Chapter 107: The Spokesperson

After defeating Wanlong Transportation University, the members of Tiancheng Polytechnic University’s basketball team collapsed onto their respective beds in Chen Zhi Gymnasium and fell into a deep sleep.

It wasn’t until 8 p.m. that the players gradually awakened.

“You haven’t had lunch or dinner yet; you must be starving,” Yang Mimi said, serving food to the team, while Li Shishi and Lin Ling brought dishes to the table.

“The special report on today’s National College Basketball League has just come out,” Chen Yu said, scrolling through the sports section on Tencent News.

“Number one in the East District, defeated by the rookie superstar,” Chen Yu read aloud, glancing at Geng Haoshi. “You’re on the headlines again.”

The article was, once again, written by the beautiful intern reporter Qin Mengmeng.

Chen Yu continued reading, “June 18, 2017, the third day since the start of this year’s National College Basketball League. At the Wanlong Transportation University gymnasium in the East District, the reigning champions of the East District—Wanlong Transportation University basketball team—faced their third knockout opponent, Tiancheng Polytechnic University basketball team.”

Chen Yu went on in a steady flow, while the teammates listened attentively as they ate.

“In the final three seconds, the rookie superstar Geng Haoshi hit a three-pointer to reverse the game. Ultimately, Tiancheng Polytechnic University secured victory with a score of 56 to 55.”

“I think this reporter Qin Mengmeng must have a crush on our Haoshi,” Lin Ling teased as she served food to Zhou Xiaoshan, playfully jabbing at Geng Haoshi.

“How dare she!” Li Shishi immediately linked arms with Geng Haoshi, pouting as if afraid he would be snatched away the next moment.

At that moment, Yang Mimi was also offering a dish to Geng Haoshi.

Lin Ling mused to herself: one is sweetly clingy, the other gentle and considerate. I wonder whom Haoshi will finally choose?

Ever since Yang Mimi and Li Shishi both became managers of the school basketball team, Geng Haoshi found himself in an increasingly awkward position. On one hand, there was Li Shishi, who occasionally clung to him. As someone with no prior romantic experience, Haoshi didn’t know how to reject such a sweet girl without hurting her feelings. On the other hand, there was his beloved goddess Mimi. Fearing rejection if he confessed his feelings, and the awkwardness it would bring afterward, Haoshi decided to maintain the status quo.

…

The next day’s game was against a team ranked 369th in last year’s National College Basketball League. Therefore, Yu Manman sent out an all-reserve lineup. As expected, they won easily with a score of 93 to 61.

In the subsequent knockout rounds, whenever their opponents were ranked beyond 200 last year, Tiancheng Polytechnic University almost always fielded an all-reserve squad. Only if a team’s strength had significantly improved would the main players be sent in.

After five days of knockout rounds, the West, South, and North districts of Huaxia had each decided their twenty-five representative teams, who would advance to the national preliminaries of the National College Basketball League.

Because the East District had the largest number of schools, it took six days of knockout rounds to determine its twenty-five teams advancing to the national preliminaries.

Thus, the top twenty-five teams from the East District in the 2017 National College Basketball League were:

Zhida Media College (ranked 26th last year),

Hongqi School of Architecture (31st),

Deli Agricultural University (33rd),

Fenghua Design Institute (45th),

Gongwu Ethnic University (50th),

Yinwei Broadcasting College (52nd),

Jinji Sports Academy (53rd),

Wanlian Electromechanical College (66th),

Ruifang Technology University (69th),

Youjia Horticulture College (71st),

Shangling Music Academy (76th),

Kaicheng Agricultural University (78th),

Jinzan Technical College (83rd),

Bailing Media University (85th),

Guangzhi Information College (86th),

Tianchi Automotive Repair Institute (88th),

Jike Art Academy (89th),

Zonghang Maritime University (90th),

Lantu Electromechanical College (91st),

Jiachuan Medical University (93rd),

Shishuo Foreign Languages College (95th),

Decai Technical College (97th),

Mingcheng Design Institute (111th),

Zhiyu Technology University (116th),

and Tiancheng Polytechnic University (ranked 2836th last year).

These were the twenty-five teams from the East District that made it into this year’s top one hundred in the National College Basketball League.

Apart from last year’s East District champion Wanlong Transportation University being upset by Tiancheng Polytechnic University, the teams entering the top one hundred this year were largely unchanged from last year.

On June 21, 2017, with the conclusion of the East District knockout rounds, all one hundred teams qualifying for the National College Basketball League preliminaries were finalized. Starting tomorrow, they would have three days of rest before the preliminaries officially began on June 25.

…

On June 22, 2017, Chen Zhi Gymnasium was bustling with people.

“Move a little to the left… yes, that’s it, hold that pose,” a man holding a DSLR camera said as he rapidly pressed the shutter, aiming at Geng Haoshi.

“Senior, are you tired?” Li Shishi stood on tiptoe, gently wiping the sweat from Geng Haoshi’s forehead with a pink towel.

“Can I take this off now?” Geng Haoshi tugged off his tie and was about to remove his jacket when Li Shishi exclaimed, “Wait! Senior, let’s take a photo together!”

“Jim, quick!” Li Shishi called to the man with the camera, signaling him to continue shooting.

Jim was a special photographer for the sports brand department of the Li Group. He had come to Chen Zhi Gymnasium today to shoot promotional videos and posters for the Li Group’s sports brand, featuring Geng Haoshi as the image ambassador.

Li Shishi linked arms with Geng Haoshi and struck several beautiful poses.

After the shoot, curiosity got the better of Geng Haoshi. He asked the question he had wanted to ask earlier but hadn’t found the time to: “Shishi, isn’t that a wedding dress you’re wearing?”

“It is a wedding dress,” Li Shishi said with a sweet smile, lifting the skirt and twirling lightly. “Do I look good?”

Geng Haoshi’s lips twitched as he thought to himself: I was just wearing a suit, and she was in a wedding dress… does that mean we just took a series of wedding photos?!