Connections

6:05 p.m.

Unexpected, yet somehow expected.

It was exactly when Jiang Ran sent the [Spacetime Bulletin]!

He turned back and met Qin Feng's gaze. They both understood without words, and Qin Feng gave a slight nod.

Bingo!

Perhaps this was the crucial factor they had been overlooking.

The timing matched perfectly.

And there was the equally coincidental electron beam, also related to electricity.

Then...

If the Positron Cannon really could fire some kind of high-energy electron beam and bombard the transformer distribution box... what would happen?

Jiang Ran did not know.

But his instincts told him—

[It was highly likely that the Positron Cannon, the high-energy electron beam, and the high-voltage transformer had caused a chain reaction, allowing the bulletin's radio waves to pass through time and space in that instant and return to the past!]

Whatever the truth was.

They had to seize this lead involving the Positron Cannon!

"Now that we're on the subject..."

Jiang Ran looked around.

"Senior, where's that Positron Cannon? Why don't I see it?"

"Oh, the Student Union confiscated it."

Yan Rui said,

"After they came to investigate the Film Club that day, they took it away as a prohibited electrical appliance. It's probably sitting in some warehouse now."

What?

A lead that had been within reach had just been cut off like that.

"Can we get it back?" Jiang Ran was very concerned.

"If you want it back..."

Yan Rui scratched his head.

"It'll probably be difficult. But honestly, there's no real need to get it back."

"Why?"

"Because... see for yourselves."

Yan Rui took a sheet of paper from the bookshelf and handed it over.

The three of them took it and looked.

"Club dissolved!?"

Club Dissolution Notice

Due to the Film Camera Club having fewer than five members for two consecutive years, the Film Camera Club is hereby dissolved in accordance with the Donghai University Club Management Regulations. The club activity room will be repossessed. Please remove all personal belongings by May 31 and return the activity room key to the Club Management Office.

Uh.

Jiang Ran and the other two were campus "freelancers" who had never joined any club, so this was truly a blind spot in their knowledge.

"Then what happens to all this garb—cough, cough, old junk?" Jiang Ran pointed at the clutter filling the room.

"It'll probably be disposed of as trash along with that Positron Cannon."

Yan Rui sounded very casual.

"Actually, there's nothing to regret. Film cameras and film rolls were products eliminated by the times. I heard that over twenty years ago, the Film Club used to be quite a prominent club on campus."

"Think about it. In that era, owning a camera was a pretty amazing thing. To be honest, I have no interest in film cameras either."

He gave a soft laugh.

"I was dragged in by the seniors to make up the numbers. Later, they all graduated, leaving only me. I rarely come here myself."

"I'm graduating this year too, so it's only natural for the club to be dissolved."

"Can the three of us join the Film Club?" Jiang Ran asked.

Yan Rui looked at them.

"Do you like film cameras?"

"No." "I don't understand them at all." "Not interested."

The three answered honestly.

Naturally, that was obvious enough.

"Then why bother?"

Yan Rui smiled.

"Besides, the club's status has already been revoked. It can't recruit new members anymore."

"So respect the fate of all things. That's just how this world is."

"Some things are destined to be eliminated by the times."

The sports field.

The three remained silent.

Cheng Mengxue leaned against the horizontal bar.

"According to school rules, prohibited electrical appliances can't be retrieved unless the Club President personally comes forward to write an application, a letter of guarantee, and complete a whole bunch of other messy procedures."

Jiang Ran gave a cold snort.

"The club's gone. Where would we find a president?"

Now this was troublesome.

But... they absolutely had to get their hands on that device jokingly called the Positron Cannon.

According to Qin Feng, firing a positron beam through the air was impossible no matter how one looked at it.

"The principle is unknown, and the effects are unknown."

That was exactly the problem.

No one knew what kind of thing the Film Club's predecessors had cobbled together.

Yet strangely enough, this patched-together toy was most likely the most crucial part of the [Spacetime Bulletin Experiment].

In terms of both construction and effects, this Positron Cannon was truly one of a kind, unmatched in heaven or on earth—a unique heirloom.

How could they get it?

"Let's go straight to the Student Union President."

Cheng Mengxue suggested,

"We'll apply our hearts out and strongly express our desire to join the Film Club!"

Thirty minutes later, Student Union President's Office.

"I understand what you're saying."

The Student Union President took a sip of tea and spat out some tea leaves.

"But the Film Club has already been dissolved. If you truly like film cameras, you can gather five members next semester and submit another application to establish the club."

"But we can't wait!" Cheng Mengxue rose to her feet.

Once the semester ended, the Positron Cannon and the Film Club's miscellaneous items would all be disposed of, and the activity room would be cleared out.

Even if they could establish a new Film Club, what would be the point without the Positron Cannon?

"See? You're getting anxious again." The president spoke unhurriedly.

"Can't you make an exception?" Qin Feng suggested.

The president straightened the collar of his administrative jacket and looked toward the blinds.

"Regarding your matter, it's not that we won't handle it. Ahem, of course, students' needs aren't something we can just say whatever about, right? Could we make a special exception? If there's genuinely a need, if it's genuinely necessary, it's not like we're saying whatever. But whatever we do, we have to do it properly, carefully, and in an orderly fashion. Including your matter, when the time comes, we'll definitely consider it and take a look. All right, that's it for now."

Bang.

The office door closed, leaving the three standing outside.

Cheng Mengxue stared wide-eyed, utterly baffled.

"Um, the president said so much... what exactly did he mean? Can someone translate?"

"He means no."

After leaving, the dejected trio returned to the sports field once more.

"Huh? You're here. I was just about to look for you."

The three looked up and saw someone familiar. It was Xu Yan, the president of the Film Club. They had met her while filming a movie a few days ago.

"Older Sister!"

Cheng Mengxue ran over and grabbed her hand.

"You were looking for us?"

Xu Yan was also Cheng Mengxue's cousin, the daughter of her maternal uncle.

Every summer vacation, Xu Yan would stay at Cheng Mengxue's home for two months, and the two were as close as real sisters.

Since Jiang Ran and Cheng Mengxue had been childhood friends, Jiang Ran and Xu Yan had also been childhood playmates for "two months every year" long before college. They knew each other very well.

It was also for this reason that they had chosen Donghai University, where Xu Yan studied, when filling out their college applications.

"Mm."

Xu Yan handed Cheng Mengxue a flash drive and looked at Jiang Ran and Qin Feng.

"We finished editing the short film yesterday. I brought it for you to watch. If you have any opinions or suggestions, give us some feedback."

Jiang Ran smiled.

"We're outsiders. What suggestions could we possibly have? Don't worry about us."

"Don't say that."

Xu Yan raised an eyebrow.

"You wrote the script, and you and Qin Feng are the leads. Whether we win anything at the film festival or not, our Film Club owes it to you two. You're our great benefactors."

"You're being too formal."

Jiang Ran waved his hand.

"We've played together for so many years since childhood. Helping with something this small is only natural, nothing worth mentioning."

"Hehe."

Xu Yan ruffled Cheng Mengxue's hair.

"Anyway, don't hold back on your suggestions. Tell us whatever you think."

"By the way... what are you doing here looking so miserable?"

Feeling wronged, Cheng Mengxue poured out all her grievances.

"Oh~~~~"

Xu Yan understood after listening, though she was somewhat puzzled.

"You three are interested in film cameras and film rolls?"

"No."

Jiang Ran answered truthfully.

"But we're interested in the Film Club's old equipment."

Hmm...

Xu Yan rested her chin on her hand and thought for two seconds.

"All right."

She tossed her head, sweeping her long hair behind her shoulders.

"You helped me so much. I have to help you with this. Leave the Film Club matter to me."

?

Cheng Mengxue's eyes widened.

"Older Sister, you can help us?"

"Of course. It's a small matter."

Xu Yan bent down and gave them a mysterious smile.

"Do you know... who my boyfriend is?"

The three sprang to their feet in sudden realization.

"Don't tell me it's the Student Union President!" "How come I didn't know you were dating someone?" "Are we pulling strings?"

"Oh, what are you talking about? Why are you guessing wildly?"

Xu Yan looked disgusted.

"Who would want to date someone so bureaucratic? He'd be unbearable."

"All right, leave this to me. See you tomorrow."

The next day, Xu Yan found the trio.

"There's a clause in the Club Management System. For clubs with insufficient participation but development potential, the dissolution deadline can be postponed by one year as long as ten Club Presidents jointly submit an application and five Club Advisors sign their approval."

"..." "..." "..."

The three stared at one another.

This requirement was harder than overthrowing the Student Union, fighting Lü Bu with just the three of them, and shooting a halberd through its crossbar.

"Um, have you perhaps overestimated our social skills..."

"It's already been resolved."

Xu Yan pulled a sheet of paper from her bag.

It was a Joint Petition, bearing the signatures of far more than ten Club Presidents, along with the signatures of five faculty advisors.

This move truly left the three of them stunned.

What kind of god-tier connections were these?!

"Here, keep it safe. Remember to go to the Club Management Room to pick up the key."

She stuffed the petition into Jiang Ran's arms.

"If you come across any good scripts in the future, you have to show them to me too."

Then she looked back with a smile and waved.

Clicking away in her low heels, she turned and left.