Only now did Mateo realize that the recent lack of applicants wasn't because students were better off. It was because, for some reason, they hadn't been submitting their applications! Mateo's call was to get to the bottom of it. He already had a feeling. The preliminary review for stipends was handled by the student council, and for the last two years, that meant Finley! Finley again! Before, Mateo had thought Finley was kind-hearted. Now, he saw how wrong he'd been. Sure enough, Arthur didn't hold back as he explained everything in detail. On the other end of the line, Mateo was stunned. In his mind, Finley had always been kind and passionate. How could he be so cruel behind the scenes? Mateo's face darkened. "I see." Hanging up, he shook with anger. When Finley first enrolled, he'd seemed compassionate, even using his own money to sponsor Kent and Henry, two poor students. This act of kindness, combined with Finley's good grades, had convinced Mateo to approve his bid for student council president. After taking office, Finley sponsored several more students, further solidifying Mateo's positive impression. He'd also managed the student council well, never causing any issues. But now, it turned out he'd been doing so much harm in secret! No wonder the notices Mateo posted had drawn so few applicants. He'd naively assumed there just weren't many poor students lately. But no, Finley had been blocking them all along! Mateo's hands shook with rage. He wanted to call the academic office right then and have Finley expelled! Someone like him, no matter how wealthy, didn't belong in his school! But after a long moment of thought, he reluctantly lowered his phone. He had to swallow his anger. As the principal, he had a responsibility to the students who came to learn. He couldn't act recklessly. Meanwhile, Arthur's work proceeded smoothly. Students lined up quietly, filled with hope and cautiousness. They didn't dare make noise or rush Arthur, patiently waiting their turn. Finally, they wouldn't have to go hungry anymore! Finally, they could focus on their studies instead of scrambling to earn next semester's tuition. Many of them had only held on this long because of their love for learning. They wanted nothing more than to devote more time to it. But they had to work and survive, leaving them no choice. Even if they studied late into the night, their grades barely scraped by. During class, their minds were preoccupied with where to find more work. These hardships, born of necessity, were something privileged students could never understand. The afternoon passed quickly. Despite everyone's protests, Arthur insisted on reviewing all the applications. "The sooner I finish, the sooner they'll get their funds," he said. The students stared at their approved documents in disbelief. Just like that, their stipends were approved? When the school had delegated the preliminary review to the student council, they'd given the president significant authority. Once the president signed off, the academic office would always approve! To speed things up, Arthur had even personally notified the principal. Not only that, he'd transferred a large sum to supplement the stipend fund! Was he some kind of living saint? They stood there and were still unable to believe it was real.