After the Bell, After the Game

Naturally, I was late. Under the watchful eyes of my teacher and classmates, I called out my report from the doorway. This was, seemingly, my first time being late in my life, and also the first time I had attracted so much attention. Fortunately, two more students called out their reports after me, easing the pressure of all those gazes.

Looking back, one was Gao Qinghong, and the other was Huang Zhouyu.

As punishment for our tardiness, the three of us were sent to stand at the back of the classroom. Gao Qinghong appeared restless, clearly humiliated by the penalty; Huang Zhouyu, on the other hand, was entirely unfazed. He was long accustomed to such punishments, his expression placid as he subtly shuffled closer to me.

“I thought you two would have been in class ages ago,” I began, keeping my voice hushed.

“How could we be?” Huang Zhouyu replied, “We were behind you the whole time, watching the show.”

I was rather surprised; it was truly unexpected. These two had been silent and hadn’t gone to class, apparently preferring to be late rather than miss out on the excitement.

“Master,” Gao Qinghong quietly edged closer as well, “You are a true master. I was right to follow you. Not only did you win over Yu Tianman, but you’re now planning to make a move on Mei Ruolan. Only you could pick out such high-difficulty girls.”

As always, he used terms I didn’t quite understand, but I grasped the general meaning.

“Is Mei Ruolan very popular too?” I inquired.

“Of course she is,” Huang Zhouyu asserted, “While her fame might not extend to other schools like Yu Tianman’s, Mei Ruolan’s popularity within the school appeals to both sexes.”

“She stole the show during the first semester’s sports meet, even the senior girls became her fangirls,” Gao Qinghong added. “She’s also a Disciplinary Committee member with various powers, and she has such a delicate appearance.”

“The most outrageous thing is her fiery figure,” Huang Zhouyu chimed in, “Her outrageously curvaceous yet heroic physique! Some boys even intentionally break rules just to get caught by her, all to admire her figure up close—it’s completely unlike a high schooler’s.”

“Especially her chest, it’s huge, seriously.”

“Yeah, and her waist-to-hip ratio is incredibly alluring.”

“Most importantly, she’s just beautiful.”

“The waistline and mermaid lines she reveals when wearing a basketball uniform? Absolutely stunning!”

The two of them seemed to get carried away with their chat, their voices growing louder and louder. Eventually, a piece of chalk shot by the teacher struck Huang Zhouyu squarely on the forehead, while the one aimed at Gao Qinghong missed. Nevertheless, it was enough to silence the pair.

Both were the restless type. Huang Zhouyu engaged in a silent, lip-reading argument with his friends, while Gao Qinghong secretly glanced at Tang Xiaoxiao. Even though we were standing in punishment, we still had to take notes. Writing while standing made my handwriting crooked and messy, and I worried I wouldn’t recognize what I’d written the next time I opened my book.

“So, Master,” Gao Qinghong sought to engage me again after only a few minutes of quiet, “Who is your true love between Mei Ruolan and Yu Tianman?”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s asking who you like more,” Huang Zhouyu clarified.

That was a difficult question to answer. Yu Tianman could be considered a friend, while my relationship with Mei Ruolan was probably just that of an acquaintance from a club. But whether I harbored any feelings for either of them, I couldn’t say for sure right now. At least, my life had, until this point, been filled with school, going home, watching videos, and playing games. Neither of them had ever truly occupied my thoughts. Perhaps I still couldn’t bring myself to care deeply about social interactions.

So, what position did Mei Ruolan and Yu Tianman truly hold in my heart? What weight did they carry? Hmm… they were both people I wanted to build good relationships with. In that sense, Gao Qinghong and Huang Zhouyu were the same; they were also friends I had unexpectedly gained, and if possible, I naturally wanted to maintain friendly relations with them too.

“They’re pretty much the same,” I finally managed to say after much deliberation.

“Meaning you like both?” Gao Qinghong frowned. “Multi-threading comes with risks, you know. I had a friend who flirted with every girl he knew, thinking he could catch them all, but in the end, he drew water with a bamboo basket and got absolutely nothing.”

He seemed to notice his tone had grown serious, so he quickly changed the subject. “But Master, you surely have your own considerations, and I won’t worry needlessly. However, a man should be as devoted as I am. One person’s mind can’t account for everyone; you should reserve your best for the most important person.” As he spoke, our eyes inadvertently drifted towards Tang Xiaoxiao, who was still diligently listening to the lecture, oblivious to us behind her.

“You were just having a blast talking about Mei Ruolan’s chest a moment ago,” Huang Zhouyu interjected, pouring cold water on his sincerity.

“Ahem,” Gao Qinghong coughed awkwardly, “That’s a separate matter.”

What Gao Qinghong said wasn’t without reason; one person’s mind couldn’t possibly consider everyone. Since I had resolved to get to know Mei Ruolan better and advance our relationship, I should also make some choices.

****

After the last class of the day, Huang Zhouyu went to his club activity; I still didn’t know what club he belonged to. Gao Qinghong’s school team had no matches recently, so they yielded the indoor basketball court to the girls’ basketball club, opting for self-practice on the outdoor sports field. As for me, I headed to the indoor basketball court to watch Mei Ruolan play, just as we had arranged.

On the way, I called Yu Tianman. While I could have messaged her, a call felt quicker.

The phone rang for only two seconds before she picked up.

“Wh-what’s wrong? You called specially?” Yu Tianman’s stuttering voice came from the other end, I wondered what she was nervous about. Come to think of it, this was probably my first time calling a girl. The voice from the receiver differed slightly from Yu Tianman herself, but her sweet, syrupy tone confirmed it was her.

“I’m going to watch Ruolan play basketball this afternoon, as we arranged,” I said. “So I won’t be coming to the club activity today.”

“Ah, um, okay…” I detected a hint of suppressed disappointment in her voice. “It’s fine, our club activities don’t really have strict requirements. You don’t actually need to apply to me specially if you have something else to do.”

“I know,” I mused. “But I just wanted to tell you personally.”

“Oh… um, is that so?” She was momentarily at a loss. “Well, alright then… I still need to help the teacher grade homework here. Be sure to get along well with Ruolan.”

After a brief affirmation, I hung up. My heart had been uneasy throughout the call. As I’d mentioned, it was my first time calling a girl from school, and I was utterly clueless about phone etiquette or what greetings to use. Perhaps I had made many mistakes just now, but Yu Tianman hadn’t seemed to mind or point them out.

Was this first call too casual, too brief, as if our calls shouldn’t be like this? Yet, I had no idea what the ‘correct’ way to make a call was.

So, I decided to let it go for now. I would figure it out later. My future self would surely understand how to communicate better with people. If I made any mistakes now, I would leave it to my future self to make amends.

****

The indoor basketball court was much livelier now than it had been at lunchtime, not only because two teams were engaged in a practice match on the court, but also due to the surrounding spectators. Boys and girls, gathered after school, watched the training players, cheering occasionally or whispering comments into their friends’ ears. Some took photos with their phones, sharing them with those nearby, then exchanged knowing smiles. Others sat in a corner, preoccupied with their own affairs, not understanding basketball, merely accompanying a friend—perhaps their friend didn’t understand basketball either, but came solely for someone else.

Amidst the tall girls dominating the court, Mei Ruolan’s height became less conspicuous. Everyone on the court moved swiftly throughout the game, making it hard to discern faces. However, as Huang Zhouyu and Gao Qinghong had described, her figure, completely unlike a high schooler’s, stood out even in the identical uniforms. Only her sleeves were stretched wide by her chest, offering fleeting glimpses of the sports bra underneath.

Though recognizing her this way felt a bit impolite, I had at least found her. Perhaps it was because the view was exceptionally pleasant here, but this particular spot had an unusually large number of boys gathered, and none of them were short. To get a better view of the court, I moved towards a more peripheral spectator area.

Although Gao Qinghong had taught me some basketball rules and terminology, I still couldn’t understand the game or its appeal. Among the myriad things they shouted, I only recognized “Good shot!” and “Nice!”

Nevertheless, the players were all in high spirits. Even though it was just practice, every point was hard-won. Enduring the pressure, each successful shot was met with a hearty roar from them. Some players actively interacted with the crowd, successfully showcasing their skills. All in all, they seemed to be having a great time.

A basketball game seemed to last a long time, divided into first and second halves, and then several quarters. During halftime, the players gasped for breath, wiping away beads of sweat, and sipping from their water bottles, some chatting with friends who had come to watch.

Mei Ruolan stood drinking water. After finishing, she tightened the bottle cap while looking around. Her gaze swept from one entrance to the other, then from the densest crowd to the most sparse. Then, in a small, unnoticed corner, she spotted me, standing alone.

She offered a helpless smile, then waved a hand to signal me over.

A girl slightly in front of me shrieked at her gesture, even blushing crimson and burying her entire face into her friend’s chest. It seemed she had misunderstood Mei Ruolan’s wave as being directed at her… No, wait, perhaps it really was directed at her, and I was the one who misunderstood.

The practice match entered its second half, and the players quickly found their rhythm. More students gradually gathered to watch, and even two Disciplinary Committee members arrived to maintain order. Listening to some insiders chatting nearby, I overheard a few juicy bits of gossip.

This practice match was a scrimmage between the girls’ basketball club’s first and second teams. However, the first team always competed in actual games, and this year’s new recruits were generally not very skilled. The second team’s level as a sparring partner was a bit embarrassing, so they had invited some graduated seniors and other students to join the second team, all to prepare the first team for their upcoming matches.

Such matters were, of course, irrelevant to me. I cared nothing for how these school organizations were arranged or planned. Yet, something else caught my attention…

Ultimately, the practice match concluded with a victory for the second team, sealed by Mei Ruolan’s fadeaway jump shot. The girls’ cheers and the basketball enthusiasts’ applause were unending. Several coaches, who were actually just physical education teachers, sat nearby, writing in their notebooks. They watched Mei Ruolan at the center of the court, whispering in discussion.

After the practice match, Mei Ruolan was swarmed by her fangirls, mostly asking for photos and inviting her out. I even saw someone offering her bubble tea. Whether Mei Ruolan was friends with all of them, I didn’t know, but the girls certainly wanted to appear as her friends.

Mei Ruolan responded to the girls’ enthusiasm with a polite smile, then used the excuse of needing to change clothes to escape their encirclement. Before entering the changing room, she looked back at me and pointed to a backpack on the side.

****

“Ah, I’m impressed you understood my hint.”

Mei Ruolan, now dressed in her school uniform, carried her backpack and a paper bag containing her sweaty basketball uniform, a towel, and the bubble tea she’d received from someone. She looked at me, sitting on the stadium grass, and offered an embarrassed smile.

“I was thinking if you hadn’t understood, I would have had to ask Tianman for your WeChat.”

“Would that have been a problem?” I asked.

“All sorts of problems, all sorts,” she said, offering no further explanation.

The basketball game had lasted nearly an hour, and the sky was now a dusky yellow. The sports field was dotted with couples strolling, teachers jogging to lose weight, and small groups playing basketball. When I arrived, I had specifically looked for Gao Qinghong’s school team but hadn’t found them; they probably practiced for a bit and then went out to play.

“You live in the same direction as Tianman, right?” Ruolan said. “How about we walk a bit together?”

“Let’s go,” I gazed towards the school gate. Even though class had ended so long ago, many students remained both inside and outside the school. Some weren’t heading back to dorms or home, deliberately lingering at school. Why? Was there something about the school they couldn’t bear to leave? Was there something that couldn’t wait until tomorrow? I didn’t know. In any case, I was going home now.

Halfway there, my backpack was tugged.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her.

“We can’t use the main gate.”

“Why?” I pondered. “Are you afraid of being surrounded again?”

“Being surrounded wouldn’t be so bad,” she chuckled dryly. “Mainly, I’m worried you’ll get entangled. It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but it’s probably better if people don’t see us walking together.”

Mei Ruolan must have considered things I hadn’t. She was surely better at socializing than I was, more knowledgeable about human relationships, so I didn’t question her.

“So, should we wait until everyone has left before we go?”

“There’s no need to go to such lengths,” Ruolan said, amused by my thought process. She handed me the paper bag she was carrying. Years of carrying bags for my mother meant my muscle memory took over, and I accepted it without a second thought. Seeing this, she offered a slight smile, then rummaged through her backpack for a set of keys. She held the keychain up to her eyes, carefully sifting through them.

“We’ll go this way.” She picked out the necessary key, then opened the iron gate where Huang Zhouyu and I had once trespassed.

“Is this also part of your Disciplinary Committee authority?”

“Convenient, isn’t it?” she replied with a boastful tone. It was rather amusing.