121: A different ending

The freshman basketball finals were scheduled for Monday at 3:00 PM. With ten minutes left until tip-off, the stands were already packed.

The Dance Department's section was a sea of girls. Their cheers were sharp and bright, possessing incredible piercing power.

Their male-to-female ratio was nearly one-to-nine. Being able to pick out enough guys to form a team and actually make it to the finals was indeed something to be proud of.

Yu Heng squatted by the sidelines to tie his shoelaces; he didn't feel much pressure.

In his past life, this final had also been against the Dance Department. Losing was normal; winning would be even better.

He looked up and glanced at the Dance Department's stands. He Mengyao was sitting in the first row directly opposite him, wearing their department's uniform T-shirt and holding a plastic hand-clapper.

She was leaning her head to talk to the girl next to her, a smile on her face and her eyes curved into crescents.

Yu Heng withdrew his gaze and heard his teammates shouting behind him.

Hao Junran patted Wang Shuo on the shoulder, telling him not to be nervous. Wang Shuo's ears were a bit red as he hummed in response.

The referee blew the whistle, and the players from both sides took the court.

The game started with a jump ball. The ball was tipped toward Yu Heng. After catching it, he dribbled across half-court.

The Dance Department's defensive formation was spread wide. Two guards immediately pressed up on his left and right.

Yu Heng didn't rush to break through, instead passing the ball to Hao Junran on the wing.

Hao Junran raised his hand and shot. The three-pointer traced an arc through the air.

Tsk, too bad it didn't go in.

Clank! A brick!

The rebound was snatched by the Dance Department's center, who immediately threw a long pass to the frontcourt.

They were very fast. With a few passes, they reached the basket and scored an easy layup.

2 to 0.

Cheers erupted from the sidelines. The girls from the Dance Department jumped up, their plastic hand-clappers pitter-pattering loudly.

Yu Heng licked his lips. His past life had started the same way.

The Dance Department scored first, while his side lacked their shooting touch.

He dribbled across half-court. The opposing guard pressed up again, arms stretched out long, nearly poking him in the face.

Yu Heng turned his body to protect the ball, his eyes darting toward the sidelines.

Near the center court section of the stands, Ning Yutong and Shen Yueling were sitting together.

Ning Yutong had both hands clasped at her chest, her eyes fixed intently on the court.

Shen Yueling sat beside her. Her expression was faint, but her back was perfectly straight.

A few rows back, Bai Xinran was squeezed in with her roommates.

She was actually wearing a skirt today?

It was a light blue denim skirt, ending just above the knee.

She seemed unaccustomed to it, constantly tugging at the hem as she sat.

Qin Lu and Qin Ya were sitting in a corner. Qin Lu had let down her bun today; her hair draped over her shoulders, making her look softer than usual.

Qin Ya leaned in to whisper something to her. Qin Lu shook her head, but the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

Yu Heng withdrew his gaze, performed a crossover to shake off his defender, and broke through to the vicinity of the free-throw line.

The opposing center came over to help on defense, so he pulled up for a jump shot.

The ball went in.

4 to 2.

By the end of the first half, they were trailing by eight points, exactly like in his past life.

In this kind of competition, they used a two-half format rather than four quarters.

Yu Heng walked to the sidelines, took a water bottle handed to him by a teammate, and tilted his head back to take a few gulps.

Sweat flowed down his chin, dripping onto the collar of his jersey.

"Tighter on defense!" the coach shouted. "Don't let them cut inside so easily!"

Yu Heng wiped his face with a towel.

He glanced at the opposite stands. He Mengyao was laughing and chatting with the girl next to her, her eyes narrowed into slits.

She seemed to sense his gaze and turned her head. Her eyes met Yu Heng's for a second.

She was startled for a moment, then looked away.

The second half began.

He dribbled across half-court. The opposing guard was pressing even tighter now.

Yu Heng protected the ball and turned, squeezing through a gap and heading straight for the basket.

The opposing center stood in the paint, arms spread wide.

Yu Heng jumped, his body leaning in the air as his right hand guided the ball upward.

When his foot hit the ground, he stepped on something soft.

He heard a faint 'crack,' followed by a surge of intense pain. Yu Heng curled up on the ground, hands clutching his right ankle.

Fuck, why is this different from my last life?

Chaos broke out on the court. The referee blew the whistle, and teammates surrounded him. The Dance Department's center held up his hands, appearing to signal that it wasn't intentional.

Yu Heng gritted his teeth and tried to move his ankle.

An even sharper pain shot up, making him gasp.

The medical team ran over with their kit and knelt beside him. "Can you move it?"

Yu Heng tried to rotate his ankle. He could move it, but every motion made him wince in pain.

Yu Heng was helped up by his teammates, supporting himself on his left foot, not daring to let his right foot touch the ground.

He hopped on one foot to the sidelines. The coach met him: "How is it?"

"I'm out," Yu Heng said. "I can't play anymore."

The coach's expression was grim, but he didn't say anything, only patting him on the shoulder. "Go rest."

Wang Shuo was subbed in.

As he ran past Yu Heng, he whispered, "Get some good rest."

Yu Heng was helped to a seat on the bench. The medical team brought an ice pack and applied it to his ankle.

The stinging sensation was slightly suppressed by the cold, but the pain remained, throbbing rhythmically.

He looked up at the court. Wang Shuo was moving into position with somewhat stiff motions while Hao Junran set a screen for him.

Yu Heng closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Yu Heng!"

He heard someone calling him, their voice urgent.

Opening his eyes, he saw Ning Yutong rushing down from the stands. She was running so fast she nearly tripped.

She rushed to the bench and knelt before him, her eyes wide.

"Your... your foot..." Her voice was trembling violently. "Does it hurt?"

Yu Heng looked at her.

Ning Yutong's face was terrifyingly pale, completely devoid of color.

Her brows were knitted together, twisted into a tight knot.

Her mouth was slightly open, and the corners of her lips were trembling as if she wanted to speak but couldn't.

She stared at his ankle without blinking, her eyes slowly turning red.

Yu Heng suddenly thought of Liu Jianfen; she had worn this exact expression when his brother had his accident.

"I'm fine," he said. "I just sprained it."

"But... but you were curled up on the ground just now..." Ning Yutong's voice trembled even more. "I thought... I thought..."

She thought he had a fracture, thought he was seriously injured. Her hands were still shaking.

"I'm really fine," he said again. "It'll be better in a couple of days."

Ning Yutong looked at him, the moisture in her eyes growing heavier.

She bit her lip, forcing back the urge to cry, and then nodded vigorously.

"Okay," she said. "Then... then don't move. Keep the ice on it."

Shen Yueling and Bai Xinran also came over. Shen Yueling stood behind Ning Yutong, glancing at Yu Heng's ankle without a word.

Bai Xinran knelt down, her expression somewhat solemn. She reached out and touched the ice pack: "It's swollen."

"Yeah," Yu Heng responded.

Qin Lu and Qin Ya also walked over from the stands.

Qin Lu looked at his foot, her brow furrowed. "Is it serious?"

"Just a sprain," Yu Heng said.

Qin Ya leaned in. "Brother, that fall just now was so scary."

Yu Heng twitched the corner of his mouth but didn't reply.

He turned to look at the court. The game was still going on, and their department was already trailing by nearly twenty points.

Wang Shuo was trying his best on defense, but the Dance Department was too fast for him to keep up.

When the final whistle blew, the score was fixed at 68 to 52.

Although they had still lost, this score was a different ending from his past life.

His teammates walked off the court dejectedly. Hao Junran patted Wang Shuo on the shoulder and told him he played well.

Yu Heng tried to stand up. As soon as his right foot touched the ground, he stumbled. Ning Yutong immediately supported him: "I'll help you."

As they walked toward the locker room, he saw He Mengyao standing not far away.

Yu Heng was stunned for a moment because He Mengyao's gaze felt somewhat familiar.

In that gaze, there was heartache, worry, and even a hint of blame?

It didn't quite look like the way the current He Mengyao should be looking at him.