Something's off, something's off. Today is really off. Senior Bailin today... something's wrong with her.
Normally, Senior Bailin sat at her desk almost every moment, handling documents. She'd only leave briefly for important matters.
Today, for some reason, she seemed changed. She wasn't processing files or checking tasks. Instead, she stood by the window, lost in thought.
This was nothing like the usual Senior Bailin, who always radiated gentle warmth.
This morning, Xu Peng had no major classes. After getting a note from his teacher, he came early to help at the Student Council. Xu Xiaoyan was supposed to join him, but class duties delayed her. She asked Xu Peng to assist Senior Bailin in her place.
This wasn't the first time. Thanks to his sister being vice president, Xu Peng got to handle tasks in Senior Bailin's office.
Bailin's unusual behavior made Xu Peng scratch his head anxiously. His unease showed in his handwriting. His already messy script looked even more like the "chicken-scratch" Xu Xiaoyan called it. He crumpled the paper and pulled out a new one.
Right now, Bailin stood gracefully by the only window in the president's office. She gazed at the opposite teaching building as if admiring a view. Xu Peng knew it was the freshman building. But he couldn't understand what fascinated her so much—keeping Senior Bailin motionless there for nearly an hour.
"Bailin, what are you looking at?"
When alone, Xu Peng preferred calling her by name, not adding "senior." It lacked respect, but he felt it brought them closer. Bailin never corrected him, but she never approved either.
"Bait and fish."
"Huh...?"
Not grasping her words, and being the muscle-brain he was, Xu Peng didn't bother straining his brain cells. Probably Senior Bailin was daydreaming. After all, no matter how mature, she was still a high school girl. Fantasizing wasn't unusual.
Xu Peng imagined a deep meaning behind her words and smiled foolishly. His usually fierce face looked oddly gentle now, not as intimidating as his usual stern expression.
"Fish in water can't resist swallowing bait. Some bait is delicious and irresistible; some is bland. But all bait shares one trait: it's placed by the angler. No matter which bait they take, it's the angler's choice in the end."
In Bailin's mind, the profiles of Xulu, Liqianying, Zhangqianxing, Liming, and even the entire Class 9 of freshmen appeared clearly. Indeed, the seating arrangement of freshman Class 9 had been subtly adjusted by Bailin herself. From start to finish, she was selecting suitable targets. What "suitable" meant, only Bailin knew.
"What you're saying is too profound; I don't get it. Can't you talk about something simpler? Like how to handle the next recruitment? My sister was thrilled all day that you're hosting it."
Though he had double the work because Senior Bailin was unusually idle, compared to her usual mountain of tasks, Xu Peng found it much easier. Senior Bailin always worked tirelessly, keeping up with her studies too. Her workload was heavier than that of three department heads combined.
Inside the Student Council, people often worried she might collapse from overwork. So, members handled tasks themselves whenever possible, rarely reporting up. Even so, Senior Bailin's desk was always piled with thick files—so heavy Xu Peng struggled to move them. Over ninety percent came from the school committee. Those guys wished nothing more than for Bailin to fall ill and the Student Council to collapse.
Thinking this, Xu Peng secretly pulled several files from Bailin's pile to his side. If Senior Bailin saw this, she'd scold him again.
Beyond Xu Peng's sight, Bailin's usual gentle, graceful demeanor vanished. In its place was a chilling smile, suppressed to the extreme. Her tea-colored eyes lost their warmth. Cold and calculating, they held a hint of satisfaction. This side of Senior Bailin was never seen—it didn't fit her public image.
"For the next recruitment, I've planned the methods and procedures. I'll share specific times and locations in the QQ group. We can discuss issues then."
"Oh, I see. By the way, the Student Council's first anniversary is in a month. The school committee is making excuses again about venue and study issues."
"Don't worry about them. We'll just do our part."
This recruitment was crucial—not just for the newly stabilized Student Council, but for Bailin herself. Because there, waiting for her, was her beloved Junior Li Ming~~ In middle school, troublesome pests forced her to compromise with a certain faction and graduate early. At Qianning High School, she'd been operating for a whole semester. This time, nothing would go wrong.
"Bailin... you don't really like being the center of attention, do you?"
"Oh? What makes you say that."
Bailin, who had been gazing at the freshman building, suddenly turned. Her tea-colored eyes, usually gentle as water, looked at Xu Peng with curiosity. The charm of her sudden turn made Xu Peng stare blankly.
"Ah, n-nothing strange... it's just my intuition."
Xu Peng quickly looked down at his files, sure his face was bright red. But thanks to his naturally dark skin from sports, Senior Bailin probably couldn't see his blush.
Bailin smiled meaningfully but didn't press him. She pulled out her chair and sat down to handle today's documents. She placed a palm on her cool cheek, gazing at her blurred reflection in the glass tabletop. Thinking of the boy she loved, her smile deepened. She'd waited over a year. She was getting impatient...
Just then, Xu Peng stole a glance at Bailin. With such a clear smile, Senior Bailin seemed less dignified than usual, radiating a lover's charm instead. Seeing this unseen side of her, Xu Peng forgot to think. He stared blankly at her face, feeling something deep within him stir suddenly.
