Is My Cat Secretly Crushing on Me?! - Chapter 11
“Beep—”
The referee blew the whistle and waved one hand: “Game on!”
The basketball was tossed high, and the two teams jumped for the ball.
Lan Shen, relying on his height and jumping power, got the ball first.
He immediately took a step back, avoiding the opponent who tried to steal the ball.
He dribbled the ball with ease, and before the opponent could intercept, he gently tossed the ball to a teammate.
Lan Shen and his team cooperated well and quickly scored the first point with a slam dunk.
In the subsequent plays, Lan Shen was always in the lead, snatching the ball from the opponent’s hands several times, and his teammates successfully scored several points.
Lan Shen ran and jumped freely on the court, agile and powerful.
His jersey was slightly damp with sweat, and as he leaped high, it was briefly blown up by the wind, revealing his strong, lean waist.
“A beautiful three-step lay-up by Lan Shen wins three more points for the Science team!”
The commentator passionately explained, and thunderous applause erupted from the stands.
After several rounds, the gap widened; the Science team was far ahead.
The Engineering team on the opposite side couldn’t bear it, and their coach actively called a timeout to adjust their rhythm.
“Alright, Lan-ge, you’re on fire today?” The Science team also took the opportunity to drink water, wipe sweat, and rest.
“I’ve never seen you put in so much effort normally. What’s gotten into you today?”
Lan Shen smiled meaningfully.
“Perhaps someone is watching, and you’re deliberately showing off?” a teammate teased.
Lan Shen instinctively looked towards Lin Miao and found that Lin Miao was also watching him intently.
Lan Shen smiled slightly.
Lin Miao shook his fist, gesturing for encouragement.
Lan Shen took another sip of water before slowly answering: “That’s right.”
“What ‘that’s right’?” His teammate realized belatedly, “Holy cow, I actually guessed correctly.”
“It’s my friend’s first time watching basketball; I have to make sure he enjoys it.”
“Tch.” His teammates instantly lost interest.
“Alright, back to business. I expect the opposing team will target me later. You guys need to react accordingly.”
His teammates nodded.
When the game resumed, the opposing team indeed focused on Lan Shen.
Although Lan Shen was restricted, he single-handedly contained two opponents, giving his teammates more room to maneuver.
The Engineering team fought hard to catch up, but the Science team was still leading by a few points until halftime.
During halftime, a group of cheerleaders in short skirts rushed onto the basketball court.
They were lively and enthusiastic, easing the tense atmosphere of the game.
Lin Miao followed suit and let out a sigh of relief.
It was then he realized how nervous he had been watching the game.
Or rather, how nervous he was watching Lan Shen’s game.
The players from both teams walked back to their respective benches, leaving the court to the cheerleaders.
Lan Shen also returned to Lin Miao’s side.
“How was it? Did you understand the game?”
Lin Miao nodded.
He looked around with a bewildered expression, wondering what else he should be doing besides cheering.
It was very noisy all around.
There were sounds of chatter, cheering, and a young couple sitting nearby.
The girl had clearly rushed over to cheer for her boyfriend.
The teammate was panting heavily, casually grabbing a towel to wipe his sweat.
The girl was distressed: “Let me help you, don’t overexert yourself.”
The teammate grinned: “I’m not tired. Just keep cheering, and I won’t be tired.”
“Oh, you! Come sit down and rest.” The girl patted the seat next to her.
Lin Miao followed suit, saying to Lan Shen: “Are you tired? Sit down and rest for a bit.”
Lan Shen sat down next to him naturally.
The girl handed over a bottle of water: “Here, have some water.”
The teammate sat down and took two big gulps: “Did you see my shot?”
“I saw it! A three-pointer, so cool.” The girl was also very proud and thoughtfully massaged his shoulder: “My boyfriend is the best.”
“That’s right!”
Lin Miao also turned around, picked up a bottle of mineral water, and intended to open it for Lan Shen.
“Here, have some water…”
As soon as he turned around, he saw that Lan Shen had already casually grabbed a bottle of water next to him, opened it, and was drinking straight from the mouth of the bottle.
“Eh, that’s…” Lin Miao’s hand froze in mid-air.
That was the bottle he had gotten thirsty from watching the game, opened, taken two sips from, and casually placed there.
Lan Shen swallowed the water in his mouth: “Hmm?”
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing.”
Lan Shen looked at the water bottle in his hand, as if suddenly realizing: “Oh, oh, sorry, is this your water? I thought it was mine.”
He handed the mineral water back to Lin Miao: “I only took two sips, here you go.”
Lin Miao’s ear tips turned red, and he waved his hand, not taking it.
“Are you disgusted?” Lan Shen seemed a little hurt and retracted his hand.
“N-no.”
Lin Miao was speechless.
It seemed quite normal for guys to share a bottle of water, right?
He looked at Lan Shen.
Lan Shen’s action was unintentional; if he said he was disgusted, it would hurt him too much.
Besides, besides, he wasn’t disgusted…
Lin Miao bit his lip, a strange feeling surging in his heart.
He opened a new bottle of mineral water and put it into Lan Shen’s hand: “You drink this new bottle.”
Then, he quickly snatched the water bottle from Lan Shen’s hand, his voice weak: “I-I didn’t say I was disgusted with you.”
Lan Shen’s face instantly went from cloud to sunshine: “That’s good. You should keep that one and drink it.”
Lin Miao abstractedly opened the bottle cap and took a sip.
The moment his lips touched the bottle opening, his heart thumped twice.
It was as if something surging and unwilling to be silent burst forth.
Lin Miao licked his lips.
He thought, why is this water making me thirstier the more I drink it?
Lan Shen’s mouth curled up, and he instantly hid his expression by pretending to drink water.
While Lin Miao was trying to distinguish his emotions, he didn’t notice a girl squeezing through the crowd from behind to the front row.
She tightly clutched a bottle of sports drink in her hand, and her face was flushed unnaturally.
“Lan, Senior Lan Shen, I happened to buy two extra bottles of drinks. Th-th-this is for you. Good luck with the game.”
Lin Miao looked up abruptly.
Although he lacked social experience, he knew what this situation meant.
Lin Miao suppressed the feeling in his heart and quietly moved to the side a little, not wanting to be a third wheel.
The senior was indeed very popular…
Lan Shen glanced at him, then turned to the girl, whom he seemed to have seen in a class before.
Lan Shen was polite: “Sorry, no need.”
“Huh?” The girl lowered her head even more: “Is it, is it that you don’t like this flavor? But it’s not good for me to give it to someone else either…”
“No.” Lan Shen’s tone was gentle but firm. He raised the mineral water in his hand: “I already have water.”
The girl clearly hadn’t anticipated this situation and was a little flustered.
Her expression was awkward, but she tried to maintain her composure: “I-is that so? Did another girl already send you one… Sorry for disturbing you.”
“No.”
She looked up, confused.
Lan Shen reached out and wrapped an arm around Lin Miao, raising an eyebrow and smiling: “He already gave me one, so I can’t accept yours.”
His face showed a look of helplessness mixed with doting, as if to say, “He manages me strictly, so I can’t do anything about it.”
“Ah? Oh, oh…” The girl left in a daze.
When she got back, her friends anxiously asked: “Did it work? Did he take it?”
The girl shook her head: “It seems someone beat me to it.”
“What?!”
The girl: “I, I’m not sure.”
She then pointed to Lin Miao: “Do you guys know that guy next to Lan Shen?”
Her friends shook their heads: “Doesn’t look like he’s a senior.”
“What exactly happened?”
The girl felt as if her worldview had been shattered: “I mean… is there a possibility, just a possibility, a guess, that Lan Shen likes guys?”
The friends exchanged glances.
“Ha, haha, we really did overlook that before.”
The group collectively focused their attention on the two of them.
They saw Lin Miao frowning and saying something, and Lan Shen said a few words that made him relax his brows.
One of the friends’ eyes darted around: “Firstly, I’m not a shipper, and the possibility of Lan Shen being gay is small but not zero; secondly, I’m not a shipper, but their relationship does seem really good; what was the last thing, I forgot…”
On the front row seat.
Lin Miao said helplessly: “Don’t say things like that next time.”
“I really have no interest in her. This is the only way to make her give up.”
“But, but… I just feel like saying that isn’t very nice,” Lin Miao mumbled.
“What’s not nice about it? Do you have someone you like?”
“No… What does that have to do with this topic?”
Lan Shen looked happy: “You don’t have a partner, so I’m just borrowing your name to say whatever. It doesn’t affect you.”
Lin Miao was led along by him and felt it made some sense: “Fine then…”
The second half started soon.
Lan Shen’s Science team consistently maintained their advantage.
They secured the first win of the set amidst cheers.
Their basketball game was just casual playing at school, best two out of three.
As the second game began, the Engineering team rallied.
They substituted in two new players and completely dominated the Science team.
The score remained very close, and Lin Miao’s heart was in his throat.
With only a little more than ten seconds left in the game, the score was still tied.
“Engineering team! Go, go, go! Engineering team! Go, go, go!”
“Science team! Victory is certain! Science team! Victory is certain!”
Lin Miao couldn’t help but call out softly: “Lan Shen, go for it.”
He immediately felt that Lan Shen couldn’t hear him, so he raised his voice a little: “Go for it!”
The moment the words left his mouth, the Science team stole the ball.
“Catch!”
A teammate passed the ball to Lan Shen, who jumped and caught it.
Lin Miao held his breath, staring intently at the timer.
Ten seconds… five seconds.
The ball was tossed high by Lan Shen.
Three, two, one!
“Beep—Game over!”
The basketball hit the backboard with a clang, wobbled around the rim for half a turn, and finally dropped into the net.
“It’s in! Lan Shen scored!”
“Lan Shen won the decisive three points for the Science team with a beautiful three-pointer!!”
“We won? That’s great…”
Lin Miao released his tightly clenched fists and let out a long breath.
Since it was best two out of three, and they won two games, there was naturally no need for a third game.
The two teams ended the match with a polite handshake.
Lin Miao watched Lan Shen walk off the court and quickly handed him the water bottle, his eyes shining brightly as he looked at him: “Congratulations! That was amazing.”
Lan Shen smiled casually: “Well, that’s all thanks to me, isn’t it?”
His teammate laughed and scolded him: “You’re shameless. Are we still celebrating at the usual spot tonight?”
Lan Shen grabbed a towel to wipe his sweat: “Sure.” He turned to Lin Miao and waved: “Lin Miao, pack up, time to go.”
“Huh? Leaving so soon?”
Before Lin Miao could finish his sentence, a girl walked up from behind him.
With the game over, the security around the court was relaxed, and spectators were leaving one after another.
Some, however, had ulterior motives and left their seats to walk toward the court.
That girl was one of them.
Lin Miao saw her and thought she was also coming to find Lan Shen.
Before any thoughts could surface in his mind, she stopped in front of him.
She brushed her hair aside: “Oh, so your name is Lin Miao. What a coincidence, my last name is Lin too.”
Lin Miao nodded in confusion, as a sign of politeness.
“What year are you in?”
“Third year…”
The girl covered her mouth and smiled: “So you’re an upperclassman. I was wondering if I could add you on WeChat. I have some questions about course selection for you.”
Lan Shen’s face instantly darkened over there.