Chapter Fifty-Two: The First Battle at Year’s End (Part Two)

“Old Cai, so what do you think? Did you fail? Did you get the note I tossed to you earlier? That was from our class vice rep, hey, it’s super useful. I feel like next semester I’ll definitely snag a third-class scholarship at least.”

The exam had just ended, and once again Cai Aihong had to endure Wang Zhaohui’s “ear bombardment.” Though Wang Zhaohui was indeed quite the “warm-hearted guy,” only those who really knew him understood that he was actually a “reserved flirt,” a textbook Taurus.

“Damn it, you’re still talking about it? How did you even throw it over? I’m sitting in the front row—the front row! Do you know how hard I prepared for this? And your ‘accurate’ throw ended up getting the invigilator’s attention, who stared at me the whole day. If I fail and have to retake the exam, you’re paying my fees!”

Cai Aihong truly felt wronged. He was a special admission for athletics, and under normal circumstances, no teacher would make things difficult for him. But now, thanks to Wang Zhaohui’s note landing squarely on the invigilator’s face, he’d become the target.

“Oh, come on, don’t say that. I’m really sorry, I swear it wasn’t on purpose. You know my family drills me hard, right? When I practice shooting, I’ve built up some habits, so I threw a bit too forcefully. Don’t worry, if you end up failing, I’ll talk to Old Gui for you. He’s easy to deal with, he’ll definitely make an exception.”

Old Gui, as Wang Zhaohui referred to him, was their course’s teacher, an old man nearing retirement. He was a loyal basketball fan and always looked out for the members of the school team.

“I heard from Coach Xue, after the exam our first warm-up match is against our own school. So, do you think we’ll go all out, or go all out?”

“There’s no question about it. Haven’t you had enough of those team guys bullying you? I’m definitely going all in.”

The two discussed their upcoming warm-up match opponent. For them—both former borderline players of the Finance University team—it was a perfect “revenge” opportunity. They’d both been bullied by core players before, which was the norm, especially given Cai Aihong’s stubborn temperament.

As the first warm-up game approached, Wang Lei didn’t deliberately drill the players on any specific tactics. Everything remained focused on routine training. Though he appeared calm, the others were more or less flustered.

For many on the team, this was their first real test since joining this “ill-fated” squad, and it left them feeling uncertain and insecure.

“Coach, how are we supposed to play the upcoming game?” This was the question the players from the provincial youth team most wanted to ask Wang Lei two hours before their first warm-up match.

But Wang Lei remained silent, which made everyone begin to doubt him. Up to now, it seemed he hadn’t done anything at all.

Though it was just a warm-up, their opponent—the Borderland Finance University—handled it as a formal event. They issued announcements on campus, filed reports with the provincial sports administration, and even promoted the match in nearby residential communities. After all, they intended to step on others to climb up, so promotions were essential.

So, when the provincial youth team started warming up in the gym, the packed Finance University Sports Arena surprised many. Finance University was never considered a strong team, never once making the top sixty-four in the collegiate league. Usually, their basketball games didn’t draw so many spectators, and the stands were never full.

This time, though, the provincial youth team had recently gained some online fame—everyone wanted to see what their most talented head coach was like. Finance University’s publicity was effective, and with the holidays approaching, many students were idle after exams.

In the locker room, all the players who had finished warming up sat silently in their seats, the atmosphere heavy.

“Lei, maybe you should say something?” Xue Yongjiang was itching to speak up but had to consider the head coach’s mood.

“Haha, why is everyone so solemn? Is this some big event? The World Championship finals, or the Olympic finals?”

“Come on, it’s just a warm-up against an obscure team in the province. Guys, don’t wear those long faces, loosen up. Basketball should be fun, let your dopamine flow freely—just like you do in training. Be bold.”

“Afraid of losing and being embarrassed? Haha, I’m not worried, why should you be? Who out there even knows who you are? Maybe they know me more than you—except for Cai Aihong and Wang Zhaohui; those two belong to this school. Let’s have a moment of silence for them, haha.”

Seeing the players were a bit too tense, Wang Lei tried some tricks. Though the effect was limited, he at least got a few to laugh. After all, in this match, the most famous figures were Wang Lei, Cai Aihong, and Wang Zhaohui—the former had built quite the reputation online, while the latter two were fringe players of the school team.

What’s more relaxing than hearing about someone else’s misfortune? Even though many would soon have to face their alma mater’s team, at that moment, they laughed at Cai Aihong and Wang Zhaohui’s predicament, especially since Finance University had widely publicized the event.

Once the players finally relaxed, Wang Lei began outlining his plan for the match.

“I don’t care about the result, but I do have expectations for how you play. On every possession, attack as you do in training—never more than fifteen seconds. I know the college league allows thirty seconds per possession, but you need to take advantage of that.”

“What if we go over fifteen seconds, Coach?”

As usual, it was the single-minded Cai Aihong who asked.

“If you go over fifteen seconds, give the ball to the other team.”

Wang Lei’s answer left everyone stunned. Was he planning some big headline?

Unknown team hands out gifts on the court—every possession over time, the ball goes to the opponent. That was the news headline players imagined after hearing Wang Lei’s response.

“We really give it to them?”

“Really. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility. Just remember what I told you—when you’re young, there’s no such thing as failure.”

Wang Lei stood firm, as if neither his own nor the team’s reputation concerned him in the slightest.