Super Doctor - Chapter 74

The first match of the quarterfinals was Group A: last season’s runner-up, the Electrical Engineering Department, versus the Public Administration Department. As a long-standing powerhouse and the previous year’s second-place team, Electrical Engineering’s strength was undeniable—far superior to Public Administration’s.

By the fourth quarter, Xu Ze and Sun Lingfei, watching from the sidelines, saw Electrical Engineering score three consecutive baskets, widening the gap to twenty points. At that point, it was clear Public Administration stood no chance.

In the afternoon, the Hydraulic Engineering Department faced off against the Environmental Resources Department. Since Hydraulic Engineering was their old rival, the Medical Department team paid close attention to this Group B match, with nearly the entire team showing up to watch.

From the deep furrow in Luozi’s thick brows, it was obvious he was torn—did he want Hydraulic Engineering to win or lose?

If Hydraulic Engineering won, there’d still be a chance for their team to face them and settle old scores.

But the problem was, the Medical Department’s first match was against the Journalism Department. What if they didn’t make it to the semifinals?

“Of course, that’s just a ‘what if’…” Luozi corrected himself.

If they failed to reach the semifinals while Hydraulic Engineering advanced, the loss would far outweigh the gain…

So Luozi agonized over whether to root for Hydraulic Engineering’s victory or defeat. But after wrestling with the dilemma for ages, even as the game began, he still hadn’t reached a conclusion. Frowning, he watched in frustration as Hydraulic Engineering and Environmental Resources traded baskets back and forth.

Xu Ze, on the other hand, wasn’t nearly as invested. This was his first time playing for the department team, so he had no history of grudges to dwell on. Leisurely seated in the stands, he casually observed the two teams’ skills.

However, with every impressive shot, the stands erupted in cheers, particularly from groups of girls letting out delighted screams—some even calling out certain players’ names. Xu Ze couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, silently marveling at basketball’s undeniable charm. At the very least, for these girls, a guy who played basketball well was far more attractive than an average guy.

At that thought, a familiar figure surfaced in Xu Ze’s mind. He sighed softly. “That Tao Zhixiong is probably on the Economics and Management Department’s team, huh? Guess I really was too dull and boring back then…”

Hydraulic Engineering, having reached the semifinals last season, was undeniably strong. But Environmental Resources, making it to the quarterfinals this year, was no pushover either. The two teams battled fiercely, and even by the fourth quarter, the score remained close.

The crowd around them grew increasingly excited, the cheers growing louder by the minute—except for Luozi, who was utterly miserable. After agonizing for over half an hour, he’d given up and just wanted a decisive outcome. Yet here they were, deep into the fourth quarter, with barely a three-point difference. Frustrated, he nearly stormed onto the court to yell, “Damn it… did none of you eat?!”

Finally, after fifteen grueling minutes, Luozi’s suffering ended. The result wasn’t surprising—either team could’ve won, but Hydraulic Engineering edged out a four-point victory thanks to slightly better luck.

Watching the outcome, Luozi clenched his fists on the stands and turned to Xu Ze with fierce determination. “A’Ze, we have to make it to the semifinals!”

Startled by Luozi’s sudden intensity, Xu Ze blinked before hurriedly nodding. “Uh… yeah, of course we will. We’ll definitely make it…”

“Good… A’Ze, we’re counting on you…” Luozi’s eyes gleamed with cold resolve as he gripped Xu Ze’s shoulder with a solemn expression.

Under Luozi’s weighty stare, Xu Ze suddenly felt the pressure on his small shoulders growing heavier.

Glancing down—oh, turns out Luozi’s grip was just way too tight. His fingers were practically digging in, the knuckles turning white…

Xu Ze froze for a second before yelping in pain. “Ow—Luozi, let go! Hey—let go! I promise we’ll make it to the finals, alright?!”

The Next Day – The Match Begins

The following day, the first match of Group C—Journalism Department vs. Medical Department—finally kicked off amid high anticipation.

This game drew massive attention for three reasons:

1. The Journalism Department was the two-time defending champion, representing the strongest basketball team in the university. That alone was enough to draw a crowd.

2. Zhang Tianyu, the team’s star player, was a campus heartthrob dubbed “Basketball Prince.” This was a powerful draw—so much so that over half the spectators were female.

3. Most importantly, the opposing team—the Medical Department—though never particularly notable, had suddenly surged in popularity overnight.

Why? Because Xu Ze, the rumored boyfriend of the university’s top-ranked campus belle (and recent hot topic), had appeared in the Medical Department’s lineup yesterday wearing a jersey.

According to forum gossip, Xu Ze was the Medical Department’s “secret weapon”—hidden away specifically to counter Zhang Tianyu. This seemed supported by team captain Luo Tianzhu’s earlier declaration.

As everyone knew, Zhang Tianyu was one of the top pursuers of the campus belle, Sun Lingfei. He had even publicly challenged Xu Ze over the “Lavella incident” on the forums. And just yesterday, in front of a crowd, the two had a brief confrontation—one that apparently ended with Zhang Tianyu losing face.

So now, the question was: Who was stronger on the court? Today’s match would be their first direct clash. What kind of spectacle would it bring? The anticipation was palpable.

The university’s indoor stadium was packed, the noise deafening—nearly half again as many spectators as the previous two matches.

Players from both teams had begun warming up under their respective hoops. Facing the defending champions, the Medical Department was going all out—with Xu Ze, unsurprisingly, in the starting lineup.

When Xu Ze stepped out of the locker room, the crowd buzzed. People pointed and whispered:

“Look—that’s Xu Ze! He really is their main player. Wonder how good he is? Either way, today’s gonna be interesting.”

“Hmph… Some forum posts say Xu Ze hasn’t played in three years and only just started again recently. No way he’s better than Zhang Tianyu,” a jealous male spectator muttered.

A female Medical Department student nearby scoffed. “What do you know? I’ve seen Xu Ze play. His shooting accuracy is insane, and he can even dunk—way better than that so-called ‘prince’!”

“Wait… he can dunk? At his height? He looks barely 1.8 meters tall!” someone exclaimed in disbelief.

“Just watch,” the girl retorted, rolling her eyes at their ignorance.

Soon after, Zhang Tianyu emerged with his teammates, sparking another wave of cheers—far louder than Xu Ze’s reception. Some girls even screamed, faces flushed:

“Zhang Tianyu! Zhang Tianyu!”

Smugly, Zhang Tianyu raised a hand and waved at the crowd, inciting another round of shrieks. Then he turned his gaze toward Xu Ze, eyes full of warning and disdain:

“See this? This is my domain. You? You’re nothing.”

Xu Ze noticed Zhang Tianyu’s arrogance but only smiled faintly. Turning toward the basket, he casually flicked the ball from beyond the three-point line—swish! A perfect, clean shot.