The Dazzling First Day of Birth——

Regarding the incident where two seniors were playing badminton next to Li Guanqi during the afternoon P.E. class and ended up hitting him, Su Cheng was absolutely furious. If he didn’t get back at them, he wouldn’t be able to sleep that night.

So, he retaliated.

Now he felt much better.

3:00 PM

Social Practice Club

Holding a bottle of "love-infused" drink that Li Guanqi had bought for him in one hand and a copy of The Complete Guide to Household Cats in the other, Su Cheng walked into the clubroom.

As usual, Gu Ruoxue had arrived early.

When she saw Su Cheng, she merely glanced at him before her gaze lingered on the book in his hand, her eyes faintly revealing a hint of envy.

There was no denying it—she loved cats.

But borrowing books from the library would expose this weakness of hers.

She had learned this lesson well since childhood—some admirers would go to extreme lengths just to get her attention.

So, she had always been careful to avoid it. Today, she had deliberately waited until noon when the library was empty to sneak in for a brief visit.

"Good afternoon, President," Su Cheng greeted her before plopping into his seat. He propped the book on the desk and began flipping through it with exaggerated seriousness.

His main goal? To torment this cryptic girl!

Only after he spoke did Gu Ruoxue finally tear her eyes away from the book and sweep a glance at him. "Your intentions are painfully obvious."

"I just want to be a quiet, book-loving gentleman. What intentions? You’re being ridiculous!" Su Cheng scoffed.

Hearing this, Gu Ruoxue crossed her arms and rested her chin on them, staring at him with amused interest.

Seeing her reaction, Su Cheng immediately sensed danger. He instinctively looked up—only to meet her striking phoenix-like eyes.

Gu Ruoxue glanced at The Complete Guide to Cats on the desk and parted her lips slightly. "Want to bet? I won’t lift a finger, and you’ll hand this book over to me with utmost respect."

Su Cheng froze, baffled. How could that possibly happen?

But then, remembering Gu Ruoxue’s unpredictable methods, he gulped. Struggling to maintain his composure, he muttered, "No way. If you want to read it, go borrow it yourself. I’m not done yet."

"Oh?" Gu Ruoxue smirked, nodding with a bored expression.

Su Cheng gulped again.

Utmost respect?

Impossible!

But to avoid being proven wrong—

He had to tear down this flag before it was raised.

With that thought, he grabbed the book, stood up, and marched to her desk. "No way. Absolutely no way!" he declared, tossing the book onto her table. "Just so you know, there’s no ‘utmost respect’ here!"

After handing it over, he sat back down with a proud huff.

If I give her the book first, then there’s no way she can claim I did it respectfully!

This is nothing I can’t handle!

Gu Ruoxue glanced at the book on her desk but said nothing. She simply picked it up and began reading, completely ignoring Su Cheng.

"Eh?"

Su Cheng blinked at the scene.

Gu Ruoxue was now engrossed in the book, treating him like thin air.

He scratched his head. "So… she tricked me into giving her the book with reverse psychology?"

Damn it, this woman's understanding of his behavior and thoughts was so profound and accurate. She could actually see right through the deepest corners of his mind and feelings just by observing and analyzing his actions!

Last time, he had caught Gu Ruoxue off guard with his unconventional method, but now she was using the same approach to counter him.

How infuriating!

Su Cheng sighed as he watched Gu Ruoxue's posture and the focused expression on her face while she read.

This vixen really was a clever woman.

Pfft—

This clever woman was nothing but a sly fox!

Knock knock knock~

Just then, the door of the Social Practice Club suddenly sounded.

Hearing the noise, Su Cheng immediately composed himself.

Meanwhile, Gu Ruoxue placed her book in the drawer, lifted her head, and glanced toward the door before saying, "Come in."

Soon, a female student council member with a [Student Council] badge on her shoulder pushed the door open and entered.

"President Gu, pardon the interruption."

She bowed slightly and spoke politely.

"Mhm."

Gu Ruoxue responded indifferently.

"I'm Liu Ruowei, a member of the Student Council's publicity department."

The girl introduced herself.

"Liu, have a seat."

Gu Ruoxue gestured to a chair.

"Thank you, President, but that won't be necessary."

Liu Ruowei glanced at Su Cheng before continuing to address Gu Ruoxue. "The Student Council will be holding an election event at four in the Student Assembly Hall."

"I see."

Gu Ruoxue nodded in acknowledgment.

"Then I’ll take my leave now. Goodbye, President."

Liu Ruowei nodded and turned to leave.

"You go on behalf of the club."

Gu Ruoxue pulled the book back out from the drawer, flipped to a certain page, and spoke to Su Cheng without looking up.

Su Cheng nodded. "Oh… alright."

Well, since he had nothing better to do, he might as well check it out.

He stood up and headed for the door but suddenly paused mid-step. "What’s this election for? And who should I vote for?"

"You’ll know when you get there."

Gu Ruoxue lazily tossed out the words before burying her nose back in the book.

Su Cheng pursed his lips and turned to walk out the door.

……………………………………………………

Meanwhile

At the library

Xuan Ying and Sister Qin had begun yet another round of discussions.

Right now, they were in the library’s meeting room. Sister Qin stood in front of a small blackboard as usual, while Xuan Ying sat obediently beside her like a model student, listening attentively with an earnest expression.

But unbeknownst to them, a long-haired girl shrouded in shadows sat quietly in the corner.

"What’s today’s lesson about?"

Xuan Ying asked Sister Qin with excitement and anticipation.

"From here on out, it’s up to you."

Sister Qin finished speaking and began writing three strategies on the blackboard.

1: Confess your feelings honestly.

2: Actively create opportunities for one-on-one conversations.

3: Strengthen your own appeal.

Seeing these three options, Xuan Ying’s expression turned uneasy. She pointed at the first one and said, "But if I confess, he’ll definitely reject me right away!"

Remembering how Su Cheng had looked every time he was about to turn her down, Xuan Ying shuddered at the thought.

"You’re still too green. Have you forgotten about the account hacking incident we arranged last time?"

Sister Qin shook her head. "This time, you can let him know in advance that you're aware of it before he rejects you. Then tell him about your feelings for him, but don't put any pressure on him. Let him understand how you feel. At the same time, you also need to show that you respect his feelings and decisions."

Having said that, she walked over to Xuan Ying, patted her on the shoulder, and continued, "Build a friendly relationship first. Approach him from the perspective of a friend to lay the foundation for your relationship."

"Friend? But I've already been his friend for a long time," Xuan Ying said with a confused look on her face.

"No, no, no."

Sister Qin smiled. "Right now, you're not his friend but just a classmate. After the account - hacking incident last time, you two have a shared secret. That only makes you half - friends."

"I see," Xuan Ying said, looking suddenly enlightened.

Then she looked up and said seriously, "Sister Qin, what should I do next?"

"Offer help and support. You can take the initiative to help, but don't over - care about him. Instead, you need to show your intelligence and independence. Also, pay attention to your image, speech, and behavior to make yourself look more confident and elegant."

Having said that, she stood up, looking at Xuan Ying with a look of frustration, and said, "Your good friend Zhao Yan did a great job. I saw you two together at lunch today. You're too timid. Your beloved one was right in front of you, but you just sat there playing with your fingers!"

Hearing Sister Qin's words, Xuan Ying's face looked a bit gloomy. She said aggrievedly, "But I always feel nervous whenever I see him! I... I can't control myself."

"If you're scared, just give up!"

Sister Qin glared at her and scolded angrily, "Remember, if you like something, you have to fight for it! Don't be so hesitant."

Xuan Ying was scolded by Sister Qin and didn't dare to say a word.

"Given your current situation, you need to pay more attention to Li Guanqi. The food in her bag today was most likely prepared specifically for Su Cheng. Their relationship is extraordinary! If you don't work hard, you'll lose him soon!"

After hearing this, Xuan Ying's face turned pale.

She bit her lips, filled with grievance in her heart.

After Sister Qin finished speaking, she glanced at Xuan Ying again, and her tone softened a bit. "I just hope you can be a bit braver. Fortunately, based on my observation and analysis, this Li Guanqi has a strange personality and a strong possessive desire. There's a ninety - percent chance that she won't have a closer relationship with Su Cheng. Because although this kind of person acts boldly and aggressively, she'll never admit her feelings. She's a bad girl who always waits for the other person to make a formal confession first."

Hearing this, the bad - tempered Li Guanqi in the corner subconsciously clenched her fists.

"I understand," Xuan Ying lowered her head, her voice a bit muffled.

Seeing this, Sister Qin smiled in satisfaction, turned around, and continued with her lecture.

After another ten - odd minutes, their discussion finally came to an end.

Sister Qin picked up her thermos and left.

Xuan Ying still sat there on the chair in a daze.

After a long time, Li Guanqi stood up and walked towards the outside of the library.

At this time, there were many students coming and going outside the library, all gathering in the same direction.

She sized them up and knew that their destination was the student auditorium.

So she didn't pay much attention and was about to go home.

Unexpectedly, in the crowd, she saw a familiar back. It was Su Cheng.

It seemed that like these people, he was also going to the auditorium.

She stopped, took out her phone, and turned on the screen. The desktop prominently displayed a photo of her and Su Cheng taken in the peach orchard.

But she wasn't looking at the photo. Instead, she opened the chat app to see if Su Cheng had sent her a message.

After refreshing the message list several times and finding no message from Su Cheng, she put the phone away and followed Su Cheng's steps.

The two of them passed through a series of activity areas on campus, such as the square, the playground, and the basketball court, and finally arrived at the entrance of the auditorium.

By this time, there were already a great many people both inside and outside the auditorium.

Su Cheng stopped beside the promotional poster at the entrance, looking at something. There was even a serious look on his face. Then, as if having made some decision, he directly stepped into the auditorium.

Seeing this, she also came in front of the poster and carefully read the content on it. Then she frowned slightly and suddenly understood.

She roughly understood what Su Cheng was planning.

Because on the poster were the profiles of ten candidates, and one of the photos was clearly that of Hoshino Mirai!

And the position she was running for was the Deputy Discipline Committee Chairman.

She stood there, lost in thought for a long time.

Judging from Su Cheng's character, he would definitely help Hoshino Mirai.

But Hoshino Mirai had a poor popularity and would surely lose the election.

So, what would Su Cheng do?

She couldn't help but start to speculate.

At this time, more and more people were entering the auditorium, and more and more people recognized Su Cheng...

Such as her cousin, the representative of the Archery Club, the representative of the E-sports Club, Zhao Yan, the class monitor, and even one of the boys who accidentally hit her with a badminton this afternoon.

If relying on Su Cheng's own connections, there was a slight possibility of making Hoshino Mirai win.

However, she also knew that the prerequisite for Su Cheng to take the stage was to make the original supporters of Hoshino Mirai suddenly absent.

Only in this way could Su Cheng take the stage to show his support!

But in this case, everyone would indeed give him face, but at the same time, they would also owe him a favor. Even her cousin might cast this vote.

Li Guanqi was a bit hesitant.

The most crucial thing was that this time taking the stage was also the first appearance of the new students. At the same time, Su Cheng's influence would also be revealed. This was just like the "ripple effect." When a stone was thrown into the water, it would create ripples that gradually spread and affected a wider area.

By the same token, once Su Cheng took the stage, his influence could spread like ripples, reaching more people and places.

So, next, the Student Union would definitely shape Su Cheng into an important figure in the future, and then stir up a wave of interest and attention among the new and old students.

Finally, she took out her phone and contacted Su Cheng.

Li Guanqi: "Do you want to help Senior Hoshino?"

A few minutes later

Don't Like Oranges: "If possible, I'll spare no effort. Because the Penguin Prince said he would protect her."

"You should also make your mark..."

Li Guanqi murmured to herself, put away the phone, and silently walked towards the backstage of the auditorium.

When she arrived at the backstage, she saw many staff members, teachers, Student Union members, and her target candidates!

Since they were about to take the stage, these candidates all looked nervous and uneasy, looking at their manuscripts, as if afraid of making mistakes or losing control in front of the public later and thus losing the election.

In the corner, there were two young girls holding manuscripts and taking deep breaths constantly. Obviously, they were extremely nervous.

They were Hoshino Mirai and her supporter.

And this supporter was her target.

After determining the order of taking the stage, Li Guanqi regarded himself as a staff member. He went to the water dispenser outside to get two cups of water and brought them over to the two girls.

"Are you two participating in the election for the first time? How about having a glass of water to relax?"

"Ah, yes, it's our first time. Thank you."

The supporter took the cup and gulped down the water without hesitation. After thanking Li Guanqi, Hoshino Mirai still looked worriedly at the manuscript.

She just took a small sip and then held the cup in her hand without taking another drink. At this time, Li Guanqi changed his position. He glanced at the speeches in their hands, thought for a moment, and then pointed to a place and asked,

"I think there's a rather long paragraph here, and there are quite a few parallel sentences in it. It should be quite challenging to deliver this part in a speech. Is this the core content of your speech this time?"

"Here? That's right. The main idea is to use rhetorical techniques to arouse the audience's emotions after presenting the key points."

Hoshino Mirai looked at the place Li Guanqi was pointing at and nodded to confirm.

However, Li Guanqi's next words immediately heightened her sense of unease.

"Since it's the key part, why don't you practice it right now and adjust your state by the way?"

It was just an ordinary suggestion. However, when Hoshino Mirai looked at the manuscript, she found that she was still so nervous that she couldn't even read it smoothly in a low voice. She was shocked and quickly looked at her supporter, hoping that she was in a better state than herself. But...

The young girl beside her opened her mouth and made a couple of inarticulate sounds, but she just couldn't turn the words into voice. After several attempts, it seemed that the manuscript in her hand was about to be crushed.

Finally, with tears welling up in her eyes, she looked at Hoshino Mirai.

"What... what should I do?"

Before Hoshino Mirai could get anxious, the girl's face changed. She stuffed the manuscript into Hoshino Mirai's hand, covered her stomach, and rushed towards the restroom beside.

"Now I'm the one who should be asking what to do!!!"

It was almost their group's turn to take the stage, but at this critical moment, they were on the verge of a breakdown because of nervousness.

At this moment, Hoshino Mirai understood what it meant for one difficulty to follow another. Just as she lowered her head dejectedly, thinking that she had no chance this time,

she subconsciously reached out and held a penguin key - chain in her skirt. It was newly made.

She subconsciously held it in her palm.

"It seems that my words just now caused the problem. I'm really sorry. As a remedy, would you like to hear my suggestion?"