The Gaze of the Radio Girl (GL) - Chapter 27

Liu Yang disappeared again.

Completely vanished, just like before.

Sometimes, Wu Lele couldn’t help but glance at her phone, feeling like the next second, a strange number would call, saying things she didn’t want to hear.

Sure enough, her mother never changed.

Two days before her birthday, Liu Yang added her as a social media friend.

Wu Lele hesitated over the friend request for a long time but finally accepted.

Note: Liu Yang.

With a blue sky and white clouds profile picture, she slipped into Wu Lele’s friend list, soon buried at the bottom by lively messages, silent once more.

That night, Wu Lele clutched her portable radio, unable to sleep, and slipped into Xue Ran’s bed.

Xue Ran, a bit helpless, grabbed her restless hand and pressed it to her waist: “Just a few minutes left. So impatient?”

“…”

“Ha, kidding. What’s up, can’t sleep?”

“Yeah…”

“Why?”

“I don’t know…”

“Then let’s count down.”

Xue Ran pulled Wu Lele from the covers, and they lay face-to-face on the pillow.

Wu Lele looked at her curiously.

In the dark, moonlight filtered through sheer curtains, reflecting countless times before landing in Xue Ran’s eyes, shining brightly.

She saw Xue Ran quietly raise her arm, resting it on her neck.

The pulse at her neck throbbed against Xue Ran’s palm, faster and faster, losing rhythm.

Xue Ran smiled: “Beating so fast, the countdown won’t be accurate.”

Wu Lele: “…Yours isn’t accurate either.”

Mimicking Xue Ran, she pressed her thumb to Xue Ran’s pulse, feeling the beat of life and the passage of time.

One of them asked: “Is it time?”

“…Don’t know…”

“You didn’t count?”

“Can’t count.”

“Why?”

“Because… it’s already all messed up.”

The midnight chime was a strange, crisp sound, the fleeting clash of the clock’s three hands, the switch from girl to woman.

Xue Ran’s hand left the pulse, gently closing Wu Lele’s eyelids. Those tearful eyes and long, thick lashes trembled under her skin like an unspeakable secret.

Xue Ran kissed her carefully, like an apprentice awaiting approval, not missing a single detail.

Wu Lele was doomed to fail, clumsily responding to the kiss, forgetting she’d studied well too.

The long kiss ended, and Xue Ran let go, their foreheads lightly touching.

“Didn’t you say you learned some tricks from books? Why’d you forget them all, hm?”

Xue Ran laughed, her low voice full of seductive charm.

Wu Lele lost at this experiment but was stubborn: “That’s because you were too sudden. I didn’t have time to review.”

“Oh… I’ll give you a pass, open-book style.”

“…You, you, you, you’re looking down on me!”

“Then come on.”

Xue Ran propped her cheek with one hand, boldly opening her other arm.

Wu Lele had plenty of theory but panicked at practice.

She sat up, looking at Xue Ran’s inviting pose, and started to worry.

Too much knowledge, even with an open-book test, she didn’t know where to start.

Forget it, whatever!

She leaned forward, aiming for Xue Ran’s mouth, chomping like an overexcited puppy.

Xue Ran, charmed by her antics, accidentally laughed.

Wu Lele bit harder, tentatively prying open her mouth.

The usually composed class leader stopped laughing.

Hehe, one point back.

But what next?

The puppy chomped until it crashed.

Right… clothes!

Wu Lele reached out, slipping under Xue Ran’s hem, but before crossing the border, Xue Ran grabbed her wrist and flipped her over.

“I’ll teach you.”

Her voice was low, full of endless amusement.

Wu Lele suddenly felt something was off.

She hadn’t studied this part, or rather, during self-study, she’d instinctively skipped it.

But cramming now was too late, so Wu Lele closed her eyes.

“Hm…”

They stayed up late, a rare thing.

Xue Ran woke first.

Her left arm was numb, her chest itchy. Looking down, Wu Lele was nestled at her side, arms tightly around her waist.

She wanted to move her arm, but with this situation, she couldn’t.

The bedside phone buzzed.

Xue Ran reached for it, realizing it wasn’t hers but Wu Lele’s.

They had a habit: at 10:30 p.m., their phones went into do-not-disturb mode until 7 a.m.

It was now 11 a.m., and Wu Lele’s notifications were piled high.

Xue Ran blinked at the screen, and the privacy lock opened.

With a click, Wu Lele stretched: “…Why’re you awake?”

“Hm.” Xue Ran kissed her forehead and eyes. “When’d you record it? I don’t remember.”

“…What?” Wu Lele wasn’t fully awake.

“My face recognition.”

“The second day I got the phone. You were playing games, ignoring me…”

Wu Lele pouted, feeling wronged.

Xue Ran kissed downward: “Aren’t you afraid I’ll dig up all your secrets?”

“You won’t.”

“Why not? What if I’m a rogue?”

“A rogue wouldn’t…” Wu Lele’s breathing quickened, “wouldn’t time it like you…”

Xue Ran chuckled, wanting to go further, but Wu Lele’s phone rang nonstop.

“…Hand… phone.”

“…”

“Ran…”

“Ugh…”

No big deal, there’s always tomorrow.

Xue Ran consoled herself, handing the phone to Wu Lele.

Wu Lele leaned against the headboard, clicked the icon, and was flooded with birthday wishes.

Tao Tao: Lele, happy birthday ~

Tao Tao: I got you a gift from Yunnan, but it’ll arrive tomorrow due to shipping. Check the delivery info ~

Wu Lele: Thanks, Tao Tao [happy]

Hu Lei: Happy birthday!!!!!!!! [red envelope]

Wu Lele’s eyes lit up, clicking it.

Ugh… it wouldn’t open… just a picture…

Xue Ran: “Pfft.”

Wu Lele: [flips table]

Hu Lei: [kneels begging mercy] Come hang out tonight, got a gift for you.

Hu Lei: My sister’s coming too.

Wu Lele: I’ll ask the class leader.

Before asking, Hu Xin’s message cut in.

Hu Xin: [sneaky glance] Why aren’t you up yet?

Hu Xin: [sneaky glance] Why isn’t the class leader up either?

Hu Xin: [sneaky glance] Oh no, so hard to guess ~

Wu Lele: “…”

“…” Xue Ran glanced at her own phone.

Hu Xin had been messaging them relentlessly since 8 a.m., wanting to hang out tonight, but no one replied.

“Ran, what do we do?”

“Don’t reply. I’ll handle it.”

Xue Ran: They say in ancient times, people woke up early to haul manure.

Hu Xin: ……………………

Xue Ran: Where?

Hu Xin: KTV, you in? If so, I’ll rush-order a cake.

Xue Ran looked at Wu Lele.

Wu Lele nodded.

Xue Ran: We’re in. You’re rarely this generous.

Hu Xin: ……………

Hu Xin: Where’s Lele?

Xue Ran: She’s coming, but we might be late. Got a date later.

Hu Xin: Tsk tsk tsk.

Hu Xin: Fine.

Xue Ran: By the way, better not aim to be a teacher for your career.

Hu Xin: …Huh? What’d you say?

Xue Ran didn’t reply.

Hu Xin shouted: Hello? Hello?

Hu Xin: Moshi moshi?

A minute later.

Hu Xin: !!!!!

Hu Xin went silent.

At the same time, Wu Lele got a message.

Hu Xin: [heartbroken] [pounding chest]

Wu Lele: [innocent]

Messages mostly done, Xue Ran took her phone: “Get dressed. I’m taking you somewhere.”

They were going to the Beijing International Deep Space Exhibit, a place they’d planned to visit multiple times but missed due to various chores.

Right out of the subway station, Wu Lele saw the huge poster—Gaze.

It was the vast universe.

Humans on Earth, fleeting and tiny as dust, yet always looking up, gazing at the deep space, seeking the unknown and the boundless.