Chapter 74

At the start of the third quarter, the Suns launched a relentless offensive assault, scoring a 7-2 run in just two minutes. John Kuester promptly called a timeout and substituted in a group of defensive players. By now, Greg Monroe was in top form, providing inside scoring, while Zhou Yi added sharp shots from outside. The Pistons’ offense should be fine, but if they couldn’t curb the Suns’ scoring momentum, given the Suns’ terrifying scoring ability, it was quite possible for them to turn the game around by halftime. Steve Nash passed the ball to the inside, and Grant Hill, after catching it, quickly stepped forward, dodging his defender Teyshawn Prince, leaped up, and swung his arm. Elvin Jones held his breath on the sidelines—if he could dunk this shot, the gap between the two teams would shrink to 20 points, a huge boost for the team’s morale. John Kuester also stood on the sidelines; if the shot really went in, he would call a timeout without hesitation. As Grant Hill brought the ball closer to the basket, many people’s hearts were in their throats. Grant Hill’s expression was indescribable—he only needed to give a slight push for the ball to go in. He believed that at this point, no one could stop him from scoring. To avoid mistakes, he gave up on dunking and opted for a more certain layup. The ball finally left his fingertips, and Grant Hill gently closed his eyes, wanting to enjoy the moment the ball went in. Just as John Kuester was about to call a timeout, everything changed in an instant. A dark figure shot up quickly from behind Grant Hill, and his dark right hand pressed the ball firmly against the basket at the moment it was about to go in. Greg Monroe’s block completely ended the Suns’ counterattack. With the balance shifting, the Suns started substituting their key players for rest halfway through the third quarter. John Kuester, of course, did the same. However, the fourth quarter truly became the Suns’ domain, especially with their reserve Michael Petrus scoring 15 points in that quarter, helping the team win 32-21. Unfortunately, the Suns were too far behind earlier, and they ultimately lost the game 113-97.

In this game, Greg Monroe delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 33 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, and adding 4 blocks. He was named the most valuable player of the game. Moreover, among the seven games played today, Greg Monroe was also chosen as the MVP of the day.

Zhou Yi once again recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 assists. Although his stats were slightly lower than Steve Nash’s 19 points and 12 assists, it was his defense against Steve Nash and his control of the game’s pace that allowed the Pistons to essentially secure the victory by the half-time mark. In this matchup, both players had their ups and downs—Steve Nash won the one-on-one battles, while Zhou Yi secured the team’s win.

Chapter 243: Celebrating the New Year

By the end of the game, it was already 11:20, with the New Year’s bells about to ring. After the game, at head coach John Kuester’s request, Zhou Yi and the others quickly finished showering. Then, led by John Kuester, the Pistons’ players, along with team officials and staff, returned to the hotel that had been reserved in advance.

Upon arriving at the hotel, everyone gathered in a large private room on the top floor to welcome the new year.

After sitting down in the room, Zhou Yi took out his phone, intending to call Xiang Yun to tell her he wouldn’t be returning until the next morning.

“Hello, Zhou Yi. What’s wrong?” Xiang Yun asked curiously, frowning slightly.

It wasn’t surprising that Xiang Yun was puzzled—they had just met earlier, and she had even greeted him. Why was he calling her now?

“Oh, I just wanted to let you know that I’m not going back today. I’ll return tomorrow morning. You should go to bed early!” Zhou Yi said in a low voice.

“What are you talking about? I’m also going back tomorrow morning. Didn’t we just meet earlier?” Xiang Yun replied in surprise.

“Huh? Do you mean you’re also in Phoenix? In this hotel?” Zhou Yi suddenly felt embarrassed and stammered.

“Yes, I’ve been with you guys the whole time. How come you didn’t see me?” Xiang Yun said, a bit angry.

Zhou Yi smiled sheepishly and said, “To be honest, I really didn’t see you. I’m sorry!”

“Never mind. How could you even notice me?” Xiang Yun sighed.

However, Zhou Yi just called him—doesn’t that show that Zhou Yi still cares quite a bit about him? It’s like a husband who has something to attend to outside and calls home to let his wife know he’s safe. With this thought, the gloom in Xiang Yun’s heart vanished completely, replaced by relief and joy.
“I’ll hang up first. I’m in the bathroom! I’ll be there in a moment,” Xiang Yun said to Zhou Yi.
“Oh, okay!” Zhou Yi replied.
A short while later, Xiang Yun indeed entered the private room. As soon as he entered, he glared at Zhou Yi before sitting down in his seat.
After a while, once everyone was seated, John Kuster stood up, holding a glass in his hand, and smiled at the gathered people. “Today is the last day of 2010. In ten minutes, a new year will begin. To welcome the new year and celebrate our achievements in 2010, let’s raise a glass.”
After hearing John Kuster’s passionate speech, everyone became excited. They picked up their glasses on the table and shouted in unison, “Cheers!”
Then, they drank the wine in their glasses all at once.
Following John Kuster’s lead, they drank a few more glasses. Since there were no matches in the next three days and no training the next day either, John Kuster didn’t impose too many restrictions on his disciples, allowing them to drink to their heart’s content.
After that, people started to toast to each other casually. Zhou Yi, naturally, was the one who was toasted the most. Although he wasn’t very good at drinking, he still met everyone’s requests and drank a lot.
Yet, despite drinking so much, Zhou Yi strictly controlled himself to avoid getting drunk. By the end, although he had drunk a lot, he was only slightly tipsy and could move around fine on his own.
Shaking slightly, he returned to his room and lay down on the bed right away. Lying there, he didn’t fall asleep immediately but instead thought back to the past.
Five months ago, Zhou Yi was just a graduate student who still dreamed of playing in the NBA. But five months later, he had become one of the key players for the Detroit Pistons and a rising star in the NBA league.
Thinking of this, Zhou Yi felt as if it were another lifetime.
With a wry smile and a sigh, he lay on the bed and took out his phone from his pocket. Checking the time, it was already 1:30 a.m.

“I wonder what Keer and the others are doing now. It must be New Year’s Day; they should be on holiday! Well, I’d better call Qi Xiao first and ask about Keer’s recent situation…” Zhou Yi murmured to himself while lying on the bed.
Immediately, Zhou Yi dialed Qi Xiao’s number.
“Hello, is this Qi Xiao?” Zhou Yi asked on the other end.
“Yes, what’s up, Zhou Yi?” Qi Xiao frowned slightly. It must be late at night on Zhou Yi’s end—why is he calling now?
“Hehe, can’t I call you if there’s nothing? You kid…” Zhou Yi laughed.
“Tch, that’s not what I meant. By the way, I’m with Hong Ming, Qin Tian, and others! Hehe, Keer is here too!” Qi Xiao spoke in a lower voice.
Soon, Zhou Yi heard a rough voice—clearly Hong Ming’s. Hong Ming said, “Qi Xiao, whose call is it?”
Qi Xiao whispered something to Hong Ming and then continued talking to Zhou Yi.
“Oh? You say Keer is with you? What are they doing?” Zhou Yi asked curiously.
“Hehe, it’s New Year’s Day today! We all came out to have fun. Oh, and Hong Ming’s girlfriend is here too!” Qi Xiao said mysteriously to Zhou Yi.
“Really? Is it Chen Yan or Xiao Lan?” Zhou Yi laughed.
“Neither. It’s another girl. Actually, you should know her too.” Qi Xiao smiled.
“Oh? Who is it?” Zhou Yi asked eagerly.
“Hehe, it’s Qin Qian!” Qi Xiao said with a sly grin.
“What? Qin Qian?” Zhou Yi sat up immediately, astonished.
“Yes, I find it strange too. How did Qin Qian suddenly become Hong Ming’s girlfriend?” Qi Xiao was also surprised and said to Zhou Yi.
“Then Qin Tian must know too, right?” Zhou Yi asked further.
“Mm, he knows. But it seems he found out before us. That kid is really good at keeping secrets; he didn’t even tell us two.” Qi Xiao said indignantly.
Zhou Yi couldn’t quite accept it for a moment, then asked Qi Xiao, “Hong Ming really isn’t just playing around this time, is he?”
“Oh, I asked him. He said this time it’s serious.” Qi Xiao replied.
“Tch, which time has he ever said it’s serious? In the end, he always dumps us. How many times has he said that already?” Zhou Yi rolled his eyes in disdain.

Upon hearing this, Lin Qixiao thought Zhou Yi made a valid point, but then she reconsidered and said to Zhou Yi, “I think Hong Ming is serious this time. Think about it—Qin Tian is our brother. Hong Ming surely wouldn’t deceive Qin Tian’s own sister, right? If Hong Ming bullies Qin Qian, could Qin Tian let him off?”
“Hmm, you’re right too. I really hope Hong Ming is serious this time. If they end up together, that kid Hong Ming will have to call Qin Tian ‘brother’—he’ll become Qin Tian’s brother-in-law, haha…” Zhou Yi laughed heartily.
“Yes, it’s funny when I think about it. Hehe, okay, I won’t talk to you anymore. I guess you’re here to find Ke Er too. Let me give her the phone!” Lin Qixiao said tactfully to Zhou Yi.
“Mm,” Zhou Yi replied.
Soon, Mo Keer’s sweet voice came through the phone.
“Hello, Zhou Yi?” Mo Keer asked.
“Yeah, it’s me,” Zhou Yi answered.
“Why didn’t you call me directly?” Mo Keer asked.
“Oh, I was afraid you might have something to do! So I called Qixiao and the others first to ask what you were up to. Are you playing with them?” Zhou Yi explained.
“Mm, it’s New Year’s Day today, so everyone came out to gather,” Mo Keer replied.
“By the way, do you know Hong Ming’s new girlfriend?” Zhou Yi suddenly asked.
“Yes, I do!” Mo Keer had already known about Qin Qian and Hong Ming’s relationship, even earlier than Qin Tian.
“Oh? So you knew all along?” Zhou Yi asked again.
“Mm, yeah!” Mo Keer replied with a smile.
Hearing Mo Keer’s answer, Zhou Yi was speechless. “Then why didn’t you tell us? Qixiao and I were probably the last to find out.”
“You didn’t ask me,” Mo Keer simply replied.
After hearing her explanation, Zhou Yi was even more speechless. But what could he do? Since he hadn’t asked her, how could she know he wasn’t aware?
“What are you guys doing?” Zhou Yi asked again.
“Oh, we’re at a restaurant. We’re about to have lunch together!” Mo Keer replied.
“Oh, then when will you get time off? Have you sorted out your visa and everything?” Zhou Yi asked worriedly.
“I’ve taken care of everything. I’ll probably be there by mid-February,” Mo Keer thought for a moment before answering.
Actually, this was what Zhou Yi wanted to know. Hearing her answer, Zhou Yi smiled and said to Mo Keer, “Well, I’ll be waiting for you here then.”

“Hmm, got it. Hehe, I’m not talking to you anymore; we’re about to start eating.” Mo Keer said with a smile to Zhou Yi on the other end of the phone.
“Okay, then give the phone to Qi Xiao,” Zhou Yi said with a smile.
So, Mo Keer handed the phone back to Lin Qixiao.
“Zhou Yi, is there anything else?” Lin Qixiao asked Zhou Yi.
“Oh, nothing else. I was wondering when you’ll come to the U.S. to visit me?” Zhou Yi asked with a smile.
Lin Qixiao thought for a moment before answering, “It’s not certain. I might go to the U.S. with my dad a few days before the New Year, but it’s not necessarily Detroit. I’ll go stay with my grandpa for a couple of days. I’ll see; if I have time, I’ll visit you for a couple of days.”
“Oh, what about Hong Ming and the others?” Zhou Yi asked again.
“Hong Ming probably has time anytime. He can probably go wherever he wants! As you know, his family is very rich, and his parents spoil him so much. I think it shouldn’t be a problem if he wants to come to your place. As for Qin Tian, I think there shouldn’t be any issues either!” Lin Qixiao analyzed.
“Oh, okay. Then please tell them for me. Actually, it’s not certain; maybe I’ll go back home during the New Year!” Zhou Yi said with a smile.
“Hmm, okay. I’ll talk to them!” Lin Qixiao replied.
“Alright, then I’ll hang up first. I’m a bit tired.”
“Hehe, okay. Then goodbye!” Lin Qixiao said with a smile.
Zhou Yi smiled slightly and hung up the phone.
After hanging up, Zhou Yi was about to go to sleep when another call came in. He glanced at the number and immediately frowned. It was a strange number, but Zhou Yi could tell it was from the U.S.
“Hello, who is this?” Zhou Yi asked after answering the call.
“Guess!” came a mischievous voice from the other end, though the reply was in English.
Upon hearing that, Zhou Yi knew right away who it was.
“Phoebe, what are you doing up so late without sleeping?” Zhou Yi asked with a smile.
“Hehe, I just got home! But when I got there, I didn’t see you. After asking my dad, I found out you’ve moved out.” Phoebe said to Zhou Yi with a smile.
“Hmm, I also moved out just these past couple of days, so I didn’t have time to tell you. Sorry about that! By the way, why did you get home only now?” Zhou Yi said apologetically, then asked out of curiosity.

“Hehe, it’s okay! We don’t start our holiday until this afternoon, so as soon as it started, I came back right away, that’s why I arrived a bit late. By the way, Carl has also returned; he got home much earlier than me. I guessed you weren’t asleep, and sure enough, you weren’t. Hey, want to come to my house tomorrow?” Phoebe asked playfully.

“Mm, I will. I’ve already promised Uncle Blake that I’ll go to your house tomorrow to celebrate New Year’s with you all. By the way, I have an idea—not sure what you think,” Zhou Yi said suddenly, recalling that previous idea.

“Oh? What idea? Tell me,” Phoebe said.

“I think we could invite your aunt, that is, your mother, to your house tomorrow to celebrate New Year’s with us. What do you think of that?” Zhou Yi asked tentatively.

“Great! I’ve been wishing our family could get together again for a long time. But Dad won’t let us bring Mom home. If we bring her tomorrow, Dad will definitely get furious,” Phoebe said, suddenly realizing this.

“Hehe, it should be fine. Talk to Carl first. The two of you can tell Uncle Blake that you really miss Mom a lot, that you haven’t seen her for ages, and haven’t celebrated New Year’s with her in a very long time. So this year, you want Mom to be with us for New Year’s. I believe Uncle Blake will understand. Then I’ll talk to him too, saying I want to feel like I have a home and want my aunt to come back to celebrate New Year’s so I can feel at home. After that, I’ll go find my aunt and tell her that you and Carl miss her, and Uncle Blake misses her too, and they all want to get together for New Year’s. I’m sure she’ll be happy to agree when she hears this,” Zhou Yi said to Phoebe.

“Mm, you’re right. Okay, let’s do that. I’ll talk to Carl right away,” Phoebe said, firming up her decision.

“Uh, it’s already past 2 a.m. I guess Carl must be asleep by now! If you talk to him about this now, it’ll disturb his rest. Let’s talk to him tomorrow morning instead!” Zhou Yi advised.

“Uh…” Phoebe glanced at the time and realized she had been too hasty. She smiled sheepishly at Zhou Yi and said, “You’re right. I got a little too excited.”

“Hehe, no need to rush. I believe if everyone works together, your family will definitely get together,” Zhou Yi said to Phoebe with a smile.

Hearing Zhou Yi’s words, Phoebe was deeply moved. With a tearful voice, she said to Zhou Yi, “Zhou Yi, you’re really a good person. Thank you for all you’ve done for our family.”
“Uh, it’s what I should do. A long time ago, I made a vow to bring your family back together,” Zhou Yi replied.
“Mm, thank you, Zhou Yi,” Phoebe said, wiping away a tear.
“Hehe, it’s okay,” Zhou Yi said with a smile.
“What are you doing now? Why aren’t you asleep at this late hour?” Phoebe suddenly asked.
At Phoebe’s question, Zhou Yi was speechless. I was just about to get some rest, but now that you called, how can I sleep? he thought.
Of course, Zhou Yi naturally wouldn’t say such things to Phoebe.
Zhou Yi smiled and explained, “Yesterday was the last day of 2010. So after the match, our head coach, Mr. John Kuster, invited everyone to a big meal. It went on until a little past one o’clock. Then I cleaned up, and now it’s this time.”
“Hehe, then get some rest early! I won’t disturb you any longer. I need to get up early tomorrow to find Carl, so I’m going to bed now,” Phoebe said as if nothing had happened.
Zhou Yi said with a wry smile to Phoebe on the other end of the phone, “Okay, then you should get some rest early too. See you tomorrow!”
“See you tomorrow.” With that, Phoebe hung up the phone.
Zhou Yi sighed with a wry smile, glanced at his phone, and after confirming no more calls would come, placed it by the bed. Lying in bed, he began thinking about what he needed to do the next day.
“Tomorrow, I should call Auntie first…” Zhou Yi murmured to himself.
Lost in thought, he soon fell asleep.
The next morning, after having breakfast with the Pistons team, Zhou Yi boarded a private plane to return to Detroit. As soon as he got back, he called Carl’s mother and delivered the words he had prepared in advance.
After hearing what Zhou Yi said, Carl’s mother was initially shocked, but then happily said to Zhou Yi, “Okay, I’ll definitely be there on time.”
After discussing this with Carl’s mother, Zhou Yi called Phoebe. Coincidentally, Phoebe was with Carl. The three of them then discussed the matter together.
Eventually, they came up with a feasible plan and prepared to carry it out.

Before carrying out today’s plan, Zhou Yi called Xiang Yun again to tell her he would be returning home later. First, Zhou Yi drove to Blake’s house and then sat in the living room chatting with Blake. While talking, Zhou Yi appeared distracted, with a sad expression on his face. Blake naturally noticed this. “Xiao Yi, what’s wrong? You seem preoccupied. Is there something on your mind?” Blake asked concerningly, sitting down next to him. “Uncle, it’s nothing,” Zhou Yi replied nonchalantly before once again showing signs of sadness. “Xiao Yi, what’s really going on? Are you unwell? You can’t fool me like this,” Blake asked again with concern. Hearing this, Zhou Yi pretended to be helpless and said to Blake, “Actually, Uncle, I just miss home a bit. I miss my parents.” “Oh, you miss home? No wonder—today is the New Year! Xiao Yi, I was worried that spending the New Year alone would make you feel lonely and sad without your parents around. That’s why I wanted you to spend it with us. Don’t be sad. Consider my house as your own. After all, my age is similar to your father’s, and we’re good friends. So you can treat me as your father,” Blake said smilingly. “What about Mom? I really miss my mom too!” Zhou Yi’s sad expression didn’t fade but grew even more intense as he spoke to Blake. “Well…” Blake was momentarily speechless. Suddenly, Blake and Zhou Yi heard someone crying. Turning around, they saw Phoebe crying. “Phoebe, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Blake quickly sat down next to her, patting her shoulder and asking worriedly. Phoebe didn’t speak; she continued to cry harder, tears streaming down her face. “Phoebe, what’s wrong? Stop crying. If you keep crying, Dad will cry too. Our Phoebe is so pretty, but she doesn’t look pretty when she cries. Here, Dad will wipe your tears away.” As he spoke, Blake reached out to wipe Phoebe’s tears, but she quickly dodged away, still crying bitterly. “My little baby, who bullied you? Tell Dad, and Dad will definitely teach them a lesson,” Blake said affectionately, holding Phoebe’s head.

“Dad, I miss Mom…” Phoebe said to Blake through tears.
“How come my little baby suddenly misses Mom? Did Dad not treat you well?” Blake asked, wiping Phoebe’s tears.
“Just now, after hearing what Zhou Yi said, I couldn’t help but think of Mom. Dad, I miss her so much. Dad treats me the best, but I still miss Mom. I haven’t seen her for such a long time,” Phoebe continued, crying.
Hearing Phoebe’s words, Blake sighed, not knowing what to say.
He had always felt guilty toward his two children, Phoebe and Carl. They had lost their mother when they were very young. Although Blake hadn’t felt much at the time, he later realized he owed them a lot, which was why he doted on them from childhood.
“Dad, just like Phoebe, even though you treat us extremely well, we still miss Mom. Your kindness can’t stop us from missing her. Dad, we really, really miss Mom,” Carl said, sitting down next to Blake and resting his head on his shoulder.
“Carl, Phoebe…” Blake’s eyes also reddened, but he didn’t know what to say.
“Dad, we want Mom to celebrate New Year’s with us. Zhou Yi also misses Mom; he must want that sense of family. If we bring Mom here and celebrate together as a family, he won’t feel sad anymore,” Carl said to Blake.
After hearing Carl’s words, Blake nodded slightly but said nothing.
“Dad, I want to see Mom. Ugh, I want Mom to celebrate New Year’s with us…” Phoebe continued, crying and pleading with Blake.
“Dad, if Zhou Yi misses his parents so much, surely Mom misses us too? All these years, she’s been by herself. Whenever other families gather, she has to celebrate these festivals alone. Isn’t that ironic? Won’t it hurt her even more? Mom has realized her mistakes and apologized to you. Can’t you really forgive her?” Carl pleaded earnestly.
Then, Zhou Yi spoke up again.

“Uncle, I can tell that Auntie still loves you very much and misses everyone dearly. To be honest, during this time, she often asked me to go out with her and inquire about you. When we met, she would always ask nervously how you were doing, if you were sick or anything. I could tell she really cares about you. And when talking to me, she kept mentioning Phoebe and Carl, saying how much she missed them. Uncle, can’t you really feel Auntie’s sincerity? Carl is right—Auntie has fully realized her mistakes and apologized to you. Are you really that heartless? Even if you don’t think about yourself, think about Carl and Phoebe! They haven’t seen their mother in so long—it’s such a cruel thing for them!” After saying this, Zhou Yi sighed and fell silent.

After hearing Zhou Yi’s words, Blake remained silent.

It took a while before Blake spoke again. “Actually, I do understand my mother’s feelings. But…” Blake sighed, then hugged Phoebe and Carl tightly and said, “Alright, let’s bring your mother here today so we can celebrate the New Year together.”

Upon hearing Blake’s decision, Phoebe happily kissed his cheek and said with a smile, “Dad, you’re so kind!”

Seeing Phoebe’s smiling face, Blake smiled slightly and said to Carl, “Carl, go pick up your mother! I just don’t know if she’ll come. If she doesn’t, it won’t be my fault!”

“Yeah, I know. But I’m sure Mom will come, and she’ll be very, very happy to do so,” Carl said to Blake with a smile.

“Mm, I believe Mom will happily agree to celebrate the New Year with us,” Phoebe said excitedly, jumping up.

“Hehe, I believe Auntie will come too,” Zhou Yi said with a smile.

Seeing the three of them so confident, Blake laughed heartily and said, “Okay, I believe it too.”

Seeing this, Phoebe immediately wrapped her arms around Blake’s neck and playfully kissed his cheek again, saying, “Dad, you’re really too kind now!”

“Oh? Was I not kind before?” Blake asked, pretending to be upset.

“Okay, of course! If anyone says my dad is bad, I’ll punch them.” Saying this, Phoebe showed her little fists. Everyone burst into laughter at that sight. “Alright, Carl, go pick up your mom now! I’ll get ready at home. We’ll celebrate the New Year properly tonight!” Blake said to Carl. “I want to go too!” Phoebe said loudly. Blake smiled and said to Phoebe, “Okay, okay, you can go too. Then go with your brother! By the way, Xiao Yi, do you want to go with them too?” “Oh, then I’ll go with them! I don’t know why, but whenever I see Auntie, I feel like I’m seeing my mom, hehe!” Zhou Yi said without any embarrassment. “Great! Let’s go pick up Mom together!” Phoebe started dancing around like a child. “Hehe, then hurry up. But be careful!” Blake reminded them. “Got it.” Phoebe made a face at Blake, then pulled Carl and Zhou Yi outside the villa. Blake sighed as he watched the three leave the living room. After stepping outside, Zhou Yi and the others glanced back at the living room, then high-fived each other. “Haha, it’s going so smoothly!” Carl said to Zhou Yi and the others with a smile. “Hehe, I’m still the best, right?” Phoebe stuck out her pink fist and waved it at Zhou Yi and Carl. “Yes, you’re the best! But you cried really hard too.” Zhou Yi said jokingly. “Of course!” Phoebe proudly showed her fists and waved them at Zhou Yi and Carl. “Alright, enough joking. Let’s go pick up Auntie now!” Zhou Yi said seriously. Carl nodded and said, “Xiao Yi is right. It’s important to get things done properly. But before we go, I should call Mom first to say hello.” Zhou Yi and Carl nodded in agreement. So, Carl took out his phone and dialed his mom’s number. After greeting his mom, the three set off. Carl drove Blake’s Cadillac, while Zhou Yi drove his own BMW 745i. Phoebe naturally got into Zhou Yi’s car. “Zhou Yi, your car seems to be the same model as Yao’s,” Phoebe said, looking around the car before speaking to Zhou Yi. “Mm, yes. But mine isn’t as expensive as Yao’s, haha…” Zhou Yi joked with Phoebe while driving.

“Zhou Yi, I really thank you so much today. Without your help, Dad would never have agreed to let Mom come over to celebrate the New Year together,” Phoebe said to Zhou Yi.
“Hehe, it’s no problem. I said before that this is what I should do. Besides, you did really well today; I only played a small role,” Zhou Yi said with a smile.
“Hehe, you’re the best,” Phoebe said playfully, sticking out her tongue at him.
Seeing Phoebe’s cute and mischievous expression, Zhou Yi smiled happily.
“By the way, Zhou Yi, where do you live now? Since it’s vacation, I can visit you when I have time,” Phoebe asked nonchalantly.
“Uh…” Zhou Yi immediately thought of Xiang Yun. If this girl found out he lived with Xiang Yun, who knew what might happen!
“What’s wrong? What are you thinking about?” Phoebe asked curiously, poking him.
“Oh, nothing. Just thinking about some things,” Zhou Yi said with a smile to Phoebe.
Phoebe nodded, then remembered her earlier question, which Zhou Yi still hadn’t answered, so she asked again, “I asked you where you live earlier. You still haven’t told me!”
“Oh, I’ll take you to my place in a couple of days!” Zhou Yi tried to dodge the question.
Hearing this, Phoebe laughed happily and said, “Okay, then we have a deal! You must take me to your place then!”
Seeing Phoebe’s serious expression, Zhou Yi regretted what he had said and simply nodded without saying anything more.
Soon, they arrived at their destination.
When they reached Carl’s mother’s house, Zhou Yi immediately saw her standing at the door, waiting for them!
“Hehe, you’re here!” Carl’s mother said with a smile.
“Mom…” As soon as Phoebe saw her mother, she rushed over and hugged her tightly.
“Hehe, Phoebe, you’re still acting like a child!” Carl’s mother said, laughing as she patted Phoebe’s back.
“I’m a child after all!” Phoebe said with a pout.
“Hehe…” Everyone laughed.
Then, Carl hugged his mother as well. Finally, Carl’s mother hugged Zhou Yi too.
After chatting for a while, Carl’s mother got into Carl’s car, and the two vehicles quickly headed toward Blake’s house.

Before long, two cars stopped in front of Black Villa. Black had already been watching to see if they were coming. Seeing the cars stop at the door, he quickly ran over and opened the gate. “Want me to help pull it?” Black asked, a bit at a loss, after seeing Carl’s mother get out of the car. “Mm-hm,” Carl’s mother nodded in response. “Then, let’s go inside!” Black said to everyone. Soon, they all entered the living room and sat down. It was somewhat strange, as everyone remained silent. Zhou Yi observed the situation and began thinking of a plan. Suddenly, it seemed as if he remembered something, so he said to Carl, “Carl, I think I left something in your room earlier.” After saying that, Zhou Yi even winked at Carl. Carl immediately realized what was going on and quickly agreed, “Yes, I found it when I was cleaning my room yesterday. Come on, I’ll get it for you.” With that, Carl stood up. “Mom and Dad, Zhou Yi and I are going upstairs first,” Carl said, leading Zhou Yi upstairs. Seeing this, Phoebe also realized something and quickly said to Zhou Yi, “Zhou Yi, it seems like you left something in my room too. I’ll go get it for you.” Then, Phoebe, along with Black and her mother, said with a smile, “Mom and Dad, we’re going upstairs too.” After that, Phoebe followed Zhou Yi and Carl upstairs, leaving Black and his mother sitting in the living room. Once upstairs, the three of them went to the room where Zhou Yi had previously stayed. After entering the room, Phoebe closed the door, walked over to Zhou Yi, gave him a high-five, and said, “Zhou Yi, you’re really smart.” “Hehe, I thought we should give your uncles and aunts some time to talk alone,” Zhou Yi said with a smile. “Hehe, yeah, I think so too,” Carl added with a smile. Thus, the three of them stayed in Zhou Yi’s room chatting, while Black and Carl’s mother sat in the living room. Of course, Zhou Yi and the others had no idea what Black and Carl’s mother were talking about. An hour later, when the three of them came downstairs, they were surprised to find that Black and Carl’s mother were having a pleasant conversation. Seeing this, Zhou Yi and the others felt very happy and relieved. When Black and the others saw Zhou Yi and the others coming downstairs, Black said with a smile, “It’s the New Year. Let’s start preparing for dinner properly!” “Okay!” Zhou Yi and the others replied in unison.

So, Blake, Carl’s mother, and Zhou Yi began preparing their dinner. Seeing how harmonious Blake and Carl’s mother were, Zhou Yi and the others were very happy.
When the last rays of the sunset disappeared and night fell, a sumptuous dinner was ready for everyone.
At that moment, everyone sat down at the dining table, ready to enjoy the meal to their heart’s content.
“Come, let’s celebrate the arrival of the New Year!” Blake said, raising his glass.
The other four smiled and raised their glasses as well, then they all drank their drinks in one gulp.
“Dad, Mom, should we toast to our family’s reunion?” Phoebe said playfully to Blake and her mother.
Blake glanced at Carl’s mother and said with a smile, “Sure.”
So, they toasted together again.
After that, everyone enjoyed the delicious dinner happily.
This day was destined to be a very pleasant one for Blake’s family and Zhou Yi.
Chapter 244: Surprise Attack on Salt Lake City
On the morning after New Year’s Day, at the request of head coach John Kuester, Zhou Yi and the others began intense training. Zhou Yi, of course, continued to learn various offensive techniques with McGrady.
Including the close victory over the Celtics, the Pistons had now achieved 21 consecutive wins. With a record of 30 wins and 3 losses, they had the best start in Pistons history—and one of the best in NBA history as well.
Their next opponent was the Utah Jazz.
This year, the Jazz no longer had their usual strength. Although they brought in Al Jefferson after Carlos Boozer left, their record had been poor since the start of the season. Al Jefferson not fitting in well with the entire team had always been a problem, but Zhou Yi guessed they were trying to find a solution.
The Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City, where the Jazz played, was known as the most hostile home court in the league.
First, the fans there didn’t care where you came from—they would curse and boo you without any regard for dignity.
Second, the referees there were unique in the league. Their decision-making was often criticized, mainly due to issues related to the Rockets. But the referees here also had biases; they would judge the Jazz the same way they judged you.

Although their overall record was poor, the Jazz had achieved six consecutive home wins before facing the Pistons. Another bad news for the Pistons was that Andrei Kirilenko, who had been out for seven games, was set to return in tomorrow’s match. They aimed to defeat the Pistons at home and end their 21-game winning streak. However, the Pistons weren’t afraid of playing away; they had only lost one away game so far in the season, while having lost two at home, which was somewhat ironic.
…
At 6 p.m. local time on January 3, 2011, the Detroit Pistons’ private plane landed smoothly on the runway in Salt Lake City. Zhou Yi would be facing the notoriously tough home court of the NBA for the first time, and the thought sent shivers down his spine. “Just thinking about it makes me feel oppressed…” Zhou Yi carried his luggage and stepped out of the plane last, looking at Salt Lake City outside—it always seemed filled with a murderous atmosphere!
When it came to the Jazz, most people were familiar with them, as they had eliminated the Rockets, who were of great interest to Chinese fans, twice in the first round of the playoffs. The sad figures of Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady moved many fans watching on TV. The Jazz, coached by legendary coach Jerry Sloan, were a highly stable team. However, their home and away records were extremely uneven, partly due to their infamous home court, which made them struggle when playing away.
“Samuel, Greg, Tyus, Tracy, and Zhou Yi will start in this game—play with determination!” Head coach John Kuester announced the starting lineup in the locker room. Ben Wallace, who had sprained his waist in the last game, would sit out, so Samuel Dalembert would take his place. “Observe Deron’s offensive patterns carefully—they’ll be useful for you in the future!” McGrady walked over and patted Zhou Yi’s shoulder. “Heh, got it!” Zhou Yi replied with a smile.
Before long, head coach John Kuester entered the locker room.

“Alright, guys, it’s time to go on court. We must win this game today. We’re now on a 21-game winning streak, and just one more win will tie the previous record of 22 consecutive wins held by the Houston Rockets,” said John Kuester, clapping his hands as he spoke to the Pistons players. At the end, he even gave Maddie a smile.

Led by head coach John Kuester, the Pistons players walked onto the court. As they passed through the player tunnel, Zhou Yi suddenly spotted Xiang Yun.

Seeing Xiang Yun carrying interview equipment in one hand and a stack of documents in the other, Zhou Yi walked up to her with a smile and greeted her.

“Hey, Xiang Yun, it seems like you’ve been getting busier lately. You seem to go to almost every away game with the team,” Zhou Yi said, smiling as he took the heavy interview equipment from her hands.

“Ah, it’s just because I want to see you more often!” Xiang Yun replied with a half-smile.

“Tch, just making random jokes again. Be careful someone might hear you,” Zhou Yi said, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

Xiang Yun playfully huffed at Zhou Yi and then said, “If they hear me, so be it. Anyway, what I said is true.”

“Uh…” Zhou Yi reluctantly placed the interview equipment where Xiang Yun indicated, then said to her, “Well, I should get ready now. The game is about to start.”

“Mm, go ahead and get ready in peace!” Xiang Yun said, looking reluctant, as if Zhou Yi would never return.

Hearing Xiang Yun’s words, three black lines appeared on Zhou Yi’s forehead. He gave her a glare before walking toward the Pistons’ bench, turning back to her as he said, “The wind howls, the waters are cold; the brave warrior departs and never returns.”

Seeing Zhou Yi’s almost tragic expression, Xiang Yun burst into laughter and made a face at him.

As soon as Zhou Yi reached the Pistons’ bench, Will Bynum wrapped his arms around him and said lewdly, “Hey, kid, tell me the truth. What did you say about just being friends?”

“What? Tell what?” Zhou Yi pushed away Bynum’s hand on his shoulder and replied indifferently.

“Still acting? Still pretending? Looking at how close you are, there must be something going on between you. Hehe, if your girlfriend found out, who knows what might happen,” Bynum said nonchalantly, his vulgar intentions obvious.

“Uh…” Zhou Yi simply ignored Will Bynum’s words and walked over to McGrady. At that moment, John Kuester clapped his hands to gather the players together, then said, “In this game, everyone must give it their all to set a record. Well, I won’t say any more—let’s head to the court and do some warm-ups!” Hearing John Kuester’s words, everyone rushed to the court to start warming up. About five minutes after the visiting team began their warm-ups, the home team players entered the court, and their appearance instantly electrified the entire arena. Five minutes before the game started, both teams returned to their benches. Soon after, the main screen displayed the starting lineups for the match. Pistons: Center Samuel Dalembert, Power Forward Greg Monroe, Small Forward Tyshawn Prince, Shooting Guard Tracy McGrady, Point Guard Zhou Yi; Jazz: Center Al Jefferson, Power Forward Paul Millsap, Small Forward Andre Iguodala, Shooting Guard Raja Bell, Point Guard Deron Williams. As the game began, Samuel Dalembert and Al Jefferson jumped for the ball, with Al Jefferson winning it, giving the Jazz possession. Deron Williams took control and organized the offense; by the end of the first half, he was already accelerating through defenses. Zhou Yi couldn’t help but gasp at the sight of this human tank. Deron Williams wasn’t only strong but also extremely fast—though not as fast as Chris Paul or Derrick Rose, nor as fast as Zhou Yi, his speed was still among the best among point guards in the league. The Jazz’s home court truly lived up to its reputation as a “hellish” arena—whenever the Pistons gained possession, the home crowd would start booing, while whenever the Jazz took control or scored, they would erupt in cheers. With the “enthusiastic” support of these nearly fanatical fans, the Jazz launched a wave of attacks from the very beginning, clearly showing their advantage as hosts. Moreover, Zhou Yi also experienced the Jazz’s notoriously dirty playing style, especially during the battles in the paint, where their “signature tactics” were evident.

Just three minutes into the game, the Pistons were down 9-2 to the Jazz, trailing by 7 points. The Pistons failed to score a single point in fast breaks, and their only two points came from McGrady’s free throws.

McGrady clearly had already adapted to the Jazz’s home court. Despite the boos and taunts from the home crowd, he ignored them and successfully made both free throws.

Zhou Yi held the ball at the three-point line, while Greg Monroe rushed back. Zhou Yi passed the ball to the ground, delivering it right into Monroe’s hands, who then dunked and drew a foul from Allen Jefferson.

Perhaps affected by the intense boos from the home crowd, Greg Monroe missed both free throws and failed to score at all. Paul Millsap grabbed the defensive rebound.

“Relax, ignore those guys. Treat them like they’re just farting,” McGrady whispered to Monroe as he passed by him.

Greg Monroe nodded seriously in response.

Allen Jefferson received a pass from Deron Williams and tried to attack inside, but was called for an offensive foul by Samuel Dalembert. The Pistons gained possession of the ball.

Zhou Yi used a reverse pass again, this time to Taishan Prince, who scored 2 more points with a layup. Soon after, the Jazz’s offense failed, and Zhou Yi grabbed a defensive rebound before assisting McGrady with a three-point shot from beyond the arc.

With these three successful attacks, the Pistons scored a 7-0 run, tying the score from 9-2 to 9-9.

Thanks to his three consecutive assists, Zhou Yi quickly tied the score.

Seeing this, the Jazz’s head coach Jerry Sloan called a timeout, hoping to replace Allen Jefferson, who already had two fouls before even halfway through the first quarter.

Chapter 245: Back and Forth Attacks

After the timeout, Allen Jefferson was replaced by Kyrylo Fesenko, while the Pistons’ lineup remained unchanged.

Zhou Yi, in defensive position, watched as Deron Williams drove toward his half of the court. Williams’ speed increased, and as he reached Zhou Yi, he pushed him hard, forcing him to retreat two steps. Zhou Yi suddenly realized just how weak his frame was.

After reaching what he thought were the limits of his speed and strength, Deron Williams used a behind-the-back dribble to cut straight past Zhou Yi from the left. All Zhou Yi could do was move to the left and try his best to block him. But at that moment, he realized that with them standing side by side, he simply couldn’t stop Deron Williams.
“Too strong…”
Using his powerful physique, Deron Williams broke through Zhou Yi in just a few steps and rushed into the paint, leaving Zhou Yi half a body length behind.
“Too strong…” Zhou Yi watched helplessly as Deron Williams completed a layup, even doing so while holding off Greg Monroe.
It was then that Zhou Yi truly understood what strength meant.
As Greg Monroe played better and better, Taylor Hansbrough could only sit firmly on the bench. Still, he would get playing time—though the Pistons had many players in the paint, they didn’t have many interchangeable options.
The Pistons made a substitution, with John Kuester bringing in Taylor Hansbrough to replace Greg Monroe.
To be honest, Greg Monroe was somewhat inferior to Taylor Hansbrough in terms of mental toughness. Although Greg Monroe’s mental strength wasn’t bad, it wasn’t as strong as Taylor Hansbrough’s.
Taylor Hansbrough passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who took it and calmly moved toward the front court.
“Slow down the pace!” Zhou Yi thought to himself as he dribbled, looking at Deron Williams ahead.
“Zhou, play inside!” John Kuester shouted from the sidelines.
The Jazz’s interior play was indeed weakened—Al Jefferson was taken off the court due to a foul problem, and the player who came in, Kyrylo Fesenko, was basically a liability.
Zhou Yi threw the ball into the paint, where Samuel Dalembert caught it and effortlessly turned to layup, scoring straight through the net while also forcing a defensive foul from Kyrylo Fesenko.
Samuel Dalembert was a veteran with exceptional mental strength, so he remained calm despite the boos from the home crowd and easily made the free throw.
13:12—the Pistons took a 1-point lead.
On the Jazz’s next possession, Andrey Kirilenko cut toward the basket from the wing, received a clever pass from Deron Williams, and tried to layup, but missed. Taylor Hansbrough grabbed the defensive rebound.

Maddie received the pass from Zhou Yi. The annoying RagaBeller still stood in front of him, focusing entirely on guarding him rather than the ball. No matter how many openings appeared for the Pistons’ other players, he refused to help with defense. Wherever Maddie went, he followed, and physical collisions were common in his defense—even when Maddie didn’t have the ball, his defense didn’t slacken at all.

However, Maddie had spent over a decade in the league, so he knew how to deal with RagaBeller’s defense. He drove hard with the ball, then changed direction and broke past RagaBeller from his left. After pulling ahead by a good distance, Maddie took a mid-range jump shot, and with a swish, the ball went through the net.

Although the Jazz took the initiative at the start of the game, the Pistons fought back tenaciously and even regained the lead. The first quarter ended with a 2+1 layup by Charlie Villanueva. The score between the two teams was close—26:21, with the Pistons leading by 5 points.

“Hey, the Jazz aren’t in rhythm today, which is good for us!” Will Bynum said cheerfully to Zhou Yi from the sidelines. It was clear the Jazz were playing rather disorganizedly; otherwise, they would have taken a bigger lead by now.

“But don’t get complacent. The Jazz are still a traditional powerhouse. Even though their strength has declined, we still need to be careful!” Zhou Yi said, reminding his teammates as he saw them all happy.

Hearing Zhou Yi’s words, the key players nodded in agreement. Zhou Yi not only had remarkable basketball talent but also an extraordinary ability to analyze game situations. Even John Kuester praised his skills in this regard, so the Pistons’ players trusted what Zhou Yi said to some extent.

But things in the world rarely go as perfectly as planned. At the start of the second quarter, the Jazz launched a relentless attack, scoring 12-2 against the Pistons in the first few minutes—actually, 10-0 would be more accurate, as aside from an initial two-point shot, the Pistons hadn’t made a single shot yet. In other words, the Pistons were struggling to score. The score quickly widened to 33:28, with the Jazz now leading by 5 points.

The Pistons’ players seemed stunned, able to hold off the Jazz’s subsequent attacks only with the help of their frontcourt players, Greg Monroe and Samuel Dalembert.
“Zhou, get ready to play!” Just as the game reached a stalemate, John Kuester said to Zhou Yi beside him.