Mass organizations—school clubs—are voluntary student groups. Unlike formal classroom learning, they’re closely tied to our holistic development. Through club activities, we broaden our horizons and cultivate innovation and practical skills.
These past few days, I’ve been weighing which club to join. I can’t seriously join the Home Club, right?
Yinghua High’s clubs are impressively diverse. Many students find their true selves here. There are accessible clubs like the Gaming Club with wide appeal, niche groups like Calligraphy and Go Clubs, but the hottest spots are Basketball and Street Dance Clubs. Let’s be real—in the boys’ world, those skills are undeniably cool. And girls? They join to cheer on their Prince Charmings from the sidelines.
After much thought, the Literature Club seemed my only fit. Mom’s artistic influence since childhood sparked my love for words. Honestly, becoming a freelance writer like her wouldn’t be bad. She’s always laughing and joking, seeming unreliable, but her writing skills are top-notch.
*Ding!* A text message arrived.
My phone’s basically just a mobile internet device. Besides carriers, almost no one texts me. With Xiaoxi home now, guessing the sender required zero brainpower.
I’d once asked Xia Tong why she didn’t just add me on QQ. Her reply? "If everyone uses QQ, I wouldn’t be special. I’ll use what others won’t!"
I grabbed my phone to see what Xia Tong wanted.
*"Ye Xi, which club are you joining tomorrow?"*
What did this mean? Was she planning to join the same club? No way. Absolutely not. That’d mean bumping into her constantly.
I’d just pretend I hadn’t seen it. After joining a club tomorrow, I’d make up an excuse—like my phone broke and just got fixed—and apologize sincerely. Xia Tong couldn’t blame me then. My plan felt flawless.
Meanwhile, a certain girl stared at her phone, heart fluttering at the "read" receipt. She waited eagerly for a reply. But none came. Her hopeful gaze slowly turned hollow as realization dawned. Then, an unnatural smile curled her lips.
*"Ye Xi, you can’t escape me! This time, you’ll be with me!"* She smoothly dialed a number digit by digit.
Anyone seeing her phone would’ve been puzzled. Most people save contacts for convenience and accuracy. But Xia Tong typed manually. Her contacts held only one number—Ye Xi’s. With a secret known to no one, she’d placed him in a very special spot.
The next afternoon, regular classes were canceled for club recruitment. Since Friday afternoons were mostly PE anyway, students weren’t overly excited.
Following a Baidu Tieba guide, I headed to the Literature Club—Administration Building, second floor. Not far. By the time I arrived, a long queue had formed. I quietly took my place at the end.
"I’d like to join," I told the senior handling sign-ups.
"Student ID?" He held out his hand.
"Got it!" I fished it from my pocket and handed it over.
He glanced at it. Or was it my imagination—did his hand tremble? "You’re Ye Xi?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"No, no! Just fill out this application." He passed me a form. "Name, student ID, class, phone number. Leave the department blank—we’ll handle that."
"Got it." I filled in the details. "This should do?"
He checked the form. "Perfect. Wait for our text notification. We’ll inform you about the first club activity."
"Thanks, senior!" I left after thanking him.
"Next!" he called to a girl. "Fill in your name, student ID, class, and desired department."
After she submitted her form, he smiled. "Congratulations! You’re now part of the Literature Club. Hope you make wonderful memories here!"
"Huh? No waiting for a call?" The girl had overheard my exchange.
"No need!" He waved dismissively.
I got home by 4 PM. Around 6, I texted Xia Tong:
*"Sorry! My phone broke yesterday—just got it fixed. Didn’t see your message. Really sorry!"* My reply felt polite but firm. I hit send.
*"No worries!"* Xia Tong replied instantly.
*"Which club did you join?"* she asked.
Since she wasn’t in the same club, I saw no harm in telling her: *"Literature Club."*
*"Ah! I should’ve joined that too!"*
Relief washed over me. Less time with Xia Tong meant less risk of falling for her. That’d be messy for both of us.
*"Which club did you get into?"* I asked lightly, chatting as I cooked dinner. Xiaoxi would be home soon.
*"Student Council!"* Her reply came fast.
My blood ran cold. Every Tieba post praised other clubs, but the Student Council? Someone had even made a dedicated thread complaining about it. At Yinghua, the Council was once a powerhouse—overseeing most student events, wielding huge influence, packed with members. Until last year. A freshman unexpectedly crushed all rivals, even seniors tipped to win, to become Council President. No one knew how she did it.
Under her leadership, achievements piled up—but so did complaints. "Tasks are too heavy!" "The president’s a demon!" Members quit in droves. Now, the Council was nearly a niche group. Tieba warnings screamed: *"Freshmen, don’t be reckless—avoid the Student Council!"* Yet Xia Tong got in. Honestly, if even *she* couldn’t join, no freshman this year would stand a chance.
*"I wish I could’ve joined the Student Council too,"* I typed, playing along.
*"Really, Ye Xi? You mean that?"*
*"Of course! Getting to see a beauty like you every day? Why not? Too bad it’s too late now."*
We chatted a while longer before she signed off with a *"Bye!"*
Xia Tong lay on her bed, body curved gracefully. Her finger traced the text on her phone screen. *"Ye Xi, it’s far too early to shake me off… Monday then~"* A faint, unreadable smile flickered on her lips.
All weekend, I waited for the Literature Club’s notification. Nothing came.
Monday morning, I nudged the drowsy Zhou Qi. "Why haven’t I gotten my club notification? It’s been three days!"
"What notification?" he mumbled, fighting sleep.
"The club acceptance text."
"Dunno. I filled a form and got in." His head hit the desk, surrendering to dreams.
I stopped bothering him but planned to ask after school.
*Ding!* Persistence pays off. At lunch break, my phone buzzed:
*"Congratulations, Ye Xi! You’ve been accepted. Attend your first club activity today after school at Xingzhi Building, 6th floor."*
Sixth floor? I’d been told second floor. The doubt vanished quickly. All afternoon, I pondered what the Literature Club’s activities might be.
Xingzhi Building’s sixth floor held only faculty offices and one other room. Securing a club room here? The Literature Club must be seriously influential.
No sign marked the door. I double-checked my phone—this was the place. I knocked.
"Come in!" A warm, gentle voice answered. Our president was female.
I pushed the door open. Honestly, I never believed in Doraemon’s magic doors. But now? How else to explain this?
Waist-length crimson hair spilled like a lazy waterfall over snow-pale shoulders. Flawless features made her stand out in any crowd, especially those large, deep violet eyes—their mesmerizing hue seemed to pull at my soul, radiating an unsettling chill.
Delicate brows arched in perfect symmetry. Thick side bangs partially veiled her right eye, adding mystery. A hair clip pinned back the dense fringe, contrasting sharply with her icy aura.
Thick lashes fluttered like butterfly wings, hinting at mischief. Her porcelain-smooth skin glowed, and small, crimson lips looked ready to bleed.
The girl stood before a floor-to-ceiling window, smiling at me.
Wait—floor-to-ceiling window? Since when did our school have those?
No. Wrong thing to question.
*"Xia Tong! What are you doing here?!"* My pupils contracted, locking onto the breathtaking girl calmly sipping tea on the sofa.
Xia Tong didn’t reply.
"Welcome to the Student Council. I’m Jiang Chen—its president."
Behind her, the setting sun’s glow poured through the window, wrapping her in an untouchable aura.
