In the blazing heat of July, on the basketball court of Simo High School, a dozen young men dribbled and sprinted, filling the air with movement.
These were final-year students, fresh from reviewing their scores after graduation, and now back at the school to play one last game in remembrance, before each went their own way.
Winning or losing meant little; they played for the sheer thrill.
Someone returned from the campus store with boxes of ice-cold sodas, calling the players to take a break.
"Come on, it's scorching out here. Take a breather before someone overheats."
Jin Yao lifted his shirt to wipe his sweat and sat down on a bench with Song Cheng. Cracking open a can of soda, he clinked it against Song Cheng's, laughing, "Congrats, top scorer."
The homeroom teacher had just called, announcing that after comparing grades across the city's high schools, they found Simo High held this year's top scorer in the entrance exams.
