Last time was an impromptu meeting called by Zhou Yichen. Unlike regular assemblies, student council protocol required every responsible member to attend the official meetings, resulting in a much greater turnout than before.

Around the large round table, most of the department heads had already arrived, chatting and laughing amongst themselves where friendships allowed. Other members of each department sat on chairs lined against the wall, notebooks in hand, ready to take notes.

Seeing the assembly in the conference room, Zhang Yang paused for a moment before a faint smile touched his lips.

Their setup reminded him strongly of the enlarged departmental meetings held at the hospital in his past life. The heads and key personnel of various sections gathered, appearing numerous, but in truth, most were there merely to listen to reports. The real power to steer things lay with only a select few.

When Zhang Yang entered, everyone noticed him, and then, almost immediately, they noticed Mi Xue beside him.

Nearly every eye in the room was fixed on Mi Xue.

It wasn't that the student council lacked female members; Han Li, the head of the Hygiene Department, and Yan Ruohong, the head of the Publicity Department, were both women. However, they were ordinary-looking girls, a stark contrast to Mi Xue’s striking beauty. It had to be admitted: a beautiful girl carried an advantage wherever she went, and Mi Xue instantly became the focal point of the room.

“Minister Zhang, come sit over here!”

Gao Jie, the head of the Arts and Literature Department, greeted Zhang Yang warmly, even offering up his seat right next to him.

Ever since becoming the head of the Arts and Literature Department, Gao Jie had felt immensely satisfied. Not only did he escape the drudgery of managing the demanding members in the Society Department, but he also gained access to many girls.

A significant portion of the programs organized by the Arts and Literature Department featured female performers, which only deepened Gao Jie’s gratitude toward Zhang Yang.

“Wait for me a second, I’ll be right there!”

Zhang Yang smiled and shook his head. First, he needed to settle Mi Xue and Gu Cheng. This was the first student council meeting for both of them, and they were unfamiliar with some of the proceedings.

They sat down directly behind Zhang Yang. As soon as they were seated, a guy who clearly considered himself quite cool approached, hoping to strike up a conversation with Mi Xue. Unfortunately for him, Mi Xue shut him down with just two sharp sentences. This individual’s swift exit effectively silenced any immediate romantic intentions harbored by others lingering nearby.

While talking to a pretty girl was certainly desirable, no one wanted the public humiliation of being so decisively rebuffed.

It was at this moment that Mi Xue truly displayed the personality she usually kept under wraps.

“Zhang Yang, not bad. With Mi Xue in External Relations, I bet the number of applications routed through your department is going to skyrocket!” Gao Jie said with a chuckle once Zhang Yang was seated.

“Indeed. It makes me almost want to transfer to External Relations myself; it’s definitely pleasing to the eye!”

Ye Zhan, the head of the Technical Department, chimed in with a laugh. After Zhang Yang had successfully positioned Gao Jie in the Arts and Literature Department, most of these neutral department heads had revised their opinion of Zhang Yang, and Ye Zhan was one of them.

“Sure thing, Minister Ye, you’d be welcomed with open arms. How about we trade? You take External Relations, and I’ll head to Technical!”

Zhang Yang laughed wryly. Though he said it aloud, that wasn't what he truly intended.

It was just a jest. Even if he actually swapped roles with Ye Zhan, he would insist on taking Mi Xue with him. Unconsciously, Zhang Yang had completely adopted Mi Xue as one of his own, unwilling to let her serve under anyone else.

“No way, I couldn’t handle External Relations. The tasks you set are terrifying; they would crush me!”

Ye Zhan waved his hands frantically. His comment was also tongue-in-cheek; if he were truly forced to take over External Relations, he’d rather quit the student council altogether. The assignments expected of the External Relations Department seemed, to them, like astronomical figures, completely unachievable.

“Minister Ye, saying that now, you might regret it later!”

This time, the speaker was Xiao Bin. Xiao Bin gave Ye Zhan a knowing smile. Only he, Mi Xue, and Gu Cheng knew that Zhang Yang had secured twenty million in sponsorships; the rest of the student council remained oblivious to the impending upheaval in the External Relations Department.

While the others were exchanging pleasantries, Zhou Yichen finally made his entrance. As the Chairman, he always enjoyed making his appearance last.

Seated at the head of the table, looking out at the large crowd, Zhou Yichen’s vanity was greatly satisfied. He had been an official enthusiast since childhood, relishing the feeling of absolute control.

However, the moment his eyes landed on Zhang Yang, his expression soured. He couldn't help but wish Zhang Yang weren't there; seeing Zhang Yang always left him deeply uncomfortable.

“Alright, let’s start the meeting!”

Zhou Yichen cleared his throat and began. The regular assembly was usually reserved for discussing trivial matters: tasks left incomplete from the previous week and plans for the week ahead.

No sooner had Zhou Yichen finished speaking than Minister Liu from the Sports Department spoke up.

“Chairman Zhou, the swimming competition is next week, but we still have no prizes secured, nor any promotion material. Perhaps you could allocate some funds to us first?”

The Sports Department was a high-profile one, and Minister Liu was an old guard promoted by the previous chairman. His relationship with Zhou Yichen wasn't overtly bad; in fact, he had been closer to Zhou Yichen than to Zhang Yang previously.

Unfortunately, because Zhou Yichen intended to promote his crony, Hu Tao, into a more central role, a conflict had arisen between him and Minister Liu. Liu understood his tenure was limited, so he saw no reason to defer to Zhou Yichen, choosing only to ensure his existing responsibilities were handled properly before his term ended.

“Didn’t we already allocate three hundred yuan for the swimming competition?”

Zhou Yichen frowned slightly, his good mood instantly evaporating. Having someone immediately start asking for money right as the meeting began was hardly conducive to happiness.

Minister Liu retorted, “Chairman Zhou, you said yourself, three hundred yuan. What does three hundred yuan cover? It’s not even enough for publicity, let alone preparing prizes and certificates!”

“The council is currently short on funds. The External Relations Department failed to secure any sponsorships this semester, so we are entirely reliant on the small allowance from the school. You’ll all have to tighten your belts for now,” Zhou Yichen stated slowly, casting another pointed glance at Zhang Yang as he spoke.

He would never pass up an opportunity to put Zhang Yang down. Everyone knew Zhang Yang was the current head of External Relations.

The others followed Zhou Yichen’s gaze toward Zhang Yang, though many secretly sympathized with him.

It was common knowledge that Zhang Yang had only been the minister of External Relations for a few days, and the position had been vacant prior to that. They knew he couldn't be blamed for the lack of secured sponsorships, but these thoughts remained unspoken.

No one felt the need to offend Zhou Yichen on Zhang Yang’s behalf.

“I don’t care about that. Nothing can be done without money. The swimming competition is a traditional, long-standing school event. If you don’t provide the funding, I will have to approach the school directly. Otherwise, if it isn't run well, it will still be my responsibility!”

Minister Liu shrugged. Since he was leaving sooner or later anyway, he might as well leverage the little power he held to thoroughly annoy Zhou Yichen.

“This is our student council’s responsibility; why would you go to the school?”

Zhou Yichen was so enraged he nearly exploded. He had intended this regular meeting to be another chance to suppress Zhang Yang, but unexpectedly, Minister Liu from the Sports Department had inserted himself into the conflict.

He inwardly regretted not having removed Minister Liu sooner and installed Hu Tao, which would have spared him this current embarrassment.

“I have no money, and if I fail to execute properly, it’s my fault. If you won't give me the money, I’ll go to the school,” Minister Liu shot back immediately after Zhou Yichen finished speaking.

However, Minister Liu's logic was sound. The Sports Department was still under his charge, and failure would ultimately reflect on him. This gave Zhou Yichen a perfect pretext for criticism, so Liu figured he might as well fight for what he needed. If he could ensure the event was successful, he could depart with dignity, showing everyone that his removal was not due to incompetence.

“Fine. How much money do you require?”

Zhou Yichen managed to suppress his anger and asked softly. Many sitting nearby kept their heads down, while only the department heads clustered around the large table scrutinized Zhou Yichen and Minister Liu, calculating the potential repercussions for themselves or what benefits they might glean from the situation.

“At least fifteen hundred!”

Minister Liu held up his fingers a few times. Publicity, prizes, plus providing some welfare for the student volunteers—that was roughly the figure he had calculated.

Although many students would volunteer their time, they still needed to provide water and perhaps boxed lunches, lest those helping go thirsty or hungry.

“Fifteen hundred? Are you out of your mind? Do you realize how small our total annual budget is? You ask for fifteen hundred in one go! Do you think I run a bank?”

Zhou Yichen suddenly roared, slamming his hand hard on the table. He had completely lost his temper this time.

The yearly budget was meager enough as it was, and the Sports Department had already claimed a significant portion. This was just one campus event demanding such a large sum. If he agreed to this precedent, more people would come demanding money later.

Zhou Yichen himself was wealthy and came from money, but he strictly adhered to the separation of public and private funds, never considering using his personal or family wealth for the student council’s needs.

“Chairman Zhou, please don’t be angry, don’t be angry. It’s only fifteen hundred yuan; is it worth getting furious with your fellow students? Furthermore, Minister Liu is acting solely in the public interest. This money—our External Relations Department will cover it!”

Zhang Yang, who had been sitting quietly with a faint smile, suddenly spoke up cheerfully. Instantly, every gaze in the room snapped toward him.

………… Recommending a new novel by Chocolate, titled Sword Against the Heavens, book ID 2371777. [bookid=2371777,bookname=《》] C