I'm Really a Superstar

In the office space.

Zhang Ye's cell phone rang. When he saw the number, he moved away from where all the noise was, otherwise he would not be able to hear anything over the phone.

It was a call from his old classmate, Dong Shanshan.

But when he answered the phone, it was Hu Fei who spoke.

"Little Zhang!"

"Brother Hu."

"How, how did you manage to do that!?"

'Hur hur, it's just the audience giving me some face."

"How is this even a case of giving face to you?! Such a viewership rating already has nothing to do with giving face nor would it be related to the magnitude of your fan base. This is purely from the audience base that the documentary itself has earned! You're already getting a 1.27% viewership rating with just the premiere episode? Do you really intend to poke a hole in the sky?!"

Up until now, Hu Fei still could not digest this fact.

On the other end, Dong Shanshan had taken over the phone.

"Old classmate."

"Hey, Shanshan."

Dong Shanshan said rather speechlessly:"The viewership rating of your documentary has totally steamrolled variety shows like ours. Do you think that's appropriate? Ah?"

Zhang Ye laughed in return and replied:"It's indeed not appropriate."

Dong Shanshan said:"You also know that it's inappropriate? You're really honest, you!"

Zhang Ye said:"But you can't blame me for that, right?"

Following that, the voices of Xiao Lu, Hou Ge, and Hou Di were also heard over the phone. He could tell that they were not standing close to the phone but were not very far away either.

"Teacher Zhang, how on earth did you film a documentary like that?!"

"Teacher Zhang, I'm Dafei! A Bite of China is very nice to watch!"

"Go, Teacher Zhang. Let those people at Central TV know the consequences for offending you! Fight it out with them! The higher the viewership ratings, the better! Smack their faces! Send them to their deaths! Hahahahahaha!" As soon as he heard that voice, he knew it was Hou Di.

"This face-smacking is already very brutal!" Hou Ge gloated.

Zhang Ye's old colleagues congratulated him in their own ways. Even though they were no longer working together anymore, the feelings between them when they worked and struggled together in the past did not fade with time. Every time Zhang Ye got into trouble, they would send their regards and support. When they encountered problems, Zhang Ye would do his utmost to help them.

Zhang Ye laughed and said:"Thank you, everyone. I have an incoming call from my mother right now, so I gotta hang up. I will treat everyone to a meal some other time. All of you must definitely come."

Hu Fei said:"That's for sure!"

After hanging up, he answered the incoming call.

His mother's loud voice emitted from the cell phone:"Son! Son! Quick, go online and have a look. That documentary of yours is the number 1 in the nationwide viewership ratings! Quickly, go and look!"

Zhang Ye laughed drolly and then helplessly said:"Mom, since you know about it, do you think that I, as the executive director of A Bite of China wouldn't know? Why would I need to look online? The viewership ratings table was delivered to me a while ago."

"You already knew about it?" His mother said loudly:"Aiyo, you have really stolen the limelight this time! It was only after a few of our old neighbors came to our house to give their congratulations just now that your dad and I knew about this!" Actually, regarding Zhang Ye's new documentary, his mother was one of those who had the most doubts about it. From the time Zhang Ye started saying that he wanted to make the documentary, his mother was already expressing her constant pessimism and disbelief about it. But right now, his mother was much happier than anyone else!

My son did it!

He has really managed to do it!!

With a documentary, he left the entire variety show industry clamoring. With a way that was not favored by anyone and even thought of as totally impossible, he had clinched the number 1 spot in the nationwide viewership ratings. What sort of ferociousness was this? What type of magnificent feat was this!?

Congratulatory calls from his friends consecutively came in!

They came from Yao Jiancai, Tian Bin, Fan Yingyun, Chen Guang, Fan Wenli, Zhang Xia, and so on.

Even the famous documentary director who had praised A Bite of China and Zhang Ye on Weibo previously had somehow managed to get ahold of Zhang Ye's number and contacted him.

"Director Zhang, this is Shao Chi."

"Shao Chi? Director Shao?" Zhang Ye was a little stunned.

"I never expected that you would know me." Shao Chi was also quite surprised.

Zhang Ye laughed and responded:"Of course I know about you. You are a senior in the documentary industry and I have often heard about you."

Shao Chi said:"More like I'm the one who has often heard about you. In these past two years, I've often heard my friends mentioning your name. Sister Zhang's manager is from my hometown and I got your number from Old Fang. Hur hur, the new generation has surpassed the older one. You're indeed worthy of your reputation."

"Please don't say that. I still have lots to learn from the seniors." Zhang Ye did not try putting on any airs.

Shao Chi said:"You don't need to learn from us. That's just going backwards. Your documentary has already carved out an individual path of its own and also provided all the documentaries and documentary filmmakers a clear direction. We should be learning from you instead. A Bite of China is fantastic, and you have given all of us documentary filmmakers something to be proud of!"

Zhang Ye quickly replied:"Director Shao, please don't say that. I really don't deserve all this praise. In the field of documentaries, I'm just an outsider. That I managed to do well this time was all down to luck. If there's a chance to pay you a visit in the future, please don't hold back your knowledge from me. I hope to learn a lot from you."

After that, they hung up.

Not far away, Yan Tianfei waved his hands and announced,"Everyone, stop whatever you're doing. Today, everyone will get a break. I'm treating, so let's go dine together!"

"Oh!"

"Hooray!"

"Haha!"

"Time for the celebratory feast!"

"Thank you, Director!"

Everyone cheered.

Little Wang was still sobbing from her excitement.

Zhang Ye told his assistant,"That's enough, Little Wang. Don't cry anymore. Let's go."

Only then did Little Wang, Huang Dandan, and a few other female colleagues wipe away their tears and walk outside together while chatting away with Yan Tianfei, Zhang Ye, and the others. Not only was the program team of A Bite of China going, all the staff working overtime from every one of Department 14's three sections went as well. All in all, there were around 30-40 people.

When they went downstairs, the commotion they attracted became a little large.

Many people from the other departments saw their group. When they spotted Yan Tianfei and Zhang Ye leading the group, the look in the eyes of everyone at Central TV changed!

It was Zhang Ye!

It was the staff of Department 14!

Beside them, a deputy director of Central TV Department 3 happened to pass by. When he saw them, he immediately walked up, laughing loudly and saying,"Old Yan, congratulations!"

Yan Tianfei also smiled and said,"Old He!"

Old He said,"You guys have really managed to shine this time! That viewership rating has really scared a few people to death!" Then, he looked at Zhang Ye and asked,"Director Zhang, when would you be free to come and help us out at Central TV Department 3?"

Yan Tianfei said,"Are you trying to poach my people in front of me?"

Old He laughed."It's not only me, I think there are already numerous television stations and channels that want to bring Zhang Ye over to their side now!"

There were also some other staff who had gathered around and chatted with the Department 14 staff they were acquainted with.

"Congratulations to you!"

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

"You've all gotten really popular now!"

"The show is very nice to watch!"

"Your viewership ratings are so scary. How did you guys manage to do that?"

"Director Zhang, can I take a picture with you?"

In the past, Department 14's fate was one that saw them largely being ignored wherever they went in Central TV. The station and other departments did not place any importance on them and it was difficult to even get some things done due to the management rejecting and refusing their requests. But now, a lot of people had come to congratulate them and no one dared to despise them anymore. At this moment, Department 14 become the ones that everyone paid attention to. Their colleagues were paying attention to them, the media was paying attention to them, and the entire country's audience was paying attention to them!

With just a documentary called A Bite of China, they had managed to attract nationwide attention!

This was the most glorious event to ever happen in the history of documentaries!

This was a scene that had never occurred in the history of China's documentaries!

...

At a restaurant downstairs.

At the innermost private room.

Yan Tianfei did not care whether or not he had to go back to work later. He made an exception and poured himself some white wine."Let's raise a toast, cheers!"

"Director Yan, Director Zhang, we would like to give a toast to the two of you." Everyone stood up.

However, Zhang Ye said,"Let's toast to ourselves."

Yan Tianfei agreed,"Right, we should make the first toast to ourselves!"

"Cheers."

"Cheers."

Everyone enjoyed the celebratory lunch with incomparable joy and were in high spirits due to the happy event. Their faces were brimming with smiles and glee. A Bite of China had given them something to be very proud of this time!

When they finished their lunch, it was still just 12 PM due to them coming early for the celebratory lunch at around 10 AM.

Zhang Ye and Yan Tianfei were fighting over who should pay when it came to the bill at the entrance. Coincidentally, they saw the restaurant's front door open beside them as a group of people led by Xu Yipeng and Chen Ye starting coming in. Looking at the people who followed behind them, it seemed like almost the entire Rise to the Dance program team was here as well.

The Rise to the Dance program team staff were stunned.

When they saw them, the staff of Department 14 were also stunned.

What was this?

Wasn't this what they meant by enemies often cross paths?

Zhang Ye glanced at Chen Ye and the others."You're here to hold a celebratory feast too?"

Chen Ye gave him a fake smile and said,"You too?"

"Yeah, but we've finished eating already," Zhang Ye said.

Xu Yipeng stared at Zhang Ye and said,"Director Zhang, your documentary is really great."

"It's just average." Zhang Ye smiled a little and said,"We're tied for first place in the viewership ratings this time, so you guys are great too."

Xu Yipeng nodded."I should congratulate you as well then." Saying that, he paused then continued,"But there won't be a tie next week. We'll definitely have to determine who's the better of us two."

"Probably so," Zhang Ye remarked.

These two groups of people had a long history of enmity between them and everyone disliked one another. After exchanging a few friendly but hypocritical words, the two groups walked past each other, one of them into a private room inside the restaurant, while the other left the restaurant.

Little Wang pouted."Just look at their faces. Those who are in the know would believe that they are having a celebratory feast, but those in the dark would think that they're having a farewell lunch instead!"

Zhang Ye was tickled by what she had said."Why have you become even more sarcastic than me now?"

Little Wang smiled gleefully and said,"Didn't I learn all that from you?"

Everyone laughed.

...

Meanwhile.

In the restaurant's private room.

The staff of Rise to the Dance knew that Xu Yipeng and Chen Ye were not really as calm as they looked on the surface. When they saw the viewership ratings in the morning, everyone from their program team was stunned for a full minute. As for the celebratory feast that was arranged for the afternoon, many of them had already lost interest in it, because even though their viewership rating was quite high, it was not perfect since they were not the only number 1 rated program in the country! Further, the show that tied for first place with them was made by Zhang Ye, the previous Rise to the Dance's executive director. He even did it with a documentary that they had not taken to be a worthy competitor and was rejected by everyone! This kind of complicated and shocked mood could be easily imagined!

A 10 million investment vs a 100 million investment.

No promotions vs an overwhelming promotion.

No celebrity guests vs a gathering of big names.

A documentary vs a variety show.

And the result? The viewership ratings turned out to be the same??

Aren't you totally embarrassing Rise to the Dance that way!!

However, this matter was obviously not over as the competition was just starting. A Bite of China had become popular, but at the same time, Rise to the Dance was also getting more popular. If the premiere episode for this week could not determine which was better than the other, then they'd have to let it be decided next week!

Hence, Xu Yipeng's opening words at the celebratory feast were,"The viewership ratings must definitely go up a level for next Friday's broadcast. We must push down all the other shows and get the number 1 ranking in the viewership ratings!"

Chen Ye added,"The only number 1!"

Everyone gave their loudest response to that.

"Understood!"

"Yes, Director!"

"We will definitely do it!"

"A documentary cannot sustain interest. They're definitely no match for us!"

"The premiere episode doesn't say and mean much at all! The real competition from here!"

"Right, everyone is very confident! We guarantee that we will complete this mission!"