TAO | Chapter 49

The sharp sound of the referee’s whistle marked the start of the game.

Jiang Zhan went head-to-head with Yiyang’s towering center for the tip-off. His opponent stood ten centimeters taller and possessed an equally impressive vertical leap. With a thunderous roar, the giant player swatted the ball toward his teammate, securing the first possession for Yiyang.

No. 2 High quickly fell back to defend, but Yiyang’s speed was overwhelming. Their No. 11 player executed a stunning reverse dunk, earning two points. The move was a masterpiece of violent elegance—a leap into the air, a mid-air spin, and a reverse slam dunk into the hoop.

Bo Lun landed gracefully, rolling his shoulders with ease as if it was all second nature.

The crowd erupted in cheers so loud it threatened to blow the roof off, with spectators chanting Bo Lun’s name. Initially annoyed by the noise, Wei Xiaochi perked up upon hearing the name, craning his neck to get a better look.

He’d heard of Bo Lun before. A genius student whose academic performance rivaled Li Suilin’s, he had chosen to attend Yiyang Vocational High School.

Though Yiyang Vocational High was renowned for producing athletic champions, its academic reputation was abysmal, ranking near the bottom every year. Bo Lun, however, was a rare exception—a prodigy who excelled both academically and athletically. His remarkable grades had earned him a reputation as someone whose scores alone could carry two classes.

It was a joke, but it spoke volumes about his abilities. Few could match Li Suilin academically, and Bo Lun was one of them. On top of that, he was also a star shooting guard for Yiyang’s basketball team.

As one academic prodigy naturally gravitated toward another, Li Suilin approached Bo Lun with a smile. Bo Lun’s lips twitched into a grin that sent chills down his spine.

What Wei Xiaochi feared soon came true. When it was No. 2 High’s turn to attack, the towering player from Yiyang, nicknamed “The Giant,” was assigned to defend Jiang Zhan.

Just as Wei Xiaochi began to feel anxious, several tall figures loomed over him from behind, their shadows flickering over his seat as they took places in the row behind.

“Well, well, it’s cunning versus cunning. This should be fun.”

“I’ll bet a dollar that No. 2 High’s ‘Cunning Master’ wins.”

“Cunning, sure, but I’m rooting for Yiyang. No. 2 High’s player has an injured foot and won’t last the whole game.”

Wei Xiaochi didn’t understand who they were talking about until he heard “injured foot” and realized they meant his class leader, Li Suilin.

The term “Cunning Master” completely upended his perception of Li Suilin. It didn’t fit his image at all.

One of the guys suddenly asked, “Yan Shen, what do you think?”

A sleepy, languid voice answered from behind Wei Xiaochi. “Li Suilin. He’s tricked me before.”

A pause. Then, as if recalling a painful memory, Yan Shen added, “More than once.”

The group from the ethics department who had witnessed the infamous No. 2 High vs. Ethics Department match was clearly here to spectate as well. One of them exclaimed gleefully, “The Cunning Master is making his move!”

Wei Xiaochi, unfamiliar with basketball strategy, looked toward the court and saw Li Suilin guarding Bo Lun. But where was the move?

“See his knee? He’s nudging Bo Lun’s inner knee. It looks harmless, but if Bo Lun pushes forward, he’ll trip for sure.”

“Damn, and he’s making it obvious on purpose to psych Bo Lun out, so he won’t dare attack.”

“Last year, he pulled this trick on me. Got distracted for a second, and bam—ball gone.”

“Psychological warfare is dirty. So damn dirty.”

“His smile gives me PTSD.”

Wei Xiaochi: …

Who would’ve thought their class leader had this side to him?

Bo Lun found himself locked in place by Li Suilin’s defense, eventually passing the ball to a teammate. Li Suilin pivoted to block the next player, who promptly passed it back to Bo Lun. As Bo Lun advanced, Li Suilin was already on him.

Yan Shen, now fully awake, focused intently on the game. “Have to admit, Li Suilin’s basketball IQ is through the roof. He even predicted Yiyang’s strategy. Last time I played against No. 2 High, he read all my passing intentions.”

“Holy—he stole the ball!”

Li Suilin’s movements were so swift that Wei Xiaochi barely saw him intercept Bo Lun’s dribble. Without hesitation, Li Suilin passed the ball to Jiang Zhan, avoiding any chance of retaliation.

From behind, someone whistled. “Jiang Zhan’s up against Yiyang’s ‘Hornet.’ Don’t hold back—swat him down!”

Yiyang’s Xu Feng, nicknamed “Hornet,” was 2.03 meters tall, a defensive powerhouse notorious for his love of blocks.

Jiang Zhan dribbled past two defenders with lightning speed and approached the hoop. As he jumped for a dunk, Xu Feng leaped into the air like an impenetrable wall, slamming his palm against the basketball.

The impact bent Jiang Zhan’s arm, forcing him to throw the ball toward the hoop. Xu Feng roared and brought his hand down again, a display of brute strength that sent Jiang Zhan and the ball crashing to the floor.

The arena erupted with thunderous cheers. “Xu Feng! Xu Feng! Xu Feng!”

The referee blew the whistle and walked over to Jiang Zhan, who was still on the ground. “Can you continue?”

Jiang Zhan’s face was dark, his eyes cutting like ice as he glanced toward the audience. His gaze landed on Wei Xiaochi, who had stood up in concern, his eyes filled with worry.

Jiang Zhan looked away, slowly getting to his feet. His movements were deliberate, his expression icy as he adjusted his wrist guard.

Li Suilin and Han Ziyang hurried over. “Are you okay?”

“Did you get hurt?” Han Ziyang glared at Xu Feng. “You bull! Did you do that on purpose?”

Xu Feng spread his hands innocently. “I didn’t foul. How was I supposed to know he’s so fragile? He fell over without me even touching him.”

Han Ziyang fumed. “Watch your mouth!”

Li Suilin held him back. “You want the referee to call a technical foul on you?”

Surprisingly, Jiang Zhan, notorious for his temper, remained calm. “I’m fine. I can keep playing.”

Li Suilin glanced at him, said nothing, and went to inform the referee that they could resume.

For the first time, Jiang Zhan had been physically bested, crashing down during a contest of strength. Xu Feng had bulked up over the past year, making him an even more formidable opponent.

Yiyang’s team celebrated Xu Feng’s incredible block with high-fives, while No. 2 High was visibly demoralized. If someone as strong as Jiang Zhan could be overpowered, Xu Feng’s strength was truly intimidating.

The referee blew the whistle, and the game resumed.

Jiang Zhan, unshaken, continued to play with steely resolve. Meanwhile, Li Suilin’s suffocating defense rendered Bo Lun ineffective, forcing Yiyang to rely on Xu Feng for scoring.

But when Xu Feng went for another aggressive play under the hoop, Jiang Zhan was ready. His unmatched hang-time allowed him to counter Xu Feng’s moves, repeatedly blocking him and regaining control of the game.

By the end of the half, the momentum had shifted.

As the whistle signaled halftime, Wei Xiaochi hurried toward the locker room to check on Jiang Zhan. The crowd made it difficult to move, and it took some time before he could make his way out.

Just as he approached No. 2 High’s locker room, a door opened suddenly. A strong arm grabbed his wrist, pulling him inside. Pressed against the wall behind the door, Wei Xiaochi barely had time to react before Jiang Zhan’s hand cupped the back of his head and captured his lips in a fierce, urgent kiss.

Author’s Note:
Finally, Jiang Zhan’s kisses have graduated from kindergarten level. This one was intense. Very intense. Extremely intense. 😊