SSD 52. Past and Present

One year ago.

When Fang Ruihan had just taken over the campus basketball team from the previous captain, the team was still called Huoyan. On the very first day of the semester, a new group of fresh faces joined the roster. A plain name and a simple shared love for basketball were all it took to bring them together.

Back then, Huoyan was as ordinary as a campus basketball club could be. Rather than a tightly coordinated competitive squad, they were more like a casual interest group. They played a few scrimmages after class, joined a handful of friendly community matches. The results were never impressive, but every day they spent together was full of laughter and fun.

Then, not long after Fang Ruihan was made captain, Coach Qiu suddenly walked into the gym with a thick stack of folders in hand and called them into a team meeting. That was the first time Zhu Xuyao, still a freshman at the time, saw Coach Qiu in person. The newcomers were all a little nervous.

The meeting itself was simple. Coach Qiu encouraged them to sign up for the new season of the provincial basketball league.

A proper competition. A professional stage. Real lights. The team looked around at each other, hesitant and unsure.

Coach Qiu looked at them calmly, curved his lips into a smile, and said, “We’re a team that’s been around for less than eight years. There are still so many areas we haven’t developed. You’ve seen it yourselves. Right now, all we do is play the occasional friendly or run community drills with some middle-aged guys. But that’s not all I see in you. Not even close. You’re all incredible. You’ve brought something to this team. Potential.”

The room fell still. Everyone held their breath and bit down on their lips.

“This year’s provincial league, no matter how it ends, will mark the turning point for Huoyan’s transformation. What I want is to put you on a national stage.” Coach Qiu’s smile carved itself into everyone’s memory.
“A more professional, broader, more brilliant stage. Don’t you want to see it?”

The provincial league. The provincial league. If they did well, maybe, just maybe, they could break into the national circuit. Maybe even link up with CUBA.

Spurred on by Coach Qiu’s words, the uncertainty on their faces began to shift into anticipation. During the following training sessions, they relied on the strong chemistry they had built over time and quickly found their rhythm. In the 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 drills, everyone delivered solid performances. Even the backup players threw themselves into the scrimmages with focused energy, their faces full of excitement and hunger.

Little by little, they let go of their doubts and began to brim with confidence. Maybe they really could do it. Maybe, just maybe, this was the opportunity they needed to shine, to make a name for themselves, and to live up to Coach Qiu’s expectations.

Maybe this was what they meant by “a newborn calf fears no tiger.”

Huoyan charged forward with fierce momentum and claimed the first victory of the round-robin in one clean sweep. At the celebration dinner, what surprised them most was seeing Coach Qiu drunk for the first time. He held a beer in one hand and draped his other arm around one of the players, grinning so hard his smile nearly reached his ears. Everyone was overjoyed and secretly itching for the matches still to come.

Unfortunately, the taste of victory proved to be fleeting.

The thrill of entering a real league, the euphoria of winning their first match, none of it lasted long. The tide turned swiftly, and fate began tipping its scales in the opposite direction.

In the matches that followed, Huoyan learned a harsh truth: there was always someone better out there. An amateur team simply couldn’t compare to the pros. A loose, self-organized club couldn’t hold its own against a tournament-level squad with tight coordination and strategic planning. Up against diligent players with raw talent, they felt like eggs thrown against stone.

They were out of their depth.

Because in the second round of the tournament, they ran straight into the team that had been circling the rumor mill. Kongxin.

That match remained a scar in the hearts of Huoyan’s former members.

Even before the game started, both teams warmed up on opposite sides of the court. Just watching their calm, composed opponents from across the hardwood left Huoyan frozen in place.

On the other side, even the substitute players were all over 1.80 meters tall. Row after row of imposing shadows lined up, pressing down like a wall on the hearts of the Huoyan players.

By comparison, Huoyan’s own lineup was uneven. The tallest just barely reached 1.90 meters, while the shortest stood at 1.70.

Before the match even began, a creeping sense of dread settled in. This was going to be a brutal fight.

In the first quarter, the game opened. Fang Ruihan, as the team’s core, was sent to the center circle for the tip-off. Standing face to face with a figure that loomed like a mountain, he felt his body stiffen as the ball was tossed into the air.

So tall. One-ninety… maybe even two meters?

Fang Ruihan swallowed hard, unable to control the reaction. His brain, seized by nerves, went completely blank.

The referee’s whistle blew. A gust of wind swept past his body, and the next moment, he was staring up at the empty ceiling. He hadn’t even managed to catch a glimpse of his opponent’s movement before the jump ball was already taken by the other side.

So fast.

They had been crushed right at the start. Huoyan instantly tensed up, every player wearing the same stifled expression. The tension on the court was suffocating.

But no one could have expected that this powerless opening would only be the beginning of an even more humiliating memory.

Even now, when Fang Ruihan looked back, the part of that game that stood out to him most was Kongxin’s No. 15 center, Xing Yunyang.

The same towering guy they had all seen before.

Xu Fanming blinked, listening eagerly for what the captain would say next.

“Back then, Xing Yunyang was just a freshman,” Fang Ruihan said quietly, pressing his lips together. “But he was already the offensive core of Kongxin. He’s a power player, and practically unstoppable inside. The worst part is, his style is… unpredictable. It constantly shifts. Even after an entire match, I couldn’t figure out how he thought.”

The game was already more than halfway through.

The basketball was now in the hands of a player in a bright red jersey. His breathing was ragged, his heartbeat uneven. The air itself felt like it had caught fire, searing and unbearable.

The numbers on Kongxin’s side of the scoreboard rolled again, reaching 53. Meanwhile, Huoyan’s score remained frozen at 20. The faint red glow of the electronic display flickered unsteadily, casting a pale light across the players’ faces.

“Focus!”

Coach Qiu’s voice suddenly boomed from behind. “Get back on defense!”

That shout finally snapped them out of their daze. Zhu Xuyao gritted his teeth and moved in beside Fang Ruihan, preparing to double-team the ball handler. The two exchanged a look and then turned their attention toward their opponent.

He was around 1.90 meters tall, his buzzcut giving him a sharp, rugged edge. His features looked half-Western, but his expression was utterly unreadable. The red jersey he wore fluttered in the breeze, and two white numbers were printed on his chest. 15.

There was no visible emotion in his eyes. No mockery. No pride. Only an endless, unfathomable calm.

Fang Ruihan didn’t want to waste another second. He stepped forward, aiming to cut off the man’s path from one side. But in the same instant, the man seemed to read him like a book. He spun with perfect timing, using his solid back to block Fang Ruihan’s chest, all while continuing to dribble with a calm, steady hand.

Zhu Xuyao reacted quickly and moved in to assist from the other side, stepping around to face the man head-on. He reached out with sharp timing, trying to seize the chance to intercept. His fingertips were just about to graze the surface of the ball when the space in front of him suddenly went empty.

His eyes followed the motion. The ball was already gone. No. 15 had swung it behind his back and pushed it out through the exact opening Zhu Xuyao had left when he repositioned.

The teammate who had come up to receive it caught the pass immediately and charged toward the paint.

It was too late.

Zhu Xuyao’s face changed in an instant. The situational awareness and speed of No. 15’s decision-making were clearly far above his own.

Once again, Huoyan had lost control of the ball. Fang Ruihan and Zhu Xuyao instinctively chased after it, running in the direction of the play. Just as the ball handler stepped into the paint and both defenders rushed over to block him, he suddenly changed course again. He handed the ball off to No. 15, who was already under the basket.

Catch. Turn. Rise. Layup.

The move landed cleanly.

While blocking Fang Ruihan with his back, No. 15 had still been able to keep track of Zhu Xuyao’s position. In the face of a double-team, he calmly made the correct decision and redirected the ball. There had been no hesitation in his movement, no panic. It was the kind of control that only came with total confidence. His final cut to the basket, silent and decisive, was a masterstroke that lit up the entire court.

Fang Ruihan wiped the sweat from his forehead. Through the haze, he caught sight of the name printed at the back of that red jersey.

Xing Yunyang.

“In that match, no matter how complex our setups were, we could never fool his eyes,” Fang Ruihan said quietly. “Back then, just Xing Yunyang alone was enough to keep all of us busy. And the truth is, everyone else on Kongxin was just as skilled as he was.”

So this was what it meant to be second-best in the entire province.

Xu Fanming sucked in a breath.

Back when they faced the Twin Baskets, he had already thought those two were hard enough to deal with. But now, just imagining an entire team made up of players like that made his skin crawl.

What kind of hellscape was this?

Fang Ruihan looked over and saw how pale Xu Fanming’s face had become. He let out a small laugh.

“To us back then, Kongxin represented total and overwhelming power. A year has passed since then. Their veteran players must have grown even stronger, and their newcomers are probably eager to prove themselves. Honestly, I’m looking forward to the match.”

“Looking forward to it?” Xu Fanming stared blankly.

At that moment, He Jiang, who had been quiet all this time, finally spoke.

“If I remember right, they added a new point guard this year.”

Fang Ruihan immediately turned toward him.

“A point guard? You know him?”

“Yeah,” He Jiang nodded. “He was… a former teammate of mine. Back in high school. We played a few games together.”

Fang Ruihan understood immediately.
“Yuan Dan?”

That was the second time this name had come up.

Xu Fanming’s curiosity was instantly piqued. It made sense that He Jiang would know him, but how did even the captain recognize the name?

“The moment you mentioned it, I remembered,” Fang Ruihan said with a smile. “Back then, you and Yuan Dan were known as the best supporting pair. You handled the inside, he covered the perimeter, and you two had great chemistry. So he joined Kongxin this year?”

Xu Fanming raised an eyebrow. He Jiang simply gave a calm nod, but the corners of his lips softened a little.

“Best supporting pair…” Zhu Xuyao leaned on his elbow, thinking it over. “Former golden duo turned rivals, destined to clash on the court. Damn, why haven’t I switched to sports journalism? I could headline that for UC Sports by next week.”

“What are you so worried about?” Xu Fanming snorted. “If one shows up, I’ll crush one. If two show up, I’ll crush them both. Daddy takes all comers.”

He Jiang quietly cleared his throat.

“Whoa, what are you flaring up for?” Zhu Xuyao tapped Xu Fanming on the head. Then he leaned over with a mischievous grin and made a mic gesture under He Jiang’s chin.

“Let’s get an exclusive. So, God He, if you really do end up facing the legendary Yuan Dan on court, who do you think has the better shot at winning?”

He Jiang had meant to say that a point guard and a center weren’t exactly comparable, but somehow, when the words reached his lips, they turned into, “If it really came down to it, I’m not sure I’d beat him.”

That caught Xu Fanming’s ear right away.

“Whoa, that good?” Zhu Xuyao grinned. “No wonder Kongxin is full of heavy hitters.”

With Zhu Xuyao cracking jokes again, the others followed suit, and soon the room was full of laughter. In the midst of it all, Xu Fanming sat alone, a little quieter than before, something strange turning in his chest.

After all this time, he had never heard He Jiang praise anyone. But today, when they brought up that guy named Yuan Dan, Xu Fanming vaguely remembered seeing him. Back in that high school game a year ago, Yuan Dan had worn jersey number 8. He was skinny, delicate-looking, and his style of play didn’t really stand out in a crowd.

And yet He Jiang had said, “I’m not sure I’d beat him”?

Was the guy really that good?

Then what did that make him, Xu Fanming? Just a month into college, he had challenged He Jiang to a one-on-one and got demolished five to one. Compared to that… It was hard not to feel like he came up short.

While Xu Fanming was still tangled up in his own thoughts, He Jiang’s voice suddenly broke through and called him back.

“Fanfan.”

Xu Fanming ignored him.

He Jiang tried again, drawing out the syllables with a teasing lilt. “Faan~faan.”

This time, Xu Fanming finally looked up and met He Jiang’s gaze.

“You’re not thinking about me and Yuan Dan being the ‘best support pair,’ are you?”

His voice curled upward at the end, and even the corners of his mouth lifted with amusement.

“What are you even talking about?” Xu Fanming gave him a look of total confusion. “You two being some ‘best support pair’ has nothing to do with me.”

He Jiang’s smile faltered instantly.

Xu Fanming’s face changed a beat later.
“Wait. You’re not seriously thinking about going easy on them, are you?” With how weird He Jiang’s logic could be, he really might pull something like that.

He Jiang coughed awkwardly several times, which only deepened Xu Fanming’s suspicions. He immediately pressed in for answers. That kind of reaction only made He Jiang feel even lonelier inside.

“Am I really that untrustworthy?”

He let out a quiet sigh.

The two of them were at it again. Zhu Xuyao and Pan Yuan just shrugged, already used to it by now. It wasn’t like this was the first time.

Wen Qin gave a soft laugh and turned back to the captain.

“Senior,” he said, “earlier you said you were really looking forward to this match. Why?”

Fang Ruihan smiled and picked up the dossier on Kongxin, laying it flat on the floor.

“Captain Tan Ren, center Xing Yunyang, shooting guard Peng Ning… each one of them has their own strengths and style. That game against Kongxin ended in total devastation for us. The score was thirty-five to eighty-nine. It was a brutal defeat. And honestly, considering how green we were at the time, they probably didn’t even try that hard to beat us. They just crushed us without effort.”

Cold, ruthless players like that were like silent reapers. They didn’t need to roar or taunt. They simply stripped away every chance their opponents had to survive, sealing the outcome before the game was even halfway through.

“But the reason I said I’m looking forward to it… is because this year, Qinghuo is different. We’ve got a strong new lineup. Four consecutive wins. This is not the team we were before.”

Fang Ruihan looked up.

“Maybe it’s time we faced our old rivals again. In any case, we’ll give it everything we’ve got. The rest is up to fate.”