SSD 39. Qinghuo vs. Yangsheng: Adversity and Composure

The first quarter ended with Qinghuo trailing by two points.

The ball hit the ground just as the referee blew the whistle for halftime. Players began returning to their benches. Tian Yi suddenly stepped forward, taking two quick strides until he was standing in front of He Jiang. His eyes were bright as he looked straight at him and said, “So? Not bad, right?”

He Jiang blinked, then realized Tian Yi was talking about those two flashy, ankle-breaking passes just now.

Tian Yi was still watching him. He Jiang paused, not expecting the opposing player to come over and show off, almost like he was fishing for praise. In the end, with mixed feelings, He Jiang gave him a reluctant nod. “Yeah… not bad.”

Tian Yi curled his lips and flashed a toothy grin, showing off that signature tiger tooth of his.

“Last time in the scrimmage, you were the only one on Qinghuo who was actually decent.” Tian Yi gave him a casual smile. “After going up against you, I went back and specifically trained for it.”

He Jiang’s expression didn’t change.

“So today…” Tian Yi’s smile faded, and he continued slowly, “I’ll be the one who wins. Got it?”

Something shifted in He Jiang’s gaze. His expression softened, just slightly.

At first, he hadn’t known what Tian Yi was trying to do by walking over. But now it was clear. If all Tian Yi had come here for was to talk tough, then this approach made no sense at all.

He Jiang gave a faint, crooked smile. “If that’s what you think…”

Then maybe Yangsheng should be the one to watch their back.

When He Jiang returned to the bench, he found Xu Fanming sitting there with one leg crossed over the other, arms folded over his waist, glaring at him like he owed him money.

“What?” He Jiang chuckled and took the bottle of water from Xu Fanming’s hand, taking a swig straight from the spot he had just bitten. “Why the face? You swallow dynamite or something?”

“If I had dynamite,” Xu Fanming said bluntly, “I’d blow you up first.”

He Jiang laughed and dropped down next to him. “Come on, Fan dad. I didn’t even do anything to you.”

“So tell me,” Xu Fanming lowered his leg and turned his face toward He Jiang. “Why did you go talk to Tian Yi just now?”

“He came to me.”

“Whatever. What did you two talk about?”

He Jiang raised an eyebrow and replied with a completely unrelated question. “Fanfan, are you jealous?”

“Jealous of your Chihuahua ass!” Xu Fanming’s face darkened. “Your head’s full of shady ideas. Who knows what scheme you’re cooking up again.”

He was probably thinking about what happened during their last practice match with Yangsheng, when He Jiang suddenly subbed himself out. He must have assumed He Jiang was planning to go easy on Tian Yi again this time.

He Jiang let out a bitter laugh and reached out to ruffle Xu Fanming’s hair, but Xu Fanming dodged away. His hand landed on nothing but air. He Jiang pulled his arm back and sighed, “Fan Dad, we’ve at least been through that together. Can’t you spare me just a little trust?”

“T-that?” Xu Fanming’s face flushed bright red. He smacked He Jiang across the arm. “Bullshit! What do you mean ‘that’? What could there possibly be between us?”

He Jiang saw Xu Fanming still pretending to be clueless, acting like nothing ever happened. Putting on a pitiful expression, he said, “Fan Dad, used me and tossed me aside, huh?”

That one phrase nearly sent Xu Fanming into a full-blown nervous breakdown. The moment He Jiang said it, everything that had happened in that dim locker room came rushing back. The images hit him like static, making his scalp prickle all over.

“Shut up!”

The more flustered Xu Fanming became, the more entertained He Jiang was. Finally, he stood up with a grin and stepped closer, deliberately leaning in to whisper near Xu Fanming’s ear, “How about after the match today, we go and do it again…”

But this time, Xu Fanming did not give him the chance to keep running his mouth. Before He Jiang could finish, Xu Fanming bolted out of the room.

He Jiang remained where he was, watching Xu Fanming’s retreating figure with a quiet, foolish smile on his face.

The second quarter began quickly, with Yangsheng taking possession. The referee passed the ball to a player in a white jersey, who then handed it off to Tian Yi.

Every Qinghuo player snapped to full attention.

Tian Yi raised the corners of his lips as he dribbled casually into Qinghuo’s half. His movements were unhurried, exuding full confidence in himself. Fang Ruihan moved in to defend. Xu Fanming, waiting inside the three-point line, furrowed his brow. His gaze suddenly met Tian Yi’s.

Tch. Xu Fanming immediately scowled. That arrogant look in Tian Yi’s eyes was seriously annoying.

He Jiang, who had taken in the entire exchange, smiled quietly to himself. A thought surfaced in his mind.

Tian Yi had said that he was the only one on Qinghuo’s team with decent skills. But was that really the case?

On the court, the situation shifted by the second.

Right now, Tian Yi didn’t linger in front of Fang Ruihan. He dribbled decisively, breaking to one side. Fang Ruihan reacted quickly, adjusting his stance and positioning in an attempt to cut him off. The two clashed, neither gaining the upper hand. Tian Yi couldn’t shake him off, but Fang Ruihan couldn’t completely shut him down either.

Tian Yi frowned. If this dragged on any longer, he would risk a shot clock violation. It was time to make a decision.

Fang Ruihan could tell he was hesitating.

Damn it. Their current position was bad news for Qinghuo. Tian Yi was now just inside the three-point arc, not exactly the ideal shooting spot, but not a difficult one either. If he made a move right now, there was a high chance he could get a shot off.

And if that shot landed, the score gap would widen again.

Fang Ruihan tensed, bracing himself to hold the line, but Tian Yi made an unexpected move.

He flicked a glance behind Fang Ruihan, then suddenly drove hard to the right. The moment he was about to brush past him, Xu Fanming, watching from the side, also noticed a flash of white dart into motion.

Was he going to pass?

Xu Fanming instinctively lunged toward the action, but before he could close in, Tian Yi twisted sharply. Cradling the ball, he shifted his body to shield it from Fang Ruihan.

Xu Fanming froze, then instantly realized what Tian Yi was doing. He was using his body as a wall to protect the ball.

At that very moment, another Yangsheng player arrived right on time beside Tian Yi.

Sensing his teammate’s approach, Tian Yi suddenly drove his elbow back and pushed the ball firmly into his hands.

Fang Ruihan clenched his jaw, frozen in place. Why? Just moments earlier, the incoming Yangsheng player had still been quite a distance away. During those few seconds it took him to arrive, the situation could have easily changed. Why had Tian Yi chosen to back off and take the risk, going out of his way to pass to someone else?

The teammate caught the ball and immediately sprinted toward the basket. Xu Fanming steadied his breath and kept pace, feeling the pressure of being dragged along by the opponent’s tempo. But just as he thought the player would charge into the paint, the opponent abruptly came to a halt just beyond the three-point arc. He raised the ball high above his head, ready for a shoot.

Xu Fanming realized what was happening. The opponent was going for a three-pointer.

But the ball was already in the air. It soared over the arc, cutting a clean and steady parabola through the sky.

Too late!

Xu Fanming ran a hand over his face, when suddenly, the ball was swatted away mid-air by a powerful hand that had shot up from nowhere.

It slammed to the ground and was picked up by Wen Qin, who had rushed in just in time. Xu Fanming’s eyes widened as he whipped his head toward the direction of that hand.

Zhu Xuyao!

So their power forward had seen through Yangsheng’s setup. He had been waiting near the basket all along, ready to strike. That shot had run straight into the wall he had built.

It was a clean, crushing block.

That felt incredible.

That was his brother! Xu Fanming suddenly had the urge to grab Zhu Xuyao and kiss him right on the cheek. He glanced toward No. 9 on the opposing side. Tian Yi’s face had stiffened for a moment, and even his movements turned slightly unnatural.

But Tian Yi recovered quickly and shouted across the court, “Fall back! Watch the defense!”

Xu Fanming blinked. The next second, his teammates were already moving in formation to shield Wen Qin, so he snapped out of it and dashed back into the game.

With his teammates clearing the path, Wen Qin weaved through the defense and crossed half court, only to be immediately met by Yangsheng’s line. He quickly passed the ball to the closest teammate, Xu Fanming.

Xu Fanming had barely caught the ball when Tian Yi was already on him again, sticking to him like glue, a wall of pressure blocking the path to the basket.

That familiar image from the practice match returned to him. Tian Yi like a human barricade, and himself standing frozen, clutching the ball in hesitation, until the whistle blew.

Suddenly, a voice rang out beside his ear. “Xu Fanming!” It was a voice he knew well. “Stay calm!”

“A shot made after careful thought is not the same as one taken on instinct and emotion,” He Jiang’s serious and focused expression still lingered in Xu Fanming’s mind. “On a high-stakes court, the most important thing is to break free from your own emotions, analyze the situation with a clear head, and make the right choice.”

Xu Fanming’s gaze sharpened with clarity.

Tian Yi bit down, watching him, the corner of his mouth slowly curving upward. But that smile did not last long. The moment he realized what Xu Fanming was about to do, his lips twitched, and his eyes widened.

Xu Fanming adjusted his stance. His feet stood parallel, the ball lifted steadily in front of his forehead. His fingertips guided it upward as he locked onto the basket.

Power flowed through his wrist and elbow as he rose from the floor, toes grazing the court. The shot carried with it the weight of humiliation held back for too long, the pride that refused to bow, the dignity of a young man burning hot with blood and defiance. Like a rising gust of wind, the ball tore through the air and slammed clean through the hoop.

A fierce and precise three-pointer.

The energy of the match surged toward its peak.

Qinghuo’s score jumped ahead.

As Xu Fanming turned, his eyes locked with Tian Yi’s. This time, the sharp edge in his gaze had softened. He held Xu Fanming’s stare for a long moment. The confident smile on his face was gone, replaced by a heavy expression, as if he were working through something in silence.

It had been a long time since Xu Fanming had hit a three-pointer that satisfying. Watching Tian Yi’s darkened face, his own smile began to rise.

So what if you have a few flashy passing tricks?

The brothers of Qinghuo were not going to be outdone.

As long as the ball was in their hands, they still had the power to turn everything around.

If Tian Yi kept underestimating them, he would be the one to suffer in the end. That much should be crystal clear by now.

The ball bounced on the floor and was picked up by one of Yangsheng’s players. Tian Yi’s complicated gaze swept across the Qinghuo team. But instead of looking discouraged or shaken, something shifted in his eyes.

He was not defeated.

He had become calmer.

The game continued.

With Zhu Xuyao’s block and Xu Fanming’s three-pointer as a foundation, the tempo of the second quarter began to take shape. As the game progressed, even though Yangsheng continued pulling off clever misdirections and deceptive passes, Qinghuo’s fierce offense was far from just empty hype. Whatever they lost on defense, they immediately won back on offense.

The score stayed tight, with both teams locked in a near draw.

In a match where the players on both sides were so evenly matched, it was easy for things to slip into a slog of pure stamina in the later stages. As team captain, Fang Ruihan understood this clearly. The current play style could keep things balanced, but if they wanted to break the stalemate and pull ahead, they would have to find another way forward.

By the time the second quarter ended, the scoreboard had frozen at a tense “55:54.” Qinghuo held a narrow one-point lead.

Xu Fanming was already out of breath. The game was wearing them down, but he didn’t dare relax for a second. When the whistle blew for halftime, he wiped the sweat from his face and glanced toward the other end of the court, toward the players in white jerseys.

Then, he stopped cold.

Tian Yi didn’t look frustrated, or disappointed, or angry in the slightest. Instead, he was calmly gathering his teammates, standing beside the coach and listening closely. His face was composed, his expression focused.

After losing control of the situation on the court, Tian Yi gradually shed his usual smugness and cocky confidence. But he didn’t spiral into frustration or rage either. Instead, he reined himself in with even greater calm. In that moment, his eyes were sharp and intense, like a black panther lying in wait, temporarily still, ready to strike back at any moment.

A chill crept down Xu Fanming’s spine. He felt a strange surge in his chest, a force bursting forth from within.

So that’s what it was.

It hit him all at once.

Tian Yi’s mind had been focused entirely on winning. From the moment he stepped onto the court, his entire being had been geared toward that goal. He had no time to waste on anything else. Even when he was at a disadvantage, he didn’t get lost in negative emotions. Instead, adversity only pushed him to think more clearly, to analyze, to decide.

And that was exactly what Xu Fanming lacked.

He closed his eyes.

Then He Jiang’s steady voice cut into his thoughts. “Fanming.”

Xu Fanming startled slightly.

He Jiang followed up with a softer question. “Did you see it?”

Xu Fanming’s eyes snapped open. He turned his head, and met He Jiang’s gaze, a look so intense it sent a jolt through him.