"Brother Jiu, Brother Jiu, I'm here!"
"Wow, this is Orange's place? So clean!"
"I heard they'll be filming the making of Brother Jiu's new album. Not sure if it's true, but the last one, Chu Kingdom's Red Rain, did have some plagiarism issues with the songwriting. It really broke my heart for a while."
"Just a passerby, but the backlit stage performance caught my attention. Here to check it out."
"Came to check in for Brother Jiu!"
Many of the "Little Fruits" (fans) came to show support. Chu Zhi's current popularity on Weibo had surpassed that of Wu Tang, the long-reigning "hot topic champion." While Weibo isn't the sole measure of fame, it's definitely a key indicator. Within minutes of the livestream starting, the viewer count exceeded 50,000.
Don't be fooled by other livestream platforms that boast hundreds of thousands or even millions in "popularity." Popularity ≠ actual viewer count—those numbers are heavily inflated by platform algorithms.
As the livestream began, the two hosts greeted the audience, one male and one female:
"I'm Pang Pu, here to guide our Little Mangos (viewers) in exploring the lives of celebrities!"
"And I'm Wei Tongzi, here to help our Little Mangos experience the daily life of a star!"
Together, they recited the show's tagline:
"Jade in the box awaits its worthy price; hairpin in the case longs for its time to shine. Welcome to Dream of the Red Chamber, where we explore the dreams of celebrities!"
After the standard introduction, the camera shifted to showcase the star's residence.
"Teacher Chu's place is quite spacious! A home like this is my dream," Wei Tongzi said, deliberately circling the living room to highlight the awards displayed on the shelves.
Meanwhile, Pang Pu's camera focused on the entryway, where rows of wine bottles were neatly lined up. During the camera setup the day before, the production team had noticed them and asked if they should be cleared away. After a long silence, the homeowner had simply replied, "There's nothing I need to hide from the world."
"Huh? There are so many wine bottles here—did Teacher Chu host a party recently?" Pang Pu asked. "We'll have to ask him later which celebrities attended."
After briefly touring the living room and kitchen—which looked so pristine it seemed almost corporate, especially the spotless range hood—the two hosts headed to the study. Following the director's cues, the cameraman trailed behind. The door was slightly ajar, and Pang Pu knocked twice.
Chu Zhi stood up to greet them. "Brother Pang, Tongzi."
"No need to get up, Teacher Chu. Just carry on as usual," Pang Pu said.
With a smile, Chu Zhi replied, "Then I'll go back to reading." He had been studying history books that morning.
"Most of these books are about history. Does Teacher Chu enjoy reading historical works?" Wei Tongzi asked. "I always thought it took a certain maturity to really appreciate history."
The moment he heard the knock, Chu Zhi had already activated his Super Transformation Mode—evolving from Chu Zhi Mode to Oscar-Winning Actor Mode.
"It's not so much research as it is fascination," Chu Zhi explained. "Chinese culture—whether it's craftsmanship, folklore, or the lives of scholars—is deeply captivating. And it's fun! For example, when ancient people argued, you wouldn't even understand their insults without some background knowledge. They'd often say 'neither three nor four' (bu san bu si), a phrase that appears in The Scholars and Water Margin. But why is 'neither three nor four' an insult?"
"In the Book of Changes, each hexagram has six lines. The third and fourth lines, positioned in the middle, symbolize the proper path between heaven and earth. So 'neither three nor four' basically means 'a good-for-nothing loafer.'" Chu Zhi simplified. "Understanding history doesn't have to be serious—it can be entertaining."
"I had no idea about 'neither three nor four'!" Wei Tongzi played along perfectly.
The Little Fruits in the livestream also chimed in enthusiastically:
"Brother Jiu really loves learning!"
"I never liked history because teachers just made us memorize exam points. But hearing Brother Jiu explain it makes me interested again!"
"Protect the best Orange at all costs!"
"No wonder he wrote 'The Wind Blows the Wheat Waves'—he's always improving!"
With enough fangirl/fanboy filter, fans could turn a blind eye to anything and find a way to praise it. Right now, the chat was full of compliments about Chu Zhi's love for learning. But it had to be said—idols wielded immense influence. No matter how much teachers and parents nagged, sometimes an idol's words carried more weight. Especially when Chu Zhi added, "I hope viewers can find time to read more too." More Little Fruits immediately pledged to pay more attention in history class.
While the bookworm act might interest fans, casual viewers would find it boring. So Pang Pu quickly steered the conversation toward drama.
He asked, "There are a lot of wine bottles by the entryway. Did Teacher Chu host a party recently?"
People loved peeking into celebrities' social circles—everyone wanted to know which famous friends a star hung out with.
"Those wine bottles… I usually clean them up every two weeks," Chu Zhi said. "There was no party. I drank them all myself."
"Eh?!" Pang Pu swallowed his follow-up question (Which celebrities attended?). Was this guy really admitting this on camera?
Celebrities were supposed to set a good example. Even if everyone knew they drank privately, they usually avoided saying so outright in front of cameras.
As a professional host, Pang Pu wanted engagement, but he wasn't malicious. He quickly backpedaled: "Was there something to celebrate? Share the happy news with our Little Mangos!"
"Mainly… I can't sleep without drinking," Chu Zhi admitted, then immediately added, "Minors shouldn't drink. And adult viewers, remember—alcohol harms your health. Drink less."
"Wait… isn't that alcoholism?" Pang Pu's internal reaction.
As a fan, Wei Tongzi's first thought was that Chu Zhi had been depressed due to recent online attacks and used alcohol as a sleep aid. She wanted to ask more, but the director's voice buzzed in her earpiece: "Ask about his schedule."
Chu Zhi's daily routine unfolded on screen:
—7:30 AM: Wake up, wash up, order takeout for breakfast.
—After breakfast: Read.
—Lunch: Something simple.
—Afternoon & evening: Work on the new album.
—Dinner: Takeout again.
"Can you give us any exclusive details about the new album?" Wei Tongzi asked.
"The style will likely be pop and rock. The theme is 'A Limited World, Infinite Joy.'"
The original Chu Zhi hadn't known much about music theory, let alone album planning. After researching, Chu Zhi learned that a good album wasn't just a random collection of hit songs—those were called greatest hits compilations, usually released after years in the industry.
A true album needed a unifying theme, with cover art, music videos, and tracks all serving that concept.
Take Ye Huimei, Jay Chou's iconic album, as an example. Named after his mother, it expressed nostalgia and familial love, with tracks like "In the Name of the Father" complementing the theme. Songs like "Class 3-2,""Rice Field," "Sunny Day," and "East Wind Breaks" blended retro and modern elements. Chou himself described Ye Huimei as "a tribute to the past and a look toward the future."
(And no, this wasn't a stretch—the album cover featured Chou in a modern suit, juxtaposed with a painted portrait of him in vintage cowboy attire.)
Now, Chu Zhi had to tie together two seemingly unrelated concepts. He explained:
"A Limited World refers to my own world—my experiences, knowledge, and understanding are all finite. Infinite Joy is my aspiration."
"In my limited world, 'The Wind Blows the Wheat Waves' is a beautiful scene, and 'Light' is hope. Simply put, with my limited abilities, I hope to bring infinite joy to my fans."