Genius Playground

The Animation Club was swarming with even more people, while the Movie Club, Basketball Club, Badminton Club, Cycling Club, and Rollerblading Club were also completely swamped.

In contrast, the Film Club’s booth wasn’t just deserted—there wasn’t a single soul in sight! Not one person even paused for a moment in front of their table!

At that moment...

Chi Xiaoguo was genuinely heartbroken.

Her eyes gazed listlessly at the meticulously prepared souvenirs and the raffle box on the table... She didn’t say a word, clearly crestfallen.

To be honest, Jiang Ran hadn’t expected such a miserable outcome either.

’East Sea University is so huge, and there are so many freshmen. There can’t possibly be not a single one interested in film photography, can there?’

Well.

Then again, film photography was indeed a niche hobby, one that had largely been left behind by the times, but still...

Jiang Ran couldn’t help but glance over at Chi Xiaoguo.

Her palpable sadness made Jiang Ran feel a pang of sympathy.

He knew exactly how much Chi Xiaoguo had been looking forward to this day.

Ever since last semester, she had been endlessly dreaming of the Film Club having a group of like-minded friends. They would do activities together, chat together, and press the shutter to freeze moments in time.

For the past few days, she had spent every waking moment holed up in the club room. She’d been making posters, signboards, and gifts, all while humming a tune and bobbing the little bun on her head, completely lost in her own happy world.

Even though the girl from Guangxi didn’t come from a wealthy family, she had still bought lots of gifts online, intending to give them to any student who submitted an application form.

And yet...

So far, she hadn’t given a single one away.

Everything she had so carefully prepared was now being completely ignored. Anyone in her shoes would feel dejected.

”It’s okay. We still have the afternoon,”

Jiang Ran said as he picked up an application, filled in his information, and handed it to Chi Xiaoguo.

”The first step is always the hardest. Let’s just say my application is to get the ball rolling.”

Chi Xiaoguo took Jiang Ran’s application and chuckled.

”Okay, I guess that means we’ve recruited our first member. The Film Club now has two members!”

”Huh? Jiang Ran?”

Hearing a familiar voice,

Jiang Ran looked up.

He saw... Cheng Mengxue, standing in front of the Film Club’s booth and tilting her head as she looked at him.

”What are you doing here?”

As she spoke, Cheng Mengxue glanced at the promotional signs on either side, and realization dawned.

”Oh, Jiang Ran, so you’re a member of the Film Club! How come I never knew you had a hobby like this? You—”

She was about to say more,

but her words caught in her throat when she noticed the little girl beside him. The girl’s huge, sparkling eyes were fixed on her, filled with an impossibly expectant, crystalline gaze! It was like her eyes were literally glowing!

”Excuse me! Are you interested in film photography?!” Chi Xiaoguo practically lunged at her.

Cheng Mengxue hastily took a step back.

”Um... I don’t really know anything about it...”

”You’re the first person to come to our booth on their own all day!”

Chi Xiaoguo gazed at the short-haired girl before her as if she were looking at the Virgin Mary.

”You must love film photography! Please join our Film Club!”

”I... I’m not...”

Cheng Mengxue waved her hands, about to refuse.

Suddenly!

Her eyes fell on Chi Xiaoguo’s keychain, and they widened.

”Huh?”

At the same time, Chi Xiaoguo also happened to see the charm on Cheng Mengxue’s phone.

”Eh?”

”Hmm?”

”Ah!”

”Oh!”

”Gasp!”

”The Wedding Dress Rhine Cat!” ”The Time Particle Rhine Cat!”

The two girls blurted out between gasps.

CLASP!

Their four small hands clasped together tightly. Like long-lost sisters finding each other, two fellow Rhine Cat fans, their eyes welled up with tears!

”You have to join the Film Club!” ”You have to let me join the Film Club!”

A friendship forged by the Rhine Cat; you could say they hit it off instantly.

Jiang Ran watched this dramatic scene unfold from the sidelines, facepalming with a sigh.

’So what Chi Xiaoguo said really came true...’

As fellow Rhine Cat fanatics, the two of them really had become the best of friends in an instant.

Well.

In any case, the Film Club had gained another member, reaching the unprecedented size of three people.

However, they were still two members short of the minimum five required by East Sea University’s club management regulations.

Jiang Ran couldn’t help but worry, ’Is there still hope?’

’The Film Club’s last two crucial members...’

’Who will they be?’