The Student Council President’s Fury and a Roommate’s Peculiar Affection

Bang—!

The teacups lay shattered across the floor, white porcelain shards scattered everywhere.

Yun Caiyi erupted in a fit of rage, several subordinates huddled around the tearoom, their heads bowed, not daring to utter a word.

“First there was Jiang Li, then Aileen emerged, speaking such audacious words, and not a single soul dared to retort!”

Yun Caiyi was so enraged her nose seemed to twist. “Now Xi Yao has appeared, and everyone is discussing her—her beauty, her generous chest… Nobody even cares who their Student Council President is anymore!”

“Sister Yun,” the strategist, Little Blondie, reminded her, “Xi Yao isn’t a new face; she was the target when we fabricated Jiang Li’s scandal before.”

Little Blondie hadn’t actually dyed his hair; he merely wore a yellow wig that had to be removed before returning to class.

“It was her?” Yun Caiyi paused, slightly stunned.

Strategist Little Blondie nodded. “Yes, it was her.”

He was absolutely certain, for there were only two girls in the entire high school division as stunningly beautiful and generously endowed as she was—the other being Aileen, the Student Council’s ‘Jerusalem’ (TL Note: A common web novel trope used to refer to someone extremely important, untouchable, or a ‘holy grail’ figure, often for their beauty or status.).

“I don’t care who she is,” Yun Caiyi fumed, “What is she doing trying to steal the spotlight now!”

Someone nudged Little Blondie’s arm, giving him a look that silently urged him to say something placating.

Little Blondie understood and began. “Sister Yun, please calm down. Our situation is quite favorable right now; there’s no need to concern ourselves with such insignificant little creatures.”

“Is that so?”

Yun Caiyi settled back into her chair, calming down slightly.

“The scandal surrounding Jiang Li has already taken deep root in everyone’s minds. Even if people hold no prejudice against her, they will no longer believe she is suitable to be the Student Council President.”

A young girl deeply in love and overly dependent on her partner might be endearing, but she is certainly not a reliable leader.

“What’s even better, the clarification she sought from others didn’t hit the mark at all; instead, it further solidified the perception that she is dependent on Xi Yao.”

Strategist Little Blondie chuckled softly. “She has dug her own grave; Jiang Li has no chance of winning. And apart from her, no one else poses a threat to you.”

Yun Caiyi remained silent, but her eyebrows lifted, and she picked up her cup to drink her tea.

“Excellent tea!”

The person next to him nudged Little Blondie again, signaling him to continue speaking, as Sister Yun clearly enjoyed listening.

“As for Aileen, there’s even less to say. She merely indulged her urge to speak; what can she possibly change? All her colleagues have accepted money; what good is she alone?”

Yun Caiyi let out a few cold laughs. “You’re right,” she scoffed. “These high-and-mighty Student Council executives, huh, they still obediently accept money.”

As for Xi Yao? She’s merely ‘displaying her head for sale’ (TL Note: A historical Chinese idiom referring to offering oneself for execution, here used metaphorically to imply someone putting themselves out there for trivial or self-serving reasons)… a ‘ball-seller’ (TL Note: A derogatory Chinese slang term implying someone uses their physical attributes, specifically their chest, for attention or gain)—hardly worth mentioning. Once I become Student Council President, there will be plenty of ways to deal with these ordinary students.

“Enough with the flattery; let’s talk practical matters,” Yun Caiyi said, turning her head. “How are your tasks progressing?”

The tall, bespectacled man flipped open the small notebook in his hand.

“One hundred and sixty-two votes—that’s already more than half. Even if all the remaining votes go to another person, they couldn’t possibly surpass you.”

Yun Caiyi let out a triumphant laugh.

The election hasn’t even officially begun, yet more than half of the eligible voters are already secured. It’s practically a sure thing.

What a splendid start!

****

Xi Yao sensed that her roommate was behaving rather strangely.

To be precise, she had been off for the past two days, but today she was particularly peculiar.

Having ‘gently’ tapped the desk, only to accidentally break it, the two had been temporarily sharing a single desk. It wasn’t until after class that the faculty brought up a new one.

However, just as Xi Yao reached out to help push her new desk into place, Jiang Li extended her own hand, instead snatching Xi Yao’s original desk.

Even the student in the front row, who had been ready to help move the desk, was stunned.

“Jiang Li, what are you…?”

“I’m sitting on the inside, so it’s fine if I just use your desk,” Jiang Li stated coolly. “You use the new one; that way, we won’t have to keep moving them around.”

Her cherry lips, once so firm, now seemed to soften, subtly shaped by Xi Yao’s constant presence, and she even spoke with a newfound logic.

Xi Yao found herself in a difficult position. “But…”

“Let’s leave it at that.”

Clutching the desk she had just claimed, Jiang Li leaned over its center and took a soft sniff.

“What a fragrant milky scent!”

Xi Yao’s cheeks flushed. The center of the desk was precisely where she usually placed Tuantuan.

“Al-alright, you can use it for now. If you’re uncomfortable, we can always switch back.”

With her desk snatched and Jiang Li already sprawled across it, what else could she do?

The student in the front row silently turned around, pulled out their phone, navigated to the campus forum, found a post about Jiang Li and Xi Yao’s scandal, and left a comment.

[I’m absolutely certain this is real now, blood-mother real (TL Note: Chinese slang meaning ‘extremely real’ or ‘absolutely true’, often used for emphasis.)—more real than an e-cigarette!]

The desks were sorted, and the lingering milky scent would eventually dissipate.

Yet, her roommate’s peculiar behavior persisted.

As soon as class ended, Jiang Li would cross the imaginary dividing line on the desk and lean over to Xi Yao’s side.

“Xi Yao, do you need tutoring?”

Xi Yao flinched slightly, shaking her head quickly. “No, I don’t.”

‘Not right now, at least; Sister Ruo is already tutoring me… But speaking of which, aren’t you straight? How could you even have such a thought?’

“I noticed you’re reviewing very quickly, and I’m concerned your grasp of the detailed knowledge might not be firm,” Jiang Li explained. “If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can always ask me.”

‘Xi Yao suddenly realized. So that’s the kind of tutoring she meant—proper, academic tutoring.’

“N-no, it’s fine. The material I’m previewing will be covered in class later; I’m not in a hurry.”

“Oh.”

After a moment of quiet, Jiang Li spoke again. “Tonight when we bathe, would you like a scrub? It’s been a while since I’ve helped you wash your back.”

Xi Yao shook her head. “I’m going to a bathhouse party tonight. Are you planning to come too?”

As expected, Jiang Li recoiled.

She still wasn’t comfortable bathing naked in front of so many people.

“Then next time,” Jiang Li said.

‘Xi Yao’s lips twitched. While she did enjoy the services of the bathhouse attendants, her roommate was clearly acting strangely today.’

“Jiang Li, aren’t you worried that acting like this will only make our classmates more brazen,” the girl cautiously probed, “and further fabricate stories about our relationship?”

“It doesn’t matter; I already said so this morning,” Jiang Li replied with a serious expression. “I don’t mind.”

‘It wasn’t ‘I don’t care,’ but ‘I don’t mind.’ The distinction between those two phrases was significant, and her enunciation was perfectly clear, ensuring it was understood.’

Xi Yao’s eyelid twitched. ‘You don’t just ‘not mind,” she thought, ‘You clearly have a ‘since everyone says we’re seeking thrills, let’s see it through to the end’ kind of vibe.’

“Jiang Li, are you truly alright?”

“What could possibly be wrong with me?”

‘Even if something were wrong, I couldn’t tell you, because it’s precisely because of you that I’ve become like this.’

Jiang Li secretly mused this to herself. She, of course, knew her current state was amiss. But to be fair, in the entire Wenlu Academy, besides Xi Yao, only her sister could offer analysis and advice.

‘Perhaps I’ll visit the school doctor’s office tomorrow if I have time.’

As Thursday drew to a close, with only one day left until the weekend, Xi Ruo, in the university division, was diligently practicing how to make her fingers move more nimbly.

“It’s all about practice. Just grab a pen, a coin, and keep practicing until you’ve mastered it.”

Gu Xiaoxuan offered a suggestion from the side. “Have you ever watched *Initial D*? Fujiwara Takumi practiced driving by ensuring no water spilled from a cup. You should do the same: when twirling a pen or a coin, start by making sure they don’t drop, then gradually increase your speed.”