I am Really a Superstar

Chinese department in the school campus.

While Wu Zeqing and Zhang Ye were walking downstairs, they had already discussed his compensation and class schedules. There was nothing to haggle over, since the process went very smoothly.

“Little Zhang, have you decided on what you want to teach?”

“Not yet, but I have a rough idea.”

“Oh, anyway the syllabus is up to you. I trust you will do it well.”

“Definitely. I mainly want to communicate with the students later. I want to see what sort of lessons they would like to have. If I’m lecturing, I definitely want to find something that can incur their interests. If not, even if I were to lecture till the flowers bloom, and feel good about it myself, it would be meaningless. The main point is that the students must be interested in listening to me.”

“It’s good that you have such thoughts. Come, I’ll bring you to the classroom.”

Next to the garden, they headed towards the classrooms. On the way, Wu Zeqing even made a phone call to get things done.

……

8 something.

The P.A. system rang.

On campus, in the field, along the corridors, an announcement blared repeatedly.

“Notice: ‘Appreciation of the Classics’ elective class students. Please gather at Building 2’s lecture theater. Kindly pass on the message!”

As it was still the 2nd of January, there were no classes scheduled for the Year 2 and 3 students. Only a portion of the Year 1 students had classes. Some people were currently preparing for classes and some were resting in their dormitories, while there were also others who had not yet returned from their holidays. When the announce was made, many of those who heard it ignored it as it did not concern them. Only the handful of the Chinese department students who were registered for ‘Appreciation of the Classics’ elective pricked their ears.

Yao Mi had just finished breakfast and was at the field playing badminton with a few others.

“Eh? The announcement is for us!” Li Ying said in surprise.

Li Li was wondering, “What’s the matter? Go to the lecture theater?”

Yao Mi smiled as she swung her badminton racket returning the ball, “Do you still need to ask? It’s definitely about the new teacher. We no longer need to be raised by a ‘step-mother’.”

The few of them stopped playing and sat down to catch their breaths.

Li Li said, “What kind of a teacher do you think it will be?”

Yao Mi speculated, “It must be an old Professor who has no hair. Otherwise, it might also be an old lady with a head full of white hair. The teachers from the Chinese department are all like that.”

Li Ying said happily, “They’ve finally managed to get that old person over.”

Yao Mi’s dorm mate beside her, a girl also said, “Yea, our chance of flunking this elective class is now much lower. At least we will have a teacher who can let us know what we will be tested on.”

Around the campus, many others also heard the announcement.

“They’re talking to us!”

“A new teacher has arrived?”

“The classes are starting so soon already?”

“That won’t happen. Today’s probably just a meet up session to get to know each other. I guess the lessons will start tomorrow. Let’s go take a look.”

“It must be another old man, so it’s going to be dull.”

“We still have to go, he’ll be the one who decides our elective credit.”

……

On the west side of Building 2 on campus.

At the lecture theater, students were making their way in.

The lecture theater was not large. It looked like it could accommodate, at most, 150 people, but the number of students who had registered for the course only numbered around 120, including all students from every batch. Of course, if you compared it to other schools, 120 was a lot for an elective course, but at Peking University, this was not a large number. Since it was not a popular elective course, the people who registered for it were mainly those who wanted something simple, easy to get through, and score well.

Other than those who had not returned to school, most of the students for this course had arrived. The front row of the lecture theater was a restricted zone, so no one sat there. Everyone had gathered towards the back of the lecture hall, chatting amongst themselves while waiting for their mysterious new teacher to appear.

“Still not here?”

“It’s not 9AM yet.”

“Wanna play a round of cards?”

“Come on, we’ll get caught again by the new teacher.”

At the other side, Yao Mi took out her cellphone and browsed the web. She couldn’t help but say disappointedly, “Why has the broadcast not returned yet!? I’m getting impatient!”

The girl asked, “What broadcast is returning?”

Yao Mi replied, “Zhang Ye’s Talk Show.”

Li Ying said in an interested manner, “Classmate Little Mi, you watch Zhang Ye’s programs too?”

“You are the Little Mi! Your whole damn family are Little Mis!” Yao Mi scolded. Then she replied, “Of course I watch them. I’ve watched the first few episodes over 3 or 4 times in a row. Zhang Ye is so funny!”

A senior that they did not know that was also seated beside them added, “Yes, yes. That Zhang Ye’s mouth is damn wicked!”

Yao Mi looked over, “Right? I’ve been refreshing so many times!”

That senior said, “Me too, but I think we have to wait until the Lunar New Year is over. Didn’t you watch the news? The SARFT hasn’t reinstated Zhang Ye as a host. He can’t broadcast anything yet.”

Li Li said, “Yao Mi, didn’t you say that your dad knows Zhang Ye while we were eating diner the other day? I watch his Talk Show too, when will it be broadcasted again?”

The senior’s eyes lit up, “Your dad knows Zhang Ye?”

Yao Mi replied, “Of course, they have a good relationship.”

“So who’s your dad?” Li Ying asked, “I still have no idea.”

Yao Mi smiled and said, “You wouldn’t know even if I told you all.”

Li Ying rolled his eyes, “Don’t tell us if you don’t wish to, but compared to the Talk Show, I prefer Zhang Ye’s ‘Analysis of the Three Kingdoms’. Did you all watch it too?”

Li Li said, “Professor Wang had previously given us the assignment to watch it, everyone should have watched it.”

It might be hard to say for other courses, but in ‘Appreciation of the Classics’ class, no one had not heard of Zhang Ye. In fact, no one did not know about his works. Professor Wang had only managed to conduct two classes this semester and after the 2nd lecture, he had recommended 7 books and 2 television programs as course materials to everyone. One of these was Zhang Ye’s ‘Analysis of the Three Kingdoms’.

An ancient classic.

It was basically just those few books, so of course the Three Kingdoms, being so important was one of them.

When the subject of this came up, Yao Mi shook her head and said, “Look at ‘Lecture Room’ now, what the heck is going on? When Zhang Ye created this program back then, he was in charge of the planning and hosting and look at how well he spoke. The ratings were through the roof, but look at what happened to ‘Lecture Room’ now? The professionals and professors they invited, they aren’t even a tenth of what Zhang Ye was!”

Li Ying concurred, “That’s true. Those professors make me speechless. They just hold a script and stand there, reciting whatever is on it, yet the audience still applauds? It’s obviously staged! When Zhang Ye used to lecture, when did he ever need a script? Did he lower his head once to read from a script? The difference is too obvious and the key point is that they all can’t speak as well as Zhang Ye. Making those long speeches and being uninteresting, such a good program has been destroyed by those so-called professionals and professors. The current ratings can’t even compare to a quarter of Zhang Ye’s ‘Analysis of the Three Kingdoms’?”

A junior seated at the back added, “Right, without Zhang Ye, BTV-Arts has become a failure.”

Yet another 3rd Year senior said laughingly, “Zhang Ye’s program makes the audience feel that it was cleverly planned when they watch it. The program had a lot of unique and creative points, but yet the core of the program is not those points, but Zhang Ye himself. This time Beijing Television Station’s killing of the donkey the moment it left the millstone backfired on them! Without Zhang Ye, ‘Lecture Room’ is just a piece of dog shit. They thought with Zhang Ye’s paving of the road and setting up the tables for them, anyone else could achieve the same ratings? Now they should know what a joke they were! Without Zhang Ye, they are nothing! Talk Shows will be the same. So many copycats, but they will never be able to copy Zhang Ye’s style. The failure of ‘Lecture Room’ was a strategic failure of Beijing Television Station. They basically did not understand that the irreplaceable factor of the program was not creativity, but rather Zhang Ye. And so it turned out that they removed the core of the program!”

Yao Mi’s eyes lit up, “Senior, I totally agree with your words!”

The senior said, “Right? If Zhang Ye was still at BTV-Arts Channel, I guess that ‘Lecture Room’ would have totally suppressed all other programs.”

Another senior said, “I’m a little different as I’m not really too interested in Zhang Ye’s programs and just find them normal, but that temper of his, I like it too much. He’s so daring to scold!”

Li Ying said with a tinge of fear, “Yea, he scolded the SARFT in the previous live broadcast and I was totally worried for him!”

Li Li smiled bitterly saying, “Zhang Ye really dares to speak up.”

Yao Mi laughed heartily, “That’s Zhang Ye’s character, it really makes people like him!”

Since they were just waiting, everyone chatted about the entertainment industry, each contributing their views.

Gradually, some people noticed the time.

“What time is it already?”

“Why hasn’t the new teacher come?”

“Where’s the new teacher? I still have class in a while.”

“Ah, they are coming. Eh, look outside. Isn’t that person President Wu Zeqing? Why is President Wu here? Holy sh*t, it can’t be her being the substitute teacher, right?”

Upon hearing this, everyone looked over.

Wu Zeqing and a youth walked in one after another.

“Are you serious?”

“It’s impossible for President Wu to be a substitute. What sort of level is she at after all?”

“Right, President Wu is also not a real academic. She was assigned to Peking University and once she gained experience, she might even be sent back to the Education Bureau as a district official. Hey, there’s someone behind President Wu. He’s wearing sunglasses? Why does he look a bit familiar?”

“Who is this person?”

“Hey, he does look familiar now that you mention it!”

“New teacher? He can’t be that young, right?”

“Yeah, he’s too young! What’s going on?”

Yao Mi and Li Ying, Li Li were also puzzled.

The next second, Wu Zeqing was already in the classroom. She looked at the students and said gently, “Sorry for the wait. Due to his health problems, Professor Wang will not be able to continue teaching the ‘Appreciation of the Classics’ elective class anymore. Due to this, the school has invited a new teacher for everyone. He is also a famous new teacher!”

No one was surprised that Professor Wang was not teaching anymore.

But, a new teacher? And a famous new teacher?

Wu Zeqing’s words made all the students in the classroom anticipate. In what sense was he famous? Authoritative in the field? A leading Professor in the field?

The mystery was unveiled!

Wu Zeqing turned her head sideways as a young man walked in. She introduced, “Please give him a warm round of applause. This is your new teacher, Teacher Zhang Ye!”

Zhang Ye stood at the podium and slowly took off his sunglasses, “Hello everyone.”

Instantly, the classroom went silent, before shouts of disbelief roared out from students!

“Ah!”

“Holy sh*t!”

“It’s Zhang Ye!”

“It’s really motherf**king Zhang Ye!”

“How’s that possible!? Am I seeing things?”

“Zhang Ye is our new teacher?”

Screams!

Shock!

Disbelief!

All the Peking University students were worked up!