Three Campus Belles Wipe My Sweat and Bring Me Water

The second period of the afternoon was PE class.

The early September sun was still scorching hot. Especially just past two in the afternoon, the synthetic track on the sports field was baked soft, and the air was filled with the smell of roasted rubber.

The PE teacher was a burly man standing at one point nine meters tall. After a simple assembly and two laps of warm-up jogging, he waved his large hand. Dismissed! There are balls in the equipment room, go get whatever you want to play.

The previously listless boys instantly exploded into excitement, howling as they rushed toward the equipment room.

Chen Zhi yawned and took the opportunity to lie down on the grass under the shade of a tree.

In this kind of weather, one should find a cool spot and squint at the young girls passing by; that was the true enjoyment of life.

Chen Zhi, aren't you going to play ball?

A soft and sweet voice came from above his head.

Chen Zhi opened his eyes, only to see Lin Wanwan and Li Zhiyi standing right in front of him.

Lin Wanwan was wearing a baggy short-sleeved school uniform. Because of the heat, she revealed a pair of fair, lotus-root-like arms. Lin Wanwan's sun protection was excellent; while others were tanned almost as dark as coal, she looked completely unaffected.

She held two bottles of water in her hands, fine beads of sweat dotting her forehead, and her cheeks were flushed.

Li Zhiyi beside her seemed a bit uneasy, pinching the hem of her clothes and hiding behind Lin Wanwan. She did not speak, merely looking at him with her large, blinking eyes.

Not going, it's too sunny. Chen Zhi rolled over, preparing to change to another lounging position. Exercising in this weather can easily cause sudden death, let me rest for a while.

But I want to watch.

Lin Wanwan crouched down and poked Chen Zhi's arm with her finger, her tone carrying a hint of coquettishness. I heard Li Jiahao and the others want to play a match against you. Everyone went. If you, the class monitor, don't go, you'll lose face.

Whoever wants to go can go, can face feed you? Chen Zhi remained unmoved.

Chen Zhi... Li Zhiyi also spoke up softly at this time, her voice as faint as a mosquito. I also... really want to see you play ball.

Chen Zhi paused his movements.

If it were only Lin Wanwan, he could still shamelessly brush it off. But this girl Li Zhiyi usually didn't even dare to speak loudly. Now that she was actually asking, refusing again would make him seem too unreasonable.

Just as he was hesitating, an extremely arrogant sound of a bouncing basketball suddenly came from the courts.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Chen Zhi sat up, looked over there, and was amused.

He saw Li Jiahao acting like a peacock spreading its tail feathers, frantically dribbling the ball between his legs outside the three-point line.

This guy came prepared, obviously.

While others wore school uniforms or regular T-shirts, Li Jiahao's outfit was simply blinding.

He had a red sweatband strapped around his head, a wristband on his left hand and an elbow pad on his right. His legs were fitted with professional tight anti-collision knee pads, and he wore a pair of brand-new limited-edition Jordan basketball shoes. Even his jersey was an authentic Lakers number 24.

This entire set of gear combined was probably more expensive than all the shoes of everyone present put together.

Those who didn't know better would think this was the NBA Finals, rather than a PE class for seventh-grade freshmen.

Chen Zhi!

Li Jiahao clearly spotted Chen Zhi under the shade. Gripping the ball with one hand, he struck what he thought was a handsome pose and shouted loudly, Come over and play if you are a man! Don't be a coward hiding among women!

The surrounding boys started jeering, and the girls also cast their gazes over.

Chen Zhi sighed, patted the grass clippings off his backside, and stood up.

Alright then, since someone is sticking their face out for me to slap, it seems impolite not to oblige.

Today I will let you all see what is called the Rukawa Kaede of Jiangcheng.

Lin Wanwan's eyes lit up, and she immediately pulled Li Zhiyi along to follow him. Go! Crush him!

On the basketball court, the two sides quickly divided up.

3v3 streetball.

Li Jiahao brought two lackeys on his side, basically his usual cronies, both quite tall.

Chen Zhi's side was much more casual. Besides him, there were two boys with glasses who usually looked quite honest, clearly drafted just to make up the numbers.

You know the rules, right? Ten points, whoever scores ten first wins. Li Jiahao shook his jersey, his gaze sweeping contemptuously over Chen Zhi's canvas shoes. Be careful, don't let me cross you over and make you fall. My shoes cost over three thousand, you can't afford to compensate me if you step on them and ruin them.

Chen Zhi lazily rotated his wrists. Cut the crap, tip off.

The match began.

Li Jiahao had the ball on offense.

It had to be said, although this kid's character was lacking, he had indeed practiced for a few years. His fundamentals were much more solid than an average junior high student.

As soon as he got the ball, he started his personal exhibition.

Dribbling between the legs, a behind-the-back crossover, followed by a pump fake.

His moves were incredibly flashy.

Wow! The girls on the sidelines who didn't understand basketball let out a collective gasp.

Hearing the girls' screams, Li Jiahao's vanity was instantly and immensely satisfied. He subconsciously looked toward the sidelines, searching for that aloof figure.

Pei Ningxue was sitting on the steps not far away.

However, to Li Jiahao's heartbreak, Pei Ningxue was holding an English vocabulary book, not even lifting her head, as if the commotion over here had absolutely nothing to do with her.

Damn it! It must be because my moves just now weren't handsome enough!

Li Jiahao suppressed a fire in his heart and turned to look at Chen Zhi, who was defending him.

Chen Zhi's defensive stance was very strange.

He didn't lower his center of gravity at all; he just stood there straight up.

Who are you looking down on?

Anger rose in Li Jiahao's heart. He suddenly accelerated, attempting to drive past on the right side.

Right at the exact moment he initiated his move, Chen Zhi moved.

Without any extra movements, Chen Zhi merely took a light lateral step to the side and extended his long arm.

Smack!

The ball was gone.

Li Jiahao only felt his hand hit empty air. His entire body rushed forward two steps due to momentum before he could brake. Looking back, the ball was already in Chen Zhi's hands.

Too flashy.

Chen Zhi stood outside the three-point line, weighing the ball in his hand, and shook his head. Dribbling is to get past people, not to polish the floor.

After saying that, he didn't even jump; he just raised his hand and tossed it.

The posture was extremely perfunctory, just like casually throwing away trash.

The basketball traced a high parabola in the air.

Swish!

Nothing but net, the basketball net flipping up in a white wave.

1 to 0.

Luck! That was absolutely luck! Li Jiahao's lackey shouted loudly.

Li Jiahao also had an unconvinced look on his face. You just guessed it! Let's go again!

Over the next few minutes, an extremely bizarre scene unfolded on the basketball court.

On Li Jiahao's side, they were truly giving it their all.

Various tactical runs, various pick-and-rolls. Li Jiahao was drenched in sweat, dribbling the ball for over ten seconds on every offensive possession, panting like a dog, and only managing to huff and puff the ball into the hoop with great difficulty.

Looking back at Chen Zhi's side.

It could only be described as a health retreat.

Chen Zhi basically didn't run; he just strolled around near half-court and the three-point line.

As soon as the ball reached his hands, as long as there was a sliver of open space, he raised his hand and shot.

The key was, his accuracy was absurd!

Whether it was a bank shot from the front, a zero-degree shot from the corner, or even a super deep three-pointer, as long as he released the ball, it was as if it had a built-in navigation system driving straight into the hoop.

The score quickly reached 9 to 9.

Match point.

By this time, Li Jiahao's hair was already soaked with sweat. That expensive sweatband hung crookedly on his forehead, making him look utterly disheveled.

As for Chen Zhi, apart from a little sweat on his forehead, he wasn't even panting.

"Last point."

Chen Zhi held the ball, standing near the center circle.

Li Jiahao's eyes were red as he stared at him fixedly.

This shot would decide the winner.

If he lost to a guy wearing canvas shoes who had been sleepwalking through the whole game, how could he, Li Jiahao, ever show his face in Class 3 of the seventh grade again?

"Lock him down! Don't let him shoot!" Li Jiahao roared at his two teammates.

The three of them immediately spread out to form a double-team. Li Jiahao pressed right up against Chen Zhi, his hands constantly interfering, some of his movements even bordering on a foul.

"Taking it this seriously?"

A playful smirk tugged at the corner of Chen Zhi's mouth.

Since you want to play physical, I'll show you what real physical contact looks like.

Chen Zhi suddenly lowered his center of gravity, his eyes turning sharp in an instant.

"Bang!"

The basketball slammed heavily against the ground, making a dull thud.

Chen Zhi suddenly stepped out to the left.

Li Jiahao subconsciously shifted his weight to follow.

However, it was just a fake.

In a fraction of a second, Chen Zhi pulled the ball back behind his back to his right hand, while his body violently changed direction to the right.

This move was called the hesitation crossover, but coupled with Chen Zhi's terrifying explosive power, the effect was absolutely mind-blowing.

Li Jiahao only felt his vision blur. His body wanted to keep up with his brain's reaction, but his legs simply wouldn't obey.

A violent twisting sensation came from his ankles.

"Screech—"

The expensive Jordan sneakers let out a piercing friction sound against the rubber court.

Immediately after, under the shocked gazes of the entire crowd, Li Jiahao's feet tripped over each other. He spun a half-circle like a top, and then landed squarely on his butt on the ground.

The legendary "Ankle Breaker"!

Chen Zhi blew past Li Jiahao in one step, leaving no one in front of him.

He didn't opt for a pull-up jumper; instead, he smoothly took his steps and glided toward the rim like a large bird.

In mid-air, to avoid a hand coming in for help defense, he used his core strength to execute a beautifully extended double-clutch layup, gently flicking the ball into the hoop.

"Tweet—"

The PE teacher blew the whistle.

10:9.

Chen Zhi landed, dusted off his hands, and without even glancing at Li Jiahao on the ground, turned and walked off the court.

"Holy crap! That shot just now was too cool!"

"He dropped him! He actually broke his ankles!"

"Now that's a real master. He was just playing with a kid earlier!"

The boys were boiling over with excitement; the scene just now was simply too visually impactful.

A "pro player" fully decked out in gear being dropped to the floor by an "old man" in school uniform pants—this was simply a wish-fulfillment novel becoming reality.

Li Jiahao sat on the scorching rubber court, his brain buzzing.

Shame, anger, and resentment intertwined, making him wish he could find a hole to crawl into.

What made him even more desperate was that his two lackeys were currently busy fetching water, leaving no one to help him up.

On the other side, as soon as Chen Zhi reached the sidelines, he was "surrounded."

"Class Monitor! Quick, wipe your sweat!"

Lin Wanwan was the first to rush up. Holding a pink towel that she had produced from who knows where, she stood on her tiptoes, ready to press it right onto Chen Zhi's face.

Her actions were as natural as an old married couple, completely ignoring the hundreds of eyes watching them.

"Ahem, I'll do it myself." Chen Zhi couldn't quite handle the girl's enthusiasm. He reached out, took the towel, and wiped his face haphazardly.

"Class Monitor, drink some water."

Li Zhiyi, her face flushed, handed over an uncapped bottle of mineral water with both hands. "It's room temperature. It's not good to drink ice-cold water right after exercising."

"Thanks." Chen Zhi tilted his head back and took a massive gulp, feeling the burning sensation in his throat subside significantly.

The surrounding boys stared until their eyes practically popped out.

Lin Wanwan was the acknowledged cute-type class beauty, and while Li Zhiyi was low-key, she was also a delicate beauty.

Did this Chen Zhi save the galaxy in his past life?

But it wasn't over yet.

Just then, the crowd suddenly quieted down.

Pei Ningxue, who had originally been sitting on the steps reading a book, had closed her book at some point and was walking over with her long legs.

She was expressionless, her cold face showing neither joy nor anger. In her hand, she tightly gripped a can of Coke still beaded with condensation.

Sitting on the ground, Li Jiahao saw this and a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart.

Could it be... could it be that the goddess saw me fall and is coming to comfort me?

He struggled to stand up, forcing a strong smile onto his face, his hand already reaching out halfway. "Ningxue, I'm not..."

Pei Ningxue didn't even look sideways, walking right past his outstretched hand.

There wasn't even a single second of hesitation.

It was as if she were walking past thin air.

Li Jiahao's hand froze in mid-air, his smile stiffening on his face. His entire body seemed to have turned to stone.

Pei Ningxue walked straight up to Chen Zhi.

She looked at the sweat on Chen Zhi's forehead, then at Lin Wanwan and Li Zhiyi holding the towel and water next to him. Her brows furrowed slightly, but she quickly returned to her calm demeanor.

"Here."

She handed the ice-cold can of Coke to Chen Zhi, her voice as clear and cold as ever. "As promised."

The entire court was dead silent.

That was Pei Ningxue!

The icy heiress of a wealthy family who was dropped off at school in a Maybach.

Chen Zhi looked at the Coke radiating a chill in front of him, then looked at Pei Ningxue's eyes that seemed to hide the stars, and grinned.

"Thanks, desk-mate. This stuff is a real man's fuel."

He took the Coke, popped the tab with a "crack," tilted his head back, and took a huge swig.

The carbonated bubbles exploded in his mouth, the icy liquid sliding down his esophagus into his stomach, washing away all the heat from his body.

"Refreshing!"

Chen Zhi let out a loud burp without any regard for his image.

Watching him, the corner of Pei Ningxue's mouth twitched imperceptibly. She seemed to want to laugh but held it back.

"I'm leaving."

She didn't stay any longer. Turning around, she picked up her book, leaving everyone with a cool, elegant view of her back.

All that was left was a basketball court full of shattered teenage boys' hearts, and Li Jiahao sitting on the ground, thoroughly questioning his life.

...

When school ended, the setting sun stretched the shadows of the teaching building very long.

After an afternoon of spreading, Chen Zhi's "god-tier battle" on the basketball court had circulated throughout the entire seventh grade.

While packing his bag in the classroom, Chen Zhi could clearly feel that the way his classmates looked at him had changed.

There was awe, admiration, and of course, a lot of envious and jealous glares from the boys.

"Chen Zhi, you really showed off too much today."

Lin Wanwan, wearing her backpack, waited for Chen Zhi to pack his things while speaking in a sour tone. "Even Pei Ningxue brought you water. Hmph, our great Class Monitor's charm knows no bounds."

"That was payment. Do you understand what payment is?" Chen Zhi shoved a textbook into his bag. "It's my labor fee for carrying her to the infirmary last time."

"Like I'd believe that," Lin Wanwan curled her lip.

Chen Zhi zipped up his backpack. Just as he was about to sling it over his shoulder, he suddenly felt something unusual in the mesh pocket on the side of the bag.

It was bulging.

He reached in and pulled out a pink envelope.

There was no name on the envelope, just a hand-drawn heart, and the flap was sealed with a cute cartoon sticker.

Chen Zhi froze.

Is this... a love letter?

Are middle schoolers really this precocious these days? It has only been a few days since the semester started!

Before he could even react, Lin Wanwan darted over to him like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on. Her large eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, locking fiercely onto that pink envelope.

"Chen Zhi!"

Her voice instantly shot up an octave, dripping with jealousy as she took on the posture of a detective interrogating a suspect:

"Is that a love letter? Who gave it to you?!"

"I'm telling your mom!"