Chapter 26: Injured?

Although Ming Han insisted that he didn’t need anyone to supervise his studies, he had indeed begun to take them seriously again. Still unwilling to give up his time on the basketball court, he could only sacrifice his midday naps and breaks for reading. Determined to master English, he now clung to a small tape recorder, listening to it endlessly.

Ever since learning the back-to-the-basket technique from Yu Hang, he had started to show off his new skills during pickup games. Friends he played with regularly began to praise him, “That move of yours is getting smoother every time!”

The only thing that had changed was that Chen Li had moved away three days ago and hadn’t said a word to him since. Ming Han had never been someone to take the initiative; since Chen Li didn’t want to talk, he didn’t have the nerve to approach her, not wanting to make things awkward.

Sunday was the day Ming Han had agreed to play a match with Zhang Ze. Since Chen Bao couldn’t make it due to other commitments, Yu Hang had Ming Han play the power forward, the number four position.

Class One of Grade Nine wasn’t considered a strong team in their year; this year’s basketball team was only at the level of the top eight. Still, with an extra year of growth, they were physically a bit bigger.

Yu Hang led his teammates in greeting the upperclassmen, and the match began! Since it was a private game, there was no referee; most fouls had to be called by the players themselves.

At tip-off, Yu Hang set a pick-and-roll with Ming Han. Ming Han was now quite adept at this play—after popping out to receive the ball, he faked out his defender, took two quick steps inside, stopped abruptly, and sank a jump shot.

Seeing how smoothly Ming Han executed the sequence, Yu Hang couldn’t help but give him a mental thumbs-up. “This guy—calling him a rookie doesn’t seem fair anymore.”

The ninth graders weren’t about to back down. With a height advantage, they focused on driving to the basket and posting up inside.

But Yu Hang’s team, after all, was the runner-up squad of the eighth grade. Their tactics and teamwork were excellent.

Yu Hang controlled the tempo as point guard. Zhao Yang and Da Xu ran tirelessly, setting screens for teammates and creating plenty of good opportunities.

Look—Zhao Yang and Da Xu set up a beautiful double screen, and Ming Han broke free, caught the ball, and nailed another shot.

By the third quarter, Ming Han had made five out of ten attempts and already scored eleven points. The team was playing with ease.

Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you can walk all over us—we’re the number two seed in the eighth grade, after all.

At that point, the ninth graders were trailing by ten, with no clear strategy to break through. It looked like defeat was inevitable.

Frustrated, the upperclassmen silently cursed Zhang Ze: Damn it, you brought us here for a pointless game against a bunch of eighth graders. There’s nothing to brag about if we win, but if we lose, it’s humiliating.

Aggravated by this thought, their play grew rougher—even dirty.

Sure enough, when Ming Han grabbed an offensive rebound, the opposing center, losing his cool, shoved him. Ming Han, already off-balance, twisted his ankle and crouched down in pain.

Seeing this, Da Xu immediately lost his temper. He rushed over and shoved the ninth-grade center. “What the hell’s wrong with you? If you can’t handle losing, say so—don’t embarrass yourself out here!”

The other team, feeling guilty, stood silently, saying nothing.

Yu Hang looked at them coldly. “You should leave. And you’ll be paying my brother’s medical bills.”

The group shuffled away, sullen and silent.

Ming Han remained crouched on the ground, his face flushed and twisted in pain.

Had he injured the bone?