Chapter 0089: Who Said Zhou Zhexiao Can’t Assist?

Ling Huanzhen smacked him on the head. “Keep dreaming! I meant that because Ma Hongming eliminated you, he got chewed out by the leaders at the Provincial Sports Bureau.”

Xia Chiyi froze for two seconds before remembering that the Ma Hongming Ling Huanzhen mentioned was the head coach of the provincial team.

“Haha, the wheel of karma turns; the heavens spare no one! Old Ling, you’re secretly thrilled about it too, aren’t you?”

“I haven’t finished. There is a club that has their eye on you, and it’s my former team. Their coach heard that Ma Hongming had cut you, so he went to ask him what your shortcomings were. Do you know what Ma Hongming said?”

“It shouldn’t be that I lack physical confrontation ability, right?”

As long as anyone with eyes watched the games, they would know that the current Xia Chiyi was a little tank. He had long since stopped being squishy.

“He said your anti-interference ability for three-pointers is very poor. If you encounter tight, one-on-one defense from a strong team, it’ll drain your stamina, and once your health bar is low, you’ll be useless.”

Meaning he wasn’t worth wasting a spot on a major CBA club’s roster?

Xia Chiyi sneered. “Is that how he squeezed my master back in the day too?”

“Jiao Jiao couldn’t be bothered to give him the time of day.”

Jiao Yingfeng’s three-pointers had made the Dream Team across the ocean suffer during the Olympics. Yet, this Ma Hongming still couldn’t see the importance of a shooter.

Xia Chiyi put his hands on his hips, lowered his head, and furrowed his brows tightly. “I’ll prove that one-on-one defense is useless against me. Whoever guards me, I’ll send them off the court.”

Ling Huanzhen was stunned. This was his first time seeing such an arrogant side of Xia Chiyi.

The team members walked out one after another. The lights of the basketball court shone down, looking as if they were illuminating their dreams.

Du He took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over the audience as he rubbed his fingers nervously. “My mom and dad came today too… The quarter-finals… My parents said if we win again, they’ll talk to the school about printing our basketball team on the packaging of their dried sweet potatoes!”

Ye Zhaoying instantly petrified and whispered, “Th… then maybe let’s not? Our faces will definitely get deformed from being squished…”

Hearing the cheers from the stands and the rhythmic music pumping from the arena speakers, the other veteran players felt like they were in a dream.

Chen Chuan pinched the corners of his eyes. “My past wish was just to make it out of the grassroots tournament… I never expected us to actually win the Jin Province grassroots championship. Later, when we fought our way into the Southeast Division, I thought just making it out of the group stage would be enough… I never expected us to chop down Fusheng Industrial U. Then I thought breaking into the top ten would be enough, helplessly watching Jin Province Finance U get eliminated, but we unexpectedly made it into the top eight. Now I’m getting greedier and greedier… I want to enter the semi-finals…”

Zhou Zhexiao walked past him and tossed out a sentence: “You only want to enter the semi-finals? Could you please make your dreams a bit grander?”

As Shuai Bei passed Chen Chuan, he also patted his shoulder. “Keep your head up. The game hasn’t even started yet; you can’t shed tears now.”

Xia Chiyi was pressing down on his palms, a burst of energy pent up in his chest.

He Bin tilted his chin toward Xia Chiyi. “As the number two shooter, I’m waiting to sub in at any time. Play without any worries.”

Xia Chiyi smiled. “You should save your stamina to show off your skills when we play Southeast Mining U.”

They had played a practice match against Chujiang University, so they had enough understanding of them. Ling Huanzhen had already laid out the tactics earlier, but right now he still shouted himself hoarse to repeat them, afraid that these brats would get too full of themselves.

Zhou Zhexiao’s gaze swept over. Shuai Bei and Du He immediately put on serious expressions; they remembered their promise to Zhou Zhexiao and absolutely had to show off their skills under the basket.

---

Zhuo Zheng, who had just been searched up by Pang Shuai, returned to the seats booked by Southwest Aviation U and sat down carelessly.

A teammate beside him patted his shoulder and said, “Since you’re here, you have to study them carefully. Brother Lu has placed high expectations on you, and this match is the absolute focus!”

Zhuo Zheng shrugged and laughed, “Got it, do you even need to say it?”

He lowered his eyes, looking with a cold gaze at Zhou Zhexiao by the court who was listening to the coach’s tactical arrangements. Remembering what this guy did in high school, Zhuo Zheng chuckled lightly.

“Heh… Even on American turf, he always thought he was the center of the world. Asking him to cooperate with tactical arrangements… he probably can’t even comprehend the concept.”

“Who are you talking about?” A voice laced with a smile asked from slightly behind Zhuo Zheng.

Zhuo Zheng turned his head and met Yang Huaiyu’s gaze.

The other had his arms crossed and a smile on his face. He possessed a tranquil and far-reaching aura, but his eyes glowed with curiosity, looking like he was waiting to hear some gossip.

Zhuo Zheng wasn’t polite to Yang Huaiyu either, chuckling softly. “Didn’t you guys play a practice match against Ningchang University? Are you playing dumb while knowing the truth?”

“When we played against Ningchang University, Zhou Zhexiao’s tactical execution was master-class,” Yang Huaiyu said.

Zhuo Zheng rubbed his chin. “Is this your smokescreen?”

“No one would use this as a smokescreen.”

At this time, Liu Suchen came in carrying drinks and distributed them to his teammates who had come to watch the game. When there was only one bottle left, Yang Huaiyu in the row behind reached out a hand toward him. “I want it.”

Liu Suchen said grumpily, “Go buy your own.”

“I just obtained crucial information from Zhou Zhexiao’s former high school teammate. I’ll exchange it for a bottle of drink, offer expires soon.” Yang Huaiyu’s hand remained outstretched.

“Your basketball skills are truly consistent with your shamelessness.” Liu Suchen pressed the drink into his hand.

“Thanks, I’ll take that as a compliment.” Yang Huaiyu lazily leaned back in his seat.

“The information?” Liu Suchen asked.

Yang Huaiyu pointed at Zhuo Zheng diagonally in front. “This handsome guy just said—Zhou Zhexiao treated himself as the center of the world on American turf and has absolutely no tactical awareness.”

The other players from Qing U and Qincheng University looked at Liu Suchen with sympathetic eyes.

“So, I was scammed out of a drink.” Liu Suchen glanced at Zhuo Zheng. “Didn’t Zhou Zhexiao already play point guard in the grassroots tournament?”

A point guard was the coach on the court, the command tower of the offense. How the hell could someone with no tactical awareness play point guard?

Zhuo Zheng smiled coldly. “Zhou Zhexiao? Playing point guard? That would only happen if he was the last person left at Ningchang University.”

“Young man, want to make a bet?” Yang Huaiyu said with a smile.

“Bet on what?” Zhuo Zheng asked.

“Let’s bet on the number of assists Zhou Zhexiao gets in this match.” Yang Huaiyu raised his hand. “I’ll bet five.”

Liu Suchen sat down, rubbed his chin, and smiled like a fox: “If Xia Chiyi is starting in the first quarter, given the level of tacit understanding between those two, I’ll bet eight.”

Zhuo Zheng’s brows furrowed. Although he had no master-filter for Liu Suchen and Yang Huaiyu, he acknowledged their strength.

They both actually thought Zhou Zhexiao would assist?

“Then I predict he won’t have a single assist.” Just as Zhuo Zheng finished speaking, the teammate next to him gently tugged at him.

“It’s true… Zhou Zhexiao played point guard in the grassroots tournament… and he played it very well. Rumor has it Brother Lu stayed up all night studying it,” the teammate whispered.

Zhuo Zheng snorted. “Is that so? Then I really must take a good look.”

A person couldn’t possibly undergo such a massive change in less than a year.

Zhuo Zheng had yet to forget what kind of character Zhou Zhexiao was at Oak Hill Academy. The scar on his eyebrow was a direct gift from him.

---

Meanwhile, at Ningchang University’s team bench, the teammates were making their final communications.

Zhou Zhexiao’s chin was resting on top of Xia Chiyi’s head. When Xia Chiyi nodded, Zhou Zhexiao nodded along; the two were on the exact same frequency.

Xia Chiyi could vaguely feel Zhou Zhexiao’s chin rubbing against his hair whorl. With so many people watching, this guy didn’t know how to restrain himself even a little bit.

“Stop messing around.”

When Xia Chiyi nudged backward with his elbow, Zhou Zhexiao’s lips happened to catch the strands of hair on top of his head. As the guy leaned back, Xia Chiyi felt a tug on his scalp, and his heart gave a corresponding squeeze.

Xia Chiyi subconsciously tugged the front collar of his jacket. When Zhou Zhexiao stumbled back, he lowered his eyes and saw it, but remained impassive.

Many spectators in the stands took out their phones to take pictures. Even Pang Shuai, holding his DSLR, couldn’t help but mutter: “If they had a vote for the best on-court CP (Couple), these two would definitely top the list.”

Ye Zhaoying confirmed several hand signals with everyone, such as fast breaks, fakes, cutting in, sideline pressure, etc., and everyone responded that they had memorized them.

Just as Xia Chiyi was about to turn around and get on the court, Zhou Zhexiao suddenly called out to him.

“What now?”

Xia Chiyi turned around and saw Zhou Zhexiao crouch down on one knee, reaching his fingers toward his ankle.

The bright stadium lights fell onto Zhou Zhexiao’s head and shoulders. He was entirely the focal point of the entire arena.

A wave of utterly satisfied gasps echoed from the audience.

The Southeast Division’s best CP was distributing candy live on site once again. Only Zhou Zhexiao could care so little about other people’s opinions, constantly doing things in broad daylight that made the audience want to write fanfiction.

Realizing what Zhou Zhexiao was about to do, Xia Chiyi shouted out loudly: “I’m wearing ankle braces!”

“What about the left one?”

“I’m wearing them on both sides! Check, check it quickly!” Xia Chiyi stood with his hands on his hips, feeling like a homeroom teacher doing a surprise check of exam admission tickets right before stepping into the testing hall.

“Okay.”

Xia Chiyi looked up and happened to see the Qincheng University and Qing U players who had come to watch.

As if they had coordinated it beforehand, Yang Huaiyu and Liu Suchen simultaneously gave him two thumbs up, meaning: Impressive, Zhou Zhexiao is giving off more and more loyal-dog vibes!

When Zhou Zhexiao’s fingers pinched his ankle through the brace, Xia Chiyi took a half-step back like he had been electrocuted, but he was completely restrained by Zhou Zhexiao. That steady strength pulled him right back.

Even though Zhou Zhexiao was expressionless, Xia Chiyi felt he was doing it on purpose, testing his reaction in front of everyone.

The match was about to start, and Xia Chiyi should have had a heart as pure as ice and remained unfazed even if the sky collapsed, but his ears still turned red uncontrollably.

This was simply too foul. If it weren’t for everyone watching, Xia Chiyi really wanted to step on his shoulder.

Wait… if he really stepped on him, it would feel even more foul.

In the stands, Yang Huaiyu let out a long exhale. “We all only care about whether Xia Chiyi’s shots are accurate—”

Liu Suchen connected telepathically and finished the sentence: “Only Zhou Zhexiao cares about whether his ankles are stable!”

Ke Yan rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “You two are also the Top 1 love-hate CP of the National Tournament.”

Zhou Zhexiao let go and stood up. That heart-racing atmosphere vanished, and Zhou Zhexiao casually brushed past him, walking onto the court.

“Zhou Zhexiao, I need to make three rules with you,” Xia Chiyi said to Zhou Zhexiao’s back.

“What for?” Zhou Zhexiao only turned his head slightly, showing a somewhat perfunctory attitude.

“From now on, in places where there are spectators, you’re not allowed to rest your chin on my head. Also, if you want to check if I’m wearing my ankle braces, why didn’t you check in the locker room?”

Zhou Zhexiao tossed out the phrase “I forgot” and walked onto the court without looking back.

“Alright, alright,” Ye Zhaoying said as he passed by, leaning close to Xia Chiyi. “Isn’t this because Liu Suchen traveled thousands of miles to watch the game? Zhou Zhexiao definitely had to declare his ownership.”

“Own… what ownership?”

Ye Zhaoying revealed a sly smile. “Bro, what evil things are you thinking about in that head of yours? I’m obviously talking about the Ningchang University basketball team’s ownership of you.”

Xia Chiyi wanted to punch him.

---

At this moment, a small gasp rippled through the audience. When Yang Huaiyu twisted open his drink bottle, the foam inside suddenly rushed out, spraying all over him, even splattering onto his neck and chin.

Liu Suchen turned his head and shot Yang Huaiyu a wicked smirk.

Which meant, Liu Suchen had been shaking this bottle the entire way here, just waiting for Yang Huaiyu to ask for it.

The whole scene was both spectacular and a complete mess. It seemed some spectators had even recorded it on their phones.

“You set me up?” Yang Huaiyu bumped his knee against the seat in front of him.

Ke Yan sighed helplessly. “Otherwise, how do you manage to lose to Liu Suchen every single time? He always predicts your predictions.”

Yang Huaiyu wasn’t angry either. “Otherwise, every time Liu Suchen pranks me, it’s mutual destruction. Old Liu, don’t forget you’re sitting right in front of me.”

Liu Suchen realized something and touched his back and the back of his head. It was completely covered in the soda that had splashed over from Yang Huaiyu. He couldn’t help but curse under his breath, “F*ck!”

It seemed the highlights of this match, besides whether the dark horse Ningchang University could continue to charge forward, also included the grudges and grievances between Liu Suchen and Yang Huaiyu in the stands.

---

Serving as the commentators for this match were Chen Hui and Xu Mi.

Reuniting at this match after so many days, the two were filled with mixed emotions.

From the group stage to the knockout rounds, two-thirds of the teams had already left the arena. It truly made one emotional.

But they were also looking forward to seeing how much further Ningchang University, this dark horse that had charged up from the very bottom, could go, and if they could even alter the landscape of the Southeast Division.

As the basketball was tossed into the air, another soul-stirring battle commenced.

Chen Hui: “Chujiang University wins the tip-off, but before they even cross the three-point line, Zhou Zhexiao uses his sprint speed to pressure their point guard.”

Xu Mi: “Zhou Zhexiao’s defense is very skilled, continuously forcing the opposing point guard toward the sideline!”

“Tsk… he’s completely blocking my offensive route, this guy has no openings…” Chujiang U’s point guard gritted his teeth inwardly. Can you fcking stop shadowing me so closely?*

In the blink of an eye, the ball was stolen by Ye Zhaoying, and the offensive-defensive dynamic inverted.

It turned out Zhou Zhexiao’s pressure defense was merely the stepping stone; Ye Zhaoying was the true lethal weapon!

“Whoa—”

“Ohhh—”

Gasps of amazement came from the audience. Ningchang University’s steal was executed with too much finesse.

In the stands, Zhuo Zheng froze for a moment. Zhou Zhexiao actually paved the way for someone else? Is this a coincidence… or has he really changed?

Immediately after, Xia Chiyi opened fire from the perimeter. Zhou Zhexiao and Shuai Bei executed high-efficiency pick-and-rolls, and in just one minute, Xia Chiyi easily sank three three-pointers.

Even Ma Hongming, who was watching the live stream, had to admit that Xia Chiyi’s long-range shooting was becoming increasingly refined. The arc of his shots in particular was higher than average; once the ball left his hands, it was incredibly difficult to block.

He unconsciously gripped his thermos tightly, thinking he could only place his hopes on Chujiang University having a way to suppress Xia Chiyi.

—Hurry up and prove that my assessment of Xia Chiyi wasn’t wrong.

Three-pointers could ultimately only be icing on the cake. This offensive technique with un-guaranteed probabilities brought high returns to a team but was accompanied by extremely high risks.

Liu Suchen leaned back against his chair, and Yang Huaiyu in the back row tacitly leaned forward. The two heads came together, one in front and one behind.

“Rare to see Zhou Zhexiao setting screens this actively.”

“It’s probably to save Xia Chiyi’s stamina.”

Ke Yan maliciously bumped Yang Huaiyu, and Yang Huaiyu and Liu Suchen’s cheekbones nearly smashed into each other.

“Holy crap, this is murder!”

Ke Yan: “Who told you to whisper with people from other teams?! Watch the game properly!”

On the court, Zhou Zhexiao was like an unsheathed blade. He shook past two defenders once again and executed an unexpected bounce pass to Xia Chiyi on the other side. Xia Chiyi released the ball rapidly, sinking another three-pointer!

Commentator Xu Mi said excitedly, “When Zhou Zhexiao and Xia Chiyi coordinate, harvesting points is as easy as chopping melons and cutting vegetables!”

Chen Hui was still immersed in Xia Chiyi’s shot: “The release speed and accuracy of player Xia Chiyi is absolutely professional tier… Ladies and gentlemen, he is only eighteen years old! His future is absolutely limitless!”

There were also several CBA scouts sitting in the audience, including those from Ling Huanzhen and Jiao Yingfeng’s old club, the Fusheng Aviation Men’s Basketball Club, and their former rival, the Shenghai Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Men’s Basketball Team.

For some unknown reason, the scouts from both sides were sitting right next to each other. They even shouted “Good!” in unison. It was truly both awkward and agonizingly funny.

The two scouts exchanged a look, coming to a tacit understanding.

Xia Chiyi and Zhou Zhexiao were a pair of aces. Together they were peerless; separated they could each rule as kings.

Whichever club wanted them would have to sign this pair of aces together, leaving no opportunity for their rivals!

Right at this moment, Chujiang University’s center broke through for a layup. Just as he was about to dunk it into Ningchang University’s basket, Zhou Zhexiao rushed in front of him and blocked the shot at the first opportunity.

“Du He—catch the ball—”

Du He grabbed the ball. He subconsciously wanted to pass to Ye Zhaoying, but unexpectedly, Ye Zhaoying was double-teamed by the opponents.

Ye Zhaoying gritted his teeth and shot Du He a “take the ball and go” look. In the distance came Xia Chiyi’s loud shout, “Du He—come on—don’t hesitate!”

That phrase “don’t hesitate” pounded heavily on Du He’s heart like a hammer. He suddenly remembered when Xia Chiyi was keeping him company during dribbling practice, he had tirelessly repeated to him: “Don’t hesitate! Hesitation on the court leads to defeat!”

He had practiced misdirection crossovers and behind-the-back wraps thousands of times. Now it was time to string them together in one breath.

“Hyaa—ah—” Du He dribbled the ball rapidly toward Chujiang University’s camp.

This aura startled the defending players.

With a shoulder-shake fake, he fooled the opposing point guard, but he didn’t stop. He continued forward, directly facing Chujiang University’s captain, Gao Chong!

Gao Chong’s footwork was extremely agile, forcing Du He to pass.

But once Du He passed, the ball would be intercepted by the point guard rushing over to help defend!

Du He’s heartstrings pulled tight in that instant. Zhou Zhexiao and Ye Zhaoying frequently simulated this exact scenario for him. He could do this, he could get past him.

He decisively used Gao Chong as the center of a circle and did a spin move to bypass him. Not only that, but with a push of the ball, he evaded the opposing point guard, completely shaking him off!

After passing them, Du He continued to accelerate, directly facing the opponent’s center under the basket. A clash of titans, the entire arena held its breath.

When everyone thought Du He was going to dunk, he flicked his wrist upward. A floater evaded the opponent’s block and banked into the hoop!

Continuous, unyielding applause rang out from all sides. In the stands, Du He’s parents clasped each other’s hands in overwhelming excitement.

“That shot just now was amazing, right?! Everyone around us is applauding!”

“This is so great, it’s so great our son kept playing basketball!”

At this moment, as parents, they saw the shining, brilliant side of their son.

Du He clenched his fists, cheering himself on.

He turned around, rushed up to Zhou Zhexiao, and high-fived him.

Chen Hui and Xu Mi recovered from their shock, remembering they still had to commentate.

“That goal was truly spectacular. It completely refreshed my perception of the player Du He. In my impression, he always guards the paint as a defender of rebounds. At the same time… not just me, but I believe many spectators also felt his skills were one-dimensional, practically useless once he left the basket. But today, just now, he proved to us—our perception was wrong!” Chen Hui’s voice was filled with pleasant surprise.

Xu Mi said, “From Zhou Zhexiao’s block to Du He’s coast-to-coast drive, although using ‘graceful as a startled swan, fluid as a swimming dragon’ to describe this big guy’s dribbling is a bit pretentious, his dribbling just now—whether it was the fakes, the crossover pull-backs, or the floater under the basket—demonstrated his neatness, decisiveness, and mobility. It makes us think of Ling Huanzhen before he retired; he was the absolute benchmark for dribbling among big men.”

“A strict teacher produces an outstanding disciple!”

The club scouts now had new considerations; Du He had genuinely astonished them just now.

On the coach’s bench, Ling Huanzhen had his arms crossed, unable to conceal the pride in the bottom of his heart.

As if to verify that Du He’s driving layup wasn’t a fluke, Zhou Zhexiao made another steal, passed the ball to Du He, and Du He scored again.

In the stands, Zhuo Zheng took a deep breath, countless questions flooding his mind.

During his final match with Zhou Zhexiao in high school, the coach had asked the two of them to set screens for a teammate skilled at long-range shooting. But Zhou Zhexiao continued to do as he pleased, only knowing how to drive into the paint with the ball, obsessed with his rivalry against the opposing small forward. Even when facing double-team blocks, he forcefully adjusted in mid-air.

It was truly a case of one person holding the ball while the whole team gets anxious.

It enraged the coach so much that he benched him.

Rumor had it that after the game, this guy was smashing cups and throwing a temper tantrum in the restroom.

But looking at this current match, less than three minutes into the game, Zhou Zhexiao’s pick-and-rolls were executed with practiced ease. The space he created for Xia Chiyi was incredibly ample; he was practically a living Bodhisattva on the court.

Zhou Zhexiao also didn’t hold back on passing to Du He, transforming into an emotionless ball-feeding machine.

Zhuo Zheng’s jaw clenched subconsciously. If this guy had played basketball like this back then, how could he have been benched by the coach in the final game of their high school careers?

With great difficulty, Chujiang University’s captain, Gao Chong, continuously slashed into Ningchang University’s paint, constantly passing with his teammates. They finally secured six points, barely stabilizing the situation.

At the end of the first quarter, Ningchang University led by 6 points, 24 to 18.

Commentator Chen Hui evaluated: “The first quarter could be described as attacking the enemy’s shield with their own spear. The tactical game between both sides was incredibly brilliant. The deterrence of Xia Chiyi’s ‘long spear’ is substantial, drawing out almost all of Chujiang University’s interior defense. If they can’t find a way to suppress Xia Chiyi, Chujiang University will be left in a very passive state.”

Xu Mi strongly agreed: “Coupled with Zhou Zhexiao and Shuai Bei’s pick-and-roll coordination, which acts like magical formations to isolate all the forces defending Xia Chiyi, the off-ball movement of those three is absolutely flawless. I look forward to seeing how Chujiang University breaks this deadlock in the second quarter.”

Listening to the commentary, Ma Hongming, watching the live stream, felt his temper flaring. “Chujiang University’s perimeter defense exists in name only. This is simply indulging Xia Chiyi.”

The assistant coach who came in to bring Ma Hongming his thermos got nervous. He had never seen anyone capable of making Ma Hongming lose control of his emotions like this.

It seemed the rumors spreading in the team about the leaders wanting to dismiss Ma Hongming weren’t baseless after all.

---

At the Ningchang University bench, Xia Chiyi took two sips of water and heard Ling Huanzhen say: “If Chujiang University wants to stop the bleeding, they will likely execute a Box-and-One tactic, which is one-on-one marking combined with a four-man zone defense. When that happens, if Xia Chiyi’s scoring ability is restricted, Ye Zhaoying!”

“Here!”

“You need to coordinate and support Xia Chiyi on the perimeter to advance the ball into the opponent’s restricted area as quickly as possible.”

“Understood!” Ye Zhaoying responded.

“Zhou Zhexiao, you must forcefully slice into the opponent’s box and cut open their zone defense in the paint.”

Zhou Zhexiao glanced at the Chujiang University bench. A new player was about to be subbed in, presumably meant to guard Xia Chiyi.

“Okay.”

“Du He, Shuai Bei, coordinate under the basket and score aggressively!”

Ling Huanzhen’s meaning was very clear: in the next quarter, Xia Chiyi probably wouldn’t have such an easy time scoring.

“Let the east wind blow and the war drums beat, we’ll see who fears who on the court!” Xia Chiyi looked at the player who was warming up.

That player was nearly 1.9 meters tall with a very long wingspan. He didn’t seem to have played during the practice match against Chujiang University.

The name on his back was “Liu Ge”, which didn’t sound particularly intimidating, but the guy’s gaze conveyed a stubborn tenacity even from across the court.

While crossing swords with the opponent via eye contact, Xia Chiyi nudged Zhou Zhexiao with his elbow.

“Hey, let me ask you. When you were tightly defended in the past, what went through your mind?”

On the NBA courts of the past, countless players had single-marked Sheng Xingming. It was just that none of them managed to stop Sheng Xingming’s footsteps, ultimately all becoming fleeting passersby in his basketball career.

“I want to make everyone defending me feel fear,” Zhou Zhexiao answered.

Xia Chiyi froze for a moment and looked earnestly at Zhou Zhexiao. His expression was resolute, overlapping completely with the Sheng Xingming from years ago.

“There was one game where I was subjected to sticky defense by an opponent. That guy put a lot of effort into targeting me. His defense was incredibly effective, making it nearly impossible for me to receive the ball. The team coach had to consider subbing me out. But I told him, if you sub me out now, every team will do this in the future, so does that mean I’ll never have to play again?”

This was a realistic and sharp question.

Any player, once they became the ace, would be targeted by opponents.

This was a tactic as old as time on the court.

“And then what?” Xia Chiyi asked.

“The team coach adopted a ‘let’s try it’ mentality and let me stay on the court. As a result, just five minutes into the second half, that defending player went into shock from dehydration…”

“I remember, I remember! He was sent to the hospital for an IV drip! A lot of domestic and international basketball magazines reported on it, with the headline ‘Sheng Xingming — The Defender’s Nightmare’!”

Zhou Zhexiao smiled very faintly and raised a hand to press down on Xia Chiyi’s head.

No further analysis or unnecessary encouragement was needed. Xia Chiyi already knew what he had to do next.

---

Right now, in the spectator stands, Yang Huaiyu was simply lying on the back of the seat in front of him, both arms draped over Liu Suchen’s shoulders.

These two were attacking each other with soda one moment, and the next, they were as close as teammates. It left people feeling both helpless and confused.

“I suspect Chujiang University wants to use the Box-and-One tactic to deny Xia Chiyi open scoring spots. They’ll find someone to stick to him so he can’t get the ball. However…”

“However, does Chujiang University have a defender with that level of stickiness? When our team’s Song Boyun single-marks Xia Chiyi, he always loses the ball. That kid is a slippery little loach; he slips right past in the blink of an eye,” Liu Suchen said.

Yang Huaiyu added: “It’s not just the stickiness of the defense. Even when two big guys double-team him, this kid can suddenly pop right out.”

“Plus there’s Zhou Zhexiao… If he sees his little loach trapped in an earthen jar, he’s definitely going to flex his might.” Liu Suchen pulled up the corners of his mouth, sensing a good show was about to start.

The surroundings were a bit loud, but Zhuo Zheng still heard the conversation between the two guys next to him.

Is Zhou Zhexiao the type of person to actively relieve a teammate under siege?

In his court principles, teammates are merely tools for passing. He only needs to be the scoring terminator on the offensive end.

Why is the Zhou Zhexiao these people talk about completely different from the one in my memory?

---

As the second quarter began, Chujiang University launched a fierce counterattack.

Just as Ling Huanzhen expected, this newly subbed-in Liu Ge was the secret weapon targeting Xia Chiyi.

This guy’s wingspan was longer than Xia Chiyi’s. As long as he positioned himself properly, he could constantly block Xia Chiyi’s receiving routes. This made the other teammates afraid to rashly pass to him, drastically reducing Xia Chiyi’s shooting opportunities.

Even when Xia Chiyi turned his back, trying to squeeze Liu Ge out of the receiving line, the guy’s lower body was very stable, continuously disrupting him.

Just watching the entanglement between these two for a few seconds made Ye Zhaoying’s head hurt.

It was like playing eagle catches the chicks. Xia Chiyi had to run two or three times more than usual just to find an open spot and receive a pass from Ye Zhaoying.

Once he got the ball, there were very few people capable of stopping Xia Chiyi.

The audience cheered, shouting for “one more goal,” and Xia Chiyi did not disappoint. Moving like a retractable spring, he used a fake to shake Liu Ge to the other side, instantly pulled back to create distance, and shot the ball for a score!

But following that, Liu Ge’s defense became even tighter. Xia Chiyi ran around several times, and Liu Ge stuck to him like glue.

Ye Zhaoying realized that rather than passing to Xia Chiyi, choosing other teammates would result in faster scoring efficiency.

Meanwhile, Chujiang University’s captain, Gao Chong, led his team to seize the opportunity and clawed back six points.

At the commentator’s desk, Chen Hui expressed concern: “Currently, Ningchang University’s Xia Chiyi’s long-range shooting has been sealed. They are playing very passively in the second quarter.”

Xu Mi: “Chujiang University’s Box-and-One tactical execution is extremely strong. Let’s talk about this Box-and-One, also known as ‘one-man mark with a four-man zone’.”

“Yes, this tactic is a combination of one-on-one marking and zone defense. Simply understood, it deploys a high-level defender to mark the opponent with the strongest scoring ability, while the remaining four players guard the four corners of the paint, acting like a box. They will rapidly help defend and coordinate with each other. This tactic rarely appears in high-level games because the risks are very high; it has a fatal flaw.”

“Correct. Although Chujiang University’s box has restricted Xia Chiyi’s ‘long spear,’ Ningchang University still has an assassin. The assassin holds a sharp blade. Once the box is sliced open, Chujiang University will become lambs waiting to be slaughtered.”

As for who this assassin was, Chen Hui and Xu Mi’s gazes fell on Zhou Zhexiao in unison.

Ye Zhaoying glanced at Xia Chiyi. This guy had an utterly serious expression on his face. One second he was staring into Liu Ge’s eyes, and the next his back was nearly bumping into the other’s chest. They were one step short of falling in love on the court.

Xia Chiyi circled from left to right, and then back from right to left. Despite such massive movements, this guy stuck tightly to him, like bubblegum that couldn’t be scraped off. Xia Chiyi was confident that if he could receive the ball, he could create a shooting opportunity. The problem was… this guy was always blocking his receiving route, running actively and recklessly.

It was as if Liu Ge sensed the suppressed irritation deep within Xia Chiyi’s heart, and the corners of his mouth curled up very slightly.

“Are you laughing at me?” Xia Chiyi asked with narrowed eyes.

“I’m not.”

“Heh.” Xia Chiyi lifted his chin, thinking to himself: I deal with Zhou Zhexiao every single day; I can spot your micro-expressions perfectly.

This Liu Ge’s off-ball running speed was also very fast. Every time Xia Chiyi thought he had shaken him off, this guy would suddenly appear next to him again.

He really wanted to grab a hammer and whack this marmot back into its hole.

Just then, Zhou Zhexiao cast a glance at Xia Chiyi. His gaze was very calm, like the cold glint reflecting off a lake covered in thin ice.

—Don’t get agitated.

Xia Chiyi took a deep breath. Right, what was he annoyed about?

Being targeted by a Box-and-One defense—that was a gambling-style defense! It was ultra-high-spec treatment. Xia Chiyi even felt a sense of honor, as if he had become the MVP.

Xia Chiyi beckoned to Liu Ge with a finger, mouthing with a smile: Bring it on.

Liu Ge’s brows furrowed slightly. Their running over these few minutes was equivalent to countless half-court sprints. Logically, Xia Chiyi should have been exhausted by now. So why was the person in front of him still maintaining a steady breathing rhythm?

Moreover, having finally provoked his irritation, why had he calmed down so quickly?

Liu Ge subtly pulled up his collar to wipe the sweat off his chin. Damn it… it feels like punching cotton.

At this moment, at the Chujiang University bench, the players felt incomparably optimistic about the current situation.

“Liu Ge is too awesome! He actually managed to choke out Xia Chiyi! It’s been five minutes and Xia Chiyi has only scored one basket!”

“No matter how fast Xia Chiyi’s release speed is, if we don’t let him get any bullets, it’s useless!”

“The gap between us and Ningchang University is getting smaller and smaller. By the end of this quarter, we can definitely overtake them!”

Chujiang University’s coach also breathed a sigh of relief. In his eyes, handling Xia Chiyi meant half the battle was won.

Also revealing a smile was Ma Hongming, who was watching the live broadcast.

Right now, he was feeling a long-lost sense of comfort. “Look at this, this is the drawback of long-range shooting. Under interference, you either can’t shoot, or you shoot bricks. It relies too heavily on the player’s condition and the opponent’s configuration. If Ningchang University loses, it’s purely because they rely on Xia Chiyi too much! Ling Huanzhen’s experience is ultimately too shallow. Reaching this point and still not substituting in a player with better assault capabilities!”

Just as Chujiang University was about to tie the score, Zhou Zhexiao caught a pass from Ye Zhaoying. He suddenly accelerated, making the audience tense up. He sliced in sharply. Du He and Shuai Bei rushed ahead, asking him for the ball from the left and right.

In the stands, the corners of Zhuo Zheng’s mouth hooked up, thinking to himself: This guy won’t pass.

Sure enough, Zhou Zhexiao showed no intention of slowing down, encountering a triple-team from Chujiang University—in front of him were their center and power forward, and behind him was the rapidly retreating Gao Chong. It was simply an mid-air cage.

Zhou Zhexiao clearly raised the ball, looking as if he was going to do a layup, but suddenly, utilizing the power of his wrist, he tossed it to the side. Shuai Bei caught the ball and, completely undefended, took the shot, steadily scoring.

The two commentators spoke in unison: “The assassin strikes—”

In the stands, Yang Huaiyu and Liu Suchen looked at Zhuo Zheng at the exact same time, tacitly holding up one finger, meaning “One assist.”

Zhuo Zheng sneered coldly. “Now I’ve really seen everything.”

In the next possession, Zhou Zhexiao actively stole the ball and broke through once again. He patiently passed the ball back and forth with Du He and Shuai Bei in the paint. Zhou Zhexiao received the ball again and went for a layup, with Gao Chong’s block coming right at his face.

Commentator Chen Hui clenched his fists. “Danger—”

Countless hearts hung in suspense at this moment.

As Gao Chong jumped, facing Zhou Zhexiao’s calm eyes, he suddenly realized he had been tricked. Zhou Zhexiao lightly flicked his wrist again, and the ball flew over the rim.

Just when everyone thought this error was too absurd, Du He directly slammed it in with an alley-oop dunk. With a booming crash, it shocked those spectators who were about to flame Zhou Zhexiao into utter silence.

__

[Author’s Note]
Zhuo Zheng: It turns out Zhou Zhexiao can actually assist? My youth was fed to the dogs!
Zhou Zhexiao: My youth didn’t have you in it.