Budding Blossoms —

The Student Assembly Hall

This was the official event venue of Flame City Private Academy, used for hosting various academic and cultural activities such as lectures, concerts, seminars, and exhibitions. It also served as one of the primary locations for student organizations and clubs to hold campus events, including speech competitions, talent shows, and club showcases.

Thus, this election was also being held here.

As soon as Su Cheng stepped inside, he noticed the hall was already packed to capacity. Not only were there student council members, but also teachers and staff maintaining order, along with class representatives and delegates from various clubs.

Yet, all this fanfare was just for a deputy position.

He couldn’t help but wonder—what kind of spectacle would it be when they elected the student council president?

Lost in thought, Su Cheng made his way to the club voters’ section and casually took a seat. He then pulled out his phone to download the voting app from the promotional poster and registered.

After finishing these tasks, he quietly waited, though his gaze kept drifting toward the core organizing body of the election—the student council.

Among them, one figure was impossible to ignore—a girl seated with an aura so oppressive it felt suffocating, even though the election hadn’t yet begun.

It was none other than the enigmatic masked girl—Li Zhao.

Her posture was rigid and cold, like a statue, her face obscured by a mask, leaving only a pair of pitch-black eyes faintly discernible.

Those eyes resembled bottomless abysses, seemingly capable of seeing through everything in an instant, making people feel as exposed as naked lambs with nowhere to hide!

And as if sensing Su Cheng’s gaze, she slowly turned her head toward him. He quickly averted his eyes, but Li Zhao showed no intention of letting it go, continuing to stare at him intently.

Su Cheng lowered his head, pretending to fiddle with his phone, cursing inwardly: "Can you stop staring at me like that? You’re going to make me a target!"

"Su Cheng?"

A voice suddenly interrupted his internal grumbling.

A golden-haired girl sat down beside him, looking slightly surprised. "I didn’t expect you to be here."

Recognizing the familiar face, Su Cheng nodded. "Yeah, I’m representing a club."

"Same here."

Zhao Yan smiled in response, though she tilted her head in confusion. "But I thought you were in the Archery Club. I just saw their manager earlier."

Her sharp eyes fixed on him as she spoke.

"I also joined the Social Practice Club," Su Cheng explained simply, not bothering to hide it since people like Wang Guancong already knew.

"Oh, I see." Zhao Yan nodded, though a flicker of something unreadable passed through her eyes before she regained her composure.

She had just learned something important—Su Cheng had joined the Social Practice Club.

But she quickly adjusted her expression and chuckled lightly. "That means three people from our class are here."

She gestured toward the class representative voting area, where their class monitor, Li Wen, sat by the window, waiting for the proceedings to begin.

The two exchanged small talk, but Su Cheng’s mind was elsewhere, his gaze repeatedly drifting toward the candidates’ section to check on Hoshino Mirai’s condition.

After all, he wanted to help, though he knew there was nothing he could do. In his eyes, Hoshino Mirai was more than qualified for the position of deputy discipline officer.

It was her earnestness, kindness, sense of responsibility, and unwavering dedication that earned his admiration.

He knew he could never measure up to that.

Yet, precisely because of her strict and inflexible approach, she had provoked strong backlash from her peers, leading to alienation and even ostracization.

She excelled at following the rules, but the world operated on both written and unwritten ones. Someone as principled and dutiful as her was bound to get trapped in the mire.

The conflict between those who enforce order and those subjected to it was an eternal paradox.

There was no easy way to put it—doing the right thing and doing things right might sound similar, but the difference was night and day.

"Only an idiot would take on disciplinary duties, thinking they’re helping others while earning nothing but resentment. What a fool."

Su Cheng muttered the words under his breath without thinking.

His voice was low, but Zhao Yan, sitting right beside him, heard every word. And as fate would have it—she was their class’s discipline officer!

She blinked in surprise. "What did you just say?"

"Huh?"

Su Cheng snapped back to reality, hastily shaking his head. "Nothing, just rambling."

Zhao Yan gave him a resigned smile and didn’t press further, though her mind raced: "Does Su Cheng think I’m an idiot?"

She had always considered herself a prodigy—top grades, striking looks, talented in both arts and academics, and immensely popular at school, with suitors lining up every month. Yet here he was, implying she was a fool. It stung more than she cared to admit.

She wanted to argue—she wasn’t stupid at all! She had her own unique charm!

Sitting beside him, she felt a pang of disappointment, but quickly rallied herself.

"Did you just say people who enforce discipline are idiots?" she asked, feigning casual interest.

Su Cheng stiffened. He hadn’t expected her to latch onto that.

"Among the candidates, there’s someone I consider naive and foolish," he deflected, neither confirming nor denying.

"You know them?"

Zhao Yan’s bright eyes flicked toward the candidates’ seats, but seeing no one there, she turned back to Su Cheng. "People like that are usually the most responsible. So, mind telling me their name? I’ll vote for them."

"Let’s talk about it later," Su Cheng dodged.

"Alright."

She didn’t push further, simply nodding in acquiescence.

Just as the event was about to begin, someone suddenly took the seat next to Su Cheng. He glanced over—and froze.

It was Hoshino Yikui!

What was a member of the disciplinary committee doing in the club voters’ section?

But then it clicked.

Clearly, Hoshino Yikui had secured voting rights both as a club representative and a disciplinary officer—two votes in total.

He’s really going all out for his sister, Su Cheng mused. Even though he knows she’s bound to lose, he pulled strings to get an extra vote.

But his admiration was short-lived when he noticed Hoshino Yikui’s next move.

The guy pulled out a handkerchief, carefully unwrapped an ear pick, then clasped it between his palms as if in prayer.

Su Cheng nearly facepalmed. I already told him it’s just a regular ear pick! Why is he treating this two-for-a-dollar item like some sacred relic?!

"Uh… Hoshino-senpai?"

Unable to watch any longer, Su Cheng spoke up.

Hoshino Yikui finally snapped out of his daze and quickly put away the ear pick. But when he turned his head, he was surprised to see Su Cheng standing there. "Su Cheng, my junior?" he asked.

"Yeah," Su Cheng nodded.

"By the way..."

Suddenly, Hoshino Yikui leaned in and whispered to Su Cheng, "Su Cheng, could you do me a favor?"

Su Cheng raised an eyebrow. "What kind of favor?"

Hearing this, Hoshino Yikui's eyes lit up. "Well..." He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Could you vote for Hoshino Mirai later?"

After saying this, he pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it to Su Cheng. "If you ever run into any trouble, you can always reach out to me."

Su Cheng: "..."

Nearby, Zhao Yan noticed the exchange, and her expression instantly changed as she strained to eavesdrop.

"Senior, no offense, but are you trying to bribe me?" Su Cheng's lips twitched.

"Of course not! You’ve misunderstood. I’m just campaigning normally, hoping you’ll vote for Hoshino Mirai!" Hoshino Yikui quickly waved his hands in denial.

"No, I already have someone in mind, so I’m afraid I can’t help you," Su Cheng shook his head.

Hearing this, Hoshino Yikui’s face fell with deep disappointment, but he didn’t say anything more. Instead, he lowered his head, fists clenched tightly, as if suppressing some emotion.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yan thought to herself, As expected of Su Cheng. Any other first-year would’ve taken the offer—trading a vote for connections.

Just as the atmosphere turned awkward, Su Cheng’s phone buzzed.

He excused himself to Zhao Yan and headed to the restroom. Pulling out his phone, he saw a message from Li Guanqi:

"Do you want to help Hoshino Mirai?"

Seeing this, he froze for a moment.

He realized Li Guanqi must have known he was here.

As expected of my Third Force—able to instantly guess what I’m thinking.

Though he didn’t know what Li Guanqi had in mind, helping Hoshino Mirai?

Su Cheng washed his face at the sink and stared at his unfairly handsome reflection in the mirror, recalling his past interactions with the Hoshino siblings.

Finally, he took a deep breath and typed out a reply:

"If possible, I’ll spare no effort. After all, the Penguin Prince promised to protect her."

After sending the message, he immediately searched for speech drafts on his phone. He had a rough idea of what Li Guanqi might do—probably give a speech on stage. The chances of winning were still slim, but at least the vote count wouldn’t be too embarrassing.

For Su Cheng, this was a significant challenge. He was about to deliver a speech in front of the entire student body, faculty, and school committee. Honestly, he wasn’t very confident.

Though he’d competed in events with audiences hundreds or thousands of times larger, speeches were an entirely different beast. He had no experience and no idea if he could pull it off.

The thought made him restless.

Even scrolling through speech drafts on his phone felt unbearable—his mind was too scattered to focus.

"Hair ties, save me one more time!"

He stepped into a stall, retrieved a couple of hair ties from his system space—one from Ji Qingyi and one from Li Guanqi—and held them to his nose. Instantly, he felt a wave of calm wash over him.

Only twenty minutes remained.

He had to hurry.

Fortunately, rote memorization was one of his strengths.

He skimmed through speech after speech, outlines, and mind maps at lightning speed.

Then, in the restroom, he quietly practiced his delivery, simulating the scenario to improve his public speaking.

With five minutes left, he straightened his collar and tie in front of the mirror, nodding in satisfaction at his appearance.

"Hope nothing goes wrong."

After one last glance, he returned to his seat.

By then, the candidate seats were fully occupied.

Hoshino Mirai sat in the middle, visibly nervous. Unlike the others, who had supporters beside them, she was completely alone.

Hoshino Yikui noticed this too but could only lower his head, murmuring what seemed like a prayer.

"Wait, what?"

Su Cheng was shocked to see that the first candidate’s supporter was none other than Nishizono Shizuko—the former head of the disciplinary committee!

"Damn, pulling out the old guard right off the bat?"

The move felt like deploying a "nuclear option," and it left him feeling frustrated.

Meanwhile, the auditorium fell silent as students held their breaths, watching the stage. A student council host soon appeared.

The election had begun!

"Hello, everyone! I’m Chen Qing, and welcome to this year’s election for the disciplinary committee vice-chair position. Here, we’ll witness the candidates’ fierce competition and outstanding performances, as well as the vitality and significance of the student council..."

Chen Qing delivered an impassioned opening speech, but Su Cheng barely paid attention.

His mind was entirely occupied by the upcoming speech.

"First, we have the support speech for candidate Chen Anran, delivered by Nishizono Shizuko."

As the host announced this, murmurs spread through the crowd.

The former disciplinary head is giving a support speech?!

"Hello, everyone. I’m Nishizono Shizuko, here to deliver a support speech for Chen Anran, one of the candidates for disciplinary vice-chair."

She stepped onto the stage, and the candidates took their places.

Then, the former disciplinary head began her speech—grounded in truth, objectivity, and concrete reasoning. She painted a vivid picture of Chen Anran’s qualifications, highlighting her strengths and achievements with such compelling logic that the audience was visibly moved.

"Next, Chen Anran will deliver her campaign speech."

"It’s an honor to stand here as one of today’s candidates. I hope for your support..."

"Thank you all for listening."

Chen Anran spoke flawlessly, without a single pause—clearly well-prepared.

Her tone was impeccable, radiating confidence.

The surrounding students nodded in approval.

One by one, candidates and their supporters took the stage, delivering speeches with flawless diction and rhetoric.

Finally, it was Hoshino Mirai’s turn.

She stepped up to the candidate podium, her expression solemn but unable to mask her nervousness.

"What’s going on? Doesn’t she have a supporter?"

"Did something happen?"

"She’s standing there all alone..."

The audience soon noticed that Hoshino Mirai had no one to speak for her—the stage was empty. Whispers of confusion spread.

Hoshino Mirai looked out at the crowd, then shamefully lowered her head.

"Laughing my ass off... I wouldn’t dare go up there."

"I feel secondhand embarrassment for her..."

Two male students behind Su Cheng snickered.

Beside them, Hoshino Yikui clenched his teeth so hard they creaked, his fists tightening until his nails dug into his palms.

At this moment, he desperately wanted to step onto the stage to help his sister, but as a family member, interfering in her speech would only invite more criticism.

He wasn’t a fool—he understood this perfectly well.

"Look at how red her little face is. So adorable."

"Back when I begged her not to get demerits, she wasn’t like this. Serves her right."

"Doesn’t she feel ashamed? I’m embarrassed just watching her."

A few people behind him snickered quietly.

Hoshino Yikui could no longer suppress his anger and was about to stand up and punch these worthless idiots when—

Just as he rose, a strong hand suddenly pressed down on his shoulder.

"Huh?!"

Startled, he whipped his head around.

To his surprise, it was Su Cheng beside him, calmly and steadily getting to his feet. Yikui’s face instantly lit up with disbelief and overwhelming joy. "Su Cheng?! You…"

For a moment, he was so moved he nearly cried.

As Su Cheng stood, nearly half the auditorium’s attention shifted to him.

Beside him, Zhao Yan widened her eyes in surprise, unsure why he had suddenly risen.

Even on the candidate stage, Hoshino Mirai stared in shock, unable to comprehend why this junior would step forward at such a critical moment.

Both the student council and various club members were baffled. Was Su Cheng standing to cheer for Mirai?

However, a flicker of intrigue flashed in Li Zhao’s eyes, as if she was anticipating something.

Then, under the confused and astonished gazes of the crowd, Su Cheng walked steadily toward the podium—composed, confident, and resolute. His demeanor exuded calmness and familiarity, as if he was entirely unfazed by the atmosphere.

Finally, he stopped at the podium.

Before he could even speak or act—

An unexpected disturbance erupted.

A piercing, earsplitting screech blasted from the speakers, forcing the audience to grimace and cover their ears, unaccustomed to the noise.

Yet, this very noise seized the attention of nearly everyone, including the teachers. Even the previously indifferent voters, who had been dozing off, now lifted their heads, eager to see what was happening.

"Was that intentional?"

"But that kind of feedback only happens when the mic gets too close to the speakers. How did Su Cheng manage that?"

The supporters and candidates were equally stunned. None of them understood how Su Cheng had drawn everyone’s attention without doing anything—just by the sheer force of that screech.

Su Cheng slowly raised his head, scanning the room before his gaze settled on Hoshino Mirai beside him. Then, he looked forward and spoke.

"Hello everyone, I’m Su Cheng. Some of you may not know me, as I’m a freshman this year. Out of respect for school rules, I’ve always been mindful of discipline and order. That’s why I’m honored to stand here today in support of a candidate I believe is dedicated, responsible, and full of integrity—Hoshino Mirai."