Chapter Sixty-One: Aiming at the Groin

The team members lay in their beds, unable to sleep as their minds raced with countless thoughts...

Meng Lang (starting center): Next summer, I’ll be a senior. Will I still be able to play basketball?

Zhu Di (starting small forward): When will my Lamborghini finally arrive? National Team, hurry up and recruit me, this prodigious talent!

Sun Peng (starting power forward): Even if I can't make it to the National Team, joining a club wouldn’t be bad. I could still earn a few million a year.

Xu Gaofeng (starting shooting guard): My professional internship begins next year. Should I go? I really want to keep playing... If I could make the National Team, I could keep playing... Ah, I’m overthinking. Someone’s bound to be chosen—why couldn’t it be me?

Zhou Xiaoshan (starting point guard): The National Team, huh? If only I could be selected. If I went to propose marriage as a National Team player, Lin Ling’s parents probably wouldn’t look down on me for being from the countryside.

He Zhikun (reserve shooting guard): Coach said that no matter our previous abilities, as long as we follow her instructions, we can become exceptional players... Could I really do it, even me?

Zhang Zhaolong (reserve small forward): If I make the National Team, I could afford a Lamborghini. Then, with a goddess by my side, life would be perfect.

Lin Zhiling (reserve power forward): What criteria do National Team scouts actually use to select players? Maybe I should get a new haircut, boost my image a bit.

Chen Yu (reserve point guard): I wonder if there are many handsome guys on the National Team. (Chen Yu is gay.)

Li Jing (reserve center): Grandpa was a party member, my father is a party member, and so am I... Let me join the National Team and serve my country!

Wang Meng (reserve center): As long as I have enough to eat and a place to stay, I’ll join any team!

Geng Haoshi (utility reserve): Having money is wonderful—you can buy a Lamborghini, eat at luxury hotels... My mom’s never been to a fancy hotel... I still haven’t won over my goddess Miming... National Team? Club team? I want both!...

Lost in these thoughts, who knows how long they lay there, eyes closed but sleep eluding them. Suddenly, Geng Haoshi sat up, jumped out of bed, and slipped out of the room.

“Damn! None of you are sleeping at this hour?” The moment Geng Haoshi stepped out, he saw eleven figures standing on the basketball court—they couldn’t sleep either!

“Brother Zhu Di, you’re up and having fun without me!” Geng Haoshi and Zhu Di were now roommates, and after that infamous streaking marathon, their bond was as close as brothers.

Zhu Di grinned at him: “Hey, you finally came out. I saw you tossing and turning in bed and thought you were having some kind of naughty dream, so I didn’t call you.”

“So what are you all standing around for? Someone once said, ‘Time is money.’” With that, Geng Haoshi grabbed a basketball from the sidelines and started shooting practice.

The others exchanged a smile, then made their way to the sidelines as well, grabbing balls and joining the impromptu training.

...

“What’s that noise?” In a haze, Li Shishi rubbed her eyes, hearing the rhythmic thumping of basketballs.

“It sounds like someone’s playing outside.” Yang Mimi had woken up as well.

Yang Mimi had arrived after eight the previous night. She had planned to return to her dorm, but couldn’t withstand Li Shishi’s insistence, so she stayed in the gym dormitory.

“Why is everyone up so early?” That was Lin Ling’s voice—she’d also arrived after eight. Unlike Yang Mimi, Lin Ling had volunteered to stay here every night, claiming she needed to take care of her “incapable of self-care” boyfriend, Zhou Xiaoshan.

“That’s Sister Lin Ling,” Li Shishi said. Lin Ling was just outside the door, and with her commanding voice, both Li Shishi and Yang Mimi could hear her clearly.

“Mimi, let’s go check it out too.”

So Li Shishi and Yang Mimi stepped out of the room as well.

Stepping outside, they were momentarily stunned by the scene on the court, then exchanged a smile, cheeks flushed.

There, on the basketball court, was a group of men, all wearing nothing but their underwear, bouncing around.

By the time Li Shishi and Yang Mimi appeared, Lin Ling was already heading toward the bleachers.

Hearing the door open, Lin Ling turned and spotted the two of them. “You’re up too! Come on over!” she called out.

It was a bit awkward, but since Lin Ling had called them, they had no choice but to follow.

Seeing three beauties on the sidelines—all dressed for summer—only made the team’s spirits soar.

Li Shishi and Yang Mimi, at least, wore shorts and tank tops. Lin Ling, however, shared the same style as their coach, Yu Manman—she liked to sleep in a bikini. True to her bold personality, she didn’t bother throwing on a cover-up, simply crossed her legs and settled onto the bleachers in her bikini.

“Hit his little bird!” Lin Ling shouted at the court.

At that moment, the team was practicing low passes—a new drill they’d just added. The height of these passes was basically level with the groin, and they’d use a sweeping arm motion to whip the ball quickly to a teammate.

Lin Ling called out “hit his little bird” because she noticed they were aiming right at each other’s groins.

Hearing Lin Ling’s brazen shout, Li Shishi—whose nerves were a bit thick—covered her mouth, stifling a giggle, while Yang Mimi, usually the epitome of elegance, turned crimson with embarrassment.

The team was well accustomed to Lin Ling’s frequent risqué remarks... but this time, Geng Haoshi suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

“I’ve got it!” Geng Haoshi announced loudly. “Sister Xiao Ling is right! When we practice the low pass, we should aim for our teammate’s ‘little bird’—that’ll make our passes more accurate!”

The others looked puzzled.

Sensing their confusion, Geng Haoshi explained, “Before, when we did low passes, we’d just swing our arms and release the ball as it reached our thighs, but that’s not reliable for consistent passing.”

“Plus, we’re all different heights, so it’s hard to make sure each low pass is right for the receiver.”

“But if we pick a target spot, say, the ‘little bird’ at groin height, then we can aim each pass there and improve our accuracy.”

Crude as it sounded, the logic was solid. The others nodded in agreement—it made perfect sense.

“All right, let’s aim for the ‘little bird’!”