The timeout called by Class 2 was very well-timed. There were only 3 minutes left in the first half. Not only did it interrupt Class 8's momentum, but by the time Class 8 adjusted again, the first half would be over. With the extended break in between, it would be hard for Class 8 to regain their rhythm.  

Jiang Cheng glanced at the scoreboard. They were behind by 4 points. On the surface that didn't seem like much - it would be easy to catch up. But their opponent was Class 2. With superior teamwork and individual skills, Class 2 was way above Class 8's level. Those 4 points felt insurmountable.  

They had Li Yan to thank for today's game - not just for taking photos, but for his guidance from the sidelines too.

During the break, they huddled together to listen to Li Yan's plans.

"I'll be direct. Don't take this personally, but I think you're in big trouble," Li Yan said. "If you want to win, you'll have to give it your all. No one can stand still. Everyone must run. Their starters are all school team players, right? That kind of teamwork doesn't develop overnight. So if you want to win...or at least not let the score run away...you'll have to go all out."

"Yeah!" Everyone put their hands together and shouted.

"Jiang Cheng, they'll lock you down this half. Your threes will be limited," Li Yan looked at Jiang Cheng. "You'll have to create chances for Da Fei."

"Got it," Jiang Cheng nodded.

"Push on," Li Yan lifted his camera and snapped a photo of Jiang Cheng's face.

Jiang Cheng sighed at him.

"Not bad," Li Yan held out the camera for him to see. "Your captain's the real challenge to photograph. That pose..."

Jiang Cheng laughed and glanced over at Wang Xu standing nearby, one hand on his hip as he drank water.

The two classes battled fiercely once the second half started. Not just the players, but the cheer squads screamed with abandon, as if they'd storm the court if not for the sidelines and referees. This game had only gone on for half an hour, but Jiang Cheng already felt tired, unlike previous matches. Their stamina drained quickly trying to match Class 2's superior skills.  

After covering Gu Fei on three straight baskets, sweat dripped into Jiang Cheng's eyes. He didn't wear wristbands, so he had to wipe with his jersey.

"Want it?" Gu Fei asked beside him.

"Hm?" Jiang Cheng looked over.

"Here," Gu Fei wore two wristbands. He took off his left one and handed it over. "I haven't wiped sweat with this side yet."

Jiang Cheng almost said sweat would soak through the wristband anyway. But Gu Fei added, "Before the sweat runs down my arm."

"F*ck." Jiang Cheng laughed and took the wristband, wiping his brow too.

"See number 9?" Gu Fei said. "He's out of gas. He's been running the left side. I'll come from the left soon."

Jiang Cheng stayed silent. He and Gu Fei worked the middle and right side. Going left wasn't Gu Fei's strong suit as a right-hander.

"I'll try to look cool," Gu Fei added.

Jiang Cheng had no time to wonder what cool moves Gu Fei planned. Guo Xu roared, ready to inbound. Jiang Cheng took off running.  

Lu Xiaobin got the ball and passed to Jiang Cheng after two dribbles. Gu Fei had already crossed half court by the time Jiang Cheng turned to pass. He immediately swung left. Jiang Cheng hit Gu Fei perfectly in stride on the left side.

Jiang Cheng pressed down the middle, ready for the pass.

Gu Fei dribbled left-handed. The girls in the stands screamed as if they were seeing Gu Fei's on an idol show live. Jiang Cheng sighed silently.

Left-handed dribbling wasn't that impressive. Any frequent player practiced both hands. Gu Fei was steady left-handed, but he definitely benefited from looks and charm. Even when Wang Ji dribbled left through three defenders, no one reacted like this...

Gu Fei quickly reached the left baseline. The angle made it hard to shoot, like Jiang Cheng's three earlier. Class 2 mainly guarded against the pass, with only #9 clinging to Gu Fei to stop him from turning to the basket.

Jiang Cheng hovered inside the key, watching Gu Fei and ready to receive the pass.

But Gu Fei suddenly twisted left and whipped the ball overhead with his left hand. The ball arched beautifully toward the hoop.

Sh*t! A left-handed three from that angle and form? Jiang Cheng yelled, "Xiaobin!"

Lu Xiaobin immediately cut inside, jostling for position to rebound.

But Gu Fei's heave swished cleanly through the net.

"F*ck yeah!" Jiang Cheng jumped up. "F*ck!"

The crowd erupted. Old Xu waved his arms, hopping in place. "Gu Fei! Amazing! Amazing! Class 8, Class 8! Most handsome!"

Jiang Cheng didn't even bother scolding Old Xu's bizarre fixation on looks. He bumped Gu Fei's shoulder: "You crazy?"

Gu Fei bounced and bumped him back. "Cool shot?"

"So f*cking cool," Jiang Cheng said. "Huge momentum shift."

Gu Fei's three-pointer energized Class 8 and Class 2.

Class 2 quickly scored on a fast break.  

The atmosphere on and off court boiled over, enough to steam several buns.

Like Li Yan said, it was very hard to keep the score close now. Almost every Class 8 basket was answered by Class 2.

Entering the final quarter, Class 8 still trailed by 3 points. A manageable deficit with strong play, but not against a fired-up Class 2.  

During the timeout, Jiang Cheng leaned on his knees, hearing everyone panting in the huddle.

"Guo Xu, rest first," Li Yan didn't go over tactics. "Sub a taller guy in. When they attack, immediately collapse inwards on defense. Leave their threes to Gu Fei and Jiang Cheng to handle."

"Got it," Wang Xu nodded.

"Scoring isn't the issue. The key is preventing their baskets. Otherwise you trade buckets and it's over," Li Yan said.

In a game like this, Class 8 had no chance stopping Class 2's scoring. Li Yan looked at Gu Fei and Jiang Cheng as he spoke - implicitly telling the others not to lose hope.

The sub increased their height for defense, but not enough against the grasshopper's jumps.

With 4 minutes left, Class 2 led by 5 points. Li Yan called a sub to put Guo Xu back in.

"Go all out on offense," Guo Xu relayed when he came back. "Full power."

Jiang Cheng couldn't remember this kind of pressure even in school team games. The cheers, screams, energetic cheer squad, his spent teammates, and the equally spent opponents.

"Go for three-pointers," Gu Fei said, running by him.  

A few possessions later, they cut it to 4 points when Jiang Cheng got the ball. The clock showed under a minute left. Though the odds were good for even teams, right now... He drove forward anyway.

He met He Zhou midway and passed to Gu Fei, who quickly hit Wang Xu.

Wang Xu and Lu Xiaobin worked together to the post, but Guo Xu's shot was blocked. Thankfully Lu Xiaobin roared and startled the opponent fighting him for the board. That split second let Lu Xiaobin grab the ball.

Even from the three-point line, Jiang Cheng felt the power. If this were a wuxia world, that guy's meridians and orifices would be wrecked.

Lu Xiaobin passed to Jiang Cheng.

Go for three-pointers.

Gu Fei's words still echoed in his mind. He jumped without hesitation upon receiving the ball, with He Zhou jumping at the same time right in front of him.

He leaned back, at least a hundred lines of "please heavens bless me" flashing through his mind in that moment...

The ball left his hand.  

He Zhou didn't touch the ball as it arced high.

"Good shot," He Zhou said without looking back after they landed.

Jiang Cheng watched the ball, arm still up. It swished through as he flashed three fingers down habitually.  

Good shot.

One point difference.

The crowd went wild with twenty seconds left. Everyone stood, the cheers deafening. Even Old Xu hopped in place waving his arms, but Jiang Cheng couldn't hear what he yelled. Even loud Old Lu was drowned out.

Class 2 zoomed downcourt with the ball. Grasshopper got it and shot without even coming to a stop. Gu Fei jumped but just grazed it with his fingertips.

The ball didn't go in, and it turned into a wrestlefest under the boards that abandoned all pretense of a boys' basketball game. Jiang Cheng suddenly felt like he was watching middle-aged ladies wrestle for discounts at the supermarket.

Somehow Class 2 rebounded it and scored again. This time Gu Fei blocked it, and the ball got into Wang Xu's hands.

4 seconds left.

Wang Xu had no time to pass once he got the ball. He charged forward.

Jiang Cheng tried to screen but He Zhou seemed propelled by a final wind, speed shocking as he caught Wang Xu before the three-point line. He swiped the ball away.

By the time Wang Xu recovered it, the buzzer sounded.

"Game over!"

Class 2 erupted in shouts.

Wang Xu stood holding the ball until Gu Fei came over and squeezed his shoulder. Then he whipped the ball down and hugged Gu Fei, bursting into tears.

"The fuck?" Gu Fei stood confused, arms raised.

"So close!" Wang Xu cried. "So damn close!"

"It was already very good," Gu Fei patted his back. "Already very good. Don't cry..."

He Zhou high-fived his teammates then looked over and was bewildered. He ran over. "I didn't...did I run into him?"

"You didn't," Jiang Cheng said. "He just..."

"Why'd you swat my ball?!" Wang Xu shoved Gu Fei and yelled at He Zhou.  

"Ah!" He Zhou startled back. "I had to...swat it?"

"Captain," Jiang Cheng initially felt disappointed and regretful at only losing by one point. But now looking at Wang Xu, he couldn't even be bothered to sigh, saying, "Captain, Captain Wang?"

"What." Wang Xu looked over.

"Everyone's watching you," Jiang Cheng said. "Hurry and line up to shake hands."

"Oh right!" Wang Xu's eyes widened. "I almost forgot! Come on! Line up!"  

Jiang Cheng sighed in relief.

After the teams shook hands and hugged, they returned to their benches.

"So exciting!" Old Xu hugged each of them. "Amazing! So amazing! I'm so proud of you!"

When he got to Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng quickly made a fist at him and stepped back.

"You!" Old Xu pointed then sighed. He grabbed Gu Fei in a hug. "Well done, Gu Fei!"

Gu Fei just smiled without responding.

After Old Xu walked away, he turned around and glanced at Jiang Cheng. They looked at each other until Jiang Cheng finally laughed and opened his arms. Gu Fei came over and they hugged.

Jiang Cheng no longer cared if people were screaming, filming, or posting new threads online because of this scene.

He just wanted to hug Gu Fei after that game, those teammates, and his seamless cooperation with Gu Fei.

Hug it out. Hug this little sister and carry her to the wedding sedan...*

*T/N: Famous song lyrics from the 1990s.

"Haven't had such a thrilling game in a long time," Gu Fei said.

"Yeah," Jiang Cheng said. "When have you ever played a normal game?"

"...I have," Gu Fei released him. "I need the bathroom."

"Have you been holding it the whole game?" Jiang Cheng said incredulously.

"No," Gu Fei grabbed his jacket and took out the wound glue. "I think my waist opened up again too. I'll go glue it."

"Want..." Jiang Cheng said softly. "Help?"

"It's fine." Gu Fei smiled.

The spectators hadn't fully dispersed. Some were shooting on court, some chatted in the stands, and some were...taking photos.

"Jiang Cheng," He Zhou ran over. "Play some ball later?"

Jiang Cheng glanced toward the bathroom. "Another day? I'm..."

"No playing!" Wang Xu cut in. "No playing! We're going to eat now! No time to play with you!"

He Zhou hesitated. "Okay then, let's set another time. Let's add each other on WeChat?"

"Sure." Jiang Cheng added He Zhou.

Gu Fei came back from the bathroom shortly after. Their class was still excited, sad, and thrilled.

"We've got lots of people!" Wang Xu called the restaurant for reservations. "The small conference room booth thing! Yeah that one!"

"How is it?" Jiang Cheng glanced at Gu Fei.

"It's fine," Gu Fei rotated his arms. "We're eating after this?"

"Yeah," Jiang Cheng nodded. "What time are you..."

"8pm," Gu Fei said.  

Wang Xu herded everyone, including a reluctant Li Yan, to the restaurant.

Jiang Cheng still sat next to Gu Fei but they barely spoke during the meal. Everyone was too excited. Luckily there weren't many other customers so the ruckus didn't drive them out.  

Jiang Cheng didn't feel like talking much either. Since seeing those buildings yesterday he'd felt vaguely uneasy about their idiotic plans this time.

With the game over and nothing else on his mind, the feeling intensified.

Gu Fei would definitely be injured, clearly so. He had to be hurt for this to end given Monkey's temperament. Even if Gu Fei conceded, he still needed to be injured.

So how badly would he be injured?

Utter stupidity.

Eating, chatting, bawling together, finally belting out a song about friendship - strangers would've thought they were having a farewell meal. They didn't disperse until past 3 PM. Jiang Cheng felt his sweat-soaked clothes reeking by the time they left the restaurant.

Li Yan rode his motorbike straight to Gu Fei's shop. Jiang Cheng and Gu Fei biked back silently.

At the shop entrance, Gu Fei finally said, "Watch yourself tonight. There'll be all sorts there."

"I know," Jiang Cheng looked at him and sighed at last. "However you decide to get injured, just...be careful."

"Don't worry," Gu Fei smiled. "I grew up getting hurt."

Jiang Cheng flipped him off before pedaling away.

He showered at home first, then went around searching before he bought some rubber tubes and clamps at a pharmacy.

Since using it for toy slingshots, Jiang Cheng had grown familiar with the tube's stretch and rebound. He still used it despite there being better options now.

After buying the rubber tubes, he went to the market again. He had no concept of the layout and structure of the market at all. He wandered around for at least ten rounds before finding a shop to buy a bag of walnuts.

After finishing these tasks, it was not yet five o'clock. There was still quite a long time before eight o'clock, but he still stuffed everything into his schoolbag and went to the railway bridge.

He locked his bicycle on the railing in front of a small shop at the intersection, then went in.

This place looked even more desolate in the daytime than at night. He went straight up to the rooftop, put down his bag, and sat down leaning against the wall of the small attic.

"Hello everyone, welcome to watch the second episode of Brother Cheng taking you to see the suicidal idiots," Jiang Cheng said while taking off the rubber tube on the slingshot, "There are still...three hours before the gathering of these suicidal idiots. I guess the first idiots will arrive in two hours, so we have to arrive early... At this time I can teach everyone how to tie rubber tubes on slingshots..."

He took out the rubber tube and hemostat: "I usually use the figure-eight method, it's very simple, just need a hemostat, two sweater needles will also work...you can see for yourselves, I'm too lazy to explain, not in the mood."

The pouch was newly replaced before, so it could still be used. Jiang Cheng quickly tied the rubber tube, then pulled it tight to test it. After letting go, the feeling was right.

He leaned his head back against the wall, closed his eyes for a moment, then took out a walnut from his schoolbag.

"Previously we used steel balls," he pulled the elastic band, aiming at the four buildings across and glanced at each one, "Today we'll see the power of a walnut... Of course, not a paper-shelled walnut, an ordinary hard-shelled walnut..."

He let go, and the walnut flew out.  

A empty can on the rooftop of the building across was hit and flew off the edge, falling downstairs, and the walnut also shattered.

"Not bad," Jiang Cheng reached out and grabbed four walnuts, stood up and shuffled forward two steps, "Let's see how someone afraid of heights overcomes psychological... barriers, fuck, and fires four shots in a row..."

Jiang Cheng took a breath, aimed at a soda bottle on the roof of the second building, and fired the first walnut. The bottle jumped forward, then he fired the second one, and the bottle jumped forward again. Next was the third and fourth.  

The fourth one missed. The bottle had already jumped to the other side of the building. The distance was a bit far.

"Alright," Jiang Cheng sat back against the wall, "The preparation work is done. Now...let's read together for a while, continue watching in two hours."

He took out a math exercise book that Pan Zhi had sent him from his schoolbag and started reading with his head down.

When the sky was completely dark and he couldn't see anything clearly in front of him, Jiang Cheng put the book back in his schoolbag. At this time, he heard the sound of motorcycles from downstairs.

The street lights were already on. He crawled to the edge of the rooftop and looked down. Although there were only two street lights, he could still see three motorcycles arriving downstairs.

There were people on each motorcycle, four men and two women.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the first suicidal idiots have arrived. There are even women," Jiang Cheng said in a low voice, "I haven't seen these people before, they should be members of the mentally handicapped Monkey troop."

After getting off the motorcycles, they didn't come upstairs but stood downstairs chatting and laughing.

Jiang Cheng looked at the time, just past seven o'clock. He opened his messages and looked at the chat with Gu Fei. There was no new content, Gu Fei had not contacted him.

He hesitated for a moment before putting his phone back in his pocket. There was no point in contacting Gu Fei at this time.

After more than ten minutes, more people began to gather downstairs. Some wandered in on foot, some came on motorcycles. They all gathered downstairs, smoking, and some were drinking and chatting while holding liquor bottles. He stared at these people but didn't see the Not a Good Bird gang.

Jiang Cheng just squatted at the edge of the rooftop looking down until his legs were numb, squatting until he almost forgot his fear of heights. Finally he saw Li Yan arrive on the same motorcycle from today, coming in through the small road.

There was a commotion among the people downstairs, and the atmosphere suddenly became a little tense.

Then two more motorcycles arrived. Jiang Cheng stared at them. Not, A, Good, Bird, four people in total... Where was Gu Fei?

Only after Li Yan and the Not A Good Bird guys got off their motorcycles did he see Gu Fei's motorcycle turning in.

"Fuck," Jiang Cheng suppressed his voice and whispered, "Dear audience, please look at the one coming in now. He's the suicidal idiot...number one. He's riding a black motorcycle, wearing...a night suit, and now he's taking off his helmet...Aside from being a suicidal idiot, number one is actually quite handsome. This entrance can be given 82 points, the remaining 18 points will be given in the form of 666..."

Gu Fei got off the motorcycle and hung his helmet on the rearview mirror. He looked around at the people beside him: "Where's Monkey?"

"Coming soon." Someone answered.

"Let's go up first." Gu Fei glanced at Liu Fan.

"Okay." Liu Fan kicked an empty bottle at his feet. A few people went into the building together.

Gu Fei was quite familiar with this building, because the steel factory area liked to solve problems by jumping over railings. He couldn't remember how many times he had come here, but this was the first time he came to solve his own problem.

"The people I called will be here soon," Liu Fan turned his head, "Li Yan, call Brother Xu and tell him to come straight up."

"Okay." Li Yan took out his phone and dialed.

Gu Fei walked at the very front, and went straight up to the rooftop. The wind was quite strong today. As soon as he stepped onto the rooftop, it blew in his face.  

He looked around, then took out his glasses from his pocket and put them on.

"He's probably in the building across," Li Yan said softly beside him.

Gu Fei glanced at Li Yan, then looked at the building across. It was pitch black and he couldn't see anything clearly. He didn't see anything resembling a human figure on the rooftop either.

Monkey arrived with a group of people. The protagonists for today were all here. The onlookers had also all gone up to the rooftops. One, two, three, four. Gu Fei looked around. There were people on the rooftops of all four buildings.

Some were Monkey's people, some were called by Liu Fan. And there were quite a few neutral spectators just here to watch the show.

Although this was just between him and Monkey, people still had to be called. Monkey, as a gang leader, liked this kind of scene. And all Gu Fei wanted was witnesses.

He wanted it to be over in one go, with no aftermath. So there had to be other people present, the more the better. Everyone would know the matter between them was settled this time, so if anyone wanted to cause trouble again, it would become an issue of face. Gang leaders with "status" like Monkey, who cared about face, would find it very difficult to make any moves after this.

But... Gu Fei pushed up his glasses and stared at the people around him for a circle. As he looked at each rooftop one by one, he still didn't see Jiang Cheng.

He was too familiar with Jiang Cheng's figure. Even if the boy was mixed in the crowd, he could spot him with one glance. But he couldn't find a trace of Jiang Cheng anywhere.

The building across? It still looked peaceful and quiet.  

He felt a little uneasy. After hesitating for a long time, he still took out his phone and sent Jiang Cheng a message.

- Where are you

Jiang Cheng's reply came back quickly.

- Brother Cheng is everywhere

"Fuck." Looking at this line, Gu Fei could practically see Jiang Cheng's smug face from beyond the five elements.

- Exactly where, the building across?

There was no light at all in the building across. Even if Jiang Cheng had dimmed his phone screen to the lowest, nothing would be visible looking over from this side.

- Come stand at the edge of the rooftop

Gu Fei glanced at Monkey. He was chatting with a group of people he hadn't seen in a long time, looking completely relaxed as if nothing was happening tonight.

Gu Fei slowly walked to the edge of the rooftop.

Just as he was lowering his head to send Jiang Cheng a message, he suddenly felt something hit his shoe. He looked down and found it was a walnut.

"Fuck? You're hiding pretty well," he directly sent a voice message, went over and stomped the walnut into pieces. At the same time he also saw the crushed walnut shells beside it, "What are you trying to do?"

- Smile

Jiang Cheng sent a message back.

Gu Fei turned to face the pitch black dilapidated building across. Smile? What the hell?

- I can see

Another message from Jiang Cheng came over.

Gu Fei glanced at the people standing on the rooftop. Taking the chance while no one was paying attention, he turned and smiled toward the darkness.

This was probably the silliest thing he had done in his life.

"Very good," Jiang Cheng squatted in the darkness. The rooftop across had people lighting oil drums so it became very bright. "Just now we saw suicidal idiot number one's smile, which means the aim is very good now... It seems they're about to start, it'll be soon now."

One leg curled and one knee kneeling on the rooftop, he took a walnut and pulled back the elastic band.

The people on the rooftop had scattered to both sides. Gu Fei and Monkey had both retreated to the very edge of the rooftop. The running start was the width of the rooftop.

"Fuck," Jiang Cheng frowned. Empty bottles were kicked from both sides to the middle, there were at least three bottles in Gu Fei's path. Then bricks and wooden planks were thrown over. On the rooftop they were jumping to, there was the same situation. Someone had even directly thrown a beer case in the middle. He gritted his teeth, "Fucking suicidal idiots."  

Someone walked to the middle, facing Monkey and Gu Fei, and raised a hand.

Jiang Cheng had no way to calculate Gu Fei's stride to clear the obstacles in advance with walnuts. After it started, he could only follow Gu Fei's movement, estimate his landing point after the jump, and seize the time difference...

The hand raised in the middle suddenly pressed down.

Gu Fei and Monkey rushed out at the same time.

Gu Fei didn't look at his feet at all. Every step was very big, like he was about to take flight as he charged out with the wind.

Jiang Cheng stared at him closely.

When Gu Fei took the first step, he had already seen Gu Fei's state of going all out without looking down. Just striding forward.

When Gu Fei was at the edge of the rooftop, almost another inch forward would send him falling straight down, and he leaped vigorously, Jiang Cheng's heartbeat paused for an instant.

Gu Fei's posture of charging out recklessly, his figure suspended in midair as he jumped, meeting the wind as if flying...

"What kind of person are you?" Jiang Cheng pulled hard on the elastic band and let go. The walnut flew out, aimed at an empty bottle near Gu Fei's landing point.