Chapter 3: Getting Familiar with Basketball

  "It's really disappointing today, if I hadn't been punished with standing, it would have been a very happy class."

  "It's just that basketball is quite interesting."

  "Alright, you call that playing basketball? I'll teach you tomorrow."

  "Want to try? Not tomorrow, let's settle it after school today."

  "Okay, I'll ask the teacher for a ball this afternoon."

  "Ah! I'm going too!"

  "Count me in, this time we're going to have a good fight."

  Listening to the debate of other classmates, it turns out that they also have an interest in basketball, great, now I won't be excluded and lonely anymore, because I will have a common topic with others on "body", which is basketball.

  It was finally time for school to let out, and some of the boys didn't go home but instead gathered on the basketball court. Some girls also came to watch the excitement.

  "Many people have come, so I'll choose ten of them. You and I will form a team each and have a serious competition. How about it?" Li Nang first issued the challenge to Wu Zhihai.

  "Of course, no problem, apart from us two, let's choose eight more people, five in each team, we'll play the whole game."

  "No problem, I'll start selecting people then. Wang Xu, Li Chao, Zhang Cong, Liu Wenbin..."

  I think if Li Nan had seen my performance in the morning's three-on-three competition, he would have looked at me with new eyes and chosen me to participate in this match. But he kept calling out names until the seventh person, without even giving me a glance.

  "Add me one!" This sentence burst out of my mouth unconsciously. I am a person who has never known how to fight for myself, but this time I know it's because I enjoyed the feeling of snatching the ball in the morning too much, that kind of feeling that has never been better and better on "body" as I played more and more, so I decided to fight for an opportunity for myself. I know I can't hold the ball, but I believe my rebounding technique will conquer them and get their recognition. I yearn for recognition in "body".

  "Song Jiayu, come here."

  Li Nan reported the last name in his mind. Mobile phone mobile terminal first launch address: Did he not hear me speaking? My voice was not small, and I was very close to him. What's even more frightening is that it wasn't just him who ignored my request, but all the classmates present seemed to have ignored what I said, as if I didn't exist. No, there was still one person who noticed me.

  "With you like this, still thinking of playing basketball? You're just a fool dreaming. You'll never have the qualifications for it, understand? Your body isn't up to par, and in every aspect, you definitely won't make it. Don't go out there and humiliate yourself!" The speaker was Zhang Han, someone I'd rather not exist.

  "Alright, let's set the rules first, not everyone knows them. After picking up the ball, you must dribble while moving, holding the ball for no more than three steps is not allowed, and you can't slap the ball with both hands at the same time. When defending, you're not allowed to pull or drag your opponent, nor can you hit them with your hand..."

  To be honest, I don't fully understand these rules either. It's a good opportunity to learn them well, but now I'm not listening to anything, just standing there stupidly. In my heart, I'm thinking of Zhang Han's words: in every aspect, I'm not up to par, and on the court, I'm also a disappointment. I'll never be qualified to play basketball!

  "Pass the ball! Over here! Over here!"

  "Give me the ball!"

  "Are you blind?"

  "Oh YES! I'm in! I'm in!"

  I stood at the edge of the court, quietly watching their "performance" on the field. Li Nan is indeed a sports talent, it was everyone's first time playing basketball, and he played the most stylishly, using his speed and power advantages to sprint around the court, able to grab and run, and made precise passes and shots, scoring 6 points in the end. Looking at others, Wu Zhihai did okay, scoring 2 points. Wang Xu, Li Chao, Liu Wenbin, Zhang Cong, and Song Jiayu at least managed to strictly follow the rules. The remaining three were just there to accompany the prince to read books. In the end, Li Nan's team won.

  "Wu Zhihai, remember to help me with my homework! One! Star! Period! Did you hear that?" Li Nan said with a big laugh and left. Wu Zhihai was unwilling but could only silently accept. Slowly everyone dispersed, after all it wasn't early anymore, going back too late would get them scolded by their parents. The basketball court was left with just me and the ball.

  "Clumsy people, it's okay, the ball is here, I can play by myself for a while. Although it's just me, this quiet environment is also rare, at least no one will come to mock me." I thought to myself, picked up the basketball, patted it, shot it, and recalled Li Nang's movements from the game earlier, trying my best to imitate them. This morning, I still thought it was just a game of snatching the ball, but unexpectedly, practicing by myself is actually quite difficult. The ball would fly out of my hands after patting it for a while; shooting, okay, I admit that's just throwing the ball, twenty times and not once did it go in.

  "You're just like that, you never had any athletic cells to begin with, no matter how hard you try it's useless. You're an idiot!"

  Who's speaking? Is there a ghost? It scared me half to death. I frantically searched around.

  "I'm over here! I didn't know your observational skills were also this bad." Wu Zhihai walked over from the stone bench behind the basketball hoop.

  "When were you there? Or did you just not leave at all?"

  "I've been here all along, you just didn't notice."

  "Why didn't you leave?"

  "Angry and in a bad mood, I actually lost to Li Nan."

  "To be honest, I think you're actually not as good as Li Nan."

  "Bullshit! What's wrong with my level not being higher than his? Look at the people on their team, at least they understand the rules. And what about our team? Three idiots who can't even dribble, and Wang Xu is only slightly better, but still nothing special. I'm not afraid of god-like opponents, but I am afraid of pig-like teammates."

  "You also played alone and didn't coordinate with them."

  "Nonsense! How can we cooperate with them? Giving them the ball is just asking to lose!"

  "Aren't you leaving?"

  "What? You guys don't take me with you when you go out and play, so I can only practice by myself after all of you have left."

  "I just saw it earlier, what a waste of time, no matter how hard they try, there's no effect, but there's one thing you might be able to help me with, at least you're better than them."

  "What?!" I suddenly became excited.

  "Snatch the rebound. I found out you're good at snatching this morning, and in this afternoon's match, I also discovered that rebounds are very important in the game. Snatching a rebound can either organize an offense or end the opponent's offense, and only you can do it, come help me."

  "Go! No problem." I was excited beyond words in my heart, finally someone saw my advantages and recognized me to play with me.

  "Alright then, I'll let you play tomorrow."

  "Good!"

  I think my spring has arrived, I will no longer be lonely and excluded because of my "body". I finally have my own teammate, Wu Zhihai, thank you.

  On the second day, Wu Zhihai came to Li Nan early in the morning during self-study time.

  "Continue today."

  "Continue? What continue?" Li Nan was a bit dazed.

  "Is it more exciting than basketball? How about today at noon, dare or not?"

  "What am I arguing with you for? Didn't you just lose yesterday?"

  "Damn it! Are you going to count yesterday's loss against me today too? Does that mean I'll be losing to you for the rest of my life? People can grow and improve, don't you get it?"

  "This I understand, but...but you're progressing too fast, aren't you? You have to know that basketball is a kind of sports competition, not something you can surpass me in just by throwing a tantrum for one night."

  "Cut the crap, are you coming or not?"

  "Haha, joke? What am I afraid of? Isn't it just letting you lose again? This time let you admit defeat willingly."

  "Is it? First, let me warn you, beware of my secret weapon."

  "Huh? You've got a secret weapon now? Are you going to ask an upperclassman?"

  "It's our classmate, just you wait."

  "Huh? Then I'll take a look. I'm waiting."

  "Go and take a look."