"No."
When everyone looked at him, Lin Feng thought for a moment and revealed an innocuous smile.
You dare to accept Hao Zhuang's challenge without confidence? What a character! Immediately, the people around were rolling their eyes at Lin Feng's reply.
"It's not about whether I have confidence in defeating him; I'm *certain* I can defeat him," Lin Feng smirked, sweeping his gaze over the crowd. Why does everyone lack faith in me? he thought.
"Really?" Li Ming's words echoed everyone's sentiment.
Damn, could Lin Feng be a basketball master pretending to be an amateur? If so, this game will be exciting! they thought.
"Absolutely!" Lin Feng declared, holding his head high.
Just as everyone was looking at him with admiration, Lin Feng pulled Li Ming aside and asked, "But first, Li Ming, can you explain the rules of basketball to me..."
"Uh..."
Upon hearing Lin Feng's words, Li Ming and the others almost spat out blood.
Damn it, you don't even understand the rules of basketball, yet you audaciously claim you can defeat Hao Zhuang?
In an instant, everyone was dumbfounded.
"Boss, I've never played basketball, and even I know *some* rules. Do you not understand *any* rules at all?" Yang Tao began to worry about the match between Lin Feng and Hao Zhuang. He was on Lin Feng's side. If Lin Feng lost, it meant he lost too.
"I know a little, but I'm afraid I don't know everything. So, Brother Li Ming, please quickly explain the fouls and violations. Once I defeat Hao Zhuang, I promise to treat you to dinner."
"Dinner... maybe not..."
Li Ming was overwhelmed. With your skills, if you could defeat Hao Zhuang, *I'd* be the one buying *you* dinner! he thought.
However, Li Ming didn't say this out loud. Instead, he patiently began to explain the rules of basketball to Lin Feng.
Hao Zhuang emerged from the restroom, having changed into his basketball attire. He hadn't gone to the restroom just to change, nor to relieve himself, but to take the opportunity to call Cao Ying. When she didn't answer, he sent her a text message.
The message essentially read: "A student named Lin Feng is bold enough to challenge me to a one-on-one basketball match. If you're interested, come watch me play. You might just fall in love with me."
In Hao Zhuang's view, changing into a basketball uniform made no difference. Dealing with Lin Feng, who was a head shorter than him, would be a piece of cake. He could crush him however he wanted.
By the time he arrived at the court, Li Ming had just finished explaining the basketball rules.
"What? You don't even know the rules of basketball?"
Seeing this, Hao Zhuang laughed. If you don't even know the rules, what the hell are you playing for?
"I understand now. Not being afraid to ask questions when I don't understand something is my greatest strength." Lin Feng was straightforward about his lack of basketball knowledge. Now, relying on his excellent memory, he had thoroughly memorized all the rules.
Hao Zhuang snorted and scrutinized Lin Feng from head to toe. Seeing that Lin Feng was still wearing his sneakers and jeans, he said, "Haven't you changed into your uniform? Don't you have one? Want me to lend you a set? Mine's pretty big, though. Not sure if you'll fit. Hehe."
"Lin Feng, I have an extra uniform. Let me give you one," a kind-hearted basketball player nearby offered, unable to bear watching Lin Feng's predicament.
"No need. I can play just fine in these clothes." Lin Feng stretched a little, looking nonchalant.
"Hehe, true. You're going to lose anyway, so you might as well use 'not wearing a uniform' as an excuse later."
After his remark, Hao Zhuang moved to an adjacent basketball court and continued, "Our one-on-one is simple: one offense, one defense. If both of us score in the first round, we continue to the second, and so on, until a winner is decided. What do you think? I imagine we'll settle it in the first round, right?"
"I think so too," Lin Feng responded, his words carrying a deeper meaning.
"Hmph, so you do have some self-awareness. Well, are you ready? Will you attack first, or shall I?" Hao Zhuang grabbed a Spalding basketball and began dribbling it between his legs, partly as a warm-up and partly to show off, drawing excited gasps from the female spectators.
"You attack first," Lin Feng said, walking to the center of the court.
The spectators consciously moved beyond the court sidelines, completely surrounding it. A one-on-one match with Hao Zhuang was always a spectacle, and word of it spread quickly, drawing a large crowd. This time was even more explosive: Hao Zhuang's opponent was a basketball novice a full head shorter than him.
The news spread like wildfire. By the time Hao Zhuang had finished changing in the restroom, many teachers and students who didn't have classes had already rushed to the playground.
"Teacher Chen, you be the referee," Hao Zhuang said, pointing to a young man on the sidelines. The man was Chen Yong, a PE teacher at Jiangzhou No. 1 High School. Chen Yong often played basketball with Hao Zhuang and, naturally, was usually thrashed by him.
"Alright." Chen Yong stepped onto the court from the sidelines.
"Last time I had a one-on-one, one offense, one defense, it was over in ten minutes. Against you, I think three minutes will be enough."
Holding the basketball, Hao Zhuang stood outside the three-point line, while Lin Feng stood inside it.
"The match begins!" Chen Yong announced loudly from the side.
The one-on-one basketball match between the PE teacher and the student officially began!
"I can make about 50% of my three-pointers, but shooting threes against you would be too boring."
Hao Zhuang spoke as he dribbled, then moved to post up Lin Feng, intending to back him down forcefully towards the basket.
Lin Feng placed his hands on Hao Zhuang's back, his defensive stance very unorthodox. He was gradually pushed towards the paint by Hao Zhuang.
He didn't use much strength. Li Ming had said that pushing someone was a foul, so, unsure how much force would constitute a foul, Lin Feng simply let go, allowing Hao Zhuang to easily back him down to the basket.
"No way! Look at Lin Feng's defensive stance, it's so amateurish... Can you even call that defense? It'd be a miracle if Hao Zhuang doesn't destroy him..."
"The height difference is definitely too big. Plus, Hao Zhuang's lower body is really stable; he's clearly had professional training. Look at him drive to the basket—effortless! Lin Feng can't do anything about it... Sigh."
"Hao Zhuang has the best under-the-basket finishing skills in the entire No. 1 High School. Letting him get to the basket basically means a guaranteed score. Well, given their height difference, Lin Feng probably wouldn't even have time to foul him even if he wanted to!"
Watching Lin Feng get backed down step by step towards the basket by Hao Zhuang, the onlookers could hardly bear to watch. This wasn't a duel; even a practice game would have more intensity. It was just as they'd expected: Hao Zhuang was like a giant facing a child. If Hao Zhuang wanted to humiliate Lin Feng, he would probably go for a poster dunk next.
A poster dunk—dunking over Lin Feng's head—was indeed the ultimate way to humiliate someone!
Sure enough, Hao Zhuang intended to humiliate Lin Feng to the fullest. He backed Lin Feng under the basket, leaned into him, then suddenly spun, leaped towards Lin Feng, grabbed the basketball with his right hand, and slammed it ferociously towards the hoop!
A classic poster dunk!
Hao Zhuang was going to dunk right over Lin Feng's head with one hand!