I am Really a Superstar

Zhang Ye’s parents’ home district.

Zhang Ye got out his car very tired. He continuously yawned as he tried to stifle it with his hand. He slowly stumbled into the apartment’s corridor and proceeded to head upstairs. On the way up, he took his cell phone out to check on the latest news. Since he did not see any interesting headlines, he entered his own name using one hand and made a search. When the search results were displayed, he saw a headline in the news section which matched what he was searching for. It wasn’t an eye-catching news headline but was posted on a web portal three hours earlier. It was possible that the number of people who read it didn’t number that many either as the news content wasn’t too interesting.

—”Zhang Ye Appears at Beijing Television Station”

Some of the pictures posted in the article were taken in the television station’s lobby.

The content of the article was nothing more than the usual gossip as it recounted the feud between Zhang Ye and Beijing Television Station. One by one, examples were listed, and at the end of the article, it also expressed doubts and speculated unreliably about Zhang Ye’s appearance at the Beijing Television Station’s lobby.

Although this news article did not attract much attention, Zhang Ye still felt quite happy when he saw it. The reason was very simple. He had become more aware now that his popularity was no longer the same as before. Back when he had debuted, even if Zhang Ye had some amazing accomplishments, he couldn’t get onto the headlines. Later on, he managed to get onto the headlines more whenever he caused trouble. However, those were still limited to the times when he caused a big enough incident to be mentioned. But now, even when Zhang Ye did not do anything for the past two days and only showed his face at Beijing Television Station, he still caught the media’s attention and they reported on this news. Disregarding the fact of whether anyone would read this news or not, the simple fact that they even bothered to report it showed that his popularity had risen by a lot!

If someone could only get onto the news after causing big trouble, then they could only be considered a common celebrity. However, if you could even get onto the news without doing anything, then you would be considered as a successful celebrity, and that was exactly what Zhang Ye was right now!

At home.

His mother was at home today as it was her day off.

“Why didn’t you come all of last night?” His mother stared at him.

Zhang Ye said, “Hai, I was helping a friend with something and had to work overtime.”

His mother reminded him, “Next time remember to give us a call if you are not coming back. Don’t make us stay up for nothing. We wanted to call you but were afraid you might be busy.”

“I know, Mom, it’s my fault.” Zhang Ye smiled and said, “Don’t say anymore. I have to catch up on sleep. Wake me when it’s 12.”

His mother glanced at him. “What do you want for lunch?”

Zhang Ye sweet-talked her, “I like any food you cook.”

“Go to sleep. Don’t always work overnight in the future,” his mother said.

When he got to his room, Zhang Ye removed only his shoes and pants. He didn’t even take his shirt but immediately dropped onto the bed instead and fell into a deep sleep. Zhang Ye was very obviously worn out.

……

In the afternoon.

Warm rays of sunlight shone through the window.

Zhang Ye was sound asleep and even smacked his lips in satisfaction as he slept, rolling around in bed comfortably. Then someone suddenly knocked on the bedroom door and he heard his mother’s voice.

“Son!”

“…Mmm.”

“Time for lunch.”

“…Mmm.”

“Wake up quickly.”

“Uh, I’m coming.”

Obviously, Zhang Ye hadn’t had enough rest yet but he still climbed out of bed to eat lunch. When he came out, he immediately switched on the television and tuned in to BTV-1. He definitely wanted to check out the results of the production that he worked so hard on for 24 hours without rest. It could also be considered attending the “premiere” of his PSA.

His mother noticed and asked, “What news are you waiting for?”

Zhang Ye smiled. “A public service announcement. Just wait and see.”

His mother asked, “The one you did?”

“Yeah, this is the ad I am most satisfied with so far, hurhur.” Zhang Ye laughed as he ate and said, “However, others might not like it.”

His mother was a bit speechless. “Then why are you so happy?”

Zhang Ye laughed wickedly. “Well, it’s supposed to make them dislike it after watching. This is a quit smoking public service announcement. If people do not feel scared after watching it, then what is the purpose of having this PSA? Just watch. I can’t say that it will scare everyone, but I can guarantee that at least half of those who watch the PSA will have their hearts shiver!

His mother also looked forward to watching it after hearing her son say that. She picked up the landline and made some calls to a few relatives. “Hello, Little Ye’s Third Aunt…are you at home? Hur hur, Little Ye has released another work. It’s a PSA on BTV-1. I just wanted to tell you…Right, starting soon….OK.”

Whenever Zhang Ye had new achievements or works, as long as they weren’t scolding people or fighting sorts of things, his mother would always inform her friends and family.

……

On the internet.

Since it was “World No Tobacco Day” today, there was definitely no lack of this topic online. This topic was also the trend of news reports and discussions as many media outlets published information on the dangers of smoking.

But the netizens were not interested in such things.

“Hai, I am sick of watching all these.”

“It’s the same old meaningless stuff every year.”

“Yeah, every year, they show nothing more than the usual crap. Who doesn’t know smoking is harmful to the health? Those who wanted to quit have already quit. Even if you talk till someone’s head falls off, those hardcore smokers still won’t be able to quit. This has always been my point of view. These public service announcements are not effective at all. Who would quit smoking after watching a PSA? This is bullshit. If my smoking addiction strikes, even if you keep showing these lousy ads for 24 hours, I’ll still want to smoke.”

“The main reason is still because there is lack of quality with all these quit smoking PSAs.

“You’re quite right. The current quit smoking PSAs have already reached a saturation point. Any practical idea had already been used up some years ago. Now, they can only keep on reusing the ideas and maybe just change the way it’s presented. But it’ll eventually becomes useless.”

“Unless there is innovation.”

“It can’t get any more innovative.”

“Who can still innovate? This is the only approach.”

“Besides, if we want creativity, we must look abroad first. The public service announcements from overseas are really so much better than our local ones, but their PSAs are also more or less following the same ideas, so how can you still expect our local advertisement producers to have any new ideas? It’s not like I’m worshiping all things foreign, but it’s the truth. The quality is not the same, so don’t expect too much from the PSAs in this country.”

“The constant broadcast of quit smoking PSAs in these few day is too intense. It’s the same on every channel and it’s already making me numb to them. I don’t feel any pressure to quit at all when I such advertisements while smoking.

“Me too.”

“Haha, I feel the same.”

……

A bit past noon.

After a news broadcast, the staff lined up the ads to be broadcast. First up was a shampoo advertisement, then a mineral water advertisement, and finally Zhang Ye’s Quit Smoking PSA!

At this moment, quite a lot of viewers sat in front of their televisions, Most of them had just finished watching the news. They were not really bothered by the advertisements playing or too concerned with them.

Some were eating.

Some were cooking.

Some were preparing to change channels.

There were also some who had probably just finished watching the local news on the satellite channels and had just switched channels to BTV-1 when the other channel went to a commercial break.

The satellite channel had nationwide broadcasting signals. Although not every location could receive the signal as the coverage was not 100% yet, it still had most areas covered. So compared to the previous time when the Save Electricity public service announcement was broadcast on the BTV-Arts Channel, this quit smoking public service announcement that was broadcast over the satellite channel had a viewership that was countless times higher. It was similar to the “Brain Gold” advertisement that was broadcast throughout the country!

Suddenly, on screen, this year’s Beijing Television Station quit smoking PSA, unified across all their channels, was broadcast!

Cigarettes!

Densely packed cigarettes!

As the music played, consecutive deep breathing sounds could be heard. On the television, a ghastly looking replica of a pair of human lungs made out of cigarettes could be seen burning along with the rhythm of breathing and cigarette inhalation, while the “lungs” could be seen going through a shocking transformation.

Inhale!

Exhale!

Inhale again!

The sound of breathing from the television became intolerable to the ears!

Towards the end, the only words of the advertisements appeared: “Please quit smoking. Give life a chance, make a new choice”!

At the very end.

In the bottom right corner.

Produced by Zhang Ye.

After the PSA ended, a milk advertisement seamlessly followed.

……

At a public housing apartment in Beijing.

A young man was looking at Weibo with his head down, discussing with his internet friends how the recent Quit Smoking PSAs were utter rubbish. Suddenly he looked up and called out to his mother, laughing and saying, “Mom, I’m hungry!”

His mother smiled and said, “What do you want to eat?”

Her son said, “Anything will do. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!”

His father, who was smoking a cigarette, said, “I’m also hungry, I have to work overtime tonight, so I must eat more this afternoon. Do we still have any of the preserved meat left over that Old Zhang brought from his hometown? Let’s have that.”

Beside him, BTV-1’s PSA appeared on the television.

The young man looked over and was shocked into a daze.

The father saw the PSA as well. As the PSA played out, a fascinating number of facial expressions appeared on his face. The cigarette between his fingers, his hand started trembling and he threw the cigarette onto the floor all of a sudden and stamped on it. He couldn’t help letting out a curse, “F**k your grandfather! Who made this ad!”

Their son who was also a smoker took a few breaths and for a moment felt he could not breathe naturally. His rhythm of breathing was all messed up. “Mom, I-I’m suddenly not hungry anymore!”

His mother said, “Ah?”

His father said, “I also…don’t want to eat anymore.”

……

In the northeast.

In a hairdressing salon.

“Holy shit, it’s those PSAs again!”

“Today is World No Tobacco Day. We can’t avoid it.”

“I’m tired of seeing all these PSAs. There’s nothing new at all.”

As there was hardly any business today, a few of the hairdressers were smoking and chattering away with jovial moods. Then, with every passing second the PSA played, their voices suddenly got softer and softer, and eventually everyone went silent. They were staring at the new LCD television which was installed a few days ago with their eyes and mouths wide open, rooted to their spots.

A skinny man stamped out the cigarette butt and said, “I-I’m going out to get some fresh air.”

“Wait for me. I’ll go together with you!” The moment he stepped out, another, slightly fatter youth was panic-stricken and held his chest tightly while flicking the cigarette butt in his hand onto the road, not daring to take another puff. Looking at his facial expression, it was obvious that he was very shocked. He said in disbelief, “Who the hell is so wicked! Making such an ad! Curse him and his eighteen generations of ancestors! I nearly could not catch my breath!”

The skinny man, now pale-faced, said, “I need to quit smoking!”

The fatty touched the cigarette pack in his pocket and felt that he had lost the desire to smoke for at least the next two hours!

……

Meanwhile.

Similar scenes throughout the country played out!