Chapter 23

Ye Bai stared at his hand wrapped in a bandage, then glanced at Jiang Tianhao, who sat on the adjacent bed with his foot similarly bandaged. Qian Sanyi was carefully adjusting the infrared lamp for Jiang Tianhao's sprained foot.

Earlier on the court, during one of Qian Sanyi's shots, a team member accidentally pushed him. When Jiang Tianhao and Ye Bai saw it, their bodies moved instinctively to minimize the accident. Qian Sanyi is safe, but the two of them get some minor sprains. 

Looking at both of them, Qian Sanyi spoke up, "If you guys need anything, just let me know. Thanks for looking out for me."

Jiang Tianhao shrugged, "No problem. If it were anyone else in your place, I'd do the same."

Ye Bai added, "It's just reflex, and besides, I don't want Teacher Zhang giving us a hard time. If you get injured, the school won't let you play. I think that our teamwork is great."

Jiang Tianhao gave Ye Bai a thumbs up, smiling, "Yeah, I still remember the look on his face when I suggested an iron armor for Qian Sanyi."

Ye Bai and Qian Sanyi smile.

Suddenly the door opens, and Lin Miaomiao and Deng Xiaoqi enter with a packed lunch box in their hands.

"Am I seeing things, or is this scene strangely harmonious?" Miaomiao remarks, observing Jiang Tianhao and Qian Sanyi.

She glanced out the window, teasing, "Is the sun rising from the west now?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Jiang Tianhao retorted.

Miaomiao sits beside Ye Bai and glances at his hand. "How's your hand?"

"It's just hard to move it around," Ye Bai replied.

"But really, you both were incredible. Ye Bai used his hands, and Haozi used his legs to minimize the impact," Miaomiao praised while accidentally kicking a heater while reenacting the scene in the court.

"Lin Miaomiao, be careful," Ye Bai cautioned.

Qian Sanyi, near Jiang Tianhao, swiftly grabbed it but got burned. Miaomiao guiltily looked at her hands. "Sorry." She tapped Qian Sanyi's shoulder. "I'm a bit careless. You'll get used to it."

"Be more careful, Miaomiao. Get some ointment from the cabinet," Ye Bai instructed.

Lin Miaomiao hurriedly got some ointment from the cabinet for Qian Sanyi. After giving it to Qian Sanyi, she quickly returned to Ye Bai's side.

"I really admire you both," Miaomiao confessed earnestly. "It's hard to put into words."

Jiang Tianhao: "I just move instinctively."

"Instinct usually looks out for oneself, but you two are focused on protecting others," Miaomiao pointed out.

Deng Xiaoqi put the lunchboxes on the table and started opening them. "Miaomiao, come and help me."

Smelling the food, Miaomiao eagerly joined Xiaoqi, exclaiming, "Wow, chicken thigh, duck feet, and pig feet. Xiaoqi, you chose the best parts."

Deng Xiaoqi chuckled. "They're all foot-related—a small compensation for them."

Ye Bai teased, "All feet, where's the hands?"

Miaomiao and Jiang Tianhao laughed.

"Then don't eat it, Haozi; please eat a lot," Deng Xiaoqi teased back.

"Just kidding, I'm really hungry right now," Ye Bai replies.

"Let's eat together, Xiaoqi. Miaomiao eats less," Jiang Tianhao suggested.

"Why do I have to eat less?" Miaomiao asked while stuffing some meat in his mouth.

"I'm afraid it's not enough," Jiang Tianhao joked.

Deng Xiaoqi laughs at it.

"I won't. I'll eat plenty." Miaomiao loaded more meat onto her plate but noticed Ye Bai wasn't eating.

"Why aren't you eating, Ye Bai?" Miaomiao asked.

Ye Bai gestured to his injured hand, saying, "How can I eat with this hand?"

All of them realized Ye Bai was right-handed, and his injuries were on that hand.

"Want me to help?" Deng Xiaoqi offered.

At this time, Jiang Tianhao regrets using his feet instead of his hands.

Miaomiao stepped in. "I'll help," she volunteered, setting aside her own meal to assist Ye Bai.

Miaomiao's face is slightly red every time she puts some food in Ye Bai's mouth.

Deng Xiaoqi looks at Qian Sanyi, who is watching Ye Bai and Miaomiao. "Sanyi, have some too."

"I won't eat. Both Haozi and Ye Bai got hurt because of me. Until they're healed, I'm going vegetarian," Qian Sanyi declared.

"Oh! You said that, Xiaoqi; this is delicious." Miaomiao showed the food to Deng Xiaoqi.

Deng Xiaoqi shook her head. "Then, I'll go vegetarian too with Qian Sanyi."

"You both won't eat?" Miaomiao raised an eyebrow.

They nodded in unison.

"In that case, it's all mine!" Miaomiao declared, eagerly diving into the food.

"Ahhhh"

They all looked to see where the sound came from. They found Ye Bai waiting to be served again. Miaomiao quickly put some in his mouth.

"Wah!" Deng Xiaoqi exclaimed, and they all looked at why.

"Miaomiao, your chopstick," Deng Xiaoqi said.

Miaomiao realized she had mistakenly used her chopsticks instead of Ye Bai's. Flustered, she brushed it off. "It's fine; we're childhood friends, right, Ye Bai?" she asked, seeking confirmation to cover her embarrassment.

"Yes!" Even though he knew there was, he still said yes.

Relieved, Miaomiao continued feeding Ye Bai, making sure to use the correct chopsticks.

"Deng Xiaoqi, let's make a vow to be vegetarians until they recover," Qian Sanyi proposed.

"Sure, Miaomiao, why don't you join us? Consider it a weight-loss plan," Deng Xiaoqi suggested.

"What does it have to do with me?" Miaomiao retorted.

"It's impossible. Meat is her religion. She has to give up her belief in friendship; it's too cruel." Qian Sanyi teased Miaomiao. Qian Sanyi knows how to fool Miaomiao because she is a little hot-headed and usually jumps into this kind of trap. 

Miaomiao stopped putting the meat in her mouth. "It's not that I can't be vegetarian." She looked at the delicious meat on her plate, full of cravings. "I originally didn't like to eat meat; it's just that the bacteria in my stomach love to eat meat. They are difficult to serve; do you understand me, right?" she said, full of aggrievement and disappointment.

Ye Bai suppressed a laugh.

"Haozi, here, I have a portion for you." Miaomiao takes Xiaoqi's lunch and gives it to Jiang Tianhao.

Jiang Tianhao glanced at Ye Bai and winked, receiving the cue.

"No, nobody's eating. I'm afraid to eat too," Jiang Tianhao said regretfully.

Miaomiao looked at Ye Bai and, taking his chopsticks, attempted to feed him. "Since nobody's eating, I feel bad eating in front of you all."

Miaomiao is at a loss. Qian Sanyi and Deng Xiaoqi also endure the smiles on their faces.

The room fell into silence. Miaomiao dropped the chopsticks, saying, "Forget it. Brothers are more important than bacteria. I won't eat either. Besides, maybe skipping a few meals will give me proportions like Xiaoqi's."

"Tsk!" Qian Sanyi said. "Just several meals and you will be like Xiaoqi? That road is really far away."

Jiang Tianhao laughs at this time.

Miaomiao stood up, confronting Qian Sanyi. "Whether I eat or not, you always have something to say. And what's with your comment? You doubt I can't go vegetarian, do you?"

"Yes!" Qian Sanyi affirmed.

Miaomiao's demeanor shifted. "You're right. I won't be a vegetarian today. Why? Because..." She glanced at the delicious food on the table. "We've already bought it; it'd be a shame not to eat it. How about this? Tomorrow we'll all be vegetarians, okay?" 

"Okay, stop it; we are just kidding. Why do you believe it?" Jiang Tianhao chimed in.

"I'm not kidding," Qian Sanyi said, raising his hand. "I, Qian Sanyi, swear I won't eat meat until Ye Bai and Jiang Tianhao recover. If I do, my IQ drops to 70."

Before Miaomiao could respond, Deng Xiaoqi chimed in, "I, Deng Xiaoqi, also swear not to eat meat until they're better. If I break it, God'll punish me by making me ugly."

Qian Sanyi taunted Miaomiao.

"Do you really need to go this far?" Miaomiao sighed.

"You didn't need to swear, Miaomiao. How about this? Until I recover, you'll be my right hand," Ye Bai suggested.

"What? You didn't think I could endure being a vegetarian until you and Jiang Tianhao recovered?" Miaomiao stared at Ye Bai, hoping for his trust.

"It's your decision; I'll support you," Ye Bai surrendered. He knows that Lin Miaomiao can't endure it, but perhaps this time she could manage it since their injuries weren't severe.

"As your friend, I'll still be your right hand. Being a vegetarian is for both you and Haozi," Miaomiao declared.

Jiang Tianhao stared at Miaomiao, feigning surprise. "Miaomiao, I didn't know I had a place in your heart." He wiped an imaginary tear from his eye.

"We clean your dorm, we lift tables, and you always treat me to chicken drumsticks. Of course, we're friends," Miaomiao gave him a thumbs up.

Miaomiao then stood up and swore, "I, Lin Miaomiao, swear to heaven that I will not eat meat until Jiang Tianhao and Ye Bai recover." Applause followed, but Qian Sanyi wasn't letting Miaomiao off the hook.

"What if you eat secretly?" he questioned.

"Why are you always against me?" Miaomiao retorted.

"Because I don't trust you," Qian Sanyi replied.

"Why don't you trust me?"

"We all swore a punishment if we violated it, except you," Qian Sanyi explained.

Now Miaomiao gulped and unconsciously looked at Ye Bai and Jiang Tianhao. She regretted not heeding Ye Bai's warning.

Jiang Tianhao intervened with a 'fighting' action. "Come on, Miaomiao, I trust you."

Miaomiao sighed, "If I secretly eat meat," she glanced at Ye Bai and Jiang Tianhao, "Jiang Tianhao will not die well."

"Haaa!" Jiang Tianhao was shocked.

"Wait, listen to me first." Miaomiao hurriedly sat next to Jiang Tianhao. "When you swear, you need to give up your most important thing, right? You are as important to me as Qian Sanyi's IQ and beauty are to Deng Xiaoqi. How insightful I am."

"But how come you didn't mention Ye Bai?" Jiang Tianhao asked.

"Oh no! I forgot Ye Bai." She knocked her head. "I'm so absent-minded. Ye Bai, do you want to be together with Haozi?" Miaomiao answered in a playful tone.

"No! I mean, even if I want to, what's done is already done," Ye Bai teased in a regretful tone.

Deng Xiaoqi laughed at their antics.

"Okay, I'll endure it," Jiang Tianhao said while gritting his teeth. 

...