Chapter 72

Chapter 72

The hastily assembled basketball team of Deyin consisted of forward Lu Qiuyan, center Yu Shang, guard Tian Ruan, playmakers Wang Weiqi and Xi Qin. The substitutes were Qian Lailai and the sports club president, nicknamed Hei Dazhuang due to his dark and burly appearance.

Bodyguard Dazhuang: "Even a nobody like me gets attention!"

Mao Qi comforted him: "You're not that dark. Let's call you Bai Dazhuang from now on."

Another bodyguard: "Hei Dazhuang and Bai Dazhuang—what a majestic pair, like the Heibai Wuchang!"

Dazhuang: "..."

The two Dazhuangs didn’t know each other. When Hei Dazhuang’s name was called by the host, he stood up like a gorilla pounding his chest, letting out a lion-like roar. His thick arms flexed with a loud "Ha!" to showcase his pumped-up guns.

The boys from Deyin waved their arms excitedly, chanting, "Bro Hei! Bro Hei!"

Wang Weiqi was burning with envy: "Damn, that’s so cool!"

Tian Ruan: "I don’t get it."

Such an over-the-top entrance could only be considered cool by someone like Wang Weiqi. Tian Ruan glanced sideways and saw Lu Qiuyan’s admiring gaze: "Now that’s a real man."

Tian Ruan: "..."

Tian Ruan immediately changed his tune: "Bro Hei, you’re a legend! Wang Weiqi doesn’t even need to play—you could send those No. 2 High clowns flying with one punch!"

Wang Weiqi: "???"

Lu Qiuyan seriously asked Wang Weiqi, "Want to switch? You be the substitute?"

Wang Weiqi: "No chance! I’m playing!"

The ref cracked over the PA system: "Both teams, line up on opposite sides of the center circle."

Deyin’s sports uniforms were white and blue, while No. 2 High’s were black and gray. The latter cockily flipped off Deyin. Wang Weiqi retaliated by raising both middle fingers.

Amidst the forest of middle fingers, the ref rolled his eyes and stepped into the center, holding a basketball. He explained the rules: "The game consists of four quarters, each lasting 12 minutes. If the scores are tied by the end of the fourth quarter, a 5-minute overtime will be played."

Next, the ref listed the foul and court violation rules. After confirming both teams were ready, he tossed the ball into the air at the center circle—

The game began with the opening buzzer. Lu Qiuyan and No. 2 High’s bald player leaped simultaneously for the ball.

Lu Qiuyan was fast as a panther, while the bald player, though tall and strong, lacked agility. The ball was snatched away, prompting a frustrated "Shit!" as he scrambled to defend.

Outside the three-point line, Lu Qiuyan was blocked and passed the ball to Yu Shang. Yu Shang dribbled once, then barreled down the court for a crazy Hail Mary shot—

"?"

That was one hell of a long-range attempt.

The ball clanged into the opponent’s hoop, but a defender beneath the basket tipped it out with a monkey swipe. The ball landed in the bald player’s hands.

The bald player charged forward aggressively, going for a layup after only three dribbles.

Tian Ruan countered with his own monkey swipe, tipping the ball out of the hoop—straight into Wang Weiqi’s grasp.

Wang Weiqi remembered his primary role was passing to Lu Qiuyan and Yu Shang, but which one should he choose? After three panicked steps, he chucked the ball toward Lu Qiuyan.

In midair, the bald player intercepted it, making sure to bump Lu Qiuyan as he went past.

Lu Qiuyan took a hard fall.

"Lu Qiuyan!" Tian Ruan knew Lu Qiuyan would get injured in this match, but he wanted to keep it from getting worse. He raised his hand and called to the referee.

The referee called a timeout.

The bald guy shrugged and said, "I didn’t mean to bump into him. Guess he can't take a hit."

Lu Qiuyan got up and told the referee, "I’m fine. Let’s continue."

Tian Ruan: "No, that's a foul. They should get penalized."

Referee: "Foul called. After four fouls, the other team gets a free throw for each subsequent foul."

The bald guy smirked at Tian Ruan and said without hesitation, "Four fouls are enough to run you out of the game."

Tian Ruan: "You think so? Wang Weiqi."

Wang Weiqi immediately came over and threw up a middle finger.

Tian Ruan whispered something to Wang Weiqi, who nodded solemnly. "I got it."

"What are you two talking about?" Lu Qiuyan asked.

Wang Weiqi said with fake solemnity. "Sacrificing the small me, achieving the greater good—worth it."

"?"

Play started up again.

With eight minutes left, players fought for possession, and the ball finally landed in Wang Weiqi’s hands. Just as everyone expected him to pass it to Lu Qiuyan, he drilled it right at the bald guy’s junk.

"Agh!" the bald guy groaned.

Wang Weiqi: "..."

Wang Weiqi turned to Tian Ruan in horror. "This feels wrong."

Tian Ruan jumped up, intercepted the ball, and tossed it back to Wang Weiqi. "Put your back into it!"

Wang Weiqi went all out and hurled the ball at the bald guy’s junk again.

"Agh!" the bald guy let out a strangled cry.

Wang Weiqi: "............"

The entire court: "............"

Wang Weiqi, looking personally offended, angrily snatched the ball and slammed it into the bald guy twice more.

Like a persistent opponent, the bald guy finally collapsed under Wang Weiqi’s repeated hits, his face flushed as he cupped his junk.

The ref blew the whistle four times in a row, calling Wang Weiqi for a foul. He asked the bald guy, "Can you get up?"

The ref looked confused.

Bald guy: "Already up."

Referee: "What?" Bald guy: "Down there."

The referee winced at the sight and got carted off by two teammates, his eyes burning holes into Wang Weiqi.

Wang Weiqi wailed, "I've been tainted!" and ran off.

Tian Ruan: "..."

And that's how the first quarter ended.

Scoreboard still showed: Second High: 0 points. Deyin: 0 points.

An eerie silence fell, with students from all four schools looking completely baffled.

"So this was the strategy you came up with?" Yu Shang remarked, sipping from his own water bottle.

Tian Ruan said solemnly, "Wang Weiqi is a hero. I will remember him forever."

Lu Qiuyan: "Taking down one bald guy isn’t bad. Next quarter, Big Brother Hei will step up."

Hei Dazhuang flexed his chest muscles. "Don’t worry, Brother Lu!"

Xi Qin wiped his glasses with a cloth. "The bald guy was taken out by perversion. The rest are just cunning."

After a ten-minute break, Tian Ruan had barely sat for five minutes when Director Hu called him over. "Ahem... you're wanted."

Tian Ruan was puzzled. "Who's 'ahem'?"

Director Hu’s goatee twitched. "Your brother-in-law, of course."

Tian Ruan went to see Yu Jingmo.

Yu Jingmo casually poured him some tea. "Thirsty? Have some."

Tian Ruan took a quick sip of the perfectly warm tea, then realized he’d gulped it like a cow. "Plain water's fine for me. This is wasted on me."

Yu Jingmo: "Tea is meant to quench thirst."

All eyes turned their way, but Tian Ruan remained composed among the school officials, sitting so close to the formidable Yu Jingmo. Soon, word spread among the students about his identity—Yu Jingmo’s brother-in-law.

Wasn’t Yu Jingmo rumored to be ruthless and unapproachable? Yet here he was, personally attending his brother-in-law’s basketball game.

"Boss Yu must really adore his wife," someone speculated. "Love me, love my dog."

"Wasn’t his wife the one who slept her way in?"

"Who knows if it was mutual or not? But someone’s definitely jealous."

"Then his wife must be some rich young master, indifferent to gossip."

"Just look at his wife’s brother—must be stunning."

"Exactly. A goddess of a wife, kept under wraps."

...

The second quarter began. Deyin brought in Hei Dazhuang, while Second High replaced some random player with the wiry guy who'd gotten under Lu Qiuyan's skin.

The wiry guy sneered. "I’m not like the bald guy. Don't try any dirty tricks."

Deyin completely ignored him.

Tian Ruan: "Heck yeah! We got this!"

Lu Qiuyan: "We’ve got this."

Xi Qin: "Say 'we'll win' instead—sounds less like an ad slogan."

Deyin students: "We’ll win!!!"

Fifteen minutes later, Deyin 6 points, No. 2 High School 3 points.

Third quarter, Deyin 8 points, No. 2 High School 6 points.

Unless something crazy happens, Deyin was set to win. But in the original story, it was in the final quarter that Lu Qiuyan was tripped by Skinny Monkey and injured his leg—Skinny Monkey’s shoes had hidden blades.

Skinny Monkey had saved this dirty move for the last quarter, almost stealing the win.

Tian Ruan didn’t want to see Lu Qiuyan get hurt. Before the fourth quarter began, he raised his hand: "Referee, I want to report that Skinny Monkey from No. 2 High School has blades hidden in his shoes."

The crowd went wild. Skinny Monkey jumped up furiously: "That's a lie!"

Tian Ruan smirked: "You just changed your shoes. Take them off and let the referee check. If I’m lying, I’ll forfeit."

The referee spoke sternly: "Skinny Monkey, please remove your shoes for inspection."

Skinny Monkey flew off the handle: "Then I’ll report them too! Their shoes also have blades. If we’re checking, everyone checks!"

Tian Ruan: "Bring it on."

"..."

The basketball team members all took off their shoes for inspection. Deyin’s side was fine—nothing too funky. But when it came to No. 2 High School’s side, the referee grimaced and muttered involuntarily: "Your shoes really stink."

The spectators near the stands howled with laughter.

No. 2 High School: "..."

Sure enough, Skinny Monkey’s shoe heel concealed a retractable blade, nearly cutting the referee’s hand. Skinny Monkey shot Tian Ruan a murderous glare and growled, "You’ll pay for this."

Ignoring him, Tian Ruan high-fived Lu Qiuyan: "Heck yeah! One less scrub to worry about."

Skinny Monkey: "..."

The fourth quarter got seriously heated.

Without Baldie and Skinny Monkey, No. 2 High School were running around like headless chickens, committing fouls repeatedly to stall the game. Stalling shamelessly, they clawed for every point they could get.

One goon came barreling from the left—Tian Ruan dodged.

Another clown rushed from the right—Tian Ruan dodged again.

Bam, bam, bam—smooth as butter.

Everyone: "..."

No. 2 High School: "What the hell? Dude's got springs for legs??"

Final score...

Tian Ruan drove to the hoop and threw down a monster dunk. The referee blew the whistle—game over.

Deyin scored 6 points, while Second High School got 0. Deyin won with a total of 20 points against Second High’s 9.

Tian Ruan leapt up in excitement and threw his arms around Lu Qiuyan, "We won, we won! You’re not even hurt—hahaha!"

Lu Qiuyan: "?"

Students from Deyin and its affiliate, Nan High, erupted in cheers. Some tossed flowers, others threw snacks, fruits, and hats onto the court.

A princess hat plopped onto Tian Ruan’s head, blocking his vision. He shook his head, and his lips grazed Lu Qiuyan’s cheek by accident.

Lu Qiuyan: "..."

Tian Ruan: "..."

The celebration came to a screeching halt. Lu Qiuyan glared at Tian Ruan, "Did you just kiss me?!"

With the princess hat still sitting lopsided on his head, Tian Ruan stammered, "I didn’t! It was an accident—"

A thunderous boom shook the heavens.

Tian Ruan paled in horror—No freaking way! Was he really about to get zapped just for accidentally kissing the protagonist?

No, he didn’t want to die like this.

Thinking fast, Tian Ruan darted behind Yu Shang and pushed him forward, shouting, "Tag, you’re it, kiddo!" Yu Shang went flying into Lu Qiuyan.

Lu Qiuyan was knocked over, and Yu Shang’s lips landed on his forehead.

Tian Ruan immediately covered their heads with the princess hat—like that would hide anything.

The crowd: "!!!"

The thunder ceased. Tian Ruan bolted for Yu Jingmo like his life depended on it—'Save me!'