Chapter 5 Be patient

The intercollegiate basketball league quarter-finals ended with a victory, and the team naturally had to celebrate.

As the core member of Jincheng University’s basketball team, Jing Zheng xuan couldn't be absent. 

He had already arranged the dinner menu with his aunt and repeatedly reminded Huai xu to have dinner at home on time. 

Only after Huai Xu promised did Jing Zheng xuan feel assured enough to join the victory party.

The so-called victory party was simply the basketball team gathering for a meal at a relatively upscale restaurant near campus.

By the time Jing Zheng xuan arrived, everyone else was already waiting in the private room.

Seeing him arrive late, a few new team members joked.

"Whoa, showing up this late? Couldn't bear to part with your childhood friend, huh?"

Jing Zheng xuan shot a cold glance at them. 

"What’s it to you?"

Player 1: “…”

Another player laughed teasingly. 

"Why didn’t you bring your childhood friend along? We could all get to know him."

Jing Zheng xuan sneered and retorted bluntly, 

"Don’t want to sully his eyes."

The player: "..."

The newcomers hadn’t been on the team for long. 

They knew Jing Zheng xuan was good in fights but didn’t realize he disliked jokes involving Huai Xu. 

Embarrassed, they could only grit their teeth in frustration, not daring to say more.

The atmosphere grew tense until the coach stepped in as a mediator. 

Holding up his drink, he looked around the room. 

"Alright, everyone, let’s have a toast! Today, we’re celebrating. You’re all heroes, and we need to stay united to win the next game. Let’s not let small things ruin the mood."

Since the coach had spoken, everyone had to oblige. 

The players raised their glasses and downed their drinks.

Though they were adults, they were still students. 

Even at a celebration, no one drank alcohol. 

Sneaking drinks behind the scenes was one thing, but doing so in front of the coach would be asking for trouble. 

Jincheng University had strict disciplinary rules for students, banning smoking, 

drinking, and staying out overnight without special permission.

The atmosphere lightened, and the group resumed eating and chatting.

Jing Zheng xuan wasn’t particularly patient with such events. 

Attending was already a big concession for him.

He listlessly took out his phone, opened WeChat, and clicked on the pinned sunflower icon.

[JZX]: Have you eaten?

Huai Xu had a weak stomach and needed to eat on time to avoid issues. 

However, he was absent-minded and often lost track of time when focused, 

which was a constant worry for Jing Zheng xuan.

After waiting for a while with no reply, Jing Zheng xuan grew anxious and decided to call. 

Just as he was about to dial, Huai Xu replied.

[Dinosaur Pic]: I’ve eaten, don’t worry.

Jing Zheng xuan’s note for Huai Xu was a cute dinosaur emoji. 

When they first met as kids, Huai xu wore a green dinosaur costume with a long, trailing tail that wagged as he walked. 

It was irresistibly adorable. 

When they exchanged WeChat IDs, that memory was the first thing that came to Jing Zheng xuan’s mind when setting Huai Xu’s contact note.

Recalling that scene, a faint smile tugged at Jing Zheng xuan’s lips as he replied.

[JZX]: Good.

Not long after, Huai Xu sent another message.

[Dinosaur Pic]: Watch your step, be careful, don’t get hurt.

[Dinosaur Pic]: [I’ll always be watching over you.JPG]

Jing Zheng xuan chuckled softly and replied calmly with a simple 

"Mm."

Suddenly, the dining table fell into a strange silence.

A teammate stared at him wide-eyed. 

"Wait—you can smile?!"

"And it’s kind of creepy," 

another muttered under his breath.

Jing Zheng xuan put his phone away and shot a blank stare at them.

This player, Jiang Yuhan, was Jing Zheng xuan’s classmate and a fellow teammate. 

Since they spent a lot of time together, their relationship was closer than with others.

Jiang Yuhan wasn’t having it. 

"That look—are you calling me dumb?"

"No." 

Jing Zheng xuan denied it, though his gaze was filled with pity.

"So now you’re pitying me for not having a brain?!" 

Jiang Yuhan exclaimed in disbelief.

Jing Zheng xuan rolled his eyes at him.

Frustrated, Jiang Yuhan gulped down a drink, turning his indignation into appetite.

Over an hour later, the group finally left the restaurant.

Eager to return, Jing Zheng xuan led the way, while Jiang Yuhan followed behind.

As they walked, faint shouting and crying emerged from a nearby alley. 

Jing Zheng xuan turned his head to see a group of people surrounding someone on the ground, 

yelling and kicking. 

The person in the middle seemed too scared to stand.

Jing Zheng xuan approached.

He wasn’t one to meddle, but Huai Xu believed in karma. 

If doing a good deed could bring some luck to Huai Xu—even if it didn’t make him stronger, 

at least someone might help Huai Xu if he were ever in trouble—it was worth it.

Jiang Yuhan tugged at his arm. 

"Let’s not. Those guys look like thugs."

Jing Zheng xuan brushed him off and walked into the alley without a word.

Jiang Yuhan had no choice but to follow.

As skilled as Jing Zheng xuan was, he couldn’t take on a group alone. 

It was risky.

When they entered the alley, the gang turned around. 

The leader, cigarette in mouth, glared at them with a menacing look. 

A blond-haired thug pointed and yelled, 

"You—"

Before he could finish, Jing Zheng xuan landed a punch squarely on his nose, 

causing blood to gush.

The rest of the gang lunged at him in fury.

Panicking, Jiang Yuhan charged in to help.

It wasn’t long before other teammates arrived.

"What’s going on?"

"Why are there people sprawled on the ground?"

"Did you two get into a fight?"

Jiang Yuhan explained, 

"No, they were bullying someone. Jing Zheng xuan couldn’t stand it."

"Wow, standing up for justice? Boss Jing, you’re amazing!"

"Such weaklings, and they’re trying to be gangsters? Embarrassing!"

"That person being bullied looks pretty good… could it be…?"

Ignoring the chatter, Jing Zheng xuan cast a disdainful glance at the groaning thugs on the ground and turned to leave.

Just then, the person who had been huddled in the corner dashed out and bowed deeply in front of Jing Zheng xuan.

"Thank you," 

he said, his voice choked, tears still streaming down his face.

Jing Zheng xuan took a step back and replied coldly, 

"No need."

He side stepped the person and continued walking out of the alley.

Unexpectedly, the person chased after him, 

gratitude written all over his face, and held out his phone with a QR code. 

"Please let me thank you. I’m Shu Jinwei, a freshman at Jincheng University."

"No need," 

Jing Zheng xuan frowned, brushing him off again.

Jiang Yuhan tried to smooth things over. 

"We don’t leave names when doing good deeds. You don’t have to do this. Go get yourself checked at the hospital instead."

Shu Jinwei clutched his arm, smiling as he thanked Jiang Yuhan.




    Around 8 PM, Huai Xu rushed to the dorm as soon as he received the news.

    He had specifically warned Jing Zheng xuan about getting into trouble, 

    yet here he was, injured again. Was he cursed or something?

    Pushing open the door, Huai Xu found Jing Zheng xuan waiting in the dorm alone. 

    Their roommates were nowhere to be seen.

    Huai Xu initially intended to scold him but softened the moment he saw the wound on Jing Zheng xuan’s arm.

    "How did you get hurt?" 

    he asked while changing into slippers.

    Jing Zheng xuan helped Huai Xu take off his bag, 

    observing his expression closely as he pitifully grabbed Huai Xu’s hand. 

    "I don’t know."

    Huai Xu pushed him lightly. 

    "You don’t even know how you got hurt? What do you know?"

    Meeting Jing Zheng xuan’s puppy-dog eyes, 

    Huai Xu’s tone softened. 

    "Be more careful next time."

    Jing Zheng xuan wrapped an arm around Huai Xu’s waist and grinned. 

    "Got it."

    Huai Xu sighed, pulling Jing Zheng xuan’s arm over to examine the injury. 

    It wasn’t deep but quite long, with some dirt visible—likely from a scrape.

    Without a word, Huai Xu dragged him to the bathroom and began rinsing the wound.

    Standing close, Jing Zheng xuan leaned on Huai Xu’s back and murmured, 

    "It hurts."

    "It’ll be over soon," 

    Huai Xu replied, blowing softly on the wound.

    Then, Huai Xu seated him on a chair and brought out the first aid kit. 

    With practiced movements, he cleaned the wound, applied iodine, and bandaged it.

    After wrapping up, Huai Xu asked again, 

    "Are you sure you can’t remember how you got hurt?"

    Jing Zheng xuan pretended to think before replying, 

    "Maybe because you weren’t by my side. I got so distracted I forgot to watch where I was going."

    Huai Xu: "…"

    "Speak human language."

    Jing Zheng xuan answered earnestly, 

    "That is human language."

    Huai xu: "…"

    Forget it.

    At that moment, Huai Xu’s stomach growled loudly.

    Jing Zheng xuan’s expression changed instantly.

    At this hour, Huai Xu shouldn’t be hungry unless he skipped dinner.

    He immediately pulled Huai Xu into his arms and patted his stomach. 

    "Didn’t eat dinner?"

    Caught off guard, Huai Xu landed on Jing Zheng xuan’s lap, 

    his face warming as a strange feeling stirred within him…




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