On the news.
“A flurry of awards to be presented to their winners!”
“Will Zhang Ye be able to keep his Heavenly King status?”
“The annual Most Popular Celebrity of the Year Award has turned into the Most Watched Celebrity of the Year Award!”
“Who will be the biggest winner of the year?”
“The battle for the awards will be unveiled tonight!”
“It’s time for an assessment of the celebrities’ past year!”
“Who will take the top honors?”
…
In the evening.
Outside the venue of an awards ceremony.
Many reporters were present. It was a gathering of the stars and their fans were screaming for them.
One by one, the celebrities’ cars arrived and they got out of their rides before heading into the venue.
“Ah!”
“Sister Zhang is here!”
“Sister Zhang is so beautiful!”
“Sister Zhang, Sister Zhang, I love you!”
“Wow, it’s Jiang Hanwei!”
“All the best, Old Jiang!”
“I love you!”
“Ah, it’s Sect Leader Huo!”
“Sect Leader Huo waved to me!”
“God, Sect Leader Huo looked at me!”
The reporters’ DSLRs were snapping away.
The fans were shouting in a frenzy around the perimeter.
Zhang Ye’s car was also lining up outside to get in. Whenever he spotted someone familiar through the windows, he would wave at them with a smile. Today, he had only brought along Ha Qiqi and Yang Shu, who was acting as his chauffeur. When he first saw that some celebrities would bring their families to walk down the red carpet together, he pondered whether he should also bring Old Wu with him. But after some consideration, he decided to scrap the idea. It was better not to show off in such a way. It might still be OK if this was a private event, but since his wife was an executive at the SARFT, it would surely be better for her not to accompany him in to work-related events. Zhang Ye was also afraid that it would scare the organizers.
A car pulled up beside his and the car’s window rolled down.
It was Ning Lan’s smiling face. “Yo, Teacher Zhang.”
Zhang Ye also rolled his window down and pretended to say politely, “Yo, Teacher Ning.”
Ning Lan smiled and said, “How does it feel to be a Heavenly King?”
Zhang Ye sighed and said, “I still don’t know if I can keep the title.”
“I need to discuss something with you,” Ning Lan suddenly said.
Zhang Ye asked, “Discuss what?”
Ning Lan said, “I quite like the song ‘The Clown.’ I would like to cover it and have a shot at the music scene to test my chances, so can we discuss the authorization of that?”
Zhang Ye shrugged. “Sure, just sing it if you like.”
Ning Lan said, “Alright, you’re great! It’s settled then!”
Zhang Ye said happily, “It’s no big deal.”
Ning Lan then waved at him. “Alright, I’ll go ahead then.”
Zhang Ya was taken aback. “Damn, did you just cut in line?!”
“Hahaha.” Ning Lan’s car had already driven in front of his.
Zhang Ye rolled his eyes.
When they reached the front, it was finally their turn for the red carpet walk.
Ning Lan got off the car. She walked down the red carpet with an extraordinary air and waved to her fans who were standing on both sides, triggering squeals from them!
“Ning Lan!”
“It’s Ning Lan!”
“My Goddess!”
“Ning Lan, I love you!”
Ning Lan was very eye-catching in her long white dress. Her long legs and long stride allowed her to travel several meters in just a few steps.
When her car drove off, Zhang Ye’s car pulled in and stopped there. As Yang Shu was not a professional chauffeur, her driving skills were really not that great. She tried for a long time to bring the car to a stop with some jarring movements and got so nervous that she was sweating all over her forehead. Finally, she managed to stop it right beside the red carpet. But this display made many of the staff and reporters at the venue roll their eyes.
Who is this?
Can’t you hire a better driver?
Why did you get a female driver to send you here?
When the car door opened, Zhang Ye appeared!
The reporters were dumbfounded!
What? It’s Zhang Ye’s car?
Pfft! You’re a Heavenly King, can you not be such a comedian?
“It’s Zhang Ye!”
“The new Heavenly King has arrived!”
“Quick, get more pictures!”
“Yeah, take more pictures of him!”
In the whole of the current Chinese entertainment industry, Zhang Ye was clearly the celebrity who attracted the most attention. No one else came close. So the reporters present would obviously give him special attention!
Zhang Ye maintained his smile as he walked forward. He looked at the people on both sides of the red carpet and waved to them just like the other celebrities had done before him.
The fans screamed!
“Zhang Ye!”
“The scammer has arrived!”
“What do you have to say about the five deceptions?”
“Haha, you still dare to come here today?”
All of a sudden, someone started booing with a “yi”!
With that, this sound started ringing out in the venue!
“Yi!”
“Yi!”
“Yi!”
“Hahahaha!”
Everyone hooted!
The reporters were taken back before cramping up with laughter!
Ning Lan, who was walking ahead of him, nearly stumbled!
Chen Guang, Zhang Xia, and some others who had just entered the venue were also bent over in laughter when they heard the ruckus outside!
Zhang Ye nearly fainted! Your sister! What kind of reception did the other celebrities get when they arrived? They were all being cheered for! So why is it that when I arrive, all I’m getting is this fucking hooting! And all of this is even getting recorded on video!
However, the crowd was still unsatisfied.
“Our booing isn’t in unison!”
“Yeah, it sounds really messy!”
“I suggest we do it again!”
“Sure!”
“Agreed!”
“Support!”
“Get ready, everyone! One, two, three—”
“Yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!”
There was shouting everywhere!
Followed by loud laughter!
This interaction had never happened before!
Zhang Ye was dismayed and nearly vomited blood.
When Ning Lan saw this, she stopped in her tracks and waited a while for him. Then, when Zhang Ye caught up to her, she gently linked arms with Zhang Ye and finished walking the red carpet together with him. This helped to diffuse the situation a little for Zhang Ye.
Ning Lan whisper-giggled, “I’m a loyal friend, aren’t I?”
Zhang Ye also chuckled. “Nice, I didn’t give that song to you for nothing then.”
Ning Lan laughed, “Hahahahaha.”
…
At the back.
There was a car not too far away.
The expression on the ex-Heavenly King’s face was a sullen one. He seemed to be thinking about something.
However, his agent and assistant were both delighted at the sight of Zhang Ye getting booed.
“Look, the public did not forget about how he deceived them!”
“Yes, it looks like we really have a chance this time.”
“As long as Zhang Ye does not get crowned the most popular male celebrity, our chances of returning to the S-list are much higher. The importance of this award is tremendous.”
“Look at the fans’ attitudes towards him. How can he possibly be popular?”
“Yeah, he’s offended too many people.”
…
Inside the venue of the awards ceremony.
Several of Zhang Ye’s friends were waiting at the front for him.
When Zhang Ye arrived, they immediately got down to making fun of him.
Zhang Xia said in amusement, “Why is your entrance always different from others?”
Zhang Ye said in dismay, “Grandma Zhang, let’s not bring that up right now, shall we?”
Chen Guang belly laughed. “This is the first time I’ve encountered a situation like this. Aiyo, let me laugh awhile longer!”
Huo Dongfang also came over. “Teacher Zhang, what’s with those lousy social relations of yours?”
Xiaodong, Amy, and Li Xiaoxian were also laughing over there. “Director Zhang, you’ve opened all of our eyes today.”
Zhang Ye rolled his eyes. “Laugh all you want. This bro is not going to bother arguing with you people.” He harrumphed and went off to find his seat.
Row 1, Seat 5.
Where was it?
Oh, over here!
In the end, he bumped straight into Zhang Yuanqi and her manager, Fang Weihong.
Zhang Yuanqi said with a laugh, “I heard that the people were booing you in unison when you walked down the red carpet just now?”
Zhang Ye exclaimed, “Why does everyone seem to know about this? Who’s the one spreading rumors?”
Fang Weihong laughed loudly.
A good deed goes unnoticed, but a scandal spreads far and wide.
In no time at all, the celebrities and staff at the venue were all happily talking about this.
“Hey, did you hear about it?”
“About that incident involving Teacher Zhang?”
“Yeah.”
“Hahahahaha, of course I heard about it.”
“It’s killing me it’s so funny.”
“Yeah, I laughed so hard I couldn’t breathe!”
“Teacher Zhang is indeed the biggest oddity in the domestic entertainment circle.”
“Something like this can only happen to him.”
“Didn’t you see the dumbfounded looks on the reporters’ faces? Even they’ve never come across something like that before!”
Soon, the awards ceremony officially started.
Talking.
Speeches.
Performances.
An hour later, the main show began!
The biggest prize of the night was finally going to be presented.
“Next up is an award that a lot of people are looking forward to the most. It is also the most important and prestigious award today. We will be revealing the winners of the Most Popular Male and Female Celebrity of the Year Awards without any further ado.”
“The Most Popular Female Celebrity of the Year Award goes to—Zhang! Yuan! Qi!”
Applause sounded from the audience.
“Congratulations!”
“Sister Zhang, congratulations!”
“A well-deserved winner!”
“We already guessed it would be you!”
“Congratulations!”
Not long after.
“Next, we will be announcing the winner of the Most Popular Male Celebrity of the Year Award!”
“And the winner is—”
“Who will the award go to?”
“The winner is—Zhang! Ye!”
Instantly, applause thundered!
“Wow!”
“It’s been won by Zhang Ye!”
“Congratulations!”
“Director Zhang, congratulations!”
“That’s so amazing!”
“Hahaha, we’re in for a treat!”
“This is a huge prize!”
“Teacher Zhang, you’re the winner of the award this year!”
Zhang Ye was very surprised!
Many of those at the venue were also very surprised!
The Most Popular Celebrity of the Year Award was one of the highest awards the entertainment circle gave out. Those who received this prize were the most reputable and popular celebrities around. Zhang Ye? He had the popularity, and he had the qualifications as well. But did he have the reputation? Pfft! Was there even a less reputable celebrity in the entertainment circle after him?
In the second row.
That ex-Heavenly King did not say a word at all.
His agent and assistant sitting beside him were both dumbfounded!
“How is that possible!”
“Why is it him?”
“How is he even popular?”
“That’s right! Didn’t the people just boo him?!”
“This is impossible!”
At this moment, that ex-Heavenly King looked at them and sighed. “Can’t you two see? The people were only booing him because they like him from the bottom of their hearts!”
His agent was stunned!
His assistant also fell silent!
Booing him because they liked him?
They liked him from the bottom of their hearts?