Donating such a small amount of money.
Actually, Su Ning had thought this through carefully. Although she only had a bachelor's degree in her past life, thanks to the highly developed internet, she had a little bit of understanding of the academic and research circles.
Even though it was mostly focused on the jokes...
But!
Things like defrauding research funds or scamming people didn't matter to her. She wasn't afraid of people swindling her money; she was only afraid they wouldn't swindle enough. However, the accompanying side effects wouldn't be so great.
First, investing too much in the early stages would make her look like a gullible cash cow.
It would ruin her persona.
Second, she believed in the principle of knowing oneself and the enemy to emerge victorious in every battle. Currently, she didn't know much about the academic and scientific research levels of the Republican era, so she decided to test the waters first. Looking at the professors who were continuously showing up, Su Ning thought the results were quite good so far.
Keeping the price down was one thing, but her attitude needed to be a bit more arrogant.
She had to think of some unreasonable demands to make.
Sigh, it was truly difficult.
Making a kind-hearted, good person like her constantly come up with these bad ideas was just too hard.
The school leaders over here had no idea what Su Ning was thinking. Every pore on their faces radiated enthusiasm. Even though Su Ning's attitude was visibly cold, they weren't discouraged in the slightest.
They introduced the campus scenery and historical anecdotes while explaining why they hadn't come to greet her right away.
Wanting to appear less desperate, they casually mentioned a few recent donations they had received. Sure enough, Su Ning's expression changed.
An overseas Chinese from Nanyang, surnamed Huo?
After receiving an affirmative answer, Su Ning said nothing and continued walking.
This left the others completely baffled.
They secretly wondered if she knew this Mr. Huo, but it didn't look like it.
She knew him, and yet she didn't.
The person Su Ning knew was the official male lead for Ye Tang in the original novel, the uncrowned king who dominated Nanyang. In reality, she had never even met him face-to-face.
How should she put it.
This story focused entirely on the female lead, Ye Tang. The early and mid-stage plot was all about her entanglement with the second male lead, Fang Lin, in Beiping, and being targeted by the Su family. At this time, the male lead surnamed Huo was just a character who occasionally appeared and inexplicably favored and helped her.
His screen time only increased significantly in the later stages.
Even then, it wasn't much compared to Ye Tang.
To use an analogy, he was roughly equivalent to the emperor in a palace harem drama?
Su Ning had a premonition.
Even though Ye Tang had already gone to Yumen to eat sand, she would still end up meeting the male lead.
That is correct.
The system bubbled up, confirming her thoughts, Actually, we provide guarantees for our taskers too. For example, the host will easily encounter plot characters and cross paths with them.
What?
You might say that Beiping is only so big, and with the original novel as a guide, finding plot characters should be easy.
But alas, some people are just that unlucky...
Anyway, this guarantee was added later.
Su Ning nodded indifferently.
A short while later.
A university in the Republican era was only so large, and they had toured most of it. The school leaders suggested going to the backstage of the anniversary celebration to see Su Zhenzhu, and then taking their seats directly.
Although our funding isn't abundant, the students are full of youthful vigor. They've rehearsed many performances, and Miss Su might enjoy them.
Did Zhenzhu participate?
Su Ning asked.
How would the school leaders know about such trivial matters? Fortunately, there were enough people accompanying them, and one person in charge of this area thought about it and tactfully replied:
Rehearsing performances takes a lot of time. Student Su Zhenzhu is probably entirely focused on her studies, so she didn't participate in the program.
So it definitely wasn't because of ostracism, nor was it because they didn't value her.
Su Ning remained noncommittal.
Then, the large group grandly made their way to the backstage. From a distance, they could see a crowd gathered, and faint sounds of an argument could be heard. The school leaders forced a smile:
Students, you know, they are young and hot-blooded. When they gather together, it's inevitable to have some friction. They are actually all very innocent, and they don't take these noisy arguments to heart.
Before they even finished speaking.
A high-pitched voice full of indignation rang out.
It's no use trying to stop me. What did I say wrong? Unfair is unfair. I refuse to accept Su Zhenzhu as the student representative!
That's right. Wang Hao has been preparing for so long, and right when the celebration is about to start, they suddenly say they are replacing him. On what grounds?
On the grounds that she has a good older sister, of course.
...
The school leaders broke out in a cold sweat.
Beside them, Su Ning was thinking, a university truly is an ivory tower.
Indeed innocent and hot-blooded.
...
The school leaders wanted to speak up and stop it.
Shh.
Su Ning chuckled softly, Do not speak.
At this moment, the crusade was still ongoing, and it even showed signs of escalating. Someone mentioned that Su Zhenzhu shouldn't be the freshman representative either, as Chen Qi clearly had better popularity.
Who knows what shady methods she used behind our backs.
Surrounded in the middle, Su Zhenzhu sneered:
Keep your mouths clean. Let's not even mention that my grades are a notch better than Chen Qi's, it's just that some people are thick-skinned and insist on saying we are on par. But setting that aside, I was chosen fair and square through a vote. Tell me, what shady methods did I use?
She paused, fearlessly scanning the people around her, and raised an eyebrow:
The voting wasn't anonymous. A quick look will tell you who voted for me. At worst, we can verify it right here and now, and ask them if they voted sincerely.
Wouldn't the truth come to light then?
A commotion rippled through the crowd.
But no one spoke up anymore. Anyone with discerning eyes knew there was something fishy about the votes, but no one had stood up to say anything before because they knew it was pointless to expose it.
Too many people had taken bribes.
The law cannot punish the majority.
It was hard to say what the outcome would be, but it would definitely deeply offend their classmates... Moreover, just as Su Zhenzhu said, her grades were indeed worthy of being the freshman representative.
Why isn't anyone moving?
Su Zhenzhu suddenly changed her expression, looking at the person who just said she used shady methods.
She scolded:
Weren't you very talkative just now? Then you go and do it. After all, looking at how certain you are, you must have gathered evidence, right? I'll just wait right here.
That person didn't move.
He knew that in this kind of situation, even if he really asked them one by one, no one would admit it.
They would all definitely say they voted sincerely.
You know exactly what's going on in your heart. He finally spoke with resentment.
Know what?
I only know that you, this champion of justice, are slandering others out of nowhere without any evidence. I find it strange. Even if someone were to question it, only Chen Qi has the right to do so. What does it have to do with you, someone whose grades rank outside the top hundred?
Oh, it must be jealousy.
Because of jealousy, yet you absolutely cannot find a place to attack me.
After all, I have good grades, a happy family, good looks, and I have my older cousin Ning as my backer. Barring any accidents, I will be happy and joyful for my entire life.
As for you, after graduation, it might even be difficult for you to catch a single glimpse of me.
These words pierced their hearts one after another.
Su Zhenzhu had a pure and pretty appearance, and her smile was even more beautiful and sweet. But at this moment, in the eyes of the others, she appeared so detestable. Clearly, clearly she was the one in the wrong, yet she was being so unforgiving.
She could be so arrogant, so secure in the knowledge that she had backing.
Wasn't it all because of that Su Ning!
Ding...
Although the university didn't have any major plot characters, there were quite a few minor ones. At this moment, the rewards came pouring in. Su Ning sincerely sighed in admiration; a true villain is someone who, no matter the time or place, steadfastly maintains the original heart of a villain.
Never changing regardless of the circumstances!
Just like Su Zhenzhu.
If she were placed in one of those quick-transmigration novels about redeeming and warming a villain's heart, she would absolutely be an SSSS-level difficulty target to conquer.
She sighed in amazement.
Nearby, the sharp-minded school leaders and professors immediately understood the situation, their consciences aching slightly.
Those who had intended to apply for the position of Su Zhenzhu's private tutor...
...were now pondering how to guide her back onto the right path.
Suddenly, a clear voice broke the silence. We are all classmates. Student Su, there is no need to be so aggressive.
Everyone looked toward the voice.
It was Chen Qi. He looked at Su Zhenzhu and said, Be forgiving when possible. Regarding the freshman representative matter, a loss is a loss, and I won't say anything more about it. But taking Senior Wang's place as the student representative... you truly went too far.
How clever.
Su Ning raised an eyebrow and smiled. Originally, Zhenzhu had the upper hand by using the voting matter, and without any surprises, the students' outrage would have eventually faded away.
But with just one light remark from him...
The tables turned once again.
True, the freshman representative wasn't an issue, but how could she explain the student representative?
As expected, Zhenzhu fell silent.
Seeing this, Chen Qi took a step forward and said earnestly, Everyone knows Senior Wang comes from a poor family. His family scraped together every penny to send him to university. He desperately needs this opportunity. On the other hand, as Student Su just said, you have Miss Su backing you up. You don't need to worry about your future at all. Being the student representative makes no difference to you.
How could it make no difference!
Su Zhenzhu thought resentfully.
Her older cousin would be coming to attend this school anniversary, and the student representative role was arranged by her. If she lost it, she would have no face left to see her cousin.
Her brother would definitely mock her too.
Therefore, I hope Student Su will return the student representative position to Senior Wang.
After Chen Qi finished speaking.
Everyone looked at a simply dressed male student in the crowd, Wang Hao. At first glance, he didn't look like a university student at all. With his dark skin, sturdy build, and calloused hands, he looked more like a rickshaw puller.
When he wasn't in class, he indeed pulled rickshaws to make a living.
At this moment, hope rose in his eyes.
I won't yield.
His hope shattered.
It was a heartbreaking sight. Since they felt they had justice on their side, the crowd began to verbally attack her. Someone declared that if Su Zhenzhu insisted on being the student representative, they would boycott the performance and petition the school leaders to blow the matter out of proportion.
Su Zhenzhu's expression shifted.
Noticing this, Chen Qi's lips curled up slightly, and the pent-up frustration in his chest finally cleared away.
So what if he was at a disadvantage in power?
As long as he seized the right moment to leverage others' strength, he could still achieve his goal.
No need to go through the trouble of looking for them.
The crowd looked over.
The first thing to catch their eyes were the black-clad guards, followed by Su Ning, who was surrounded in the center.
She said casually:
Look, they are right here. You can make your petition right now.
Looking behind her, the principal along with other leaders and professors appeared with awkward expressions. It was a dense crowd of people, so many that the students couldn't even recognize all of them.
