Chapter 27: Kung Fu Basketball

  At the end of June, the final exams are approaching, and the tense learning atmosphere in Haida campus is beginning to spread. For a university like Haida with a relatively autonomous learning environment, the requirements for regular classes may not be very strict, but the final exams are exceptionally rigorous, giving a sense of leniency in admission and strictness in graduation. If the exam is not passed, credits will not be earned, let alone graduation, there is even a possibility of being persuaded to drop out.

  So, at the end of the semester, no matter how lazy you are usually, whether you spend all day playing games or starting a business outside, you have to study hard and honestly in order to pass the exam. Therefore, near the end of the semester, many people who are usually invisible also appear in the school's self-study room, enjoying this tense but slightly student-like life.

  Because, as time goes by, such opportunities are becoming fewer and farther between. Perhaps those who are in it now won't feel anything, but after a few years they will realize that having final exams was actually a wonderful thing!

  June is the time when graduates of various universities graduate and leave school. Every time it comes to this moment, the entire campus will be shrouded in a strong sense of nostalgia and separation.

  Four years, neither long nor short!

  The four years in college are the most beautiful time in life, where there are the closest friends, the most beautiful love and the most passionate youth, which can never be erased. After graduation, everyone will enter society, maybe many people will never have a chance to meet again in this lifetime.

  Therefore, a common scene recently seen in restaurants near Hainan University is a large group of graduates collectively getting drunk, taking photos to commemorate, and crying with their heads in their hands!

  Duan Lei used to hang out with Da Shan on the basketball team. This year, several seniors graduated, so a gathering of the basketball team was inevitable. Everyone got drunk at Liu Fu Restaurant. After sending several drunken seniors back to their dorms, Duan Lei and Da Shan were still relatively sober, so they took a walk around the campus to clear their heads.

  "Didn't expect that those brothers usually look very ..., but at the critical moment, they are quite sentimental!" The cool wind blowing in his face made Duan Lei feel much more comfortable, and he couldn't help but feel a little moved by the behavior of those seniors just now.

  "We got along since our freshman year, and our relationship is much better than that of ordinary classmates. This friendship was forged through fighting!" Recalling the scenes from the past three years, Da Shan's eyes also turned a bit red.

  These three years, Da Shan followed the basketball team to fight south and north, finally breaking into the CUBA's top eight, creating the best record in Haida Men's Basketball history. This group of people has formed a good tacit understanding and deep friendship through three years of competition and training, now it is hard to part with each other, which is also a common human feeling.

  "There's no banquet that doesn't disperse!" Duan Yue patted Da Shan's shoulder and said, "As long as we have beautiful memories, that's enough!"

  To be honest, Duan Yue often followed Da Shan to the basketball team to eat and drink during his freshman year. The seniors took good care of him, and Duan Yue was quite grateful for that. Recently, Duan Yue started a company and made some money, and the seniors all knew about it, but none of them asked Duan Yue for anything. In their opinion, the bond between brothers shouldn't be disturbed by material things, they have their own pride.

  "What I'm worried about is that after the seniors leave, the basketball team's performance will plummet!" Da Shan, who had a bit too much to drink and was getting emotional, shook his head and said: "This time the seniors who left were all main players, in the future it'll just be me leading a bunch of substitutes, it's going to be tough!"

  "Let's wait for the new semester to begin, maybe there will be one or two good seedlings! Duan Lei knew that Da Shan had poured a lot of heart and soul into the basketball team and naturally didn't want it to sink like this. However, the replacement of old with new is a natural law, and it's really impossible to resist."

  "It's really too difficult for a good seedling!" Dashan also understood that this probability is almost the same as winning the lottery.

  In comparison to the achievements of Haida in teaching, research and academics, Haida does not pay enough attention to sports. Every year, only a few sports talents are recruited, no more than three or four. In the previous class, there were already four basketball talents, which was a rare occurrence. The next two classes also had very few, so Daxiong didn't have high hopes for the new students either.

  "When you come to a mountain, there must be a road!" Duan Yue understood Da Shan's feelings and could only comfort him like this.

  "Boss, don't look at me with that kind of eyes, I'm not Brokeback Mountain!" At this time, Duan Lei suddenly found that Da Shan was staring at himself with a drunken and bleary-eyed gaze, as if looking at a great beauty!

  "Damn it! You're the one who's Brokeback Mountain! Your whole family is Brokeback Mountain!" Da Shan heard this and got anxious, hurriedly clarifying: "I'm thinking now, if there really is a personnel crisis later on, should I pull you over to help out?"

  "Me?!" Duan Yue pointed to himself and said with a big mouth: "You're not unaware of my strength, can't even a three-legged cat's kung fu get into the basketball team?"

  "Alright! Stop pretending in front of me!" Da Shan waved his hand and said, "During this period of time, I've sparred with you, and I'm clear about your strength and reaction speed - it's not human! As long as we practice our ball skills, our basketball team will have hope!"

  Dà Shān said more and more, feeling reliable, originally dim drunken eyes also brightened up, thinking clearly. Dà Shān himself was a martial arts practitioner, he started practicing basketball after high school, now isn't he one of the strong forwards in CUBA? Qián Shān's idle Sha Hou had also summarized why he could make such rapid progress, the reason being that his childhood martial arts training laid a good physical foundation.

  Due to martial arts training, Dashan's muscular strength and flexibility are better than ordinary people, he can control his own body, so he can easily control the basketball and his opponents.

  Over this period of time, Dashan discovered that Duan Yue was far superior to himself in terms of both strength and flexibility. Although he didn't understand what kind of martial arts Duan Yue practiced, it was clear that he had already entered the realm of inner power. If Duan Yue were to switch to playing basketball, his achievements would likely be much higher than Dashan's own, who only possessed outer power. Moreover, for some unknown reason, Duan Yue had recently grown a few centimeters taller, and at 183cm, although he might be at a disadvantage as a guard in the NBA, it was more than sufficient in the CUBA league.

  "Boss, you're an inside player, of course you can dominate with your strength. With my height, do I have to be a power forward?" Duan Lei was speechless at Da Shan's suggestion.

  Although he had been hanging out with the basketball team for a long time and would occasionally join them on the court, Duan Yue had never thought of playing basketball seriously. The previous Duan Yue was busy working, now his mind is all about the technology of Makaren civilization, and he has no interest in basketball at all.

  "It's settled then! I'll find time to give you special training later!" Da Shan ignored Duan Yue's protests and thought for a moment before saying, "In the future, you won't need to follow our entire training and competition schedule, just come out and save the day at critical moments!"

  "Boss, you're so confident in me?" Seeing Da Shan being so determined, Duan Lei didn't want to ruin his enthusiasm.

  "Nonsense! I started practicing basketball in high school too, and look at me now. We're martial artists playing basketball, how can we not be good?" Da Shan said with a hint of dissatisfaction, staring at Duan Lei's lack of confidence.

  "Kung fu plus basketball, is it going to work?" Duan Lei thought of a line from "Shaolin Soccer".

  "It's quite interesting!" Da Shan nodded his head!

  "Are you sure?" Duan Lei still felt a bit mysterious.

  "It's definitely and absolutely certain!" Da Shan nodded solemnly.

  "Alright, I'll give it a try!" With things having come this far, Duan Lei couldn't refuse anymore and could only nod in agreement.

  "Alright, you go find your siblings, I'll head back first!" Seeing Duan Lei agree to join the basketball team, Da Shan's originally low mood suddenly recovered to his usual boldness, and he waved goodbye to Duan Lei.

  "Go ahead, you go back first, we'll head back to the dormitory later!" Duan Lei nodded and turned around to walk towards the library.

  Tonight after drinking, Duan Lei left his car in the underground parking lot of Gaoke Building and will be staying at school tonight, not returning to the base.

  From Liu Fu to the school library, along the way, you can see drunk seniors vomiting in the shade of the trees, some people crying loudly, and more couples hugging each other, silently shedding tears. The whole road is filled with a kind of sorrowful atmosphere that makes even someone like Duan Lei feel unbearable.

  Seeing Tang Lier walking out of the library in a wheat-colored dress, looking like an elf, Duanshi's mood became exceptionally good.

  "Have you been drinking?" Tang Liu'er frowned, holding onto Duan Yu's hand.

  "The basketball team's senior is graduating and going to a party with Dashan, had a few drinks!" Duan Yue explained.

  "Mmm!" Tang Lier grabbed Duan Yu's hand tightly.

  Tang Lier also knew about Duan Lei's relationship with the basketball team after being together for a while, and it was only natural that she wouldn't miss this opportunity. Having a few drinks wasn't a problem either.

  "Liu Er, after the exam is over, shall we go back to our hometown?" With less than two weeks left before the holiday, Duan Lei naturally hoped that Tang Liu Er could follow him back to his rural hometown.

  "Hmm!" Although she had mentally prepared herself long ago, Lì ér still felt her heart racing like a deer!

  Going to Duan Yun's home, she saw his parents, grandparents and relatives. Is this the legendary ugly daughter-in-law meeting her in-laws? Lui'er just thought about it and felt a bit hot on her face.

  Seeing Lui'er agree, Duan Yue's heart was filled with joy, and the slight intoxication he had earlier seemed to have vanished into thin air.

  "Stone, you said after we graduate, will we be like them?" As they walked, Tang Lier suddenly pointed to a couple not far away who were hugging each other and crying.

  Every time graduation is approaching, it's the peak season for university lovers to break up. There are many reasons for breaking up, and it's also a scenery of campus in June.

  "Silly girl, how could that be? Don't think nonsense!" Duan Lei pinched Luo Er's nose and comforted her.

  "Uh-huh!" The girl liked this response, nodded, and stopped talking.

  Two people walked quietly like this, their shadows stretching and shortening under the streetlights, appearing warm and serene in the slightly restless end of June.

  PA: There's another chapter later on, thanks for the support from all you folks!