Hearing Ma Rui’s voice, Shen Ju’s little face instantly darkened.
Guan Mulin’s expression soured too.
He knew exactly who the guy was talking about.
By blood ties, he and the “cripple” Ma Rui mentioned were actually cousins.
But before either of them could respond—
“Who the hell are you? Calling someone ‘cripple’ left and right—who’s the one lacking class and manners here?”
Han Chengfeng pinched his nose as he strode over, sizing Ma Rui up and down with utter disgust. “Look at you, all snide and vindictive. Jealous of our Shen Juju, huh?”
Guan Mulin: …What the hell is Shen Juju?!
Pei Haochuan: You’ve got some nerve calling out others?
Wait—
“Hang on, Han Chengfeng, why are you even here?”
Han Chengfeng crossed his arms with a huff, glaring at Pei Haochuan. “You think you can steal my guy? No way in hell!”
Pei Haochuan: “What the fuck are you even talking about?”
“Who’s trying to steal anyone? You don’t mean Shen Ju, do you?”
“Obviously! Why else would I have private-messaged Shen Ju? I had no idea you snuck him over here to play ball!”
“…”
Pei Haochuan thought, Then go ahead and drag him off right now.
What a pain in the ass.
He was about to fire back when his peripheral vision caught a basketball hurtling toward them from across the court—straight at Han Chengfeng’s head. Han Chengfeng was too busy glaring at him to notice.
Pei Haochuan instinctively swatted it away.
Smack!
The ball flew right back where it came from.
He then shot a cold glare at Ma Rui, who had chucked the basketball without a word.
It was clearly meant to smash right into Han Chengfeng’s skull.
“Fuck!”
Han Chengfeng finally reacted, whipping his head around to glare at Ma Rui. “What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?! Can’t talk your way out, so you wanna throw down?!”
Ke Sheng and the others crowded over too.
Ma Rui’s face twisted ugly as he swept his gaze over Shen Ju and the group. “Wanna fight? Bring it! Looking down your nose at people like dogs—think Yude School’s scared of you Qichen punks?!”
“And you, Shen Ju. Think you’re hot shit just ’cause some rich family took you in? Even got yourself a little lackey sidekick?”
Han Chengfeng: “?…”
Who’re you calling a sidekick?
Shen Ju glanced at Ma Rui, then tilted his head. “Bro, I wanna play too.”
Ma Rui’s face instantly flushed red. “Shen Ju, you—”
Before he could finish, the guy Shen Ju had called “bro” lifted his gaze and met Ma Rui’s eyes.
For some reason, Ma Rui choked, the curses dying in his throat as he swallowed them back instinctively.
Then that guy lowered his head to look at Shen Ju again. His brows and eyes showed no change, but the inexplicable chill that had made Ma Rui’s heart seize vanished as if it had never been there.
Pei Yan nodded. “Sure, let’s do it—”
Shen Ju: “But I don’t know how to play basketball.”
Pei Yan: “…”
It was a rare moment of speechlessness for him.
Pei Haochuan drew in a sharp breath, incredulous. “Guan Shen Ju, if you can’t play, why the hell are you acting so damn confident?”
Shen Ju tilted his head, thinking. “But I’ve always watched people play basketball.”
“So?”
Pei Haochuan was at a loss for words.
And they weren’t even done yet—over there, Han Chengfeng was rolling up his sleeves and hollering—
“Me too! I’m playing!”
Pei Haochuan: “You sure you wanna team up with us?”
Han Chengfeng: “I’ll suffer through it.”
“That fucker dared chuck a ball at me? I’m getting payback!”
“So yeah, I’ll team up with you losers for now.”
“…”
Pei Haochuan felt like they were doomed.
Ke Sheng thought the same.
He’d originally wanted to reform the team and settle the score with Yude, but this new lineup felt even worse than the old one!
Sure, leave Han Chengfeng out of it—at least he could play.
But Guan Shen Ju? This has to be sabotage!
Shen Ju tugged at Pei Yan’s sleeve. “Bro, can you practice with me first? I think I can do it.”
Could Pei Yan say no?
No way in hell.
The kid had called him “bro.”
It was like a little kitten rubbing up against you, trusting only you—how could anyone turn that down?
Plus, Pei Yan hadn’t heard Brother 996 chirping with “suggestions.” This was purely Shen Ju’s own idea; the kid wanted in himself. So Pei Yan sure as hell wasn’t refusing.
After all, it was rare to see Shen Ju this pissed at someone.
Pei Yan couldn’t help thinking of the “cripple” that jerk had mentioned. He’d met the kid once.
The disability was indeed a pity.
Clearly, Shen Ju cared a lot about him.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you over there to practice.”
Pei Yan didn’t even ask the others’ opinions—he just agreed outright.
Ke Sheng and the rest seethed in impotent rage, muttering under their breath.
God Pei was famous, sure, but no wonder his peers had secretly called him the “Big Demon King” back in the day—so damn dictatorial!
Pei Haochuan dragged Guan Mulin aside, trying to make him see the light about Shen Ju—
“Mulin, I get that you feel like you owe Guan Shen Ju, but seriously, you should keep your distance. That guy’s just—”
“Just what?”
Guan Mulin frowned, cutting him off. “Shen Ju was standing up for Jian Yi. You know who Jian Yi is? My cousin—and Shen Ju’s too. Shen Ju grew up in Jian Yi’s house for the first dozen-plus years of his life. I get where he’s coming from. If someone close to me got humiliated like that, even if I knew I sucked, I’d still wanna step up and teach the asshole a lesson myself.”
“Also, Haochuan, you don’t have to be so down on Shen Ju. He’s… sharp-tongued but soft-hearted.”
Pei Haochuan’s brows knotted tight. “Mulin, what kind of spell did Guan Shen Ju cast on you?”
“If he’s so soft-hearted, why’s he always targeting you?”
“He’s targeting me because—”
Guan Mulin glanced at Pei Haochuan and abruptly clammed up.
Pei Haochuan’s brows stayed furrowed. “Because what?”
“Mulin, I’m saying this ’cause I care about you, worry about you. If it was anyone else, I wouldn’t give two shits.”
Guan Mulin: “…”
How was he supposed to explain?
Tell him Shen Ju was “targeting” him on purpose just to get this exact reaction…?
Yeah, right—like he could say that out loud!
Guan Mulin hadn’t thought much of it before—just normal bro stuff. But now, after what that 996 System had spilled earlier, everything looked suspicious as hell!
“What about Ke Sheng? What if it was him?”
“Ke Sheng?”
Pei Haochuan’s brow never unclenched. “What does that kid have to do with anything? We’re talking about you right now.”
“Mulin, what the hell’s going on in your head?”
“I feel like I’m losing you more and more.”
“…”
Guan Mulin sighed faintly. “Thanks, don’t mess with me.”
“Hah?”
What the fuck was that supposed to mean?!
The game hadn’t even started, but the air between the two sides was already thick with tension, swords drawn.
Ke Sheng and Ma Rui’s crew had already clashed over the earlier basketball game, and now the grudge was set. It hadn’t escalated to life-or-death yet, but both sides were itching to crush the other. Ma Rui’s group seemed more confident, though—no infighting, no last-minute cramming like Ke Sheng’s side.
Ma Rui and his buddies huddled up, practically bursting into laughter.
No, they were outright laughing, mocking without a shred of subtlety.
“No point in even playing at this rate.”
“Yeah, putting a guy who can’t play on the court? Hilarious.”
“Look at ’em over there—’practiced’ already?”
“Gonna get embarrassed so bad.”
“Not our embarrassment, anyway.”
Shen Ju came back with Pei Yan, announcing he was ready.
Ke Sheng had no choice but to say fine, let’s play.
Fine, lose this one—plenty of time to get revenge later.
A gentleman avenges himself after ten years; he’d endure the bitterest hardships to rise above, lie on firewood and taste gall without flinching!
The gym court was reserved ahead of time, cleared and ready to go.
Ma Rui brimmed with confidence. He pointed at Shen Ju, dragging a thumb across his own throat in a mocking, malicious sneer—silently mouthing across the air: You’re gonna regret this!
Shen Ju didn’t look away this time. He stared straight back, face cold.
“Snort.”
Ma Rui didn’t give a damn.
He figured Shen Ju was just overreaching, clueless about his own limits.
But the game tipped off, and soon Ma Rui’s face changed.
Shen Ju had zero interest in handling the ball—he was glued to him, defending nonstop!
“Fuck! Shen Ju, you doing this on purpose?!”
Shen Ju ignored Ma Rui completely.
Just pure defense, body-checking.
Ma Rui tried to go around—couldn’t.
Tried to bulldoze through—bounced right off!
Fuck, why’s his stance so rock-solid?!
Caught off guard, Ma Rui hadn’t expected Shen Ju to mark him exclusively. His rhythm shattered in seconds.
Meanwhile—
Probably thanks to Pei Yan’s heads-up, Ke Sheng and the others were slamming in points.
Pei Yan, in loose athletic gear, moved with effortless grace—jumping, weaving—but his eyes sharpened with a lethal edge that dared anyone to meet his gaze. Most shockingly, his scoring style clashed with his usual vibe: that casual ease hid a ruthless undercurrent.
Like a serene lake roiling with hidden surges.
Ke Sheng felt it and secretly shuddered.
But that’s exactly why—contrary to what Ma Rui’s crew expected—they dropped several points right out the gate.
Luckily, Han Chengfeng and Pei Haochuan still couldn’t stand each other, but they clawed back a bunch of points later.
Upper half ended tight, scores neck-and-neck.
Pei Haochuan and Han Chengfeng: “…”
Shen Ju, panting, glanced at Pei Haochuan.
Pei Haochuan bristled instantly. “What?!”
Han Chengfeng rubbed his nose too.
Who knew—the real clowns were us.
Pei Yan eyed Pei Haochuan and Han Chengfeng with a tsk.
Both jolted, swearing they’d cooperate perfectly in the second half!
“No need.”
“Huh?”
Pei Yan said coolly, “First half caught ’em off guard. You think they won’t adjust now?”
“Time for a new strategy. Huddle up—second half starts…”
As he spoke, Pei Yan glanced at Shen Ju.
And paused.
Shen Ju was staring at him with sparkling eyes:
Brother 996, Pei Bro is so damn handsome!
