Chapter 013: If You Are Not Brave, No One Can Be Strong for You

Little Fatty was the most excited. He opened the plastic bags on Xia Chiyi’s desk, revealing steamed dumplings, soup dumplings, and egg-filled pancakes (guanbing), lined up in a row without repeating.

Ye Chaoying let out a soulful wail: “So many carbs?”

Zhou Zhexiao put down his bottle and said indifferently, “Carbs make people happy.”

Xia Chiyi paused for a moment, then unconsciously broke into a huge grin. That was something he had once said to Zhou Zhexiao; he hadn’t expected the guy to actually take it to heart.

After morning training, Zhou Zhexiao was accustomed to showering. Ignoring his roommates who were eating breakfast, he grabbed fresh clothes and went into the bathroom.

When the sound of water started, Xia Chiyi ate a steamed dumpling and shouted through the bathroom door, “Did anyone keep staring at you when you went for your morning run today?”

After all, with a body like that, he was definitely a scenic attraction on the jogging path.

“Don’t know. No one can keep up with me,” Zhou Zhexiao’s voice drifted out through the sound of the water.

Ye Chaoying, munching on a pancake, teased Xia Chiyi, “Trust me, that guy looks down on everything, except for you.”

Xia Chiyi tilted his head and instantly bit off a third of the pancake in Ye Chaoying’s hand. “If he looks down on everything, how could he possibly have room for me?”

“I suspect Zhou Zhexiao has a chick imprinting complex. After he returned to the country, you were the one who picked him up at the airport, you made his bed, you registered him… you are basically his…”

Under Xia Chiyi’s threatening glare, Ye Chaoying swallowed the word “Mom” and forcibly swapped it for “Dad,” nearly choking on the pancake he was stuffing into his mouth.

“Can’t food stop your mouth?”

If the carb intake was going to be this high every day, Xia Chiyi considered getting up to run with Zhou Zhexiao tomorrow morning.

After breakfast, the three of them went to the library. Their goal was to find the big brother who gave Ma Hongming the dried sweet potatoes.

“What’s wrong with dried sweet potatoes? Organic, nutritious, all-natural! A sack of dried sweet potatoes is definitely more expensive than a single lobster!” Ye Chaoying complained in a whisper.

“That’s why we say Ma Hongming’s brain doesn’t work. The person who gave him sweet potatoes wants him healthy; the people treating him to lobster and abalone every day are trying to send him to an early grave,” Xia Chiyi whispered back.

They searched section by section. Essentially, it was Xia Chiyi and Ye Chaoying doing the searching, while Zhou Zhexiao just kept his hands in his pockets and followed behind Xia Chiyi. With that leisurely stroll like he was inspecting his territory, Xia Chiyi wanted to hand him a flashlight and ask if he wanted to apply for a job as a library security guard.

The sunlight at ten o’clock was at its clearest, penetrating the library windows and landing on Zhou Zhexiao’s face. It coated him in a halo of light, softening his aura. His high nose bridge and exquisite features looked particularly handsome in this light. A student who was reading couldn’t resist taking out their phone to secretly snap a photo.

Xia Chiyi glanced at him and thought that being a security guard would be a waste of talent. They should send this guy to a beauty pageant or let him walk a runway; designers would go crazy for him. Xia Chiyi could apply to be his agent. Even if he didn’t make a name for himself in the basketball world, he might reach the pinnacle of glory in the fashion world.

I really do have an eye for beauty!

Seeming to sense Xia Chiyi’s gaze, Zhou Zhexiao lifted his eyelids, as if asking, “What is it?”

“Focus on finding the person.”

Zhou Zhexiao: “…”

Hard work pays off. They found Du He in a corner on the third floor of the library.

His height of 2.02 meters was no joke. Even huddled behind a desk, he was a massive bulk. He sat alone at the table, looking like a solitary bear.

Du He had a buzz cut, and his skin was darker than theirs. His features were regular and upright. Spread out in front of him was a vocabulary book; he had Bluetooth earphones in and was clumsily reciting words along with the audio.

Xia Chiyi and Ye Chaoying pulled out the chairs on either side of him and sat down.

Du He froze, thinking they were there to study. Surprisingly, he instinctively shrank his shoulders, like an ostrich trying to bury its head in the sand.

This worried Xia Chiyi. could such a gentle personality really play center?

When faced with collisions and boxing out, would this brother kindly shrink away like he was doing now?

Ye Chaoying typed a sentence on his phone: Let’s go outside and chat.

Du He saw the words on the screen and looked hesitant, until he felt the pressure of Zhou Zhexiao’s gaze.

That aura of “you’re dead if you refuse” made Du He pack his bag like an obedient ostrich and follow them out of the library.

For a split second, Xia Chiyi felt like the villain in a campus movie.

Once they were under the shade of the trees outside the library, Ye Chaoying got straight to the point. “We know why you left the school team, and we think it’s a pity. We’re playing a match against Chen Chuan’s group on Friday. Winners get the starting lineup, losers ride the bench. Are you in?”

Du He took a deep breath and rejected them very earnestly.

“I promised my parents I’d study hard. I need to digest all the knowledge I missed before I graduate, and at least pass the CET-4 (College English Test Band 4). No matter how well I play basketball, it won’t help me find a job after graduation.”

Xia Chiyi scratched the hair whorl on the back of his head. “Your parents’ intentions are good, but you don’t need to ‘depart’ so urgently!”

“Huh?” Du He wore a look of pure innocence.

“Think first about whether this is the direction you want!”

Du He lowered his head and said in a muffled voice, “Coach Ma wouldn’t want me staying on the team anyway. He’s the coach; I have to respect him.”

Ye Chaoying covered his face, speechless. “He’s not Confucius; you don’t need to respect the teacher and revere the truth that much!”

Xia Chiyi stood on his tiptoes and gripped Du He’s shoulders. Although the posture was a bit strained and comical, Xia Chiyi still shook Du He’s shoulders with force.

“Du He, you’ve played basketball for so long. You walked ten thousand steps to finally get into the Ningchang University team. The CUBA First Division League is right in front of you! But just because a school coach didn’t like your dried sweet potatoes, you’re taking ten thousand and one steps back to give up on basketball?”

As Xia Chiyi spoke, he squeezed the muscles on Du He’s shoulder. Good lord, really solid. Not playing center would be a total waste!

Zhou Zhexiao remained silent, his gaze fixed on Xia Chiyi’s hand.

One second, two seconds, three seconds. Why hasn’t he let go yet?

Xia Chiyi persisted, “Ma Hongming is a trash can. Do you insist on making yourself fit a trash can’s selection criteria? You’re not trash!”

Du He kept his head down. They couldn’t see his eyes, so they didn’t know if he was wavering.

Ye Chaoying immediately utilized their double-team advantage to stoke the fires of passion. “Du He, I, Ye Chaoying, am one of the top point guards from the high school league. I could destroy Ma Hongming’s cronies with my eyes closed.”

“Correct!” Xia Chiyi nodded.

“And Xia Chiyi here, a hundred percent accuracy from the three-point line. I guarantee you won’t find a more formidable shooting guard in the entire Jin Province!”

“Yes!” Xia Chiyi nodded shamelessly.

“And the one behind us—Zhou Zhexiao! Graduated from Oak Hill Academy in America! That academy is the cradle of NBA stars! Even if it’s just the three of us playing, we are guaranteed to win. Don’t you want to win with us just once? Principal Feng will be there to watch personally. Don’t you want to reclaim your dignity in front of the school leaders? Prove your strength?”

Ye Chaoying and Xia Chiyi felt their words were very persuasive. But who knew Du He would be… like Xia Yuhe by Daming Lake—waiting steadfastly, heart solid as a rock!

“I promised my parents I’d study hard, so I have to keep my word. My talent in basketball is limited anyway. Even if I finish playing this year, I can’t enter the draft, and I certainly can’t go pro. Since that’s the case, it’s better to give up early.”

Ye Chaoying pulled at his T-shirt to air himself out. His mouth was dry, and it was all for nothing. “Damn it, what method did Ma Hongming use to PUA (brainwash) you to this extent?”

Xia Chiyi narrowed his eyes, looking at the tattered vocabulary book in Du He’s hand. He decided he needed to cater to the guy’s interests and apply the right remedy.

He forcefully pulled Zhou Zhexiao over by the arm, bringing him in front of Du He. “Du He, let me formally introduce you. This is Zhou Zhexiao, an overseas Chinese returned from America, a graduate of Oak Hill Academy. His English is top-tier! Come on, Du He, lend us your vocab book.”

Du He dazedly handed over the book. Xia Chiyi flipped to the first page and pointed at the first word. “Zhou Zhexiao, read this.”

“Abandon.”

After reading it, Zhou Zhexiao frowned, probably because the meaning of the word wasn’t very auspicious.

Du He’s eyes suddenly lit up, like a large dog that had been abandoned but suddenly saw its owner again.

“So… so standard!”

“Come on, Zhou Zhexiao, read the next few words. Let Du He experience your English proficiency.” Xia Chiyi confirmed from Du He’s expression that he had found the right path.

But Zhou Zhexiao pushed the vocabulary book away. Looking into Du He’s eyes with absolutely no ripple of emotion, he said, “You are not brave, no one for you to be strong.”

Du He clearly didn’t understand what Zhou Zhexiao said, but he felt the pronunciation was just like the textbook audio recordings in his earphones—standard, with a cool, inorganic quality. A look of worship overflowed from his eyes.

“As expected of an overseas returnee, you’re amazing!”

If Du He had a tail, it would be wagging right now.

“So, Du He, regardless of whether you want to give up basketball, as long as you help us play this one match on Friday, Student Zhou Zhexiao will become your English learning consultant. With him around, the CET-4 and CET-6 are piece of cake, and an IELTS 8.0 is just around the corner!” Xia Chiyi patted Du He’s shoulder.

“Really? Student Zhou Zhexiao, are you really willing to help me?”

Zhou Zhexiao remained expressionless. Xia Chiyi nudged him in the lower back, and a “Mn” sound was forced out through his nose.

“Okay! I’ll go on Friday!”

Du He had always been a sports student, with his English level stuck at “How are you.” Other students couldn’t help him, but he didn’t expect to find hope today.

Ye Chaoying added Du He on WeChat, and they agreed to meet there without fail.

As Zhou Zhexiao turned around, Du He couldn’t help but ask, “What did that sentence you just said mean?”

“You are not brave, no one for you to be strong.” (If you aren’t brave, no one can be strong for you.)

Du He’s gaze faltered slightly. His fingers crumpled the vocabulary book as he stared at Zhou Zhexiao’s retreating back for a long time.