Su Zhe was furious.
Ye Chen's appearance had ruined his perfect plan.
Moreover, the two beauties Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo had merely been indifferent before; now they outright despised him.
If not for Ye Chen, how could he have angered the two goddesses?
Ye Chen chuckled. "By the way, you're on the school team, right?"
Su Zhe's face lit up with pride at the topic.
"That's right, I'm the captain of the school basketball team."
Ye Chen smiled faintly. "Truth is, I only know a little—but that's more than enough to make sure you don't score a single point against me."
Hearing that, Su Zhe froze, then burst into arrogant laughter.
He deliberately raised his voice, calling to the rest of the court, "Did you all hear that? This guy says I won't score a single basket on him!"
"Ye Chen, who do you think you are? I won't boast about anything else, but on the court you're trash compared to me."
"You, shave me bald? Hilarious."
The other students shook their heads after hearing Ye Chen's claim.
"Is Ye Chen getting a bit too full of himself?"
"Su Zhe's the captain of the school team—he's even been named a Basketball Hope Star."
"Must be the girls' fault—he's just showing off in front of the two beauties."
Amid the chatter, Ye Chen's expression stayed calm as water.
In his previous life, Ye Chen had seen too many scenes like this.
This sort of squabble was child's play to him.
Su Zhe was an ant; Ye Chen couldn't be bothered to squabble with him.
Ye Chen said coolly, "Think that's funny? If you're interested, we can give it a try."
Yu Weiwei whispered to Li Sitong, "Si Tong, Ye Chen looks so cool!"
"Of course he's cool—he's Ye Chen." Li Sitong's eyes were full of stars.
"But can Ye Chen really beat Su Zhe at Basketball?" Xia Yingluo asked worriedly.
Li Sitong's face showed the same concern.
She remembered that Ye Chen had only passed his sophomore year basketball exam after a retest.
Su Zhe's face twisted in rage. "Fine! Since you want to make a fool of yourself, I'll give you the chance."
Ye Chen smiled. "Si Tong, Yingluo, the three of us are on one team."
"Okay!" The two beauties agreed without hesitation.
Seeing this, Su Zhe turned even redder with anger.
"Ye Chen, I don't know how to play Basketball," Li Sitong said, blushing.
"Neither do I," Xia Yingluo added, biting her lip guiltily.
Both girls were afraid they would hold Ye Chen back.
Ye Chen patted their heads. "You two don't need to play—just watch from the side."
"Ah!"
"You're going one-on-three? That won't work!" Li Sitong cried anxiously.
"Exactly—Su Zhe's already amazing; how can you handle three alone?"
Ye Chen merely smiled, a spring-breeze smile.
He caught the scent of their hair—one like lily, the other like lavender.
It felt wonderful.
Ye Chen was confident. "Relax, I'm here. Just cheer for me."
Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo glanced at each other and stretched out their small hands.
They clamped Ye Chen's hand between theirs and shouted, "Go, Ye Chen!"
Outside the court, many boys witnessed the scene.
They didn't know the details, but they'd seen Ye Chen whispering to the two beauties and the girls holding his hand while shouting support.
"Damn, Ye Chen's fierce—hogging both school flowers."
"Too much, man—keeping the pot while eyeing the bowl."
"I think Ye Chen's dead; did you see Su Zhe's face?"
"I regret coming to Class Five. This guy's a beast—handsome, top grades, killer flirting skills. How are us single dogs supposed to live?"
Su Zhe's eyes were nearly spitting fire; in his heart he'd already hacked Ye Chen to pieces a thousand times.
Without Ye Chen, he'd be the class's top hunk and both beauties would be his.
The whole class knew he liked Li Sitong.
Yet Ye Chen had slapped her face in front of everyone.
Now even his other target, Xia Yingluo, loathed him.
Unforgivable.
Su Zhe snorted. "Fine, since your side isn't playing, my side won't either—one-on-one, first to five wins."
Ye Chen nodded. "Set whatever rules you like."
He'd just acquired the Basketball Master skill—losing was impossible.
Ye Chen had loved watching the NBA in his past life; now countless signature moves of the stars filled his head.
Lose to a high-schooler? Impossible.
A vicious glint flashed in Su Zhe's eyes. "This is boring; loser gets punished."
Ye Chen looked at him playfully. "So, what's the forfeit?"
Su Zhe sneered. "Whoever loses frog-jumps a lap around the court, shouting 'I'm an idiot'."
At the wager, Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo's faces changed.
"Ye Chen, don't bet with him," Xia Yingluo pleaded.
Li Sitong frowned. "Su Zhe, that's too much."
If they played, win or lose should be enough.
But Su Zhe's added humiliation was clearly meant to insult.
Even Class Monitor Zhao Meimei couldn't stand it. "Su Zhe, we're classmates—this is too far."
Su Zhe had lost all reason; only rage filled his mind.
"Ye Chen, stop hiding behind girls—if you're a man, don't chicken out!"
Ye Chen said calmly, "Who says I'm chickening out? I accept."
He gave Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo a reassuring gesture. "You said it—don't regret it."
Su Zhe burst into laughter. "Me lose? Are you kidding? If I can't beat you, I'm trash."
Ye Chen nodded. "Looks like you know yourself."
"You—!"
By now many classmates ringed the court.
But they looked at Ye Chen with pity.
"What's Ye Chen thinking? Is he nuts?"
"Su Zhe's the team captain—crushing him will be easier than squashing a chick."
"He's done for; Ye Chen's about to make a fool of himself."
Su Zhe's face was savage.
He'd completely lost his mind.
All he wanted now was to crush Ye Chen on the court and humiliate him.
Su Zhe scooped up the ball and hurled it at Ye Chen.
"Come on, let me teach you a lesson."
He deliberately flung the ball straight at Ye Chen's face with blistering speed.
An ordinary person couldn't catch it and would be smashed in the face—exactly what Su Zhe wanted.
But Ye Chen, as if expecting it, reached out and casually caught the ball.
He turned to Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo, who looked worried, and smiled.
"Si Tong, Yingluo, just watch from the side—don't worry, I won't lose."
Hearing Ye Chen's intimate tone, the two beauties' cheeks flushed.
In their eyes, Ye Chen was truly handsome.