Chapter 26: The Sweet and Sour Dilemma

“Ah, haha… QingYu, you’ve made such great progress, truly! You’ve even broken into the top ten in your grade? Amazing!” Bai YuYang felt this situation could still be salvaged, so he quickly showered her with praise.

“It was the top twenty! Not the top ten at all! Bai YuYang, you weren’t listening to me!”

‘Well, there goes salvaging anything. It’s hopeless.’

‘And didn’t you just say you weren’t going to talk to me anymore?!’

Bai YuXi, looking a little embarrassed, added, “Sister QingYu, your progress truly is astonishing. Who goes from ranking in the top four hundred directly to the top twenty? That’s just absurd.”

“You’re the absurd one! I was clearly in the top three hundred before! Not the top four hundred! And you two are doing this on purpose, aren’t you?! You are, aren’t you?!”

The siblings exchanged a wordless glance, their only response a profound silence.

They hadn’t been intentionally dismissive. They had simply been preoccupied with placating her earlier. Ahem, they’d been busy comforting her and had consequently misremembered her ranking.

Lin QingYu’s heart was heavy. ‘How can we still be childhood sweethearts if you treat me like this?’

These days were simply too much to bear. Gritting her teeth, Lin QingYu decided to run towards the school alone.

She heard Bai YuYang calling from behind, “Hey, QingYu, slow down! Don’t fall again!”

‘Ugh, he’s clearly showing concern, but why does it still sound so irritating?!’

Unwilling to tolerate it any longer, Lin QingYu ran further and further away, slipping through the school gates ahead of him.

“Ah… Xiao Xi, when I get back tonight, let’s make dinner. We’ll prepare sweet and sour fish, just the way QingYu likes it, to cheer her up.”

“Brother is right… I’ll be in charge of buying the fish.”

Years of unspoken understanding once again proved their worth.

What to do when QingYu gets upset? No problem. One sweet and sour fish. If that’s not enough, then two.

***

As expected, it seemed QingYu would continue to sulk until the sweet and sour fish made its appearance.

Bai YuYang first dropped Bai YuXi off at her teaching building. When he returned to his own classroom, he saw QingYu slumped over her desk, fuming.

Upon seeing Bai YuYang enter, she deliberately let out a clear “Hmph!” for him to hear. Then, she resumed her silent brooding.

Based on Bai YuYang’s experience, now was not the time to offer comfort, as it would be futile and likely result in a bite.

However, thanks to this little drama, no one was late, since Lin QingYu had practically sprinted to the classroom.

As Bai YuYang passed his seat, he glanced at Mo Sishi, who sat in front of him.

She was still engrossed in scribbling in her notebook, seemingly jotting down math formulas. Not wanting to disturb her, Bai YuYang walked straight to his own seat and settled down.

He hadn’t even fully sat when Luo Hao grinned and leaned over to chat.

“Brother Yang, you weren’t late this afternoon, huh?”

“Can you even talk properly? I’m not always late.”

“Hahaha, Brother Yang, how can you say you’re not often late? But if you use your class monitor privileges to erase the tardy records, then, technically, you’ve never been late!”

“Stop being a smart aleck. This is called reasonable utilization, understand?”

Bai YuYang said, pulling out the attendance sheet and replacing his morning’s tardy mark with a check.

‘Only you, Brother Yang.’

Luo Hao first returned the math homework he had borrowed that morning to Bai YuYang, then quietly asked, “By the way, Brother Yang, did you have a fight with our class mascot? She stormed into the classroom earlier, all in a huff.”

“Mascot? Oh, you mean QingYu. It wasn’t really a fight. At most, she’s just sulking.”

“Eh… I don’t really understand you ‘normies,’ but Brother Yang, I have some explosive news! Do you want to hear it?”

“Let me guess.” Bai YuYang smiled. “You want to say that the school student council is recruiting new members, right?”

“Unbelievable! How did you know?!”

Luo Hao was astonished. This news hadn’t been officially announced yet. He had only heard it through the grapevine from another class.

“Just a random guess, and I hit the mark?”

How could Bai YuYang not know? In his previous life, the student council had indeed started recruiting around this time, and Bai YuYang had successfully joined after passing the written exam and interview.

Luo Hao quickly nodded.

“That’s right, Brother Yang, you guessed it. The student council has actually released some hints. It’s highly likely they’ll be recruiting new members soon.

Wasn’t someone expelled during the opening ceremony this morning? It seems the student council was already short-staffed, so if this recruitment news officially comes out, it’ll definitely cause a huge stir!”

“What’s so sensational about that? It’s just the student council recruiting someone.”

“The problem is *that* recruitment!”

Luo Hao’s expression turned serious as he analyzed earnestly, “Brother Yang, you might not know this, but I heard that whenever the student council starts a recruitment drive, there’s always a spot for the Student Council Headquarters!”

The Qifeng No. 1 High School student council was divided into two parts.

One part consisted of more members, overseeing various clubs and departments.

The other part was called the Student Council Headquarters, which managed major school affairs, and its members were only a handful of individuals, led by Tang Qihuang.

However, Bai YuYang still didn’t quite understand what Luo Hao was so excited about.

Seeing that Bai YuYang hadn’t caught on, Luo Hao continued to explain,

“Why don’t you get it, Brother Yang! Joining the Student Council Headquarters not only means you won’t have to do most of your regular coursework, but most importantly, you’ll also get to work alongside Miss Tang every day! Think about it, Brother Yang, isn’t that spot overly dreamy?!”

“…”

‘Oh, you pathetic Haozi. So this is why you’re making such a fuss.’

In truth, it wasn’t just Luo Hao; many students throughout Qifeng No. 1 High School were discussing the Student Council Headquarters spot.

At this, Bai YuYang asked with a smile, “What, Haozi, seeing how excited you are, are you going to run for it?”

“You’re joking, Brother Yang. I’m just watching the excitement!”

Luo Hao scratched the back of his head. “Believe it or not, the number of people who sign up for the student council will definitely be overwhelming.

I reckon I might not even have a chance to join the lowest-tier organization of the student council, let alone a spot in the headquarters.”

After saying this, Luo Hao revealed his purpose in telling Bai YuYang all these things.

“So, Brother Yang! Do you know who the only person in our class with a real shot is?”

“Who?”

“You!”

Luo Hao spoke with conviction. “Seriously, Brother Yang, recruitment for the Student Council Headquarters only happens once a year. With your reputation and good looks, Brother Yang, you definitely have a chance to win!”

“In fact, you might be the only one in the entire second year who has a hope, Brother Yang. Even if not, you’d certainly be elected as a department head.

Once you’re elected, Brother Yang, if you say the word, the teachers wouldn’t dare assign homework—that’s entirely possible! Brother Yang, make up your mind quickly. How can you not try to run for it?”

Luo Hao wasn’t just spouting nonsense; he genuinely believed that Bai YuYang was the only one in the second year with a chance to be elected.

Back in the first year, when the school hunk competition was held, Brother Yang had stood out among thousands of people. With that precedent, wasn’t it only logical that he’d have a good chance in the student council elections?

‘So this is what Haozi’s rambling was leading to.’

In his previous life, Bai YuYang had indeed participated and had been elected as a member of the Student Council Headquarters.

Thinking back, his encounter with Tang Qihuang, and the continuous deepening of their relationship, had all begun the moment he joined the student council.

If he wanted to avoid Tang Qihuang, then he definitely couldn’t run for it here. Without the source, there would be no subsequent events.

Considering these thoughts, Bai YuYang gave a wry smile and said lightly, “As for me… I don’t plan to run.”