the mood to work. Of course, after having her program halted, she did not have any work to do either.

The appointed time was approaching.

The entire office eagerly looked forward to the news.

At the same time, it was likely that many industry insiders from conventional and online television stations were waiting for the outcome of the investigations. After all, this matter was huge in their industry and was unprecedented, hence, everyone wanted to know what SARFT headquarters would choose to do. They were extremely concerned with how the SARFT would deal with Zhang Ye. Although Zhang Ye was the most wronged person in this entire process, with evidence proving that Li Tao had halted “Zhang Ye’s Talk Show”, despite knowing that there were no problems, and ignoring the pirated Talk Show programs, putting Zhang Ye on the advantageous side of reason, his messing up the live broadcast at the SARFT press conference, and had even attacked and mocked the SARFT to the point of even cursing their actions made the matter a bit more complicated.

Suddenly, voices sounded in the office!

“It’s out!”

“Hey, it’s here!”

“The punishment has been meted out. Hurry and take a look!”

Wang Xiong had also come out from his office and into the general office area. He monitored the development of this matter with everyone else!

Zhang Ye also switched on his computer and saw the punishment notice posted by the SARFT: ‘After a complete investigation, the SARFT Headquarters and the Shanghai SARFT had identified malfeasance in Li Tao’s actions. He had received bribes amounting to 250,000 Yuan (US$37,500), as well as had an extramarital affair!’

Li Tao was doomed!

And according to the amount of bribery he received, he would face criminal prosecution!

“F**k!”

“The punishment is heavy enough?”

“He deserves it!”

“Man, he even had lifestyle problems?”

“I wonder how the headquarters managed to discover that. They are too empowering!”

With Li Tao taken down and facing jail time, this was a result Zhang Ye was very satisfied with. The colleagues in the office also applauded!

At that moment, a second notice was posted by the SARFT.

‘Regarding Dong Shanshan’s “Online Talents”, Zhang Ye’s “Zhang Ye’s Talk Show”, Teacher Chen’s children program, as well as the six other programs that were previously halted at the press conference, the SARFT approved them for rebroadcasting, effective immediately. There were still two other programs, which have been found to be truly problematic, and the original punishments still stand. They are not to be restored, such as “Web Bikini Show”, because it had really broken the restrictions. After a round of investigations, the SARFT also added on a few other programs to the penalty list. Three of them had plagiarized “Zhang Ye’s Talk Show” without paying any royalties and are now included on this list. Their broadcasts were halted, and the few conventional and online television stations are to be fined 200,000 to 1,000,000, as well as criticized!’

There was great joy in reading the punishments that were to be doled out!

Li Tao was taken down, and the programs were all restored. It was perfect!

Of course, perfection was before the last notice was posted by the SARFT. In the end, the notice mentioned Zhang Ye. Regarding the host of Weiwo Online Television Station’s “Zhang Ye’s Talk Show”, Zhang Ye, the original penalty of revoking his broadcasting host qualifications was changed to a fifteen day suspension!

The public statements ended here!

The colleagues in the office all looked at each other before they looked at Zhang Ye spontaneously!

Zhang Ye nearly cursed. Damn it, revoking the penalty of my broadcasting host would do, why did you f**king temporarily suspend me for half a month?

What did this mean?

Are you trying to clamp down on me? It definitely was!

Zhang Ye knew, and his colleagues could also read the situation!

Although Zhang Ye had caused problems because of Li Tao’s malfeasance, the SARFT did not ignore it. They still punished Zhang Ye. Although half a month wasn’t a very long time, it was not very short either. Although his program was restored, his hosting qualifications were suspended. “Zhang Ye’s Talk Show” still could not be aired within the next 15 days. This was clearly the SARFT settling scores, and could also be thought of as a form of clamping down or warning. It accounted to the public, but punished both sides. The only difference was Li Tao’s punishment was heavier, and Zhang Ye’s was lighter.

“Teacher Zhang.”

“Uh, Teacher Zhang Ye.”

The people surrounding him did not know what to say.

After a short moment of depression, he did not take it too hard, as he smiled to everyone, “It’s alright. I was already planning to say goodbye to the entertainment industry. Being able to come back is already good enough. It’s just half a month, right? I’ll wait for it.”

Wang Xiong also laughed as he went over to pinch Zhang Ye’s shoulder, “Right, it’s just 15 days. Little Zhang, we can rehire you today. We will give you the title of a planner. Once your hosting qualifications are restored, we will immediately apply for the restoration of you being a host. As for ‘Zhang Ye’s Talk Show’, you can carry on recording even though we can’t broadcast it!”

Zhang Ye blinked, “Record even now?”

“Since it can’t be aired, saving it first wouldn’t be a problem.” Wang Xiong chuckled.

Zhang Ye immediately said, “Alright, then I’ll finish recording the Talk Show over the next few days. Once my status as host is restored, then I won’t need to be so busy. We can directly broadcast them!”