79: Chapter 78 The First Meeting of the Class Committee

At 8:00 PM, in the meeting room on the second floor of the Provincial Party School's comprehensive building, all five newly promoted committee members of the Spark Class were present.

Instructor Gao Jianguo sat at the head of the table. To his right was Class Monitor, and to his left was Zhu Wenhao. Study Committee Member Cao Rui, Zhou Xu, and Shen Zhe were seated in order. Liu Ruobing sat at the end as the recorder.

Instructor Gao Jianguo picked up his teacup, took a sip, and cleared the thick phlegm from his throat.

"Now that the opening ceremony is over, the leadership team of our Spark Class has been established. For this full-time training, discipline is the top priority. We need to set up strict rules for dormitory management, morning exercise attendance, and classroom performance."

Class Monitor spoke first.

"Instructor Gao is right."

"Our class has thirty people; we cannot be a loose sand. Zhu Wenhao is the Party Branch Secretary and will be in charge of ideological development."

"I propose that the branch take the lead in managing daily schedules, attendance, and dormitory inspections, with daily reports. Leading business with Party building is the most convincing approach."

He was offloading all the trivial, thankless tasks—like checking attendance and hygiene—entirely onto the branch.

He calculated that if the branch checked rooms and deducted points every day, within half a month, Zhu Wenhao would offend all thirty young people in the class, who all had complex backgrounds.

If he didn't do it well, he would be punished. If he achieved results, he would just be making wedding clothes for others.

Instructor Gao Jianguo tapped the tabletop.

"I think that's feasible."

"It is only right and proper for the Branch Secretary to take the lead in enforcing discipline."

Several gazes converged on Zhu Wenhao. Study Committee Member Cao Rui looked down at his pen. Zhou Xu adjusted his glasses. Shen Zhe flipped through the blank notebook in front of him.

Zhu Wenhao's expression remained unhurried. "The Class Monitor's proposal is excellent."

"Discipline is the bottom line, and the branch is duty-bound."

Class Monitor and Instructor Gao Jianguo exchanged a glance; neither had expected Zhu Wenhao to accept the challenge so readily.

Zhu Wenhao changed the subject, his tone still calm.

"However, governance does not lie in excessive talk. To manage a collective, powers and responsibilities must be clear, and the division of labor must be refined."

"If the branch takes on everything, that would be overstepping its authority and would also violate the original intention of establishing the class committee."

His gaze swept across the tabletop. "Managing a class is like governing. I propose a draft for detailed quantitative evaluation."

"First, classroom attendance and credit statistics, which concern study style."

"This will be the full-time responsibility of Study Committee Member Cao Rui. He will summarize the data weekly and issue a report on academic progress."

Study Committee Member Cao Rui sat on the side, his back involuntarily straightening. Being given the power to calculate credits was equivalent to holding the lifeline of all the students. This was real power. He nodded immediately.

"It is my duty; I will not be vague about it."

Zhu Wenhao shifted his gaze.

"Second, dormitory hygiene and daily life discipline."

"This is the red line for logistics support. It will be the responsibility of Life Committee Member Shen Zhe."

"Shen Zhe worked on cadre inspection at the Provincial Organization Department; he has a unique eye and is best suited for checking for omissions."

Shen Zhe responded cleanly and decisively.

"Agreed."

"Third, the disciplinary organization for various Party building activities and off-campus research will be coordinated by Zhou Xu."

"As a cadre from the Provincial Party Committee Office, he is the most disciplined in handling affairs, and everyone can trust him."

Zhou Xu pushed up his black-rimmed glasses and replied with only one word.

"Done."

With clear analysis and just a few words, Zhu Wenhao distributed the most thankless yet powerful tasks to the three people best suited for them and with the strongest backgrounds.

Class Monitor's expression froze. All the tasks had been distributed; what was he, the Class Monitor, supposed to do?

"Zhu Wenhao, if you divide it like this, with someone already in charge of attendance, hygiene, and activities, what is the point of me as Class Monitor in the class committee?"

Zhu Wenhao leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlaced.

"The position of Class Monitor is crucial."

"The art of commanding generals lies in employing people. The Class Monitor must grasp the big picture."

"The assessment data from Study Committee Member Cao Rui, Shen Zhe, and Zhou Xu will be submitted to the Class Monitor uniformly before the end of work every Friday."

"The Class Monitor will summarize and audit them, then sign and stamp them. After confirming there are no errors, it will be submitted to the Party Branch for final approval and public announcement."

Class Monitor gripped the signature pen in his hand tightly.

This is called grasping the big picture? He felt a sense of powerlessness.

All the actual power and assessment standards were in the hands of the three committee members below. The final approval power was in the hands of the Branch Secretary. He, the Class Monitor, was stuck in the middle. When the people below submitted data, he could only sign. If he didn't sign, he would be enemies with the forces behind Study Committee Member Cao Rui, Shen Zhe, and Zhou Xu; if he signed, the credit would go to the branch, and he would have to bear part of the infamy.

Instructor Gao Jianguo said, "Zhu Wenhao! You are sidelining the Class Monitor!"

"How can there be a Class Monitor who doesn't manage specific affairs?"

Zhu Wenhao remained emotionless, calmly asking back.

"Instructor Gao, in the modern administrative management system, must the head of the Municipal Government personally go to the street to issue tickets? Must the head of the Provincial Government personally go to the countryside to measure rice yields?"

"Power is used to distribute responsibility, not to satisfy private desires."

"Each performs their duties, and power and responsibility are equal."

"The Class Monitor coordinates and summarizes, reflecting the procedural role of the administrative chief; the branch checks and directs, exerting the core leadership role of the Party organization."

"Putting the right people in the right positions is more brilliant than doing everything oneself. This set of rules of procedure would not have any flaws in any department of the Provincial Party Committee."

He brought out the iron law of administrative management, directly sealing off Instructor Gao Jianguo's retreat.

Zhou Xu spoke at the right time, breaking the deadlock.

"The Provincial Party Committee Office does indeed operate this way."

"The division chief only signs and checks; specific business is all in each section. I think Zhu Wenhao's proposal is scientific and efficient. I agree."

Zhou Xu's background was the Provincial Party Committee Office; once he spoke, it was equivalent to finalizing the proposal.

Study Committee Member Cao Rui followed closely.

"Agreed. This way, everyone has clear goals, and there will be fewer instances of passing the buck."

Shen Zhe echoed.

"I agree with the plan."

Of the five committee members, three agreed.

Instructor Gao Jianguo sat in the main seat, his knuckles tightly gripping the teacup handle. He had intended to dig a pit and set a trap, but unexpectedly, the other party used his own strength against him, turning the class into a miniature version of the officialdom structure with a few words. Zhu Wenhao not only resolved the crisis but also conveniently tied the three forces—Study Committee Member Cao Rui, Zhou Xu, and Shen Zhe—firmly onto the Party Branch's chariot.

Class Monitor was completely isolated.

"Since the majority agrees," Instructor Gao Jianguo said through gritted teeth, "we will proceed according to this charter. Dismissed!"

Everyone stood up and walked out.

In the corridor, the night wind blew through.

As the meeting recorder, Liu Ruobing heard the confrontation in the meeting room clearly.

She watched Zhu Wenhao walk out from the back door with steady and unhurried steps.

"Zhu Wenhao." Liu Ruobing called out to him.

Zhu Wenhao stopped.

"You handed out all the work and became a hands-off manager yourself. Aren't you afraid that the three of them will collude and sideline you as the Branch Secretary?" Liu Ruobing asked.

Zhu Wenhao straightened his cuffs.

"Employ people without suspicion."

"Those who distribute the rules often control the situation. As long as I set the rules of the game, the more fiercely they fight within this framework, the more stable this system becomes."

His gaze swept over the address book in Liu Ruobing's hand.

"Those who are good at planning, plan for the situation; those who are not, plan for the pieces. It is enough to let the capable serve loyally and the mediocre obey orders."

Leaving these words behind, Zhu Wenhao walked towards the dormitory area, leaving Liu Ruobing to ponder alone in the corridor.