Chapter 0073: Zhou Zhexiao’s Partiality

Not knowing if he was dreaming, Xia Chiyi was nestled under the covers muttering sleep talk. Pang Shuai thought he was feeling uncomfortable, but when Zhou Zhexiao pressed his ear close, he heard him calling his own name.

“…Zhou Zhexiao…”

Xia Chiyi smacked his lips.

“En, I’m here.”

Without a second word, Zhou Zhexiao climbed up. He had originally been lying on his side outside the covers, but Xia Chiyi kept reaching his hand out trying to grasp him. So Zhou Zhexiao lifted the covers and lay inside. As soon as he touched Xia Chiyi, Xia Chiyi shivered from the cold and then forcefully burrowed into Zhou Zhexiao’s embrace.

Pang Shuai glanced back and suddenly felt a bit envious.

He wondered if his future girlfriend would treat him as well as Zhou Zhexiao treated Xia Chiyi.

From time to time, Xia Chiyi would pop out a couple of lines of sleep talk.

“En en… uh en…”

“We will, we’ll defeat Qincheng University in the regional tournament.”

“En… uh uh…”

“Got it, I’ll make Yang Huaiyu give up the nickname ‘King of the Double-Pump’.”

“…en… en en…”

“We probably won’t encounter Qingda until the final four, step by step.”

“…de… lulu…”

“If I encounter Liu Suchen, I’ll blow him up.”

Pang Shuai tilted his head, revealing an expression of disbelief. “It’s simply miraculous. I have no idea what he’s saying, how can you understand?”

Zhou Zhexiao replied: “He’s speaking quite clearly.”

Pang Shuai: …Maybe we haven’t mastered the same language.

Xia Chiyi slept all the way until 7 PM before waking up.

He licked his lips and suddenly felt terribly thirsty.

He just didn’t expect that as soon as he opened his eyes, he would be met with Zhou Zhexiao’s side profile. The other party’s sharp jawline was quite visually impactful.

He froze for a moment and noticed that Zhou Zhexiao was wearing earphones, holding him with one arm, while his other hand held a phone propped up on the blanket, staring intently at something.

Xia Chiyi leaned in to look and was dumbfounded.

“Why have you started watching The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber?” Xia Chiyi asked.

“You brought it up. I’ve already finished watching Zhang Sanfeng teach Zhang Wuji Tai Chi Sword.” Zhou Zhexiao pressed pause, placed the phone on the blanket, felt along the edge of the bed with his arm, and hoisted Xia Chiyi’s sports water bottle up. With a press, the mouthpiece popped out.

“Drink some water.”

Xia Chiyi immediately gulped down two mouthfuls. He still felt it was incredibly magical that Zhou Zhexiao would watch martial arts TV dramas.

“Then have you summarized any moves from it that can be used in basketball?” Xia Chiyi said half-jokingly.

“No. But I really don’t like this Zhang Wuji.”

“Ah?”

“He wants the radiantly beautiful Zhao Min, yet pines after the pitiful Zhou Zhiruo, still lingers on the meticulously caring Xiao Zhao, and also finds it hard to abandon Zhu’er.” Zhou Zhexiao’s gaze remained on the screen, not moving away.

Xia Chiyi, however, had a somewhat bad premonition and gave an advance spoiler: “This… Zhang Wuji eventually chose Zhao Min. It’s the ‘three thousand waters of the weak river… I only take one scoop’…”

As he spoke, Xia Chiyi’s voice grew quieter and quieter. Why did he feel a bit guilty?

“But he still hopes that the sea voyage carrying his four confidantes will never end, doesn’t he?”

Zhou Zhexiao turned his face to look at Xia Chiyi and pressed the back of his hand against his forehead.

“Your temperature has dropped.”

“Oh.” Xia Chiyi felt things were not going well. Now he couldn’t use his fever to act pitiful.

“I’m very curious. Between me, Yang Huaiyu, and Liu Suchen, who do we resemble in your heart?”

Xia Chiyi noticeably paused. Here it comes, here it comes. The lethal question might be late, but it will never be absent.

“Yang Huaiyu is more accommodating to you and is very good at farming favorability, so he can be considered Zhou Zhiruo or Xiao Zhao.”

“Ah? Do you want to finish watching before evaluating? Zhou Zhiruo goes dark (turns evil).”

Zhou Zhexiao’s eyelids lifted slightly, “Isn’t that because Zhang Wuji was half-hearted? So in your heart, Yang Huaiyu is quite perfect and won’t turn evil.”

“You can’t really say that…”

“Liu Suchen has superb basketball skills, looks very good-looking, knows how to attract your attention, and his brain turns very quickly. He’s Zhao Min, right?”

“Boss, Zhang Wuji ultimately chose Zhao Min…” Halfway through his sentence, Xia Chiyi realized that this spoiler was very likely to lead to a lethal outcome.

He shrank toward the wall, but was pulled back by Zhou Zhexiao.

“I’m capricious, have a strong desire for control, and want to be the center of the world. Then I must solidly be Zhu’er, the one least favored.”

Xia Chiyi never expected that Zhou Zhexiao would actually remember his evaluation at the high-speed rail station.

“Maybe after we play against Southwest Aviation University, you can subdue Lu Yingnan, gather all four, and set sail.”

“If you gather all four, do you still need to set sail? Just open a mahjong table directly!” Xia Chiyi said.

Sitting in the dorm playing on his computer, Pang Shuai lowered his head and gritted his teeth. He had to try very hard not to laugh out loud.

Is this a conversation one should be hearing in a dorm?

“Besides, why do you have to apply what you watch in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber onto us? I’m not Zhang Wuji, and you don’t match up with any Zhao Min or Zhou Zhiruo either! If you absolutely must insert yourselves, it should be The Return of the Condor Heroes!”

Xia Chiyi hurriedly tried to save himself.

“The Return of the Condor Heroes?”

“Right.” Xia Chiyi nodded. He wanted to take his phone back, but his fingers were locked by Zhou Zhexiao’s, and he couldn’t pry them open at all.

Hearing this, Pang Shuai didn’t understand. “Why The Return of the Condor Heroes? It’s not like you two are having a master-disciple romance!”

“Because we are mas—” Xia Chiyi swallowed the words right as they reached his lips.

Because they were master and disciple. Ten years ago, Xia Chiyi was taught basketball by the other party; ten years later, they were both teachers and friends to each other.

“Because… because Zhou Zhexiao is simply the gender-bent version of Xiaolongnü. Xiaolongnü knows nothing about the outside world. Zhou Zhexiao didn’t use smartphones, didn’t engage in ineffective socializing, and only learned modern apps after being with us. Xiaolongnü has a cold and aloof personality, and Zhou Zhexiao is also a man of few words. Xiaolongnü doesn’t care about the world’s evaluations, and Zhou Zhexiao is also the type to insist on being himself. Would you say they are alike or not?”

“Hey, really alike! But we have to add two more points.” Pang Shuai came over to the side of their bed, his eyes sparkling.

“What two points?” Zhou Zhexiao asked.

“Xiaolongnü’s beauty is the ceiling level in the martial arts world. Now look at Zhou Zhexiao, isn’t he top-tier in looks? In all aspects?”

“That’s true, that’s true!” Xia Chiyi nodded. “Whether in the past or present.”

“Just skin deep.” Zhou Zhexiao paid it no mind. “What is the second point?”

“Hahaha, Xiaolongnü only has eyes for Yang Guo. Zhou Zhexiao, you also only treat Xia Chiyi as the most special.”

As he spoke, Pang Shuai returned to his chair.

“You’re talking nonsense. Clearly, Zhou Zhexiao is also very special to you.” Xia Chiyi wanted to climb up, but there wasn’t enough room, so he ended up sprawling on top of Zhou Zhexiao.

“How is he special!” Pang Shuai looked back.

“When you used up his three-ply embossed toilet paper, he didn’t settle scores with you either. Doesn’t that mean he’s very tolerant of you!”

“Because when you weren’t here, I was the one ordering his milk tea with double boba!”

“Alright.” Zhou Zhexiao’s hand rested on Xia Chiyi’s head and pressed down gently, and Xia Chiyi leaned against his chest.

Lying on him like this felt like acting spoiled. The blankets were full of his and Zhou Zhexiao’s scents, giving Xia Chiyi a feeling of mental and physical relaxation.

By the time Ye Zhaoying returned with packed porridge, Zhou Zhexiao was still watching The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, while Xia Chiyi lay on his side, his face tilted onto Zhou Zhexiao’s shoulder, sleeping very obediently.

Ye Zhaoying said: “Coach Ling said that since Xia Chiyi is sick, he should rest well, and Xia Chiyi shouldn’t go to the practice match with Changcheng University this weekend.”

“En.” Zhou Zhexiao nodded, indicating he understood.

“Also, bros, the final exams are approaching. Coach Ling reminds everyone to review well and not fail any classes.” Ye Zhaoying took a deep breath. “God, I always feel like the semester just started. How can final exams be here already?”

Seeing that Zhou Zhexiao had no reaction, Ye Zhaoying also leaned over curiously, “What are you watching? So absorbed?”

The phone happened to be playing the scene where Zhang Wuji takes Zhao Min and retires from the martial arts world.

“Ah, what a retro TV drama. Why are you watching this?”

“Because Xia Chiyi is like Zhang Wuji,” Zhou Zhexiao answered.

“Like Zhang Wuji? In what way?” Ye Zhaoying was completely baffled.

Taking advantage of Xia Chiyi being asleep, Pang Shuai spared no effort to stab him in the back. “Playboy. The ‘Brother-Collecting Machine’ of Ningchang, after all.”

Ye Zhaoying laughed. “I thought you meant Xia Chiyi learns things extremely fast. What Seven Injuries Fist, Nine Yang Divine Skill, Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, Tai Chi Sword… gathering the strengths of all schools.”

Zhou Zhexiao took off his earphones and rubbed Xia Chiyi’s head. “Get up, drink your porridge, take your medicine.”

Xia Chiyi slowly sat up. Although his entire body was still weak, his temperature had dropped to 37.8°C (100°F).

Zhou Zhexiao patted the bed frame. “Take off your clothes.”

Xia Chiyi’s heart skipped a beat, and he almost hugged himself with both arms. “Take off… why… why do I have to take them off?”

“You broke out in a sweat all over, it’s all sticking to your body,” Zhou Zhexiao replied.

I’m sweaty and sticky, yet you still slept with me?

Before, when Yang Huaiyu slept in your bed, you washed the sheets the moment he left. Yet you can tolerate me being covered in sweat?

“Hurry up, don’t dawdle.”

Zhou Zhexiao found a set of loose T-shirt and pants from the closet, as well as a pair of boxer briefs, threw them outside the covers, and then stared at Xia Chiyi.

A pair of eyes staring like a falcon at its prey.

“I… I will right away…”

Xia Chiyi lay back under the covers and yanked his top off.

Zhou Zhexiao took it and threw it into the basin.

Xia Chiyi huddled under the covers and finished changing his top. “Let’s forget about the pants, right? My back sweated, my pants didn’t…”

“Move faster.”

After saying that, Zhou Zhexiao put down the basin and reached his hand directly under the covers.

“You, you, you… what are you doing…”

Zhou Zhexiao grabbed Xia Chiyi’s ankles directly. Xia Chiyi felt an irresistible force pull him from his position against the wall right to the edge of the bed. Zhou Zhexiao’s fingers hooked onto Xia Chiyi’s pant legs and gave a forceful tug. Xia Chiyi could only feel the fabric scrape against his body; he was practically catching fire.

Not only his long pants, but even his boxer briefs were dragged down near his knees.

Xia Chiyi’s face flushed completely red.

A gap was opened in the covers. When the cold wind poured in, Xia Chiyi shivered.

He felt like a powerless young woman from a good family being threatened by a local bully.

The only consolation was that this bully was very handsome, and he himself was very respectful of him.

“What else?” Zhou Zhexiao tilted his face, looking at him coldly.

“Boss, leave me a pair of underwear! Plus, I wash my own underwear, I don’t send them to the laundry room!”

Xia Chiyi put up a final dying struggle.

Pang Shuai couldn’t watch anymore and sighed. “We’re all grown men, what’s there to be shy about? How long has that pair of boxers of yours been fermenting? Can you even bear to keep wearing them like that?”

Of course Xia Chiyi knew he needed to change. Once Zhou Zhexiao reminded him, he also felt uncomfortably sweaty all over.

But having them taken away by Zhou Zhexiao’s hand… no matter how Xia Chiyi thought about it, he felt it wasn’t pure.

If it were Ye Zhaoying asking him for his pants, Xia Chiyi would maliciously whip them onto his face.

But facing Zhou Zhexiao, he couldn’t use any of those childish, bad ideas.

Who knew Zhou Zhexiao would pat the top of the covers, his palm continuously pressing over the clean pair of pants. “You want underwear, didn’t I give them to you?”

Xia Chiyi hardened his heart. What the hell am I embarrassed about! Who hasn’t seen who! Who knows, maybe I’m even more majestic and mighty than you, making you feel inferior!

“Here you go, here you go, I’ll give them to you right now…” Xia Chiyi kicked randomly. When those boxer briefs hung on his ankle, Zhou Zhexiao reached into the covers, grabbed them in one go, and pulled them down.

Xia Chiyi’s heartbeat almost took off.

He felt as if he was no longer pure. The divergent associations radiating at that moment could seemingly shoot eight hundred short movies.

Acting as if nothing happened, Zhou Zhexiao pinched Xia Chiyi’s boxer briefs and went into the bathroom. After a while, he passed by Xia Chiyi’s bed, went to the balcony, and hung them up to dry.

They swayed gently in the breeze, reflecting the sunlight from time to time, as if saying, “I am very pure, you are the one who isn’t pure.”

Xia Chiyi’s ears burned entirely, and he shrank back under the covers.

He suddenly realized that the pair he was currently wearing had also been grabbed in Zhou Zhexiao’s hand. Rounding it off, it meant…

The blood in Xia Chiyi’s entire body began to flow backward. Like someone experiencing qi deviation, he curled himself up. He was afraid of the cold before, but now he felt it was terribly hot under the covers.

“What’s wrong with you?” Zhou Zhexiao’s hand reached over and covered Xia Chiyi’s forehead. “You seem to be burning up again, let’s take your temperature.”

Boss, I’m fine. If you stop swaying in front of me, my temperature will drop immediately!

Zhou Zhexiao took down the thermometer from the bedside shelf. “Clamp it tightly, don’t move around.”

Of course Xia Chiyi would clamp it tightly, but the thermometer wasn’t the only thing he clamped tightly.

Zhou Zhexiao’s basin was full of clothes. Besides Xia Chiyi’s, there were also his own, piled up like a small hill. He would definitely have to stay in the laundry room for quite a while.

Only when he walked out the door did Xia Chiyi finally exhale a breath.

His boiling blood slowly calmed down. In his mind, he thought of the snowy mountains of the Alps, the permafrost of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the icebergs of the Himalayas.

And the iced cola in the hotel room that night in Qincheng.

He felt his blood flow gradually become smooth, and everything was about to return to normal.

Suddenly, Zhou Zhexiao’s voice sounded again.

“Time’s up, give me the thermometer.”

The cold voice carried a temperature that burned the heart and lungs. Xia Chiyi’s mental state collapsed instantly.

Boss, why are you back already?

He took out the thermometer and handed it to the other party expressionlessly.

Zhou Zhexiao tilted his head slightly, rotating the thermometer. His long, slender eyelashes and deep, profound eyes caused one to start a new round of restless stirring.

“37.6°C (99.7°F).” Zhou Zhexiao frowned, looking at Xia Chiyi in confusion. “Your temperature did indeed drop, but why do you look like a steamed crab?”

“I want to drink an iced cola,” Xia Chiyi said gloomily.

“You might as well say you want to cultivate into an immortal.” Zhou Zhexiao’s hand rubbed the top of Xia Chiyi’s head, and he turned to go back to the laundry room, even taking Xia Chiyi’s phone with him—bad guy.

This time, a long while passed and he didn’t return.

He had just been complaining that Zhou Zhexiao pacing back and forth in front of him was purely fanning the flames. Now that he couldn’t see him, Xia Chiyi felt lonely again.

Could it be that being sick makes people especially prone to feeling lonely?

After a while, Zhou Zhexiao returned.

A cycle in the laundry room takes at least forty-five minutes, and Zhou Zhexiao also had the habit of sorting; light and dark colors had to be washed separately. So how did he come back so fast?

Zhou Zhexiao came in front of Xia Chiyi and took out a small black packet, which even had a little devil holding a pitchfork drawn on it.

“Open your mouth.” Zhou Zhexiao’s fingertip poked Xia Chiyi’s cheek.

“What is this?”

“Popping candy, cola flavor.”

So Zhou Zhexiao had just gone to the campus convenience store?

“Our school actually has this?” Xia Chiyi asked.

“I placed the order and bought it on the high-speed rail,” Zhou Zhexiao replied.

It turned out he took his phone not to play with it, but to pick up a delivery.

Crackling sounds came from his mouth, making his brain buzz along with it.

Xia Chiyi narrowed his eyes and smiled. He just opened his mouth to say something, and the popping candy almost burst onto Zhou Zhexiao’s face. Xia Chiyi became even more joyful.

Zhou Zhexiao tilted his head back and poured the remaining half of the packet into his own mouth.

The two looked at each other face to face, crackling sounds in their ears, like two fools.

Before sleeping, Zhou Zhexiao was about to remove the covers. Xia Chiyi gave a tug and refused to return them; if he returned them, wouldn’t they have to sleep separately?

Xia Chiyi blurted out: “I’m afraid I’ll suddenly get cold again in the middle of the night!”

Zhou Zhexiao looked into Xia Chiyi’s eyes. He knew Xia Chiyi was no longer afraid of the cold and was completely not shivering all over like when he first came back at noon.

Ye Zhaoying and Pang Shuai exchanged a glance.

Pang Shuai mouthed: I bet he lasts 5 seconds.

Ye Zhaoying: I bet he surrenders immediately, right now.

Sure enough, Zhou Zhexiao released his hand, climbed up, and lay together with Xia Chiyi again.

Ye Zhaoying showed a smug expression to Pang Shuai. See, he guessed right again.

It was just that Zhou Zhexiao’s playlist changed to The Return of the Condor Heroes.

Xia Chiyi lay on Zhou Zhexiao’s shoulder, keeping him company as they watched five episodes straight.

The first four episodes were all about Yang Guo wandering everywhere and suffering discrimination, until Xiaolongnü made her stunning appearance and brought him from the Quanzhen Sect back to the Ancient Tomb.

Xia Chiyi watched with immense relish. He was just about to ask Zhou Zhexiao if he thought Xiaolongnü’s temperament was very similar to his, only to find that Zhou Zhexiao’s face was already tilted to the side, asleep.

Right, this guy had played ball all night just like him, and then binge-watched dramas in the afternoon. How could he still hold on until night?

The lights in the dorm had already been turned out, and Pang Shuai and Ye Zhaoying were also fast asleep.

Xia Chiyi fumbled around on the bedside shelf for a long time. The charging case almost fell down and hit Zhou Zhexiao’s face. Fortunately, Xia Chiyi was fast and caught it in one grab.

He took the Bluetooth earphones out of Zhou Zhexiao’s ears, then moved the phone off the covers.

Zhou Zhexiao’s breathing was already drawn out long. Xia Chiyi snorted in his heart.

What “I have to hear the sound of you breathing asleep before I can fall asleep”? Aren’t you sleeping perfectly well right now?

Liar.

Just as Xia Chiyi lay back under the covers, Zhou Zhexiao moved. His head turned over from the other side. Xia Chiyi froze in place. After confirming that Zhou Zhexiao showed no signs of waking up, he finally felt at ease to lie on his side and look at the other party.

He had completely adapted to the lighting in the dorm. As long as he stayed quiet like this, he could clearly see Zhou Zhexiao’s clear bone structure, and the invincible control implicitly hidden between his lowered brows and the edge of his eyes.

Xia Chiyi felt a throbbing that overflowed his heart. Zhou Zhexiao was his black hole, emitting endless gravitational waves. Xia Chiyi carefully leaned close, his lips touching the tip of Zhou Zhexiao’s nose.

In just a brief, fleeting moment, he felt as if his body of flesh and blood had touched an unreachable deity.

He didn’t know why he felt this overwhelming, earth-shattering emotion. He thought he would be frightened by what he was doing, but at this moment he was instead even more certain that he wasn’t just a follower of Zhou Zhexiao, nor of Sheng Xingming.

He wanted to possess him; he wasn’t satisfied with just being his partner. He didn’t want their world to consist only of the competitive arena.

He possessed emotions hundreds and thousands of times greater than liking and admiration, rolling in time and time again.

He greedily wanted to possess his everything.

Xia Chiyi curled up slightly, got close to the hollow of Zhou Zhexiao’s neck, and wrapped his arm around him.

This is possessiveness, Xia Chiyi said to himself in hindsight.

Secret yet menacing, contradictory yet heart-trembling.

Xia Chiyi slept all the way until 11 AM the next day. He took his temperature; his fever was completely gone.

For the practice match with Changcheng University on the weekend, Xia Chiyi still tagged along, but he didn’t go onto the court to play, acting as the water cooler manager on the sidelines instead.

Changcheng University’s coach specifically came over to Ling Huanzhen to understand the situation.

“Why isn’t your team’s Xia Chiyi playing? Are you worried we’ll lose too ugly?”

“Misunderstanding, misunderstanding. That kid had a fever earlier and his fever just broke not long ago. I originally wanted him to rest at school, but he insisted on coming to see Changcheng University’s playstyle.”

Actually, it was because staying alone in the dorm was too boring, and he wanted to come out and get some fresh air.

“So that’s how it is. Now even those in the Northeast Division know Ningchang University is very formidable. Zhou Zhexiao and Xia Chiyi are players who can go one-on-one with Qingda.”

“How is that possible? Xia Chiyi just bumped into Liu Suchen while wandering blindly around Qingda and was taken on a tour. In the end, he came back with a fever; who knows if the psychological pressure was too great,” Ling Huanzhen said worriedly.

“Then what about Zhou Zhexiao? He’s playing very restrainedly in today’s practice match. It’s visible that he’s very formidable, but he’s completely not at Liu Suchen’s level of skill, right?”

Changcheng University’s coach said with an underlying meaning.

Meaning, is your Ningchang University blowing hot air?

Ling Huanzhen touched the back of his head. He had of course also noticed that Zhou Zhexiao wasn’t very interested. Naturally, Ling Huanzhen could also understand; after all, having played against Liu Suchen, Changcheng University appeared far less attractive.

During halftime, Ling Huanzhen draped his arm over Zhou Zhexiao’s shoulder, acting like good bros, and discussed with Zhou Zhexiao: “Look, we came to Changcheng, and they’ve taken care of our food and drinks, treating us with great courtesy. Shouldn’t we show a bit of sincerity?”

“I know.” Zhou Zhexiao nodded. “Xia Chiyi ate three steamer baskets of their soup dumplings in one go. I will control the score well so they don’t lose too ugly, otherwise we won’t have anything to eat tonight.”

Ling Huanzhen choked a bit. Bro, since when did you understand the ways of the world so well?

In the past when we played matches together, how come you never once thought about controlling the score for us?

Is this an elite student’s mockery of poor students?

Ling Huanzhen thought for a moment and decided on a curveball approach to save the nation.

He crooked his finger. Xia Chiyi, who was playing on his phone by the water cooler, came over and asked with sparkling eyes: “Coach, what is it? Can you send me onto the court now?”

Hehe, you also know you ate three steamer baskets of their buns and need to go onto the court to perform?

Then don’t get sick! You’ve only been better for a few days and you want to go on court to play ball, do you want to ascend to immortality?

“Chiyi ah, do you think Zhou Zhexiao is playing well?”

“It’s quite good, there’s just no highlight,” Xia Chiyi said honestly.

“So boring that you’ve almost drained your phone battery playing on it, right?” Ling Huanzhen asked amiably.

“Uh… it’s not to that extent…” Xia Chiyi shot a glance at Zhou Zhexiao. Could it be that because I haven’t been cheering him on from the sidelines, this guy got angry?

“How about this, let’s do a vote. What kind of scoring techniques do you really want to see?”

“Ah? Me? Then of course a double-pump.” Xia Chiyi answered.

“Then what kind of double-pump?” Ling Huanzhen raised his hand, signaling Xia Chiyi to describe it properly.

“Of course the kind that changes direction in mid-air under a crowded basket, getting past three people in one go! A super huge double-pump that subverts gravity! Simply an overlord of the air!” Xia Chiyi wondered if Ling Huanzhen was writing some coach’s log and looking for him to provide material.

Couldn’t he just copy some stuff from the internet?

Ling Huanzhen looked at Zhou Zhexiao. “Heard that? Only this kind is thrilling and soul-stirring, and possesses viewing value.”

Zhou Zhexiao looked at Xia Chiyi once and nodded. “Okay, I understand.”

Xia Chiyi: What did you understand? Why didn’t I understand?

When the third quarter of the practice match began, Changcheng University was beaten senseless.

Zhou Zhexiao stole the ball multiple times and cut under their basket.

Changcheng University’s defense retreated very quickly. When Zhou Zhexiao leaped up, they still thought Zhou Zhexiao was going to shoot. Who knew he would do a mid-air shift and a hand-switching double-pump layup, leaving even Changcheng University’s coach dumbfounded.

After Zhou Zhexiao scored, he hooked his finger at Ye Zhaoying: Pass me the ball.

Ye Zhaoying laughed. In the first half, Zhou Zhexiao’s slacking was simply infuriating; in the second half, he was actually actively asking him for the ball?

And so, Zhou Zhexiao arrived under Changcheng University’s basket multiple times, doing absolutely nothing else but executing double-pumps from various angles and in various ways.

Changcheng University found it impossible to defend effectively. Nearly all their personnel were gathered under the basket, yet they still had no way to deal with Zhou Zhexiao.

Facing Changcheng’s tallest center, Zhou Zhexiao rotated nearly 180 degrees in mid-air and forcefully slammed the ball in.

The hormones were practically exploding out.

Zhou Zhexiao looked toward the bench position. Xia Chiyi’s mouth was slightly open, and he was looking at him.

While meeting his eyes, Zhou Zhexiao retreated back to his defensive position.

Xia Chiyi’s heart thumped so hard it almost jumped to the ceiling.

Could it be that Zhou Zhexiao suddenly exerted himself because I said I wanted to see double-pumps?

The third quarter ended. During the brief rest period, Ling Huanzhen looked at the complexions of the Changcheng University team members and felt it was better not to go too far.

So he patted Xia Chiyi’s shoulder. “Chiyi ah, seeing too many double-pumps is still a bit too stimulating for the heart, which isn’t conducive to the recovery of a healthy body. See… besides double-pumps, you…”

Even if Xia Chiyi were completely brainless, he would have sensed that Ling Huanzhen was treating him like a menu.

Whatever dish he ordered, Zhou Zhexiao served.

But… would he really treat him this well?

Whatever I want to see, will you play it for me to see?

Xia Chiyi suddenly really wanted to verify if he was truly being favored by Zhou Zhexiao.

“I want to see fadeaway jumpers.” Xia Chiyi paused, deliberately increasing the difficulty. “Preferably three-pointers.”

Ling Huanzhen thought to himself, Can’t we just serve up a regular shot or a regular three-pointer?

Does it absolutely have to be a fadeaway?

“Got it.” Zhou Zhexiao lowered his head and wiped his sweat.

Hearing this chat from the side, Ye Zhaoying and Shuai Bei simultaneously let out an exclamation of “Holy crap.”

“Bro, you are presuming upon favor to be arrogant,” Ye Zhaoying pressed down on Xia Chiyi’s head.

Shuai Bei also exhaled a breath. “Next year, Changcheng University might not invite us to eat soup dumplings anymore.”

Xia Chiyi shrugged his shoulders. “You guys don’t want to see it?”

Of course we want to see it! Who doesn’t want to see Zhou Zhexiao show off his skills? Post-up play followed by a turn-around fadeaway jumper—this was a technique that frequently appeared in professional basketball games.

“Then bring it on.” Ye Zhaoying rubbed his wrists, preparing to pass the ball to Zhou Zhexiao.

Shuai Bei exhaled a breath. He slung his arm over Du He’s shoulders and said in a low voice: “Zhou Zhexiao wants to farm three-pointers. The two of us need to get ready to grab rebounds.”

“Oh, okay!” Du He nodded.

The final quarter of the match began. Changcheng’s players thought Zhou Zhexiao would charge to their basket to harvest again, so almost all of them guarded near the hoop. Yet they didn’t expect Zhou Zhexiao to jump up directly upon reaching the three-point line.

The ball swished into the basket, stunning both Changcheng’s players and coach.

Zhou Zhexiao pulled at his collar to release heat, his expression so calm it asked for a beating.

Ling Huanzhen smiled. Seeing his old friend constantly charging and breaking enemy lines under the basket, he almost forgot that ten years ago in the NBA, he was a renowned combo guard, and his three-point shooting percentage ranked in the top three in the league.

This shot was very ordinary for Zhou Zhexiao; no one came to intercept him, so he didn’t even need to fade away.

But it acted like an alarm bell, telling Changcheng University—Zhou Zhexiao also has a very strong perimeter shooting ability.

Changcheng directly sent three people to staunchly defend Zhou Zhexiao.

Zhou Zhexiao used various lightning dribbles, post-up plays, and turned around right into a fadeaway jumper.

The speed was too fast, so much so that even Shuai Bei roared in his heart—You fcking aim before you shoot!*

His airborne posture possessed a strong sense of power, and the arc of his shot was beautiful. Xia Chiyi stood up and watched that ball enter the basket.

The following match became Changcheng University besieging from all four sides, while Zhou Zhexiao fiercely took shots. The elegant fadeaways, with extremely decisive exertion of force from the arm to the wrist, sent the ball flying out from above the defending players’ fingertips time and time again.

Xia Chiyi had always been very envious of Zhou Zhexiao’s turn-around fadeaway jumper and had practiced it many times himself, but he couldn’t achieve Zhou Zhexiao’s level of effortless ease, where even the arc of the basketball was full of power and beauty.

Xia Chiyi silently looked at Zhou Zhexiao’s back. This was technique and composure tempered through various intense competitions. Every time he looked at him, a wondrous longing would arise in Xia Chiyi’s heart, and now he finally understood the source of this longing.

His superb dynamic vision broke down Zhou Zhexiao’s movements frame by frame, continuously analyzing and learning.

Zhou Zhexiao was extremely adept at using leg sways to deceive the opponents behind him. The feints of his shoulders were hard to distinguish, followed by a resolute turn-around fadeaway jumper.

Everything fell into place naturally, fluid and full of tension.

Xia Chiyi was initially sitting, but then involuntarily stood up.

When Zhou Zhexiao ended the match with another pendulum-like fadeaway jumper, the longing condensed in Xia Chiyi’s chest was about to burst out.

I really want to go on court and play! That way, I can see his fadeaway jumper up close!

“Zhou Zhexiao, are you holding a teaching session today? Teaching double-pumps in the third quarter, and teaching fadeaway jumpers in the fourth quarter?” Ye Zhaoying rested one hand on his hip and took a hard gulp of water.

He Bin also laughed. “Even I, a shooting guard, haven’t accumulated as many three-pointers in the whole game as you did in the final quarter.”

“You could clearly dribble, break through, and do a layup, but you insist on shooting threes. Shuai Bei and I desperately charged under the basket, ready at all times to grab rebounds…” Du He sighed heavily.

“Who knew this guy’s fadeaway jumper is at the King tier. After we charged over, there simply weren’t any rebounds to grab.”

The teammates chimed in one after another, feeling as if Zhou Zhexiao was constantly refreshing their understanding.

But Zhou Zhexiao had no reaction to his teammates’ evaluations.

With a bland expression, he came up behind Xia Chiyi. Discovering that he was actually scrolling through his phone, he pressed his chin onto the top of Xia Chiyi’s head, deliberately applying force downward.

Lowering his eyes, he realized Xia Chiyi was scrolling through a “Sheng Xingming Fadeaway Jumper Highlight Reel” uploaded by netizens on a website.

“Why are you watching this?” Zhou Zhexiao’s brows furrowed slightly.

“To make a comparison,” Xia Chiyi replied.

“And did you get any results from your comparison?”

“Everyone says time is a butcher’s knife, I didn’t expect you to be completely unaffected. Sure enough, the years do not defeat beauties.”

“What do you mean? Calling me old?” Zhou Zhexiao’s voice dropped an octave.

Xia Chiyi showed an expression of disbelief: “What exactly is your reading comprehension ability? I’m praising your beauty.”

“Is that so? I only heard ‘butcher’s knife’.”

“Look at your fadeaway jumper, picturesque as a painting, transcending the boundaries of time and space.”

In the next second, Zhou Zhexiao flicked Xia Chiyi’s temple.

“Ouch… you were too formidable today, I don’t know if Changcheng University will still treat us to a big feast at noon,” Xia Chiyi said softly.

When the practice match ended the next day, Changcheng University tearfully saw off Ningchang University.

“They finally left. If they didn’t leave, the cafeteria chefs would be crying.”

“Right, who’s ever seen people who can eat this much? Their team only has twelve people, yet over three hundred xiaolongbao (soup dumplings)…”

“Good thing they didn’t ask for takeout…”

After this day, the news that Ningchang University was exceptionally capable of eating spread throughout the major divisions of the Division I League.

With this, the Ningchang University basketball team concluded all their practice matches before the winter break and officially entered the final exam review phase.

Ye Zhaoying sat in front of his small desk, looking at the textbooks stacked before him with a blank expression, experiencing cognitive impairment.

“Can anyone tell me why this entire Principles of Accounting book is the key focus?”

Xia Chiyi shot back a line: “What is the broadest thing in the world? The scope of the exam, of course!”

Zhou Zhexiao also crossed his arms, looking at the Marxist Philosophy textbook in front of him, revealing a deep in thought appearance.

“Can’t things like final exams just be like sports meets, where participation is what counts?”

Hearing Zhou Zhexiao speaking from the heart, Xia Chiyi laughed so hard his gums showed.

“And this Economics, if exams aren’t enough, they add short essays! Has the professor never considered that although knowledge is an ocean, we are all freshwater fish?”

Pang Shuai crunched on potato chips, walked behind Xia Chiyi, and glanced over. “Xia Chiyi—you actually read over fifty pages of Economics!”

Xia Chiyi wasn’t even in the mood to glance at him. “But our Economics has over three hundred pages.”

How tragically heroic.

To allow them to pass their final exams smoothly, team training was suspended. Even though there was still more than a month until the Lunar New Year, Jiao Yingfeng and Mr. Fan actually went home early.

Before leaving, the text message Jiao Yingfeng sent to Xia Chiyi contained only three words: Body fat percentage.

If he dared to gorge himself during the Lunar New Year, Xia Chiyi would be finished.

But compared to body fat percentage, the final exams were the real problem.

Fat grows so easily, yet knowledge always refuses to be stuffed into the brain.

The sleepy atmosphere in the dorm was simply too strong, so they still went to the study room in the afternoon. Thanks to the class monitor for saving seats for them, the four people from the dorm sat lined up in a row, quite creating a study atmosphere.

Principles of Accounting was somewhat difficult for the others, but it was fine for Xia Chiyi. After all, he was a player who had cleared the college entrance examination; his math foundation and logical abilities were quite good, so among the four people in the dorm, his review speed was the fastest.

While Ye Zhaoying was still vainly trying to distinguish between accrual accounting and cash accounting in Principles of Accounting, Xia Chiyi had already finished typing out his Economics short essay on his laptop.

Turning his face, he found that Zhou Zhexiao had already fallen asleep beside him. His slightly curly bangs covered his forehead, and his long eyelashes rested on his arm; completely a sleeping beauty.

“Zhou Zhexiao… Zhou Zhexiao…” Xia Chiyi leaned close to his ear and called his name.

“I won’t get up, I can’t understand it anyway.” Zhou Zhexiao’s face was buried in his arm, letting out a muffled sound.

Xia Chiyi widened his eyes, suspecting his ears had misheard. Zhou Zhexiao actually has moments of giving up on himself?

“Hey, Zhou Zhexiao is invincible,” Xia Chiyi whispered.

__

[Author’s Note]
Ling Huanzhen: Not only does Xia Chiyi have a talent for shooting, he also has quite a lot of potential as a mascot.
Xia Chiyi: What potential?
Ling Huanzhen: The potential to stimulate the Great Demon King to go against the heavens.