After an entire hour of hustle, Mi Xue finally finished unpacking everything. This was her first time in the new residence, and she was thoroughly satisfied with it.

Old Man Liu deeply favored his youngest son; this house was the wedding gift he had prepared for him. The interior decoration and furniture were handled with the utmost care. Had the renter not been Zhang Yang, Old Man Liu would never have considered letting it out.

The full set of furniture, the cozy bedroom, and the clean kitchen and bathroom—everything about the place captivated Mi Xue the moment she saw it.

She even entertained the thought of staying here forever. Being with Zhang Yang, living in a home she adored—this might just be the pinnacle of happiness.

“We aren’t going out to eat tonight; we’ll eat here. I’ll cook!”

Mi Xue suddenly announced this. The few scoundrels lounging on the sofa shot upright instantly, Hu Xin reacting the most dramatically.

He straightened up, urgently questioning, “Mi Xue, are you serious? You’re going to cook!”

Mi Xue smiled faintly and replied softly, “Yes. There’s a gas stove and a complete set of cutlery here; none of it has ever been used. We just need to sterilize them. We can pop out, buy some supplies and groceries, and then we can start cooking. From now on, if everyone tires of the cafeteria food, just come here, and I’ll cook for you all!”

“Fantastic! Mi Xue, you said it yourself. I’m absolutely sick of the cafeteria food. I’m going to crash your place for meals every day from now on!”

Hu Xin let out a happy whoop. Little Dai, standing nearby, nudged him, “Stop just shouting. Come on, let’s go out and buy things together so we can properly reward your stomach when we get back!”

“I’ll go with you guys!” Mi Xue quickly stood up.

“No need. You still have to cook later. I’m declaring right now that I don't know how to cook, so the grocery shopping task falls to us. You stay behind and organize your things!”

Little Dai gave a sweet smile over his shoulder and tried to pull Hu Xin out the door, but Zhang Yang called them back.

Zhang Yang took out a pen and paper and scribbled something down, handing the paper directly to Hu Xin. Hu Xin looked at the contents and showed an expression of surprise again.

“Buy exactly what’s on the list. If you run short on cash, I have some here!”

Zhang Yang chuckled lightly, pulling out his wallet and handing two one-hundred-yuan notes to Hu Xin. He currently only had a little over a hundred yuan in cash left.

“Fine, I’ll buy precisely as you’ve listed. See you when I get back!”

Hu Xin patted his pocket, accepted the money without being overly polite, and left after a brief word. Little Dai curiously leaned in, and the two of them departed the apartment while looking at what Zhang Yang had written.

Gu Cheng and Mi Xue were also curious, but by then, the two were already far away.

“Zhang Yang, what exactly did you have Hu Xin buy that requires so much money?”

In '98, commodity prices were still quite low; two hundred yuan could buy a whole, large sheep, and still leave change. Mi Xue couldn't imagine what Zhang Yang had sent Hu Xin to buy that warranted such an expense.

“You’ll know when they get back. Setting that aside, I actually have something important I need to discuss with you two!”

Zhang Yang smiled faintly. He genuinely had something to discuss with Gu Cheng and Mi Xue; even if Little Dai and Hu Xin hadn't left, he would have sought them out for this matter.

When he first proposed recruiting two members for the External Relations Department, he had already thought of Gu Cheng and Mi Xue.

Zhang Yang’s desire to have Mi Xue join the Student Union was completely devoid of ulterior motives; it was purely based on her competence. Mi Xue, in the Mathematics Department, possessed strong calculation skills and some understanding of accounting—she was the most suitable person near Zhang Yang.

The External Relations Department, which solicited sponsorships, held supervisory rights over those funds. As for the ten thousand yuan sponsorship target, he wasn't worried about it at all. In the future, this role would transition into managing the Finance Department, and Zhang Yang desperately needed a capable assistant who understood these matters. There was no one better than Mi Xue.

Gu Cheng was naturally shy and didn’t know much about finance, but he was an excellent executor.

Zhang Yang was only one person; many tasks required assistance, making Gu Cheng the perfect fit.

Zhang Yang held little genuine interest in the Student Union originally. His decision to stay and reform that Zhou Yichen was purely influenced by the residual memories left by the previous ‘Zhang Yang.’ However, since he was involved, he intended to excel. By joining External Relations, he would transform it into the most vital department in the entire Student Union.

He recalled that in his previous life, his medical skills had secured several million in sponsorships for the hospital. Half of the hospital’s ambulances were donated by wealthy individuals he had saved, who explicitly stated the donation was a gesture of gratitude towards him.

Mi Xue and Gu Cheng both sat up straighter, listening intently as Zhang Yang spoke. Zhang Yang first explained his move to External Relations and the sponsorship mission before extending his invitation to the two of them.

“Zhang Yang, are you saying I can join the Student Union too!”

Upon hearing Zhang Yang, Gu Cheng was stunned for a moment, then asked with delight. He had long wanted to join the Student Union, but the former ‘Zhang Yang’ had previously deemed his personality unsuitable, preventing him from trying out. He had given up on the idea, never expecting Zhang Yang to invite him actively today.

In truth, everyone had their own utility. The previous ‘Zhang Yang’ had failed to recognize Gu Cheng’s greatest strength, but the current Zhang Yang could see it. If utilized well, Gu Cheng would be a tremendous asset; he would execute instructions meticulously, even when personally fearful of the consequences. This fact had been proven back at the hospital.

Zhang Yang nodded and smiled, “Yes, both of you should join External Relations first as regular members. Once our department develops, I’ll promote you both to Vice-Minister. You’ll be Student Union executives then!”

“I’ll follow your lead, I’m in!”

Gu Cheng nodded excitedly. Joining the Student Union and potentially becoming an executive was something he hadn't dared to dream of before.

The Student Union at this time wasn't as corrupt as it would become years later. Gu Cheng imagined returning home and proudly telling his family that he was a student executive, earning their praise.

Mi Xue thought beyond just the title. The corner of her eyebrow twitched slightly, “Zhang Yang, isn't the promotion to Vice-Minister something the Chairman has to approve?”

Promoting officials indeed required the Student Union Chairman's consent; the Chairman was not a mere figurehead, and Zhou Yichen was such an overbearing individual. Mi Xue couldn't help but feel a twinge of apprehension.

“Don’t worry. If I say it will happen, it absolutely will!”

Zhang Yang grinned, radiating a strong self-confidence that was even more intense than when he was at the hospital. This look was precisely what Mi Xue admired and was most captivated by.

Gazing at Zhang Yang, Mi Xue nodded somewhat self-consciously and murmured, “I’ll listen to you. Once we’re in the Student Union, everything will be decided by you too!”

After saying this, a flush crept up Mi Xue’s face; the words carried an undeniable ambiguity.

Gu Cheng, however, didn't read into it. He was still envisioning the future, dreaming of the day he became a Student Union Vice-Minister. Wherever he went then, he would feel a sense of pride and honor. If that day ever arrived, it would be the highest position he had ever held during his academic life. Before this, he had only ever been a group leader in junior high; afterwards, he had held no other office.

………… Once again, my deepest thanks to friend Yan Hui Man for the 1888 Qidian coin tip! C