121: Chapter 121 Solving Class Committee Issues

Inside the conference room, Class Monitor was spouting grand promises to Study Committee Member Cao Rui, building a new alliance.

The door was pushed open from the outside.

Zhu Wenhao stepped inside.

Class Monitor's words caught in his throat, and his Adam's apple bobbed unnaturally.

"Are you two having a meeting?"

Zhu Wenhao's tone was flat as he walked straight to his seat.

Just as Liu Ruobing was about to explain, Class Monitor spoke up first: "The meeting is halfway through, everyone is a bit tired, so we're taking a break before continuing."

Zhu Wenhao didn't look at Class Monitor, his gaze landing on Study Committee Member Cao Rui instead.

"Study Committee Member, is that the case?"

Study Committee Member Cao Rui felt a layer of cold sweat creep down his back.

Zhu Wenhao had clearly taken leave, yet he had suddenly staged a surprise return.

"Yes... that's the case, Zhu Wenhao. Zhou Xu and Shen Zhe went out for a smoke to get some air."

"Ruobing, give them both a call."

Zhu Wenhao pulled out his chair and sat down. "Tell them I'm back, and we're continuing the meeting."

Liu Ruobing gripped her phone, subconsciously glancing at Zhu Wenhao. Seeing him cast an irrefutable gaze her way, she hurriedly stood up and walked out quickly with her phone.

Three men remained in the conference room.

To break the agonizing silence, Study Committee Member Cao Rui took the initiative to speak: "Zhu Wenhao, how did you handle things at home? Everyone knows about your girlfriend getting injured."

Zhu Wenhao was taken aback.

At Li Zhenguo's birthday banquet a few days ago, he had left suddenly, and afterward, Old Master Li had personally issued a gag order, forbidding the reason for his departure from being leaked.

How did this news leak into the Spark Class?

Seeing his expression, Study Committee Member Cao Rui continued: "That day, Principal Zhou was teaching, and you didn't come. Director Song came to the class to announce that you had an emergency, that Minister Xiao had personally approved your leave, and told us committee members to lead well in the meantime."

"At first, nobody thought much of it. But the next day, Liu Ruobing's eyes were red, which made everyone wonder."

Study Committee Member Cao Rui lowered his voice. "Later, her roommate let it slip. She said that the night before, she heard Liu Ruobing on the phone in the dorm, constantly asking her father where you had gone."

"Director Liu refused to say anything at first, but later, he couldn't handle her pestering and let it slip, saying your girlfriend, Su Qinghan, had been severely injured by a gang, and you had rushed back overnight to visit her. Director Liu gave repeated warnings, saying that Old Master Li had issued a gag order and it absolutely could not be spread around."

Study Committee Member Cao Rui shook his head.

"As it turned out, the girl had turned on speakerphone while looking for something when she made the call. Although she later turned it off and ran to the hallway to talk, her roommate still heard everything clearly. And just like that, within half a day, the whole class knew."

After hearing this absurd sequence of events, Zhu Wenhao swept a calm glance over Study Committee Member Cao Rui and Class Monitor.

"It's true."

Zhu Wenhao did not deny it, nor did he elaborate on the tragic details as Study Committee Member Cao Rui had led into.

"However, I cannot disclose specific details. Furthermore, the matter of Su Qinghan's injury has been fully taken over by the Second Steering Group of the Provincial Party Committee Anti-Gang Office and is currently under a confidentiality phase. When the time comes, everything will be based on the official announcement."

The Second Steering Group. Confidentiality. Official announcement.

Class Monitor had originally been calculating how to use Zhu Wenhao's "taking leave to visit his girlfriend" as a personal matter to make an issue of it in the class conduct evaluation.

Now, upon hearing that it involved the Anti-Gang Office, the shadowy calculations in his heart were instantly extinguished.

His family had just been hit hard; for him to touch a case involving the Anti-Gang Office at such a sensitive time was purely seeking death.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Liu Ruobing pushed the door open, followed by Zhou Xu, who was clutching a black leather notebook, and Shen Zhe, who looked slightly uneasy.

"Since everyone is here, let's make a decision on the matter we hadn't finished discussing." Zhu Wenhao cut straight to the core.

The topic returned to the disciplinary punishment for Li Tao, a cadre from the Jingjiang City Municipal Finance Bureau.

Just now, Zhou Xu had argued for deducting points and issuing a public reprimand, deeming him unqualified, while Study Committee Member Cao Rui had argued for deducting points but rating him as qualified in the comprehensive assessment; the two were at a stalemate.

Zhu Wenhao tapped his index finger on the table twice, his rhythm steady.

"Zhou Xu's intention to uphold the law is understandable; Study Committee Member Cao Rui's starting point of empathizing with the students' practical difficulties is also in line with common sense in grassroots management. Rules cannot be broken, but we also cannot strike someone down completely."

He looked at Zhou Xu: "Li Tao's unexcused absence from the field research is a red line. Deduct an additional five points from his daily performance score, and a class-wide notice must be issued."

Turning, he looked at Study Committee Member Cao Rui: "As for the comprehensive assessment, since Study Committee Member Cao Rui is willing to vouch for him, it shows that the comrade does have some merits. We will retain the 'qualified' rating for the comprehensive assessment."

Study Committee Member Cao Rui was just about to breathe a sigh of relief, but Zhu Wenhao's next sentence made his heart tighten.

"However, since he made a mistake, there must be substantive punishment. Li Tao's qualified rating comes with an added condition. He will be solely responsible for cleaning the Spark Class classroom for the next half month. Study Committee Member Cao Rui, I leave the supervision and execution of this to you. If anything goes wrong, I will hold you accountable."

On Zhou Xu's stern face, no ripples could be seen, but he closed his notebook without raising any objections.

Deducting points, a class-wide notice, and additional labor—this was equivalent to rubbing Li Tao's face in the dirt; the law had been upheld.

Although Study Committee Member Cao Rui felt that Li Tao would suffer, he had at least preserved the bottom line of "qualified," which was enough of an explanation for the Jingjiang City circle.

He nodded in agreement: "No problem, I will definitely keep a close eye on him."

A sharp confrontation had been clearly and cleanly sliced apart by Zhu Wenhao's few understated words.

He hit both sides with fifty lashes, then gave each a sweet treat.

Class Monitor, who was sitting on the side, had completely become an outsider.

As the Class Monitor, he had just exhausted his tongue trying to smooth things over, yet no one bought it; the moment Zhu Wenhao stepped in, both of them obediently followed orders.

The subsequent meeting agenda proceeded like a hot knife through butter.

Whether it was the attendance discrepancies uncovered by Zhou Xu, the award applications for Study Committee Member Cao Rui's underlings, or the occasional proposals where Class Monitor tried to sneak in his own agenda.

Zhu Wenhao was always able to cut through them with the most precise measure.

He not only solved the problems and implemented accountability but also avoided provoking either side into a desperate fight to the death.

Liu Ruobing sat at the end, her pen barely stopping.

The trivial matters that were originally prepared to waste an entire afternoon in bickering were all reviewed and concluded in less than two hours under Zhu Wenhao's efficient suppression.

As the last resolution was written down, Liu Ruobing rubbed her sore wrist.

Zhu Wenhao picked up the water cup in front of him and moistened his throat.

"At the end of the meeting, I want to emphasize one more thing."

He looked around at the committee members present.

"Some time ago, regarding the reason for my departure from school, some untrue remarks were spread within the class."

The expressions of Study Committee Member Cao Rui and Liu Ruobing tightened simultaneously.

"Blocking the people's mouths is more dangerous than blocking a river. As students of the Spark Class, the biggest taboo is chasing shadows and making baseless comments. This is not just a matter of conduct; it is a matter of discipline. I hope that in the future, in the Spark Class, you will not believe or spread rumors, and that everything will be based on the official stance."

He locked his gaze precisely onto Shen Zhe.

"Shen Zhe."

Shen Zhe responded, quickly sitting up straight: "Secretary, please give your instructions."

"From now on, you will be responsible for controlling the public opinion trend within the class. Pay close attention to the movements below, and report promptly if there is any sign of trouble."

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhou Xu's hand, which was adjusting his glasses, paused slightly.

Public opinion control and disciplinary supervision were originally within the scope of his authority as the Organization Committee Member.

This light remark from Zhu Wenhao directly severed a portion of his power.

Zhu Wenhao did not stop the pace of personnel adjustments.

"And Study Committee Member Cao Rui." Zhu Wenhao turned his head. "Study Committee Member Cao Rui not only has to track credit statistics but also has to be responsible for summarizing various reports. It is truly hard work to collect and distribute homework alone every time."

"Shen Zhe, from now on, you will help Study Committee Member Cao Rui share the burden. You two will work together on daily homework collection and distribution and data registration."

Study Committee Member Cao Rui's heart skipped a beat.

Collecting and distributing homework might seem like a menial errand, but it was the best channel to legitimately establish contact with all thirty students in the class and exert influence.

Letting Shen Zhe intervene was equivalent to planting a spy in his base, diluting the weight he held in the students' hearts.

The best way to lock power in a cage is to ensure it cannot be concentrated.

Zhou Xu's background was too deep and needed to be restrained; Study Committee Member Cao Rui's methods of forming cliques were too practiced and needed to be diluted. And Shen Zhe, the honest man, was the perfect bargaining chip to balance these two wild horses.

"Alright, that's all for today's discussion. Meeting adjourned."

Zhu Wenhao tightened the cap on his water cup.

Zhou Xu picked up his black leather notebook, said nothing, and left with long strides.

Study Committee Member Cao Rui pulled Shen Zhe along, making polite small talk about the details of future work coordination as they walked out the door.

Class Monitor had a cold face and slammed the door as he left.

Liu Ruobing organized her meeting minutes notebook and was just about to stand up and leave.

"Ruobing, stay for a moment."

Liu Ruobing sat back down in her chair, folding her hands over her knees. The conference room door was closed, shutting out the noise of the hallway.