Chapter 62

After the meal.

Dad and the three uncles went to the balcony to smoke.

Zhang Ye didn't feel comfortable smoking in front of the family, so he stayed behind, joking around with the women in the room, chatting casually.

Second younger sister Cao Tong was looking at her phone alone when she suddenly kicked Zhang Ye's shoe, "Hey, bro, there's going to be a Golden Microphone Award selection!"

Zhang Ye responded, "I know."

Third younger sister quickly called out, "I heard about it too, I heard about it too. My idol, Zhang Yuanqi, is one of the judges this time. My classmate said it's the first time such a big-name superstar has been invited to be a judge for the Golden Microphone. Some people even questioned whether my big idol understands broadcasting and hosting. Ha, how ridiculous. Don't they know that Aunt Yuanqi used to be a TV host? And the shows she hosted were so popular back then. She just shifted to music and movies later, so she didn't develop further in hosting. If she doesn't have the qualifications to be a judge, who does? Hehe, with Aunt Yuanqi there, many people will definitely watch this year's award ceremony."

Zhang Ye was surprised, "You know a lot."

"Of course," Cao Mengmeng laughed. "I'm the biggest fan of Zhang Yuanqi."

Eldest younger sister Cao Dan looked at Zhang Ye, "You're about to be nominated, right? Did you get in?"

Zhang Ye laughed, "Golden Microphone? What does that have to do with me? I've only been in the job for a month. The basic requirement for being nominated for the Golden Microphone is at least three years of broadcasting experience. I'm far from the threshold." He wanted to win an award, of course, and he had planned it well. He wanted to build up his credentials and then leave the radio station to develop on a higher stage. But even if Zhang Ye had high standards, he couldn't consider the Golden Microphone. It was the highest honor in broadcasting and hosting in the country, and he couldn't even get close to it.

Cao Dan blinked, "I didn't say you should be nominated for the Golden Microphone. I meant the Silver Microphone."

Zhang Ye finally paid attention, "Silver Microphone? What's that?" If he remembered correctly, in his world, there was only the Golden Microphone, not a Silver Microphone award.

"The Silver Microphone is for newcomers," Cao Dan explained, perhaps with a dream of entering the entertainment industry. She knew more and took out her phone to look it up, handing it to him, "Look, it's a special award for newcomers in the broadcasting and hosting industry with less than three years of experience. There are ten slots for the National TV Host Newcomer Award and ten slots for the National Radio Broadcaster Newcomer Award. You can check it out yourself."

"Bro, you're so clueless," Cao Mengmeng mocked.

Cao Tong was also speechless, "You're a host, and you don't even know this?"

Grandma defended her grandson, "Don't make fun of your brother. Xiaoye has only been in the industry for a month."

Zhang Ye was sweating. Of course, he didn't know, because there was no such thing in his world. How could there be a separate award for newcomers, and even ten slots? He quickly flipped through the information and realized that there was indeed a Silver Microphone specifically for newcomers, and it was a significant award, not limited to the Beijing area. It was a national award with very high prestige!

Ha!

This is exactly what he needed!

He had to win this award. This was what he was waiting for. Once he had the credentials, Zhang Ye could soar to greater heights... Wait, no, soar like a bird... No, soar like a fish in the sea, and a bird in the sky... Forget it! What a terrible sentence!

After mocking Zhang Ye, Cao Mengmeng started talking about her biggest idol again. Strictly speaking, Zhang Ye wasn't from this world, so he didn't know many changes, but everyone else in the family knew that Cao Mengmeng was a die-hard fan, and her favorite was Zhang Yuanqi. "I have to support Aunt Yuanqi's new movie. She's so beautiful, so gentle, so elegant. I want to become a beauty like Aunt Yuanqi in the future."

Third Auntie laughed, "My daughter will definitely be like that."

Thinking of something, Cao Mengmeng glanced at Zhang Ye, "Bro, you have to work hard. You're a tiny, tiny star right now, so you need to quickly build up your fame. When you're almost as famous as Zhang Yuanqi, you should get her autograph for me. That's my biggest wish. Oh, if I had my idol's autograph, my classmates would be so envious!"

Zhang Ye rolled his eyes, "Who's a tiny, tiny star?"

"Hehe, you're pretty much that," Cao Mengmeng said, flicking her pigtails. "If you can get Zhang Yuanqi's autograph for me, I'll admit you're a big star, and I'll worship you."

Zhang Ye teased, "What if I get it? How will you worship me?"

Cao Mengmeng rolled her eyes, "Come on, you can't even meet Zhang Yuanqi, how can you get her autograph?"

"Who said I can't meet her?" Zhang Ye boasted.

Cao Mengmeng stuck out her tongue, "You're just bragging. No one believes you."

Cao Dan said, "Where would our brother get an autograph? Who is Zhang Yuanqi? She has so many assistants and bodyguards. Even if you met her face-to-face, you probably wouldn't see her, as she'd be surrounded by them."

Cao Mengmeng pleaded, "Bro, I'm counting on you."

"Stop giving your brother trouble," Third Auntie said to her daughter. "Xiaoye is just starting out. How can you ask him to get Zhang Yuanqi's autograph? Where would he get it from?"

Third Uncle, who had come back from smoking, also said, "Xiaoye, don't listen to her."

Zhang Ye chuckled and asked the third younger sister, "Do you really want it?"

"Of course, I want it. I dream about it," Cao Mengmeng, a fervent Zhang Yuanqi fan, said. "I'd even give up a year of my life for it!"

"Stop exaggerating," Grandma lightly tapped her head.

Cao Mengmeng, covering her head, complained, "It's true, I'm a lifelong fan of Aunt Yuanqi!"

Mom and the aunts were also amused by Cao Mengmeng's cuteness.

Zhang Ye said mysteriously, "Alright, wait a moment. I'll be right back." He went to the bathroom, rummaged through his bag, and took out a piece of paper. Did he have Zhang Yuanqi's autograph? Yes, he did. It was a note she left when she left his house, which said, "I've saved your phone number and remembered your address. I've forgotten what happened yesterday, and I assume you have too," with a threatening tone.

The final signature:

—Zhang Yuanqi.

Zhang Ye coughed and tore off the words at the beginning, leaving only the wavy line and the signature, then walked out with it in his hand.

In the outer room.

Cao Mengmeng was still enthusiastically expressing her love for Zhang Yuanqi, "At the concert, I was only a hundred meters away from her, a hundred meters away. I regret not having the courage to rush up then. I might have had a chance to get her autograph! I regret it! I hate it!"

"Is it that serious?" Cao Dan said helplessly.

Cao Tong patted her little sister's head, "Ha, there will be other opportunities."

Actually, Cao Dan and Cao Tong were also big fans of Zhang Yuanqi, just not as fervent as the third younger sister.

Zhang Ye came over, nudged Cao Mengmeng with his elbow, and then opened his palm, "Take it."

"What's this?" Cao Mengmeng was confused. "Did you use it in the bathroom? Oh, bro, you're so dirty!"

Zhang Ye almost fainted, "What bathroom paper? Open it and see. You don't appreciate it."

"Let me see, what's so mysterious?" Second younger sister Cao Tong grabbed it and opened the note, immediately exclaiming, "Ah! No way!"

Cao Mengmeng, curious, immediately jumped up, "Let me see! Let me see!"

Cao Tong, stunned, handed the note to Cao Mengmeng, "You need to be prepared!"

Cao Mengmeng took it casually, but when she saw the handwriting, she was shocked and shouted, "Oh my God! Oh my God! Zhang Yuanqi's autograph! The autograph!"

Everyone in the family was stunned.

"Is it real?"

"Zhang Yuanqi's autograph?"

"How did Xiaoye get it?"

Although the adults didn't chase stars, how could they not know Zhang Yuanqi?

"Did our brother write it himself in the bathroom?" Cao Tong, after being shocked, became cautious and immediately opened her phone to search for photos of Zhang Yuanqi's autograph to compare the handwriting!

Cao Mengmeng and the others also gathered to look!

The result was identical!

It was Zhang Yuanqi's real autograph!

Cao Mengmeng was almost crazy, holding the autograph in both hands and running around the room, shouting, "I have it! I have it!"

Zhang Ye: "...Be quiet."

"My classmates will be so jealous! I'll frame it! I'll put it on the wall! I'll keep it by my bed forever!" Cao Mengmeng was ecstatic for a long time before she remembered Zhang Ye, jumping on him, "Bro! I love you so much! I love you so much!"

Zhang Ye patted her, annoyed, "Get off, you're heavy."

Cao Mengmeng wouldn't let go, "How did you get this? How did you get it?"

"I have my ways, but it's a secret, I can't tell you," Zhang Ye said firmly. "Just take it."

Cao Tong's eyes widened, "Bro, I want one too!"

Cao Dan also looked at Zhang Ye, "I want one too."

Zhang Ye was sweating, "I only have one. We'll see in the future."

"Bro, you're so biased, giving it to Mengmeng but not to us," Cao Tong pouted, reaching out, "I don't care, I want one too, you figure it out!"

"In the future, in the future," Zhang Ye said dismissively.

The autograph was passed around, but Cao Mengmeng was reluctant to let it go, watching closely every time it was passed, afraid they would damage it.

With this autograph, Zhang Ye once again made the family look at him differently. Even getting Zhang Yuanqi's autograph so easily? They finally realized that the current Zhang Ye was no longer the clumsy boy who couldn't do anything right before!