Serenade

Chapter 20

Shen Pingchuan was an upright and strict person. When he was in elementary school, he wore five red scarves around his arm and a red neckerchief around his neck. He stood under the national flag and saluted with the Young Pioneers salute, his solemn little face tense.

He was the teacher's confidant. If any of his classmates had the slightest impropriety, he would report it to the teacher after class without fail.

From childhood to adulthood, Shen Pingchuan was always an excellent youth and good student in the eyes of teachers, and a "despicable male", "spy", and "little red guard" in the eyes of his classmates. The more teachers liked him, the more classmates hated him.

Because of this, Shen Pingchuan had few friends. But he didn't care. He believed he adhered to principles and did the right things.

Upon entering university, Shen Pingchuan joined the student union as he wished, and the excellent management skills cultivated since childhood allowed him to thrive in the student union.

At the same time, he was as hated as ever.

Jin Xi's hatred for Shen Pingchuan was no less than anyone else's. Every day she thought of ways to pick fights and argue with him.

Although she hated him, sometimes when she saw him eating alone in the cafeteria, she felt sorry for him and couldn't bear it.

So every day before and after class, she would send Shen Pingchuan a message, asking if he had class, if he wanted to eat together, and meet in the third cafeteria.

Shen Pingchuan reprimanded her sternly: "Pay attention in class! School isn't over yet and you're already thinking about eating! You eat so much yet I don't see you growing taller. Our family will go bankrupt because of you!"

Jin Xi: ...

I'm so bored!

During free activity time in the afternoon P.E. class, Jin Xi saw Shen Pingchuan at the edge of the playground.

Shen Pingchuan wore a white athletic shirt. He stood alone at the edge of the basketball court's rubber track.

He held a basketball in his hands and dribbled it for a while by himself. Then he looked up at the courts.

There were four courts and eight baskets on the basketball court.

Boys ran around, passing balls and making slam dunks, drenched in sweat.

Shen Pingchuan bounced the ball and plucked up his courage to walk over, pretending to be aloof as he murmured: "Want to play together?"

A few boys wearing black jerseys saw Shen Pingchuan come over and exchanged suggestive looks with each other: "We already have enough people."

"Oh."

Shen Pingchuan stood under the backboard, holding the ball and watching them play for a while. Then he bounced the ball awkwardly, preparing to leave.

Suddenly the ball in his hands was snatched away. Shen Pingchuan turned around and saw Jin Xi with her little arms and legs bouncing the basketball away, dribbling straight to the empty court. She threw it wildly at the backboard.

The basketball bounced back and Jin Xi yelped, "Oh my god, that was close!"

"Clumsy." Shen Pingchuan laughed. "That's not how you do it."

"Who doesn't know how to play basketball?"

After Jin Xi spoke, she picked up the ball and threw it at the hoop again. This time, the ball spun around the rim before falling to the ground.

"Let me teach you." Shen Pingchuan walked over, took the ball, took two steps and made a slam dunk, steadily throwing the ball into the hoop.

Although Shen Pingchuan was annoying, he really was handsome, especially when playing basketball. He was in great form.

Jin Xi didn't have much interest in basketball originally. But playing with Shen Pingchuan, she wasn't serious about learning. She just threw the ball around wildly.

Shen Pingchuan thought she was useless at it, but he was still in high spirits demonstrating moves for her.

"You can't run while dribbling. You have to bounce the ball, understand?"

Jin Xi held the ball and bounced it twice. The ball rolled away, so she stubbornly insisted: "I'll just run holding it."

"Foul!"

"So what."

Shen Pingchuan was a little helpless. This girl was stubborn and free-spirited. He might as well indulge her. When the ball fell, he passed it to her to let her shoot.

Jin Xi's roommates saw the two playing ball quite happily, so they joined in the fun. Shen Pingchuan led a few girls to play, and they were having a good time.

The boys in black jerseys who had rejected Shen Pingchuan earlier watched this scene, very puzzled.

Usually when they played ball, if girls came to watch, they would definitely show off.

But now Shen Pingchuan, who they had rejected, was not only being watched by girls, but also playing ball with them.

This made them a little unhappy.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar basketball pounded against the backboard with a loud "bang".

The basketball bounced back and flew straight at Jin Xi.

Shen Pingchuan reacted quickly. He rushed over to catch the basketball, threw it into the bushes, and turned around yelling angrily: "What's wrong with you guys!"

The boys in black jerseys walked over: "What's wrong with you playing ball with girls?"

"What's it to you."

The tallest and burliest boy said: "You took up half our court. Now we want to use the whole court. Shen Pingchuan, scram."

Seeing they were so unreasonable, coming to drive them away, Jin Xi said fiercely: "Did you build this basketball court? On what basis are you telling us to leave?"

"Girl, this has nothing to do with you."

Those boys didn't seem to want to argue with a girl. They only targeted Shen Pingchuan: "Shen Pingchuan, you look so proud playing ball with a girl. With your skill level, playing with girls is all you can manage."

The boys in black jerseys snickered.

Shen Pingchuan was provoked by this and yelled angrily: "In that case, let's play a match!"

The boy in the black jersey sneered coldly: "A match. There's so many of us. Don't complain later that we ganged up on you if you lose."

"I can take all of you by myself easily."

Seeing the situation was not right, Jin Xi pulled at Shen Pingchuan's shirt: "Forget it. How can you play them alone?"

Just then, the basketball in the bushes was picked up by someone.

"Lively here."

Everyone looked back to see a few guys in camo uniforms walking over.

Bo Yan stood in the middle with his jacket casually tied around his waist, revealing his muscular, well-defined arms.

He twirled the basketball skillfully with his fingers.

He cocked his chin, his pitch-black eyes emanating a bleak chill: "Are my friends bothering you?"

The boys in black glanced at each other, murmuring:

"Bo Yan from the National Defense Academy."

"How did he end up standing with Shen Pingchuan?"

The boy leading the black jerseys flicked his tongue against the back of his teeth and rolled his eyes: "What the hell, Bo Yan. You're even helping a despicable male like Shen Pingchuan?"

Jin Xi hated hearing the words "despicable male". She stood up to defend him: "Don't insult him!"

"Wow, girl you're so cute, yet you're that despicable male's girlfriend. Are you blind?"

The boys in black jerseys snickered.

Before Jin Xi could say anything, Bo Yan's hand fell on her shoulder and pulled her behind him.

He looked up, his bright black eyes staring at the boy in the black jersey. His voice was lazy: "This girl's mine. Got a problem with that?"

Jin Xi looked at Bo Yan. The corner of his eyes were upturned, with a flirtatious smile at the edge of his lips.

"Bo Yan, if the girl's yours, then us brothers didn't say anything."

The boys in black jerseys clearly didn't dare offend Bo Yan: "How do you want to resolve this?"

Bo Yan glanced at Shen Pingchuan: "Our side has exactly five people including my bro Shen here. Let's play a game against you guys. If we win, apologize to my bro Shen. If we lose, I, Bo Yan, will never play ball at the gym again. How about it?"

The boys in black glanced at each other, completely baffled. They clearly couldn't believe Bo Yan actually called Shen Pingchuan "bro"?

In all of B University, how many people were good enough for Bo Yan to call "bro"? What virtues and talents did Shen Pingchuan have?

The virtuous and talented Shen Pingchuan was also confused. After the confusion, when it sank in, he inexplicably blushed.

He was actually a little shy.

The boys in black agreed to Bo Yan's match. They couldn't not agree. With so many people watching, they were the ones who picked the fight in the first place. Now Shen Pingchuan had backup. If they slipped away now, what would that make them? Bullies who shrank back at the first sign of trouble.

Although the opponents were from the National Defense Academy, they had probably just finished training and didn't have much strength at the moment. With 5 vs 5 basketball, they might not necessarily lose.

Chu Zhao and Lin Luo stood under the backboard, watching them take the court excitedly: "Seniors, do your best!"

"Teach these arrogant guys a good lesson!"

Bo Yan took off his jacket and stuffed it into Jin Xi's hands: "Hold this."

"Oh."

Jin Xi took Bo Yan's jacket and neatly folded it to hold in front of her, obedient as a young daughter-in-law.

Shen Pingchuan glanced back at his own jacket carelessly tossed on the ground. His mood suddenly became a little complicated.

Xia You was a flower rack. He went directly into the group of girls under the backboard and said to Bo Yan: "Bo Yan, I'll cheer for you guys. Go ball busters!"

Bo Yan grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back: "Even a useless pretty boy can't get away with that."

Xia You cried tragically: "I've never played basketball! Since I was little I only played badminton, kicked shuttlecocks, and jumped rubber bands."

The match officially began. Bo Yan, Xu Chaoyang and the others were at the king level. Shen Pingchuan was barely decent. With Xia You's beginner skills, they were more than enough to thrash the boys in black jerseys.

In a 40 minute money match, they beat those boys in black jerseys until they were battered and exhausted.

Those boys also seemed decent at basketball, but compared to Bo Yan's crew they didn't stand a chance at all. In terms of speed and stamina, they couldn't keep up with these wild dogs from the National Defense Academy.

After just half a game, they were sprawled on the ground, panting heavily. In the end, Bo Yan scored 34:12, humiliating them miserably.

At the end, the boys came over dejectedly and apologized to Shen Pingchuan one by one.

Shen Pingchuan demonstrated the broad mind of a socialist successor, waving his hand without holding a grudge against them.

Jin Xi handed Bo Yan his jacket: "Senior, hurry and put this on. You just recovered from illness. Getting hot and cold will make you sick again."

Bo Yan took the neatly folded jacket, reluctant to unfold it. He said: "I'm hot now. I'll wear it when I get back to the dorm."

"Be good and listen. You're drenched in sweat. The wind will definitely make you sick."

Jin Xi snatched the clothes and shook them open. She tiptoed to drape the jacket over Bo Yan's shoulders. Bo Yan casually grabbed the jacket, then leaned down to meet Jin Xi's eyes directly.

In the cold wind, her nose was a little red. Her wispy bangs covered her fair forehead.

Bo Yan looked into her eyes and smiled, "Little Jin Xi, there's only one way to make your senior listen."

Jin Xi blinked her long, delicate eyelashes rapidly, "Oh?"

Glancing at Shen Ping Chuan, Bo Yan said lightly, "Call me 'Brother Bo Yan' and see if that works?"