Chapter 0064: Wall Slam

Yang Huaiyu rarely showed an expression of yearning.

“Now, I feel that world will be very interesting. There will probably be people like you, like Lu Yingnan, and even people more formidable than you guys existing there. I need to learn to enjoy this kind of fun… and not care so much about low points and failures. Whether it’s your coach Li Xiaoran, or Ling Huanzhen, they have both witnessed the top-tier skills and tactics on the highest level of the arena. I also want to go and take a look.”

Liu Suchen then asked, “Is it Xia Chiyi? Did he make you change your mind?”

“Just a little bit.”

Similarly, in this practice match, Liu Suchen’s performance also stimulated Xia Chiyi.

Constantly researching and constantly simulating the scene of battling against Liu Suchen in his mind caused Xia Chiyi to start talking in his sleep at night.

“Liu Suchen… I’ll block you… a big hot pot [block]…”

Zhou Zhexiao, who was sleeping head-to-head with him, took a deep breath. He reached his hand through the gap between the bedframes and rubbed Xia Chiyi’s head.

Xia Chiyi remained quiet for about ten minutes, then started spouting English.

“I’ll shoot on your face!”

Zhou Zhexiao’s brows furrowed. He said coldly, “Xia Chiyi, whose face do you want to shoot on?”

“Liu… Suchen…” Xia Chiyi replied subconsciously.

With the exact same tone, the last time Xia Chiyi called out was “Zhou Zhexiao’s” name.

“So, among all the stars you fall in love with at first sight, Liu Suchen is the brightest one right now?” Zhou Zhexiao asked coldly.

“Mhm… mhm…” Xia Chiyi’s sleep talk gradually became slurred and unclear.

After a while, Xia Chiyi started spouting on-court trash talk again, even plagiarizing Zhou Zhexiao.

“Hmph hmph… you’re too soft…”

By this time, Zhou Zhexiao had completely lost his sleepiness. He sat halfway up, leaning against the headboard.

“Who are you trash-talking?” Zhou Zhexiao asked.

“…Liu Suchen…”

“Whether he’s soft or not, what does it have to do with you?” Zhou Zhexiao asked again.

“Shoo—” Xia Chiyi started dubbing himself again, probably dreaming that he was shooting a basket right over Liu Suchen’s head.

Never had any opponent exerted such influence on Xia Chiyi, dominating his dreams, using his overbearing and arrogant basketball skills to fill Xia Chiyi with the desire to fight.

It was just a practice match; they hadn’t even met face-to-face, yet Zhou Zhexiao had already seen that kind of anticipation, surprise, and admiration in Xia Chiyi’s eyes countless times.

Perhaps even reverence.

It clearly used to be adoration belonging solely to Sheng Xingming, but it seemed to have suddenly transferred to another person.

“You’re just a fake fan.” Propping his head up with one hand on his pillow, Zhou Zhexiao reached out with the other hand and pinched Xia Chiyi’s nose.

“Mhm… wuwu… Zhou Zhexiao, you big meanie… big meanie…”

Ye Zhaoying on the opposite bed had woken up at some point and sighed helplessly.

“Zhou Zhexiao, you’re really something. He’s talking in his sleep, and you can still have a Q&A session with him?”

Zhou Zhexiao remained silent.

Fearing that the world wasn’t chaotic enough, Ye Zhaoying shouted, “Hey—Xia Chiyi, do you think Liu Suchen is handsome or not!”

Xia Chiyi smacked his lips and actually answered, “Insanely handsome…”

Ye Zhaoying glanced at Zhou Zhexiao. “Hey, I support you strangling him to death. He actually thinks an opponent is insanely handsome? If Coach Ling knew, he wouldn’t let him off either.”

“I’m going to sleep.” Zhou Zhexiao lay back down.

Looking at the other party’s back, Ye Zhaoying felt that it was a waste for him to be woken up in the middle of the night by Xia Chiyi’s sleep talk if Zhou Zhexiao was still so calm at this point. Of course, he had to add fuel to the fire.

“Hey Xia Chiyi, oh Xia Chiyi, is Liu Suchen the most handsome man you’ve ever seen?”

“…No.” Xia Chiyi answered vaguely.

“Oh, then who is the most handsome man in your heart?”

Ye Zhaoying was already prepared for the other party to answer “Sheng Xingming.” At least as long as the most handsome man wasn’t Liu Suchen, Xia Chiyi would still be alive to talk to Zhou Zhexiao tomorrow.

“Mhm… mhm mhm…” Xia Chiyi rolled over, wrapping himself in his blanket.

Ye Zhaoying smiled. “Who is it?”

“…Zhou Zhexiao.”

This time, Xia Chiyi’s answer was very certain.

Ye Zhaoying was stunned. He originally thought Xia Chiyi would at most score a passing sixty marks, but he didn’t expect him to actually answer the bonus question too.

Simply a genius!

Zhou Zhexiao was sleeping facing the wall, so no one could see his expression at this moment. He stared at the wall with his eyes open. The moment he heard his name, it was as if what he was resting his head on was Xia Chiyi’s breathing. His usually tough heart was softer than ever before.

He wanted to yank him into his embrace, crush his bones, and punish him over and over again for studying another man so intently and seriously.

Even though he knew his gaze was pure, it was still scorching hot.

Even though he was well aware that what he was studying was that person’s basketball skills, his heart still felt displeased, as if hooked by barbs.

Because… that was a very charismatic opponent.

However, he also couldn’t bear to let him keep studying Liu Suchen.

This opponent’s basketball skills glinted with a cold light. The deeper one studied them, the easier it was to hurt oneself, just like Yang Huaiyu back then.

Just look at me, Xia Chiyi.

I will give you all the skills from that world, and they won’t hurt you in the slightest.

The next morning, when Xia Chiyi came back from his morning exercise and ran into Ye Zhaoying, the other party said sincerely, “I know Liu Suchen is very formidable, but can you please stop studying him! You can change the male lead… for example, Lu Yingnan?”

“Isn’t he the Steal King from last year?” Xia Chiyi looked totally unconcerned. “He should be in your research plan.”

Ye Zhaoying patted Xia Chiyi’s shoulder. “It’s fine, you can always miraculously turn danger into safety, just like last night.”

“Ah? What turning danger into safety?” Xia Chiyi looked completely baffled.

“Knowing nothing is also a kind of bliss.”

For several days in a row, Zhou Zhexiao accompanied Xia Chiyi to practice in the basketball stadium.

Zhou Zhexiao used Liu Suchen’s breakthrough and attack methods, while Xia Chiyi practiced his defense.

There are no basketball moves in this world that cannot be broken through; it’s nothing more than speed and variations.

Zhou Zhexiao looked at the flames burning deep in Xia Chiyi’s eyes. He was defending against another person through him. After playing perhaps over a hundred rounds, Zhou Zhexiao suddenly turned around, sat on the sidelines, and remained motionless.

“What’s wrong? Are you tired already?” Xia Chiyi tugged at his collar, sensing the low air pressure radiating from Zhou Zhexiao.

“I am Zhou Zhexiao, not Liu Suchen.”

Xia Chiyi rubbed the back of his head; so this was a silent protest.

“I know that.” Xia Chiyi walked over to Zhou Zhexiao, grabbed his arm, and pulled him toward the court. “Then you use Zhou Zhexiao’s style to play against me! Let’s continue one-on-one!”

“I don’t want to.”

“Come on! After we finish playing, I’ll treat you to a movie.” Xia Chiyi revealed an eager look in his eyes.

Zhou Zhexiao lifted his eyelids slightly. “The one starring your goddess?”

Xia Chiyi nodded.

“Then ask Ye Zhaoying to go with you.” Zhou Zhexiao turned around and was about to leave.

“It’s an artsy romance movie. If I ask him to go, he’ll start talking nonsense again. Like saying Guan Yu and Zhang Fei wouldn’t watch a romance movie together.”

“So you asked me?”

“You’re very quiet when you watch movies.” Xia Chiyi spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

“So my only virtue is being quiet.”

After saying that, Zhou Zhexiao actually went into the locker room.

Xia Chiyi was completely clueless, but he knew Zhou Zhexiao was unwilling to watch the movie with him.

Sitting in the corner of the locker room, Xia Chiyi picked up his phone and sent a message to Ling Huanzhen: [I have two tickets to “A Sprig of Bellflower.” Do you want to go watch it with my master?]

Although the two grown men going to watch an artsy romance movie was even more bizarre than Xia Chiyi and Zhou Zhexiao, two young lads, going, Jiao Yingfeng probably liked artsy movies. And even if Ling Huanzhen was complained about for lacking artistic aesthetics, he would still tag along.

Unexpectedly, Ling Huanzhen replied: [Your master and I are already in the cinema. A sincere piece of advice: don’t come and watch. Even the bed scenes are filmed so boringly they make people want to sleep.]

This reply was truly very Ling Huanzhen.

Left with no choice, Xia Chiyi asked Liang Qin from the Student Union. Being a girl, she should probably like artsy movies, right? [I’ll give you two tickets to “A Sprig of Bellflower,” you can go watch with your friend?]

Liang Qin sent a crying face: [I also bought tickets, half an hour earlier than yours. My bestie is already waiting for me.]

Xia Chiyi had to find someone else to give the tickets to. He pressed and held the voice message button and said, “Class Monitor, have you watched that ‘A Sprig of Bellflower’ yet?”

Before the voice message was sent, Zhou Zhexiao’s voice sounded by his ear. “Which Class Monitor? From high school or university?”

Xia Chiyi gasped. “How are you appearing and disappearing like a ghost again! From university, of course!”

“I’ll go watch it with you,” Zhou Zhexiao replied.

“Watch what?”

“‘A Sprig of Bellflower’.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier? I was just asking the Class Monitor…”

Zhou Zhexiao turned his face sideways, looked into Xia Chiyi’s eyes, and said, “You were just asking her if she had watched it; you didn’t say you were going to treat her to it.”

“…”

What you said makes so much sense, I am actually powerless to refute.

Xia Chiyi hurriedly recalled his WeChat message. Half a minute later, the Class Monitor’s WeChat message arrived belatedly: [What did you send? Why did you recall it?]

Xia Chiyi could only say he sent the message to the wrong person.

The cinema was nearby. It was a small cinema, and almost everyone who came to watch movies here were students from nearby universities.

Zhou Zhexiao stood in front of the cinema’s ticket counter, looking at the popcorn being sold inside.

Xia Chiyi had long understood Zhou Zhexiao’s habits: if he liked something, he wouldn’t say it, but would just stand there silently and keep looking at it.

It was as if by looking at it more, the item would become his.

Xia Chiyi walked to his side and whispered, “It’s not tasty.”

“Hm?”

The cinema lobby was bustling with noise. Zhou Zhexiao didn’t hear what Xia Chiyi said clearly. He leaned sideways toward him, bringing his ear close to his lips.

“I said, the popcorn here isn’t tasty. Because it doesn’t sell well, it easily gets damp and soft, and there’s very little buttery and caramel flavor.”

“Mm.” Only then did Zhou Zhexiao straighten his back.

A familiar crunching sound came from behind. Xia Chiyi turned around and saw Pang Shuai holding a bag of potato chips, looking at them while eating.

And standing beside Pang Shuai was Ye Zhaoying, with his eyebrows raised extremely high.

Ye Zhaoying immediately adopted an interrogative attitude and said, “This is our shared goddess, right? Why did you bring Zhou Zhexiao to watch?”

Xia Chiyi chuckled (“hehe”). “That’s right, she’s our shared goddess, so why did you bring Pang Shuai to watch?”

“Because I didn’t know your training schedule.” Ye Zhaoying casually found an excuse.

It was clearly just so he could freeload off Pang Shuai’s popcorn and potato chips.

“If I had known, we could have bought four tickets. It would have been great for the four of us from the dorm to sit together…”

As a result, upon entering the cinema hall, they found they were seated quite close to each other, just in the front and back rows.

The small cinema hall was fully seated with university students.

With both hands stuffed in his pockets and an expressionless face, Zhou Zhexiao looked as though he wasn’t here to watch a movie, but to visit a grave.

However, good-looking guys always enjoy privileges. There were always people in the front row and on both sides secretly sizing him up. This guy acted completely oblivious to those gazes, keeping his eyes on the screen in front that was currently playing advertisements.

When the main feature began, a woman wearing a cheongsam and a shawl walked toward the camera, her figure graceful and her smile as beautiful as a flower.

“Is this your goddess?” Zhou Zhexiao asked.

“…No,” Xia Chiyi said.

Following that was a school campus during the Republic of China era. A female student with chin-length short hair, wearing a blue-grey top and a black skirt, was reading a book under a tree.

Zhou Zhexiao asked again, “Is it her?”

“What?” Xia Chiyi felt the plot was progressing slowly. Although the director’s camerawork was beautiful, Xia Chiyi was feeling a bit sleepy.

“Your goddess.”

“No.” Xia Chiyi suddenly realized that Zhou Zhexiao probably wasn’t interested in the movie itself at all; he just wanted to know who Xia Chiyi’s goddess was.

Why is this somewhat subtly funny?

Xia Chiyi turned his face and looked at Zhou Zhexiao’s serious expression, which was as if he were listening to a professor’s lecture. The light from the screen swept across his eyelashes and the bridge of his nose, occasionally illuminating his eyes. His amber irises would become translucent at that moment, refracting a light that stirred one’s heartstrings.

This guy is more interesting than the movie itself.

Good thing he brought Zhou Zhexiao along, otherwise Xia Chiyi really would have fallen asleep.

The movie had been playing for nearly half an hour when a very light snoring sound came from the back row. Pang Shuai had already fallen asleep. This truly was a hypnotic movie.

“Is it this silk shop proprietress?” Zhou Zhexiao asked again.

The silk shop proprietress looked to be in her forties, full of amorous charm, stunning but not vulgar. She was indeed very goddess-like.

Holding back his laughter, Xia Chiyi leaned close to Zhou Zhexiao, but didn’t speak. Instead, he waited until Zhou Zhexiao leaned his ear closer before slowly saying, “The artist playing the proprietress is fifty-two years of age.”

Every word was accompanied by exhaled breath, stimulating the eardrum while filling every depression of the auricle.

Zhou Zhexiao acted as if he hadn’t heard clearly, his ear leaning a bit closer toward Xia Chiyi’s direction again.

Xia Chiyi repeated in a low voice, “The actress playing the proprietress is fifty-two years old this year. She is indeed an ageless goddess, but she isn’t my goddess.”

“She is Ling Huanzhen’s goddess.”

This time it was Zhou Zhexiao speaking by Xia Chiyi’s ear. It was a very short sentence, yet it made Xia Chiyi feel as if his ear had been bitten by the other party.

Xia Chiyi leaned stiffly against the seatback. He took a deep breath without changing his expression, telling himself to hurry up and immerse himself in the movie’s plot.

It was just that a movie with a pace this slow didn’t only induce sleepiness; it also induced the urge to pee.

One after another, people passed in front of them to go to the restroom, and then passed by them again on their way back.

Both Xia Chiyi and Zhou Zhexiao had legs that were too long. Zhou Zhexiao’s knees were already pressing against the back of the seat in front, yet he still had to make room for others.

Especially a big bro who brought his girlfriend to watch the movie. His girlfriend passed through smoothly, but he himself almost sat on Zhou Zhexiao’s lap.

Watching this scene, Xia Chiyi’s hair was about to stand on end. He hurriedly lunged over to prop this big bro up.

“Sorry! I’m sorry!” The big bro hurriedly apologized.

“It’s fine.” Zhou Zhexiao shifted inward a bit, though it didn’t help much.

The big bro’s girlfriend was quite humorous, joking, “You couldn’t be jealous seeing how long his legs are and wanted to press them down, right?”

“Haha, this little handsome guy’s legs are indeed too long.”

When they had passed, Xia Chiyi leaned over and touched Zhou Zhexiao’s knee. “He didn’t crush you, did he?”

“He can’t crush it.”

“Come on, that guy is at least 160 jin [approx. 176 lbs].”

“Then you sit on it and try.”

“You said it so seriously, how could I have the nerve to try.”

Xia Chiyi stopped looking at him, thinking to himself that Zhou Zhexiao’s bones were very hard; of course it was impossible for them to break from a single sit. He was just worrying blindly.

There was still half an hour before the movie ended, and the plot still didn’t have any major ups and downs. Xia Chiyi even admired Zhou Zhexiao’s patience.

He was probably the most attentive person watching the movie in the entire cinema.

The scenes progressed to the point where almost all the characters appearing in the movie had boarded the ship heading to Hong Kong Island.

After more than half an hour, Zhou Zhexiao finally turned sideways and leaned over. Xia Chiyi also brought his ear close.

He was very curious, had Zhou Zhexiao guessed who his goddess was yet?

“Has your goddess made an appearance yet…”

That bro who almost sat on Zhou Zhexiao’s lap came back, pulling his girlfriend along.

This time, the big bro crashed straight down onto Zhou Zhexiao’s legs.

Zhou Zhexiao braced his hands on the armrests of his seat, but his neck still jerked forward due to inertia. Xia Chiyi felt something warm and soft bump against his earlobe. His senses abruptly sharpened, all his nerves scrambling to retain the tactile sensation of this moment.

The images on the silver screen turned into a collision of colors, and the sound of his heartbeat was infinitely magnified. Xia Chiyi didn’t know if it was his imagination, but something moist swiftly yet cautiously gave a gentle poke to the triangular fossa of his ear.

It was as if a wildfire had been ignited in his blood; his brain was completely insufficient to process it.

While saying sorry, that big bro also overconfidently tried to step over Zhou Zhexiao’s long legs.

Xia Chiyi didn’t know if it was a protective urge or some other emotion going to his head, but he lifted the armrest between himself and Zhou Zhexiao, turned sideways, and lay back into Zhou Zhexiao’s embrace. His own legs slanted over, casually hooking Zhou Zhexiao’s legs over.

“Thanks, thanks!”

The big bro and his girlfriend passed by.

The girlfriend took a look at Xia Chiyi and smiled.

It was only when the two of them had completely passed that Xia Chiyi realized this posture of his was both heroic and audacious.

He hurriedly sat up straight and lowered the armrest of the seat again.

However, his ear still retained a scorching temperature, and he didn’t dare to raise his hand to touch it.

Pretending as if nothing had happened, Xia Chiyi leaned in Zhou Zhexiao’s direction. Yet, instead of looking into his eyes, he leaned close to his ear.

“She has already appeared. She has short hair, and in her previous scenes, she always got herself all dirty.”

Xia Chiyi still very much hoped that he could finish watching this movie together with Zhou Zhexiao.

“That photojournalist from the newspaper agency? The one who was chased by dogs and even hid in a pickle vat?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a girl? Not a little boy?” Zhou Zhexiao’s tone carried a hint of endearing puzzlement.

Xia Chiyi revealed a smug smile and gently nudged him with his elbow. “How is it? My goddess’s acting isn’t bad, right?”

“…Mm.”

The entire lengthy and tedious movie finally progressed to an exciting moment.

In the cabin of that ship, the male lead finally discovered that this little reporter who was always running after him was a girl. Under the overlaid dual emotions of sharing the same goals and surviving a disaster, the male lead kissed the female lead forcefully, trapping her against the cabin door with a kabedon (wall slam).

Xia Chiyi admitted that the scene was filmed with an ultimate impulse that made people want to love madly.

The two of them erupted with love in the narrow cabin.

The high praise for this movie came to a large extent from this final emotional scene. It was as if plain porridge and side dishes, which were optional to eat, suddenly offered diners a mouthful of rich, flavorful soup. Swallowing one mouthful wasn’t enough to satisfy, but one couldn’t taste a second mouthful anymore.

When the movie ended, Ye Zhaoying shook the unconscious Pang Shuai.

It was still early, so the group of four took a slow, leisurely stroll back to the school.

Ye Zhaoying complained that Pang Shuai’s snoring was too loud, but Pang Shuai said, “Although I fell asleep, I still watched the most quintessential part of this movie.”

“Which part?” Ye Zhaoying crossed his arms and asked.

“That kabedon and rolling waves of love in the cabin!”

“Didn’t you fall asleep? Did you watch it in your dreams?” Ye Zhaoying asked.

“I watched it in the trailer,” Pang Shuai replied.

Xia Chiyi burst out laughing. “Sure enough, the essence is all in the trailer!”

“But that kabedon was exceptionally atmospheric. A media tycoon who had never loved anyone and was wholeheartedly dedicated to his career, who was so calm and pursued truth previously, ended up falling madly in love despite the female lead deceiving him. As expected, a domineering aura and a height difference that can envelop the other party are the essence of a kabedon.” Pang Shuai tilted his head up, reminiscing about that scene in the trailer.

“Not necessarily,” Zhou Zhexiao said indifferently.

“What’s not necessarily?”

“A kabedon doesn’t necessarily require a domineering aura, nor does it require being taller than the other party.”

Hearing this, Ye Zhaoying also started laughing. “Imagine a little potato doing a kabedon to a big bad wolf; that would just be a comedic effect.”

Pang Shuai also nodded in agreement: “Exactly. Speaking of aura, in our dorm, Zhou Zhexiao’s aura is the strongest when he’s expressionless. Imagine if someone shorter than you came to kabedon you, they would be flipped over and beaten severely in minutes… That’s not a romance movie, it’s a human tragedy.”

“Kabedon me?” Zhou Zhexiao turned his head and looked at Pang Shuai.

Pang Shuai immediately sucked in a breath and shook his head vigorously. “I’m not saying someone can kabedon you, I was just making an analogy!”

“Hahahaha… Kabedon Zhou Zhexiao? That would require the Incredible Hulk, right? Hahahaha…”

Xia Chiyi’s brain began to let his imagination run wild: the invincible Hulk ripping open his shirt, transforming into the green giant, and rumbling towards Zhou Zhexiao.

Then Zhou Zhexiao revealed an expression of pupillary earthquake, being ruthlessly slammed against the wall by the Hulk…

The comedy film in his brain had only been playing for three seconds when suddenly a force hoisted Xia Chiyi up.

Suddenly lifted into the air, his feet unable to touch the ground, his legs were locked by the other party. The sensation brought by the other’s taut waist muscles through the cotton fabric of his sweatpants was incredibly distinct. Xia Chiyi’s heart leaped into his throat. Looking down, he met Zhou Zhexiao’s eyes.

The other party looked up at him. Xia Chiyi’s three souls and seven spirits all flew out of his body. Zhou Zhexiao, however, was rapidly backing up. When his back hit the wall by the street, Xia Chiyi, afraid his own head would hit the other party’s, hurriedly stretched out his hands to brace himself against the wall.

All sounds receded; Xia Chiyi could only hear the sound of his own breathing.

From this angle, Zhou Zhexiao, with his back against the wall, looked up at him. It was still that face showing no emotion, but they were too close.

Xia Chiyi’s arms blocked the light. Only he could clearly see what Zhou Zhexiao looked like at this moment.

Zhou Zhexiao’s lips were slightly parted, lacking his usual sense of tenseness.

He really wanted to bite down, preferably until it bled.

To make Zhou Zhexiao frown, to make him reveal an expression of resistance.

His own hands were braced right beside Zhou Zhexiao’s ears. This gave Xia Chiyi an unrealistic illusion that he could conquer Zhou Zhexiao, act recklessly toward him, and even possess him.

Beside them, Ye Zhaoying and Pang Shuai were already dumbfounded, unable to speak for a long time.

Zhou Zhexiao turned his face sideways, looked at the two of them, and asked, “Does this count as a kabedon?”

Ye Zhaoying and Pang Shuai slowly nodded.

“Is there an imposing aura?”

Ye Zhaoying and Pang Shuai continued to nod.

It was more than just having an imposing aura; the aura was simply off the charts, okay?

“This is the first time I’ve ever witnessed… forcing someone to kabedon oneself… and acting so self-righteous about it…”

“This can be considered another realm of forced love, right?”

Xia Chiyi was let down by Zhou Zhexiao.

When his feet touched the ground, Xia Chiyi didn’t feel steady and subconsciously grabbed onto Zhou Zhexiao’s arm.

The other party paused very slightly.

Xia Chiyi thought the other party would lift his eyes to look at him, but Zhou Zhexiao kept his eyes lowered the whole time.

He couldn’t help but feel that when the other party’s hand left, the palm was very hot, as if he had a fever.

At night, the entire dorm started a heated discussion about the movie’s content.

“I think although the script Zhao Mo chose is very boring, her acting and the director’s camerawork are both very beautiful.”

“Right, right, right, all the female characters inside have a lot of charm and allure.” As the dorm’s professional photographer, Pang Shuai expressed his opinion.

“This kind of androgynous style is quite charming.” Xia Chiyi was holding his phone, swiping through movie stills.

“Then why don’t you just like guys?” Zhou Zhexiao suddenly spoke up.

“This is a kind of boundaryless aesthetic, a mix of toughness and softness, possessing a high-class feel.” Xia Chiyi repeated the online evaluations of Zhao Mo.

“She’s just an atmosphere created by the director using light and shadow. In reality, there is no such thing as ‘boundaryless’ beauty,” Zhou Zhexiao said.

Xia Chiyi turned his head and cast a glance at Zhou Zhexiao. This was the first time this guy had discussed something other than basketball so seriously with him.

“We’ve seen it in reality too,” Xia Chiyi said.

“We? When have we seen it?”

Xia Chiyi pointed to Ye Zhaoying opposite him, who had his legs crossed and was flipping through a magazine. “Have you forgotten Ye Zhaoying’s Elf Queen?”

Ye Zhaoying stretched out his palm. “See no evil, cue no evil.”

Zhou Zhexiao: “I didn’t think it was beautiful.”

Ye Zhaoying chuckled (“hehe”). “Good thing you didn’t think I was beautiful enough, otherwise I might be in danger in this dorm.”

Xia Chiyi suddenly thought of something. He turned around, lay on the bedframe at the head of his bed, and poked the top of Zhou Zhexiao’s head with his finger.

“I’ve thought of it, androgynous beauty in reality.”

Xia Chiyi’s tone sounded a bit mischievous the moment he spoke.

“What?”

“Your eyelashes!”

After saying that, Xia Chiyi shrank back and covered his head with his blanket, not giving the other party a chance to pinch his nose.

Zhou Zhexiao indeed reached out to catch him, but helplessly Xia Chiyi shrank back too quickly, and he only grabbed air.

Before going to sleep, Zhou Zhexiao went into the bathroom. He leaned against the sink and approached the mirror.

He had never cared about whether his eyelashes were long or short, but he remembered that when he was little in kindergarten, he had been praised by other children: “Your eyelashes are so pretty.”

However, he knew that Xia Chiyi liked looking at his eyes. Many times, he would trace the contours of his eyes with that pure fondness, his gaze rising along with his eyelashes. No matter how many times, when he looked at him like that, the possessiveness deep within Zhou Zhexiao’s heart, though thin as a gossamer thread, would start stirring restlessly.

When he pushed open the bathroom door, Xia Chiyi, who was stifled under the blanket, hadn’t made a sound for a long time.

Zhou Zhexiao reached his hand over from the head of his bed and gently pulled his blanket down, exposing the top of his head and his nose. Then, he took away the phone that was still playing a match video and placed it on the shelf.

The next day, they got up very early, and training was also suspended for a day.

Because Ningchang University’s school anniversary had arrived, the entire campus was filled with an enthusiastic atmosphere, with various posters, banners, and colored ribbons forming a distinct vibe.

The school’s grand auditorium was decorated as if it were the venue for the Spring Festival Gala.

Although Xia Chiyi and the others didn’t participate in the rehearsals, they were still very active in helping move things.

In the backstage, all the students were seizing the time to change their outfits, a scene of utter chaos.

Makeup, costumes, props, and scene transitions were almost a total mess.

Someone shouted, “Oh no! Who put the plastic mannequin in the corner! Its head got crushed off!”

Hearing the sound, Xia Chiyi hurried over, rolled up his sleeves, and helped several male students try to attach the plastic mannequin’s head.

But the harder they pushed, the more misaligned the catch became. When they finally managed to get its head in, it was crooked.

Paired with the oversized Chinese-style wedding attire… no matter how you looked at it, it seemed like a horror movie.

Like a ghost doll whose neck had twisted 300 degrees.

The most important thing was that when they hoisted it up onto their shoulders, its head drooped down again.

“What should we do?”

“Yeah, once it’s on stage later, its head will roll off ji-li-gu-lu, falling right into Principal Feng’s hands? What kind of underworld stage play is this?”

Several class committee members were almost dead with anxiety. No matter how they messed with that plastic mannequin, it looked quite terrifying.

Zhou Zhexiao, who had been slacking off in the corner all along, spoke up: “Just find someone to wear the bride’s wedding attire and sit there, wouldn’t that solve it.”

The Class Monitor suddenly realized, “That’s right, just find someone to pretend to be the bride! But we don’t have any extra hands.”

“But no matter who wears the bride’s wedding attire, there won’t be enough time to change into the clothes for their next scene!”

“Is there anyone who doesn’t have to go on in the next scene…”

Anxiously looking around, the Class Monitor’s eyes suddenly met Xia Chiyi’s.

Xia Chiyi’s heart trembled. He immediately waved his hands and backed away. “I can’t, I can’t possibly… Is there a bride as tall and big as me? You should look for Ye Zhaoying… His figure…”

Xia Chiyi looked left and right, only to find that Ye Zhaoying was nowhere to be seen?

“That anime club of his also has a performance; he has to wear a three-piece suit to dance hip-hop!” Pang Shuai shouted.

Holy crap? Ye Zhaoying? At a crucial moment like this, you went to dance hip-hop? Being a cross-dressing boss is your true nature, ah!

The Class Monitor grabbed Xia Chiyi’s hand and said earnestly, “Time is urgent, right now we can only try anything in a desperate situation! The costume on the mannequin is the largest size, you’ll definitely be able to fit into it! Once the bridal veil is on, no one will care whether you are a man or a woman!”

“Exactly, Xia Chiyi can even walk on his own, which makes scene transitions much more convenient. There’s no need to carry a mannequin around!” Zhang Xiulin spoke up.

Xia Chiyi looked at Zhang Xiulin and said resentfully, “Has the grievance between our basketball team and the soccer team not passed yet?”

Zhang Xiulin got unhappy. Putting his hands on his hips, he retorted, “Whether it’s the basketball team or the soccer team, they are both varsity teams, what grievance is there? Can’t you suffer a little grievance for the honor of the class collective?”

“No… Even if I dress up as the bride, with a plastic groom sitting next to me, don’t you guys feel like we’re hosting a ghost wedding?” Xia Chiyi had already been persuaded by the words “honor of the class collective,” taking the wedding attire handed over by the Class Monitor and pulling it on.

“Right, Xia Chiyi’s shoulders are a bit wider than the plastic groom’s…”

Zhang Xiulin added a sensible comment: “It’s not just that his shoulders are wide, his legs are also longer. He really doesn’t match the plastic groom!”

“Zhou Zhexiao! Zhou Zhexiao!” The Class Monitor had a brainwave. “You come and play the groom! You two don’t have to do anything, just sit in the center of the stage! With you two as the face of the performance, we might even receive more votes! Although you two didn’t participate in the rehearsals, you’ve also contributed to the class collective!”

Xia Chiyi truly felt a bit of admiration for the Class Monitor; she actually dared to boss Zhou Zhexiao around?

“Class Monitor, let’s forget it, a plastic groom is fine as it is… This costume of yours is full of dust. If his skin is allergic to it, he’ll keep… scratching…”

“Okay,” Zhou Zhexiao answered.

Xia Chiyi was stunned. He leaned in close to Zhou Zhexiao, looking intently into the other party’s eyes. “Holy crap, don’t let this actually be a horror movie? Zhou Zhexiao, what possessed you…”

“What nonsense are you spouting!” The Class Monitor smacked the back of Xia Chiyi’s head.

Although it was just a wedding attire for show, adding up the inside and outside, there were still four or five layers.

Xia Chiyi was anxious and flustered. One moment the inner lining was wrong, the next the lapel was wrong, and then the waist was wrong. A layer of sweat had already formed on Xia Chiyi’s back, and his T-shirt clung to his spine.

In contrast, Zhou Zhexiao methodically put it on layer by layer, surprisingly getting dressed very quickly. After putting on the groom’s hat, he truly looked like an ideal husband.

If it weren’t for the backstage being too tense, everyone would have wanted to take turns taking photos with him.

The Class Monitor, who was helping Xia Chiyi put on his clothes, was also sweating from anxiety. “There’s not enough time, not enough time…”

“I’ll do it.” Zhou Zhexiao patted the Class Monitor’s shoulder.

The Class Monitor stepped aside, fanning the hot air rising from her collar with her hand.

Zhou Zhexiao came in front of Xia Chiyi and took off the clothes on his body layer by layer, until only his white T-shirt remained inside.

“It’s not the Southeast Division finals, what are you nervous for?”

Zhou Zhexiao raised his hand, took a tissue, and wiped away the sweat on Xia Chiyi’s neck.

“Do you really know how? Previously, you didn’t even know how to buckle the belt of the military training camouflage uniform,” Xia Chiyi complained softly.

“I just looked at the pictures on Pang Shuai’s phone; I roughly know how to put it on now.”

Zhou Zhexiao’s voice was still unhurried, as if he and the backstage behind him, where every second counted, were in two different worlds.

He picked up the white inner garment and had Xia Chiyi put it on, then overlapped the front lapels together. “There’s a knot loop here. Once it’s fastened, the collar won’t fall open anymore.”

Watching Zhou Zhexiao’s slender fingers push the knot through the loop, with his eyes lowered and his expression calm and serious.

Xia Chiyi suddenly felt as though he wasn’t having clothes put on by the other party, but rather having them taken off.

Taking the second layer, a rather stifling fabric, Zhou Zhexiao held it up and shook it vigorously a few times. After shaking off the dust, he put it on Xia Chiyi.

There was a very wide sash in the middle. His arm span was very long, and he easily looped the sash around Xia Chiyi.

“I tied a slipknot for you. Don’t pull at it randomly yourself when it’s over later. I’ll take it off for you, okay?” Zhou Zhexiao said softly.

Even though the other party’s cheek was still somewhat far from his own, Xia Chiyi inexplicably felt a very, very intense itch, extending from his eardrum all the way to the tip of his heart.

“Xia Chiyi?” Not hearing Xia Chiyi’s reply, Zhou Zhexiao lifted his eyes to look at him.

Those deep yet clear eyes looked over, tugging at Xia Chiyi’s mind.

“H-Heard you!”

Zhou Zhexiao picked up the third layer, which was a red gauze veil, and gave it a forceful shake. The gauze scarf, originally wrinkled into a ball, was shaken open. To be honest, without Zhou Zhexiao’s height and arm span, there would truly be no way to straighten out this mess of gauze.

He draped it over the outside of the entire wedding attire, adding a touch of soft and ethereal feeling to Xia Chiyi’s stiff figure.

“So amazing! You actually managed to put it on!” The Class Monitor revealed an expression of “finally saved.”

“Hurry up, don’t dawdle, put the bridal veil on! The first scene on stage has ended, you’re going on, you’re going on!” Zhang Xiulin’s voice came over.

Zhou Zhexiao and Xia Chiyi arrived at the stage entrance channel. Zhou Zhexiao took the bridal veil handed over by the Class Monitor and covered Xia Chiyi’s face.

Xia Chiyi let out a breath. Good heavens, he had truly never been this nervous before.

Were there really that many people in the audience?

If he accidentally stepped on his skirt while walking and the bridal veil fell off, he would really become a “legend” of Ningchang University’s school anniversary.

Zhou Zhexiao stretched his hand out to Xia Chiyi. From beneath the bridal veil, Xia Chiyi could see the other party’s slender fingertips. When he placed his hand on it, it was clasped tightly.

If it were the strength used for dunking, Xia Chiyi had no doubt his hand would be crushed by the other party.

But as it happened, Zhou Zhexiao’s strength was restrained and just right. Step by step, he led Xia Chiyi toward the center of the stage.

When the teachers and students in the audience clearly saw Zhou Zhexiao, they unanimously let out an “Ooh—” sound of admiration.

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Author’s Note:

Zhou Zhexiao: Forgot to bring photos of Mom and Dad.

Xia Chiyi: Do you still want popcorn and cola?