SSD 33. What A gentlemen Would Do

It was a sunny weekend when Xu Fanming, filled with excitement, sat down with his parents and finally brought up the one thing he had kept buried inside. The whole family was gathered around the dining table. Xu Fanming picked up a piece of beef and respectfully placed it into each of his parents’ bowls. Then he cleared his throat and, with complete seriousness, said,

“Mom, Dad, I want to become a sports student. In the future, I want to play professional basketball.”

His mother was about to explode.

At that time, his older sister had just gotten into a university, and it was even a highly sought-after program. The whole family had finally breathed a sigh of relief and was now putting all their focus into Xu Fanming’s education. They had thought that by the time he reached the end of middle school, he had finally calmed down. He came home on time after class, did his homework diligently, and his grades had improved. It really looked like he was letting go of basketball. But apparently, that was all an illusion. This brat had been bottling it up the whole time, and now he had finally dropped a bomb on them.

Basketball? Professional basketball? What a joke.

She could not control him at boarding school, was that it? He had grown up, and now his wings were hardened? She was so furious her blood pressure shot up. She nearly sold the house just to move closer and supervise him twenty-four hours a day. Thankfully, Xu Fanming’s father managed to talk her down.

The whole family was in chaos. In the end, it was his older sister who stepped in. She called Xu Fanming and tried to talk him down gently.

“Professional sports aren’t as easy as you think. Look at the players in the CBA. Every one of them is built like a machine. And your height isn’t even up to standard. Even if you did make it into a pro team, you’d be stuck warming the bench. Just because you’re better than the people around you doesn’t mean you’re anything special. Honestly, most of you are all just average. You may feel like a crane among chickens, but you’ll never make it into the dragons’ ranks.”

The words cut deep. For a teenage boy, it was a blow to the ego. Xu Fanming felt like she was only trying to crush his spirit, and he became even more resistant to her advice. He firmly believed that hard work could make up for a lack of talent. If he didn’t have the height or build, then he would push through with passion and effort. He believed that if he just worked harder and then harder again, he could make a name for himself in the field he loved.

He knew the road to professional sports would be incredibly difficult. It would mean endless hardship and pain. But if it was something he loved, then no amount of difficulty could stop him.

Call it naïve, call it stubborn, but at the time, Xu Fanming had made up his mind to charge forward no matter what. Even if it caused complete chaos at home, he was determined to pursue sports and would never look back.

In the end, his mother cut off his finances entirely.

With not a single coin left in his meal card, Xu Fanming went hungry, borrowing money just to buy dry bread to chew on. But even then, he clenched his teeth and never once lowered his head to his mother. While locked in this standoff with his family, he kept secretly practicing on his own. At first, he played one-on-one with classmates. When his classmates could no longer keep up with him, he started challenging the school’s PE teachers. Eventually, he attended his first live professional match.

It was the championship game where He Jiang took the title.

That day, Xu Fanming saw for the first time the true difference between amateur and professional. But instead of discouragement, what filled him was eagerness. He was itching to play, full of anticipation, completely exhilarated.

He looked forward to a one-on-one showdown with that brilliant number ten on the court. He looked forward to the day he could become one of the professionals.

But in the end, his family never gave him that chance.

During this period of stubborn resistance, his mother’s emotions shifted from rage to sorrow, and finally to something closer to regret. In the year he spent locked in that standoff with his family, she lost a lot of weight, her face drawn and full of worry. She began to wonder if her opposition from the beginning had been too harsh, and whether that had only fueled his desire to rebel.

Of course, Xu Fanming’s mother was never going to agree to let him pursue sports. That path was nowhere near as easy as he imagined. Sports students endured intense hardship and constant risk of injury. Even if Xu Fanming could handle the grind, there was no guarantee fate would reward him. Compared to that, his academic performance had always been solid. Taking the regular college entrance exam was clearly the more stable choice. If he suddenly veered off course to chase sports, and in the end failed to get into a decent university, their whole family would be consumed by regret.

But even though the door to athletics was firmly shut, his mother still offered him an alternative.

They each took a step back. Xu Fanming agreed to stop fighting, and his mother no longer strictly forbade him from playing basketball. They kept the peace on that condition: once he graduated properly through the college entrance exam and made it into university, she would never interfere with his basketball again.

At first, Xu Fanming couldn’t accept this compromise. He argued until his mouth went dry, trying to convince her to believe in his ability. He believed he could succeed in athletics. He loved basketball and genuinely believed he had the talent for it. Why wouldn’t she let him give it a shot? If he could really make it into the world of professional sports, even if it wasn’t the CBA, even if it was just playing in regular league games or working as a coach, he would still be able to live a happy life doing what he loved.

“That’s out of the question,” his mother said firmly. “No one in our family, not for generations, has ever done something like this. Sports? That’s just a crooked, unserious path. You’re chasing dreams with no foundation. Do you even know your own limits? Don’t get carried away. Xu Fanming, you need to put your focus back on your studies. Otherwise, I’ll cut off your living expenses again and let you starve to death with that stupid ball of yours.”

To put it plainly, his whole family was too rigid and old-fashioned. They had always underestimated Xu Fanming’s ability and determination.

But his mother’s words that day hit with brutal force. They pierced straight into him, shattering his pride without mercy. From that point on, Xu Fanming came to terms with the fact that his mother would never truly understand him. He quietly chose to stop bringing it up altogether.

Later, during his final year of high school, his mother actually sold their old home and bought a new apartment right next to the school. She moved in and became his full-time guardian, watching over him day and night. She never gave him a single opening. Whatever hope he had for pursuing the sports entrance track was slowly drowned under constant supervision.

In the end, he studied by the book, took the national college entrance exam, and was admitted to a well-ranked university. And the moment the semester started, Xu Fanming went straight to the campus basketball team and handed in his registration form.

“That’s why I have to win this year’s provincial championship. I have to win it clean. This is my first real competitive match, and no matter what, I want to win it in style. I want to prove on television, in front of everyone, that I was right. I want them to see that I love basketball. No matter where I go, I’ll always love basketball.”

“Hey.”

A single voice cut through Xu Fanming’s tangled thoughts and snapped him back to reality. The court in front of him slowly came into focus. Xu Fanming lifted his eyes in a daze, only to meet He Jiang’s deep and steady gaze. He flinched. He Jiang reached out and helped him up from the bench. Their palms met in a slick rush of heat and sweat.

He Jiang curved his lips into a smile and asked, “Ready to try a shot?”

Xu Fanming had already been waiting for this moment.

With the ball in his hands, scenes from the match began to flash through his mind.

He looked at the hoop, but in his mind’s eye, a figure in a white jersey with the number 9 appeared right in front of it. That tall man was smiling at him with a challenge in his eyes, a single sharp canine showing as he grinned. The tension around him ignited instantly.

It felt like he was right back on that court.

Captain Fang Ruihan had been completely shut down by the opposing player’s back defense. He Jiang stood calmly just inside the three-point line. Zhu Xuyao kept signaling to Xu Fanming that he was ready to receive the ball, but his form that day had been shaky at best.

While he hesitated, the referee blew the whistle—

Beep beep!

That piercing whistle, sharp as if from hell itself, yanked him out of the nightmare all over again. Xu Fanming stared at the real hoop in front of him. This time, he was not going to make the same mistake.

His feet moved fast, a burst of wind gathering under him. Just as he was about to throw off his defender with a Euro step and shoulder feint, the white number 9’s face shifted again into the looming shape of a two-meter-tall giant. That had been the final shot of the game. Facing two towering, tightly packed defenders, Xu Fanming could not help swallowing hard, his grip tightening instinctively around the ball.

It felt as if he were afraid of losing the ball all over again, afraid of fumbling the hard-won possession just like before.

“Xu Fanming!” He Jiang’s voice suddenly rang out by his ear. “Hold steady!”

Xu Fanming shot up into the air, raising the ball and smashing it forward, forcing it past the phantom before him and straight toward the basket. The ball arced through the air, spinning as it dropped into the net.

He made it.

As the ball fell through, Xu Fanming landed firmly on his feet. He stared at his own hand in surprise, pupils contracting slightly. This feeling, he had never felt it before. So clean, so decisive, so full of certainty. So this was what a real shot was supposed to feel like.

Behind him, He Jiang chuckled. “See? You can do it.”

Xu Fanming turned around in delight, eyes fixed on He Jiang. He Jiang stepped closer and spoke seriously. “A shot taken after calmly analyzing the court is completely different from one thrown on impulse, driven by emotion. In a high-pressure match, the most important thing is being able to step outside your own feelings and read the game with a clear head. Only then can you make the right decision.”

A rush of excitement spilled into Xu Fanming’s eyes. His whole body trembled with joy. He bent down, picked up the basketball, adjusted his posture, and launched another shot toward the hoop. The ball dropped cleanly into the net.

“I think I’m starting to get it.”

“Then now,” He Jiang said as he stepped in front of him, “let’s try it together.”

With He Jiang stepping in to defend, Xu Fanming felt his nerves start to creep in again. But he forced himself to steady his breathing. The moment He Jiang dropped into a defensive stance and opened his arms, Xu Fanming focused closely on every movement and detail in front of him.

Back when he first played one-on-one with He Jiang, Xu Fanming had managed to score a point.

That was because, at the time, he had fully trusted himself. He had not thought about winning or losing, or about the outcome. That clarity had allowed him to step outside the moment and calmly observe and analyze the situation.

Xu Fanming kept his eyes locked on He Jiang and gradually shifted his weight onto his left foot. Then, he lunged forward with his right, taking a bold step outward. He Jiang instinctively moved to the right to block him, but at that exact moment, Xu Fanming pulled his right foot back. His left foot remained planted as he shifted back, drawing his right foot away in the opposite direction. He Jiang narrowed his eyes, realizing that Xu Fanming’s center of gravity had not changed at all. His earlier movement had been nothing but a feint.

In a flash, Xu Fanming pushed hard off his right foot. With the recoil from that burst, he stepped wide to the left. As the momentum shifted, his weight naturally poured from left to right. His body leaned outward, pressing his back firmly into He Jiang, while his arm and shoulder shielded the ball.

He Jiang tried to block him, but he was already a step behind.

Three clean strides toward the hoop, and the ball went in.

Xu Fanming stared at the backboard, still a little dazed. He Jiang stood behind him, looking at his unguarded back with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Then he called his name.

“Fanfan.”

Xu Fanming didn’t move. He Jiang stepped closer and praised him without holding back.

“You picked that up fast. But you still need more practice.”

Xu Fanming slowly turn his head. His cheeks and nose were flushed red with unmistakable joy.

He Jiang looked at him and felt a strange itch deep in his chest, as if some soft part of him had just been brushed by a cat’s paw.

“I think I’m starting to get the hang of it,” Xu Fanming said, striding up to him with a bright, grateful look. “Thanks. You really do have way more in-game experience than I do.”

Getting praise from Xu Fanming was no small feat. He Jiang felt a rush of happiness swell in his chest. In a great mood, he smiled wickedly and said, “So after all this coaching, am I getting paid?”

Xu Fanming blinked. “Didn’t I already get you milk tea?”

He Jiang raised an eyebrow. “You think one cup of milk tea is enough to pay me back?”

Xu Fanming scratched his head. That was a fair point. Then he asked, “So what do you want?”

He Jiang stepped closer, and Xu Fanming looked up, following his gaze in confusion.

“I want…”

He Jiang drew out the words on purpose, his tone shifting several times as if teasing him. In truth, he was still trying to decide what to ask for. He had used the milk tea and cake excuse too many times already. Maybe this was a good chance to ask Xu Fanming to go to a movie with him? That thought hovered in his mind, and his final syllable lingered unconsciously in the air.

He had moved in so close that Xu Fanming could feel the warmth of his breath brushing across his forehead, carrying a faint, clean scent he couldn’t quite name.

Xu Fanming rubbed his forehead and muttered, “That tickles.” He did not give it much thought. He just figured it was typical of He Jiang to be flashy. Who even wore cologne to play basketball?

That single word, “tickles,” drifted into He Jiang’s ear and took on a different meaning altogether.

Right now, all he could see was Xu Fanming. His ears were red, sweat still trailing down his cheeks. Xu Fanming on the court, glowing with confidence. Xu Fanming grinning and full of fire. And Xu Fanming, drunk and flushed, leaning on his back with tears in his eyes, whispering that he wanted to grow stronger…

He Jiang slowly came to realize that being drawn to Xu Fanming, getting caught up in him, felt like something that had happened naturally, something inevitable.

But even as the thought settled in, a wave of regret crept over him. Why hadn’t he taken advantage of that night? Maybe left a few kisses on Xu Fanming’s face, or copped a playful feel, just a little? The guy had been completely drunk. By morning, maybe he wouldn’t have remembered a thing.

A dark, windy night like that was the perfect time to do something reckless.

But then again… He Jiang paused and reconsidered. Taking advantage of someone was not what a gentleman should do. Lusting after someone too far gone to know what was happening was not his way.

Today, though, things were different.

He Jiang suddenly changed his mind.

“Hey,” Xu Fanming grumbled. He had been waiting a long time without getting a reply. He looked up, impatience creeping into his voice. “Are you going to say what you want or—mmph!”

Forget the movie.

He Jiang leaned in slightly. One hand cupped Xu Fanming’s chin. And then, his warm lips pressed softly against his.