The Youth League Committee (YLC) has different roles depending on the school. In some institutions, it's just an ordinary mid-level department, but in the Finance Academy, it holds significant influence. From the student council to the admissions office, from logistics management to resource allocation, the YLC can have a say in many matters.
After class, Chen Hansheng followed Hu Linyu to the office building, with Shen Youchu quietly trailing behind. When she saw Chen Hansheng's determined expression, she dared not speak.
*Knock, knock, knock.*
At the door of a single office, Hu Linyu greeted, "Teacher Yu, sorry to disturb you again."
Chen Hansheng glanced at the position information posted on the wall: Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Committee of the Finance Academy, Yu Yueping.
Yu Yueping, in his 40s, wore glasses with dark, golden frames. Perhaps due to spending too much time in the office, his body was slightly overweight. He was drafting a document when he noticed Hu Linyu and said impatiently, "Why are you here again? I already told you that applying for the poverty student assistance fund requires a process, and the proof materials from that student, Shen Youchu, are insufficient. We still need to verify with the local government departments."
"How long will this take, Teacher Yu?" Hu Linyu quickly asked.
Yu Yueping, still not looking up, replied slowly, "It's hard to say. It could take a long or short time. But once we verify everything, the assistance will definitely be given."
Hu Linyu, hearing that there was still no definite answer, grew anxious. "I submitted the materials before the holiday, and you told me you started reviewing them. Why is it still undecided?"
Yu Yueping responded lazily, "The school has its rules, and the finance office has its procedures. You should understand that."
After saying that, Yu Yueping ignored Hu Linyu, Chen Hansheng, and Shen Youchu, burying himself in his paperwork, with only the sound of the air conditioning filling the room.
"Again like this," Hu Linyu muttered to herself, frustrated. It felt like punching cotton — stuck with no way to go forward or backward.
She turned to look at Chen Hansheng, who was observing coldly, and at Shen Youchu, who stood cautiously at the door, her beautiful eyes filled with both hope and disappointment.
*Phew!*
Hu Linyu exhaled sharply. After encountering such indifference a few times, she would normally leave helplessly. But now that Chen Hansheng was here, she couldn't let him look down on her.
"Teacher Yu, it's well known that Shen Youchu comes from a poor family. She only eats rice for three cents and free seaweed egg soup every day," Hu Linyu spoke earnestly. "She works part-time at the library and doesn't finish until 10 PM every night. Now she's planning to work part-time at the cafeteria just to save money for dinner. Teacher Yu, these are all visible facts!"
…
Hu Linyu explained passionately, but Yu Yueping didn't respond, as though he hadn't heard a word.
After facing this kind of cold reception and the accumulated anger from previous incidents, Hu Linyu couldn't take it anymore. With a *slam*, she slapped the desk.
Everyone was startled, and Yu Yueping even dropped his pen.
"Do you really think you're qualified to be a teacher and a Party member?!" Hu Linyu yelled, her short hair standing on end with the force of her words.
Chen Hansheng immediately realized the situation and rushed to stop Hu Linyu. Unexpectedly, Yu Yueping also got angry. He pulled a stamp from his drawer and slammed it onto the desk. "Since you say so, here's the stamp. You can be in charge of the approval."
Hu Linyu, acting impulsively, tried to move forward, but Chen Hansheng quickly blocked her. "Hu Linyu, don't do something stupid."
"Chen Hansheng, don't stop me. You like Shen Youchu, right? You should be on our side!" Hu Linyu spoke with a tearful voice.
Chen Hansheng realized that this issue wasn't just about sides. To successfully apply, he had to think of himself and the school as being on the same team.
The money was a minor issue, but the real benefit of Shen Youchu securing the status of a poverty student was that she would have an advantage in other applications.
In the end, Chen Hansheng managed to calm Hu Linyu down and cleaned up Yu Yueping's stamp and desk.
After leaving the office building, Hu Linyu couldn't hold back her tears. "Shen Youchu meets all the requirements, but he still won't approve it. Why?"
Shen Youchu, wearing an old school uniform sleeve, probably from high school, still too big for her and already faded from washing, gently wiped away Hu Linyu's tears. She whispered, "Then let's not apply. Let's not come back here anymore."
"What will you do in the future?" Hu Linyu asked, wiping her tears. She was quick to cry but also quick to get over it.
"It's okay, I'll be fine," Shen Youchu replied quietly, her voice steady but carrying an underlying strength.
At first, Chen Hansheng was surprised. But when he realized Shen Youchu still didn't dare to look at him, he suddenly understood that this strength wasn't something inherent in her character, but rather something she had learned from facing hardships in her life.
Shen Youchu was still pure, kind, and timid, even submissive in front of him. However, due to her tough upbringing, she was naturally prepared to quietly face any life difficulties.
Chen Hansheng sighed and suddenly turned to Hu Linyu. "Give me Shen Youchu's application materials."
"Can you handle it?" Hu Linyu asked, her eyes red from crying.
Chen Hansheng shook his head. "I'm not sure, but if you let me intervene early, it should be a bit easier."
"You intervening early won't help. The problem is that teacher doesn't understand the system!" Hu Linyu was still angry.
"He doesn't not understand the system; it's that you don't understand human politics, Comrade Hu," Chen Hansheng said casually, flipping through the application materials. "You guys go back. I'll take care of this."
"What are you planning to do?" Hu Linyu asked, still unconvinced.
"I have my ways. One, I'll clean up your mess. Two, I'll create opportunities for myself," Chen Hansheng replied.
Hu Linyu felt guilty and realized her impulsiveness had made things harder. But "creating opportunities for myself"? What did that mean? It sounded like there might be a positive side to Chen Hansheng's words.
Seeing the confused look on Hu Linyu's face, Chen Hansheng, unusually serious, explained, "When one door closes, another opens. Sometimes, problems seem insurmountable, but they hide opportunities."
"For example, although you've offended the Youth League teacher, if I can resolve this conflict, it actually creates an opportunity for more communication with the Youth League."
"One loss, one gain. Isn't that how it works?" Hu Linyu finally understood.
"Exactly. Who knows, after solving this, I might even find love," Chen Hansheng said with a grin, glancing at Shen Youchu. She immediately blushed and looked down at her feet.
Hu Linyu clicked her tongue, grabbed Shen Youchu, and prepared to leave, commenting, "Class leader, you're actually quite handsome when you're serious."
"Little Hu, I advise you not to be delusional. It's not going to happen between us. You should think about Jin Yangming instead."
"Bah!"