Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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During their warm-up, quite a few people were secretly glancing their way, but both of them were used to being the center of attention, so they didn’t feel restricted or uncomfortable at all.
Yan Han shared some of his basketball experience and techniques with Lin Jianlu.
He wasn’t a professional player, but he had honed his skills in basketball for a long time, so he could still guide Lin Jianlu.
The only difference was that he wasn’t as tall as Lin Jianlu, and many professional techniques he performed relied entirely on his explosive power. Lin Jianlu, on the other hand, had a height advantage that allowed him to conserve a lot of energy, giving him a unique advantage whether he was a forward or a point guard— it was truly… enviable.
Playing basketball with Brother Lin while explaining key points, time flew by, and soon the morning was almost over.
Catching their breath after being drenched in sweat, the two sat side by side drinking cold drinks.
Lin Jianlu’s comprehension was amazing; he understood many things very quickly after a brief explanation and could even apply them to other situations.
What was even more commendable was his ability to calmly and repeatedly practice, transforming theory into practical skills, which was why he had progressed so rapidly.
“I reckon even Wei Ningxin isn’t as diligent as you,” Yan Han remarked, wiping his sweat.
Hearing this, Lin Jianlu paused, his arm holding the bottle still, and turned to ask, “Really?”
“Yeah, Wei Ningxin has played for a long time and has physical advantages, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s diligent. If we’re really comparing, I think you have more potential.”
No matter how well Wei Ningxin played, in Yan Han’s view, someone who could casually throw a basketball at someone without a care didn’t truly love basketball.
Such a person lacked respect for the game, which was the direct reason why he had been unable to change his attitude towards Wei Ningxin.
Compared to Lin Jianlu, who was much better… Thinking of this, Yan Han turned to look at Lin Jianlu, only to see the other looking at him, his gentle, jade-like eyes filled with nothing but his own reflection…
“What are you looking at? Is there something on my face?” Yan Han blinked and asked, then roughly wiped his face with a towel.
He quickly stopped just as Xiao Wu was about to jump out and punch him— to prevent his facial skin from sagging, he was never allowed to rub his face so vigorously with a towel.
Although the older brother couldn’t remember, he always made this mistake.
Lin Jianlu then said, “You and Wei Ningxin… are you two very close?”
“Um, not bad.” Yan Han answered almost subconsciously, then suddenly realized that this seemed to be the first time Big brother Lin had mentioned Wei Ningxin.
When provoked, when he spoke privately with Wei Ningxin, and even when everyone in the class was cursing Wei Ningxin for being arrogant and conceited, Lin Jianlu remained silent. He never mentioned him, only silently playing a game with him on the court, silently leaving the other speechless.
Lin Jianlu had always been calm and reserved.
He didn’t say useless nonsense in front of others, nor did he speak ill of others behind their backs; this was indeed something Lin Jianlu wouldn’t do.
As fellow campus heartthrobs, Lin Jianlu and Wei Ningxin were probably the kind of people who would never meet. Yan Han even thought he would never bring up Wei Ningxin, let alone ask about his relationship with Wei Ningxin, not about basketball.
“…Not very close.” His curiosity about Lin Jianlu resurfaced. Yan Han couldn’t hold back his curiosity, so he simply asked, “Huh? Why are you suddenly asking this?”
“Nothing,” Lin Jianlu said, his expression returning to blankness.
“…Nothing what?” Yan Han persisted.
“I just felt he should be your type, and he’s been really clingy lately, so…”
As he finished speaking, Lin Jianlu subtly furrowed his brow, unnoticed by Yan Han.
Even if he had furrowed his brow more deeply, Yan Han wouldn’t have noticed.
He suddenly spat out a mouthful of water, staring at Lin Jianlu in shock— what was Lin Jianlu saying?!
What did he mean by “he should be your type”??
Did he know Wei Ningxin was a guy?!
Yan Han had heard similar things from many people before; frankly, he was tired of them, immune to them, and no longer took them to heart.
But the problem was… it seemed Lin Jianlu also knew he was gay?!
Seeing him spit out water, Lin Jianlu quickly handed him a tissue: “Are you alright?”
Yan Han: “…”
For a moment, Yan Han was confused; he wondered if he might actually believe he was a girl.
Or perhaps his memory was playing tricks on him; maybe Lin Jianlu didn’t even know his true identity, and it was all just something he imagined because he was too lonely in this world.
But a moment later, when he still caught a glimpse of the crowded basketball court and saw Lin Jianlu sitting next to him, Yan Han knew for certain that it was real; he hadn’t misheard.
He nervously took the paper, wiped his mouth, and asked, feigning calmness, “What do you mean by that?”
After asking, Yan Han quickly took a sip of water, trying to calm himself.
Although he appeared calm, his heart was pounding, and a bead of cold sweat mixed with hot sweat trickled down his forehead. This level of tension was no less than when he was suspected of being gay.
The feeling of being known as gay by a male friend was truly awful.
He would never forget the scene when he broke up with his best friend because of this.
Oh, he should have said his former best friend.
The feeling was more than just awkwardness.
And then there was the shame, the heartbreak, the disappointment… Just thinking about that shocked, undisguised look of contempt he’d given him made him want to disappear into a crack in the ground…
Yan Han felt that someone as proud as him couldn’t bear the thought of crawling into a hole.
He was doing well in this world, and out of a desire to avoid romance and save his own life, he said before Lin Jianlu could speak again, “What are you thinking about? I didn’t expect you to be discussing this kind of thing, Brother Lin.”
He said this with a smile, his expression no different from when he was joking, as if he genuinely thought Lin Jianlu was joking too. He continued, “Me and Wei Ningxin… how could that be? You forgot, I can’t let my secret slip, how can I date someone?”
….
It seemed like the more he said it, the more problematic it became.
His explanation was utter nonsense, and coupled with his current attitude, it was practically the image of someone whose secret had been exposed and desperately trying to deny it!
Yan Han wanted to slap himself twice!
But to say that he wasn’t gay, or that he didn’t like men…
No matter what, this older brother couldn’t bring himself to say it.
Long ago, back in the previous world, he knew he wasn’t wrong.
Even after coming out to his father and being hospitalized, Yan Han still knew he wasn’t wrong.
It was the world’s perspective that was wrong, he thought.
Even if he couldn’t change other people’s opinions of him, he couldn’t deny his sexual orientation just to be accepted by society.
If even he himself denied it, then he really would be the monster people talked about…
He thought, he really didn’t have any good points, just a strong backbone and a stubborn personality.
He could be forced to bow his head, he could be bent over, but the understanding in his heart could not be bent or broken.
He could not mention it, but he could never deny it outright.
This was Yan Han’s bottom line.
So, not wanting to deny it, but not wanting to make things worse, Yan Han could only say, “Besides, you understand me best. If I don’t complete the mission, your brother will be dead. With a knife hanging over my head, how can I have time to like someone, hahaha!”
Later, he started laughing wildly with his hands on his hips, his attitude completely as if he thought Lin Jianlu was joking with him, so he returned the joke.
This completely glossed over the fact that Wei Ningxin was the main character in Lin Jianlu’s question, achieving an effect of “It’s all a joke anyway, who cares if you’re talking about a man or a woman,” and “Gender doesn’t matter, I just want to study.”
Yan Han then observed Lin Jianlu’s reaction while laughing.
Lin Jianlu didn’t bring it up again, just like when Yan Han joked with him in a lighthearted way. The other person only smiled slightly, with a mixture of indulgence and helplessness, without anything else unusual.
Yan Han was slightly relieved.
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