Extra Story: Afterword — Student Council Daily Life

Backstage at the Grand Auditorium.

"Three minutes remaining."

Su Cheng glanced at his wristwatch. The young man in the mirror looked sharp: his school uniform was crisp, not a hair was out of place, and his tie was knotted with seamless precision.

He took a deep breath and adjusted his expression.

Corners of the mouth raised exactly 15 degrees, gaze maintained with a look of calm determination, yet that determination had to carry a hint of compassionate warmth. This was the signature mask taught to him by a certain Li Zhaozhao—who wished to remain anonymous—specifically for him, the only "commoner" Student Council President in the school's history.

Rumor had it he was the "Chosen One" who had subdued all the geniuses. Only Su Cheng knew the truth: not only was he not the Chosen One, but he was also the school's biggest fall guy.

Yep, he had purely climbed the ranks by riding the coattails of women.

"President."

A cool, clear voice came from behind him.

Su Cheng didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

Ji Qingyi. The eldest daughter of the Ji family—the most powerful clan in Yancheng—and the Executive Vice President of the Student Council.

"Your tie is crooked."

Ji Qingyi walked up to him and reached out. Her hands, maintained to perfection, felt slightly cool at the fingertips as she skillfully grasped his bowtie. Her movements were so natural it seemed she had performed them a thousand times before.

Su Cheng relaxed his body slightly, letting her fuss over him.

Actually, it wasn't crooked at all.

He understood Little Yi's intentions.

After all, there were others present.

Ji Qingyi's gaze was cold, but when she looked at him, an unconcealed possessiveness surged beneath the frost.

"Can't even handle a small thing like this? Are you trying to embarrass me when you go on stage later?" Her voice was pitched very low, carrying a tone of petulance that only those intimate with her could detect.

"Sorry, slept too late last night," Su Cheng whispered an explanation.

"Hmph."

Ji Qingyi finished fixing his tie and smoothed his lapel, her fingertips lingering over the position of his heart for a split second.

"Remember, you represent my face. Don't show any timidity up there. Don't forget who stands behind you."

"Yes, yes, yes, Miss Qingyi."

Su Cheng smiled helplessly.

This woman... her bossy, wife-like demeanor was practically overflowing.

"Public displays of affection are prohibited."

Another voice cut in horizontally.

It carried a freezing chill and undisguised disdain.

Gu Ruoxue, the daughter of an old, established political family in Yancheng, and one of the Student Council Vice Presidents.

She leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed, holding a speech script. If Ji Qingyi was the cold moon in the night sky, then at this moment, Gu Ruoxue was a glacier in the polar regions—sharp in her beauty, bone-chillingly cold, with "Strangers Keep Away" written all over her.

"Five minutes until entry."

Gu Ruoxue glanced coldly at Ji Qingyi's hand on Su Cheng's chest. Her eyes held no ripples of emotion, only disgust for the violation of discipline. "If personal feelings delay the proceedings, I will record it faithfully in the Student Council log and file for impeachment."

"This is called grooming, Vice President Gu." Ji Qingyi withdrew her hand and turned to face Gu Ruoxue, her aura flaring up instantly. "Unlike some people, who only know how to cling to rigid rules and can't even manage their partner's image."

"Image management is a maid's job."

Gu Ruoxue retorted, her gaze sweeping over Su Cheng with a hint of scrutiny. "As for the President, if he can't even tie a tie properly, I suggest he retake his etiquette classes."

Sparks flew. Caught in the middle, Su Cheng felt the oxygen levels in the air dropping rapidly.

"Ladies."

Su Cheng had to interrupt this escalating war. "We're on. Is the backup plan ready?"

"Of course." Gu Ruoxue responded coldly, handing him a document. "Better to trust in practice than rely on luck."

"Let's go."

Su Cheng stepped out toward the exit.

...

Inside the Grand Auditorium, every seat was filled.

The originally noisy freshman section went silent the moment those figures appeared, as if someone had pressed the mute button.

No screaming.

No whispering.

The overwhelming pressure radiating from them instinctively shut the mouths of these wealthy heirs who had just enrolled.

Su Cheng walked in front.

Ji Qingyi on the left, Gu Ruoxue on the right.

The three walked side by side.

There were no cliché descriptions of stars surrounding the moon, only the sound of synchronized footsteps echoing in the empty aisle.

This was the aura of true authority. There was no need for bystanders to explain how beautiful or handsome they were; the silence of the usually arrogant freshmen at this moment was proof enough.

Su Cheng stepped onto the podium.

He scanned the audience.

His 85% approval rating wasn't just hot air; he had earned it by visiting every club and solving every problem personally.

"I am Su Cheng." He held the microphone, his voice steady. "Welcome to Yancheng Private Academy."

Just then.

Zzzzt—!

A piercing screech of static exploded.

Immediately after, the microphone went dead.

The audience was in an uproar.

The freshmen began to stir, the solemn atmosphere crumbling instantly.

"What's going on?"

"This is the Student Council's preparation?"

Panic ensued from the direction of the backstage sound control room, accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps.

Su Cheng's expression didn't change.

He didn't tap the microphone, nor did he look awkward as some might have expected.

He simply turned his head and glanced at Ji Qingyi on his left.

Ji Qingyi understood.

She took a step forward, standing at the very edge of the stage.

She held no amplification device.

She merely swept a cold gaze across the audience below, narrowing her phoenix eyes slightly as an aura of dominance spread outward.

"Quiet."

She didn't shout; her voice wasn't even loud.

Yet, the freshmen in the front row felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over them from head to toe. They shut their mouths instinctively, and this silencing effect rippled backward like a wave.

This was Ji Qingyi's dominion.

Meanwhile.

Gu Ruoxue had already activated the backup plan she held.

Without wasting a word, she pulled a micro-headset from her pocket and handed it to Su Cheng.

"Backup frequency, debugging complete." She was concise, her eyes practically saying: 'I knew some idiot would try something.'

Su Cheng took the headset and put it on.

And on the side of the stage.

A short-haired girl in a school uniform, looking brimming with youthful energy, was slipping out of the sound room.

She was Liu Qingyue, the Student Council Secretary.

She wore a sweet, innocent smile, but her hands discreetly stuffed a tool kit into a nearby fire hose cabinet.

She looked up at Su Cheng on stage, and under the guise of arranging her hair, she winked at him and tapped her finger lightly against her lips.

It was a signal only the two of them understood:

—Fixed it. Remember to reward me tonight.

Su Cheng's mouth twitched slightly.

That wicked woman, getting bolder by the day.

Crisis averted.

It had taken less than ten seconds.

Su Cheng looked back at the audience, his voice transmitting clearly through the new headset to every corner of the hall.

"Accidents are a part of life." He didn't even explain the earlier malfunction, instead turning it directly into the entry point of his speech. "At Yancheng Private, you will encounter many such accidents. Equipment failures, rule changes, or even deliberate difficulties created by others."

He cast a pointed look at a few upperclassmen in the audience who looked unnatural.

"But the existence of the Student Council is to tell you this."

Su Cheng's voice rose a notch:

"No matter what happens, we have everything under control."

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

The speech continued.

The proceedings moved forward perfectly.

Until the final Q&A session.

A freshman who looked like a troublemaker stood up.

And yes, he literally had spiky, hedgehog-like hair.

"President, I have a question!"

The freshman shouted loudly, "I heard there are three Vice Presidents in the Student Council. Why are only two here today? Is the other one too arrogant to bother with us international freshmen?"

The entire hall went silent.

It was a pointed question.

Hearing this, Su Cheng's expression turned a bit odd.

He sighed, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward a corner of the first row.

"Actually..."

Su Cheng pointed helplessly to the spot right next to the freshman. "She's been there the whole time. Right in the seat next to you."

"Huh?"

The freshman was startled and whipped his head around.

He looked at the empty seat beside him...

No, it wasn't empty.

A young girl was sitting there.

She had long, straight black hair and a detached aura. Holding a thermos in her hands, she was quietly watching the stage.

Her gaze remained fixed on Su Cheng.

It wasn't until Su Cheng pointed her out that the people around her realized with horror: "Holy crap! When did someone sit down here?!"

Li Guanqi.

That's right, the legendary third Vice President.

"Apologies."

Li Guanqi stood up. Her voice was soft and flat. "I was late and didn't want to disturb everyone, so I just found a random seat."

"When... when did you get here?"

Someone nearby stammered.

"Probably..." Li Guanqi thought for a moment, looked at Su Cheng on stage, and gave a faint smile. "Half a minute after he went on stage?"

The freshman was speechless.

Is she a freaking ghost?!

On stage, Su Cheng was already used to this.

This was his third Vice President.

At the same time, she was his third power.

"Alright."

Su Cheng clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back.

"Since everyone is here, let's do a final introduction."

He pointed to the young women beside him.

"Ji Qingyi, in charge of coordination and operations."

"Gu Ruoxue, in charge of academics and discipline."

"Li Guanqi down in the audience, in charge of... filling in the gaps."

"And student Liu Qingyue over there, who is currently pretending to admire the scenery, is in charge of logistics and execution."

"And finally, me."

Su Cheng smiled and bowed deeply to the audience:

"The one responsible for cleaning up after these high-maintenance 'ancestors'... Su Cheng."

The audience erupted in laughter, but there was no longer any doubt in it; instead, it was filled with admiration.

To be able to bring together these witches with such vastly different personalities, freakish abilities, and terrifying backgrounds, and still keep the school running smoothly...

This commoner President was more than just a little capable.

...

The ceremony ended.

Student Council Office.

Only the members of the presidium returned.

As soon as the door closed, the elite atmosphere from earlier vanished instantly.

Su Cheng collapsed into the President's chair, looking like he had lost the will to live.

"I'm exhausted."

"You've been slacking on your exercise lately." Gu Ruoxue sat on the furthest single sofa, elegantly flipping through a book without looking up. "I suggest adding a ten-kilometer morning run every day. I can supervise you."

"My stamina might not be freakish like yours, but it's already pretty strong. Do you think I'm a stats monster like you guys?"

"Vice President Gu's suggestion isn't bad."

Ji Qingyi walked naturally to Su Cheng's side holding a cup of black tea and slammed it down in front of him. "Drink."

It was a command, yet the temperature of the tea was just right.

"Oh my, the President must be worn out~" Liu Qingyue sidled up with a grin, practically pressing her entire body against Su Cheng's back. As she massaged his shoulders, her fingertips teasingly grazed his neck. "I've already investigated that guy who caused trouble earlier. He's from the News Department. President, as a reward for my efficiency, shouldn't you..."

She leaned into Su Cheng's ear, exhaling softly.

"...treat me to dinner tonight?"

"Ahem." Su Cheng shifted uncomfortably.

"Watch your behavior." Gu Ruoxue coldly snapped her book shut. "This is the Student Council Office."

"Tch, how boring."

"President."

A calm voice suddenly sounded in front of Su Cheng.

Li Guanqi had walked over at some point, holding that thermos.

She wasn't domineering like Ji Qingyi, nor ambiguous like Liu Qingyue.

She simply unscrewed the lid and handed the thermos to Su Cheng.

It wasn't tea, nor was it water.

It was pear soup, specially stewed last night.

"You spoke for a long time; your throat must hurt." Li Guanqi looked at him with gentle eyes. "Drink this."

"Damn it, another one of these lethal multiple-choice questions." Su Cheng's face darkened, but this kind of thing couldn't stump him. With the tea in his left hand and the pear soup in his right, he forced himself to take a sip from both simultaneously.

He effortlessly defused the dilemma.

Then, he looked at this room full of demons and monsters. This was the Student Council that outsiders saw as "flawless and enviable."

It was also his battlefield.

"Can I resign from this position?" Su Cheng looked at the ceiling and let out his one thousand and first wail.

"Denied."

They all spoke in unison.