Chapter Thirty-Eight: Don't Say Such Things

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Don’t Say Such Things

During P.E. class, the teacher was well aware of the upcoming basketball game and didn’t waste any time. After a casual three laps and some warm-up exercises, the students were free to do as they pleased.

In the past, during free time, Shi Bai would always hang out with Gao Yang by the track, chatting idly—starting with Naruto, then drifting to One Piece, and from there to Bleach.

But today was different. In preparation for the basketball game after school, Shi Bai made his way to the court, intending to get some practice in.

Gao Yang found his actions rather odd; after all, he knew Shi Bai’s basketball skills all too well—abysmal, to say the least. But since Shi Bai went, Gao Yang couldn’t find much reason to stay behind alone, so he followed him over.

Shi Bai hadn’t joined any team and had no intention of playing with the others. He simply found a ball and started shooting around by himself.

Gao Yang leaned lazily against the hoop, arms crossed over his chest, tilting his head as he watched Shi Bai play.

Shi Bai picked up the ball, spinning it in his hands. “I probably haven’t touched one of these in ten years,” he mused, looking up at the basket.

A shot from afar—missed.

A layup—travel.

A three-pointer—airball.

He took ten shots in a row and didn’t make a single one.

Shi Bai clapped his hands. “Perfect!”

Gao Yang nearly burst out laughing, doubling over, his hand thumping Shi Bai’s shoulder. “Man, you are truly one of a kind!”

Shi Bai smiled calmly. “You flatter me.”

“Haha!” Gao Yang punched his arm. “You’ve got some nerve! Now do you realize how hopeless you are? Guys like us, destined never to bond with spherical objects, should really stay out of these games. Why embarrass ourselves?”

Shi Bai replied coolly, “No, I’m joining the basketball game this afternoon.”

Gao Yang froze, shaking his head. “What did you say?”

“I’m joining the basketball game this afternoon,” Shi Bai repeated seriously.

Gao Yang smacked the back of Shi Bai’s head. “What nonsense! Did you forget to take your meds?”

Just as Shi Bai was about to retort, a girl from another class, who had been playing nearby, started laughing. “Honestly, with your level, don’t even think about the basketball game. To be straight with you, you wouldn’t even beat me.”

Shi Bai was taken aback. “You?”

The girl with pigtails and braces immediately looked offended. “What? You don’t believe me?”

Shi Bai glanced at her, then shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t believe you—it’s just that whether I do or not doesn’t matter.”

The girl with braces picked up the ball in one hand, the other hand on her hip. “Enough talk. Do you have the guts to take me on one-on-one?”

Shi Bai shook his head again. “There’s no need to rush. By the end of the day, you’ll have your answer.”

“Tch!” she scoffed. “If you’re scared, just admit it. Why pretend?”

Shi Bai sighed helplessly. “It’s not that I’m scared. It’s just not the right time—I’m not ready to reveal my true abilities.”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh, please! Abilities? Don’t make me laugh, King of Softies!”

“No! I believe in him!”

Just then, a clear, crisp voice rang out. The group turned to see Liu Feifei and Zhang Tongtong approaching.

Blushing, Liu Feifei came up to Shi Bai and murmured, “Xiaobai, I believe in you. If you say it, I’ll believe it.”

“What?!”

Gao Yang and the girl with braces were both struck dumb, while Zhang Tongtong could only cover her face in resignation.

Shi Bai felt a bit awkward and smiled at Liu Feifei. “Really? Thank you.”

But unexpectedly, Liu Feifei’s expression darkened. “What did you say? You actually thanked me!”

Shi Bai was caught off guard. “Is there… something wrong with thank you?”

Liu Feifei’s frown deepened, and her eyes grew more aggrieved. “Hmph! You’re not allowed to thank me! If you do, I won’t talk to you anymore!”

“Ah?!”

Gao Yang and the girl with braces, having just recovered, were frozen again.

Only then did Shi Bai recall—the system’s rule was the opposite. He couldn’t be kind to Liu Feifei, only bad. So he waved his hand sternly and barked, “You, woman, go to the shop and buy me two bottles of water—get the sports drink, not mineral water!”

“Yes!” Liu Feifei immediately stood on tiptoe in a salute, eyes sparkling with little hearts. “Right away!” She dashed off to the shop.

Gao Yang and the girl with braces, thawing out once more, instantly turned to stone again.

“This world has gone insane. Completely mad!”

...

“I don’t believe it!” After gulping down the sports drink, Gao Yang grabbed Shi Bai by the shoulders and shook him as if Shi Bai were a jujube-laden tree. “You’re so hopeless, and I’m so handsome! Why would Liu Feifei fall for you?!”

Shi Bai burst into laughter. “Perhaps I possess a charm invisible to others?”

“Charm? You’re just plain foolish!” Gao Yang protested, still unwilling to accept it.

Shi Bai thought to himself that this guy wouldn’t be able to accept the truth for a while—after all, in his eyes, Shi Bai had always been inferior. So he grinned and said, “Maybe I’m ugly, but Liu Feifei is blind?”

Gao Yang suddenly stood up and laughed. “Exactly! That must be it! Otherwise, how could anyone ever like you?”

Shi Bai could only nod helplessly. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right.”

The afternoon classes soon came to an end. As the bell rang, everyone started packing up, ready to head out.

At that moment, the class monitor, Sun Wencai, stepped onto the podium.

“Bang!” He struck the desk. “Everyone, don’t leave yet!”

The students paused, curious about what he had to say.

Sun Wencai adjusted his thin-rimmed glasses. “There’s a basketball game for our class today. Don’t go home yet—let’s all go cheer for our team!”

“Alright!” A few responded enthusiastically, but most didn’t react.

Then, some boys in the back row muttered, “What’s the point? You all know how bad we are—always dead last.”

“Yeah! And this time our opponents are Class Six, last semester’s champions. With Li Xiujie on their team, there’s no way we can win.”

“That’s right. I still remember the last score—50 to 9. Utter humiliation…”

Hearing this, the class’s spirits plummeted. Even the basketball players, who had been a bit fired up, hung their heads.

The class monitor looked helpless. “But… we can’t just give up, can we? Wouldn’t that be even more embarrassing?”

“What’s so embarrassing about that?” Gao Wenqiang, who hadn’t spoken much lately, suddenly piped up. “Better than getting thrashed in public.” As he spoke, he looked at Shi Bai with aggrieved eyes.

Hearing this, everyone fell silent. Maybe forfeiting wouldn’t look quite as bad.

The classroom fell into a deathly hush…

“Do as you like!” a tall boy in the back said impatiently. “I’m going home anyway!” He swung his backpack onto his shoulders and made for the door.

“Wait!”

At that moment, Shi Bai, who had been silent at his desk all along, spoke up. “No one leaves. Today, let me lead you all to victory.”