Chapter 20

With 33 seconds left in the third quarter, both teams had essentially one offensive chance each.Ross drove fast with the ball, and Busemer came over to set up a pick-and-roll for him.Ross cut toward the basket but was met by Prince’s defense. At that moment, someone rushed into the paint—Busemer.Ross threw the ball high above the backboard, and Busemer leaped high. With a loud thud, the basket groaned as Busemer slammed the ball home. The coordination between Busemer andRoss was flawless, as if they had been playing together for years rather than just starting to work together. The fans were already in awe ofRoss’s versatility, with chants and cheers, along with constant calls for an MVP award. Zhou Yi slowed down the pace, carefully managing time to allow his team to execute their final attack. Suddenly, Zhou Yi drove with the ball, dribbling behind him to create space fromRoss, while Raul Dunas covered him. Zhou Yi quickly passed the ball to Daye nearby, who shot—swish! The ball went in! “Good job!” As Daye scored the final basket of the third quarter, the Pistons entered the fourth quarter trailing 77–80. The Bulls now led by only 3 points, down from an initial 15-point advantage. The Bulls’ players were prepared to take criticism (except forRoss), but to their surprise, Silađanović didn’t scold them but warned them to focus on defense in the final quarter. Then he pulledRoss aside and seriously said, “Be careful with that Chinese kid.”Ross nodded without saying anything. On the Pistons’ bench, John Kuester was enthusiastically explaining tactics to the players. “Don’t worry! As long as we play seriously, hard, and determinedly, I believe we’ll definitely win!” Kuester shouted after explaining the tactics, and the players on the bench joined in, now full of confidence! Entering the crucial fourth quarter, Durham Porter and Prince became extremely aggressive. Seeing their hot shooting form, Zhou Yi assigned most of the ball to them. Under the leadership of Durham Porter, Prince, and Zhou Yi, the Pistons quickly narrowed the score gap to 1 point. But the Bulls launched a fierce counterattack at this point, withRoss organizing it and Raul Dunas as the attacker.

But unfortunately, the Pistons were in fantastic form. Zhou Yi always passed the ball to those in top form, while Durham Porter and Prince kept putting pressure on the Pistons’ interior players. Yet, Kyle Korver suddenly exploded. With Rose’s assistance, Korver kept shooting from beyond the three-point line, quickly widening the score gap to 8 points!
“If we don’t take control now, we’ll lose!” As he watched the Bulls’ offensive push, Kuster thought about this—momentum, a strange thing; you can’t describe it in words, nor can there be exact numbers to show its existence.
The Bulls had already gained momentum. Ron Artest and Korver were both shooting well, especially Korver, who caused great trouble for the Pistons from outside.
Kuster immediately called a timeout. After devising a strategy, Monroe was replaced by Big Ben, forming a double tower with Durham Porter. Zhou Yi was also taken off by Bynum. The Pistons’ lineup now was: Big Ben, Durham Porter, Prince, Posey, and Bynum.
On the Bulls’ side, Rose was replaced by Watson, who needed rest to have enough energy for the final moments. Noah was also replaced by Skalabrine. The Bulls’ lineup became: Boozer staying on the court to intimidate the Pistons’ interior players, along with Skalabrine, Ron Artest, Brewer, and Watson.
At that point, 8 minutes and 21 seconds remained until the end of the game.
After the timeout, the Bulls gained possession. Skalabrine passed the ball to CJ Watson. After dribbling past half-court, Watson without hesitation passed the ball straight to the interior, to Boozer’s hands. Boozer moved slightly and successfully single-handedly took on Durham Porter, pushing the Pistons’ deficit to 10 points.
Bynum rushed into the interior, with Skalabrine coming to defend him. Bynum passed the ball to Prince behind him. Prince caught the ball and immediately shot a mid-range jump shot—hit!
“8 points left, there’s still a chance!” Kuster calculated in his mind from the sidelines.
As time passed, the Bulls continued to control the game. The Pistons couldn’t narrow the score gap to within 5 points; it mostly stayed around 8 points.
At 6 minutes and 45 seconds into the game, both teams made substitutions, signaling that the final intense battle of the match was about to begin. It was these last 5 minutes and 15 seconds that would truly determine the outcome of the game.
Chapter 102: Intense Battle (Part 2)

In the final showdown, the Pistons sent out this lineup: Big Ben and Durham Porter as the frontcourt duo, while Prince, Zhou Yi, and Bynum formed the backcourt trio of point guards. On the Bulls’ side, Busemer and Noah manned the frontcourt, with Rolando Dunham, Brewer, andRoss forming the backcourt.

Constant pressure defense was extremely frustrating; Zhou Yi felt extremely uncomfortable as soon as he got the ball.Ross was always in front of him, constantly trying to steal the ball. The key to a steal is to disrupt the opponent’s rhythm. AlthoughRoss hadn’t made a move yet, his constant changes in stance meant that once he attacked, it would surely be a deadly blow.

Rose was almost able to steal Zhou Yi’s ball. Zhou Yi managed to pass the ball with difficulty, but it nearly went out of bounds before Prince caught it. Though they failed to steal the ball, Silađan was very satisfied with this defense—as long as enough pressure was applied, the opponent’s rhythm would surely be disrupted.

Prince threw a long pass, aiming to deliver the ball to Bynum at the right wing baseline. Unexpectedly, halfway through the pass, a hand suddenly appeared and snatched the ball away in an instant.

Rose rushed like lightning to the Pistons’ basket and dunked powerfully with both hands, his back to the basket!

“MVP, MVP, MVP…” After Rose completed that thrilling dunk, deafening cheers erupted throughout the arena.

“Derrick’s reaction is just too fast—amazing,” one commentator exclaimed sincerely, staring at that white figure.

“Yes, I’d say even Dwyane isn’t as fast as Derrick. It’s terrifying. This season, Derrick will surely lead Chicago back to the top of the league. It won’t be long before another Bulls dynasty is born,” added another commentator.

The commentator who spoke earlier said nothing, only staring at Rose with intense enthusiasm in his eyes.

Rose’s close defense made it extremely difficult for Zhou Yi to drive, but he refused to give up. Zhou Yi’s tenacity shone through at that moment. Using Bynum’s screen, he charged straight to the basket and hit a turnaround shot.

Rose took a deep breath, staring at Zhou Yi without any emotion, only fierce determination. Instead of fighting alone, he passed the ball to Rolando Dunham when he saw an opportunity.

Bynum’s defense had always been a weakness, but he performed well this time—having contained Brewer effectively in the previous round, he quickly stepped in to stop Rolando Dunham’s attack.

Raul Dunleavy made a breakthrough pass to Bozer, who then passed behind his head. Rose, cutting from the baseline, caught the ball and executed a smooth one-handed dunk in a beautiful and fluid motion. Rose’s attack once again sparked cheers from the home crowd. Xiang Yun, sitting in the corner, pursed her delicate lips in dissatisfaction and shouted at the court, “Zhou Yi, go for it!” The fans around Xiang Yun were initially stunned, glanced at her curiously, then ignored her. “What are you looking at? Can you understand Chinese?” Xiang Yun snapped in annoyance. The Pistons failed to score on this attack, and Big Ben grabbed the rebound. The moment Big Ben secured the rebound, Zhou Yi immediately sprang into action. Without the ball, he showed surprising speed, rushing into the opponent’s half in just a few steps. Big Ben’s long pass arrived just in time, allowing him to score easily with a layup. Zhou Yi didn’t attempt a dunk because he needed to conserve energy—this wasn’t the time for showmanship, and no energy could be wasted. Brewer’s three-pointer hit the back of the rim and bounced high. Big Ben and Noah occupied positions inside. Big Ben, being very experienced, realized he had little chance of grabbing the rebound, so he pushed Noah aside, blocking him and creating a great opportunity for Durham Porter. Durham Porter immediately understood Big Ben’s intention, pushed Bozer aside, timed his jump perfectly, and secured the rebound. With Zhou Yi’s screen, Bynum hit a mid-range shot. Rose used several feints, leveraging his physical advantage to break through Zhou Yi’s defense. With a backpass, he delivered the ball to Raul Dunleavy, who was unguarded, and Dunleavy hit a shot from above the rim. Zhou Yi had the ball, but he made a turnover at a critical moment. Rose seized the mistake, drove toward the opponent’s half with the ball. Noah took a step back and hit a hook shot, also drawing a foul on Durham Porter. Monroe came in to replace Durham Porter, and Noah made both free throws. Zhou Yi organized the offense, moving quickly and steadily. Now the Pistons were in a disadvantageous position, trailing by 11 points under Rose’s leadership, with only 3 minutes and 36 seconds left.

Monroe provided a screen without the ball for Prince, who took advantage to cut to the basket. Zhou Yi flicked his wrist, and the ball ended up in Prince’s hands. After catching it, Prince slid straight up for a layup—making the shot and also drawing a defensive foul from Buzer. At this point, Buzer already had three fouls from the first half and another in the third quarter, bringing his total to five. Just one more foul and he could leave early to take a shower. Despite Buzer’s difficult situation, Sibudu had no intention of substituting him.

Prince took the free throw, but unfortunately missed the second attempt. Buzer grabbed the rebound and passed it toRoss.Ross was too fast, making it difficult for Zhou Yi to defend him, as Zhou Yi’s stamina was starting to fade.

“I can’t keep up!” Zhou Yi shook his head helplessly as he watchedRoss break through and successfully layup. That guy’s speed was too great—Zhou Yi could keep up at his peak, but now he simply couldn’t keep up. Such speed left him speechless.

“I just don’t believe your stamina won’t fade,” Zhou Yi said, standing up straight and taking a few deep breaths. He felt a surge of energy returning to his body. At this point, Zhou Yi had become the engine of the team. Without him, the Pistons would quickly lose hope of winning. Some might ask, why does Zhou Yi, being just a reserve, play such an important role? The truth is, on paper, Zhou Yi is Baynam’s backup on the Pistons, but in reality, he’s practically a half-starter!

What the Pistons lack most right now is a leader—not that Zhou Yi is the leader of the team; he’s still a long way from that.

But Zhou Yi can rev up the team’s offense and improve its efficiency. Although he’s not a leader, he can use his amazing passing skills to help the Pistons stay close in the score. Yet their opponent is the Bulls, a team aiming for the championship this season, and they play incredibly tough.

Seeing Zhou Yi score again, the Bulls immediately called a timeout. The score difference between the two teams was now only 6 points, with a possible tie within three points.

In the previous minute, Zhou Yi seemed like a scoring machine, scoring 6 points in a row and narrowing the gap to 6 points.

The timeout ended, and the game resumed.

Ross drove with the ball, using clever dribbling behind his back to outmaneuver Zhou Yi. Bynum rushed over to help defend, but Ross didn’t even look at the ball—he just flicked it to the right, and it landed in Bozer’s hands. Bozer pushed hard, creating space for Monroe to lay up and score.
“Get off the court!” Zhou Yi glared coldly at Bozer, thinking to himself.
Zhou Yi took control of the ball, and the Pistons were playing in excellent coordination. Big Ben set up a pick-and-roll, while Zhou Yi drove inside. Noah pulled Big Ben to the outside, leaving Bozer to guard the basket. Zhou Yi kept moving forward at full speed toward Bozer. Bozer was ready to block, determined to teach this younger player a lesson.
When Zhou Yi reached the basket, he pretended to shoot, and Bozer immediately lunged at him. Zhou Yi didn’t shoot until Bozer collided with him, then threw the ball as he moved toward Bozer.
“Ding”—the whistle blew. Although Zhou Yi had achieved his goal, he still stared at the ball. “It would’ve been even better if it went in,” he muttered. “Bang, bang, bang”—the ball bounced awkwardly before finally falling through the net.
Zhou Yi clenched his fist tightly and roared, venting his excitement.
“Great shot, Zhou Yi!” Xiang Yun shouted excitedly, waving her fists.
Zhou Yi made the free throw as well, reducing the Pistons’ deficit to just 5 points. Bozer was forced to leave the game due to six fouls, replaced by veteran Kurt Thomas.
Now, only 2 minutes and 12 seconds remained until the end of the game.
Chapter 103: The Decisive Battle (Part 1)
Ross’s face was also covered in sweat as he panted heavily. His dribbling speed finally slowed down—not because of lack of energy, but to stay steady. The Bulls were now up 5 points, and what they needed most was consistency.
After half the game, Ross passed the ball to Rolando Blackman. Blackman placed the ball at his waist, ready to drive. Prince spread his long arms, trying to stop Blackman’s advance. Blackman pushed forward slightly and passed the ball to KK. Walker, who had just replaced Brewer. KK. Walker stood just outside the three-point line at the bottom corner. After adjusting slightly, he jumped and shot a three-pointer. At that moment, Bynum lunged at him, but failed to block it instead hitting KK. Walker’s hand.
The Pistons’ players watched nervously as the ball spun in the air, praying it wouldn’t go in. Monroe tried his best to hold Thomas back, aiming to secure the rebound.

With a swish, the ball went in. Immediately followed by a “ding” as Bynum committed a foul and Korver scored a three. Sidorevich quickly called a timeout to plan the next defensive strategy. The Bulls players all rushed at Korver, excitedly patting his body. In the stands, the home crowd cheered wildly, ready to claim the final victory of the game.

With only one and a half minutes left, this final stretch became the most critical part of the game. The Bulls were determined to fight, and so were the Pistons, as neither side wanted to lose or give up at this point.

The Pistons were 8 points behind their opponent; if Korver made his free throws, it would be 9 points. With one and a half minutes left, there was still a chance—the Pistons still had a slim chance to win.

The 20-second timeout ended quickly. The Pistons’ Bynum was replaced by veteran James Posey, with Kuster clearly aiming to shoot a three. Sidorevich’s strategy was simple: defend against the Pistons’ threes. After Korver came on, he continued to take free throws. Earlier, when Korver hit a three, it also resulted in a foul on Bynum. Zhou Yi stood outside the three-point line, resting on his knee while regaining his strength, watching Korver take the free throws. If Korver missed, he was ready to grab the rebound and launch a fast break.

“Miss, miss, miss!” Bynum, sitting frustrated on the bench, watched anxiously as Korver prepared to take the free throws, silently praying that he would miss. Perhaps moved by Bynum’s sincerity, fate heard his prayers and granted his humble wish. Korver shot steadily, but the ball refused to cooperate—after spinning around, it bounced off the rim.

Dabbeni outmuscle everyone to grab the crucial rebound and pass it to Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi dashed toward the front court, breaking through Rose. Rose stuck close, denying Zhou Yi any chance to attack. Zhou Yi glanced around, snorted, and a cold smirk appeared on his lips.

“Not good, defend James Posey quickly!” Ross caught a glimpse of Posey using Prince as a screen to break free and position himself at the 45-degree mark on the right side of the three-point line, and immediately shouted at his teammates. Zhou Yi didn’t even look; he swiftly passed the ball to Posey. By then, Covell, who was guarding Posey, realized the person behind him had disappeared. Turning around, he saw Posey at the 45-degree angle on the right, holding the basketball. By the time he tried to move over, Prince blocked his path. Seeing Posey standing there, Covell’s heart skipped a beat.

Helplessly, Covell watched as Posey threw the ball toward the basket with a wrist flick. All he could do was stand there and watch the ball arc through the air.

The ball dropped perfectly into the net, narrowing the score gap between the two teams to 5 points.

What the Bulls needed most now was to stabilize morale, and that responsibility naturally fell on Ross’s shoulders. Ross could even hear his own heartbeat and breathing. Driving the ball toward the opponent’s half, he knew he still had to rely on himself at critical moments. With Noah providing coverage, Ross rushed into the paint. Seeing Ross coming, none of the Pistons’ big men dared to step out, as Ross’s passing was just as threatening as his offense—especially with sharpshooter Kyle Covell lurking on the perimeter.

Ross dribbled with his right hand while using his left to block Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi’s strength was far inferior to Ross’s, and by now Ross had penetrated the paint. Suddenly, he made a crossover dribble followed by an abrupt stop.

Seeing Ross stop suddenly, Zhou Yi was already prepared to defend and raised his hand to block Ross’s vision. But Ross had more than just that skill. Pretending to reach left as if to pass, he disrupted Zhou Yi’s balance, highlighting Zhou Yi’s lack of experience even more.

Seizing this opening, Ross suddenly jumped and launched the ball. The ball spun slowly through the air, and everyone heard only a “whoosh” sound.

As the ball settled firmly in the basket, Ross threw his fist in the air and roared. The blood of fans across the arena seemed to boil as they roared along with him.

“It’s 7 points, we still need to defend against their next attack!”Ross quickly fell back in defense.， by the time he turned around, Zhou Yi had already dribbled to the half-court. SeeingRoss ready to defend again, Zhou Yi took a deep breath and, in just two seconds, pushed his speed to its limit, rushing towardRoss like thunder.

Seeing Zhou Yi’s speed,Ross knew he couldn’t defend him up close, so he decisively stepped back a few steps. Monroe and Zhou Yi had excellent coordination; seeing Zhou Yi trapped byRoss, Monroe promptly stepped in from the inside to set up a pick-and-roll for Zhou Yi, who quickly moved to the side.Ross tried to follow, but a tall and strong player blocked his path.

“Damn it,”Ross shouted.

Suddenly, Covell appeared in front of Zhou Yi. Seeing this,Ross’s tense nerves relaxed slightly, but when he turned his head, concern flashed across his face as he rushed toward James Posey instead of Zhou Yi.

But it was too late. Zhou Yi waved his hand, and the ball ended up in Posey’s hands beyond the three-point line at the bottom corner. Without hesitation, Posey shot a three-pointer at lightning speed—everyone heard the swish.

“The Pistons are too tenacious!” the commentator exclaimed sincerely.

“Yes!” another commentator agreed.

At that moment, Sabonis called a timeout to plan the next attack.

Only 51 seconds remained until the end of the game, and the Pistons were still 4 points behind, but they still had a chance to win, and that chance was growing.

Chapter 104: The Decisive Battle (Part 2)

Soon, the timeout ended and play resumed, with the Bulls in possession.

Covell was replaced by Ty Gibson to help the Bulls with rebounds. Gibson inbounded the ball, andRoss took it, slowly controlling it to buy time.

Zhou Yi naturally understoodRoss’s intentions, so he kept harassing him, trying to steal the ball. ButRoss’s ball-handling skills were also outstanding. Despite Zhou Yi’s fierce defense, he still couldn’t steal the ball. As the 24-second clock neared,Ross broke free from Zhou Yi’s defense and rushed to the basket to lay up. Monroe abandoned his defense of Thomas and rushed over to coverRoss.

Ross didn’t expect Monroe to come here and disrupt him. He jumped up at that moment; failing to shoot the ball would be a violation, so he had no choice but to throw it toward the basket. The hasty shot naturally missed. Monroe, who hadn’t jumped before, now leaped up, grabbed the basketball, and passed it to Zhou Yi for a fast break. Zhou Yi rushed forward quickly, but the fast break couldn’t continue. Gibson rushed up to Zhou Yi and started pressing him tightly. Perhaps due to nervousness or lack of experience, Gibson was too aggressive in his defense, and the referee immediately called a defensive foul on him. Unfortunately, the Bulls still hadn’t reached their foul limit in the fourth quarter, so Zhou Yi didn’t get a free throw opportunity.

Kuster called another timeout to strategize. The main focus of the strategy was to shoot threes as much as possible, since time was running out—only 19.4 seconds remained, and the team was still 4 points behind. When the timeout ended, Prince stood at the sideline and handed the ball to Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi glanced around, and his excellent vision immediately showed him an opening with James Posey. But he didn’t pass the ball yet; it wasn’t the right time, as Gibson was not far from Posey. Passing now might not allow Gibson to reach Posey, but it would still disturb him. Zhou Yi gave Prince a look. Prince glanced at Zhou Yi and then at Posey across the court, immediately understanding. As Zhou Yi passed the ball toward Posey, Prince quickly rushed in front of him to provide a screen, blocking Gibson, who was defending Posey, behind him. Posey adjusted and shot a three-point shot. “It has to go in!” Zhou Yi thought. Not only Zhou Yi but everyone on the Pistons team desperately wanted this shot to succeed, especially Posey himself. But things didn’t go as planned for the Pistons. With a “clang,” the sound of a miss reached everyone’s ears. Even worse for the Pistons, Gibson grabbed the defensive rebound and passed it to Ross, adding further trouble for them. With only 15.5 seconds left, Zhou Yi quickly rushed in to commit a foul. Bulls head coach Silaudet immediately called a timeout. The Pistons had reached their foul limit, and the Bulls would get free throws.

Zhou Yi and the others also returned to the bench. James Posey knew he had missed a crucial shot and was truly frustrated. Head down, he walked at the back of the team. Ben Gordon, who was walking in front of Posey, saw how disheartened he was, stopped, and patted his shoulder. Seeing Gordon come to comfort him, Posey forced a smile, though it still looked sad. He had indeed tried his best on that shot, yet it still didn’t go in.

Kuster sighed helplessly inwardly but pretended to be calm on the surface. He said to the players, “We’re not yet lost. We still have plenty of chances.”

The Pistons players looked at Kuster in surprise. When they saw the hope in his eyes, a fighting spirit instantly surged within them.

“Yes, we’re not yet lost,” Zhou Yi said, clenching his fist.

Kuster gave Zhou Yi a satisfied look before starting to outline the final tactics for the team.

“We need to go all out now. Scoring two points doesn’t make any sense. We need to shoot threes. But the opponent will definitely know our intention, so their defense against threes will be strong. So, Zhou Yi, your task is crucial. You need to use your leadership skills to create good opportunities for your teammates. Do you understand? Of course, if you find a good opportunity, you can also take it yourself. In a moment, Will Bynum will replace Ben Wallace, and Villanueva will replace Monroe. We need to boost our three-point shooting. We’ve fought hard so far, and we must keep fighting to the end. Even if we lose, we must do it with pride!” Kuster said loudly to the Pistons players around him.

The Pistons players didn’t speak. Their response to Kuster was a series of determined gazes. Kuster nodded in satisfaction and continued, “We still have two timeouts left. If we score on this shot, I’ll call a timeout right away to plan our final shot. Guys, don’t get too nervous. Stay calm. Trust me, we’ve come this far. I think even if we lose, we’ll leave here with pride!” Kuster said to the team.

The 100-second timeout ended quickly, and both teams headed onto the court, withRoss getting ready to take his free throws.

Rose made his first free throw. It could be said the Pistons were quite lucky. He missed his second attempt, and Villanueva grabbed the defensive rebound. Kuster called another timeout to avoid wasting time.

With 14.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Pistons inbounded the ball from the sideline. As the referee handed the ball to Villanueva at the sideline, Zhou Yi, Prince, Bynum, and Posey immediately scattered in different directions.Ross and the others rushed over to close in and block. Zhou Yi reversed his direction, jumped up, and caught Villanueva’s pass. But by the time Zhou Yi settled into position,Ross had already caught up. FacingRoss, Zhou Yi remained calm, glanced at his teammates out of the corner of his eye, then suddenly shouted toward Prince, “Taixian, catch it!” He then made a passing gesture.Ross watched closely and saw that Prince indeed had an open shot. Although Rolando Dunham reacted quickly, Prince still had enough time to shoot calmly. So,Ross, who was closer to Prince, immediately rushed toward him, shouting, “We must not let them score another three!” The ball was shot, but not at Prince—instead, it flew toward the basket. “Damn it, that sneaky kid,”Ross said, turning his head to see the ball spinning in the air and glancing at Zhou Yi, who was still in his shooting stance. Realizing what had happened,Ross regretted it. Zhou Yi had trickedRoss—he hadn’t passed the ball; instead, he had chosen to shoot the momentRoss turned around. It was a well-thought-out strategy, though a bit underhanded. As the Chinese saying goes, “War is never without deception.” “It can’t go in, it can’t go in…”Ross muttered, watching the flying ball. “It must go in, it must go in…” Zhou Yi also whispered to himself. With a snap, Zhou Yi clenched his fist, growled, and slapped Bynum, who was running toward him. Although they were still 2 points behind, they were extremely excited. As the ball went in, the Bulls’ head coach called a timeout. Only 7.8 seconds remained until the end of the game. Chapter 105: The Decisive Moment (End) “That Chinese kid is really sneaky—he managed to trick Derek, haha. But he really has a big heart; he managed to shoot that three-pointer under such pressure. He has great potential.” One commentator said excitedly to his colleague, looking at Zhou Yi’s seemingly slender figure. “Well, Derek surely didn’t expect Zhou to be so cunning. But it’s still a clever move. Otherwise, the Pistons wouldn’t have had a chance,” replied the other commentator.

“Hehe, I wonder if the Pistons can turn things around. They haven’t taken the lead since the start of the game!”
“It’s hard to say. Although the Pistons are still 2 points behind with only 7.8 seconds left, anything can happen. Let’s wait and see!”
…
The game resumed, with the Bulls in possession. Prince kept disrupting Gibson’s passes, while the rest of the team stayed tightly focused on their defenders. Finally, Rolando Dunston received the ball and passed it toRoss.Ross stopped attacking and instead tried to waste time. Zhou Yi decisively stepped forward to commit a foul—otherwise, there would be no time left. In fact, the Pistons were betting thatRoss would score at most one basket, giving them a chance. If he made both free throws, they’d be out of luck.
Zhou Yi had already committed four fouls, but no one cared about that now—as long as he didn’t get ejected!Ross prepared to take the free throws. He knew how crucial his task was; if he made both, the Detroit team could go home and sleep.
Ross took a deep breath, focused on the basket, then shot. “Bang”—the ball missed. The Detroit team felt hopeful—if the next shot also missed, the Pistons’ chances would increase. At worst, they could score 2 points and go into overtime.
A glint appeared inRoss’s eyes as he took his second shot. “Swish”—the ball went in. The Detroit team’s spirits sank, but they weren’t desperate yet, as they still had a chance.
At that moment, 5.1 seconds remained in the game. Just asRoss made his second free throw, Kuster called their last timeout to devise a strategy for the final shot. Meanwhile, Xibudu was explaining tactics to the players to defend against the Pistons’ last attack.
The timeout ended, and the Pistons prepared for their final attempt. A three-pointer would send them into overtime; otherwise, they’d lose.
“Last shot—if it gets to you, Zhou, you shoot!” Zhou Yi turned around, staring in disbelief at Kuster. Kuster stood behind him and whispered those words as Zhou Yi stepped onto the court. But since Zhou Yi was walking last and Kuster spoke softly, only Zhou Yi heard them.
“Me?” Zhou Yi pointed at himself in surprise. He was to shoot the last shot?
“It’s okay. You’ve performed so well in this game. Even if we lose in the end, it shouldn’t matter much. Go now—the game’s about to start.” Kuster urged him. Hearing Kuster’s reply, Zhou Yi nodded and headed toward the court.

Play continues for the Pistons. The Bulls bring in the strong defender Buer, who constantly disrupts Villanueva’s shooting attempts, but eventually Zhou Yi catches the ball. Zhou Yi drives past Rose, preparing to attempt a three-point shot. With a snap, Rose darts forward, quickly reaching the Pistons’ basket and dunking with both hands. Standing behind Rose, Zhou Yi watches helplessly as Rose completes the last-second dunk. Buser, standing on the sidelines, waves his towel happily and shouts at Rose, “Good job, Derrick.” At that moment, Zhou Yi feels intense bitterness; his eyes turn red. The other Pistons players also show disappointment, and Kuster sighs helplessly, muttering, “This might be a big blow for him, but I believe it won’t stop him—he’ll grow stronger from this.” Time goes back to 5.1 seconds: Zhou Yi fakes a drive, ready to jump for a three, but Rose quickly knocks the ball out of his hands, grabs it, and dashes toward the Pistons’ half-court. Zhou Yi reacts quickly and chases after Rose, but no matter how hard he tries, he can’t stop him. “I should have ended it for you just now, but because of my mistake, the free throw didn’t go in, giving you a chance. But now I’ve finished it off—making up for it,” Rose says softly as he approaches Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi remains frozen, silent, with his head lowered. “I believe you can get back up. Don’t let this defeat you. Everyone goes through this. Keep going, rookie. Though I’m also a rookie now, hehe. I look forward to our next matchup,” Rose says, patting Zhou Yi’s shoulder with a smile. Zhou Yi looks up at Rose, smiles slightly, and walks toward the Pistons’ bench. The game ends with the Bulls narrowly winning 4 points over the Pistons. The main hero is undoubtedly Derrick Rose, who scored 43 points in this game, setting a new career high. Most importantly, it was his crucial steal in the last few seconds that secured the victory. Zhou Yi sits down next to McGrady on the bench. Throughout the second half, McGrady stayed on the bench, watching his teammates fight. McGrady pats Zhou Yi’s shoulder and says with a smile, “It’s okay. We’ll win back next time.”

At that moment, Koester stepped forward and, instead of harsh criticism, offered deep encouragement.
“I’m glad everyone gave it their all in this match. I hope you’ll keep playing like this in future games—give it your all. Even though we lost, we have no regrets. You’ve all been tired these past two days, so training is canceled tomorrow. Take some time to relax! But be here on time for training the day after tomorrow. Whoever is late will have to do 500 push-ups and shoot 1,000 three-pointers.”
The team was smiling at first, but upon hearing the last part, they all marveled at Koester’s strictness.
After the summary, the Pistons packed up their things, ready to return to the hotel to rest before heading home.
Zhou Yi walked at the end of the group. As they left the United Center, Zhou Yi sawRoss, who also noticed him. Zhou Yi nodded atRoss and then walked outside the arena.
“I look forward to facing you again,”Ross murmured, watching Zhou Yi’s retreating figure.
Chapter 106: Bynum’s Invitation
Early the next morning, Zhou Yi got up as usual very early. After having breakfast with Blake, he went out alone to get more familiar with Detroit, simply because Qin Tian and his friends said they would come to see him soon, while Blake went to the company.
Zhou Yi was now somewhat of a celebrity, at least in Detroit. On the streets of Detroit, many people recognized him, asking for photos or autographs, to which Zhou Yi responded with a smile.
While signing an autograph for a female fan, his phone suddenly rang. It was astranger number.
“Hello? May I ask who this is?” Zhou Yi asked politely.
“Is this Zhou Yi?” a strange voice came through the phone.
“Oh, yes, it’s me. Who are you?” Zhou Yi asked, frowning slightly.
“Hehe, guess,” the voice replied in a playful tone.
After thinking for a moment, Zhou Yi smiled and said, “Okay, stop teasing, Will.”
“Damn, how did you know it was me?” Will Bynum asked in disbelief.
“In Detroit, I don’t know many people. I basically know everyone who has my number. Among those I know, the only one who acts goofy is you,” Zhou Yi replied, rolling his eyes slightly with disdain.

“Zhou, I think you shouldn’t play basketball,” Bynum said seriously on the phone.
“What should I do then?”
“You should become a detective, yeah, a detective.”
Zhou Yi rolled his eyes and smiled, “Can we stop the nonsense? Will, why did you call me? Isn’t this your home phone?”
“Well, we’ve known each other for so long, and I still haven’t invited you to my house! Since I have nothing to do today, I wanted to invite you over, and there’s also an acquaintance who’ll be there too!” Bynum said with a smile.
“An acquaintance? Who?” Zhou Yi asked curiously.
“You’ll know when you get here,” Bynum replied mysteriously.
Zhou Yi shrugged helplessly, thought for a moment, and replied, “Okay!”
After Bynum gave him his address, Zhou Yi hailed a taxi and headed to Bynum’s house.
…
“Mr. Zhou, we’ve arrived,” said the black driver sitting in the driver’s seat, smiling at Zhou Yi beside him.
“Thank you. How much is it?” Zhou Yi asked the driver.
“It’s free. It’s such a short distance. Besides, you signed my autograph, right? Haha! I’m honored to be able to help the city’s future basketball star! Mr. Zhou, you must help this city regain its glory!” the driver said excitedly.
Seeing the driver’s sincere expression, Zhou Yi had no choice but to accept his kindness. He nodded and got out of the taxi with a smile. Watching the driver drive away quickly, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but laugh.
After walking a few steps, Zhou Yi saw several villas ahead and took out his phone.
“Hey, Will, I’m here.”
“Okay, I’m coming to pick you up right now.”
Soon, Bynum came out of one of the villas. Seeing Zhou Yi ahead, he walked over to him.
“Hi, welcome to my house!” Bynum was very happy to see Zhou Yi standing there, showing a simple smile.
After saying that, Bynum led Zhou Yi toward his house.

Although Bynum wasn’t a superstar of that caliber, his house was huge and beautiful—at least that’s what Zhou Yi thought. His house was truly amazing, with a large garden in front, divided into two sections, and a road in the middle where cars could pass. It was a three-story villa, with an outdoor basketball court behind it as well. The entire villa covered a vast area, looking like the kind of place a top-star athlete would live in, even more impressive than Blake’s villa.

“Here, this is my house! Come on in!” Bynum said with a smile as he led Zhou Yi inside his villa.

Zhou Yi changed his shoes and stepped into Bynum’s villa. Looking around, he was filled with admiration.

“One day, I’ll also have my own villa!” Zhou Yi set a goal for himself. Although his family was wealthy enough to afford such a villa without any problem, he wanted to earn it through his own efforts, even if it meant getting something even better.

“What would you like to drink? Juice, beer, or coffee?” Bynum led Zhou Yi to the living room, had him sit on the sofa, then asked with a smile.

“Juice, thank you.”

Zhou Yi took the juice from Bynum, took a sip, and then looked around.

“By the way, you said a familiar person would be coming too. Where is she?”

“Hehe, she’ll be here soon. You’ll be surprised when you see her,” Bynum said with a chuckle.

Zhou Yi frowned. “Who is it?”

“You’ll find out in a moment. Alright, let’s chat for now! Hehe…”

“You did really well in the recent games. Seriously, excellent! In fact, you should be the starter!” Bynum said with a smile as he looked at Zhou Yi.

Bynum now understood well what kind of player Zhou Yi was. Although his skills weren’t yet sufficient to carry the burden of the Pistons or meet the requirements to be their core, he was moving in that direction. Zhou Yi’s future looked promising—at least for now, it seemed much brighter than his own.

“No, I’m not ready to be a starter yet. To be honest, I really want to be the starter, but I still lack experience,” Zhou Yi replied calmly.

“Oh, right. I already said I wanted to invite you to my house. How could I not let you have a meal here? Just wait a bit; I’ll let you taste my cooking. It’s really good! You can watch TV for now!” Seeing Bynum get up and head to the kitchen, Zhou Yi felt a bit puzzled.

“Where’s your wife? I mean, your spouse?” Since entering the villa, Zhou Yi hadn’t seen anyone other than Bynum, so he was curious.

“Her? Hehe, do you see any woman’s belongings in my villa?” Arianas pointed around and then asked Zhou Yi. Only then did Zhou Yi notice that although the villa seemed tidy on the surface, it was actually a bit messy. There weren’t any woman’s items anywhere in the house—not even a pair of women’s shoes in the shoe cabinet. This really puzzled Zhou Yi.

“Don’t get it wrong. She’s always working in another city. Even though we’re not together, our relationship is great. Well, I’ve got to get busy. You can watch TV for now.” Bynum shrugged and headed toward the kitchen.

After hearing Bynum’s words, Zhou Yi suddenly remembered someone—a beautiful, gentle, somewhat melancholic, playful girl who needed his company.

Watching Bynum leave, Zhou Yiboredly turned on the TV. It was showing a basketball program, suggesting that Bynum also watched such programs at home.

Zhou Yi had seen this basketball program before; it was about American basketball. But usually, Lu Ming didn’t like watching TV.

After watching for a while, suddenly, the doorbell of the villa rang. Zhou Yi frowned and thought, “It must be that acquaintance. Since Bynum isn’t reacting, he probably didn’t hear it.”

Zhou Yi quickly stood up and headed toward the door. When he reached it, a familiar figure appeared before his eyes.

“Is it you?”

Chapter 107: When Did You Two Start Getting Together?

“What? Can’t it be me?” The figure at the door glanced at Zhou Yi, who was standing there in shock, then lifted a strand of hair from her forehead and smiled playfully.

“Damn Bynum,” Zhou Yi thought angrily.

The person before him was none other than Xiang Yun.

“Why, aren’t you going to invite me in?” Xiang Yun asked with interest, smiling at Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi walked over, opened the door, and then led Xiang Yun into the living room. At that moment, Bynum came out of the kitchen. Seeing Xiang Yun, he smiled and said, “You’re here?”
Xiang Yun smiled slightly and replied, “Mm.”
“Well then, dinner’s about to be ready!” Bynum said with a smile, looking at Zhou Yi and Xiang Yun. Actually, it wasn’t his idea to invite Zhou Yi to his home for dinner; it was Xiang Yun who asked him to do so. Bynum simply took the opportunity to do a favor by inviting Zhou Yi over.
“Hehe, you two sit down for a while. I’ll go check in the kitchen. Dinner will be ready soon, it won’t take long.” Bynum glanced secretly at Zhou Yi and Xiang Yun, chuckled, and headed toward the kitchen. As he left, he gave Zhou Yi a look, as if to say, “Kid, I’m helping you here—you’d better thank me properly!” Unbeknownst to him, Zhou Yi was actually tempted to beat him up.
After Bynum went into the kitchen, the living room fell quiet, and neither Zhou Yi nor Xiang Yun spoke. Finally, Zhou Yi couldn’t hold back anymore.
“It seems this was your idea, right?”
Xiang Yun was taken aback for a moment before lightly laughing and saying, “I didn’t expect that. You’re quite smart, aren’t you? Yes, it was me who asked Will to invite you. Anyway, it’s no big deal—let’s all hang out together, isn’t that great?”
Zhou Yi shrugged helplessly and said, “If you wanted to see me, just invite me directly. Why ask Will?”
“Oh, so you have a temper too?” Xiang Yun asked with a raised eyebrow, smiling.
“It’s not that I have a temper. I just mean, next time, just talk to me directly.”
Xiang Yun smiled and said, “Okay, got it!”
After a while, Bynum came out of the kitchen again and said to them, “Dinner’s ready. You two go sit in the dining room first! I’ll bring the delicious food over right away, hehe…”
Xiang Yun responded, then pulled Zhou Yi toward the dining room. Zhou Yi frowned and glanced at Xiang Yun, feeling extremely frustrated.
“Didn’t I already hint to her that I have a girlfriend? How come…” Zhou Yi thought to himself, his expression strange.
Xiang Yun led Zhou Yi to sit at the dining table and sat next to him. Noticing Zhou Yi’s strange expression, she asked concerningly, “Zhou Yi, what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”
Zhou Yi shook his head, forced a smile, and replied, “Hehe, it’s nothing.”
“Great, the food’s here!” Bynum appeared with a plate of food in front of them.
“Need any help?” Zhou Yi thought for a moment before asking Bynum.

“No need, just sit there nicely! Since you’re my guests, how could I let you get your hands dirty? Wait a moment, dinner’s about to be served!” Bynum gave Zhou Yi a cheeky grin before rushing back into the kitchen.

Soon after, Bynum brought out plate after plate of food, leaving Zhou Yi dazzled. Finally, when the last plate was placed on the table, Bynum said to the two of them, “Alright, let’s wash our hands first. After that, we can start eating.”

When all three sat back down at the table, Bynum chuckled and said to them, “Alright, let’s begin! Give my cooking a try!”

The three of them had a pleasant and joyful meal, as the food was indeed delicious. Of course, it wasn’t Bynum who cooked it—he didn’t have such skills. The food was prepared by someone Bynum had arranged for, and his trip to the kitchen earlier was just to check if the food was hot enough. After warming it slightly and plating it, he began eating with Zhou Yi and the other person.

The meal lasted from 11 a.m. until after 1 p.m. before Zhou Yi, Xiang Yun, and Bynum finally finished eating. After dinner, the two returned to the living room to chat.

“Xiang Yun, what exactly do you do for work?” Zhou Yi asked, puzzled.

Actually, what Zhou Yi wanted to ask was why she almost always accompanied the team on away games and could often enter the locker room.

“Me? I’m just a journalist. Actually, I have another role—as a team reporter for the Pistons—that’s why I often go with you on away games. Otherwise, how would I be able to enter your locker room so easily, huh?” Xiang Yun said with a smile as she looked at Zhou Yi. In fact, she had already understood what Zhou Yi meant when he asked the question.

As a journalist, the most important qualities are wit and adaptability, and Xiang Yun’s wit and adaptability ranked among the top five in her previous school.

“No wonder,” Zhou Yi murmured.

Suddenly, Zhou Yi remembered something and pointed at Bynum, asking Xiang Yun, “So, when did the two of you start dating?”

Hearing this, Xiang Yun’s face turned red instantly, and she snapped, “Dating? Zhou Yi, I’m going to fight you!”

With that, she waved her tiny fists at Zhou Yi. Feeling guilty, Zhou Yi let her hit him, though to him, those punches felt like mere tickles.

“Alright, I was wrong. So when did you two meet? I remember you saying you started working this year, right?” Zhou Yi said with a smile.
“That’s more like it, huh,” Xiang Yun turned her face away, ignoring Zhou Yi.
Barnum smiled awkwardly and explained to Zhou Yi, “Actually, Xiang Yun and I have known each other for a while—probably last year! Back then, she came to do an internship at our team for a period of time, and that’s when we first met. But we weren’t very familiar at that time. It wasn’t until the new season started and she officially became the team’s correspondent that we really got to know each other better. Still, not that well.”
“I see.” After saying that, Zhou Yi glanced at Barnum with a murderous look in his eyes, which made Barnum feel uneasy.
Barnum returned the gaze with an expression as if to say, “What’s with that look? Why are you staring? I helped you, and you’re not happy?”
Zhou Yi sighed helplessly, checked his phone, then said to Barnum and the others, “Well, I’ve been out for a while now. I need to go back.”
“Leaving so soon?” It wasn’t Barnum who asked, but Xiang Yun.
“Mm, I have some things to do when I get back,” Zhou Yi replied with an excuse.
“Alright, then Will, I’m leaving too,” Xiang Yun said, turning to Barnum.
Barnum chuckled, “You two are leaving together? Well, come to my place next time if you have time!”
Zhou Yi nodded and headed toward the villa entrance, saying to Barnum as he walked, “Next time, I want to eat food you cook.”
“Yeah, and no cheating next time!” Xiang Yun added.
Barnum froze for a moment before saying sheepishly, “You guys already know!”
“Tch,” the two replied disdainfully at the same time.
Barnum’s face stiffened before he laughed and said, “Okay, okay, okay. How about I cook for you two personally to apologize?”
With that, all three burst into laughter.
Chapter 108: Carl’s Mother’s Request
“What are you thinking about?” Xiang Yun asked softly, looking at Zhou Yi, who had been silent and acting strangely throughout the journey.
“Nothing, just thinking about some things.”
“Are you thinking about why, even though you’ve hinted that you have a girlfriend, I’m still being so friendly to you?” Xiang Yun’s words reached Zhou Yi’s ears gently, but once they did, they immediately stirred up a wave of emotions in his heart.

Zhou Yi wore a look of disbelief on his face. Without thinking, he blurted out, “How do you know?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he immediately realized what he had said and regretted it. But Xiang Yun, after hearing Zhou Yi’s words, simply smiled at him without showing any dissatisfaction. “This girl is too amazing; she even knows what I was thinking. Did she see through my act that day?” Zhou Yi thought to himself. At that moment, Zhou Yi’s phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence between the two. But this time it was really someone calling him, not trying to test Xiang Yun’s acting skills again. Zhou Yi took out his phone, checked the number, frowned—it was another unknown number. “Sorry, I need to answer this call,” Zhou Yi said to Xiang Yun. “Mm,” Xiang Yun nodded. “Hello, may I ask who this is?” Zhou Yi asked politely. “Zhou Yi, it’s me,” came a gentle voice of a middle-aged woman on the other end. Hearing this voice, Zhou Yi immediately knew who it was. He turned around, stepped aside, and said with a smile, “Auntie, what can I do for you?” “Can we meet?” “Sure,” Zhou Yi replied after thinking for a moment. After giving Zhou Yi the agreed-upon address, Karl’s mother hung up. Zhou Yi put his phone back in his pocket and went over to Xiang Yun. “Xiang Yun, I have an urgent matter and need to leave first.” Xiang Yun nodded and said, “Okay, go ahead.” “Mm, bye!” “Bye!” After saying goodbye to Xiang Yun, Zhou Yi quickly hailed a taxi and headed to the place agreed with Karl’s mother. “Interesting, hehe…” Xiang Yun murmured as she watched Zhou Yi leave in a hurry. …… “Please sit,” said Karl’s mother with a smile in a luxurious and exquisite coffee shop private room, addressing a Chinese boy standing in front of her in a very friendly manner. Of course, this Chinese boy was Zhou Yi. He smiled and sat down across from Karl’s mother. Zhou Yi was a bit nervous, or rather, a bit awkward, because he didn’t know what to say to her. “Would you like some coffee?” Karl’s mother asked with a smile. Zhou Yi shook his head and replied, “No, just some water is fine.” Karl’s mother nodded, took a sip of her coffee, and asked lightly, “Is he doing well?” Zhou Yi nodded slightly and replied, “Mm, my uncle is fine now. The illness he had before has been cured. By the way, auntie, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. During the time he was sick, Carl told me it was you who took care of him. Thank you,” Carl’s mother said to Zhou Yi with gratitude.
“Hehe, it’s nothing. It’s what I should do.”
After Zhou Yi said this, there was a brief silence in the room. After a while, Carl’s mother slowly said, “You must be aware of what happened between him and me! To be honest, I regret the decision I made back then. I should have trusted him.”
Hearing this, Zhou Yi immediately understood what Carl’s mother meant. After pondering for a moment, he replied, “Auntie, it’s not entirely your fault. Don’t be too sad. I’ll try to persuade your uncle to change his mind.”
“Really?” Carl’s mother asked in surprise.
Now, through Carl, Carl’s mother knew that Blake valued Zhou Yi greatly. Since she couldn’t let Carl and Phoebe persuade Blake, the best candidate was this Chinese boy in front of her. That’s why she was so excited when she heard Zhou Yi’s words.
Zhou Yi nodded and said, “I’ll do my best to persuade your uncle. I really hope your family can be reunited. Your uncle has been so kind to me, and I really want to do something to repay him. Auntie, don’t worry. I’ll convince him to come back to you.”
“Zhou, thank you. I really don’t know how to express my gratitude.”
As she spoke, Carl’s mother began to choke up. Seeing this, Zhou Yi quickly said, “Auntie, don’t do this. If you keep like this, I don’t even know what to say.”
“Hmm, okay. Then I’m leaving this to you. Also, please take good care of him. If anything happens, call me,” Carl’s mother said, taking out a tissue to wipe her eyes.
Zhou Yi nodded and replied, “Yes, I will.”

At night, Zhou Yi lay in his room, gazing at the sky through the window, his mind filled with countless thoughts. After what seemed like a long while, a serious expression appeared on his face as he murmured, “There are so many things waiting for me to do now! Uncle Blake and Auntie’s situation can’t be rushed; it needs to be handled slowly. But Uncle Blake isn’t easy to persuade. Still, since I promised Auntie, I must see it through. I really hope their family can reunite soon. Sigh, there are still many skills I haven’t mastered. From yesterday’s fight with Ross, I can tell my physical strength needs improvement. Ross is too strong—I must grow to be as good as him, or even better. It seems I’ll have to train even harder. Xiang Yun… Sigh, I really don’t understand her. What’s on her mind?”

Glancing at the bright moon outside, and thinking of Blake and Carl’s mother, a graceful figure gradually emerged in Zhou Yi’s mind. A beautiful girl in a white dress, with long hair like a waterfall, was looking at him with a dreamy gaze, as if saying, “Zhou Yi, I’m waiting for you.”

Zhou Yi smiled slightly and whispered, “Keer, what are you doing now?”

Suddenly, another ringtone interrupted his thoughts. Zhou Yi grumbled in frustration, “So annoying. Why are there so many calls today? They even bother me at night. It must be Xiang Yun again.”

When he picked up the phone, he was surprised, then his face lit up with indescribable joy. He quickly pressed the answer button and said urgently, “Hello, is it Keer?”

“Mm, are you… are you okay?” Mo Keer’s voice came through the phone softly.

“I’m fine. How about you? Are you okay?”

“Mm, I’m fine too. Don’t worry.”

“Keer, I’m sorry. I’ve been too busy lately and haven’t gotten in touch with you. Are you not angry at me?” Zhou Yi asked anxiously.

“No, don’t think that. I told you before—I’ll wait for you. You go ahead and play ball peacefully. I’ll take good care of myself. Your birthday is coming up soon. I’ll give you a surprise then.” Mo Keer’s sweet voice made Zhou Yi feel like he was bathed in spring breeze.

“Birthday?” Zhou Yi thought for a moment before remembering that his birthday was indeed approaching.

“You didn’t forget your own birthday, did you? Then you must have forgotten mine too, right?” Mo Keer said in a feigned sulky tone.

“How could I forget your birthday? It’s February 3rd, right? I’ve always kept it in mind.”

After hearing Zhou Yi’s words, Mo Keer smiled sweetly, feeling overjoyed. She said to Zhou Yi, “Hmm, you’re really careless—forgetting your own birthday! Don’t you know that your birthday is also Auntie’s day of suffering? Hmph, what an unfilial person.”
Zhou Yi rubbed his forehead and smiled sheepishly, saying, “Okay, I was wrong. By the way, you said you wanted to give me a surprise. What is it?”
“Hmph, I won’t tell you. But you’ll definitely like it,” Mo Keer replied playfully.
Zhou Yi thought gloomily, “Are all girls like this?” Though he thought so, he still said with a smile, “Alright, I’ll wait for your gift. I’m really looking forward to it!”
“Okay, go rest early. It must be night there. You’ve worked hard playing basketball, so you need to get enough rest! Also, be careful while playing. I’ll be waiting for you here.”
Hearing Mo Keer’s words, Zhou Yi felt deeply moved, with a warm feeling spreading throughout his body.
“Hmm, I got it. You should take care of yourself too.”
“Okay, then bye!”
“Hmm, bye!”
After hanging up the phone, Zhou Yi excitedly jumped out of bed like a child, his face filled with a happy smile.
On the other end of the phone, Mo Keer was also very happy after hanging up. Suddenly, her expression changed, showing pain, and soon blood spewed from her mouth.
That night, Zhou Yi slept soundly!
Chapter 109: First Time as Weekly Player of the Week
The next morning, Zhou Yi woke up early, not on his own accord but because Blake woke him up.
“One good news and one bad news. Which do you want to hear first?” Blake said with a smile to the still-asleep Zhou Yi.
Wiping his sleepy eyes, Zhou Yi replied, “The bad news.”
Blake looked worried and said, “Your average mistakes and fouls last week ranked among the highest among all rookies.”
Hearing this, Zhou Yi shuddered, suddenly becoming more alert. “It can’t be that bad, right?”
“Sigh, forget it. After all, you haven’t fully adapted to this kind of competition yet. It should get better after a while,” Blake said, patting Zhou Yi’s shoulder to comfort him.
“What about the good news?”
“Hehe.” Blake’s laugh sounded rather lewd, making Zhou Yi’s skin prickle. “You’ve been named the best rookie in the East for last week.”

“Huh? No way?” Zhou Yi widened his eyes in disbelief as he stared at Blake. Immediately, he reached out and twisted Blake hard, causing Blake to scream instantly.
“Xiao Yi, what are you doing?” Blake asked loudly in pain.
“It’s not a dream, right? Uncle, was what you just said true?”
Blake rubbed the spot he had been twisted by and replied irritably, “Of course it’s true. Do I look like the kind of person who would lie to kids?”
“It seems like many others are performing better than me. John Wall is one of them. Why am I the one?” Zhou Yi asked curiously.
“John Wall’s stats are indeed better than yours, but the Pistons won two out of three games last week, while the Wizards lost both. That’s the main reason you were chosen as the Eastern Conference’s Best Rookie. Still, your stats are also outstanding among rookies,” Blake explained to Zhou Yi.
Last week, Zhou Yi’s individual stats were impressive among all rookies—averaging 18 points, 9.3 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game. His average assists ranked highest among all first-year center rookies in the league. Especially his matchup against Derrick Rose in the third game caught the attention of countless fans. In that game, Rose scored 43 points and 8 assists, while Zhou Yi scored 28 points and 8 assists. Although his stats weren’t as high as Rose’s, Zhou Yi was still a rookie facing Rose head-on. As a result, his reputation quickly spread throughout the NBA.
Apart from not matching the stats of draft picks like John Wall and Blake Griffin, Zhou Yi’s performance was far from inferior to any other rookie in the league. Although his shooting percentage was a bit low, he was still a rookie who had never played in a major professional game before joining the NBA. Added to this was his Chinese identity, which helped him surpass John Wall and become the Eastern Conference’s Best Rookie—a well-deserved honor, especially since the Pistons’ record was much better than the Wizards’.
According to statistics, over 30% of Detroit’s fans have become Zhou Yi’s supporters. Most Chinese people have supported him since he entered the NBA, whether they are international students or local seniors. In China, Zhou Yi’s fame is a hundred times greater than in the United States.

When Zhou Yi first entered the NBA, although there were quite a few people paying attention to him, it was nothing compared to now. Right after his first regular-season game, countless websites began to cover him extensively. Special sections on sites like Sohu, Sina, and 56.com were set up for him—of course, with his consent. All the communications with the United States were handled by his current agent, Blake.

It is said that as soon as Zhou Yi’s column was launched back in China, it received millions of views on the first day, which thrilled the owners of those websites. To them, Zhou Yi was now a money-making asset. Although he hadn’t yet established himself in the U.S. and was still just a rookie who had played only his third regular-season game, he was highly regarded by the Pistons’ management.

Zhou Yi thought for a while before realizing what was going on. He smiled at Blake and said, “Oh, I see! Haha, it seems I’m quite lucky!”

Blake glared at him and replied, “Yeah, you’re really lucky. By the way, you have practice today, right?”

“Oh, I forgot. Hehe, I was too excited yesterday,” Zhou Yi said sheepishly.

Blake became interested and asked curiously, “What happened? What made you so excited?”

“Uh, actually, it’s nothing much! It’s just that Keer called me yesterday,” Zhou Yi replied awkwardly.

Blake frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and said, “Is it that little girl who likes to wear white dresses and seems so gentle?”

Zhou Yi nodded and smiled foolishly.

“Look at you. Alright, go wash up and have breakfast. Take some time to rest before heading to the gym. Don’t be late—Coach Kuster isn’t easy to deal with. If you’re late, you’ll regret it,” Blake said, shrugging before leaving Zhou Yi’s room.

After hearing Blake’s words, Zhou Yi immediately remembered the punishment for being late that Coach Kuster had mentioned. His body trembled slightly as he muttered to himself, “I’d better hurry. It would be terrible if I’m late.”

……

In the locker room of the Auburn Hills Palace, Zhou Yi and his teammates were waiting for Coach Kuster to arrive.

“Haha, Zhou, congratulations!” Bynum said, hugging Zhou Yi and laughing.

“Thank you, hehe!” Zhou Yi was a bit embarrassed.

“Yeah, Zhou, I have to congratulate you too!” McGrady also came over, patting Zhou Yi’s shoulder and smiling.

Immediately afterwards, several other teammates also congratulated Zhou Yi, to whom he responded politely one by one. At that moment, Koester entered the locker room.
“It’s quite lively here!” Koester said to everyone with a smile.
“Of course, Coach. You must already know—Zhou was named the Eastern Conference’s Best Rookie last week,” Bynum said quickly.
“Hehe, of course I know that. Hehe, Zhou, congratulations!” Koester turned around and said to Zhou Yi with a smile.
“Thank you, Coach.”
Koester nodded, looked at everyone, and became serious. “Alright, training starts soon. Get ready now and be at the training field within two minutes. You know what will happen if you’re late.”
“Understood,” everyone replied in unison.
Koester nodded in satisfaction, glanced at Zhou Yi once more, and left the locker room. As soon as he left, the Pistons players quickly changed into their uniforms at an astonishing speed.
Within a minute, they were all at the training field. Koester nodded slightly and said seriously to the prepared players, “Alright, today’s training begins now!”
Chapter 110: The Green Uniforms Arrive
“Good morning, everyone! Welcome to today’s NBA 2010-2011 regular-season game broadcast by Chaoting Wutai, where the Pistons host the Celtics. I’m Yu Jia, and today we’re honored to have Teacher Xu Jicheng as our commentator for this match,” said a middle-aged man in his 30s with glasses, smiling.
This was the first time Chaoting Wutai was broadcasting a Pistons game, and the reason was none other than Zhou Yi—many fans had recently expressed their desire to watch his games.
“Hello, everyone. I’m Xu Jicheng…” A middle-aged man with a buzz cut appeared on screen.

“In the last game, the Celtics won at home against the New York Knicks led by Kyrie Irving, but in the second game, they were surprisingly defeated by the Cavaliers without LeBron James, which came as a huge shock to many. The Cavaliers, thanks to their victory in the previous game, seemed to be telling James that they could still win without him—and even defeat a strong team like the Celtics, which was quite a irony for James, considering that last season the Cavaliers, with James, were easily eliminated by the Celtics in the second round of the playoffs. Hehe… As for the Pistons, they lost narrowly to the Chicago Bulls in their last game, with the outcome decided in the final moments. This shows that the Pistons this year cannot be underestimated! Although all three stars have gotten older this year, none of them can be taken lightly, and LaMarcus Aldridge is growing rapidly—so it will be very difficult for the Pistons to beat them,” said Xu Jicheng, glancing at the information on his computer with a smile.

“Well, but the Pistons have the home advantage. The biggest highlight of this game will surely be the matchup between the young Chinese player Zhou Yi and LaMarcus Aldridge. In the Pistons’ last game, Zhou Yi also performed well against Derrick Rose. I believe he will deliver an outstanding performance in this game as well.”

“Alright, the game is about to start. One more thing—everyone can send a text message to xxxxxx to choose their favorite team. We’ll give away a nice prize after each quarter, which includes an NBA jersey from xxx brand and Garnett’s combat boots. We hope everyone will actively send text messages to participate in today’s game interaction. Four lucky viewers will be selected today. Well, let’s hand over the camera to the scene,” said Yu Jia smoothly, clearly well-versed in what needed to be said before the game.

“The big screen at the venue has already shown the rosters of the two teams’ 12 players. McGrady did not appear in the second half of his last game, with the Pistons explaining that he felt unwell. After two days of rest, McGrady is on the active roster today, and Chris Wilcox, the power forward who was injured in the preseason game against the Wizards, is also back in action. Well, the starting lineups for both teams have been revealed. Home team Pistons: center Ben Wallace, power forward Greg Monroe, shooting forward Tashawn Prince, point guard James Posey, and shooting guard Will Bynum; away team Celtics: fifth man Kendrick Perkins, fourth man Kevin Garnett, third man Paul Pierce, second man Ray Allen, and first man Rajon Rondo. Although the Celtics’ main players are all older guys, their strength still cannot be underestimated. Alright, Garnett and Monroe have started the tip-off, and the game is underway.”

Garnett grabs the ball and passes it to Rondo to organize the offense.

At the beginning, both teams played a fairly even match, though it wasn’t particularly exciting. However, in the middle of the first quarter, the Celtics suddenly took a 9–2 lead and quickly widened the score gap. Kuster immediately called a timeout to reorganize tactics and make substitutions. But despite these efforts, the Pistons didn’t see much improvement and continued to keep up with the Celtics’ score. Just when everyone thought the Celtics would enter the second quarter with a 9-point lead, they struck again, extending the gap with another 8–2 run, and their defense really impressed Zhou Yi today.

At the end of the first quarter, the score was 29–14 in favor of the Celtics. The Pistons lost 15 points in the first quarter, angering the home crowd. Everyone knew there was a gap between the two teams, but surely it wasn’t that big? After all, the Pistons’ last game against the Bulls was decided in the final minute, and they were playing back-to-back away games. The Bulls’ strength is on par with that of the current Celtics. After resting for almost three days, how could the Pistons lose so many points in the first quarter at home? With more games to come and already losing so much in the first quarter, John Kuster’s face showed clear frustration. He really didn’t understand how those older players could still be moving around on the court without worrying about spraining their ankles!

“Chinese player Zhou Yi came on in the fifth minute of the first quarter to replace the starting point guard Will Bynum, and he performed fairly well during those five minutes, scoring 2 points and providing 2 assists. Well, the second quarter is about to start,” came the commentator’s voice over the TV.