MC Bookstore The cost of 059 votes
The cost of 059 votes
The classroom grew quieter as the students finished writing down their names for voting, and there was no longer any need for them to secretly discuss or campaign for votes.
"Has everyone finished writing?" Teacher Zhao said, gesturing for the two students sitting in the first row to stand up. "I'd like to trouble you two to be in charge of counting and tallying the votes. Just write tally marks on the blackboard."
There are 32 students in the class, 17 boys and 15 girls.
Eleven names were already written on the blackboard: five boys and six girls were running for the position. Clearly, many students were interested in this role, which would boost their overall assessment score and give them an advantage in front of the counselor.
"Yang Fan, one vote."
"Huang Yue, one vote."
"Zhang Jiwei, one vote..."
As the vote counting continued, the tally mark on the blackboard began to slowly grow.
Just as Wang Zhe had predicted, the votes were very scattered. After all, most people had only known each other for less than two hours, and no one really knew anyone else. Most people filled in the ballots based on first impressions or just randomly.
However, the number of strokes in Yang Fan's name has increased remarkably steadily.
The final statistics are out.
Yang Fan: 8 votes.
Huang Yue: 7 votes.
Most of the other people received between 2 and 6 votes.
8 votes.
This number is quite subtle. Wang Zhe glanced at Yang Fan sitting in the front row. The guy was turning around and winking at the four people in room 404 and the four boys in room 403 next door.
Is this the power of social gatherings?
The two male dorm rooms, including Yang Fan himself, total exactly eight people. In this small class of only 32 students, if these two dorm rooms are secured, victory is practically guaranteed.
In his previous life, Wang Zhe ran for election, and Yang Fan didn't have time to use the social gathering to win over the other dormitories. As a result, Wang Zhe, who received 7 votes, took the position of temporary class monitor. But this time, without Wang Zhe interfering, Yang Fan got what he wanted.
Teacher Zhao glanced at the blackboard and announced, "Alright, our temporary class monitors will be Yang Fan and Huang Yue."
Sparse applause broke out.
Yang Fan stood up, beaming, and bowed deeply, looking smug and triumphant. Huang Yue also stood up confidently, smiled, and winked at Song Zhiyi.
Next, Teacher Zhao gave some instructions on other trivial matters.
"There are many art supply stores around the school, so you'd better prepare your sketching paper, pencils, and drawing boards in advance. Then, orientation and military training will begin next week, and the training uniforms will be distributed tomorrow..."
After rambling on for half an hour, Teacher Zhao finally closed the folder.
"Alright, that's all for today. Everyone go home and get some rest. Be careful on campus and don't trust anyone trying to sell you English newspapers or credit cards. Meeting adjourned."
As soon as the counselor left, the classroom erupted in noise. Students got up and left in twos and threes.
Soon, most of the people in the classroom had left.
However, the four people from room 404 and the four people from room 403 in the row in front of them stayed behind and gathered together.
Yang Fan had shed his obedient demeanor in front of his teacher and reverted to his former street-smart self.
He plopped down on the desk, looked at his seven brothers in front of him, and waved his hand with a hearty laugh: "Thanks, guys! I definitely wouldn't have been elected today if it weren't for you."
"Enough nonsense," Fang Gang said, pulling out some sunflower seeds from his pocket and cracking them open. "You've become the squad leader, what about your promise? When are you going to fulfill it?"
Wei Jing pushed up his glasses and said, "That's right, that's right. I voted because of the social event you mentioned."
"Don't worry, I, Yang, am a man of my word!" Yang Fan patted his chest and said mysteriously, "Tomorrow at noon! At the self-service barbecue restaurant behind the school, I've already made a reservation!"
Fang Gang was taken aback: "Tomorrow at noon, so soon? And... just a few of us grown men going out for barbecue? Didn't you say there was a social event?"
Yang Fan chuckled: "The get-together I was talking about is tomorrow at noon! Don't worry, I've already made plans with the girls from the first class of the oil painting department. They agreed to have lunch with us tomorrow."
"Holy crap?!"
Even the usually composed Wang Zhe couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"Oil painting major?" Wei Jing's eyes widened instantly, and her breathing quickened. "They're all art students, right? Are all art students beautiful?"
Wang Zhe reminded him, "When it comes to painting, you don't look at the artist's face or figure."
Yang Fan, however, said smugly, "But the girls in the oil painting department are really pretty, and I just checked, they'll probably have ten to twelve girls coming. We have eight guys from two dorm rooms. That's a perfect ratio—more wolves than sheep. Guys, I've created this opportunity for you; whether you find a girlfriend or not is up to you!"
"Awesome!" Fang Gang gave a thumbs up. "Old Yang, your efficiency is amazing! We've only been here for one day, and you've already hooked up with someone from the oil painting department? Isn't your social skill a bit incredible?"
Wang Zhe couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "Truly impressive. These kinds of cross-departmental social events are usually organized by seasoned veterans. You've only just arrived and you've already managed to build a team; you're a real talent."
Yang Fan, feeling a little flattered by the praise, scratched his head and chuckled, "Hehe, actually it was just good luck. On the train to Shanghai and Hong Kong, the girl sitting opposite me happened to be from the oil painting department. We chatted the whole way, added each other on WeChat, and became quite close. Just now, I mentioned it on WeChat, and she agreed to call my classmate for me."
"So you met on the train!" Everyone suddenly realized and cast envious glances at each other.
At this moment, Wei Jing suddenly remembered something, turned to look at Wang Zhe, and his eyes were somewhat complicated.
"Hey, Lao Wang. Are you going to that social gathering tomorrow?"
"Go ahead, why not?" Wang Zhe said matter-of-factly.
Someone's treating us to barbecue, so why not take it?
"But..." Wei Jing hesitated for a moment, then pointed to the seat Song Zhiyi had just been sitting in, "If you go there, what about Song Zhiyi? What if she finds out that you went on a social event with girls from the oil painting department behind her back..."
Yang Fan also curiously leaned closer: "Song Zhiyi, the really pretty one? You still have a relationship with her?"
All eyes were on Wang Zhe.
Wang Zhe smiled, spread his hands, and said in an extremely frank tone, "You're overthinking it. We're just normal friends, high school classmates. Although we do have a good relationship, it's definitely not a romantic one. I don't need to report to anyone when I go to a blind date."
However, no sooner had he finished speaking than there was a knock on the classroom door.
Everyone turned around quickly and saw Song Zhiyi, whom they had just been discussing, standing at the door.
The girl wore a gentle and graceful smile, but it sent chills down the spines of all the boys present.
"Sorry... I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I just left something in the classroom and came back to get it. I didn't expect... I overheard you guys talking about tomorrow's dinner party."
As she spoke, Song Zhiyi walked in and picked up a notebook from her previous seat.
Quiet.
A deathly silence.
Everyone looked at Wang Zhe again, only to find that the young man didn't seem flustered at all.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.