Divorce Revenge System: Knowing the Future in Advance
Chapter 263 - 228 Have you seen Zhen Nan at 4:30 in the morning?

Chapter 263: Chapter 228 Have you seen Zhen Nan at 4:30 in the morning?

The game started, and everyone looked up at the ball in mid-air.

Jiang Nian sighed.

Initially, he just wanted to show off a bit before dinner.

Passing by the basketball court, he saw a few familiar faces from the school team warming up in groups. A ball rolled right to his feet, and he instinctively threw a shot.

[Accuracy]

Single-handed, half-court, nothing but net.

He used to be on the team, played often in his first and second year of high school. Keeping fit was secondary; mainly it was to show off and say that famous line.

"Have you... seen Zhen Nan at 4:30 in the morning? (smoky voice)"

Others couldn’t see his efforts; he didn’t really put any in. Whenever asked, it was all talent or a love for basketball, definitely not for showing off.

But he quit during the summer of his second year; partly crushed by Zhou Yuting’s small clique, partly because the old players on the team collided too hard in their tackling.

To those who know, it’s basketball body contact; to those who don’t, it might as well be a rugby match. One iron wall, one earth-shattering stomp, even giving you a kidney stone, they’ve evened it out for you.

Oh, dear coach, I swear to God.

Yes, just now.

I saw my great-grandmother.

In short, Jiang Nian was half-dragged onto the court by his former teammates, much like being dragged to a foot massage by some not-so-good friends.

He figured he’d just play a short segment anyway, and he was free before dinner. Feeling a bit itchy to play, he decided to leisurely make a small round.

What if he dominated the other team?

Wishful thinking, like a scene in an idol drama.

There’s only so much time to play basketball in the afternoon, and the team is all close-knit people who play together day and night.

Unless they’re crazy, they’re not going to keep giving an ex-teammate just passing assists to show off.

To put it bluntly, if they get upset with you, they’ll just stop passing the ball to you. Playing a full game, leaving you out to dry, and when they lose, they’d pin the blame on you.

Obviously, Jiang Nian was not there to cause trouble, just to participate a little.

Three minutes before the whistle blew, Jiang Nian followed his team for a light jog around the court. As expected, he didn’t touch the ball; he wasn’t anxious either.

Of the people on the court, he only knew two.

One on his team was a guy with glasses, named Zhang Xiaofan,

A decent-looking, bookish guy. Played basketball while wearing rimless glasses, his grades were atrocious.

His family owned a factory on the city outskirts and wasn’t keen on the college entrance exam thing.

He got his driver’s license as soon as he turned eighteen and already bought a car. Unless he works hard, there’s little hope for public university, planning to just get a vocational degree for an easy life.

One phrase he often mouthed was... "I can’t get into a good university, can’t I get into a top female student’s heart instead?"

The other was in the opposing team, a super Big Black Bull named Wang Zejun.

Tall and strong, yet with pretty good grades. His family situation was so-so, so he focused on his studies.

Although not at the Olympic class level, he had hope for a decent university. Planning to apply to a less expensive public university to reduce family burden.

Often smiling, he would say before the game.

"Make way, guys, I can’t play."

But once the game started, he was immensely fierce.

Jiang Nian’s grades were the highest among this group, on the six-hundred-point margin. Besides him, no one in this game scored over five hundred.

It’s like... there’s no great scholars in the conversation, all you interact with are common folks.

"Pass it out!" the guy with glasses shouted.

Right at the start, the guy with glasses was heavily pressured by Big Black Bull. Couldn’t guard at all, forced a layup in three minutes, followed by a three-pointer.

The pressure maxed out, directly into headwind status.

The ball passed from under the basket, fell into his hands. He caught it and shot, clanging off the rim, and bounced straight out.

It was purely his own fault, but the guy with glasses irritably shouted nonetheless.

"If you can’t shoot, pass!"

Jiang Nian watched from the edge, slightly grinning.

He thought, it’s been months, and he’s still the same show-off.

On the court, there are always confident warriors, always saying it’s okay. Others miss a point, and it’s okay; swerve a shot, no problem, a comrade always assures you out of compassion.

Some, on the other hand, are high-pressure cookers within.

The passer raised a hand, "My bad, my bad."

Five minutes.

Finally, Jiang Nian found an opportunity, intercepted a ball from the other side. Before he could dribble much, Big Black Bull, with another player, pressed over.

At this moment, Jiang Nian was near the sideline at mid-court.

"Block him!" Big Black Bull instructed another to flank from the left.

Having played with Jiang Nian before, he knew Jiang Nian was like liquid; give him a gap, and he’d break right through. He circled from the right, dark clouds pressing over the city.

Off the court, Nie Qiqi excitedly opened her phone, aimed it at Jiang Nian.

"Here it comes."

Cai Xiaoqing glanced at Foxy Qiqi, hesitating. She wasn’t interested in basketball games; reality and the basketball games in idol dramas are completely different.

"Hurry up, after the shot we go eat."

"Oh oh, it’s happening soon," Nie Qiqi said excitedly.

She’s already started fantasizing, Jiang Nian making that foolish move. Publicly having a basketball candid photo, being intercepted in a steal, slammed by regret and helplessness.

On the court, Jiang Nian was much calmer.

He never thought of dribbling past defenders or passing the ball.

With a burst of speed, Jiang Nian dribbled sharply, then made a large body feint. After tricking his opponent, quickly pulled back, broke through the small gap on the left.

Big Black Bull used this time difference to pursue from the right.

In this situation, he either had to pass immediately, or face a wall alone. Exaggerated, yes, but no one was confident in taking on Big Black Bull.

And Jiang Nian, delicately chose the third option.

The classic, shooting from mid-court.

In Big Black Bull Wang Zejun’s eyes, Jiang Nian was flailing in desperation. In team captain Four-Eyes Zhang Xiaofan’s eyes, Jiang Nian was being selfish.

"Damn, blocked, can’t pass you say?"

Four-eyes was genuinely a rich second-generation, off the court he was okay. On-court he’d pressure teammates, not passing to him meant you don’t know how to play.

To be fair, he’s blunt and straightforward, quite competitive in games.

Putting it harshly, deep down, he looks down on you. Whatever your level is, once given a step, you better step down smoothly, do you deserve to get upset with me?

Can’t call him bad, honestly. He’s normal enough off the court. Even if it’s just an act, if he can keep it up, that’s normal, no need for over-seriousness.

Jiang Nian simply ignored him, shot without looking.

[Accuracy]

The ball launched from mid-court, propelled by power and magic. Describing a beautiful arc, flew across half the court, under everyone’s gaze, landed through the iron hoop.

The basketball court’s hoops didn’t have any nets, couldn’t hear the swish sound.

But nothing but net!

The moment the ball hit the ground, the whole court erupted.

Of course, the spectators were ninety-eight percent pure-blooded male. Those kinds of guys, each with a super-coach inside, erupted at that very moment.

Coaches may lack culture, but they have eyes.

Throwing a nothing-but-net from mid-court requires no understanding of basketball. Even if it were using a chamber pot to toss it in, it’s still first-class awesome.

Cheers stirred up at this moment, buoyant like boiling water.

Among them were a couple of female shrieks, one from a deep blue uniformed first-year. Conquered by this spectacular shot, erupted in screams of excitement.

Another, love from Nie Qiqi.

She felt resentment!

Didn’t capture anything just now, only caught Jiang Nian’s mid-court three-point shot. The frame captured him in mid-air, and just at the moment the ball left his hand, not ugly at all.

Can’t breathe, fellas.

Fell unconscious because of that disappointing guy.

The majority of cheers came from the guys watching from the sidelines, akin to waiting for a highlight. In just five minutes from the start, they hit a moment that sent chills down their spines.

"Damn, this fella!!"

"Shooting from half-court with nothing but net, is he even human?"

"That’s so damn cool, that release speed, didn’t even look, either fluke or full of confidence."

"Was it a random throw, you’ll see in a moment."

"Know a damn thing, who’s caring about that, even with luck it’s insane."

"Exactly, if it were me, I’d brag for days. This is a mid-court ultra-long three-pointer in a match, max credibility."

Cai Xiaoqing listened to the boys’ discussions nearby, her gaze at Jiang Nian turned a bit subtle.

He always seemed so accurate.

So, there really is such a thing as talent from the gods. Scientifically explained, it might be a more developed cerebellum, or a strong muscular control ability.

She fell into a realm of biological contemplation, recalling a big biology question she browsed yesterday.

"Let’s go, let’s go, not watching anymore." Nie Qiqi cried, internally crushed, "Xiaoqing, let’s eat, I need to turn grief into appetite."

"Your appetite is already strong, no need to turn it," Cai Xiaoqing snapped back to reality, interrupted her casting, saying faintly, "No rush, let’s watch a bit more."

"Huh?" Nie Qiqi was puzzled.

"Wanna give it another try?" Cai Xiaoqing glanced at her, her gaze calm, "Maybe you’ll catch a bad shot of him soon, keep on hanging in there."

Nie Qiqi was stunned, unexpectedly Cai Xiaoqing would consider for her. Deeply moved, could this be the feeling of being pampered?

Woo woo woo, why is it Xiaoqing, if only it were the class monitor.

"Mwah mwah mwah! Thank you, Xiaoqing." Nie Qiqi puckered her lips, pretending to kiss, "You do love me after all."

Cai Xiaoqing: "...."

Not wishing to speak, she returned her gaze to the court.

Jiang Nian’s shot directly stuffed Zhang Xiaofan’s trash talk back down his throat, he just earned three points, what else can you say? Would a pass lead to a better result?

Clearly, it would not.

In the following three minutes, Jiang Nian didn’t touch the ball again.

Four-eyes Zhang Xiaofan was constantly directing passes, running and repositioning. His eyes never strayed towards Jiang Nian, as if there’s no one on that side.

Ultimately, in the ninth minute, Zhang Xiaofan scored with a rebound.

The cost was... the opposing Big Black Bull’s team already made three consecutive goals, including two three-pointers, widening the score gap more and more.

The pressure monster erupted, started trash-talking teammates, turned around saying,

"Run the hell up, damn, I’m sick of you guys!"

"Also, Jiang Nian, why isn’t your defense a bit more active?"