Chapter 2 - Shadows on the Court
"The three of us have already merged into one!" Yu Qing’s voice boomed across the corridor, a declaration of camaraderie that earned them a flurry of bewildered and judgmental stares from passing students.
Fei Cheng felt a wave of secondhand embarrassment wash over him. He covered his eyes with a palm, sighing deeply. "Brother Cheng, aren't you going to do something about him? He’s losing it."
Cheng Yifei didn't even look up from his textbook, his expression as cool and immovable as a marble statue. He merely flipped a page and asked tonelessly, "The English pop quiz is coming up. Have you memorized all the vocabulary and short phrases yet?"
The effect was instantaneous. Yu Qing’s bravado vanished, replaced by a look of sheer terror. He mimed zipping his lips shut and scurried back to his seat like a scolded puppy, though he couldn't resist a final, muffled grumble about "kindness being repaid with ingratitude."
Just before the bell for the evening self-study session rang, Liu Yucong and his cronies slunk through the back door. Their faces were a map of bruises and swelling—shades of mottled purple and sickly green that spoke of a recent, violent encounter. They hadn't even managed to take their seats before Big Eyes spotted them. The homeroom teacher’s voice thundered through the room, delivering a blistering lecture that ended with a demand for a three-thousand-word letter of self-criticism from each of them.
Fei Cheng didn't need to turn around to feel the daggers being stared into his back. He felt entirely innocent in this matter; it wasn't as if he or his friends had been the ones to beat them up. Furthermore, he was the one who had been bullied in the first place. Why did they look more aggrieved than the victim?
However, the drama of the bullying was temporarily pushed aside by the looming excitement of the New Year’s Day basketball tournament. In a class of nearly forty boys, the competition to be one of the five starters or two substitutes was fierce. Liu Yucong, for all his faults, was a fanatic for the sport, and he wasn't the only one.
As December settled in, the air turned dry and biting. After the final bell each afternoon, Cheng Yifei and Yu Qing would head to the courts to join the other boys for practice matches. Fei Cheng would occasionally sit beneath the withered banyan tree to watch. Seeing the orange ball fly through the air made his own hands itch with a phantom memory of athleticism, but since he couldn't join in, he spent most of his time in the nearby library, losing himself in extracurricular books while he waited for them.
From the library window, the contrast was striking. Most students were bundled in thick sweaters and gloves, shivering against the damp cold of the winter season. Yet, on the court, the players were a breed apart. They stripped down to thin long-sleeves or even t-shirts, their skin flushed and radiating heat as they sprinted across the concrete.
When Fei Cheng finally emerged from the library, he could almost see the steam rising from Cheng Yifei and Yu Qing.
"Impressive, impressive," he said, giving them both a double thumbs-up.
Yu Qing grinned, his face slick with sweat, and lunged forward to throw an arm around Fei Cheng’s shoulders. Fei Cheng, anticipating the move, pivoted nimbly out of reach. "Hey! What are you dodging for?"
"You’re covered in sweat," Fei Cheng said, pulling his light blue sports jacket tighter against the wind. Even with a sweater underneath, the winter chill made him shiver. "Stay away. If you get my clothes dirty, are you going to wash them?"
Instead of backing off, Yu Qing’s grin widened. "I’ll wash them! I’ll wash them! Cheng Yifei and I just crushed Liu Yucong’s team. I just won you some major face, Cheng-cheng! Don't I deserve a hug?"
"No. Get lost." Fei Cheng darted behind Cheng Yifei’s back. Seeing Yu Qing preparing for another pounce, and knowing that Cheng Yifei—whose hair was also damp with sweat—wouldn't lift a finger to help, Fei Cheng took off running.
"Cheng-cheng, I LOVE YOU! Don't run~!" Yu Qing hollered, chasing after him.
Fei Cheng was halfway down the steps when the cheesy line hit his ears. A wave of revulsion shuddered through him, nearly causing him to twist his ankle. He might not have had Yu Qing’s raw strength, but his sprinting speed was top-tier.
Cheng Yifei descended the stairs with measured, calm steps. He watched his two friends chasing each other across the playground, his expression unchanging, as if he were carrying the heavy burden of his own "idol baggage."
Yu Qing eventually stopped to look back, waving frantically. "Brother! Keep up!"
Cheng Yifei’s face remained a mask of cold indifference. "..."
By the time they reached the football field—a largely decorative patch of grass where no one actually played football—Fei Cheng stopped to catch his breath. The three of them eventually converged, the playful tension giving way to a relaxed stroll toward the cafeteria. They debated the evening’s menu with the easy familiarity of long-time confidants.
All across the campus, similar groups of students moved in clusters, their faces bright with the fleeting, vibrant colors of youth.
However, not everyone shared the joy. High atop the chin-up bars under the banyan tree, Liu Yucong sat alone. His gaze was dark and brooding as he watched the retreating backs of the three friends. His damp bangs hung over his eyes, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing sturdy forearms where veins pulsed with lingering adrenaline and resentment.
He hated Cheng Yifei, yet he couldn't help but respect him. He could tolerate Cheng Yifei’s arrogance, but he couldn't wrap his head around the transformation of the "Fei-dog." How had that spineless wimp turned into this? He was supposed to be humble, obedient, a punching bag that did whatever he was told. Did he really think that hanging around a top student made him a new man?
*Pah!*
Liu Yucong jumped down from the bars and headed toward the cafeteria.
"Brother Cong!"
A voice called out from behind. Liu Yucong glanced back to see Yang Kaikai jogging to catch up. He didn't have much of an opinion on Yang Kaikai, so he merely grunted, "What do you want?"
Yang Kaikai offered a sycophantic smile, keeping a respectful distance of a few paces. "Nothing, I just saw you playing. That last three-pointer? Incredible! You’re amazing, Brother Cong."
No one was immune to flattery. Though his team had lost, Liu Yucong’s confidence in his shooting remained unshaken. He lifted his chin, the arrogance of youth bleeding into his voice. "As long as I touch the ball, the moment I leap, the points are already in the bag."
"I saw it! Out of twenty baskets, you made thirteen of them," Yang Kaikai agreed fervently. "It’s a shame my own jumping ability is trash, otherwise I’d be out there with you. Brother Cong, the New Year’s tournament is all on you!"
Liu Yucong didn't reply, but the slight tilt of his head betrayed his satisfaction.
Inside the crowded cafeteria, the air was thick with the smell of steamed rice and stir-fry. When Liu Yucong reached the front of the line, he realized with a jolt of annoyance that he’d forgotten his meal tickets. The cafeteria lady tapped her ladle impatiently against the counter, hand outstretched.
Liu Yucong froze, the silence stretching into an awkward void.
"Use mine, Brother Cong," Yang Kaikai said smoothly, stepping forward to hand over the tickets. "I brought extras today anyway."
The words "thank you" were too difficult for Liu Yucong to utter. He simply tightened his grip on his tray and walked away as if nothing had happened. By the time Yang Kaikai finished getting his own food, Liu Yucong had already vanished into the sea of students. Yang Kaikai sighed; he hadn't even finished what he wanted to say, and he’d wasted a meal ticket for nothing.
As he went to grab his utensils, Liu Yucong reappeared, carrying a bowl of soup. "The table is over there," he muttered.
Surprised, Yang Kaikai followed him. As fate would have it, the cafeteria was so packed that they were forced to take a table directly adjacent to Fei Cheng’s group. Yu Qing’s voice carried over with piercing clarity.
"Seriously, our class is definitely taking the championship," Yu Qing boasted. "Liu Yucong’s three-pointers are decent, Yifei is a powerhouse small forward, and as long as I handle the defense, we’re set. That 'Giant Legion' from Class 7? All show and no substance, haha!"
Fei Cheng swallowed a mouthful of rice before responding. "Don't get too cocky. Our class is strong, but Class 7 isn't made of paper. If you watched their practice matches, you’d know. Honestly, playing out in the open like this just lets the other classes see your tactics. They’ll definitely find ways to counter you."
Cheng Yifei took a sip of his soup. "They’re practicing in front of everyone too. It’s an even playing field. Besides, I doubt many people here actually understand the concept of 'tactics.'"
Fei Cheng chuckled. "Are you kidding me, Brother Cheng? Without a tactic, do they just swarm the ball like headless flies? Surely the captains arrange something."
Yu Qing frowned, feeling left out of the technical talk. "What are you guys talking about? What tactics?"
"Just the different ways you and your teammates coordinate during a play," Fei Cheng explained simply.
Yu Qing waved a hand dismissively. "That’s just chemistry! Who needs 'tactics'?"
Fei Cheng went silent, looking at Cheng Yifei.
"See?" Cheng Yifei said dryly. "There’s your prime example."
Fei Cheng stared at Yu Qing for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Fine, fine. We’ll rely on chemistry then."
When the trio finished and left, Yu Qing suddenly looked stricken with regret. "Damn it! I actually praised Liu Yucong just now. I didn't realize he was at the next table when I said his three-pointers were accurate. He’s probably feeling so smug right now!"
Fei Cheng patted his shoulder. "You were just telling the truth. Nothing to be ashamed of."
Back at the table, Yang Kaikai glanced at Liu Yucong’s darkening expression. "Brother Cong... are you and Fei Cheng... on good terms now?"
"Good terms? Like hell!" Liu Yucong spat, his mood plummeting.
Yang Kaikai cleared his throat. "Well... he’s certainly gotten bold. He latched onto Cheng Yifei the moment school started. I wonder how much he paid him to be his friend. Now he acts like he’s untouchable because he has a bodyguard."
"Shut your mouth," Liu Yucong snapped. "Cheng Yifei’s family is richer than that dog’s. You think he needs to take money to make friends?"
Yang Kaikai blinked, stunned. Cheng Yifei was richer? He’d never seen the boy buy snacks or show off any wealth.
Liu Yucong shoveled food into his mouth, finishing his meal in record time. He wiped his mouth and leaned in, his voice dropping to a low hiss. "Just wait. Once the basketball tournament is over, Fei-dog’s good days are finished. I don't believe Cheng Yifei can protect him twenty-four hours a day."
Yang Kaikai gave a forced laugh, trying to look neutral.
Suddenly, Liu Yucong remembered something. "Doesn't Fei-dog have a crush on someone from Class 3?"
Yang Kaikai’s heart skipped a beat. "Who? Qiu... Qiu Minmin?"
"That’s the one!"
"Brother Cong, Minmin doesn't even know who Fei Cheng is!" Yang Kaikai said, his voice rising in panic. "Don't... don't bring her into this."
Liu Yucong let out a triumphant, nasty laugh. "I don't care if she knows him or not. All that matters is that he likes her. Once I make her mine..."
Yang Kaikai’s face went pale. He had admired her from a distance for so long, never daring to approach, and now Liu Yucong was planning to use her as a pawn?
"Brother Cong, her grades are amazing. She’s not... she’s not our type. Fei Cheng only likes her from afar anyway. Why don't you find another way to teach him a lesson?"
Liu Yucong narrowed his eyes, a mocking glint appearing as he studied Yang Kaikai. "You’re awfully defensive of her. Don't tell me you like her too?"
Yang Kaikai forced a laugh. "No, no way. She’s just a friend of a friend. I’m just speaking up for my friend’s sake."
Liu Yucong looked at him with bored disinterest. "Whatever. I’m heading out. I’ll pay you back for the meal tickets later."
Yang Kaikai nodded, his smile frozen. As Liu Yucong walked away, Yang Kaikai stared down at his tray, his mind racing with dread. Was that idiot really going to go after Qiu Minmin?
***
