The tennis courts were quieter than usual this morning. Not silent—just missing that constant thud-thud of balls. Only one ball kept spinning and leaping in the air, while everyone watched a vicious trash-talk showdown in the corner.
To be honest, no one really knows who the Four Cutting-Class Kings of Class 3-4 are. But say the name Xu Xian, captain and power forward of the Changqing basketball team, and everyone knows. Few can match his fame. One is Xu Lingzhu, Student Council President for three years straight after moving up from junior high. Their infamous sibling feud is practically school canon. But this was the first time they were ripping each other’s faces off in public.
“You call that skill? I must’ve seriously overrated you.”
“Could you stop panting while you talk? That level of trash talk has zero Student Council President spine.”
“You’re the one dripping sweat. Keep forcing it and you’ll pull something. How about a lay-down in the nurse’s office?”
“Are you messing with me? I can keep this shuttle run up all day!”
My understanding of tennis is still stuck at “buffed-up ping pong.” Standing on an actual court, I couldn’t even find my place. Luckily, the Xu siblings’ argument had escalated past the point of no return. A doubles match had been twisted into two separate singles on the same court.
The court split into two zones. Nan Dongye and I stood on one side like two lucky-cat decorations. On the other, Xu Xian and Xu Lingzhu kept to their narrow lane, teasing that bouncy little ball over and over. It was like whoever sent it to our half would lose.
Being optional at best, I shot an equally optional, plaintive look at Nan Dongye. “Didn’t we agree we’d never run into the Student Council President again?”
Nan Dongye gave a sheepish smile and a very awkward look back. “How was I supposed to know your bad blood was this deep? Where Xu Xian shows up, our President usually steers clear.”
“So it’s my fault?”
“Hee—whose else? Old and new Changqing goddesses sparring on court—I can already see the shill brigade’s new headline.”
“Drop dead, Yuzuru Sensei. Seriously.”
If I could’ve caught the ball right then, I would’ve launched it straight at Nan Dongye’s smug, gloating face.
“By the way, did you notice the President looking at you extra hot? She clearly got impatient when she saw Xu Xian. Hesitated for a bit, then came over anyway. Don’t tell me… she still hasn’t realized you’re a guy…”
“Let’s hope… otherwise the forum’s headline will be ‘Changqing goddess is a cross-dresser.’ I’d rather not get expelled for walking into the girls’ bathroom.”
I glanced at Xu Lingzhu. Her gaze was hot, yeah—but a different kind of heat. Familiar, like me happily grinding first clears in that game, Desecration. She didn’t look like a shallow girl fighting for a title. Also, that “match” she mentioned still had me scratching my head.
While Nan Dongye and I held our telepathic posture without ever touching the ball, the other two were trading blows, totally lost in it. Spin shots. Slices. Smashes. Techniques I’d never even heard of, all flying at once. It was ruthless. Hard to believe siblings could go at each other like sworn enemies.
Ora ora ora ora!
Okay, that was my bored inner soundtrack. What I really wanted to say was: if you’re going for fratricide, why not just duel one-on-one…
As for the clueless spectators, I didn’t need to guess what they were imagining. A sunny knight bravely guarding the current goddess. A strong-willed empress defending her crown. And me… just a decorative vase.
The scoreboard kept flipping fast as time went on. Soon it was match point. Still none of this involved me, but leaving the fenced-in court early and not being showcased like a monkey sounded nice. Before that, I kept shooting angry looks at the culprit, Nan Dongye.
Xu Xian might be all-around athletic, but Xu Lingzhu’s talent in tennis didn’t lose to him. Slowly, the gap in stamina began to show. Not huge, but the President’s footwork, blazing at first, started to falter a little.
Finally, after a feint, Xu Lingzhu sliced one. It grazed the net and still crossed the center line. Xu Xian, toes on the baseline, couldn’t recover in time. I braced myself, ran up, and took the ball. My reaction was fast. The ball ricocheted back over the net—before it even touched the ground.
So… does that mean we won?
I was still frozen like an idiot when Xu Lingzhu’s expression turned oddly amused. It was a smile she tried to hold back out of good manners and upbringing. Did I do something baffling?
Xu Xian sighed. “So you weren’t lying. You seriously don’t know the basic rules of tennis. I’m impressed. Did you think this was badminton? You hit a ball that hadn’t landed.”
“Save it! You set the pace!”
My face burned. I finally realized the problem.
“That point doesn’t count. One more game.”
Apparently unwilling to accept winning by exploiting Xu Xian’s lapse, Xu Lingzhu said it lightly.
Xu Xian flicked his ear. He didn’t seem to care about winning or losing. His eyes passed over the faint tremble in Xu Lingzhu’s hands, and he smiled with that flawless, world-mocking face. “No. A loss is a loss. Besides… I got what I wanted.”
He patted my shoulder, smirking low. “The real knight’s here to pick up the princess. This deadweight’s bowing out.”
He whistled and walked off, leaving me standing there even more miserable. Xu Xian, that sister-trolling fiend, still hadn’t given up on his sketchy plan!
Xu Lingzhu tossed her messy hair, clearly annoyed by his flippant tone. But with the eyesore gone, her expression softened. She fixed her gaze on me, the corner of her mouth lifting in a hint of triumph.
She raised the racket in her slender arm—her symbol of victory—and pointed at me. “Then, as promised, you belong to me now!”
Huh?
Promised?
You came here out of nowhere to stir things up, and suddenly I belong to you?
What have you even been going on about since a minute ago?
