When getting off the car, Xiao Xian couldn’t help asking, "Last time in the parking lot, why did you bump into my uncle’s car?" Xiao Xian doesn’t drive, but Zeng Xuerou’s driving skills just now were nothing short of miraculous, especially considering she’s only a fifteen-year-old girl, it was truly stunning.
"Yeah, you really are a great driver. Who taught you how to drive?" Although Zhang Yiyi felt like throwing up when she got out of the car, and several times thought about jumping out while on the road, being able to arrive at Shunde Middle School unscathed in such a short time, that’s not something ordinary people can do.
"The match is about to start, hurry in," Zeng Xuerou’s previously vivid expression faded away, replaced by her usual impassive poker face. After saying this, she parked the car in an inconspicuous spot at the school gate and led Xiao Xian and Zhang Yiyi forward.
Holy Heart Middle School’s basketball team was already assembled in the gym; coaches from both teams were chatting nearby. Shunde Middle School’s basketball strength was only mid-level in previous years, and Ni Shahe had intended to give newcomers a chance by letting them play today, not expecting both Xiao Xian and Zhang Yiyi to be late.
Wang Ke took the opportunity to lecture, "You guys are way too lax; I can’t believe the coach was still considering giving you a chance to play."
"It’s not that we were lax; we left home at 8 o’clock. We were just late because we went to the wrong address," Zhang Yiyi said, upset and anxious as she watched a good opportunity slip away.
"Making excuses again, you only chat during training and hold back the team during matches," Wang Ke had already lined up a substitute player to take the field.
"Today’s traffic was bad; I almost arrived late myself," Zeng Xuerou came over with the small broadcasting team, carrying a simple portable DV machine and a wired microphone – truly just a two-person team in charge of photography and broadcasting.
Wang Ke then fell silent; on the other side, Ni Shahe also made arrangements. The list of players from Shunde Middle School who were going to play was ready. Upon Xiao Xian and Zhang Yi Yi’s arrival, after understanding the situation, Ni Shahe simply remarked, "Be more careful next time," and then started organizing the starting lineup.
"The opposition has four main players plus one rookie. Our match lineup is roughly similar to theirs, but with Bai Xue absent, our team’s strength might decline somewhat. The main defense will be organized by Wang Ke, the main offense..." Ni Shahe had also heard some rumors claiming he was overly affectionate and biased towards new players, which was not a good thing for a team participating in the junior league. Thus, at most, he could place one new player into the competition to satisfy the veteran players.
Ni Shahe looked towards Xiao Xian and Zhang Yiyi. Zhang Yiyi, who was his old classmate’s daughter, had been playing basketball since childhood and had been playing defense for years, only recently switched to the forward position. Bai Xue said that her offensive ability was stronger than her defensive ability, but regretfully, she had been misguided before, which hindered her improvement. Putting her directly on as an offensive small forward posed some risks.
Then there was Zhu Xiaoxian. According to Bai Xue, her shooting accuracy had improved, but her overall performance was still very unstable. Ni Shahe thought to himself that her shooting rate was actually very high, especially close to the basket. After considering it, it seemed more suitable to let Zhu Xiaoxian play.
Zhang Yiyi looked expectantly at Ni Shahe, with Zeng Xuerou watching beside her, seemingly seeing another version of herself; there was a time when she too had so desperately sought her master’s favor.
"Coach, let Yiyi play; her shooting is much more accurate than mine," Xiao Xian secretly squeezed Zhang Yiyi’s hand, and Zhang Yiyi’s mouth fell agape, looking at Xiao Xian – didn’t she want to play herself? She only received an encouraging glance.
Ni Shahe looked at Xiao Xian, then at Zhang Yiyi, the match was about to start.
"Zhang Yiyi, you’re up. Remember the number of fouls and to coordinate with your teammates," Ni Shahe made the final decision, and the starting lineup was officially set.
With the sound of the whistle, the match began. With the absolute key player Bai Xue absent, Holy Heart Middle School’s strength was somewhat reduced, and since this was just a basketball match, not many people came to watch.
In the stands of the gym, only a scattered few sat, one of whom was particularly noticeable because he was a foreigner, with tawny curly hair and spectacles with a heavy scholarly look.
Mengshan Pharmaceutical researcher Pete was there to observe the effects of Agent A, to see if it was feasible to recommend it for mass production at Mengshan Headquarters. As one of the main developers of this drug, Pete also had a stake in the game.