In the end, he was still forced to drag several huge boxes from the clubroom to the recruitment spot, inch by inch.

Honestly, this really put Chen Yuzhe in a tough spot.

Standing barely over 1.6 meters tall—shorter than most girls at this northeastern university—and with his naturally slender frame, he was, by all meaningful standards, an inadequate guy.

But at least he was stronger than the average girl. So naturally, all the heavy lifting fell to him.

Truth was, Chen Yuzhe was usually the lazy type. Unless something genuinely interested him or was unavoidable, he’d push tasks aside or just stay cooped up indoors.

So for manual labor like this? Chen Yuzhe harbored serious resentment.

After painstakingly setting up the tent and arranging everything, Chen Yuzhe nearly collapsed. He slumped over a chair like a dead dog, panting with his tongue lolling out.

Barely conscious from exhaustion, a dark shadow seemed to drift into his blurred vision.

“Here.” Jiang Xiaoyao held an ice pop right in front of his face with one hand, while licking another with obvious relish.

*She’s eating a five-yuan Qiaolezi bar for herself but gives me a fifty-cent Xiaobuding?* Chen Yuzhe subtly pursed his lips.

*Whatever. At least she gave me something. Means she still sees me as a guy. That’s progress.*

“President,” he said, “after all this hard work, just one ice pop? Shouldn’t you at least treat me to a drink?”

“Hah? You’ve got the nerve!” Jiang Xiaoyao planted her hands on her hips, cheeks puffing in anger. “In other clubs, guys fight to help girls out. But in our anime club? You’re the only guy, and you laze around all day!”

“You skip club activities constantly, ditch conventions, and just wander around shopping alone.”

“Do you even act like an anime club member?” She punctuated each word by poking his forehead hard.

*Ouch.* Chen Yuzhe grumbled silently, face blank.

*Do those guys you flirt with even know how strong you are? Or do they all think you’re some delicate girl who can’t even open a bottle cap?*

“Sorry. I’ll do better next time.”

“See that you do!” Jiang Xiaoyao huffed with a cute snort, then turned to boss around the other female members setting up the recruitment booth.

Chen Yuzhe, of course, didn’t volunteer for more work. He stayed slumped in his chair, radiating the aura of a man utterly drained—down to the last drop, incapable of even twitching a finger.

Honestly, his job here was done anyway.

He didn’t cosplay, wasn’t handsome, and had a mediocre voice—no use for reception duties.

And with Jiang Xiaoyao’s personality? She’d definitely handle welcoming newcomers herself.

*What if some tall, rich, handsome freshman shows up?*

The morning breeze seeped into his bones, melting them into softness. Already sleep-deprived from waking early, plus the brutal physical labor, Chen Yuzhe soon drifted into a drowsy haze.

In his half-sleep, he faintly heard someone calling his name.

*…Who’s talking? Hard to make out, but that voice… really nice.*

Soft. Like candy. Like a tiny creature gently licking his cheek.

Chen Yuzhe blinked awake, stretching lazily. He smacked his lips, squinting as he scanned his surroundings.

Recruitment had begun. The campus buzzed with fresh-faced freshmen.

The once-quiet street now thrummed with noise—club members shouting promotions, freshmen chattering—transforming the spot into a chaotic marketplace.

Anime Club’s booth was undeniably eye-catching. Several pretty girls, dressed in meticulously prepared cosplay outfits, handed out flyers under the canopy.

But the real showstopper was Jiang Xiaoyao.

Reimu Hakurei was a popular character—even non-otaku had likely seen her online.

And Jiang Xiaoyao’s dedication to cosplay? Even Chen Yuzhe had to admit it. Every stitch of clothing, every prop detail, was polished to perfection. Her costume wasn’t just flashy; it was photo-ready straight out of the gate.

Coupled with her generous curves and the flash of pale thigh beneath her skirt, Anime Club’s booth quickly became the most popular on the street.

“Home for all otaku! Full of cute guys and girls waiting for you! Freshmen, join Anime Club now!”

Jiang Xiaoyao shouted into a megaphone, her signature saccharine-sweet voice dripping with forced cuteness.

Chen Yuzhe glanced around. Plenty of new male members this year—most probably drawn by Jiang Xiaoyao. Some were already asking for her contact info and relationship status while filling out forms.

*Heh. Naive.* Chen Yuzhe smirked inwardly.

*If you fall for Jiang Xiaoyao, you hopeless otaku will be devoured down to the bone. She’ll drain your coffin fund for wife figurines.*

Most of these freshmen were average-looking, radiating that classic otaku aura—or worse, outright creepy vibes. Jiang Xiaoyao probably wouldn’t even bother with them.

Just as Chen Yuzhe lazily turned to watch the dance club’s performance for some eye candy, a cool, clear voice cut through the noise right in front of him.

“Senior, could I have an Anime Club application form?”

*Huh?*

At first, he thought he’d misheard.

He wasn’t even sitting at the roadside registration table—he was deep in the shaded back corner of the canopy. Why would anyone bypass the front queue to ask *him*?

And…

Chen Yuzhe rubbed his eyes. No mistake. No hallucination.

It was a girl.

If he had to describe her in one word? *Stillness.*

What did “stillness” mean?

Some people were born to sit alone in a café corner, sipping coffee quietly, lost in a book.

They moved at their own unhurried pace, unhurried by chaos. Even on a noisy street, seeing them made the world hush around you.

This girl was that kind.

At first glance, Chen Yuzhe’s internal rating system kicked in.

Petite—around 1.5 meters. Neat, chin-length bob. Not stunning, but not unattractive. Fairer skin than average: plus point.

Slender build, no awkwardness despite her height. Large, bright eyes: plus point. Naturally long lashes—no fake ones visible.

Barely any makeup, almost barefaced: another plus. Total score? Seventy-nine. The most pleasant-looking ordinary girl you’d ever see.

Add that serene, gentle aura? Maybe eighty-five?

*Huh. Actually quite promising.*

(For reference: In Chen Yuzhe’s scale, 90+ was influencer-level goddess material—rare beauty, figure, and charm. 80-90 meant “lovely face”—class flower types who’d stun with a little makeup. 70-80 and 60-70 were just average girls. Below 60? Not worth his attention.)

For aura alone to lift someone from 70s to 80s tier? Extremely rare, even for him.

His eyebrows lifted slightly. His lazy expression sharpened.

“Senior?” The girl tilted her head, a trace of confusion in her eyes. *Why isn’t he answering?*

“Ah… sorry. Just woke up, still groggy.” Chen Yuzhe instantly switched to a warm smile, voice gentle. “You’re here to join the Anime Club?”

“Mm.” She blinked slowly.

“Right… the front must be too crowded. Wait here—I’ll get you a form.”

A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, but she bowed politely. “Thank you.”

From start to finish, Chen Yuzhe was perfectly poised—thoughtful, polite, warm. Anyone meeting him would form a good first impression.

Nothing to brag about. It was just instinct now.

He fetched a form from the front booth, stealing glances at her from afar.

She wore a crisp school uniform: navy knit sweater, white shirt with a bow tie, and a tartan pleated skirt. The British-style outfit perfectly framed her quiet grace.

She stood poised and motionless—no fidgeting with fingers or clothes, no restless shifting.

Like a statue. Utterly still.

Even during their brief exchange, Chen Yuzhe noticed: zero extraneous movements.

Psychologically, unconscious gestures often revealed true feelings. Chen Yuzhe usually read people that way.

But this girl? No tells. No clues.

Like morning mist—gentle, yet elusive.

*More interesting than I thought…* A faint smile curled Chen Yuzhe’s lips.