Chapter Seven: Gritting Your Teeth and Getting It Done

To enter the student council, one either has to excel academically or be eloquent and skilled in some way. Take Gu Qing, for example, a solid top student. In contrast, this group was either gluttonous or mischievous... The only one worth mentioning, Jiang Changyuan, was still an unrepentant school bully. Agreeing to this challenge would be like handing them a victory on a silver platter. But if he could clean up his act and deliver a win, perhaps Gu Qing would stop harassing him. With this thought, Jiang Changyuan’s eyes lit up.

“Fine!” he said. “If the student club loses, we disband. From then on, wherever you, Gu Qing, go, we’ll make sure to steer clear!”

They were bound to lose, no doubt about that. And if they dissolved the club along the way, it would be killing two birds with one stone. Jiang Changyuan kept a calm face, but inside he was thrilled—he truly was a genius.

The chubby kids tensed up upon hearing this. They had let themselves get carried away too quickly earlier, and now they looked around in confusion. They had always ranked at the bottom academically; they weren’t cut out for studying. What could they possibly compare? The water in their brains?

“This isn’t fair!” Su Yingying, who didn’t consider herself close enough to Jiang Changyuan to speak on his behalf, still couldn’t stand Gu Qing’s despicable tactics. Everyone knew the student club was a haven for underachievers, yet Gu Qing insisted on contrasting the student council’s strengths with the club’s weaknesses. Wasn’t that just bullying?

Jiang Changyuan’s expression stiffened upon hearing this. If he didn’t know that Su Yingying had a kind heart, he would have suspected she was deliberately trying to make things harder for him.

“Su Yingying, this has nothing to do with you.”

“I—I’m not defending you,” Su Yingying bit her lip, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Having been pushed to this point, Jiang Changyuan still thought of her. He really had changed! Maybe he had some unspeakable difficulties, which was why he was so tolerant. But Gu Qing’s relentless pressure was too much to bear; Su Yingying couldn’t stand idly by.

Mustering her courage, she stood her ground. What Jiang Changyuan dared not say, she would.

“The students in the club have caused a lot of trouble for the school; our classmates know this well, and I’ve been affected by their mischief too.”

“You could say they’re good for nothing except slacking off, with no redeeming qualities.”

An ally?

Jiang Changyuan’s hand reached out to grab someone but paused, then pushed the reluctant chubby kid back down. Gu Qing’s frown eased as he confirmed that this was the Su Yingying he knew. The scene outside the classroom earlier must have been because Jiang Changyuan had gone too far with his words, which explained why Yingying had spoken to him so bluntly.

Meanwhile, the onlookers nodded slightly, deeply agreeing with Su Yingying’s words. She was right—Jiang Changyuan and his crew were far from good people!

“But!” Su Yingying shifted her tone, causing an inexplicable jolt in Jiang Changyuan’s heart.

“Since the student club was established, incidents of bullying and extortion on campus have ceased. I believe everyone has witnessed this over the past month.”

“No one willingly falls into ruin. They have changed, and we can try to believe in them and give them a chance.”

The chubby kids suddenly straightened their backs, realizing that being good felt better than being bad.

“Su Yingying, you should go back.”

Jiang Changyuan tugged at Su Yingying, but unable to resist his strength, she stepped back while shouting her final words:

“They’ve fallen behind in many classes, so obviously they can’t match the student council’s grades. That’s why President Gu’s challenge is unfair!”

Jiang Changyuan’s face darkened. Thanks a lot! He thought she was on his side but instead she stabbed him in the back!

As expected, Gu Qing’s expression turned cold. He had assumed Su Yingying was there to support him but found she was opposing him. The onlookers exchanged glances, admitting Su Yingying made a valid point. At the very least, they hadn’t been bullied in the past month. Even the stubborn ones tried to bully others secretly but would immediately back off once they learned Jiang’s group was the school bully class.

Jiang Changyuan used to be their bane; now he was their protector.

“I think what Su Yingying said makes a lot of sense…”

“With the National Day coming, a performance competition would be fine too. Comparing grades is a bit bullying…”

Some students whispered among themselves, but the classroom was small, and Gu Qing caught every word.

He used to be the trendsetter for the class and even the whole school—everyone followed his lead. But recently, he had been repeatedly humiliated by Jiang Changyuan, and even Su Yingying had been swayed by him. Quite the feat!

“Jiang Changyuan, do you only know how to get girls to speak for you?”

“Who said that?”

For once, Jiang Changyuan stood his ground in front of the male lead. As the man who intended to clear his name and hand over the victory, he wouldn’t let a girl ruin his plan.

“A gentleman’s word is his bond. Challenge accepted!”

The chubby kid, hesitant to speak earlier, had wanted to stir up trouble during Su Yingying’s defense of them. But now that things had come this far, they couldn’t afford to lose face—especially with Jiang Changyuan brimming with confidence. How could they dampen his spirits?

“Then it’s on! It’s just a monthly exam, right? Starting today, I’ll study day and night, no sleep!”

“Study hard! Study until it hurts!”

“If you lose, not only will you have to admit you’re inferior to us, but the student council will be disbanded and the student club will take over.”

Listening to his teammates’ bold but somewhat unconvincing words, Jiang Changyuan’s fleeting guilt vanished instantly. They really dared to dream big, even hoping to replace the student council—why not aim for the sky while they’re at it?

“Fine!”

Gu Qing snorted coldly.

“We’ll settle this after the monthly exam. I hope your skills live up to your words!”

Jiang Changyuan raised an eyebrow and smiled ambiguously.

Despite the interruption, the plan was perfectly set in motion. Tonight, he deserved a lavish feast as a reward.

Just then, the bell rang for class. Students returned to their seats for morning self-study, but the chubby kids unusually opened their textbooks.

Having made the bet, no matter how hard it got, they would study even if it meant kneeling, lying down, or bending over!

However, having wasted years, they found even middle school knowledge incomprehensible—like reading an alien language.

By the end of the day, every one of them was utterly defeated. Meanwhile, Jiang Changyuan finally understood why everyone looked at him differently and why Su Yingying suddenly supported him.

“A love triangle between me, Gu Qing, and Su Yingying? Am I competing with Gu Qing over a girl?”

In a five-star hotel, Jiang Changyuan dropped his chopsticks holding shark fin soup onto the table, his mind filled with flashing red question marks.

Danger!

Yesterday, he had gone to explain things, but rumors turned it into him showing off to Gu Qing...

What a colossal misunderstanding!

“Damn it! Is there any justice left? Nowadays even the matchmaker has to be chained up before tying the knot?”

“Exactly, Jiang, what’s your status? The matchmaker has to tie a steel cable between you and Su Yingying.”

The chubby kid, mouth full of food, still flattered him, and the others quickly joined in with free compliments.

Jiang Changyuan broke out in a cold sweat. So the plan he had delivered was seen by Gu Qing as a provocation?!