I'm Really a Superstar

In the afternoon.

Lunch was ready and the few of them were already starting to drink.

"Yingyi's culinary skill is rather good!"

"I'm just average. Come and have a taste."

"Come, I suggest we toast first."

"Right, it's rare for us classmates to gather together, so we must definitely finish this first toast. There mustn't be a drop left!"

"You guys drink the white wine, while we girls will have the red."

"OK, cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"Let's have parties more often in the future. I really miss all of you a lot!"

After a bite of the food, Ma Xufei lamented, "Back then, our class were full of talent. In the entire school, we had people who were able to do all sorts of things. He Kui had already entered the student council by the second year, while Yu Yingyi's talent stood out since freshmen year. She was able to come up against anyone and surely had a performance lined up for her during the school's New Year Gala. Then, there were also Wang He and Dong Shanshan, both top of the class straight-A students who always either got first or second every year in school. They had already been shortlisted by television stations before they went on to finish their final year of school. Meanwhile, Zhang Ye was already a legendary figure in the school itself. He would always maintain a low profile and didn't mix much with others, but at crunch time, he was someone who would challenge the teachers' decisions. He was constantly criticized by the school authorities and had only managed to stumble towards graduation in the end. That Zhang Ye could successfully graduate with his certificate was in my opinion a real miracle."

Zhang Ye didn't like what he heard. "Was I as bad as how you described me?"

"It can only be worse, not better," Ma Xufei replied with a laugh.

He Kui also said, "I wouldn't have believed it if you told me that after our graduation, Zhang Ye would be the one who is doing the best among us. I thought that this guy would even find it hard to secure a job."

Zhang Ye didn't know how to react. "It was indeed difficult to find a job back then."

Ma Xufei commented, "But you've still made it somehow."

Wang He observed, "Of the students from our class, I suppose it's Zhang Ye who has gone the furthest in his career?"

Yu Yingyi said, "Rather than just talking about our class, even if we include the three classes before us at Media College, it's still just Zhang Ye alone who has gone that far. He's even gone back to our alma mater and gotten appointed as an associate professor there."

Zhang Ye shook his head. "I'm just walking ahead of everyone by a little. It'll be harder to go further in the future. If there are no significant changes, I believe I'll have reached my potential as a top B-list celebrity. With my looks, how can I ever match you guys? I'm too limited by that."

He Kui remarked, "Being the top of the B-list celebrities is already a very high position."

Dong Shanshan asked, "I've only really been in contact with Zhang Ye for the past two years, so what have the rest of you been up to?"

Yu Yingyi suddenly giggled and blinked a few times. Then she glanced at Zhang Ye and said, "Well, I'll likely become Zhang Ye's colleague in a few more days."

"Ah?" Zhang Ye was a little surprised.

Dong Shanshan smiled and inquired, "You're joining Central TV?"

Everyone looked at Yu Yingyi.

Yu Yingyi smiled and answered, "Yes. I've been working at an online video hosting site and doing commentary work for sports. I cover mainly basketball—both the NBA and CBA—while I also did some coverage on soccer a few times. I think I can be considered to have a little fame within the industry and have also gained quite a lot of experience, so I contacted someone over at the Central TV Sports Channel and was given an interview chance last month which I did quite well at. When my contract with the online video hosting site ends next week, I'll be reporting to Central TV Department 1 for my new job, so you guys must tune into Central TV Department 5 more often in the future. I might just be doing the coverage at that time."

Zhang Ye congratulated, "That's great."

Ma Xufei also quickly offered his congratulations. "That's a good thing!"

"The Sports Channel is a good place," Wang He also said with a smile.

Yu Yingyi shrugged and said with a smile, "This job of mine has its pros and cons. The pros are that the competition is not so fierce since I'm a female commentator. In the field of sports commentary, there aren't too many women around. You can count them on your fingers and you would find only a few in the entire country who are considerably more well-known. Therefore, it wasn't difficult for me to find this job as almost every place would want me if I applied. But the cons are equally as much as the pros too. A woman in the sports commentary field has limitations since I am not a professional athlete, so it takes more work for me to learn and research the professional terms used. You guys wouldn't be able to guess how many matches I watch every day. I can't get the names of any of the players and coaches wrong, including the rules as well. If I were to say something wrong, there would be netizens criticizing me the very next day saying things like 'See, I told you that a female commentator wouldn't do. They don't understand sports at all.' So there's a lot of pressure on me. Just like how Zhang Ye mentioned just now, it's very difficult for me to advance any further even if I want to."

Wang He looked at her. "Why did you choose to go into this profession?"

"I guess it's cause I like it." Yu Yingyi threw up her hands.

Dong Shanshan smiled and said, "Yingyi has always liked watching ball games since university. She's always watching the overnight games and drinking beer with the boys, so to have chosen a sports commentary job is in my opinion not strange at all."

Yu Yingyi said happily, "I would have liked to be doing television hosting like you guys too, but the competition there is really too intense and I'm also not as beautiful as Shanshan, so I thought I'd just forget it." Saying that, she raised her glass and said to Zhang Ye, "Come, I will separately give a toast to Zhang'er. Since we'll be working in the same organization soon, let's keep in touch often."

"Sure." Zhang Ye clinked glasses with her and drank up.

Dong Shanshan sarcastically remarked, "Yingyi, I suggest you steer clear of him at work. Almost no one at Central TV has not been offended by Zhang Ye before. Be careful that you get dragged in by him as well."

Yu Yingyi also quipped, "Oh yes, then I better pretend to not know him."

Zhang Ye: "..."

Everyone was laughing along at that.

The lunch party lasted until past 4 in the afternoon, so they just continued on with dinner after that. As there wasn't enough food, Yu Yingyi and Dong Shanshan went about to cook a few more dishes. They were finally done making dinner too.

Wang He had a little much to drink and was speaking with a slur. "Le's 'ave muh! We won't go home 'til we're drunk!"

"Yes, if everyone gets drunk, just stay over at my place tonight." Dong Shanshan had also had quite a lot of red wine and her face was extremely flushed. "I have a lot of rooms at my place here anyway, so feel free to stay over. Those who drove here won't have to drive back home then."

Yu Yingyi suggested, "Why don't we go sing karaoke?"

Zhang Ye agreed without hesitation. "I'm fine with anything."

Dong Shanshan snapped her fingers. "We can sing at my place. My TV has a karaoke function included!"

He Kui and Ma Xufei shouted, "Sing!"

Zhang Ye volunteered himself. "I'll take the first song!"

They drank more alcohol as they sang, this time downing beer instead!

...

At 9 PM.

Everyone at the villa was moving around unsteadily from drinking too much.

Wang He had gotten drunk early on and had gone to the bathroom to throw up. He Kui was a little better as he went to pat Wang He on the back as he threw up. But witnessing what Wang He had thrown up grossed him out and He Kui couldn't control himself as he also threw up after Wang He was done.

Ma Xufei was still on the mic, though it was better to describe him as howling rather than singing.

Zhang Ye could no longer stand properly. "I'm tired from the singing."

Dong Shanshan said with a breath laden with the smell of alcohol, "All of you stay over tonight!"

"Sure. Even if you want us to leave, we won't be able to leave," Yu Yingyi replied in a drunken state with many bottles of beer in front of her. She probably had more to drink than any of the men today.

Dong Shanshan divvied up the rooms by saying, "We'll all stay in the rooms upstairs. Where's He Kui and Wang…He?"

Yu Yingyi answered, "In the bathroom throwing up."

"They'll both share a room." Dong Shanshan said, "Zhang Ye and Ma Xufei will share another…room. Yingyi, you sleep together with me. My bed is bigger so we can sleep on it even if we lie down horizontally."

Ma Xufei said, "Let's sing a little while longer!"

Yu Yingyi grabbed a microphone and said, "Alright, I'll sing with you."

Zhang Ye couldn't hold it any longer and hiccupped from drinking too much. He clutched Dong Shanshan and said, "I can't drink any further. I have to sleep now. Is there anywhere I can bathe? I need a bath."

"Is upstairs," Dong Shanshan slurred. "It's in the bath…room upstairs. There isn't one…in the one downstairs."

"Alright. You guys keep going." Zhang Ye stumbled upstairs.

Dong Shanshan told him from behind, "Rest early after you shower. We still have to go to Beijing Television for the Spring Festival Gala dress rehearsal tomorrow."

"It's tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"OK, I understand."

Upstairs.

In the bathroom.

Zhang Ye had just taken off his clothes when Yao Jiancai called.

"The dress rehearsal's tomorrow?" Yao Jiancai proposed, "Then why don't we do some short practice?"

Zhang Ye exclaimed, "Ah? Now?"

Yao Jiancai said, "Are we going to wait till the last minute then?"

Zhang Ye said, "I haven't even prepared what to say yet. I drank a little too much today."

"That's good timing. Alcohol will give you inspiration." Yao Jiancai laughed. "We still have to come up with a routine by tomorrow no matter what anyway, or else we would seem to unprofessional if we were to go for the rehearsal without any preparation, wouldn't we?"

Zhang Ye said helplessly, "Alright then, let me think for a bit."

After talking for more than ten minutes, they hadn't actually come up with anything at all. Zhang Ye was feeling too dizzy at the moment and sometimes didn't even know what he was talking about. After hanging up, Zhang Ye stepped into the bathtub and soaked in it. He applied some body wash and closed his eyes, feeling extremely relaxed.

Outside, Ma Xufei's singing had stopped.

Zhang Ye stood up unsteadily from the bathtub and wash himself clean before drying his hair and body. Then he put on his underwear and stepped out of the bathroom. It was all dark, but he only roughly remembered that he had left the lights on before he went in to bathe, so he didn't care much about this. His eyes were already closing and even the moonlight shining through the windows was spinning around. He slowly made his way to the bed and then flipped open the blanket and snuggled right into bed.

The bed was very soft.

The blanket was also very warm!

Was this a battery-operated electric mattress?

When Zhang Ye's head hit the pillow, he fell almost immediately asleep. After a while, he felt as though the bed was really crowded like there was something on both sides of him. He turned around and put his hand over to the left side and smelled a light fragrance with his nose. It was like somebody was there.

A shoulder jerked and moved around a little. "Cut it out."

Hearing that, Zhang Ye impatiently turned and faced the other way. He placed his legs in a position that he found to be most comfortable and laid down. But there was yet another hint of fragrance that he could smell, a fragrance that was quite different from the left side. The smell of alcohol was heavily mixed into this light scent.

Then he also a voice over on this side.

"Don't push me. I can't drink anymore…I said I can't drink any…more, go find someone…else to drink with you!" This voice kept murmuring over and over again without stopping.

In the end, the sound kept buzzing in Zhang Ye's ears and it irritated him so much that he turned around again, annoyed, preferring to face the left side and sleep instead.