Chapter 29

Section four of the game started quickly, and as expected, the Pistons did not field a single starter. The lineup on the court was Hansbrough, Monroe, Villanueva, Austin Daye, and Zhou Yi. Meanwhile, the Warriors sent in their main players: Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Dorell Wright, David Lee, and Andris Biedrins. Using David Lee was a last-ditch effort; with the Warriors trailing by 28 points, head coach Keith Smart ignored the fact that David Lee already had five fouls. However, Smart’s strategy had no effect at all. Just over 10 minutes into section four, David Lee was ejected after picking up his sixth foul. It wasn’t Zhou Yi, as arranged earlier by Curry, who fouled David Lee, but Hansbrough—but no one cared, as the Pistons were on the verge of winning. Yet the Warriors’ starters seemed unwilling to give up so easily. Monta Ellis slipped past Zhou Yi from beyond the arc and hit a three-point shot. But immediately afterward, Austin Daye responded with a three-point shot after receiving a pass from Zhou Yi. After that shot, the Pistons widened the lead to over 30 points. Head coach Keith Smart was forced to call a timeout, aiming to surrender and replace the starters with bench players to finish out the garbage time. In the end, the Pistons won the game by a large margin. But in the final minutes of the game, a significant altercation occurred. Radmanović drove to the basket, using his teammates’ screens to get past Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi was trying to chase down, but was pushed hard by Brandon Wright, who was helping with the screen, almost causing him to fall. Turning around, Zhou Yi glared angrily at Brandon Wright. Although Zhou Yi remained calm on the court, he was still an 18-year-old in his prime. Facing such rude treatment, he naturally couldn’t stay silent. So he rushed at Brandon Wright to confront him.

At that moment, players from both teams gathered around to see if things were going wrong and were ready to intervene. Monroe was the closest to Zhou Yi, so he was aware of what had just happened. Seeing his teammate being bullied, he stepped in front of Zhou Yi, pushed Brandon Wright away, and protected Zhou Yi behind him, instantly turning the situation into a tense standoff. Just then, the referee rushed over to stop the game, and the players from both teams had already pulled them apart. After reviewing the previous footage, the referees made their decision. Brandon Wright was ejected for a level 2 malicious foul, while Greg Monroe had also pushed Brandon Wright earlier, but after Zhou Yi and Monroe explained the situation, the referee still gave him a technical foul, with Zhou Yi receiving no punishment. Although this unpleasant incident occurred during the game, it didn’t dampen the Pistons’ joy after winning the match. After summarizing some details of the game and planning for the next few days, Koester generously treated all the players to a lavish dinner. Chapter 128: Blake’s Favor After the match against the Warriors, the Pistons had only one day off before facing four consecutive away games, including two back-to-back matches. Given the outstanding performance of the Pistons’ players against the Warriors, head coach Koester made a generous decision after the dinner, which immediately earned him praise from all the Pistons players for his wisdom. “You all performed excellently in this game, and I’m very satisfied. As a reward, tomorrow’s training…” Koester paused, keeping everyone in suspense. “Coach, hurry up and tell us—what about tomorrow’s training? Is it canceled?” Bynum asked eagerly. Koester glared at Bynum and pretended to be angry, saying, “You’re the one who hates training the most!” Then his expression changed, and he smiled, saying, “But Will is right—tomorrow’s training is canceled.” Hearing this, everyone showed joy and said to Koester, “Coach, your decision is truly wise!” “So you’re saying I wasn’t wise before?” Koester asked back with a changed expression. “Um…” “Eh…”

Just as everyone was at a loss for words, Bynum suddenly broke the silence with a clever remark, smiling at Cooster and saying, “Coach, people have to grow and mature slowly, right? You were already very wise before, but after making this wise decision, you’ve become even wiser—almost reaching the pinnacle.”

Hearing Bynum’s words, Cooster’s face lit up with a smile as he said helplessly, “Will, since when have you become so… uh, how should I put it? Although there’s some exaggeration, I have to admit there’s some truth to it.”

“Uh…” Hearing Cooster’s words, Bynum suddenly froze, a strange expression appearing on his face.

Not only Bynum but also the other players had the same expression. Even Zhou Yi showed doubt, shaking his head slightly.

“Heh, this old guy really has an extraordinary thick skin!” Bynum thought to himself after regaining his composure.

The other players shared the same thought, and even Zhou Yi had such an idea. Zhou Yi glanced at Cooster, but there was not the slightest trace of shame on Cooster’s face, as if he had simply stated a fact.

Everyone fell silent for a moment before Cooster spoke up.

“Although tomorrow’s practice is canceled, don’t slack off too much. You must be aware of the upcoming schedule. Starting from the day after tomorrow, we have four consecutive away games—a tough stretch. But there’s nothing we can do. If I were the one to set the schedule, I definitely wouldn’t arrange it so tightly. Heh, so tomorrow, you must get your bodies in top shape to face these four away games. The opponents are the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, and the Golden State Warriors, who we just defeated. As for the results of these four games, my expectations aren’t high—I’d be satisfied if we win three…”

“Win three? Coach, that’s way too difficult…”

Before Bynum could finish, Cooster glared at him, forcing him to swallow his words back.

“I know the schedule is tough, and you haven’t had enough rest. But among these four games, aside from the Portland Trail Blazers being slightly stronger, I don’t consider the other teams a serious threat. You might think what I’m saying is too bold, but if we’re afraid before even fighting, then there’s no need to play the remaining games. I believe in you, I believe in all of you—I believe you can bring victory back to Detroit.” With endless hope in his eyes, Kuster looked at his disciples seated around him.

After hearing Kuster’s words, everyone was deeply moved.

“The coach is right. If we say discouraging things before even fighting, we’re bound to lose. Only with confidence, fighting spirit, and determination can we have a chance of winning. Coach, I understand what you mean!” McGrady said sincerely to Kuster.

Kuster gave McGrady a meaningful look, a hint of appreciation flashing briefly in his eyes. Before McGrady came to Detroit, he hadn’t had high hopes for him, not even when McGrady first arrived. But after spending time together and hearing what McGrady had just said, Kuster’s opinion of him had changed greatly. Now, in his eyes, McGrady was gradually becoming the team’s spiritual leader.

After hearing McGrady’s words, everyone also realized a lot and said sincerely to Kuster, “Coach, we understand what you mean!”

Kuster looked satisfied at his disciples, then gave McGrady another deep look and nodded slightly.

“Alright, it’s getting late. Go back now! Get some good rest and prepare for the upcoming games. I truly believe in all of you!” Kuster’s face showed no expression, but no one doubted that his words came from the heart.

Everyone nodded and replied in unison, “Coach, we won’t disappoint you!”

……

After returning to Blake’s house, Zhou Yi noticed that the light in Blake’s room was still on, indicating that Blake hadn’t gone to bed yet. Zhou Yi was used to this and wasn’t surprised at all. He returned home very late every day, and Blake also went to bed late almost every day. Whenever Zhou Yi asked, Blake would say he was too busy with work.

As he passed by Blake’s room, Zhou Yi gently knocked on the door and said softly, “Uncle, go to bed early. Don’t exhaust yourself!”

“Hehe, Uncle will go to bed soon! Xiao Yi, you’ve just returned too—go to bed early! I watched your game today; you performed very well, it was amazing!” Kuster’s voice came from inside the room.
“Mm, Uncle, you should rest early too. I’m going to bed now!”
“Okay.”
Zhou Yi sighed secretly and headed toward his own room.
“The reason Uncle stays up so late isn’t just because of work; it’s out of concern for me. He stays up late every day waiting for me to return, worried about my safety. Sigh, aside from my family and her, Uncle is the kindest person to me. He helped me achieve my dreams and still cares so much for me. I’ll never forget this kindness! But I can’t stay at Uncle’s place any longer; otherwise, his health will definitely suffer. Sigh, what reason should I find to move out?”
Chapter 129: Zhao Hui
Zhou Yi always remembered Blake’s kindness, and even until the end of his life, he would remember having someone in his life who treated him like his own son. Zhou Yi knew Blake did this because of his close friendship with his father, but still, he was deeply moved, genuinely moved.
Lying in bed, Zhou Yi thought about all this, about everything Blake had done for him since they met. Without Blake, Zhou Yi would never have achieved what he has today, and the Pistons would never have considered him an important part of their team.
With a soft sigh, Zhou Yi murmured to himself, “I must fulfill my promise to Uncle and Auntie. I must reunite their family of four. This is my promise to Auntie, my promise to Uncle, my promise to Carl and Phoebe, and it’s also my promise to myself!”
As he thought this, the fatigue of the day finally made him feel drowsy. But just as he was about to fall asleep, the ringing of a phone reached his ears.
“It’s so late—who could it be?” Zhou Yi groggily picked up his phone and glanced at the caller ID, his expression instantly changing.
“Hello, Zhou Yi, are you asleep?” Xiang Yun asked softly.
Zhou Yi gave a bitter smile and replied, “No, not yet! What’s up? Is something wrong?”
“Hehe, nothing much. Do you have anything planned for tomorrow? Can you come out and talk? I’d like to introduce a friend to you as well.” Xiang Yun’s laughter was extremely charming, as if it held a certain alluring appeal.

Zhou Yi pondered for a moment before smiling and saying, “I have time. There’s no training or match tomorrow. So when and where shall we meet?”
Xiang Yun told Zhou Yi the time and place before hanging up. Zhou Yi sighed, stopped overthinking, and went back to sleep.
“Having been in the U.S. for so many years, I’ve met some Chinese people before. But it was only when I saw him that I felt an extremely familiar sense. Ah, it’s a pity he already has a girlfriend…”
…
The next day, Zhou Yi slept in until late. Blake knew that Zhou Yi had no training or match that day, so he didn’t wake him up and let him sleep a bit longer.
Glancing at Zhou Yi’s room, Blake wore a meaningful smile and murmured to himself, “Xiao Yi’s birthday is coming up soon. I wonder what gift to give him. Ah, I need to think carefully…”
Blake slowly walked down the stairs. Just as he reached the living room, his phone rang. He took out his phone and immediately showed a puzzled expression, but soon his eyes lit up with excitement.
After talking to the person on the phone, his excitement grew even more, and his face showed enthusiasm. Walking lightly, he murmured, “Xiao Yi will be absolutely surprised and touched by this birthday gift, haha…”
It wasn’t until around 10 a.m. that Zhou Yi gradually woke up from sleep. After checking the time on his phone, he yawned, stretched, and got out of bed.
After getting up, Zhou Yi turned on the computer on the desk by the bed. After checking some messages, he opened his email.
Since coming to the U.S., Zhou Yi had developed a habit: on days without training or matches when he had free time, he would open his email to check the messages and reply to them.
Seeing the hundreds of emails, Zhou Yi felt a chill run down his spine. He gave a helpless and frustrated smile. Most of these emails were from his classmates and some strangers, with only a few from Qin Tian’s group of friends. Of course, there were also emails from Mo Keer and Xia Tingting.
Zhou Yi deleted all the emails from strangers, guessing that his email address must have been spread by his classmates.
“My information must have already been made public! Ah, it’s time to change my email!” Zhou Yi murmured, looking at the overwhelming pile of emails.

Zhou Yi had read all the emails sent by Qin Tian and his friends, as well as Mo Keer and the other girl. They mostly asked how he was doing, reminded him to be careful, and wished him a happy birthday in advance. Zhou Yi replied to each of their emails and also gave them his newly registered email address.

After finishing all this, Zhou Yi let out a long sigh of relief.

“I have to meet Xiang Yun at 2 p.m. She said she wants to introduce me to a friend. I’m really curious who she’ll introduce me to! Hehe…”

Glancing at the time again, Zhou Yi realized it was already almost 11 o’clock, so he hurried to the bathroom to take care of himself.

At 2 p.m., Zhou Yi arrived on time at the place he had agreed with Xiang Yun. It was a small coffee shop that, though not large, was extremely elegant and beautifully designed, leaving Zhou Yi in awe.

Led by the waiter, Zhou Yi went to a seat by the window, where Xiang Yun and a strange man were already sitting.

“You’re here?” Xiang Yun asked with a smile, though there was a slight blush on her face.

Zhou Yi nodded slightly and said to them, “Sorry for being a bit late.”

“It’s okay, we’re just in time,” Xiang Yun replied with a smile.

Zhou Yi glanced at the man sitting next to Xiang Yun, studied him for a moment, then sat down across from them. He guessed the man was shorter than him but extremely thin—much thinner than himself. He seemed quiet and reserved.

Zhou Yi extended his hand to the man and said with a smile, “Hello, I’m Zhou Yi. Nice to meet you.”

Seeing this, the man politely extended his right hand to shake Zhou Yi’s and said with a smile, “Hello, I’m Zhao Hui. Nice to meet you too.”

Xiang Yun covered her mouth and laughed, saying to them, “Why do you two seem so serious? Hehe, Zhou Yi, do you know why I’m introducing Zhao Hui to you?”

Zhou Yi glanced at Zhao Hui and shook his head at Xiang Yun.

“Because Zhao Hui is my best friend I met in the United States—that’s one reason. The other reason is that I suddenly realized you two were born on the same day, month, and year. Don’t you think it’s necessary for us to get to know each other? Hehe…”

After hearing Xiang Yun’s words, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but take another look at Zhao Hui, feeling a sense of familiarity toward him. From childhood onward, Zhou Yi had never met anyone born on the same day as him.

“Zhao Hui…” Zhou Yi repeated the name in his mind several times.

Chapter 130: The Four-Consecutive-Games Run Begins – Challenging Portland
After a brief conversation with Zhao Hui, Zhou Yi gradually became closer to him. Zhao Hui’s personality was very similar to Zhou Yi’s, so the two got along well.
Before they knew it, it was already time to end the trip. After exchanging contact information with Zhao Hui, Zhou Yi and Xiang Yun said goodbye to him and headed to Blake’s house.
……
“I’m telling you, on my way to the gym just now, I saw an absolutely stunning beauty. You know what I mean by ‘stunning’? And that girl almost bumped into me—wow…” Bynum sat on the plane, staring lustfully at Zhou Yi and the others beside him with a lecherous smile.
“Tch, are you having another erection? It’s already past spring,” Austin Daye, sitting next to McGrady, said disdainfully at Bynum.
Bynum glared at Daye and said seriously to everyone, “I was simply appreciating beauty. It’s not what Austin said at all, understand? Ah, there are many beautiful things in the world; it’s just a lack of eyes to see them.”
“And you’re that eye that sees beauty, right?” Zhou Yi interrupted Bynum, laughing scornfully.
“Uh, how did you know I was going to say that? Have you become a worm in my stomach?” Bynum shook his huge head and laughed.
“Can you please let us live a few more years? Stop saying such disgusting things!” After spending so much time together, Zhou Yi knew Bynum well enough that he wasn’t worried Bynum would get angry.
Seeing the disapproving looks around him, Bynum said bitterly, “With so many people in the world, why isn’t there anyone who understands me? Others laugh at my madness, but I laugh at their inability to see!”
Everyone looked at Bynum with disdain and shook their heads helplessly. Bynum had truly become the joke of the Pistons’ locker room, always able to liven up the atmosphere among his teammates.
“Do you know? That girl had huge breasts—she could probably smother someone just with them!” Bynum said cheerfully, still eager to talk more.
“Enough chatting. We’re almost in Portland. Get ready!” Head coach Kuster poked his head out ahead and called to the group gathered behind. The plane had already taken off.

At around 3 p.m., the Pistons’ dedicated plane landed smoothly at an airport in Boston. After getting off the plane, the team members boarded the team bus through the back entrance and headed to the hotel they had reserved in Boston. Upon arriving at the hotel, everyone went to their respective rooms to rest. After about two hours of rest, they gathered together for lunch. After lunch, they returned to their rooms to rest again, aiming to get into top form. The game against the Portland Trail Blazers was scheduled for 10 p.m., so at 7:30 p.m., Zhou Yi and the team boarded the bus and headed to the Trail Blazers’ home court, Rose Garden Arena. About half an hour later, the Pistons’ bus stopped neatly in front of the arena. Zhou Yi and the team’s ushers got off the bus and walked inside the arena, with head coach John Kuester leading the way. Following the staff of Rose Garden Arena, Zhou Yi and the others went to the visiting team’s locker room. Instead of rushing to the practice court, they sat in the locker room for a while. At 10 p.m. on November 9th, the game officially began. The Pistons’ starting lineup was the same as in the previous game: center Ben Wallace, power forward Chris Wilcox, small forward Teyshawn Prince, shooting guard James Posey, and point guard Will Bynum. The Portland Trail Blazers’ starting lineup consisted of center Marcus Camby, power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, shooting forward Nicholas Batum, shooting guard Brandon Roy, and point guard Andre Miller. This game attracted not only many domestic media outlets but also commentators from the so-called “big three” television networks. Zhou Yi glanced at the huge commentary booth across from him and the three bald men sitting there. It was obvious these three had a certain level of fame in China—Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Reggie Miller. Even before the game started, the three of them were already joking around with each other. The players on the court also became the target of their jokes, but their focus was still on Zhou Yi, who was sitting on the Pistons’ bench.

A big reason why these three of them came to commentate on this game was Zhou Yi—after all, Zhou Yi had already gained some fame in the NBA, which was also related to his Chinese identity. Currently, there are three Chinese players in the NBA who attract media attention: “The Great Wall of China” Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, and the last one is Zhou Yi, who is sitting on the bench now. Although Zhou Yi isn’t fully developed yet, his performance in recent games has caught the attention of many. It is said that even NBA Commissioner David Stern watched one of Zhou Yi’s games and spoke highly of him. Of course, this is just a rumor; no one knows for sure how reliable it is.

“Charles, which team do you think will win tonight?” Smith always liked to see Barkley embarrass himself, so he asked Charles to guess which team would win so that Barkley could be embarrassed again.

“The Pistons are in great form lately, but Portland is also strong. They have Brandon Roy, a scoring guard who can rank among the top three in the league. It’s hard to say who will win in this game! Kenny, I know you want me to embarrass myself again, right? Hehe, although Portland is stronger than the Pistons and they’re playing at home, I believe the Detroit team will win in the end. As for this Chinese kid, Zhou Yi, I’m quite optimistic about him. So, I think the Pistons will win,” Barkley said with a smile to the other two.

“I’ve watched that Chinese kid’s games in person and commented on them. To be honest, although he’s young, he plays very steadily and has good skills, especially those unpredictable passes… hehe…” Miller said, looking at Zhou Yi and smiling at the two of them.

“Hehe, Kenny, look—Reggie rarely praises anyone. Now he’s praising this Chinese kid, which shows that this kid really does have strong skills!” Barkley laughed.

Kenny Smith took a close look at the thin figure sitting on the bench and made a decision in his mind.

Chapter 131: Barkley and Smith’s Bet

“Oh? Hehe, not many people can earn praise from the famous Reggie. But I really want to see how much of a stir this Chinese kid can cause! Charles, do you remember that bet we made about Yao Ming a long time ago?”

“Of course I remember. I lost a lot of face that time. I’ll never forget it!” Barkley replied with a hint of melancholy.

“Okay, then I’ll make another bet with you today—about this Chinese kid. If he can score at least 20 points and lead his team to victory, I’ll…”
“What then? Are you going to kiss my butt?” Buckley with the big mouth retorted with a laugh.
“Well, what’s wrong with kissing! If I lose, I’ll kiss your butt. Charles, do you dare take this bet?” Kenny Smith said firmly.
Buckley glanced at Zhou Yi, then turned to Smith with a smile and said, “How could I not! Reggie, you be the witness for us two.”
Reggie Miller glanced at the two of them, sighed helplessly, and replied, “Alright!”
Soon, this bet-driven game began at the eager calls of Portland fans. Buckley and the others watched the important match with eager eyes!
The game started with a jump ball! The moment the referee threw the basketball into the air, Ben Wallace and Marcus Camby shot upward, aiming for the rapidly rising orange ball. At that moment, Ben Wallace showed his seasoned experience by wrapping his right arm around Marcus Camby’s right arm in mid-air and gently passing the ball to his teammate James Posey.
After catching the ball, James Posey quickly passed it to point guard Bynum, who firmly controlled the ball and organized the team’s first attack.
Bynum quickly crossed half-court, glanced around, and passed the ball to Taurean Prince, who was waiting to receive it. Prince smoothly caught Bynum’s pass with his right arm. Then, stepping forward with his left foot and adjusting his stance, Prince charged toward the Trail Blazers’ interior player—Nicholas Batum, who was his opponent.
Wilcox stepped forward to block, and Prince took advantage to drive to the basket. But Nicholas Batum reacted extremely quickly and stretched out his hand to block the shot the moment Prince tried to shoot.
With a thud, the close-range layup missed due to Batum’s interference. But immediately afterward, the referee decisively called a foul on Nicholas Batum. Although the first attack failed, earning a free throw for each of them was still a good result.
Prince successfully made both free throws. He had always been confident in his free-throw shooting—over eight years in the NBA, his success rate was over 77%.

Nicholas Batum was still upset about the foul earlier, so he snapped at Prince, “Tyshawn, next time I won’t let you get away so easily.” On the Trail Blazers’ side, the playmaker was the veteran Andre Miller. A formidable veteran with immense experience, Miller dribbled up to Bynum and used a convincing feint to deceive him, slipping past him. But Bynum wasn’t an unknown either; having played street basketball since childhood, his reflexes might not be top-tier, but they were still quite good. He quickly caught up to Miller, pressing close to prevent him from scoring. Miller snorted, jumped up for a layup, but the ball flew toward Nicholas Batum on the other side. After catching the ball, Batum leaned against Prince and took a backstep jump shot. It was a difficult shot, but the ball went through the net cleanly. After scoring, Batum glanced at Prince and sneered, “Is that all your defense can do?” “Heh, then let me show you my real defensive skills,” Prince retorted with a mocking smile. Such an obvious provocation was evident to all the fans—such intense battles were exactly what they loved to see; it was the kind of game fans wanted to watch, with everyone hoping for a fierce competition. Faced with Batum’s provocation, Prince naturally wouldn’t back down. Over his 8 years in the league, he had defended all kinds of players, including powerhouses like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Though it was tough, he had managed to cause them quite a bit of trouble. What made Prince even prouder was that it was his defense that limited Orlando Magic’s star Tracy McGrady during the 2003 playoffs, giving the Pistons a chance to turn the game around—back when he was just a rookie. Now, with his skills greatly improved, he certainly didn’t take Nicholas Batum, a rookie who had only played two seasons in the league, seriously at all.

“Bang!” The ball rotated once in the basket before bouncing out, and Brandon Roy grabbed the defensive rebound and passed it to Andre Miller. Andre Miller drove quickly and passed to Nicholas Batum, who was closing in. By now, Prince had also caught up. Prince bent slightly, his eyes sharp, watching every move of Nicholas Batum. Although the opponent was a third-year rookie, his skills were not to be underestimated; despite only playing two seasons, he had already received widespread praise.

After several feints, Nicholas Batum suddenly increased his pace, his lightning-fast movements taking him to Prince’s right side. With such a fierce breakthrough and top-notch physical abilities, if it weren’t for Prince’s years of defensive experience, he would have really been broken through. Prince stepped hard with his left foot, shooting his body backward to block Nicholas Batum’s advance in time.

Unwilling to give up, Nicholas Batum pushed past Prince and tried to lay up, but immediately faced a pair of long arms that swatted his shot out of bounds. Nicholas Batum swallowed hard, staring in disbelief at Prince before him.

“That’s my defense,” Prince said calmly, though the mockery in his words was obvious.

The fans in the arena, seeing how intense and exciting the game was from the very start, began to shout loudly, cheering for their teams—mostly the home team’s fans.

Charles Barkley and the two others sitting in the commentary booth watched the game intently. After seeing Prince’s block, Barkley smiled and said to the two beside him, “This kid, Taishan, really is good at defense!”

“Yeah, his defensive awareness and physical abilities are both excellent,” replied Reggie Miller. Kenny Smith stayed silent, instead glancing at Zhou Yi, who was sitting on the bench.

Unnoticed, over six minutes had passed in the first quarter, and those six minutes had been extremely intense. The fans could only think one word after watching it: awesome!

The Pistons called a timeout. Everyone knew that both teams needed to make adjustments to their lineups. At that moment, Kenny Smith, Barkley, and Reggie Miller all focused their attention on one person—Zhou Yi.

Chapter 132: Three-Point Shower

Zhou Yi’s entry immediately caught the attention of Barkley and the others, because his performance in this game was quite important to Barkley and Smith.