I'm Really a Superstar

Around the stage.

Scattered voices were sounding from all around in the audience.

"Why isn't it starting yet?"

"Hurry up, I can't wait anymore."

"Good things are worth waiting for, haha. Don't worry!"

"It's already been 10 minutes? Just 5 more minutes and it's gonna start!"

"I'm really looking forward to the tiebreaker match between those two!"

"Speaking of performance ability, Flowing Time really isn't comparable to The Clown and Sunset Glow. It's really exciting to see them both fighting for the crown of Masked King in this episode!"

"I can't wait to see how it turns out!"

"Who do you guys think will win?"

"If we're talking about their form, Sunset Glow is totally unbeatable today!"

"The contestant's form isn't everything. Do you guys still remember the competition's first episode? The then Clown was so sick, and his voice had deteriorated so badly as well, so how could he be in good shape? Yet he was still crowned Masked King in the crucial first episode! The Clown has always been someone who's really unpredictable!"

"Are they coming on yet?"

The audience was getting excited and eager for the next match to begin.

Everyone was waiting for The Clown and Sunset Glow to take the stage.

In the wings, Petal Shower and Spinach were also watching.

Spinach asked, "Sister Petal Shower, who do you think will win?"

Petal Shower laughed and said, "I'm more optimistic about Sunset Glow's chances today, but I'd like to hear what The Clown will sing."

Spinach's eyes lit up. "Me too. I just want to hear what he'll sing this time."

Dong Shanshan checked her watch and felt that it was almost time to begin. She went onto the stage in advance and had a short exchange with a few staff members to brief them on the things to look out for later.

Dong Shanshan said, "Hand the microphones to the contestants at the waiting area in a bit."

The staff said, "Got it, Teacher Shanshan."

Dong Shanshan said, "Those of you who are standing here, move a little to your right. You're blocking the third camera's view."

"OK."

"Understood."

After everything was set, Dong Shanshan stood there to catch a breather. She suddenly remembered Hu Fei's words and could not help but reveal a helpless smile. On the way here to the stage earlier, Xiao Lu and Dafei also seemed to be preparing for her "birthday" next month. The two of them did not put it clearly but were trying their best to find out what kind of things she liked. They were probably trying to prepare a gift for her. However, Dong Shanshan was too embarrassed to let them know that the actual day of her birthday was not next month.

It was today!

Today was the actual day of her birthday!

Not many people knew this!

Because of a mistake made during her birth in which her parents completed her birth registration late, the birthday shown on her household register and ID card was late by a full month. But as particulars were already exposed and her birthday was also posted for all to see online, no one knew that it was her birthday today and everyone believed it to be next month. In fact, in recent years, Dong Shanshan stopped explaining. She had always been the carefree type and since others thought that her birthday was on that day, she'd just let it be. Besides, she also felt quite helpless about it.

Her earpiece crackled.

"All departments, attention. All departments, attention. The contestants are ready and standing by."

"Ten seconds and counting down."

Dong Shanshan adjusted her suit and nudged her gold-rimmed glasses upward.

"Three…"

"Two…"

"One…"

Instantaneously, a glittering smile appeared on Dong Shanshan's face as she announced, "Next, we'll be heading into the tiebreaker match. Let's welcome—The Clown!"

Screaming came from the audience!

"The Clown!"

"Break a leg!"

"I love you!"

"I'm so looking forward to this! I'm really looking forward to this!"

"What song will he be singing? Will it be a Cantonese or a Hokkien song?"

"Eh? Where did the band go?"

The Clown walked onstage in his usual unhurried pace.

Chen Guang noticed it first. "Where's the band?"

Amy was startled. "Oh yeah, why isn't the band there?"

Everyone was dumbfounded when they saw The Clown walk toward where the house band should have been and pick up an electric guitar from among the musical instruments!

Spinach said in surprise, "A guitar?"

Petal Shower did not expect this either. "He even knows how to play guitar?"

Wang Zhuishu said, "What's this supposed to mean?"

Yao Jiancai asked with interest, "Is he going to sing and play at the same time?"

Zhang Xia gasped. "He's quite brave. He's going to be playing and singing at the same time on this stage?"

Singing and playing a guitar at the same time without any accompaniment might be workable in street or pub performances. But on a grand stage like this with such a large audience, this way of singing and performing was much too risky. It wasn't something most people could handle!

Dong Shanshan was stunned by this too. After she handed the stage to him, she went off and looked at The Clown curiously.

The Clown had taken his seat onstage. He clasped the guitar and adjusted himself while one hand strummed the strings to check the tuning.

Everyone focused their attention on him!

No one knew how he was going to sing or what song he'd be singing.

Sunset Glow unwittingly made her way to the waiting area to look at The Clown onstage.

Zhang Ye shifted in his seat, then smiled.

He wanted to dedicate this song to a certain someone today, a very important person to him and was someone he liked a lot, someone who used to give him butterflies.

He could still remember the first time they met. It was during an English class in university. It would be a wonder if Zhang Ye, someone who got into Media College by tossing a pen to answer his English tests' multiple choice questions, could understand the English classes in university. The teacher had distributed a set of papers on that day, which gave him such a headache that he was crying out in his seat with worry. That made the female student seated right in front of him turn around. She looked at him and smiled. Zhang Ye could remember that smile with perfect clarity. Even today, he still couldn't forget that smile of hers.

It was very sweet.

And very beautiful.

Zhang Ye smiled.

As he strummed the guitar, a dulcet melody took to the air.

Chen Guang was stunned. "A ballad?"

Amy wondered, "Is he singing a ballad this time?"

The next moment, they were no longer talking.

The Clown started singing softly.

"Ms. Dong.

"You've never forgotten about your smile.

"Even if you're just like me, eager to get senile.

"Ms. Dong.

"When your lips curl downward, it's so pretty.

"Like the pure water under Anhe Bridge in the city."

Dong Shanshan froze!

The judges and audience also froze!

Ms. Dong?

Which Ms. Dong?

Amy instinctively glanced at Dong Shanshan!

Many of the audience also instinctively looked toward Dong Shanshan!

The Clown smiled as he continued playing and singing.

"Ms. Dong.

"I, too, am a complicated creature.

"Saying one thing, replaying it inside as a feature.

"Ms. Dong.

"Time flew by that night at Gulou.

"Stranger, please give me a Lanzhou 1 ."

On the day after their English class, that female student was very patient as she explained the questions to him one by one. In fact, thinking about that right now, Zhang Ye had not really taken in anything she'd said on how to answer those questions. He only cared about looking at her while replying with "mhm's" and "ah's." But that female student still patiently explained things to him and even assured him that English was actually very simple. That was likely the most they had ever talked during their days in university. After their second year, there wasn't too much interaction between them.

Zhang Ye knew that they were people from two different worlds.

One was a fairy from heaven.

The other was just an earthly mortal.

But somehow, the two of them became best friends after graduation. She confided in him that she did not wish to get married and shared many other things with him. To others, she was someone who liked to laugh and didn't speak truthfully to people. But the person they knew was not the real her.

I know the real her.

Strong.

Carefree.

With many stories to tell.

Zhang Ye closed his eyes and sang.

"So, Ms. Dong, all those things may not be true.

"You aren't a schoolgirl with no stories to look to.

"Befriended a wild horse, but there's no prairie in my home.

"This makes me feel despair, Ms. Dong."

A lot of people were covered in goosebumps!

They were uncontrollably brought back to their days of youth!

Chen Guang said, "This…"

Wang Zhuishu's jaw dropped and he stared. "Wh-Who is he singing this for?"

In the wings, Sunset Glow and Petal Shower were looking at Dong Shanshan in shock!

Dong Shanshan was stunned, her eyes reddening as she gazed unblinkingly at the young man singing onstage. All sorts of images were suddenly conjured up by her mind's eye!

They flashed in front of her eyes one after another!

Touched!

Dazed!

Shocked!

Zhang Ye also experienced a lot of emotions. He remembered the times they were on campus when their group was chatting and fooling around. He remembered the times after graduation when that female student brought up those memories of their times on campus. That female student's expression at that time looked a little nostalgic and sentimental, or perhaps it was a look of sadness?

Zhang Ye continued playing and singing.

"Ms. Dong.

"You closed your book, and started talkin' 'bout the past.

"You said to let the first half of life be, tomorrow's still at last.

"Ms. Dong.

"You know I've shared enough goodbyes.

"And on one May morning, I finally lost sleep likewise.

"So, Ms. Dong, all those things may not be true.

"You aren't a schoolgirl with no stories to look to."

Tears were somehow rolling down Dong Shanshan's cheeks!

Is this song for me?

The Clown!

Do…you know me?

The Clown sang in a cappella.

"Befriended a wild horse, but there's no prairie in my home.

"This makes me feel despair, Miss Dong.

"So, Ms. Dong, all those things may be true.

"Who's gonna go out of their way to comfort that ignorant young man?

"I wanna be like you, ignore all those reasons.

"Cheer up.

"Ms. Dong."

The thrumming of the guitar fell silent.

The Clown's hands stopped moving.

He suddenly looked in the direction of Dong Shanshan and sang:

"Happy birthday.

"Ms. Dong."

The strumming of the guitar came back.

The melody and voice resonated throughout the studio!

When they heard the last verse, a lot of people were suddenly enlightened!

Hu Fei laughed and said, "So it's not a song for Teacher Shanshan."

Xiao Lu wiped her sweat away and said, "Yeah, I also got a fright. I thought that The Clown and Teacher Shanshan knew each other!"

People in the audience also heaved sighs of relief.

"Dong Shanshan's birthday is next month, right?"

"That's right, it's next month!"

"Then that song isn't for her!"

"I knew it! But that still gave me such a scare!"

However, when Dong Shanshan heard the last verse of The Clown's song, she had a totally different reaction from everyone else. Dong Shanshan's hair stood on end at that moment as she was dumbfounded with an astonished expression! No one should know it. There were not many people who knew when her actual birthday was! At this moment, Dong Shanshan was almost sure that The Clown definitely knew her!

Happy birthday?

How did you know!

How did you know that today is my birthday?!

Who are you really?

The Clown!

Just who the hell are you?!