Chapter 9
When Ning Er went out in the morning, Grandma Shao had just opened the door and sent out Shao Bai Han.
Ever since Shao Bai Han left, Ning Er rarely went to Grandma Shao’s house to play.
Seeing Ning Er, Grandma Shao happily said: “If he dares bully you, Xiao Er, you tell it to this grandmother. Grandma will help you on teaching him.”
Ning Er nodded gently, but in his mind: I didn’t see you teach Shao Bai Han a lesson when we were still a child ah…
The district was very close to the school, and the two boys walked to the school, showed their student ID and went inside to practice basketball.
Ning Er actually sent a message to Shao Bai Han yesterday, that he wanted the latter to help him practice basketball in the school this weekend, and Shao Bai Han very readily agreed to it. But to think that there were only two people in the school, Ning Er was a little nervous. He was holding the basketball and was feeling awkward.
On the other hand, Shao Bai Han just calmly put the basketball on his fingers and started spinning it. After walking to the basketball court, he turned to look at Ning Er: “Would you like to try dribbling first?”
Ning Er: “En.”
Throughout the weekend, Ning Er tried hard on practicing basketball.
After the preliminary round on Friday, the sport committees of all classes went to draw lots again, and class four and class ten were assigned to play against each other. Did not know if it was a luck or a bad luck to say that class four didn’t atleast matched against class six. However, the strength of class ten was also very strong. If class four still wanted to continue, the chances of winning were very small.
And Ning Er didn’t want to drag down the class.
Although it was Shao Bai Han who wanted him to sign up and participate in the competition, Ning Er still wanted to participate till the end. Their class four had been getting along very well in the past year, his classmates were harmonious. If everyone participated and he didn’t join, he would also be very upset.
Shao Bai Han helped him make a choice, so he didn’t refuse anymore. Maybe he wouldn’t be as strong as Jiang Chen and Shao Bai Han, but he would definitely do his best.
Shao Bai Han sat on a plastic stool on the edge of the basketball court, wearing a white sportswear, and quietly observing Ning Er’s every action. He even put the basketball on his lap and looked at Ning Er intently, mouth slightly tilting.
After practicing a few layups and throw balls, Ning Er turned his head and just happened to see Shao Bai Han smiling while looking at him.
Ning Er felt that his face became a bit hot.
He braced himself and asked: “Why are you looking at me?”
Shao Bai Han answered casually: “If I don’t look at you, then who will help you adjust your movements and do targeted trainings ah?”
Hearing him say that, Ning Er could only say: “You’re obviously just being lazy. You’ve been sitting there for nearly 10 minutes.”
Shao Bai Han didn’t even sweat, instead the smile on his lips became deeper and deeper: “This position is good ah, I can look at you very carefully. What do you want me to do then? Do you want me to give you a one-on-one special training?” After saying it, Shao Bai Han threw the ball on one side, strode to Ning Er, pulled his hand skillfully and hugged him from behind. His voice was low as he whispered: “Well then, let’s start the one-on-one special training. Anyway, no need to be shy, I’ve seen all of them… By the way, I’m talking about basketball.”
Ning Er’s ears were as red as blood.
What was wrong with Shao Bai Han ah?!!
Although Shao Bai Han loved to joke and always bully Ning Er, his basketball level was really high. After being taught by him, Ning Er’s ability to control the basketball became slightly stronger. In the 1V1 battle between the two of them for several days, Shao Bai Han failed twice on snatching the ball from his hand.
This was already a huge improvement.
Ning Er went to school on Monday, and was thinking that he might needed to help the math teacher on correcting the test papers today and wouldn’t be able to play with Shao Bai Han, when Jiang Chen’s resentful voice suddenly rang from behind: “Ning… Er… ah…”
Ning Er almost jumped up. After seeing who was it, he asked: “What happened to you? You seem to be in a very bad mood.”
Jiang Chen dropped the bag on his table, and looked at Ning Er with grief and anger. He didn’t say anything for half a day, and then: “Last Friday, I was calling you several times but you didn’t even turn around nor talk to me.”
Ning Er was stunned, he thought for a moment and then said: “That day… that day Shao Bai Han just suddenly pulled me away. I was a little anxious, I probably didn’t notice you.”
Jiang Chen actually didn’t care about it at all. He groaned and sullenly asked: “That day, I saw you and Shao Bai Han… and that Liu Xiao Meng of class seven walking together. Ning Er, how come I never heard it from you that you know Liu Xiao Meng?”
Ning Er asked in surprise: “I didn’t tell you?”
Jiang Chen nodded constantly and added with anger: “You did not!”
Thus, Ning Er explained his relationship with Shao Bai Han and Liu Xiao Meng. After hearing it till the end, Jiang Chen unintentionally asked: “What did Liu Xiao Meng ask you last Friday?”
Ning Er didn’t answer, but quietly stared at Jiang Chen for a while. Then he asked: “Do you like her?”
Jiang Chen’s face turned red and he also didn’t speak.
Ning Er couldn’t help but smile.
Jiang Chen was furious: “I’m not the only one in our class who likes Liu Xiao Meng!”
Ning Er nodded while thinking: En, their classmates seem to like Shao Bai Han as well.
He said seriously: “You will definitely catch up with Liu Xiao Meng. You must chase her, Jia you!”
Jiang Chen: “You… You don’t like her?”
Ning Er was shocked and asked: “Who said that I like her?”
Jiang Chen happily shouted and ran to the group of boys in their classroom, and said: “You all said that there is a rumor that Liu Xiao Meng secretly loves Ning Er! Ning Er doesn’t like her at all. What I’m saying is, it’s impossible for Ning Er to like Liu Xiao Meng, this type who doesn’t know how to be fond and protective of women. We still have a chance!”
Ning Er: “…” Liu Xiao Meng likes Shao Bai Han! Forget it. He didn’t really know how to be fond of women anyway and he wouldn’t tell them the truth.
The special training finished after a week. On Friday before the opening of the basketball game, Shao Bai Han went to Ning Er and said softly: “You’ll do what I had taught you to do. I’ve seen their class, the tall members strength are a bit high but their technique is not very good. Your class will win this time.”
Ning Er felt a little confidence, he nodded but his mind was thinking: As long as the class doesn’t lose points.
While this time, Shao Bai Han’s class met a very poor-level class amongst 23 classes. He played in the first half, and directly changed in the second half of the game, letting the other substitute players to play.
In the middle of a warm and noisy basketball court, Shao Bai Han wiped his sweat with a towel, and took the mineral water that was handed over by the cheerleaders in the same class and casually drank a mouthful. He watched the movements of his teammates, and after watching it for a while, the score had been extended to more than forty points. He then simply turned around to go to the basketball court of class four.
The basketball level of class four and ten were very similar. It was obvious that the game would be fierce and there would be lots of onlookers.
Shao Bai Han had been a man of the hour in Yanzhong. So when he strode in the front while wearing a white jersey, lots of students quietly looked at him.
(T/N: A person who is in the center of attention for a specific reason.)
Shao Bai Han turned a blind eye to these sights and went straight to class four and ten areas. While walking to the basketball court of class four, he suddenly heard a roar: “What?! I didn’t foul! It’s obvious that he himself inexplicably ran out, its none of my business!”
The author has something to say:
Ning Er: You… You’ve never seen it!
Shao Bai Han: Didn’t we take a bath together when we were kids~
Shem's Translation 