Back on the court, Cui Yuelan immediately noticed Shen Qi's slightly swollen lips. She might not know what happened, but how could she not understand? Seeing Shen Qi return from the restroom with Liu Yi, Cui Yuelan couldn't help but roll her eyes. That little bitch Shen Qi! Sure enough, she couldn't stand being alone! How many days had it been since she separated from Brother Yining? And she was already sneaking off to the restroom with Liu Yi to hook up! Hmph, she had to tell Brother Yining! Once Brother Yining found out, they'd be finished for good! Cui Yuelan stared at Shen Qi with a look reserved for the dead, unable to hide the smugness in her eyes.
Shen Qi looked up and caught Cui Yuelan's triumphant gaze, and inexplicably thought back to the scene in the restroom where He Yining had pinned her against the wall and kissed her wildly. Her ears flushed again. What did he mean by that? He'd already decided to part ways with her, yet he still came to provoke her...
Just then, the referee on the court blew the whistle again. Liu Yi was about to head back onto the court. Shen Qi shook off her tangled thoughts and cheered Liu Yi on once more. Almost every woman in the audience was rooting for Liu Yi. What could you do? Good looks always had an advantage. Didn't matter if it was a man or a woman—it worked universally.
Liu Yi's stamina was truly impressive. She single-handedly dragged the team across the court, dominating so thoroughly that the opponents were left crawling on the ground, unable to get up. She casually pulled off one stylish dunk after another, sending the women in the stands into a frenzy of screams. Who said sweating made a man look ugly? It was all about the face, wasn't it? Of course, Liu Yi wasn't a man either...
Team Five lived up to expectations, clinching the championship among the ten teams. After finishing the final game, Liu Yi immediately raised a challenging gesture toward He Yining and the others in the distance.
"Oh? Pretty cocky, huh?" Wen Yibo chuckled. "I'm actually looking forward to going a few rounds with her now." He Yining just smiled softly. Kissing Shen Qi today had inexplicably lifted his bad mood. Even being provoked didn't bother him anymore.
Fan Sheng and Fan Li caught the smile on He Yining's lips and instantly understood: He Yining was happy because when he played later, Shen Qi would be watching from the sidelines, right? They turned away in unison, exasperated. We don't have friends that stupid... Why did he have to be so cool and fierce with outsiders, but turn into an idiot whenever Shen Qi was involved?
Yes, that was exactly what He Yining was thinking! He wanted Shen Qi to see what real masculine strength looked like! Liu Yi, that pseudo-man, couldn't even be called strong, could she? She was a 60-kilogram female boxer, while he was a 70-kilogram male boxer who had once dominated the boxing world for a time!
The organizing committee smiled and said to Team Five, "Congratulations on your final victory. This afternoon, Team Five will represent all the contestants in a match against a mysterious team. If you win, the entire team will get an extra ten points in the semifinals." The crowd erupted instantly! If they'd known winning the game came with such perks, they'd have fought tooth and nail to win earlier!
The committee member continued with a grin, "Everyone, settle down! There will be more such matches. Make sure to seize your opportunities, unite your teammates and comrades. Wishing you all a smooth advancement! Now, dismissed for a break! Lunch will be delivered to the sports field. After an hour's rest, Team Five will face the mysterious team in the final match. Best of luck to all Team Five members!"
Hearing this, the entire Team Five was overjoyed. Whether they knew each other or not, they high-fived and celebrated together. It was only then that everyone realized the benefits of teamwork. Even if only five people won the match, the whole team reaped the rewards. Truly, blessings for all.
At noon, the committee delivered food as promised. Each team was grouped separately, and the lavishness of the meals was directly proportional to their performance in the earlier matches. Thus, the semifinal contestants finally understood: if they wanted to live well in the coming week, they had to fight tooth and nail in every match. No matter the event, they had to win—absolutely win! Though these matches weren't tied to official exam scores, they affected the quality of life for the entire week and the total points for the semifinals. The committee used this straightforward, brutal method to drive the point home for everyone.
So during lunch, everyone ate in silence. The winners were naturally ecstatic, while the losers had no room for complaint. Opportunities were equal. The moment you gave up on an opportunity, you forfeited the right to enjoy a high-quality life. Heaven was always fair. It wouldn't tell you in advance that this was a test, but if you never abandoned your pursuit, Heaven would always reward you in due time.
After eating, Shen Qi ran over to Liu Yi and asked, "Xiao Yi, are you really going to play against those five later?" Liu Yi flexed her wrists. "If nothing unexpected happens, it'll be them. They've been waiting at the sports field all morning—who else could it be? Xiao Qi, I don't move in high society. I don't know any of those men. But from the looks of it, they're all pretty loaded, huh?" Shen Qi nodded. How could they not be loaded? Those gentlemen were all heirs! Except for poor Xiao Chun.
"Alright, just wait. Watch how Yi Ge gets revenge for you!" Liu Yi flashed a handsome grin, grabbed her short hair, and smiled meaningfully. Any man who dared make Xiao Qi cry, just you wait! See how I deal with you!
The break ended. He Yining and the others had changed into basketball jerseys and were tossing a ball as they approached. During the morning session, most people had been focused on their own team's matches and hadn't noticed the five on the adjacent court. Now that these five were back on the scene, they instantly drew everyone's attention. He Yining led the way, his unmatched aura paired with his delicate, devilish features captivating both men and women in the audience. Wen Yibo and the Fan twins, though slightly less striking than He Yining, were still enough to outshine every other man present. Xiao Chun was the least noticeable—just there as background filler.
Liu Yi scanned the group. The man named Xiao Chun at the back was always smiling—okay, smiling men didn't get hit. The twins were delicate and handsome, with clear eyes—okay, they didn't get hit either. Xiao Qi's man... his aura was too strong, and he was too tough to beat. No hitting him! That left one man with peach-blossom eyes, ogling the women in the stands—clearly no good. She'd go after him!
Liu Yi rudely gave Wen Yibo a thumbs-up, then flipped it downward, challenging him with a glare. Wen Yibo was stunned. What was with this woman? Why was she provoking him? He had no interest in tomboys!
Fan Sheng and Fan Li shot Wen Yibo a sympathetic look. Ha, he'd finally fallen into a trap, huh? Getting looked down on by a woman? Well, condolences.
Wen Yibo, refusing to back down, made a provocative gesture back at Liu Yi, who laughed cheerfully. Someone next to Liu Yi asked, "Liu Yi, why do I feel like those guys we're playing this afternoon look familiar?" "Familiar? They'll look even more familiar after the game." Liu Yi shrugged nonchalantly. "Didn't the committee say if we beat them, we all get ten extra points? Do you think backing out now is an option? Even if you want to quit, the rest of the team won't agree." "But some of them really do look familiar. If we beat them too badly..." The person hesitated. The ones leading the pack had an air of distinction—clearly not ordinary people. What if they ended up messing with the wrong people? Could they still compete? Liu Yi laughed boldly. "If you're scared, step aside and let someone else take your place! It's not like the team has no other men!" Her words stung the man's pride. "What are you saying? When have I ever been scared?" "Since you're not scared, then give it your all! Show Team Five's true strength!" Liu Yi raised an eyebrow, locking her gaze on Wen Yibo. That pretty boy was definitely no good—who else would she target?
The two groups finally met on the court. Shen Qi stood nervously to the side, her hands clenched into fists and pressed anxiously against her chest. He Yining glanced at Shen Qi, a flash of pride in his phoenix eyes. Hmph, today she'd see what a real man was made of! Liu Yi also looked at Shen Qi, seeing her tension, and gave her a reassuring smile.
The entire audience of women erupted! What was this about? The most outstanding men from both teams were both looking at the same person? Was this woman that lucky? Could this afternoon's match really be a battle for a woman's honor? Oh man, the air reeked of drama!
And so, the atmosphere on the court heated up instantly! Where there were women, there was gossip! Where there was gossip, there was drama! Come on! Let the drama come harder!
Liu Yi, standing over 1.8 meters in shoes, wasn't overshadowed even among the men. In fact, two players on her team were shorter than her, making Liu Yi look even taller, more handsome, and more radiant. Of course, compared to the opposing team, her side was instantly reduced to scraps. He Yining swept his phoenix eyes over the five opponents. Without even releasing his aura, he was enough to make them tremble in silence.
Wen Yibo, as team captain, spoke up. "If you beat us this afternoon, not only will you get ten extra points, but there'll be an even bigger surprise tonight!" The four behind Liu Yi's eyes lit up. But Liu Yi shot back at Wen Yibo, "Then get ready to be taken down." Wen Yibo gave Liu Yi a long, hard look. This tomboy... If he didn't have a rule against hitting women, he'd have struck already!
Liu Yi had wanted to say to He Yining, "How dare you bully Xiao Qi? I'll deal with you today!" But when her eyes swept over He Yining, the words died in her throat, pushed back by his overwhelming presence. This man was truly not to be trifled with! Liu Yi would bet her weight on the Bible that years of training told her He Yining was a man who had walked straight out of a battlefield of blood and fire!