Chapter Eight: The Heart of Basketball
QS County Experimental Middle School was the best school in the county, and it was where Lin Nan currently studied.
Every year, this school sent more than two hundred outstanding students to Qingshui No. 1 High School, which was precisely why Lin Lang had proposed the goal of making it into the top two hundred.
If Lin Lang could help Lin Nan achieve a ranking within the top two hundred, he would almost certainly secure a spot at Qingshui No. 1 High School. Even if he was short by two points, they could spend a little money to get him admitted as a conditional student. Then Ye Xinlan would have no grounds to interfere with Lin Lang’s “education,” and Lin Lang could finally unleash his full efforts to nurture his son.
The next morning, at 6:30, Lin Lang brought Lin Nan to an empty basketball court.
In January, the sky was only just beginning to lighten, and a faint chill lingered in the air. Yet the two vigorous men felt no cold at all.
Lin Nan, dribbling the basketball with a wry smile, said to Lin Lang, “Dad, do you really think I can make it into the top two hundred in the next monthly exam? Even if you’re confident, and I start studying seriously now, isn’t one month a bit too short?”
Lin Nan was worried and uncertain. He didn’t know why his father would make such a promise to his mother.
Ever since he started school in the county, Lin Nan had often been distracted during class, especially in English, the subject he disliked most, and least in math, which he enjoyed more. He simply hated English, unable to see any purpose in learning it.
He often wondered, “I can speak Chinese; why should I bother with English?” English truly repelled him.
Yet, these past two days living with his father had made Lin Nan feel comfortable and happy. Even discussions about cars and light bulbs had sparked his interest in physics, filling him with a sense of wonder that knowledge was hidden all around in daily life. Sometimes, he felt a strong urge to learn more.
Seeing Lin Nan’s anxious expression, Lin Lang smiled and said, “I believe in you. Didn’t you once rank first in your class back in the town? What’s wrong? Don’t you trust your own intelligence anymore?”
Lin Nan replied quickly, “That was in the town, but now I’m in the county! And back then it was elementary school—now I’m in ninth grade! It’s not the same!”
Watching Lin Nan’s nervousness, Lin Lang restrained his laughter and continued, “What’s the difference? People always strive to climb higher, seeking stronger opponents and overcoming them one by one. Isn’t that what makes life interesting? Just like yesterday’s basketball game—your skills were far behind Li Feng’s, yet you boldly declared you’d beat him next time. Isn’t learning the same principle?”
Lin Nan wanted to argue further, but Lin Lang cut him off.
“Enough. We’re on the basketball court now, so let’s focus on training. Leave everything else behind,” Lin Lang said firmly, silencing Lin Nan.
After a pause, Lin Lang looked at his son’s conflicted expression and put on a serious face. He spoke loudly, “Son, think carefully now: are you truly passionate about basketball? If you are, then no matter how tough or exhausting the training I set for you, as a man, you must persevere! Think it over, listen to your heart, and then answer me.”
Hearing his father’s earnest tone, Lin Nan immediately cast aside all thoughts about studying, leaving only basketball in his mind.
Holding the heavy basketball, Lin Nan slowly contemplated: did he really love it?
He recalled the video of No. 3—the tiny figure darting effortlessly among towering men, soaring high in the air to complete a dunk.
Each time he scored, the spectators erupted in wild cheers, their fervor thrilling him deeply.
He remembered yesterday’s match: sweat, applause, blocked shots, cramps, bold declarations, refusing to give up...
Lin Nan felt a surge of excitement and enthusiasm whenever he thought of these moments.
In that instant, he understood—this was love.
He nodded at his father and said loudly, “I’ve thought it over. I love basketball!”
Hearing his son use the word “love,” Lin Lang understood and broke into a broad smile. “Since that’s the case, from now on we’ll train here every day at this time, whether it’s a school day or holiday, rain or shine, always on time.”
Lin Nan’s face immediately contorted into a look of agony. “Ah?”
But soon, determination filled his face—training was training; worst case, he’d never sleep in again! For the first pursuit in his life, he was willing to fight for it.
Training began.
Lin Nan held two basketballs, one in each hand, continuously dribbling them on the concrete, while Lin Lang’s steady voice sounded beside him.
“First step: improve your ball feel. Simply put, it’s your sense of the basketball. Every outstanding player has an exceptional ball feel. No one can teach you this; you must discover it through constant contact with the ball.”
“Your fundamentals are weak, but that has one advantage—your control with both hands is about the same. So from now on, all your training will be synchronized with both hands. A good point guard never distinguishes between left and right; both sides should be equally strong.”
“Today’s task is simple: stand in place and dribble, one thousand times. Remember, both hands must hit the ground simultaneously for it to count as one. Keep your own tally.”
With Lin Lang’s instructions, only the sound of balls bouncing echoed across the empty court.
One, two, ten, twenty... one hundred.
At first, Lin Nan’s pace was steady, and both hands felt almost identical, perhaps as Lin Lang had said.
But after three hundred, Lin Nan’s hands began to ache, and mistakes increased; often he couldn’t ensure both balls struck the ground at the same time.
Still, Lin Nan didn’t pause or take shortcuts. Each count met Lin Lang’s exacting standard.
Three hundred... four hundred... five hundred... his arms grew heavier, numb, moving mechanically.
Yet Lin Nan didn’t stop, pushing through six hundred... seven hundred... eight hundred. The balls slipped away countless times, but each time, Lin Nan chased them down swiftly and continued.
Nine hundred... one thousand. At last, Lin Nan finished the task Lin Lang had set for the day.
He shook his nearly numb hands vigorously and looked up to find Lin Lang smiling at him, apparently never moving from his spot.
“All done?” Lin Lang asked with a smile.
“All done!” Lin Nan replied joyfully.
...
After breakfast, the father and son returned home and saw the clock on the wall—it was only 8:10. Ye Xinlan had already left for the hotel.
It seemed her strong-willed nature was unchanged! Lin Lang sighed inwardly. In his previous life, after he devoted himself wholly to education, Ye Xinlan had managed everything behind the scenes, running their vast educational enterprise with flawless precision.
The truth was, Ye Xinlan was never suited to being a stay-at-home wife; education wasn’t her forte.
Realizing this, Lin Lang was even more determined to win this wager decisively.
Father and son sat face-to-face in the study, separated by a white desk.
On the desk, a large white sheet displayed a neat row of Lin Nan’s monthly exam scores.
Chinese: 96, Math: 113, English: 71, Physics: 60, Chemistry: 38.
Chinese: 98, Math: 115, English: 73, Physics: 63, Chemistry: 37.
Chinese: 99, Math: 114, English: 69, Physics: 62, Chemistry: 39.
...
Unlike the national college entrance exam, which had standardized papers, middle school entrance exams varied widely across regions, with different totals and scores for each subject.
The standard for Lingnan City was a total of 550 points: Chinese, Math, and English each worth 120; Physics 70; Chemistry 50; Political History 40; Physical Education 30.
Political History and PE were almost always perfect scores for everyone and weren’t included in monthly assessments.
From these numbers, Lin Lang could easily pinpoint Lin Nan’s issues.
Chinese was acceptable, math excellent, English abysmal, physics decent, chemistry similar to Chinese.
The total score hovered around 450 (counting Political History and PE as full marks), whereas the top two hundred at QS County Experimental Middle School averaged about 480—a gap of roughly thirty points.
Seeing this, Lin Lang smiled at Lin Nan without a trace of anxiety. “It’s only a thirty-point gap! Just raise your Chinese, Math, Physics, and Chemistry by seven or eight points each, and you’ll be right there!”
Lin Nan murmured softly, “Seven or eight points...”
In truth, with Lin Lang’s teaching skills, achieving first place in the grade—or even admission to Lingnan No. 1 High School, the best in the city—wouldn’t be a problem. But he’d read in that diary that something had happened at Qingshui No. 1 High School which Lin Nan regretted deeply. So, this time, he wanted Lin Nan to experience an unblemished youth.
Besides, Lin Lang didn’t want Lin Nan to study only for exams. He wanted learning to become a natural habit.
Chinese could teach him the allure of language, the art of speaking, and the intellectual artistry of scholars.
Math could strengthen his reasoning, enhance his calculation skills, foster mathematical thinking, and keep his mind agile.
Physics could explore the mysteries of nature, probe the essence of things—from the boundless universe and countless stars to molecules and atoms in the wondrous microcosm.
Chemistry could reveal the composition, properties, structure, and transformation of matter, discover new substances, even create them.
Political History could foster understanding of national culture, knowledge of the country’s prospects and development.
...
All these foundational subjects were meant to equip children with essential knowledge from an early age, helping them see the world clearly and choose their dreams wisely.
And English? What’s the use of English? Simply that it’s the world’s most widespread and universal language. Nearly all programming languages are in English; every celebrity has an English name; countless competitions, events, and organizations use English abbreviations.
Living again, Lin Lang had ambitions.
Most of his ambitions centered on his child—he wanted Lin Nan to become the brightest star in the world, a future star speaking Chinese with yellow skin, black hair, and black eyes.
So what if his English was poor? If Lin Nan disliked it, he simply wouldn’t study it.
And Lin Lang disliked it as well...