The You family had grown decidedly cautious where Wei Zhao was concerned. If even a late-stage Earth-tier master of the Zhao family could do nothing against him, what other cards did the You family have left to play? They couldn't very well send a Heaven-tier master, could they? Even if the You family wanted to, the ancient clans would never permit it—for all its power, the Profound Pill Sect did not get to call every shot itself.

"Very well, Wei Zhao. Vote for me, and you will be amply rewarded in time!" Having no way to touch Wei Zhao, You Panhu could only swallow his pride for the moment. "All fights aside, we've gotten to know each other, haven't we? What do you say we become friends?"

"All right then—I'll vote for you." As he spoke, Wei Zhao snatched the cardboard box straight out of Yellow-Hair's hands. Inside were no fewer than twenty red envelopes, extras You Panhu had clearly prepared for just such an occasion.

"Well, that's..." Yellow-Hair stared blankly as Wei Zhao pocketed every last one of them.

"This whole row is my friends. I'll have them vote for you in a bit." Wei Zhao pointed toward Bai Weituo and the others as he said it.

"Well... all right..." Not daring to argue with Wei Zhao, Yellow-Hair let go of his grip in sour defeat.

Wei Zhao, meanwhile, set the box down on Bai Weituo's desk. "Take it back. It's a gesture of goodwill—if we don't accept, they'll be the ones losing face."

You Panhu breathed a sigh of relief at Wei Zhao's assurance. In truth, he had no great interest in becoming class monitor himself, but his family took the matter very seriously—and he knew full well what this pharmacy major stood for.

To open so eccentric a major at a science and engineering university, and a niche one at that, with only a handful of students, meant the power behind it could not be underestimated. And this was a man the You family held in deep respect. If You Panhu could graduate from here without a hitch, win that man's guidance, and one day inherit the headship of the You family, it would be no idle fantasy at all.

"Ahem... I say, young man, standing up there on the dais—do you mean to take my place? Do you fancy yourself the lecturer for our pharmacy major?" An old man walked into the classroom, smiled faintly at You Panhu behind the podium, and delivered a dry crack of humor.

For all his usual bluster, the moment You Panhu saw this man he shrank like a mouse before a cat, bowing and scraping. "Elder Bai..."

The old man's brow creased slightly at the form of address. "This is a school. Call me Professor Bai—or add the proper title and call me Teacher Bai."

The newcomer was none other than Bai Weituo's grandfather. Wei Zhao had known the identity for some time and was not especially surprised; when he had treated the old man, the latter had promised to teach him the knowledge of medicine and pharmacy, but Wei Zhao had thought nothing of it then—never imagining that this old man was a professor right here.

Still, he had learned the news two days ago and felt no fresh delight. What stirred Wei Zhao's curiosity was instead You Panhu's reverent manner and that form of address: what exactly was the relationship between You Panhu and Bai Weituo's grandfather?

Could there be some close bond between them? At the thought, Wei Zhao's face darkened. He and Bai Weituo were unquestionably good friends now; if the You family had some connection to Bai Weituo's family, Wei Zhao would be in a very awkward position between the two.

But catching Bai Weituo's eye, Wei Zhao saw no sign that the young man knew You Panhu at all, and relaxed. So, though You Panhu knew Bai Weituo's grandfather, the two could not be terribly close.

"Yes, Professor Bai. Then I'll step down." So saying, You Panhu led Purple-Hair and Yellow-Hair to the back of the classroom and took the seats in the third row nearest the door.

His manners were better than Wei Zhao had ever imagined—who would have thought You Panhu could be so devoted a respecter of teachers?

"Good day, classmates. I am your major's adviser, and the only adviser you'll have. To put it plainly: in this major, I'm the head, and what I say goes!" Bai Weituo's grandfather walked to the center of the dais and introduced himself with great good humor. "My name is Bai Lingtou—yes, you heard that correctly, 'lingtou,' the leader. As I just said, I am the one in charge here!"

"Huh?" The students below the platform froze. They had never expected a teacher to call himself the leader—and to do so so brazenly at that!

"No need to doubt it—this old man's name really is Bai Lingtou!" Bai Weituo's grandfather let out a hearty laugh. "Every class that hears the name is astonished, but such is the fact. And Bai Weituo among you is my own grandson—he can testify that my name is genuine!"

"Ha ha..." The class could no longer hold back their laughter. It was plain to see that Bai Lingtou was a warm-hearted old fellow—at least nothing like the starched, rigid sort of teacher they dreaded. What they did not know, in fact, was that behind that merry facade Bai Lingtou was a severe man, a point on which Bai Weituo had felt the full weight of his experience.

"Now then. Our major has only one class, and that class is just the dozen-odd of you. As for the class monitor, there's no need for any election—I'll simply appoint one." Bai Lingtou's gaze swept over the students in their seats and at last settled on Wei Zhao. "Wei Zhao—you'll do!"

"Me?" Wei Zhao blinked, staring at Bai Weituo's grandfather in some confusion. How had he become class monitor? In all honesty, had it been an election, Wei Zhao wouldn't have minded casting his vote for You Panhu, for he had no ambition for the post to begin with.

But now Bai Lingtou, quite unexpectedly, had dispensed with the class vote and appointed him outright—and that caught Wei Zhao off guard.

"Wei Zhao, stand up and let everyone get a look at you." Bai Lingtou beamed at him, his eyes holding something indefinably playful—excitement, delight, and a trace of gloating.

Wei Zhao rose, somewhat helplessly. You Panhu frowned. He had never imagined that Bai Lingtou would let no one run for class monitor and instead resort to this direct appointment! True, universities had no fixed system for choosing a class monitor, but campaign speeches followed by a class vote had long since become the standard practice at most schools.

From what You Panhu knew, every other department and major at Donghai Engineering University elected their monitor in exactly this fashion—news he had picked up from Li Biaohan and Zhuang Niaodao. That was precisely why he had resorted to handing out red envelopes today to win his classmates over. Who could have imagined they would be entirely unnecessary!

Irritated as he was, You Panhu knew he could hardly blame Wei Zhao for this; that utterly baffled look on the man's face seemed no act at all.

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