Chapter 40: The Basketball Match

Chapter 40: The Basketball Match

Free of the cup in his hands, Chen Erbai, the head of the atmosphere team, applauds Xu Lang's ranking at 99th.

Xu Lang thanks him for the applause and promptly retreats to his room with his phone to pack his schoolbag and clothes, his back conveying an eagerness to depart.

The tutoring is residential, akin to the previous schedule of five days on and two off, necessitating at least two sets of clothes for changing.

Watching him leave, Chen Bai retrieves his water cup, takes a sip of milk, and remarks with a smile, "Your younger brother seems to have developed a keen interest in studies."

His good neighbor chuckles, neither confirming nor denying it.

In the background, faint sounds of Xu Lang moving about and searching through his room reach Chen Erbai's ears. He lowers his gaze, cup in one hand, continuing to peruse the script on his lap.

He usually memorizes scripts after reading them twice; this time, he repeatedly goes over these few segments without any intention of progressing further.

After reviewing it once more, he closes and opens his eyes, marks the script, then closes it, leaning back onto the sofa to rest his eyes peacefully.

The person beside him looks down, asking, "Having trouble remembering the script?"

Chen Bai opens his eyes again, staring straight at the ceiling. "Not exactly."

Remembering a script merely requires comprehension and memory, not a difficult task. He can manage this basic requirement.

"I haven't figured out how to portray it." Holding the water cup in his hand, he continues, "Xu Yifan bears some resemblance to my high school self, almost too much so in some aspects."

He doesn't elaborate further. After uttering his last words, he sits up again, tilts his head to finish the milk in the cup, grabs the script, puts on his shoes, and says, "I'll head down first."

Xu Sinian stands up as well, taking the cup from his hand. "I'll wash it."

Glancing at the script in his hand, he adds, "Get some rest early."

Chen Bai waves his hand, agreeing.

When the high schooler reemerges from his room, having packed his schoolbag, the living room is empty, and his brother is washing cups in the kitchen.

He heads to the kitchen, asking, "Brother, where's Second Brother Bai?"

"He's gone downstairs."

Xu Sinian turns off the tap, dries the cup, and asks sideways, "What time will you arrive at school tomorrow?"

Xu Lang says eight o'clock, then inquires, "Will there be a chance to go out with Brother Bai?"

Xu Sinian tersely replies, "He leaves at six."

That makes it completely impossible. Xu Lang sighs.

At six the next morning, Chen Moubai arrives at the hotel on time.

Knowing he wouldn't have time for breakfast, his agent has already had the assistant pack the hotel breakfast, which he can nibble on during makeup and on the way to school.

Fully aware of his habits, Assistant Little Meng not only packs breakfast but also buys black coffee.

A person whose mornings depend entirely on black coffee expresses gratitude.

As he alternates between sips of black coffee and soy milk while seated on a chair, the agent comments briefly, "A fine blend of East and West."

Chen Moubai graciously accepted the compliment and reiterated that black coffee was truly unpleasant to drink.

The morning routine was, as usual, the ceremonial launch event held at a hotel.

Unlike before, Chen Bai didn't retreat into silence after reciting his two lines; instead, he engaged more actively this time. As others conversed and occasionally directed their remarks toward him, tossing questions his way, he initially left the microphone aside but found himself picking it up so frequently that he decided to keep it in hand continuously.

Journalists were eager to ask questions, yet since the media present had been selectively invited by the production team, the queries posed were all rather gentle, contributing to a pleasant atmosphere on site.

The morning progressed smoothly enough, but things started to get less manageable from noon onward.

Following the completion of the ceremonial opening, it was time to officially commence work. At two o'clock in the afternoon, when the sun was high and bright, the film crew's convoy made its way towards the school.

At this hour, the students were not in their classrooms but in their dormitories, taking their midday naps. The dorm buildings were situated at the opposite end of the campus, and the convoy passed by without attracting any attention.

The day's shooting mainly took place indoors. The supporting actors and extras playing classmates had not attended the opening ceremony; they had arrived on location before the main group.

Once everyone was present, the camera and lighting teams from groups A and B swiftly got into position, ready to begin their work.

As one side was getting down to business, the other group, the top hundred students, woke up from their midday slumber. Dragging their groggy and overheated bodies, they returned to the teaching building. They quickly retreated into their air-conditioned classrooms, finally feeling like they had come back to life.

The person by the window turned to peer out through the tightly shut glass, and saw that the originally empty parking lot beside the playground was now filled with cars, including a large bus. People were entering and exiting the vehicles, as if moving something around.

Those who were moving things wore vests, a light shade of green. Upon closer inspection, one could make out the words "Youth Journey" emblazoned on their backs.

These were the crew members of a film production.

Before class had even started, the previously quiet classroom suddenly buzzed with excitement. A group of students crowded by the windows, craning their necks to look below.

The top hundred students from the entire grade were temporarily grouped into two classes. These temporary classmates, who weren't particularly familiar with each other, quickly became acquainted in the crush of bodies.

Xu Lang spared them an extra glance or two.

Capitalizing on his height advantage, he didn't need to press against the window; simply sidestepping placed him in a vantage point where he could see over the heads of those in front and catch sight of the scene below.

It was two crew members, there to move equipment. After shifting their load, they promptly made their way towards the back of the sports field.

It seemed that filming had already commenced.

Brother Bai and the others should have arrived by now.

The warning bell rang, and footsteps echoed in the corridor outside. Those by the windows hastily returned to their seats, and the classroom fell silent in an instant.

Xu Lang also took his seat, lowering his head to pull out an unfinished exam paper from his backpack that he hadn't completed during lunch. Amidst the silence, his new deskmate leaned over and whispered, "Hey, do you want to check out the scene at the sports field after classes this afternoon?"

Xu Lang's hand paused as he was retrieving his paper; he turned his head and gave a response.

Four classes went by in quick succession, a smooth quartet. Finally, it was dinner time. The canteen-goers rushed heedlessly towards the cafeteria, while most of the others headed for the old school building opposite the sports field, which was usually deserted, to watch the filming.

Getting out of class two minutes later than everyone else, by the time Xu Lang and his deskmate arrived at the scene, a crowd had already gathered outside the cordoned-off area.

Towering above the crowd, Xu Lang could see clearly from any position, unlike his shorter-desk mate who had to move forward to do so.

The old teaching building had undergone significant changes since before.

Renovated entirely below the third floor, the walls no longer bore their previous grimy black hue but were now painted in a fresh white-green color. Class signs adorned the corridors on the second floor, and what used to be empty classrooms were now designated as Class 1 to Class 5 for the second-year students.

Amidst the cluster of people, surrounded by deliberately hushed voices, Xu Lang scanned the perimeter within the designated line, attempting to locate the person he was searching for.

His search was indeed conspicuous; his desk mate turned around and whispered, "Who are you looking for?"

Xu Lang: "Bai... Chen Bai."

His deskmate took another look at this person with thick eyebrows and big eyes, slightly surprised.

Xu Lang, with his handsome face and money at home, was primarily known for making apologies at grade meetings; many people knew him one-sidedly, their understanding of him still lingering on the fact that he often sneaked out to play games.

Seeing this person at summer camp was already beyond their cognition. When they talked about him in private before, they assumed that he would only like game streamers or players at most. They never expected that this person, who seemed to have only games on his mind, actually had a hobby of chasing stars.

Xu Lang didn't see anyone. Downstairs, apart from the staff, there were only a few unfamiliar actors huddled together. Voices faintly came from the second floor, suggesting that others should be filming in the classroom.

The faint sounds from upstairs quickly disappeared, followed by the continuous sounds of moving tables and chairs, and then muffled footsteps.

Upstairs, it seemed the filming was done. The first to leave the classroom were the staff carrying equipment, followed by a group of extras. Walking behind them were the main cast members and actors.

When the actors came out, there was an instant, subdued cheer around them. Xu Lang looked over and finally saw the person he had been trying to find all along.

Summer nights arrived late, and it was still bright now. Sunlight slanted into the corridor, illuminating the blue and white corners of his clothes. The other person turned his head to speak to someone beside him, a small fan in his hand blowing gusts of air.

He recognized the person next to him. When he saw the news online before, he had learned a bit about him and often heard classmates mention him. He remembered his name was Zhou Jing, very famous.

The two of them left the corridor together and headed downstairs, their figures blocked by the building. When they reappeared, they were already at the corner on the first floor.

After leaving the classroom, he had been chatting with someone continuously, not paying much attention to the outside situation. When Chen Moubai reached the first floor and finished descending the last step, he lifted his eyes again to see a crowd gathered outside the caution tape.

It seemed there were teachers mixed in with the students, a large mass of people. Some were waving, but it wasn't clear who exactly they were waving to.

His gaze quickly swept over the crowd, pausing when he saw the tall figure standing out. Chen Bai temporarily stopped talking to his study partner, made a pause gesture, and handed over the small fan in his hand, saying, "I'll be back in a moment."

He said he'd go and just did. Zhou Jing held the small fan in his hand and watched as the person left.

Chen Moubai found his assistant, put something in his pocket, then turned around. He tilted his head to look at the tall figure in the crowd. Upon meeting eyes, he nodded slightly in one direction.

The tall man understood his meaning, withdrew from the crowd, and walked in the direction he indicated.

The place he pointed to was the back of the old teaching building. One couldn't see the front here. Only the staff worked diligently to set up the scene for tomorrow's shoot, without anyone watching on the side.

The tall man came, followed by someone else behind him.

Across the caution tape, Chen Bai greeted him and asked, "Being here at this time, haven't you gone to eat?"

Caught off guard, Xu Lang tensed his back and didn't dare to lie, simply saying, "Yes."

Then he received a tap on the head. Not too hard, not too light, he didn't dare to say much, only lowering his head to take the hit.

As the force on his head disappeared, a hand appeared in his line of sight, holding an orange and a small bread roll.

Chen Erbai said, "This is from the crew and dinner together. I haven't eaten yet, so it's perfect for you to take it."

"..."

Ever since he inexplicably left the crowd and headed to the back of the teaching building, then saw the person in the school uniform walking towards him through the caution tape, his deskmate's brain had been in a state of shutdown.

He watched as the two greeted each other, watched as Xu Lang was hit, and then watched as the person handed over fruit and a small bread roll.

His brain, in a state of shutdown, completely lost the ability to process information. Too many thoughts flashed through his mind, and what remained in the end was only the thought that indeed, it was no wonder that actors could appear on television. Their charm was universal, appealing to both men and women alike.

When he came back to his senses, the person in the school uniform was rummaging in his pocket again, pulling out a banana and a small bread roll to offer, saying, "Little classmate hasn't eaten either, right."

His voice was also pleasant to listen to.

After a moment of processing, his deskmate realized that the younger student was addressing him. Lifting his eyes, he met Xu Lang's pale gray irises, and his stalled brain finally kicked back into gear. He hastily accepted the fruit and small bread, reflexively expressing his gratitude, "Thank you..."

His mind in disarray, he couldn't think of how to address him for a moment, so he followed Xu Lang's lead and thanked Brother Bai.

Brother Bai replied that there was no need for thanks.

Watching as the fruit and small bread were received, Xu Lang asked, "Is Brother Bai going to continue shooting today?"

Chen Bai casually fanned himself with his hand. "They're wrapping up after two more takes; I'll be heading out for an outdoor scene later."

Someone seemed to be calling him from the other side. With a wave, he said, "I'm off now, thank you for visiting. Remember to eat well next time."

Xu Lang, holding the tangerine small bread in one hand, nodded once.

The person dressed in a complete blue and white school uniform walked away.

Pausing for a moment in place, his deskmate exhaled a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, then opened his eyes to ask, "You knew Chen Bai all along?"

Xu Lang, lowering his head to open the fragrant small bread, simply replied, "Through my brother."

Then he added, "Brother Bai is really great, isn't he?"

There was a subtle hint of unexplained pride in his tone.

Deskmate: "Your brother?"

"My brother..." Xu Lang began, then waved it off. "Never mind, there's not much to say about my brother."

And with that, the topic was closed.

Having delivered the fruit and small bread, Chen Bai returned to the front of the old teaching building, retrieving the mini fan from his study partner before meeting his agent who had just called out to him.

His agent had called him because they were preparing to leave.

Including the camera crew and makeup artists, a single bus could accommodate everyone.

Another day ended with a late night finish at nine or ten o'clock.

The good news was that the production team chose locations close to each other whenever possible. The location near where filming ended was close to the hotel, only a few minutes' drive away. After changing back into his own clothes at the hotel, he could go straight home.

Arriving home, he had a late-night snack, leaving little time left. So, Chen Bai decided against streaming and opted to study with his study partner instead.

They couldn't be in the same room, but they could have a video conference to study online together.

His current notebook was version 3.0, the previous two having been filled long ago. The courses they studied together had shifted from highly practical hands-on classes to ones that delved deeper into emotional core exploration.

Each class was three hours long, packed with information too dense to absorb in one sitting. They had to split it into multiple sessions, taking breaks several times during the course.

Clicking pause once again, they used the brief interlude to dive into note-taking. As Chen Moubai scribbled quickly, he heard a voice through the computer, "It seems like you've been holding back in your recent acting."

He looked up, eyeing the person in the small screen frame. "What do you mean?"

Zhou Jing struggled to articulate it, but he had this feeling.

Mainly, he hadn't sensed the subtle pressure he usually felt from this person lately.

Previously, if one had to describe this person, he was straightforward and bold. When acting together, one either got overshadowed or carried along by him.

These past few days of filming, he hadn't felt this sensation much.

Instead, he sensed that this person seemed to be consciously reining something in, every gaze and line delivered with precision, yet it always felt somewhat different from before.

He couldn't judge whether it was good or bad, only that it was different.

"Indeed," Chen Bai nodded, continuing to jot down notes in his notebook as he said, "I've been thinking about it recently, but I haven't figured it out yet."

When you can't figure something out, leave it for later. The pen in his hand twirled around, and he remembered something, saying, "Don't we have almost an hour of free time tomorrow morning?"

Zhou Jing confirmed, saying, "If there are multiple NGs at the beginning, it might be more than an hour."

The schedule for the next day had already been issued. Following the break would be scenes between the female lead and the third male character; these two were notorious for receiving criticism. If nothing unexpected happened, the shooting should drag on quite long.

He asked, "What's up?"

Chen Bai said, "Do you play basketball?"

Zhou Jing raised his eyes slightly.

---

The weather was pleasant the next day, overcast, with temperatures slightly lower than the previous day. Although the change wasn't noticeable, the forecast did indeed predict a drop.

The school bell rang, signaling the start of the second period, and the entire campus quieted down.

Over at the old teaching building, however, it was bustling. Having finished his own scenes, Chen Bai sat on a small stool with his study partner. They observed for a while and objectively concluded that they should have at least an hour of free time.

Chen Moubai got up from the stool and went to chat with the director.

After chatting with the director, he also obtained a basketball x1 to serve as a prop in the classroom corner. After getting it in his hands, he turned back to his study partner, who was also his temporary basketball partner, and smiled.

Standing under the shade of a tree, his blue-and-white school uniform loose, one hand casually holding the basketball, his hair tousled by the wind, his brows and eyes relaxed, at first glance, he looked even more like a high school student than an actual one.

The assistant and the executive agent stayed behind, while Zhou Jing stood up and accompanied him to practice basketball.

Yesterday, Chen Mou had mentioned whether he could play basketball just so he could find some time today to practice.

There was a basketball game scene scheduled in a couple of days. Without practicing beforehand, it would indeed be quite challenging when the time came, no matter how you looked at it.

Next to the sports field was the basketball court, which wasn't covered, fortunately, it was cloudy today, so they didn't have to endure the scorching sun.

Walking along the plastic track around the sports field, the wind blew, causing the hems of their clothes to flutter to one side.

It had been a long time since he had stepped onto a basketball court. Upon arrival, Chen Moubai held the ball in one hand, stood on the plastic surface, squinted his eyes, and looked up at the basketball hoop.

Those pale gray irises reflected the clouds overhead, lacking the usual smile, making it difficult to discern any emotion for a moment, as if recalling something.

Then Zhou Jing watched as the person turned around, looked back at him, and asked, "How do you shoot a basket again?"

"…"

Zhou Jing rubbed his face.

The script contained descriptions of the basketball game, but they were limited to general action descriptions. The specifics depended on the actor's improvisation and the photographer's ability to capture moments.

Chen Bai's character Xu Yifan was supposed to have been a substitute player for the school basketball team. No matter how he improvised, his movements couldn't be too stiff.

Somewhat stunned by the question "How do you shoot a basket," Zhou Jing tentatively started teaching the basics of dribbling.

Fortunately, the other party seemed to have played before. Though his movements were a bit rusty, they were surprisingly standard.

He asked, "Trained before?"

Chen Bai smiled. "Played with friends in middle school."

High school?

Zhou Jing said, "Didn't touch a ball in college?"

Chen Bai simply replied, "Busy in college."

Part-time jobs and tutoring had already left him feeling short on time; basketball could only take a backseat. The exception was if there was prize money for playing in a match.

After crunching the numbers, he found that the prize for one game wasn't as high as his tutoring income. So, he hadn't touched it since.

Zhou Jing thought the same.

If this person had ever touched a basketball in college, they wouldn't be asking how to shoot a basket.

Passing the ball between his right and left hand, Chen Moubai attempted a jump shot. The basketball circled the rim for what felt like an eternity before it went in.

A sliver of memory seemed to return, and he felt confident again, turning to look at his basketball partner.

Zhou Jing: "…"

For a moment, Zhou Jing didn't know how to react. After some contemplation, he cautiously applauded.

Chen Moubai laughed.

The two of them played like old men, politely and peacefully taking turns, each shooting once. The scene was oddly tranquil for a while.

Their elderly-style game didn't last long before the bell rang, signaling the end of class.

The break after the second class was slightly longer than the others, ten minutes more, but still relatively brief. However, some people wouldn't let even this short interlude go to waste, heading straight for the playground after class.

Some walked toward the back of the playground, while others rushed to the basketball court.

Noticing their arrival, the two outsiders moved to the side, but the local students quickly approached, greeting them warmly.

The local students looked genuinely delighted inside and out.

With fewer classes and students, they often couldn't gather enough people to play basketball. They pulled together a group, but they were still short by two.

Although they felt these two were unfamiliar faces, it wasn't a big deal. The high school students automatically classified them as students from another grade.

Their enthusiastic greeting was met with an equally warm response.

An unremarkable social butterfly had already blended into the student crowd, almost ready to put his arm around someone's shoulders.

The social butterfly held a basketball in one hand and preemptively declared that he and his buddy weren't very good at the game.

The high school students waved it off, saying it was completely fine. To balance the teams, one would join each team.

Everything progressed so naturally, as if they had unknowingly fallen into a trend of playing together.

"…"

Zhou Jing pulled the social butterfly closer, glancing at his thin frame under the school uniform shirt, and asked, "Is your waist okay?"

Erbai adjusted the blue and white wristguard on his hand and said, "I think it should work."

In any case, they divided into two teams. Chen Yibai was assigned to Team One, while Zhou classmate went to Team Two.

This was the first time they had enough players for a basketball game since returning from summer vacation, and even before the match began, a group of high school students looked as if they were moved to tears.

Tears in their eyes, but playing fiercely, not showing any mercy in their moves.

Chen Moubai became a troublemaker among a pack of fierce male high school students, occasionally wandering at the fringes, and sometimes face-to-face greeting opponents amidst the crowd.

The ball came to the captain of Team One's hands, and the people from Team Two surrounded him, leaving him unable to advance. He could only pass the ball to his good teammate behind him.

Once the good teammate got the ball, he was quickly targeted, and after holding it for just a few seconds, he had to pass it again.

After passing back and forth, the ball ended up in the troublemaker's hands.

The classmates from Team Two finally found a good opportunity to snatch the ball. They couldn't help but laugh, and White Troublemaker also smiled.