Genius Playground

Not long after Cheng Mengxue left, Fang Ze also passed by the booth and stopped.

As mentioned before...

The location was uniquely advantageous, a path everyone had to take between the academic buildings and the cafeteria.

As long as they stood guard here, no one could slip by.

”Huh? Jiang Ran?”

The same scene played out again as Fang Ze walked straight over.

He was a sharp one. He looked at the promotional poster, then at Jiang Ran—who always got up reliably early—and understood in an instant.

”So that’s what it was. You said at the beginning of the semester that you liked participating in club activities. I never thought... it would be for the Film Club.”

His gaze swept over the old cameras displayed on the table, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.

”These things are older than any of us, but they still work. Honestly, that’s pretty amazing.”

”I’ve never touched a film camera before, and I’ve never taken a photo using such an old imaging process. I’m actually quite interested.”

”Then!” Chi Xiaoguo practically jumped to her feet.

”Heh.”

Fang Ze pulled out a club application form, picked up a ballpoint pen, and began to write.

”Jiang Ran and I are roommates. Since he’s in this club, I might as well join in on the fun.”

After finishing, he handed the form to Chi Xiaoguo.

Chi Xiaoguo waved her hand grandly.

”I hereby dub you Member Number Four!”

”Thanks.”

Fang Ze straightened up, ready to leave. He waved to Jiang Ran on his way out.

”First period this afternoon is the group meeting Teacher Yan scheduled. Don’t forget.”

”Okay, got it.”

Jiang Ran waved back in farewell.

...

After Fang Ze was a good distance away, Chi Xiaoguo could no longer contain her excitement. She started wiggling frantically like a little motor.

”Senior! Our luck has turned! Our luck has turned!”

She clenched her fists, her eyes gleaming.

”You were right! The drop rate really is higher during peak traffic! It’s only been a short while, and we’ve already gained two new members!”

Jiang Ran chuckled and nodded.

”That’s right. We don’t need to set our expectations that high. Other clubs might need dozens or even hundreds of members.”

”But the Film Club is different. Our goal is just to get five people. As long as we can get five, we can keep the club’s official status, apply for funding normally, and start our activities.”

He admitted it.

’I’ve used up a lifetime’s worth of little coaxing tricks on Chi Xiaoguo today.’

Fortunately, the little club president was full of fighting spirit again.

”That’s right! Now, there’s just one lucky person left!”

Indeed.

When you feel like life isn’t going your way and you’re unhappy, lowering your expectations is the best remedy.

Chi Xiaoguo stared with her ”fiery golden eyes,” scrutinizing everyone in the passing crowd, searching for the final lucky user.

In the end, time dragged on until afternoon classes started, and not a single person had given the Film Club a second glance.

”I have to get to class.”

Jiang Ran glanced at his phone screen and stood up.

”Our grad program’s teacher has a really weird personality. Not only does he always arrive and leave right on the dot, but if anyone else dares to be even a little late, he’ll bitch and moan about it for ages.”

”Don’t worry, I’ll be back after this class. Who knows, by then you might have already surpassed our goal.”

”No problem!”

Chi Xiaoguo’s fighting spirit was high.

...

After Jiang Ran left the booth, Chi Xiaoguo lowered her head and began to chant, silently performing a ritual.

’The last one...’

’The last one...’

’The last one...’

She mumbled, praying for the arrival of the final savior.

’Just one last member!’

’Show yourself!’

’I don’t care if they’re human or a ghost, just grant me one more member!’

’God, Angel, Witch, Priest, whatever... answer my summons!’

Suddenly, a figure blocked the sunlight, standing before the Film Club’s booth.

”The Film Club, huh. How interesting.”

”Savior!!!!”

Chi Xiaoguo shouted excitedly, her eyes flying open to inspect the newcomer.

It was a very handsome boy.

His height and build were similar to Senior Jiang Ran’s, but his hair was a bit shorter, making him look sharper.

At that moment, the boy was looking over the booth, gazing at the Film Club’s window behind the transformer box, a strange light glinting in his eyes.

”You! Are you interested in film photography!”

Chi Xiaoguo offered a flyer with both hands.

The boy took it with a smile but shook his head after reading it.

”To be honest, I’m not interested in it at all. But I’m very interested in the existence of the Film Club itself.”

”I just have a feeling... that this would be a great club, a place to spend some wonderful time with friends.”

QUACK?

Chi Xiaoguo tilted her head, letting out a sound like a duck.

’Is this guy okay in the head?’

’What is he doing?’

’Reciting from a textbook?’

’Uh...’

’You really can’t judge a book by its cover.’

The first time Chi Xiaoguo saw this boy, she thought he must be very smart. Who would’ve thought his words and actions would be so strange.

It was a difficult feeling to describe.

It was like... like...

*It was as if this boy wasn’t talking to her, but to the Film Club itself—to the time that had passed here.*

”So, are you willing to come to the Film Club and make friends?”

Chi Xiaoguo tried to recruit him from a different angle.

”Our club has tons of people! Everyone’s talented and nice to talk to, I guarantee you’ll love it here. Joining our club is like coming home!”

The boy smiled.

His gaze remained fixed on the Film Club’s window, on the dim, yellowed scene within, bathed in sunlight.

The Film Club itself was like an old photograph.

”I once... had two good friends in the Film Club, too.”

He paused.

The boy continued:

”*They were the best friends in the world, but... we were separated because of certain things.*”

Chi Xiaoguo scratched her head, trying to understand.

’Could it be...’

’This guy had a film club at his high school? And he had two friends in it? And then they were separated because of college admissions, moving to different parts of the country, a love triangle, or something...?’

’Ah, but that’s not important!’

’The important thing is, since he already knows about the Film Club, he’s a prime prospect!’

’I have to land him!’

”It’s okay!”

Chi Xiaoguo patted her chest.

”Out with the old, in with the new! We can say goodbye to old friends and meet new ones at the Film Club!”

”So? So? How about considering joining our Film Club? I’m a great judge of character. The moment I saw you, I knew—”

”You were born to be connected to the Film Club! You’re a natural at film photography! It would be such a waste if you didn’t join!”

The boy’s gaze never left the Film Club’s window. He sighed softly.

”To be honest, I really do want to join the Film Club and see what kind of time was spent here.”

”What’s the catch!” Chi Xiaoguo’s ears perked up.

”The catch is...”

The boy gave a helpless smile and spread his hands.

”The catch is, I’m not a student at this school. I just came to East Sea University today to visit a friend.”

”Huh?”

Chi Xiaoguo deflated instantly, looking at the boy before her with disdain.

’Dude!’

’Are you kidding me!’

’You can’t just mess with people like that!’

’And another thing...’

’What’s with the bad feng shui of this Film Club? Why does it keep attracting students from other schools?’

’First Senior Jiang Ran, and now this guy.’

”Is Jiang Ran not here?” the boy asked, lowering his head.

”He went to class,” Chi Xiaoguo answered reflexively.

”Huh? You know Senior Jiang Ran?”

Her eyes widened as the logic clicked into place.

’Could it be...’

’...that this guy was a classmate of Senior Jiang Ran’s at his old junior college!’

”I have a photo I want to show Jiang Ran. Could I trouble you to give it to him for me?”

The boy took a brown envelope from his pocket. It was sealed and had a crease on it, folded to the size of a five-inch photo.

”Oh, sure, no problem.”

Chi Xiaoguo agreed immediately and took the envelope.

”Shouldn’t you send Senior Jiang Ran a message on WeChat? Will he know it’s from you?”

”Of course he’ll know.”

The boy smiled, looked up, and took one last look at the story-filled transformer box.

Then he turned, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and left.

”He definitely... wouldn’t have forgotten me.”

...

Meanwhile, Jiang Ran was in the lab, still engaged in meaningless small talk.

Teacher Yan Chonghan would ask them some questions, then use those questions to talk about research matters, logic, and prospects.

He also shared a piece of good news with them.

”Teacher Zhang Yang is already able to get out of bed and walk around, though he needs crutches, of course. It won’t be long—half a month at most—before he can return to East Sea University to teach.”

”In other words, our teacher-student relationship will end before the National Day holiday. After the holiday, you’ll be able to see Teacher Zhang Yang in this lab and officially begin your academic careers.”

”I’m sorry that during our time together, I haven’t really taught you anything. I was also appointed under urgent circumstances. I’m not actually very good at this, nor have I ever truly been a teacher in the traditional sense.”

”I hope—wait a minute.”

He stopped abruptly, glanced at his watch, and stood up.

”Class dismissed.”

Another flawless combo. Teacher Yan grabbed his water cup and lesson plan and flash-stepped out of the classroom.

The moment his back foot crossed the threshold, the final bell rang, right at the buzzer.

The three students below were already used to his decisive and efficient style; it was nothing strange to them.

After leaving the lab building, Jiang Ran jogged all the way to the club activities building.

He was still a little worried.

’Has the Film Club’s final key member... shown up yet?’

It was no wonder so many university film clubs had been shut down. Forget film cameras; even people who insisted on using digital cameras were rare these days.

Aside from professional photographers, everyone now used their phones to take pictures. The pixels were good enough, sharing was convenient, and you could edit and Photoshop photos on the spot. Pragmatism reigned supreme.

He arrived at the area outside the Film Club’s window.

The other clubs’ booths always had a constant flow of people.

Over at the anime club’s booth, which was practically bursting at the seams, a new lineup of upperclassmen cosplayers in colorful outfits were attracting all sorts of otaku.

Only the Film Club’s booth remained steadfast and true... there wasn’t a single person there.

Jiang Ran walked over and saw that the neatly arranged souvenirs and small gifts on the table were all still there. Not a single one had been given away.

”Not a single person all afternoon?”

Chi Xiaoguo shook her head, her energy completely drained.

”Not one person wanted to join, not even one who was curious enough to take a look... Oh, wait, there was one person. A friend of yours came looking for you and left a photo.”

?

Jiang Ran tilted his head.

”My friend?”

He couldn’t think of who it could be.

’Wang Hao?’

’But if it were Wang Hao, he definitely would have contacted me on WeChat beforehand. Who would look for me at the Film Club’s booth?’

”What photo?” he asked curiously.

Chi Xiaoguo took a brown envelope from the drawer and handed it over.

”He left an envelope for you and asked me to pass it on. I don’t know what’s inside, so you should open it and see.”

Jiang Ran took the envelope and looked at the front and back.

There was no writing on it.

From the feel of it, he could easily tell there was indeed a palm-sized photo inside.

RIIIIP—

He tore open the top of the envelope and pulled out the photo.

”This is...”

He blinked, looking at the inscrutable photo.

It wasn’t a portrait.

Nor was it a landscape.

It was a very ordinary photo of a single-family house.

The house looked somewhat old, and the weeds in the yard were tall. It had clearly been a long time since anyone had tended to it; it was most likely uninhabited.

The architectural style didn’t look Chinese. Coincidentally, the photo had captured a mailbox and a nameplate hanging by the yard’s entrance.

The nameplate had a street name and number written on it in English.

Given that, the photo must have been taken abroad.

But who would go out of their way to send him a photo like this?

What was this uninhabited, weed-choked house supposed to mean?

”How bizarre.”

Jiang Ran habitually flipped the photo over to see if there were any notes on the back.

Sure enough.

There was indeed a line of text written in black ink—

*At the University of Pennsylvania... there is no Cheng Mengxue.*