Free Web NovelChapter 137: Chapter 137: Wen Meng’s Former Suitor
At the entrance of the Arts Center, Zhao Yuqing stood in her military training uniform, picking at the roadside flowers and plants. She kept glancing at her phone.
She silently cursed Wu Yun. ’That damn Wu Yun, why isn’t he here yet? It’s almost seven o’clock!’
Just as she was about to call and rush him, she picked up her phone and spotted a couple in the distance, chatting and laughing intimately.
Zhao Yuqing was furious. ’I’m over here as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, and you’re over there getting all lovey-dovey!’
Wu Yun spotted Zhao Yuqing by the roadside. He led Wen Meng over and greeted her with a smile, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Class President! Here, I bought you some milk tea!"
You can’t hit a smiling face, as the saying goes, and you can’t find fault with someone who’s just given you a gift. The moment she saw Wu Yun’s handsome smile, all of Zhao Yuqing’s resentment vanished into thin air.
’He’s the most handsome guy in our class—no, our major! No, our entire school!’ Of course, that was just the unanimous consensus from the gossip sessions in her dorm room.
After all, most of the freshmen were still in their military training uniforms, making it hard to tell anyone apart. Wu Yun was one of the few who was relatively well-known.
’But this handsome, wealthy dreamboat got snatched up by a third-year girl before he even started school properly. How infuriating!’
"Wu Yun, you’re finally here! Hurry, hurry! I’ve already had to put off the Student Union upperclassmen several times. I really couldn’t delay them any longer today." Zhao Yuqing took the milk tea, then spun around in a panic and headed for the entrance.
Following behind Zhao Yuqing, Wen Meng pouted and said in a low voice only Wu Yun could hear, "The Student Union really thinks they’re a big deal sometimes. It’s only you freshmen who have to walk on eggshells around them. You’ll see how few sophomores and juniors actually give a damn about them."
’Oh? Looks like there’s a story here!’
Wu Yun was very curious. "Tell me your story!"
In the long corridor, Wen Meng’s mind seemed to drift back two years.
Wen Meng then gave Wu Yun the highlights of her past experiences.
"Anyway, the guy from the Student Union who pursued me for the longest time is a third-year now, too. I think he’s the president of the university’s Student Union. I don’t really pay attention to that stuff."
Wen Meng remembered rejecting him time and again, with the final time being just before the break at the end of her sophomore year.
"He even said to me, ’Wen Meng, it’s okay. I’ll work hard. I’m sure I’ll be able to make you see me in a new light one day!’ Heh! He must read too many novels. I have no idea where he gets that baffling confidence from. I just don’t have any feelings for him. Or maybe my standards are just high—otherwise, I wouldn’t have been around to wait for you!"
After she spoke, Wen Meng caressed Wu Yun’s face before resting her head on his shoulder.
"Oh? What’s his name? Is he ugly or something?" Wu Yun joked.
"Hey! Are you calling me superficial? Well, maybe I am! And I also like how your billions make you so approachable." Wen Meng lifted her chin, looking smugly proud.
Then, her expression turned serious. "The Student Union President’s name is Li Yuantao. He’s decent-looking, I guess, and he’s certainly capable, but only within the confines of this school."
Just then, Zhao Yuqing, who was leading the way, pushed open a large door. Colorful lights spilled out from within, and the sound of melodious music accompanying a pleasant female voice suddenly jumped in volume.
It was an enclosed auditorium capable of seating one to two thousand people, with tiered rows of seats. The center of the front row was full, while the rows behind it were only sparsely occupied.
They were now standing at the side of the stage.
Their arrival drew the eyes of many people in the front row.
Seeing Wu Yun sizing up the front row, Wen Meng chuckled. "I’ve done this kind of performance many times. Want me to give you some pointers?"
Wu Yun shook his head. Even though he’d never been on a big stage like this, he didn’t feel the least bit nervous.
"No need. I’m just looking for that Li Yuantao you mentioned." As he said this, his eyes met those of a young man in the center of the front row.
The fiery glare in the man’s eyes was fleeting, quickly replaced by a calm expression before he turned his head back toward the stage.
At that exact moment, Wu Yun’s glasses acquired the other person’s information.
Name: Li Yuantao
Age: 21
Height: 175
Looks: 75
Physique: 70
.....
Skills: Flattery (Expert), Oratory Skill (Expert), City Mansion (Proficient), Management (Proficient)....
Affinity: -30 (Dislikes you on sight)
’Well now... this guy’s got a few tricks up his sleeve.’ It looked like Li Yuantao had climbed the ranks not just on his own merits, but also by vigorously kissing up to the school leadership and the former president, which was how he won the election for Student Union President at the end of last semester.
Put someone like that out in the working world, and while he might not be the most competent person on the team, he’d definitely be a favorite among most of the leadership.
Zhao Yuqing walked over to say a few words to the Student Union representatives from the School of Economics and Management, then pointed toward Wu Yun and Wen Meng, who were sitting in a corner.
Wu Yun watched the girl singing on stage. From a professional standpoint, he could only say that for an average person, she was quite good—the top-tier of amateurs, the type who would hog the mic at karaoke.
As for the information he had just scanned from Li Yuantao, after a quick assessment, Wu Yun didn’t pay him any mind.
The Student Union.
If you treat it like a big deal, it can hang over you for all four years of college.
If you don’t, you can go all four years without ever having to interact with it.
That’s how Wu Yun was in his previous life. His days were spent exercising and going to class, with a bit of dating on the side; he never even joined a student club.
To him, the Student Union was a complete non-entity.
He had no idea who started spreading the rumor that the Student Union was so prestigious, or the bullshit idea that having Student Union experience would give you an edge over regular students when job hunting.
Perhaps it helped a few, but those cases were exceedingly rare. How was that any different from the prospects of a regular student?
The reality was that without connections, ability, or opportunities, everyone started at the same line.
Of course, Wu Yun wasn’t denying the Student Union’s value. It did do a lot for the school and its students, and many people gained valuable experience.
But looking at it from another angle, the school was also exploiting a massive pool of cheap labor, allowing it to cut down on a huge amount of expenses.
To put on these welcome galas for the freshmen, the school only needed to send a few teachers to supervise on-site. When the event started, the university leaders would sit in the front row, applaud, and remark, "This year’s freshmen are quite good. A few of them have an artistic streak."
After watching for a bit, they’d leave without a second thought, leaving a huge mess behind for others to clean up.
A portion of the funds for the welcome gala even came from students in the external relations department, who had to shamelessly go around to local businesses and shops, practically begging for sponsorships.
As for whether anyone ever remembered these sponsors, Wu Yun certainly didn’t. In his past life, he’d been too busy checking out the pretty girls in the audience.
An hour later, some of the performers in the back rows left after their turn, while a few stayed behind.
The longer he waited, the more something felt off. Wu Yun began to wonder if Li Yuantao was doing this on purpose to mess with him. How could it have been this long without it being his turn?
