The Gaze of the Radio Girl (GL) - Chapter 18

“Given the defendant’s partial loss of responsibility, a three-year sentence with mandatory treatment is imposed. As the plaintiff is a minor, a personal safety protection order may be applied for.”

The room fell silent.

Seconds later, Wu Haosen erupted, shouting “Lele” repeatedly, saying he couldn’t bear to lose her, promising not to hit her again, vowing to love her well.

But he was taken away, his cries echoing down the hall.

Wu Lele stood frozen, her gaze fixed on where Wu Haosen vanished.

It was like tackling a cryptic reading passage—every word on him unreadable.

“Lele, you can come out now.”

Lin Ran’s voice.

She turned slowly. Xue Haichao was looking too: “Let’s go home.”

Xue Lin stepped forward, taking her hand.

Her body swayed slightly, her left foot stepping over the wooden threshold with Xue Lin’s pull.

That night, Wu Lele experienced insomnia for the first time.

At first, like always, she wrapped herself in the blanket, as if someone might barge in, though she’d locked the door. A strange habit, one she knew she should break, clearer than ever, but couldn’t.

Lifting the blanket, she felt scared, restless.

Keeping it tight, she couldn’t breathe, though it never bothered her before.

Back and forth, the bedside clock pointed to 1 a.m.

Thinking of someone, she rolled out, grabbed her radio, and went to the rooftop.

Nothing changed.

The Deep Space Witch was gone, completely gone.

Was she in trouble? Sick?

The more she thought, the more awake, the emptier she felt. After half an hour, she went back downstairs.

Her room and Xue Ran’s were separated only by a bathroom. In the quiet night, she sometimes heard Xue Ran moving.

Now, light spilled under the doorframe, water flowing softly.

Wu Lele hesitated at the door, deciding to return to her room, when the water stopped, and the door opened.

Xue Ran blinked at her, voice hoarse: “Not sleeping?”

That voice overlapped with the Deep Space Witch’s.

Wu Lele unconsciously shifted her toes, saying: “I… can’t sleep.”

“Want milk?”

Wu Lele shook her head.

“Then… sleep with me?”

Wu Lele nodded.

“Come.”

Wu Lele rushed to grab her pillow and blanket, slipping in before Xue Ran closed the door.

In the dim light, Xue Ran moved her pillow, patting the empty spot: “Here.”

The bedside lamp cast a warm yellow glow, veiling Xue Ran like gauze.

Wu Lele hesitated.

Could she sleep like this?

“What? Want the floor?”

Urged by her class monitor, Wu Lele climbed in.

Xue Ran seemed exhausted, turning off the lamp and closing her eyes early.

Wu Lele lay on her side, staring at Xue Ran.

She wanted to move, adjust to sleep better, but feared waking her, so she stayed stiff, doing nothing.

Help, she couldn’t sleep more now—maybe she should go back.

Suddenly, Xue Ran’s eyes opened.

“Am I that nice to look at?”

The answer needed no thought.

“You are.”

Xue Ran smiled faintly, covering her eyes: “Stop looking, I won’t sleep.”

Her lashes brushed Xue Ran’s palm, stirring a strange feeling in Wu Lele.

“Lele…”

“Yeah?”

“Something on your mind?”

Wu Lele opened her mouth, silent.

“Tell me, okay?”

“…Ran…”

“I’m here.”

“…Can I hug you?”

“…Yeah.”

The hand on her eyes lifted.

Wu Lele gazed at Xue Ran’s eyes, then slowly nestled into her shoulder.

She wrapped her arms around Xue Ran’s waist.

The night’s silence amplified their heartbeats, calming Wu Lele’s ears.

She couldn’t hide anymore, spilling everything bit by bit—from meeting the lawyer to the final court hearing. With her class monitor, she didn’t need to mind her words or phrasing; Xue Ran could handle any habit.

When it was all out, Wu Lele thought Xue Ran might be mad.

Mad she hid it, mad she did something bad.

But Xue Ran wasn’t. She just gently held her head, stroking her growing hair.

“Lele, you’re very brave.”

Her pupils shrank, eyes burning. Wu Lele swallowed hard.

Closing her eyes, she breathed their shared scent, finally falling asleep.

Early June, free from the college entrance exam, Wu Lele joined the cheering squad with Tao Tao.

Before entering the exam hall, Hu Lei shyly approached: “Can you cheer for me?”

Wu Lele, with a bright red headband, waved her fists: “Go! Go! Go!”

Standard stuff, but Hu Lei was satisfied.

“Tch,” Hu Xin pushed her hopeless brother aside, leaning forward, pointing at her forehead: “Deep Space Witch, share some luck.”

Unsure what she wanted, Wu Lele circled her palm over Hu Xin’s bangs, chanting: “Know every answer, guess every blank right, woo-lala-lala!”

“Crazy, so crazy…”

Tao Tao shook her head, unable to indulge.

Unexpectedly, Xue Ran stepped past, standing before Wu Lele: “Charge me.”

“Here.” Wu Lele gave a bear hug.

Taller by half a head, Xue Ran rested her chin on Wu Lele’s shoulder, visibly relaxing.

Tao Tao: “…”

Hu Lei blinked.

Hu Xin: “Don’t think, don’t look, don’t dream.”

Someone clueless joined in: “Does a hug from Deep Space Witch get you into Peking University?”

“Who said that?”

“Look at the class monitor.”

“Then I want one!”

Xue Ran monopolized Wu Lele: “Scram.”

“Hey…”

“Class monitor’s selfish…”

“Class monitor’s stingy…”

“Alright, everyone use the bathroom?” Tao Tao took charge. “Go to your exam rooms.”

Their school was an exam center, so seniors only needed a short walk to their rooms, avoiding external disruptions.

Besides their school, other candidates came, shuffled and mixed, silently battling in the concrete grid.

Silence returned. Wu Lele said goodbye to Tao Tao, leaving before the gates closed.

She held a huge transparent storage box with all her textbooks and workbooks.

Xue Lin had parked, waiting outside. Seeing her, she opened the trunk, putting her things in.

“Just this?”

“Yeah.”

More than before, including college textbooks from a used bookstore and a big paper bag from Hu Xin.

At home, she carefully shelved the books.

When done, her eyes fell on the huge pink paper bag.

It was full of colorful books, slipped to her by Hu Xin while Xue Ran was in the bathroom, with a sticky note:

—Private collection, enjoy together, return when done.

—P.S. Don’t let the class monitor know.

Don’t let Ran know?

Why?

Some scandalous rare book or secret martial arts manual?

Xue Haichao and Lin Ran were at work, Xue Lin at her internship. Wu Lele was alone in the house.

Biting her lip, she sneakily pulled out a book.

One glance, and she shoved it back.

Cicadas chirped outside.

Her fingers brushed the pages.

Curiosity won. She pulled it out again, opened the cover, and lowered her head…

Xue Ran and Hu Xin were in the same exam room.

Waiting outside, Hu Xin’s gaze was odd.

Whenever Xue Ran looked, she’d dodge, then glance back within a minute.

“Hey, what’s with you?” Xue Ran couldn’t help asking.

“Nothing,” Hu Xin pursed her lips. “Nothing at all.”

“…”

Xue Ran didn’t buy it.

After a day’s exams, Xue Ran eagerly looked for Wu Lele at the gate.

With family at work, picking up candidates fell to Wu Lele.

She stood under a tree, not in uniform but in a spaghetti-strap dress they’d bought together, surrounded by parents, mostly “moms.”

“You’re that recommended Wu Lele? My son mentioned you.”

“So talented? Got a boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend? Top students don’t date early. But you’re graduating—time to look. My son…”

“Ouch, what’s with your arm? Bumped it?” Someone touched Wu Lele’s forearm. “Auntie’s got medicinal oil, works wonders, want…”

“Lele!”

Xue Ran shouted, running over. Everyone, including Wu Lele, looked.

Wu Lele beamed, as if saved, rushing to her.

“Ran!”

“Let’s go home.” Xue Ran grabbed her warm hand, calling back: “Aunties, bye, my family’s here to get me.”

“Family?”

“She’s Wu too?”

“Wu’s a big surname…”

Ten meters out, Wu Lele suddenly pulled her hand free.

A first. Xue Ran was stunned.

Wu Lele, surprised too, stammered: “I-I’m a bit hot…”

That strange feeling grew, but Xue Ran couldn’t blame her—she’d planned to take it slow.

Plenty of time, no rush.

“Ice cream?” Xue Ran asked.

“Can’t, after exams.”

Xue Ran smiled: “Okay.”

Wu Lele’s face was red, probably from the heat.

For three exam days, Wu Lele sent her off and picked her up.

On the last day, the whole family came. Xue Ran felt they were unnecessary.

“Lele and I can take a cab.”

“No way,” Xue Haichao loaded her box into the trunk. “You two have worked hard. We can’t do much but not add chaos.”

Lin Ran: “Rest up. When Lin has a break, we’ll all travel together!”

“Big Ran, I love you!” Xue Lin bear-hugged Lin Ran from behind, then turned to Wu Lele. “Lele, check my bag, got you a gift.”

“Go, go, traffic police are rushing us,” Xue Haichao stuffed them into the back. “Look in the car.”

Wu Lele climbed in, sitting between the sisters, opening Xue Lin’s bag to find an unopened smartphone.

“Wow, isn’t this expensive?”

“Normal price, normal,” Xue Lin said. “You’ll need it lots. With a phone, we’ll worry less. Worth it, open it.”

“…Thank you, Sister.”

Wu Lele quickly mastered it.

Her first friend added was Xue Ran, then Tao Tao, Xue Lin, Lin Ran, Xue Haichao, Hu Xin, Hu Lei…

Under this sky of wireless signals, within her reachable bands, she wasn’t alone.

Oddly, at some point, she stopped relying on radio waves, preferring to stay close to someone.

“Lele, see Hu Xin’s… asleep?”

On the soft mattress, Wu Lele hugged a big bear, asleep.

The AC blanket covered her stomach, revealing long limbs.

Her bruises had faded, making her skin fairer.

She’d gained weight, her face rounder.

Good grief, how long until August 16?

Xue Ran poked Wu Lele’s cheek, exasperated.

Wu Lele frowned, waking.

“Oh, I fell asleep again?”

“No big deal, nothing urgent, sleep more.”

Xue Ran’s voice was gentle.

In contrast, their phones buzzed wildly.

Wu Lele checked hers—she’d been pulled into a group chat. Hu Xin had sent a flood of messages.

[Darlings, before results come, plan where to play!]

[Here’s my curated guide!]

Xue Ran had seen it, now lying beside Wu Lele, scrolling together.

Suddenly, a private message popped up.

Hu Xin: Read the books? Awesome, right?

Hu Xin: (Shh) Don’t let the class monitor know.

“…” Wu Lele glanced at Xue Ran.