The Seirin group ultimately didn't dare to push any closer.
Kotozuki Misaki looked at the increasing number of security guards and staff, then glanced at Taoka Moichi's murderous expression, gritted her teeth, waved her hand, and led her people away, grumbling.
The crowd gradually dispersed, but the spectators were still discussing the dangerous scene they had just witnessed, and many looked at the Ryonan Team with a newfound respect.
“Alright, everyone, disperse now.” Taoka Moichi waved his hand with a stern face, but as he turned, he quietly patted Gu Jin and Sakuragi’s shoulders, “Go back and get some good rest. Don’t let this kind of thing affect your training.”
Gu Jin and Sakuragi acknowledged him and met up with Mito Yohei and the others. Oonan Yuuji rubbed his stomach and grumbled, “I used too much strength just now, and now I’m so hungry I could eat a cow! Let’s go, let’s go, let’s find somewhere to eat!”
Takamiya Nozomi suddenly slapped his thigh, his eyes shining like light bulbs: “Hey! I know a good place! Konan Auntie’s noodle shop! Just thinking about the taste of her ramen makes my mouth water, let’s go, let’s go!”
Sakuragi Hanamichi, upon hearing “Konan Auntie’s,” also agreed: “I haven’t been to Konan Auntie’s noodle shop since it upgraded from a stall.”
The group instantly agreed and walked arm-in-arm towards the noodle shop.
The setting sun cast their long shadows, and the tension from earlier seemed to have been smoothed away by the evening breeze.
From a distance, they could see the “Konan Ramen” sign at the street corner lit with warm yellow lights, and a small queue had already formed at the entrance.
As they got closer, they realized that the one behind the stove, wielding the ladle, was actually Sakuragi Zhe Xiong. He was wearing Shimamura’s apron, fine sweat beaded on his forehead, but his movements with the ladle were becoming increasingly skilled.
“Dad! What are you doing here?!” Sakuragi Hanamichi shouted boisterously.
Sakuragi Zhe Xiong turned and saw him, a smile on his face: “My brat is here? Xiao Jin, Yohei, you’re all here? Come on in and sit down. Your Konan Auntie can’t manage by herself, so I came to help after work.” As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously drifted to Shimamura Konan, who was serving noodles nearby, his tone a little fawning, “Konan’s soup base is absolutely divine, you guys have to eat a couple more bowls. It’s my treat today.”
Shimamura Konan was deftly serving noodles to customers and, hearing this, playfully glared at him: “You and your sweet talk.”
She turned and saw Gu Jin, greeting him with a smile, “Xiao Jin is here too? Come, sit down, you guys can take the table furthest inside.” A small daisy was tucked into her hair, making her look especially gentle.
Mito Yohei and the others exchanged glances, all reading amusement in each other’s eyes—Uncle Sakuragi’s state clearly showed he considered this place his own home.
Everyone knew that the last time Sakuragi Zhe Xiong had a sudden heart attack, Shimamura Konan had paid a portion of the medical expenses, and then for several days, she had run around and taken care of him in the hospital. Now, with this level of unspoken understanding, it seemed that a wedding might not be far off.
Soon after they sat down, Shimamura Konan came out from the kitchen with side dishes: “Xiao Jin! Eat a lot today, I heard from Yezi that you and Sakuragi were both excellent on the court today! Yezi went home to get something and will be here soon too.”
“Konan Auntie, please don’t bother with us. We’ll just get our own noodles later.” Gu Jin’s tone involuntarily softened.
“Okay, then I’ll go back to work. You all eat a lot; it’s my treat today.” Shimamura Konan went back into the kitchen.
Sakuragi Zhe Xiong quickly said, “I already said, it’s my treat today.”
“Isn’t it the same whether you treat or I treat?” Shimamura Konan’s single sentence made Sakuragi Zhe Xiong’s old face flush red.
Sakuragi was completely dumbfounded… This innocent look, was this really his dad?… A few minutes later, as the hot ramen was just served, Gu Jin poked the soft-boiled egg in his bowl with his chopsticks, then suddenly looked up at Mito Yohei: “Has anything interesting happened at Shohoku recently?”
Mito Yohei was slurping his noodles, paused at the question, put down his chopsticks, and wiped his mouth: “Interesting? There really is something.
There’s a third-year named Mitsui Hisashi, who a while ago brought a group of outside delinquents to the basketball gym to cause trouble for someone named Miyagi Ryota.”
“Mitsui Hisashi?” Gu Jin’s fingertip paused.
It seems that plotline still played out.
“Yes, I heard he used to be very good at basketball and even won an MVP.” Mito Yohei nodded, “He and Miyagi had a long-standing grudge. That day, they started fighting directly in the basketball gym, and it caused a huge scene. In the end, the school expelled Mitsui Hisashi, and Miyagi also received a severe punishment, placed on probation, and even quit the basketball team.”
“Mitsui Hisashi? Miyagi Ryota? Who are they? I didn’t see them last time we played!” Sakuragi Hanamichi chewed on his char siu, looking bewildered; he had never heard those names.
Noma Chuichiro clicked his tongue: “I know about that day. A burly delinquent asked me where the basketball gym was, and I pointed him in the right direction. That day, I had a strange feeling that if I didn’t speak, that guy might have wanted to beat me up.”
Oonan Yuuji scoffed, “Who told you that you look like you deserve a beating, always having to keep that little mustache.”
“I like it, what’s it to you?” Noma bared his teeth at Oonan.
Gu Jin didn’t speak, just lowered his head and took a sip of noodle soup.
The soup was very fresh, but it couldn’t suppress the complex emotions in his heart.
Mitsui was expelled, Miyagi quit the team… The trajectory of this event had changed, a pity for two top players with unlimited potential.
It seems Anzai Mitsuyoshi also chose to remain indifferent this time, otherwise, they would never have met such a fate.
He looked up at the window, the direction of Shohoku hidden in the twilight, that place which should have gathered a group of passionate teenagers, now in such a state.
“The Shohoku basketball team has fallen…” Gu Jin couldn’t help but click his tongue lightly, a hint of almost imperceptible mockery in his tone.
Sakuragi Hanamichi didn’t understand the deeper meaning in his words, only nodding along: “I felt Shohoku was just average during the practice match.”
“Oh, by the way, I heard that Mitsui Hisashi went to Ryokufu High School.” Takamiya Nozomi slurped the last of his noodle soup, tossing out the news he had heard.
“Ryokufu?” Gu Jin’s hand gripping the chopsticks suddenly paused, a flicker of genuine surprise in his eyes.
“Yeah, I heard it from Nagasawa Kenji a few days ago. He was bragging to me that their Ryokufu High School got a new expert…” Takamiya continued to recount.
Nagasawa Kenji was also their classmate from Wako Junior High School.
Ryokufu High School… How did Mitsui end up at Ryokufu… However, it makes sense when you think about it.
It’s a private high school backed by a large financial group, constantly recruiting, so it’s reasonable for them to recruit the expelled Mitsui. After all, Mitsui Hisashi has no other options now.
“Ryokufu?” Sakuragi Hanamichi leaned over, “Isn’t that the school that tried to poach you before?”
“Yes, they are currently recruiting people everywhere.” Gu Jin said concisely.
Mito Yohei and the others were stunned for a moment, then understood.
Ryokufu’s wealth was no secret in Kanagawa, but they didn’t expect them to even have tried to poach Gu Jin.
“No wonder they could take in Mitsui.” Oonan Yuuji stroked his chin, “A third-year student who was expelled, any normal school would have rejected him long ago. Only a school like Ryokufu wouldn’t care about this ‘stain’.”
Gu Jin didn’t respond, but he was calculating in his mind.
In the original story, Ryokufu didn’t participate in the Prefectural Tournament at all, at most serving as a background. But now, they are not only getting involved but also taking in Mitsui Hisashi, this “great god”—it seems the waters of Kanagawa this year are even murkier than he expected.
He knew better than anyone how terrifying Mitsui Hisashi’s three-pointers were.
Even if his condition was declining and his mind was unsettled now, as long as Ryokufu was willing to put in the effort to refine him and give him enough ball possession, it might not be impossible for him to return to his peak.
“Speaking of which, it seems Ryokufu is determined to play in the Prefectural Tournament this year.” Mito Yohei recalled rumors he had heard recently, “I heard they recruited several good players from other schools, and even the coach was brought back from America. They have a very grand setup.”
Ever since Sakuragi went to Ryonan to play basketball, Mito Yohei and the others also developed a strong interest in basketball.
“A grand setup is useless.” Sakuragi Hanamichi slapped the table, a proud look on his face, “When they meet our Ryonan, we’ll still beat them down!”
Gu Jin looked at his fearless demeanor, and the corners of his mouth curved into an almost imperceptible smile.
He picked up a tissue from the table to wipe his mouth, a sharper glint in his eyes: “Indeed, it’s useless.”
No matter how many trump cards Ryokufu has, no matter if Mitsui Hisashi can regain his form—
The ultimate king can only be Ryonan!!!
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