I'm Really a Superstar

Beijing.

In a neighborhood.

The sound of firecrackers being set off rang out time and again. The children were playing in the neighborhood, with some adults accompanying their children to set off the firecrackers, while others were smoking and chatting nearby.

Upstairs.

An apartment’s window was opened and a woman shouted down.

“Old Liu!”

“Ah?”

“Quick, bring the children home!”

“Why?”

“To watch the Spring Festival Gala!”

“It’s boring, I’m not watching it.”

“Aiyo, just come back and you’ll know!”

“Is it really that good?”

“It’s really good this year!”

…

Shanghai.

In the streets.

A cell phone was ringing.

“Hello, hubby, did you knock off yet?”

“I just did. It’s such torture to still be working overtime on Lunar New Year’s Eve.”

“Quickly come home and watch the Spring Festival Gala.”

“Spring Festival Gala? I thought that you never used to watch it?”

“But it’s different this year!”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, of course!”

“Alright, I’ll head back immediately.”

…

Nanjing.

In a household.

Their neighbor from the opposite household came over to visit.

“Old Li, I’m here to offer you my new year greetings.”

“Aiyo, thank you, thank you.”

“Eh, why isn’t your family watching the Spring Festival Gala?”

“Spring Festival Gala? We don’t watch it because we don’t like those skits by the northerners. The songs and dances are not interesting, and there has been nothing new about it either.”

“Heh, you all should quickly watch it then. This year’s Spring Festival Gala is really good!”

“How can that be?”

“Old Li, why would I lie to you?”

“What are they performing now?”

“The songs are on right now. After I’m finished here, I have to quickly rush home to continue watching!”

“Is that so? Then let’s have a look at it too.”

…

The Spring Festival Gala was spreading furiously via word of mouth!

People were telling each other about it!

One became ten!

Ten became a hundred!

A lot of people who didn’t used to watch the Spring Festival Gala had all turned on their televisions in doubt at the urging of their relatives, friends, or neighbors. They wanted to see how Zhang Ye would save an event like the Spring Festival Gala that was already at the end of its life. This was, in the view of a lot of people, an unimaginable thing to achieve.

100,000 people!

1,000,000 people!

10,000,000 people!

The number of people turning on their televisions was increasing by the second!

Some people were curious, while others were forced to watch by their family members. As a result, they found themselves unable to stop watching once they started, revealing surprised expressions on their faces!

On TV.

Several old-school singers were performing a song ¹ .

“Return Home Often”

“Free up some time, find yourself time.

“Take your children and return back home.

“Bring along smiles as well as best wishes.

“Go with your spouse and return back home.

“Mom has a lot of nagging for you.

“Dad has made a table of delicious dishes.

“Complain about life’s annoyances to Mom,

“And share stories about work with Dad.

“Return home often, home often.

“Even if you will only help Mom do the dishes.

“Parents don’t seek too much from their children.

“All they desire in life is a family reunion.”

…

At the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In a research department.

Several researchers were watching the Spring Festival Gala and listening to this song. A hush fell over the room.

A female researcher stood up silently and walked outside into the yard to privately make a call back home. Her hands were trembling, and her heart was pounding.

The call connected.

“Little Wen, is that you, Little Wen?”

“Mom, it’s me.”

“Oh, hey, how are you doing? Is your work going well over there? Is your research project successful? How’s your health? Is it cold in Beijing? Are you wearing the down jacket?”

“I wore it. I’ve been wearing it for some time already.”

“That’s good then, that’s good.”

“Mom, this year I might—”

“I understand. Your work is more important. Your dad and I are fine, we’re doing well. Hur hur, we can understand. Just do your research seriously and bring glory to the country!”

The female researcher could clearly hear the song in the background coming through the phone on the other end: “Return home often, home often. / Even if you will only help Mom do the dishes.”

After hanging up, she immediately teared up and couldn’t stop crying.

…

There was no lip syncing!

This year’s Spring Festival Gala was different from the past ones. The performers would all have to sing for real!

This was requested by Zhang Ye, and it was a compulsory rule for the performers to sing for real.

People on the organizing committee and the production team had raised strong doubts about this before. Many of them even expressed objections to it. They felt that on such an important live broadcast event like the Spring Festival Gala, the pressure on the singers would be too great. Too many things could go wrong, so to achieve the best possible effects and the steadiest performance would definitely require a certain degree of lip syncing. However, Zhang Ye rejected this suggestion. There was no room for negotiation!

Many of those on the production team still had a very deep impression of what Zhang Ye’s original words were.

He had said at that time, “If a singer can’t even sing for real, or have the courage to perform a song live, then what right would they have to be on the Spring Festival Gala!? I don’t care about other people’s Spring Festival Gala, but there won’t be any lip syncing on mine! If you can do it, go ahead. If you can’t, then get off the stage. We’ll just replace them with someone else who can!”

Flaws?

There could be some.

Mistakes?

They might happen too.

But all of that was still acceptable to Zhang Ye. Because no one singer could guarantee that they would be able to sing flawlessly at every live performance they gave. But this was a matter of attitude. If you were to lip sync and just move your mouth along with the music, singing “Return home often,” how could you move anyone with your fake singing?

…

On TV.

The second song also finished.

“Because of Love,” “Return Home Often,” and another song were a series of three songs all about family ties and love.

Right after, the third song began.

…

In the production control room.

Zhang Ye was still keeping up with giving out orders.

No one knew what was so special about this song, except him.

This was not just some group song, because no ordinary song could receive such great attention that exceeded even the language acts like the crosstalks and skits in his previous world’s Spring Festival Gala. This upcoming song was exactly what that was!

…

Onstage.

A Mongolian family of three came out onto the stage.

A playful harmony and melody sounded ² .

The daughter asked, “Ah-Pa? Does the moon go home when the sun comes out?”

Dad answered, “That’s right.”

The daughter asked, “Where does the sun go to when the stars are out?”

Dad answered, It’s in the sky.”

The daughter asked, “Why can’t I find it even though I look so hard?”

Dad answered, “It went home.”

She and her dad sang, “The sun, moon, and stars are a lucky family.”

The daughter asked, “Ah-Ma, when will the flowers blossom after the leaves turn green?”

Mom replied, “When summer’s here.”

The daughter asked, “Can I pick the fruits when the flowers turn red?”

Mom replied, “Not until autumn.”

The daughter asked, “Will fruits sprout if I plant it in the soil?”

Mom replied, “It will when spring arrives.”

The family ³ sang, “The flowers, leaves, and fruits are a lucky family.”

…

Zhang Ye’s thoughts were spot on!

He had used facts to prove it countless times before. A song that was so popular all over the country in his previous world would definitely work in this world too!

Once more, the countless people of this world’s Chinese population were wowed!

“Wow!”

“This little girl is so adorable!”

“This song sounds really cute too!”

“I like it so much!”

“It’s nice, not bad!”

“This song is very unique. It’s not sung in a way that most songs are sung!”

“How heartwarming!”

“I like it! I like this song!”

“The songs are getting cooler and cooler!”

“I’ll give this third song a perfect score!”

“The arrangement of these three songs is really good. The lyrics are good and so is the tune!”

“Ahhh, what is with me? Why do I feel like I’ve suddenly become fascinated by this year’s Spring Festival Gala! I’ve been sitting and watching TV without moving for the past half an hour! Heavens, could I have gone crazy? I never used to watch the Spring Festival Gala! Even when I do, it’s only because I want to join in the flaming against it!”

“Me too!”

“This year’s Spring Festival Gala has really turned things around!”

“What’s coming up next?”

“What’s the upcoming act going to be?”

“Hurry up!”

“I’m so looking forward to it!”

“I wanna see what the magic acts are like this year!”

“I care more about the skit involving Zhang Ye, Yao Jiancai, and Dong Shanshan!”

“Little Hu Die’s performance has already clearly stated my feelings for this year’s Spring Festival Gala. It’s totally unstoppable!”

“Yeah, I didn’t even bother to eat my reunion dinner and just sat here all this while to catch the Spring Festival Gala. All of the acts would’ve been totally unimaginable in past years!”

“Wow, they’re giving out the cards of fortune again!”

“They’re giving out another stash of the cards of fortune! Hurry up and grab them!”

“200 million yuan, here I come!”

“The celebrities are giving out red packets as well!”

“Hahaha, I managed to grab a red packet from Zhang Yuanqi!”

“I’ve got a big one! There’s 7.80 yuan in it!”

“Damn, I actually grabbed a red packet of Zhang Ye’s! There’s only 2.5 cents in it! Your sister! Zhang Ye, you’re such a miser! Why are you giving out so much less than everyone else!”

“Hahahahaha!”

“I’ve managed to grab a work dedication card!”

“What a great harvest!”

Countless people were sitting and watching TV. This year’s Spring Festival Gala had entirely captured their attention. Even if you were to tell everyone to turn off their televisions right now, they wouldn’t want to do so!