Chapter 81: Chapter 79: Choosing a Position
"Oh, I’ve finished editing the photos we took," Baozi said from the side. "I didn’t edit all of them, just picked a few nice ones to work on. Should I send them to you guys via QQ when I get back?"
"That works, thanks for the hard work!" said Brother Nan.
"Thank you," Zhou Li added.
"You’re welcome." Baozi paused, then looked towards Zhou Li. "My dad asked me to show the photos to your mom."
"Sure, thank you."
"Brother Nan?"
"Hmm?" Brother Nan blinked, her mouth full of flower pastry, and mumbled, "What are you asking me for?"
"You’re in the photos."
"Just pick a few without me then," she retorted.
"Every single one has you in it."
"Oh? Really?"
"Yes." Baozi nodded calmly. Brother Nan had forgotten so quickly that *she* was the one who had insisted on taking every photo with Zhou Li. It made Baozi slightly doubt her roommate’s brain capacity.
"Interesting, interesting..." Brother Nan nodded.
What’s so interesting? Baozi wondered.
"Silence!"
Zhou Qianqian’s voice swept through the classroom. It wasn’t very loud, but it was piercingly strong.
The classroom hushed.
Zhou Qianqian squinted, a benign smile spreading across her round face. "Congratulations, everyone, on finishing military training and bidding farewell to that tough period. However, I think you all had a fulfilling time, especially the men’s company, right? You were skilled enough to mingle with the ladies from the Economics and Foreign Languages Institutes, and you dominated the football field—even the Sports Institute didn’t dare compete with you for turf..."
Zhou Qianqian paused, her eyebrows raised. "Our Life Sciences Institute hasn’t had such an honor in many years!"
Sparing a glance, she saw Zhou Li and Li Nan sitting together but chose not to tease them. She continued, "Back to the matter at hand. Today’s meeting is mainly to elect our class committee and discuss some other things. The institute leaders specifically stressed that I should talk about safety and ensure we avoid any more fights or conflicts. Let’s go through this point by point."
"First up is electing the class committee."
"Let me explain our class committee system."
"We start with the Class President, followed by the Academic Representative and the Youth League Secretary. Then there’s the Sports Representative, the Cultural and Entertainment Representative, the Student Life Representative, the Organization Representative, and the Mental Health Representative. Each has distinct responsibilities, and most correspond to student union departments."
"Additionally, there’s the dormitory head, one for each dorm. We won’t vote on that; you can discuss it among yourselves and submit the list to me. I suggest you follow the example of your seniors: either rotate the position annually or decide based on circumstances. Although it’s a minor role, it still carries some academic credits."
"So... let’s begin!"
"If you have any questions, just ask."
"Let’s start with the election for Class President."
"We have..." Zhou Qianqian calculated, "four acting class presidents and two military training class presidents—amounting to five individuals who’ve held a presidential role in some capacity. But we only elect one official Class President for each class. I’ve heard some of you already have preferred candidates in mind..."
"But we still need to hold an election."
"That one, the one who fought a drill instructor, Zhou something, come up here!"
Zhou Li quietly stood up.
He was tall, wearing black jeans and running shoes that made his legs look even longer, along with a long-sleeved hoodie. Standing on the platform, he was the type to make many girls’ eyes sparkle.
Zhou Qianqian pinched his arm. "Not much muscle there. How did you manage to beat the drill instructor and the guys from the Sports Institute?"
Zhou Li felt somewhat embarrassed. To make matters worse, he saw Huai Xu laughing at him from below. He was utterly speechless.
Zhou Qianqian pinched his arm a few more times, then looked up at Brother Nan with a smile. "Don’t mind me!"
The classroom erupted in good-natured teasing.
Brother Nan nodded calmly.
Zhou Li was at a loss for words.
Zhou Qianqian then asked him to help distribute A4 paper, one sheet per person, which they were to cut up for use. They had to bring their own pens.
When Zhou Li sat back down, Zhou Qianqian cleared her throat, scanned the classroom, and asked, "Let’s start with Class Three. Those who want to run, please come to the stage to introduce yourselves and give your campaign speech. Who wants to go first?"
Seconds passed, and the classroom remained silent.
People glanced at each other before all eyes turned to Zhou Li, whose gaze remained fixed ahead, unmoved.
That’s when Chen Yang suddenly stood up—it had been discussed in Dorm 502 beforehand that he needed to take the initiative. Being the first to volunteer usually made a lasting impression, or at the very least, would make him seem brave.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Chen Yang walked to the podium.
He was slightly taller than Zhou Li and wore air-cushion shoes that added to his height. He had a strong build and wheat-colored skin. On his sturdy arms, visible beneath his short-sleeved T-shirt, a tattoo was faintly discernible, giving him an intimidating aura.
He cleared his throat and swallowed. "Hello everyone, I’m Chen Yang..."
Only then did he remember that during rehearsals in the dorm, they had agreed he should write his name on the blackboard before introducing himself. So, he turned, picked up the chalk, and wrote his name on the board, his hand trembling slightly.
The handwriting was ugly.
Chen Yang dropped the chalk and continued, "I like sports, I’m good at basketball and football, and I’m outgoing and easy to talk to..."
"If I’m elected Class President, I will definitely..."
"Thank you, everyone."
"You can share any relevant experience you’ve had," Zhou Qianqian interjected, "like if you’ve been a Class President, Academic Representative, or Sports Representative before."
"I..." This hadn’t been part of their rehearsal. Chen Yang struggled. "I... I was a group leader in elementary school."
"Very good," Zhou Qianqian replied without changing her expression. "Are there any other candidates? After one finishes, the next person should come forward willingly."
Once more, all eyes turned to Zhou Li, but he remained unresponsive.
Brother Nan turned her head and remarked, "You seem quite popular. I think you should consider it; don’t let everyone down."
Zhou Li ignored her.
Then, another girl stood up—probably the prettiest girl in Zhou Li’s class. She was wearing a short skirt and had a denim jacket on over it due to the strong wind outside. She took off the jacket before stepping onto the stage.
Brother Nan remarked, "Beauty has its advantages!"
Zhou Li and Baozi both nodded.
But handsome guys had their advantages too; Chen Yang, for instance, was quite good-looking.
The girl, Zhong Xin, presented herself with much more poise than Chen Yang. She spoke confidently and mentioned she had also been Class President in high school.
Once it seemed clear that Zhou Li wasn’t interested in running, others became more enthusiastic. Another girl and two boys went up, making a total of five candidates competing for Class President. The intense competition daunted some of the less bold.
"No one else?" Zhou Qianqian looked at Zhou Li as she asked, and everyone else followed suit, their gazes fixed on him.
The five candidates on stage looked stressed.
Zhou Li shook his head.
Zhou Qianqian was not pleased. "Why not? It’s such a waste for someone as handsome as you not to be Class President. If you win, I’ll definitely take good care of you!"
Now I want to do it even less... Zhou Li thought.
Zhou Qianqian shook her head. "Let’s start voting then. Only people from Class Three are allowed to vote. Class Four, keep your hands to yourselves."
Brother Nan shrank her neck.
A moment later, Zhou Li was again responsible for collecting the votes and tallying them under the five names on the blackboard.
Chen Yang and Zhong Xin received the most votes. Another boy also got a decent number; even the candidates with fewer votes still managed to secure some, thanks to their roommates or those who stood near them during military training.
In the end, Chen Yang lost by two votes.
He was disheartened, and his disappointment was palpable despite his efforts to appear unfazed. For a moment, his expression was quite unsightly.
Everyone then applauded for Zhong Xin.
Immediately, Zhou Qianqian said, "Next is Class Four. Whoever wants to run, come straight to the stage. Don’t delay, I still need to go home and take care of my kids!"
Another moment of utter silence followed.
Zhou Qianqian asked again, "No one?" Still, no one answered.
She couldn’t help but laugh. "This is the first time I’ve encountered this situation! Are you all shy, or do you have someone already decided? When Class One and Two were voting, I was there, and people were so eager to run!"
"We do!" someone shouted.
"Yeah!" another chimed in.
"Brother Nan!" a third voice called out. Soon, a chorus of voices shouting her name began to swell in the classroom.
Zhou Li turned his head and said, "Don’t let everyone down."
Brother Nan glared at him.
Then she waved her hand to everyone and said, "Never mind. I want to run for Sports Representative. I’ve always been the Sports Representative."
A tall, burly guy from Zhou Li’s military training formation craned his neck and shouted, "Brother Nan, don’t! I want to run for Sports Representative! Look at me, with my build, what else could I run for besides Sports Representative?"
Brother Nan was a bit conflicted. She knew him from before school even started...
When roaming the Jianghu, righteousness comes first, Brother Nan thought. Not wanting to seem hesitant, she decisively stood up and walked to the podium.
"Uh... hmm..." Brother Nan began, then paused, thinking. "How should I put this... I should say upfront that I have a bit of a temper, I’m lazy, and my brain isn’t the sharpest. You’ll all have to bear with me."
"No worries!" someone yelled.
"You’re the one for us!" another voice shouted.
"Then I’m honored by your support." Brother Nan made a cupped fist salute. "I don’t have much to promise, but if I’m elected Class President, and any of you get bullied at school, just tell me. I guarantee I’ll take care of it, no ambiguity!"
Zhou Qianqian’s mouth twitched. "Is there anyone else who wants to run?"
"No?"
"Saved a piece of paper then!"
Thunderous applause erupted from below.
Zhou Qianqian pressed her hands down for quiet and then said, "Now for the position of Academic Representative, starting with Class Three..."
Chen Yang, putting on a brave face, went up again.
This was Dorm 502’s strategy, mainly devised by Chen Yang, Chang Xiaoxiang, and Liu Zhengming. The central idea was: "For the sake of our future, Dorm 502 must secure the positions of Class President and Academic Representative." Zhou Li found it reasonable and kept nodding in agreement, saying, "Right, right, right."
The main ones to step forward from their dorm were Chen Yang and Chang Xiaoxiang. Liu Zhengming provided backup.
If Chen Yang won Class President, then Chang Xiaoxiang and Liu Zhengming would run for Academic Representative. If Chen Yang unfortunately lost the presidency, he would immediately regroup and run for Academic Representative, alongside Chang Xiaoxiang.
This time, Chen Yang won the election for Academic Representative of Class Three.
So, Chang Xiaoxiang began preparing to run for Organization Representative. The Organization Representative was mainly responsible for handling various official and unofficial events, like group dinners or outings. After discussion, they believed this position would also benefit Dorm 502’s development.
The selection process continued, one committee position at a time.
When it came to the Youth League Secretary, Brother Nan even asked Zhou Li and Baozi. She mentioned that this was one of the three most important positions, offering significant academic credit, yet it was far less demanding than Class President or Academic Representative. It mostly involved attending various meetings, and she asked if they wanted to run.
Both declined simultaneously.
After the Youth League Secretary was chosen, they stopped using written ballots for the remaining positions. Since there were fewer candidates, decisions were made by a show of hands.
Zhou Li rested his chin on his hand, beginning to doze off.
The Mental Health Representative was last. This spoke volumes about its perceived importance.
Zhou Li finally took the stage. Seeing everyone staring at him wide-eyed, he smiled shyly. "Hello everyone, you probably all know me. I’m Zhou Li, and I want to run for Mental Health Representative."
"Don’t be misled by how I acted during military training; I’m actually a very gentle person and never argue with others..."
"If I become the Mental Health Representative, whenever anyone... I will definitely do my best to offer comfort!"
These were the words Liu Zhengming had scripted for him. He had memorized them for a long time. Because of Huai Xu, he nearly faltered in the middle.
He returned to his seat impassively, ignoring Huai Xu’s taunts. But Brother Nan seemed unwilling to let him off.
The girl secretly leaned over the desk, laughing. "What comfort can you offer anyone? Oh, I know! You can tell them—look, I have huge mental issues, and I’m still living just fine, right?"
Zhou Li was speechless.
Everyone was very considerate of him, and no one else took the stage.
Then it was Class Four’s turn.
Little Cousin stepped up.
Little Cousin was fair-skinned and beautiful, and not short either. Despite having a ’baozi’ face—a cute, round face like a steamed bun, fitting her nickname—her overall attractiveness and aura were undeniable. She, too, was successfully elected as Mental Health Representative for her class.
Offstage, the two cousins exchanged a glance—everything was understood without words.