Chapter 58
Judging by the results, Lou Che's proposal was ultimately approved and implemented.
“…The principal actually agreed.”
Zhuang Chi was in a bit of a daze after leaving the principal's office and returning to the Presidium office. Lou Che looked over at her and said quizzically, “Of course he agreed. Didn't I tell you before? At a time like this, the principal will consider any request you make. Besides, our proposal is perfectly reasonable.”
…Whether it was truly reasonable was debatable, but Zhuang Chi did feel that her very presence had put some pressure on the principal. Even though she had basically just stood to the side without saying a word. The entire time, it was Lou Che who spoke with impassioned eloquence, his speech painting the three members as so heinous that anyone who heard it would agree they absolutely could not remain in the Presidium. The principal had initially wanted to argue on their behalf, reasoning, ‘But if they haven't made any substantive mistakes, isn't dismissing them directly a bit…’
‘Won't it be too late by the time they make a mistake? Why should we wait for them to mess up when we already know they're not up to the task?’ Lou Che didn't yield an inch, speaking with self-righteous indignation as if the alternative was absurd. ‘Besides, there's a very reasonable justification for their dismissal. Look, St. Blaisedon's student handbook has a rule, doesn't it? To have upright conduct. How can members of the Presidium fail to abide by even the most basic rules?’
The principal was at a loss for words. He glanced at the bewildered Zhuang Chi standing to the side and finally nodded.
…I don't know what to make of it. It feels a bit like a coup, Zhuang Chi thought. Strictly speaking, is this the kind of thing one would normally take directly to the principal? It feels like we skipped a few levels…
When she first heard Lou Che's proposal in the Presidium office, she had actually been mostly against it—mainly for her own sake. Gu Ximian and Olivia were one thing, but honestly, Zhuang Chi didn't think her abilities could compare to the people in the Presidium… And besides, hadn't this organization already gathered all the key figures in the school? Her joining felt like willingly walking into the eye of a storm!
With these considerations in mind, Zhuang Chi had wanted to refuse Lou Che in a panic, but the genius was surprisingly stubborn. He insisted that Zhuang Chi give him a reason he could accept, pressing her with sound logic: ‘You already signed up for the selection process. Doesn't that mean you want to join the Presidium? Why are you unwilling now that you actually can?’
…Because from the very beginning, she had only intended to participate! Wasn't it obvious she couldn't win against Gu Ximian? Who would have thought things would develop to a point where she could join alongside Gu Ximian! Zhuang Chi was at a loss for words. In the end, it was Gu Ximian who spoke up: ‘I think it's fine. To me, a Presidium like this is much more appealing than the previous one. Don't you think so?’
Zhuang Chi couldn't say anything and ultimately acquiesced with a sense of resignation.
Sigh, at this point, she was pretty much already in the eye of the storm anyway. Now that the dust had settled, the newly appointed member of the Student Council Presidium, Zhuang Chi, thought melancholically, well, looking on the bright side, maybe being in the Presidium has its advantages. At least I'll be closer to everyone and can find out which way the wind will blow next at the earliest opportunity.
“Don't worry. The Presidium does have a lot of work, and we probably can't expect those three bastards to come back and do a proper handover, but it's okay, I'm still here.” Misinterpreting Zhuang Chi's expression as worry about the workload, Lou Che puffed out his chest. “If those three could do it, you can definitely do it better than them.”
His tone was extremely certain. Zhuang Chi couldn't help but look at him a few more times, wanting to speak but hesitating. She felt a little lost, caught off guard by how her image had suddenly been elevated in Lou Che's eyes. Lou Che noticed her gaze and probably realized it himself. He hesitated for a moment, but soon looked straight at her and said frankly, “I should apologize to you first. My previous understanding of you was wrong. I mistakenly thought you were one of those Alphas who don't live up to their name.”
…Somehow, I feel like it might not have been a misunderstanding. By Lou Che's standards, she probably really was that kind of unworthy Alpha. As Zhuang Chi thought this, she saw Lou Che's incredibly sincere gaze as he earnestly reflected, “It seems I still have a habit of judging a book by its cover. I thought I was the kind of genius who could see through people at a glance. I'm so sorry for thinking you were a coward…”
So that's what he thought of me back then! Zhuang Chi felt a belated sense of offense, unsure if she should be angry. But Lou Che had already started explaining, “It was only after you saved Gu Ximian that I realized how ridiculously wrong I was… You did something incredibly brave, something the person I thought you were could never have done.”
“…And, if I were in your position back then, I admit I wouldn't have been able to do what you did.” As Lou Che spoke, his bright eyes lowered in shame. He said honestly, “If it were me, I probably would have turned around to find help the moment I saw that group of Alphas. I wouldn't have risked finding Gu Ximian first, let alone what came after.”
“It seems I'm still not worthy enough.” His tone shifted, and Lou Che suddenly lamented, “I originally thought I was the only one worthy of Gu Ximian, but now it seems my feelings for her are indeed not as strong as yours—”
“Wait a minute.”
Zhuang Chi subconsciously called a halt. Just when she thought she was starting to understand Lou Che's thinking, her mind was thrown into chaos after just a few more words. And it wasn't just her; everyone else in the room was stirred up to varying degrees by Lou Che's statement. The most shaken, surprisingly, was An Chen. He slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. “You—what did you say?! So when you specifically requested Ximian to join the Presidium, was it because you… harbor improper intentions toward her?!”
“Such ugly words. Of course I chose her because she's truly outstanding,” Lou Che said, unfazed. As An Chen's expression softened slightly, he added, “But I did indeed notice her back then. It probably started when she enrolled. That can't be called 'harboring improper intentions,' can it? I'm openly seeking a relationship; I'm not planning to do anything bad.”
“What are you saying so calmly!” Ling Jing couldn't sit still either, staring at Lou Che in utter astonishment. “…What is this? A confession? Is this a confession? Then why are you saying it in front of all of us? Isn't this something you should say to Gu Ximian in private!”
“It's not really a confession.” Lou Che turned his head, and after some thought, explained sincerely, “I'm just speaking my true feelings.”
“We generally call that kind of behavior a confession!”
Amidst An Chen and Ling Jing's clamorous accusations, Lou Che looked perplexed. “…I'm just plainly stating my feelings right now. I'm not saying I want Gu Ximian to reply to me or date me at this moment. Is it wrong to speak one's true feelings?”
“…Ah,” support came from an unexpected quarter. Olivia let out a small sound, then said softly, “In-indeed, I think I understand.”
“See?” Lou Che raised an eyebrow at the two who still looked completely baffled. “If you want something, of course you have to say it. What's the use of keeping it hidden in your heart? A straightforward showdown is the simplest and quickest way. Don't you two like Gu Ximian as well? It's not like it's anything strange—”
““Lou Che—!””
As Lou Che brazenly blurted out everyone else's secrets, the scene instantly descended into chaos. Zhuang Chi stared blankly at the disorderly group of Alphas, then slowly turned to look at Gu Ximian, who should have been at the center of the topic but hadn't made any comment at all. She saw that the other girl's eyes were quietly lowered, as if she were thinking about something, looking completely unconcerned with the scene before her.
…How should I put this? Based on past experience, Zhuang Chi's best option to avoid getting dragged in was to find a way to slip away before the crossfire reached her—especially while Gu Ximian hadn't yet reacted. But on second thought, that would only be a temporary fix. After all, you can run, but you can't hide. Zhuang Chi sighed silently in her heart and ultimately intervened, trying to placate the nearly rampaging An Chen and Ling Jing. “Alright, alright, he's already said it. No matter how much you scold him, he can't take the words back…”
Besides, what he said wasn't really a secret anyway, Zhuang Chi thought. Perhaps it was to the two of them, but to everyone else, including Gu Ximian, their feelings were basically plain to see. It didn't make much difference whether Lou Che said it or not.
“Yeah, and why should I take it back?” Lou Che poked his head out from under their arms, his clear eyes filled with confusion. “If you like someone, you have to say it, right, Zhuang Chi?”
So it reached her after all. Zhuang Chi thought for a moment with a headache and decided to give the genius boy, whose emotional intelligence seemed far less developed than his IQ, a little lesson. She tried to explain, “…Everyone has a different way of expressing themselves. There are many reserved people, and they might be waiting for the right time to say it. In any case, someone else shouldn't be the one to reveal their private feelings, right?”
“…Hmm…” Seeming to agree somewhat, Lou Che glanced at the two indignant individuals, mumbled an apology for the time being, and then quickly looked back at Zhuang Chi. “So, are you that kind of reserved person? Have you told Gu Ximian you like her?”
Did this guy even listen to what I just said! Zhuang Chi was shocked. Then she realized that wasn't the most noteworthy part. It was the fact that Lou Che had unilaterally decided she liked Gu Ximian. She thought melancholically that she didn't know how many times she'd had to explain this, but before she could, a soft voice drifted over from beside her.
“No.”
Gu Ximian raised her head, met the shocked gaze of Zhuang Chi, then quickly looked away and repeated nonchalantly, as if it had nothing to do with her, “She hasn't told me.”
“…What? So you're reserved just like them.” Lou Che nodded, looking a little disappointed. “I still think it's better to be direct. Anyway, that's how it is. I acknowledge that you're an excellent Alpha, but I won't give up on Gu Ximian just like that. Since we're all in the Presidium now, I'll probably start pursuing her. Ah, but if you two start dating before then, you have to tell me. That would be a different matter.”
…He really is incredibly direct. Zhuang Chi was dumbfounded. Amidst the chaos, she finally found a chance to explain, “…You've misunderstood. I don't have romantic—”
“You don't?”
Lou Che didn't look like he believed her in the slightest. He cut her off with a question, his tone rising in doubt, “Then why did you risk your life to save her? Are you some kind of saint who would do that for anyone in danger?”
“…” Taken aback by his question, Zhuang Chi realized she had never really thought about it that way. She searched her heart and felt that she probably couldn't have gone that far for a complete stranger, but she also felt it was too rash to make a judgment based on that alone. So she slowly shook her head. “…I'm not a saint. At that time, I just wanted her to be safe. But…”
“Then what else is there to say? The two of you aren't relatives.” Lou Che's reply was decisive. He truly seemed to believe it, his eyes clear and open. “You already placed her in a position more important than your own safety. If that's not love, what is? Are you going to say it's friendship?”
“Although I can't say it's completely impossible…” Lou Che finished, answering his own question. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as if he'd thought of a great idea. “Right, why don't we use a simple method to test it?”
Zhuang Chi had nothing but a bad feeling about his “test.” She instantly became wary, watching as Lou Che stood up from his seat, walked around the table—and stopped in front of Gu Ximian.
“Gu Ximian, do you want to try dating me?”
His words stunned everyone. Zhuang Chi and the other three instantly panicked, but Lou Che was completely oblivious. He gave Gu Ximian, who was watching him quietly, a bright smile that revealed the tips of his canines. “If Zhuang Chi gets jealous, then it must be love.”
…What a childish method! Zhuang Chi was at a loss for what to say. She was about to get up and drag the whimsical Lou Che away, but just before she could, Ling Jing, to her left, suddenly grabbed her arm. She looked over in confusion and saw Ling Jing pressing her lips together tightly, blinking furiously at her and darting her gaze hastily between her and Gu Ximian's direction.
Zhuang Chi's heart skipped a beat. She hesitated before turning to look at Gu Ximian, and was suddenly met with a pair of clear, limpid eyes.
For some reason, Gu Ximian was looking at her, not at Lou Che who was standing in front of her and speaking to her. Her gaze was quiet, cool, and lingering.
…What's wrong? Zhuang Chi was confused, yet she vaguely sensed something was off. Gu Ximian… why hadn't she rejected Lou Che yet?
What did this silence mean? she wondered. Could Gu Ximian really be planning to agree to date him for Lou Che's ridiculous test? That can't be, that—
Zhuang Chi suddenly froze, her eyes widening slightly.
No one in the room dared to speak, all holding their breath and waiting for a response. After a long moment, Gu Ximian finally withdrew her gaze, looked back at Lou Che, and gave him a polite smile. “I'm sorry, I can't date you.”
“So it failed…” Amidst the surrounding sighs of relief, Lou Che nodded with some regret, but he didn't seem too hurt. Instead, he quickly perked up. “That's true. After all, we've only known each other for a short time. You don't know me well enough yet.”
“It just so happens that today is the day the new Presidium is formed, so we should do the customary thing! Let's all get to know each other!”
Zhuang Chi didn't understand, but An Chen responded with an “Ah,” an expression on his face that said something like, “Not this again.” Meanwhile, Lou Che looked around with great enthusiasm and announced.
“This afternoon, let's skip class and go for a team-building activity!”
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