Love Me in Another Universe

Chapter 1. Little Basketball Prince

September 13, 1993, Monday. Xiaoda (pron.: hsiao da) Middle School, in Guangzhou, China. Classes had been dismissed, with students jogging, playing basketball, and frolicking about the playground. In one corner of the playground, some little girls and a little boy were playing Chinese jump rope. "Fifteen, sixteen, seventy, eighteen and then twenty-one..." the children chanted nursery rhymes as they skipped, their joy evident.

Suddenly, three tall, imposing boys approached. The leader snatched the elastic rope without a word, tossed it aside, and gruffly declared, "Move it, you lot! We're playing with tops here!"

The little girls, intimidated by the fierce demeanor of the older boys, picked up the elastic rope, ready to find another spot to play. The little boy glanced up at the older boys, then quickly lowered his gaze, muttering, "But we were here first..."

"Kid, what did you say?" Another older boy nudged the little boy's shoulder, sending him staggering back a couple of steps.

"Let it go, Guan Xuchen (pron.: kwan shyoo chung), let's play somewhere else." One of the little girls tried to pull the little boy away.

But Guan Xuchen gently shook off her hand, strode up to the boy who had pushed him, and gave him a firm shove. The older boy remained unmoved. Gathering his courage, Guan Xuchen looked up at the boy towering over him, his voice trembling as he stammered, "Y-you... how can you bully people? I'll t-t-tell the teacher..."

The three older boys burst into laughter. The leading boy gave a wink to his companions. They encircled Guan Xuchen, toppling him to the ground. One boy seized his hands while another made a move to pull down his trousers. The ringleader jeered, "I've heard this sissy often plays with the girls. Let's see if he's got what it takes!"

The little girls had vanished somewhere, and the other students stood at a distance, watching in silence.

Guan Xuchen began to wail. He tried in vain to free his hands, and though he attempted to kick the boy trying to undress him, his strength was no match. Soon, his school trousers were around his knees, leaving only his underwear.

Suddenly, a basketball flew in, striking the boy who was undressing Guan Xuchen, causing him to cry out in pain. He turned his head, demanding angrily, "Who's that?"

"It's me, 'Little Basketball Prince'! What are you gonna do?" A sturdy little boy with a square face and big eyes was standing not far away, speaking in a voice that was both youthful and defiant.

The older boys laughed, "'Little Basketball Prince'? Never heard of that. You know what, we're from the school basketball team!" One of the older boys, picking up the basketball, hurled it back with force.

The basketball boy caught it effortlessly, spinning the ball on his index finger, his gaze filled with disdain.

"Do you even know who we are? Maybe you need some ass-kicking today, 'Little Basketball Prince'." With a wave of his hand from the leader, the other two boys released the boy on the ground, and all three advanced menacingly towards the basketball boy.

"I don't care who you are, bullying the weak is shameful." Though shorter by half a head, the basketball boy showed no fear. His basketball friends stood by his side, their eyes burning with defiance.

"Sir, it's them!" Amidst the tension, the jump-rope girls came back with Mr. Liu (pron.: lyo), a teacher from the Discipline Office.

"Why did you bully the girls? Aren't you ashamed?" Mr. Liu addressed the older boys sternly.

The leading boy offered a sheepish grin, "Sir, it's just a joke. It won't happen again next time."

"It's not a joke. They snatched our elastic rope and tossed it aside." "That's right. And they tried to take off Guan Xuchen's trousers." The girls spoke up, their voices overlapping in indignation.