Chapter 0106: Spit Out the Confession Meant for Me!

Zhou Zhexiao’s wrist was clamped tightly by the other boy. Even though Xia Chiyi had been exhausted right when the game ended, he was now like an antelope sprinting across the prairie. They sped past the surprised gazes of the staff and ran straight into the locker room.

The moment the door was locked, Zhou Zhexiao was swung by Xia Chiyi’s momentum, his back hitting the wall.

Immediately after, Xia Chiyi’s hands planted on the wall on either side of him. A pair of bright eyes stared at him, full of urgent anticipation.

“Hey, hurry up!”

“Hurry up with what?”

Zhou Zhexiao lowered his eyes. This was his first time being pinned against a wall.

The feeling was quite wonderful.

“Stop pretending,” Xia Chiyi revealed an expression that was slightly angry and brimming with impatience.

He looked just like Coach Fan Qingliang’s pet cat, staring through a glass window at an already-opened can of wet food; no matter how hard it licked the glass, it couldn’t taste the flavor inside.

Zhou Zhexiao remained silent. He wanted to look at this version of Xia Chiyi a little longer.

“Confess. Don’t tell me… after all this time, you still haven’t figured out what to say?”

Hasn’t this guy always been very good at planning?

He read poetry collections by Borges and the like; shouldn’t he have already figured out what to say?

No way…

Xia Chiyi began to doubt if he was just being presumptuous and imagining things.

What do I do?

I don’t want to just be a kid who constantly worships you!

Xia Chiyi grew anxious, like handing in an answer sheet during the college entrance exams, thinking he had gotten everything right, only to realize he had filled in all the bubbles on the wrong lines.

Just as Xia Chiyi raised a hand to rub the back of his head, Zhou Zhexiao caught that hand and placed it behind his own waist.

“I already confessed right when the game ended.”

His voice was very light and gentle, making Xia Chiyi feel a tingly numbness spread from his heart all the way to his brain.

“What? I didn’t hear it! Say it again!”

Looking into Xia Chiyi’s eyes, Zhou Zhexiao shook his head.

“There were too many people then, and it was too loud. I really didn’t hear it!”

“But I already said it.”

“A confession that the person being confessed to didn’t even hear, what kind of confession is that?” Xia Chiyi really wanted to strangle Zhou Zhexiao’s neck and shake him.

Spit out the confession meant for me!

“You definitely heard it.”

“I did not!”

“You responded to me.”

“I did not!”

Covering his own heart, Zhou Zhexiao looked into Xia Chiyi’s eyes and said, “You kissed me here.”

That was because I super like you that I kissed you, not because I heard your confession.

“I did not!”

Xia Chiyi was determined to remain stubborn to the bitter end. Since I didn’t hear your confession, I’ll just act like I never kissed you!

“Alright then,” Zhou Zhexiao sighed.

It felt as if he was saying: If that’s what you think, there’s nothing I can do about it.

Xia Chiyi really wanted to write the words “Annoying Jerk” right on Zhou Zhexiao’s forehead.

Suddenly, Xia Chiyi’s lips were brushed by something soft.

The warmth vanished so quickly that Xia Chiyi suspected it was his own illusion. When he lifted his head, Zhou Zhexiao, who had been looking at him all along, was now looking to the side.

His eyelashes curled upwards, fluttering very lightly like a dandelion blown by the wind.

From his neck to his ears, a light shade of pink had spread.

So, Zhou Zhexiao really just kissed him?

Is this guy… really this innocent?

The blood in his chest felt like it had turned into molten magma, boiling and surging upward, making his blood vessels run so hot they felt ready to split.

That kiss was Zhou Zhexiao’s cautious, final probe—Are you sure you really like me?

Are you truly ready to accept my love, everything I am, and my possessiveness that is so paranoid it might end up hurting you?

A tiny spark was enough to set Xia Chiyi’s world ablaze in a roaring fire.

“What’s so special about the lockers over there that you keep staring at them?” Xia Chiyi leaned in a little closer, asking softly, deliberately letting his breath fall onto the corner of Zhou Zhexiao’s lips.

Zhou Zhexiao visibly pressed himself back against the wall with even more force.

It was truly both hilarious and adorable.

Xia Chiyi pressed even closer, letting his chest rest against the other’s. The hand that had just been planted on the wall beside Zhou Zhexiao now moved to wrap tightly around his waist.

“Wow, turns out your waist is very narrow. I can completely wrap my arm around it! Could this be the legendary male d—” (T/N: Slang ‘male dog waist’ refers to a very fit, strong core).

Before Xia Chiyi could finish his sentence, Zhou Zhexiao covered his mouth.

“Don’t talk dirty.”

“I am not!”

Zhou Zhexiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and the muscles in his abdomen visibly tensed.

He clearly could have said something, but instead, he just stiffened his neck and kept his lips tightly shut.

Like a thousand-year-old clam that couldn’t be pried open, desperately defending his last shred of persistence.

“Hey, I feel like a villain right now. You know, like the low-level villain in a TV drama who forcibly grabs the female lead, only to get beaten into a pig’s head by the passing male lead.”

As he spoke, Xia Chiyi’s fingertips gently rubbed back and forth. Zhou Zhexiao’s jersey was already clinging tightly to his body, so the curve and sensation of Xia Chiyi’s fingertips transmitted through completely. Suddenly, Zhou Zhexiao raised his hand and forcefully gripped Xia Chiyi’s shoulder.

Is his grip this strong when he grabs a basketball too?

My bones hurt!

Xia Chiyi frowned and was just about to protest. But the moment his lips parted even slightly, Zhou Zhexiao impatiently pressed in, touching against Xia Chiyi’s teeth and pushing his way inside with immense force. He had just finished an orange-flavored sports drink; that hint of sweet and sour flavor spread wildly, like a depth charge suddenly rushing into his mind and exploding with a boom.

Xia Chiyi’s lips were pried open with even more absolute resolve. His heart hammered like the sound of a basketball forcefully pounding against the court.

The hand gripping Xia Chiyi’s shoulder suddenly shifted, followed instantly by an embrace so tight it made it impossible for his chest to draw breath.

Xia Chiyi was reminded of the feeling of being defended by Zhou Zhexiao, how the other boy followed him like a shadow whether they were wrestling for position or he was attempting to break through.

Thrilling and soul-stirring.

His nape instinctively tilted backward. Zhou Zhexiao’s kiss exuded a powerful force; a chest full of affection pierced straight through Xia Chiyi’s brain and crashed into the ground.

Oxygen deprivation made Xia Chiyi’s head buzz, yet he didn’t want this kiss to end at all.

He responded exactly as he pleased, tearing down all of Zhou Zhexiao’s self-discipline and restraint with a destructive force.

The sound of their heartbeats was infinitely magnified. Their intertwined breaths brushed against the skin of their cheeks like a spreading wildfire.

Xia Chiyi felt like he was losing his mind.

Even the weight of his soul was being sucked away by the guy in front of him.

Knock, knock, knock! The sound of knocking echoed on the door, and Xia Chiyi’s phone in the locker room began to vibrate continuously.

“Xia Chiyi? Xia Chiyi, are you and Zhou Zhexiao in there?”

“Why is the locker room locked from the inside?”

“Are they already showering together?”

Xia Chiyi’s rationality returned, and he patted Zhou Zhexiao’s back forcefully. He didn’t know how long they had been kissing; his lips were already numb. He subconsciously bit his lower lip and felt absolutely nothing.

The moment he locked eyes with Zhou Zhexiao, Xia Chiyi froze.

This was the first time Zhou Zhexiao had looked at him with such an aggressive gaze, as if Xia Chiyi was his basketball hoop, his buzzer-beater, the sum total of all his faith.

When that aggressiveness dissipated, what remained was a slight daze.

Zhou Zhexiao didn’t understand why just a kiss was enough to completely clear his mind of everything except the person in front of him.

And no matter what, he couldn’t get enough.

This was a craving even stronger than basketball.

“I’ll go open the door.” Xia Chiyi tried to pry Zhou Zhexiao’s arms away.

As if suddenly pricked by something, Zhou Zhexiao abruptly tightened his embrace, burying his head in the crook of Xia Chiyi’s neck as if trying to confirm something.

Xia Chiyi didn’t push him away; instead, he shouted loudly: “Wait a minute! Coming right out!”

“Holy crap, there really is someone inside! Hurry up! I want to shower!” Ye Chaoying yelled.

“Got it! Right away!”

Despite agreeing verbally, Xia Chiyi actually wanted to be held by Zhou Zhexiao like this forever, feeling his reliance on him and his surging possessiveness.

This possessiveness was completely different from his obsession with scoring; it was an emotion that could be powerfully felt, making Xia Chiyi’s heart palpitate.

Xia Chiyi lightly nuzzled against Zhou Zhexiao’s ear and whispered, “Later, when they ask what we were doing with the door locked, just say we were reviewing the game, had differing viewpoints, and were arguing theory with each other.”

“Mn.”

“If I had known, we wouldn’t have picked the locker room.” Xia Chiyi tilted his head back, looked at the ceiling, and let out a long sigh.

“Mn?”

“I want to keep kissing you forever.”

Zhou Zhexiao froze for a second, then saw Xia Chiyi’s massive smile.

Those eyes seemed to hold an inexhaustible, burning sincerity that made Zhou Zhexiao’s heart race uncontrollably.

When the door opened, a circle of teammates had already gathered, and Assistant Coach Cheng Qing also wore a worried expression.

“What’s going on? There’s an award ceremony in a bit! What were you guys doing locked in there?” Ye Chaoying asked as he walked in, looking left and right, wanting to know what these two had been doing behind a locked door for half the day.

Du He was still on a voice call with his parents, sniffling and choking on his tears as he spoke, nearly bumping into the locker doors opened by the other teammates.

Shuai Bei glanced at Zhou Zhexiao. Expressionless, Zhou Zhexiao took out his waterproof bag and walked toward the showers.

Ye Chaoying suddenly blurted out: “Didn’t we win? His expression looks like ‘I won the game but got cuckolded’.”

Xia Chiyi immediately started coughing. “Nothing… it’s nothing… We were discussing our coordination during the game and had differing opinions, so…”

“You two are really something! Right now, I don’t want to review the game at all; just thinking back on it makes me breathless! I want to be happy! I want extreme happiness!” Ye Chaoying threw his hands in the air, acting as if he had just been liberated from the college entrance exams.

Fu Chenxue looked eagerly at Ye Chaoying: “But I still feel like I’m dreaming… Last year we played like absolute dead weight… and this year we’re the champions of the Southeast Region? My phone is about to explode with congratulatory messages… Am I going to wake up in a minute and realize Xia Chiyi and Zhou Zhexiao aren’t on the team, and our coach is still Ma Wenhua…?”

The next second, Fu Chenxue let out a tragic shriek like a slaughtered pig.

“What is it? What happened?” Carrying his waterproof bag, Xia Chiyi leaned over to look.

Fu Chenxue’s cheek was bright red; it had clearly been pinched by someone.

“Did it hurt enough?” Ye Chaoying asked.

With tears in his eyes, Fu Chenxue nodded.

“If it hurts enough, then it’s real! Since we’ve taken down the Kings of the Southeast title, we can afford to have even greater ambitions.” Ye Chaoying looked at Xia Chiyi and raised an eyebrow.

Yes, they could afford to have greater ambitions.

—Winning the National Championship.

And beyond that, his ambitions could grow even larger.

“Why haven’t I seen Coach Ling?” Xia Chiyi asked.

Shuai Bei answered, “The media waiting to interview him are still queuing up. After all, as a former premier power forward who can now ‘turn stone into gold’ as a coach, it’s massive news for the basketball world. Maybe in the future, our Coach Ling can step onto an even bigger stage.”

“I heard that the staff from Coolang asked again if our coach could be a guest in their broadcast room!”

“Word is they want to do another program to boost the hype for the Southwest and Northeast regional tournaments!”

Xia Chiyi went into the shower stall next to Zhou Zhexiao’s and turned on the water.

Listening to the excited chatter of everyone outside, Xia Chiyi’s mind was entirely focused on Zhou Zhexiao on the other side of the partition.

This guy is so quiet, yet when he kissed me, he was so fierce.

Xia Chiyi knocked lightly on the partition three times.

The sound of the water and the chatting was very loud. He didn’t actually hold out hope that Zhou Zhexiao would hear it, but deep in his heart, he anticipated a response.

Knock, knock, knock! The sound came from the opposite side.

In his mind, Xia Chiyi pictured Zhou Zhexiao curling his index finger and tapping lightly with his knuckles.

“What are you doing?” Xia Chiyi turned around and peeked over the gap above the partition.

Looking didn’t seem like a big deal, but what he saw gave him a jump.

Holy crap…

Zhou Zhexiao turned his face to look at him. His features were soaked with water, making Xia Chiyi’s mind wander with lustful thoughts.

“What do you think I’m doing?”

Amidst the swirling, warm steam, Zhou Zhexiao’s voice sounded very dry.

“Oh… I… won’t bother you then…”

Xia Chiyi looked like a little puppy begging for a hug, his eyes filled with undisguised anticipation.

But what Zhou Zhexiao wanted was clearly not just a hug.

The water ran for a long time. Xia Chiyi had already finished washing, but Zhou Zhexiao seemed to still be in that exact same posture.

Eyes closed, head bowed.

Very silent.

And very dangerous.

Yet Xia Chiyi just couldn’t help wanting to provoke him.

So, Zhou Zhexiao, can you hurry up and come out already?

---

He didn’t know how long it had been. Xia Chiyi had already blown his hair dry and was sitting on a chair, yawning while playing on his phone.

Opening WeChat, he earnestly replied to everyone who had congratulated him.

Compared to the official accounts, Pang Shuai’s efficiency was surprisingly high. His Weibo account not only announced the game results but also posted several sets of high-definition photos.

The alumni of Ningchang University were extremely supportive; the repost count had already broken three thousand.

Xia Chiyi opened all the photos involving Zhou Zhexiao. Even though he always kept an eye on this guy on the court, from many angles he couldn’t see his facial expressions.

So when he was battling Yang Huaiyu under the basket, he also had that ‘you owe me money’ look on his face.

Then there was his mid-air posture during a dunk—every muscle line in his body stretched taut, an overflow of testosterone bursting from the screen.

Various moments of him driving, breaking through, or stealing the ball—hair flying in the air, jersey puffed out by the wind…

Tsk, I want to hug him tightly again, and then kiss him.

The more he thought about it, the more excited he got. Like a three-year-old kid going to an amusement park for the first time, Xia Chiyi was so thrilled he wanted to spin in circles right there.

His whole brain was filled with “Zhou Zhexiao”. Xia Chiyi pinched his own cheeks. I’m really done for—am I actually hopelessly love-brained?

When they had secured first place in the group stage, Pang Shuai had wanted to post a message saying “We will shine brightly,” but he was afraid of getting flamed by fans of other strong teams. He was also worried that if he acted too high-profile and they ended up losing, there would definitely be a lot of people coming to mock them.

But now, he had finally posted it valiantly and proudly, and even pinned it to the top.

Opening the comments, Xia Chiyi wanted to find a single sour remark, but there wasn’t a single one.

Probably because everyone who hadn’t favored Ningchang University had been thoroughly slapped in the face.

Xia Chiyi reposted this Weibo post, thanking Pang Shuai for his support all along the way: [Bro, you photographed me looking so handsome I’m about to fall in love with myself!]

Pang Shuai: [It’s fine, you have the qualifications to be narcissistic.]

Someone below actually commented: [I originally thought you only had an outstanding face; I didn’t expect your skills to be extraordinary too. If you weren’t narcissistic, how would other guys survive?]

Thinking about it that way, Zhou Zhexiao hit the jackpot.

Xia Chiyi opened his phone’s selfie camera to admire himself for a bit.

Yeah, why didn’t I think I was this handsome before?

Is it because we won the Southeast Championship, so my soul is inflating?

Just as he was examining himself from left to right, the light above his head was suddenly blocked.

It turned out Zhou Zhexiao had finally emerged from seclusion.

If this guy were in a Xianxia novel, he would definitely be a demonic cultivator who looked aloof and cold on the outside but was actually drowning in his desires.

With a towel draped over his head, Zhou Zhexiao looked down at Xia Chiyi. A drop of water fell onto Xia Chiyi’s eyelid, still carrying Zhou Zhexiao’s body heat.

Tsk, what’s with this inexplicable feeling of being seduced?

Moreover, his lips had a sheen to them, like honey.

People were still chatting in the locker room. They obviously shouldn’t do anything too outrageous, but the itch in his heart was too intense.

Xia Chiyi raised his phone a bit and said, “Hold this.”

Zhou Zhexiao bent down. Assuming Xia Chiyi wanted him to act as a phone stand, he pinched the two ends of the phone with both hands and dutifully moved it in front of Xia Chiyi’s eyes.

Who knew that after freeing up his hands, Xia Chiyi would grab the two ends of his towel and forcefully pull his head down.

Their lips crashed together. Before the sensation of pain could even register in his brain, a tip of a tongue had already slipped past, sending a tremor rushing to Zhou Zhexiao’s mind. The tide that he had managed to calm down with so much difficulty was about to boil over once again.

“Xia Chiyi! You’re going on a show tonight!” Ye Chaoying’s voice grew closer and closer.

“Ah? Why me?” Without letting go of Zhou Zhexiao’s towel, Xia Chiyi just poked his head out to look at him.

“Because you’re the Finals MVP!” the teammates in the locker room said in unison.

Xia Chiyi froze. “Me? You sure there’s no mistake?”

“It’s you, it’s you, it is you! You got 34 points, Zhou Zhexiao 33 points, Yang Huaiyu 32 points, Li Shunchuan 32 points. Did you not look at the stats board?”

“Didn’t look.”

After winning, he had immediately “eloped” with Zhou Zhexiao.

During a phone interview previously, Coach Xie Huai had assigned him a task of scoring 45 points. Right now, he hadn’t even reached 35 points. If he went on some show with Ling Huanzhen and they connected with Xie Huai live, Xia Chiyi wouldn’t know what to say.

Hands on his hips, Ye Chaoying looked at their bizarre posture and frowned. “As expected of the MVP, even the Son of Heaven, Zhou, bows his head in submission! The winner gets to be arrogant; you even have your own exclusive human phone stand!”

“Ah, jealous?”

Xia Chiyi smiled, thinking to himself that Ye Chaoying always had a knack for brushing right past the truth.

“Only you get to enjoy this kind of blessing. But Zhou Zhexiao has to participate too. You two get to be stuck together like glue again!”

“Really?”

“Of course, Zhou Zhexiao is officially recognized as the Most Promising Rookie!”

Xia Chiyi paused for a second and looked at Zhou Zhexiao: “You? Most Promising Rookie?”

He’s clearly a seasoned veteran! An old fox! Old ginger!

Zhou Zhexiao said slowly and methodically, “If you want it, take it.”

“No, I don’t want it.” As Xia Chiyi tilted his head back, his bangs flipped up slightly, exposing his forehead in a very cute way.

Carefully reading Xia Chiyi’s lip movements, Zhou Zhexiao realized he was probably saying: I only want you.

Zhou Zhexiao’s throat tightened. Suddenly, he felt that all the teammates in the entire locker room were an eyesore. Why couldn’t they just vanish on the spot?

Patting his chest, Ye Chaoying said, “The Rebound King is Meng Ting, but I got the Steal King title, hahaha!”

---

Even though the regional tournament was over, and they thought they could eat and drink heartily and have a good time with Pang Shuai, Liang Qin, and the others, they unexpectedly got even busier.

There were various official tournament activities—interviews, interactive segments, and the like—all designed to boost the Division I league’s popularity. Xia Chiyi was very happy to cooperate.

Because from the bottom of his heart, he hoped the Division I league could become popularized, allowing more people to pay attention to and love basketball.

Xu Mi was an old friend of theirs by now. She scheduled a short video interview and specifically instructed Xia Chiyi to remember to bring Zhou Zhexiao along.

Sitting on the sofa in the hotel room, Xia Chiyi trimmed a large bouquet of sunflowers while talking to Xu Mi on a WeChat voice call.

That guy Zhou Zhexiao… who knows where he ran off to again.

Does this guy not realize how precious their time together is at all?

“Xu Mi, I’m quite curious. Are there always this many interview activities after the Southeast Regional tournament ends? We aren’t professional athletes, after all!”

They’re making it seem like we’re idol draft trainees.

“You really want to know why?” Xu Mi’s voice carried a thick smile.

“Just tell me!”

“Because Ningchang University’s counterattack is the most incredible legend in the history of the Division I league. Your synergy with Zhou Zhexiao is obvious to everyone—a powerful alliance of inside and outside lines, and a classic example of tactical interaction. You are perfectly suited to be the face of their promotions.”

Xia Chiyi scratched his cheek. “Is it really elevated to that level?”

“Nowadays, the collegiate Division I league has become an important pathway for the CBA draft. A few years ago, the Division I league couldn’t produce many professional athletes, but now there are more and more. Even Yuan Tingxuan stood out from the collegiate Division I league. And judging by Xie Huai’s comments about you and Zhou Zhexiao, expectations are very high. Many CBA clubs are quietly observing. If you and Zhou Zhexiao enter the draft, it will inevitably trigger a talent-snatching war among the major clubs. Your inside-out coordination can execute multiple highly efficient tactics no matter which team you’re placed in. Do you think the officials wouldn’t want to pull you two out for promotion?”

“Oh, so that’s how it is.”

“So it’s a deal for recording my program, you can’t back out now.”

“Alright, don’t worry.”

Hanging up the WeChat call, Xia Chiyi received the schedule for the Coolang interview from Ling Huanzhen. It was after dinner.

Xia Chiyi went to the foot of Zhou Zhexiao’s bed, spread his arms, and hopped backward, sprawling out carelessly, not caring at all if this neat-freak guy would get angry finding his bedsheets wrinkled.

Opening the app on his phone, he tracked the location of Zhou Zhexiao’s smartwatch. Why did this guy run off so far away again?

Wasn’t that intense game enough to drain his energy?

“This isn’t right, shouldn’t this guy come back to sleep and recharge?”

Xia Chiyi zoomed in on the map. It seemed to be near a bus stop. Is this guy trying to take the bus back but doesn’t know which route to take?

Xia Chiyi quickly sent a WeChat message: [Your Majesty, our hotel can be reached by getting off at the Nanfeng Intersection station via bus routes 32, 16, or 78.]

Zhou Zhexiao actually replied with a voice message immediately.

Yes, the voice message was one second long. When played, it was just an “Mn.”

Xia Chiyi sat up, tilted his head, and rested his chin on his hand, feeling a bit annoyed.

They should be taking advantage of their free time to indulge in this and that kind of dirty stuff, yet one of the main characters had gone missing.

Turning over, Xia Chiyi lay on Zhou Zhexiao’s pillow and fell asleep in no time.

Until with a click, the door opened.

Rubbing his eyes, Xia Chiyi slowly sat up, only to see Zhou Zhexiao holding a massive bouquet of roses with one arm, standing at the foot of the bed.

He was wearing a pure black hoodie. Because he had just washed his hair, it was blown fluffy, curling slightly like gentle waves. His large, deep eyes and fine eyelashes looked both ascetic and deeply affectionate. The red roses wrapped in black satin-like paper made Zhou Zhexiao look both silent and captivating.

“Are… are your fans this flamboyant? Giving you such a big bouquet of roses?”

Shaking his head, Zhou Zhexiao walked to Xia Chiyi’s side, sat down, and then placed the flowers into his lap.

It was heavy, without any other embellishments—only roses. It was as direct and straightforward as a ball of fire, burning straight into the heart.

“Why are you giving this to me…” Xia Chiyi suddenly realized that he was probably the number one idiot in the world. “Did you specifically go out to buy these for me?”

“…Mn.”

Oh boy, Zhou Zhexiao’s ears had turned pink again. Is this guy really this shy just buying some flowers?

When Xia Chiyi was little and watched Sheng Xingming’s games, lots of fans would come to give him flowers after they ended.

He had received many, many flowers and applause, but giving flowers to someone else was probably his first time.

Lowering his head, Xia Chiyi nuzzled his nose against the rose petals for quite a while. There was a card inside: I hide roses in my heart, always ready to cheer for you.

Zhou Zhexiao’s handwriting was very beautiful. Xia Chiyi’s heart swelled to the point of aching.

He kissed Zhou Zhexiao’s cheek forcefully. Zhou Zhexiao tilted to the side, but once he realized Xia Chiyi was kissing him, he forcefully pressed his face back over on his own initiative.

This guy… is so innocent and adorable.

The moment Xia Chiyi moved his face away, Zhou Zhexiao pressed forward and kissed him hard.

The roses were crushed between them, making rustling sounds.

The fragrance diffused into the air. Using his lips, Zhou Zhexiao pried Xia Chiyi open. The force of his kiss made Xia Chiyi go numb. His teeth ground together in a desperate attempt at restraint; possessiveness made him want to swallow Xia Chiyi whole in one bite, while affection made him cautious, terrified of hurting him.

Xia Chiyi’s arms were pinned down. He wanted to wiggle them out to hug the other tightly, but Zhou Zhexiao’s kiss couldn’t be stopped or retracted. His palm gripped the Xia Chiyi who was trying to escape, holding the back of his head a bit painfully. His kiss carried a forceful undertone, churning without rhyme or reason. It was like an offensive and defensive battle where, even if Xia Chiyi dribbled low to the ground, he couldn’t break through, only repeatedly crashing into Zhou Zhexiao’s iron wall.

This didn’t make Xia Chiyi afraid; instead, it made him tremble more, stirring his desire for a challenge.

If Zhou Zhexiao was forceful, Xia Chiyi would be even more forceful. He lay safely and comfortably in the other’s embrace, confidently sweeping up everything Zhou Zhexiao had. They continuously proved their own desire for control, and then tried every possible means to please each other.

Kissing Zhou Zhexiao was truly thrilling and heart-pounding.

“Where… where did you learn this?” Xia Chiyi asked, panting.

The corners of his eyes were a bit wet. Zhou Zhexiao gently stroked them, his fingers tangling in Xia Chiyi’s hair. His affection was like a newborn universe, expanding and stretching out in all directions.

“Learned it from you.” Lying down beside him, Zhou Zhexiao’s eyes were heavy with emotion.

“Liar. How could you learn it from me? I’ve never kissed anyone before, I don’t even know how to do it!”

“That day at KTV, you drank bitter gourd juice and got drunk.”

“Because the bitter gourd juice was mixed with Erguotou!” Xia Chiyi quickly defended himself.

“I carried you back to the hotel room, and you started ‘patrolling the mountain’.”

“What mountain was I patrolling…” Xia Chiyi’s heart began to hammer wildly.

Lifting Xia Chiyi’s hand, Zhou Zhexiao first closed his eyes gently and placed the hand over his eyes. His fingertips slowly traced over the bridge of his nose, the tip of his nose, and paused on the seam of his lips.

Xia Chiyi’s fingertips were nipped very lightly, followed by his chin, and finally rested on his Adam’s apple.

“You… you’re saying… that day… I went crazy from the alcohol?”

“…Mn.”

“And you just let me bully you like that?”

“…It felt pretty good.”

Xia Chiyi pulled the blanket over himself, wrapping himself up tightly. “I have no face to keep living!”

Zhou Zhexiao patted the blanket slowly. “Even though I hadn’t kissed anyone before, I think you’re pretty amazing at it.”

“What’s amazing about it…” Xia Chiyi wished he could suffocate himself.

“After you fell asleep, I stayed in the bathroom for a very, very long time.”

Xia Chiyi’s shoulders tensed up, and only after a long while did he shoot back: “Don’t talk dirty.”

“I’m just telling the truth.”

The blood-boiling game had passed; the applause, whistles, and cheers had all faded away.

Everything had quieted down.

If his infatuation with Zhou Zhexiao initially stemmed from admiration—from the suspension bridge effect generated when locking eyes in life-or-death moments on the court—then at this moment, the profound reliance filling his heart and eyes let Xia Chiyi know that he absolutely, truly liked him.

Even while hugging the blanket, he shuffled backward, fitting perfectly into Zhou Zhexiao’s embrace. What he felt was still his own vigorous, blooming love for him.

Zhou Zhexiao didn’t try to pull back Xia Chiyi’s blanket; he merely held him gently, looking at the hair whorl poking out from under the covers.

They hugged like this for a long, long time, until Xia Chiyi’s stomach let out a gurgle.

After such an intense game, how could he not be hungry?

“Wanna go eat?”

“I want you to hold me…”

“Even when Yang Guo met Little Dragon Maiden again after sixteen years, they still had to eat.”

“Hahaha…”

Xia Chiyi was amused by Zhou Zhexiao. “It’s because you’re hungry too, aren’t you?”

“I’m just afraid that if you don’t manage to grab any mini skewers, you’ll shout about missing out on a hundred million.”

“Let’s go, time to eat!”

---

During dinner, Xia Chiyi bumped into Meng Ting and the others, and they naturally greeted each other.

“Um… why don’t I see ‘Embarrassed Li’ and Yang Huaiyu?” Xia Chiyi asked.

“Yang Huaiyu took ‘Embarrassed Li’ to find a place for seafood porridge. He cried his voice hoarse, so he needs to eat something good to recover.”

Xia Chiyi rubbed the back of his head.

Meng Ting naturally patted Xia Chiyi’s shoulder. “Don’t overthink it. Even blood brothers have to determine a winner and a loser when they step onto the court.”

From behind, Ke Yan gave Xia Chiyi a kick with his knee. “You kid, this guilty expression of yours—acting all high and mighty—makes people annoyed. We were originally saying the two teams should eat seafood hotpot together tomorrow! If you keep acting like this, we won’t invite you!”

“Yes, yes, yes! Let’s eat together! When are you guys heading back to Qincheng?”

At the mention of food, Xia Chiyi’s eyes practically glowed.

Moreover, the dipping sauce for Qincheng’s seafood hotpot was incredibly fresh and savory, and Yang Huaiyu had even said he would personally mix it for him.

“Tomorrow afternoon around four. You guys probably still have some post-game interviews, right?”

“Yeah, a few.”

Standing on either side of Xia Chiyi, He Zhan and Meng Ting leaned close to his ears to whisper some gossip.

“Hey, we want to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“Did Zhou Zhexiao get a girlfriend? Is she a fan? Is she pretty?”

“Girl… girlfriend? When?” Xia Chiyi was stunned.

He was glued to Zhou Zhexiao every day; Xia Chiyi even knew how many times a day the guy went to the bathroom.

Plus, Zhou Zhexiao was already with him, how could he possibly find a girlfriend?

“It was just this afternoon after the game! I was at the window and saw with my own eyes Zhou Zhexiao walking into the hotel holding a massive bouquet of roses!” Meng Ting looked completely incredulous.

“Yeah, a lot of people saw it, I was in the elevator at the time. This bro is way too composed, his face didn’t change color at all—carrying such a huge bouquet of roses just like he went downstairs to pick up takeout!” He Zhan added.

Xia Chiyi sighed and patted both of their backs. “If I told you those flowers were for me, would you believe it?”

“Oh! So that’s how it is! If they were your flowers, then it makes sense! If I were a girl, I’d want to give you flowers too!” Meng Ting punched his own palm.

“So Zhou Zhexiao was just running errands for you? I’m guessing in all of Ningchang University, you’re the only one who can boss Zhou Zhexiao around to run errands! No wonder his expression was so calm! Who gave them to you? Is she infatuated with your face, does she like the way you play basketball, or is it your interesting soul?” He Zhan continued to ask.

“He likes my face, the way I play basketball, and my interesting soul,” Xia Chiyi replied with a smile.

He Zhan smiled so wide his face wrinkled: “Your level of narcissism is already on par with Yang Huaiyu’s.”

“Alright, someday I’ll have a one-on-one competition with him specifically in the narcissism category.”

By this time, Zhou Zhexiao was already sitting in a chair, leaning back as usual, waiting for Xia Chiyi to select the buffet food and bring it over.

“Really makes you envious!” He Zhan let out a sigh.

Meng Ting was also a bit sour. “Xia Chiyi gets flowers from fans, and all we get is sliced melon from the assistant coach.”

“Melon is pretty good too, do you know how expensive watermelons are in this season?” Ke Yan patted Meng Ting’s shoulder.

While they were chatting in front of the braised lamb chops, Xia Chiyi felt a bit of tension down his spine. Turning around, he found Zhou Zhexiao looking right at him.

“Zhou Zhexiao seems to never fetch things for himself. Do you spoil him too much?” Meng Ting leaned close to Xia Chiyi’s ear and asked curiously.

“At first, it was because he lived overseas for a long time, and when he came back to China, there were a lot of foods he wasn’t used to. Taking too much and not finishing it would be a hassle to waste. So I would help him get food—for example, avoiding spicy things or things with too strong a smell. Later on, he developed an iron stomach with no taboos, but my eyes are bigger than my stomach, and I often take too much. So it became… him helping me clear my plates,” Xia Chiyi answered.

“So that’s how it is. Then Zhou Zhexiao is actually pretty great, not minding your leftovers and not being a picky eater.”

“Yeah, he’s now advanced to the level of eating spicy gluten strips (latiao) as a meal.”

Carrying fully loaded plates, Xia Chiyi placed them on the table. “Coach Ling told us not to eat too much for dinner, otherwise it’d be super awkward if we burp while recording the show.”

“You seem to really like hanging out with the Qincheng University players, especially Yang Huaiyu.”

“Probably because when you’re friends with him, he doesn’t display the aggressiveness he has on the court, so there’s no pressure hanging out. Most importantly, when exchanging basketball tips, he doesn’t hide anything at all. He can handle wins and losses, is broad-minded, and cares more about the team than himself. He’s a good teammate.”

“Oh.” Zhou Zhexiao picked up his chopsticks, poked at a lamb chop, but failed to pick it up.

Resting his chin on his hand, Xia Chiyi looked at Zhou Zhexiao’s profile, and as he watched, he lowered his head and chuckled softly.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Laughing at you being jealous of Yang Huaiyu. You clearly appreciate him a lot too, which is why you spent so many days playing one-on-one with him.”

“He’s alright, I guess.”

“Just alright?”

“Deduct points for being handsome. Deduct points for being easy to get along with. Everything else is fine.”

This time, Zhou Zhexiao managed to pick up the lamb chop and ate it slowly.

If there hadn’t been other people at the table, Xia Chiyi would have sprawled across the table to stare at him.

This guy is genuinely adorable.

---

Returning to their room after dinner, Xia Chiyi started looking for clothes to wear for the interview.

Zhou Zhexiao asked in confusion, “Aren’t we supposed to wear our team jackets?”

“But we can wear our own T-shirts inside! I want to find the one that matches yours.”

Zhou Zhexiao paused for a moment, walked to Xia Chiyi’s side, and easily pulled out that exact T-shirt.

“How did you know it was here?”

“Because I was the one who took it to the laundry room, I brought it back, and I hung it up.”

“Then today is our first day wearing couple shirts.”

Xia Chiyi revealed a massive smile, excitedly changing his T-shirt.

“Haven’t we been wearing them for a long time?”

Sitting on the edge of Xia Chiyi’s bed, Zhou Zhexiao really liked watching Xia Chiyi put on clothes. The lines of his shoulders, back, and arms would tense up—it looked very good, highly suitable to reminisce over in the dead of night.

“We’ve been wearing them… for a long time?”

“Mn. Matching sneakers, matching socks, matching sportswear, and matching wristbands…”

Xia Chiyi tilted his head: “Why doesn’t that sound like a coincidence?”

Because I like you.

“Because I have good taste.”

“That does seem to be the case.”

Joyfully, Xia Chiyi continued changing his clothes. He didn’t notice Zhou Zhexiao’s deep, distant gaze.

---

The hosts for the Coolang evening show were Chen Hui and Xu Mi.

When Ling Huanzhen brought Xia Chiyi and Zhou Zhexiao over to sit down, they found the small table in front of the sofa to be very much in the way. The director immediately had people carry the small table away.

“Don’t let the table block that row of long legs!”

---

[Author’s Note]

Zhou Zhexiao: In the era when I grew up, you had to give the other person red roses when confessing. So giving you red roses was my confession.
Xia Chiyi: Don’t even think about using roses to replace a verbal confession!