Chapter Fifty-Four: Three Beauties Join the Team

Li Shishi grabbed Geng Haoshi’s hand, gazing at him with affectionate eyes. “Senior, now that the competition is over, um... let’s go on a date!”

Mimi thought: ...So direct, yet again.

Lin Ling smirked: This girl really reminds me of myself back in the day! (PS: Lin Ling was also the one who pursued Zhou Xiaoshan.)

Yu Manman mused: Huh, what does this quirky kid see in him anyway?

Before Geng Haoshi could even process what was happening, Li Shishi took his hand. “Thank you all for taking such good care of Senior all this time... From now on, I’ll be the one looking after him!”

What do you mean by that?! I can’t let Goddess Mimi get the wrong idea again... Thinking quickly, Geng Haoshi said, “Even though the competition’s over, this was just a small regional event.”

“Our beautiful coach said it herself: our goal is to be number one in the country! So right now, we have to seize every moment and keep training.”

“Coach, isn’t that right?” As he spoke, Geng Haoshi shot a pleading glance at Yu Manman.

Yu Manman snickered to herself: Oh, turning down a beauty throwing herself at you? That’s not like you at all... Well, if that’s how it is, I’ll just make use of this opportunity. Don’t regret it later!

Yu Manman cleared her throat and said, “That’s right. Our goal is to be number one in the country!”

“So, everyone, head back to the school gym and resume training as usual!”

The team members had been hoping that at least for the rest of today, the coach would let them rest, but thanks to Geng Haoshi’s intervention... Geng Haoshi noticed his teammates shooting him resentful looks, but desperate to escape Li Shishi’s pursuit and resolve the awkwardness, he pressed on, “Let’s hurry back and get to training!”

Li Shishi suddenly seemed to remember something and looked excitedly at Yu Manman. “Beautiful sister, can I be the basketball team manager? Like Ayako in ‘Slam Dunk’.”

“Can I?” Li Shishi’s large, sparkling eyes were fixed on Yu Manman, her face full of anticipation.

A basketball team manager, huh? Yu Manman thought: If we had someone to handle the team’s daily affairs, the players could focus more on training.

“All right... from now on, you’ll be in charge of the team’s daily matters. Can you handle it?”

Li Shishi stood up straight, saluted Yu Manman with the perfect military gesture she’d learned during freshman training. “Beautiful sister, Basketball Team Manager Li Shishi promises to complete the mission perfectly!”

After she finished, Li Shishi puckered her lips and blew a kiss to Geng Haoshi, as if to declare: You won’t ever escape my grasp.

No, if this persistent little beauty stays with the team, there’ll only be more misunderstandings... Geng Haoshi quickly said, “Shishi, you’re not a student at our school, isn’t it a bit inappropriate for you to be our team manager?”

“It’s fine, so what if we’re not from the same school? I’m a citizen of the world!” (PS: World citizens believe the world is a whole, without nationality or borders.)

Usually, it was Geng Haoshi who stunned people into awkwardness with his outrageous statements, but now he’d finally met his match.

“You should be our team manager as well,” Yu Manman said to Yang Mimi.

Yu Manman had noticed that Geng Haoshi seemed to like Yang Mimi more, so she decided to bring Yang Mimi into her team. On one hand, another person would make things run more efficiently; on the other, Yu Manman planned to make use of Yang Mimi for her own ends...

“Coach is right,” Geng Haoshi said, seizing on this lifeline and looking at Yang Mimi with excitement. “Mimi, you should join too.”

“Oh...”

“Wonderful!” Geng Haoshi was thrilled, thinking: Now I get to be around Goddess Mimi every day!

In truth, Yang Mimi had no idea what a basketball team manager was supposed to do; she’d just replied absentmindedly. But seeing how happy Geng Haoshi was, she decided not to change her mind.

Lin Ling came running over as well. “Coach, count me in too!”

Another one? Yu Manman said, “All right, as long as you can coordinate everything well.”

Lin Ling put an arm around Yang Mimi and another around Li Shishi, grinning. “No problem, Coach. We’re all one family.”

One family? Lin Ling is Senior Geng Haoshi’s older sister (PS: Li Shishi’s misconception). If Sister Lin Ling says we’re a family, does that mean she’s accepted me as Senior Geng Haoshi’s future wife?!... Li Shishi covered her face with both hands, shyly swaying back and forth.

The others looked on in confusion: What’s with this girl?

And so, Tiansheng University of Technology wrapped up all their events at the Autumn Joint Sports Meet, and unexpectedly gained three basketball team managers, each one a beauty.

Before dinner, the team resumed their usual training in the Chen Zhi Gymnasium.

Meanwhile, Yu Manman was at the sidelines, assigning tasks to the three new managers.

“Lin Ling, you’re their senior, so you’ll take the lead on the team’s daily affairs.”

“Your main responsibilities are budgeting, expenses, and record-keeping.”

“For things like uniforms and equipment, if you need anything and have the funds, just buy it. If it’s not enough, let me know and I’ll apply to the school.”

Yu Manman smiled at Lin Ling. “If you need something, don’t hesitate to buy it. Your school is loaded, after all.” (PS: Lin Ling is a third-year student at Tiansheng University of Technology.)

Lin Ling raised an eyebrow and gave a thumbs-up. “Got it!”

Anyone seeing their interactions would surely suspect there was something going on beneath the surface.

Yu Manman then turned to Yang Mimi and Li Shishi. “You two just help Lin Ling with the daily matters.”

Both girls nodded obediently as Yu Manman spoke.

“Now, let’s talk about budgeting.”

“For years, Tiansheng University of Technology has always ranked at the bottom in basketball. This time, even though only ten nearby universities are taking part in the Autumn Joint Sports Meet, if a team that’s always at the bottom manages to win the championship... Heh, with a school as rich as Tiansheng, you can bet there’ll be no shortage of funds!”

“So, as long as it helps the players train, any ideas or suggestions—speak up. Don’t worry about the money.”

Yu Manman raised her eyebrows at them, stressing again, “Really, don’t worry about the budget.”

“I have a suggestion,” Li Shishi said, lifting her slender arm as if answering a question in class, “We should put a kitchen in the gym.”

A kitchen?! Yu Manman thought: This little beauty really has a knack for ideas...