Chapter 7: The Unwanted Invitation

Shen Yu thought he was in the clear after that incident, but things only got worse. One day after class, Lu Zhixuan walked right up to him and said, "Come with me."

Shen Yu blinked. "What?"

"I said, come with me," Lu Zhixuan repeated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Shen Yu glanced around, half-expecting this to be some kind of prank. "Why?"

Lu Zhixuan tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Do I need a reason?"

Yes. Yes, you definitely do! Shen Yu wanted to scream.

Instead, he took a cautious step back. "Uh, actually, I have something really important to do. Like, super important."

"Oh?" Lu Zhixuan crossed his arms, amused. "And what might that be?"

Shen Yu scrambled for an excuse. "Uh... feeding my cat?"

Lu Zhixuan raised an eyebrow. "You don't have a cat."

Damn it. "I meant—I was thinking about getting one!" Shen Yu tried, sweating slightly.

Lu Zhixuan simply gave him a look before reaching out, grabbing Shen Yu by the wrist, and pulling him forward.

"Wait! Wait, wait, wait!" Shen Yu yelped, trying to pull away. "Where are we even going?!"

"The student council room."

Shen Yu blinked. "Huh? Why?"

Lu Zhixuan glanced at him, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. "Didn't you say you wanted to prove you're better than me? Here's your chance."

Shen Yu's stomach dropped.

Oh no.

What had he just gotten himself into?

The moment Shen Yu stepped into the student council room, he knew he was doomed.

The room was spacious, lined with tall bookshelves and a long polished table in the center. Several students sat around it, all wearing serious expressions. It was an air of authority Shen Yu did not belong in.

"Why am I here?" he whispered urgently to Lu Zhixuan.

Lu Zhixuan smirked. "Because I said so."

Before Shen Yu could protest, a student council member—one with glasses and a clipboard—looked up. "Oh? Zhao Rui? What are you doing here?"

Lu Zhixuan answered for him. "He wants to help."

Shen Yu choked. I do?!

The student council president, a composed girl with sharp eyes, examined him. "Help? Zhao Rui, weren't you the one who got in trouble last semester for nearly starting a fight over Bai Xue?"

Shen Yu let out a nervous laugh. "Uh—character growth?"

The room was silent.

Then Lu Zhixuan chuckled.

"Let's give him a chance," he said smoothly. "Who knows? Maybe he'll surprise us."

Shen Yu sent Lu Zhixuan a glare. Why do you look so entertained by this?!

And just like that, Shen Yu was roped into student council duties. As he awkwardly sat in a chair, pretending to take notes on some kind of event planning, he sneaked a glance at Lu Zhixuan, who was watching him with an infuriatingly smug expression.

The worst part?

Shen Yu had a sinking feeling this was only the beginning of his suffering.

As the meeting went on, Shen Yu tried his best to blend into the background, but fate was not on his side.

"We need volunteers for the upcoming charity event," the student council president, Lin Yuxi, announced. "Lu Zhixuan, you're already in charge of logistics. Any other takers?"

Silence.

Lin Yuxi sighed. "Fine. Then we'll assign people." Her sharp gaze flickered to Shen Yu, making him stiffen. "Since Zhao Rui is so eager to help, he can assist Lu Zhixuan."

Shen Yu's jaw nearly hit the table. "Wait, what?!"

Lu Zhixuan, on the other hand, looked absolutely delighted. "Sounds perfect."

Shen Yu shot him a betrayed look. Traitor.

Lin Yuxi ignored his protests and continued. "Great. The two of you will be in charge of setting up the event venue and managing the schedule."

Shen Yu groaned. "I didn't even agree to this..."

Lu Zhixuan leaned over and whispered, "Think of it as another chance to prove your character growth."

Shen Yu clenched his fists. "I swear, Lu Zhixuan—"

"Moving on," Lin Yuxi interrupted, cutting off Shen Yu's complaints. "We'll meet after school tomorrow to discuss the details. Meeting adjourned."

As the other council members began packing up, Shen Yu slumped in his chair. "This is a nightmare."

Lu Zhixuan patted his shoulder with an infuriating grin. "Welcome to the student council."

Shen Yu groaned. "I hate you."

"Mm." Lu Zhixuan chuckled. "You say that a lot."

And the worst part? Shen Yu had a sinking feeling that Lu Zhixuan was enjoying this way too much.