Gao Jie, seated next to Zhang Yang, and Xiao Bin both craned their necks forward. Xiao Bin had known beforehand that Zhang Yang had secured sponsorship, but he never expected the funds to materialize right there, resting in his hands.

It wasn't just him; even Mi Xue and Gu Cheng were unaware that the hospital had given the money directly to Zhang Yang first, and that he was carrying it.

Two hundred thousand—for many students present, that was a staggering sum, unimaginable in their wildest dreams. Some of them realized that the combined total assets of their entire families didn't even reach that amount.

"Mr. Z-Zhang, Minister, might I examine your check first?"

Ouyang Yu, the head of the Finance Department, quietly swallowed. He had spotted the check from across the table. As a business school student specializing in accounting, he was intimately familiar with checks.

Looking over, he sensed that this check appeared genuine.

"No problem!"

Zhang Yang smiled faintly and pushed the check directly toward Ouyang Yu.

The check was sound. Ouyang Yu had worked part-time, handling accounts for others and processing various checks before. This particular check, issued directly by the Third Hospital's finance department, was beyond reproach. There was no need to worry about cashing it; a simple bank transfer would suffice.

In essence, possessing this check meant that the Student Union now had an injection of two hundred thousand.

Two hundred thousand. Knowing how perpetually strapped for cash the Student Union always was, Ouyang Yu touched the check, unsure of the exact sensation swelling within him—he actually felt an urge to cry.

Many people around were also focused intently on Ouyang Yu.

Verifying the check was Ouyang Yu’s responsibility, and everyone knew he was a top student from the School of Business. It was precisely these skills that served as his leverage when he successfully campaigned to become the Finance Minister of the Student Union.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yichen was watching Zhang Yang with a cold, hard gaze.

He hadn't believed Zhang Yang at all previously. He couldn't accept that the Third Hospital would incur such a significant cost for Zhang Yang. One of his cronies, who had glimpsed the contract earlier, had already secretly relayed its contents to him.

He was even more skeptical that the Third Hospital would offer Zhang Yang such favorable terms.

To this moment, he remained convinced that Zhang Yang was deliberately staging a performance, intentionally evading responsibility. He had been waiting patiently for an opportunity to expose Zhang Yang’s charade.

"The check is real!"

After a moment, Ouyang Yu set the check down and stated softly.

A hush fell over the assembly. The only sounds audible in the meeting room were the heavy, ragged breaths of some attendees.

Two hundred thousand. The External Relations Department had previously struggled to meet even a twenty-thousand target. Zhang Yang, newly appointed, had just brought in two hundred thousand. This sheer surprise had stunned the majority into silence.

Especially the department ministers, who were intimately aware of the Student Union’s financial constraints. This awareness fueled their relentless efforts when soliciting funds, driven by the fear that the money might slip into someone else's grasp if they delayed even a moment longer.

Insufficient funds had been the perennial plight of the Changjing University Student Union. Several previous chairs had strived to remedy the situation, but with little success. Zhou Yichen’s eventual victory over Zhang Yang to become Student Union Chairman owed something to his family background.

Many had hoped Zhou Yichen would stabilize the Union's finances, yet this aspiration had remained unfulfilled.

"Impossible, this is impossible!"

Zhou Yichen suddenly shouted, rising to his feet. He strode directly to Ouyang Yu’s side and demanded again, "Look closer, could this be a bad check? Are they deliberately trying to mock us?"

Zhou Yichen fundamentally refused to believe that money could be drawn against Zhang Yang’s check.

Subconsciously, he did not want this sponsorship from Zhang Yang to be genuine. If it were real, according to the existing bylaws and regulations, Zhang Yang would be entitled to hold the Vice-Chairmanship concurrently while controlling the Finance Department—a catastrophe for him as Chairman.

Perhaps he was the only person in the entire Student Union who wished this money didn't exist, which explained his agitation.

"Chairman Zhou, please do not question my professional competence!"

Ouyang Yu looked up, his expression turning stern. Having his verified findings dismissed as false felt like a profound insult.

Pointing at the check, Ouyang Yu added, "Furthermore, this check was issued directly by the finance office of the Changjing Third People's Hospital. If it were invalid, it would imply the entire Third Hospital is broke—is that conceivable?"

Ouyang Yu's counter-question left Zhou Yichen momentarily speechless.

The Changjing Third Hospital was one of the most vital municipal hospitals, consistently maintaining excellent performance records. It was unthinkable that its finances would be empty; even someone like Zhou Yichen, who hadn't studied finance, understood that basic fact.

Yet, Ouyang Yu’s words confirmed the existence of the funds—the very outcome Zhou Yichen least wanted to accept.

"If Chairman Zhou still has doubts, I can call right now and confirm it directly!"

Ouyang Yu added. As the keeper of the Union's finances, he had dealt with banks and knew some contacts. The bank closing time hadn't arrived yet; he could indeed verify it via telephone.

"Fine, verify it immediately!"

Zhou Yichen’s eyes flashed with sudden clarity, and he nodded quickly. He still harbored a deep disbelief that the funds Zhang Yang claimed to have secured truly existed.

Although Zhou Yichen nodded, Ouyang Yu still glanced toward Zhang Yang. After all, this was money Zhang Yang had brought in; proceeding without his assent felt like a gesture of doubt toward him, and he needed Zhang Yang’s blessing.

"Minister Ouyang, please go ahead and verify it," Zhang Yang said with a light, dashing smile, creating a stark contrast with Zhou Yichen’s agitated state.

Ouyang Yu immediately stood up and walked quickly toward the exit. There were no phones in the meeting room; he would have to go to the Student Union office.

Zhou Yichen watched his retreating back, looking somewhat taken aback. His hands remained tightly clenched, a physical effort to mask the intense anger brewing within him.

What did Ouyang Yu mean?

He, the Chairman, had ordered the verification, yet Ouyang Yu hesitated, waiting for Zhang Yang's nod before moving. Did this imply that he, the Chairman, was less authoritative than Zhang Yang, the Minister of External Relations?

Many other ministers had also noticed Ouyang Yu’s small, significant gesture.

The smarter ones sat quietly, heads bowed in contemplation. It was becoming clear that if the money Zhang Yang secured was real, the internal structure of the Student Union was likely facing a major upheaval.

Some of the older ministers remembered the disciplinary codes related to the External Relations Department, and a few had even participated in drafting those very rules. Those in the know understood that Zhou Yichen's comfortable reign was drawing to a close; the era of his absolute control was dissolving.

Even the newcomers, who were unaware of the specifics, grasped the profound implications of Zhang Yang securing such a large sum. Zhang Yang, who had been relegated to the struggling External Relations Department, had not only avoided being dragged down by its misfortune but had instead firmly established his position.

Leaving with Ouyang Yu was Hu Tao, one of Zhou Yichen’s loyal lackeys.

A few minutes later, both men rushed back. Ouyang Yu’s face was now even more flushed with excitement, and even Hu Tao wore an expression of elation.

"It's real, it’s absolutely real! The bank confirmed it—that check is genuine! Minister Zhang really brought in two hundred thousand in sponsorship!"

As soon as he entered, Hu Tao shouted the news, prompting immediate, collective cheers from the assembled ministers and members. Only Zhou Yichen’s face had turned the color of ash.

Zhou Yichen let out a cold snort, swiped his sleeve, and abruptly left the meeting room.

Hu Tao’s excited shouts abruptly ceased. In his rush of elation, he had forgotten the regulations governing the External Relations Department. Now, he finally recalled the devastating blow this massive sponsorship success would deal to Zhou Yichen.

Yet, a faint feeling persisted in his gut: having this money was ultimately a good thing. It benefited the entire Student Union, and in the future, everyone's work would be smoother and more invigorating to undertake.

C