During lunch break, Chi Yuzhou picked an untried bread from his usual shop as always, then made good use of the rest period to recharge.

The afternoon classes were straightforward—mostly going over another test paper handed out earlier. Chi Yuzhou was fairly satisfied with his score on that paper; at least it proved he wasn’t actually dumb. In this subject alone, he’d rank somewhere in the top ten of his class. But his overall grades? Barely mid-to-lower tier.

Having caught up on sleep that morning, Chi Yuzhou stayed awake during the rescheduled PE class—but only just. He slouched lazily in a shaded spot, watching energetic students flood the sports field under a cloudless, windless sky perfect for outdoor activities.

The basketball courts were packed with boys; the badminton courts, mostly girls. Others clustered in small groups resting. Sometimes, flying solo wasn’t ideal. Chi Yuzhou wanted to try these sports he’d only read about—but who’d play with him? He couldn’t even find a second person for badminton, let alone a full basketball team.

Not that he felt particularly eager right now.

*Too hot.* If he played hard under this sun… he’d overheat for sure. Just standing in this glare for an hour might turn him into a kid before Children’s Day arrived—never mind actual exercise. Transforming in public would be like shouting through a megaphone that he was a Rare Breed. He couldn’t exactly claim *"men in black fed me untraceable death capsules,"* either. Human tech was advanced, but not *that* advanced. Even if someone dragged him to play, he’d bail halfway to cool down—and kill their buzz.

A sudden, synchronized gasp from the badminton courts pulled Chi Yuzhou’s lazy gaze upward.

Xiao Yingwan stood motionless by the net, watching a boy on the opposite side grimace in defeat. Chi Yuzhou recognized him—a popular classmate. Yet here he was, utterly crushed by Xiao Yingwan in a badminton match. From this distance, the exact score was unclear.

As Chi Yuzhou watched classmates play, PE class halfway done, a voice cut through the air beside him:

"Yuzhou. Wanna play?"

Qi Hua, fresh from the basketball court, stood there hand outstretched.

"Never played basketball."

"Badminton then."

"First time for that too. Might quit halfway."

"Doesn’t matter. Class ends soon. Come on?"

Seeing Qi Hua’s earnest invitation, Chi Yuzhou stood and brushed off his clothes. *Might as well try.* Better than just reading about it.

Qi Hua grabbed two rackets without fuss as they headed to the courts. Up close, Chi Yuzhou finally spotted the scoreboard:

**21:3**

*Huh. That guy’s really bad.*

No clouds meant brutal sun exposure outside the shade. Their chosen court sat near the edge, with few spectators. Chi Yuzhou silently gauged his stamina—first time playing, he couldn’t afford to overheat.

Across the net, Qi Hua called out:

"Know the rules?"

"Yeah."

Qi Hua served a gentle test shot. Seeing Chi Yuzhou return it easily, he gradually shifted from high lobs to sharper angles. Anyone watching would notice Qi Hua barely moved—Chi Yuzhou did all the running.

As Chi Yuzhou’s movements grew smoother and errors fewer, Qi Hua finally started shifting his feet. During a ball-retrieval pause, he asked:

"Seriously your first time?"

"Mm."

"You’re crazy good. Picking it up fast."

Chi Yuzhou nodded, pretending to wipe nonexistent sweat from his brow. *Badminton’s more fun than books made it seem.*

On the overlooked court, a boy with hair half-covering his eyes moved with quiet focus. A faint, unconscious smile played on his lips. Each step made his bangs flicker up—briefly revealing his full face—but only Qi Hua across the net noticed.

Before the bell rang, Chi Yuzhou called a stop. He stood frozen, suppressing the urge to gasp for air, and bent to retrieve the missed shuttlecock. As he straightened, his eyes met Xiao Yingwan’s—just passing by. Their gazes locked for a split second before she looked away. Chi Yuzhou’s movements stayed calm as he picked up the ball.

*If I played that guy… I’d crush him too.*

After the match, Chi Yuzhou and Qi Hua headed to the water taps. Chi Yuzhou cupped icy water from the underground pipes and splashed it straight onto his face—perfect for cooling down. Qi Hua did the same, oblivious to the faint white mist seeping between Chi Yuzhou’s fingers.

When Qi Hua glanced over, Chi Yuzhou had already lowered his hands, back to his usual lazy self. They regrouped with class and returned to the classroom together.

Qi Hua tapped messages on his phone. Chi Yuzhou pondered Xiao Yingwan’s tutoring offer. He knew exactly where his math failed: shaky foundations made current lessons feel like alien hieroglyphics—guaranteed sleep inducers. If she *could* teach him? She’d be impressive. But the effort required…

*Let’s see just how stubborn she really is.*