Chapter 21: “Did I Pull You Too Hard?”

It was praise delivered in a childish tone.

With zero attempt to hide it.

Pei Yan had heard plenty of praise, both overt and subtle, from all sorts of people. Naturally, he’d also caught the curses and gossip muttered to his face or behind his back. But he never paid them any mind.

There was no reason to let others’ moods sway him.

Yet facts proved that exceptions existed to every rule.

Perhaps because the words weren’t spoken aloud but overheard anyway, the impact hit a little differently.

Considering the guy had just started his senior year of high school, Pei Yan thought, he’s still just a kid.

Second half.

Sure enough, just as Pei Yan had predicted, even though Shen Ju stuck to defending Ma Rui like glue, Ma Rui had adjusted based on prior experience. And the guy had no shame—if he couldn’t match Shen Ju’s strength head-on, he’d flirt with fouls on the edge, breaking through the defense several times and helping his team claw back a bunch of points.

Pei Yan had been the star of the first half, marked tightly the whole time.

In the second half, his scoring clearly dropped off.

Though Ma Rui’s side revolved around him, their teamwork was solid.

Unlike Ke Sheng’s crew—what kind of ragtag bunch had he scraped together? These two didn’t know each other, those two had beef; they played like it was awkward city, grinding against each other with creaks and squeaks. If not for smart tactics and the fact that every one of them—Shen Ju aside—was a solid player on their own, they wouldn’t have lasted the first half.

But now, with the second half winding down, things looked dicey.

The score was neck-and-neck, even tighter than the first half.

And time was running out.

Just one more shot left.

This ball would decide win or lose.

Luckily, Pei Yan snatched it.

But he was defended too heavily, no chance to shoot. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ma Rui barreling through Shen Ju’s line—fouling or not—straight at him.

Only ten seconds or so remained.

If Ma Rui’s team got this one, they could snatch victory from defeat.

Pei Yan was completely shut down.

He dropped his gaze, wrist snapping as he dribbled.

Then a fake-out, and he hurled the ball toward Pei Haochuan??

“Catch!”

Pei Haochuan was also covered, not in position to shoot.

But his spot was perfect for one pass.

Pei Haochuan “tsk”ed.

The ball barely touched his hands.

He flicked it up and lobbed it to Shen Ju??

Shen Ju stood just outside the three-point line.

Catching it, his instinct was to jump and shoot??

“You really don’t know how to play?”

Pei Yan had asked Shen Ju during solo practice.

Shen Ju had been a bit embarrassed. “Not much experience, but does secretly practicing the motions count?”

“In our school—I mean, at Yude School—there was a senior in sophomore year who invited me to join.”

“He said with my strength, I could chuck a basketball super far.”

“But I turned him down in the end.”

Pei Yan hadn’t asked why.

But in this final moment, he’d passed to Shen Ju.

Bang??

The basketball slammed off the backboard.

Then, under everyone’s stares, it dropped right through the hoop.

A three-pointer.

It went in.

Even though blocking Ma Rui’s team from scoring at the buzzer would have clinched it, nailing a three at the end still sparked wild cheers across the court.

Shen Ju stood there, breathing hard.

Sweat soaked the bangs on his forehead, but his eyes shone brighter than ever.

The instant the ball swished, he whipped his head toward Pei Yan, grinning wide with his little white teeth flashing in obvious delight.

Shen Ju bolted straight to Pei Yan.

“I made it!”

He screeched to a halt in front of Pei Yan, suddenly shy again. “Bro, did you pass to Pei Haochuan on purpose so he’d give it to me? What if I missed?”

Ke Sheng, beaming, had someone fetch water.

Pei Yan took a bottle and handed it to Shen Ju first.

Seeing Shen Ju unscrew it and offer it back, he couldn’t help chuckling.

He grabbed another mineral water. “Doesn’t matter if you missed.”

“Hm?”

Pei Yan held the bottle to Shen Ju’s lips. “Drink first.”

Shen Ju instinctively reached up with both hands, cradling the bottle as he leaned in and took a sip.

Only after swallowing did he realize something was off.

“Huh?”

Pei Yan chuckled low. “If we were still stressing over whether you’d make it, all our hard work before would’ve been for nothing, right?”

“Here, hold it and drink. I’ll grab a fresh one.”

With that, Pei Yan placed the much-passed-around mineral water back in Shen Ju’s hands.

Finally, it had found its home.

Meanwhile.

Bang! Pei Haochuan slammed the basketball down in front of Ma Rui and his crew. Ke Sheng, Han Chengfeng, and Guan Mulin crowded in too.

“What? Lost and wanna slink off?”

Han Chengfeng snorted. “You think we’re letting you go?”

Ma Rui’s face was ashen, teeth gritted. “So what do you want?”

“Simple. Apologize.”

Ke Sheng said, hands in pockets.

Guan Mulin chimed in. “You didn’t forget what you said and did before the game, right? Loser apologizes. Basic stuff—no one needs to teach you that.”

“Exactly!”

Han Chengfeng huffed, thinking, is the sun rising in the west? Guan Mulin sticking up for me??

Before the thought finished, Guan Mulin yanked Shen Ju over.

“…”

Self-indulgent fool—those words smacked Han Chengfeng in the head.

Guan Mulin didn’t spare him a glance.

Shen Ju seemed reluctant, yanking his arm free while mumbling, “Why drag me? Don’t pull me, I can come myself.”

Guan Mulin had learned to tune out Shen Ju’s complaints. Right now, Shen Ju needed their “reactions” to make his persona stick with them. If it was just his solo act, the task wouldn’t matter much. The key was how they responded to his roleplay??

For Guan Mulin personally, if his overtures kept getting ignored, dismissed, or suspected of ulterior motives, he’d pull back after a few times. He’d remember Shen Ju’s status and keep his distance.

If Shen Ju didn’t stir trouble, he wouldn’t either.

But that retreat might just make Shen Ju more dissatisfied—or escalate things. Guan Mulin could picture it: Shen Ju pushing further, crossing lines. Tolerance had limits, especially since Guan Mulin wasn’t alone. The hassle from Shen Ju’s targeting would eventually bite back.

And through it, Guan Mulin would realize who truly cared, who gave without reservation, leading to…

Guan Mulin shivered.

This scripted “fate” left him speechless.

If he were clueless, unable to hear Shen Ju and 996’s chats, would his predictions come true?

What drove Shen Ju?

It wasn’t even thankless—it was plunging into “eternal damnation.”

What was Shen Ju thinking?

Why take on this leash, this mission?

Did he know his acting was stiff and awkward, forcing himself to play the villain? What did that feel like?

Guan Mulin knew he couldn’t do it.

Recalling his grandpa’s words—maybe Shen Ju wanted something.

For the first time, Guan Mulin realized deeply that their lives weren’t just a simple mix-up. Growing up wealthy didn’t mean no troubles, but in an environment where everything came easy, he wouldn’t risk it all for scraps.

So at this moment…

“Fine, fine, fine.”

Guan Mulin indulged. “Come over yourself.”

“Did I pull you too hard?”

Shen Ju: “…”

Sometimes he really couldn’t figure out what went wrong. Was his acting not good enough? Need to amp it up?

But set that aside for now.

Shen Ju eyed Ma Rui.

No words yet, and Ma Rui’s face had hit rock bottom.

He’d always clashed with two guys from the same alley—one he couldn’t beat in a fight, the other aced tests better, always held up as an example. Now the fighter had struck it rich, flying up the branch to become some rich kid’s son. Ma Rui hated admitting it, but jealousy soured him like pickled cabbage—squeeze it, and the vinegar poured out.

His earlier taunts now felt like slaps to his own face.

How could Ma Rui swallow that?

But swallow he did, gritting out an apology.

Otherwise, it’d be even more humiliating.

By the time Ma Rui left, his face was beyond salvageable.

Shen Ju realized he and Jian Yi weren’t at the same school anymore, frowning as he fished for his phone to text Jian Yi. Then his shoulder got bumped.

“Little bro! Let’s go! Dinner’s on me tonight!”

Han Chengfeng was pumped but wistful. “School starts tomorrow—last night to cut loose!”

Guan Mulin tsked inwardly. Who’re you calling little bro?

“Starving anyway. I’m in.”

Han Chengfeng smacked his lips, pointing at himself. “Class prez, you’re eating my treat? Wait, since when are we dinner buddies?”

Guan Mulin: “Aren’t we basketball buddies?”

Fair point—not really.

But if they’d played ball together, dinner wasn’t a stretch!

“Fine.”

Han Chengfeng puffed his chest, smug about footing the bill.

Duh—the host calls the shots!

With that, he roped in Ke Sheng and Pei Haochuan too.

Shorten their mouths and tempers!

No need to invite Pei Yan—he wouldn’t dare skip.

The distraction meant Shen Ju never got his phone out. Pei Haochuan and Han Chengfeng bantered nonstop, Ke Sheng piled on, Han Chengfeng dragged Shen Ju in for backup, Guan Mulin juggled, then clammed up; Pei Yan tuned it out. Total chaos, no openings.

By the time Shen Ju snapped back, it was late.

Bro’s probably asleep by now?

Shen Ju sprawled on his bed, decided not to bother him.

It was like a kid tattling to a teacher—tomorrow worked fine.

He just wanted to warn Jian Yi: ignore Ma Rui lately.

But Jian Yi wouldn’t chat him up anyway, so Shen Ju nodded to himself, set the phone down, and crashed.

The next day at school opening, though, Jian Yi got cornered in an alley by Ma Rui and his goons.

Old grudges plus fresh wounds??

Ma Rui had long wanted to teach Jian Yi a lesson. After eating dirt from Shen Ju yesterday, he was itching to vent on Jian Yi!