Zhang Zhong: "Are you really leaving?"
Shen Lang: "Yeah, I've already discussed it with the station."
Zhao Xue: "Don't forget us old colleagues when you make it big."
Shen Lang: "I could never forget Sister Zhao."
Wu Zhoutong: "Come back and visit often."
Shen Lang: "Definitely."
The midday meal, initially a casual gathering, transformed into a farewell feast.
Though Shen Lang had only known Wu Zhoutong, Zhao Xue, and Zhang Zhong for a short time, a genuine fondness had grown between them. They were among the first friends he'd made since transmigrating to this world.
Among them, Wu Zhoutong was the key figure in his rise to success. Without Wu Zhoutong's idea to move listeners with his singing on the show, and his sudden bout of diarrhea, Shen Lang wouldn't have had the opportunity to fill in as host and perform "Lonely Sandbank Cold," which set everything else in motion.
At the table, Shen Lang raised his glass of juice in place of wine, toasting Wu Zhoutong several times.
In the afternoon, just as he settled back into work, he was summoned to an all-staff meeting. There, the leader announced Shen Lang's appointment as Honorary Radio Host and presented him with a certificate.
After his songs became hits, everyone had guessed he would leave, but no one had anticipated this particular way. In just over two months at the station, he had created its first radio album and become its first Honorary Radio Host—truly a legend in the radio world.
Despite packing his belongings, Shen Lang didn't leave. Today was Sunday, the day of "Midnight Melodies." He would participate in the live broadcast, which would also be his final show.
A good start is half the battle. Without the support of his listeners, he wouldn't have achieved his current success. So, he needed to bid them farewell properly.
It was midnight.
Gao Yuanyuan, dressed in adorable pajamas, sat in her room in front of the radio, waiting for Midnight Melodies to begin.
"I forgot to ask him if he'd be singing any new songs on tonight's show."
For some reason, ever since that afternoon cycling with Shen Lang during the National Day holiday, images from that day had been constantly replaying in her mind. This was a first for her.
Tonight, she had gone to bed early.
But she tossed and turned, unable to sleep, lost in thought.
When she finally snapped out of her reverie and checked the time, it was already midnight.
Just as she was about to turn off the light and go to sleep, she suddenly remembered that even though today was the first workday after the National Day holiday, it was still Sunday.
Shen Lang's show was on! She quickly scrambled out of bed and switched on the radio.
"And now for some news: due to personal reasons, Shen Lang will be leaving the radio station..."
Leaving the radio station?
Gao Yuanyuan was equally stunned by the announcement.
She understood.
"Thank goodness I didn't fall asleep, or I would have missed his last show. He's probably going to sing a new song, right?"
Gao Yuanyuan hugged her pillow, leaned against the table, her beautiful eyes brimming with anticipation.
This episode of Midnight Melodies was filled with a poignant atmosphere of farewell.
Callers no longer shared their own stories, but instead expressed their affection and reluctance to part with Shen Lang.
After the usual five songs, the show was nearing its end.
Shen Lang answered the final call himself.
Yuanyuan sighed, still repeatedly dialing the show's hotline on her mobile phone.
She couldn't get through.
She had hoped that since the previous listeners hadn't requested Shen Lang's new song, she would have the chance to do so herself. But luck wasn't on her side.
"Can I still share my story today?" a weathered voice asked from the other end of the line.
"Of course," Shen Lang replied softly.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your farewell to your fans," the man said apologetically.
He was older, 45 years old this year.
He had heard Shen Lang sing on the show before.
The love songs were beautiful, but they didn't touch his heart, so he never became a fan of Shen Lang.
"I should be the one apologizing for taking up everyone's time," Shen Lang said sincerely. "The core principle of Midnight Melodies remains unchanged: to let the music speak for itself and honor our unwavering commitment to you."
He felt he had somewhat distorted the essence of this episode, which was never his intention. He quickly steered the conversation back on track.
"Lately, I've often wondered if I could go back in time, would I have been more considerate of my father? But reality is harsh—time, once gone, never returns," the man said slowly.
This was a rare story unrelated to romantic relationships. Shen Lang listened intently.
"I grew up in the countryside. My mother passed away early, leaving my father to raise my two siblings and me alone. Last month, he suddenly suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. As he lay on the brink of death, he gripped my hand and said in a broken voice, 'My greatest regret in life... was being so busy making money... that I couldn't be there for you...' Before he could finish, he lost consciousness."
"I stood outside the operating room, a sharp pain piercing my heart. It turned out my father had always cared about us. But as we grew older, whether we gained wealth or achieved success, we often brushed aside his love, preoccupied with the trivialities of life. In that moment, my guilt and helplessness crystallized into an eternal regret.
"I miss him... but it's too late."
The man on the other end of the phone sighed deeply.
"The fragility of life inevitably brings to mind countless regrets and helplessness. Life is like a journey against the current—what's lost to time can never be reclaimed, and loved ones who have passed can never be seen again..."
Shen Lang began with a standard dose of chicken soup.
Before the radio, listeners were filled with questions.
Previously, Shen Lang had only written love songs, but the man's situation clearly called for something different.
Could Shen Lang write other types of songs?
If so, would they be as timeless as his love ballads?
Or would he choose to play someone else's song about fatherly love?
"I'm an orphan. I've never known my parents, but I often fantasized about what life with them would be like..."
This was the first time Gao Yuanyuan had learned about Shen Lang's family background, and she never imagined he had such a difficult upbringing.
"I don't know how to comfort you, so I'll dedicate a song to you and your father."
Here it comes.
The moment the listeners had been eagerly anticipating.
Meanwhile, at a villa in Yanjing...
The sisters Na Ying and Na Xing were also listening to the radio.
"Isn't he just good at writing love songs?" Na Xing scoffed.
"Over seventy percent of pop songs are ballads. Whether they're about love, loss, or anything else, they all follow the same formulas and templates," Na Ying said sourly.
As she spoke, the sound of a guitar filled the air.
The rhythm was gentle, and the melody carried a faint melancholy.
Even those with no musical training could tell this song was different from the previous ten.
So, were there really formulas and templates to follow?
Na Xing gritted her teeth.
Na Ying frowned slightly.
"In 1984, the harvest wasn't yet complete,
My son lay sleeping so sweetly in my arms.
Tonight's outdoor movie we won't have time to see,
My wife reminded me to fix the sewing machine's pedal..."