Chapter 31: The Little Golden Egg

The basketball arena was filled to four-fifths capacity. Even the Municipal Sports Bureau had sent representatives, and fans of Ling Huanzhen had driven in from out of town just to catch a glimpse of his debut as a coach.

This was a tremendous show of respect for Ling Huanzhen.

Beyond the casual spectators, prominent university teams within the province—such as Ningchang Normal University and Ningchang University of Finance and Economics—had sent scouts to observe, eager to assess what kind of transformation Ling Huanzhen’s guidance had brought to this team in less than a month.

The person most on edge was not a starter, nor was it assistant coach Cheng Qing, but Ma Wenhua, who was not even present. Unable to sit still in the sanatorium, he had returned home to "recuperate." Since learning of Ling Huanzhen’s starting lineup, he had been pacing his living room like a man on a hot tin roof, his blood pressure soaring toward 150.

"Why, why wouldn't he use Zhou Zhexiao, who just returned from overseas? And why not Xia Chiyi or Ye Chaoying?"

"If he used those new players, winning against the Medical College would be a foregone conclusion!"

"But he insists on using last year’s veterans... If they lose, so be it, but if they win... everyone will say it was my lack of ability, that the same lineup could win beautifully under Ling Huanzhen!"

"They absolutely can't win... absolutely... they won't hold up past the first quarter. I know exactly how rotten their skill levels are! If they had any talent, I wouldn't have had to..."

His heart grew increasingly frantic. The more impressively the basketball team played, the more it highlighted just how incompetent he had been.

In the first quarter, Du He’s tip-off was aggressive. Fu Chenxue initiated a fast break immediately after receiving the ball, and Chen Chuan cut to the basket, scoring repeatedly.

18 to 8. Chen Chuan contributed ten points, while Shuai Bei chipped in 8 points and 2 rebounds.

In just ten minutes, the spectators realized that Ningchang University was completely different from last year—the coordination was fluid, and the transitions between offense and defense were rapid.

It felt almost like a veteran powerhouse. Even those who had come just to watch the spectacle couldn't help but remark, "Ningchang University is actually pretty impressive."

The Finance and Economics University team, which had qualified first last year, grew nervous in the stands. They immediately began texting and calling, urging their teammates to come and watch.

By the second quarter, the Medical College tightened their interior defense to contain Chen Chuan and Shuai Bei. However, they never expected that Ningchang University had a shooter in He Bin. He adjusted his positioning and sank three consecutive three-pointers, drawing the Medical College’s defense away from the paint.

Once gaps opened in the Medical College’s defense, Shuai Bei and Du He resumed their dunking clinic.

The score widened to 35 to 20, prompting Ling Huanzhen’s fans in the stands to wave flags and cheer, declaring him not only a "King of Rebounds" but a master coach as well.

Xia Chiyi rested his chin on his hand, observing Ling Huanzhen. That guy was grinning from ear to ear, clearly feeling incredibly smug.

In the third quarter, the opponents assigned a man-to-man defender specifically to shadow the marksman He Bin. But He Bin and Chen Chuan were long-time pick-and-roll partners. As He Bin continued to drain threes, Shuai Bei and Du He practically lived under the opponent’s rim, never missing a rebound, which allowed He Bin to shoot without any pressure.

The score climbed to 65 to 28; the Medical College had been completely demoralized.

Finally, in the last quarter, Ling Huanzhen decided to make substitutions.

Xia Chiyi and Ye Chaoying looked at him with eager eyes, but Ling Huanzhen subbed out Du He, Shuai Bei, and Chen Chuan, sending in other forwards to gain some experience.

Ling Huanzhen patted Xia Chiyi and Ye Chaoying on the heads, one on each side. "My goal is to save you two for the divisional playoffs and catch those guys off guard."

"By the time we hit the divisional playoffs, we'll be old enough to collect our pensions!" Ye Chaoying howled.

Xia Chiyi added a sharp jab: "What are you thinking? Coach Ling isn't even paying into our pension funds!"

Meanwhile, the Ningchang University students in the stands were ecstatic.

"This is amazing! We're winning by such a huge margin without even using our best lineup!"

"Last year in the divisional playoffs, other teams used us to train their bench players. This is the first time the tables have turned..."

"The passing and cutting coordination is leagues ahead of last year!"

The game ended with a score of 88 to 36.

The Ningchang University social media account quickly released a flash report: The Ningchang University basketball team tastes victory in their opening game of the provincial grassroots tournament!

Looking at the score, Principal Feng covered his mouth to hide his grin, failing to notice the goji berry stuck to his tooth.

Ningchang University’s debut had put the entire Jin Province on high alert.

Ma Wenhua stared at the notification popping up on his phone, his mind going completely blank as he slumped into his chair.

"Won... they actually won?"

88 to 36—this score was a massacre. Ma Wenhua had never even dreamed of such a thing.

"No, no, no. There are still many strong teams in Jin Province. They only beat the Medical College. With Chengjiang College and the Finance and Economics University still ahead, Ling Huanzhen won't make it out of the grassroots tournament..."

Ma Wenhua kept hypnotizing himself, even as his back was drenched in cold sweat.

On the day of the victory, Ling Huanzhen paid out of his own pocket to take the whole team to a buffet.

Watching these growing boys eat until they were glistening with oil, with plates piled higher than mountains, Ling Huanzhen worried they might be blacklisted by the restaurant.

That same afternoon, Jiao Yingfeng returned from the capital and sent a message saying he wanted to have a talk with Xia Chiyi.

The master's tone was so serious that it made his pupil, Xia Chiyi, quite nervous.

"He wouldn't be regretting taking me on as a student, would he?" Xia Chiyi suddenly lost his appetite.

"He won't," Zhou Zhexiao said, looking completely calm.

Xia Chiyi felt reassured enough to polish off another basket of mantis shrimp.

As soon as afternoon classes ended, Ling Huanzhen drove Xia Chiyi to the hotel where Jiao Yingfeng was staying.

This time, Jiao Yingfeng brought not just thick documents, but a laptop and several items Xia Chiyi had never seen before.

"I am very pleased that during my absence, you followed the training plan I set for you with 100% completion."

Jiao Yingfeng smiled, pulled a can of cola from the hotel mini-fridge, popped it open, and slid it toward Xia Chiyi.

Xia Chiyi didn't pick up the drink. Instead, he looked into Jiao Yingfeng’s eyes and said, "Master, if you have a new decision, just tell me straight. If you want to tell me that the clock has struck twelve and Cinderella’s dream is over, I... can accept that."

After all, it wouldn't be the first time he had been cut.

"And if Cinderella’s dream really has ended, what will you do?" Jiao Yingfeng asked with a smile.

"If there’s no fairy godmother, I’ll just have to rely on myself. I’ll keep following the training plan you left me and walk this path to the first-tier league until I can’t go any further."

Xia Chiyi lifted his head, looking steadily into Jiao Yingfeng’s eyes.

Jiao Yingfeng, who had already prepared how to comfort and tease Xia Chiyi, was taken aback by the sheer determination in the boy’s gaze.

"Good. I called you here to ask how far you want to go on this path. If it’s just the first-tier league, you don’t need me."

"I want to play in the NCAA, the CBA, even the NBA... I want to play at the highest level of basketball," Xia Chiyi replied.

Because only on the highest stage could he search for traces of Sheng Xingming’s existence, feel him, and surpass him.

Looking into Xia Chiyi’s eyes, Jiao Yingfeng felt as if he could hear the cheers of the Olympic arena, the sound of sneakers squeaking against the hardwood, and the soul-stirring swish of the ball through the net.

"Listen, I showed your profile to some coaches of very high caliber and level. They all agree that while you are a bit raw right now, you have immense potential. You need systematic, professional, and targeted training—if you wait any longer, it might truly be too late. None of them want to see your talent and potential wasted, so they have collectively drafted this training plan for you."

Jiao Yingfeng looked at Xia Chiyi, his expression incredibly serious.

The document looked heavy, thicker than a dictionary.

Xia Chiyi’s throat moved. His heart began to thrum—*thump, thump, thump*—more nervously than it ever had in any final he had ever played.

"If you choose to accept this training plan, you must understand that I will hold you to the standards of a professional athlete and push you accordingly."

Xia Chiyi’s fists clenched tightly.

"If you can’t keep it up and want to quit, you can say so at any time, but don't waste my time and energy, understand?"

Jiao Yingfeng’s tone carried a hint of a threat.

"I won't give up, unless I..."

Before the word "die" could leave his lips, Jiao Yingfeng covered his mouth.

"What are you talking about? Spit it out, talk like that brings bad luck, may the wind blow it away!"

Watching Jiao Yingfeng’s anxious expression, the corners of Xia Chiyi’s eyes crinkled, and he giggled, which made Jiao Yingfeng laugh as well.

"You brat, laugh while you can! From tomorrow on, you’ll only have tears left!"

"Master... which coaches did you ask to evaluate me? Tell me, let me boost my confidence! I’m just a piece of trash who got cut by the provincial team!"

Jiao Yingfeng curled his lips into a smile: "Do you really need a confidence boost? You seemed quite confident even after Ma Hongming cut you; you even went one-on-one with the provincial team players alongside Zhou Zhexiao and wiped the floor with them. The video of that game has already been dug up by the seniors who once mentored me."

"Wow, so I’m famous?"

The next second, Xia Chiyi experienced the sensation of being rapped on the head by Jiao Yingfeng.

"I tell you this only so you know that Ma Hongming isn't the only coach in this world."

With that, Jiao Yingfeng opened his laptop.

"It’s too much to expect your brain to read through such a thick training manual, so I’ve prepared videos to show you what kind of training you’ll be undergoing. I must warn you, few people can handle this level of intensity."

Xia Chiyi watched the video analysis intently. The further he watched, the more he realized this training was designed to keep him in a state of exhaustion, forcing him to practice shooting only after his body had reached its absolute limit.

"21-Point Shooting" training made up a large portion of the technical drills. Xia Chiyi would have to score in various ways within two minutes, including three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and layups. Because layups were closest to the basket, they only counted for 1 point, and before every offensive sequence, Xia Chiyi had to sprint to mid-court.

"Is this the training method Sheng Xingming used?" Xia Chiyi felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity with the regime.