The final outcome of the game saw Gaoda suffer a resounding defeat. Although the match abruptly ended when Xiang Ri shattered the backboard, leaving the game unable to continue, the original score stood firm—Gaoda lost by a staggering 21 points.
This, undoubtedly, was a stinging slap to the faces of Cai University's students and faculty, especially those fervent radicals who had once boasted of crushing their opponents by 80 points. Despite claiming victory, many from Cai University felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation rather than triumph.
In contrast, Gaoda's students left the basketball arena with heads held high, as if they had emerged victorious in a landslide rather than lost. Some students who had left early, unable to bear the shame of their school's poor performance in the first half, now deeply regretted missing what turned out to be a thrilling game.
Naturally, many wanted to express their admiration—boundless as a river stretching to the horizon—for the near-superhuman hero who had almost turned the tide. Yet, to their dismay, the hero had quietly disappeared, leaving behind only a jersey. The disappointment was palpable. The original No. 7 player, afraid of being exposed, no longer dared to wear it, lest the truth lead to him being torn apart by frenzied fans.
While the crowd frantically searched for the vanished hero, the oblivious figure casually strolled past them unnoticed. Chu Chu and Shi Qing, having interacted with him during the game, were left behind with the school team, at Xiang Ri's insistence, to avoid suspicion.
Now free, Xiang Ri made a call to the lady officer, only to receive a curt reply that she was handling an urgent case back at the precinct. Her tone carried a faint hint of doubt regarding his extraordinary performance on the court. Xiang Ri brushed off her skepticism with a few offhand remarks, hung up, and felt a lingering unease—was the officer too shrewd for her own good?
Meanwhile, Ren Jun was overcome with mixed emotions. Though they hadn't won, she surmised that troublesome woman wouldn't dare cause her issues anymore. To her surprise, there was such an extraordinary talent hidden within the school. According to Shi Qing, he was already a sophomore—why hadn't he stepped up last year? If he had, she wouldn't have had to endure that woman's whims. Damn it! She had to recruit him for the team. With this thought, she quickened her pace.
Unaware of the trouble he had brought upon himself with his impulsive actions that morning, Xiang Ri found that trouble came knocking in the afternoon, even as he stayed home.
"Xiang Kui, is it? I'm here to formally invite you to join the school basketball team." Ren Jun, having found such an extraordinary talent, wasn't about to let him slip away, whether for personal or official reasons. After getting his address from her friend Shi Qing, she hurried over right after lunch.
"Not interested," Xiang Ri replied lazily, slouched on the couch with his eyes glued to the TV. He was already annoyed—his little girl and obedient apprentice had gone shopping without so much as a word, leaving him alone. Now, seeing this bamboo pole of a woman show up at his door, he suspected one of the two had revealed his address, shifting his annoyance toward her.
"What did you say?" Ren Jun's eyes widened. She had already tolerated his lack of hospitality upon entering, but now her invitation was outright rejected? A spark of anger ignited within her. "I came here with good intentions, and you dare—"
"I said I'm not interested. You can leave now." Xiang Ri was quite pleased with her flustered reaction, feeling he had finally avenged the slight she had shown him that morning. Although he hadn't yet touched her pert little backside, the mental satisfaction was gratifying enough.
"You—!" Ren Jun's frustration flared, but she forced herself to calm down. Her goal required patience, after all. "Fine, what would it take for you to join the team?"
"Hm?" Xiang Ri's gaze finally shifted from the TV. Was she implying he could name his conditions? His mischievous thoughts began to churn again. He sized her up from head to toe. Though a bit thin and not as busty as Chu Chu, her shapely hips, accentuated by tight-fitting capri leggings, were undeniably alluring.
"What are you staring at!" Ren Jun, already chilled by his gaze, tried to sound fierce.
"Is this how you ask for a favor?" Xiang Ri withdrew his probing gaze, already contemplating the feasibility of a certain plan.
"Who said I'm asking for a favor? This is an official invitation on behalf of the school! Don't get it twisted!" Ren Jun raised her voice defensively.
"Oh, so it's the school inviting me. In that case, I'll pass. It's not like the school can force me onto the team, can it?" A sly glint flickered in Xiang Ri's eyes.
"You have no sense of school pride at all! After all these years of education—" Seeing that he remained unmoved, Ren Jun finally softened her tone. "Alright, fine. Consider it my personal invitation. Now will you join?"
"Conditions. Name a condition that will convince me to join." Xiang Ri extended a finger, his expression leaving no room for negotiation.
Ren Jun was thoroughly infuriated. "You bastard! I've already lowered myself this much, and you dare set conditions?!"
"Whether or not, it's entirely up to you!" Xiang Ri was confident that since she had come all this way, she wouldn't leave empty-handed. Coupled with his extraordinary performance on the court, he was a hundred percent certain that the bamboo-pole woman would relent.
Sure enough, after a brief hesitation, Ren Jun gritted her teeth and said, "Fine! I agree, as long as it's something I can manage. Go ahead and name it."
Xiang Ri caught the caveat—that it had to be something within her capability. While he wasn't entirely sure she would agree, he figured it didn't matter since he had no real interest in joining the so-called basketball team. So, he stated his purpose: "If—and I mean if—you let me touch your butt, I might consider it."
"I'll kill you!" Before he even finished speaking, Ren Jun exploded in fury and lunged at him with a right hook.
Xiang Ri hadn't expected her to be so impulsive. He tilted his face slightly, dodging the blow, and caught her fist in his hand. Chuckling, he said, "You need strength to fight someone, little girl, and you're far from it."
"Go to hell!" Ren Jun struggled to pull her hand free, raising her leg to kick him.
A slight increase in pressure on her fist made Ren Jun cry out in pain. Her leg froze mid-kick as she whimpered, "Ouch! You bastard, let me go!"
"This is your punishment," Xiang Ri said as he noticed her face growing pale. He didn't want to embarrass her further, so he released her with a gentle shove, sending her back to the chair.
"Are you even a man? Bullying a woman—how shameless!" Ren Jun nursed her sore fist, convinced for a moment that her bones had been crushed. The memory of him smashing tempered glass on the court sent a chill through her as fear welled up.
"You started it, so who's really to blame?" Xiang Ri replied innocently, brushing his nose with a finger.
"If you hadn't said something so disgusting, I wouldn't have reacted like that! Pervert, scoundrel, shameless jerk!"
"If you keep insulting me, I can't guarantee I won't..." Xiang Ri deliberately trailed off, his unspoken threat hanging ominously in the air.
"You wouldn't dare!" Ren Jun tried to sound fierce, but her trembling voice betrayed her as she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest.
"Feel free to test me." Xiang Ri remained nonchalant, flipping through TV channels with the remote as if nothing had happened.
Ren Jun's face shifted through a spectrum of emotions—green, white, and red—reflecting her inner turmoil.
Suddenly, Xiang Ri's expression grew serious. His gaze locked onto the television screen, which now displayed breaking news.
"We've just received a citizen's report of an explosion on South Street in the eastern district. A silver-gray BMW with license plate 0663 has been severely damaged in the blast. Casualties are currently unknown... Our reporters are en route to the scene for further coverage."
In a frenzy, Xiang Ri dropped the remote and bolted out of the room. That car—he remembered it vividly—belonged to a certain lady officer.
Ren Jun, still processing what had just happened, hesitated for a moment before chasing after him. As his figure disappeared in the distance, she shouted, "Hey, come back! I said I agree!"