Chapter 477: The madness of Central TV!
Noon.
The National Crosstalk Competition was in the midst of being held.
The official website began posting each preliminary round's footage onto its page. Netizens were already beginning to vote for their favorite crosstalk actors and works. The show had only just begun, but there were already a few bouts of competition. Some supported one team, while others supported another. The corresponding votes grew as a war of words ensued.
"Teacher Sun is still the best!"
"Get lost! When Teacher Chen was performing crosstalk, Old Sun wasn't even born yet!"
"Supporting Zhang Xiao and Liu Yuan! Did everyone watch the live broadcast? Their performance was really too enjoyable to listen to!"
"Oh, right. Are Zhang Xiao and Liu Yuan in Division C? I remember when the group draw was announced, the team after them were Yao Jiancai and Zhang Ye!"
"Oh, that's right."
"Yes, I remembered it too!"
"Those two gods of plague are next?"
"But even if it's their turn, we won't be able to see them."
"What a pity, I really hoped to see Zhang Ye do crosstalks. Although I know that he definitely does not know how to do it and won't be as good as those professionals, I still wanted to see it."
"You're thinking too much. Anyone's performance can be aired but not theirs. Do you think Central TV is stupid?"
Tang Dazhang's two disciples' performance had been live streamed online on the official website's preliminary competition page. Because of the audience's vote for their favorites to win, they were in 10th place and were considered one of the hot favorites. As such, the production team also had paid more attention to them and thus allocated live streaming resources to Zhang Xiao and Liu Yuan. The live broadcast spot on the competition web page was one of the best promotional spots one could get. It had even better reach than banner style advertisements, as a lot of people would take a look at it. Naturally, some people also connected this to the next group performance, Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai. Although Central TV had been doing their best to suppress and ban them from receiving any coverage, that didn't mean that the viewers did not pay any attention to them.
"Hey, it's such a pity for Zhang Ye."
"Yea, I like him quite a bit. Why did he have to get banned?"
"Old Yao isn't bad either. Attempt at soliciting prostitutes? What kind of misdeed is that! There wasn't any proof or explanation and they've already treated him as guilty? He's just unlucky as hell."
"There's no other way. Decree #43 has already been passed and won't be retracted."
The live broadcast footage went off for a few seconds.
"It's time for the next live broadcast."
"It should be division A's turn right?"
"Oh, it has come back on. Why is it still showing division C though?"
"It can't be? Did they forget to change it?"
"Look, the judges are still the same three people."
Suddenly, an image that left everyone shocked appeared. A staff member could be heard announcing, "Please welcome the next contestants, Zhang Ye, Yao Jiancai!"
What?
Welcome who?
And then, Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai, who were wearing their crosstalk attires, walked onstage.
At this moment, the whole world fell silent. The image on screen seemed like it froze!
Countless peoples’ mouths were left hanging in shock as they could only stare at the live broadcast of the crosstalk competition. They were all dumbfounded and could only say, "What the f**k! What the hell is happening?"
......
At Zhang Ye's parents place.
It was winter vacation now and Zhang Ye's cousins had come over here early in the morning after hearing of his participation in the crosstalk competition.
His third sister pointed at the computer screen and said, "This is funny, this is really funny!"
The eldest sister pouted, "Those two are disciples of Tang Dazhang. They can't be good people."
"Ah? The one that scolded our brother?" The third sister's tone suddenly changed, "What kind of lousy crosstalk is this! It's not funny at all!"
The second sister, "........"
Zhang Ye's mother said, "Don't bother watching this anymore, Little Ye's not going to be on it anyway."
The third sister said moodily, "These people are really too much. Why did they go and ban my brother for?! Our brother didn't post a poem last night, so his ranking is going to drop soon."
The eldest sister said sighed, "Our brother's done for today. He won't be keeping his spot on the C-list anymore."
His mother turned around and went into the kitchen, "I'm going to cook."
Suddenly, the third sister exclaimed, "Damn! Look at this, quick!"
The eldest sister said, "Look at what?"
The third sister jumped up in excitement, "Our brother! It's our brother!"
The eldest sister took a look and was shocked to see, "It's really our brother! And it's even a live broadcast!"
Zhang Ye's mother looked back at them and said, "Alright, don't tease me so much. You make it sound as if it's really happening. What do you all want to have for lunch? I will prepare it for you."
The eldest sister hurriedly said, "Why do you still want to prepare lunch now? Come and see, quickly! Our brother's really on live broadcast!"
His mother was stunned and she quickly came over to their side and looked at the computer. She was also dumbfounded by what she saw and said, "That's impossible!"
......
Yao Jiancai's house.
Yao Mi shouted, "Mom! Mom!"
"What are you rushing me for? What's the matter?"
"It's Dad and Teacher Zhang! They are on a live broadcast!"
"What!?"
......
At a certain shopping mall.
Ci Xiufang was shopping with her children when she heard a young couple, who were seated down beside them using their computer and mumbling about something. Subconsciously, she looked over as well.
"What! That is....."
......
At the *Party's school.
Peking University Vice President, Wu Zeqing, who was currently undergoing training, was in her dormitory during lunch break and reading news online. She suddenly noticed a promotional banner of the crosstalk competition and clicked on it. She casually browsed through the website and took a look at the live broadcast on the main page. When she saw it, her eyes twitched a little and she broke into a light smile.
"Little Zhang?"
......
Beijing Radio Station.
Big Sis Zhou shouted out loudly, "They must be crazy! Central TV has gone mad!"
Auntie Sun came over and asked, "What's the matter, Old Zhou? Why did you shout out so loudly for?"
Big Sis Zhou smacked her own thigh and said, "Quickly, have a look at this! Central TV's Department 11 is actually allowing Little Zhang appear on a video! It's even a live broadcast! This is almost defying the heavens! This is almost heaven defying!"
Zhang Ye's ex-assistant, Xiaofang, rushed over when she heard the commotion, "Is that for real? How could Central TV possibly do that unless they are crazy!"
As a result, everyone crowded around them to take a look!
F**k!
Central TV really was mad!
......
Zhang Ye's friends were all amazingly stunned!
Zhang Ye's enemies were all dumbfounded!
Deputy Station Head Jia, who was watching the live broadcast at home, nearly vomited blood!
All those who had doubted and scolded Zhang Ye nearly fainted!
It exploded all over on the internet! Everyone stared at the live broadcast footage in disbelief, their minds unable to comprehend what was going on!
"It's really Zhang Ye!"
"Didn't he get banned? Oh my God!"
"Teacher Zhang is too godly! Even after being banned and heavily blocked by the authorities, not only did his popularity increase, he even made it onto a live broadcast? This is too damn face smacking!"
"Face-smacking Zhang was born to smack faces in the first place! Ah hahahaha!"
"What is Central TV's Department 11 doing?"
"Damn, this is unbelievable!"
"Live broadcasting banned artists who don't even know how to do crosstalks? What are they thinking?! Did the signal get tapped on wrongly?"
"It can't be wrong! This has already been on for such a long time."
"What the heck! Does Zhang Ye know dark magic!?"
"Yea, how could the most unbelievable and amazing things keep happening to him?"
"Hahaha, I'm looking forward to his crosstalk!"
"I'm only worried that he doesn't know how to do it. Crosstalks and talk shows are two very different things. Furthermore, crosstalk requires years and years of practice to perfect. What would a broadcasting major like him know about the art of crosstalk? And they even gave him a live broadcast? With this live broadcast, they're just going to embarrass themselves!"
There were those who supported.
And those that doubted.
But there were even more of those who only came for the fun of this unexpected live broadcast. Countless people had begun to come check out this live broadcast. When it came to such things, the worry was never about how controversial it may be. The worry would always be that the controversy was not big enough!
Some of the fellow crosstalkers and Zhang Ye's friends and relatives all opened up their browsers to watch the live broadcast upon hearing the news. They all wanted to see exactly how an outsider like Zhang Ye would deliver his crosstalk performance. As for why they could appear on a live broadcast, whether it was an unintended mistake or a deliberate one? No one cared about this anymore!
***Translator notes***
Party's school here refers to the communist party's school of further training for government officials/civil servants.