The school leaders didn't suggest letting Jiangling organize the welcome party on her own until Xu Xiuwen graduated in his previous life.
Then what was the reason behind this decision by the school leaders?
It can't be just because of the song he sang at the welcome party in Jiaotong University, right?
Guan Congshan continued, "The school leaders have decided to let our department be a pilot program, so I think, Xu Xiuwen, could you help out?"
Xu Xiuwen was surprised but nodded, saying, "Don't worry, counselor, I can prepare a performance."
"It's not about you performing; it's about helping the department's student union organize the event, with you in charge. I know your abilities, as long as you put your heart into it, you can do it well."
Guan Congshan paused for a moment, then continued, "I'm worried that the student union members may lack experience. If they don't do well, it will reflect badly on the leadership of the college, and I'll be under a lot of pressure, you understand, right?"
Xu Xiuwen didn't object to performing a program, but he wasn't keen on helping the department's student union organize the event, especially being in charge.
Putting aside whether they can do it well, organizing the event means he'll have to worry and put in effort again, without much benefit.
Since the start of the semester, Xu Xiuwen had been busy with military training, then filming a TV drama, and after that participating in a soccer match. It's fair to say he hasn't had a day off.
Just when everything seemed to settle down, now there's the welcome party to deal with.
He's not made of iron; he also wants to catch his breath.
Xu Xiuwen showed a reluctant expression.
Seeing this, Guan Congshan suddenly said, "Xu Xiuwen, be honest, haven't I taken good care of you? You were filming a TV drama, I heard you and Bai Yue'er were the male and female leads. If I didn't approve your leave, could your TV drama have been finished smoothly?"
Guan Congshan's words made sense. Generally, counselors wouldn't be as understanding as him and wouldn't agree to students skipping classes for months.
But fair is fair. Even though the counselor had helped before, the soccer match earlier was also at his insistence, and the boys he requested to participate in the match did well, bringing back first place. So, in a way, Xu Xiuwen had repaid the favor to the counselor.
Xu Xiuwen remained silent.
Guan Congshan continued, "I heard you applied to Secretary Li for a filming location, and Secretary Li even made an exception to give you a note for flexible use of the location, saving you a lot of trouble. Am I right?"
Xu Xiuwen nodded and said, "Yes."
"This time, for the soccer match, you brought in outside help. If it weren't for Secretary Li holding things down, you would have been disciplined, and I would have been scolded. Secretary Li is taking good care of you. Even if you don't consider my face, you should at least consider Secretary Li's, right?"
Xu Xiuwen smiled awkwardly and said, "Counselor, how could I not consider your face?"
Guan Congshan didn't beat around the bush and continued, "The department's welcome party is something Secretary Li specifically emphasized that you should be involved in."
"Ah."
Xu Xiuwen was dumbfounded.
Guan Congshan stopped smiling, "You understand what I mean now, right? So for this department party, you have to participate whether you want to or not. There's no choice."
Xu Xiuwen smiled wryly, "Then why did you say so much to me? Just give me the order directly."
"That's not how it works. I'm very democratic; I have to listen to your opinion."
Xu Xiuwen didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
This kind of forced democracy is unacceptable, can't be learning from rogue states.
Xu Xiuwen now understood that there was no way he could escape organizing the party.
Since he couldn't avoid it, he might as well try to get some benefits out of it.
Xu Xiuwen immediately said, "Counselor, I can organize the welcome party, but I have one request."
"Go ahead."
"About the morning exercise stamping, could you find a way to exempt me from it in the future?"
Seeing Guan Congshan frown, Xu Xiuwen quickly explained, "This is also for the sake of the welcome party. We'll be so busy organizing it, who can get up early for morning exercise?"
Previously, during the time he was filming the TV series, Xu Xiuwen had a leave note from the counselor, so he could legitimately skip the morning exercise. But with the filming over, this privilege was gone.
Xu Xiuwen didn't want to get up early every day for morning exercise stamping, so he wanted to use this opportunity to get the privilege back.
Guan Congshan didn't speak. He gently rubbed his thumb against the tip of his index finger, then asked, "Is this your only request?"
Xu Xiuwen immediately nodded, not daring to ask for more.
Guan Congshan nodded and said, "I agree to this. I'll talk to the teachers responsible for the comprehensive evaluation, and your attendance for the morning exercises will be considered full."
Xu Xiuwen was overjoyed upon hearing this.
Nearby, Dong Jun and the other two were stunned to see Xu Xiuwen negotiating with the counselor, especially since the counselor actually agreed to his request.
They had only one thought in their minds: Is this even possible?
Guan Congshan interrupted him, saying, "Don't be too happy yet. I have a condition as well."
"Counselor, please go ahead."
"Since I've agreed to exempt you from the morning exercises, don't you think you should promise me to do a good job with the evening party?"
"No problem, counselor. You can count on me."
Guan Congshan wasn't that easy to fool. He sternly said, "The department's freshman welcome party is very important. Don't try to shirk this responsibility."
"So what do you want me to do?"
"I want you to make a pledge."
"A pledge?" Xu Xiuwen was taken aback.
"That's right. Since Dong Jun and the others are here, they can be witnesses. You need to promise me that you'll ensure the welcome party is a success."
Xu Xiuwen was silent for a moment. Then he looked up at Guan Congshan and said very seriously, "Alright, counselor. I promise you, I'll do a good job with this welcome party."
Xu Xiuwen was not someone who acted impulsively.
His attitude was that if he was going to do something, he would do it well, and he would never do it half-heartedly.
So from the moment he agreed to organize the party, he never thought of doing it carelessly.
Since he had decided to take the party seriously, it was no big deal to set a military order.
The worst-case scenario would be that the party turned out poorly and the special privileges would be revoked.
When Guan Congshan heard Xu Xiuwen's words, a smile reappeared on his face.
Xu Xiuwen proactively asked, "Counselor, can we seek external help for the department's welcome party?"
Guan Congshan nodded, "Of course you can. The school leadership was worried that you might not have enough experience to handle it well, so they sent people from the school's literary and art department to help."
Xu Xiuwen couldn't help but laugh, "Counselor, why didn't you say so earlier? With help from the school's literary and art department, there's no need for me at all!"
Guan Congshan explained, "Don't get it wrong. The people from the school's literary and art department are there to assist, not to lead. How the party is organized still needs to be discussed and planned by the department's student council and the class officers, with you overseeing the whole thing."
At this moment, Xu Xiuwen breathed a sigh of relief. With help from the school's literary and art department, the department's student council, and the input of the class monitors, secretaries, and art committee members from the four majors, how could they not pull off a successful departmental party?
Guan Congshan chatted with Dong Jun and the other two for a while longer.
Unlike Xu Xiuwen, the three of them were not as bold and daring to negotiate terms with the counselor.
When they heard the counselor ask them to put more effort into the department's party, they all nodded and agreed repeatedly.