The Permanent Secretary-General’s Stand

During the lunch break, I returned to the dorm for a nap, yet the amount of time felt neither ample nor insufficient, making it somewhat awkward for actual sleep.

Xi Yao was contemplating whether to seize the opportunity for a little self-indulgence, when Jiang Li’s voice suddenly cut through the silence:

“You have physical training tomorrow, don’t you? Wouldn’t it be better to conserve some energy first?”

The girl’s voice was as clear and cold as snow, devoid of obvious emotion, as if she were genuinely offering a rational piece of advice.

Upon reflection, Xi Yao realized Jiang Li had a point, and instinctively hummed in agreement, only to immediately sense something amiss.

“Jiang Li, do you know what I… was planning to do?”

“No.”

The girl’s cool voice answered instantly, though a faint blush had crept onto her pretty face, turned away.

‘Why did she have to ask such a question? Couldn’t she have just let it go?’

‘As for whether I know or not, my sister studies biomedical science. There are several books at home, and I’ve inadvertently read through them. Of course, I know what I should know.’

‘The last time Xi Yao did this, I knew. That busty girl slept for half the afternoon, and when she got up, her eyes were sultry, her entire body soft and boneless. How could anyone not see that?’

‘It was just too embarrassing to say…’

“Oh, is that so?”

Xi Yao, feeling a touch of awkwardness herself, had assumed that since their school dorm was a two-person room, and her sole roommate seemed so innocent and utterly clueless, she could get away with it.

But now that she had been discovered, she would—

“If you don’t know, how would you know that it consumes energy?” the girl pressed on relentlessly, “So you *do* know, don’t you?”

‘One of us has to be embarrassed, so why does it always have to be me?’

Jiang Li, wrapped in her blanket on the bed, tensed slightly upon hearing this, her ears even turning a faint red.

“I don’t know.”

That cool voice was the girl’s final stubborn defiance.

“Alright, maybe you don’t quite understand, but this is perfectly normal for me,” Xi Yao declared, hands on her hips and utterly righteous, “This is just how we lesbians are!”

‘Since you claim you don’t know, don’t understand, and aren’t clear, then whatever I say goes, right?’

As expected, Jiang Li dared not speak another word.

Xi Yao lay back down, picking up her phone.

If a boring lunch break offered no ‘rewards’ (TL Note: a playful double entendre referring to the previous topic, and also a common phrase for lottery results/rewards), then she might as well chat in the group for a while.

After the bathhouse gathering yesterday, the girls had swiftly created a chat group.

Named “Poolside Talks”, they then invited friends one by one, and the group quickly swelled to over a hundred members.

These were legitimate individuals, all residing in this very dorm building.

Compared to the tens of thousands of students in the entire high school division, it might seem insignificant, yet it possessed undeniable potential.

And the numbers would only continue to grow.

Within the group, Xi Yao revealed her identity—using Tuantuan’s photo, of course, a clothed one.

In any case, she was the group owner, while the initial few girls became administrators, commanding considerable respect within the chat.

Today, however, the moment Xi Yao entered, she saw “99+” notifications, indicating something significant had occurred.

[This isn’t good. It feels like the student council side has completely fallen.]

[Why is everyone kissing Yun Caiyi’s ass? I don’t understand this world anymore.]

[They must have taken money, just like those top students from third year.]

[Even our club president is supporting her. Wow, is it really that shady?]

What’s going on?

Xi Yao quickly opened her browser, navigating to the campus forum, where the very first post on the homepage caught her eye.

[Yun Caiyi, Third-Year Head Student: I officially announce my candidacy for this term’s Student Council President election. I urge everyone to enthusiastically support me!]

‘Well, look at that. She’s making her move so early. Aren’t there still three weeks left?’

Xi Yao was bewildered, and scrolling down, she found countless names, each bearing an official title, openly endorsing Yun Caiyi.

Department heads from various student council branches, renowned secretaries, club presidents, class monitors from different grades… anyone with a recognizable position had come forward to lend their name.

Suddenly, it made Yun Caiyi appear as if she had the popular vote… no, it should be called the ‘official vote’.

Xi Yao understood; this was an attempt to build momentum.

She personally didn’t mind, but this move would undoubtedly impact “Poolside Talks,” her burgeoning group that was just beginning to expand its reach.

Most of its members were ordinary students, possessing a sense of justice, but requiring courage to uphold it.

Yun Caiyi’s fervent campaigning on the forum, commanding a hundred responses with a single call, looked truly intimidating and would surely dampen the girls’ confidence.

‘Should I step forward and say something?’

As Xi Yao hesitated, she suddenly noticed a shift in the group’s conversation—

[Holy cow, the Permanent Secretary-General has spoken!]

[What a slap in the face, a really brutal one.]

[But the disadvantage is still huge. It’s just her alone, while there are over a dozen other student council executives speaking out.]

[You wouldn’t understand this, but all those executives combined can’t compare to a single word from the Permanent Secretary-General.]

It seemed someone knowledgeable was in the group, drawing everyone else’s attention.

[Oh, do tell, do tell!]

[Permanent Secretary-General, you see that title? What does ‘permanent’ mean? It means she’ll remain Secretary-General unless she graduates herself.]

[Which means—three years, six semesters, six student council elections. These executives, or even the president, might be gone after just one semester, but she alone will stand until the very end.]

[Wow, that’s incredible.]

Xi Yao switched back to her browser, and indeed, beneath Yun Caiyi’s post, she found a new reply in the comments.

[Aileen, Permanent Secretary-General of the Student Council: With all due respect, there are still three weeks until the student council election. That’s a considerable amount of time. Announcing one’s candidacy before the election officially begins already borders on a violation. As for my colleagues above, are your statements perhaps a bit hasty? With three more weeks, I trust you will discover more suitable candidates.]

Xi Yao clicked her tongue in admiration, ‘How truly bold,’ she thought, ‘no wonder the group called it a ‘slap in the face’.’

‘If Yun Caiyi sees this reply, her face will probably turn black with fury.’

Following the explanations within the group, morale among the members stabilized considerably.

The knowledgeable individuals continued to share fascinating details about Aileen, the Permanent Secretary-General, and her legendary status within the student council.

Whether these stories were true or not, they were certainly extraordinary, painting a picture where the student council could function without anyone, save for Aileen—as if the West could not exist without Jerusalem.

The young girls in the group were utterly captivated by these tales.

Xi Yao pondered for a moment, then set the group aside and sent Aileen a message.

[Ayao: Are you there? Have you eaten? What are you doing?]

‘Aileen is a respectable person; I can’t just jump straight to business with her. I should greet her and chat a bit first.’

****

In her modest home, Aileen had just coaxed her elementary school-aged sister into taking a nap, thankfully preventing her from continuing her singing.

Her sister’s singing had thoroughly invigorated her, inspiring her to post some truly merciless words on the forum.

‘Now the gloves are truly off. She might even face retaliation in secret.’

‘I hope her classmate Xi Yao can pull her weight now, instead of just flirting with girls all day.’

Just as she was thinking of her, Aileen picked up her phone and saw the message from Xi Yao.

[Are you there? Have you eaten? What are you doing?]