“So, you’re saying students who haven’t joined a club yet are now being encouraged to join one, Anlina?”
Deep in thought, You Anlina scratched her chin. After a mont, she exclaid, “This feels like the plot of a harem ani! A clueless male lead gets pushed by a teacher into joining a club full of quirky beautiful girls, kicking off his blissful harem life… Five Circles.”
Yaqiao Mu adjusted his glasses, a sly grin spreading across his face.
“Stop reeking of otaku delusions!” Aixi Li waved her hand in front of her nose, pretending to shoo away a foul sll.
“The mo from the administration made it clear that those involved in student affairs, like the Student Council or Disciplinary Committee, are exempt from this policy. Besides, you’re already in the Computer Club, so your harem dream is dead. Five Ten Thousand.”
It was Monday afternoon in the Mahjong Club’s room at Yuanyue Academy’s club teaching building. The warm lights illuminated the square electric mahjong table, around which sat four Student Council mbers.
Yan Huan rested his chin on his hand, smiling as he listened to their banter. “Want so osmanthus cake?”
“What’s that? A snack from the Dragon Empire? I want it, I want it!” You Anlina’s eyes sparkled as she licked her lips, looking as ravenous as a mythical glutton.
Yan Huan skewered a piece with a toothpick and offered it to her. She imdiately devoured it, grinning with satisfaction.
“Thanks, President, but I’m avoiding sugar right now,” Aixi Li said politely.
Yaqiao Mu smirked, glancing at her. “You’ve been ‘avoiding sugar’ since last sester. Give it a week, and you’ll forget and binge again. Face it, Aixi, you’re not gonna make it.”
Accepting a piece of osmanthus cake from Yan Huan, Yaqiao Mu added, “Thanks.”
Before he could take a bite, Aixi Li stomped on his foot under the table.
“Hiss!” Yaqiao Mu winced in pain, his face contorting.
anwhile, You Anlina chewed blissfully, giving a thumbs-up. “Delicious! Where’d you get this? I need more!”
“A friend’s parents brought it from the Dragon Empire. You probably can’t find it here in Linn.”
In truth, An Le had given it to him earlier that day. Despite his busy schedule preparing for the Club Competition, Yan Huan had carved out ti to et her during lunch. She noticed he was distracted by phone calls and emails, so she left the dessert with him and promised to catch up later.
Now, with elective classes over, Yan Huan was unwinding during club ti. Unfortunately, An Le had already gone ho—being in no club herself, she was among those required to join one.
“Aw, I’ll check Rainforest Mall to see if they have it…” Anlina pouted.
Yan Huan chuckled, leaning forward. “Aside from students involved in administrative roles, most of our classmates are already in clubs. For the few who aren’t, who do you think has the hardest ti joining?”
You Anlina tilted her head in confusion, while Yaqiao Mu and Aixi Li exchanged knowing glances.
The socially isolated ones.
Yan Huan placed a 1000-point chip on the table and adjusted his hand. “This blanket policy is tricky, and unfortunately, we’re the ones responsible for enforcing it. Normally, encouraging participation wouldn’t be too hard since students can quit later, but with the Club Competition looming, it’s a different story. Every mber has to contribute.”
“Reach,” Yan Huan declared, smiling as he set down the stick.
You Anlina, munching on another piece of cake, paled. She stared at Yan Huan in disbelief. “Y-you’re in reach already?! I haven’t even called yet!”
Hesitating over the tiles, she eventually pushed one forward.
“Five Circles…”
Yaqiao Mu snickered, glancing at the discard pool. “You know the President’s quick attacks by now… One Dot.”
Aixi Li sighed, comnting as she picked up her tiles. “At least the administration gave us a ten-day extension, so we have over twenty days to prepare for the Club Competition… Pong.”
Yan Huan drew a tile, inspected it, and discarded it—North Wind.
Back to You Anlina, who grew increasingly nervous. Yan Huan loved quick attacks and always went for a reach stick. Her anxiety was palpable as she hesitated over every draw, afraid of discarding sothing that would let Yan Huan win.
Finally, she slamd a tile onto the table with her eyes shut tight. “Seven Ten Thousand!”
She recoiled as if expecting the table to explode. Only after hearing nothing did she cautiously peek at Yan Huan. Seeing his unbothered smile, she sighed in relief.
But just as she began to relax, Yan Huan gently pushed his tiles forward and grinned devilishly.
“Win. Reach, Red Dora, Seat Wind, three han, forty fu—5200 points.”
“Wah!”
You Anlina puffed out her cheeks, tears welling up as she exclaid, “President!”
Yan Huan smirked, resting his chin on his hand, while You Anlina reluctantly began counting out chips.
“Click!”
The door suddenly opened, revealing Ying Gong Tong standing expressionless with a paper bag in hand. Behind her stood Mizuki Eaglese, the Mahjong Club president.
Mizuki, tall and curvaceous, twirled a folding fan with bold calligraphy reading Victory in Every Battle. She half-covered her face with the fan, her eyes crinkling in amusent.
“Oh dear, Miss Ying Gong, must you always look so unpleasant when you co here? Everyone in the Student Council treats this place like a second office—except you. Always so stiff, ever since we were kids.”
Ying Gong Tong smiled politely but didn’t miss a beat. “I’ve never had a problem with mahjong, though I might frown when I catch a whiff of sothing foul.”
Snap!
Mizuki snapped her fan shut, her expression darkening. The two locked gazes, and sparks seed to fly.
As Yaqiao Mu had ntioned earlier, Ying Gong Tong and Mizuki Eaglese didn’t get along. Ying Gong Gong had even nad her weakest, clumsiest cat “Mizuki” out of spite.
Yan Huan, watching the scene unfold, sighed. What had started as a simple post-class relaxation ga had turned into a battleground.
Standing up, Yan Huan smiled at Mizuki and said, “Senior Mizuki, Ying Gong probably has sothing important to discuss with us. Since you call this the Student Council’s second office, could we borrow the room for a bit?”
Mizuki looked at Yan Huan, then reopened her fan with a smile. “Of course, President. Take as long as you need… but don’t forget, you owe us a ga.”
“Next ti, I promise.”
Satisfied, Mizuki nodded and gracefully left, giving Ying Gong one last glance before exiting.
As the room fell into silence, Ying Gong stepped inside. Yaqiao Mu quickly closed the door, standing at attention as if his earlier gossip session had never happened.
Ying Gong surveyed the room: Anlina was giggling, Yaqiao Mu was averting his gaze, and Aixi Li appeared as though she were trying to disappear.
Before Ying Gong could apologize for interrupting, Yan Huan interrupted her.
“Perfect timing, Ying Gong. Teach them a lesson for —three against one is hardly fair.”
“What?! You’re the one dominating us!” Yaqiao Mu and Aixi Li protested in unison.
Ying Gong hesitated. “I don’t know how to play mahjong…”
“I’ll teach you,” Yan Huan said, extending his hand.
Caught off guard, Ying Gong hesitated, but Yan Huan seized the mont, gently taking her hand and guiding her to the table.
“Alright, it’s the Student Council President and Vice President versus the rest of you!”
Seated under the table’s glow, Ying Gong nervously arranged her tiles.
Yan Huan leaned closer and pointed to one of her tiles. “Your hand’s not bad. Discard this one.”
Flustered, Ying Gong complied. Too close, President.
But no, she reminded herself. Compared to all those girls like Ye Shiyu, Spencer, An Le, and Bai Yi… I need to fight for my place, too.
This isn’t just mahjong—it’s a battlefield.
Ying Gong Tong straightened her posture and instinctively leaned a little closer to Yan Huan.
Hmm… why does the President sll so nice?
It was an odd, indescribable scent—subtle yet irresistibly alluring. She wasn’t sure, so she leaned in a bit more to confirm.
“Vice President, it’s your turn,” Yaqiao Mu said cautiously, snapping her out of her reverie.
The abrupt interruption startled Ying Gong Tong, and her sharp gaze shot toward Yaqiao Mu, who visibly recoiled.
“Eek!”
Realizing her overreaction, she quickly softened her expression and apologized. “Sorry, Yaqiao…”
Blushing slightly, she turned her attention back to the table. Flustered, she asked Yan Huan, “President, w-which tile should I discard?”
“This one,” Yan Huan pointed to a tile and then casually asked, “By the way, Ying Gong, why’d you co to the Mahjong Club today? Sothing urgent?”
“Yeah, Ying Gong, I thought you hated this place!” You Anlina chid in, her curiosity piqued.
Ying Gong Tong suddenly rembered her purpose. She pulled a file out of the paper bag and explained, “The principal’s office sent over a list of students who haven’t joined any clubs yet. They’ve also included suggestions based on the students’ stated interests at the start of the sester.”
“That makes things easier,” Aixi Li said, blinking. “All we need to do is introduce these students to the club recruiters, right? With the school’s suggestions as backing, we’ve got a solid case.”
Yan Huan flipped through one of the docunts. It listed several major clubs, with sports clubs—well-funded and large—taking precedence over cultural and hobbyist clubs. After all, these were the ones that actually participated in inter-school competitions.
The Track and Field Club, with its large roster and newly elected president, Owen, was the clear favorite for this year’s Club Competition. Owen was reportedly a beast in competitions.
Scanning the docunt, Yan Huan’s gaze settled on a highlighted na:
Aria Spencer – Recomnded for Track and Field Club
The na was bolded and underlined, accompanied by the principal’s office seal. The faint whiff of conspiracy was impossible to miss.
Yan Huan narrowed his eyes slightly. Well, she and Bai Yi are both coming to tomorrow’s study group. I’ll deal with this then.
“For now, let’s start contacting the club recruiters. The Track and Field Club’s recruiter is Hua Zhaofeng…”
Hearing the na, Yaqiao Mu raised his hand enthusiastically. “President, let
handle that one!”
“You know him?”
“Uh… kind of. We went to elentary school together. We’re not close, but I know he’s not much of an athlete. He only joined the club because he’s tight with Owen and helps out with odd jobs.”
Yaqiao Mu chuckled and added with a gossipy tone, “Oh, and he’s a total simp for Park Shuwen from Class 1-C. He’s confessed multiple tis but keeps getting ignored. Poor guy’s still not giving up.”
“La,” Aixi Li muttered, yawning as she discarded a tile. “Just let Anlina handle the rest. She knows everyone in all the clubs anyway.”
“Hey! That’s not fair! I protest!” You Anlina puffed her cheeks in indignation.
“Co on,” Aixi Li teased, “you visit every club every day. Just make a few introductions while you’re at it.”
You Anlina opened her mouth to argue, but Yan Huan smiled and cut her off. “How about this: I’ll bring you another box of osmanthus cake next ti?”
“Deal!” You Anlina instantly perked up, her objections vanishing as she happily played a Red Dragon tile.
Yaqiao Mu and Aixi Li groaned, covering their faces as they watched her recklessly push the tile into the discard pool.
“What?” You Anlina blinked at their reactions and then glanced at Yaqiao Mu. “Your turn, Yaqiao… Oh, wait. Don’t tell —”
“Don’t even bother explaining to her,” Aixi Li sighed, waving dismissively. “Anlina, if you ever play mahjong with anyone other than us, you’ll lose so badly you’ll need to sell your shoes.”
“Wha—? Is it really that serious?”
Yaqiao Mu, mimicking Aixi Li’s exasperation, added, “We’re near the endga. Not a single honor tile has been discarded, and it’s obvious the President—or rather, the Vice President—is building a big hand. And yet you’re still playing right into their hands!”
Ying Gong Tong, sowhat confused, looked at her tiles. anwhile, Yan Huan leaned over, his hand brushing past Ying Gong’s blushing face as he pushed his tiles forward.
“Win. Big Three Dragons, Yakuman. No need to count—Anlina, you’re bankrupt.”
“Waaah! President! You bully!”
anwhile, outside the school, An Le walked along the road.
As a mber of the “Go Ho Club,” she usually took the bus and transferred to the subway. Though Yan Huan had been busy, she was content knowing he had received the osmanthus cake she’d prepared for him.
Hehe… It’s just a box of cake, but I’m so happy.
“Is a box of cake really worth this much joy?” the snake on her shoulder, Little Finger, teased, flicking its tongue.
“Well… it’s special, okay? When we were kids, Mom used to make osmanthus cake for Xiao Huan. It’s rare to find it here in Linn—only relatives ever brought it over.”
“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, when are you two going to ‘stack up’ already?”
“Stack… stack up?!”
An Le’s face turned bright red. She spun around in a fluster, stamring, “W-what are you talking about? We just reunited, and he’s so busy! We barely had ti to talk, and you’re saying such things…”
Little Finger shrugged. “Fine, whatever. You humans are such a hassle.”
Ignoring the snake’s grumbling, An Le adjusted her bag and kept walking.
Beep-beep!
A sleek white luxury car pulled up beside her, honking lightly. The tinted window rolled down to reveal Aria Spencer.
“Heading ho?”
“Huh? Uh, yes…”
“Walking?”
“No! It’s way too far! I take the bus, then transfer to the subway.”
“Loqiao District, right? Where’s that?” Spencer furrowed her brows, thinking hard but coming up empty. Frustrated, she opened the car door.
“Get in. I’ll have the driver take you ho.”
“W-wait, no—” An Le started to refuse but faltered at Spencer’s impatient expression. “…Alright. Thank you. But aren’t you in Jinghe District? That’s a huge detour.”
“Doesn’t matter. Just let
hang out at your place for a bit.”
“Wha—?!”
“Problem?”
“N-no, not really. But it’ll take ages, and won’t your family—”
Spencer’s face darkened briefly, her nonchalance masking deeper emotions. “No one’s ho anyway. Just .”
“...I see.” An Le bit her lip, realizing she’d touched a sore spot.
As she adjusted herself in the car, she noticed a rustling sound behind her. Turning, she saw a black bag tipped over, revealing a comic book.
Pure Ballet?
Blushing furiously, she stamred, “S-Spencer, why do you have… that?”
Spencer smirked, baring her sharp canines proudly. “What? You read the sa kind of stuff, don’t you? You even dragged
to buy Binding Dragon at the ga expo.”
“Th-that’s different!” An Le spluttered, horrified. “When did you learn all this?!”
“Hey, I’m not the old Aria Spencer anymore,” Spencer declared, thumbing her chest proudly. “I’ve mastered the knowledge in these books!”
“WHAT?!”
No, Spencer, stop learning these weird things!! An Le scread internally, her face blazing.
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