Wei Xiaochi felt completely limp and numb, his neck growing hotter by the second. Sweat poured down his body, streaming over his glands and soaking through his T-shirt.

The wet, heavy fabric clung to him, making it hard to breathe, and his fingers felt weak and useless.

Wei Xiaochi gritted his teeth and pressed down hard on the colorful rope’s clasp.

The pheromones mixed with sweat evaporated into the air, most of it diluted by the blocker, but a faint thread of it lingered—like the mist over a mountain stream in the early morning—drifting across the bleachers and into the basketball court, where the alphas radiated with their own overpowering hormones.

The moment Jiang Zhan caught a whiff of the pheromone, he snapped his head up, his eyes sharp and filled with anxiety.

His gaze swept across the bleachers and quickly locked onto the omega on the verge of differentiation.

With a swift motion, Jiang Zhan rushed forward, his black hair whipping through the air, and the muscles in his waist and abdomen flexed as he ran.

The basketball court was surrounded by a railing, but Jiang Zhan planted his hand on it, leaping over it effortlessly, his long legs clearing the barrier.

Amidst the screams of the crowd, he scooped Wei Xiaochi up in his arms, like a wild animal protecting its food, enveloping the omega in his own scent.

Wei Xiaochi’s mind was foggy, his head spinning. The calming pheromone from the alpha was like a drop of water in a desert, soothing and relieving his thirst.

He trembled as he grasped at Jiang Zhan’s shirt, burying his face into the alpha’s neck, inhaling deeply.

Though the sharp pain had lessened a little, his body felt like it was burning hotter. Jiang Zhan’s pheromone was no longer soothing; it was like a deadly poison.

He couldn’t stop drinking, his body burning with thirst. The glands were in agony, as if every inch of skin was on fire.

Wei Xiaochi had never experienced this kind of pain before. He instinctively wanted to pull away from Jiang Zhan to escape the searing heat.

Lifting his head, he moved an inch, but the discomfort only worsened.

It felt as though the heat was melting them together. Pulling away would only tear them apart.

Wei Xiaochi buried himself back into Jiang Zhan’s neck, urgently and desperately inhaling his scent.

Jiang Zhan’s pheromone was no longer just calming; it was laced with desire, wrapping around the omega like an intricate web.

Wei Xiaochi had never felt this kind of temptation before, and his glands responded, releasing more pheromones.

Jiang Zhan staggered slightly, his breath becoming heavy, his eyes growing dazed.

Unable to resist, he leaned down, his nose gently nuzzling the omega’s hair.

Wei Xiaochi’s hair, damp with sweat, was soaked in pheromones, and Jiang Zhan, intoxicated, tightened his arms around the omega, seeking the source of the scent.

Just as he was about to kiss the spot, the person in his arms shifted slightly.

Jiang Zhan, with his long, strong arms, squeezed Wei Xiaochi a little too tightly, causing him to squirm slightly in discomfort.

Jiang Zhan snapped back to his senses, his breath heavy as he quickly scooped Wei Xiaochi up and hurried towards the locker room.

He kicked open the locker room door, instinctively locking it behind him. He walked over to the lockers and gently set Wei Xiaochi down.

Wei Xiaochi had no strength left. His feet barely touched the ground before his back slid down the locker door.

Jiang Zhan quickly caught him, pinning him against the locker, then raised his hand to open his own locker.

Wei Xiaochi, weak and leaning against the locker, felt a hot bead of sweat slide down his forehead, landing on his eyelashes.

His long, delicate lashes fluttered under the weight, finally shedding a tear from the corner of his eye.

Jiang Zhan, rummaging through his bag for an inhibitor, happened to glance down and saw the omega shedding that tear.

In that moment, his breath stopped, his muscles tensed, and it felt as if his soul had been struck.

Watching the tear trickle down to Wei Xiaochi’s chin, Jiang Zhan’s throat rumbled as he slowly lowered his head, using his tongue to gently lick the drop away.

Wei Xiaochi’s eyes widened in shock, his expression almost overflowing with disbelief.

Jiang Zhan gazed at Wei Xiaochi longingly, pressing his forehead gently against his. His strong, athletic frame, clad in a sports T-shirt, created a mesmerizing line.

With his arms wrapped around Wei Xiaochi, he looked like a bear protectively cradling its prize.

Wei Xiaochi’s mind had only cleared for a few moments earlier, and now, being held tightly by the alpha, his senses were overwhelmed by the scorching pheromone that surged around them.

The heat spread from his ankle up his body, and the moment it touched the back of his neck, it was like gasoline hitting a flame, the temperature rising sharply.

The raging fire consumed their rationality, leaving vast gaps in their memories.

It wasn’t until the sound of pounding on the door from outside that Wei Xiaochi’s mind started to regain clarity.

His lashes were heavy, his vision blurred. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and finally saw the scene in front of him.

Jiang Zhan was sitting on the bench in the middle of the locker room, with Wei Xiaochi perched on his lap, his knees resting on either side of the alpha’s waist.

They were face to face, with Jiang Zhan’s arm around Wei Xiaochi’s waist, their bodies pressed together without a gap.

The alpha’s eyes were hazy, his hand holding an inhibitor.

He had been carrying omega-specific inhibitors for emergencies, and he had planned to inject Wei Xiaochi with one earlier. Now, though, his fangs were dangerously close to the omega’s neck.

Wei Xiaochi had no memory of what had just happened. He snapped back to his senses, realizing how close Jiang Zhan’s teeth were to his neck, frozen in place, unable to move.

“Zhan-ge.”

“Zhan, are you okay?”

“Can you open the door?”

Han Ziyang pounded on the door from the outside, sensing the chaos caused by Jiang Zhan’s volatile pheromones. He had come to rescue them, risking his life in the process.

Jiang Zhan had suddenly left the court, and the coach immediately stopped the game. The referee gave only two minutes of break time.

Zhao Zifeng and Jiang Rui rushed after him, feeling the intense pressure of Jiang Zhan’s pheromones even before they reached the locker room.

It felt like they had sniffed ten tons of menthol oil—overwhelming, dizzying, and nearly suffocating.

Jiang Rui cursed aloud. “What the hell is going on?”

Zhao Zifeng, clearly worried, asked, “Is it his heat cycle? Does he have an inhibitor? Should we call an ambulance?”

Wei Xiaochi’s blocker was working, and with Jiang Zhan’s protection, neither Han Ziyang nor the others realized that an omega was about to differentiate inside the locker room.

While the regular blockers worked on Jiang Zhan, they only functioned if he wasn’t actively trying to detect the omega’s scent.

The previously tender and affectionate alpha now stiffened when he sensed the other alphas’ presence. His pheromones spiked violently, flooding the air.

“Damn!”

“Fuck!”

“What the hell?!”

The surrounding alphas, feeling the rush of pheromones, cursed, and even the usually composed Zhao Zifeng couldn’t help but swear.

Everyone instinctively distanced themselves from the locker room, realizing that the alpha’s pheromone burst was not something to mess with.

Releasing pheromones as a territorial instinct was an ancient survival mechanism, one still engraved in every alpha’s DNA after thousands of years.

Wei Xiaochi’s heart was pounding uncontrollably. He raised his hand weakly and tugged at Jiang Zhan’s collar.

The small motion snapped Jiang Zhan back to his senses.

The alpha, recovering from his frenzy, quickly identified friend from foe and restrained his pheromone output.

Wei Xiaochi, exhausted, collapsed into Jiang Zhan’s embrace. His forehead pressed against the alpha’s shoulder, feeling like a waterlogged piece of seaweed, drenched and tangled in his arms.

Looking at the faint red marks on the omega’s neck, marks he had left on him, Jiang Zhan’s breath grew heavy.

Wei Xiaochi was drenched in sweat, feeling more uncomfortable than ever. He had never sweated this much in his life.

Technically, this wasn’t just sweat; it was a different form of pheromone secretion that only appeared during differentiation or heat cycles.

Seeing the blue inhibitor in Jiang Zhan’s hand, Wei Xiaochi shakily spoke, his voice hoarse.

“…Inhibitor.”

He needed it. He felt horrible.

A little bit of physiological mist formed at the corners of his eyes. He was burning up, so he nuzzled Jiang Zhan’s shoulder again.

Jiang Zhan’s back stiffened, but he adjusted his grip, lifting Wei Xiaochi slightly and cupping his chin.

Wei Xiaochi was forced to tilt his head back, his glasses long gone. His eyes were misty, the edges flushed red, and small beads of sweat formed at the tip of his nose.

Jiang Zhan lowered his head and gently rubbed his forehead against Wei Xiaochi’s, as if soothing him.

This unexpected show of tenderness left Wei Xiaochi stunned.

Jiang Zhan cupped Wei Xiaochi’s face in both hands, his breath erratic. His lips descended slowly, inch by inch.

Wei Xiaochi stared wide-eyed as Jiang Zhan lowered his head toward his neck, expecting a bite, but terrified. He shut his eyes in fear.

Instead, Jiang Zhan merely inhaled deeply, and then the sharp pain of a needle punctured his neck. Something cold was injected into his veins, causing Wei Xiaochi’s pupils to contract.

Jiang Zhan pulled the syringe out and tossed it aside, pulling Wei Xiaochi tightly into his arms.

Wei Xiaochi’s glands hadn’t fully developed yet, and this was his first differentiation, making it unsuitable for a permanent mark.

Jiang Zhan, his canine teeth visible, wasn’t pleased with the situation.

At that moment, a calm voice came from outside the locker room.

“Jiang Zhan, is Xiaochi inside?”

Han Ziyang and the others were puzzled.

Jiang Zhan had run from the basketball court to the bleachers, grabbed someone, and then left with them so quickly no one understood what had happened.

Han Ziyang, briefly distracted with concern for Wei Xiaochi, quickly realized that since he wasn’t an omega or an alpha, he wouldn’t be able to smell Zhan-ge’s pheromones and thus had no reason to worry.

“Little Four-Eyes, stay in the corner and don’t worry, okay? Once an alpha goes crazy, it’s a no-go for betas. In Zhan-ge’s eyes, you’re basically invisible.”

“As long as you don’t get close to him, just stay put in the corner. When you’re out, I’ll treat you to milk tea to calm you down.”

Han Ziyang offered his comforting words, but he couldn’t help but marvel, “Man, I really am a good A.”

The others, equally concerned, offered advice, until the pounding on the door resumed.

Jiang Zhan grabbed Wei Xiaochi’s bag and hurled it at the door, clearly displeased with how they were concerned about the omega.

“Get lost.”

Han Ziyang and the others obediently fell silent. There was nothing they could do; after all, they were A-types, naturally carrying pheromones, and same-sex pheromone repulsion was inevitable.

Ah, this was when the benefits of being a beta showed.

Once they all quieted down, Li Suilin knocked on the door and asked, “Xiaochi, are you okay?”

At this point, Jiang Zhan’s possessiveness toward Wei Xiaochi reached an all-time high, and Li Suilin didn’t want to upset him. However, he had to make sure that Wei Xiaochi was safe.

When an alpha falls into heat, they can lose all rationality and might do something unpredictable. In the end, it’s the omega who ends up suffering.

The inhibitor that had been injected into Wei Xiaochi began to take effect. Although he still felt hot and weak, his mind was gradually clearing.

Wei Xiaochi hoarsely replied, “I’m fine.”

As soon as his words fell, Jiang Zhan tightened his grip, glaring fiercely at him.

Wei Xiaochi shrank his neck back into its previous position, remaining silent.

Li Suilin saw that Wei Xiaochi could still speak and figured that Jiang Zhan had given him the inhibitor, so he relaxed a bit.

He turned to the other three and said, “There are only five minutes left in the first half. You need to hold the score and make sure the gap with Deyu doesn’t exceed ten points.”

Especially since it was unclear whether Jiang Zhan would be able to continue playing, they had to maintain the score or else they would struggle in the second half.

Li Suilin glanced at his watch, “We don’t have much time left, hurry back.”

Han Ziyang hesitated, looking at the locker room, and said, “What about Zhan-ge?”

“He’s fine, go ahead. I’ll stay here.”

Li Suilin’s words were reassuring, and Han Ziyang didn’t ask more questions. He quickly headed back to the court.

With five key players out—Li Suilin injured and Jiang Zhan distracted—the remaining three were bound to be affected mentally.

If Jiang Zhan couldn’t continue playing in the second half, No. 2 High School might be out of the game.

Li Suilin leaned against the locker room door and didn’t attempt to talk to anyone inside.

Five minutes later, he heard the sound of the referee’s whistle signaling the end of the first half, and the No. 2 High School team walked over, their heads hanging low.

Li Suilin knew it wasn’t good, but his face didn’t betray any emotion. “How many points behind?”

Qin Zheng pushed up his glasses and said, “We’re 11 points behind Deyu.”

Han Ziyang stepped forward, looking grim, and took the blame. “It’s my fault.”

Just as Li Suilin had guessed, Jiang Zhan’s sudden departure had shaken the team’s mindset, especially for the hot-headed Han Ziyang.

In the final minute, Han Ziyang had been too eager to catch up and fouled while trying to defend. Deyu scored two points and was given a free throw.

Of course, it wasn’t completely Han Ziyang’s fault—Yushen had played slyly, but Han Ziyang, desperate to close the gap, had jumped up to block a shot he knew he couldn’t stop. He ended up fouling and letting the shot go in.

Li Suilin, usually stern, now offered some comfort. “Don’t dwell on the past. We’ll catch up in the second half. Just don’t get impatient, and definitely don’t dwell on what’s already happened.”

Han Ziyang lowered his head, not saying anything. It was rare to see him so down.

Qin Zheng glanced at the closed locker room door. “Is he okay?”

“He’s fine, but it’s better not to disturb him,” Li Suilin answered. He looked around and didn’t see the coach. He turned to Qin Zheng and asked, “Where’s the coach?”

“The coach went to talk to the referee about Jiang Zhan’s mid-game departure.”

Li Suilin nodded, acknowledging the situation.

He had explained to the coach via WeChat that Jiang Zhan had left because he had noticed an omega was going through secondary differentiation.

In such a special case, the referee wouldn’t issue a heavy penalty. Typically, they would just give a yellow card warning, not a red card.

Li Suilin made a call to the sports center staff and arranged for a different locker room.

When the coach returned, he first encouraged the team, then reorganized the strategy.

“Don’t panic. We’ll slowly make up the points in the second half. The key is not to rush it, and definitely not to dwell on what’s happened.”

“Your enemy right now isn’t Deyu; it’s your own mindset.”

“Let’s go, I believe in this team. We are not weak.”

The team formed a circle and shouted their slogan, “No. 2 High School will win!”

The halftime break was only 15 minutes, and time ticked away. The coach pulled Li Suilin aside with an excuse and took him to a secluded exit.

Once there, the coach couldn’t hide his concern anymore. “Suilin, tell me the truth. Will Jiang Zhan be able to play in the second half?”

Li Suilin shook his head. He didn’t know either.

The coach fell silent for a moment, then pinched his brow and asked, “The omega that was differentiating—it’s the one Jiang Zhan has been keeping close during training, right?”

“Yeah.”

The coach sighed, losing all hope.

It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in Jiang Zhan. He, too, was an alpha, and he understood the feeling. Not to mention, Jiang Zhan was a young fool who had just fallen in love—raging with hormones and full of desire.

From the way he looked at the omega, it had been clear there was something going on. And now, seeing the situation unfold, it was just as expected.

–

Wei Xiaochi still felt exhausted, his nose blocked, his throat sore, and he was drowsy, wanting nothing more than to sleep.

He sat cross-legged on the bench, with the alpha behind him wrapped around him like a Russian nesting doll, his chin resting on top of his head, his arm around his waist.

After taking the inhibitor, Wei Xiaochi didn’t crave Jiang Zhan’s pheromones as much, but the position of facing each other was just too embarrassing.

He managed to move aside from the alpha, but Jiang Zhan stretched his arms and pulled him back in.

While holding him, Jiang Zhan complained, “Don’t think I want to hold you, it’s just the pheromones messing with me.”

Wei Xiaochi weakly hung his head, opening his mouth to speak softly, “I know.”

He didn’t need Jiang Zhan to say it; he knew well how much an omega’s pheromones could affect an alpha. He had reviewed AO (alpha-omega) knowledge just a few days ago.

Jiang Zhan was a bit irritated by Wei Xiaochi’s calm response, unable to hold back and pinched his flushed earlobe.

Wei Xiaochi didn’t have the strength to move and allowed him to do so.

Seeing Wei Xiaochi’s tired state, Jiang Zhan stopped and asked with growing concern, “Are you feeling unwell? Do you want to go to the hospital?”

Wei Xiaochi had lost a lot of energy and fluids, looking weak, his voice soft.

“I have some chocolate in my pocket. Could you help me take it out and open it? I want to eat one,” he said, adding a gentle, “Thank you.”

He was anxious, sweating, and trembling. Aside from not feeling hungry, Wei Xiaochi thought it felt a lot like low blood sugar.

He just wanted a piece of chocolate or candy to make him feel secure.

Jiang Zhan quickly reached into Wei Xiaochi’s pocket, retrieved a piece of chocolate, unwrapped it, and held it up to Wei Xiaochi’s mouth.

Wei Xiaochi opened his mouth and bit into the chocolate, skillfully using his tongue to move it to the side of his teeth, holding it there.

His lips were dry, cracked in places, but inside they were moist, leaving a slight wetness on the alpha’s fingertip.

Jiang Zhan recoiled his hand as if shocked, holding that slight moisture in his palm, his whole body tense, as though he had done something shameful.

Wei Xiaochi, still holding the candy, felt a bit dazed, and it seemed like he heard a whistle.

He wasn’t sure if it was the start of the second half of the match, but slowly, he pushed his body up and nudged Jiang Zhan, “Go play, the game’s starting.”

Jiang Zhan frowned, looking at him.

Wei Xiaochi licked his dry lips, “You’ve been training for so long. Don’t give up halfway.”

Jiang Zhan’s face showed hesitation. Emotionally, he didn’t want to leave Wei Xiaochi alone here, but rationally, he knew he had to return to the court.

Li Suilin was injured and couldn’t play. If he wasn’t there, the team would struggle, just as Wei Xiaochi had said. Everyone had put in a lot of effort for this match.

But Jiang Zhan couldn’t leave Wei Xiaochi here, what if something happened?

Seeing Jiang Zhan’s hesitation, Wei Xiaochi spoke, “I’m fine on my own. You gave me the inhibitor, and I still have the blocking agent on me.”

“And, I want to sleep for a bit,” he added, a little embarrassed. “I can’t sleep with you here.”

The pheromones between an alpha and omega are a two-way effect. In front of Jiang Zhan, his gland was very active, which left Wei Xiaochi both physically exhausted and mentally agitated.

Jiang Zhan frowned, pressing his lips together, as if angry at something.

Seeing him upset, Wei Xiaochi awkwardly tried to comfort him, “Go ahead and win the match. If you do, I’ll also buy you milk tea.”

Buying milk tea was the most comforting thing Wei Xiaochi could think of.

“Also?” Jiang Zhan suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with a cold light. “What do you mean ‘also buy you milk tea’? Who was the first to say that?”

It was Han Ziyang.

Earlier, at the door, Han Ziyang had said he would buy Wei Xiaochi milk tea. Though it wasn’t exactly a favor for a favor, if he really bought it, Wei Xiaochi would have drunk it.

Who would’ve thought Jiang Zhan would catch that? Wei Xiaochi blushed awkwardly, “I just said it casually, there’s no one. Go quickly, or you won’t be able to catch up.”

Jiang Zhan anxiously tapped his fingers back and forth. He raised his hand, pulling the pendant from Wei Xiaochi’s collar, releasing the blocking agent in the pendant and ring.

Wei Xiaochi wanted to stop him but couldn’t, hurriedly saying, “Why did you use it all? What if it’s needed during the next heat?”

Jiang Zhan just said “buy more” and Wei Xiaochi shrank his neck, not wanting to talk.

“Lock the door after I leave. If you don’t hear me, don’t open it for anyone,” Jiang Zhan said quietly, “Not even for Li Suilin.”

Wei Xiaochi nodded, “I know.”

Jiang Zhan stood up, picked up his bag from the doorway, brushed the dust off, and placed it on the bench so that Wei Xiaochi could rest his head on it.

“Sleep, I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.”

But Jiang Zhan didn’t leave, instead pacing the ground anxiously, his whole body radiating impatience.

Wei Xiaochi lay on the bag, watching the quiet alpha, and after a while, finally managed to say, “Good luck.”

It seemed like Jiang Zhan was waiting for him to say something. As soon as Wei Xiaochi spoke, Jiang Zhan immediately turned, half-squatting in front of him.

He buried his face in Wei Xiaochi’s neck, taking a deep, lingering breath, his nose grazing Wei Xiaochi’s Adam’s apple, with a trace of pitiful longing.

Wei Xiaochi didn’t dare to think of the nearly two-meter-tall alpha as anything close to a helpless little thing.

Seeing no reaction, Jiang Zhan sniffed around for a while, making Wei Xiaochi shiver with goosebumps.

Looking at Jiang Zhan’s head, Wei Xiaochi awkwardly reached out and patted his hair, “Um… good luck with the match, you have to win.”

Jiang Zhan hummed a soft, playful sound from his nose, “Mm.”

That “mm” sounded almost like a playful whine, and Wei Xiaochi froze, never having seen this side of him before.

The books had been right—at certain times, an alpha could act really weird.

And Jiang Zhan was acting really weird right now.

When Jiang Zhan returned to the court, even Li Suilin raised an eyebrow in surprise.

The coach didn’t expect him to be so responsible, nearly moved to tears, and almost wanted to hug and kiss Jiang Zhan.

The second half had already been going for 7 minutes. Not only had No. 2 High School failed to catch up, but they had been making frequent mistakes, and the score gap was widening.

Jiang Zhan warmed up, glancing at the scoreboard, where De Yu’s team was ahead by 18 points.

Since the second half started, No. 2 High School had scored no points.

Once Jiang Zhan finished warming up, the coach quickly called for a timeout and subbed in a backup.

When Han Ziyang saw Jiang Zhan return, he wiped sweat from his brow and his eyes sparkled with joy.

“Zhan Ge,” Han Ziyang ran over, eager to high-five him.

Jiang Zhan, however, seemed not to see him and darkly rotated his wrist guard—

Wei Xiaochi was still in the locker room, and he had to finish the match quickly to return.

Oh, and he had to win.

The referee signaled, and the game resumed. The whistle blew, and Jiang Zhan swiftly closed in on Yan Shen for a fast break, guarding him tightly.

Yan Shen was momentarily shocked by Jiang Zhan’s speed, taking a step back, dribbling sideways to prevent Jiang Zhan from stealing the ball.

As he defended against Jiang Zhan’s attempts to steal, his eyes quickly scanned his options for a pass.

His flirtatious peach blossom eyes shimmered with a glimmer, but Yan Shen’s eyes darted around, showing no indication of where he was aiming.

He dribbled faster, his body leaning forward as if to charge, but his wrist turned, and he passed the ball to the left.

Yang Shuo, who had already signaled with Yan Shen, knew the pass was coming. He reached out to catch it, but the ball was intercepted by a pair of long, bony hands.

Yan Shen was stunned, not expecting his feint to be seen through.

Jiang Zhan dribbled the ball under the basket, jumped, and easily tossed the ball into the hoop, scoring two points, which earned a round of applause.

Yang Shuo glanced at Jiang Zhan and said to Yan Shen, “I want to mark Jiang Zhan.”

Yan Shen was wiping his sweat. Hearing this, he looked up, thought for half a second, and nodded in agreement. “Alright, he’s yours.”

Yang Shuo stretched his limbs and began shadowing Jiang Zhan one-on-one during No. 2 High School’s next fast break.

Jiang Zhan had missed almost half the game, so his stamina was the best among the team. No. 2 High School’s newest tactic was to feed him the ball.

Every time Jiang Zhan got the ball, Yang Shuo immediately stuck to him like an annoying adhesive.

“Zhan Ge,” Han Ziyi passed the ball to Jiang Zhan again.

The alpha caught the ball steadily, drove toward the basket on a fast break, and jumped for a shot. Yang Shuo leaped high, grabbing at the ball to block it.

Jiang Zhan’s eyes were sharp, his wrist steady as he slammed the ball hard into the hoop.

Yang Shuo couldn’t handle the sheer force and twisted his blocking arm backward. He grimaced in pain.

The ball swished into the net, while Yang Shuo fell backward onto the ground, landing hard on his backside. He looked up at Jiang Zhan with a mixture of confusion and disbelief, his chest heaving.

Jiang Zhan glanced down at him coldly from above, then turned and left him with an indifferent, arrogant back.

Nearby, the referee held a whistle in his mouth, as if ready to call a foul, but in the end, no whistle was blown.

Basketball wasn’t just about skill; it was also a battle of strength. Collisions were inevitable, and in this case, neither the offense nor the defense had committed a foul.

The referee lowered his whistle.

Yan Shen walked over and extended a hand to Yang Shuo. “You okay?”

Yang Shuo grabbed his hand and stood up with his help. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

The game continued. Since Jiang Zhan’s return, No. 2 High School was unstoppable, scoring repeatedly and closing the gap by 8 points. They were now only 10 points behind.

Jiang Zhan’s mind was laser-focused on three things: winning, moving fast, and Wei Xiaochi waiting for him.

He had to win this match quickly because the omega was waiting for him.

Realizing Yang Shuo couldn’t handle Jiang Zhan alone, Yan Shen joined him in defending under the basket.

At this point, Jiang Zhan was No. 2 High School’s main scorer. Locking him down would be the key to shutting down their offense.

Yan Shen stood at 1.88 meters, and Yang Shuo at 1.9 meters. Being double-teamed by two players of nearly the same height made it difficult for Jiang Zhan to score under the basket.

Jiang Zhan went up for a jump shot. Yang Shuo immediately leaped to block, while Yan Shen jumped from behind, trying to steal the ball from him.

Caught between the two, Jiang Zhan pulled the ball back to his chest, then maneuvered it under Yang Shuo’s arm and into the basket.

A stunning underhand layup.

The entire court fell silent for two seconds before erupting in ear-piercing screams.

Yan Shen landed, stunned. Jiang Zhan’s hang time was unreal.

Yang Shuo wiped his sweat roughly, his voice tense. “Yan Shen, don’t just stand there, get back on defense.”

In truth, he was also shaken by Jiang Zhan’s leap and core strength. But the game wasn’t over, and he wasn’t giving up yet.

Yan Shen snapped out of it and continued running. Inwardly, though, he sighed in resignation.

Why did I ever decide to play basketball? Staying home with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and gaming sounds so much better.

What a pain. I want to go home and be a couch potato.

Wei Xiaochi faintly heard someone banging on the door. He curled up on the bench, feeling like the whole locker room was spinning, making him dizzy.

“Open the door.”

“It’s me. I’m back.”

“Open the door now!”

The sound of the door being kicked startled Wei Xiaochi awake. He stood up slowly, his feet unsteady as if stepping on cotton.

He staggered to the door. The person outside was making an incredible amount of noise, giving Wei Xiaochi a headache.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—he couldn’t hear what the person was saying clearly.

Wei Xiaochi leaned against the door and asked, “Are you Jiang Zhan?”

The person outside grew even more irritable. “You can’t even recognize my voice?”

Buzz, buzz, buzz—Wei Xiaochi still couldn’t hear clearly. But he silently thought: With a temper that bad, it’s probably Jiang Zhan. So he unlocked the door.

With a creak, the door opened, and Jiang Zhan saw Wei Xiaochi’s flushed face. He was swaying unsteadily, trembling—whether from heat or cold was unclear.

Wei Xiaochi squinted, trying hard to focus on the figure. Sure enough, it was him.

Once confirmed, Wei Xiaochi swayed again, his head hitting the door frame with a thud. His knees gave way like soft noodles, and he started collapsing.

Jiang Zhan reacted quickly, catching him. Wei Xiaochi’s eyelids were half-closed, leaving a tiny slit.

After two seconds, that slit disappeared as his eyes fully closed, and he fainted completely.

Jiang Zhan didn’t know what had happened. His temples throbbed, his voice trembling with panic.

“Hey?”

“Wei Xiaochi?”

“Xiaochi?”

“Chi Chi?”

“Damn it.” Jiang Zhan scooped him up and rushed out.

Author’s Note:

Sneak peek: If nothing goes wrong, the next chapter will feature one of Wei Xiaochi’s most socially embarrassing moments. Hahaha.