Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Betting They Have a Chance

The air froze in an instant.

Yuan Shiyao, who was standing very close to Jiang Qingli, frowned and glanced at the two vice-chairmen behind her.

The two looked at each other, a hint of hesitation on their faces. It seemed they intended to stand by and do nothing.

The proposal had a backup, so this wasn’t a major blunder.

But the student union and the Melt Star Association were like fire and water. The slightest disturbance between their senior members could ignite a raging fire, sparking hundreds of rounds of arguments on the forums that wouldn’t stop until accounts were suspended. The student union chairman was also famously petty, so a few mocking remarks were inevitable.

This was Jiang Qingli’s first day as acting chairman. She had barely even spoken a few words to anyone else. If her confidence was shaken now, she would inevitably be ostracized within the Melt Star Association in the future...

Yuan Shiyao’s brow furrowed, a sense of anxiety creeping in.

The pressure beside him suddenly dropped.

He turned to see Gu Nian’s face darken. His hand gripped the edge of the table, knuckles white from the strain, as if he were about to flip it over in the next second.

Just as Yuan Shiyao was about to get up and smooth things over, he saw Jiang Qingli put away her terminal and smile at the student union chairman, Xie Guanqi.

"In previous years, the festival celebration was always handled by the student union, and the response and reputation have always been excellent. The Melt Star Association is honored to be able to join. We hope to return to the event’s essence." Jiang Qingli paused. "For example, in the Beast God dance performance, we could do away with the electronic pulse-assisted performances and lean more toward tradition..."

Jiang Qingli spoke at a very calm and steady pace, her delivery remarkably fluent.

The moment she began speaking, Qiao Lan had been ready to interrupt her at any time to correct any mistakes.

But after hearing her through to the end, his tightly knit brow couldn’t help but relax.

Xie Guanqi smiled. "What Miss Jiang has said is all just talk." She raised an eyebrow, sizing up the green-looking girl before her. "How will you prove to me that the Melt Star Association’s plan is better?" 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"I don’t need to prove anything to Chairman Xie." Jiang Qingli returned a flawless smile. "Today is just a discussion. The final decision-making power doesn’t lie with you."

Xie Guanqi’s smile faded. In a voice only the two of them could hear, she scoffed, "Using the school administration to pressure me?"

Jiang Qingli also replied in a low voice, "And I’m sure Chairman Xie doesn’t want to be reprimanded by His Majesty the Emperor again, right?"

At these words, Xie Guanqi’s expression changed.

The Moon Festival was the Beast God’s birthday, marked by a mandatory fifteen-day holiday. Nationwide celebrations lasted for seven days, with float parades and scenes of singing and dancing everywhere.

The Imperial Royal Academy was the alma mater of every Emperor, and its annual festival was a major highlight, typically co-hosted by the student union and the school administration.

The student union was filled with nobles, so the school administration didn’t dare interfere, which led to the student union becoming dominant and increasingly arrogant.

The reason the Melt Star Association was able to co-host with the student union this year was largely because last year’s festival had been overly flashy, strayed from the theme, and incurred the Emperor’s displeasure.

The Empire was controlled by three powers: the Imperial Family, the military, and the judiciary. With unprecedented technological development, the military’s power had been subtly eclipsing the other two.

The Imperial Family had always liked to emphasize that imperial authority was a symbol and continuation of the Beast God’s will.

Since Xie Guanqi’s performance last year had failed to satisfy the Emperor, it was only natural that he would put his own niece in her place.

Xie Guanqi was shocked. She never thought Jiang Qingli, who had spent the last few years frivolously chasing men and failing all her exams, would pay attention to these matters.

Taking in the complex emotions on the other’s face, Jiang Qingli’s expression remained unchanged. Just then, her terminal received the revised proposal from Qiao Lan.

Jiang Qingli opened it for a look, and after confirming it was correct, she exchanged proposals with the student union and forwarded them to the school administration.

With that, the meeting was basically over. Jiang Qingli stood up and excused herself.

Before she left, Xie Guanqi’s expression had returned to normal. She extended a hand toward her. "Jiang, I’ll be waiting to see what you can do."

Jiang Qingli raised her hand to shake hers, only then realizing her own hand was slightly cold and her palm a little sweaty.

Xie Guanqi noticed it too and raised an eyebrow.

After walking out of the conference room, Jiang Qingli went with Qiao Lan to process the proof of her acting chairmanship.

On the way back to the Melt Star Association’s office building, Jiang Qingli told the vice-chairmen to wait for her in the office.

Qiao Lan said, "They weren’t the ones who did it."

"I know," Jiang Qingli nodded. "It must have been another senior officer in the Melt Star Association, right? I don’t have to ask who it was, but I hope you’ll handle it according to the regulations."

Qiao Lan nodded.

They had already reached the office door. Before pushing it open, Jiang Qingli said to Qiao Lan, "Thank you for quickly compiling the information and sending it to me, and for making changes based on what I said."

Her eyes curved into crescents as she spoke with genuine sincerity.

Qiao Lan looked away. "Don’t get the wrong idea. I did it for the Melt Star Association."

Pushing the door open and entering the room, the two vice-chairmen on the sofa looked a bit awkward.

They thought Jiang Qingli would be furious, but she just sat down and discussed the proposal with them.

As they were leaving, Jiang Qingli’s voice came from behind them:

"I know some people are dissatisfied with me, but I will prove my own worth, and I hope you will assist me. Standing by and doing nothing will only make us a laughingstock for others."

Tang Ran and Zhao Xinxin glanced at each other, mumbled that they understood, and pushed the door open to leave.

In the hallway, Zhao Xinxin felt indignant. "What’s she so smug about? If it weren’t for Qiao Lan’s reminder, could she have put on that act in front of Xie Guanqi?"

The silent Qiao Lan suddenly spoke. "There was no reminder."

"Before entering the conference room, Jiang Qingli only looked at the proposal on the way here because she had to sign it," Qiao Lan said. "She just scanned it from beginning to end. It didn’t even take a minute."

"But just now, she not only recited 80% of it, she even improved upon parts of it."

-

Inside the conference room.

Xie Guanqi turned to face Yuan Shiyao, her gaze piercing. "During the break, what did you and Jiang Qingli talk about outside?"

"Does the Chairman suspect I revealed something to her, causing you to lose the upper hand?" Yuan Shiyao remained seated, his hands folded, his expression perfectly calm. "I only told her not to be nervous. If you don’t believe me, you can check the surveillance footage at any time."

Xie Guanqi immediately pulled up the footage.

On the screen, the young man was bent over slightly, looking down into the girl’s eyes. The audio was amplified, and his words were indeed comforting.

It was just that tone of voice...

If Yuan Shiyao’s usual voice was as cold as snow, then when he spoke to Jiang Qingli, it was like a gentle spring breeze.

The members of the student union, who were used to being scolded by Yuan Shiyao, found this both novel and bizarre, making their skin crawl as if they were covered in fleas.

After Xie Guanqi left, Yuan Shiyao didn’t stay much longer either.

Halfway out, he remembered he had forgotten something. As he walked back to the conference room door, he suddenly heard laughter from inside.

"How come I remember an underclassman wanted some encouragement from Secretary Yuan before the speech competition last year? How did he put it?" Ke An nudged the person next to her, winking. "Ai Bin?"

Ai Bin had gone with Yuan Shiyao to the underground auction last time and was also a ten-year junior of his.

He cleared his throat and imitated a cold and aloof demeanor. "’My apologies, I don’t know how to encourage people.’"

Ke An immediately reenacted the scene from that time. "’But, upperclassman, I’m really nervous and I want to get a good score. Please, just do me this one favor and comfort me a little.’"

"’A good or bad result depends on ability. My comfort won’t change the outcome.’"

After that line, the group erupted in thunderous laughter.

When he finished laughing, Ai Bin waved his hand, still shaken. "Oh man, Secretary Yuan doesn’t like Jiang Qingli. He rejected her so many times before. They’re friends at best. A relationship? No way."

Ke An slammed her hand on the table. "Wanna bet? Five hundred!"

"Vice-Chairman, if you’re afraid of losing, just say so! I’ll bet ten thousand that there’s no way he doesn’t like her! Anyone dares to challenge me, I’ll add another fifty thousand."

"Thirty thousand that there’s no chance for those two!"

"Keep it down, don’t let the Secretary find out we’re betting or he’ll chew us out." Ai Bin lowered his voice. "I’ll also bet it’s impossible. Thirty thousand."

A crowd of people chimed in, and in the end, it was Ke An’s five hundred against eighty thousand.

She was just wondering if she should contact Yuan Shiyao to ask him about it when she suddenly received a message.

Opening it, Ke An’s eyes widened in terror—

Yuan Shiyao has initiated a transfer to you [100,000.00]

Yuan Shiyao: [Placing a bet.]

Ke An’s hands were shaking. [Y-y-y-y-you heard everything? Which side are you betting on?]

Yuan Shiyao: [What do you think?]

Yuan Shiyao: [Same as you.]

Ke An’s pupils trembled.

This male, who had always been so noble, aloof, and high and mighty.

He actually stooped to join a silly bet just like their group of pampered rich kids, taking the joke seriously.

Betting that he and Jiang Qingli had a chance.