The ball didn’t disappoint Xu Ze. After tracing a relatively graceful arc, it hit the inside of the hoop, bounced slightly, and then slid smoothly through the net.
“It’s in!” A faint smile spread across Xu Ze’s face. If that hadn’t gone in, his luck would have been truly terrible.
Luozi, watching the ball go in, clenched his fist in excitement and shouted, “Great shot!” He looked even more thrilled than if he had scored a crucial basket in a game himself.
Seeing Luozi’s excitement, Xu Ze felt a warm glow in his heart. He smiled and high-fived Luozi as he approached.
The other teammates, not wanting to be left out, also clapped lightly and cheered, “Nice shot!”
However, someone quickly ruined the moment with a mocking laugh. “Just luck. Let’s see you do it again!”
“You!” Hearing Zhang Ziyang’s words, Luozi’s eyes narrowed, and his fists clenched. He was about to throw a punch, but Xu Ze stopped him.
Xu Ze waved his hand at Luozi, and with a calm smile, he walked under the basket, picked up the ball, and retreated behind the free-throw line. He raised the ball again, ready to shoot.
Seeing this, the others looked surprised. They all thought Xu Ze’s first shot had been a fluke, especially given his hesitant, beginner-like demeanor earlier. Could he really have the confidence to make another shot?
No one stopped him, though. After all, basketball was about skill. If Xu Ze was truly a beginner, they’d still treat him like a brother out of respect for Luozi. But when it came to actual games or competitions, no one would want to team up with a rookie.
Xu Ze, however, was brimming with confidence. It had been years since he last touched a basketball, but he still remembered the basics. Now, with the help of his super system, as long as his luck wasn’t completely terrible, he could probably make eight out of ten shots.
But just as he was about to shoot, Xu Ze suddenly lowered the ball. Amid everyone’s puzzled looks, he turned to Zhang Ziyang, who was standing nearby with a look of disdain, and said, “It’s boring alone. How about we make it a competition?”
“Compete with me?” Zhang Ziyang pointed at himself, his face a mix of shock and mockery. “You want to compete with me?”
In front of everyone’s astonished expressions, Xu Ze nodded seriously. “I seem to be on a lucky streak today, so I thought I’d test it against someone.”
“Hahaha… compete with me?” Zhang Ziyang burst into laughter, looking at Xu Ze as if he were a joke. “Do you know what my free-throw percentage is? And you want to compete with me?”
“Who knows until we try?” Xu Ze remained unfazed, smiling calmly. “It’s just for fun. The loser buys dinner?”
“Fine, if someone’s offering, I’ll take it!” Zhang Ziyang sneered, nodding. He thought to himself, This is your own fault. A rookie challenging me to a free-throw contest? My 70% success rate isn’t for show!
Seeing the two of them squaring off, everyone was stunned. Luozi, standing nearby, whispered worriedly to Xu Ze, “Aze, maybe we should just drop it. Zhang Ziyang’s really good at free throws. You haven’t played in years.”
“Don’t worry, Luozi,” Xu Ze said with a light laugh, shaking his head. “Relax, someone’s treating us to dinner tonight.”
Zhang Ziyang, noticing their whispered conversation, scoffed. “What’s the matter? You can still back out now. I don’t want people saying I bullied a rookie.”
“Let’s go!” Xu Ze raised the ball, smiling. “Ten shots. Loser buys dinner. If it’s a tie, we go three more.”
“Deal!” Zhang Ziyang walked over, smirking. “I’ll teach you what a real free throw looks like.”
Xu Ze tossed the ball to him, still smiling. “Don’t get too confident. Dinner’s still up for grabs. You go first.”
