I'm Really a Superstar

In the recording studio.

Zhang Ya smiled and said, "Teacher Zhang, let's get serious now."

Zhang Ye looked at her and said, "Did you think I wasn't serious just now?"

Zhang Ya: "…"

Zhang Ye cleared his throat and said, "Fine, I'll really be proper this time."

Zhang Ya was holding a cue card in her hand as she gave a wry smile. "After your antics, I really don't know how to host or what to ask."

In front of her was Zhang Ye, who was also an excellent host himself. When these two hosts met, neither of them really knew who would be the one asking or answering the questions.

"It's fine, you can ask me anything." Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Treat it like we're chatting as friends. I'm a very casual person, so I wouldn't know what to say if it gets too formal."

Zhang Ya then said in a relaxed manner, "Alright then, let's just treat it as if we're chatting as friends."

Zhang Ye said, "Sure."

Zhang Ya smiled and said, "Regarding the news that was just released this morning, you have officially been promoted to the A-list. I especially would like to know what your reaction was when you found out about it."

Zhang Ye threw up his hands and said with a smile, "My first reaction was to look at the sun outside the window."

Zhang Ya asked puzzled, "Did you feel that it would bring you a sunny warmth?"

Zhang Ye shook his head. "Nope."

Zhang Ya asked again, "Did you feel like you were glowing from the sun's rays?"

Zhang Ye shook his head. "It's not that either."

Zhang Ya asked in curiosity, "Then why did you look outside at the sun?"

Zhang Ye said, "I was looking to see if the sun rose from the west today."

Zhang Ya reacted, "Pfft! Just for that?"

Zhang Ye nodded his head seriously and said, "Yes, that was it."

The audience was also entertained!

"That mouth on Teacher Zhang!"

"If you were in disbelief, just say that you couldn't believe it. Why are you talking about looking at the sun!"

"Pfft, a Beijinger's bad habit of speaking nonsense has rendered me speechless!"

"Yeah, he never wants to speak properly and has to beat around the bush for some reason!"

"What an informal interview this is!"

"Haha, it's quite good that they're being informal. I like to watch Zhang Ye's teasing!"

At the recording studio.

Zhang Ya said in amusement, "Looks like you were also very surprised by this news."

Zhang Ye said, "Yes. I also read the netizens' comments and watched the reports on television. Honestly, you might not believe this. You thought you guys were surprised? I was even more surprised than all of you. Such an unpopular person like me in the entertainment industry could actually push into the A-list overnight? If you were me, would you believe it?"

Zhang Ya smiled and said, "If I were you, I wouldn't believe it either."

"That's right." Zhang Ye said, "My feelings right now are the same. That's why I really want to ask about something. Are you sure that there hasn't been a mistake?"

Zhang Ya smiled pleasantly and said, "We're sure."

Zhang Ye suddenly sat up straight and said with a smile, "Then that's great, I can finally straighten my back. I didn't dare sit up straight since I entered the recording studio as I was feeling guilty. I was afraid that someone would suddenly come in and drag me off in the middle of the broadcast, saying that there had been a mistake."

Zhang Ya laughed again for a long time.

One question.

Two questions.

Three questions.

Zhang Ya asked the questions while Zhang Ye answered them, occasionally bantering.

Very soon, the ten-minute duration was almost up.

Zhang Ya received the time update by the technical director over her headset and said, "Since the moment you debuted, you seemed like you couldn't fit in with this world and never got along with your industry peers. Up to now, despite all the doubting voices against you, you've endured and kept walking toward the stage of an A-list celebrity. I'm actually very impressed by that." Pausing, she added, "So, since we're coming to the end of our interview, do you have anything else to say to our audience? Or something you'd like to express? I'll leave the rest of the time to you."

It's already time for the closing remarks?

What should he say?

What should he express?

Zhang Ye suddenly thought of himself being in this other world and remembered his choice of choosing this path filled with disaster. He suddenly had some mixed feelings and for the first time, he organized his thoughts about his life and the situations he encountered. When he first came to this unfamiliar world, he went through many situations that forced him into silence; made him humble; left him disappointed; needed him to be brave; infuriated him; set him against the heavens; set him against the earth; and set him against other men. He had really been through a lot.

He truly had something he wished to say.

Hence, Zhang Ye turned to the camera and "looked" at all the viewers watching their televisions and uttered softly:

"I'm unfamiliar with this world.

"But this isn't the cause of my silence.

"I still have a lot of questions

"about the south, my roots, hope, and about distance."

Zhang Ya was stunned!

"I'm unfamiliar with this world.

"But this isn't the cause of my despair.

"I still have a lot of passion

"for division, death, yesterday, and solitude."

This…

Listening to this, the viewers watching their televisions were all stunned!

Zhang Ye smiled and said:

"I'm unfamiliar with this world.

"But this isn't the cause of my deceit.

"I still have a lot of candor

"I can't do without, or let go; yet lives, and loves."

Zhang Ye smile slowly faded as he gently went on:

"I'm unfamiliar with this world.

"But this isn't the cause of my 'loneness.

"I still have a lot to demand:

"I need comfort; to share, get upset, and tell you."

...

At home.

His parents were watching the television in shock.

When Chenchen—who was playing with her cell phone—heard Zhang Ye's voice, she also raised her head to look for the first time.

Zhang Ye's voice sounded like it came from afar, yet it felt very near.

"I'm unfamiliar with this world.

"But this isn't the cause of my coldness.

"I still have a lot of feelings

"for time, the white clouds, the night, and for destiny."

...

At a villa.

Chen Guang's home.

"I'm unfamiliar with this world.

"But this isn't the cause of my shirking.

"I still have a lot I long for:

"my dreams, memories, my failures, and desires."

Chen Guang and Fan Wenli looked at each other as they listened to Zhang Ye's voice. For some reason, they suddenly felt very touched and were full of admiration for him!

Good.

This poem was really good!

...

Somewhere in Beijing.

Zhang Yuanqi's home.

Zhang Yuanqi and her manager, Fang Weihong, were watching Zhang Ye on TV. The two of them were chatting and munching on sunflower seeds a while ago, but had suddenly turned quiet for some reason.

"I'm unfamiliar with this world.

"But this isn't the cause of my weakness.

"I still have a lot of courage,

"renouncing loss, the gods, the Heavens, and the Earth."

Renouncing the Heavens?

Renouncing the Earth?

...

Wu Zeqing's home.

Zhang Ye's deep voice resounded through the house.

"I'm unfamiliar with this world.

"But this isn't the cause of my sorrow.

"I still have a lot of delight:

"I have my being, worth, uniqueness, and meaning."

...

At Central TV Department 14.

People like Ha Qiqi, Zhang Zuo, Yan Tianfei's secretary, and others who were waiting for Zhang Ye in their office said nothing and just stared straight at the figure speaking on TV.

"I'm unfamiliar with this world.

"But this isn't the cause of my turmoil.

"I still have a lot of angles

"to move forward, look back, to leap, and stop to rest."

...

At this moment.

Thousands and thousands of viewers were staring at their televisions, listening in silence to Zhang Ye's life.

"I'm unfamiliar with this world.

"But this isn't the cause of my splitting.

"I still have a lot of wholeness,

"at the least, I must fulfill myself."

About to recite the last stanza, Zhang Ye smiled again.

"I'm unfamiliar with this world.

"But this isn't the cause of my selection to die or to live.

"I still have a lot of choices;

"By chance, of these two, neither of them were options."

He finished reciting.

Zhang Ya was listening to him with rapt attention.

At last, Zhang Ye smiled at the camera and host before saying, "That is all, thank you."

The time was up.

The live broadcast signal was cut.

Zhang Ye got up to leave but suddenly heard applause coming from around him!

Zhang Ya stood up and started slowly clapping her hands.

A few of the technical directors in the studio also came to their senses and applauded loudly for Zhang Ye!

Everyone was dumbfounded by what they'd heard!

They believed that these lines were definitely not prepared by Zhang Ye beforehand!

That was why they were so dumbfounded by what they heard! As a result, they were clapping their hardest for him, even forgetting about the conflict that existed between him and Central TV!

Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Thank you."

Zhang Ya was very touched and felt a mix of emotions. She said, "Teacher Zhang, I've met a lot of people and celebrities before, and heard a lot about their life experiences as well. But I feel that you are the most wonderful person amongst them."

Was it wonderful?

It probably was.

Zhang Ye flashed a smile but did not say anything. That was because he did not know how to respond to her. There were too many things that he could not say, not even to his own family. In this world, only Zhang Ye alone knew that he was…truly unfamiliar with this world! He did not belong to this world at all!

But there was something he would not waver on.

He would continue to walk down this path without stopping, until he reached the highest point of this unfamiliar world!

Original Text with Pinyin

"我和这个世界不熟."

"Wǒ hé zhège shìjiè bù shú."

"这并非是我安静的原因."

"Zhè bìngfēi shì wǒānjìng de yuányīn."

"我依旧有很多问题."

"Wǒ yījiù yǒu hěnduō wèntí."

"问南方,问故里,问希望,问距离."

"Wèn nánfāng, wèn gùlǐ, wèn xīwàng, wèn jùlí."

"我和这个世界不熟."

"Wǒ hé zhège shìjiè bù shú."

"这并非是我绝望的原因."

"Zhè bìngfēi shì wǒ juéwàng de yuányīn."

"我依旧有很多热情."

"Wǒ yījiù yǒu hěnduō rèqíng."

"给分开,给死亡,给昨天,给安寂."

"Gěi fēnkāi, gěi sǐwáng, gěi zuótiān, gěi ān jì."

"我和这个世界不熟."

"Wǒ hé zhège shìjiè bù shú."

"这并非是我虚假的原因."

"Zhè bìngfēi shì wǒ xūjiǎ de yuányīn."

"我依旧有很多真诚."

"Wǒ yījiù yǒu hěnduō zhēnchéng."

"离不开,放不下,活下去,爱得起."

"Lì bù kāi, fàng bùxià, huó xiàqù, ài dé qǐ."

"我和这个世界不熟."

"Wǒ hé zhège shìjiè bù shú."

"这并非是我孤寂的原因."

"Zhè bìngfēi shì wǒ gūjì de yuányīn."

"我依旧有很多诉求."

"Wǒ yījiù yǒu hěnduō sùqiú."

"需慰藉,待分享,惹心烦,告诉你."

"Xū wèijí, dài fēnxiǎng, rě xīnfán, gàosù nǐ."

"我和这个世界不熟."

"Wǒ hé zhège shìjiè bù shú."

"这并非是我冷漠的原因."

"Zhè bìngfēi shì wǒ lěngmò de yuányīn."

"我依旧有很多动情."

"Wǒ yījiù yǒu hěnduō dòngqíng."

"为时间,为白云,为天黑,为天命."

"Wéi shíjiān, wèi báiyún, wéi tiān hēi, wéi tiānmìng."

"我和这个世界不熟."

"Wǒ hé zhège shìjiè bù shú."

"这并非是我逃避的原因."

"Zhè bìngfēi shì wǒ táobì de yuányīn."

"我依旧有很多憧憬."

"Wǒ yījiù yǒu hěnduō chōngjǐng."

"对梦想,对记忆,对失败,对希冀."

"Duì mèngxiǎng, duì jìyì, duì shībài, duì xījì."

"我和这个世界不熟."

"Wǒ hé zhège shìjiè bù shú."

"这并非是我卑微的原因."

"Zhè bìngfēi shì wǒ bēiwéi de yuányīn."

"我依旧有很多勇敢."

"Wǒ yījiù yǒu hěnduō yǒnggǎn."

"不信输,不信神,不信天,不信地."

"Bùxìn shū, bùxìn shén, bùxìn tiān, bùxìn de."

"我和这个世界不熟."

"Wǒ hé zhège shìjiè bù shú."

"这并非是我失落的原因."

"Zhè bìngfēi shì wǒ shīluò de yuányīn."

"我依旧有很多高昂."

"Wǒ yījiù yǒu hěnduō gāo'áng."

"有存在,有价值,有独特,有意义."

"Yǒu cúnzài, yǒu jiàzhí, yǒu dútè, yǒu yìyì."

"我和这个世界不熟."

"Wǒ hé zhège shìjiè bù shú."

"这并非是我迷茫的原因."

"Zhè bìngfēi shì wǒ mímáng de yuányīn."

"我依旧有很多方向."

"Wǒ yījiù yǒu hěnduō fāngxiàng."

"往前走,回头望,会跳跃,会停息."

"Wǎng qián zǒu, huítóu wàng, huì tiàoyuè, huì tíngxī."

"我和这个世界不熟."

"Wǒ hé zhège shìjiè bù shú."

"这并非是我撕裂的原因."

"Zhè bìngfēi shì wǒ sī liè de yuányīn."

"我依旧有很多完整."

"Wǒ yījiù yǒu hěnduō wánzhěng."

"至少,我要成全我自己."

"Zhìshǎo, wǒ yào chéngquán wǒ zìjǐ."

"我和这个世界不熟."

"Wǒ hé zhège shìjiè bù shú."

"这并非是我选择死亡或者生存的原因."

"Zhè bìngfēi shì wǒ xuǎnzé sǐwáng huòzhě shēngcún de yuányīn."

"我依旧有很多选择."

"Wǒ yījiù yǒu hěnduō xuǎnzé."

"刚巧,这两者,都不是选项之一."

"Gāngqiǎo, zhè liǎng zhě, dōu bùshì xuǎnxiàng zhī yī."