Chapter 19: Because I Must Win, You Must Lose

After hearing about the match, Xu Mi hurried over to Ningchang University and even brought along her high school friends.

Her friends knew nothing about basketball and were boredly scrolling through their phones. They had no interest in Chen Chuan and his basketball crew—tall, aggressive, and completely lacking in elegance. They couldn’t understand why a bunch of people would scramble just to put the ball through the hoop.

A teacup sat on the chair reserved for the university leaders, clearly placed there for the officials. But how many of them actually understood basketball?

The vice president had already arrived, and after finding a seat, he gave Chen Chuan a meaningful look, instantly boosting Chen’s confidence.

What no one expected was that assistant coach Cheng Qing was not the main referee, but rather the deputy referee.

There were even four senior students manning the scorer’s table.

Handsome North, who had originally thought this was just a casual intra-team game, sensed something was off. “It’s just a team match; having a referee and a timekeeper should be enough. Why are there deputy referees, assistant scorers, and even a 24-second shot clock operator today?”

Du He was equally surprised. “Yeah, and a technical delegate too… This is way too official. I feel like I’m about to play in a grassroots tournament. I’m so nervous…”

Xia Chiyi nudged Ye Chaoying. “Our President Feng is taking this seriously, huh?”

“I… I didn’t expect this either…”

Among them, the calmest was Zhou Zhexiao. He was stretching nearby, warming up, but when he saw Xia Chiyi chatting with Ye Chaoying, he furrowed his brows, grabbed the collar at the back of Xia’s shirt, and dragged him over to warm up.

Meanwhile, Xu Mi’s friends and the other girls who came along were busy taking photos with their phones.

“Who’s that cool guy who never smiles? His legs are so long, and the way he stretches his shoulders is so alluring! And the one he just pulled away is so handsome too, that pure-hearted school heartthrob vibe!”

Xu Mi’s face darkened with frustration. Who was it that had just complained about basketball players being all brawn and no grace?

“Wipe your drool before it falls on you,” Xu Mi said helplessly.

Five minutes before the game started, President Feng arrived with several university officials. They chatted and laughed as they walked down the aisle, but a tall figure caught everyone’s attention.

The officials took their seats, and President Feng, beaming with pride, spoke into the microphone: “Today, Ningchang University is honored to welcome a distinguished guest—recently retired CBA star, the premier power forward and a leading figure in China’s national basketball team—please give a warm round of applause for Ling Huanzhen! We are very fortunate that Ling Huanzhen will serve as the chief referee for today’s university team match!”

President Feng’s announcement was like dropping a bombshell; even those unfamiliar with basketball knew Ling Huanzhen’s name.

Thunderous applause erupted from the stands as Ling Huanzhen emerged into the light. Many fans in the audience were ecstatic, unable to contain their excitement as they cheered wildly.

Xu Mi was stunned. Had the video she sent to Ling Huanzhen worked? Was Ling Huanzhen personally here to test Zhou Zhexiao and Xia Chiyi’s abilities?

Ling Huanzhen made a shushing gesture, took the microphone from Cheng Qing, and proclaimed loudly: “I have retired. Today’s stars are the students about to compete—you are the future of Chinese basketball! I am but a humble leaf here to witness whether Ningchang University has the potential for an upset!”

After these words, Chen Chuan’s expression darkened, sensing Ling’s presence was not a boon for Ma Wenhua’s old team.

However, He Bin remained calm and said quietly, “The bigger the name, the less likely he is to show favoritism. If we play normally, he must be fair. Ling Huanzhen won’t call any unfair fouls.”

Ling Huanzhen paused, then added, “I won’t say the usual clichés about friendship first and competition second. The reality is this—I want to win, so you must lose!”

Xia Chiyi approached Zhou Zhexiao, about to pinch his face, but Zhou struck first, pinching Xia’s cheek.

“Ow!” Xia Chiyi cried, tears welling up at the corner of his eyes.

Zhou then gently covered Xia’s cheek, the fierceness just moments before replaced by sudden tenderness.

“This isn’t a dream—Ling Huanzhen is really the chief referee today.”

Du He was so excited he stuttered, “Oh my god, is this the highlight of my basketball career? Ling Huanzhen is here to watch me play!”

This unexpected joy made Ye Chaoying nudge Handsome North. “Bro, doesn’t Ling Huanzhen watching you play feel more rewarding than posing for those ridiculous shots in the studio?”

Handsome North stood stunned, a heart long chilled suddenly beating louder and louder.

Today, he would play for Ling Huanzhen. He would unleash all the abilities Ma Wenhua had suppressed.

Ling Huanzhen, whistle in mouth, came to center court. Everyone took their positions, and the opening tip-off was between Du He and Chen Chuan.

Chen Chuan took a deep breath, thinking Du He hadn’t played in a while and must be out of shape. He planned to use the tip-off to deal them a strong blow.

The court fell silent as Ling Huanzhen tossed the ball high into the air. As it descended, both centers leapt simultaneously.

Du He summoned all his strength; having been called a blockhead by Ma Wenhua, stripped of his starting position, and forced to give up basketball, he was burning with desire. Even if this was his last game, he wanted Ling Huanzhen—who had seen the wider world—to recognize his skill!

Du He jumped five centimeters higher than Chen Chuan, and the ball was tapped toward Ye Chaoying.

Ye caught the ball and, without giving anyone a chance to react, dribbled straight to the opponent’s basket. Chen Chuan’s team couldn’t even get back on defense before Ye scored.

“Nice!” Ye ran back and high-fived Du He.

But the opponents quickly responded. As He Bin dribbled to the three-point line, Chen Chuan flawlessly set a screen on Du He, allowing He Bin to nail a three-pointer.

“Wow, they’ve got shooters too,” Ye said, hands on hips. “Xia Chiyi, can you step up for us?”

“Got it!” Xia Chiyi flexed his wrists. He knew He Bin was a skilled mid-to-long-range shooter, and with Chen Chuan’s screens, if he didn’t break their momentum, his trip was wasted.

Ling Huanzhen glanced at Xia Chiyi, thinking, “Kid, show me what you’ve got! If you’re just a dud, should I ask Sheng Xingming or Zhou Zhexiao to reimburse my airfare?”

While Chen Chuan was dribbling, guarding Ye Chaoying, a figure slipped past him—his ball was gone!

A ripple of surprise went through the crowd—Xia Chiyi had stolen the ball!

“Wow, it disappeared in the blink of an eye!”

“This guy’s steal speed is insane!”

Xia Chiyi sprinted to the three-point line, poised to shoot. Two defenders rushed to block him. Everyone expected him to pass to Ye Chaoying, but instead, he jumped and shot!

He Bin shouted, “He can’t make it—”

Chen Chuan rushed under the basket, battling Handsome North for position, fighting for the rebound. The paint was immediately a battlefield.

Xia Chiyi’s shot arced elegantly, just like the one Ling Huanzhen had seen in the video—time seemed to slow as the ball hovered midair. The defenders had already fallen back, and the ball sailed between their heads.

As the ball swished through the net, Xu Mi was the first to applaud. To her, this three-pointer was far more impressive than He Bin’s.

Xia Chiyi had stolen the ball himself from Chen Chuan; he didn’t need teammates to feed him. He could create scoring chances on his own.

Facing two defenders with no screens, he calmly took the shot—a clean, beautiful basket that was a delight to behold.

While Xu Mi analyzed the quality of the shot, her friends were tugging at her sleeve excitedly. “Ah, I thought Zhou Zhexiao was handsome, but now I realize Xia Chiyi is my type…”

Xu Mi winced in pain from her friend’s sharp nails and wanted desperately to ask if she even knew what made Xia Chiyi handsome. If it was just shooting threes, then He Bin was handsome too.

Referee Ling Huanzhen glanced toward Zhou Zhexiao and touched his nose, signaling: Not bad, but average!

Kid, if I or Jiao Yingfeng defended you, you wouldn’t even get a chance to shoot.

Zhou Zhexiao lifted his chin; though far away, Ling was sure he let out a “hmph.”

That three-pointer had dealt Chen Chuan and He Bin a wake-up call. Their scoring strategy relied on He Bin as the offensive core, with others setting screens to create shooting chances, and Chen Chuan battling for rebounds inside—a tactic designed by Ma Wenhua before his hospitalization.

They had practiced this strategy all summer.

He Bin always assumed that teammates would fight for the ball and create opportunities for him.

But Xia Chiyi’s first three-pointer triggered a sharp unease in He Bin.

He kept convincing himself that Xia Chiyi’s shot under double coverage was just a fluke.

As the game progressed, Ye Chaoying continued to excel at intercepting and stealing the ball. Chen Chuan’s team couldn’t hold the ball for more than three seconds before Ye snatched it away. Ye didn’t hog the spotlight but passed the ball to Du He and Handsome North.

He had a selfish motive too—he wanted these two to feel his sincerity and remain teammates after the game.

With Ye feeding the ball, Du He and Handsome North practically camped under the opposing basket, pounding in shot after shot.

It was as if the hoop were Ma Wenhua’s head, and all the pent-up frustration Du He and Handsome North had endured exploded in their play.

Chen Chuan and his teammates were nearly overwhelmed.

Before half of the first quarter had passed, Chen Chuan’s team was trailing by eight points.

President Feng at the dais glanced at the vice president beside him. “This Du He and Handsome North are pretty formidable under the basket. Are they freshmen too?”

The vice president looked awkward. “Uh, I’m not really sure…”

The party secretary spoke up, “If I recall correctly, I saw Du He and Handsome North last year. Because of their stature, they left a strong impression. I think they’re on the basketball team, right?”

President Feng gave a meaningful “oh” and asked, “Then how did we get crushed in last year’s regional tournament?”