The setting sun bathed the playground in warm gold. The rhythmic thump-thump of a basketball echoed crisply in the open court.
Lin Chen bent low, dribbling hard, sweat streaming down his face and soaking the collar of his shirt. He focused intently, silently repeating Zheng Hao's tips in his head. But after just two steps, his fingers slipped, the ball shot away with a loud smack, and his balance faltered. He stumbled and dropped to his knee, pain flaring in the joint.
"Hah! Trash will always be trash!"
A sharp, mocking voice cut through the air. Zhao Kai sauntered over with Zhou Tao at his side, hands shoved in his pockets, a smirk curling his lips. "You can't even handle basic dribbling, and you still dare enter the basketball game? Just wait till you eat dirt on the court—you'll humiliate yourself in front of everyone!"
Zhou Tao joined in, deliberately mimicking Lin Chen's stumble. "Yeah, give it up already! Stop wasting your time. Brother Kai's on the school team. Going up against him? That's an egg smashing itself against a rock!"
Lin Chen's fists clenched tight, knuckles whitening. He was about to snap back when a tall figure stepped in front of him—Zheng Hao.
Clutching the ball, Zheng Hao glared daggers at Zhao Kai. His voice burned with anger. "Who the hell do you think you are? If you've got the guts, come down here and teach him yourself. Running your mouth from the sidelines makes you what, a clown?"
Zhao Kai's smirk stiffened into a scowl. "Zheng Hao, I'm talking to Lin Chen. What's it to you?"
"Lin Chen's my brother. You mess with him, you mess with me." Zheng Hao shoved the ball back into Lin Chen's hands. "Ignore them. We'll keep training—and show them just how much you've improved."
Watching Zheng Hao shield Lin Chen only fueled Zhao Kai's fury. But he didn't dare throw punches—Zheng Hao was big, well-liked, and not someone he could afford to cross openly. He spat a cold snort. "Fine. Enjoy yourselves while you can. Come game day, I'll strip you down to your underwear." He kicked a rock hard, sending it skittering toward Lin Chen's feet before stalking off with Zhou Tao.
Zheng Hao patted Lin Chen's shoulder, his tone softening. "Don't let him get to you. He's just jealous—your grades are soaring, and you've been spending time with Su Wanqing. That's why he's desperate to knock you down. Come on, let me show you again. This time you'll get it."
He bent low, demonstrating. "Keep your center of gravity down, knees bent. Dribble with your fingertips, not your palm. That way the ball won't fly off, and you can switch directions anytime."
Lin Chen watched closely and followed suit. At first, the ball slipped away again and again, his knees scraped red from the court. But he never once complained, chasing the ball down and trying again each time.
Zheng Hao corrected him patiently. "Yeah, that's better. Lower your center a bit more. Don't stare at the ball—eyes up, scan ahead. You've gotta see your teammates."
The sun sank lower, the playground nearly empty now. Only their two shadows stretched long across the court. Lin Chen was drenched in sweat, his T-shirt plastered to his back, but he pushed on tirelessly.
Then a clear, melodic voice called out: "Lin Chen, Zheng Hao, take a break already!"
They turned. Su Wanqing was hurrying over, pink backpack bouncing, a plastic bag swinging from her hand. She pulled out two bottles of chilled water and a clean towel. Smiling, she handed the towel straight to Lin Chen. "Look at you, dripping all over. Wipe it off before you overheat."
Lin Chen's fingers brushed hers as he took it. The warmth of her skin jolted through him like a current. His heart skipped, and he quickly ducked his head, dabbing at his forehead. His voice came out low, a little shaky. "Thanks, Su Wanqing."
She laughed softly. "Don't be so polite." Then she passed the other bottle to Zheng Hao. "Thanks for helping Lin Chen train so much."
Zheng Hao twisted it open and gulped. "Of course! Lin Chen's improving fast. A few more days and we'll blow Zhao Kai's mind in the game."
Su Wanqing sat on the bleachers, chin in hand, eyes locked on Lin Chen as he resumed practice. Each time he managed a clean dribble down the lane, she clapped brightly. "Awesome, Lin Chen! Way steadier than last time!"
Spurred on by her cheers, Lin Chen found fresh energy. His dribbling grew smoother, even pulling off the occasional feint.
As dusk fell, the lamps flicked on, spilling warm yellow light over the court. Zheng Hao checked the time. "Alright, that's enough for today. Any later and it'll be pitch black. Lin Chen, you made huge strides. Keep this up, and we'll crush them."
Lin Chen nodded, saying goodbye to Zheng Hao, then walked home with Su Wanqing. Their shadows stretched side by side under the lamps, close and inseparable.
"You were amazing today," she said, admiration shining in her eyes. "Practiced so long and never once said you were tired. I know you'll beat Zhao Kai."
Lin Chen chuckled. "Only thanks to you and Zheng Hao. Without you guys, I'd have quit already."
"We're friends. Helping each other is what we do." Her voice softened with care. "Oh, right—I'll bring watermelon tomorrow. Perfect for cooling down during practice."
Warmth spread through his chest. "Thanks. I'll look forward to it."
They walked in silence a while before she spoke again, worry creeping in. "Lin Chen, you have to be careful. Zhao Kai's not the type to play fair. He might pull dirty tricks during the game."
"I know. I'll be cautious." His heart swelled at her concern. "Besides, with Zheng Hao on my side, he won't push things too far."
At her building entrance, they paused. Su Wanqing smiled. "I'll head in now. Get home safe. See you tomorrow!"
"See you tomorrow!" Lin Chen called, watching until her figure vanished into the stairwell before turning for home.
That night, when he told his mom about practice, she fussed over his scraped knees. With gentle hands, she rubbed ointment on them. "Chenchen, train if you must, but don't wear yourself out. Your health comes first."
"I know, Mom." He grinned. "But I'll train hard, win the game, and wipe that smirk off Zhao Kai's face."
Her eyes shone with pride. "Good. I believe in you. Now wash up and eat—your favorite braised pork's waiting."
Meanwhile, in his own room, Zhao Kai sat glaring at his computer, basketball strategy videos flickering across the screen. The image of Lin Chen sweating it out on the court filled him with a poisonous mix of envy and rage.
His fist slammed the desk. Yanking open a drawer, he pulled out the tournament roster and drew a big red X through Lin Chen's name. A cruel grin stretched his lips. He'd already cut a deal with his friends on the school team—come game day, they'd "accidentally" slam into Lin Chen hard enough to put him out of commission.
"Let's see you steal Su Wanqing from me after that."