Chapter 28: Thank You for Studying Someone as Ordinary as Me

"Don't be nervous. At worst, he'll say things like, 'Even tofu has brains, why don't you?' or 'You must have a lot of faces, since you’re never afraid of losing one.' Whatever he says, just nod and play the part of the poor, pitiful victim."

Xia Chiyi pinched his fingers, thinking that this technical coach found by Ling Huanzhen was indeed as strict as rumored.

"Oh, did you add a meal for him this afternoon?" Ling Huanzhen asked again.

This time, Zhou Zhexiao answered, "I did."

"Good. Otherwise, it would be even worse if he had nothing to throw up later."

Xia Chiyi looked at Zhou Zhexiao beside him in a daze. So, was that the reason you had Xiao Pang order me a burger?

The car arrived at an office building. They took the elevator, and Ling Huanzhen pressed the button for the 18th floor. To his surprise, the sign next to the floor number read "Ningchang Youth Basketball Club."

Could it be that his technical coach... taught children's basketball?

It was three or four in the afternoon, and many kindergartens had already let out. Parents were accompanying their children to play basketball in the courts, filling the space with laughter.

Xia Chiyi couldn't help but wonder if his skills were so lacking that he had to go back to basics with the kids.

They walked deep into the building, passing two or three youth basketball classrooms, until they reached an indoor court at the very end.

Ling Huanzhen rested his hand on the door. Before pushing it open, he paused, turned his head, and said to Xia Chiyi with extreme seriousness: "His ankle injury only just healed over the past two years, so every minute of his guidance is precious. If you dare to waste it, I will strangle you."

Xia Chiyi was stunned. Ling Huanzhen usually had no airs as a coach, constantly busy painting grand visions of the future. This was the first time he had ever shown such a fierce expression.

"Understood," Xia Chiyi nodded.

At that moment, an unrealistic thought formed in his mind, assembling all the pieces: a friend of Ling Huanzhen's, possessing top-tier shooting guard skills, exceptionally handsome—the face of the men's national basketball team, and an ankle injury...

Zhou Zhexiao had once said that everything he wanted would be within his reach.

Ling Huanzhen pushed the door open with force. Bright lights shone onto the polished, mirror-like court floor. A man wearing a hoodie stood in the center, holding a basketball in one hand.

Xia Chiyi’s eyes widened, and his heart began to thud uncontrollably.

The man turned his head slightly, his handsome brows raised, and a voice filled with impatience drifted over.

"What’s going on? Didn't you say four o'clock?"

My god.

It was truly the King of Three-Pointers of Asian men's basketball, Jiao Yingfeng!

Was he dreaming? Xia Chiyi rubbed his eyes hard and opened them again. Jiao Yingfeng was still standing there, his brow furrowed so deeply it could crush a coin.

"Jiao-Jiao! The traffic on the way here was terrible!" Ling Huanzhen opened his arms, looking completely ingratiating. If Ling Huanzhen had a tail, it would have been spinning like a propeller by now.

Zhou Zhexiao, hands in his pockets, immediately exposed him: "He’s lying. It’s because his parking skills are so terrible; he couldn't back into the spot for ages."

The next second, a slap landed on the back of Ling Huanzhen's head.

Jiao Yingfeng looked at Xia Chiyi standing stiffly at the door and flashed the charming smile only ever seen on television. "What are you standing there for? If we don’t get started, I’ll be an old man by the time we finish."

Xia Chiyi took a deep breath and hurried over to Jiao Yingfeng.

Jiao Yingfeng was clearly about the same height as him and had been retired for two years, yet the moment he held a basketball, his formidable, iron-willed aura returned in full force. Xia Chiyi’s calves felt as heavy as lead.

Noticing that Xia Chiyi was following him like a sunflower—turning right when he turned to talk to Ling Huanzhen, and looking left when he asked Zhou Zhexiao about his daily training—filled with unmasked, straightforward admiration, Jiao Yingfeng felt something strange in his heart.

Kid, are you trying to conquer the world with cuteness?

Jiao Yingfeng reached out. He had thought the boy was too grown up to be treated like a child, but he couldn't resist ruffling his hair. The soft bangs sank into the creases of Jiao Yingfeng’s palm, as if the heavens were reminding him: Be good to this kid; he might be the first student you’ve ever had, and your greatest achievement outside of that Asian Games gold medal.

"Alright, Xia Chiyi, I don't think we need to introduce ourselves. You should know who I am, and I know plenty about you. Your full-court sprint speed, your go-to dribbling feints, your three-point shooting percentage in the high school league... Believe it or not, I know more about you than you can imagine."

Hearing this, Xia Chiyi was incredulous. "You mean... you’ve been studying me?"

"Ha, if I didn't study you, how could I teach you?" Jiao Yingfeng dribbled the ball on the spot. Even two years into retirement, his form remained so impeccable that one might suspect he could step onto a CBA court at any moment.

Jiao Yingfeng checked his sports watch. "Ten minutes to warm up. Don't be lazy; I despise people who aren't serious about their warm-ups."

This was the first time Xia Chiyi had experienced such elite treatment. Ling Huanzhen helped him with his stretches, and Zhou Zhexiao warmed up with him on the court.

Ten minutes later, a thin layer of sweat covered Xia Chiyi's back. He regulated his breathing and returned to Jiao Yingfeng. His heart, which had just calmed down, began to race again, so much so that the ball even slipped from his hands.

Jiao Yingfeng clapped his hands and laughed. "Don't be nervous. Try to shoot under my defense. I just want to verify if my analysis of you is accurate, okay?"

"Yes!"

My god, this is Jiao Yingfeng!

Xia Chiyi adjusted his breathing. His opponent’s defensive stance was low, ready to shift laterally at any moment—experienced, natural, and incredibly daunting.

The two locked eyes, seemingly "friendly" and "gentle." Xia Chiyi suddenly accelerated. Jiao Yingfeng pressed in tight. Even though it was just one person, the pressure felt like an entire army bearing down. Finding no gap to release the shot, Xia Chiyi took a gamble: a behind-the-back dribble, followed by a pull-up jumper!

Jiao Yingfeng didn't even turn around. "That’s not going in."

The ball clattered off the rim, just as he said.

"A pull-up jumper should be your forte, but you didn't show your real ability just now. You had too many distractions in your head during the stop." Jiao Yingfeng tapped Xia Chiyi’s forehead with his index finger. "Clear the clutter out of your mind. If you can't perform at one hundred percent, then I can't verify my analysis of you."

Xia Chiyi nodded vigorously. "Yes!"

Jiao Yingfeng paused. Shouldn't boys this age be rebellious? Why does this one look so obedient? And he seems... a bit afraid of me?

After two more rounds, Jiao Yingfeng felt again that Xia Chiyi wasn't relaxing. His movements were stiff, not as fluid as in the game videos.

"Kid, I’ve been retired for two years and I’m a ripe old age of thirty-seven. You’re eighteen, in your prime, with your physical peak ahead of you. What are you afraid of?" Jiao Yingfeng asked with amusement.

"I... I'm not!"

Jiao Yingfeng smiled, and Xia Chiyi’s heart skipped a beat. Thirty-seven isn't old at all. Even when Jiao Yingfeng was just defending, every strand of his hair looked incredibly handsome.

Seeing the boy stuttering, Jiao Yingfeng narrowed his eyes and suddenly shouted toward Ling Huanzhen on the sidelines: "Did you go around spreading rumors again that I breathe fire—"

Ling Huanzhen, who had been sitting on a basketball, suddenly tumbled to the ground. Zhou Zhexiao, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, nodded, confirming: Yes, he told Xia Chiyi you breathe fire.

"It’s all your fault! You’ve not only ruined my image in the eyes of my student, but you’ve scared the poor kid so much he looks like he’s about to go meet his maker!"

"But you *do* breathe fire, why are you pretending to be as gentle as a spring breeze in front of the kid?"

Just as the two were about to start a verbal brawl, Zhou Zhexiao gave Xia Chiyi a look, signaling him to move.

"Did I perform that poorly?" Xia Chiyi tugged at his collar to wipe his chin.

"Yes. It wasn't worth the fifteen days Jiao Yingfeng spent studying you," Zhou Zhexiao replied.

Fifteen days... Xia Chiyi had assumed Jiao Yingfeng only came because of an old teammate's favor. If he had spent fifteen full days studying, what was he looking at? His past games or training weren't worth such repeated scrutiny.

Xia Chiyi lowered his head, his upper lip pouting slightly. He was lost in thought, wondering how he could get his state back.

Just as he closed his eyes to take a deep breath, a sharp pain flared at the bridge of his nose. Zhou Zhexiao had pinched him again!

"Ow—" Xia Chiyi went up on his tiptoes as Zhou Zhexiao pinched harder. "Stop it—I’m going to get a nosebleed!"

Zhou Zhexiao let go, but then covered the spot with his palm, saying coldly, "You won't."

Tears pricked the corners of Xia Chiyi's eyes. As the pain subsided, he felt... less tense.

Jiao Yingfeng and Ling Huanzhen looked over, startled by the sight of Zhou Zhexiao pinching Xia Chiyi’s nose. They said in unison: "That guy is destined to never have a wife!"

Back on the court, Xia Chiyi took a deep breath, feeling the blood flowing to his fingertips and ankles. His body finally felt warm.

I cannot let down Jiao Yingfeng, who spent fifteen whole days studying me.

Right now, am I exceeding your data expectations?

Xia Chiyi made a quick jab step. The seasoned Jiao Yingfeng was only drawn in for less than a tenth of a second before he predicted the next move. He moved to swat the ball away, but the kid’s reaction was fast, retreating to create distance.

Jiao Yingfeng smiled. The moment Xia Chiyi dipped the ball to shoot, he moved decisively. *Slap!* The ball was knocked away.

Xia Chiyi was stunned.

Jiao Yingfeng smiled and shook his finger, signaling that "that step-back doesn't work on me." After all, having been a top-tier three-point shooter, how could he not know the purpose behind every move Xia Chiyi made?

He kept trying to break through, but failed every time. He kept shooting, and kept missing.

Xia Chiyi’s lips pouted slightly again. Jiao Yingfeng thought, "The kid is acting spoiled," but the next second, Xia Chiyi performed a highly realistic shooting feint. Unfortunately, it was clearly meant to lead into a side-step; the boy’s right knee gave away his intent, and the ball was knocked away by Jiao Yingfeng once more.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

The basketball spun rapidly on Jiao Yingfeng’s fingertip. "I know this combo of feints."

"Again—" Xia Chiyi rolled the collar of his t-shirt up to his shoulders.

Jiao Yingfeng smiled and returned the ball to him.

Xia Chiyi accelerated to break past Jiao Yingfeng. Once he had the man moving, he performed a sudden pull-up, behind-the-back dribble. He expected Jiao Yingfeng to keep moving forward due to inertia, but he hadn't accounted for the man's freakish ability to stop on a dime. Jiao Yingfeng followed the defense immediately, forcing Xia Chiyi into a double step-back to create space. But Jiao Yingfeng spotted the opportunity and swiped at the ball. Xia Chiyi’s rhythm shattered, and the ball slipped away.