For most students, the days of senior year in high school were repetitive and dull.
At this special stage of human education, Qin Jiujiu followed the routine of the society she lived in as she always did, going through classes day in and day out.
Her deskmate, He Yi, however, had taken a different path to higher education than most.
Qin Jiujiu had already grown used to her deskmate's periodic disappearances. As for the other students who tried to get close to her, she maintained a lukewarm attitude toward making friends.
The person she talked to the most was Fu Yu, who sat nearby and was rather talkative.
Fu Yu had a buzz cut, thick eyebrows, and single-lidded eyes. His eyes were neither too big nor too small and always held a smile. His features were ordinary, but he had a very approachable charm when he smiled. Tall yet slender, he stood out from the crowd like a crane among chickens.
That afternoon, the last period was the weekly PE class that most students looked forward to the most—and since it was a free-roaming session where they didn't have to participate in actual sports, the back rows of the classroom were buzzing with restless excitement all afternoon. As soon as the bell rang for the end of the third period, the clatter of desks and chairs colliding immediately echoed from the back of the classroom.
With excitement written all on his face, Fu Yu turned to the back and asked Qin Jiujiu, "Hey, celestial beauty, I'm taking you to watch your deskmate play basketball. You coming?"
Qin Jiujiu lifted her gaze, nodded, and said, "Sure."
"Let's go!"
Aside from Fu Yu, there were a few other boys from the back row who often hung out together. With their arms draped over each other's shoulders, the group headed toward the basketball court in high spirits.
Qingshui No. 1 High School had two basketball courts, one outdoor and one indoor. The indoor court was inside the school's newly built gymnasium, boasting modern facilities and trendy decor.
Since school was still in session, there were only a scattering of people in the stands. Fu Yu and the others led Qin Jiujiu to seats in the front row.
Down on the court, the second half of the match was already in full swing. The arena was filled with the sounds of players constantly shifting positions, the dull rebounding thud of the basketball, and the sharp screeches of shoe soles scraping violently against the floor.
Visually, the players in their jerseys were all robust and tall, their muscles flexing with every move, making it an absolute visual treat.
Young bodies constantly collided, creating a scene full of youth and passion.
Number 13 was the number on He Yi's jersey. The teenage boy on the court was spirited and unrestrained, his expression intensely focused. When he jumped, his Achilles tendons were visibly long, and the muscle lines on his body were tight and handsome. He was utterly eye-catching, like the favorite creation of the Creator.
Qin Jiujiu felt that even if he weren't her assigned target, she would still find herself irresistibly drawn to such a boy.
"Have you ever watched a basketball game before?" Fu Yu asked, leaning in slightly as he sat beside Qin Jiujiu.
Qin Jiujiu nodded. "I've seen a few."
Fu Yu was a natural mood-maker. Since he was the one who had brought her along, and she was a great beauty who happened to catch his eye, he eagerly took on the role of commentator, quickly explaining the various plays happening on the court.
Midway through, a player was given a free throw, and Fu Yu made a small bet with Qin Jiujiu. "Their number 2 player is 1.95 meters tall, plays center, and has a 68 percent free-throw accuracy rate. Wanna make a bet on whether he makes this free throw?"
Qin Jiujiu looked over with interest, her calm tone laced with certainty. "I bet he misses. You're going to lose."
"Oh-ho!" Fu Yu was amused by her. "Fine, I bet he makes it. If I win, you treat me to a drink. If I lose, what do you want me to do?"
Qin Jiujiu perked up. "Buy me chocolate milk for a week."
"No problem!" Fu Yu agreed.
The result, without a doubt, was a miss.
Watching the look of defeat on Fu Yu's face, Qin Jiujiu felt even better.
*Beep—*
The whistle blew, ending the third quarter with a two-minute intermission. The score on the court was 35-30, with He Yi's team temporarily in the lead.
Fu Yu waved his arms and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Brother Yi!"
He Yi casually wiped the sweat from his brow with a white towel, draped it around his neck, and walked toward Fu Yu's group. The teenager radiated heat and a light sheen of sweat. Looking to be in a great mood, he smiled and greeted the group.
Fu Yu gave him a nudge and a wink. "Brother Yi, I brought a beauty here to cheer you on, so you better put on a good show!"
"It's just a friendly match, playing for fun," He Yi said, looking over at Qin Jiujiu nearby. He raised an eyebrow, full of youthful vigor. "Beauty, watch me win first place for you."
The surrounding guys instantly let out some exaggerated, teasing remarks.
Infected by his youthful energy, Qin Jiujiu curved the corners of her lips and said, "Go for it."
"Brother Yi, same old rules: whoever wins treats us to dinner, everyone gets a share!"
"Just wait." Dropping those words, He Yi turned around to rejoin his team.
The moment He Yi returned to his teammates, a few of them surrounded him with gossipy expressions. "Brother Yi, who was that beauty talking to you? Aren't you going to introduce us?"
"My deskmate, Qin Jiujiu. The beauty's watching, so perk up and play a brilliant game!"
"Got it, got it!"
The final quarter began.
The two tallest players from both teams jumped simultaneously to grab the ball.
He Yi wasn't the tallest player on his side, and the opposing player leaped slightly higher, directly securing possession for his team.
However, this was within He Yi's expectations; after all, height was a physical fact. So he quickly transitioned into defense, blocking the initial attack.
The opponent missed their jump shot, and after the defensive rebound was secured, He Yi's team immediately launched a counterattack.
He Yi reacted swiftly, breaking into a sprint toward his own court. The ball was passed rapidly between teammates, taking only a fraction of a second before it was forcefully hurled toward him from the backcourt near the free-throw line.
He Yi arrived right under the basket, leaped to catch the ball mid-air, and scored with an immediate aerial shot, drawing first blood with two points.
The entire sequence was an ultra-fast break. From his teammate grabbing the rebound to passing it to He Yi for the alley-oop, the whole process took less than five seconds.
Not only did the spectators fail to react in time, but the opposing team never expected to concede a point so easily, with their retreating defenders not even having crossed the half-court line yet.
"Holy crap, a fast-break alley-oop! He Yi's core strength is terrifying!"
"Are they on steroids? Did they have to be this fast?"
Caught completely off guard, the opposing players bit their lips with dark expressions.
Over the next few minutes, He Yi's explosive power was off the charts; no one could stop him. Every teammate seized the opportunity to create openings for him while he was in the zone, and his two-pointers and three-pointers went in almost the moment he shot.
When the final whistle blew, the score had widened to 55-35.
"Brother Yi is too fierce, too fierce!" Fu Yu was so excited he practically wanted to jump down and give his Brother Yi a huge hug.