Chapter 13: If You Are Not Brave, No One Will Be Strong for You

Xiao Pang was the most excited. He opened the plastic bag he had placed on Xia Chiyi’s desk, revealing an assortment of steamed dumplings, small steamed buns, and stuffed pancakes, all neatly arranged without a single repeat.

Ye Chaoying let out a soulful wail: "So many carbs?"

Zhou Zhexiao set down his bottle and said indifferently, "Carbs make people happy."

Xia Chiyi paused for a moment, an irrepressible, broad smile spreading across his face. That was something he had said to Zhou Zhexiao; he hadn’t expected this guy to take it to heart.

After their morning workout, Zhou Zhexiao was accustomed to taking a shower. Ignoring the other roommates eating breakfast, he grabbed a change of clean clothes and headed into the bathroom.

As the sound of running water filled the room, Xia Chiyi nibbled on a steamed dumpling and called out through the bathroom door: "Did anyone stare at you while you were out for your morning run today?"

After all, with a physique like that, he was undoubtedly a scenic highlight along the jogging route.

"I don’t know. No one can keep up with me," Zhou Zhexiao’s voice came through the sound of the water.

Ye Chaoying teased while eating a stuffed pancake, saying to Xia Chiyi, "Believe me, this guy is indifferent to everyone—except you."

Xia Chiyi tilted his head and instantly bit off a third of the pancake in Ye Chaoying’s hand: "If he’s indifferent to everything, how could there possibly be room for me?"

"I suspect Zhou Zhexiao has an imprinting problem. After he returned to the country, you were the one who picked him up at the airport, you set up his bed, you registered him for classes—you’re basically his..."

Under Xia Chiyi’s threatening glare, Ye Chaoying swallowed the word "mother" and forcibly replaced it with "father," only to nearly choke on the pancake he was trying to stuff into his mouth.

"Can’t even eating plug your mouth?"

If he had this many carbs every day, Xia Chiyi considered getting up for morning runs with Zhou Zhexiao starting tomorrow.

After breakfast, the three of them went to the library, their goal being to find the "big brother" who had gifted Ma Hongming the dried sweet potatoes.

"What’s wrong with dried sweet potatoes? They’re organic, nutritious, and all-natural! A sack of dried sweet potatoes is definitely worth more than a lobster!" Ye Chaoying grumbled quietly.

"That’s why Ma Hongming’s brain isn’t working right. The person who gave him dried sweet potatoes wanted him to be healthy; the ones treating him to lobster and abalone every day are the ones trying to send him to his grave," Xia Chiyi replied softly.

They began searching section by section, though it was mostly Xia Chiyi and Ye Chaoying doing the legwork. Zhou Zhexiao just followed behind Xia Chiyi with his hands in his pockets, strolling as if he were patrolling his own territory. Xia Chiyi felt like handing him a flashlight and asking if he wanted to apply for a job as a library security guard.

The sunlight at ten o'clock was at its clearest, piercing through the library windows and landing on Zhou Zhexiao’s face, casting a halo that softened his aura. His high-bridged nose and delicate features were exceptionally handsome in that light. A student nearby couldn't help but take out their phone and secretly snap a photo.

Xia Chiyi glanced at him, thinking that being a security guard would be a waste; he should be sent to a beauty pageant. If he just walked down a runway, those designers would go wild. He could even work as his agent—even if he hadn't made a name for himself in the basketball world, he might just reach the pinnacle of the fashion industry.

*I really do have an eye for beauty!*

Seemingly sensing Xia Chiyi’s gaze, Zhou Zhexiao lifted his eyelids as if asking, "What is it?"

"Just focus on finding the guy."

Zhou Zhexiao: "..."

Hard work pays off; they found Du He in a corner on the third floor of the library.

His 2.02-meter height was no joke; even hunched over his desk, he looked massive. His table was empty of other students, and he looked like a lonely, giant bear.

Du He had a buzz cut, skin slightly darker than theirs, and regular features. A vocabulary book was spread out in front of him, and he had Bluetooth earbuds in, clumsily muttering words along with the audio.

Xia Chiyi and Ye Chaoying pulled up chairs on either side of him and sat down.

Du He froze, assuming they were just coming to study. He automatically hunched his shoulders, like an ostrich trying to bury its head in the sand.

This made Xia Chiyi worry. Could such a timid personality really be a center? When facing collisions and blocking, would this guy also curl up like this?

Ye Chaoying typed on his phone: *Let’s go talk outside.*

Seeing the words on the screen, Du He looked hesitant, right up until he felt the pressure of Zhou Zhexiao’s gaze.

That "you’re done for if you refuse" aura made Du He pack his bag like an ostrich and follow them out of the library.

For a moment, Xia Chiyi felt like a villain in a campus movie.

Once they reached the shade of the trees outside, Ye Chaoying got straight to the point: "We know why you left the school team, and we think it’s a real shame. We’re playing against Chen Chuan’s group this Friday. The winners get the starting lineup, the losers hit the bench. Are you coming?"

Du He took a deep breath and firmly refused them.

"I promised my parents I’d study hard. Before I graduate, I need to learn everything I missed, or at least pass the College English Test Band 4. No matter how good you are at basketball, it’s hard to find a job after graduation."

Xia Chiyi scratched the back of his head: "Your parents’ intentions are good, but you don’t have to start that journey so urgently!"

"Huh?" Du He wore a look of pure innocence.

"Think about whether this is even the direction you want!"

Du He lowered his head and muttered, "Coach Ma wouldn't want me on the team either. He’s the coach; I have to respect him."

Ye Chaoying covered his face, speechless: "He’s not Confucius! You don't need to be that respectful!"

Xia Chiyi stood on his tiptoes and hooked his arm around Du He’s shoulders. Although the pose was awkward and comical, he shook Du He’s shoulders firmly.

"Du He, you’ve played basketball for so long. You walked ten thousand steps to finally make it onto the Ningchang University team, and the CUBA First Division is right in front of you! Yet, just because a coach doesn’t like the sweet potatoes you gave him, you’re going to take ten thousand and one steps backward and give up basketball?"

As Xia Chiyi spoke, he squeezed the muscles on Du He’s shoulders. Good heavens, he was solid; not playing as a center was a complete waste!

Zhou Zhexiao remained silent, his gaze fixed on Xia Chiyi’s hand.

One second, two seconds, three seconds—why hadn't he let go yet?

Xia Chiyi pressed on: "Ma Hongming is just a trash can. Do you really have to force yourself to meet the standards of a trash can? You aren't trash!"

Du He kept his head down, his eyes hidden; it was impossible to tell if he was wavering.

Ye Chaoying immediately used their double-team strategy to turn up the heat: "Du He, I, Ye Chaoying, am one of the best point guards in the high school league. I could crush Ma Hongming’s cronies with my eyes closed."

"Right!" Xia Chiyi nodded.

"And Xia Chiyi, his three-pointers are a sure thing. I guarantee you won't find a better shooting guard in the entire Jin Province than him!"

"Exactly!" Xia Chiyi nodded shamelessly.

"And the guy behind us—Zhou Zhexiao! A graduate of Oak Hill Academy in the US! That academy is a cradle for NBA stars! Even if it’s just the three of us playing, we’ll definitely win. Don’t you want to join us and win? Principal Feng is coming to watch the game himself. Don’t you want to regain your dignity and prove your strength in front of the school leadership?"

Both Ye Chaoying and Xia Chiyi felt their argument was incredibly persuasive, but who knew Du He... he was as stubborn as a rock.

"I promised my parents I’d study hard, so I have to keep my word. My talent for basketball is limited anyway. After this year’s games are over, I can’t join the draft, and I can’t play professionally. Since that’s the case, I might as well give up early."

Ye Chaoying pulled at his t-shirt to cool off; his mouth was dry from all the talking, and it was all for nothing: "Man, what did Ma Hongming do to gaslight you to this extent?"

Xia Chiyi narrowed his eyes at the tattered vocabulary book in Du He’s hand, deciding he needed to tailor his approach to the target.

He forcibly pulled Zhou Zhexiao over and stood him in front of Du He. "Du He, let me introduce you properly. This is Zhou Zhexiao, a Chinese returnee from America who graduated from Oak Hill Academy. His English is top-tier! Come on, Du He, let me borrow your book."

Du He blankly handed over the book. Xia Chiyi flipped to the first page and pointed at the first word: "Zhou Zhexiao, read this."

"Abandon."

After reading it, Zhou Zhexiao frowned, likely because the meaning of the word wasn't very pleasant.

Du He’s eyes suddenly lit up, like a large dog seeing its master again after being abandoned.

"Wow... so standard!"

"Come on, Zhou Zhexiao, read the next few words and let Du He experience your English skills." Xia Chiyi knew from Du He’s expression that he had found the right path.

However, Zhou Zhexiao pushed the book aside and looked into Du He’s eyes without a ripple in his voice: "You are not brave, no one for you to be strong."

Du He clearly didn't understand what Zhou Zhexiao said, but he felt that the pronunciation was just like the audio in his textbook—standard, with an inorganic, icy quality. A look of worship spilled from his eyes.

"As expected of a returnee, you’re amazing!"

If Du He had a tail, it would be wagging right now.

"So, Du He, regardless of whether you want to give up basketball, as long as you help us play this one game on Friday, Zhou Zhexiao will become your English study consultant. With him around, the College English Test Band 4 and 6 will be a piece of cake, and an IELTS score of 8.0 is just around the corner!" Xia Chiyi patted Du He on the shoulder.

"Really? Zhou Zhexiao, are you really willing to help me?"

Zhou Zhexiao remained expressionless. Xia Chiyi poked him in the lower back, and the other man let out an "Mm" from his nose.

"Okay! I’ll be there Friday!"

Du He had always been a sports student whose English level was stuck at "How are you." The other students couldn't help him, and he never expected to find hope today.

Ye Chaoying added Du He on WeChat, and the two agreed to meet.

As Zhou Zhexiao turned to leave, Du He couldn't help but ask, "What did you mean by what you said earlier?"

"If you aren't brave, no one will be strong for you."

Du He’s gaze faltered slightly, his fingers crinkling the vocabulary book as he watched Zhou Zhexiao’s retreating figure for a long time.

[Author's Note]
Du He: Can I really pass the English test?
Xia Chiyi: Uh, the things you think are important now might not seem so important later.