Volume 2: Strolling with the Wind, Chapter 27: The Senior Year

Chu Tianyu idly flipped through his textbooks. Though it wasn’t as exciting as “adventuring” with his master, the peaceful life attracted him even more. Without any mission, no burdens, and no need for competition or killing, he felt unrestrained and free. Now, aside from spending some time in the morning practicing his favorite swordsmanship, he no longer needed to meditate deliberately to cultivate his internal energy—it flowed naturally, continuously. So, although senior year was a bit boring, it was still a rare chance for him to relax.

Looking at the time, he silently counted down in his mind: “Three, two, one.” The bell for the last class rang on time. This was the happiest moment for Chu Tianyu, as well as for many of his classmates. He had long been curious about basketball after browsing online about why it was so popular and widely followed. Once he tried it, he immediately fell in love with it. He had always admired sports that required teamwork.

There were many players in the class—those who did well, those who were average, and those who were poor at it—all took this opportunity to exercise. Those who weren’t good enough played alone against a hoop, while those who were better played half-court three-on-three or full-court five-on-five. Through playing basketball, Chu Tianyu quickly made many friends, not only from his own class but also from other classes. No wonder they say sports foster friendship. Unlike the study environment in class, where he was a transfer student with mediocre grades and no one even bothered to give him a glance!

According to Chu Tianyu, basketball was nothing more than a combination of movement, footwork, and techniques. With the rules and strategies he found online, he quickly got the hang of it after just a brief familiarity. He didn’t deliberately use his abilities but played as usual, yet he still stood out quickly and became close to everyone. He loved the feeling of sweating together and the generosity of taking turns buying cola after playing. This made him deeply understand what his third master had said to him—once you have ability, you can earn respect. But his abilities were… well, he couldn’t expect respect. Instead, he would surely face plenty of trouble. It was best to show some skill, but not too much!

“Dude, what are you thinking? Hurry up and take off your clothes!” Suddenly, someone patted my back and asked in a rough voice.

Without even looking back, I knew it was ‘Hu Zi’—full name Hu Luda. He’s over 190 cm tall, with broad shoulders and a round waist. He’s our main center. Despite his bulky appearance, he has an excellent logical thinking ability and ranks at the top in science subjects. In physics, no one dares to claim to be better than him; he’s always second. But on the court, after I knocked him down twice, broke through his defense three times, forced him into four low shots from the side, and intercepted his passes five times, he completely gave in to me. We immediately became friends and he insisted on playing alongside me. Playing with him was really comfortable—once I positioned myself well and passed the ball to him, he would definitely score.

“Damn, what are you two still doing? If we’re late, we won’t get a spot and will end up at the back…” It was my other ‘brother’ calling out to us—the last member of our trio, our class leader Zhou Jie. A genius with excellent academic performance, he ranks first in all subjects except physics, with no one daring to take that spot. At 185 cm tall with a well-proportioned build, he has a really charming smile—typical of a sunny guy. The girls in the class must have written him countless love letters, but he already has someone he likes. He’s been secretly dating Fang Leer, the school’s beauty from Class 2. Even I and Da Hu benefited a lot—getting lots of free drinks and delicious snacks. It was truly enviable!

It was a 3-on-3 game with a best-of-five format. After 11 rounds, we finally sat down on the sidelines, out of breath. If it weren’t for a few players from the school team joining in, we might have had enough energy to keep playing for a while longer.

“Damn, they’re too strong! I’m too old—can’t beat these freshmen, hehe…” Da Hu said, panting.

“Do you think their professional skills are fake? Even though they’re just freshmen, they’re all part of the city’s reserve team. That center completely dominated you. If it weren’t for A Yu scoring two three-pointers from outside, we would’ve lost in shame!” Zhou Jie said.

“Hehe, let’s go get some water. Who wants to have Coke, Fanta, or Jianlibao today?” Chu Tianyu said with a smile, changing the subject.

“Hehe, I’ll have Coke. Two cans, please…” As soon as Da Hu heard there was drink, he immediately became happy and waved two fingers.

“No problem. How about you, Zhou Jie?”

“I’ll have Fanta. One can is enough…”

Apart from the enjoyable basketball sessions every afternoon, Chu Tianyu truly felt helpless when it came to attending classes and studying. Although he had never received formal education, with his memory and aptitude, he could get the hang of things if he put in some effort. He had previously read discussions online about high school education—though it was criticized by many, there seemed to be no better alternative, as there was only one goal and one path: passing the college entrance exam, getting into a good university, and securing a decent job.

Looking at the students in the classroom, all bent over their books striving for a bright future—perhaps one that meant finding a job at a company like Chu Ye’s—these things didn’t seem like problems to him at all. Not even Qianfeng, taught by his third master, interested him. Perhaps this was just the difference in fate. But no matter their status, they all worked hard and reaped rewards. Even if their future achievements were limited, or seemed insignificant in the eyes of those born into wealth, at least within their own capabilities, they were successful and satisfied. But what about his own success and satisfaction?

Suddenly, he was filled with thoughts. Indeed, Chu Tianyu’s interest in basketball was more about friends, about the cooperation and interaction among friends. His sense of helplessness in class stemmed from frustration with the goals pursued through studying. His masters said his cultivation had reached a state where he should act naturally and freely. Though he had come with a carefree attitude, once he calmed down, especially seeing his classmates each with clear goals while he had nothing to do, he felt somewhat lost. Did he really have to wear his underwear outside, like Superman, become a city hero, and use unknown methods to unleash his powers to achieve the great goal of saving the world and liberating humanity?

“That’s obviously impossible. So what’s my goal? Maybe I should be as passionate as my masters in pursuing that elusive ‘Heavenly Way.’ But for someone as young as eighteen, it’s probably too early. What do I really need?” Chu Tianyu kept asking himself this question. With so much extraordinariness and a prominent background, perhaps what he needed was an ordinary life, a simple life with modest goals!

Thinking of this, Chu Tianyu suddenly had an epiphany. Hadn’t his third master mentioned this life’s goal and pursuit to him? He remembered his master’s view at the time: “Tianyu, although life’s pursuits and goals vary from person to person and change at different stages, one thing remains constant—everyone strives for what they cannot obtain or do not have yet. That’s human nature, an instinct that doesn’t change regardless of who you are or your status…” Indeed, wasn’t what he longed for now to be an ordinary person? To go through the same experiences as ordinary people—wasn’t that exactly what he wanted? Hiding his true self and presenting himself as someone not very intelligent to interact with and perceive the world—wasn’t that to achieve a more objective, immersive experience? Whether it was attending classes or doing exercises, whatever the goal for the future, it was all about this process. Did the outcome really matter?

After three consecutive rhetorical questions, Chu Tianyu, in a moment of realization, let out a long sigh. With a relaxed expression, he picked up his textbook and flipped to the section the teacher was reviewing in class…

Time flew by, and soon it was the final stage of the college entrance exams. The next day, everyone would go home for a final review session based on their own situations. Chu Tianyu, Da Hu, and Zhou Jie stood by the basketball court, drenched in sweat—this was their last game before the exams.

Wiping his sweat, Da Hu said breathlessly, “Hehe, that was great! We’ll definitely play another game after the exams to vent properly.”

Zhou Jie took off his jersey, wrung out the sweat, and asked without looking up, “Da Hu, Ah Yu, what are your goals? Have you decided which school you want to apply to?”

Without turning around, Da Hu replied loudly, “I’m aiming for the Computer Science department at Qingda University. Nothing else is on the table.”

Getting a clear answer, Zhou Jie turned his gaze to Chu Tianyu.

Chu Tianyu smiled and said, “Me? I’m far behind you guys. I’ll just take it one step at a time. We can discuss it again after the exams!”

Hearing this, Da Hu immediately interjected, “No way! Stop being modest, Ah Yu. You seem dull most of the time, but you’re totally different when playing basketball. And you’ve made great progress in studies lately—you solve some problems faster than me…”

Chu Tianyu clearly didn’t want to dwell on this topic, so he shifted the conversation to Zhou Jie. “Hey, what’s there to say? By the way, Zhou Jie, you were the first to ask us. What are your plans?”

Zhou Jie, as if he had been prepared, said, “It’s simple for me too—just get into Peking University together with Le Er!”
“Damn it, I knew you’d say that. ‘Flying side by side’ again? Disgusting! Knowing that Ah Yu and I are single—doesn’t that clearly provoke us? No way, you’re buying today’s water!” Da Hu said, making a disdainful gesture.
Having worked together for so long, Chu Tianyu naturally knew what to do. He immediately stepped forward, made the same disdainful gesture, and shouted, “Right, right! Buy drinks! While you’re at it, fix us dinner too!”
“You two, die~~~”
“Hahaha~~~”
……
It’s tough, exhausting, but fulfilling—this is the senior year of high school.