Chapter 44: Zhou Zhexiao vs. Yang Huaiyu

When they returned to the basketball court, the match had indeed concluded. The final score was 98 to 76, a rather significant gap, especially considering that Qincheng University had only fielded three of their primary starters.

At noon, Coach Ren hosted a lunch at the campus cafeteria.

The Qincheng University basketball team had its own dedicated dining hall. Because there were guests, the usual eight-dish buffet was expanded to fifteen items, with the head chef pulling out all the stops to feature every single local specialty Qincheng had to offer.

Xia Chiyi stood holding his tray, his mouth half-open. "Whoa... This looks amazing... And it's a buffet..."

Ling Huanzhen walked past and gently pushed Xia Chiyi's chin back up. "My dear boy, can you please show a little dignity?"

"Coach Ling, do you think we could mention this buffet idea to Principal Feng?"

"Let's wait until the varsity roster exceeds thirty members first," Ling Huanzhen replied with a grin, before making his way over to the coaches' table.

Shedding the arrogance he usually displayed on the court, he humbly sought advice from Coach Ren and Guan Qian. More importantly, he wanted to gather intelligence on the other powerhouse teams in the Southeast Division.

Ke Yan clearly took a liking to Xia Chiyi and stayed by his side, voluntarily pointing out the best dishes.

"This pan-fried oyster omelet is a Qincheng specialty, but many out-of-towners aren't used to it. You might want to take just a small piece."

Although Xia Chiyi had already experienced it earlier, he was still grateful for Ke Yan's enthusiasm.

"These fish balls are fantastic. I heard they meticulously remove every single fish bone, then mince and press the fish meat numerous times until it's exceptionally tender and juicy."

Upon hearing Ke Yan's recommendation, Xia Chiyi scooped up a generous portion.

"This butterflied shrimp with egg white is our head chef's signature dish. The steaming time is precisely calibrated, leaving the shrimp tender, bouncy, and smooth. He only makes it when we have guests," Ke Yan whispered with a wink.

Xia Chiyi immediately claimed half a plateful.

"Come, come, try this stuffed crab shell too. It's made with crab meat and drizzled with rich crab roe on top—so savory! If you ordered this at a restaurant or tavern, it would cost a fortune!"

At the mention of "cost a fortune," Xia Chiyi promptly grabbed four of them.

Before long, Xia Chiyi's tray resembled a small mountain.

Ke Yan nodded with a strong sense of accomplishment and even offered to get drinks for Xia Chiyi.

Although their beverages consisted simply of blended vegetable and fruit juices made from cucumbers, tomatoes, and various fresh produce, their greatest appeal was being completely natural with no additives.

Yang Huaiyu rested his chin in his hand as he watched Ke Yan, finally understanding what the phrase "social butterfly" truly meant.

Once Ke Yan finished looking after the guests and sat down opposite Yang Huaiyu with his tray, Yang Huaiyu smiled and said, "You're being exceptionally nice to that guy. Is it because he's the best-looking one, or because he was so eager to hype you up?"

"Do you take me for a superficial, looks-obsessed person like you? Ling Huanzhen only brought two players total, both freshmen. Their skill level is undeniably high, which means when I'm a junior or senior, I'll very likely run into them in the Southeast Division. Compared to that Zhou Zhexiao, isn't Xia Chiyi much easier to get information out of?" Ke Yan glanced sidelong at Yang Huaiyu.

"Ke Yan, you've grown up. You're not last year's innocent little white flower anymore," Yang Huaiyu sighed with a melancholic expression.

"Yang Huaiyu, your rebellious phase is arriving rather late. I heard your 'first love' was a college student from another school? The whole team is whispering about how 'even Yang Huaiyu has finally been dumped.' What goes around comes around; heaven spares no one." Ke Yan leisurely popped a fish ball into his mouth.

"Well, I originally wanted to warn you to be careful not to get played. But seeing that you've kept your head despite being charmed, I can rest easy," Yang Huaiyu said earnestly.

"Were you traumatized or something? Talk normally."

"Xia Chiyi is my abortive 'first love'."

"Cough, cough... cough, cough, cough..." Ke Yan turned his face away, pressing a fist to his lips, needing nearly five seconds to digest this explosive piece of news.

"Did the chef forget to remove all the fish bones today?" Yang Huaiyu remarked coolly.

"My guess was right on the money. Now, more than ever, I'm looking forward to facing Ling Huanzhen's disciples." Ke Yan and Yang Huaiyu exchanged a knowing glance.

Meanwhile, Xia Chiyi was sharing the contents of his plate with Zhou Zhexiao.

"This fish ball is delicious, this butterfly shrimp is amazing, and they say these stuffed crab shells disappear instantly if you don't grab them. I got two for you."

"Aren't you going to take any oysters? I saw they have ones steamed with garlic paste." Zhou Zhexiao slowly lifted his eyelids and fixed his gaze on Xia Chiyi.

This undoubtedly brought back unwelcome memories of the iced cola from the previous night, leaving Xia Chiyi with an expression of utter despair. "Would you believe me if I told you that even when I'm sitting on the toilet, my mind is entirely filled with thoughts of you?"

The moment those words left his mouth, Xia Chiyi felt as though he had been struck by lightning.

*You've lost your mind! What nonsense are you spouting, Xia Chiyi? Zhou Zhexiao is going to strangle you right here on the spot!*

Desperate to frame his words as mere retaliation and provocation, Xia Chiyi intentionally wiped away all expression, staring coldly back at him.

Zhou Zhexiao stared at Xia Chiyi in silence for a moment, then let out a soft "Hah." "If you're really that capable, you better stay this devoted for the rest of your life."

*Good grief—your curse is even more venomous than 'may all lovers in the world turn out to be long-lost siblings.'*

At that moment, Ke Yan walked over to the coaches' table, greeted the three coaches with a smile, and said, "Watching Coach Ling's students sit idly by the side seems rather dull. Isn't Xia Chiyi a guard? Why not let him join the Shanghai side and try playing at the guard position?"

Hearing this, Ling Huanzhen—who had been racking his brain over how to bring up the topic—realized Ke Yan was offering him a ladder to climb. He naturally seized the opportunity.

With an earnest expression, he looked toward Guan Qian. "Old classmate, both boys I brought today are freshmen who have barely ever left the province. They both play guard. How about letting them join your squad for a bit to get a feel for the regional tournament atmosphere?"

Guan Qian never expected Ling Huanzhen would one day ask him for a favor, and his mood improved instantly.

Furthermore, Shanghai University traditionally boasted top-tier guards, but unfortunately, theirs had graduated this year. During this transitional period where veterans had departed and newcomers had yet to establish themselves, even fielding players from his own bench wouldn't yield high-level play. It was better to grant Ling Huanzhen this courtesy.

"Alright, we have another practice match tomorrow anyway. Letting the freshmen get some extra sparring practice this afternoon sounds fine."

The moment Guan Qian agreed, Ling Huanzhen piled on endless pleasantries, flattering him until Guan Qian felt practically lightheaded.

Ke Yan returned to his seat, flashed an "OK" gesture at Yang Huaiyu, and murmured, "I'm playing this afternoon too."

"Oh? Didn't you already play a match this morning?" Yang Huaiyu asked with a smile.

"You hyped little Chiyi up so much, I need to test him myself and see if you were just drunk last night and talking nonsense." Ke Yan turned his head to cast a glance at Xia Chiyi.

Having indulged in too much food at the buffet, Xia Chiyi found his eyelids growing heavy with sleep.

The afternoon practice match was scheduled to start at two-thirty, so the players headed back to their rooms to rest.

The hotel rooms assigned to Xia Chiyi and the others were located only a short distance from Qincheng University.

Inside the elevator, Ling Huanzhen instructed, "Once you both get to your rooms, get straight to sleep. No messing around on your phones, and no fighting."

"Understood, we never fight."

Ling Huanzhen deliberately withheld the news about them playing in the afternoon match, fearing that Xia Chiyi would become too excited to sleep during the midday break.

In reality, however, Xia Chiyi was bone-tired. As soon as he climbed onto the bed, he kicked his shoes off onto the floor and buried half his face in the pillow, falling fast asleep almost instantly.

Zhou Zhexiao walked over, picked up the phone Xia Chiyi had tossed onto the bedside table, and set an alarm. The screen lit up with a WeChat notification from Yang Huaiyu. Without opening it, Zhou Zhexiao simply placed the phone back down, then pressed the wall switch to draw the room's blackout curtains. Xia Chiyi's steady, elongated breathing soon filled the quiet room. Staring up at the ceiling, Zhou Zhexiao slowly closed his eyes.

Meanwhile, Ke Yan was scrolling through Xia Chiyi's Moments feed on his phone. With a deliberate, chilling tone, he said to Yang Huaiyu, "Your Cinderella seems to have had a Prince Charming all along. It turns out you were just indulging in wishful thinking."

Propping his chin in his hand, Yang Huaiyu smiled as he leisurely browsed through a nine-grid photo collage of blue-and-white portraits. "They actually look quite nice. How about you and I go get a set of those taken sometime?"

Ke Yan reached for a nearby tissue box, intending to hurl it right at Yang Huaiyu's face, only to have his wrist caught effortlessly by a single hand.

"Unlike you, I don't have the luxury of wandering around idly with nothing to do all day!"

When the alarm finally rang, Xia Chiyi woke from his deep nap with a start. Lifting his chin, he blinked against the lingering sleepiness.

"I wish I could sleep for another five hundred years..."

"Coach Ling said: put on your basketball shoes, tie your laces tight, and grab your water bottle, towel, and change of clothes," Zhou Zhexiao said, walking over and playfully pinching the bridge of Xia Chiyi's nose upward.

"Huh? Why..." Xia Chiyi suddenly snapped fully awake. "Does that mean we get to play in the afternoon practice match?"

"Yes. We're assigned to the Shanghai University squad. We need to follow Coach Guan's instructions."

Zhou Zhexiao packed up his own gear with practiced efficiency, cast a quick glance at Xia Chiyi, and then proceeded to organize Xia Chiyi's belongings as well.

When Xia Chiyi rushed over to look, he found that everything that needed packing was already neatly stowed away, even including his frequently overlooked ankle braces, arranged with absolute clarity. Had Xia Chiyi packed for himself, he would have simply rolled everything into a chaotic ball and shoved it into his duffel bag, only to end up tearing the locker room apart later just to dig things out.

Zhou Zhexiao remarked offhand, "Yang Huaiyu—the one you dumped—is playing this afternoon too. You'd better get ready."

Xia Chiyi blinked in utter confusion. "Get ready for what?"

"Qincheng University might just be looking to exact some heartbreaking vengeance for their star player."

"I didn't break his heart..."

Everyone reconvened inside the Qincheng University basketball arena. Guan Qian introduced Xia Chiyi and Zhou Zhexiao to the rest of the team, then selected three additional players to round out the starting lineup.

Notably, those three players were also part of the morning's primary starting roster.

"Aren't we supposed to be giving the second-string players some development time?" Xia Chiyi whispered curiously, leaning in close to Zhou Zhexiao's ear.

Overhearing him, Coach Guan Qian answered, "Young man, don't underestimate the opposition. They aren't just fielding Yang Huaiyu; Ke Yan is playing too. Those two share an incredible level of chemistry, which means we have to put our absolute strongest players on the court."

Upon hearing this, Xia Chiyi clenched his fists in mounting excitement and drew a deep breath.

Through the gaps between the players, Xia Chiyi caught sight of Yang Huaiyu warming up.

Wearing a Qincheng University athletic jersey that showcased his fluid muscle lines, Yang Huaiyu had slicked his hair back with styling gel, revealing his high forehead and sharp, chiseled facial features—the quintessential aggressive aura of a Southeast Division powerhouse.

Sensing Xia Chiyi's gaze, Yang Huaiyu looked up and offered a faint smile, as if he might walk over at any second to ruffle Xia Chiyi's hair and ask him if he had finished his summer homework yet.

Guan Qian briefly outlined the general tactical strategy before addressing the newly joined Xia Chiyi and Zhou Zhexiao. "I know both of you might need time to adapt to a new team, but I'm only giving you one quarter. If you can't synchronize with the rest of the Shanghai University players within a single quarter, I'll have to pull you both off the court. Understood?"