Chapter 6

With 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Prince made a passing error, allowing the Mavericks to launch a fast break. Haywood drove straight to the basket, and Zhou Yi jumped desperately to block his shot with a foul. But in mid-air, Zhou Yi was severely assaulted by his opponent—Haywood’s elbow struck him right in the face. The Pistons’ point guard collapsed instantly, blood gushing from his mouth like a fountain, creating a bloody scene. Yet Zhou Yi wiped the blood from his mouth, stood back up, and signaled to the referee and Kuster that he was fine and didn’t need to leave the court for treatment. Kuster nodded, admiring Zhou Yi even more. Zhou Yi’s tenacious fighting spirit also earned widespread praise from the Pistons’ fans. Haywood made both free throws, Prince served from the baseline, and Zhou Yi organized the offense. Unfazed by his earlier injury, he performed even better. Zhou Yi moved the ball calmly, glanced at Kidd, then used a crossover to get past Kidd’s defense and drive straight to the basket, handing it to Duncan. Duncan set a screen for Zhou Yi, who caught the ball and immediately jumped for a one-handed dunk—successful. The home crowd cheered wildly again, all for Zhou Yi. The fans expressed their admiration for him with great enthusiasm; this young man from China kept bringing them one surprise after another. Cardinal held his position tightly under the basket. Although Duncan had a strong physique, he lacked talent in offense. After failing to find an opportunity, he decisively passed the ball to Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi broke through, drawing defensive attention and creating a chance for his teammate McGrady. Zhou Yi smirked, passed the ball directly to McGrady, who tried to shoot a three-pointer but missed. Haywood grabbed the defensive rebound with Duncan’s help. The experienced Kidd wasn’t willing to lose to a younger player. He broke through Zhou Yi, slipped through the gap, and passed the ball to Cardinal in the crowded paint, who easily scored with a layup. It was Kidd again—he stole the ball from Zhou Yi, took it to the paint, and scored with a double dunk. Kidd, who rarely dunked, pulled off a full sequence of steals and dunks, showing how angry he was at Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi didn’t care, as long as he could help his team win, he didn’t mind such things. The Pistons still led by 12 points, with only 3 minutes left in the game. The Mavericks still had a chance, though it was slim, as the Pistons held the advantage.

Therefore, when Zhou Yi received Prince’s baseline pass, Kidd immediately closed in to enforce a tight defensive pressure throughout the court. Kidd’s defense was also top-notch; whether it was experience, skills, or physical fitness, he had a significant advantage. But Zhou Yi was a speed-oriented point guard with highly proficient ball-handling skills, so despite some difficulties, he managed to steadily carry the ball across half-court.

Zhou Yi calmly assessed the situation on the court as his teammates were actively moving around. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he swiftly passed the ball to Prince, who was in an open position. However, Prince’s hand slipped, and the ball slipped past his palm out of bounds, giving the Mavericks the ball back.

Chapter 55: A Hard-Fought Victory

Carlisle took the opportunity to call a timeout, substituting Cardinal for Terry and Stevenson for Marion. The Pistons also made adjustments, replacing Big Ben with Wilcox, with no changes to the other players.

“Super Mario” Marion scored an immediate three-pointer after receiving a brilliant pass from Kidd. Although Marion’s shooting form was a bit odd, his accuracy was quite impressive.

On the Pistons’ side, despite Zhou Yi’s excellent passing, Wilcox lacked confidence and failed even to attempt a layup. After grabbing a rebound, Haywood passed the ball to Kidd.

Kidd drove quickly and passed to Terry, who was at a 45-degree angle outside the three-point line. Facing Maddie’s defense, Terry immediately took a jump shot and scored.

Zhou Yi grew impatient, a sign of his lack of experience. After carrying the ball across half-court, he easily used his speed to get past Kidd’s defense. But just as he was about to lay up, a large hand effortlessly blocked his shot. The owner of that hand was Kidd, who had managed to get past Zhou Yi. Truly a veteran with extensive experience, Kidd quickly adjusted after being bypassed by Zhou Yi, turned around sharply, and jumped up to block Zhou Yi’s layup.

After picking up the loose ball, Terry rushed toward Zhou Yi’s basket, coordinating brilliantly with Marion. They passed the ball back and forth, and finally, Marion caught Terry’s high pass and completed a dunk, reducing the Mavericks’ deficit to just 4 points.

Custer, seeing the situation worsening, quickly called a timeout with 1 minute left in the game.

“What’s the matter with you guys? Not to mention the offense, what about defense? Tell me, where did you put your defense? Speak up!” Kuster said angrily. “I know everyone’s been tired lately, but that’s no excuse. Look at the Mavericks’ offense, look at their defense. Hmph, show some fight and win this victory that should belong to you.”

After giving his speech, the Pistons’ players returned to the court, as did the Mavericks’ players.

The last minute!!!

Zhou Yi carefully dribbled past the half-court line and orchestrated the Pistons’ offense. He passed the ball to McGrady, who then passed it to Prince. Prince looked for an opportunity and handed the ball to Monroe. In this critical moment, it was this year’s seventh-round draft pick who stepped up. After receiving Prince’s pass, Monroe took on Haywood alone, shook him off, and drove to the basket, scoring as the referee blew the whistle for a free throw.

Monroe high-fived Zhou Yi and the others, took a deep breath, and released the ball. It bounced a few times around the rim before awkwardly going in. The Pistons’ players also breathed a sigh of relief.

But they still couldn’t afford to be careless, because in such a short time, if they weren’t fully focused, the victory they were on the verge of securing could be taken away by their opponents. Just one more defensive play—just one—and they could secure a win at home.

Terry received a pass from Kidd and tried to shoot a three-pointer, but it clanged off the rim. Zhou Yi grabbed the defensive rebound, and Kidd quickly stepped in to commit a foul, trying to use a foul strategy.

But the referee shook his head, indicating that the foul didn’t warrant a free throw. So, the Pistons got the ball back. After receiving a pass from Prince at the sideline, Zhou Yi rushed toward the front court. Kidd didn’t chase after Zhou Yi, so Terry quickly stepped in to commit a foul.

Zhou Yi took the free throws and made both. This also indicated that the Mavericks had little chance of winning, as the Pistons were already up by 9 points, with only 19.6 seconds left in the game.

But the Mavericks didn’t give up and wanted to make one last desperate attempt.

Carroll called a timeout while Zhou Yi was taking his free throws. Now that the timeout was over, the Mavericks made another lineup change, with Barea replacing Haywood. It seemed the Mavericks wanted to rely on three-point shots. Their lineup now consisted of Kidd, Terry, Barea, Marion, and Butler—no interior players, all perimeter players.

The game resumed. After receiving Butler’s inbound pass from the sideline, Kidd immediately passed it to Marion, who without hesitation shot a three-pointer—IT GOT IN!!! The ball went in again!!!
As Zhou Yi received the inbound pass at the baseline, Kidd rushed forward in a flash to commit a foul, forcing Zhou Yi to take free throws. Zhou Yi paused, blew on his palms, then took the shots. Unexpectedly, he missed both attempts. Even more surprisingly, the Mavericks’ shorter players managed to secure defensive rebounds over Monroe and Wilcox, prompting the Mavericks to call another timeout.
Kuster said nothing, just stared down at the ground, deep in thought. Soon, the timeout ended and the Mavericks regained possession. Butler inballed from the sideline; Kidd barely managed to get a hold of the ball before passing it to Marion again. Now, the Mavericks could only rely on their shooting form. Marion jumped and shot from just outside the three-point line. The ball rotated through the air, slowly approaching the basket—THUD—it went in again!!! Another successful shot!!!
Kidd rushed forward to foul Zhou Yi, but unfortunately, he also accumulated his sixth foul and had to leave the court. Zhou Yi took the free throws, this time showing no mercy and making both. Carlisle called another timeout, but it was also the Mavericks’ last chance for one.
However, time was running out for the Mavericks—only 8.6 seconds remained, with the Pistons leading by 5 points. The chances of the Mavericks turning the game around were slim. Yet, cheers still erupted from the Mavericks’ bench, and Marion roared, pounding his chest to express his excitement.
When the timeout ended, Bubba Watson replaced Kidd, leaving the Mavericks’ lineup composed entirely of perimeter players. The Mavericks inballed from the sideline; Terry caught the ball and shot from far outside the three-point line. But this time, luck wasn’t on the Mavericks’ side. With a THUD, the ball hit the back of the rim, and Monroe secured the defensive rebound. Marion rushed forward to foul, but it was just a final desperate attempt.
Monroe made both free throws accurately, officially sealing the Mavericks’ fate. The Pistons led by 7 points, with 3.1 seconds left for the Mavericks.
Finally, the Mavericks gave up, and the Pistons claimed the victory. Applause rang out from the crowd—not only for the Pistons’ players but also for the Mavericks’ players who fought to the end.

Although they lost, the Mavericks players didn’t seem too disappointed, especially Kidd, who was standing by the bench. Kidd glanced at the Pistons players on the other side of the court, then walked over to Zhou Yi, who was with McGrady, stopped, patted his shoulder, and smiled kindly. “Zhou, you did great. Keep it up! I believe you’ll have your own place in the NBA in the near future.” Zhou Yi smiled, hugged Kidd, and said, “Thank you!” The Pistons and Mavericks players shook hands or hugged each other, hardly resembling rivals who had fought fiercely just moments before. Zhou Yi and McGrady walked back to the bench side by side with smiles on their faces, and Kuster nodded at them in approval. “You two did very well, especially you, Zhou. You’ve brought us so many surprises.” Kuster said sincerely. “No, coach. It’s all thanks to my teammates. As long as we stay united and give our best in every challenge, we can defeat any opponent,” Zhou Yi replied humbly. Hearing this, Kuster smiled and said, “You’re right. As long as we stay united and give our best in every challenge, we can defeat any opponent.” Chapter 56: Handsome guy, not bad performance. Zhou Yi, who usually didn’t pay attention to his stats, checked both the team’s and his own stats after the game. Perhaps, as Kuster had said earlier, this game was the best test for Zhou Yi in the preseason. Coupled with the fact that he suffered his first injury since joining the NBA in this game, Zhou Yi took it very seriously and thus paid close attention to his stats.

In this game, Zhou Yi played the longest amount of time among the first four matches, totaling 32 minutes and 45 seconds. He also took 15 shots, a new high for his career. He made 7 shots out of 15, including one three-pointer. To his surprise, he received 15 free-throw attempts. Thinking about it, it wasn’t surprising—during the final stages of the game, the Mavericks used a fouling strategy, which led to so many free throws. Nevertheless, Zhou Yi only made 11 of them, leaving him frustrated. He believed his free-throw shooting was quite accurate, but based on previous games, although his success rate was good, it still fell short of his expectations. Therefore, he needed to work harder on his free-throw shooting to improve his accuracy. After all, Durant won the scoring title last season with an average of around 30 points per game, nearly one-third of which came from free throws.

In total, Zhou Yi scored 26 points in this game. Besides scoring, he made other contributions as well: 6 rebounds, 6 assists (the lowest number in the first four games), 3 blocks, and 4 steals. What worried him was that he made as many as 6 mistakes in this game, along with 4 fouls. Not only was Zhou Yi concerned, but so were Kuster and the Pistons’ fans.

Yet even so, it didn’t diminish Kuster and the Pistons’ fans’ affection for Zhou Yi. Of course, Zhou Yi couldn’t know any of this.

Looking at his stats, Zhou Yi felt both happy and excited, as well as frustrated and worried. But inwardly, he said to himself, “From now on, I must reduce these unnecessary mistakes; otherwise, I won’t be able to lead the team to victory.”

After the game, Kuster gathered the players for a talk. During this talk, he publicly praised Zhou Yi. Although Zhou Yi had performed exceptionally well in previous games, Kuster had never praised him in front of the Pistons’ players. But after this game, Kuster praised Zhou Yi right at the start of the talk, clearly because Zhou Yi’s tenacious fighting spirit impressed him. Kuster also quoted Zhou Yi’s earlier words, encouraging the players to give their all for the team’s success.

……

Zhou Yi wiped his still-dripping hair with a towel and sat down next to McGrady, smiling and saying, “Tracy, can you come to practice earlier tomorrow?”

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?” Tracy had just finished taking a shower as well, with her upper body bare, wiping the water off her body with a towel.
“I still haven’t mastered that catch-and-shot skill. I’d like you to help me practice it. There are also some other skills I’d like to ask you for advice on.”
“Hmm, okay,” Maddie replied without hesitation.
After getting Maddie’s affirmative response, Zhou Yi said with a smile, “Thank you, Tracy.” Maddie raised her head, glanced at Zhou Yi, and laughed, “Why are you just like Yao?”
“What’s wrong?” Zhou Yi asked curiously, looking at Maddie with interest.
“You’re both so humble. Are all Chinese people like this?”
Hearing Maddie’s words, Zhou Yi laughed heartily. “Humility is a traditional virtue of our Chinese nation. Haven’t you been to China several times before? What’s your impression of our people?”
Maddie put on her clothes and wore a delicate watch on her wrist before answering with a smile, “They’re great—very enthusiastic.” Then she continued, “I went to China this summer and will go again next year. Chinese fans are really nice and enthusiastic. Hehe…”
“Hmm, good. I’ll treat you well then.”
The two chatted for a while before leaving the gym together. As soon as Zhou Yi reached the gym entrance, his phone rang. He picked it up—it was Xiang Yun.
“Handsome guy, you did well today!” Xiang Yun teased on the other end of the line.
“Hello, Miss Xiang. What’s the matter again? Are you trying to interview me?” Zhou Yi put on black-rimmed sunglasses, covering nearly half of his face.
“Pfft. Do you think you’re famous? Turn left,” Xiang Yun replied disdainfully.
Zhou Yi turned left and saw Xiang Yun standing on the street not far from the gym, also wearing sunglasses—clearly having the same idea as him.
Since Zhou Yi was now considered a celebrity in Detroit, he had to cover himself up in crowds to avoid unnecessary trouble. Xiang Yun, being a sports reporter in Detroit and quite attractive, was easily recognizable, so it was better for her to keep a low profile as well to avoid trouble.
Zhou Yi hung up the phone and headed straight for Xiang Yun. After reaching her, he glanced around and asked curiously, “You didn’t stand here waiting for me all this time, did you?”
“Stop being self-important. I just happened to see you. Since we know each other, I thought I’d say hi. Don’t get any wrong ideas,” Xiang Yun explained unhappily, pouting her pink cherry-like lips.

Zhou Yi helplessly shrugged and smiled, saying, “Alright, alright. Since the greeting is done, I’ll be going then.” With that, Zhou Yi pretended to head in the direction of the Blacks’ house.
“Hey, treat me to a meal,” Xiang Yun called after him.
“A meal? Didn’t you say it was just a greeting?” Zhou Yi turned around and said to Xiang Yun with a half-smile.
A blush appeared on Xiang Yun’s face as she froze for a moment before helplessly saying, “Okay, I admit I was waiting for you! Hmph…” She huffed again after saying that.
Feeling somewhat triumphant, Zhou Yi laughed and said, “Hehe, that’s because you say one thing but mean another.” After a pause, as if thinking of something, he said to Xiang Yun with a hint of apology, “Xiang Yun, I can’t treat you to a meal now. I have something to do and need to go back.”
“Hmph, what is it? Are you trying to avoid me? Such a stingy guy, hmph…” Xiang Yun huffed at Zhou Yi before turning away, pretending to ignore him.
“Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I’m stingy. I’m going back because Uncle Blake is sick and not yet recovered, so I need to rush back to take care of him.”
“Oh, I see! I didn’t realize you’re such a kind and considerate person! Then go ahead and return. But remember, you owe me a meal!” Xiang Yun said with a smile.
Zhou Yi nodded and gently patted Xiang Yun’s shoulder, smiling, “I know. I’ll make it up to you later. Alright, I’m off!”
“Mm, bye.” Xiang Yun glanced deeply at Zhou Yi through her sunglasses before responding.
“Bye.”
After saying goodbye to Xiang Yun, Zhou Yi rushed toward the Blacks’ house.
Chapter 57: A Familiar Wants to See You
After bidding farewell to Xiang Yun, Zhou Yi hurriedly rushed toward the Blacks’ house. Although Blake’s condition had improved somewhat, he still needed someone to take care of him.
Upon returning home, Zhou Yi quickly prepared some food for Blake and brought it to his room. He knocked gently on the door. Blake, who hadn’t fallen asleep yet, responded, and Zhou Yi pushed the door open and stepped to Blake’s bedside. Blake was lying half-reclined in bed, wearing glasses, looking at some documents.
“Did we win today’s match?” Blake asked curiously.
“We did, but it was a close win,” Zhou Yi replied while handing the food to Blake.
Blake felt warm inside and smiled as he took the food from his hands. He glanced at Zhou Yi before starting to eat with relish. Zhou Yi watched Blake and told him everything about today’s match, including the incident with Gordon getting injured.

After hearing Zhou Yi’s account, Blake’s mood sank, and he frowned slightly before saying to Zhou Yi, “It seems the Pistons are going to have a tough time in the new season!”
Zhou Yi nodded and replied, “Yeah, in the new season, our team will face even greater difficulties in terms of player availability. Moreover, with Gordon being the strongest scorer on the bench, his absence will further weaken our bench strength.”
Blake pondered for a moment before a smile appeared on his face as he said to Zhou Yi, “This might actually be good news for you.”
“Why?” Zhou Yi asked in surprise.
Blake smiled, thinking to himself that Zhou Yi was still too naive.
After taking a sip of water, Blake continued, “Since Gordon is injured, you’ll have more opportunities to prove your skills on the team. Besides, you’ve performed so well in training camp and preseason games. Based on my years of experience and my understanding of Dumars, I think the Pistons will take action soon. So, you need to work even harder in the upcoming preseason games to make a stronger impression on the team management.”
Zhou Yi suddenly understood and nodded.
Suddenly, Blake’s expression turned serious as he stared at Zhou Yi and asked, “Were you injured in today’s game?”
Zhou Yi was stunned before shyly nodding.
“How did it happen?” Blake asked concerningly.
Zhou Yi explained the injury to Blake, then lowered his head, fearing Blake might get angry. Seeing this, Blake smiled and said, “You don’t need to blame yourself. Just be more careful from now on. Otherwise, if you get injured, how am I supposed to explain it to your father? I know you didn’t tell me before because you were afraid I’d get upset or worried.”
“Yeah, uncle. I’ll be more careful from now on,” Zhou Yi replied cautiously.
“Hmm, Zhou Yi, sometimes you shouldn’t be too naive. After all, you can’t know someone’s true nature just by seeing them. You need to learn how to live. Life isn’t as simple as you think. Do you understand?”
Zhou Yi thought for a long time before shaking his head. Blake shrugged helplessly and said, “Life requires you to experience it yourself to truly understand it. I can’t tell you much about it; it depends on you. Well, you’ve been tired all day. Go back to your room and rest!”

After taking care of Blake, Zhou Yi came out of his room. He stood outside Blake’s bedroom door for a while, head lowered in thought, then shook his head and let out a soft sigh.
“Life? What is life?”
……
Early the next morning, the team had no training, and Zhou Yi didn’t plan to train alone either, as he wanted to take good care of Blake. Blake’s condition had improved significantly; he should recover in a couple of days. Still, Zhou Yi was worried, which was why he decided to skip training.
By the time Zhou Yi prepared breakfast, Blake hadn’t gotten up yet. In fact, Blake had already woken up but still felt unwell. Zhou Yi poured some warm water and, with Blake’s permission, carried it into his bedroom to help him wash up briefly. After that, he brought the prepared breakfast back to Blake’s bedroom.
“Uncle Blake, I rarely cook before, so just make do with this!” Zhou Yi said with a shy smile, placing the breakfast on the table by the bed.
Blake’s expression improved greatly, and he smiled at Zhou Yi, saying, “The meals you’ve cooked before were all great. I really like them. Don’t think I’m lying—uncles rarely give praise.” As he spoke, he took a portion of the breakfast from the table and began eating it with relish.
“Xiao Yi, I’m lucky to have you taking care of me these days. To be honest, not even Carl and Phoebe have been this attentive. Over these days, I’ve come to regard you as my own child. I mean it.” Blake said, staring intently at Zhou Yi.
“I know, Uncle. Since you’re so kind to me, of course I have to be kind to you too! Actually, I haven’t done much at all! Hurry up and eat, or it’ll get cold.” Zhou Yi also picked up his breakfast and started eating, then picked up the milk and drank it in big gulps, making gulping sounds.
Blake smiled at the boy in front of him, but his heart was filled with complex emotions.
“These days, Xiao Yi has not only been training hard but also competing, and still found time to take care of me. Sigh, this child… It seems my decision back then was absolutely correct. Hehe, Zhou Miao, you’ve raised a great son. I’m so envious, hehe…”
……
After breakfast, Zhou Yi went downstairs to take care of household chores, while Blake remained in bed resting. After finishing everything, Zhou Yi sat in the living room, watching TV out of boredom.

As he watched, Zhou Yi’s eyes began to blur—clearly, the boring TV program had made him drowsy. Lying dazed on the sofa, suddenly the bell at the villa’s door rang.
Zhou Yi jolted, instantly becoming much more alert. Yet even then, his mind remained foggy. Shaking unsteadily, he walked to the door, rubbed his eyes, and saw a graceful, poised American woman in her early thirties.
Though over thirty, she gave off an air of enduring charm. Beyond that, she exuded a sense of competence, as if she were a successful businesswoman with years of experience.
Zhou Yi stood there, staring at her in astonishment. The woman also gazed at him curiously for a while before speaking.
“Are you Zhou Yi?” Her voice sounded warm, like hot springs flowing through the body.
Zhou Yi nodded in surprise, then asked curiously, “I am Zhou Yi. How do you know that?”
The woman smiled and replied, “I’m Carl’s mother.”
Hearing her answer, Zhou Yi’s eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape. He took a deep breath and said, “No wonder, haha.”
“I heard from Carl that Blake is sick, quite seriously, so I came to check on him. I also heard about you from Carl. It seems you’ve become quite a celebrity in Detroit now.”
Zhou Yi understood what Carl’s mother meant. Shyly scratching his head, he opened the door and invited her in.
On the short walk to the living room, Zhou Yi briefly explained Blake’s condition to Carl’s mother, who listened while taking in the surroundings of the villa.
“It’s been almost a year since I last came here. Nothing seems to have changed,” Carl’s mother said softly.
Not knowing what to say, Zhou Yi led her to Blake’s bedroom. He ran to the door, knocked, and asked softly, “Uncle, have you rested?”
“Come in!” came Blake’s reply from inside.
Zhou Yi gently pushed the door open and stepped in, saying to Blake with a half-smile, “Uncle, a familiar person wants to see you.”
“Who is it?” Blake asked curiously.
“It’s me!”
Chapter 58: Fainting

Hearing this familiar voice, Blake’s body trembled slightly, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face. Slowly, the figure he would never forget came into view.

“How did you get here?” Blake asked calmly, staring at the figure.

“Why, can’t I come?” Carl’s mother retorted in a resentful tone.

“Get out! Leave now!” Blake’s expression turned fierce as he shouted at the woman in front of him.

Zhou Yi was stunned by this sudden outburst and stared at Blake in disbelief. He never expected Blake to become so agitated upon seeing Carl’s mother. He had been fine just a moment ago—how could this happen?

Carl’s mother stepped beside Zhou Yi, patted his shoulder, and said gently, “Xiao Yi, I scared you, didn’t I? Heh, he just has a bad temper. It’s okay. Can you go outside for now? I need to talk to your uncle.”

Although Carl’s mother’s tone sounded gentle, there was an unmistakable sense of authority beneath it. Zhou Yi wisely left the room, and she quickly closed the door behind him.

Blake said nothing about what Carl’s mother had done; instead, he stared at her coldly.

“It’s been so many years—why do you still have such a bad temper?” Carl’s mother sat down by Blake’s bed, smoothed out the rumpled covers caused by his sudden movement, and spoke softly.

“If you have nothing else to say, get out,” Blake replied coldly, turning his head away.

Carl’s mother didn’t mind; clearly, this wasn’t the first time she faced such treatment.

“I heard you were sick, so I came to check on you. Are you okay?”

“I’m not going to die.”

“You… Fine, I’m not here to argue with you. I really came to see you. When I heard you were sick, I was so worried. I…”

“Thank you,” Blake interrupted her, still in the same tone.

Carl’s mother gazed deeply at the somewhat haggard man before her, silent as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Blake glanced at her, his expression complex, and said lightly, “I’m not dead yet. Why are you crying? Besides, even if I die, it’s not your turn to cry.”

As soon as Blake said this, the tears in Carl’s mother’s eyes poured out like a dam breaking, unstoppable. Blake frowned and snapped, “Stop crying. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have done it in the first place.”

Karl’s mother wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and sobbed, “I know. It was my fault back then. But if you hadn’t been cheating on me, would I have left you?”
“Cheating? Fine, I admit it, but that was before we started dating. I was too young and immature back then, that’s why I did it. But after we started dating, I never did anything to hurt you again,” Blake said loudly, his voice audible even to Zhou Yi sitting in the living room.
“Is that so? Then what about Carnalin?” Karl’s mother stared at Blake resentfully and asked unwillingly.
“That day was all a misunderstanding. I’ve explained it to you hundreds, thousands of times—believe it or not. Even if you don’t believe me, it doesn’t matter. It’s already happened,” Blake said in a flat tone.
“Was it really just a misunderstanding?”
Blake didn’t answer. Instead, he turned his face away.
Karl’s mother sighed and said to Blake, “Okay, I believe you.”
Blake smiled, a hint of disdain in his laughter. “Is that useful?” he asked with a smile.
Karl’s mother looked at Blake, then lowered her head and remained silent.
“Go away! Don’t come to me again. I don’t want to see you. Seeing you only makes me feel disgusted,” Blake said indifferently, narrowing his eyes.
“Blake, are you really that heartless?”
“Heartless? Do you even deserve to use that word with me?” Blake sat up abruptly and pointed at Karl’s mother. “Back then, no matter how much I tried to explain, persuade, or beg you, what did you do? You still left me, forcing me to raise two children alone. Aren’t you heartless?”
Tears kept welling up in Karl’s mother’s eyes as she trembled, answering through sobs, “It’s my fault. I know it’s my fault. I was too impulsive back then, that’s why I made such a stupid decision. Blake…”
“Don’t say anything more. Go away. I’m tired and want to rest.”
Karl’s mother stopped crying and looked affectionately at Blake, hidden under the covers, saying, “Okay, I’m leaving. Rest well!”
After saying that, Karl’s mother slowly stood up. But as soon as she stood, her body suddenly collapsed backward, her head hitting the ground hard.
Hearing the noise, Blake leaned forward to look at the ground. Seeing this, he jumped out of bed immediately and helped Karl’s mother up.

“Linda, what’s wrong? What happened to you?” Blake shook Carl’s mother’s body, asking anxiously. But no matter what he asked, Carl’s mother didn’t respond at all.
Blake suddenly became at a loss and shouted downstairs, “Xiao Yi, Xiao Yi, come up quickly, come up now…”
Hearing Blake’s call, Zhou Yi rushed upstairs and saw Blake holding Carl’s mother, his face filled with shock.
“Don’t just stand there! Come and help me carry her. I’ll drive her to the hospital,” Blake yelled at Zhou Yi.
Zhou Yi quickly ran over, picked up Carl’s mother, and carried her downstairs. Meanwhile, Blake adjusted his clothes and swiftly grabbed his car keys to get the car.
…
At the nearest hospital to Blake’s house, Carl’s mother was lying in a hospital room. Blake was sitting by her bed, his eyes red, holding her hands, head bowed, muttering something under his breath.
Zhou Yi stood aside, watching the two quietly. After a while, he walked over to Blake, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, and comforted him, “Uncle, don’t worry. The doctor said Auntie just fainted from being too emotional. There’s nothing serious.”
Blake slightly raised his head, glanced at Zhou Yi, nodded, and said guiltily, “Xiao Yi, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I was too…”
“I understand, Uncle. You don’t need to apologize. I can understand how you felt. Don’t be too sad either. Auntie will wake up soon,” Zhou Yi said softly.
Blake smiled at Zhou Yi and said, “Mm. Alright, you go back first. There’s a match tomorrow. Go rest! I can take care of her here.”
“But your health isn’t…”
“It’s okay, Xiao Yi. Go back!”
“Mm, okay. I’ll go then.”
After leaving the hospital room, Zhou Yi took a deep breath and muttered, “This situation is really complicated!” With that, he left the hospital.
Chapter 59: Cause and Effect

After leaving the hospital, Zhou Yi didn’t take a taxi home but walked back instead. Along the way, he kept thinking about Blake and Carl’s mother. He had only heard about their divorce the first time he visited Blake’s house, and since then, he hadn’t heard Blake mention anything about Carl’s mother again. Even Carl and Phoebe rarely talked about their mother in front of Zhou Yi.

“No wonder things were like that before. It seems I should talk less about Auntie from now on,” Zhou Yi sighed to himself.

……

In the hospital room, Blake was still sitting by the bed, quietly watching Carl’s mother. His eyes had turned even redder, with blood vessels visible all over them, looking quite terrifying. At this moment, not a trace of his usual humor or recklessness remained; instead, there was deep sorrow.

After about half an hour, Carl’s mother’s fingers moved slightly. A hint of joy appeared on Blake’s face as he focused intently on her.

Soon, Carl’s mother finally woke up. She slowly opened her eyes, scanned the surroundings, and then fixed her gaze on a familiar face.

“You’ve finally woken up?” Blake asked anxiously.

“Where am I?”

“Silly, this is the hospital,” Blake replied with a smile, reaching out to touch her face.

Carl’s mother looked at Blake in confusion and asked, “The hospital? How did I end up here?”

“Uh, the doctor said you fainted due to severe stress,” Blake said, only for his face to turn red instantly.

“Oh. I’m a little thirsty…” Carl’s mother said to Blake.

Blake quickly poured her a glass of water, but due to his nervousness, it spilled everywhere. After finally getting it right, he hurriedly handed it to her.

“Did you bring me to the hospital?” Carl’s mother suddenly asked.

“What do you think?” Blake replied with a roll of his eyes.

Carl’s mother chuckled and then asked carefully, “Blake, have you forgiven me?”

“Impossible,” Blake replied firmly, his expression changing.

“Oh. Then why did you save me?”

“Because…”

Blake was suddenly at a loss for words, not knowing how to answer.

Carl’s mother smiled at him and said, “If you won’t forgive me, why are you so worried about me? Why are you so happy to see me awake?”

Blake remained silent, stood up, and turned his face away.

“I know you still love me, it’s just that you can’t let go of those things from the past. Am I right? Blake, why do you keep holding onto the past? I’ve already apologized to you sincerely—can’t you let it go?” Carl’s mother became agitated, breathing heavily, her words breaking up as she spoke.

“Since you’re fine now, I’ll be leaving. I have some things to do. Sorry.” With that, Blake headed for the door.

“Blake!” Carl’s mother called out loudly.

Blake paused but didn’t turn around. In a calm tone, he asked, “Is there anything else?”

“Is there really no chance anymore?”

Blake didn’t respond. Instead, he turned to look at Carl’s mother once before leaving without looking back. The moment he stepped out of the ward, a tear rolled down from his corner of the eye. He stood outside the ward for a long time before leaving the hospital.

Carl’s mother lay quietly on the hospital bed, staring at the snow-white wall, murmuring, “Is there really no chance anymore?”

……

Zhou Yi was sitting in the living room, watching TV. Suddenly, a noise caught his attention. He looked outside and saw Blake walking in listlessly.

“Uncle, why did you come back so soon? Is Auntie awake?” Zhou Yi quickly stood up and walked over to Blake, asking curiously.

Blake nodded with a smile and replied, “Hehe, she’s awake.”

“Oh, that’s great. Is Auntie still in the hospital?”

“Mm. Xiao Yi, I’m going back to my room. I feel a bit tired.”

“Okay, then go rest in your room!”

Blake slowly headed upstairs. Zhou Yi watched him, noticing that his steps were unsteady and he seemed on the verge of falling at any moment.

Worried, Zhou Yi watched as Blake returned to his room. Only after Blake went inside did he take his eyes away.

“I don’t know what’s going on. The atmosphere here feels so oppressive!”

Concerned about Carl’s mother and Blake, Zhou Yi immediately called Carl. After explaining the situation in detail, Carl remained silent for a long time.

“Xiao Yi, since you’ve been at my house, I haven’t talked to you about my mother. It seems it’s time to tell you today.” Carl’s voice sounded heavy on the phone; it was clear he had hesitated for a long time before deciding to tell Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi remained silent, waiting for what would come next. More than half an hour passed before Carl finally told Zhou Yi the whole story about his mother and Blake. After hearing it, Zhou Yi sighed and said slowly, “I never expected it to turn out like this.”
“That’s why Phoebe and I rarely mention my mother’s affairs in front of you. A few days ago, I accidentally mentioned Dad’s illness during a phone call with Mom, and to my surprise, she actually went to see him. Sigh…” Carl said helplessly.
“Yes, when I saw Uncle Blake’s expression back then, I was so shocked I froze. Since I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him so emotionally upset before,” Zhou Yi said with lingering fear.
“Xiao Yi, thanks to you for taking care of Dad these days. I really should thank you properly.”
“Carl, do we even need to say thank you? Just focus on your studies. I’ll take good care of Uncle,” Zhou Yi said with a smile.
Carl paused, as if thinking of something, then said in a low voice, “By the way, have you told Phoebe about this?”
“Not yet,” Zhou Yi replied.
“That’s good. Don’t mention Dad’s illness or Mom’s situation to Phoebe. You know her personality—no need for me to explain further,” Carl immediately warned.
“Hehe, I understand.”
“Hmm, okay. If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now.”
“Okay, bye!”
“Bye!”
After hanging up, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but sigh, thinking to himself, “So things are really that complicated. Sigh, what a hassle!”
“But since Uncle cared so much about Auntie’s safety before, it seems he still deeply loves her. He just can’t let go of those past memories. Hehe, but it seems there’s still a chance for them to get back together.” Zhou Yi thought, his lips curling slightly.
Chapter 60: The China Derby, a Preseason Preview
In the home team’s locker room at the Auburn Hills Palace, the Pistons players were sitting together chatting. Zhou Yi’s locker was closest to Bynum and McGrady, so the three of them sat together, laughing heartily as they talked.
Tonight’s game was unusual for Zhou Yi. The opponent was the Washington Wizards, and the Chinese player Yi Jianlian was on the Wizards’ team. Thus, a China Derby was about to take place as a preseason preview.

“Zhou, you’re Chinese too. So do you know Yi?” Bynum sat next to Zhou Yi, holding a can of Coke, smiling and showing a row of neat, white teeth as he asked curiously.
Zhou Yi was also a bit excited at that moment. After all, being able to compete on the NBA court against another Chinese player who played in the NBA surely made him feel a bit thrilled and eager.
“Of course! He and Yao Ming are both sources of pride for the Chinese people. Of course I know him. But I’ve never met him in person; I’ve only seen him on TV,” Zhou Yi replied enthusiastically.
McGrady chuckled and said to Zhou Yi, “I guess you’ve become a source of pride for your fellow Chinese now too!” Everyone burst into laughter at that.
Zhou Yi wasn’t embarrassed at all. Instead, with a determined look, he said, “I haven’t reached that level yet, but I believe I will in the near future.”
“Then wish you success in achieving it soon!” McGrady and Bynum said in unison.
“Hehe, thanks,” Zhou Yi replied with a smile, putting his phone in his jacket pocket.
At that moment, Kooster came in from outside the locker room, clapped his hands, and said to everyone with a laugh, “Hey, guys, there’s still over an hour before the game starts. Go practice shooting and do some warm-ups to prepare for the match and try to win it. We lost the last game very unfairly. That can’t happen again.”
Everyone nodded in agreement and quickly changed into their basketball uniforms, heading toward the court. Zhou Yi, McGrady, and Bynum walked out of the locker room side by side.
Speaking of that game against the Bobcats, the last game, the Pistons really lost unfairly. To put it bluntly, they lost in a very humiliating way. In that game, the Pistons built a huge lead early in the first half, and by the middle of the third quarter, they were leading by 25 points. But after that, the Bobcats launched a fierce counterattack. However, the Pistons weren’t easy to beat either. They fought hard to hold on to their lead, and by the end of the third quarter, they were still ahead by 21 points.

But by the fourth quarter, the situation on the court was firmly under the control of the Bobcats. Led by the formidable players “King Cat” Gerard Wallace and Stephen Jackson, the Bobcats gradually eroded the Pistons’ 21-point lead, even managing to take the lead with two minutes left in the game, ultimately winning by just 3 points. The Pistons’ players were utterly disheartened at the end of the game, especially Zhou Yi, who had a strong desire to win. So, how could he not be furious to see his team lose despite having a large lead?

Kuster was also quite frustrated, but he couldn’t take his anger out on the players—he had to bear some responsibility for the loss. Therefore, after the game, Kuster suppressed his anger and didn’t scold the players. Instead, he encouraged them to give their all in the next games, reminding them not to take preseason games lightly.

When Zhou Yi stepped onto the court, his expression immediately turned serious, a stark contrast to his cheerful demeanor earlier. After catching a pass from McGrady while moving quickly, he shot immediately. The basketball traced a beautiful arc in the air but missed the hoop. Zhou Yi frowned but remained calm, thinking to himself, “I just won’t believe I can’t master this skill.” Then he shouted to McGrady, “Try again.”

McGrady didn’t respond and continued passing to Zhou Yi. In the following attempts, Zhou Yi successfully made the shots every time. Kuster stood on the sidelines, focusing entirely on Zhou Yi. Seeing his catch-and-shot accuracy improve, he nodded slightly, his eyes showing a hint of approval.

Zhou Yi grew more confident with each shot. Aside from the first attempt that missed, he only missed once out of the remaining twenty-something shots. After another twenty-something attempts, Zhou Yi stopped, panting heavily with his chest rising and falling—clearly, nearly forty catch-and-shots had left him somewhat exhausted.

Don’t underestimate these around fifty catch-and-shots, as catching the ball and shooting while in motion is extremely exhausting. When training just started, Zhou Yi could manage at most about twenty catch-and-shots in a row, and he would still feel very tired afterward. Now he can do around fifty without feeling much fatigue, which shows just how much effort Zhou Yi has put into catch-and-shots during this time.

Zhou Yi took a short break before returning to training, while McGrady continued to act as the passer for him. After all, according to Koester’s plan, McGrady would need to work closely with Zhou Yi in the future.

An hour before the game started, the Wizards players arrived at the court, and Zhou Yi immediately spotted Yi Jianlian standing among the crowd. Yi Jianlian seemed much stronger than at the end of last season, clearly having trained hard over the summer. He glanced in the direction of the Pistons players, looked around, and finally fixed his gaze on Zhou Yi. Yi Jianlian smiled slightly at Zhou Yi and nodded, to which Zhou Yi responded politely.

At that moment, all the players from both teams were on the court doing pre-game warm-ups, and Zhou Yi also stopped his catch-and-shot training to warm up with his teammates.

Before long, the China Derby was about to begin. The big screen at the Pistons’ home court already displayed the starting lineups for the game. Surprisingly, Zhou Yi was not on the starting lineup but instead on the bench, with Staki taking his place after being unable to play in previous games due to health issues. Yi Jianlian also wasn’t on the starting lineup, which didn’t come as a surprise.

The starting lineups were as follows:
Pistons: Wilcox, Monroe, Prince, Hamilton, and Staki; Wizards: This year’s draft pick John Wall, Xavier McKey, Earl Thornton, Andre Blatche, and Kirk Hinrich.

Wilcox and McKey jumped for the ball, and Blatche seized it, officially kicking off the China Derby!!!

Chapter 61: The Arrogant Draft Pick

After getting the ball, Blatche quickly passed it to Wall to organize the offense. Wall was extremely fast and quickly rushed into the Pistons’ paint, scoring a layup despite Monroe’s defense.

Starky was also extremely efficient. First, he used a powerful drive to get near the Wizards’ paint area and hit a jump shot despite losing his balance. Then, Starky stoleWolves’s ball, launched a quick counterattack beyond the Wizards’ three-point line, and drained a three-pointer.

Wolves truly lived up to his status as the top rookie of this class, holding his own against Starky and matching him point for point. But being a rookie, he inevitably made some mistakes. Starky took full advantage of these mistakes, leading his team to a 14-6 run.

At 8 minutes and 20 seconds into the game, both teams made lineup changes. Pistons: MarkHill replaced Wilcox, Daye replaced Monroe, McGrady replaced Hamilton, and Zhou Yi replaced Starky; Wizards: Yi Jianlian replaced Blatche, Hilton Armstrong replaced McGee, Nick Young replaced Thornton, and Lester Hudson replaced Sinrich.

McGrady passed the ball from the baseline, and Zhou Yi took over to organize the offense. After advancing the ball to the front court, Zhou Yi passed the ball to MarkHill, who was already in position inside, using a tricky maneuver to get the ball to him. MarkHill easily scored, giving Zhou Yi his first assist of the game.

Seeing a Chinese kid who hadn’t even gone through the draft showing off in front of him, how couldWolves stand it? Although Zhou Yi was now somewhat famous in the NBA,Wolves didn’t take him seriously—he was still the best rookie of this class.Wolves was confident he could win Rookie of the Year, with only last year’s first overall pick, Blake Griffin, as a real competitor, he thought.

Wolves moved like lightning, instantly rushing into the Pistons’ paint. Zhou Yi could barely keep up with his speed. Just as it seemedWolves was about to score, Zhou Yi jumped up from behind trying to block his layup. ButWolves didn’t attempt to score directly; instead, he passed the ball to Yi Jianlian, who was open. Yi Jianlian didn’t hesitate—he caught the ball and shot, hitting it instantly.

Zhou Yi took a deep breath, realizing he still lacked experience. He passed the ball to McGrady and moved around actively on the court. McGrady grabbed the ball with one hand, glanced at the situation on the field, then suddenly accelerated. Although he no longer had his former “League First Step” ability, his speed was still much faster than that of ordinary players. Coupled with Nick Young’s poor defense, McGrady easily got past his defender, found an open spot, and attempted a jump shot—but the basket wouldn’t cooperate, and the ball bounced off. As the ball rose into the air, a player in the Pistons’ home jersey number 37 leaped high to grab the rebound—it was Zhou Yi. After grabbing the rebound, Zhou Yi tried to dunk with both hands, but to the disappointment of the home crowd and Zhou Yi himself, the ball was immediately blocked by Yi Jianlian. Yi Jianlian quickly grabbed the rebound and, without hesitation, passed it to Wall.

Zhou Yi was somewhat frustrated but didn’t feel dissatisfied, as being blocked in the NBA is quite normal. Wall was good at setting the pace of the game and controlling one-on-one matchups, either shooting himself or passing to teammates in open positions. However, during the first half’s offensive and defensive actions, Wall’s weaknesses became evident—he had to organize the offense more carefully when the pace slowed down. If he couldn’t move, his efficiency dropped sharply. Even though defenders gave him space to shoot, they cut off his paths for drives and passes. Additionally, Wall’s outside shooting ability wasn’t very strong, even slightly worse than average.

Wall was 5 centimeters taller than Zhou Yi and had significantly better physical strength. As a result, Wall often took on Zhou Yi alone. After receiving a pass from Booker, Wall went up against Zhou Yi one-on-one. But Zhou Yi had excellent defensive awareness and didn’t give Wall any chance to attack. Yet, in terms of physical confrontation, Zhou Yi was no match for Wall. After pushing aside Zhou Yi, Wall threw a shot with his right hand, and the ball awkwardly made it into the basket.

Zhou Yi and Wall weren’t the same type of point guards—Zhou Yi was more like Paul, while Wall was more like Rose. Zhou Yi had stronger organizational and playmaking skills than Wall. Therefore, he often drove the team’s offense in games, delivering many impressive assists.