Lemon Soda Candy - 9

We Can't Lose

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The guy leading Class 10 was Hu Kun. He was on the School basketball team and spent most of his time training, so he barely knew his own classmates, let alone anyone from Class 2.

When he’d led his guys over to claim the court, he had no idea Tang Jianrui was saving it for Chen Luobai.

Everyone at No. 2 High knew Chen Luobai.

Hu Kun was no exception.

Not just because Chen Luobai was a school celebrity, but because their coach was always sighing about what a phenomenal player he’d make, forever griping that the principal wouldn't let him recruit the guy and that Chen Luobai himself had no interest in joining the team. 

If it had come to a straight-up fight, Hu Kun might have hesitated, whether because of Chen Luobai's academic record or his family background. But he hadn't expected Chen Luobai to suggest they settle it on the court.

Hu Kun had been wanting to see for himself just how good this golden boy their coach never shut up about really was.

"One-on-one or a full-court five-on-five?"

Chen Luobai glanced back at Tang Jianrui. "You probably want to settle this yourself, right?"

Tang Jianrui nodded. "Damn right."

Zhu Ran raised his hand from the side. "Me, me, me! I want in!"

Chen Luobai turned back. "Full court, then. You lose, your whole class writes a self-criticism and apologizes to Tang Jianrui in front of the whole school."

Hu Kun: "And if you lose?"

"We lose?" Chen Luobai's eyebrow arched slightly, his tone radiating pure arrogance. "We can't lose."

Hu Kun faltered, caught off guard by the sheer arrogance. It took him a beat to realize Chen Luobai had been steering the whole conversation. "If you lose, I won't mess with anyone else. You just have to admit, in front of the whole school, that you suck. That you're nowhere near good enough to make the school team."

With the fight diffused, Yan Xingxi had pulled Zhou Anran closer to watch the drama unfold. She was barely a meter away from Chen Luobai now.

She saw the boy finally smile again. But the coldness hadn't completely faded from his face, so the smile came off as cocky and taunting.

His voice was even more so.

"Fine. If you've got what it takes."

A laugh that wasn't quite a laugh escaped Hu Kun. "When?”

Chen Luobai tilted his head, thinking. "I've got stuff this week. Next Friday."

By the time Zhou Anran and Yan Xingxi got back to the classroom, news of the match  between Chen Luobai and the guys from Class 10 had already spread like wildfire.

When they found out the two of them had witnessed the whole thing firsthand, Sheng Xiaowen, who had moved to the first row, came running over to them. She squeezed onto Zhou Anran's chair, demanding all the gossip.

"I heard the guy leading Class 10 is on the school team. Is that true?" Sheng Xiaowen asked.

Zhou Anran didn't know anyone from Class 10.

The school team had their own indoor practice facility; the outdoor courts were mostly for teachers and regular students. The team never played there.

Plus, the high school basketball league was tournament-based. No. 2 High wasn't a host school this season, and the league didn't have much streaming coverage yet, as new freshmen, they'd never seen the school team play a single game.

Naturally, Zhou Anran didn't recognize anyone from the team either.

But the leader was pretty tall. Chen Luobai was 1.82 meters, and this guy was slightly taller and also more built. Yet, during the standoff with Chen Luobai, he'd been completely overshadowed in sheer presence.

"Probably. He was pretty tall."

Zhang Shuxian, always up for gossip, swiveled around in her chair to face them. "I know that guy from Class 10. I think his name is Hu Kun. He just made the school team this year, so he's probably not a starter. I heard the starters are usually second years and seniors. But still, making the team means he's got game. Can't believe Chen Luobai dared to challenge him."

Lou Yiqi turned around too. "Chen Luobai's an amazing player. Why wouldn't he dare?"

"True." Zhang Shuxian's curiosity shifted. "I also heard Chen Luobai told those Class 10 guys they'd have to apologize in front of the whole school if they lost. Is that for real?”

Zhou Anran rested her head on her arms, the image of him facing down Hu Kun replaying in her mind. Her heart beat a little faster.

She nodded slightly.

Sheng Xiaowen leaned on her shoulder, laughing. "Now I get why Old Gao loves Chen Luobai so much. He always turns a blind eye when Chen Luobai shows up late or ditches an activity. If Chen Luobai hadn't shown up today, that fight probably would've happened. He came in and did the teachers' job for them. So efficient. Hey, did they all get called to the office?"

"Yeah, but since no actual fight broke out, they're probably fine." Zhang Shuxian chimed in. "I heard Chen Luobai used to go to his mom's law firm all the time when he was a kid. Probably grew up breathing legal stuff. Dude's probably calculating the settlement costs before a punch is even thrown."

Then, she sighed dramatically. "Ugh. Why couldn't I have been there?"

Lou Yiqi reached over and gave her arm a light smack. "You're one to talk. I said we should get noodles at the East Gate, but no, you insisted on the cafeteria."

"I was broke—" Zhang Shuxian started, but a male voice from the hallway cut her off.

"Hu Kun's pretty good, though. Luo-ge, you really think we can take them?”

Zhang Shuxian pivoted instantly. "Is that Tang Jianrui? Are they back?"

Tang Jianrui had a loud voice. Half the class heard him, and heads swiveled toward the door. A couple of guys even got up and headed to the back of the room.

Zhou Anran turned with Sheng Xiaowen and Yan Xingxi, watching Chen Luobai walk into the classroom, surrounded by a crowd.

His hair was slightly damp at the temples, tiny droplets of water traced a path down the prominent Adam's apple in his neck, radiating pure youthful energy. He must have stopped to wash his face somewhere.

The coldness was gone from his face, replaced by his usual lazy smile. "Hu Kun barely knows his own classmates. Class 10 doesn't have many guys who can actually play."

"He wouldn't have agreed to a full-court game if he wasn't confident." Zhu Ran shrugged, then turned to Chen Luobai. "So what's this 'stuff' you've got this week? You didn't mention anything."

Chen Luobai pulled out his chair and sat, leaning back. "What 'stuff' can I have? Just buying you guys some practice time."

Zhu Ran dropped into his own seat and shot a look at Tang Jianrui. "Told you not to worry. Luo-ge's shrewd. Guys like Hu Kun, simple jocks all brawn and no brains, don't stand a chance."

Tang Jianrui protested. "Hey, don't talk about Luo-ge like that. It's not 'shrewd,' it's smart."

Chen Luobai laughed and kicked Zhu Ran's chair. "Hear that?"

Zhu Ran nearly tipped over. He jumped up and threw an arm around Tang Jianrui's neck. "Rui-Rui, that's not cool, man. I was the one who had your back out there!"

The two of them started playfully wrestling in the back.

A guy from class walked up to Chen Luobai. "Luo-ge, you guys got a final roster yet? If not, can I sign up? I've been wanting to get one over on those Class 10 guys for a while."

"Me too, me too! I wanna play."

Chen Luobai gestured toward Tang Jianrui. "Sign-ups are with him.”

Suddenly, Tang Jianrui and Zhu Ran were swarmed by a crowd of eager guys.

Zong Kai walked over to Chen Luobai. "Want me to play?"

Zhou Anran, hiding her secret feelings amidst her classmates, watched him openly with everyone else.

He hooked his foot on the crossbar of his desk, tilting his chair back, rocking back and forth.

She knew he wouldn't fall, but her heart still clenched until the chair legs thumped back onto the floor. Only then could she breathe easy again.

Chen Luobai: "Nah. This is between our class and theirs."

Zong Kai nodded. "Got it. Be careful, though. Hu Kun plays dirty. Lots of cheap shots."

Cheap shots?

Zhou Anran's heart clenched in worry again.

Chen Luobai just gave a casual nod, totally unbothered.

"We'll head back to our classroom, then." Zong Kai tugged Yin Yizhen's arm.

Yin Yizhen followed him a couple of steps, then glanced back. "I'll be there to cheer you on."

Chen Luobai's eyebrow seemed to lift just slightly.

Maybe it was from the joking with his friends, maybe it was her words, there was a clear smile on his face.

A smile so clear it stung Zhou Anran's eyes.

It felt like an invisible hand had just squeezed half a freshly cut lemon, and let the bitter juices spilling into her chest.

"Hey. Hey." Zhang Shuxian's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper.

Yan Xingxi and Sheng Xiaowen turned to look at her.

Zhou Anran turned back too.

"Don't you guys think Yin Yizhen might have a little thing for Chen Luobai?" Zhang Shuxian murmured.

Oblivious as ever, Yan Xingxi blinked. "Isn't she Zong Kai's childhood sweetheart?"

Zhang Shuxian just rolled her eyes silently.

Sheng Xiaowen laughed, still leaning on Zhou Anran's shoulder. "I don't know if Yin Yizhen likes Chen Luobai, but I know a bunch of guys in this class like her. Every time she shows up, they can't take their eyes off her.”

Yan Xingxi, suddenly interested in the gossip, glanced back. Sure enough, Dong Chen, who now moved to the fourth desk in the first row, seemed to be staring at Yin Yizhen's retreating back.

She whipped back around, eyes wide with excitement. "Does that 'bunch of guys' include Dong Chen?"

Sheng Xiaowen: "..."

Zhou Anran: "..."

Zhang Shuxian, clearly more invested in her own theory, plowed on. "But if she does like him, she's got a huge advantage over the other girls. I mean, Zhu Ran doesn't have some famous childhood friend. She's the only one who gets to hang out with them all the time just because she's Zong Kai's childhood friend. You know what they say, 'the watershed pavilion gets the moonlight first.' You think she can actually get him?"

That invisible hand squeezed the half-lemon in Zhou Anran's chest again, harder this time.

Lou Yiqi glanced toward the back, then turned around, her face blank. "Old Gao's coming. Self-study's about to start. Drop it."

Zhang Shuxian spun back around in her seat.

Sheng Xiaowen also returned to her desk. 

For the rest of that week, Zhou Anran had even fewer chances to run into Chen Luobai outside of class.

She heard he'd found an indoor court near the school as a secret practice space for the guys on the team. As soon as classes ended at noon and in the afternoon, the whole pack of them would vanish.

The only girl who got to go with them was Yin Yizhen.

Zhou Anran wasn't surprised.

What did surprise her was that, a few days later, another girl joined the little entourage.

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