Chapter 54: Want to slap me in the face? Do you have what it takes?

Rewinding time by one minute.

Holding a basketball, Fang Yifan had rushed to the playground at the very first moment, playing while waiting for He Chen. The moment he saw He Chen approach, he had already prepared himself.

Seeing He Chen chatting and laughing with Deng Xiaoqi, one of the campus beauties, the jealousy and anger in his heart grew even more intense!

Oh, wonderful!

You threatened the purity of my goddess, ruined the unbreakable bond of my childhood-friend-turned-best-bro, made my mother's temper grow increasingly short, and tore my life to pieces.

And yet look at you!

My goddess speaks up for you, my childhood-friend-turned-best-bro listens to your every word, even that catfish spirit Wang Yidi has been infected with your sharp tongue, and now you are strolling along, laughing and talking with the singing-and-dancing long-legged campus beauty.

Weighing the pros and cons, you manage to gather countless female friends for yourself while cutting down the number of female friends around me.

Instead of learning anything proper, you've started studying military strategies, haven't you?

If I only had a spiritual jade hanging around my neck right now, I'd smash it to show you!

Pity he didn't have one!

And even if he did, without the care of Grandmother Jia, who held the power to control others' destinies, it would be utterly useless even if he really smashed it.

So he had to rely on himself.

Since he didn't have a spiritual jade to smash, surely he had a basketball to throw?

Growing more furious the more he thought about it, while playing with his basketball partner, he began plotting in his mind. Ranking dead last in the whole school for mathematics and physics, he was currently in an unprecedented state of peak performance as he mentally calculated the trajectory of the attack.

This was a calculation that required constant real-time adjustments and precise control on his part.

And he managed all of it.

When He Chen entered the striking range, he immediately prepared himself. He signaled his basketball partner to seize the opportunity for a jump shot, while he himself sprang up, jumping higher than ever before, and precisely swatted the airborne basketball with a fierce slap.

The basketball, originally heading toward the rim, was instantly deflected, flying straight toward He Chen.

As Fang Yifan fell back down from his leap, he turned his head to look and realized the basketball's trajectory would hit He Chen squarely in the face. Unable to contain himself, a look of wild euphoria spread across his face.

What could be more satisfying than a slap in the face?

Although it wasn't a direct palm to He Chen's cheek, he slapped the ball, and the ball struck He Chen's face—rounding it up, that was practically the same as slapping He Chen across the face.

The crucial part was that he would have a foolproof excuse afterward.

He didn't mean to!

It was just an accident!

Playing basketball and all that, such things were completely normal!

As for his face beaming with joy?

That was because he had blocked a shot—and an unprecedentedly magnificent block at that. Could he not be happy?

The more he thought about these brilliant details, the brighter Fang Yifan's smile became.

It felt too exhilarating!

However, such a satisfying inner monologue was still too short.

There was no help for it!

The flight time of the deflected basketball was simply too brief.

Just as he thought it was about to hit He Chen—who was still chatting and laughing with Deng Xiaoqi, not looking this way, and seemingly completely oblivious—he saw He Chen effortlessly raise a hand without even looking, suddenly intercepting the basketball that was about to smash into his handsome face.

What made it even harder for him to accept was that He Chen actually showed off by catching the ball with one hand.

Among the burly players in the NBA, this felt like a basic operation since their hands were simply too huge and catching the ball was effortless.

In reality, however, among amateur basketball enthusiasts like them, practically no one could pull that off.

Damn it!

He Chen just managed to show off!

"What are you doing?" Deng Xiaoqi asked belatedly, looking at Fang Yifan with shock and anger.

She didn't believe for a second that it was an accident or unintentional; she only knew this was definitely an intentional "accident"!

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention while playing. If you don't believe me, ask him!" Fang Yifan naturally deployed his prepared excuse.

Although his basketball partner vaguely felt that Fang Yifan's move had a deliberate air to it, he couldn't be certain.

After all, he didn't believe Fang Yifan possessed the skill to have total control over the situation; wouldn't that imply that he himself was terrible at the game?

Therefore, when Fang Yifan pointed at him to bear witness, he nodded subconsciously.

"It's fine." He Chen saw right through Fang Yifan's petty thoughts, chuckling inwardly while speaking aloud, and casually tossed the ball back with one hand.

Fang Yifan reached out to catch it, but the basketball—whose trajectory he had already calculated—suddenly accelerated and shifted its path mid-air, slipping right past his closed palms and smashing squarely into his face.

"What the hell!"

In pain, furious, and utterly bewildered, Fang Yifan had no idea what had just happened when his spectator partner once again let loose a stream of profanities and cried out in shock.

This was the first time he had ever seen a basketball suddenly accelerate mid-flight, giving off an extremely eerie and unnatural vibe.

If it wasn't an accident, but rather intentional, then that would be ridiculously awesome.

Fang Yifan lacked the rational, objective, and fair attitude of his partner. He had originally intended to use the basketball to smash He Chen's face to vent the anger in his heart, but now, after executing the "most perfect blocking strike," not only did he fail, but he had also been solidly slapped in the face by He Chen's return throw.

Leaving aside the physical pain throbbing across his cheek, psychologically he was utterly unable to accept this massive reversal of fortune.

This caused his anger to flare as he glared at He Chen: "You dared to hit me!"

"I was just returning your ball!" He Chen explained with a half-smile: "Who knew you couldn't even catch it? I really didn't mean to, if you don't believe me, ask him!"

"Yeah! We both saw it!" Fang Yifan's partner already held deep awe and admiration for He Chen, and he truly didn't believe anyone could intentionally pull off what had just happened, so it simply had to be an accident.

Given that he could echo Fang Yifan earlier, echoing He Chen—who currently looked far more innocent and credible—obviously presented no psychological barrier for him at all.

"You!" Fang Yifan choked with frustration.

This matter genuinely could not be pursued further; he could only admit his skills were inferior.

His original plan was to humiliate He Chen, preferably provoke him into a one-on-one basketball showdown.

He wanted to defeat He Chen in a head-to-head confrontation to prove himself!

As for why he chose basketball?

Because he had found out earlier that afternoon that during PE class, He Chen participated in almost no activities whatsoever. It was obvious He Chen only knew those slow-moving, old-man-style disciplines like Crane Boxing or Turtle Qigong, and was completely unskilled in fiercely competitive, highly technical sports like basketball.

As for himself, whether it was basketball, football, piano, or dancing, there was virtually no hobby he didn't know or excel at.

Coupled with the fact that he had just learned a few basketball master-moves, he was confident he could first physically slap He Chen's face with the ball, and then make him a laughingstock in front of everyone, striking a heavy blow to He Chen's psyche.

Yet now, He Chen had first caught the ball with one hand, then tossed it back casually, orchestrating such a bizarre twist that it directly smashed into his own face, leaving his cheek stinging with pain.

Suddenly, his confidence in his basketball-face-slapping plan began to waver.

Should he continue?

He Chen sneered inwardly.

How could Fang Yifan possibly comprehend his methods!

Having practiced four sets of Immortal Crane Qigong and Turtle Breathing Gong every day, he had long since cultivated extraordinary abilities; the internal energy or true Qi of the wuxia world had genuinely been brought to life by him.

With comprehensive enhancements in physical vitality, spirit, and energy, razor-sharp senses, and lightning-fast movements, making people scream and leap around with just a flick of a finger—these were all the augmented effects of internal energy and true Qi.

Leaving a surge of latent force on the basketball and causing it to suddenly accelerate and shift course mid-flight, much like a satellite utilizing thrusters for orbital maneuvering—it was pure science!