Evening came. The air was fresh and the moon was bright. The friends sat beside the window, cutting moon cakes and sharing fruits. A sense of happiness arouse in Sophie’s heart. Ever since the first day she arrived at The Academy she had been happy. It was her new home and she was not lonely at all. Tasting the cakes, she listened to the conversation with a slight smile. They talked from the first impression to the future plans, and got more and more high-spirited. At last Helen bounced up, holding a teacup. 

“I have a good idea! Every one of us say something and we record it with the recorder! This is the first Mid-Autumn Day since we came to college, and there are so many new friends. When we graduate, we can still remember our young voices.”

She was speaking by herself high-spiritedly, not noticing that Sophie sitting nearby had already recorded everything with a recorder. When Sophie pressed down the button and the voice called out from the recorder, Helen rejected in sudden surprise: “Not this paragraph!”

Cathy rapped on the table, saying: “Quiet, quiet everyone! We can record again, formally, like the conversation program on the radio.” 

“Good, good! Cathy, Cathy, you be the host, you speak standard Chinese!” 

Cathy arranged herself properly, bounced up from her seat and took up a huge spoon as her microphone. Sophie had already pressed down the button. The room was very quiet, Cathy’ s sweet beautiful accent resounding:

“Hello everyone! This is 219 Studio, I am Cathy!”

Her sudden change of tone made the girls laugh, but all kept from it. With great solemnity she continued: “As the representative of 219 Dorm, I wish you a happy Mid-Autumn Day! On this special day, when the moon is round, perhaps you are having a good time with your families. Last year, at this moment, I was also at home, with my parents……”

Silence reigned. In this special moment, they all missed their parents. 

“However, this is a happy mid-Autumn Day. It is the first autumn I spend with my new friends since I came to The Academy. Next, I will interview each dorm mate, and ask them to tell their feelings and thoughts in the evening of Mid Autumn Day.”

Helen was too anxious to wait. She snatched Cathy’ s spoon, stretched her neck to the recorder and said longingly: “Ah! How I do wish our dorm should be as good as this, never quarreling.”

Rebukingly, Cathy snatched the spoon from Helen and approached Sophie, half squatting down. Tonight Cathy’s newly washed shiny hair looked very womanly. So she was ready to answer all her questions very carefully. 

“Sophie, as everyone knows, you are the most lovely Doll Nymphs in our dorm. You have ten dolls and you write fairy tales for each of them. You are very imaginative and may be you will become a writer in the future. So at the night of full moon, tell your wishes for the future, you will realize them.”

Sophie was very surprised Cathy observed her so carefully. Warmth arouse in her heart. She said: “My greatest wish, is to be a writer, to spread my books all over the world, bringing old readers and young readers true freedom and happiness!”

Sophie was amazed by her own speech. She used to imagine stories, but she seldom bore any great ambition. Tonight, on Mid Autumn, she discovered a seed at the bottom of her heart. One day the seed would take roots, sprout and become a miracle. 

Everyone looked at her with a smile of pleasure. They said when Sophie became a writer, she must write the stories of 219 Dorm. Then they focused on Li Ge. Li Ge was dressed in a green coat, like a noble lady. Knowing clearly the intention of the dorm’s silence, Cathy pointed the spoon at her. 

“Now, let’s invite our Li Ge tell her greatest wish at the night of full moon.”

Great Li Ge amazed everyone once she uttered the very first sentence. 

“First, I will find a romantic BF who has many girl friends.”

“Ah!!!!!!”

“Then I will do advertisement and earn heaps of money. With the money I will buy a 2-story house with a back garden. I will eat a lot of apple salad and rent an old woman as a servant. As soon as I reach 30 I will marry and get pregnant. For the health of my child, I should keep happy and laugh all the time. I will buy a home theater，and watch Zhou Xingchi’s comedies.”

All these wishes were expressed very naturally, while the others were drenched in laughter. Half joking, they wished Li Ge to realize her dreams as soon as possible. And they wished that Li Ge would not forget her college roommates when she becomes a rich woman. Cathy even assured discreetly that if one day she came and visit Li Ge’ s visa, the old servant would not kick her out. 

It was close upon nine. The moon climbed up the window, looking over the chippering Nymphs quietly. Then Sophie turned about to see Lily gazing at the moon. Something was on Lei’s mind. She was missing her father. Her father was a policeman and he passed away before Lei took part in the College Entrance Exam. Every time Lei talked about her father, Lei was heart broken. 

 “Hum! You fellow. What are you thinking of? Your future BF?” said Cathy, intent upon Lei’s silence.

 

Lily looked back, smiling slightly: “Never, never. I never think of that!”

 “Impossible! There is not a young girl in the world who has no heart for love affairs.” Li Ge was very clear of every slight detail. 

Every one brightened up at this brilliant comment. Sophie was shaking her head with an air of great disgust. In order not to pollute Sophie’ s pure heart, Li Ge added, this sentence was not invented by herself, but was said by Goethe, a great poet. 

Sophie did not mean to look up at the origin of the statement in a dictionary right now, because Cathy had passed the spoon to Lily. Sophie was very curious. What seed was hidden in Lily’ s mind? 

“Dad, you are in heaven watching me? You always said I was a good child. You were never worried about me. I miss you very much. Every day I dream of you.”

Tears were shining in the eyes. Sophie was praying for Lily in her mind, hoping her to suffer less from her past unhappiness and enjoy more happiness at present. Good Lei should not be overwhelmed by the unhappiness in the past. She should enjoy a happy future. 

“Dad, you were always proud of me. Yes, you have a good daughter. I was always a diligent student. I know you are already very tired traveling across the country chasing the criminals. I always write every word neatly. Dad, Do you know? I never disappoint you. I am admitted by The Academy. I was the only student in my middle school who was admitted by The Academy. I will study harder and harder, and become a graduate student…”

A ray of happiness sparkled in Lily’ s eyes. She smiled, as pretty as a bud in spring. 

The next was Linda. Holding the big spoon and shaking her lovely head she said: “I tend to hook on the past，so I would cry sadly each time I receive a letter from my parents. I admire the students who live near. But today indeed I am very happy. As for my future, I have no special wishes. I only hope I do not idle away my college days and when I graduate I can achieve my goal in academic research. Yes, I still have a small wish. If I had enough money, I would buy the French perfume last time I saw in a gift shop, I need not to be so hesitant.”

Now it was Cathy’ s turn. She held the spoon and said slowly: “As you all know, I want to be a lawyer. As a young child I had been interested in law, and I am good at analysis and reasoning. There are still many problems in Chinese law system，so I hope I can make some achievements in this field.”

Everyone looked up at her admiringly. Cathy had always been a kind elder sister among them. A most diligent and determined student. She was always optimistic, though she was confronted with many problems. The disadvantages of her parents had done harm to her when she was young, yet she always forgave her parents and understood them. She failed an exam, yet she worked hard and succeeded at last.

The moon was very high, and the tape in the recorder was reaching its end. At this interval, Cathy was busily concluding the program: “Dear friends，219 Studio special program is over. What do you think of it? Welcome to telephone us or write letters to us.”

Then Cathy wanted to turn off the recorder. But Helen found the ending so dull. She shouted to the radio：”The first Mid-Autumn Day in The Academy, how happy! Upon graduation, we will get our wishes! I will remember this pleasant night for ever!”

They hugged each other, saying：”Li Ge, we love you! Sophie，we love you! Linda，we love you! Lily，we love you! Cathy, we love you!”

With a “CLIP!” the tape had ran off. A beautiful and unforgettable night had passed. Several years latter, Sophie had been recalling that happy evening, the moments when dreams flourished.