Chapter 1356: Viewership numbers that tear a hole in the sky!
Translator: Legge Editor: Legge
At Central TV.
Everyone was screaming in surprise, feeling like they were going crazy!
“Oh my God!”
“This, this—”
“Heavens!”
“Is this for real?”
“Ahhhhh!”
“I’m not fucking dreaming, am I?”
“This viewership numbers—damn, are we about to tear a hole in the sky this time?”
“Leave out the words ‘about to,’ we’ve already torn a hole in the sky!”
…
At the SARFT.
“Director! Director!”
“What is it? Everyone’s working. Why are you shouting so loudly?”
“It’s the Spring Festival Gala’s viewership ratings! Quickly look at it!”
“It’s already out?”
“It was just released!”
“Let me see—aiyo, what the heck! I-Is this for real?”
“I verified it with the statistics agency the moment I saw it. It’s real, there’s no mistake about it!”
“Quick, bring this to Chief Hu and the others! Hurry, hurry, hurry!”
…
At a newspaper agency.
The phone was ringing. This was a call that the editor-in-chief had been waiting for a long time. He quickly went back to his office and closed the door to take it. The agency staff outside were all looking in that direction. Then they heard the exclamations of the editor-in-chief.
“What?”
“This is impossible!”
“There must be a mistake!”
“No, no, go and verify it again!”
“Really?”
“Damn, you’ve already verified that this is real?”
A minute later, the editor-in-chief pushed the door open and came out.
Everyone stood up in wait of the announcement.
“Chief Editor, how much is it?”
“Our drafts are ready to be published!”
“Yeah, we’ve already prepared them!”
The editor-in-chief screamed, “Discard all of the drafts from before! Immediately! Rewrite everything from scratch! Hurry up, write it at your fastest speed!”
“Ah?”
“But don’t we already have them prepared?”
“Didn’t we already write a draft each for a viewership ratings of 20% and 30%?”
The editors did not understand.
The editor-in-chief said angrily, “Both those figures for the ratings are incorrect!” He lowered his head and picked up a pen to scribble something on a piece of paper. “Take a look for yourselves!” Then he turned and walked away.
All the editors rushed forward to see. Then they were dumbfounded!
…
In the crosstalk world.
The news spread rapidly
The crosstalk actors who had feuded with Zhang Ye all gasped when they heard the figure. There were dumbfounded looks on all of their faces!
“What the heck!”
“Did they get it wrong?”
“This must be made up! It most definitely has to be made up!”
“These viewership numbers…only an idiot would believe it’s real!”
“This is impossible!”
“Right, it’s impossible!”
…
At a dinner party in the directing world.
There was silence.
And then, there was further silence.
“Old Li.”
“Hm?”
“After seeing these viewership numbers, what do you think?”
“I have no thoughts. That is purely his skill.”
“Just what kind of a person is this Zhang Ye? You’re the only person among us who has had any dealings with him.”
“What kind of a person?”
“Yes.”
“He’s probably an extraordinary talent!”
“Luckily for us, this guy doesn’t know how to direct films and TV series. Otherwise, every one of us other than Old Li and Old Han would probably not be able to make a living anymore.”
“These viewership ratings too goddamn scary!”
…
Shanghai.
At the home of a previous Spring Festival Gala’s executive director.
When he heard the news, he nearly fainted!
His wife asked, “Old Wan, what’s the matter? Are the viewership ratings for the Spring Festival Gala out?”
Old Wan’s face had turned green with anger. “This is too goddamn big of a difference!”
His wife said in a stunned manner, “What? Could the Spring Festival Gala have exceeded 30% in the ratings this year? That’s not that big of a difference. The Spring Festival Gala that you directed years ago also received 22% in the viewership ratings, so how much is it this time?”
Old Wan coughed. Right now, he was too embarrassed to tell his wife.
…
At Beijing Television.
Hu Fei came walking in. “Zhang Ye has absolutely defied the Heavens!”
Xiao Lu was startled. “Is it finally out?”
Dafei quickly asked, “How much is it? How much?”
Hou Ge and Hou Di also rushed over anxiously. “Did it exceed 30%?”
“30%?” Hu Fei chuckled before passing the viewership ratings form to them. “Have a look for yourselves. In the domestic entertainment industry, there’s no one who can hold back Little Zhang anymore!”
When the several of them saw it, they nearly jumped in shock!
They were really scared silly!
“This—”
“This—”
“Oh my fucking Heavens!”
…
At Zhang Ye’s maternal grandma’s house.
When Zhang Ye and Wu Zeqing had just arrived, their cell phones started ringing.
Wu Zeqing’s call was from the SARFT.
Zhang Ye’s call was from Ha Qiqi who was currently at Central TV.
In the call, Ha Qiqi’s voice trembled as she said, “Director Zhang! This is too amazing! You’re simply too godly! The viewership ratings are out! It’s simply unbelievable!”
Zhang Ye smiled. “Calm down, calm down.”
Ha Qiqi said excitedly, “But I can’t calm down! Do you know how much it is?”
Zhang Ye chuckled and said, “I’ve already guessed it. We’ve all worked hard for a long time and put so much effort into the Spring Festival Gala. We’ve been exhausted, and we’ve been scolded by so many people. If it’s still no good, we might as well not continue in this line of work.”
Ha Qiqi said in admiration, “So you’ve already guessed it?”
“But of course,” Zhang Ye said.
Ha Qiqi said, “You’re still the calmer one among us”
Zhang Ye said happily, “So what was the final figure that was calculated?”
Ha Qiqi told him.
Zhang Ye was taken aback. “How much?”
Ha Qiqi got a little suspicious and repeated it to him.
Zhang Ye looked very stunned. “What?”
Ha Qiqi said, “Huh? Didn’t you already guess it?”
“Ah? Ah, yes, yes, I already guessed it.” Zhang Ye said dumbfoundedly, “These viewership ratings are well within my expectations. It’s not too low, nor is it too high. I think it’s pretty good. Well alright then, Sister Ha. Since the viewership ratings have been published, it’s time that you and Brother Zuo hurry home to enjoy the new year. You’ve both worked hard.”
On the other end, Zhang Zuo took the phone. “Director Zhang, hahahahaha, what hard work? When Old Ha and I heard this viewership figure, the two of us got so pumped up! Even if we have to go through another two months of the Spring Festival Gala, we would be able to hold up for sure! But aren’t you amazing to be able to guess the viewership ratings?”
Zhang Ye laughed and said, “Well, of course. Otherwise, would I be the executive director?”
The call ended.
Wu Zeqing was looking at Zhang Ye and smiling.
His several uncles and aunties were all staring at him.
His parents and younger sisters were almost going crazy from the anxiety.
“Little Ye, how much is it?”
“Brother, tell us quickly!”
“Aiya, I’m so nervous!”
“Brother, you guessed it early on?”
Zhang Ye gave an indifferent smile. “But of course, everything is within my control. The viewership ratings were something that I could guess too—” He finally broke down and cried out, “Your sister! As if I could guess something like that! I thought that Old Ha was just going to tell me that it reached 30%! That was the figure that I guessed!”
Wu Zeqing laughed at her husband.
…
On Weibo.
In the forums.
In the media.
Within the industry.
At the SARFT.
In the entertainment circle.
At the entertainment companies.
Among the overseas Chinese.
When the viewership for the Spring Festival Gala was announced, it blew up at home and abroad. Anywhere that could blow up at this moment blew up!
When they saw these viewership ratings, each and every person was shocked and dumbfounded!
Disregarding everyone else, even Zhang Ye himself was dumbfounded!
It wasn’t that everyone was making a fuss out of it, and it wasn’t that they were inexperienced in life either. Some people had predicted that this year’s Spring Festival Gala’s viewership ratings would come out of left field, but no one could have expected that it would be so far out. This was a viewership that could tear a hole in the sky!
56.8%!
The country was stunned!
The world was shocked!