"It's him!" Lei Wei's pupils constricted as he fixed his gaze on the figure hanging from the rim.
Ever since witnessing that unforgettable match between a certain someone and Tian Feng, Lei Wei had been left with a mix of profound awe and a trace of fear. He knew he could never replicate those nearly miraculous dunks that seemed effortless for that individual. It was hard to fathom how someone barely over 170 centimeters tall could execute such astonishingly complex maneuvers.
Standing at 192 centimeters himself, Lei Wei could just about manage a windmill dunk, but to do so with the same nonchalant ease as that man—it was beyond imagination.
"Call for a timeout!" Coach Qi, who had remained silent while leaving command to his star pupil, finally broke his silence in the Finance University bench area. Shen Peipei froze for a moment before quickly signaling to the referee for a timeout.
Jiang Xian cast a surprised glance at the coach who had nurtured his skills, then shifted his attention back to the relatively short figure now jogging back to the opposite court.
The players trudged back with their heads hung low. Shen Peipei handed each one a towel, noting that even those who had been playing with a nonchalant attitude were now drenched in sweat.
Tian Feng, in particular, seemed to be struggling. His clenched fists and trembling form betrayed the lingering shadow that certain someone had imprinted on his heart long ago.
"Peipei, do you know him?" Jiang Xian's gaze never left the figure on the court.
With a bitter smile, Shen Peipei nodded. "Yes, I know him. He's the boyfriend of one of my high school classmates. I just didn't expect him to participate in the game."
Shen Peipei silently blamed herself for not conducting a thorough investigation earlier. She had assumed that someone of his caliber would surely be a core player on his university's main team. But after checking, his name was nowhere to be found among the starters, leading her to believe he hadn't joined the team at all. Who would have thought he'd appear as a substitute?
Had she known of his presence earlier, she would never have boasted about winning by 80 points. Now, even if they managed to secure a victory, she wouldn't know where to hide her face. As the thought crossed her mind, she couldn't help but resent a certain woman for orchestrating this. That woman must have deliberately saved him for this moment to embarrass her—how cruel!
While Shen Peipei's expression shifted with her tumultuous thoughts, Jiang Xian's eyes darkened imperceptibly. "Send Da Kuan in for the next quarter," he said coldly. The 80-point margin had been his idea, and for the sake of his alma mater's honor—or perhaps his own pride—there could be no mistakes.
"Huh?" Shen Peipei didn't process his words at first. "Da Kuan? You want him to play? But he's only been learning basketball for less than 20 days!"
"No matter. All I need from him is to guard the basket," Jiang Xian replied as he stood and summoned the towering youth practicing ball control near the wall. He leaned in to whisper instructions, and the burly player's face lit up with excitement, nodding eagerly.
Watching the two confer, Shen Peipei felt a vague sense of unease but couldn't pinpoint the source.
Over on the High University bench, Xiang Ri was being treated like a hero.
Even the original number 7, whose jersey Xiang Ri was wearing, felt a sense of pride. Being about the same height, he couldn't resist asking—after a lengthy, fawning preamble—how Xiang Ri managed to dunk like that. Such feats were rare enough for someone his size to be almost legendary.
If he could learn the technique and train hard, he imagined himself basking in cheers from the stands, with the flirtatious gazes of the cheerleaders directed solely at him. Number 7 gulped at the thought.
Even the nearby players pricked up their ears, hoping to glean some secret from Xiang Ri.
But their hopes were dashed. Xiang Ri had no magical methods to share; his success was built on inhuman strength and explosive power. Brushing off their inquiries with a simple "hard work," he avoided further discussion.
Ren Jun's earlier dejection had completely vanished. Her eyes sparkled as she handed Xiang Ri a cup of water. "I never imagined you were so incredible. You can even dunk! You're not even as tall as me, are you? That's just amazing!"
Xiang Ri, unimpressed by her sudden change in attitude, was about to make a cutting remark when the referee's whistle blew, signaling the end of the timeout.
"Da Kuan, remember what I told you," Jiang Xian reminded the burly youth as he prepared to step onto the court.
"Don't worry, leave it to me," Da Kuan replied confidently, thumping his chest before jogging onto the court.
Shen Peipei hesitated, then moved closer. "Senior, you're letting Da Kuan…" But before she could finish, Jiang Xian cut her off. "Where's the coach? Where did he go?"
Glancing around in confusion, Shen Peipei replied, "The coach? I think he left."
"Just watch the game," Jiang Xian said, sitting back down as if he hadn't noticed her concern.
Thanks to Xiang Ri's stunning dunk, the High University players seemed to have been injected with newfound energy. They fought fiercely for every point, landing successive shots. Even the previously subdued High University cheering squad roared with unprecedented fervor, their shouts louder than the Finance University supporters, despite being outnumbered several times over.
Xiang Ri glanced curiously at the newly substituted player on the opposing team—a towering figure nearly two meters tall, muscles bulging all over his body. His movements were clumsy yet overwhelmingly forceful, making Xiang Ri think he'd be better suited for rugby.
In less than two minutes, one player had already been forced off the court with a calf injury sustained during a rebounding tussle with the brute. Xiang Ri's keen instincts detected something unusual. His eyes flickered toward the tall youth seated on the bench—the one who had summoned this rugby player moments earlier and whispered something in his ear. The realization struck him: their plan was to unleash brutal physicality on the court, and he might very well be the next target.
*Bang!*
A massive force slammed into him, sending the unsuspecting Xiang Ri flying off the court and skidding a good four or five meters.
The gym erupted in an uproar. High University's cheering squad roared with boos and hurls of insults.
Several players, faces filled with indignation, were ready to charge at the burly instigator for a fight. Thankfully, the referee, sensing imminent chaos, quickly intervened to diffuse the situation.
"Xiang Kuai!" A frantic Chuchu, who had dashed over the moment she saw him hit, cried out with tears streaming down her face. Shi Qing followed closely, his face etched with worry.
"I'm fine!" Xiang Ri got to his feet effortlessly, winking cheekily at the distraught young lady.
"Really?" Chuchu, unconvinced, fretted anxiously. "Don't lie to me. Let's go to the hospital for a check-up."
"No need. Did you forget my glorious days in the Judo Club, where I single-handedly took on hundreds?" Seeing her disbelief, Xiang Ri had no choice but to flaunt his past achievements.
"But…"
"Relax. If something like this could hurt me, how would I have been able to… well, you know, *so many times* with you?" He trailed off with a mischievous grin, leaving the rest to her imagination. Chuchu's face turned crimson as she caught his implication, and even Shi Qing, standing nearby, seemed to piece together something, his intended concern morphing into a blush so deep it could drip blood.
"Are you alright?" Ren Jun approached, her expression a mix of worry and intrigue, with the school team players behind her sharing similar complicated looks.
"What do you think?" Xiang Ri casually stretched and performed a few movements, proving he was completely unharmed.
The group stared at him in stunned silence, gazing at him as if he were an alien. This guy was too much! A seemingly frail body like his had just been sent flying by someone over 190 pounds, and yet he was completely fine. Earlier, they'd all assumed he'd be half-dead—or at least suffering severe internal injuries. But now, seeing him unscathed, they felt like they'd just witnessed something supernatural.
"You're a monster!" Ren Jun finally blurted out after a long pause, arriving at her conclusion.
"Don't curse me! Watch out, or I'll sue you for slander," Xiang Ri quipped, delivering another classic line. Before Ren Jun could unleash a playful retort, he continued, "Let's resume the game. Don't waste time."
"Back on the court!" The school team shouted with fervor, their morale soaring with this seemingly indestructible teammate by their side.
"Yeah!" A thunderous cheer erupted from the High University stands. Seeing Number 7 return to the court, the crowd burst into enthusiastic applause, chanting, "Go, Number 7! Go, Number 7!" Their overwhelming excitement even influenced the Finance University supporters, and the gym was soon filled with a deafening wave of applause and cheers.
In a shadowed corner of the stands, Tie Wan rubbed her reddened eyes, gnashing her teeth in frustration. That infuriating bastard! How dare he make her worry so much? When the time came, she'd definitely teach him a lesson!
Jiang Xian's face darkened as he watched from the sidelines. Was this guy even human?
Shen Peipei slumped weakly in her seat. She finally understood the source of her earlier unease. Her eyes drifted toward the tall youth, who had been her idol mere moments ago. That impression was now utterly shattered.
As Xiang Ri re-entered the game, a simmering anger burned within him. Their dirty tactics had clearly been aimed at him, and if it had been anyone else, they might already be hospitalized with a crippling injury.
Since his opponents were so ruthless, he wouldn't hold back either.
*Just wait. You'll see… Mess with me, and you'll pay dearly.*