Xiao Bin called out anxiously. He had joined the Student Union only because Zhang Yang had helped him. Xiao Bin came from a poor family, and when he first joined, Zhang Yang had done a lot for him, even helping him secure a scholarship.

All along, Xiao Bin had treated Zhang Yang as his benefactor, which was why he refused Zhou Yichen's attempts to recruit him.

He was a genuinely loyal person, and Zhou Yichen couldn't force him, so he could only find other ways to push him out.

Now, he never expected that his own situation would drag Zhang Yang into this mess.

"What does everyone think of Zhang Yang's resignation?"

Zhou Yichen also couldn't see clearly, but he knew one thing: the opportunity for Zhang Yang to willingly step down was rare, and he had to seize it.

As for Zhang Yang's true purpose, it wouldn't be too late to figure that out later.

"I agree!"

Hu Tao, Zhang Yang's most devoted henchman, immediately nodded in agreement. This guy was an official in the Sports Department, but with Zhou Yichen's backing, his influence in the department was growing, making it entirely possible for him to become the new minister later on.

At this meeting, Minister Liu, the former head of the Sports Department, was absent.

"I agree too!"

Wang Guohua quickly spoke up; he was the most supportive of this suggestion.

Wang Guohua was also a veteran of the Student Union, having been recruited by Zhou Yichen after he took office. Zhou Yichen didn't trust him as much as his lackeys, but it was close—certainly much more than the neutral officials.

This was one reason for Wang Guohua's excitement. Zhang Yang had recommended him, and Zhou Yichen wouldn't object. This meant that as soon as Zhang Yang's resignation was finalized, the new Director of the Secretariat would certainly be him.

Of course, some necessary procedures still needed to be followed, but those were minor details.

The Student Union was, in essence, a miniature bureaucracy. Though small, the schemes and deceptions inherent in officialdom existed here too, and the competition was just as fierce.

As the saying goes, wherever there are people, there is conflict; the Student Union was no exception. Everyone looked out for their own interests and fought to secure the maximum benefits for themselves.

"I agree!"

"Agreed!"

Many people had voiced their positions. Since this was an executive meeting, a consensus among them effectively determined the final outcome.

Before Zhou Yichen could speak, Zhang Yang added with a smile, "It’s good that everyone agrees. Regarding my earlier suggestion, what does everyone think about student Wang Guohua taking over as the Director of the Secretariat?"

Zhang Yang said it so lightly, yet Wang Guohua felt like rushing up and kissing him twice.

He had never realized Zhang Yang had such an endearing side.

Zhang Yang found the work in the Secretariat difficult, but that wouldn't be an issue for Wang Guohua. He was the first to pledge allegiance to Zhou Yichen and the highest-ranking among those who followed.

He was confident he could manage the few underlings in the Secretariat.

If he truly couldn't handle them, Zhou Yichen wouldn't side with the underlings if he dismissed them; after all, Wang Guohua's importance to him was far greater.

The others looked at each other, none speaking.

This made Wang Guohua anxious. He secretly cursed this group; they usually acted like sworn brothers, but when it mattered most, they were useless.

"Chairman Zhou, what do you think of my suggestion?"

Since others remained silent, Zhang Yang directed the question straight to Zhou Yichen, a faint smile never leaving his face.

Zhou Yichen loathed Zhang Yang’s smile, but at this moment, he had to address Zhang Yang’s point and agree to the proposal.

If he refused, Wang Guohua would certainly switch allegiance immediately, and it would also deeply hurt the morale of those he had successfully recruited—the cost was too high.

"I think your suggestion is quite good!"

Zhou Yichen finally spoke, though his endorsement was merely "quite good," which secretly displeased Wang Guohua.

I’m already your man, and now someone else offers me a better opportunity, yet you’re still holding back? What does that mean? Do I hold no standing in your eyes at all?

In reality, Zhou Yichen didn't fundamentally object to Wang Guohua becoming the Director of the Secretariat.

Wang Guohua was, after all, part of his faction now, and there was no one else more suitable for the role currently. The issue was that the suggestion came from Zhang Yang, which instinctively put him off.

He failed to realize that he had just planted a seed of resentment in Wang Guohua's heart.

"Since everyone is here today, I suggest we vote on it together. I, for one, approve!"

Zhang Yang smiled faintly. Zhou Yichen tried to brush it off, but Zhang Yang wouldn't allow it, bringing the topic back up.

Wang Guohua shot Zhang Yang a look of deep gratitude. His own mindset was quietly shifting. Previously, he had defected to Zhou Yichen's side partly because Zhou Yichen had become Chairman and held status, but also partly due to some lingering dissatisfaction with Zhang Yang.

The former Zhang Yang had also been quite arrogant and had unintentionally offended Wang Guohua before.

But now, that slight resentment had completely vanished. Wang Guohua felt Zhang Yang was the most endearing person in the world.

"I agree!"

A department head who usually got along well with Wang Guohua finally voiced his support. Once he spoke, many others followed, gradually lending their support for Wang Guohua to take over as the Director of the Secretariat.

Finally, everyone’s eyes turned to Zhou Yichen.

With so many in favor, he couldn't object now. He could only cough slightly, signaling his agreement. With approval from the senior executives secured, Wang Guohua only needed to go through the formality to solidly win the position.

Once certain, Wang Guohua breathed a sigh of relief and looked gratefully at Zhang Yang.

"Minister Gao from the Cultural Activities Department is actually quite talented. Everyone must remember his flute solo at the Freshmen Welcome Gala. After Wang Guohua leaves, I suggest that Minister Gao could take over the vacant position of Minister of the Arts Department!"

Zhang Yang started speaking again. The Cultural Activities Department was an awkward branch within the Student Union; its work overlapped somewhat with the Secretariat, and many of its actions required prior approval from the Secretariat. Even the authority to approve new clubs had now been taken over by the Secretariat.

This effectively made the Cultural Activities Department redundant; its sole purpose was to serve the various clubs.

The presidents of those clubs rarely paid much attention to the Minister of Cultural Activities, approaching the Secretariat directly with their needs.

The Minister of Cultural Activities, Gao Jie, was also a Student Union veteran and currently a neutral official. He had intended to remain contentedly in this service-oriented managerial role until graduation, never expecting an opportunity for a reshuffle.

As soon as Zhang Yang made this suggestion, Gao Jie immediately sat up straighter, his eyes darting around.

Who didn't want more power? He did too. While the Arts Department couldn't compare to the Secretariat, it was certainly superior to his purely service-driven Cultural Activities Department; at the very least, the operational budget was slightly larger. He also looked gratefully at Zhang Yang, then secretly glanced at Zhou Yichen, curious about his reaction.

………… Chapter One! C