The Gaze of the Radio Girl (GL) - Chapter 8

The sports captain’s malice was obvious, but Wu Lele was used to it and didn’t take it to heart.

A month passed quickly, the weather cooled slightly, and the Sports and Arts Festival officially opened on a Friday.

Wu Lele, not tall enough, was placed in the fourth row of the two-column formation, close enough to see the class monitor’s upright back.

The class monitor, with her high ponytail, held the class flag, walking ahead with spirited grace.

With so many classes and class monitors in the school, theirs was the best-looking.

Wu Lele touched her short ponytail, imagining her hair growing long someday, maybe like the class monitor’s.

No, not maybe—definitely. The class monitor had said she looked nice too.

Lost in her fantasy, Wu Lele giggled, earning a glare from the class monitor.

“Quiet.”

“…”

Fine… she took back her earlier words.

The class monitor was indeed a demon.

For some reason, the school leaders made the new 3,000-meter race the main event, scheduled for Friday morning’s first slot.

After the opening ceremony, Wu Lele was dragged by the sports captain to the track.

The sports captain, still brimming with malice, tore off Wu Lele’s number bib as if ripping apart a cheating boyfriend, slapping the adhesive with enough force to flatten her into a pancake.

“Alright, alright,” Wu Lele broke free, tugging at her long-sleeved tracksuit. “Stop hitting, it hurts.”

“Don’t lose too badly.”

The sports captain gave one final hard slap, glared, and left.

Wu Lele, wincing, rubbed her stomach and stepped to the starting line.

The stands were packed.

Wu Lele, face-blind, couldn’t recognize anyone until their chants of “Deep Space Witch” confirmed they were her classmates.

They probably weren’t cheering, their words crueler than the last.

“Just run casually, Deep Space Witch.”

“Don’t embarrass us, Deep Space Witch.”

“If you can’t do it, just quit, Deep Space Witch.”

“Good grades don’t matter. If you can’t run, you can’t run. Don’t push it, Deep Space Witch.”

“We won’t blame you. After all, you only know how to send signals!”

Laughter followed like a tidal wave.

Who cared about grades?

Who said just run casually?

Who claimed she only knew signals?

So obsessed with her, disciplining her with things she didn’t care about, slandering her—pathetic and laughable.

For the first time, Wu Lele felt anger.

The next second, confusion hit.

This wasn’t her usual emotion.

She’d decided not to get emotional, so why was she worked up?

She silently twisted her hem, unaware of the others taking their starting positions.

“Wu Lele, grab those five points!”

She snapped her head up, spotting the standout class monitor in the crowd.

She hadn’t told anyone, but her goal from the start was the first-place “five points.”

Though reckless, knowing the sports captain was provoking her, she’d still written her name for the 3,000-meter, understanding the race’s importance.

If she were the class monitor, what result would she want?

Hearts were the most complex code, but math was much simpler.

Wu Lele calmed, blinking toward the class monitor.

Then, the starting gun fired, and almost simultaneously, everyone shot forward.

Three thousand meters was the highest altitude for cumulonimbus clouds, the ocean depth for detecting ultra-low-frequency sound waves, the shortest distance from Sakura Avenue Station to Drum Tower Park.

It could be broken into countless segments, achieved with precise pacing and daily training.

The long road home had become Wu Lele’s practice tool.

The green mailbox, the yellow-painted influencer wall, the rainbow crosswalk—bit by bit, they unfolded before her.

On the 400-meter standard track, after 7.5 laps, 3,000 meters became a coiled spring, unleashing an unprecedented burst.

But today was different. Two runners ahead disrupted her focus.

The class monitor had said her time was enough—what a liar!

If this kept up, she’d only get third.

Third place was just one point, not enough for the class monitor and Tao Tao to reach the podium.

Her pacing began to shift.

She couldn’t slow down—only faster, faster than the two ahead.

After passing one, her stamina drained rapidly.

For the first time, she wanted to shed her long sleeves.

The sweaty fabric clung to her, slowing her down.

She felt awful but could only run, keep running.

No one called her “Deep Space Witch” anymore—maybe it was just her hearing fading.

About to overtake another, the runner edged half a body ahead, crossing the finish line.

Her vision blurred, legs buckled, nearly collapsing, but the class monitor caught her.

The class monitor’s hold was odd, arms under Wu Lele’s armpits, tickling her slightly.

The class monitor smelled nice, unlike Wu Lele’s sweaty stench.

A drop of sweat rolled down her lashes, landing on the class monitor’s shoulder. Wu Lele wanted to wipe it but had no strength, so she gave up and rested her sweaty chin on her shoulder.

“I failed, only got three points.”

“You took all the points, what’s left for others?”

“But I wanted five points.”

“Oh, that… I just said it to hype you up. Don’t take it seriously.”

“But I really wanted it.”

“Why?”

“…No reason… I don’t want to tell you.”

“…”

The air chilled, and Wu Lele sensed trouble.

Luckily, the class monitor held back, dutifully playing her deskmate and training partner, supporting her for a walk.

When results were announced, Wu Lele, legs like lead, stepped onto the podium.

“Lele, look here, Lele, Lele!”

Tao Tao appeared, snapping photos wildly, waving more excitedly than anyone.

The silver medal hung around Wu Lele’s neck, and she couldn’t help but smile: her first sports medal ever.

Off the podium, Wu Lele tucked the medal carefully into her pocket, afraid of dirtying it.

Tao Tao’s voice boomed like a drum, praising her so much Wu Lele felt embarrassed.

She tugged the class monitor’s hem, asking: “Got any events later?”

“Nope, relay’s tomorrow. Your high jump’s tomorrow too, right?”

Wu Lele hadn’t expected her to remember and nodded.

“Then perfect, come with me somewhere.”

“Where?”

“Base camp.”

The so-called base camp was just a patch of concrete basketball court outside the gym, split among classes, each decorating their own half.

Class 6’s base camp was a giant pointed tent, colorful fabric strips rising from all sides, converging at a central pole.

The only entrance was draped with a curtain, and idle classmates lounged around, none daring to enter.

The class monitor deftly lifted the curtain, hung it up, and set out a sign: “Open for Business.”

Wu Lele was about to ask what this was when a familiar machine caught her eye on a table inside.

She recognized them—dusty relics from the rooftop’s unknown clubroom, now cleaned, their rusty bodies laid out on the table.

Wu Lele stroked their shells, asking the class monitor: “Where’d you find these? How’d you know about that classroom?”

“Our school used to have an amateur radio club, right next to where you nap. It probably fizzled out because too few joined.”

The class monitor pulled a chair from the corner, set it behind the table, and gestured for Wu Lele to sit, continuing: “If you’d come a year or two earlier, you might’ve revived the club. Too bad you’re in Senior Year 3 now—Teacher Tao wouldn’t approve.”

“Then… what’s this?”

“The Sports and Arts Festival scores base camps, right? Past ones were too plain, so I talked with Teacher Tao. We can’t start a club, but we can make the base camp unique, right?”

“How?”

“You know radios, don’t you? Let’s hold a Morse code translation contest.”

Wu Lele thought of the Deep Space Witch, her eyes lighting up: “How?”

The class monitor, rare smile on her face, grabbed a megaphone, shedding her usual icy demeanor, and shouted outside: “Want red envelopes? Want big prizes? Class 6 Senior Year 3 Morse code translation contest—come if you’ve got brains!”

The rules were simple: Wu Lele set questions in Morse code as English trivia, sent via radio.

Contestants had to tune the radios outside the tent to Wu Lele’s frequency, catch the questions, and answer in Morse code.

A blackboard outside detailed radio use and a Morse code chart, so even beginners could find clues and answer.

Soon, a growing crowd gathered outside Wu Lele’s tent.

The first challenger was none other than the chocolate pole, Hu Lei.

When the frequency connected, Wu Lele sent a message in Morse code. Rhythmic long and short tones reached the crowd’s ears, a strange sensation spreading.

Hu Lei was slow, asking Wu Lele to repeat.

Someone grabbed paper and pen to note the question as it emerged. They checked the translation chart, pressed the Morse code transmitter, and sent answers to Wu Lele. A bell rang, and the class monitor announced: “Correct! Hu Lei gets one point, currently first! Anyone else want to try?”

More challengers came, and Wu Lele was stunned, asking the class monitor: “They don’t find it boring?”

“Do you find it boring?”

Wu Lele shook her head.

The class monitor: “Now, something fun just got more fun, right?”

“Deep Space Witch, so this is what you do? So cool, like a secret agent!”

Classmates burst in.

Wu Lele didn’t know how to explain—she didn’t usually use Morse code.

“Deep Space Witch, I thought you were just fortune-telling.”

“…”

“Can we use the radios normally?”

“Probably not… you need a license first. But the test isn’t hard.”

“Besides Morse code, what else can it do?”

“Lots of things, like…”

It was Wu Lele’s first time teaching a class, a bit overwhelmed. Luckily, the class monitor helped answer questions and organized a team to rotate question-setting and scoring.

Watching it all, Wu Lele smiled for no reason.

“What’re you smiling at?” the class monitor asked.

“I’m just happy. I thought I’d never be accepted, but it’s so simple…”

“Yeah, you were never alone.”

“Class monitor, can I ask something?”

“What?”

“Why are you so familiar with radios and Morse code?”

The class monitor froze, then looked away: “You think it’s hard? You’re the only one who can do it?”

“…”

“Seems you’re not just withdrawn, but pretty cocky too.”

“…”

The class monitor was still the class monitor, the demon still the demon.

Suddenly, noisy footsteps came from outside. They stepped out to see a few classmates running over.

“Bad news, the sports captain got injured during the long jump!”