On the stage, three sofa chairs were arranged, along with a long table.
On the table were microphones, bottled water, and a fruit platter.
It appeared to be an ordinary table, but it was actually a hidden protective device. A force field had been generated in front of the table, invisible to the eye, capable of blocking attacks from rocket launchers to laser weapons. Although the audience present today had undergone rigorous security checks, safety precautions always required multiple layers of defense.
The moment Jiang Ye stepped up to the table, the on-site cameras zoomed in on him for a close-up.
Giant holographic projection screens lit up around the stadium, displaying Jiang Ye's image.
The entire venue erupted in cheers, followed by thunderous applause that pressed in from all directions.
Shining light boards were raised from the audience seats:
"Long live Jiang Ye!"
"Jiang Ye, I love you!"
"Hello Jiang Ye!"
Jiang Ye was taken aback, not expecting his appearance to elicit such a strong reaction from the crowd, akin to a hugely popular idol making their stage debut at a concert.
He smiled and waved to the entire audience. The screams and applause intensified, accompanied by the rhythmic flashing of mobile phone lights.
Jiang Ye sat down in a chair and blew into the microphone on the table. A gust of wind sound immediately echoed from the stadium's surrounding speakers.
"Good evening, everyone!" Jiang Ye began.
He intended to say more, but before he could even open his mouth, the entire venue exploded. The audience erupted in excited but unintelligible shouts, followed by synchronized applause, a thunderous rhythm.
"No, please, don't get too excited. The show hasn't started yet. I just came up to check the venue and test the microphone," Jiang Ye said with a smile. "You all arrived so early. Have you had dinner yet?"
Another deafening but chaotic roar came from the audience, with the words "We have" faintly audible.
"It's good you've eaten. Today's program might last a long time. If you came without eating, you might get very hungry later," Jiang Ye said with a smile, his tone quite friendly. "If you're hungry, you can leave early. I see many restaurants on the street outside, they're open until one or two in the morning. I used to eat on this street, there's a place that makes excellent crab roe buns."
The venue erupted in another wave of fervent applause and shouts.
Some audience members were already tearing up.
Perhaps they felt Jiang Ye was very approachable, willing to chat with them in such a manner.
Jiang Ye turned off the microphone and sat quietly in his chair, sipping his tea and gazing at the audience.
Occasionally, a few light boards would sway wildly, and Jiang Ye would smile and wave in their direction.
After a few minutes, the audience suddenly started a wave. It seemed the audience wanted to interact with Jiang Ye on stage, so they resorted to this method.
Jiang Ye smiled happily, stood up to watch the wave move, and only sat down again after the wave had swept through the entire venue three times.
Following this, the entire venue finally fell silent, but every audience member remained extremely excited. A constant murmur of chatter could be heard throughout the stadium.
It was time for the program, and Cen Yemeng and Isabelle took the stage.
The lights in the entire venue brightened, and the large holographic projection screens displayed images of Cen Yemeng and Isabelle smiling as they took the stage. Both were elegant and confident, waving to the audience.
The long-silent audience seats exploded. Screams and applause thundered like rolling thunder. Thousands of shining light boards appeared as if ignited, swaying wildly in all directions:
"Love Cen Yemeng!"
"Long live Isabelle!"
"Love from Qiaoshui County!"
"Love from the people of Changsi City!"
The frenzied and excited atmosphere lasted for quite some time before calming down.
Cen Yemeng and Isabelle took their seats and turned on their microphones.
"Thank you to all the audience members here today, and to all the viewers on television and online. The 'Interstellar Leaders' Phone Link' program officially begins. I am Cen Yemeng," Cen Yemeng said, sitting in the center and acting as the host.
"I am Isabelle," Isabelle introduced herself.
"I am Jiang Ye," Jiang Ye said. "I am not the leader of the Exile Star, but I am participating in this program as Cen Yemeng's husband, Isabelle's friend, and as a friendly head of state from an alien planet. Simply put, I'm here to make up the numbers."
The three wasted no time and put on their headphones.
"You can now dial the program's temporary number, ten sixes, and we will randomly connect," Cen Yemeng said.
There was a screen on the table.
Almost instantly, eighty thousand calls flooded in.
In the next few seconds, the number of incoming calls surged to 1.66 million.
Jiang Ye was astonished. This was too intense.
Cen Yemeng then tapped the screen and selected a call.
"Hello, you've reached the 'Interstellar Leaders' Phone Link' program. Do you have a question for us?" Cen Yemeng asked.
"I actually got through! I'm so excited! I... I want to ask Mr. Jiang Ye a question," a trembling young voice said.
Jiang Ye, who was eating cherry tomatoes nearby, paused at the sound. He opened his microphone. "Hello, I am Jiang Ye. Do you have a question for me?"
"Hello, Commander Jiang. I... I want to become a leader of a planet. How can I achieve that?"
The entire venue erupted in laughter, with many audience members laughing uncontrollably.
Cen Yemeng and Isabelle struggled to suppress their smiles, while Jiang Ye was openly amused.
"Your voice sounds very young. You're still in school, aren't you?" Jiang Ye asked.
"Yes, I just started high school. My grades are very good; I'm first in my grade."
"Oh?" Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow in surprise. "That's very impressive. You're a scholar."
"As a student, you should study hard and learn everything that is useful. What is useful, you must judge for yourself," Jiang Ye said with a serious tone. "Then, you should continue your education, obtain higher degrees, and learn more profound knowledge."
"I understand all that. I am studying very hard," the scholar's voice trembled slightly. "I plan to attend the best university on the Exile Star, and then pursue a master's degree at the best university on Jiang Ye Star. But after I get my degree, what should I do to become a planet leader?"
"Of course, you should work," Jiang Ye said. "Do work that you are good at, do necessary work, and learn more in your work, especially things not found in books. Maintain your physical fitness and temper your mind."
"Specifically, what industry should I pursue?" the scholar asked.
"Any industry will do. I know hundreds, even thousands, of planet leaders. They all became outstanding in their respective fields and then gradually became planet leaders," Jiang Ye said. "You need to start from the grassroots, then gradually expand the scope of your work. This is a very long process, and it will be very painful and lonely. When you have enough experience and achievements, and can convince everyone, you can become a planet leader."
"For example, myself, I started as a student, then became a miner, and later I briefly engaged in business, and then I established a small town. The town became a city, the city became a large city, and finally, it was a planet, two planets, five planets," Jiang Ye said, turning his head. "And then there are the two people next to me."
"Cen Yemeng has many degrees. She comes from a prestigious family and was exposed to the experiences of high society from a young age, also hearing about interstellar warfare. What she understood in her teens was something most ordinary people would never encounter in their lifetime. Later, she became the owner of a restaurant and a bookstore, earning money and learning," Jiang Ye said. "She worked on Jiang Ye Star for a long time, and then on Birong Star for a long time, gaining ample experience and achievements in economic construction, cultural construction, and leading troops in battle. Finally, she was able to take charge on the Exile Star."