Chapter 412 Program

The day after returning to the capital, during a break after breakfast, Nan Zhiyi pulled Gu Zhao to her side and discussed with him her plans to visit her uncle Gu Yan in Huacheng.

Gu Zhao was very excited to hear that she could see her uncle. But since it was her first time leaving her parents for a long trip, the little girl hesitated for a moment, then looked up and asked, "Mom, then... if I miss you over there, can I come back?"

Nan Zhiyi: "Of course you can! Mom will miss you too. You can stay there for as many days as you like, and Mom and Dad will be waiting for you to come home."

Gu Zhao was truly delighted and eagerly asked, "When can I set off?"

"The earliest would be tomorrow. Uncle Liu will drive you there." Nan Zhiyi smiled and tapped his nose.

Gu Zhao jumped up excitedly, "Great! I'll go tell my uncle right now!" He went straight to the telephone, picked up the receiver, and started dialing.

Listening to her son excitedly chattering on the phone, Nan Zhiyi turned around to find Sister Zhang to bring Gu Yan some Beijing specialties and prepare a proper gift for his girlfriend whom he had never met. Regardless of whether Gu Yan needed anything, she had to express her feelings.

When they set off, the Jeep's trunk was packed full, containing not only Gu Zhao's luggage but also various carefully prepared gifts.

Gu Xiao had to go to work, so only Nan Zhiyi and Sister Zhang came to see him off.

Nan Zhiyi bent down and carefully straightened her son's collar, gently instructing him, "When you get there, if your uncle is busy with work, you must be good and not bother him. Do whatever your uncle asks you to do, be obedient, okay?"

Gu Zhao nodded vigorously, puffing out her little chest: "Mommy, I'm not a three-year-old anymore! I understand all of this! Daddy told me so many things last night..."

He spread his arms, gesturing a very large area, emphasizing how detailed his father's instructions were.

Nan Zhiyi was amused by him, rubbed her son's soft cheeks, and kissed him on the forehead: "Good son, Mom will miss you. When you get there, remember to call and let him know you're safe."

She helped her son into the back seat, fastened his seatbelt, and said to Xiao Liu in the driver's seat, "Xiao Liu, thank you for your hard work on this journey."

Xiao Liu smiled憨厚ly, "Sister-in-law, don't worry, I guarantee that Xiaoman will be delivered to Comrade Gu Yan safely and comfortably!"

Sister Zhang also leaned over the car window and handed a heavy cloth bag to Gu Zhao: "Xiaoman, eat something if you get thirsty or hungry on the way. When you get to Huacheng, listen to your uncle, don't eat too much cold food, and remember to wear an extra layer of clothing in the morning and evening..."

Gu Zhao nodded obediently: "I understand, Aunt Zhang."

Little Liu started the car, and it slowly began to move. Gu Zhao leaned out of the rolled-down window and waved, "Goodbye, Mom! Goodbye, Aunt Zhang!"

Nan Zhiyi stood at the gate of the courtyard, smiling and waving as she watched the car turn the corner and disappear from sight.

She felt a strange emptiness in her heart. This little guy, his wings haven't even grown strong yet, but his heart is already wild, always thinking about flying out to a wider world.

After Gu Zhao went to Huacheng, Nan Zhiyi devoted herself to preparing for the interview and radio program.

Editor-in-Chief Lin sent over 500 specially printed, numbered, collector's edition copies of the new book, their dark green covers giving them a dignified and elegant appearance.

Nan Zhiyi spent a day or two signing her pen name on the title page of each book.

After signing, Nan Zhiyi kept ten copies to give to Qin Fen, Director Huang, and others who had clearly expressed their desire for signed copies of the new book. Although she was unsure of their true intentions, she still wanted to be polite.

A few days later, the radio station sent someone to pick her up.

A brand-new Shanghai-brand sedan arrived, its body gleaming. The person in charge of receiving them was a woman of about thirty years old, wearing a light gray Lenin suit. She introduced herself as an editor in the radio station's arts and culture department, surnamed Wang.

Editor Wang spoke crisply and had a friendly smile. She opened the car door for Nan Zhiyi and thoughtfully placed her hand on the top of the door to protect her.

Once in the car, she gave a brief introduction, "Comrade Huaiwei, today we're recording the first episode. We mainly want you to share the stories and insights behind your creations with our listeners. You can just chat briefly with the host."

"Okay, thank you."

This was Nam Ji-yi's first time stepping into a radio station.

The building is in the Soviet style, with spacious interior corridors, terrazzo floors that are so shiny they reflect light, and the lower half of the walls painted a light green.

Editor Wang led Nan Zhiyi through several quiet corridors to a wooden door covered with dark red leather soundproofing material.

She gently pushed open the door, revealing a recording studio. The walls and ceiling had been specially soundproofed, making the room exceptionally quiet, as if completely isolated from the outside world.

A male technician wearing headphones, sitting behind a control panel, saw them, stood up, and nodded through the glass.

Nan Zhiyi nodded with a smile.

In the center of the room stood a table covered with dark green velvet, on which sat a microphone covered with a fine metal mesh.

Next to the microphone were two cups of freshly brewed green tea, steaming gently.

Behind the table sat a woman of intellectual and gentle demeanor. She was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, wearing a beige polyester shirt, with her short hair neatly combed, and a pair of thin-rimmed glasses perched on her nose.

Seeing Nan Zhiyi follow Editor Wang in, she walked around the table and slowly approached, her leather shoes making a clattering sound.

"This is Xu Ke, the host of our 'Reading and Appreciation' column," Editor Wang introduced from the side.

"Comrade Huaiwei, welcome, welcome! Please have a seat!" Xu Ke warmly shook hands with Nan Zhiyi. "Knowing you were coming, I specially brewed some tea. Let's warm our throats first."

Nan Zhiyi: "Hello, host Xu, thank you for your help."

After everyone was seated, Xu Ke pushed a manuscript in front of Nan Zhiyi.

"This is our preliminary program flow and talk outline. Please take a look. I will start by giving a brief introduction to you and your new work, 'The Ferry Crossing.' Then we will discuss several core topics, such as the inspiration for your novel, the considerations behind the main characters, and your views on the relationship between literature and real life. Finally, there will be a short segment featuring selected listener letters and interactive discussions."

She pointed to the section marked in red on the paper: "These are the specific questions I will ask later. Please check if they are all covered? Or is there anything you would like to share with the audience but is not mentioned here? We can adjust it at any time."

She asked directly, "Do you have prepared the key points or a script for the conversation? If you do, we can look at each other's notes and the flow will be smoother."