I’m Really a Superstar

Shanghai Television.

“It’s out!”

“Heavens of the Gods’ viewership ratings for the first and second episodes are 1.43%!”

“That’s acceptable, but it’s a little off from our expected results.”

“Yeah, I thought that we would be able to get more than 1.7% for the premiere broadcast!”

“I wonder what went wrong.”

“I don’t know, our drama was very highly praised.”

“The viewership must have been taken by Age of Kingdoms.”

“I guess there’s nothing we can do about that. For two blockbuster commercial dramas to premiere together, there will surely be some splitting of the viewership. It’s unavoidable. Oh yes, what is the viewership ratings for Age of Kingdoms?”

“Let me see. Ah, it’s 1.42%, very similar to ours.”

“But it’s still lower compared to us!”

“It’s good as long as we were able to win against Age of Kingdoms.”

“Right, let’s not get into the details of beating them by how much. It’s good as long as we get first in the nationwide viewership ratings.”

“Wait, dammit!”

“What’s the matter?”

“Guys, quickly take a look at In the Name of the People’s viewership ratings!”

…

At Chi Hao’s studio.

“The viewership has been announced!”

“We got 1.42%!”

“This is bad, Heavens of the Gods has taken the top spot from us!”

“Their viewership is only 0.01% higher than ours!”

“Goddammit, how could this happen!”

“It’s such a pity! We were so close!”

“It’s fine. We still have a chance later on since we’re only at the starting line. It doesn’t matter much even if they top the nationwide viewership ratings at first.”

“Holy shit!”

“Old He, what’s the matter?”

“Heavens of the Gods isn’t first in the viewership ratings!”

“What did you say?”

“How is that possible!”

“Oh my god! Quickly check out the viewership ratings of Zhang Ye’s new drama!”

…

Online.

The viewership ratings were announced.

Everyone was dumbfounded by what they saw!

#1: In the Name of the People, 1.62%!

#2: Primordial Grand Heavens, 1.43%!

#3: Age of Kingdoms, 1.42%!

It was at this moment that the jaws of countless people across the country dropped as a chill ran up their spines. This news caught them completely by surprise!

…

At the Central Publicity Department.

“What?”

“What the heck!”

“This—this—”

“We’re in first place?”

“A political drama has held off two commercial dramas?”

“Heavens! Minister Wu’s husband is defying all common sense!”

“Is this for real?”

“This is totally illogical! It doesn’t make any sense at all!”

…

At Li Shao’s studio.

Everyone was startled and surprised.

“Motherfucker!”

“What’s with this situation?”

“I’d let it slide if it were Age of Kingdoms that got the top spot, but why is it a political drama?”

“What sorcery did that Zhang guy use?”

“A bunch of has-been celebrities in a low-budget political drama, how could it possibly compare to a commercial drama? How did they manage to achieve it? Is that Zhang guy on steroids or something?”

…

At Beijing Television.

“Director Zhang is so fearsome!”

“He’s soaring to the Heavens!”

“I knew it, I knew Director Zhang still had it in him!”

“Who said that Director Zhang has become old? Who said that Director Zhang can’t do it anymore? Fuck whoever said all of that!”

“So what if four years have passed? Zhang Ye is still the same ole Zhang Ye!”

“Awesome! This is so awesome!”

“I’m stunned. This is even more shocking than Director Zhang winning as the greatest champion on I Am a Singer. This is only Director Zhang’s first foray into directing a television drama; it’s just his debut drama production!”

…

In the media.

“Holy motherfucking hell!”

“This is too amazing!”

“We got it totally wrong this time. Everyone has got it totally wrong this time!”

“Zhang Ye is really still the same Zhang Ye!”

“I should’ve known. How could this guy possibly be slapped by others! It’s always been him slapping the faces of others!”

“This slap of Zhang Ye’s should’ve smacked everyone in the face!”

…

On Weibo.

“Your sister!”

“Teacher Zhang, are you crazy!”

“Even Li Shao and Chi Hao combined couldn’t defeat you?”

“I’m going crazy! Just what the fuck is going on?”

“They’re both the most popular hunks around! Those two are practically the closest to reaching the status of an S-list Heavenly King! If even they can’t stop Zhang Ye, who can stop him?”

“This fellow is truly a shit stirrer!”

“This pile of shit must be driving Li Shao and Chi Hao mad!”

“I feel like it won’t only be them? I’m pretty sure that everyone is going crazy over this right now!”

“Zhang Ye is amazing! He’s indeed the king of crossovers!”

…

At Xu Meilan’s studio.

“Sister Lan!”

“What’s the matter?”

“The viewership ratings are out! Teacher Zhang, he’s—he’s taken the top spot in the nationwide ratings!”

“What?”

“We’re safe! Teacher Zhang has really delivered on his promise. He’s really done us a big favor. Li Shao and Chi Hao are probably dazed from this defeat. He’s really used a political drama that no one was optimistic about and destroyed two blockbuster commercial drama productions! Teacher Zhang is too godly!”

…

In the Name of the People’s cast members looked at one another. They were suddenly overcome by a blood coursing sense of excitement.

“Holy fuck!”

“Director Zhang really did it!”

“Yeah, Zhang’er has really achieved it!”

“Are we gonna become popular now?”

“Hahahaha, I knew that it wasn’t the wrong decision to act in his TV production!”

“Damn, Sister Ning, didn’t you say before this that you would never take part in Director Zhang’s dramas again?”

“What? Did I say that?”

…

At the studio of a Heavenly King.

There was silence.

Everyone in the room was quiet.

“So that’s Zhang Ye?”

“So that’s the legendary former Heavenly King?”

“He is too fearsome!”

“He even managed to make a political drama with such quality? I suddenly realize just how great the pressure must have been for those artists who were active at the same time as Zhang Ye!”

…

Back at home.

His mother said angrily, “You call that low? Low, my ass!”

Zhang Ye smiled and said, “It was lower than I expected.”

His father said in surprise, “How much were you expecting then?”

Zhang Ye remarked, “It’s only the beginning. We’ll see how it turns out later on.”

Chenchen said angrily, “Zhang Ye, can you stop bragging!”

Zhang Ye chuckled. “Let’s wait and see then. This low viewership figure doesn’t interest this bro one bit.”

“Daddy, Daddy!” Sisi said anxiously, “Did you win?”

Zhang Ye smiled and picked his daughter up to giving her a kiss. “Of course I did. When has your daddy ever lost?”

…

The country was shocked!

The media was shocked!

The industry was shocked!

The public was shocked!

The 1.62% viewership ratings of In the Name of the People wasn’t actually considered high in the field of television series in recent years. It wasn’t like there were no series that exceeded 2%. Just a year ago, a blockbuster drama starring a hot, young Heavenly King had reached an astonishing 3% in the viewership ratings and sent shockwaves across the industry. Compared to a viewership ratings figure of 3%, 1.62% was really not much at all. However, that wasn’t the case in reality. This 1.62% viewership was only for the premiere broadcast. It was only the figure for the first and second episodes of In the Name of the People. That drama that starred Heavenly King Guan Zhaohua did not even hit 1.62% for its premiere broadcast. It had only gotten around 1.6% as well. And what was even more unbelievable was that the blockbuster drama production in which Guan Zhaohua had taken part in did not have such fierce competition in the same time slot when it was shown!

But for In the Name of the People?

There was Heavens of the Gods!

And Age of Kingdoms too!

Yet it had still gotten a viewership ratings figure of 1.62%?

This was an entirely different concept to speak of!