The match was decided.
Exhausted, Chen Sheng collapsed limply on the floor to catch his breath.
His calves and knees hurt terribly, and his ears rang with the deafening cheers of the Peking University students. He could even vaguely hear students from his own school enthusiastically shouting Qiao Ying's name in celebration.
It wasn't until his teammates came over to check on him and helped him up that Chen Sheng hobbled away, wincing with every step. His knee and calf were badly bruised and swollen.
His teammate asked curiously, "How did you hurt your calf so badly?"
Even with a bad fall, you shouldn't have injured your calf like that.
Qiao Ying glanced indifferently at the battered Chen Sheng and said flatly, "Inevitable physical collisions happen on the court."
Chen Sheng looked at her wordlessly, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
His unhappy teammate said, "Do we really have to streak?"
Another teammate said, "It's just running naked one lap, what's the big deal? We're men."
Huo Chengdong walked over and said, "Think again. He said that if they lost, we could do whatever we wanted, right?" He looked at Chen Sheng.
Chen Sheng asked, "What do you want?"
Huo Chengdong said, "I'm in a good mood today. I'll let you guys keep your underwear on while you run a lap around our school, then run back to yours. We'll call it even after that. Oh, and while you're running, yell 'Peking University Number One' loudly."
Seeing the ugly looks on Chen Sheng and his teammates' faces, Huo Chengdong smirked arrogantly, "I can be childish like that."
They tried to double team Qiao Ying to get the ball in the last two plays of the game. Sore losers like them didn't deserve any sympathy. If they had any integrity, Huo Chengdong would have considered letting them keep their pants on.
Huo Chengdong's teammates all agreed, "That's right. It was a hard fought victory, we can't go easy on them."
Chen Sheng looked at Qiao Ying and said through gritted teeth, "I admit you're very good, but is this really necessary? Ambushing us like that."
Qiao Ying curled her lip disdainfully, "Ambush? Is that really necessary? Isn't it obvious with one look?"
Why would she need to pretend?
Qiao Ying said, "If I was as bad as you guys after practicing so long, I'd kill myself."
Huo Chengdong said, "Did you hear that? You're just a sore loser. Why would my sister Qiao need to put on an act to play against you? What's wrong, can't admit you were outmatched? Stop making excuses and own up to the fact we have a genius here. If you don't want to run, fine, kneel and kowtow a few times, yell 'grandpa', and I'll let you go back."
Chen Sheng said, "Don't take this too far."
Huo Chengdong said, "Less whining. Hurry up. Dawdle any longer and I won't even let you keep your underwear on. I'm serious about making you streak back to your school."
Chen Sheng gritted his teeth so hard they threatened to crack. Under the oppressive prestige of Huo Chengdong's status, he steeled himself and took his shirt off.
Huo Chengdong said, "Keep going."
Chen Sheng didn't move.
Huo Chengdong said, "Don't make me strip you myself."
More and more students were coming down from the stands to watch. Chen Sheng swallowed his humiliation and threw caution to the wind. He roughly yanked his pants off.
Huo Chengdong and his playboy teammates all catcalled, "Whoa!"
The spectators erupted into an uproar, "Why are they getting naked?? Did they have a bet?"
"Speaking of bets, it makes me think of school belle Qiao. Could this be another one of her crazy stunts?"
"So what exactly was the bet? Let's head down there and see."
Zhang Chengyong was enthusiastically pitching the bright future of Peking University to some visiting education bureau leaders while highlighting the campus' agreeable scenery.
Suddenly, he heard a commotion and chanting. He looked towards the sound and was nearly blinded by flashes of white.
The leaders looked around at the scenery Zhang Chengyong was pointing out, "Of all the schools, Peking University's scenery is the best. Even the students look happy..." Their words trailed off.
A shocking sight suddenly burst into view of the group.
The leaders had a united reaction—adjusting their glasses for a better look at the streak of white, followed by a large group with cameras filming everything. They were stunned speechless.
"Principal Zhang...this...this...this..."
"Peking University Number One!"
"Peking University Number One!"
"Peking University Number One!"
The corner of Zhang Chengyong's mouth twitched uncontrollably and his eyes kept blinking, "Ah, this is, uh, the swimming club. They're doing outdoor activities."
The leaders: "..."
Zhang Chengyong turned to a dean beside him, "Summon student Qiao and Huo Chengdong to my office later. Tell student Qiao to bring her needles." His head and heart ached.
Most of the spectators abandoned the stands to chase after Chen Sheng's group.
Huo Chengdong asked Qiao Ying, "Sister Qiao, those dogs Chen Sheng ran off. Just between us, you've really never played basketball before?"
Qiao Ying said bluntly, "Nonsense."
Huo Chengdong gave a thumbs up. He had to admire that.
Just as Huo Chengdong was about to say something else, he noticed a stain on Qiao Ying's sleeve, like something had discolored it.
"What's this?" Huo Chengdong reached out and grabbed the darkened fabric. His fingers were instantly dyed red.
The bright blood red shocked Huo Chengdong. He brought it closer for inspection and was hit with the faint smell of blood right as he wondered what it was stained with.
"Blood?" Huo Chengdong's eyes bulged, "Sister Qiao, you're hurt?" He immediately checked Qiao Ying, trying to roll up her sleeve, "What happened to your arm?"
How do you injure your arm badly enough to bleed just from playing basketball?
The others gathered around hearing this.
Qiao Ying dodged Huo Chengdong's hand, "It's fine."
The wound just split back open.
Huo Chengdong fretted, "What do you mean fine? Let me see, how did you do that? Was it that dog Chen Sheng? Or that baldy surnamed Huang from the other day?"
Qiao Ying glanced at her bloodied sleeve, "Happened over winter break."
Huo Chengdong exclaimed, "Winter break? A wound that's been untreated for so long is still bleeding?! Were you in an accident or did you get in a fight? Why didn't you say anything if you were injured? You shouldn't have played."
Qiao Ying checked her phone messages, one from Qin Hanyue.
She couldn't help but ask Huo Chengdong, "Did you really send that video to Qin Hanyue?"
Or did Qin Hanyue happen across it while reminiscing about his school days on some forum?
Huo Chengdong said, "As if I sent it. I was just trying to scare that dog Chen Sheng." He didn't even have Qin Hanyue's contact info, who would he have sent it to?
"What video are you talking about? Let me see your arm, what's the deal with this injury? Come on, let's get over to the clinic."
After Qiao Ying replied to the message, she put her phone back in her pocket, "I ain't showing you shit. Qin Hanyue is here, I'm leaving first."
"Qin Hanyue is here?" Huo Chengdong's expression instantly changed, "Sis...sis Qiao, uh, I didn't know you were injured. If I had, wild horses couldn't have dragged me out to make you play, even nude. If Qin asks what happened, remember to tell him it was all a misunderstanding. I don't want him to get the wrong idea and kill me later."
The car pulled up at the south school gate. Qiao Ying got in and sat down.
Qin Hanyue immediately noticed her bloodstained sleeve. He carefully rolled it up to reveal her bandage, over half stained red.
Qin Hanyue's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
Qiao Ying paid it no mind. She glanced curiously at the stranger sitting in the passenger seat, a question in her eyes for Qin Hanyue.
Qin Hanyue explained, "My private doctor."
Qiao Ying said, "He didn't need to make a special trip out. I can tend my own wounds and the school has a clinic."
