Shen An had always been gifted with an exceptional memory. Orphaned from a young age with no one to rely on, he had learned to seize whatever he wanted through his own efforts alone.
Adversity, after all, was the best forge for honing one’s skills—and one’s will.
Zhao Qingyu was convinced he couldn’t pull off the task. That was all the more reason for Shen An to succeed and prove her wrong.
He could have chosen to embarrass himself during the meeting, but that would tarnish not just his own reputation, but hers and the entire Art Troupe’s as well.
No, that was a lose-lose scenario, and Shen An had no intention of going down that road.
On second thought, Zhao Qingyu’s approach wasn’t so different from his own. They both preferred strategies that aimed for mutual benefit.
At the very least, they ensured they wouldn’t lose.
Maybe that was just a trait shared by those with strong personalities.
In the few minutes before the meeting, he had skimmed through the key sections, committing the main outlines to memory.
He had held similar positions in the past and handled plenty of plans and summaries like these.
The details might vary, but the overall structure followed familiar patterns—much like academic papers, where the content differed but the format remained standard.
If Zhao Qingyu thought he was some clueless freshman who knew nothing, she had severely underestimated him.
And there was an unexpected bonus: his memory had sharpened noticeably.
Was this another perk from his transmigration? Not just physical enhancements, but mental ones too?
Either way, it bolstered his confidence.
Unless the Art Troupe was the first group up for questioning, he still had ample time.
Meetings like this always started with leaders exchanging pleasantries from the podium. If they ran into a chatty one, it could drag on for a full hour.
Shen An gave the plan another quick once-over in three minutes, then grabbed the thick stack of documents and hurried toward B101.
Time was short, and he hated being late, so he picked up the pace.
People lining up in the hallway turned to stare as he passed, the hefty pile in his arms making him stand out like a sore thumb.
But once he reached B Building, he blended right in.
Heading toward B101, he spotted others in the distance clutching files of their own—some thin, some thick.
Shen An’s, without a doubt, was the bulkiest, as if underscoring the Art Troupe’s prominent standing in the Student Union.
Student Union members stood guard at both doorways. Spotting Shen An, one called out, “Please sign in here.”
Shen An took the pen and signed his name under the Art Troupe slot.
The guard gave him a surprised glance, but Shen An had already pushed the door open.
Inside the large classroom, the seats were packed—far more full than yesterday. Nearly every spot was taken, and most of the attendees had already arrived. He was among the last.
Before he could find a seat, a familiar voice rang out from the podium.
It was Xu Yijing!
“Classmate, it looks like you’ve wandered into the wrong place again.”
She was hosting the meeting once more, in her role as Student Union Vice President.
Her words instantly hushed the lively room. Nearly every eye turned toward Shen An in unison.
Those who had been at yesterday’s meeting spotted him and broke into amused smiles, tinged with good-natured mockery—as if to say, “This guy’s at it again?”
But most faces were unfamiliar.
They regarded him with blank confusion.
Amid the stares, Shen An locked eyes with an old acquaintance—one he knew all too well: Chen Nannan!
As Club Federation President, she was naturally here for a meeting of this scale, seated in the second row. That meant all the department presidents occupied the second row.
Everyone there had a nameplate.
The first row belonged to the Student Union leadership and school administrators.
And there, in the first row, sat another familiar figure: Pei Xiuran!
She was right in the center, undoubtedly the highest-ranking person present.
Shen An noted how she wore many hats: Deputy Director of Academic Affairs, guidance teacher for the English Department, and Student Union advisor.
He’d probably be crossing paths with her often.
In the second row, Chen Nannan stared at Shen An in stunned silence, her expression a mix of shock and faint worry.
Shen An… what was he doing barging in here?
It all happened in a flash, but Shen An still found time to shoot her a discreet wink.
Chen Nannan’s lips twitched—whether in admiration for his guts or exasperation at his fearlessness, she couldn’t say.
“Classmate?”
Xu Yijing’s voice cut in again, sharper this time, laced with irritation.
Clearly, Shen An’s repeat intrusion and apparent disregard had gotten under her skin.
Shen An turned to her with a gentle smile. “Not this time. I’m here representing Senior Sister Zhao Qingyu.”
He waved the thick stack of files for emphasis.
Xu Yijing had noticed the documents right away and harbored suspicions, but she hadn’t dared believe it.
Not for a meeting of this magnitude.
Her face darkened as Shen An confirmed it.
Zhao Qingyu…
She never imagined Zhao Qingyu would be so bold!
Sending a freshman who hadn’t even joined the troupe yet to stand in for her? It was a blatant slap in the face.
If anything went wrong, the embarrassment wouldn’t stop at Shen An and the Art Troupe—it would taint the entire Student Union, including Xu Yijing herself.
Zhao Qingyu’s move was a clear dismissal of the Student Union as a whole.
The audience murmured at Shen An’s words, and the second-row presidents’ expressions soured nearly as much as Xu Yijing’s.
Chen Nannan could hardly believe her ears.
What… what was going on?
Why on earth would Senior Sister Zhao send Shen An in her place?
Had she lost her mind?
Through the PPT on the big screen, Shen An spotted the seating chart.
The Art Troupe was in the middle column.
But someone was already in the second-row seat for the Art Troupe.
What?
Shen An blinked in surprise. Damn it, Zhao Qingyu—was this another one of her pranks?
If they’d already sent a rep ahead, his position as “stand-in” would be awkward as hell.
He squinted at the nameplate: “Art Troupe Office Director: Qi Taili.”
An odd name.
As he puzzled over it, Xu Yijing stepped in. “Your seat is right here.”
She pointed to the first row, directly in front of Qi Taili.
Oh!
So Qi Taili wasn’t representing the Art Troupe.
Then it clicked. The Art Troupe held a unique position in the Student Union—technically subordinate, but on equal footing in practice.
Though Zhao Qingyu was only the Art Troupe Vice Leader, her authority rivaled—or even surpassed—the Student Union Vice President’s.
That put her in the leadership tier, so a first-row seat made perfect sense.
“Thanks.”
Shen An thanked her politely and headed to the spot.
It had a nameplate too, just obscured by the angle earlier.
Up close, it read: “Art Troupe Vice Leader: Zhao Qingyu.”
Just as he thought.
And right next to Zhao Qingyu’s seat was Xu Yijing’s!
Ruthless.
“Good day, seniors.”
Shen An might be standing in for Zhao Qingyu, but he was still just a freshman.
He greeted those around him courteously.
Of course, he couldn’t overlook Pei Xiuran in the center.
“Hello, Teacher Pei.”
Normally, a nod would suffice.
But she turned at his greeting and smiled lightly. “We meet again, Shen. What brings you here? Did Qingyu recruit you into the troupe already?”
As Pei Xiuran asked, Chen Nannan leaned in from the second row, equally curious.
“Yeah, doesn’t the Vice Leader have any tasks today?”
The voice came from behind him: Qi Taili.
Facing the three women’s scrutiny, Shen An replied calmly, “Senior Sister Zhao had a sudden emergency and couldn’t make it. I was there for my interview, so she sent me instead.”
“Interview?”
Qi Taili paused, then gave Shen An an odd look. “You’re the freshman the Vice Leader interviewed personally?”
Pei Xiuran turned to her. “What’s this about?”
Qi Taili explained softly, “You might not know, Teacher, but the Vice Leader doesn’t usually handle recruitment. This year, though, she’s taken a hands-on interest.”
“She even interviewed one freshman solo. It’s sparked quite the buzz in the troupe.”
She turned back to Shen An with a smile. “Didn’t expect it to be you.”
“A handsome guy, no wonder she handled it herself.”
Shen An: …
Qi Taili was strikingly beautiful herself, with a sweet demeanor that contrasted sharply with Zhao Qingyu’s icy allure.
But her sweetness was different from Chen Nannan’s gentle kind. It carried a soothing, healing quality, like candy itself.
Looking at her made her seem quite delicious!
Shen An replied with some shyness. “Senior Sister is a great beauty too.”
“Oh my, you’re not joining the Art Troupe just because of that, are you?” Qi Taili giggled lightly.
“Cough cough, to tell the truth, I chose the Art Troupe because of Senior Sister Zhao.”
There wasn’t a shred of falsehood in Shen An’s words.
If Zhao Qingyu had tricked him right from their first meeting, Shen An truly wouldn’t have given the Art Troupe a second thought.
But saying it now, right on the heels of Qi Taili’s comment, completely changed the meaning for anyone listening.
They would all assume Shen An had been captivated by Zhao Qingyu’s beauty and joined the Art Troupe specifically for her.
Pei Xiuran, having caught the gist of it, frowned slightly. “Qingyu, really—how can you fool around like this?”
Qi Taili just smiled without a word. The line of Art Troupe members standing behind her seemed thoroughly accustomed to Zhao Qingyu’s antics.
Their reactions were by far the calmest in the room. No confusion, no annoyance at being overlooked—they simply stared at Shen An, their eyes alight with curiosity and gossip.
Such a handsome guy~
Suddenly, a wave of killing intent washed over him.
Shen An instinctively sought out its source.
Chen Nannan stared at him, her face expressionless.
Good grief… He’d nearly forgotten Chen Nannan was there—and standing quite close, at that.
Cough cough. Shen An averted his eyes from her murderous gaze and lifted the documents in his hand. “I’m just a freshman. I’m afraid I can’t shoulder this heavy responsibility. Why don’t you do it instead, Senior Sister?”
Qi Taili beamed at Shen An. “I’d love to help you out, but I really can’t.”
“The Deputy Troupe Leader said you have to do it, so you have to. None of us can interfere.”
“And besides~”
She deliberately glanced toward Xu Yijing on the stage, then leaned in close to whisper in Shen An’s ear. “I haven’t even looked at this document myself, so please go easy on this senior sister.”
Her words dripped with a touch of schadenfreude and buck-passing, but Qi Taili’s sweet features and soft, glutinous voice made it impossible to take offense.
Shen An replied gently, “In that case, I’ll boldly give it a try.”
Qi Taili tilted her head with a smile, covering her mouth as she whispered, “Good luck~”
“The members from every department are now present. I hereby declare this meeting officially begun.”
Xu Yijing, standing at the podium with the microphone in hand, cut through all the chatter.
In an instant, the classroom fell silent once more.
“Now, let us welcome with warm applause the Deputy Director of Academic Affairs and Student Union Advisor, Teacher Pei Xiuran, to the stage for her remarks.”
Thunderous applause filled the room. Pei Xiuran rose slowly from her seat and made her way to the podium.
Shen An, now on stage himself, clapped along while keeping his eyes glued to the documents.
Meanwhile, Xu Yijing stepped down from the podium, circled to the first row from the other side, and returned to her seat.
