Chapter 109: Will You Wait or Leave?

The first listener to request a song was a user named Little Radish Head, who chose Lin Ziyu’s “Old Street Corner.” He wanted to dedicate this song to his ex-girlfriend. Little Radish Head said, “Qianqian, distance has made us meet less often, and time has created chasms between us, but I want to say that even though we are apart, I will continue to love you.” A sentimental young soul, indeed. Long-distance relationships are a common challenge for many online listeners, especially students. As someone who has been through it, I can only tell all my friends out there: if you can hold on, then hold on with all your might; if you feel you cannot persist any longer, then quietly let go. Now, let’s listen to the poignant “Old Street Corner.”

Hao Yifeng clicked play with his mouse, muted his microphone, and took a sip of warm, strong tea. In truth, Hao Yifeng was the music director of Yangcheng Music Radio and also wrote music reviews for major music websites. This spicy music show on the online radio was born out of boredom but surprisingly gained quite a high listenership. As a result, he signed a weekly Monday broadcast contract with the music network.

Hao Yifeng contacted the second selected listener, Wind Blowing the Skirt, but after waiting a long while without a reply, he reached out directly to the third listener, Dream Flying. Dream Flying requested to play the song “Spring Fairy Tale” by the singing legend Zhang Xueyu.

Hao Yifeng searched for “Spring Fairy Tale” on his player, ready to queue it up. When “Old Street Corner” finished, he said, “This next song, ‘Spring Fairy Tale,’ is dedicated by listener Dream Flying to the girl he likes. He said: Liu Yani, I know you enjoy listening to Brother Yifeng’s spicy music show. I hope you’re listening right now. Graduation is just around the corner, and for the three years I’ve kept these words in my heart, I want to say: I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?”

Hao Yifeng paused and said, “This guy is lucky — his confession got picked. I don’t know if Liu Yani is actually listening right now. Alright, all you single dogs, stop spamming the chat. If she’s here, I hope she can sincerely feel Dream Flying’s confession. Hmm, I wish you two are long-lost siblings! Haha, just kidding. I truly wish you a happy ending! Now, let’s listen to ‘Spring Fairy Tale,’ a song I also really like, by the singing legend Zhang Xueyu.”

While the song played, Hao Yifeng went to the restroom. Upon returning to his computer, he received a message from the previously unresponsive Wind Blowing the Skirt.

“Husband Yifeng, I want to request ‘Sunny Day.’”

Hao Yifeng was momentarily baffled, wondering if his eyes deceived him. He replied, “Who sings it?”

Wind Blowing the Skirt answered, “It’s the one by A'sposon, the very song you just criticized!”

Hao Yifeng thought he had encountered a fool or that this person was joking with him. “Bro, don’t mess with me. Could it be that you are A'sposon?”

Wind Blowing the Skirt quickly typed back, “No, you misunderstood. I was listening to your show earlier and reached the last page. Since my ex-boyfriend also wrote a song called ‘Sunny Day,’ I wanted to see if it was his upload, so I clicked to pay.”

Hao Yifeng replied, “So it’s really your boyfriend’s song? Haha, are you going to promote it? I support you.”

Wind Blowing the Skirt responded immediately, “No, it’s much better than my ex’s song. I really like it—it feels like it’s about the first love between me and him. Please, you must play this song for me.”

Hao Yifeng was silent for a moment before typing, “Are you sure you want to request that ‘Sunny Day’?”

The reply came firmly, “Yes, even though my first love will never come back, I’m grateful for the beautiful memories he left me. Brother Yifeng, I personally guarantee you will like this song. Actually, I’m already eager to listen to the other three songs by A'sposon.”

Hao Yifeng replied with some doubt, “Alright.”

By now, “Spring Fairy Tale” was nearing its end. Hao Yifeng muted the sound and opened his microphone. “Just now, I received a special request from the second listener, Wind Blowing the Skirt, who wants to play the song ‘Sunny Day,’ the last-ranked song on the musicians’ original chart. This made me wonder if Wind Blowing the Skirt might actually be the infamous Jed’s poison, but after thinking it through, I doubted it. So I decided to trust her once.”

“She requested this song to thank her ex-boyfriend for the many beautiful memories he left her. I hope that the song she chose will also leave beautiful memories for me and all our listeners, though the odds are slim. Haha, Wind Blowing the Skirt, I’m not doubting your taste. Everyone has moments of mishearing after all. The fact that you listen to my show shows you do have good taste.”

After saying this, the comments section was flooded with disdainful emojis.

Hao Yifeng chuckled softly, opened the musicians’ original chart, and with practiced ease flipped to the last page. He clicked to play A'sposon’s “Sunny Day.” Facing the microphone, he said, “I’ll spend five yuan to listen to this song that reminds Wind Blowing the Skirt of her first love. Let’s hope it’s worth these five Chinese yuan.”

He confirmed the payment and started the song.

The version Hao Yifeng played was by Guan Shimin.

The opening was a beautiful, lingering piano melody that softly echoed in everyone’s ears. When Cheng Xiaoyu’s emotionally rich, slightly melancholic voice drifted from speakers and headphones alike, the entire comments section fell silent. Everyone sat still, frozen before their screens. This simple and exquisite prelude stunned countless dormant young souls.

Even Hao Yifeng stared at the scrolling lyrics on his player in disbelief, speechless. After listening to so many emotionally heavy, greasy pop ballads filled with love and heartbreak and melodrama, hearing such a fresh, lightly wistful song struck right at the softest part of his heart.

“The little yellow flower of the story has been drifting since the year it was born. Childhood swings have been swaying in memory all the way to now.”

When the sung lyrics appeared, Hao Yifeng was covered in goosebumps, an electric thrill coursing through him. In his mind echoed only three words: “Amazing, amazing, amazing.” The person who dared write lyrics like this was truly a genius.

“Blowing the prelude, gazing at the sky, I remember the petals trying to fall; the day I skipped class for you; the day the flowers fell. That classroom, how come I can’t see it? The rainy day that disappeared—I so want to get soaked once more. Unexpectedly, I still keep the courage I lost; I want to ask once more if you will wait or leave.”

This gentle recollection of past memories drew everyone into the tender years of youth. Do you know the joy and sadness of secretly admiring a girl you like? This is the little yellow flower planted in the heart of a boy just awakening to love—regardless of whether the flower blooms or withers, regardless of experiencing rain again, the courage once lost still remains. Because of love, there is courage.

“On a windy day, I tried to hold your hand, but the rain gradually grew heavy, so heavy I could no longer see you. How much longer must I wait to be by your side? Until the day it clears, maybe I’ll feel a little better. Once upon a time, there was someone who loved you for a long time, but the wind gradually blew the distance so far. After finally being able to love one more day, at the end of the story, you still seemed to say goodbye.”

In the end, first love always concludes with a farewell—goodbye means perhaps never to meet again.

There is no dramatic “I love you, you love me” life-or-death turmoil, no frenetic electronic love triangles, no glamorous packaging or contrived atmosphere. It is simply a pure and earnest “first love sentiment.”

“Sunny Day” is a beautiful memory, a touching emotion, a heartfelt story. It disregards hardships and storms; if you are pure, then it can be eternal.

(Thanks to both Shameless A and Whisper~~ for their support. Another chapter will be updated soon.)