The comments section is buzzing with excitement.

It’s already Friday, and the netizens eagerly waiting for the eighth episode have become experts at reacting swiftly, complemented by a vast number of Cheng Zhi fans, causing an influx of users leading to connection issues.

[Brother! Basketball uniform! Photo! I want it! Love you!]

[Just looking at the pictures and text, almost scrolled past, but turns out it’s our Brother Cheng?!]

[Summer is here / A sigh with deep meaning.jpg]

[What, falling in love makes you young again? Back to being twenty?]

[In the blazing summer, the boy wearing a No. 7 basketball jersey raises his hand to shoot, and the ball traces a beautiful parabola, landing smoothly in the basket... anyone care to continue?]

[I barely didn’t check Weibo for half a day, when did everyone start playing such advanced comment chains?]

[The height of the boy’s jump was high, and as he landed, the basketball hit the ground just right. He tilted his head back to catch his breath, shaking his head to shake off the sweat from his hair tips, lifting his jersey to wipe his face, suddenly revealing his abs, which caused the surrounding girls to scream.]

[Where can I buy books by these masters? Let me pre-order a box first.]

[The surrounding screams didn’t faze the boy at all; he calmly wiped his sweat and called his friends to continue the game, his tall figure sparking more and more cheers on the basketball court.]

[Half the game is over, the boy is substituted to take a rest. Panting, he walks to the edge of the court. His eyes still fixed on opponents in the game, but he casually grabs a bottle of honey lemon water, with droplets of water on the outside, opens it, tilts back his head, and takes a few sips, his Adam’s apple moving up and down quickly... I’m going to pass out from my own imagination.]

[Goodness, you’re all writing comments here instead of publishing a book.]

[The script for the honey lemon water advertisement should be left to you, make sure to invite Brother Cheng.]

[Brother Cheng, you’re going for a cute style unexpectedly, I’m struggling to cope!]

[Mom-fans can turn into mothers anywhere, could Ms. Mu Qiu put a "Chengcheng" exclusive label on this cup, please?]

[Wuwuwuwu Brother!]

[Brother, you’re just like this honey lemon water, sweet and sour and so delicious!]

[Vowing to be unique in the comments, I just want to know what tomorrow’s program will be like, Brother, can you give a hint? /dog head]

[Saturday is truly the highlight of my workweek, from now on, weekends will truly be joyful.]

[Came in for some gossip, didn’t find what I was looking for despite searching forever.]

[Mu Qiu openly visits Disney with an ambiguous partner, Brother Cheng, don’t you feel a green light over your head?]

[Zhao Yu: What do you take me for? Am I so thin I’m invisible already?]

[He just wants to have a quiet relationship, even if there are issues, he’ll handle them himself, please don’t pay excessive attention to his private life.]

[The latest news is that they’ve already met the parents, spotted together at the airport with Mu Qiu’s parents a couple of days ago.]

[I feel like this news won’t fade away so quickly, something feels unsettling in my heart.]

[Brother! See you tomorrow!]

[Mr. Qiu, how about writing a campus novel for your next book, using this Brother Cheng from the comments as a prototype?]

[As smart as I am, I’ve already prepared to watch Brother Cheng’s youthful films from a few years ago.]

[Brother Cheng’s birthday is coming up, make sure to create buzz and share his works a lot!]

[0519 Don’t miss it, everybody.]

[Brilliant, my Cheng Hui can finally have a proper 520 Valentine’s Day the day after his birthday /dog head]

...

The number of comments is increasing astonishingly fast, Mu Qiu finished her steamed dumplings, sipping on her soy milk, absorbed in reading certain comments.

The cold, indifferent boy shining on the basketball court, the water-dripping bottle of honey lemon water, seem to pair well with summer.

She inadvertently glanced at the person next to her.

Cheng Zhirang couldn’t access the comments, so he withdrew and continued reading his script. Noticing her gaze, he looked up and asked, "What is it? Is there any strange comment again?"

"Not really," she asked, "Did you like playing basketball when you were a student?"

Cheng Zhirang didn’t quite understand why she was asking this question, but he nodded and answered earnestly, "I liked it quite a lot. I guess few boys wouldn’t like it, right?"

"Do you still go to the basketball court now?"

"Not so much," he looked into her eyes and calmly said, "A few years ago, when I went to play at a basketball court, fans recognized me. One girl got so excited she fell off the stands, and another person got trampled and fractured their arm."

She pursed her lips, wanting to pat his head. But due to their height difference, she gave up the idea.

"We can play basketball at home if not at the outside court."

She looked outside, where his car was parked in their small yard, next to the little flower pots she had placed when she was free.

Removing the flower pots and setting up a basketball hoop in the small yard, replacing the flooring with the same as a basketball court, should be doable.

"How about we install a basketball hoop, and you teach me how to play?"

Cheng Zhirang restraintedly glanced at the basketball outfit she was wearing, opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, nodded and agreed.

"Okay."

Assistant Liang is a very versatile assistant and quickly brought over the necessary items. A large truck stopped at the yard gate, and workers busied themselves leveling the ground in the yard.

Assistant Liang was the one handling it, while Mu Qiu and Cheng Zhirang waited in the living room.

Cheng Zhirang asked her for the second time, "Won’t you regret it? You could have turned the yard into a pool, a garden, or kept it as it was. You could have brought out a lounge chair to enjoy the evening breeze."

Mu Qiu, hugging her tablet searching for literature, casually replied, "Right now, I like the basketball court, so that’s what we can make it into. When I start liking the pool idea, the basketball court will eventually go. Stop overthinking it, get back to reading your script."

Her carefree response brought a smile to Cheng Zhirang’s lips, curving his eyes, and he went back to the script.

They were both engrossed in the text, not disturbing each other, quietly enjoying the leisure of just being together.

By evening, the construction was almost done.

Mu Qiu carried a "boyfriend edition" yam porridge, maneuvered a small table in front of the glass door, watching the outside, while holding a sausage.

She had bought it when she went to get water for the workers, just one, thinking Cheng Zhirang probably wouldn’t eat such things, so she didn’t get one for him.

Taking a couple of bites, she’d glance at the construction progress as if secretly learning how to screw in bolts.

Cheng Zhirang, sitting by the dining table, couldn’t help but call her.

"Qiuqiu, come back and sit down to eat."

"Oh."

She got up from the small table, carrying her porridge back to sit beside him.

"Will it be usable if they’re done with this by tonight?"

"No, there will be a strong odor."

"Then it’ll take a few days, and tomorrow I have to record... hiss."

Her spoon shook a bit, and some of the still hot porridge dripped onto her leg.

It burnt slightly, feeling uncomfortable.

She reached for a tissue but Cheng Zhirang had already wiped her leg, the thick porridge sticking to his fingers. She coughed, handing him a tissue to wipe his hand.

As she wiped, Mu Qiu felt something wasn’t right.

This situation, why does it feel so strange?