Xue Chuan was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His father, the vice president of Jianghai University, holds a prominent position throughout the entire city. Since childhood, Xue Chuan had been admired and praised wherever he went.
Handsome, tall, and from a wealthy family, he also served as captain of the university's basketball team.
Everyone on the team knew his personality well. When Tang Yan first joined, no one took her seriously, as the entire basketball team followed their captain, Xue Chuan.
It was only later, when Tang Yan demonstrated her true ability and led the team to defeat a CBA squad in a friendly match, that Xue Chuan began to acknowledge her strength. From that moment on, everyone deferred to Tang Yan's leadership—but Xue Chuan respected only her.
The terms proposed by Huo Wen were exceedingly harsh. Forcing someone to kneel and admit fault was nothing short of humiliation, but Xue Chuan understood this was her warning to him.
Previously, he had led people to challenge the Arts and Literature Department, even invoking his father's name to intimidate Ye Qingxue. Now, Huo Wen was turning the tables.
She intended to establish her authority by using Xue Chuan as an example.
No one at Jianghai University dared to provoke Huo Wen—including Xue Chuan. Although his father was the vice president, even the university president and board directors would greet Huo Wen with respect when they saw her.
Her background was formidable. Huo Wen came from Huoyun Corporation, the largest company in Jianghai City. It was said that the company's old chairman had once served in the military before founding Huoyun.
Huoyun's influence extended beyond Jianghai, conducting business with surrounding cities as well. The company's ventures were legitimate, encompassing film, television, real estate, and various other industries.
Huo Wen, granddaughter of Huoyun's chairman, was known as the most exceptional member of the Huo family's third generation.
Naturally, Xue Chuan was well aware of her power. The reason he had gone to intimidate Ye Qingxue earlier was to test whether the so-called "God of Basketball" was truly as extraordinary as the rumors claimed. His own basketball skills were elite—few CBA players impressed him. Unless they were NBA stars, he considered no one worth admiring.
"What did you just say?" Tang Yan looked at Xue Chuan in disbelief.
"Boss, didn't you hear? That woman wants you to kneel and apologize," one of the players said, puzzled.
"I heard," Xue Chuan replied calmly. "But it's just a wager. If we lose, I'll kneel and apologize. If we win, I won't have to."
"But Captain, that Xia Tian is really strong," Fang Li said, frowning.
"Don't you trust me? And I'm not playing alone. There are five of us—the entire starting lineup. I want to see if he can handle that," Xue Chuan said confidently. This time, he would give it everything he had. The full starting squad would take the court.
That was absolute strength.
"Xue Chuan, are you sure?" Tang Yan asked seriously.
"I am."
"Alright, everyone, gather up. We're holding a team meeting," Tang Yan announced, her voice echoing across the court.
Jianghai University was known for its many beautiful students. Even girls as stunning as Ye Qingxue and Tang Yan ranked only fourth or fifth among the campus beauties. That said, one title had remained unchanged for years.
Yun Miao was the undisputed most beautiful girl at Jianghai University. Someone had once compiled photos of her daily life and posted them online, and the post instantly went viral.
She was often described as a beauty closest to the divine—like a fairy descending to the mortal world. People had only heard tales of Chang'e's beauty, but never seen her. Yet at Jianghai University, many believed that even if Chang'e herself descended, she would not surpass Yun Miao.
There was something sacred about her presence; wherever she went, it felt as though radiant light surrounded her.
"Senior Sister, there's something exciting happening!" a plain-looking girl said, tugging at Yun Miao's arm.
"What's the rush? What's going on?" Yun Miao's voice was melodious and gentle, like a songbird's call, making people feel as though they'd stepped into a dream.
"Do you remember that 'Basketball God' everyone's been talking about these past few days? He's going up against the university basketball team again. I heard Xue Chuan himself is leading the team this time, with all the main players on the court."
"What's so exciting about that?" Yun Miao asked.
"Senior Sister, I think that so-called Basketball God isn't ordinary. Don't forget why we came here. What if he's connected to the Tongtian Fragment?"
"I've lived in Jianghai City for years and heard that the scroll might have once belonged to Xia Tianlong—but he died, and all leads disappeared after that," Yun Miao said. "Hundreds of people from twelve countries were involved in that battle, yet no one knows who possesses the scroll now."
"Sister, sometimes when we search directly, we find nothing. But if we observe from the sidelines, we might stumble upon a clue about the fragment."
"You and your excuses," Yun Miao sighed with a helpless smile.
"Senior Sister, please come with me. I really want to see what this Basketball God looks like."
"Alright, alright. I'll indulge you this once," Yun Miao said, nodding.
The upcoming match had drawn immense attention. The university's entire basketball team would face off against the so-called Basketball God from the Arts Department—a foreign player this time. It was bound to be spectacular.
The last time the Basketball God appeared at Jianghai University, his dazzling performance became the talk of the campus before he vanished again.
Now everyone wondered: could he win once more?
Would that unbelievable long-range shot appear again?
Even reporters had caught wind of the event. They planned to stream it live and capture clear footage of the Basketball God. Although some video clips from the previous match existed, no one had managed to take a clear photo of him.
Zeng Rou accompanied Xia Tian to Jianghai University. The two had already talked things through—Zeng Rou decided to treat what happened the previous night as nothing more than a dream, having nothing to do with Xia Tian. From now on, she would regard him as a younger brother, not a lover.
She had made this decision after much thought. She was older, while Xia Tian was still young and brilliant. She didn't want him to be tied down or distracted because of her.
Although Xia Tian had promised to take responsibility, Zeng Rou remained firm in her decision, and in the end, Xia Tian had no choice but to accept it.