Chapter 57: “Yeah, So Handsome”

“Changfeng, why aren’t you changing your shoes yet?” the assistant coach casually asked.

“Oh, I’m changing them now.” Zhao Changfeng inverted his shoe, and suddenly something fell out, landing on the ground.

“What’s this?” The assistant coach frowned.

The object on the ground reflected the locker room lights, emitting a chilling glint.

Zhao Changfeng’s heart turned cold in that instant. He instinctively looked up towards Meng Yang, who hadn’t yet managed to hide his look of disgust.

Another teammate exclaimed, “Holy moly! It’s a razor blade! How did you get a razor blade in your shoe?!”

At this, not only the head coach but also the team doctor, strength and conditioning coach, and other teammates gathered around.

The head coach picked up Zhao Changfeng’s other shoe, inverted it and shook it, and another razor blade slid out from the toe.

“Who did this! Who did this!” the head coach roared.

Several teammates instinctively looked towards Meng Yang, who immediately shrugged, feigning indifference. “Why are you looking at me? You’re not suspecting me, are you? I’m not that idle!”

A second-year teammate who had been bullied by Meng Yang spoke up, “Maybe you’re jealous that Zhao Changfeng gets to play in the finals? You’re afraid the school team will still win the finals without you, proving you’re not important at all! You’re afraid that the coaches from Shengshi University and Shengshi Sports Academy will pick Zhao Changfeng!”

“What did you say, you brat? Are you looking for death?!” Meng Yang’s eyes widened, and he grabbed the other’s collar, only to be pushed away.

The locker room immediately descended into chaos.

More than his foot almost being cut, what hurt Zhao Changfeng more was that it was Meng Yang, whom he had once protected so much…

The feeling of betrayal and being let down filled Zhao Changfeng’s heart as if it were packed with crushed ice, both cold and painful, stuck neither up nor down, unable to be spit out.

He thought he was strong enough, thought he was a big man who could weather any storm, but at this moment, he was terribly sad.

The head coach was trying to maintain order in the locker room, while the assistant coach and captain patted his shoulder, comforting him.

“Changfeng, luckily your shoe wasn’t cut… Can you collect yourself and continue the game? The provincial university coaches are all paying close attention to this game, you can’t let your state be affected.”

Collect himself?

Zhao Changfeng’s mind was now filled with only one question: was it really Meng Yang who had put the razor blades in his basketball shoes?

He could accept losing the game, he could accept not being chosen, but he absolutely could not accept being framed by a teammate!

His fists were clenched tightly, veins bulging from his forehead to his neck. All he wanted to do was rush over and punch the locker door.

Just then, his phone vibrated. It was a photo from Jiang Ruotang. They were seated in the stands, holding up a banner for him.

At that moment, Zhao Changfeng felt an irrepressible sense of grievance and impulse. Even though his eyes were red, he couldn’t shed tears in front of his teammates and coach. The overwhelming feeling of sadness made his heart feel like it was about to burst.

He instinctively dialed Jiang Ruotang’s phone. The moment he heard “Hello” from the other end, he couldn’t help but blurt out, “Brother, there are razor blades in my shoes…”

Jiang Ruotang, holding the phone, froze.

He had considered all sorts of possibilities for Zhao Changfeng getting injured, such as twisting an ankle from someone stepping on his foot on the court, accidentally tripping, or even slipping… But razor blades in his shoes—that was an entirely different matter.

Jiang Ruotang finally understood why Zhao Changfeng had worn that expression when talking about getting injured during the provincial finals in his previous life.

It wasn’t because he lost; it was because he was mentally wounded.

He was only eighteen years old. In his world, everything was simple; those who played ball together were brothers. They should have blazed trails and supported each other, yet suddenly, self-interest, jealousy, and the darkness of human nature had intruded upon his innocent world.

“Changfeng, are you hurt?”

“No, I found it in time.”

“So, do you want to confirm if it was that person?” Jiang Ruotang asked again.

Zhao Changfeng clenched his jaw and replied, “I want to know.”

As expected of the person he called “brother,” Jiang Ruotang understood exactly what he truly wanted at that moment.

Jiang Ruotang confirmed again: “Even if knowing the truth will make you sad?”

“I want to know.”

Jiang Ruotang said to him in a calm, tolerant, yet clear-headed tone: “Okay, now tell the coach to find an envelope or a fresh-keeping bag to collect both shoes and the razor blades, and seal them properly. We’ll call the police and let them investigate this. If the coach disagrees and wants you to downplay it, tell him your mom, dad, and brother are all in the stands, and they already know about this. This is physical harm, and it can’t be settled quietly.”

Perhaps because he had spent a lot of time with Lu Guifan, Jiang Ruotang was also influenced by him. When facing problems, he prioritized protecting Zhao Changfeng and solving the issue rather than venting emotions.

Zhao Changfeng took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”

“Do you only have one pair of basketball shoes? No spares?”

“I have another pair; I don’t wear them much.”

Jiang Ruotang added, “Check them. If there’s no problem, wear that pair. I bet the other person put razor blades in your shoes not because they thought it would actually hurt you, but because they wanted to mess with your mindset. They want you angry, irrational, and to perform poorly on the court. If your mood is affected, they truly win.”

Zhao Changfeng took a deep breath. “I… I’m very angry, but I understand.”

“Your dunking posture should be cool, jump high when grabbing rebounds, and when shooting, make sure your opponents can’t stop you… You’re our superstar!”

Hearing the last sentence, Zhao Changfeng couldn’t help but laugh.

“I brought my sketchbook. I’m going to draw you today. You need to preen like a peacock, so handsome that the whole court can only see you.”

“You’re the peacock, your whole family’s peacocks!”

“Hahaha, yeah, my whole family’s peacocks!”

---

After hanging up, Jiang Ruotang told Zhao Yunshu and Jiang Huaiyuan what had happened, which stunned them both.

The couple had never imagined such a vile thing would occur in a high school basketball team.

Lu Guifan watched as Jiang Ruotang calmly advised them to call the coach and state their firm stance on pursuing the matter. His expression, his resonating words, made Lu Guifan inexplicably unable to look away.

Cai Ji quietly nudged Jian Sha with his shoulder and whispered, “Don’t you think Ruotang is so handsome?”

“More than handsome, he’s incredibly handsome, isn’t he! He’s exactly how I imagine a male lead to be!”

Like a game of hot potato, Jian Sha then nudged Lu Guifan. “Handsome, right?”

“Mmm, very handsome.”

After saying it, Lu Guifan paused, realizing that he, too, could find someone “very handsome.” It was as if he had been lingering outside a city wall and finally knocked on that door.

By this time, the head coach had already received Zhao Yunshu’s call. Since the player’s parents strongly demanded calling the police, the head coach knew this matter couldn’t be suppressed.

Moreover, such a malicious incident had occurred within his basketball team, and he also wanted to root out this troublemaker.

The head coach opened a locker, placed the pair of shoes inside, wrapped the razor blades that had fallen on the ground in a fresh-keeping bag, and then locked the locker.

Meng Yang, seeing the head coach’s attitude, had a bad feeling. “Those shoes weren’t cut by the blades. Why won’t you let Zhao Changfeng wear them for the game?”

“Wear them? He’d get a psychological shadow! Changfeng, do you have other shoes? Change into them and go play. We’ll discuss everything else after the game!”

---

Such a sudden incident indeed had a significant impact on the team.

At the start, Beicheng Guangyao was hit with a 10-0 run by their opponents, making Jiang Ruotang and his friends incredibly nervous, shouting encouragement with strained voices.

Several university team coaches watching on site shook their heads, indicating that if Beicheng Guangyao continued like this for the remaining five minutes, there would be no need to keep watching.

But to their surprise, Zhao Changfeng, amidst the chaos under the basket, suppressed numerous opponents to grab a rebound, then drove past three defenders for a shoulder-riding dunk that electrified the entire arena.

Jiang Ruotang’s brush moved frantically across his sketchbook, Jian Sha and Cai Ji yelled wildly in the stands, and Lu Guifan also clapped his hands. This was his first time experiencing the charm of competitive sports in person.

Zhao Changfeng’s ice-breaking play boosted Beicheng Guangyao’s morale. The team members gradually recovered from the shock of the razor blade incident and began to cooperate, catching up quickly.

Meng Yang, not being a player for this game, could only watch from the通道口 as the score went from 10-0 to 12-13. He snorted in annoyance.

Suddenly, Meng Yang remembered the pair of shoes locked in the cabinet by the coach. He quietly returned to the locker room, thinking that if all else failed, he would pry open the cabinet door and throw away both the shoes and the razor blades. Who knew that as soon as he entered, he saw two security guards sitting inside, guarding it.

At this moment, Meng Yang realized that the coach wasn’t just bluffing; he was truly going to call the police.

Zhao Changfeng’s performance got better and better. A back-down was followed by a dream-like spin, and he calmly shot over two defenders, continuously widening the score gap.

Not only were the spectators surprised to see such a level of basketball in Shengshi, but even the university coaches clapped enthusiastically.

Just like that, Beicheng Guangyao led all the way, locking the final score at 76-54. Zhao Changfeng alone contributed 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, becoming the undisputed MVP of the game.

In the hallway, Meng Yang’s eyes widened as he watched the coach and teammates surround Zhao Changfeng, tossing him into the air.

Jiang Ruotang, in the stands, looked at Zhao Changfeng, his eyes inexplicably warm. He remembered the frustrated, big boy from his previous life. Finally… this time, he had won the most important game.

Jiang Ruotang looked at the university coaches; it was clear they were all talking about Zhao Changfeng to the people next to them. At least Zhao Changfeng wouldn’t have to worry about getting into a university in Shengshi.

When the game ended, two police officers arrived at the locker room. After understanding the situation, they took away both the shoes and the razor blades.

This matter wasn’t particularly big because it didn’t cause actual physical harm.

But it wasn’t a small matter either, as it involved intentional assault.

The team members also went to the police to give their statements after the game.

The case seemed random but was full of holes.

First, besides Zhao Changfeng’s fingerprints, there was another fingerprint on the razor blade found on the ground, which the police identified as the suspect’s.

On the razor blade in the other shoe, there was only the suspect’s fingerprint.

Upon comparing fingerprints, they matched Meng Yang’s. Meng Yang vehemently denied it, even yelling and banging on the table, saying he was framed and that Zhao Changfeng might have intentionally taken his razor blade and put it in his own shoe.

The police officer investigating the case found it laughable and directly asked, “You’re already suspended. What benefit would Zhao Changfeng gain by doing this?”

But Meng Yang just threw a tantrum and roared. Before, when he did this, his teammates and classmates would defer to him, and his parents would protect him, making him believe this was how to solve problems.

This really worried his parents. Before, Meng Yang had bribed Li Chun to force Cai Ji to cheat. The school even held a meeting to consider expelling him, but his parents caused a big scene at the school, so it was changed to a major demerit and suspension.

This time, things had escalated and gone to the police. The only relief was that Zhao Changfeng wasn’t injured, otherwise, the situation would have been much worse.

The reason Meng Yang would do such a thing was ultimately his parents’ excessive spoiling.

The couple even made threats in front of the police, claiming their son was innocent. One moment they said others were slandering and framing their son, the next they said Meng Yang was just playing a joke with his teammates. They even tried to go to Jiang Ruotang’s house to cause trouble, but unfortunately, the security in Jiang’s community was very tight, and they couldn’t get in at all.

Unable to bother Zhao Changfeng, they went to the principal, saying that Meng Yang absolutely could not be punished again, that Zhao Changfeng wasn’t injured at all, and that it wasn’t a big deal.

It is said that the usually mild-tempered principal uncharacteristically lost his temper, and after enduring Meng Yang’s repeated misconduct, decided to expel him after a meeting.

Meng Yang’s notorious reputation meant other middle schools in Shengshi dared not accept him, fearing it would affect their school’s atmosphere.

---

In that final match, Beicheng Guangyao Middle School won the provincial championship. Several university coaches actively contacted Zhao Yunshu, but Jiang Ruotang could tell that Zhao Changfeng wasn’t happy.

The notice of Meng Yang’s expulsion was posted at school, and many students gathered around, making it school-wide news.

“Wow, this Meng Yang thing, isn’t it attempted intentional injury?”

“I saw online that he might get sentenced to less than a year in detention?”

“He’s already over eighteen, and his attitude is bad. He was even yelling and making a scene at the police station.”

Zhao Changfeng was called to the grade office. Teacher Song told him good news: he was invited to try out for Shengshi University.

But he was clearly not happy. Every day he came home, he would just stay in his room.

Until one night, about a week later, past 10 PM, Zhao Changfeng was hungry. He snuck out of his room, went into the kitchen, and opened the refrigerator door.

After searching for a long time, Zhao Changfeng sighed, “Ugh… I don’t want boiled eggs… I guess I’ll have some bread…”

“Oh, you actually get hungry?”

Jiang Ruotang’s voice came from behind Zhao Changfeng, startling him so much he almost knelt.

“You… why are you down here?”

“Probably heard your stomach rumbling, so I came out.”

Jiang Ruotang’s eyes curved as he smiled, which somehow brightened Zhao Changfeng’s low mood a little.

“I’ll just… eat something simple…”

“Then let your brother show you a little something.”

Jiang Ruotang said, rolling up his sleeves.

“Huh? You’re going to make me something to eat? Don’t tell me it’s instant noodles or boiled eggs from a kettle. I’m not interested.”

“I told you I’d show you something! Watch closely!”

Jiang Ruotang cracked two eggs, whisked them into a liquid, and poured them into a non-stick pan. Then he cut toast into triangles and dipped them in, heated the pan, flipped them, and fried a slice of ham next to them. He added tomato slices and lettuce, squeezed some ketchup and mayonnaise, folded it, and scooped it onto a plate.

“Eat up.”

Although it looked simple, it smelled really good. Zhao Changfeng took a big bite and nodded, “I thought you never cooked, but you actually know how to make something.”

Jiang Ruotang heated a cup of milk for him and sat beside him.

“Changfeng, do you know you’re a really great person?”

“Huh?” Zhao Changfeng stopped, looking at Jiang Ruotang in confusion, seemingly not understanding why he was suddenly saying this.

“Whether as a friend, teammate, or family member, you’re absolutely impeccable.”

Hearing Jiang Ruotang say this, Zhao Changfeng lowered his eyes and finally couldn’t help but ask softly, “If I’m really that good, why did Meng Yang treat me like that? We were teammates for three years… I passed him the ball so many times, grabbed so many rebounds, and I was the one who screened for him the most per game. Even when he bullied Cai Ji, the other teammates mostly ignored him, only I still spoke to him as usual…”

Jiang Ruotang smiled, “That’s because he’s not good. It’s like Chen Shimei abandoning his common-law wife to marry a princess. Should Qin Xianglian be blamed for not being good enough? Isn’t it because Chen Shimei was a scumbag to begin with? A bad person won’t change just because others are good to them or treat them sincerely. They’ll only take your efforts for granted. The only reason he considered you a friend was because you could be his stepping stone on the court.”

“Hey, what kind of terrible analogy is that! I just met a terrible friend, I didn’t fall in love with a scumbag!”

“Oh, so you know he’s a terrible friend? If someone makes you unhappy, remember to let that person leave your life forever.” Jiang Ruotang said, putting his arm around Zhao Changfeng’s shoulder. “You don’t only have Meng Yang as a friend. You have me, Cai Cai, Sister Sha, the class monitor, and your other teammates. Don’t waste your emotions on people who aren’t worth it.”