Chapter Four: Chuchu Has a Boyfriend

When we arrived at the field, the courtside was already teeming with people, the surging crowd forming an impenetrable wall around the small arena. We struggled to squeeze into the throng, stood on tiptoe, but still couldn’t see a thing.

After much effort, we finally retreated in disappointment. Glancing around, Xiao Yi suddenly pointed excitedly toward the open-air platform on the second floor of the nearby office building. “Xiao Bei! Let’s go there!” he shouted.

We dashed up to the deserted platform, and just as we arrived, the final match of the 2002-2003 school basketball league was kicking off under the eager gaze of the masses.

Class 2-3 seized the initiative. After winning the jump ball at midcourt, they launched a fast break. Their star point guard, number 6, Zhang Xu, swiftly received the center’s pass and sped down the court like lightning.

The two players from Class 3-1 defending the basket rushed forward to double-team him, but Zhang Xu abruptly stopped, fooling both of them, then leapt up as if to shoot. Just as a defender from Class 3-1 flew in from behind to block him, Zhang Xu, now airborne, faked and swung the ball to the right baseline. There, number 13, Li Mu, who had been waiting unnoticed, took the shot almost completely unguarded.

The ball traced a beautiful arc through the air and dropped easily into the hoop.

3-0. The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.

The players from Class 3-1 seemed still stunned by what had just happened. They absentmindedly set up their offense. Number 4, the point guard, glanced at Zhang Xu, who was staring intently at the basketball in his hands. A shiver ran through him, and he hurriedly passed the ball away.

Class 3-1’s captain, number 18, Zheng Fei, caught the pass. The center moved up from the paint to set a screen, and Zheng Fei exploited the gap to break into the lane. Faced with two defenders from Class 2-3, Zheng Fei was forced to pass sideways to the center, who had rolled back inside after the screen. The center took a step forward and tossed the ball toward the hoop.

The ball slammed against the backboard, bounced on the rim a few times, then rolled out reluctantly. A collective sigh of regret rose from the crowd.

Class 2-3’s center, number 24, Liu Kai, leaped high and firmly grabbed the rebound, then handed the ball to the approaching Zhang Xu. Without hesitation, Zhang Xu passed it quickly to the frontcourt to Li Mu.

Li Mu moved left with the ball. Zhang Xu darted past him, drawing the attention of two defenders. Suddenly, Li Mu drove forward, leaped, and passed the ball back to Zhang Xu, now cutting into the paint. Zhang Xu didn’t rush to shoot but used a fake to draw the defender in.

In a flash, Zhang Xu’s eyes lit up. He crouched low and fired a bounce pass to the power forward, number 21, Du Yu, who had been waiting under the basket.

Du Yu boxed out the opposing center, received the pass steadily, didn’t dribble, but feinted left and right before suddenly driving hard along the baseline. The opposing center was instantly pushed out of position. Feeling the space behind him, Du Yu let out a shout and, cupping the ball in both hands, executed a textbook bank shot.

The ball, without hesitation, bounced three times off the backboard and dropped cleanly into the hoop.

5-0!

Watching this, Xiao Yi couldn’t help but frown. “Xiao Bei.”

“Mm.” I replied, but my eyes continued to search the crowd around the court, scanning for Chu Chu.

“Xiao Bei…” Seeing I hadn’t responded, Xiao Yi nudged me again.

“Mm… Mm, what is it?” I drew my gaze back and looked into Xiao Yi’s deep eyes.

“They… they’re really strong.” Xiao Yi seemed to be speaking to me, yet also to himself.

The first half ended uneventfully. Class 2-3 led by an incredible margin—40-19. Such a score made the supposed clash of titans seem absurd, and the match was becoming one-sided. Class 3-1, last year’s champions, had slumped shockingly, losing their former dominance in the face of the rising Class 2-3. The players sat dejectedly on the sidelines, sipping mineral water without spirit.

As my gaze swept over the court, I suddenly spotted a familiar figure beneath the basketball hoop in Class 2-3’s rest area. “Chu Chu?” I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. It was her!

Chu Chu was gazing tenderly up at the tall figure beside her—number 2, towering a head above her, clad in his jersey. He made a gesture asking for water, and Chu Chu quickly handed him her bottle, then stood on tiptoe to whisper encouragement in his ear. Her face radiated happiness, utterly unlike her usual proud demeanor.

Number 2 smiled broadly, then suddenly turned and kissed Chu Chu’s forehead. Her face flushed crimson, and she immediately made that familiar pinching gesture.

Just then, the whistle signaled the end of halftime.

My heart suddenly ached terribly. Memories of times with Chu Chu flashed before my eyes like a slide show, and it felt as though some nameless liquid was brewing in my eyes. I tried desperately to suppress the surge of emotion, bowing my head deeply. Everything on the court was meaningless to me now; the world itself no longer mattered. All I needed was silence—just a moment of quiet.

“Xiao Bei, there’s no suspense left in this game. I’ll head off. Byebye!” Xiao Yi patted me on the shoulder and left the platform.

The empty platform stood in stark contrast to the noisy crowd below. With no one to disturb me, I could finally cry freely…

Chu Chu, I can feel your happiness, but who will share my sorrow?

The match ended without suspense. The crowd slowly dispersed. I stood alone at the high vantage point, quietly watching the happy couple below as they leaned into each other, gradually fading from my sight.

The world was shrouded in mist. Lonely streetlights flickered under the gray night sky.

I wandered aimlessly through the streets, then sat in a daze on the steps outside a corner bank, staring at the passing crowds, unsure where to go or what to do.

“Time flows, life is but a dream. We come and go so quickly—who shares the place of heartbreak? People are distant, feelings fleeting. A cup of murky wine, a long laugh, ends the endless affairs of the world. You are like a dream, love is like a dream, dreams are like dreams…” The soft verses circled endlessly in my mind.

All along, I wanted to move you, but in the end, the only one truly moved was myself.