The moment Yu Jiu saw the person’s face, four words popped into his mind: It’s really him.
Unlike the teenage boy in his memory, Zhai Chi had grown much taller now. His mixed-race features had matured into something even more striking and defined, making him irresistibly captivating even from a distance.
For convenience while playing basketball, Zhai Chi had changed into a loose-fitting uniform, with his arms and knees exposed. Having just exercised, a thin layer of sweat had formed on his forehead, reflecting the indoor lights like shimmering water, almost as if he were deliberately using his pheromones to attract attention.
The crowd watching him play couldn’t help but erupt with excitement. Some had already taken out their phones, snapping pictures and screaming in delight.
Yu Jiu hesitated.
What was the proper way to greet an old friend after years apart?
Should he just walk up and say hi?
Politely say, long time no see?
Or exaggerate his surprise in a playful way?
Without realizing it, Yu Jiu curled his fingers slightly and raised a tentative hand. Just as he was about to speak, the person on the court averted his gaze first.
“…”
Behind Zhai Chi, someone holding a basketball approached, drawing his attention.
“Jiu-ge, what are you looking at?” Yu San noticed him zoning out and followed his gaze toward the court.
Yu Jiu blinked, feeling slightly awkward. He lowered the hand he had raised a bit and turned away, saying, “Nothing. I’m going to change.”
“Wait for me, Jiu-ge! I need to use the restroom,” Yu San said as he quickly followed.
The gym’s restrooms and locker rooms were close to each other, so the two headed toward the corner of the court together.
On the court, Zhai Chi quickly apologized to the senior he was playing with, saying, “Sorry,” but when he turned back, the person was already gone.
“…”
He stared at the distant figure walking away, his gaze complicated.
A few minutes later, outside the locker room, Yu Jiu had changed into his sports uniform. Switching from his proper fit school uniform to the loose basketball attire felt odd, and he couldn’t shake the discomfort.
After hesitating for a moment, he decided to pull his school jacket back on before opening the locker room door.
Yu San was waiting outside. When he saw Yu Jiu, he gave him a once-over and then raised the small camera in his hands. “Can I take a picture?”
Yu Jiu gave him an exasperated look. “Why do you bring that thing everywhere?”
Yu San took the lack of a real answer as permission, quickly snapping a photo of Yu Jiu in his uniform. Then, he said, “It’s my hobby! Besides, before you got here, I took tons of pictures of the transfer student. Know your enemy—you want to see them?”
“…”
At the mention of Zhai Chi, Yu Jiu suddenly recalled how Zhai Chi had silently looked away earlier on the court. The memory left him feeling inexplicably stifled. He paused mid-step and said, “Yu San.”
“Huh?”
“Have you ever had a friend you were really close to as a kid?”
Yu San, fiddling with his camera, thought for a moment and replied, “Yeah! In sixth grade, I had this really pretty deskmate. I even had a crush on her!”
Yu Jiu pondered. “Do you still keep in touch?”
“Not at all,” Yu San said. “Her grades weren’t great, so we didn’t go to the same middle school. She probably doesn’t even remember what I look like anymore.”
“…”
Yu Jiu froze for a moment, then quickly let out a soft sigh.
Of course.
Forgetting was normal.
No matter how close two people once were, after years of no contact, recognizing each other again wasn’t guaranteed.
He figured the only reason he could recognize Zhai Chi was because of his name and…well, probably because that face of his was so striking.
Truth be told, out of all the people Yu Jiu had ever met, Zhai Chi left the deepest impression on him with his looks alone.
At a banquet when they were seven, Yu Jiu had been sitting alone in a corner when Zhai Chi was the first to notice him. Zhai Chi had grabbed a piece of cake and, like coaxing a pet, tried to lure Yu Jiu out of his lonely spot.
Back then, Zhai Chi had worn a perfectly tailored black suit. The way he crouched down and tilted his head to look at Yu Jiu was so beautiful, he seemed like a porcelain doll.
…But now, after all these years, there was no trace of that delicate porcelain doll anymore.
Yu Jiu suddenly fell silent, prompting Yu San to look up in confusion. “What’s wrong? Why did you suddenly ask about that?”
Yu Jiu raised his eyes and replied casually, “Just wondering. Let’s go.”
Without even glancing at the “info” Yu San had dug up on the transfer student, Yu Jiu walked out of the locker room hallway toward the court. Yu San, a little bewildered, watched him walk away, his figure bathed in light as he exited the corridor. On instinct, Yu San raised his camera and quickly pressed the shutter, thinking: As expected of my idol—even his back looks amazing!
On the basketball court, Zhai Chi had finished his warm-up game and was now resting on the bench.
He seemed restless, glancing repeatedly toward the locker room, but the person he was hoping to see never appeared.
While keeping an ear out for any sounds from the locker room, he looked at the replies to a post on his phone.
An hour earlier, Zhai Chi had posted a question on Zhihu, which now had numerous responses.
Question:
If you had a friend, and in your most difficult moment, you went to them for help, but they avoided you and refused to answer your calls, would you be angry?
Reply 1: [Imaginary friend?]
Reply 2: [Do you even need to ask? If they won’t help you when you need them, are they really a friend?]
Reply 3: [Not helping is bad enough, but outright shutting you out? That’s beyond anger—just cut ties with them!]
Zhai Chi: …
Follow-up Question:
What if your friend didn’t know about your difficulties and had their own problems at the time?
Replies:
•[What kind of problems? Can’t they just explain?]
•[Whether they knew or not, a real friend wouldn’t shut you out like that.]
•[OP, you’re the friend in this “what if,” aren’t you? Did they ever come to find you?]
Zhai Chi: …
He hesitantly typed: Does five years later count?
Replies:
•[…]
•[Five years? By then the flowers are long dead! What’s the point?]
•[Five years without contact? Are they even human? OP, be careful—this isn’t simple. Your “friend” is definitely up to no good!]
•[Why even bother with someone like that? Just cut ties and move on. Definitely don’t forgive them!]
Zhai Chi: …
Conclusion: Guilty as charged.
Not even a single thread of redemption left.
Feeling a headache coming on, Zhai Chi rubbed his temples.
“Hey, want some water?”
Lost in thought, he was startled by a water bottle suddenly thrust in front of him.
Looking up instinctively, he saw it was one of the seniors he’d been playing basketball with earlier.
“What’s up with you today? You seemed totally distracted. Nervous about your match with the vice-captain?”
The senior, Zhou Duo, was someone Zhai Chi had met on the court.
Sometimes friendships between Alphas were simple: play a game, earn each other’s respect, and they’d naturally become friends.
Although they’d only known each other for a week, it hadn’t stopped them from forming a solid bond.
Zhai Chi smiled, taking the water from Zhou Duo’s hand. “Even if I’m distracted, you still can’t manage to beat me.”
“Hey, no need to rub it in.” Zhou Duo sat down beside him. “Alright, spill it. Why do you keep glancing at the locker room?”
Zhai Chi replied casually, “Watching my next opponent.”
“…”
Zhou Duo was surprised by his bluntness and glanced toward the locker room as well. “Yu Jiu, huh? He’s actually pretty good.”
Zhai Chi’s eyes lit up. “How so?”
Zhou Duo explained, “Do you know how Yu Jiu became the vice-captain? The captain directly appointed him without consulting the rest of the team. He’s a Beta and hasn’t played in any official matches, so most of the team wasn’t convinced. But I’ve seen him play one-on-one against the captain. The captain didn’t stand a chance.”
“…”
The person on the bench suddenly went silent.
Zhai Chi stared at Zhou Duo, waiting for him to continue.
Zhou Duo turned to look at Zhai Chi and, seeing his calm and unsurprised expression, felt dissatisfied. “Why don’t you look the least bit shocked?”
Zhai Chi paused and immediately put on a show of exaggerated surprise. “He’s that good?”
Zhou Duo: “…”
Too fake. Never mind.
Zhou Duo continued, “Honestly, I didn’t expect you to agree to help Xu Shi with his game. Yu Jiu may not have played in official matches or trained much, but he’s got real skills. As for Xu Shi, he’s petty as hell. When Yu Jiu first joined the team, Xu Shi, as an old member, tried to humiliate him but ended up embarrassing himself instead. He’s held a grudge ever since.”
“You’re not on the team, and you don’t seem like someone who’d team up with Xu Shi. Why agree to work with him?”
Zhai Chi froze for a moment, fumbling for an excuse. “I’m new here and have heard a lot about the vice-captain. Thought I’d take the chance to admire his skills in person.”
“Pfft. You’ve been here a week. What could you have possibly heard?” Zhou Duo rolled his eyes. “If you want to play against Yu Jiu, why not just ask him directly?”
“…”
Zhai Chi felt a pang in his chest, like someone had stabbed him with a knife.
Of course he wanted to! But the guy had turned and walked away the moment he saw him earlier. If he approached him for a match, he’d definitely be rejected outright.
Not wanting to answer, Zhai Chi changed the subject. “Why do you think I wouldn’t team up with someone like Xu Shi?”
“You—” Zhou Duo was just about to explain why but stopped when he noticed the smug expression on Zhai Chi’s face, as if he was waiting to be praised. Suddenly, Zhou felt a rebellious urge—he didn’t feel like complimenting him anymore.
He glanced toward the locker room and casually said, “Your opponent’s here.”
Zhai Chi froze, quickly turning his head. Sure enough, he saw Yu Jiu walking toward the court.
But before Yu Jiu could make it halfway, someone blocked his path.
“Oh, the vice-captain’s here?”
The voice was dripping with sarcasm.
Walking behind Yu Jiu, Yu San rolled his eyes so hard they almost got stuck.
It was Xu Shi.
Xu Shi had a buzz cut and a face dotted with a few still-swollen acne scars, making him inherently unlikeable. To make it worse, he approached with an obnoxious grin. “Vice-captain, did you find your teammate? The match is about to start, and you’re here alone?”
Yu Jiu replied, “Move.”
“What? Found someone? Where?” Xu Shi pretended to look around, finally fixing his gaze on the much shorter Yu San. His tone filled with exaggerated surprise, he said, “You’re not talking about Yu San, are you?”
Yu San: “…”
“Wow, Vice-captain,” Xu Shi smirked, unable to hide his glee. “Even if you’re too busy studying to find a proper teammate, you don’t have to pick an Omega just to make up the numbers, right? Could it be that you really couldn’t find anyone? If you’re that desperate, I could ask the team to find someone to pair up with you. How about that?”
Most of the basketball team members present had come purely to watch the drama. Those who didn’t come either had their own commitments or couldn’t be bothered.
Letting Xu Shi help find someone? He’d probably sabotage things behind the scenes instead.
Yu Jiu ignored him and turned to walk away.
Xu Shi quickly stepped in front of him again, grinning. “No need to be polite, Vice-captain. I’m just looking out for you. It wouldn’t be fair if the game ends up two-on-one later, would it—”
“Xu Shi, you’re going too far—”
“Yu Jiu!”
Before Yu San’s temper could explode and things escalated, a loud voice interrupted from the entrance.
The crowd in the stands all turned to look, and Xu Shi, following the sound, froze with a strained smile when he saw the person jogging toward them.
The newcomer ran up to Yu Jiu, apologizing, “Sorry I’m late. Old Cao assigned way too much homework—it took forever. The match hasn’t started yet, has it?”
Yu Jiu smiled. “No, it hasn’t. There’s only about a month left until the college entrance exams. I’m the one interrupting your schedule.”
“Oh, come on. Balance is key. A quick game doesn’t hurt.”
“…”
The two of them talked as if no one else was around, while Xu Shi glanced up at the newcomer, visibly startled. Muttering under his breath, he said, “The captain?”
The person who had just arrived was none other than Cheng Yuanchao, the current captain of the school’s basketball team.
Even Yu San was caught off guard. “Brother Jiu, your teammate is the captain?”
Yu Jiu replied calmly, “Couldn’t find anyone else.”
Xu Shi: “…”
Yu Jiu’s voice wasn’t low, and Xu Shi heard every word loud and clear, as if Yu Jiu had thrown those words in his face on purpose.
Cheng Yuanchao was straightforward and pressed for time. After glancing at the court, he said, “Everyone’s here, so let’s get started. Xu Shi, where’s your teammate?”
Xu Shi was still in a daze, the unexpected development throwing him off. He hadn’t anticipated Yu Jiu bringing in the team captain, completely upending his expectations.
Before Xu Shi could respond, Zhai Chi walked over from the bench. “Right here.”
Everyone turned their heads at once.
Zhai Chi glanced briefly at Yu Jiu, then introduced himself to Cheng Yuanchao. “Hello, Senior. I’m Zhai Chi, from the second-year science class, Class 10.”
“…”
Cheng Yuanchao gave him a once-over. “You’re the new transfer student?”
“Yes.”
“Alright.” Cheng Yuanchao nodded and said to Yu Jiu, “Get to know each other, then—Yu Jiu?”
When he turned to speak, Yu Jiu was already heading onto the court without a word.
Zhai Chi: “…”
Does he dislike me that much? Not even a simple greeting?
He smiled wryly in resignation.
Cheng Yuanchao didn’t try to smooth things over either. Considering that Xu Shi’s challenge was malicious to begin with, it made sense for Yu Jiu not to care much for Zhai Chi, given that he was Xu Shi’s teammate. Instead, Cheng Yuanchao simply said, “Let’s go.”
As the teams took their places on the court, the audience grew increasingly excited.
When Cheng Yuanchao stepped onto the court, the crowd let out a collective gasp.
“Holy crap, am I seeing this right? The captain himself is playing?”
“Yu Jiu must have serious pull to get the captain to back him up!”
“Well, the vice-captain role was chosen by the captain. Xu Shi’s challenge to Yu Jiu is basically questioning the captain’s judgment, so it’s only natural he’d take this personally.”
“This game is going to be so good! The captain was my idol back in the day!”
“Let’s just cheer our hearts out today!”
The match started immediately. Despite having only four players, it was still played full-court, and neither side held back.
On the court, all eyes were on the two so-called “top campus heartthrobs” who had been battling it out on the forums all week.
In terms of height, Zhai Chi had the upper hand. He was 5 cm taller than Yu Jiu, who stood at 1.8 meters, and had successfully stolen the ball from Cheng Yuanchao several times. Yu Jiu, however, was quicker and more agile. Neither was willing to back down an inch.
Zhai Chi grabbed another rebound, spun around, and dashed forward. He moved quickly and jumped from beyond the three-point line, making a perfect shot that swished cleanly through the net. Cheers erupted from the audience.
Not just the spectators watching for fun—even Zhou Duo, who had recently played against Zhai Chi, was stunned by his skill.
“Damn, this guy was holding back when he played against me!”
Yu San, standing next to Zhou Duo by the bench, glanced at the excited senior and began to feel worried for Yu Jiu. “Senior, is this Zhai Chi guy really that good?”
Zhou Duo, immersed in the game, immediately responded, “Of course he is!”
Yu San asked, “How good?”
Zhou Duo thought for a moment, then looked at Yu San and said, “Do you think I’m good?”
Zhou Duo was considered second only to the team captain in the school’s basketball team. Not only had Zhai Chi held back against him, but even what he was showing now might not reflect his full abilities.
Zhou Duo was about to use himself as a benchmark to highlight Zhai Chi’s skill when he noticed the Omega junior beside him looking slightly embarrassed.
“Uh… Senior, I’ve never seen you play before,” Yu San admitted awkwardly.
Even if he had, Zhou Duo wouldn’t have been the focus of his attention on the court, so Yu San probably wouldn’t have paid much notice.
Zhou Duo: “…”
This junior was really not giving him any face at all.
At that moment, another cheer erupted from the crowd, drawing Zhou Duo’s attention back to the court. This time, Yu Jiu and Zhai Chi were facing off.
The ball was in Yu Jiu’s hands, while Zhai Chi was defending him closely.
The two were evenly matched, locked in a brief standoff under the basket.
They were standing very close to each other.
It was the final minute of the first quarter. After such intense exercise, both were sweating to varying degrees—especially Yu Jiu.
Yu Jiu was still wearing his school jacket. Though it was late April and the rainy weather kept the temperature low, the crowded indoor space and constant activity made it unbearably hot. But it wasn’t just the physical heat he felt.
Every time Zhai Chi got close, Yu Jiu experienced a kind of physiological pressure—a presence unique to Zhai Chi, something he’d never felt from any other Alpha.
Anxious to escape this pressure, Yu Jiu glanced behind Zhai Chi toward Cheng Yuanchao. “Captain!”
He suddenly called out and raised his hands as if passing the ball to Cheng Yuanchao.
Zhai Chi immediately reacted, raising his hands as well.
But just as Zhai Chi’s hands reached above his shoulders, Yu Jiu abruptly pulled back, halting the pass mid-motion. He took a quick half-step backward, aimed at the hoop, and leaned back for a jump shot, taking advantage of the gap left by Zhai Chi’s inability to recover in time.
“Whoa! It’s in!”
“How did that go in? Yu Jiu is insane!”
“The score is tied again!”
The crowd erupted into a frenzy once more.
The first quarter ended.
On the court, Zhai Chi glanced back at the hoop, still swaying slightly from Yu Jiu’s successful shot. His brow furrowed slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
He turned, wanting to say something, but the shooter had already walked off to high-five his teammate.
Zhai Chi: “…”
He wasn’t the only one displeased—his teammate, Xu Shi, was also unhappy.
Before the match, Xu Shi had been worried about losing. However, when the game started, he saw Zhai Chi holding his own against two players without breaking a sweat and felt smug for a moment. But after the first quarter, it became apparent that their team’s score had almost nothing to do with him. He’d been a bystander the entire time!
And tied scores? That was far from what Xu Shi wanted.
Two minutes later, the second quarter began.
Under Cheng Yuanchao’s deliberate arrangements, the game effectively turned into a one-on-one showdown between Zhai Chi and Yu Jiu again.
The match remained tight. Everything seemed normal at first, but as the quarter neared its end, the ball ended up in Xu Shi’s hands.
Dribbling to the basket, Xu Shi was blocked by Yu Jiu. Realizing Yu Jiu was too close, Xu Shi suddenly grinned.
Just as Yu Jiu prepared to stop his shot, a pungent odor—reminiscent of stinky snail noodles—hit him square in the face.
His breathing hitched, and he froze for a moment. Taking advantage of this, Xu Shi rammed into Yu Jiu with his back, knocking him off balance, and then turned to make his shot.
The force of the collision was significant, and combined with the nauseating smell, Yu Jiu stumbled and fell to the floor.
Not far away, Zhai Chi’s pupils contracted. Without hesitation, he sprinted towards Yu Jiu.
