Chapter 32: To Be Young Is to Be Bold!

Zhou Yun was no novice. Although he had never worked in a professional environment, he was well aware of how things operated. Vice Dean Zhang’s approach clearly aimed to downplay the issue and sweep it under the rug.

Looking at the Vice Dean, Zhou Yun asked calmly, "Vice Dean Zhang, just because the procedure is compliant doesn't necessarily mean the charges are reasonable, does it?"

The Vice Dean paused, then quickly adopted an expression of empathetic helplessness. "I understand, and I agree with you. But many things are not as simple as they appear. The contract was signed through the university’s unified bidding process, and the fee structure was determined after market comparisons. If we were to remove or reduce this 'service fee' as you wish, not only would the company suffer a loss, but the university would also risk a breach of contract. Ultimately, the problem might not be resolved, and the university could lose a partner, which would only harm the students' interests in the end, wouldn't it?"

Zhou Yun shook his head inwardly, though his expression remained composed. It was clear that the Vice Dean was essentially saying that the matter was procedurally airtight and he had no intention of doing anything about it.

So, were students just expected to swallow the loss? Was that fair? Had he been the ordinary person he was in his past life, he would have conceded; after all, no one pays attention to the opinions of an average person. But now, he was no longer ordinary. He refused to accept it. It was unfair. He couldn't be bothered to ponder the deeper power dynamics at play, but he kept his thoughts hidden. He knew that getting angry was useless. He preferred to plan before acting; that was his style.

Seeing Zhou Yun remain silent, the Vice Dean assumed his rhetoric had intimidated the student. He hinted, "Of course, if you personally feel the burden of this fee is too heavy, the college can certainly consider a special subsidy for an outstanding student like you, or coordinate with the company to waive it for your dormitory. But the problem is, once we set a precedent, other students will demand the same, and the university will be unable to maintain balance. So..."

Zhou Yun grasped the subtext and smiled. "So, I shouldn't bring this up again, is that it?"

If he had only suspected it before, he was now certain. There was something fishy going on, and Vice Dean Zhang was undoubtedly a beneficiary. Otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered to speak with him personally—even with Zhou Yun’s minor achievements, there was still a significant gap in rank between a student and a vice dean.

The Vice Dean slapped his thigh. "Exactly! The college cares deeply about the practical difficulties of its students, especially those as excellent as you. However, if everyone demands a waiver, the total amount becomes astronomical. That is why I hope we can handle this as an 'individual case' for now. Once the contract with this company expires, the university will certainly conduct a re-evaluation. You can rest assured on that point."

Zhou Yun nodded thoughtfully, his tone turning more "sincere." "Vice Dean Zhang, you make a valid point. I didn't consider the situation thoroughly enough. Since the university is bound by contract, adjustments cannot be made lightly. The university's interests must come first. However, the issue with the fees does exist, and I hope the university will resolve it properly in the future. As for the subsidy, it won't be necessary; I can still afford this expense."

The Vice Dean’s eyes lit up—he had even saved himself the trouble of granting a subsidy. "Exactly! Student Zhou Yun, you are truly reasonable! Rest assured, since you’ve brought these issues to light, they will certainly be handled properly in due course. It’s good for a young person to be observant, but you shouldn't just focus on yourself; you must consider the collective interest. If you have any difficulties in the future, you can come directly to me. The college always takes special care of its outstanding students."

Zhou Yun actually had some affection for the university, or he wouldn't have chosen the same institution for his postgraduate studies after his rebirth. After all, top-tier schools were hard to get into, and mediocre ones were a dime a dozen. But nothing in this world was perfect, let alone a university of this size.

However, what he had just said was also the truth: the university’s interests had to come first—not those of Vice Dean Zhang. This matter would indeed be handled properly in the future, but the result would certainly not be one that satisfied the Vice Dean.

Zhou Yun smiled slightly. "Then I’ll be heading back."

From start to finish, he hadn't shown a hint of dissatisfaction. The Vice Dean nodded with satisfaction. As long as Zhou Yun was pacified, writing a report was easy. In any case, Dean Lin’s primary focus was on the development of the School of Computer Science; he would likely forget about this matter after a while.

Back in the laboratory, Zhou Yun sat at his desk, contemplating the situation. Qiu Yan and Yu Tianrui gathered around. They knew Zhou Yun had reported the air conditioning fee issue to Professor Deng, and since Qiu Yan was sitting close by, he had heard that Vice Dean Zhang had called Zhou Yun away. They were eager to know how the university would handle it.

"So? How will they handle it?"

Zhou Yun thought for a moment and decided to keep it vague. "The university says they will resolve it properly later."

"Did they say when?"

"No, just that it would be resolved properly."

Qiu Yan rolled his eyes. "Isn't that just a way to brush you off?" Realizing he might have spoken out of turn, he quickly added, "I didn't mean you, I just spoke too fast."

"It's fine."

"Sigh, I bet it’ll just be left unsettled in the end," Yu Tianrui said, not believing that a "proper resolution" would ever come to pass.

After a brief chat, the two returned to their seats. Zhou Yun stared at his computer screen, lost in thought. If he wanted to resolve this with decisive force, the best way was to get the President’s attention. He had already gone through Professor Deng Yonghua to reach Dean Lin, and if the Vice Dean could still suppress it, going back to Professor Deng wouldn't yield much progress. Besides, Professor Deng wasn't his nanny; this matter had nothing to do with him, and it was better for students to solve their own problems.

But the President was incredibly busy. Even a Vice Dean of the school like Deng Yonghua might not see him unless it was during a meeting. Furthermore, their School of Computer Science wasn't a priority department for the university, putting it at an even lower level of importance.

If he wanted to use this method, he needed to solve two problems: first, how to get an audience with the President; second, how to make his words carry enough weight to command the President's attention.

He had a preliminary idea regarding these two problems, but he wasn't in a hurry. One way or another, this matter would have a resolution.