Chapter 874: The crosstalk routine is confirmed!
Translator: Legge Editor: Legge
It was also crazy online!
"2.98%! Your sister!"
"This is too damn scary!"
"About a decade ago when we still hadn't transitioned fully into the modern Internet era and the main form of entertainment for people was still TV, it was possible for a show to achieve close to 3% viewership. However, in today's Internet age where a TV is no longer an essential item for a family, the program team that could achieve such a viewership rating can only be Zhang Ye's team and the person who could hit such a viewership rating can only be Zhang Ye!"
"Let's cheer for Zhang Ye!"
"This has to be an unprecedented miracle in history!"
"I suppose the other TV stations are already dumbstruck to witness something like this!"
"That's right! I had thought that the best a documentary could do is break 2% of the viewership ratings. But who could have thought that the last episode of A Bite of China would shock everyone again? Even though it was already so popular, the viewership ratings still rose so explosively?"
"I love A Bite of China! It's a really good watch!"
"This is the best documentary in history!"
"Is there a second season?"
"Don't end it! My family has already gotten used to watching the Central TV Documentary Channel every weekend!"
"Pleading for a second season!"
"Teacher Zhang, if there's a chance in the future, please make a second season of the documentary!"
"I really can't bear to see A Bite of China end its run!"
"I also can't bear to see it end, but this should be Zhang Ye's last show for Central TV. After the new year, his contract with Central TV will almost be up."
Yao Jiancai posted on Weibo: "Congratulations to my old bro's show for ending perfectly!"
A local documentary director: "A Bite of China is probably going to be an insurmountable mountain in the history of documentaries. I wish Zhang Ye well and hope that he will get better and better in the future!"
Dong Shanshan: "Congratulations, old classmate."
Yu Yingyi: "Zhang Ye—the most talented guy in the history of Media College. The best director of the hosting world, the best mathematician of the directing world, the best literary scholar of the mathematics world, and the best host of the literary world!"
Zhang Xia: "Congratulations to Little Zhang on hitting a new high."
Fan Wenli: "Looking forward to Teacher Zhang's crosstalk performance at Beijing TV's Spring Festival Gala."
The popularity of A Bite of China had also lifted the confidence of the entire industry regarding this kind of niche programming. On the day A Bite of China ended its broadcast, there were many television stations and production companies who submitted their documentary proposals and put forth their agendas. Some television stations were even announcing the broadcast times for their new shows. Guangxi Television would be launching a documentary called A Walk into Delicacy next week. Guangdong Television would start televising Village Tastes next month. Meanwhile, Shandong Television would start filming a documentary called Gluttonous which they'd invested a huge sum of money into. All of them had wanted to ride on the momentum created by A Bite of China's popularity.
They naturally did not schedule their shows while A Bite of China was still broadcasting. Everyone knew that no matter how they shot their documentary, they could not possibly be on par with A Bite of China and compete with it. Therefore, after A Bite of China's broadcast ended, numerous food documentaries were launched one after another as their promotions spread like a wildfire.
An expert referred to this period as the post-A Bite of China era.
...
On this morning.
At Taoran Pavilion.
Wu Zeqing's home.
Old Wu, I'm here."
"Come on in."
"Where are the slippers?"
"There's no need to change into them, just come straight in."
Inside, Wu Zeqing did not turn around to welcome him. Instead, she seemed like she was fiddling with several big and small bags of clothing or something. Dressed in casual attire, Old Wu was wearing a pair of black leggings and a gray knit sweater that made her look extremely gentle and elegant.
Zhang Ye walked over to her and asked, "What are you doing?"
"I bought you some clothes." Wu Zeqing took out a piece of clothing from its packaging and threw the packaging aside. She straightened the shirt and placed it against Zhang Ye's body to see if it fit. Then she smiled and said, "Come, try this on."
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Why did you buy clothes for me again?"
Wu Zeqing replied, "I'm afraid that you won't have any clothes to wear."
"I did not even get to wear many of those clothes you bought for me last time," Zhang Ye remarked.
Wu Zeqing said, "The new year is coming and you didn't even buy any clothes for yourself. If I don't buy them for you, who will?"
Indeed, ever since Zhang Ye went down the path of the entertainment industry, he had basically never gone to the mall. Zhang Ye could not do that as there were too many people around. In fact, the majority of his current clothes had been bought by Wu Zeqing. Old Wu would also frequently give him some skincare products, discount vouchers, or prepaid gift cards to him as she did not really use them for herself. At least half of these benefits for the SARFT's director-level staff had gone into Zhang Ye's pocket. Of course, Zhang Ye was previously the top artist on the SARFT's blacklist and was now on their watchlist as a person of interest. If people from the SARFT knew that their upper management benefits were being used by Zhang Ye, who knows how they would feel.
It was a bit ironic in every case.
"Alright, I'll try them on." Zhang Ye then handed her a small box and said, "I brought you some more Da Hong Pao."
When she heard that, Wu Zeqing smiled and said, "Previously, I did not know what type of tea you brought for me, but I finally understood from the news the past few days. No wonder you reminded me over and over to not give it to other people. It was because this is a famous tea from ancient times and there are only a few remaining parent trees of it left in the world? It's better that you to keep it for yourself. It's a waste to give it to me."
Zhang Ye declared, "Aiya, just take it and drink whenever you want. I still have plenty anyway. Even if you want a few catties of it, I'll still give it to you. It's really nothing much!"
Just look at this guy. He was willing to give Old Wu those tea leaves by the catties, but when it came to anyone else, he would only do it by the gram.
This was what you call a difference!
Zhang Ye began trying on the clothes. He did not feel at all embarrassed to do so in front of Old Wu. Besides, he was wearing a pair of long johns anyway, so he just tried them on piece by piece. Old Wu was very meticulous as she bought two sets each of the coat, shirt, pants, and shoes for him. There were even two sets of long johns and socks too.
They chatted as he tried on the clothes.
"Has the documentary finished broadcasting?"
"It just ended."
"Then are you just waiting for the new year now?"
"Hai, of course not. I still haven't finished prepping for the Spring Festival Gala crosstalk routine."
"It's not ready yet?"
"Not yet. I still can't think of anything to say."
"Nothing comes to mind?"
"Not really. It's just that I don't have the inspiration yet."
"What do you mean by you don't have the inspiration?"
Zhang Ye explained, "In the past, when I performed my crosstalks, they were always based on my pent-up emotions, anger, or resentment. My crosstalks were always about scolding people, whether it was scolding the crosstalk world or Central TV's Spring Festival Gala. But recently, I've finished scolding all the people who deserve to be scolded and finished fighting those who deserve to be fought. Everyone knew what I did and no one dared to pick on me anymore in the past few days. But that leaves me not knowing what I can talk about in my crosstalk routine now."
Wu Zeqing smiled and said, "Why are you always thinking about conflict?"
Zhang Ye replied, "Because I've gotten used to it by now. If anyone tries to pick on me, I can easily scold them day and night in my crosstalk without repeating a single joke. But now that everything is fine and peaceful, it somehow makes it more difficult to say something. Beijing TV has been pressing me for the script as they have already carried out the second rehearsal for the Gala, but I'm still unprepared with the content. See this?" He pointed at his lips and said, "I'm so stressed recently that my lips are cracking."
"I'll apply some eye cream for you." Wu Zeqing headed up to the second floor and came back down with the eye cream very quickly.
Zhang Ye continued, "I'm worried over that problem right now. Old Yao has also called me several times regarding it. My task now is to finish writing Beijing TV's Spring Festival Gala crosstalk before the new year."
Old Wu squeezed out some of the eye cream onto her finger and applied it gently for him. "Recently, I've seen some of the netizens' comments about you. Many of them like your crosstalk routines and say that the routines are great at venting their anger. But there's a small group that dislikes them. They feel that your crosstalk routines are too hostile and that you are always fighting with others through them."
Zhang Ye said with embarrassment, "But that's always been my style."
Wu Zeqing looked at him and commented with a smile, "I've been meaning to ask you this, but can't you perform a crosstalk without scolding people? I don't believe you can't do that."
"Of course I can," Zhang Ye answered without even thinking.
Wu Zeqing said, "So, why don't you just perform a proper crosstalk routine this time?"
"Perform a proper crosstalk routine?" Zhang Ye blinked several times.
Wu Zeqing put the cap back on the eye cream container. She smiled and said, "Let everyone see that even without scolding people, you can still perform a great crosstalk routine!"
Zhang Ye went silent and thought for a full minute about her words. Suddenly, he smacked his thigh and shouted, "OK! Just as you said! I will prove to them what I'm capable of! I'll make the crosstalk world open their eyes! There is no crosstalk that I can't say!"
Wu Zeqing smiled. "Is your fighting spirit back?"
"Yes!"
"Are you inspired now?"
"Yes! I've already decided what the crosstalk will be!"
Zhang Ye said that while picking up his cell phone to call Yao Jiancai.
Du du. The call connected.
Yao Jiancai's voice sounded: "Zhang'er, what's the matter?"
Zhang Ye laughed. "Old Yao, I've thought it through! Let's perform a proper crosstalk routine this time for Beijing TV's Spring Festival Gala! We will criticize the problems in society and widen everyone's horizons!"
Yao Jiancai was stunned. "Perform a proper crosstalk routine?"
Zhang Ye responded: "Yes!"
Yao Jiancai asked doubtfully: "Are you sure you're up to it?"
Zhang Ye nearly fainted. "Why aren't I? Don't tell me you also think that I'm only capable of crosstalk routines that are used for scolding and smacking people's faces?"