I’m Really a Superstar

4 o’clock.

Two hours after the program was broadcasted, the reactions and reviews online became more and more heated. The discussions and praises kept coming in. Some areas outside of Beijing, like Hebei province or the northeastern provinces, were not able to receive the broadcast of BTV – Arts Channel, but they got curious and, with the trending news of it, went ahead to search for online videos and watched “Lecture Room”’s first episode on streaming websites.

The program was going viral!

It was really viral!

Shortly after, a few people suddenly loitered around outside Hu Fei’s team’s office. A 30-something-year-old woman and two youths looked in and said, “Excuse me. Is this the office of ‘Lecture Room’?”

Xiao Lu, who was the closest to them, replied, “Yes. Who are you looking for?”

The woman said, “It’s like this. We are from BTV – Sports Channel, and are your fellow colleagues. I would like to ask if there are any tickets to today’s recording for ‘Lecture Room’?”

Xiao Lu looked at Hu Fei, “Leader?”

“There are. Besides the ones we distributed, we still have about 50 tickets left.” Hu Fei opened the drawer and generously passed the tickets to Xiao Lu, “I had nearly forgotten about them. Please distribute them as you like. Hur Hur.”

Xiao Lu gave them three tickets.

The woman said, “Thank you so much. If there’s any competition, as long as it’s sports related, we will definitely have some tickets. Just look for us.”

Xiao Lu smiled. “It’s fine. We are all colleagues.”

Ring, ring, ring. Suddenly, Hou Ge’s phone rang.

Hou Ge answered, “Hello. Old Sun? I’m busy right now; it’s almost recording time. I will call you back tonight.”

The caller seemed to be someone from the television station, “Don’t hang up. First, help me get a few tickets for ‘Lecture Room’. I have a few friends who like the show very much. Since they know I work here, they are insisting that I help get tickets for them. My goddess is one of them! Old Bro, you need to help me out here. My happiness depends on you! I will come upstairs to look for you later. That’s set, so leave me three tickets at least!”

Hou Ge was speechless and hung up.

Outside, there was someone again, “Is Dafei around?”

Dafei looked up, “Yo. Isn’t that Science Channel’s Brother Wu?”

That Brother Wu smiled. “Dafei, my dad and mom would like to attend the live recording of ‘Lecture Room’, I heard you start at around 5 to 6 P.M.? Let me have two tickets then.”

Dafei generously agreed, “Sure. If uncle and auntie wants to watch, it won’t be problem.”

Wave after wave, people came to ask for tickets. Some were for themselves and some were for friends. There were even people asking for their parents and relatives. In the blink of an eye, their 50 tickets became less than 40 tickets. It was decreasing rapidly, but the number of people who came to ask for tickets kept increasing.

“Hou Ge, give me a ticket!”

“Brother Fei, are there still any tickets? Just one will do.”

“Sister Xiao Lu, please just give me one. My friend really wants to come. If I don’t get one for him, how can I show my face!”

Xiao Lu did not know whether to laugh or to cry, “But I don’t have any.”

“Help me to find one, please. Thank you.”

“Oh, alright then. Teacher Zhang, can you give me two of your tickets?” Xiao Lu could only turn to Zhang Ye for help.

The 50 tickets from before were already handed out to the team earlier. Zhang Ye had received ten tickets himself. Since he did not know many people in the station, he handed them to Xiao Lu, “Take them.”

This afternoon, Hu Fei’s program team had become highly sought after. It was difficult to get ahold of a ticket from them!

Later on, the people from the advertising section who knew Zhang Ye from before also wanted some tickets. But Zhang Ye had none left. He was practically empty.

Xiao Lu wiped off her sweat, “So our program is this popular?”

Hou Ge also said tiredly, “Whoever comes next, I won’t be able to give anymore tickets to. I’m out of tickets, too.”

Hou Di seemed to enjoy the attention. He said, “When we are going around next time, we can puff our chests out and be proud. Let’s see who dares say our program cannot make it!”

Zhang Ye laughed. Suddenly, he looked around, “Eh? Where’s Chenchen?”

Xiao Lu also helped to look around, “I don’t see her around. Where did she go? She couldn’t have gotten lost, right?”

Hou Ge happily said, “Can you even lose that little one? Anyone can be lost, but she will never be lost! She’s got the street smarts! I’ve never seen a kid as smart as her!”

As he was saying that, Chenchen came back holding a can of cold Coke, walking and happily slurping her drink. She even gave a delightful burp!

Zhang Ye stared at her, “Where did you go to? I told you not to wander around!”

Chenchen put out her hand and said commandingly, “Zhang Ye, give me a live ticket.”

Zhang Ye was stunned, “I will bring you in later. You don’t need a ticket. Why would you need one?”

Chenchen pointed outside towards the door, “That auntie bought me Coke. I promised her a ticket.”

Zhang Ye smacked his forehead. He had been utterly defeated by the little imp. She even knew how to take bribes now. He had to give Chenchen the last ticket in his hand.

Chenchen took it to the auntie.

She said before leaving, “Thank you, lovely baby. Teacher Zhang, thank you, too.”

Hou Ge was very excited, “Look. You guys, even the kid has been activated. This shows how popular our program is. They are crazy for it!”

Hu Fei laughed, “Alright, we should get to the studio earlier.”

Hou Ge said excitedly, “Right, we should work hard on today’s recording, too. Usually the first episode’s ratings are higher. After all, it was a new program. It’s more refreshing and audiences watch it with hopes that it will be different. But from the second episode onwards, the quality really matters. If it’s not a good program or does not hold up to expectations, the ratings would drop by a lot. We have to do better in this episode than the last one!”

Dafei gave to Zhang Ye a bottle of mineral water, “Teacher Zhang, it’s all yours.”

“Leave it to me.” Zhang Ye took a sip before leading Chenchen by her hand to the recording studio.

……

The recording was starting soon.

The audience had gradually entered the set.

Zhang Ye was testing the microphone onstage, when he noticed a few people walking in. They were the Arts Channel’s several Leaders, including the Director, Wang Shuixin. He had actually come to observe the recording.

Hu Fei went forward to welcome him, “Director.”

Wang Shuixin sat down with the others and said, “Carry on, Old Hu. We are here today as audience members. We just want to have a look; you don’t need to be bothered by us.”

Hu Fei was not bothered, “Okay, then we will do our work.”

Today, there were many colleagues from the television station. They took up a fifth of the seats in the studio. Some of them really liked the program, while the others were instructed by the Leaders to observe and learn. After all, the preliminary rating for “Lecture Room” was too surprising; the first episode hit 7.8%. With such success, there was definitely something worth learning here.

There were many people.

So many pairs of eyes.

These included the colleagues of the television station and their Leaders.

Zhang Ye could feel a little pressure, but it wasn’t much. It did not affect him too much, because he had the mental strength and he was never afraid of being onstage!

It was almost time.

Zhang Ye went to the camera and pulled Chenchen, who was curiously listening to what the cameraman was saying, to the audience seats. He carried her up, placed her on a chair and instructed her, “Sit still. When Uncle is recording, don’t move or run around. Understood?”

Chenchen impatiently nodded, “Understood.”

This child… Sometimes, she made people worried. But most times, she was the most reassuring child, because little Chenchen was different from children her age. She was more mature and knew how to behave, even if you didn’t tell her.

Zhang Ye went onto the stage, assured.

Hu Fei said, “Teacher Zhang, are you ready?”

Zhang Ye habitually signalled a number 1 with his finger. This was a habit from the days of being a radio host at the radio station. It was a way of communication to say it was time for a recording or live broadcast in the radio station.

“Alright. Everyone, on cue. 3, 2, 1, start!”

Zhang Ye was very professional. After all, he was a graduate from the broadcast major. He had no expression at first. But once the cameras started rolling, his face wore a big smile, “Hello, everyone. Welcome to today’s ‘Lecture Room’. I am Zhang Ye. Last episode, I read a melody poem for everyone. It was very well received, especially the part ‘With humor he helped see to that the masts and sculls of Wei’s navy go up in smoke and ashes turn into’, that had received many positive remarks. It highlighted Zhou Yu’s coolness. Yes, actually many of the quotes from any literary person are unreliable.”

A few people smiled.

Zhang Ye was self-deprecating about his words, and said, “‘With humor he helped see to that the masts and sculls of Wei’s navy go up in smoke and ashes turn into’, this was a little exaggerated. He wasn’t that cool; it’s only my artistic polishing that made him so. Likewise, Cao Cao had also been artistically polished into a more complex character. Today, we will be speaking about him. When we mention Cao Cao, there are at least three perceptions of him. First, as a hero. Second, as an arch-careerist. Third, as a traitor. So, which one was the most accurate depiction him?”

Which was the most accurate?

Cao Cao was definitely a traitor or an arch-careerist! Were there still any doubts?

Zhang Ye’s question had piqued the curiosity of everyone. They were wondering what Zhang Ye would say now.

Zhang Ye continued on, “People say that Cao Cao was wicked. A lot of people do not like him. During the times of Northern Song, Cao Cao was already an unpopular person. So why was he unpopular? Everyone knew that Cao Cao had famously said this before, ‘I’d rather do wrong to others, than have others do wrong on me’, What did this mean? This was simply saying that he would rather be the one doing wrong to everyone than to have anyone do any wrong to him. To have had said this, this person must have been really wicked. That was why people hated Cao Cao. Now, let us clear this up as to whether this was the truth.”

The audience stirred.

What? How can that not be the truth?

F**k, yesterday you had just vindicated Zhou Yu, then took off Zhuge Liang’s halo. Today, you want to vindicate Cao Cao, too? But Cao Cao’s case has already been judged! How can there still be disputes? Those words were said by him. If he could have said it, how could he have been a good person?

Wang Shuixin frowned; he hated Cao Cao very much too.

A lot of colleagues from the television station also looked at each other, waiting for Zhang Ye to continue on.

Zhang Ye said, “On this matter, there are some contradictions in the records of history books. It was likely due to Dong Zhuo’s persecution that led to Cao Cao fleeing from the capital. While fleeing, he came across an old friend’s house. This old friend was called Lu Boshe and he was involved in the tragedy when Cao Cao killed him and his family. There are three versions of this incident. The first one was……” After saying that, Zhang Ye analyzed, “Actually, Cao Cao did not mean to kill them or had killed them wrongly. When they died, Cao Cao was very sad, too. Sigh, what’s done is done. Saying he’d rather do wrong to others than have others do wrong on him… So let us look at the situational analysis of this. Cao Cao likely said this as a form of self-comfort, to put the blame on himself for the mistake he had made. But when it was presented in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he said that with a sense of self-righteousness. In fact, Cao Cao’s original words were not as everyone had known it.”

Oh?

What were his actual words?

It’s not this? Really not?

Zhang Ye slowly explained, “Cao Cao’s original words were ‘I’d rather have done wrong, than have others be wronged.’ But this was changed in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, where he was implied to be self-centered. This would have made the difference; Cao Cao said those words for that particular situation. Since they were dead, nothing could be done to make up for it. He could only admit that he was in the wrong, rather than let them die under the guise that he was right to kill them. This showed a certain kindness in him. Therefore, from this matter, it could be said that most people’s impressions of him are questionable.”

“Moving on to the tolerance of Cao Cao…..”

“Cao Cao’s will was written as such…..”

“So I believe that the evaluation of Cao Cao’s should be summed up in these three words — a lovable arch-careerist! Why a lovable arch-careerist though? Please stay tuned to the next episode, “The Mystery of the Arch-Careerist”!

Zhang Ye finished with a bow.

As this moment, everyone erupted into applause!

It was the same reaction as the first episode. This time, all the audience had also stood up. Bba bba bba bba! The applause was all for Zhang Ye!

What a cute “lovable arch-careerist”!

So Cao Cao was actually not as they had known him to be!

This condemned traitor had such a side to him!

Everyone were hooked on listening to the lecture. A few of the audience members rushed up to Zhang Ye for autographs when the recording was done. They liked his program very much and were very impressed by Zhang Ye’s knowledge!