Chapter 92: My Future Is Not a Dream

"The scene from the internet has reappeared," someone exclaimed, recalling the video of Ming Han and Yu Hang competing together at school.
"They truly are a match made in heaven! Their minds seem to be in perfect harmony," another chimed in.
...
Fang Ping watched as Ming Han and Yu Hang’s seamless cooperation sparked such fervent discussion among the audience, feeling delighted. It seemed these two boys were already gaining some fame.
As the match continued, some leaders unfamiliar with basketball grew increasingly drowsy, unable to stifle their yawns.
Yet, the county magistrate seated in the center remained wholly attentive, his eyes never leaving the court. He was a basketball enthusiast, and during his university years, he was quite the player himself. Watching these students compete back and forth, especially Ming Han and Yu Hang, whose scoring abilities were outstanding and teamwork remarkably synchronized, he nodded in approval. "Those two boys have the style that Old Li and I used to have!"
The "Old Li" in the magistrate’s mouth was his old classmate, now the director of the city’s education bureau. A nearby reporter quickly took note of the magistrate’s words.
Barely ten minutes later, a post appeared online: "Why did the usually stern county magistrate utter such heartfelt words?" Naturally, the curious crowd clicked in to see the details:
"Our county held a basketball match in celebration of the Lantern Festival. The county magistrate lavished praise on the event, commending two students for having the playing style reminiscent of himself and the current education bureau director."
Below this statement, the post featured a photo of Yu Hang passing the ball behind his back to Ming Han.
Within half an hour, the post had garnered hundreds of thousands of views. The online crowd, seasoned in internet sleuthing, quickly identified the two.
The search began, and soon the majority of Ming Han and Yu Hang’s information was uncovered: Ninth-grade students at Jinhua Middle School, last year’s basketball champions, and this year they’d represent their school in the county-level tournament.
"It seems these two are legends at their school!"
"We must go see their match in person this year!"
"Ming Han is so handsome!"
"Yu Hang isn’t bad either! He has that melancholic vibe, especially those alluring, small eyes."
Before long, a handful of fangirls appeared online, expressing their admiration.
Meanwhile, Ming Han and Yu Hang were oblivious to the online commotion, still immersed in the game.
Previous matches had always felt serious. As one African-American player once said, "The court is a battlefield—only victory matters."
But today’s match reminded Ming Han more of a circus performance. Koff was putting all his energy into flashy moves, his playing style extravagant and flamboyant.
Ming Han was certain that if Koff were a disciple of those tough African-American coaches, he’d be beaten senseless for such an attitude. As his opponent, Ming Han felt anxious on his behalf.
Now, with half-time approaching, the last attack was underway. Koff took control of the ball himself. His teammates, despairing, raised their hands to signal for the ball, but it was useless—Koff automatically ignored them.
Facing Yu Hang, Koff appeared utterly relaxed, dribbling between his legs before suddenly breaking through.
Yu Hang kept his position well, so Ming Han and his teammates saw no need to defend further.
Koff suddenly passed behind his back to the left, then used his left elbow to knock the ball back again.
This was a classic move—the signature technique of "White Chocolate"! If Koff could pull it off, he’d undoubtedly steal the show today.
But the passing arc was off; the ball landed squarely in Ming Han’s hands.
Ming Han had intended to praise Koff for his imagination and creativity, but instead found himself in an awkward situation.
Stunned, Ming Han said, "Koff, are you trying to warm me up?"
Koff feigned ignorance and hurried back to defend.
Jinhua’s small forward couldn’t take it anymore, exclaiming loudly, "Heavens! Someone stop this oddball!"
Sixteen seconds remained in the half; Koff had made three out of fourteen shots—a dismal success rate.
From the surface, the match seemed decided.
For the final attack, Ming Han dribbled the ball. Yu Hang came to set a pick, Ming Han slipped around the defender and bounced the ball to Yu Hang. The opposing defense fell into chaos. Yu Hang took two steps forward, lobbed the ball upward, and Ming Han finished with an alley-oop layup.
Another beautiful display of teamwork. The crowd erupted in thunderous applause...
The half ended! Jinhua was already trailing by thirteen points.
At this moment, the county magistrate turned to the Jinhua principal. "Doesn’t Jinhua have anyone who can deal with these two boys? When I was at school, the basketball team was formidable!"
The principal felt embarrassed by the magistrate’s comment. He’d thought this was just a casual friendly match, a formality, so he’d picked a few academic stars to pose with the leaders. He hadn’t expected the magistrate to prefer real, competitive play!
He sent a message to the coach: Have Wang Mingkang enter the game immediately.
Wang Mingkang, the top player in Jinhua’s junior division, played center. Height: 182 cm; Weight: 160 pounds.
During halftime, the host took the stage again.
"Thank you to the basketball athletes for such a spectacular performance, thank you to the leaders for attending..." The host praised the leaders for a hundred words, then changed the topic, "Now, let’s invite Ming Han to sing for everyone: ‘My Future Is Not a Dream.’"
This was a live broadcast; television might only air a few segments, but the internet was streaming the entire event. At that moment, tens of thousands across the county were watching at their computers.
Originally, no one from Class Thirteen was watching, but Da Xu, browsing online, noticed a girl beside him cheering repeatedly: "So handsome..."
Curious, Da Xu glanced over and saw those two guys, jaw dropping in surprise. He stopped what he was doing, letting his hero die on screen without a second thought.
"Damn, damn, those are my classmates! How could they hog the spotlight without inviting me? My heart aches!" Da Xu shouted.
He immediately messaged the group: Ming Han and Yu Hang are live!
The group exploded!
"I’ve seen their videos on lots of forums lately..."
"They’re on TV, local station too, and the county magistrate praised them!"
"Are we about to have a superstar in our class? Wow, we can brag about this for years!"
Everyone put aside what they were doing, opened their computers, and watched Ming Han’s solo performance.
In the vast stadium, Ming Han alone, guitar slung on his back, walked slowly to center stage, bowing to the audience.
Fang Ping’s palms were sweating; this was live. Tens of thousands were watching Ming Han.
The company had worked hard to secure this opportunity. For Ming Han, it was a tremendous chance.
But Ming Han was only seventeen; such a big stage, any slip due to nervousness could spell disaster for the whole performance.
Ming Han gazed at the countless cameras, lenses, and the sea of faces. He breathed deeply, gently strummed the strings, and the melody rang out, amplified and spreading through the sound system:
Are you, like me, bowing your head under the sun
Sweating quietly, working hard
Are you, like me, enduring indifference
Yet never giving up the life you want
Are you, like me, always busy chasing
Chasing a tenderness you never expected
Are you, like me, once lost and confused
Again and again wandering at the crossroads
...
His singing was moving, full of emotion! Many eyes grew wet.
When the song ended, the county magistrate led the applause. Instantly, thunderous clapping filled the hall...
"Ming Han... Ming Han..." Thousands called his name.
In that moment, Ming Han felt as if he were in a dream.