Any Closer and I'll Lose Control - Chapter 7

When the campuses merged and the new Arts and Sports Campus were completed, the school underwent a layout change.

As a result, at the end of the outer path connecting Male Dormitory Building No. 5 and the training gym, there was a semi-abandoned basketball court.

Few people usually came here to play.

Under a dim streetlight, Meng Tang tirelessly practiced her shots.

She had propped her phone on the dusty concrete wall though calling it a wall was a stretch, since the basketball court was elevated, and the half-meter-high concrete barrier served more as a railing.

Despite watching the instructional video over and over, Meng Tang still couldn’t smoothly complete the entire set of moves.

Frustrated, she stood under the hoop, feeling that the assistant coach wasn’t wrong, when it came to sports, she really was hopeless.

Gritting her teeth, she kept practicing.

Suddenly, a soft chuckle came from the shadows. Startled, Meng Tang turned around, clutching the ball tightly. “Who’s there?”

Wei Chuan stepped out from the darkness below the steps, teasing, “It’s late at night, is the ground burning your feet?”

Recognizing him, Meng Tang relaxed. “What are you doing here?”

Wei Chuan waved his phone. “Called home. I was passing by, keeping to myself, when I heard someone playing. Got curious and came to check it out.”

Meng Tang wiped the sweat from her neck with the back of her hand, the frustration of not being able to master the moves overwhelming her.

As a child, she had learned carving from her grandfather, enduring hardships a thousand times worse, yet she had never felt this kind of defeat.

Wei Chuan climbed the steps, crushing the wild grass underfoot. He glanced around and said, “This place is practically abandoned. It’s not safe, people only come here occasionally.”

“I brought my carving knife,” Meng Tang blurted out, startling him.

Wei Chuan: “…”

Too embarrassed to practice in front of him and realizing it was getting late, Meng Tang decided to leave and come back the next evening.

Wei Chuan stopped her. “You girls only care about counting ‘one, two, three’ when you’re shooting. During my class the other day, I saw everything, people dancing like they were in a harvest festival, walking sideways like crabs, even marching like invaders… Each one was ridiculous. But you? You somehow managed to stretch it into five steps.”

Meng Tang wanted to argue, but after opening and closing her mouth a few times, she found herself at a loss for words. Instead, her nose began to sting.

By the time Wei Chuan noticed something was wrong, tears were already rolling down her cheeks.

“Shit, don’t cry! What did I say?” Wei Chuan panicked, flustered. “Sorry, sorry! I’ll shut up, I won’t say another word.”

Meng Tang dropped the basketball. The dull, heavy thuds as it bounced mirrored her mood.

“Are you upset about something else?” Wei Chuan asked, sensing that his teasing couldn’t have been the sole reason for her tears.

The crying didn’t last long. After wiping her eyes, Meng Tang sat down on the concrete ledge nearby and said quietly,

“The assistant coach yelled at me in class, and I even dragged Shi Lan into it. I never thought basketball would be this hard for me.”

“So, you came here to practice alone?” Wei Chuan sat down beside her.

Meng Tang gave a small nod. “Yeah.”

Wei Chuan rummaged through his bag and handed her a bottle of water. “Your voice is cracking. Drink some, and then I’ll teach you.”

Meng Tang hesitated. “No, thanks.”

Being alone with a guy wasn’t ideal, especially since he had feelings for Xie Lingyin.

Though she had never been in a relationship, Meng Tang knew to keep her distance from all her roommate’s suitors, flirters, and boyfriends.

Wei Chuan sighed dramatically. “Won’t even give me a chance to show off? Fine, then tell me what Xie Lingyin likes, help me win her over.”

So that’s what this was about, Xie Lingyin.

Wei Chuan handed the water bottle over again, and Meng Tang took it with a word of thanks, unscrewed the cap, and drank about a third of it.

“Actually, your strength isn’t bad,” Wei Chuan said. “You’re just too fixated on the steps.”

Meng Tang screwed the cap back on and replied, “How can you carve without strength? It’s all built through practice.”

The ground was dirty, so Wei Chuan hung his bag on a tree branch and motioned for Meng Tang to stand over there.

Meng Tang exhaled, holding the ball as she looked at Wei Chuan.

“Relax. You’re not playing a match, it’s just an exam,” Wei Chuan said, loosely mimicking a dribbling motion. “Forget everything else for now. Just follow me and run, try to pick up the pace a bit. Don’t pause with every step.”

Meng Tang nodded.

“One, two, jump.”

Meng Tang followed along, but her rhythm was still a few beats too slow.

Wei Chuan turned back and said, “If you’re shooting with your right hand, lead with your right foot. Left hand, left foot. And pay attention to the position of your hand and the ball during the motion.”

He crouched beside Meng Tang and said, “Lead with your left foot, make it a bigger step.”

Meng Tang followed his instructions.

“Watch your hand and the ball. Now, right foot.”

“Jump! yes, just like that. Perfect. That’s the move.”

Meng Tang seemed to have found her rhythm, and Wei Chuan continued guiding her until she finally grasped the basics.

“That’s much better. Now try it with some speed. Five minutes. Even if the speed isn’t perfect, it’s fine. I’ll teach you more next time.”

Meng Tang stopped, panting heavily. “Next time?”

“It’s too late today. Let’s start tomorrow night,” Wei Chuan said. “I’ll call you when I’m free. It’ll be enough time before next Thursday. I’ll make sure you get it.”

“But you still have training,” Meng Tang said, not one to take kindness for granted. “I don’t want to waste your time.”

“I do have training, but Z University did well last year. This year’s regional tournament only requires us to play in the quarterfinals, so I’ll have time. But in exchange for helping me chase Xie Lingyin, you’ll have to give me a discount on the wood carving.”

Meng Tang laughed. “Deal.”

Her eyes curved into crescents, her bright almond-shaped eyes alight with genuine amusement. A pair of faint dimples appeared, softening the cool elegance of her features.

Her oval face was delicate and smooth, with a hint of softness that made her smile seem sweetly charming.

A person’s quiet, reserved nature could make others overlook their beauty and Meng Tang was exactly that kind of person.

Because Wei Chuan had noticed: Meng Tang is really pretty when she smiled.

“Let’s go.”

“Mm.”

Meng Tang wiped her sweat, picked up her phone, and left the overgrown basketball court with Wei Chuan.

Wei Chuan pointed at the buildings visible beyond the wall. “This is the northernmost part of campus. There are barely any shops around, and it’s pitch-dark inside and out. Don’t come here alone in the future, it’s really not safe.”

Meng Tang nodded. “Okay.”

After returning to the dormitory building, Wei Chuan took a detour to the junior-year dorms.

Meng Tang got back to her dorm a bit late, but as an art student with irregular creative hours, she only needed to register her late return to avoid any penalties.

With no classes on Friday, Meng Tang retreated straight to the woodcarving studio.

The design she had drawn for Wei Chuan was incredibly detailed,

A carefree young man sat atop a basketball, one leg dangling naturally, the other bent, his fingertips lightly balancing a leaf, his posture relaxed and effortless.

Meng Tang picked up a flat chisel, pressing her index and middle fingers firmly against the blade as she lowered her wrist, expertly and precisely carving along the grain.

The initial cuts had to be decisive. As she switched tools, wood shavings fluttered down like snow.

The unique fragrance of the wood enveloped her, sharpening every nerve in her body.

Her gaze was intense and focused, her hands steady and skilled.

Compared to her previous carvings of flowers, birds, fish, insects, animals, landscapes, and figures, Meng Tang handled the knife with even greater ease this time.

As the blade traced the outline of the young man’s figure, Wei Chuan’s strikingly sculpted face surfaced in Meng Tang’s mind.

Distracted, the knife slipped at an angle and plunged deep into the fleshy part of her hand between the thumb and forefinger.

Meng Tang let out a sharp cry, and a classmate quickly fetched the first aid kit to tend to her wound.

The cut was deep, and the sting of the antiseptic made her vision blur with pain.

“Get to the hospital, now!”

Dazed from the pain, Meng Tang let her classmates half-carry her out.

The nearest hospital was the affiliated hospital of Z University, so they rushed from the back gate to the north entrance to hail a cab.

By sheer coincidence, Wei Chuan’s car was parked outside the north gate. He had just unlocked it when a clamor erupted behind him,

“Hurry, call a cab!”

“Already on it!”

“Move aside, people up front!”

“Get out of the way, quick, this is life or death!”

The words “life or death” jolted Wei Chuan into turning around, only to be startled by the sight of Meng Tang’s bloodied hand.

He immediately called out, “Get in my car!”

One of her classmates hesitated, but Wei Chuan had already flung the door open and barked, “Now!”

Pale-faced and drenched in sweat, Meng Tang was bundled into the passenger seat of Wei Chuan’s car.

“Alright, I’ll take her. You all go back.”

With that, Wei Chuan strode to the driver’s side, started the engine, and sped off.