"This request is quite suitable; we certainly can't leave Zhang Yang as a mere figurehead in the External Relations Department!"

Xiao Bin was the first to voice his approval. His forehead was practically branded with the character 'Zhang,' so no matter what Zhang Yang asked for, he had to support it—especially since this request was hardly excessive. A dignified Department Head without a few subordinates simply wouldn't do, especially when the notoriously lacking Youth Activities Department still had several members.

"Exactly. The work of the External Relations Department is specialized; it’s fine if Zhang Yang needs to recruit his own members, as long as the job gets done well. That benefits everyone!"

Ye Zhan from the Technology Department also stepped up to support Zhang Yang. Gao Jie and a few others chimed in their agreement, and eventually, Wang Guohua and the rest also nodded in assent.

The majority had agreed to Zhang Yang’s demand.

Zhou Yichen’s eyes filled with grievance and fury, his fingers trembling ever so slightly. He was desperately trying to rein in his emotions. These people were becoming increasingly audacious today, showing utterly no regard for him, the Chairman.

Before the Chairman had even spoken, these people were already rushing to declare their positions.

The truth was, this stemmed from his own selfishness. Their declarations were normal enough, but he viewed the Student Union as his private garden, refusing to tolerate any opinion that differed from his own. He failed to realize that the more he acted this way, the more resistance and resentment he cultivated.

Zhang Yang watched it all unfold with a faint smile, taking in every expression. If the Student Union could be considered a minor bureaucratic setting, it was certainly an immature one. These were students, after all, nowhere near as entrenched as those who had truly entered the official machinery.

Zhang Yang had only employed a few subtle maneuvers today, yet he had already dismantled the previous status quo. Of course, he had merely sown seeds. But once sown, seeds would take root, sprout, and eventually bear fruit—whether he chose to pick that fruit would depend entirely on his mood.

"Chairman Zhou, what are your thoughts?"

After numerous voices had expressed their support, Zhang Yang smiled faintly and tossed the question back to Zhou Yichen.

"I have no objections. We can proceed as you suggested, but I do have one small condition!"

Zhou Yichen forced himself to calm down. This was turning out to be his most significant setback yet, and it was ongoing. If he couldn't maintain his composure, he risked Zhang Yang finding a handle to exploit him. Everything today had served as a stark warning. In that respect, his mental fortitude wasn't terrible; he hadn't let anger cloud his judgment. If he entered the system after graduation, he might advance quickly—though he would undoubtedly end up as a parasite.

As if fearing Zhang Yang might object, Zhou Yichen immediately followed his statement: "Recruiting members for the External Relations Department is fine, but we will increase your sponsorship quota. For this semester’s task, hmm, let’s set it at fifty thousand!"

Fifty thousand, for one semester.

Xiao Bin, Gao Jie, and even Hu Tao froze, looking at Zhou Yichen with disbelief. It was already early May, meaning more than half the semester was gone, leaving only two months before the summer break. Usually, they struggled to reach twenty thousand for an entire semester; demanding Zhang Yang complete double that in just two months seemed deliberately punitive.

In the meeting room, everyone except Zhang Yang was momentarily stunned. He chuckled, slowly saying, "Just raising the target to fifty thousand? No problem. Frankly, if you asked me, setting it at a hundred thousand would be more fitting!"

Instantly, all eyes snapped back to Zhang Yang.

Fifty thousand had already shocked them; now Zhang Yang was suggesting a hundred thousand. Xiao Bin even wondered if Zhang Yang had lost his mind, yet Zhang Yang didn't look foolish at all. How could a fool possibly engineer his sudden promotion to Department Head of the Youth Activities Department?

"One hundred thousand per semester? Are you serious, Zhang Yang?"

Zhou Yichen was momentarily taken aback, but he recovered the fastest. Once he processed the implication, he pressed urgently, "One hundred thousand per semester, absolutely no issue. But I have one stipulation: all existing regulations within the External Relations Department must remain exactly as they are. No one may alter them without my consent!"

Zhang Yang spoke softly, while Zhou Yichen’s mind was consumed by the figure of one hundred thousand. Without a second thought, he agreed to Zhang Yang’s demand. He failed to notice the subtle, knowing smile that slowly crept onto Zhang Yang’s lips.

"Alright, I have nothing further. It’s getting late; perhaps we should adjourn the meeting early?"

Zhang Yang rose first. Everyone followed suit, even Zhou Yichen, who now stood up unnaturally, buoyed by a sense of triumphant scheming.

Zhang Yang and Xiao Bin left first. Zhou Yichen started towards the door but stopped dead on the threshold, his expression of triumph rapidly curdling into rage. Announcing the adjournment, the Chairman should have been the first to leave. The fact that Zhang Yang had taken the lead today deeply unsettled him.

"Chairman Zhou, coming?"

Gao Jie walked out from behind him, offering a brief greeting before hurrying away. Ye Zhan and the others followed closely. Wang Guohua paused to exchange a few words with Zhou Yichen, but they were all innocuous pleasantries before he too departed.

Once they were gone, Zhou Yichen finally regained his bearings. This feeling was even more infuriating than when Zhang Yang had preemptively announced the meeting's end. The purpose of today's gathering was to summarize work and plan future tasks, neither of which was mentioned once throughout the session. From start to finish, this meeting had been dictated by Zhang Yang. He felt as if his territory had been aggressively encroached upon.

Worse still, Zhou Yichen's intention had been to suppress Zhang Yang. He thought he had succeeded by forcing Zhang Yang out of the position of Secretariat Director, but the reality was the opposite. Zhang Yang was now the External Relations Head, Xiao Bin was the Youth Activities Head, and Zhang Yang was permitted to recruit two capable subordinates—a far better situation than being marginalized in the Secretariat. If not for the unique nature of the External Relations Department, it seemed Zhang Yang had profited immensely today, while Zhou Yichen had suffered a major, almost accidental, loss.

The thought settled heavily in his mind, making him increasingly uneasy. He sensed Zhang Yang had changed—grown more formidable, transforming into someone he could no longer read easily.

His mind returned to Zhang Yang’s final condition: that the External Relations Department’s system must remain unchanged. Although he didn't understand the reason behind this request, a dreadful premonition gripped him: agreeing to this term might prove to be a huge, even catastrophic, mistake—perhaps even moving Zhang Yang to the External Relations Department altogether was the greater error.

"Hu Tao, hurry! Go find out immediately what the current system is for the External Relations Department!"

With this alarming thought taking precedence, he turned urgently to Hu Tao. The External Relations Department’s procedures had been set by the previous Chairman, and Zhou Yichen hadn't bothered to inquire about them since taking office.

As his superior commanded, Hu Tao dared not delay. He rushed to the Student Union office, quickly locating and retrieving a document detailing the regulations. After reading the contents, both Zhou Yichen and Hu Tao stared blankly.