The Gaze of the Radio Girl (GL) - Chapter 15

“Ran, what’s yours?”

Hearing the “snap,” Wu Lele looked at Xue Ran curiously.

Xue Ran stared straight at Tao Tao, who was handing out awards, her face flushed red.

At Wu Lele’s voice, Xue Ran turned: “What’s yours?”

“A photo album too, but with lots of my pictures, hehe, and group shots.”

“Let me see.”

“Then I want to see yours.”

Xue Ran paused, then bent down in the aisle, clutching her album.

Wu Lele didn’t know what she was doing, only hearing a rip. Xue Ran straightened, handed her the album, hiding something in her other hand.

“Give it back when you’re done.”

“Oh… okay.”

Suspicious but not daring to ask, Wu Lele eagerly flipped through Xue Ran’s album.

Her class monitor was gorgeous, flawless from every angle—if only she smiled more.

Suddenly, she reached a blank spot, just leftover adhesive.

“Ran, is a photo missing here?”

“Let me see?” Xue Ran leaned over. “Yeah… looks like it. I’ll ask Old Tao later… you done?”

“Almost, here you go.”

From then on, Wu Lele had another treasure to cherish.

Back home, things were settled. Sister moved to the second floor, and the old room became Wu Lele’s.

The furniture stayed mostly the same, but the bed and cabinets were cleared for her things.

Wu Lele was initially reserved, but with everyone busy, alone in the spacious room, she gradually relaxed.

Looking around, she tried a drawer that wouldn’t budge.

“Huh, locked?”

“What’s up?”

Hearing the noise, Xue Ran peeked from the doorway.

“Oh, nothing.”

Maybe Sister’s treasures were inside.

She didn’t have much anyway—current storage was plenty, so locked it stayed.

Wu Lele opened the wardrobe, solemnly placing her album, medals, and metal box deep inside.

Then, she followed Xue Ran downstairs.

They’d prepared a welcome ceremony.

Pop pop, firecrackers went off. Wu Lele, never seeing such a fuss, fidgeted her fingers behind her back.

Unaccustomed but not resisting, she recalled a faint memory from childhood.

—Lele, blow out the candles, make a wish.

—Come, celebrate Lele’s certificate.

Gradually, that person’s smiles faded, bruises grew.

—Lele, when you’re lonely, send signals to the sky. Your person will hear.

That was her last word.

After that, she vanished, as if to a place sound couldn’t reach.

Wu Lele waited at home, called out on the radio countless nights, no reply.

She concluded that person didn’t belong to her.

The cake in her mouth turned salty. Wu Lele cried.

Realizing it, the table was silent.

Her tears were quiet, so a sniff and a “hehe” usually let it pass, always had.

But here, “hehe” didn’t work.

Ran would lift her mask, hug her.

Sister raised a hand, gently stroking her hair.

They were too kind…

—Sniff.

Wu Lele ungracefully blew her nose. A clean napkin appeared.

“Thanks.”

“When will your faucet shut off?”

Her tear ducts were broken, crying while doing worksheets, tears streaming.

Xue Ran wiped her eyes: “Tao Tao’d probably give you another award.”

“What award?”

“Disabled but Determined Award.”

“…”

Honestly, she wasn’t used to the class monitor’s humor.

Xue Ran’s desk was long, plenty of room for two.

Wu Lele lazily leaned on her arm, pen scratching paper.

Their elbows occasionally bumped, just like at school.

Her turbulent heart calmed, leaving only the warmth beside her.

Since that day, Wu Lele didn’t mention the Deep Space Witch to Xue Ran again.

Though she still felt similarities—speech rhythm, tone, radio and Morse code familiarity, timely appearances.

But if Ran said they weren’t the same, they weren’t.

If someone compared her to another, she’d likely be hurt too.

Late at night, when all was quiet, Wu Lele opened her door, fumbling in the dark to the rooftop.

To keep quiet, she wrapped herself in her school jacket, only eyes and the radio’s long antenna showing, sitting on the swing, sending sounds to the sky.

She hoped for the Deep Space Witch’s response.

But for nights, the antenna’s other end was silent.

The Deep Space Witch was gone.

Yuanshan Lake by the street shimmered under moonlight, ginkgo leaves falling in the fading seasons.

Wu Lele breathed warmth into her cool palms, reluctant to leave.

“CQ CQ, this is BD6WLL, Deep Space Witch, are you there?”

“CQ CQ, this is BD6WLL, can you hear me?”

“CQ CQ, this is BD6WLL… can anyone hear?”

The expected voice didn’t come.

Stubborn, she deserved the Brain-Dead but Determined award.

“CQ…”

“Stop calling.”

Wu Lele turned. Xue Ran, in a light blue knit cardigan, stood behind her.

“I… woke you?”

“No.”

Xue Ran sat beside her.

The swing swayed, white-painted steel creaking softly.

“Then you…”

“…I came for water, saw your door open, followed you up.”

“Oh…”

Her volume was okay, not waking anyone.

“Must you find that person?” Xue Ran asked.

“…”

Wu Lele couldn’t explain—she just wanted to hear the Deep Space Witch’s voice.

Or tell her she was safe: Scared you that day, huh? I’m fine now.

Xue Ran: “If she never shows up, what’ll you do?”

“She will…”

“Why so sure?”

“Because, because…”

Wu Lele “because”-ed for ages, unable to explain.

Finally, she mumbled: “I don’t care, she’ll show up.”

They looked at the night sky, silent.

After a while, Wu Lele asked: “Do you think the Deep Space Witch could be Tao Tao?”

“T-Tao Tao?”

Choking on air, Xue Ran coughed hard.

Wu Lele panicked: “You okay? I’ll get water.”

“No, no need.”

Xue Ran grabbed her wrist, gently pressing her back to the swing.

“I’m fine,” Xue Ran took a deep breath. “Why Tao Tao?”

“How else do you explain you both showing up in time? If it’s not you, it’s gotta be Tao Tao.”

“…Here’s the thing,” Xue Ran looked at Yuanshan Lake, sighing. “That evening, didn’t I know where you lived? I passed by to buy workbooks, thought I’d visit. Ran into Old Tao at the corner—she was heading for a home visit, so we went together.”

“But… the bookstore and library are far from my place…”

“Far? Out of the city?”

“…”

“Your world’s too small, Wu Lele.”

“…Then why did Tao Tao suddenly want a home visit?”

“Your language and English grades improved. She had to check in, right?”

“But Tao Tao already visited this month.”

“…Visited? What do you mean?”

Xue Ran froze.

“Tao Tao comes to my house monthly. After each visit, that person calms down a bit.”

“…Wu Lele.”

“Yeah?”

Xue Ran looked from the lake to her: “How’d you meet Tao Tao?”

“Why ask suddenly?”

“I want to know, know more about you.”

Her gaze was sincere. Wu Lele fumbled.

Then, she lowered her head: “My stuff’s boring, no highlights.”

“I want to hear.”

Xue Ran’s palm covered Wu Lele’s hand.

“It’s not a big deal,” she thought, then said slowly. “My mom left when I was in elementary school. My dad looked for her but couldn’t find her. Later, he heard she married another man somewhere else.”

“…Your dad and mom… didn’t get a marriage certificate?”

“No idea what happened,” Wu Lele shrugged. “After that, he… started hitting me. He didn’t like my long hair, didn’t like me wearing skirts, hated me playing with the radio or computer. If not for school, the computer would’ve been smashed. I found a way, lied that the radio was key for physics class. Good thing he couldn’t read my textbook.”

Xue Ran laughed: “You can lie.”

“Hehe, no choice.”

“Later,” Wu Lele looked down, “in sophomore year, someone slipped love letters into our house. My dad found them. That was the worst he hit me—I ended up in the hospital. When I woke, Tao Tao was there, from the women’s federation, I think. Later, that boy’s family reported me, and I was expelled. Tao Tao found me. I went to No. 1 High, did tons of tests, waited two hours, then she told my dad to bring me to register the next week. See, boring…”

“Not boring at all. Thanks for telling me.”

Wu Lele looked at Xue Ran’s profile in disbelief.

In the moonlight, her class monitor was so gentle, easing her tense nerves, exhaustion flooding in.

She leaned slightly, resting on Xue Ran’s shoulder.

“Who was that boy? How could he report you first? You still in touch?”

“No… I don’t even know who he was… I don’t remember his face.”

“…What a random disaster.”

“But it was kinda good…”

“Getting hit was good?”

“Getting hit… not good… but I met Tao Tao, met you…”

“I-I didn’t do much.”

“…Ran, you’re really great… so great… I feel for you…”