Was Xu Lu some naive, sheltered girl? Of course not. Though she hadn’t yet struggled in society to taste its bitter truths, her sharp mind let her see far more than her peers since childhood.

Xu Lu, sensitive and endlessly curious, leaned more toward believing in humanity’s inherent darkness than its goodness.

Yet despite this belief, her personal code was pure win-win: embracing others with open-hearted kindness.

Otherwise, her early wisdom would’ve driven her mad long ago.

"So Class Rep," Xu Lu followed Li Ming’s logic effortlessly, "if we want to join the Student Council during military training, we’ll have to fight for all the dirty, exhausting tasks."

Dirty work. No complaining. That was the bare minimum. But handling it properly, swiftly, and flawlessly? That tested real ability.

Special admissions were pure luck—utterly unpredictable. You never knew if the selectors were in a good mood that day, or if they’d take a liking to you. Such fickle hearts were impossible to control, no matter how skilled you were.

"Let’s not phrase it as ‘fighting for dirty work’," Li Ming said, flashing an innocent smile as he yanked the fleeing Zhang Qianxing back into his chair. *Knew it. This bastard always bolts at the mention of labor.* "It’s our duty as class officers. Running’s not an option anyway."

"And our dear Vice Rep," he added, his warm tone laced with warning for the scheming boy, "if you dare skip out, you’ll be utterly disgraced after training." Li Ming couldn’t bear the thought of Zhang getting stabbed in the back. This troublemaker had given him headaches since childhood. *Sigh. I’ll just shoulder extra work later to save his reputation.*

"No way~! Better kill me than make me work! Xiao Mingzi, you *have* to save me!!"

"Even if you say that, I—"

"I’ll dig up every single piece of Student Council intel from this moment on! Every detail, straight to you!"

"Deal."

A silent glance sealed their unspoken bargain. Li Ming *was* curious about Qianning High School’s Student Council—after all, it was Senior Bailin’s creation.

He wondered how its operations and staffing compared to his old school’s council. Since joining was inevitable, groundwork was essential.

Truthfully, Li Ming had been fascinated from the moment he heard the legendary tale: how Senior Bailin transformed a bloated, corrupt council into this powerhouse in just one year. What drove her?

Deep down, Li Ming sensed his own yearning. A hunger for...

"You two really complement each other," Xu Lu observed. After just a short time with them, she’d already glimpsed the thick bond between Li Ming and Zhang Qianxing—this seemingly mismatched pair.

It felt like two weary travelers on a long road, each finding in the other what they themselves lacked.

"Exactly!" Zhang beamed. "Xiao Mingzi and I almost threw punches when we first met! Only became sworn brothers after truly understanding each other~~"

"No," Li Ming corrected flatly. "After cleaning up your messes *several times*, you latched onto me."

Li Ming could befriend anyone. Zhang Qianxing only bonded with those who truly got him. Their meeting? Pure karmic chaos.

"But seriously," Xu Lu pressed, leaning forward slightly. Her small frame looked almost fragile against the wide desk, a hint of shyness coloring her cheeks. "Everyone joins the Student Council for a reason. What are yours, Class Rep? Vice Rep? To build skills? Gain power? Or just get swept up in its glorious history?"

She realized the question was too personal too soon. Apologetically, she brushed her neat ponytail, her bangs falling to shadow her eyes.

"As for me?" Zhang waved a hand airily. "Simple! I want to see the scenery over there. And if some crisis hits? This wind-like guy might just sweep in to save the Council—leaving a *lasting* impression on Senior Bailin~~"

*Scenery* meant the girls. He thought Council members were more interesting—and harder to win over. Li Ming didn’t even bother arguing. Zhang was the type who only got serious in dire straits. That’s why Li Ming trusted him when it counted.

*Though honestly,* Li Ming mused, *he’s probably just using Council duties to meet girls from other classes...*

"And you, Class Rep?"

"I... well, it’s a bit awkward to say..."

"Eh? Don’t tell me you’ve got some *shady* motive too?" Xu Lu teased half-seriously. If Li Ming was that kind of guy, her judgment of people was worse than she thought.

"No. I just... want to see Senior Bailin. To tell her ‘I’m sorry’."

That apology was non-negotiable. As the former heir to Zhenzhong’s Student Council, Li Ming owed it to her.

"Oh. Sorry about that," Xu Lu murmured, poking her tongue out sheepishly. Zhang Qianxing whistled playfully at her cute gesture.

Li Ming knew the barrier in his heart whenever Senior Bailin was near. He knew it all too well.

"Since you’ve both shared," Xu Lu straightened up, her voice softening, "I’ll tell you why *I’m* joining too. Wouldn’t be fair otherwise." She lowered her voice, leaning so close to the desk her breath nearly fogged the surface. "I... really admire Senior Bailin. I want to become someone as exceptional as her. Ever since I heard about her in junior high, I’ve dreamed of this."

Her reason wasn’t surprising—but for someone like Xu Lu, it was quietly extraordinary.