I'm Really a Superstar

The applause continued without end!

When Zhang Ye walked off the stage, the applause was still going on. More and more people were starting to applaud!

Many people from the upper and lower decks at the venue even stood up slowly from their seats to applaud Zhang Ye!

Su Hongyan wiped away some tears from the corners of her eyes. "This Zhang Ye!"

A female student from Media College also cried out, "Senior, nicely done! Nicely done!"

All his other juniors from Media College could also feel their blood boiling with excitement. After hearing Zhang Ye's acceptance speech, the blood in their bodies was surging with emotions, seemingly trying to break out of their bodies!

Their senior was too cool!

He was really too cool!

Everyone who was present had their eyes turn red.

A famous female host seated in the nominees' area could not hold back her tears. She quickly turned her head to the side to face away from the camera and wiped away the tears in her eyes. Thinking back, she was also a high-spirited and energetic person, carrying her own ideals and pursuit of a dream. But somewhere along the way, giving in and compromising had seemingly become a part of her daily life. It had become her go-to response to survive in this industry. Only this way would it seemingly show that one had matured. It was the correct way to behave. However, Zhang Ye's speech told her that there was another type of person in this world. There was actually someone who could travel that difficult path and climb to the highest stage full of battle scars to receive an award of the highest honor. All this without compromising or giving in!

Zhang Ye did it!

Moreover, in the near future, there would probably be other hosts as uncompromising as Zhang Ye who would walk up to this stage holding a Golden Microphone Award and spreading those words to pass down Zhang Ye's ideals and persistence!

On the stage today, Zhang Ye was looking gloriously radiant!

This was the acceptance speech of a host!

This was a cry of his convictions!

...

At Zhang Ye's parents' house.

His mother posted on Weibo excitedly: "Look! This is my son!"

This was the son who she had taught as he grew up. At this moment, his parents were full of joy and pride!

...

At Peking University.

A math teacher who was watching the online broadcast marveled, "This Zhang Ye, just what kind of a person is he?"

Pan Yang smiled and replied, "Him? He is an incredible person."

Han Henian sighed. "A person who can say those words is indeed someone very incredible."

...

At Beijing Television.

Xiao Lu wiped her tears away as she cried. "It hasn't been easy for Teacher Zhang in the past two years! It really hasn't been easy for him! Although he did not mention anything about it, all of us know how much pressure Teacher Zhang had to deal with and how many hopeless situations he faced in the past. It's been too hard on him!"

Hu Fei smiled and said, "But Little Zhang has still managed to get through it all! He's really amazing!"

Hou Ge remarked excitedly, "That's right! Teacher Zhang is the best!"

...

Celebrity Goof Group.

Fan Wenli posted a link of the online video to the group chat.

Ning Lan said: "This is what a host is all about! A true host!"

Chen Guang also appeared. "It's rare to see a host like him in the country."

Dongzi: "There isn't any outside of the country like him either! This speech has really moved me!"

Fan Wenli was touched by it as well and mentioned: "I listened to Zhang Ye's speech four times over. I don't even know why my tears started falling. Old Chen who's beside me had a hard time trying to dry my tears for me. I can't explain why, but it's really overwhelming!"

....

At a district in Beijing.

In a completely normal family's house.

An 18-year-old high school student was watching the broadcast with his parents. After a long silence, he suddenly turned around and looked at his parents. "Dad, Mom, I've decided that I want to apply for Media College!"

The mother was stunned. "Media College?"

The boy nodded with determination. "Yes."

His parents gazed at him. "You've decided?"

The boy acknowledged and pointed at Zhang Ye on the computer screen. "I have a goal now. I want to be a cool host like him!"

The father smiled and said, "That's good. No matter what you want to do, your mom and I will support you."

...

Outside Beijing.

At a second-tier city. [1.]

The cold wind was whistling at the side of an office building. The lights inside were still on. Many people were working overtime. The office was filled with the noise of keyboard typing and the mechanical sound of the photocopier.

"Just another half an hour to go and we can leave work!"

"Let's work harder and finish up this proposal, everyone!"

"Old Xu, has it been finished yet?"

"It's almost done. It'll be ready soon."

"Old He, it's all up to you over there."

"Supervisor Wang? Supervisor Wang?"

This was just a very typical overtime day, but there was one person in the office who was incongruous to the rest. He wasn't doing anything but staring straight at the computer screen and watching Zhang Ye give his speech on stage.

"Yes, you do. I promise you do. You do.

"Don't be afraid, don't be confused. Stay weird. Stay different. Stay stubborn and never give up! And then when it's your turn, and you are standing on this stage, please pass the same message to the next person who comes along!"

Wang He listened to it quietly without paying attention to the colleagues beside him who were calling out to him.

"Supervisor Wang?" That person hesitated for a moment and then whispered to the person beside him, "What's wrong with the supervisor today?"

That female colleague also looked at him in wonder. Then she replied in a low voice, "I don't know. He just became like this. I think he's watching the live broadcast of the Golden Microphone Awards?"

To them, Wang He was a very serious person when it came to work. His work abilities were very strong. He was also a very eloquent person. It was rumored that he had studied broadcasting before, which was why even though Wang He was still young and had only graduated for two years, he had already become the third-in-command of this small company with an annual salary of around 500,000 RMB. No matter whether it was his family or friends, or even his colleagues, they all considered him a successful person with a promising future!

At this moment, the online broadcast ended.

Someone gathered up his courage and stepped up. "Supervisor? Are…you fine?"

Wang He closed the web browser, then turned around and looked at that person. "I'm good."

That person smiled and said, "Do you like Teacher Zhang Ye as well?"

Do I like him? Suddenly, Wang He laughed. "I don't like him at all. We were already on unfriendly terms while we were studying at university. I disliked him and he disliked me as well."

Everyone was shocked to hear that. "Studying at university? You know him personally?"

"He was my classmate," Wang He revealed calmly.

"Ah?"

"Really?"

"You and Zhang Ye were classmates?"

"Aiya! You were from Media College as well?"

His colleagues were very surprised as this was the first time they learned of it.

Wang He suddenly said, "Alright, everyone do well at your jobs." He thought for a moment before declaring, "In the future, you guys must work hard. Thank you to all of you for taking care of me all this while."

Work hard in the future?

Thanks for our care?

Everyone was stunned. What was the meaning of that?

Following, under the dumbfounded looks on everyone, Wang He lowered his head to write something short. Then he knocked on his boss's office door and went in to place his resignation letter on the table.

The boss was also stunned. "What's the matter, Little Wang?"

Wang He said in all seriousness, "Boss, thank you for all your guidance."

His boss said, "This is too sudden. Why do you want to resign? Are you not satisfied with the salary?"

"It's not that," Wang He replied.

The boss said, "Then is it because work is not smooth sailing for you?"

"It isn't that either." Wang He shook his head.

The boss asked, "Then why are you doing this?"

Wang He hesitated for a moment and then seemingly muttered to himself, "When I was still in university, my results were always among the best, whereas there was a person who was always ranked at the bottom of the class. However, that person said something today that suddenly woke me up. When I offended someone at the television station last year and got fired, I used it as an excuse to avoid going back to becoming a host again. I packed my bags and returned to my hometown dejected, but fortunately earned your appreciation and got back to work, seemingly leading a better life than others. However, I'm actually not excited about it and did not feel any sense of accomplishment!"

His boss stayed silent.

Wang He smiled and continued, "But today, that person's words have instantly filled me with life again! He withstood such tremendous pressure and offended so many people, yet he could still be successful today. So then, why can't I do the same?! Based on what can I not do the same? I only found out now that my heart isn't dead yet! That my blood hasn't turned cold yet!"

After hearing that, his boss gazed at him and smiled. "Do whatever you want to do. If you can't survive anymore out there, you're welcome to come back here again."

"Thank you." Wang He sincerely repeated, "Thank you."

...

At the awards ceremony venue.

The trophy presentation was completed after Zhang Ye had taken his award. However, the atmosphere at the locale was still immersed in the acceptance speech from earlier.

Everyone began streaming out of the venue.

Dong Shanshan went to look for Su Hongyan first.

After his speech, Zhang Ye had squeezed past the surrounding reporters. When he saw Teacher Su and Dong Shanshan, he walked with large strides to their side. "Did you drive here, Teacher Su? Shall I send you home?"

Su Hongyan was about to say something when her cell phone buzzed. She received a message. The sender stunned Su Hongyan for a while. It was from one of her former students whom she had the greatest hopes for but also the one who turned out the most regretful!

Wang He: "Teacher Su, how are you doing?"

Su Hongyan: "I'm fine. I heard that you have already become a top-level executive back at your hometown? And your salary is also many times more than mine? Not bad, you're doing well."

Wang He: "I've resigned."

Su Hongyan was taken aback. "Huh?"

Wang He: "I don't have Zhang Ye's number, so if you see him, please help me thank him."

Su Hongyan suddenly thought of something. "Are you…"

Wang He: "I've booked a plane ticket to go back to Beijing on the day after tomorrow."

Su Hongyan: "Are you?"

Wang He: "I really would like to give another shot at a hosting career!"

Pocketing her cell phone, Su Hongyan beamed with joy.

Dong Shanshan was puzzled by this and asked, "Teacher Su, why are you smiling so happily?"

Su Hongyan smiled and said, "Wang He is coming back!"

"Wang He? That Wang He from our class?" Zhang Ye looked at her strangely. "I heard from Shanshan that that guy went back to his hometown, didn't he? And he's white-collar now too?"

Su Hongyan laughed and replied, "He just resigned a few minutes ago and has already booked a plane ticket back to Beijing. He wants me to thank you on his behalf."

Zhang Ye blinked. "Why is he thanking me?"

Su Hongyan said, "Your acceptance speech has ignited many people's passion. I think he made the decision after listening to your speech. Hur hur, I knew that Wang He would not just give up on hosting so easily like that! In the future, you two will have another peer again."

Zhang Ye smiled happily. "That's good. I'll be waiting for him."

Zhang Ye's speech had touched countless people!

At the same time, it had also changed and affected the destinies and decisions of many people!

Translator's Thoughts

Legge Legge

TL Note:

[1. City tiers in China - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_China#The_tier_system]