When the first half ended, Tang Mo had pulled the score apart by a massive lead of more than ten points.
The team members were extremely excited during the halftime break, almost all of them crowding around Tang Mo to praise him incessantly.
“Your momentum today is seriously fierce.”
Even his own teammates were surprised by Tang Mo’s prowess; they feared the other team’s morale had taken a massive hit.
“Look at how awesome you are. They look so dejected over there it’s a total contrast between our two sides.”
“This is nothing. There’s still more for them to cry about in the second half.”
A few teammates made no effort to hide their smugness, their voices loud enough for the other team to hear.
“These people from Jing University are so damn arrogant.”
Someone from the other team spat in annoyance, unable to stand it. However, they were indeed inferior in skill, so they could only swallow their anger.
“If you can’t stand the sight of it, then win the score back in the second half.”
“It’s just that one kid who’s good. I’m going to mark him to death in the second half.”
While that side was busy discussing tactics for the second half, Tang Mo listened to the chattering voices of his teammates with a hint of impatience. But at the thought of Su Chengning, he felt a surge of passionate adrenaline.
Su Chengning finished his phone call, his expression somewhat cold.
He glanced at Tang Mo, who was resting during halftime, then turned to Wang Shu, who was standing nearby. “I have something to take care of, so I’m leaving first. Help me let Tang Mo know.”
“Ah?” Wang Shu, who was busy bragging to the people around him as if the glory were his own, heard Su Chengning’s words and asked hurriedly, “Mr. Su, you’re leaving this early? The game is only halfway through.”
“I have a matter to attend to.”
Su Chengning thought about it but decided not to send Tang Mo a message, not wanting to affect his performance in the second half of the match.
“Is it that urgent?” Wang Shu asked again, his brow furrowed.
As Tang Mo’s good friend, he naturally knew that as soon as the game ended, Tang Mo would definitely go looking for Su Chengning immediately. If he couldn’t find the person then, there was no telling how sad Tang Mo would be.
At that moment, the second half of the match was about to begin. Tang Mo looked over, and Su Chengning waved at him.
Tang Mo was instantly filled with strength again.
He strode forward with his head held high, leading the way and letting out an ambiguous, cold snort toward the other team with an arrogant attitude.
Someone from that team immediately shouted in dissatisfaction, “Kid, don’t be too arrogant!”
Tang Mo tilted his head and asked his captain with a look of disdain, “Was this the guy who tried to block my slam dunk just now?”
The captain nodded. “His skills were a bit lacking, but he certainly had a big heart.”
“He has a lot of nerve, too.” Tang Mo walked over and looked down at the opponent from his height, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt. “I am arrogant because I have the ability. What about you? Are you arrogant because you are particularly short?”
“Fuck—”
Before the man could finish his curse, his teammates covered his mouth and pulled him back.
The referee blew the whistle at that moment, and the match officially began.
Su Chengning left the basketball hall amidst the loud cheers and shouts of encouragement. The boiling noise gradually faded away. Before stepping out of the hall, he looked back once and saw that the score on the massive display screen had widened by another two points.
Presumably, it was another precise and handsome shot from Tang Mo that brought such a powerful advantage.
He looked down at the phone tightly gripped in his hand, his gaze as cold as ice as he got into the car.
When Su Chengning arrived at the hospital, the bodyguards who had been guarding Tang Chen outside the ward were gone.
The door to the ward was slightly ajar. Through the crack, one could clearly see a frail and delicate figure busy working to and fro by the hospital bed.
Su Chengning stopped outside the door and did not enter.
Inside the ward, Jiang Baiyu was carefully peeling an apple. His fingers were long and beautiful, and the fruit knife turned nimbly in his hand, quickly carving out a long strip of apple peel.
He proudly brandished the apple peel at Tang Chen. “Am I impressive?”
His face held a simple and cute smile.
Tang Chen seemed somewhat restless, wanting to glance outside the ward, but his view was blocked by Jiang Baiyu’s figure.
His broken legs were fixed in place, making it nearly impossible for him to move his body; he could only lie in bed and be waited on.
Jiang Baiyu cut the apple into small pieces and thoughtfully used a fork to feed the fruit to Tang Chen.
“I picked these apples one by one myself. They are big and sweet; hurry and try one.” His voice was sweet, carrying a sugary tone meant for a beloved person.
In fact, Tang Chen quite enjoyed this side of him; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been successfully seduced by Jiang Baiyu so easily.
Under Jiang Baiyu’s expectant gaze, Tang Chen opened his mouth and ate the piece of apple fed to him. The crisp sweetness of the apple exploded between his teeth; it was indeed as delicious as Jiang Baiyu had claimed.
After the two of them finished a whole apple piece by piece, Jiang Baiyu began to tidy up the messy fruit peels.
Tang Chen picked up his phone to check the time, silently calculating whether Su Chengning had arrived.
He said to Jiang Baiyu, “You should head back for today.”
After being rebuffed at the hospital for so many days, Jiang Baiyu had finally found a time when the bodyguards were absent; he was loath to leave so soon.
“Mr. Tang, are you driving me away?”
He spoke with a hint of loss, his clear gaze tinged with a sliver of grievance as he stared unblinkingly at the handsome and wealthy man on the bed.
“It’s been so long since we last saw each other. I just want to spend more time with you.”
His voice was ethereal and melodious, seemingly accusing his lover of why he was so unwelcome. His eyes brimmed with a faint, shimmering light, making him look as if he were about to shed tears, appearing utterly pitiful.
“You’ve already been with me for half an hour.” The implication was that he could leave now.
Jiang Baiyu opened his mouth, suddenly feeling that this man was somewhat heartless. He felt a bit of resentment in his heart, yet his face remained full of lingering attachment.
“Half an hour is too short. I want to stay with you a bit longer.” As he spoke, he wiped his hands clean and gently placed them on Tang Chen’s arm. “It must be very uncomfortable lying in bed all the time. How about I give you a massage to help you relax?”
His bare arm was being massaged delicately, and the subtle, flirtatious movements made Tang Chen’s heart flutter slightly.
“Alright, you don’t need to massage me.” He pressed down on Jiang Baiyu’s hand, which was becoming increasingly obvious in its intentions, and spoke firmly: “Go back first. Once my leg injury is healed, I will naturally come find you.”
“But this injury…” It wouldn’t be possible to recover in less than three to five months.
Jiang Baiyu thought somewhat angrily that he didn’t have that much time to wait. But he didn’t dare show it, only nodding obediently and reluctantly.
“Then I’ll come see you tomorrow. If you need anything, you can tell me.”
He took three steps and turned back once as he walked toward the door, failing to notice the expression in Tang Chen’s eyes that practically begged him to leave sooner.
Thinking about whether he should go buy some food to bring over later, Jiang Baiyu pulled open the door, only to see a tall, elegant figure standing in the hallway outside.
Su Chengning was looking at him with a half-smile, the undisguised disdain in the depths of his eyes reflected in Jiang Baiyu’s own.
Jiang Baiyu was somewhat angry, but then he thought that if he were to curse at Su Chengning, he might ruin his image of being pure and innocent in Tang Chen’s heart.
With a turn of his mind, he understood why Tang Chen was in such a hurry to send him away.
Although the plot had taken a slight detour, Jiang Baiyu had looked down on Su Chengning from the bottom of his heart from the very beginning.
Cannon fodder should have the self-awareness of cannon fodder.
Recalling how he had provoked the version of Su Chengning in the original novel who had been lying on a hospital bed with broken legs, unable to move a hypocritical smile immediately appeared on his face.
“Mr. Su, are you here to visit Mr. Tang?”
“Mr. Tang said you hadn’t come to visit him once; you must still be angry.”
“After all, Mr. Tang was in a car accident; he still needs the care of his beloved.”
“Don’t misunderstand us. I just simply came to visit Mr. Tang.”
Jiang Baiyu rattled off a long string of words, causing Tang Chen, who could not see Su Chengning, to suddenly become nervous.
“Is that Chengning? Why aren’t you coming in?”
Tang Chen called out toward the outside, but received no response.
Jiang Baiyu sneered in his heart, but his face still carried a shallow smile as he looked at Su Chengning. He suddenly walked over quickly, instantly moving out of Tang Chen’s line of sight.
Tang Chen heard him cry out urgently, accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps.
“Mr. Su, don’t go. Mr. Tang is still looking forward to your visit.”
Tang Chen’s brow furrowed instantly.
He had clearly called Su Chengning and made an appointment for him to come see him. How could it be that he wouldn’t even enter now, and was turning to leave without a backward glance?
A sense of resentment immediately rose in Tang Chen’s heart.
“Su Chengning, you are not allowed to leave!” He roared, his voice carrying quite a distance.
Outside the ward, Jiang Baiyu stood poised in front of Su Chengning, whose expression had remained unchanged throughout.
“Mr. Su, you really shouldn’t leave. Look, Mr. Tang is angry.” Even as he said this, his eyes were constantly conveying the message Go, you better never come back.
Su Chengning looked at Jiang Baiyu, who was an arm’s length away and whose acting was so clumsy he couldn’t even bear to point it out, and began to laugh soundlessly.
Jiang Baiyu frowned, feeling somewhat bewildered.
“With acting skills like yours, you should go develop a career in the entertainment industry. Perhaps you could even win an award for ‘Most Exaggerated Acting of the Year’.”
Su Chengning walked leisurely up to Jiang Baiyu, leaning down to whisper in his ear.
“Oh, such an award should exist, right?” He pondered for a moment, smiling with particular warmth. “If it doesn’t, then I’ll reluctantly provide some sponsorship. It wouldn’t be right to let your ‘halo’ go to waste.”