068. Basketball
“Ah~ When are we going to have class already~”
Ning Chu was slumped over his desk, not because he had a sudden love for studying, but because he couldn’t stop worrying about Wen Yang wandering around alone during the break.
He had to learn to let go and trust, but every time Wen Yang went out, his heart raced like he was in a horror movie.
He couldn’t just be a shadow forever, right?
“Wen Yang, want to play basketball?”
The dormitory door suddenly swung open, and a male classmate peeked in with a bright smile.
Ning Chu took a quick glance, noticed it was a stranger, and immediately returned to his face-down position on the desk.
He was always busy taking care of Wen Yang’s “pristine image,” leaving him with practically no social life. Meanwhile, Wen Yang, as class leader, often made friends by visiting other dorms.
“Let’s go, Shao Qing. Are you in, Ning Chu?”
“Absolutely! I’m dying of boredom here.” Zhang Shao Qing bounced off his chair like a spring, “I’ll change clothes!”
“Ning Chu, what about you?”
Ning Chu felt tempted but looked at his height of just 1.6 meters and shut his eyes like a child playing dead.
If he didn’t grow a bit taller, basketball would be out of the question for him.
Look at those tall, handsome guys averaging around 1.8 meters! And then there was little old him…
“I’m staying in tonight. You guys go have fun.”
“It’s only a bit past six,” Wen Yang nodded. “Do you need me to bring you anything?”
“A bottle of cola, thanks~”
After the door clicked shut, the dorm was left with only the ceiling fan making a creaky noise that sounded like it was about to fall apart.
It was just a basketball game, so he should be able to relax.
Ning Chu stretched, yawned, and got ready to play with his phone on his bed.
Recently, Wen Yang had gone to the cafeteria and grocery store alone multiple times without any issues.
Worrying was one thing, but he also had to trust Wen Yang’s self-control.
Lying flat on his bed, Ning Chu stared at the mottled ceiling, and after a moment of silence, he suddenly grasped the hem of his shirt and hiked it up to his collarbone.
He lowered his head and ripped off two Band-Aids from his chest.
“The adhesive is a bit strong. Ouch…”
But they worked surprisingly well! The Band-Aids almost perfectly concealed his “excitement!” He could walk down the street without attracting attention.
Ning Chu suddenly realized a detail, mumbling to himself: “If I were a girl, not wearing a bra would mean I was exposed… so free…”
“Ugh! Am I really that shady?!”
He couldn’t stay still and began to roll around on the bed.
Wearing a bra means dressing like a girl, while not wearing one means total exposure…
These terms felt uncomfortably reminiscent of Little Emperor Wen’s favorite tags!
…
In the dorm district, several basketball courts were sprinkled about, each surrounded by high chain-link fences to keep wayward basketballs from injuring pedestrians.
It was already 6:30 PM, and the scorching daytime heat had subsided, replaced by a gentle evening breeze. Now was the liveliest time around the dorms!
To play basketball, Wen Yang had donned a tank top and shorts, slipping on a pair of slightly worn-out sneakers.
“There are quite a few people!” Zhang Shao Qing, outfitted in professional basketball gear and even sporting long socks, strutted alongside Wen Yang into the court, tugging at his jersey. “Check it out! I spent over five thousand on this, and it even has a signature!”
“Looks great.”
Wen Yang nodded casually, glancing over at the classmate from the adjacent dorm. “Just the three of us?”
“One more… over there!”
Following his friend’s gaze, Wen Yang’s expression froze a bit.
Wait, there’s a girl?
“Here I come!”
As the girl jogged towards them, Wen Yang felt his gaze involuntarily float up to the sky.
His classmate introduced her: “This is Shan Shan from our class. I wanted to play but couldn’t find enough people, and she volunteered. Apparently, she’s pretty good.”
Yeah, with that sporty outfit, she did look like a pro!
Wen Yang’s eyes couldn’t help but drift back to her.
Shan Shan wore a tank top and shorts too, and a basketball bounced along as she jogged, making it hard to look away.
She approached them, pulled her shoulder-length hair into a high ponytail with a scrunchie, and cheerfully asked, “Am I late?”
“N-no, not at all…” Wen Yang stuttered, the shy little virgin in him clueless about where to direct his gaze.
But Zhang Shao Qing’s eyes were practically sparkling as he took her in.
“Is it just us four? Then let’s start!” Shan Shan grabbed the basketball, leaped effortlessly from the three-point line, and sunk it right into the hoop.
With a grin, she declared, “I’m really strong! Don’t underestimate me.”
“Let’s split into teams… Wen Yang, you team up with her?”
Wen Yang hesitantly nodded.
In fact, he wasn’t great at basketball, but with his height, he did have an innate advantage.
Unfortunately, tonight, his attention was being drawn to a different kind of bounce.
As the pairs began to play, the energy was palpable. Shan Shan’s movements were so quick and lively that her tank almost couldn’t contain her athletic bounce, giving glimpses of what lay beneath.
And her sun-kissed skin, those strong, shapely legs…
“Can’t play basketball?”
After losing another point, Shan Shan bounced over to Wen Yang, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiling reassuringly. “It’s okay; I can teach you!”
A light sheen of sweat glistened on her skin under the court’s lights, reflecting a warm, orange glow.
Wen Yang stole a quick glance, then nervously looked away.
“Maybe another time.”
“Deal!” Shan Shan dashed off, expertly stealing the ball from Zhang Shao Qing.
“Whoa! That was fast!”
Zhang Shao Qing shot a dark glance, chasing after her while shouting, “You guard the basket!”
But Shan Shan had already jumped from the three-point line and swished it smoothly through the hoop.
“Impressive~”
“Holy cow, she’s a beast!”
Though petite and probably not even 1.7 meters tall, Shan Shan, despite Wen Yang’s clumsy playing, still managed to one-up two guys, scoring point after point.
About thirty minutes later, they plopped down on a bench at the edge of the court, panting for breath.
Wen Yang wiped the sweat from his face with his tank top, only to find a bottle of water suddenly pushed in front of him.
“Here, drink up!”
He looked up to see Shan Shan right next to him, her smile bursting with energy. “Take a break! Later, I’ll teach you how to sh**t. You can’t even make a basket yet~”
“Okay.”
“Why don’t you ever look at me?” Shan Shan leaned in slightly closer to Wen Yang. “Add me on a friend list after! I can drop by anytime to coach you.”
“My basketball lessons come at a price, you know~”
“I’m broke…”
“Well, as classmates, let’s do this—how about a discount~ Eighty percent off?” Shan Shan grinned, her eyes squinting playfully. “Or I’ll just say it’s free!”
Wen Yang realized he hit the jackpot, happily adding her as a friend.
