The Gaze of the Radio Girl (GL) - Extra 1

On the 265th day of being a people’s teacher, Tao Tao submitted her resignation.

“Principal Tan, I’m done!”

“Why? You’re doing fine, aren’t you? Let me see the reason.” The vice-principal touched his smooth scalp, adjusted his reading glasses slightly, and looked down. “Hm… ‘This place doesn’t have my dreams’… Uh, care to explain?”

“Teachers should educate people. There’s so much to do in education, but I’m stuck making tests, doing tests, grading tests, then making more tests, doing more tests, grading more tests. Plus writing logs, weekly reports, monthly reports, attending regular meetings, monthly meetings, annual conferences. I’m fed up!”

“Easy fix,” the vice-principal stuffed the resignation back, picked up his enamel mug, and blew on the hot tea. “You’ll lead next year’s graduating class.”

“…” Tao Tao’s eyebrows twitched. “Principal Tan, I think I made myself quite clear.”

“I’ll raise your salary,” the vice-principal gestured a ten with his hands. “This percentage, how’s that?”

“…”

“And I’ll fight for your promotion evaluation.”

“…”

“Besides, chasing dreams doesn’t mean you have to quit. Take it slow. I have a friend here who’s short on volunteers. If you’re interested, contact her.”

The vice-principal placed a business card on the table, pointing at the text: Women and Children’s Joint Development Foundation.

At her first time at the Women’s Federation, a community event was halfway through when a big incident happened.

A child was beaten half to death by her father, unconscious when sent to the hospital.

The doctor and head nurse reported it to the police, felt uneasy, and called the Women’s Federation.

Everyone was busy that day, and Tao Tao, the newcomer, answered the phone.

Hearing the head nurse’s description, Tao Tao’s anger flared, her bl00d boiling. She briefly reported to the chair, grabbed her bag, and rushed over.

That was the first time Tao Tao saw Wu Lele.

She was so thin, almost swallowed by the hospital bed.

In that moment, Tao Tao had an urge to take Wu Lele home.

But she couldn’t.

She was a drifter in Beijing, with no home, still living in the school dorm.

If she couldn’t do it, she’d find someone who could.

As long as someone was willing to adopt, Wu Lele could leave that awful man.

In another year, Wu Lele could go to college, to wherever she wanted.

Tao Tao’s vision was beautiful, but things ended before they began.

Wu Haosen was detained for a few days, then released, and everything went back to normal.

Taking a child from their parents was sometimes easy, sometimes harder than climbing the sky.

Tao Tao quietly collected the police report, medical records, and injury assessment, visiting the home every few days under the Women’s Federation’s name.

On the 301st day of being a people’s teacher, during her second home visit, Tao Tao saw Wu Lele without a school uniform and learned she’d been expelled.

The reason for expulsion was unheard of.

Why should Wu Lele take the fall for a boy’s mess?

Tao Tao, furious, went to argue.

The dean, looking wronged, spread out a transcript: “No choice. One’s a top student, the other’s a low achiever.”

“You’re not ashamed to use that as an excuse, as a teacher?”

“And another thing… the other side donated a whole building.”

Tao Tao froze, then gritted her teeth: “I’ll take this gem. Don’t regret it!”

After her bold words, she left the school gate and chickened out.

Clutching copies of Wu Lele’s awards, she knocked on the vice-principal’s door: “Principal Tan! I want to educate!”

“What? I don’t play that game, stay back!”

“…I found a top student, though her subject imbalance is a bit severe… Do you want her or not?”

On the 310th day of being a people’s teacher, Tao Tao’s persistence and Wu Lele’s own efforts made them teacher and student in name.

Even so, Wu Lele barely spoke, even to Tao Tao.

She was obedient, doing whatever the subject teachers asked, but struggled with Chinese and English.

Tao Tao knew why.

Wu Haosen’s erratic emotions and behavior kept Wu Lele guessing, making it hard for her to read others’ words over time.

That day, during lunch break, Tao Tao was fretting over this when she caught Xue Ran secretly playing a game…

Right, an old fogey like me won’t do, but a peer might have an edge.

So, she picked up the Switch, smiling: “Class leader, help your teacher out?”

On the 628th day of being a people’s teacher, Tao Tao sat in the courtroom’s gallery.

Wu Haosen was still making excuses, despite the mountain of evidence before him.

When the verdict was read, she looked at Wu Lele’s back, at Xue Haichao, Lin Ran, and Xue Lin, and finally sighed in relief.

She later warned Wu Lele not to meddle in others’ consequences, yet she herself never let go of this encounter.

On the 3285th day of being a people’s teacher, Tao Tao’s nearly eight-year-long shipped couple finally reached their big wedding day.

Honestly, it was an accident.

Countless sleepless nights, Tao Tao felt her strong-arming the class leader back then was a bit much.

Luckily, Wu Lele and Xue Ran were both kind and upright at heart.

Blue sea, pure white church.

Wu Lele stood under a rose-woven arch, clutching her white wedding dress: “Oh no, oh no, Tao Tao, I’m suddenly so nervous.”

Tao Tao: “Don’t worry. Even if you mess up, no one will laugh.”

“Why didn’t I notice this aisle was so long? What if I trip? Oh, my hem.”

“Don’t be scared. I’m here.” Tao Tao offered her hand.

The music started, and Wu Lele gripped Tao Tao’s hand tightly.

The wedding’s stars walked from their starting points toward each other.

When they met, Tao Tao let go: “Be happy, okay?”

On the 3285th day of being a people’s teacher, Tao Tao kept going, though her drawer piled up with more resignation letters.