Chapter 10: The Idol’s Entrance and the President’s Decree

It was no exaggeration to say it resembled the scene of an idol’s grand entrance.

The auditorium, which moments ago had been silently listening to the dean’s speech, was now filled not only with thunderous applause but also with daring boys who had risen to their feet, shouting excitedly.

All they lacked were glow sticks in their hands.

It wasn’t just the boys; a significant number of girls were also swept up in the fervent excitement.

This alone was enough to demonstrate the outrageous popularity of this ‘student representative’ within the school.

Ultimately, it was the teachers, seated on the sidelines, who stepped in to restore order within their respective classes.

Even the ‘balding’ grade dean had never witnessed such a spectacle!

Wiping a bead of cold sweat from his brow, he quickly slipped off the stage and took a seat, yielding the platform to the student representative.

Everyone knew who this student representative was.

Bai YuYang understood even more clearly: the student representative was, of course, the student council president, Tang Qihuang.

As she emerged from backstage and stepped onto the platform, the students who had been whispering moments ago instinctively fell silent.

Tang Qihuang didn’t need to utter a single word. Simply by walking those few steps, she captivated the vast majority of students in the audience.

Her golden hair, like a shimmering galaxy, cascaded to her waist. With each elegant step, she moved with an ethereal grace, perfectly embodying a sense of divine presence.

While others stared in a daze, YuYang was different. Standing in the corner of the auditorium, he meticulously recalled certain details.

It seemed that Qihuang’s entrance position and timing were exactly the same as in his previous life.

‘Does this mean… the timeline truly hasn’t changed, and everything that happened before will unfold identically?’

‘No, that’s not quite right. In my previous life, our first meeting wasn’t outside the auditorium. There are still differences.’

“Hello, hello… greetings, students. I am your student representative, Tang Qihuang, the student council president of Qifeng No. 1 High School, from the third year.”

Tang Qihuang first tested the microphone, then followed the protocol to introduce herself. In truth, even if she had gone straight to the topic, no one in the school would have failed to recognize her.

After a brief pause, her voice, amplified by the sound system, echoed through the auditorium once more.

“Alright, on this first day of school, I’ll keep it brief. There are actually just three things. First, please maintain order during school-wide public events. No more creating a commotion like just now. I’ll overlook what happened before, but if it occurs again, I will, on behalf of the student council, handle it according to school regulations.”

The students below listened with rapt attention.

If the grade dean had said those words, everyone would likely have continued with whatever they were doing, paying him no mind.

But such was the way of the world now: sycophants and beauty-worshippers reigned supreme!

When an unparalleled beauty like Tang Qihuang spoke, everyone undoubtedly listened with extreme seriousness.

It might sound somewhat cynical, but this was truly the power of image and appearance!

Below, YuXi pretended not to know Tang Qihuang, quietly remarking to YuYang, “Wow… this student council president seems incredibly formidable. High school really is different.”

“Indeed, this is just the beginning, Xiao Xi. You’ll gain much more experience in the future.”

Before Lin QingYu could even voice a sarcastic comment or two, Tang Qihuang on stage had already continued her address.

“The second point I wish to make was not originally on today’s agenda, but because I am very upset, I will take a moment of your time.”

With that, she moved slightly away from the microphone, shifting her gaze towards the backstage area.

“You few, come up onto the stage.”

This was indeed an unusual occurrence. Such an interlude during a speech piqued the curiosity of the students below, who began to whisper among themselves again, their eyes fixed on the backstage.

During this time, several boys emerged from backstage one after another. They walked onto the stage sheepishly, heads bowed, their crestfallen expressions visible even from a distance.

All five boys wore student council armbands on their sleeves, indicating their membership. Tang Qihuang instructed them to stand in a line on stage, then returned to the standing microphone, surveying the audience.

‘Huh?’

YuYang felt as though her gaze had lingered on his area for quite some time. But they were so far apart…

In truth, not long after, Tang Qihuang spoke again.

“These students on stage are all members of the Qifeng No. 1 High School Student Council, and they were responsible for checking in attendees for today’s event.”

“However, upon inspection, I discovered that not only did they abandon their posts, but they also brazenly gathered at the entrance of the venue to play games. What kind of conduct is this?”

“Student council members are selected from outstanding students across all grades, with the aim of serving as role models and leaders for their peers. Yet, today, they have presented such a negative example. As student council president, I feel I have been gravely remiss.”

As she recounted the incident, the murmuring among the students below never ceased.

Did you think they were all criticizing those boys?

No! In fact, most people were now praising Tang Qihuang.

This was simply stating the facts!

She could have chosen not to mention this incident, and no one would have known. The matter would have been swept under the rug, turning a big issue into a small one, and a small one into nothing.

But she spoke out, which signified her genuine sense of responsibility. The adoration in the students’ eyes intensified even further.

Tang Qihuang sighed and stated, “The school has granted our student council significant authority, and when problems arise, there must be a resolution.”

“Therefore, I will now announce my personal disciplinary action. Based on my initial investigation, four of these five individuals were merely incited to play games.

However, the student standing in the middle, Zhang Ming, continuously instigated others to make mistakes with him.”

With Zhang Ming too nervous to lift his head, Tang Qihuang calmly announced the final decision.

“Zhang Ming will be expelled from the student council. The other students will each write a three-thousand-word self-reflection report and submit it to the student council.

I, too, bear responsibility for my lapse in supervision, and I will personally submit a self-reflection report to the school. Student Zhang Ming, do you have any objections?”

This punishment was, arguably, quite severe.

Joining the student council at Qifeng No. 1 High School was as difficult as ranking among the top ten in one’s grade at this prestigious school, requiring multiple rounds of interviews.

Direct expulsion was a rare occurrence, and it meant that the bonus points for college entrance exams, usually reserved for student council members at Qifeng No. 1 High School, would no longer apply to Zhang Ming.

Standing at the edge of the venue, Bai YuYang felt a wave of nostalgia.

‘That’s right, Qihuang handled this matter exactly like this back then.’

Although years later, this Miss Tang would throw herself into YuYang’s arms, constantly complaining that she hadn’t wanted to be so harsh, but had no choice due to school regulations, a memory that always made YuYang feel a bit helpless and amused.

***

His gaze returned to the stage.

Zhang Ming’s forehead was already glistening with cold sweat. As the president announced the results, his tense emotions slowly began to ease.

Through the stage’s built-in microphone and amplifier, he spoke each word distinctly.

“I… I accept this disciplinary outcome.”

“Very good.” Tang Qihuang nodded, her expression unreadable.

Her composure was like that of a true magnate — calm and collected, utterly dominating the situation!

How could Zhang Ming refuse the punishment?

For one, he had indeed brought shame upon the student council and was willing to accept the consequences.

Another reason was that the president was the daughter of the school board chairman; her words were tantamount to the chairman’s personal directive.

Being expelled from the student council was lenient. If he disagreed, what would be the next step? Expulsion from school entirely?!

“And now, one last thing.”

On Tang Qihuang’s perpetually serious, beautiful face, a rare, almost imperceptible smile finally appeared.

“The final item on today’s opening ceremony agenda is to urge everyone, in this new semester, to not only focus on studies but also to find joy, and to experience new encounters in this golden autumn season.”

“My speech is concluded. Thank you, everyone.”

Amidst a burst of deafening applause.

Bai YuYang was stunned.

When Qihuang spoke that last sentence, specifically the words ‘new encounters,’ her tone seemed to have been deliberately emphasized.

‘Was it just a delusion?’