Generation Z Artists

Chapter 153 I'm so frustrated!
There are quite a few random literary awards in Asia, and they all actually sent Fang Xinghe acceptance letters.

"go?"

"Don't go."

Wang Chali asked casually, and Fang Xinghe answered casually, neither of them taking these small prizes meant to ride the wave of popularity seriously.

The Southeast Asian Writers Award in Thailand sounds like it has a wide reach, but in reality, all twenty of its previous editions combined couldn't match the popularity of Fang Xinghe.

Brother Fang doesn't want to take poverty alleviation efforts overseas.

Wang Chali frowned as he opened the letter: "The Koreans are so stingy when it comes to serious matters. Why did they only send you an invitation to the Dongin Literature Prize?"

The senior sister chimed in, "The honeymoon period is over."

"Heh." Fang Xinghe sneered, "Whether the honeymoon period is over or not, they're not going to give me the grand prize. A few words of praise in the media not only don't cost me anything, they can actually make me money; who wouldn't feel bad about giving away the meat in the pot?"

The same applies to the new Naoki Prize in Japan. "Azure Night Snow" is still on the shortlist, and the organizing committee has extended a warm invitation to him to participate. However, it is certain that if he goes, he will be a runner-up.

"Then don't go, it's not worth it."

Wang Chali crossed all the awards off his work log and suddenly sighed.

"It's a pity that we weren't selected for last year's Mao Dun Literature Prize and announced this year. I heard from others that this year's winners were particularly weak."

The winning works were "Choice", "Dust Settles", "Song of Everlasting Regret" and "Tea Master Trilogy", which were indeed relatively weak.

Even if he's weak, he won't play with Fang Xinghe; there's nothing he can do.

He didn't care, but Wang Charlie still held onto hope.

"What about the next Mao Dun Literature Prize? I remember it was in 04. 'Better Days' was one of the works submitted that year, so I should be able to get a nomination then, right?"

And the 03 Lu Xun Literary Prize will definitely nominate "My Youth" in the essay and miscellaneous writings category, right?

"You really know everything now, huh?"

"If you develop in this field, I definitely have to pay attention."

"Don't bother with it, it's hopeless."

Fang Xinghe shook his head: "Whether you can win an award or not, status and popularity play a much bigger role than the quality of your work, and my popularity is terrible, so I might as well not even bother."

"Ugh……"

Wang Chali sighed sadly.

"Actually, you have a very good foundation, it's a pity..."

Unfortunately, Fang Xinghe's attitude was flawed. It's easy to build connections within the industry by attending more meetings, interacting with judges, drinking more, and flattering others. Eventually, you'll accumulate a network.

Why is it called "mingling in circles" in the capital? Here's the reason.

"I don't have that kind of time."

Fang Xinghe curled his lip, dribbled the ball between his legs with a backhand, and his contemptuous voice was drowned out by the thuds of the ball hitting the ground.

"It's just a national literary prize; they can give it to us or not, it's not worth much anyway."

Those in the know understand that awards only have some significance within the industry; once they're presented elsewhere, they immediately become meaningless.

Literary awards are especially niche. At least the pork awards in the entertainment industry have some buzz, public attention, and high exposure. What do literary awards have?
If it's free, Fang Xinghe can pick one up on the way. If he needs to do public relations, then goodbye, there's no time for a handshake, just keep your distance.

It's not that we don't have enough Star-level items, but rather that the cost-effectiveness is too low.

Do you think you're worthy of being called a dutiful son or grandson?

"Actually, it's the same in the United States. The more prestigious the award, the more it's controlled by old-fashioned people, and everything has to rely on public relations."

Wang Charlie sighed again, feeling that being an agent was a real pain in the ass.

"So our only task for the middle of the year is to try and get into the NBA?"

"Yeah, get a good ranking, ride the wave of popularity for a few months, and then come back to film 'Hero'. The timing is just right."

Fang Xinghe dribbled the ball while feinting with his shoulders, his rhythmic and skillful movements leaving his fellow students breathless.

Shi Huang, who also enjoys playing basketball, was incredibly envious: "Junior, your skill level is just too outrageous! Why don't you play for a couple of years? Win a championship and then come back to filming, that would be legendary!"

Come on, what a waste of your precious youth among a bunch of black musclemen, bumping into them on the court every day?
Fang Xinghe felt disgusted just thinking about it.

Moreover, winning a championship is no easy feat. At the very least, given Fang Xinghe's abilities, he doesn't possess the absolute influence to lead his team to victory in the short term.

The 15 Star Points he had saved up have been added, and his current base attributes are as follows.

体质属性：力量90、速度96、耐力90、灵敏99、柔韧90
隐藏属性：协调99、感知90、恢复90、免疫90、健康90
Basketball ability: Overall 89, details omitted.

Sensitivity determines nerve reflexes and movement speed. After maxing out this attribute, he gained a second absolute strength.

The reason for not maximizing speed is that absolute speed is not particularly important on the basketball court; controllable speed combined with technique is the real killer weapon.

Today, after extensive testing, Fang Xinghe has a very clear understanding of the attributes.

Reaching 99 points in strength does not mean he can break the world weightlifting record or the strongman record. Body type, total muscle mass, body weight, and adaptation to training are all determining factors.

However, his strength will far exceed the limits of his size.

Reaching a speed of 99 points doesn't necessarily mean you can match Bolt's 9.58 seconds. Professional training is one aspect, but functional adjustments are another major factor.

Therefore, his 99 points in all attributes are incredibly strong, but it is by no means a fantasy-level ability that disregards basic principles.

The laws of physics still constrain him.

What's amazing is that, despite having a basketball skill level of 89, which doesn't seem particularly strong and can't compare to technical masters like Jordan or Kobe, their actual performance on the court is absolutely outstanding.

Because his height of 1.84 meters is relatively small for a point guard, he is already quite agile. Coupled with his top-notch coordination and agility, he is almost a fully enhanced version of Allen Iverson.

With such abilities, coupled with good looks and Chinese identity, he definitely has a chance to become the top scorer.

However, if you want to lead the team to victory, you'll need time to further improve your attributes.

The advantages and disadvantages of a small build are obvious—strong offense, but poor ability to break through key plays; weak defense, and lack of defensive impact in crucial moments. These are self-evident.

To make up for it, you have to max out all attributes and basketball skills.

Fang Xinghe wouldn't waste so much time in the NBA. He claims to have a lot of die-hard fans, but actually, most of his main fans are male. What can he do?
Besides getting into trouble online, he doesn't even buy jerseys or shoes...

Fang Xinghe chuckled and countered, "If I were to become the first Chinese player to be drafted first overall, and then find some excuse to retire from the game, leaving only a few videotapes for fans to reminisce over, so that they could forever dream of what it would be like if I played... wouldn't that be even more legendary?"

Master Huang choked for a moment, then looked at each other in bewilderment, completely bewildered.

Good news: Junior brother is really naughty.

Bad news: He's even messing with us!

Wang Chali smiled wryly: "Your idea of ​​expanding your fame is really wild... However, it's not easy to find a reason to run for office but not sign a contract. Don't mess it up or you'll get scolded later."

"We'll see when the time comes; there's always a way."

Fang Xinghe waved his hand without explaining.

In fact, he knew very well that this year was the best opportunity, and he didn't need to find a reason at all, because that man was coming back.

The supreme god in NBA history, the master on the court, the scum off the court, the embodiment of the beauty of basketball, the creator of the Nike empire, and a shameless old rogue and gambler...

Let me state upfront that Fang Xinghe is not a Qiao hater. He genuinely admires Danzi's skills and fighting spirit, but at the same time despises his character.

This is called objectivity and impartiality, neither biased nor biased.

Putting aside personal opinions, Dan Zi is the most worthwhile sports superstar to follow in the world today, bar none.

The head of the online trolls drooled whenever he saw Danzi's poster, desperately wanting to slap one on his head. That was once just a dream, but now, the opportunity has finally arrived.

So, in the days that followed, Fang Xinghe began intensive training.

In 2001, the overseas application process was based on voluntary application. After Wang Chali submitted Fang Xinghe's name, all he had to do was wait for the trial.

However, there was no established joint trial mechanism at that time, so as an unknown overseas player, he had to contact teams himself and ask for a trial opportunity.

At this moment, Charlie Wang's American identity finally shone brightly.

Starting in April, he traveled to various parts of the United States and finally, after many hardships, secured a tryout opportunity for Fang Xinghe with the Clippers.

His family and friends played a huge role in his life in Hollywood.

In fact, the Lakers have a greater influence, but unfortunately, they don't have a high draft pick, and having just won the championship, they are not a good fit for Fang Xinghe's plans.

At the end of April, Fang Xinghe quietly boarded a plane bound for Los Angeles.

Domestic media were kept completely in the dark. Although American sports media could see the overseas roster, who would pay attention to a 16-year-old boy who was practically invisible?

Until Fang Xinghe arrived at the training hall, the players and the team were still unaware that their "saint father" had arrived.

The trial training in 01 was far more rudimentary than Fang Xinghe had imagined.

Even unprofessional.

Wang Chali chatted for a few minutes with a certain assistant coach or scout, then pulled him over to introduce him, and the old white man's expression immediately changed.

“Oh, man, I never really had high hopes for your recommendation, but are you sure you didn’t go to the wrong place? This kid should be in Hollywood! Fuck, are you trying to jeopardize my job? Look at him! Is he even 150 pounds? He’s skinny as a chick! And a Chinese chick at that!”

Well, it's clear that Wang Charlie, who wields considerable influence domestically, has little standing here.

He smiled and said many nice things, but he didn't stop the guy's rambling. In fact, the staff nearby burst into laughter.

The venue was partially open, and there were quite a few players who came for trials today. A group of tall, strong, muscular guys, upon hearing that the frail Chinese porcelain guy over there was also a player, immediately flooded Fang Xinghe with all sorts of joking slang.

"Hey baby, are you sure you're here to play ball?"

"Hohoho, looks like you're here to recruit clients... Hey, how's your oral skills?"

"Wow! Beautiful Chinese porcelain... Is it Chinese? I can never tell them apart from Southeast Asian monkeys."

"Fuck! Why should I have to train with this kind of trash? Are you fucking insulting my Da Ke?"

"When are we finally going to start? If you waste any more of my time, I swear I'll shove a basketball up your ass!"

That's how things are these days.

In that era of openness and activity, there was still a considerable amount of malice towards China on the internet, but it was basically evenly matched with goodwill.

Many foreign idiots curse the Chinese, but there are also a large number of pro-China people who admire and respect the Chinese.

Ever since the US cut off its reliance on foreign aid, the BBC has been singing China's praises, and the number of tourists visiting China has repeatedly reached new highs. One can imagine what kind of media environment Generation Z is living in.

Now look what's happened; racial discrimination hasn't even been completely resolved.

In fact, Fang Xinghe wasn't angry with these low-IQ gorillas, because he already knew what kind of idiots they were, so there was no disappointment without expectations. He was just very impatient.

You don't deserve to waste my time like this.

"Hey, sir."

He strode forward and faced the white-clad man, his clear eyes locking tightly into the other's.

People with strong willpower naturally possess a certain aura, but Fang Xinghe is more than just strong-willed; he is the only one who died and came back to life, determined to be an enemy of all malice in the world.

His unwavering will, conveyed through his eyes, expression, tone of voice, and every detail, fiercely struck the other person's face.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was so penetrating that everyone nearby could hear it clearly.

It's a very standard New York accent.

"Your job is to judge whether a player is qualified based on the results of the trial, provided that the trial has already begun."

When the physical test results come out, you can use your pen to tick or cross them – this is good, this is bad, this needs further observation.

This is your job.

You're not a Hollywood producer who can just stand there with his hands on his hips, look at my face, and decide whether I'm good or not.

If you understand, then nod and let's begin this damn physical fitness test, now, right now!
If you still don't understand, I'll complain until you lose your job, then go to the next team and see if their staff are as stupid as you.

Now, give me a response: nod or shake your head?!

The hot-tempered Xiao Fang unleashed his fury on the spot, and Bai Nan swallowed hard and nodded subconsciously.

"very good."

Fang Xinghe turned and walked towards the test line, pointing at the group of black players who were swearing as he passed them.

"Don't rush, you stinky gorillas, it'll be your turn soon."

The teaching assistant was convinced, but the gorillas were not so convinced.

They had no reason to fear Fang Xinghe's threat; instead, they reacted with a classic Black-style reaction—"Fuck! Does he want to fight me?!"

Yes, Fang Xinghe wanted to crush them.

Of course, I can't take action now—I have to wait until I get my admission ticket.

Black people should be pretty tough, so this NBA tryout trip definitely won't be lonely.

Faced with all sorts of insults, Fang Xinghe curled his lip in disdain and began to warm up on his own.

"Let's begin. What's the first item?"

The assistant coach in charge of the physical tests looked at him with a very peculiar expression, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes, and replied in a friendly manner, "It seems you're an agile player. How about we start with sprints in the third and fourth quarters of the game?"

Fang Xinghe glanced at him, then looked at the 3/4 sprint test line on the other side of the venue, and decisively refused.

"No need, whatever is what it is, hurry up, I'm in a rush."

The teaching assistant found the Chinese boy very interesting, so he asked curiously, "What are you in such a hurry to do? You do look like a very busy person."

"Eager to get into a fight."

Fang Xinghe stared intently at the big black man with the foulest mouth, his fists, elbows, legs, and knees itching with desire.

The teaching assistant was momentarily speechless. By the time he came to his senses and asked Fang Xinghe to stand on the scale, the boy had already regained his smiling expression.

He laughed and said, "Just kidding. You know what? In my country, I'm a very sensible, well-behaved, and law-abiding student."

"It looks just like it."

The teaching assistant felt relieved and nodded in understanding.

Then, out of curiosity, he asked, "So, why were you so... uh, so irritable just now?"

Of course it's because... I can't hold it in any longer!

Fang Xinghe did not respond, but looked down at the scale—his height was 184.5 cm, his weight was 176 pounds, his Bajiquan skill was 92 points, and his dunking skill was 96 levels.

Every number is filled with eager anticipation.

　The basketball portion was minimal; the focus was mainly on playing the public opinion card. That's all.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)