Chapter 58

***

In a certain Radio Station

Director Ma felt awkward as he looked at Yu Dong, who made a sudden appearance in his office. Blinking rapidly, he incredulously asked: “You…you’re asking for maternity leave?”

“Yes, I hope you’ll approve it.” Yu Dong was a little embarrassed. “I know that I’m being irresponsible asking for leave just when the show’s becoming more popular. But you can be rest assured: I will persevere until you find a good successor.”

“That’s not…” Director Ma waved a hand, “Are you married? Why didn’t I know this? Didn’t you come to our radio station after recently graduating?”

“I came to the radio station the day after I got married. We haven’t done our wedding though.” Yu Dong smiled and awkwardly invited him, “If you have the time, please come.”

“Why didn’t you say that in the first place? If I knew you were a newlywed, I wouldn’t have given you the midnight slot.” Director Ma was surprised.

Yu Dong laughed but said nothing.

“Well…” Director Ma thought for a while before saying, “I wanted to tell you later on since it hasn’t been finalized, but since you’re pregnant, I’ll tell you in advance as a present.”

“What’s the matter, director?” Yu Dong saw puzzled.

“Ever since you started Midnight Phantom, our listener ratings have steadily risen. You’re practically our golden ace right now.” Director Ma said, “Especially last year, when you saved a lot of people from that highway accident. Even out district governer praised you by name! There was also that dangerous listener that you handled quite well, you’re very prominent ah!”

“Director I’m flattered by all your praise, but it was something anyone would do.” Yu Dong stayed modest.

“I’m not exaggerating, your accomplishments are obvious. In fact, the Big Boss in Taiwan has long noticed you.” Director Ma said.

“Big Boss?” Yu Dong wondered.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“City TV Station is planning a new interview series and the producer of the show is interested in you, wanting you to be the host. They’ve been in touch with us already.” Director Ma laughed.

“City TV? A talk show?” Having such a big pie fall out of the sky and onto her lap, Yu Dong was stunned.

“A TV show can be recorded beforehand so you wouldn’t need to stay up so late.” Director Ma said, “This is a great opportunity for you.”

The radio station moved quickly after that. In less than two weeks, a new host had been found to take over Yu Dong’s program.

Tonight was the last time Yu Dong would be hosting Midnight Phantom.

“Hello everyone, this is FM9666, I welcome everyone back after the advertisement. This is DJ Fish Jelly. I’ve said this line countless times, but now that this is the last time I’m saying it, Fish Jelly is reluctant. Everyone knows by now that this will be the last time I’m hosting Midnight Phantom, and I’m not sure if I can come back.”

Yu Dong watched her computer screen, the messages constantly scrolling past gradually making her tear up.

Yu Dong looked up and saw the time. There was still half an hour before the broadcast ends. Yu Dong tried to keep her spirits up as she followed the usual procedure: “Alright, let’s see what stories the Ms. Beauties and Mr. Strongs have for us tonight.”

“Hello, this is Fish Jelly.” Yu Dong connected a call.

“Is it connected? Are we through?” A girl’s voice could be heard. She was clearly very excited, like she couldn’t believe she was talking on the radio.

“Ms. Beautiful, hello.”

“Ah! Ah!” The girl happily cried out, “I’m finally a Ms. Beautiful.”

“Don’t be so excited, quickly introduce us…”

Yu Dong listened to the?cacophony of voices on the other end of the line and couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“Yes, hello Fish Jelly. Me and my classmates are all big fans.” The girl introduced. “We have a total of three girls and five boys. We are all Huada University students.”

“Hello Fish Jelly, I’m Ms. Beauty no. 2”

“I’m Beauty no. 3”

“We are Mr. Strong 1-5.”

“Who told you to represent us?” a male voice complained.

“Introducing us one by one is too troublesome.”

“Hello!” Fish Jelly greeted all of them with a happy voice.

“We often do projects and homework late into the night, and we love listening to your program together.” Ms. Beauty no. 1 explained, “But we never had anything interesting to say, so we never called. But a few days ago you mentioned that you’re pregnant and that you’ll be leaving Midnight Phantom, so we wanted to congratulate you!”

“Thank you!”

“We wanted to say…without you, there wouldn’t be a Midnight Phantom, and there wouldn’t be any Ms. Beauties and Mr. Strongs.” Ms. Beauty no. 1 continued, “So we decided that no matter what, we were going to be beautiful and strong tonight.”

Suddenly Yu Dong felt like crying. It turned out that beauty and strength weren’t just synonyms, but an integral part of the program. Them saying this was a special affirmation just for her.

“So just now, we each called the hotline. Fortunately, we got through.” When Ms. Beauty no. 1 finished, many voices could be heard echoing her sentiments.

“Fish Jelly, ” Ms. Beauty no. 1 became excited again, “We don’t have any special stories to share, but we just wanted to tell you, may this night be warm for you.”

“Fish Jelly, I wish for you and your baby to stay happy and healthy!”

“Be happy!”

“We’ll wait for you to come back!”

……

As the Ms. Beauties and Mr. Strongs continued to convey their best wishes, Yu Dong finally let her tears drip down.

Her computer continued to scroll, several messages showing on the screen.

[ The sister is right! ]

[ She’s speaking from everyone’s hearts! ]

……

“This is the first time I’ve been so reluctant to part with someone I’ve never met.” Ms. Beauty no. 1 said.

“We feel the same. ” A series of voices echoed.

“Thank you so much!” Yu Dong chocked out.

At the end of her broadcast, Senior Yu went into the recording booth to hand Yu Dong a pack of tissues. Seeing her red eyes, he said: “I’ve worked in this station for so many years, but this is the first time I’ve seen this sort of situation.”

Yu Dong accepted the tissues and wiped her eyes.

“You were wonderful!” Senior Yu couldn’t help but praise.

Yu Dong looked up at Senior Yu, wanting to say something, but she ended up crying again.

“You should go home early, crying too much is detrimental to your health. You’re still pregnant.” Senior Yu shook his head and smiled.

As Yu Dong walked down the building steps, she suddenly looked back at the tall building and wondered if she would ever come back.

“Ah, a gift was left for you, Miss.” The security man stationed at the gates came over with a small gift box.

“Who sent it?” Yu Dong asked.

“A bus driver originally wanted to give it to you himself, but you came out a little later than usual and he had to continue his route, so he left it here.” The security man added, “He also asked me to pass on his congratulations for your pregnancy, and to pay more attention to your body.”

Yu Dong took the gift and looked at the empty bus stop across the road, remembering the kind bus driver who would wait a few minutes more for her.

“What’s wrong?” Xia Feng had been waiting near the car, but when he saw Yu Dong standing near the building gates in a daze, he walked over and asked.

“Xia Feng I realized, this world is quite warm.” Yu Dong said suddenly.

Holding the music box in her hands, Yu Don listened to ‘To Alice’ with Xia Feng the whole drive home.

….

Because Xia Feng rarely asked for leave, and coupled with the fact that he was getting married, the hospital was very tolerant of his quasi-holiday.

When Yu Dong’s parents met with Mother and Father Xia, it was harmonious. The two sides praised each other’s children the moment they met. Mother Xia even gave half a million yuan as a present but was promptly refused by Yu Dong. Mother Yu was so startled, wasn’t this a plot point of many dog-blood TV dramas? She doesn’t dare accept!

Mother Xia was suddenly in a pickle. How can she not give money for her son’s marriage? The wedding venue was sponsored by Yu Dong’s friends, and the rest of the expenses were paid by the couple themselves.

Forget it, I’ll just save it to spend on my grandchild later.

The wedding was in May, the perfect middle-ground of spring and summer. The winery was in full bloom.

Apart from the relatives and parents, most of the guests were colleagues from Xia Feng’s hospital and Yu Dong’s radio station, with a few alumni of Yu Dong’s university scattered about.

The wedding had many colorful balloons, and it finished with the bride’s bouquet falling into the hands of one Xiang Xiaoyue.

Yu Dong held Xia Feng’s hand as she looked up at the blue sky, the multicolored balloons mirroring her current mood.

Qin Yue walked over to Xiang Xiaoyue and expressed his satisfaction after Xiaoyue caught the bouquet: “I’ll call my parents tonight and tell them to come back home.”

“Why do you want aunt and uncle to come back to China?” Xiang Xiaoyue was puzzled.

“You need to formally visit!” Qin Yue looked straight at the bouquet in her hands.

“How thick is your face?” Xiang Xiaoyue scolded.

“You have the bouquet, this is officially fate.”

“God arranged for me to get married, not you.” Xiaoyue sneered, “After all, for bridesmaids, the best match is usually the best man.”

Shao Yifan, who had been wearing a suit on this hot day, suddenly felt a chill.

Ren Xinxin hugged her child as she laughed.

When night fell, a tired Xia Feng took a bath but didn’t see his bride when he left the bathroom.

Xia Feng took a shawl from the closet and went to the balcony. As expected, Yu Dong was there, sitting on a chair and looking up at the moon.

“Don’t catch a cold.” Xia Feng helped her put on the shawl.

Yu Dong looked back towards Xia Feng with a sweet smile, then turned to the moon.

“Is the moon particularly beautiful tonight?” Xia Feng couldn’t help but ask.

“Un.” Yu Dong nodded, then laughed, “I just thought of a few poem verses – listening to music and song in this intoxicating night, were it not for the moon, the flowers might not have stood tall.”

Yu Dong then pointed to the moon and the flowers around her, playfully commenting: “And here we are, amidst the flowers under the moonlight.”

(T/N tried to make sense of the poem to the best of my ability. Also amidst the flowers under the moonlight is an idiom for a romantic setting.)

“Those poem phrases could be used in this way?” Xia Feng asked.

“That’s how I interpreted them.” Yu Dong didn’t really care.

“Why?” Xia Feng asked with a smile.

“My home is the best, most beautiful place in the world. With flowers, with you, and in a few months, our baby.”

Xia Feng took Yu Dong’s hand that had been resting on the wooden table and covered it with both of his hands. Under the starlight, he looked Yu Dong and kissed each cool fingertip.

“I don’t need flowers, or the moon. All I want is you and the baby.”

Every woman had dreamed of wearing that white dress, not because the dress would make her look beautiful, but because it signaled the day someone would create a new home with her.

The author has something to say: Finally, the end. This book has exhausted all of this crab’s feelings. This crab had actually wanted to write more, but feels like it was best to end it here. Thank you all for accompanying me…

Finally, I would like to thank all the little angels who had fed me!

***

This isn’t the end, for we have three more afterstories!