Cui Tianci crept over and asked, "Xi Meng, are you poaching from Cao Ta High School?"
He Ximeng had no reason to hide anything from Cui Tianci.
"Yeah, I feel our team's overall strength isn't strong enough to contend for the national championship!"
"But you're barking up the wrong tree by setting your sights on Chen Qiudao and Yu Chu!"
"Oh? What do you mean?"
"Have you forgotten the entry requirements for the national championship? Players in their second and third year of high school must have been at their respective schools for more than 6 months to be eligible to compete... And the preliminary rounds for the national championship start next month..."
"Damn..."
He Ximeng had truly overlooked the issue of eligibility. His mind was solely focused on "trades"... Realizing there were no trades in high school leagues, his first thought was to persuade them to transfer. However, to prevent individual schools from forming regional alliances, the organizing committee had long established explicit restrictions...
In other words, He Ximeng had no chance of recruiting Yu Chu and Chen Qiudao.
No wonder Chen Qiudao and Yu Chu had shown no interest in his offer.
With his hopes of reinforcement dashed, He Ximeng felt a pang of disappointment. Could he and Yan Hui lead this team out of the Zhejiang region and into the national finals on their own?
Upon returning to his team's bench, head coach Zhang Yide had somehow appeared in his rightful place.
"You played very well, Xi Meng! From now on, play like this..." Zhang Yide applauded, praising He Ximeng's performance.
In reality, Zhang Yide had only been present for less than five minutes; he had only seen the final moments of the game.
He Ximeng, being worldly-wise, immediately responded with humility to Zhang Yide's goodwill: "It's all due to your excellent game plan beforehand! I was merely executing your strategy..."
Zhang Yide was very pleased with He Ximeng's answer. Not only did he not expose He Ximeng's "accidental" late arrival, but he also attributed the victory to his pre-game arrangements, deeming him teachable!
"Mmm... look at your captain's awareness and ability... It's not favoritism, I'm confident with Xi Meng as your captain..."
The other players had already been won over by He Ximeng's "mentor and friend" demeanor during the game. Coupled with He Ximeng's usual authority, they didn't suspect any hidden motives. They assumed that head coach Zhang Yide had made relevant arrangements for He Ximeng before the game, and He Ximeng's somewhat unusual "coaching desire" during the game stemmed from the coach's instructions.
In fact, Zhang Yide had taken leave in the afternoon to take his child to the doctor and had forgotten about the friendly match. While cooking for his child, he suddenly remembered and rushed back to school, barely making it to the end.
Zhang Yide was pondering how to gloss over this period for the high school students when He Ximeng offered him an out. He not only protected Zhang Yide's image as a teacher but also enhanced Zhang Yide's prestige among the players. Naturally, Zhang Yide had to commend He Ximeng.
"Alright, everyone worked hard today. Go home and rest early! Xi Meng, stay behind for a bit. We'll review today's game, and tomorrow during training, I'll specifically analyze and address the issues you encountered today..."
After speaking, Zhang Yide dismissed the team.
"Thank you, Coach..."
The players bowed gratefully and were about to leave when the sound of dribbling echoed from the basketball court behind them.
A high school student wearing a Chicago Bulls number 23 jersey had appeared behind the team at some point. He took a basketball from the hoop and started dribbling from half-court, executing crossovers, spins, and behind-the-back dribbles before lobbing the ball off the backboard and soaring into the air for a one-handed dunk. This play bore a striking resemblance to He Ximeng's own one-handed dunk in the game.
"Holy crap! Who is this guy?"
"He looks really strong?"
"Is he here to challenge us?"
...
The talented high school basketball players in the Zhuji district were mostly familiar with each other.
But this guy was completely new. Could he be a newly discovered ace player from one of the other eleven powerhouse schools in the Zhejiang region?
Zhang Yide gave He Ximeng a knowing glance. This uninvited guest was clearly here for He Ximeng. Moreover, the opponent was clearly a high school student, and as a teacher, Zhang Yide found it inconvenient to intervene directly.
It was better for students to resolve their own issues.
"Interesting fellow!"
He Ximeng hadn't expected to encounter such an interesting character on his first day after transmigrating. This guy possessed excellent physical fitness, skilled ball-handling, and decisive dunks. If only he could join Zhuzhong...
With a thirst for talent, He Ximeng strode forward.
The other teammates, unaware of He Ximeng's "mood" and thinking a fight was about to break out, followed him closely, their expressions menacing.
Number 23 ignored the group of brothers behind He Ximeng and bounced the ball to He Ximeng with a swaggering expression, saying, "Care for a one-on-one? Best of three."