Chapter 19.1 (2/2)

The campus during the weekend did not have many students. On the corners of the flower beds by the wayside, there were several piles of snow that had long since frozen into humps of ice.

Her hands were in her jacket pockets as she followed Gu Pingsheng’s footsteps. With her head lowered, she focused entirely on walking, and it was only when she heard the noise of a basketball hitting the ground that she realized she had already arrived with him at the basketball courts.

On each of the six half-courts, there were groups of twos and threes taking shots at the hoop. The most eye-catching group was on the right side where several boys, all wearing proper athletic shorts and s.h.i.+rts, were playing a game of three-on-three in the biting wind. Surrounding the edge of the court were quite a few people. Some of them were hopping and covering their faces to block out the wind while cheering on the players, and others who looked as if they knew what they were doing had brought over a chalkboard and were keeping score.

“Is this your faculty’s tournament?” She recognized some familiar faces.

“It’s a school-wide tournament. This university’s law school is bigger than your school’s. Each year has seven to eight separate cla.s.ses of students, so they are having an internal basketball compet.i.tion first.”

“My school? That used to be your school, too, eh.” Tong Yan felt an unexplainable sense of jealousy. “Gee, some people forget their roots once they’re in one of the top law schools of the country.”

Gu Pingsheng sized her up for a moment and then, in a slightly musing tone, remarked, “You, as my student, are being jealous?”

She shot back an “of course.”

Several students had already noticed them and were excitedly waving with cries of “Teacher Gu, Teacher Gu!” as if they were very surprised that he would come watch the faculty’s basketball compet.i.tion.

Gu Pingsheng walked over to them and asked with a smile, “Who’s winning?”

“Right now it’s Cla.s.s No. 2.” The student in charge of keeping track of scores flipped through his notebook. “But the third year students haven’t even started playing yet. I’m guessing that in the end, our senior brothers [senior male fellow schoolmates, in this case, faculty-mates] will be representing our faculty in the tournament.”

“Teacher Gu, do you know how to play basketball?” One of the people resting on the sidelines downed a few mouthfuls of mineral water as he asked this.

“I do.” Gu Pingsheng casually made a motion like he was shooting a ball into a hoop. “When I was in university, I often played basketball as a pastime.” His action had very beautiful form. Even Tong Yan, as a complete outsider to basketball, could tell that his posture and form were not a bluff.

All around, the students instantly became animated, and they began rowdily crying for some of the players who were resting to play with Teacher Gu.

“Teacher Gu, we will absolutely be courteous and gracious when we play. No need for a ref. We’ll just score by totaling up the number of baskets made, how about that?”

The students knew he could not hear, so naturally, they thought of an effective way to play.

Gu Pingsheng did not have a preference one way or the other, and after stressing that he could only play a ten-minute scrimmage with them, he removed his down jacket and handed it to Tong Yan. When he took off his gla.s.ses, Tong Yan rather worriedly gave a discreet tug on the corner of his s.h.i.+rt and inaudibly mouthed to him, “Is it really okay for you to do this?”

“Occasionally exercising for ten minutes won’t cause any issues.” He placed his gla.s.ses into her hand. “I heard Zihao mention, the college girls in China particularly like boys who play basketball?”

After saying this, he turned only the corners of his lips up slightly, but this still could not hide his good mood.

“It seems that really is the case.” Infected by his smile, Tong Yan made a show of seriousness as she recalled, “I’ve watched a lot of basketball games, too, all played by students who were recruited by the school specifically for basketball. Such a pity. Back then, if I had fallen in love with one of them, then there would be no chance for you later on.”

“Is that so?” His smile was unruffled.

A ball happened to be tossed their way at that moment, and catching it with a single hand, he headed directly onto the court.

Tong Yan stood amongst a group of female students, facing into the sun as she watched the game. It seemed, since she had met him, he was either the proper and dignified doctor or the university professor, and it was rare to see him in such a moment, where he was so active. It was still a game of three-on-three, and he, dressed in his thin dress s.h.i.+rt, was mixed in with several boys who were wearing sleeveless basketball s.h.i.+rts.

Possibly due to the cold weather, he had not been warmed up at the start, so the way he held the ball was not very smooth. But after only a minute or two, he had become the main driving force on his team, constantly making mid-range jump shots and three-point shots.

Every turn, jump, and breakaway captivated people’s attention. Watching him against the background of light, it seemed as if there was always sunlight surrounding him, blurring the outline of his body and giving a warm, soft feeling.

“Little s.h.i.+niang,” the girl beside her could not help nosily inquiring, “back then, was it because you saw Teacher Gu playing basketball that you fell completely in love with him?”

Tong Yan feigned a sigh and replied in a soft voice, “Very sadly, this is also my first time seeing him play basketball …”

Gu Pingsheng was unquestionably a person with self-restraint. When he saw Tong Yan signal to him, reminding him that the time was up, he immediately stopped all motions with the ball in his hands.

After the game had ended and the people had dispersed, Tong Yan was still absorbed in the various marvelous images in her mind of him taking shots at the hoop. She handed him a moist towelette, then tilted her head slightly to the side and stared adoringly at him like she was gazing at her idol.

“What’s up?” He took it from her.

“I must say, not only are your basketball skills good, they’re also very suitable for just watching and admiring.”

He chuckled, wiping his fingers with the towelette as he asked, “Are you extremely happy, then, that you didn’t fall in love with someone else and, instead, persevered  in waiting until I arrived?”

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