I’m Really a Superstar

On the beach.

Zhang Ye was claiming every little girl that he saw as his daughter.

His parents quickly pulled him back into the villa. “Zeqing brought the child out to play in the water. I think they went to take a ride on a speedboat. But since your dad and I get seasick easily, we didn’t go with them. I assume they’ll be back soon. Rascal, don’t you go out to the beach and create any more trouble. Other people might just mistake you as a child trafficker if you keep doing that.”

His father said, “After three years in prison, your mom and I thought that you would have changed for the better and learned how to calm down. But just look, you’re still the same as before.”

Zhang Ye exclaimed, “Aren’t I just anxious and looking forward to seeing my wife and daughter?”

His father said, “What’s the use of being anxious?”

Zhang Ye urged, “Give Zeqing a call, quick.”

His father said, “But she didn’t bring her cell phone with her.”

So Zhang Ye paced around in the living room, looking outside occasionally. “What do you two think I should say when I see Old Wu and my child later?”

His mother said in amusement, “You’re asking us that?”

Zhang Ye was very perplexed.

There was so much to say, but when the time came for a reunion, he ended up feeling extremely nervous. In these past three or so years, Zhang Ye had been looking forward to this day when he was finally able to come home. He had imagined this scene on countless occasions, thinking about what his first words would be when he saw Old Wu again.

—I’m back?

—Thank you?

—How have you been?

Just what should he say?

And how should he say it?

Suddenly, Zhang Ye looked at the corner of the living room.

“Eh, there’s even a piano in the villa?”

“It was probably placed there by the hotel. There’s one in every villa.”

“Hai, I haven’t touched the piano in so long.”

…

Half an hour later.

On the beach.

A beautiful woman was holding the hand of a little girl around the age of three and slowly walking over.

Other parents had also brought their children out onto the beach as well. When they saw this little girl, all of them immediately took a liking to her.

“Yo, this child is so beautiful.”

“Yes, she’s just like a porcelain doll.”

“Big Sis, is this your child?”

“Do be careful around here. The beach is a little dangerous at the moment.”

“Yes, that’s right. A man nearly carried away my daughter just now, and all of that happened in broad daylight too.”

“Aiyo, I met that crazy person as well. When he saw my child, he kept calling her his daughter. That gave me such a scare. In the end, her father heard it in the distance and even took it up with me by questioning me about who the child really belonged to. He even insisted on getting a paternity test done. Just tell me, how was I supposed to argue against that with logic? I don’t even know what happened.”

“Hahahaha.”

Wu Zeqing had a pair of sunglasses on. She smiled and said, “Alright, we will be more careful as well.”

The little girl had taken this opportunity to loosen herself from Wu Zeqing’s grip. She squatted down alone on the beach and used her little hand to clumsily write something in the sand. It looked like she was trying to write her own name. From the looks of it, she must have just started learning how to write since she wasn’t good at it yet. A simple “Zhang” character was written very crookedly, and it looked ugly.

Wu Zeqing patted her head and said, “Let’s go, Nana and Pops are waiting for us.”

The little girl did not listen and insisted on continuing to write.

Wu Zeqing smiled and said, “Let your daddy teach you how to write it next time.”

Only then did the little girl look up. “My daddy knows how to write?”

Wu Zeqing smiled. “Does he know how to write? Of course he does. Your daddy is the best in the nation when it comes to calligraphy. His semi-cursive is the best in the world too. Mommy can’t compare to him at all. When he gets back, I’ll have him teach you properly. He will surely teach you better than Mommy has taught you.”

The little girl said, “Oh, when will Daddy get home?”

Wu Zeqing held her hand and said, “Soon.”

The little girl asked again, “Is Daddy really very, very awesome?”

Wu Zeqing gave a wide smile and said, “Yes, your daddy is really amazing. He’s the most impressive host in China, and the best calligrapher, mathematician, and Go master in the world.”

The little girl said in a childish voice, “The pre-school teachers also talk about my daddy a lot.”

Wu Zeqing led the child back in the direction of the villa. “Your daddy’s legend is everywhere. Be it in the hosting field, in the music industry, in the calligraphy world, in the field of mathematics, or in the Go world, your daddy is someone they will never be able to escape talking about no matter how long has passed. If you want to listen to the things that your daddy has done in the past, Mommy will slowly tell you about them. I could tell stories about him for over a year and not tell them all.”

Up ahead, they had almost reached the villa.

All of a sudden, the keys of a piano rang out.

Several of the men and women who were out on the beach to sunbathe turned to look in the direction of the music.

“Eh, who’s that playing ‘Legend’ ¹ ?”

“There are still people listening to such an old song?”

“It’s a classic nonetheless.”

“It’s a classic alright. That’s a song of its time.”

“Yeah, a song of its time.”

The singing drifted out.

“Because I took a second glance at you in the crowd.

“I could never forget your face.

“Dreaming that one day we’ll bump into each other again.

“Since then, I’ve been yearning for you.”

Wu Zeqing wore an expression of reminiscence.

The little girl exclaimed, “It’s Daddy’s song! It’s Daddy’s song!”

Wu Zeqing smiled and said, “Yes, it was the song that Daddy sang for Mommy at our wedding. He has only sung this song one time in his life, but the impression I had of it was so deep. It was even the first time that I saw your daddy crying, and Mommy cried that day too.” Then, she led her daughter into the villa’s yard. “Nana and Pops must be thinking of your daddy too. That’s why they’re playing his song.”

She pushed open the door.

Zhang Ye’s parents were standing there.

Wu Zeqing said, “Dad, Mom, are you the ones playing the song?”

Zhang Ye’s mom smiled.

As she finished speaking, Wu Zeqing froze. This was because she had suddenly discovered after she came in that the piano sound did not come from the TV or the computer. The television wasn’t even on, and the computer was not booted up either. The piano was seemingly right beside her. It was very close, very, very close!

Wu Zeqing was taken aback. Her eyes fell at once to the corner of the living room!

The little girl was also stunned. She stood there stupefied, watching that man sitting there and playing the piano.

“When I think of you, you appear on the horizon.

“When I think of you, you appear before my eyes.

“When I think of you, you appear in my mind.

“When I think of you, you appear in my heart.”

Zhang Ye played and sang at the same time. His eyes had already reddened!

“I like to think we promised each other in a past life.

“And that the story of our love won’t change in this life.

“I’d rather spend my whole life waiting for you to find out.

“That I’ve always been at your side and never far away.”

Wu Zeqing smiled and then she cried.

Because of his excitement, Zhang Ye’s hands that were playing the piano were trembling.

“I like to think we promised each other in a past life.

“And that the story of our love won’t change in this life.

“I’d rather spend my whole life waiting for you to find out.

“That I’ve always been at your side and never far away.”

He had only sung this song once in his life, and that was during his wedding to Wu Zeqing where he played and sang for her. This song contained so many of Zhang Ye and Wu Zeqing’s stories and carried so many of their feelings for each other. Today was the second time that Zhang Ye was singing this song. All he wanted to say was spoken through this song.

In prison.

At the research institute.

At the military airbase.

No matter where Zhang Ye had been, his heart had never left her; it had never been far away.