Chapter 374: The Unusual Classmate

Wu Yang's countermeasure was simple: label the batch of students who support Lu Cheng as hedonists.

The hat they're putting on is no small thing; hedonism is a form of the exploiting class.

Although the flood has passed, its gust's impact remains deeply etched in everyone's heart.

Even though we no longer have to be dragged onto the stage for struggle sessions, as worker‑peasant‑soldier trainees we will eventually return to the revolutionary masses, and no one wants to wear such a "hedonism" hat.

This Wu Yang countermeasure proved effective; many people were isolated by others for supporting Lu Cheng.

In the cusp of entering a new era, the two ideologies continuously entangle and clash.

Nevertheless, Wu Yang's ideas can be placed openly, unchallenged, and no one dares to question them, giving them a slight edge.

Lu Cheng walked around the campus and also noticed this strange phenomenon.

Just two days ago, everyone was engaged in heated debate over the published editorial, their faces beaming with smiles.

But after only one night, the discussion ceased, replaced by a solemn atmosphere; every classmate hurried along, heads down.

A few days earlier, many unfamiliar classmates greeted Lu Cheng, even approaching to ask detailed questions about clubs, but today it was entirely different.

It seemed that giving Lu Cheng an extra glance with one's eyes was treated as a crime; everyone was actively avoiding him.

Although Lu Cheng didn't know exactly what had happened, he vaguely sensed that the current situation was unfavorable to him.

Zheng Guoping secretly inquired and learned why the classmates were acting this way.

Zheng Guoping clenched his fists, clearly furious.

"This third‑year Wu Yang is such a damn scumbag, using these lowly tactics; people choosing whom to vote for is each person's freedom, how can he label them hedonists? That's forced labeling."

Lu Cheng also felt it was tricky; once anything escalates to a political issue, it becomes a big deal.

Facing Wu Yang's countermeasure, Lu Cheng found himself powerless, because Wu Yang's propaganda contained no errors—things like strengthening political study, enhancing ideological education, Remembering bitterness, thinking sweetness, etc., were all correct.

If Lu Cheng dared to claim Wu Yang was wrong, it would be opposing the school, opposing the vast revolutionary masses, and could even be elevated by Wu Yang to opposing the state.

That is a hundred times more serious than merely slapping on a hedonism hat.

Lu Cheng felt helpless; he had only intended to enrich campus life, allowing moral, intellectual, physical, and aesthetic development, yet it turned into a political incident.

"What should we do, Third? Although we sophomores can band together to support you, some freshmen are wavering."

That sophomores still chose to firmly support him at this moment owes to Lu Cheng's strong popular base.

Lu Cheng felt quite moved, and thus wanted even more to become president; at this moment, he was no longer thinking for himself, but considering that becoming president would give him more means to recruit talent for the Research Institute.

At this moment, he truly wanted to do something for the students.

Compared with Zheng Guoping's anxiety, Lu Cheng remained calm.

He believed there was still a chance, because this election was secret ballot.

He could only hope that all classmates would follow their hearts when voting, unbound by any hedonism hat.

This made it somewhat gamble‑like, but there was no alternative; time was out, the election would officially start tomorrow, and now they could only gamble once.

The next day, the university campus was bustling.

That morning there were no classes, and over a thousand worker‑peasant‑soldier trainees poured into Da Litang, crowding it to the point of blockage, chattering like a flock of swallows.

This hall is only opened for the school's large‑scale events, and establishing a Student Committee this time was not just a matter for all students but also a national first.

The school placed great importance on it; several senior leaders arrived as witnesses, seated on the podium, while at a row of tables on the other side sat four judges, one of whom was Yang Kaiming.

Many students entered the hall, their clothing colors almost identical; Yang Kaiming glanced around but did not see his daughter's figure.

His daughter said she would also come today, but early this morning she said she went to find classmates, so it seemed she wouldn't come.

In the center of the stage were five ballot boxes, indicating that there were five candidates for the presidential election.

Four were juniors, and the other was sophomore Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng's chances were slim; that was Yang Kaiming's first reaction.

About half an hour later, the students were all present, and each class, as a unit, filled the seats below.

At that moment, a director ran to the leaders on stage and said that everyone had arrived, so the activity could begin; the Vice Principal nodded, then brought the microphone to himself.

"Classmates, quiet down… our activity is about to start…"

As the microphone's voice echoed through the speakers, the murmuring students gradually fell silent.

"Everyone knows the college entrance exam has been reinstated, which means that in the future the system of university admission by unit recommendation will be reduced or even abolished, and consequently university entrants will mainly be fresh graduates."

"To cope with this, our school plans to establish a Student Committee; the original purpose of setting up this organization is, of course, to better serve the vast student body and protect students' legitimate rights…"

The Vice Principal spoke fluently on the stage; at first the students listened attentively, but gradually grew bored and started whispering to each other.

The five candidates sat in the front row, and Zheng Guoping, seated in the second row, patted Lu Cheng's shoulder from behind.

"Third, don't be too nervous; whether we lose or win today, we brothers support you the most."

Lu Cheng wasn't nervous at all; he had never been nervous facing department leaders' seated activities before, let alone a student‑led event.

Lu Cheng didn't even turn his head, muttering, "Just wait, someday I'll sit in that spot and give a speech to you."

Zheng Guoping glanced and realized Lu Cheng was pointing at the Vice Principal's seat.

"Damn!"

Zheng Guoping sat back down and muttered to Wei Shu, who was reading nearby, "I was afraid he'd be nervous, so I tried to comfort him, and he ended up bragging to me."

Wei Shu didn't look up: "Who's bragging?"

Zheng Guoping shot a glance and instantly felt his anger flare.

"Can you stop hugging that book, look at how thick your lenses are, aren't you afraid you'll go blind! Also, since you're in university, why don't you hurry up find a girlfriend? All you do is read, as if the book could be a wife."

Wei Shu turned a page by himself and said, "Within books there is beauty like jade."

"Damn! You really are beyond help."

Zheng Guoping cursed, rested both hands on the chair back, sighed, and thought he really couldn't get along with these two.

He also didn't know whether Li Youfu now was, like Wei Shu, sitting in the fields clutching a book, or carrying a hoe sweating like rain.

The Vice Principal's speech ended after an hour, clearly hoarse, and he gulped down half a cup of water.

Alright, that's all for today; now, the five candidates are invited to give their final mobilization speeches.