As soon as the weekend passed, a cold front swept through the entire city of Pingchuan.
In the classroom, everyone wrapped themselves in scarves, hats, and gloves, donning the heaviest winter school uniforms.
Winter had officially arrived. With the drop in temperature, drowsiness seemed to reawaken in everyone. The classroom was filled with yawns early in the morning, and everyone appeared lethargic.
The homeroom teacher walked in and knocked on the blackboard. "Wake up, everyone, wake up."
"This afternoon at three o'clock is the Pingchuan Basketball Cup finals. The remaining two classes will be self-study sessions. Those who want to watch the game can go to the city stadium next to the school. Those who don’t want to go can stay in the classroom for self-study."
As soon as these words were spoken, the classroom erupted in excitement, filled with cheers and screams.
The homeroom teacher couldn’t hold back her frustration. "Just a moment ago, you all looked half-dead, but the moment fun is mentioned, you come alive! If you put this much energy into studying, every one of you would get good grades!"
Gu Meng immediately turned around. "Wanwan, Wanwan, are you going?"
"I don’t think so," Zhou Wan said. "I don’t understand basketball."
"It’s not about watching basketball—it’s about watching handsome guys!" Gu Meng lowered her voice slightly. "Besides, Lu Xixiao is going too. Haven’t you two been…" She winked suggestively at Zhou Wan.
Zhou Wan froze. "Lu Xixiao is going too?"
"Yeah! Didn’t you know?" Gu Meng said. "The Pingchuan Basketball Cup started two or three months ago. It’s a competition among all the high schools in the city. The finals are probably between Yangming High and No. 18 High. Lu Xixiao is probably still the captain."
Zhou Wan recalled the last time she saw him playing basketball.
Gu Meng shook her arm pleadingly. "Come on, come on, Wanwan, you’re the best. I really want to go."
Zhou Wan finally nodded. "Alright."
Gu Meng then turned to Jiang Yan beside her. "Are you going, Jiang Yan?"
He was doing his homework and paused at the question, replying indifferently, "No."
Gu Meng didn’t know about the history and conflicts between him and Lu Xixiao. She simply told him he should learn to balance work and rest and not just focus on studying.
Class 1 of Grade 11 was the top-performing class in the entire grade, with intense competition among the students. Only half of the class took leave to watch the game, while the other half stayed in the classroom for self-study. In other classes, almost everyone had left, and Class 7 was completely empty.
The city stadium was right next to Yangming High School, just a two-hundred-meter walk from the north gate.
Zhou Wan and Gu Meng followed the crowd into the venue and sat in the front row.
The seats were good, with an unobstructed view.
"The No. 18 High team is already here. Why hasn’t Lu Xixiao and the others come out yet?" Gu Meng said.
Zhou Wan replied, "Maybe they’re changing."
Six players in white jerseys stood on the court, with "No. 18 High" and their respective names in pinyin printed on the back. Zhou Wan glanced briefly, but her gaze suddenly stopped when she saw one of them—
LUOHE.
Luo He.
As he turned around, she saw his face clearly. It was the same person who had caused trouble for Lu Xixiao and fought with him before.
So he was a student at No. 18 High.
But he didn’t carry himself like a student at all—he had the demeanor of a street thug. And it wasn’t just him; all the players from No. 18 High were the same.
No. 18 High was the worst and most chaotic high school in Pingchuan.
Zhou Wan overheard the boys behind her discussing.
"Luo He and his crew play streetball all the time. I heard they play dirty. I bet today’s game is going to be tough."
"Even Lu Xixiao can’t beat him?""In terms of skill, Lu Xixiao should be stronger, but he plays too by-the-book and rarely gives it his all. Against that Eighteenth High School team, it'll probably be tough. In the semifinals, their forward elbowed him right in the face—broke his nose."
...
Zhou Wan's heart tightened.
Just then, cheers erupted throughout the arena.
Led by Lu Xixiao, the team entered the court.
They wore red jerseys, all tall with long legs.
Gu Meng screamed along with the crowd, exclaiming exaggeratedly, "Is this a male model team?!"
It was the first time Zhou Wan had heard such a description, and she laughed.
Lu Xixiao walked to the sideline seats, picked up the bandage lying on the ground, and wrapped it around his ankle.
His calf muscles were well-defined, his Achilles tendon high, and his face showed little expression as he ignored the cheers and screams around him.
After wrapping the bandage, he stood up and took off his black jacket. It was then that he noticed Zhou Wan in the front row. He paused for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.
Leaning forward, he rested his hand on the railing and asked, completely indifferent to the surrounding gazes, "What are you doing here?"
"I came with my friend," Zhou Wan said softly.
He handed her his jacket without a word, the action utterly natural.
Zhou Wan quickly took it, straightened it out, and held it carefully in her arms.
He was the center of attention, and now, by extension, so was Zhou Wan. Whispers rose behind them.
"Is Lu Xixiao really dating Zhou Wan? Didn't the forum say he picked her up after school last time?"
"Oh my god, my worlds are colliding—how do they even know each other?!"
"Damn, Lu Xixiao is seriously handsome, so charming and smooth. I'd be willing to get played even if I dated him."
"Honestly, Zhou Wan is quite pretty too, the more you look the better she gets. And she looks so sweet—they actually look good together with Lu Xixiao."
"I still think the mature, domineering type suits Lu Xixiao better."
"Whatever the type, Lu Xixiao never dates anyone for more than a month."
...
Zhou Wan held his clothes, staring straight ahead, pretending not to hear anything.
With a whistle blast, the game began.
The tip-off went to Lu Xixiao, who quickly dribbled toward the basket.
Several players from Eighteenth High swarmed him, leaving no openings. Luo He spread his arms wide, blocking Lu Xixiao's path.
Lu Xixiao gave him a cold look. Everyone thought the only option was to pass to a teammate, but they were all tightly guarded—it seemed like a dead end.
No one saw clearly how Lu Xixiao faked a move, shaking Luo He off balance.
He jumped straight up, wrist snapping down—
Swish.
Score!
The arena erupted.
The heat was on from the very start.
Lu Xixiao landed steadily, glanced down at Luo He on the floor, and let out a low scoff.
Luo He's face darkened, veins bulging, as he stood up and yelled to his teammates, "Defense!"
By the end of the first quarter, the score was 18–24, with Yangming High in the lead.
As soon as they came off the court, many girls rushed over with water—some from Yangming, some from Eighteenth High.
Lu Xixiao didn't take any, weaving through the crowd to grab a towel from his seat and wipe his sweat.
Straightening up, he looked at Zhou Wan. "Water."
There was a case of bottled water right beside them. Zhou Wan hurried to get one and handed it to him.
Lu Xixiao raised an eyebrow.
She unscrewed the cap for him.
He took it, tilted his head back, and drank.
The water level dropped rapidly, his Adam's apple bobbing. After finishing the bottle, he tossed it aside.
"Is your cold completely better?" Zhou Wan leaned closer and asked quietly.
Lu Xixiao seemed not to have heard, bending down to bring his ear to her lips. "Hmm?"He radiated heat, his body brimming with raw, surging hormones. Zhou Wan bit her lower lip and repeated herself.
He chuckled lightly, straightening up. "It's been fine for a while."
As the second quarter began, many noticed that the Eighteenth High team had changed their strategy—they completely denied Lu Xixiao any chance to handle the ball. Whenever his teammates controlled the ball and jumped, they took the opportunity to knock them down.
His back scraped against the green plastic court, producing a harsh, grating sound.
"Fuck! How is that not a foul?!" a boy behind them cursed.
"Damn it, Luo He and his crew must have bribed the ref. How can they not call that? Is the ref blind or what?!"
Lu Xixiao’s expression remained unchanged, his gaze steady and cold as he said, "Just focus on playing."
But the Eighteenth High players, accustomed to playing dirty, only grew rougher as the game went on.
Lu Xixiao was also shoved hard when he went up for a shot.
The referee only issued a few meaningless yellow cards, and the discontent from the crowd grew louder.
By halftime, the score was 48–32, with Eighteenth High scoring 30 points in the quarter to take the lead.
"This game is really eye-opening. What’s the point of winning if you have to cheat like this?"
"I heard Luo He and Lu Xixiao have had beef for years. They’re deliberately trying to provoke him. They weren’t this bad even in the semifinals."
...
Zhou Wan rarely watched games like this. Her hands were clenched the entire time, her nails leaving red marks on her palms.
Lu Xixiao and his teammates huddled together, discussing their strategy for the next quarter.
Two of them were more seriously injured—one with a twisted leg, the other with a bruised arm from a hard collision.
Zhou Wan’s heart tightened at the sight, feeling deeply unsettled.
"Mengmeng, I’m going to the restroom," Zhou Wan said.
Gu Meng replied, "Okay, do you know where it is? Do you want me to come with you?"
Zhou Wan smiled faintly. "It’s fine, I know where it is."
She splashed water on her face and stared at her reflection in the mirror.
Her mind replayed the image of Lu Xixiao being knocked down and the halftime score.
She sighed softly, hoping only that he wouldn’t get hurt.
As she stepped out of the restroom, she ran into Luo He, a cigarette dangling from his lips.
Zhou Wan tried to sidestep him, but he shifted to block her path.
She looked up.
"You’re Lu Xixiao’s new girlfriend?"
He had seen Lu Xixiao hand her his clothes earlier. Luo He exhaled a cloud of smoke directly into her face, and she frowned, turning her head away.
His eyes swept over her from head to toe, leering. "So his taste has changed, huh? Now he’s into little girls who aren’t even fully grown."
A few more guys emerged from the men’s restroom nearby and laughed at his remark.
"Luo Ge, the innocent ones are the best in bed."
"Who knows what someone who looks this pure is really like behind closed doors."
Their humiliating, mocking words were punctuated by crude, unrestrained laughter.
Zhou Wan clenched her jaw and stayed silent.
Seeing how easily she could be bullied, they intensified their vulgar remarks, each word like a needle piercing through her.
Though Zhou Wan disliked causing trouble, she was not one to bow her head and endure humiliation. After a long silence, she finally spoke calmly, "Would you dare say these things about me in front of Lu Xixiao?"
Though subjected to such shame, her face remained composed, her gaze steady and self-possessed.
Luo He couldn’t help but frown, as if stung by the light in her eyes.
For some reason, her expression at that moment reminded him of Lu Xixiao.
With a face of pure softness and a voice that was gentle, she stood proud and unyielding, meeting his gaze calmly. Something sharp seemed to pierce through her gentle exterior, emerging from her eyes.
It was as if she and Lu Xixiao were carved from the same mold.Luo He finally understood why that arrogant and cold-hearted Lu guy, who never looked up to anyone, was willing to get closer to this girl in front of him.
They were cut from the same cloth.
Luo He raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn’t I dare? You don’t know how many times I’ve beaten up Lu Xixiao, do you? Oh, right, you wouldn’t know—after all, you weren’t his girlfriend back then."
"Then why resort to underhanded tricks just to beat him? Even if you win, it’s not honorable."
Zhou Wan stared straight at Luo He. "Have you ever heard the saying: true strength isn’t about competing with the weak?"
Whoever cares too much about winning or losing is the weak one.
In the eyes of the strong, the weak don’t even exist—they have higher mountains and skies to conquer.
So from the very beginning, the outcome between Lu Xixiao and Luo He had already been decided.
Enraged, Luo He stepped forward abruptly and grabbed Zhou Wan by the collar.
"Do you think I won’t hit a girl?"
She was so small and frail, as if Luo He could snap her in half with a little force. Yet she showed no fear, her calm, dark eyes fixed on him as she forced out a sentence from her throat.
"I don’t think that. It’s normal for you to hit girls."
Luo He was driven mad by her words.
Others pulled him back, trying to calm him down. "Forget it, Luo. She’s Lu Xixiao’s girlfriend. If you hit her, he’ll definitely—"
Veins bulging on his forehead, Luo He turned and roared, "Do you think I’m fucking afraid of him?"
"But he’s reckless—he has nothing to lose. Besides, the second half is about to start. The game’s going to begin soon. Don’t waste time here."
Luo He glared at Zhou Wan for a few seconds before lowering his raised hand.
But he needed to vent his pent-up anger. With a forceful shove, he pushed her away by the collar.
Zhou Wan tumbled down the five steps outside the restroom, her forehead hitting the sharp edge of a corner with a heavy thud.
A dull thud.
Pain shot up her spine, so intense she couldn’t make a sound, only letting out a muffled groan. She curled up, trembling, as something warm slid down her forehead and seeped into her eyes.
…
The whistle and screams echoed in her ears again.
The second half had begun.
It took Zhou Wan a long time to recover, slowly pushing herself up.
Her ankle was sprained, bruised and purple from subcutaneous bleeding. It would probably swell by evening.
Her forehead and palms were scraped, with the forehead injury more severe—broken skin and bleeding, though it stopped quickly.
She wiped away the blood around the wound with a tissue, let down her ponytail, and tousled her bangs to cover the injury on her forehead.
She wasn’t usually this reckless. Just as she excelled at playing the obedient, meek role, in the past, she would have stayed silent in such a situation to avoid provoking the other party.
But after seeing how they bullied him on the court, Zhou Wan couldn’t bring herself to pretend to be weak or submissive.
Now, injured and afraid that Lu Xixiao would notice, she didn’t dare go back inside.
If he found out, he’d likely play with emotion. The referee was clearly biased toward the opposing school—if Lu Xixiao retaliated harshly, he’d definitely be called for a foul.
If even Lu Xixiao got benched, there’d be no hope of winning.
Zhou Wan didn’t want him to lose.
Leaning against the outside of the gym alone, she shifted her weight to her uninjured right foot, barely touching the ground with her left.
Cheers and screams erupted intermittently from inside the gym.
It seemed Lu Xixiao had scored quite a few points.
Another quarter ended, and Zhou Wan’s phone buzzed suddenly.
She opened it.
[6: Where are you?]
[Zhou Wan: Outside.]
Afraid he might come out to look for her, she quickly sent another message."[Zhou Wan: It's too stuffy inside, I'm going to walk around nearby. My clothes are on my seat, remember to grab them later.]"
Lu Xixiao didn't reply again.
Soon after, the final quarter began.
Listening to the sounds from inside, Zhou Wan felt her own excitement rising. Finally, a long, sharp whistle cut through the dusk, and the entire gymnasium erupted with screams. She could hear many girls shouting Lu Xixiao's name.
Five minutes later, people began streaming out.
Every person emerging couldn't help but marvel at how thrilling the game had been.
Zhou Wan waited quite a while before Gu Meng appeared.
"Wanwan? Why didn't you come back for the second half? I thought you went back to the classroom!" Gu Meng ran over and linked arms with her. "Is your stomach really bothering you that much?"
Zhou Wan brushed aside her hair and vaguely murmured, "Mhm."
"Do you need to go to the hospital?"
"No need, I'm fine now."
Gu Meng reached to feel her forehead but noticed the wound beneath the stray hairs at her temple. Startled, she pushed the hair aside: "What happened to you!?"
"I fell earlier. It's nothing, doesn't hurt."
"Such a big cut and it doesn't hurt?"
Zhou Wan pressed her lips together in a faint smile. "It only hurt when I fell."
"You should be more careful! Are you okay elsewhere?"
"I'm fine."
Zhou Wan forced herself to conceal her limp, not wanting Gu Meng to notice.
Gu Meng held her arm. "It's such a shame you missed the second half! You have no idea how amazing Lu Xixiao was!"
"Did we win?"
"We won! By eight points too. Those bastards from No. 18 High came back after halftime playing too aggressively, too reckless. They couldn't defend against Lu Xixiao, so he seized the chance to score multiple times."
No wonder the screaming had been so intense.
Zhou Wan lowered her head with a soft laugh.
Suddenly, a deep magnetic voice came from behind.
"Zhou Wan." Lu Xixiao called out to her.
She turned around.
The young man had simply thrown a jacket over his red jersey, his demeanor wild and unrestrained. The zipper was open, sweat still glistening on his skin as he strode toward her through the corridor bathed in the setting sun's rays.
Gu Meng immediately nudged Zhou Wan, frantically winking at her before tossing out "I'll go ahead" and darting away.
Lu Xixiao stopped beside her. "Your friend's quite perceptive."
"..."
Zhou Wan touched the stray hairs at her temple.
"I won," he said.
Zhou Wan couldn't help smiling. "I know."
"They're going to get food later." He pulled out a cigarette case, extracting a cigarette to roll between his fingers. "Coming?"
Zhou Wan paused. "I need to go to the arcade, so I'll pass."
The wind never listened.
A draft swept through the entire corridor, tousling Zhou Wan's hair.
Lu Xixiao's gaze shifted from her eyes to her forehead. Seeing him frown, Zhou Wan thought, It's over.
"How did this happen." His voice deepened.
"I fell."
That excuse might work on Gu Meng, but it wouldn't fool Lu Xixiao.
"You fell and got a wound like this?" He sneered. "The truth."
Zhou Wan pressed her lips together, remaining silent.
Lu Xixiao suddenly erupted in anger. When he truly lost his temper, he spared no one's dignity: "Who the fuck did this to you!"
Zhou Wan stayed quiet for two seconds before admitting: "Luo He."
He curled his lip in a cold laugh and nodded. "Fine."
The unlit cigarette was tossed to the ground and ruthlessly crushed underfoot as Lu Xixiao turned and strode away, his movements cutting through the air.
Luo He and his group happened to emerge after changing clothes, walking straight toward them.Lu Xixiao didn't break his stride, his face dark as he threw a sudden punch at Luo He's face.
He had used all his strength. Luo He staggered, nearly falling, instantly tasting the metallic flavor of blood in his mouth. Half his face went numb, completely devoid of sensation.
In the next second, before anyone around could react, Lu Xixiao grabbed Luo He by the throat and slammed him against the wall. The veins in his arm bulged as if about to burst, lifting Luo He clear off his feet.
His gaze was so cold it seemed he wasn't looking at anything living.
"Luo He, what the hell do you think you are."
His palm kept tightening its grip. Luo He couldn't even catch his breath, experiencing such humiliation for the first time.
Lu Xixiao's eyes burned crimson as he bit out each word, "How dare you lay a finger on someone under my protection."
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