Chapter 12: Into the Elite Eight!

The game wasn’t particularly tough—after all, apart from Yang Wanli, Class Twelve didn’t have any standout players. In the end, they took the win with a score of 56 to 42. Yuhang racked up an impressive stat line: 23 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds. Outstanding numbers.

Minghan then saw Yuhang over there, acting modest while actually boasting, “Oh, it was nothing, just the usual stuff, hahaha…”

Now Class Thirteen had made it to the quarterfinals, matching last year’s achievement. Tomorrow would be the fight for the semifinals.

After the match, Yuhang went off to draw lots for the next round. The team gathered in the cafeteria for dinner, buzzing with excitement.

“I really stuffed that kid just now—trying to pull a crossover in front of me, does he really think he’s Iverson?”

“Minghan, that pass you threw in the second quarter was damn slick—you’ve got some Duncan in you!”

Back in the day, Minghan would have had a hard time fitting in with them. Most of his energy used to go into studying, and he always thought these guys were so boring—if they weren’t playing basketball, they were heading out to the arcade. But now, he found these friends rather endearing. They were bold, spoke their minds, and were genuine—even if sometimes they could be a bit much.

That’s when Yuhang returned, his face full of joy. “We drew Class Six. It’s going to be a battle!”

Class Six! Last year, they’d also made it to the semifinals, but just like them, were knocked out by Class Seven.

“But honestly, Class Six is much stronger than Class Twelve,” Daxu said. “They’ve got a real three-point shooter with a high hit rate. Their small forward’s got both the build and the skills—he nearly put up twenty against Class Seven last year. It’s not going to be easy.”

Yuhang waved a hand dismissively. “It’s no big deal, really. I’d say it’s fifty-fifty. Both sides have a shot. What really matters is our defense. Their small forward is a beast on the break—we can’t keep letting them score easy fast breaks.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Tomorrow was shaping up to be a tough fight.

Minghan complained, “You’re all making it sound so serious, now I’m getting nervous.”

Yuhang said, “Remember to use your height advantage tomorrow. They don’t even have a proper center—tallest guy’s maybe about 5’9”. If we can dominate the offensive boards, we’ll be in good shape.”

Minghan clapped Yuhang on the shoulder. “If we win, lend me your MP4 for a week.”

“Minghan, that’s too much—it means a lot to me,” Yuhang protested, biting his lip. “If we really win, three days—no more.”

“Deal!”

That evening, back at home, Suyan cooked Minghan his favorite braised pork knuckle. He dug in, smearing oil all over his mouth.

Suyan smiled as she handed him a napkin. “Xiaohan, you’re still playing basketball lately, aren’t you?”

Minghan mumbled with his mouth full, “Yeah! Why? Gonna forbid me?”

“A son who likes to exercise makes his mother happy—why would I want to stop you?”

All his life, no matter what he did, his mother had always been supportive. He remembered back in elementary school when he got into a fight and the teacher called his parents in. After hearing the whole story, his mother looked serious. “So, Xiaohan, did you win in the end?”

Once she got his confirmation, Suyan finally nodded in satisfaction. “That’s more like it!”

It made Minghan wonder if he’d been adopted.

Worse still, when it came time for the entrance exam to middle school, Minghan studied day and night. Suyan somehow managed to get her hands on a Little Tyrant game console and insisted her son play Contra with her.

“Mom, are you upset that I’m doing well in school?”

Suyan beamed. “Of course I’m proud of you for being good at your studies! Nothing makes me happier!”

Just as Minghan thought she was finally satisfied, Suyan added, “But you’re terrible at games! I’m always having to rescue you…”

Good grief! Minghan smacked his forehead in disbelief.