Don't call me Jay Chou

Author: Buting
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Buting, one of Taiwan's Four Kings of Online Novels, presents a story called "Jay Chou"! With an unconventional perspective, humorous text, and moving plot, its a great love story. A girl who doesn't wear skirts transforms into "Jay Chou" and invites you to explore Buting's! A《Don’t Call Me Jay Chou》brought Buting great attention online, and《A Girl Without Skirts》further established Buting's writing style—funny yet with a touch of warmth and romance. This book collects Buting's well-received short stories, with《Don’t Call Me Jay Chou》making readers laugh out loud,《A Love Letter of One Word》showing deep love, and after《A Girl Without Skirts》, Teacher Li and Teacher Lin reunite, developing new storylines. Readers' favorite Buting works are all included here, letting you see them all in one go—laughing through tears, never a dull moment!
That June, I saw the peonies blooming proudly at the tips of the trees. The peony, an immortal king, guards eternal love. When peonies bloom, it symbolizes the season of parting, where fate begins and ends. That June, I saw the peonies blooming, witnessing the wild blossoming of youth and love, withering and rebirth. The vibrant red peonies left indelible, vivid marks in my heart, carving a moving youth memory in the Phoenix Online Novel Series. Here, youthful innocence is displayed, growing pains are shared, and adult emotions soar. This is fertile ground where the phoenix blooms, and also a place where love grows wildly. Hazy, sorrowful, bitter, and sweet—here, they sway into a colorful rain of love, a dazzling snow of youth.
Honestly, I’m quite grateful for Jay Chou. Without him, this book wouldn’t exist. A few years ago, my relationship with Jay Chou was just "fine." In my eyes, he’s a talented songwriter, and I’ve bought all his albums, almost memorizing every song. When I sing, I always pick his songs and sing them until everyone gets sick of them. Like many others, I’m a loyal fan, but no more than that. Like the millions of little fans, I never imagined we’d ever cross paths.
Here’s how it happened. One day, a student came to me, stifling laughter as he asked, "Has anyone ever told you you look like Jay Chou?" I was shocked on the spot. Though I’d noticed Jay Chou and I both had single eyelids and dimples, how could it be "like" him? "No, why do you ask suddenly?" I asked. "My mom saw Jay Chou on TV yesterday and thought it was you. She kept asking me to come look. I told her it wasn’t me, but she didn’t believe me, saying, ‘How could it not be? You’re so alike.’" After a huge blow, people often react in extremes—either like Qu Yuan, heartbroken and jumping into a river, or like Goujian, lying in ashes and turning grief into strength. I happened to be the latter.
You might ask, "What’s so sad about looking like Jay Chou? I think he’s cool!" I can only say that when it happens to others, it’s funny, but when it happens to you, you can’t laugh. Imagine telling a guy, "Hey, has anyone ever told you you look like Britney Spears?" He’d probably punch you! Anyway, because of this incident, I posted the story《Don’t Call Me Jay Chou》online, and surprisingly, it received huge attention. Besides curious readers wondering if it was real, some shared my plight and gave me warm support and comfort. "What’s so sad about looking like Jay Chou? I’m a girl, and someone even said I look like Lien Chan." A reader wrote. I still thank her today—her words gave me great encouragement, showing me my situation was nothing compared to the world’s wonders. No matter how bad you think things are, you’ll always find someone worse off, which always helps a bit.
As this article kept being forwarded, even I received it a few times, and I started wondering, "Could it be that one day, Jay Chou himself would see this story?" That remains a mystery. I wonder how he’d feel seeing it—I personally hope he’d sympathize with me and give me a red envelope of a hundred and thirty thousand as compensation. After all, there must be a reason for looking alike—we might be related from two hundred years ago, or maybe her mom’s second-cousin’s third-uncle’s sixth-cousin is my distant relative.
Another story in this book that holds great meaning for me is《Raise Your Hand If You Love Me》, as it’s the one I wrote. Many readers have often asked after finishing it, "Do you really brush your teeth on the balcony?" I can confidently say yes. If you don’t believe me, I can ask my mom to testify. She’ll tell you I’ve done this silly thing often. To be honest, setting aside appearances, the fresh morning air and the cool foam of toothpaste are a perfect combination. If you haven’t tried it, give it a shot—you’ll definitely love it too.
Finally, a small suggestion for readers: if you’re in a bookstore looking at this book, I recommend finding a quiet spot. Laughing too loudly can ruin your image and disturb others. Holding back laughter isn’t good for your stomach or heart, and are you sure you can hold it in until the end? A safer method is to buy it home. That’s just a little advice—really, I’m truly doing it for your health, not for myself!