I’m Really a Superstar

The next day.

Dawn had just broke.

A loud propeller could be heard in the sky above the research institute, along with the constant buzzing of engines arriving. It was so noisy that many of the researchers who were still deep asleep got woken up.

“What’s with all that noise?”

“What is happening?”

“What time is it?”

“What is Professor Zhang up to this time?”

“It doesn’t feel like it’s Professor Zhang today!”

“Listen to that? Isn’t that the sound of a helicopter?”

“Ah? Wake up, quick!”

“I’ve not had a good night’s sleep yet this new year.”

No one knew what was going on. Everyone came out of their rooms grumbling about the commotion.

At this moment, they heard Zhang Ye being woken up as well. His window opened and they saw Zhang Ye shouting out of it with drooping eyes, “Who is that! Are you driving an excavator or something? It’s so early in the morning and you’re not letting people sleep! Can you be any more inconsiderate than this! People these days, why are they so rude and classless!”

After shouting all that, he closed the window with a loud bang and probably went back to bed.

The researchers were floored at his words!

Just how much more shameless can you get?

You’re the most unqualified person here to say those words!

You’re saying that they’re inconsiderate? Aren’t you the one who’s always opening your windows every morning and singing “Tears Behind Prison Bars”? Weren’t you the one who made so much noise early yesterday morning and then woke everyone up again late at night? It’s not like the commotion that you’ve been causing every day is any less than what is going here! And you dare to criticize other people?

Fellow Chi and the others also came out at this time.

Fellow Zhou asked, “Old Chi, what’s going on?”

Fellow Chi also wondered and said, “I don’t know.”

Two helicopters came.

And seven or eight vehicles.

Updates were being reported back bit by bit as well. When everyone heard who had come, they were all confused by what was going on.

The military?

The Chinese Academy of Sciences?

The Chinese Aeronautical Establishment ¹ ?

The Chinese Aero Engine Control System Institute ² ?

These four groups of people had arrived at the research institute out of the blue?

Chi Xue said nervously, “Dad, could something have happened?”

Fellow Chi looked very serious. “Something must have definitely happened!”

“And it must be something major too!” Fellow Zhou added.

Then they saw several groups of people striding towards them from afar. When they saw the person leading the groups, everyone from the research institute froze.

President Fu?

The president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences?

Why had President Fu come down here personally?

Fellow Chi and the others hurriedly went up to welcome him. “Old Fu, what’s the situation?”

Privately, the relationship among them was very good, with both Fellow Chi and Fellow Zhou being long-time veterans of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. So there wasn’t really a distinction based on their ranks, and they would often address the academy’s president as Old Fu.

President Fu walked over with a great big smile and pointed at them. “Good on you, Old Chi! And you too, Old Zhou! You guys have kept the secret well!”

Fellow Zhou stared blankly. “What did we keep a secret?”

President Fu belly laughed. “Go on, keep pretending!”

Fellow Chi and Fellow Zhou looked at each other, completely confused at what was going on.

All of the others at the research institute also did not know what it meant.

From the other side, a military leader said loudly, “If this project has been completed, you will all have rendered a great merit. A great merit for us! And a great merit to benefit the future generations!”

Fellow Chi said, “Old Li, what do you mean by us rendering a great merit to benefit the future generations?”

General Li said excitedly, “Aiyo, Fellow Chi, don’t pretend anymore!”

President Fu also laughed and said, “Old Chi, you’ve really done our Chinese Academy of Sciences proud this time. In these recent years, we had thought that no one would dare get involved with this project, but who would’ve thought that you all had yet to give up on it and even managed to come up with such great results. Bravo! Well done! We researchers need to have a strong mind like you all to not give up so easily. You guys have really taught me a lesson this time. You’ve taught all of the scientific research institutions in China a very valuable lesson this time!”

Fuck, why is this talk getting so serious?

What project are you talking about?

Who did we give a lesson to?

Chi Xue froze up. She tugged at her father aside. “Dad, could it be that project?”

Fellow Chi was startled. “Surely not, right?”

Fellow Zhou was also dumbfounded. He just remembered the incident which happened last night. “Old Chi, Old Li, is this about the information we sent out last night?”

President Fu smiled and said, “You were the ones who sent it over. Why are you asking me about it?”

Huh?

So it’s really that?

Fellow Chi said, “That project isn’t feasible, right?”

President Fu rolled his eyes. “Why is it not feasible? Aiyo, we’re already at this juncture, so why are you all still trying to keep a low profile? What’s there to be humble about? Don’t you know how large of a stride you’ve made? This is virtually unprecedented! It’s a step no one has managed to take in several decades to close to a century! We’ve already seen the material that you sent over. At two in the morning, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Aeronautical Establishment, the Chinese Aero Engine Control System Institute, and many other departments all called for emergency meetings in the dead of night. Hundreds of doctors, professors, scholars, and researchers studied them all night and finally managed to verify the material and proposal that you sent over as feasible! This will be a brand-new page in the history of Chinese aircraft engines! You’ve all scored a great merit! I’m proud of every one of you! So that’s why I brought the team here today. I wanted to see for myself what our heroic researchers looked like!”

Surely not, right?

That had actually worked out?

Everyone at the research institute was dumbfounded by what they heard!

Chi Xue was stunned while Fellow Chi had a shocked look on his face.

President Fu looked at them with a smile. “Old Chi, was it you who came up with the proposal?”

Fellow Chi waved it off. “I’m not that capable.”

President Fu laughed and pointed to Fellow Zhou. “Then it must be you, Old Zhou!”

Fellow Zhou gave a wry smile. “Me? It wasn’t me.”

“Hmm?” President Fu was taken aback. Then he looked at someone else. “Dr. Chen, is it you then?”

Doctor Chen wiped off his sweat. “It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me.”

President Fu said in anticipation, “Then which heroic researcher was it? Old Chi, Old Zhou, quickly get that person to step forward so that we can see who it is!”

The people from the Chinese Aeronautical Establishment were looking around.

The people from the military were also looking around.

Only those from the research institute were looking at one another.

Finally, Chi Xue raised her head and shouted upwards at the building beside them. “Professor Zhang, the leaders are looking for you. Get your ass down here!”

A shout responded from the window, “I’m sleeping!”

Everyone looked up.

President Fu was a little stunned as well.

Fellow Zhou hurriedly said, “What are you still sleeping for! Get down here!”

The male voice said impatiently, “Who’s looking for me?”

Fellow Zhou shouted, “Get up already! We’re all waiting for you!”

“Alright, alright.”

After shouting all that, Fellow Zhou quickly explained, “Professor Zhang has been very busy lately. He’s been—he’s been working on this research deep into the night. That’s why he still isn’t up yet. He usually wakes up very early.”

President Fu laughed and said, “It’s all for the project, so that’s very understandable!”

General Li asked, “Which Professor Zhang is it? Professor Zhang Yi?”

Fellow Zhou said anxiously, “No.”

President Fu guessed again. “Professor Zhang Hanlei?”

Fellow Zhou still did not know how to put it. “It’s not him either.”

Fellow Chi sighed. “You all will know when he gets here.”

President Fu was pleasantly surprised. “You mean we all know him?”

Fellow Chi nodded. “Yes, all of you should know him.”

Everyone turned to look at the stairway exit of the building.

Under the anticipating and excited gazes of countless people, the figure of a young man appeared.

Then, everyone was dumbfounded!

“What?”

“Eh?”

“Zh-Zhang Ye?”