Chapter 88: The Gift (Part Three)

At this moment, Ming Han and Yu Hang were still oblivious to what was happening in the outside world; the signal and internet connection on the mountain were poor. After all, in 2011, the age of 2G networks, barely anyone would dare to commit the outrageous act of streaming videos with mobile data.

Everyone realized that their trip to Da Fei Mountain today had really been a heist; the marinated snacks weren’t even their own purchases, and now they’d walked away with two valuable jerseys for free.

Just then, Lin Jingjing took out the gift she had prepared from her bag—a pair of expensive, limited-edition Nike sneakers.

“Ming Han, happy birthday!”

Ming Han accepted the gift a little shyly. “Thank you.”

Chen Nuo glanced at Lin Jingjing with a meaningful look and said, “Jingjing, this pair of shoes is practically impossible to buy in our country, isn’t it?”

Lin Jingjing nodded. “A friend brought them back from abroad for me.”

“Jingjing, you really went out of your way…” Chen Nuo’s words were less praise and more a subtle reminder to her aloof older sister. Even though Ming Han’s affections were for her sister, Lin Jingjing’s devotion to him was undeniable. And with her tall, striking beauty, there was no guarantee her sister could always keep her boyfriend’s attention.

Chen Li, however, showed no change in expression. She sat quietly beside Ming Han, sipping her drink, as if Lin Jingjing’s gift meant nothing to her.

Chen Nuo grew anxious watching her sister act so indifferent, hinting repeatedly, but Chen Li remained unmoved.

Ming Han, with a brazen smile, sidled closer. “Chen Li, where’s my present?”

Chen Li shot him a half-annoyed glance—was he seriously asking her for a gift? Still, she took a delicate box from her bag, looked at it fondly, then handed it to Ming Han. “Ming Han, no matter what happens in the future, I hope you’ll always be as brave and joyful as you are now…”

Ming Han gently accepted the gift, scratching his head. “Chen Li, am I really that outstanding?”

For heaven’s sake! Now he was getting conceited. The others could hardly stand it.

Only Chen Li answered with a soft “Mm.”

Ming Han, you are the best boy I’ve ever known.

With delight, Ming Han opened the small box; inside was a bracelet, plain in appearance, set with a single small crystal.

Chen Nuo was startled when she saw it. “Sis, you’re giving that to Ming Han?”

Da Xu, noticing Chen Nuo’s reaction, grew curious about the crystal bracelet. “Chen Nuo, is this bracelet a priceless heirloom in your family?”

Everyone was speechless at Da Xu—clearly, someone had read too many novels.

Chen Nuo shook her head. “It’s not cheap, but price isn’t the important thing. This bracelet was a birthday gift my grandmother brought back from Europe for my sister. But during that trip, my grandmother died in a car accident, so this was the last gift she ever gave my sister. There’s a pair of these bracelets—my grandmother even joked that the other one would go to my sister’s future true love.”

Listening to Chen Nuo’s story, everyone felt a mix of emotions: sadness, moving tenderness, and admiration.

They admired Chen Li, who, despite her usual aloofness, showed such courage for the one she loved.

“Chen Li, you’re amazing—giving yourself away so early,” Huang Ying teased.

Chen Li blushed, but did not protest.

They all had a wonderful time that day, but faced with dozens of pounds of marinated snacks, they simply couldn’t finish them all.

So in the end, Da Xu walked away loaded with bags, saying he’d take the rest to the internet café to treat his friends.

…

That night, Yu Hang didn’t return to his hometown but stayed over at Ming Han’s house.

“Yu Hang, you still haven’t said anything to Huang Ying, have you?”

Yu Hang nodded. “I like being with her. As long as we keep a low profile, no one will care if we’re together.”

What neither Yu Hang nor Ming Han knew was that, thanks to Dong Zhijun’s team fanning the flames, the two of them had already caused quite a stir on the forums and message boards. More and more of their basketball videos were being discovered; their dazzling skills and handsome looks had made them the subject of much discussion.

Dong Zhijun, in his office, refreshed the forums, very satisfied. “I never imagined it would be this easy. These two kids are really lucky.”

He told his assistant to send them a message, asking them to come to the company the next day.

…

The next morning, Ming Han and Yu Hang arrived early at the Qianyang Club to meet Dong Zhijun.

The contract said most activities would be scheduled on weekends, but it was only Thursday—what was so urgent?

Ming Han knocked gently on Dong Zhijun’s door.

“Come in!”

Ming Han and Yu Hang greeted him politely.

Dong Zhijun was in excellent spirits today, beaming as if he were looking at his own two plump sons.

“Have you two been online recently?”

Ming Han shook his head. After returning yesterday, he’d stayed up chatting with Yu Hang and hadn’t checked the forums.

Dong Zhijun called them over to the computer and pointed at a post. “Four hundred thousand views. That’s your video from Da Fei Mountain yesterday.”

And that wasn’t all. Dong Zhijun switched to another forum. “Look, nearly a hundred thousand here!”

Ming Han was dumbfounded. In just one night, he and Yu Hang had become minor celebrities. The power of the internet was truly staggering.

Dong Zhijun was thrilled. “We need to strike while the iron is hot. For the upcoming Lantern Festival event in the county, we’ve decided to put you two in the spotlight. Also, Ming Han, we want you to sing a song during halftime.”

Ming Han hadn’t expected the Qianyang Club to arrange activities for them so quickly because of this. Their base salary was basically negligible, but participating in events could earn them a decent sum.

“The Lantern Festival is only a week away—you don’t have much time. From now on, come train every day. Your food and lodging will be arranged. Good luck!”

As they left the office, Yu Hang seemed a bit dazed. “Ming Han, is this what they call making a debut on TV?”

Ming Han thought for a moment, then nodded. “It seems so.”

This event was official, featuring two youth teams going head-to-head. Every moment would be recorded to showcase the vibrant spirit and upward drive of today’s youth.

Their trainer told them, “You have to try your best to win. If you do, we can arrange for a photo with the county magistrate. And during the match, make sure to play beautifully.”

A commercial event is different from a professional game. In professional matches, only the outcome matters, but in these events, the experience and the impression left on the audience matter most.

Ming Han knew that the more impressive and dazzling their performance, the more opportunities the Qianyang Club would have to promote them. Every bit of exposure was a chance.

“Ming Han, can I finally earn money for myself?”

Ming Han nodded; after all, Yu Hang’s grandfather had fallen ill recently and they owed their neighbor over ten thousand yuan.

“How much can we get this time?”

“If we win, four thousand each. If we lose, five hundred.”

“That’s a huge difference.”

Yu Hang clenched his fists tightly.