At the beginning of October, military training came to an end, and the first-year students gradually adapted to campus life. U University’s various clubs also began their recruitment activities. Overnight, numerous tents appeared along the school’s main thoroughfare, with senior students from the various clubs standing by the roadside, handing out flyers and recruiting new members.
Last night, Luo Zhiyu had stayed up late playing online games with Tang Yuan, Fan Yue, and the others. Early this morning, he had been summoned by a phone call from the School of Fine Arts Student Union. When he arrived at the club office, he hadn’t paid much attention to the things those people had decorated his clothes and hair with. They were fluffy, and he hadn’t even had time to look in a mirror.
At eleven-thirty in the morning, classes for the morning session ended. As soon as the bell rang, the school’s main thoroughfare suddenly became lively.
“I’m clearly a new student myself.” Luo Zhiyu shouted toward the group inside the tent. “How come I’m the one who has to come recruit new members?”
“Junior, you’re the face of our school’s student union now. You absolutely have to come and support us!” A senior girl inside the tent said to him with a cheeky smile. “Later, people from the university’s Student Union will come around to take photos. Our side is relying entirely on Luo Zhiyu to boost our looks score.”
“Quick, go make him recruit people,” the group urged. “If his boyfriend comes later, he’ll take him away again.”
“My boyfriend has classes today.” Luo Zhiyu had checked Xiao Yan’s timetable that morning. “But his classes should be over by now. He has his own club, too.”
This main thoroughfare was the only route from the teaching buildings to the cafeteria or the dormitories. Various university-level clubs, department-level clubs, and hobby groups had all begun their own demonstrations and performances, and the road was packed with students.
In front of the School of Fine Arts Student Union’s tent, Luo Zhiyu, who had been forced into service, was handing out flyers to the juniors passing by.
“School of Fine Arts Student Union. Would you like to learn more? It’s fine if you don’t. Just take the flyer and pretend I’m working really hard.”
The passing students: “…”
“This person really isn’t enthusiastic at all.” The senior girls watching from behind burst out laughing. “He’s practically forcing flyers into people’s hands.”
“Be grateful, ladies.” Luo Zhiyu turned around. “Just ask yourselves, who doesn’t know how lazy I am by now?”
At first, Luo Zhiyu had been willing to say a few more words, but the longer he worked, the lazier he became. He would randomly grab someone from the crowd passing in front of the School of Fine Arts tent and shove a flyer into their hand.
“That’s so cute!” An Omega girl stared at the top of Luo Zhiyu’s head. “I’m a freshman in the School of Fine Arts. If I join the Student Union, do I get a little fox?”
“A little fox?” Where had a little fox come from? Luo Zhiyu looked around but couldn’t find one.
“The little fox is someone’s pet. It’s not for giving away.” A familiar voice came from behind him. Xiao Yan’s hand stopped on top of his head, tugging at the decorations the senior girls had forcibly attached there. “The School of Fine Arts Student Union offers lots of benefits for members. Wouldn’t you like to come over and take a look, junior?”
“Hey, you’re pulling my hair.” Luo Zhiyu pushed Xiao Yan in dissatisfaction. “Move aside.”
Only when he caught his reflection on Xiao Yan’s phone screen did he realize just how much effort the Student Union had put into recruiting new members. While he’d been dozing off against the sofa that morning, they’d secretly clipped two fluffy fox-ear hairpins onto his head.
No wonder so many people had turned to look at him while he was handing out flyers. Someone who had no idea what was going on had even come over to ask for his contact information.
“Why are you here?” Luo Zhiyu had been standing for so long that he was tired. He leaned against his boyfriend’s shoulder, and the fluffy fox ears brushed against Xiao Yan’s face. “And how did you know I was here?”
“I guessed,” Xiao Yan said. “The clubs are recruiting today, and you didn’t reply to my messages, so I figured you’d been dragged over to help recruit people.”
“Impressive.” Luo Zhiyu didn’t forget about his job. He reached out, caught a passerby, and handed over another flyer. “My phone’s in my backpack. I haven’t had time to check it all morning.”
“I originally wanted to drag you over to work for our club.” Xiao Yan took some of the flyers from Luo Zhiyu’s hands and gently nudged him upright. “Who knew the School of Fine Arts would act so quickly?”
“I’m fine with working.” Luo Zhiyu lowered his voice. “Is there any compensation?”
For example, the chance to peel an Orange or two.
“There is.” Xiao Yan replied with a perfectly straight face. “Paid in full, tonight.”
“Get lost, get lost, get lost!” Luo Zhiyu rolled up the flyers in his hand and used them to knock his boyfriend on the head. However, the two red fox ears on his head took away some of his usual arrogance. “I want two days’ worth of unripe green oranges. Hurry up and transform.”
Xiao Yan: “…” Even a high-level pheromone couldn’t be used like this, could it?
The people who had come with Xiao Yan included members of the university Student Union’s New Media Department. They were taking photos of every club’s tent to document the day’s recruitment activities.
“Do you want me to retake this one?” The student taking the photos showed Xiao Yan the camera.
The photo he’d just taken clearly showed the School of Fine Arts recruitment tent and its promotional materials. The only issue was that two people had entered the frame on the left side. Xiao Yan was holding the two ears on top of Luo Zhiyu’s head, while Luo Zhiyu, who was talking to him, had his head tilted slightly upward. He seemed to have remembered something, because there was a hint of a smile on his face.
“No need to retake it,” Xiao Yan said. “Leave it as it is.”
“Sneaking in your own private content.” Luo Zhiyu gave a soft snort.
“I’m going to the next tent,” the student taking photos said. “Are you continuing your rounds?”
“I won’t be going.” Xiao Yan shook the stack of flyers in his hand. “I’ll spend my lunch break accompanying my boyfriend instead. I can help the School of Fine Arts out, too.”
Moments on WeChat—
[Cicada]: Today’s Brother Yan is the Brother Yan who works for me. [Photo]
[Lu Sixue] Comment: Good-looking. You can post more couple photos. Our Peach is finally starting to look like a college student. It’s great that you’re at the same university.
[Cicada] Reply to [Lu Sixue]: Thank you, big sister, for letting me bite people back then.
[Lu Sixue] Reply to [Cicada]: Are you never going to let that go?
[Director Wu] Comment: Ah, this…
[Fan Yue] Reply to [Director Wu]: The director doesn’t know what to say, but still left his footprints behind.
[Tang Yuan] Reply to [Director Wu]: I can feel the director’s confusion, hahaha.
[Little Spicy Strip] Comment: Get Xiao Yan to buy you a matching tail, too. You’ll come back and thank me, hehe.
[Cicada] Reply to [Little Spicy Strip]: ??? Your ideas are dangerous.
[Orange] Reply to [Little Spicy Strip]: Hmm.
After Xiao Yan came over to help, Luo Zhiyu’s work efficiency increased dramatically. With the efforts of the senior students from the School of Fine Arts Student Union, the recruitment registration forms were soon filled with the names of new students.
“We’re heading out!” Luo Zhiyu climbed onto the new bicycle Xiao Yan had bought and waved to his fellow Student Union members. “I have class this afternoon, so I won’t be coming back.”
The group remaining at the tent had just started eating the takeout Xiao Yan had ordered for them. They waved at the two of them, deeply moved. “Come back whenever there’s another event!”
“I’ll give you a ride.” Luo Zhiyu patted the bicycle’s rear seat. “Get on. I’ve got the hang of it.”
“Coming!” Xiao Yan believed him. He took a couple of quick steps and leaped onto the rear seat of the bicycle in a handsome pose.
The front wheel of Luo Zhiyu’s bicycle swerved, and they headed straight toward a tree by the roadside.
The tree was fine, and the people were fine, too. The two of them stood by the roadside and argued over who should take full responsibility for the crooked bicycle basket. In the end, Xiao Yan climbed onto the bicycle, rode off with Luo Zhiyu, who was fuming with anger, sitting behind him.
The people inside the tent, holding their disposable lunch boxes: “…”