Chapter 0088: A Gathering of Stars

Ling Huanzhen naturally understood the other party’s underlying implication. Zhou Zhexiao had already planned out his and Xia Chiyi’s futures, so there was no need for Ling Huanzhen to worry about them.

However, Zhengfeng Sports also had close cooperative relationships with several professional clubs. This meant that they could help Ye Zhaoying, Du He, and Shuai Bei get evaluated by other clubs, allowing them to find their own ways forward.

Ling Huanzhen was already retired and wasn’t lacking in money. The coaching profession also filled him with a sense of fulfillment. But he couldn’t arrogantly make decisions on behalf of his players.

“Manager Huang, I’ll still have to trouble you to give me a little time so I can have a proper talk with the team. Besides, we’ve already entered the top eight, and advancing to the National Tournament is imperative. Your sponsorship doesn’t need to be rushed just for this one or two games.”

Hearing Ling Huanzhen loosen his stance, Manager Huang smiled: “Alright then. I also wish the Ningchang University basketball team becomes more courageous with every battle and claims the championship of the Southeast Division.”

Ling Huanzhen exchanged a few pleasantries with the other before hanging up the phone.

He wasn’t a brash twenty-something-year-old kid anymore. He knew very well that apart from Zhou Zhexiao, even his own team members probably didn’t believe they could conquer the entire Southeast Division.

Anyone could say pretty words to add icing to the cake.

What truly made people remember it in their hearts was providing help in their darkest hour of need.

---

Next up, Ningchang University was set to play against Chujiang University in the quarter-finals to fight for a spot in the top four.

The clash between two strong teams sparked a wave of heated discussions online, and Ling Huanzhen decided to send out the main starting lineup.

He called the team members to his room for a meeting.

The moment that brat Ye Zhaoying walked in, he asked, “Coach, did you not order pizza today?”

“We’re about to play Chujiang University, and you’re still thinking about pizza? What do you need to eat to grow some extra brain cells?” Ling Huanzhen grumbled in annoyance.

Following him in, Xia Chiyi also had a look of regret. “We’re about to play Chujiang University, shouldn’t we stock up on some calories?”

Ling Huanzhen grabbed his sock and threw it straight at Xia Chiyi’s mouth. His basketball shooting was terrible, but his aim when throwing socks to gag someone was incredibly fierce.

Xia Chiyi had already smelled the rapidly approaching stench, but his reaction time off the basketball court was extremely dull. Just as the sock—comparable to a biochemical weapon—was about to slap him in the face, someone grabbed his shoulder and yanked him out of the way.

The sock brushed past his cheek and landed right on Ye Zhaoying’s neck.

“Holy crap—what kind of hidden weapon is this—”

“Do you have a problem with my sock?” Ling Huanzhen asked with his hands on his hips.

Ye Zhaoying’s face turned green. He pulled at his T-shirt and jumped up and down a few times until the sock fell out. “Old Ling, you don’t even play ball anymore, how is your metabolism still this vigorously stinky?!”

Ling Huanzhen was furious. And to think he had been constantly worrying about Ye Zhaoying’s future. What an ungrateful wretch.

Finally, all the team members arrived. Some leaned against the table, some sat on the sofa, and some… like Xia Chiyi, who had no manners, simply sat cross-legged on the floor right beside the bed. Then, Zhou Zhexiao sat right behind him, folding his legs on either side of Xia Chiyi like armrests—a literal human sofa.

The more Ling Huanzhen looked at it, the more of an eyesore it became.

“We beat Chujiang University once in a practice match, but that doesn’t mean we can still beat them in an official tournament match.” Ling Huanzhen’s gaze swept coldly over everyone as he spoke seriously, “I hope our past victory hasn’t made you all float up into the clouds.”

Ye Zhaoying raised a hand. “Don’t worry, Coach. During the practice match, we could already feel the difference between Chujiang University and Shenghai University. Shenghai University lacked guards; their combat power was all concentrated under the basket, making their weakness obvious. But Chujiang University’s strength is extremely balanced, whether in the frontcourt or the backcourt.”

He Bin also nodded and said, “Moreover, they have definitely studied us. Having suffered losses against Xia Chiyi before, everyone on our team who possesses long-range shooting abilities will be heavily marked.”

Ling Huanzhen nodded. “As long as you know.”

Spending nearly an hour, Ling Huanzhen outlined tactical arrangements for various hypothetical situations.

Just as everyone thought they could go back to their dorms to rest, Ling Huanzhen spoke up again.

“Today, Zhengfeng Sports contacted me. They hope to sponsor us. I don’t know what everyone’s thoughts are? Feel free to tell me now. If it’s inconvenient, you can also speak to me in private.”

As soon as Ling Huanzhen finished speaking, Du He asked with a bewildered look, “Isn’t our sponsor Feidian?”

Almost the entire team was currently wearing Feidian basketball shoes; they were comfortable and had great shock absorption.

During the previous match, when Ye Zhaoying’s face was hit, Feidian had actively called to arrange pick-up and drop-off cars and contacted a hospital for Ye Zhaoying to get checked.

Although it was just a minor injury, Ye Zhaoying was quite grateful to them.

Ling Huanzhen said, “Actually, we haven’t signed any formal contract with Feidian. Moreover, Xia Chiyi and Zhou Zhexiao’s performances have already boosted Feidian’s brand recognition. The freshmen and sophomores still have time, but for the juniors and seniors, it’s time to consider the CBA draft.”

Assistant Coach Cheng Qing was stunned. He hadn’t expected Ling Huanzhen to bring up such a realistic and heavy topic right before the top 8 quarter-finals.

But it was indeed something the upperclassmen like Du He and Shuai Bei needed to carefully consider.

Du He, who never thought too much about things, lowered his head. “I… I don’t think I can play in the CBA. There are many centers out there better than me. For example, Qincheng University’s Meng Ting, Southwest Aviation U’s Mo Chuang, Qing U’s He Denglou… Who even knows me, Du He? Moreover, being able to fight into the Southeast Division’s top eight and stand on this court already feels… like a dream. The CBA draft… no team will want me.”

When he returned to the basketball team, Du He had already figured out what he wanted—before his dream ended, he just wanted to play to the very end without any regrets, playing until he couldn’t play anymore.

The cruelty of competitive sports far exceeded the college entrance exams.

Passion alone wasn’t enough to turn it into a profession.

Shuai Bei was also unusually silent. It took him over a dozen seconds before he spoke, “Maybe if I hadn’t wasted that half a year, things would be better than they are now. If only I could have… met Coach Ling a bit earlier.”

Ling Huanzhen leaned in close to the two of them, clapped his hands, and said, “Can you two cheer up a bit? No matter when you meet me, Ling Huanzhen, it’s never too late. I’m asking for your opinions today because I want to know your thoughts—do you want to accept the sponsorship or not?”

Du He was an honest guy. He twisted his neck and said a bit shyly, “That’s not very good, is it? When we were complete nobodies, Feidian recognized us. Isn’t there a saying… ‘Adding icing to the cake is easy, but providing charcoal in the snow is hard’? When Feidian posted our Ningchang University information on their official Weibo, they got mocked, but they still didn’t hide the post.”

Shuai Bei nodded. “A mere sponsor probably can’t decide whether more of us can go pro. They consider commercial value, whereas the professional basketball world only looks at pure strength.
Furthermore… it’s not just me, but Xia Chiyi and Zhou Zhexiao are also used to the feel of Feidian shoes. Rashly switching to shoes they aren’t familiar with might affect their performance.”

At this moment, Xia Chiyi felt an indescribable emotion in his heart, as if a fairy tale had suddenly stripped away its outer coat, showing him the real world.

Because Zhou Zhexiao had always been walking ahead of him, it made him ignore the cruelty of reality.

But he really, really wanted these teammates who had slashed through thorns to get this far with him to be able to continue the career they loved.

Just as everyone fell silent, Zhou Zhexiao suddenly spoke up: “Then let’s just keep winning.”

Ling Huanzhen looked up and saw Zhou Zhexiao’s chin resting on top of Xia Chiyi’s head. He had none of the icy, murderous aura he showed on the court, leaving only a lazy vibe that looked like he could fall asleep at any second.

Just like a large cat curled up on a sofa.

Looking at the time, oh, it was this guy’s bedtime.

Ye Zhaoying whistled. “As expected of Zhou Zhexiao. The way he solves problems is always so direct and simple.”

Not only did the head-lowered Du He look up, but even Ling Huanzhen felt suddenly awakened.

He smiled, rubbed the back of his head, and his voice became energized. “That’s right, as long as we keep winning. If you defeat Southeast Mining U, Qincheng U, Southwest Aviation U, and Qing U completely, you guys will be the absolute top choices for those clubs.”

Shuai Bei chuckled softly. “Exactly what is it that makes you so arrogant?”

“All of you sitting here, of course!”

They left Ling Huanzhen’s room. Shuai Bei didn’t feel very sleepy. As their group entered the elevator and reached their floor, they saw Xia Chiyi holding Zhou Zhexiao’s shoulders, pushing a sleepy-eyed Zhou Zhexiao out of the elevator.

When they got to their door, Xia Chiyi was using the keycard to open it. Leaning against the wall, Zhou Zhexiao rubbed his eyes and looked over at Du He and Shuai Bei’s room next door.

“Can you come in for a chat?”

Shuai Bei, who was just about to close his door, froze. “You? Want to chat with us?”

Seeing Zhou Zhexiao struggling to keep his eyes open, Du He quickly waved his hands. “I wasn’t affected by the sponsorship thing! Don’t worry…”

Zhou Zhexiao’s brows furrowed, and he gestured toward his own room with his chin. “Come in.”

Xia Chiyi elbowed the guy. “Whatever it is, say it after tomorrow’s game is over! You’re already dead on your feet from sleepiness, what kind of chicken soup for the soul are you trying to serve?”

“What I want to talk about is related to tomorrow’s game.”

Zhou Zhexiao walked into the room, and Shuai Bei and Du He followed.

“In the first quarter tomorrow, Chujiang University will likely observe Xia Chiyi’s condition. Shuai Bei, please run high-efficiency pick-and-rolls with him, and try to score as quickly as possible without excessively draining Xia Chiyi’s stamina.”

Shuai Bei was momentarily taken aback. “Coach Ling already arranged for me to screen for him, but aren’t you going to score?”

“Chujiang University’s help defense and positional coverage awareness are very strong. For Xia Chiyi to shake them off, he’ll have to run a massive amount, which wastes too much energy. Our two-man pick-and-roll will increase scoring efficiency.”

Shuai Bei nodded. “I have no objections.”

Zhou Zhexiao continued, “Du He, I’m leaving the rebounds in this stage entirely to you.”

“Don’t worry,” Du He patted his chest.

“Once they send someone to heavily guard Xia Chiyi, the three of us will form an offensive triangle under the basket to score from close range. Whatever skills we have, we’ll feed them all to Chujiang University.” Even though Zhou Zhexiao’s face was full of sleepiness and his eyelids were drooping, his eyes nonetheless revealed an intense sense of power.

“That’s a given.”

“There are so many clubs in the CBA. Even if they draft players from Qing U and Southwest Aviation U, it doesn’t mean they don’t have vacancies for forwards,” Zhou Zhexiao stated. “Let’s make a bet.”

“Huh?” Du He suspected his ears were malfunctioning. Zhou Zhexiao said he wanted to make a bet with them?

Shuai Bei also couldn’t help but smile. “Oh? A bet? Bet on what?”

“After we beat Chujiang University, there will definitely be clubs asking if you two are participating in this year’s draft,” Zhou Zhexiao said.

Shuai Bei and Du He looked at Zhou Zhexiao. They knew Zhou Zhexiao never joked around.

But they still felt this was something they didn’t even dare to imagine.

Beside them, however, Xia Chiyi clenched his fists, a passionate fire burning all the way to the top of his head.

Competitive sports were not only cruel but also lonely.

He didn’t want to be surrounded by stars holding him up, only to find not a single one of his comrades-in-arms left beside him.

But as long as they coordinated well and fought their way up all the way, every teammate would have the best possible future.

“Hey, we agreed no chicken soup for the soul! What is this?” Xia Chiyi asked in amusement. “Moreover, in your plan, I seem to have become a background prop just to draw defensive firepower on the perimeter?”

Zhou Zhexiao gave Xia Chiyi a mild glance. “Have you forgotten what your own slogan was when you played point guard?”

“Of course I remember. With me here, everyone at Ningchang University is an ace.”

“Whether you are here or not, they are aces,” Zhou Zhexiao said.

Xia Chiyi suddenly felt that Zhou Zhexiao was a very fascinating person. He constantly wore a distant expression that screamed ‘strangers stay away’, but when it came to encouraging people, he never stinted on praise.

“Since it’s a bet, we can’t be without stakes,” Xia Chiyi said, putting his hands on his hips.

“Sure, what are the stakes?” Shuai Bei lifted his chin and asked in amusement.

“Pizza. I want to eat pizza until I’m completely stuffed. And if Coach Ling finds out, you two have to bear the consequences of the punishment.”

Shuai Bei opened his mouth and looked at Zhou Zhexiao, meaning to ask, Do you not have any more meaningful demands?

Zhou Zhexiao looked into Shuai Bei’s eyes and said: “Double cheese.”

Shuai Bei closed his eyes. “You really just spoil him like this.”

“Who’s spoiling who?” Du He looked thoroughly confused, feeling like he couldn’t keep up with their brain circuits.

Shuai Bei grabbed Du He’s shoulders and led him out of the room. “Who else is spoiling who? I’m the only one spoiling a blockhead like you.”

---

Tickets for the Ningchang University vs. Chujiang University game were swept clean on the app.

Thanks to Principal Feng’s support, Ningchang University’s camp was a dazzling sea of orange. Compared to them, Chujiang University’s purple spirit shirts looked far too low-key and lacking in passion.

In the hallway outside the locker rooms, Xia Chiyi and the others ran into the team from Southeast Mining U.

The two teams’ matches were taking place simultaneously on different courts.

Ma Tao’s face still looked sour. Xia Chiyi leaned to the side, searching for Zhao Lingcong’s figure.

At this moment, Zhao Lingcong was getting chewed out by his coach. Originally, Xia Chiyi thought he got caught having a 1-on-1 with Zhou Zhexiao. Listening closely, it turned out that the lemon slice in his water bottle had been soaking for almost three days; if he let it soak any longer, it might start growing mold.

But this guy was shockingly lazy and simply hadn’t bothered to take the lemon slice out.

“Coach, you definitely saw wrong. All lemon slices in this world look the same…”

“Do you really think I didn’t look carefully? There’s a black spot on the edge of that lemon! The little black spot from three days ago is still there! Are you really not afraid of getting food poisoning and meeting King Yama?!”

It looked like the coach was about to twist Zhao Lingcong’s ear off.

Xia Chiyi didn’t mind adding a little fuel to the fire at all. He walked over with a beaming smile. “Brother Cong, you guys are playing Fusheng Normal University today, are you going on the court?”

Seeing Xia Chiyi, Southeast Mining U’s Coach Liu changed his face faster than turning a page. He immediately put on an amiable expression and let go of Zhao Lingcong’s ear.

“Me? Of course I’m playing. Otherwise, I could go watch your game.” Zhao Lingcong thanked Xia Chiyi with his eyes.

But he thought wrong. Xia Chiyi grinned and lightly punched Zhao Lingcong’s chest. “Zhou Zhexiao said he won when you two played 1-on-1 the night before last—that guy’s bragging, right? You were the one who won, didn’t you?”

Zhao Lingcong froze. Coach Liu hadn’t gone far, and his eyes widened as he glared at him.

“1-on-1 the night before last? With Zhou Zhexiao?! Get over here and explain this to me properly! The sky cleared, the rain stopped, and you thought you were invincible again, didn’t you?!”

This time, Zhao Lingcong was well and truly dragged into the locker room by his ear. Xia Chiyi waved goodbye as he watched him go.

Xia Chiyi: Who told you to play 1-on-1 and not bring me along?

Zhao Lingcong’s acting skills were astonishing; his expression instantly became incomparably innocent. “Coach, he’s the opponent. How can you believe the opponent’s words?”

“Keep acting, keep acting! Let me see if you’re going to act like your leg is crippled or that you’ve got diarrhea next!”

“Coach Liu—can’t you wish me well?”

Listening to Zhao Lingcong’s sorrowful voice, Xia Chiyi entered his own team’s locker room fully satisfied.

---

The audience successively entered the basketball stadium. Today wasn’t a weekend, yet the stadium seats were practically all full.

Some sports media reporters seated in the front rows couldn’t help but look around in awe.

“I never expected the Division I League’s influence to grow this huge! It’s practically no different from the professional league!”

“And neither team is even from Huaicheng, yet so many people rushed over to cheer for them!”

“Both teams playing today have star players. For example, Chujiang University’s Gao Chong, Southeast Mining U’s Ma Tao, and Ningchang University’s Xia Chiyi and Zhou Zhexiao. They all bring their own fans.”

What surprised the onsite media even more was that teams from other divisions had actually rushed over to watch the game.

Cross-division scouting—they thought only the reigning king of the Southeast Division, Qincheng University, would receive such treatment.

In the stands, Pang Shuai held up his camera and spotted several people on the opposite side wearing different sports uniforms through his lens.

“Pang Shuai, can you see clearly which universities the people across from us are from?” Liang Qin from the Student Union asked.

“Don’t rush, don’t rush, let me find it…” Pang Shuai rummaged through his backpack and finally pulled out his spare binoculars.

He originally had no interest in basketball. Watching the games live was purely to support his brother.

Later, after watching many games, he realized many basketball fans brought binoculars because sometimes the seats were too high to see the players’ brilliant moves clearly.

After so many matches, as a spectator, Pang Shuai was also a professional now.

He took out the binoculars and looked toward the opposite spectator stands.

The color of this sports uniform… white shoulders with a large block of dark blue contrasting on the chest—it gave off a very engineering/technical university vibe.

Pang Shuai blinked, managing to squeeze a voice out of his throat with great difficulty: “Holy crap… Southwest Aviation U! It’s Southwest Aviation Industry University! The runner-up of last year’s National Tournament. They sent one, two, three… looks like five or six people came!”

Liang Qin revealed a look of disbelief. “The Southwest Aviation U that has claimed the title of King of the Southwest for six consecutive years? Is their ace Lu Yingnan here too?”

“Lu Yingnan? You mean last year’s Steals King Lu Yingnan?” The class monitor also squinted, searching the opposite stands.

Pang Shuai had watched many Southwest Aviation U games alongside Xia Chiyi and the others. Liu Suchen, Yang Huaiyu, and Lu Yingnan were known as the three “God-Tier Visuals” of last year’s Division I League.

They were also the strongest players, the three major star players fiercely fought over by various clubs.

Perhaps because all three of them were freshmen last year, surprisingly none of them had signed up for the CBA draft.

The reasons given by the three guys were surprisingly uniform—we’re only freshmen, no desire to go work for a club.

To those desperately trying to enter the professional basketball world, this was truly a case of ‘the full man not knowing the hungry man’s hunger’.

But with absolute strength came the capital to be willful.

Pang Shuai held the binoculars, scanned from front to back, and shook his head. “I don’t see Lu Yingnan. The Southwest Division tournament starts next week, so an ace like Lu Yingnan is probably staying behind at the team to train.”

The class monitor exhaled. “What a pity.”

“What about over there? Which university has white jackets with silver trim?” Liang Qin asked again.

Pang Shuai looked and was completely dumbfounded. “Holy shit, it’s Qing U! Last year’s champion, Qing U… they came too!”

“Is Liu Suchen there?!” Liang Qin asked excitedly.

“I don’t see him… After the Southeast Division tournament ends, the Northeast Division group stage begins. Liu Suchen is probably resting and building up his energy, right?” Pang Shuai said.

Liang Qin clenched her fists, her eyes filled with an indescribable sense of pride. “But regardless, they still sent people to spectate live. This is Southwest Aviation U and Qing U! Last year’s champion and runner-up! They’re paying attention to our Ningchang University! I’m so excited… If this was last year, could any of you have imagined this?”

“Yeah… the more I think about it, the more I feel our basketball team is freaking awesome!”

The onsite media reporters couldn’t sit still anymore. They were considering interviewing these two top-tier powerhouse teams, who had been mortal enemies for years, after the match ended.

Taking advantage of the fact that the match hadn’t started yet and Xia Chiyi and the others were still a few minutes away from entering the court, Pang Shuai decided to make a trip to the restroom.

“Class monitor, keep an eye on my camera for me… I reckon by halftime, the restroom will be so packed we won’t be able to squeeze in!”

Hearing Pang Shuai say this, Zhang Xiulin also stood up.

“Let’s go together then.”

Sure enough, just as they expected, a long line had already formed in the restroom.

Zhang Xiulin frowned. “Will we even finish peeing in time?”

Pang Shuai and Zhang Xiulin had just queued up to the restroom door when they heard people inside chatting while washing their hands.

“Today’s match really has a huge face. Southwest Aviation U and Qing U actually sent people to spectate live!”

“Of course. Chujiang University made it into the national top sixteen last year, after all.”

“But is being in the national top sixteen enough for two major powerhouses to come watch their game? I feel like… maybe they came to watch Ningchang University?”

“Ningchang University? They definitely are a dark horse. Both Fusheng Industrial U and Shenghai University fell by their hands… But for this kind of dark horse, reaching the top four is their absolute limit.”

“Have you seen the predictions online? Most bloggers are saying the outcome is unpredictable, but Chen Hui and Xu Mi actually weren’t afraid of offending Chujiang University’s fans and predicted that Ningchang University will win.”

“That really is gutsy! I bet a lot of people are already tearing into them!”

Hearing this, Pang Shuai straightened his back proudly.

Unlike those social media accounts that created messy polls just to attract traffic, Chen Hui and Xu Mi were bloggers who didn’t blindly follow trends and had their own independent thinking abilities.

Someone suddenly said: “If Liu Suchen came too, I’d really love to ask him who he favors more in this dragon-tiger fight!”

Right as the words fell, a bathroom stall door suddenly opened.

A figure over 1.9 meters tall walked out. The person had semi-long hair tied at the back of his head, with a few strands hanging down casually. Wearing loose sportswear and ripped jeans, his long legs took wide strides as he strolled leisurely toward the sink.

The restroom, which had been full of chatting, suddenly fell dead silent.

Pang Shuai kept nudging Zhang Xiulin behind him with his elbow. “It’s… it’s…”

“It’s who?” Being from the soccer team, Zhang Xiulin didn’t know much about the star players in college basketball.

“It’s Qing U’s Liu Suchen!”

Pang Shuai had thought Liu Suchen wouldn’t come. After all, this was just the Southeast Division quarter-finals. A figure standing at the very pinnacle of college basketball like Liu Suchen probably wouldn’t find it worth his time. But he actually came to watch Ningchang University play Chujiang University?

For the first time, Pang Shuai clearly realized that even if Ningchang University didn’t claim the Southeast Division crown, they had already aroused the vigilance of all the top-tier powerhouses.

Wait, this thought is too arrogant. Wake up, Pang Shuai.

Pang Shuai raised a hand and slapped his own cheeks, leaving Zhang Xiulin behind him utterly bewildered.

Liu Suchen held his hands under the automatic faucet, quietly rubbing his fingers. This guy was indeed good-looking, with delicate features and a high nose bridge; even guys couldn’t help but take a few extra glances. He wore a very faint smile on his lips, as if nothing could specifically weigh on his mind.

Suddenly, someone called out: “Liu Suchen—since you’re here, who do you predict will win?”

Everyone’s gazes shot over, holding a faint trace of excitement.

Several media reporters would have been devastated—such a great interview opportunity, and it happened in the restroom!

Liu Suchen dried his hands unhurriedly. “What’s the point of predicting this? Better to discuss whether Qincheng University can still retain the title of King of the Southeast Division this year.”

The person who asked the question froze. By the time Liu Suchen was about to walk out the door, he finally snapped out of it.

“Then… then who do you think can threaten Qincheng University’s position as King of the Southeast Division?”

“Mm… I haven’t watched the semifinals yet, so I can only say that currently, it’s 50-50 between Ningchang University and Southeast Mining U.”

This answer from Liu Suchen was tantamount to indirectly stating that he believed Ningchang University would beat Chujiang University.

Once Liu Suchen left, a collective sound of exhaling echoed throughout the restroom.

Zhang Xiulin swallowed hard and poked Pang Shuai in front of him. “This guy… his aura is so intense.”

“Yeah.” Pang Shuai nodded.

His voice was clearly gentle, and he spoke patiently, but he just gave off the feeling of being someone you couldn’t afford to provoke.

“Wait, if Liu Suchen thinks Ningchang University will beat Chujiang University… then Qing U coming to watch the game is to watch us?” Pang Shuai grabbed Zhang Xiulin’s shoulders and shook him.

“Y-Yeah… it must be to watch us!”

“Ah, so our Ningchang University is really that badass now? Even Qing U makes a special trip to watch our game?”

So it wasn’t him, Pang Shuai, being too arrogant!

Other people lined up for the restroom heard that they were from Ningchang University and began expressing their support.

“Your Ningchang University is really awesome. Going from a one-round trip in the group stage last year to charging into the Southeast Division’s top eight this year—you could make an inspirational movie out of it.”

“Xia Chiyi’s shooting is too beautiful. Yesterday when he played point guard, his calculations missed nothing! I’m almost idolizing him now!”

“And Zhou Zhexiao on your team! When he doesn’t play, it’s fine, but the moment he steps on the court, he’s the ultimate trump card!”

Pang Shuai and Zhang Xiulin were both praised until they felt embarrassed.

However, a slightly mocking, light chuckle came from behind them.

“If you truly felt you were powerful, you wouldn’t need affirmation from other strong teams at all. To put it bluntly, you still lack confidence.”

Pang Shuai turned around and found that the guy standing behind Zhang Xiulin… was incredibly tall, looking to be between 1.98 to 2 meters.

He was wearing a dark blue sports jacket—wasn’t this Southwest Aviation U’s team uniform?

Except his zipper hung loosely at the very bottom, slung haphazardly, giving off an aura of laziness and complete indifference to everything.

Southwest Aviation U’s playing style was famous for its rigor; the temperament of the guy in front of them felt completely out of place.

Pang Shuai looked up and noticed that the corners of this person’s eyes turned up, his eyes holding undisguised aggressiveness. The peak of his left eyebrow was severed by a shallow scar, making him look even fiercer.

Pang Shuai’s throat bobbed. He had watched last year’s Southwest Aviation U games in the dorms but hadn’t seen this character. So this guy had to be a freshman… Was this guy the King of Arrogance? Looking down his nose at people the whole time? His expression was seriously punchable too.

“Zhou Zhexiao is mingling quite well at Ningchang University. There are quite a lot of people cheering for him… It seems that as long as you have a pretty face, no matter how terrible your character or temper is, the world’s morals will still follow your features.”

Pang Shuai frowned. Regardless of whether the other party was from Southwest Aviation U, and it didn’t matter how much taller the guy was compared to him, Zhou Zhexiao was his roommate and buddy. Pang Shuai couldn’t tolerate anyone speaking so sarcastically about him.

“Zhou Zhexiao is straightforward and open. He does what he says. He just doesn’t talk much, but he is actually very considerate of others. As his roommate, I’ve never felt there was any problem with his character or temper. If you don’t know him, please don’t evaluate him casually.” Pang Shuai glared coldly at the other.

The people who had finished using the restroom realized there was drama to watch, so one by one, they stopped leaving. The hallway outside the restroom almost looked like a traffic jam.

“It’s going to rain red from the sky. This is the first time I’ve ever heard someone defend Zhou Zhexiao so seriously.” The guy leisurely bypassed Zhang Xiulin, walked right up to Pang Shuai, looked him in the eye, and said, “Are you sure his so-called ‘straightforward and open’ isn’t just having no filter? And his ‘doing what he says’ isn’t just being domineering, tyrannical, and egocentric?”

Pang Shuai was just about to retort when Zhang Xiulin lightly tugged the back of Pang Shuai’s shirt, giving him a ‘don’t cause trouble’ look.

Zhang Xiulin spoke as calmly as possible, “Student, the match is about to start. There is no point discussing Zhou Zhexiao’s temper and character here. The court is the easiest place to reflect a person’s true personality. Why don’t you wait until you finish watching today’s game before evaluating him?”

“Mm, sure.” The guy smiled dismissively. “I also want to see what the famous Ling Huanzhen has trained the Zhou-Zhexiao-who-stands-at-the-center-of-the-world into.”

Pang Shuai gestured behind him with his chin. “Hey, if you still want to use the restroom, please don’t cut in line.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t cut.” The guy raised both hands in a surrender gesture and walked back behind Zhang Xiulin.

On the way back to their seats, the more Pang Shuai thought about it, the more upset he got. As he walked, he asked Zhang Xiulin, “Do you think Zhou Zhexiao lacks a filter and is domineering and tyrannical?”

Zhang Xiulin: “…When first interacting with him, he is indeed a tiny bit arrogant… Though, of course, he has the capital to be arrogant.”

Pang Shuai: “…”

Zhang Xiulin laughed and patted Pang Shuai’s shoulder. “But once you get used to him, you’ll feel that he’s pretty good this way. Even though sometimes he makes you furious, it also makes you feel he’s very authentic. It just feels…”

“Feels what?”

“It feels like you have to hate Zhou Zhexiao first, then realize he’s actually not that hateful, and then you start to appreciate him.” Zhang Xiulin spread his hands.

Pang Shuai rolled his wrists and looked at Zhang Xiulin with a half-threatening gaze. “My fists are itching! From the first time I met Zhou Zhexiao in the dorms, he was a great person. Not arrogant at all!”

The guy who asks for double boba in his milk tea is clearly cute, okay?!

Zhang Xiulin quickly pressed Pang Shuai’s fists down. “We’re all schoolmates, we have to stand united against outsiders. No infighting!”

Before the game started, Pang Shuai returned to his seat. His ears were filled with other people’s cheering, but all he could think about was the high-and-mighty judgmental attitude of the guy he had just met in the restroom.

Southwest Aviation U, severed eyebrow, incredibly tall freshman player… Pang Shuai quickly searched online.

He didn’t expect to find him so easily.

—Zhuo Zheng, height 198cm, freshman starting player for the Southwest Aviation U basketball team, plays small forward, graduated high school from… Oak Hill Academy!

“Holy crap, this guy actually went to the same high school as Zhou Zhexiao…”

Pang Shuai’s eyes went wide.

Such crucial news had to be relayed to Xia Chiyi immediately!

---

At this exact moment, Xia Chiyi was just about to put his phone into the locker when he received the message from Pang Shuai.

Beside him, Zhou Zhexiao was sitting on a chair adjusting his knee pads. From this angle, Xia Chiyi had a full, unobstructed view of the black compression pants under his loose shorts. His legs were very long, the lines beautiful, and when tensed up… it was truly a bit titillating.

Xia Chiyi stood there unmoving until Zhou Zhexiao lifted his eyes and slightly turned his face. “Where are you looking?”

“Looking… at your knee pads.”

Zhou Zhexiao’s head tilted more obviously. The slightly curled bangs on his forehead slipped down, and Xia Chiyi’s line of sight seemed to have been fiercely plucked like a heartstring.

“Liar.” Zhou Zhexiao usually only used one word to roast someone; infuriating people relied purely on his tone.

Xia Chiyi simply sat down beside him, bumped his knee against the other’s, and leaned in to get close.

“You don’t know this, but you look super sexy wearing knee pads. Especially when we played Fusheng Industrial U and you dunked over Ai Jun. The official photo provided was taken from a low angle looking up. Your knee pads aggressively entered the frame, the effect comparable to a certain international brand’s underwear commercial. This model of knee pads has already become a must-have equipment for Ningchang University basketball enthusiasts! Your ability to sell products is even stronger than those internet celebrity streamers!”

The line of Zhou Zhexiao’s lips curved upward slightly. “Liar. You obviously weren’t looking at the knee pads.”

“Fine, I was comparing sizes with you. You’re many times bigger than me; if you chopped it off, you’d need a giant vat to hold it! You win, satisfied now?”

Xia Chiyi had a nonchalant face, but sorrow welled up in his heart.

If everything I say gets exposed by Zhou Zhexiao in the future, how am I going to live?

Can I not even take a peek at the scenery under his shorts? It’s not like he isn’t wearing compression pants.

“Better bring a vat then, I’ll pickle you.” Zhou Zhexiao said evenly.

“What? I take two looks at you and you want to make me a eunuch?! Aren’t you a bit too brutal?” Xia Chiyi lowered his eyes, suddenly feeling he was in great danger.

Zhou Zhexiao let out a helpless sigh. “When I say pickle, I mean pickling like pickling vegetables.”

Xia Chiyi quickly changed the topic. He still remembered that what he wanted to talk to Zhou Zhexiao about wasn’t giant vats or pickled vegetables, but the message Pang Shuai had sent.

“Do you remember someone named Zhuo Zheng? Very tall, has a scar right here on his eyebrow, severed.”

Zhou Zhexiao was adjusting his shoelaces, looking completely unmoved… There was no Zhuo Zheng in his memories.

“He also graduated from Oak Hill Academy and came back to China for university. He is now a player for Southwest Aviation U, and he came to spectate live.”

Zhou Zhexiao still looked as if it had nothing to do with him.

Instead, it was Assistant Coach Cheng Qing who spoke up. “This Zhuo Zheng is very strong. He has an American playstyle. His performance when slashing to the basket looks like an aggressive version of Zhou Zhexiao. Southwest Aviation U believes he can counter Liu Suchen or Yang Huaiyu.”

Ye Zhaoying, who was closing his locker door, became interested. “Hyping him up this much? Careful he doesn’t smash to pieces when he falls! But… why an aggressive version of Zhou Zhexiao?”

Xia Chiyi tilted his head, his ear brushing against Zhou Zhexiao’s shoulder. He successfully grabbed Zhou Zhexiao’s attention. Just as Zhou Zhexiao raised a hand, Xia Chiyi quickly backed away and said with a wicked grin, “Because our Zhou Zhexiao—is much more shrewd and calculating!”

Everyone fell silent for two seconds before suddenly bursting out laughing.

The fact that the term “shrewd and calculating” could be used to describe Zhou Zhexiao was truly too comical.

However, Zhou Zhexiao froze there. His hand was a beat too slow, touching only air.

A peculiar feeling of loss welled up in his heart. This felt like Xia Chiyi testing the waters, yet also like his subconscious, unreserved closeness towards him.

Clapping sounds came from the locker room door, and Ling Huanzhen’s voice rang out: “You little brats, why aren’t you out yet after dawdling for so long? I thought you were young maidens too shy to get married!”

“Coming, coming, coming right now!”

Just as Xia Chiyi passed by Ling Huanzhen, his back collar was grabbed by Ling Huanzhen.

“I have some insider news to tell you.”

“What insider news? Is a CBA club trying to secure me internally?” Xia Chiyi looked excited.

__

[Author’s Note]
Xia Chiyi: Who hasn’t had an ex-teammate! Don’t make it sound like an ex-boyfriend!
Zhou Zhexiao: ?
Xia Chiyi: I’m talking about you. Isn’t Zhuo Zheng from Southwest Aviation U your ex-teammate?
Zhou Zhexiao: I don’t remember him at all.
Xia Chiyi: Wow, what a scumbag! Believe it or not, Zhuo Zheng would explode if he heard that!
Zhou Zhexiao: Let him explode, as long as you’re happy.