Generation Z Artists

Chapter 175

Fang Xinghe: I Only Have Two Kinds of Fate with the NBA

This is a common theme among Asian media; they prefer and understand the concept of fate.

People's Daily, Dong-A Ilbo, Yomiuri Shimbun, KBS National Channel, Singapore Channel 2, CCTV5...

"The comeback of Michael Jordan and the onrushing Fang: A historic one-on-one battle to decide the new NBA king!"

This is the headline of a mainstream American sports media outlet.

They have already decided that Jordan will make a comeback, although Jordan himself has not directly responded to related questions from the media.

In his column, Sam Smith wrote: "The moment I saw Jordan backstage, I knew that his second comeback was definitely not some boring news fabricated by the media."

That was a tired but giving his all Jordan was, working hard to get back in shape and regain his dominance.

Fang completely activated Jordan; I know that state very well.

Over the past decade or so, I have witnessed firsthand in Chicago how he won six championships, how he tormented himself, and how he forced everyone to follow in his footsteps.

The Jordan of '98 was the greatest Jordan, but not the most furious Jordan. When was he? Right now.

I have absolutely no idea what happened, and I believe that no media outlet could get the answer from Jordan. He is in a deeper and more prolonged zone time, and he will not respond to anyone until he has completely torn the other side apart.

Or...

It was torn to pieces by the other party.

38 years old vs. 16 years old, this is so interesting! What will happen in the end? Let's wait and see.

Sam Smith, author of "The Jordan Rules," followed the Chicago Bulls for over a decade and has an unparalleled understanding of Jordan.

His opinion was considered the truth, and several big names came out in support, making Jordan's second comeback inevitable.

New York Post columnist Pete wrote in his column "Hoop du Jour": "This is Jordan's last dance, and there really won't be a next time."

In fact, this time it was already very difficult.

I don’t know what Fang did to completely ignite Jordan’s competitive spirit, but we did see a Jordan who stopped gambling, drinking, smoking cigars, and giving interviews, while also becoming increasingly thin.

At 38 years old, can he regain his peak condition?

I personally think it's impossible, but that's Jordan. When he decides to do it, miracles always follow.

Now, all we need to do is wait.

Charles of the Associated Press wrote: "Fans, start cheering for that possibility."

This is a continuation of an era, a handover of an era, and a subversion of an era.

A unique era is slowly unfolding before us.

One of the Wizards' security guards finally gave an interview.

"During his tryout with the Wizards, Fang and Jordan had an informal one-on-one match. Fang won, but Jordan didn't think he had lost, so the two clashed. In the end, Fang decided: I will not play for the Wizards unless you officially beat me."

Jordan agreed to the bet and started his recovery; that's it.

……

As details were gradually revealed, the American basketball world was in an uproar.

The same thing happened when Jordan made his comeback in his previous life: countless reports, season tickets sold out, viewership for live games skyrocketed, and online buzz surged... until people discovered he had taken an arrow to the knee.

Now, this popularity is shared by Fang Xinghe and Danzi.

This wasn't about exploitation; Fang Xinghe himself was just as newsworthy as Jordan, so when they were deeply entangled, it created a far greater sensation than when they fought alone.

Society, International, Finance, Sports, Entertainment, Gossip... there's something to write about in every section.

For the next two weeks, a constant stream of news stories emerged.

Since the media couldn't find Jordan, they frantically tried to intercept Fang Xinghe.

But instead of continuing to capitalize on the controversy, he simply packed up and returned to China.

The media was stunned.

If I can't find anyone, how can I write a news article?
The social section was a hot topic for three days before it faded away; the sports section lasted the longest, but only for two weeks.

Jordan disappeared because of his pride, while Fang Xinghe disappeared because he deliberately suppressed the hype, intending to control the outburst of public emotion and prolong it until the end of September, waiting for a more opportune moment to ignite it.

Now, his popularity has reached an overflowing level, which is simply uncontrollable.

Leaving aside the United States, Asia is in a state of widespread frenzy.

Note the wording: it's not jubilation, but frenzy.

Domestically, the sour Beijing-based and Hong Kong-based media and the nitpicking and difficult-to-defend media are nothing compared to the most outrageous ones: some official media outlets have forcibly bestowed upon him the title of "national hero."

Of course, Man Tianxing dared to accept it, but the haters were too vulnerable, leaving behind their cursing and swearing in every corner.

Fang Xinghe himself disliked this ridiculous title, so he directly criticized it.

The person who followed us to the county level to ask the question was Sina, and they started cursing us directly.

"You media people are really strange. You are calm, objective and unwavering when dealing with domestic issues, but sensitive and insecure when dealing with foreign issues. I haven't played a single official match yet, and I don't even know if I will in the future. How did I become a national hero?"

The Sina reporter suddenly became very excited: "Huh? You've already won the number one draft pick, and Jordan is going to make a comeback for you. How can you give up halfway?"

Ha, that’s really interesting!
Fang Ge's face suddenly turned cold: "Give up halfway? What kind of bullshit description is that?"
I participated in the draft purely because I wanted to. If I don't want to play basketball in the future, then naturally I'll say goodbye.

I am the master of my own life. You just need to watch. Don't tell me what to do or make any expectations of me. I have no obligation to meet anyone's expectations.

If you really have some unwavering ideal that you absolutely must achieve, then train your son, put him under intense pressure!

This was during the on-site interview; Fang Xinghe eventually stopped talking.

If it's an article published in a newspaper, the phrase "I am your father" will not be omitted.

Of course, it's infuriating enough already.

The media reaction was extremely strong, and some people started criticizing him again.

His friends didn't understand either. Liu Dashan looked at him like he was a fool and muttered, "He went out for a stroll and got all cocky. He's usually pretty clever..."

Damn, you're the idiot, you don't know anything!

Actually, Fang Xinghe wasn't impulsive at all; drawing this line was absolutely necessary.

The domestic population is so obsessed with world-class glory and foreign recognition that it has become somewhat fanatical.

They now genuinely idolize Fang Xinghe as a national hero, but once Fang Xinghe refuses to compete, they will turn against him and hurl the most vicious insults.

This is not a problem of one or two individuals, nor is it a problem of individual media outlets; rather, it is a problem of the entire society being bound by heavy pressure.

So, how do we refuse this kind of binding?
The only thing I can do is to personally shatter their illusions with the most intense attitude when the hype is at its peak.

Going along with their wishes is absolutely not an option, and being perfunctory and disobedient is even worse; both are tantamount to digging a hole for yourself.

Too many celebrities are swept up by public opinion and held hostage by external moral expectations, ultimately becoming neither free in body nor clear in mind.

When interviewed by the Jilin Provincial Daily, Fang Xinghe reiterated his position—

"Of course, morality is necessary, but how I arrange my life has nothing to do with morality."

"With great power comes great responsibility, but this is predicated on free will. The responsibility I decide to shoulder is my responsibility; what you impose on me is not acceptable."

After the news was published, the domestic public opinion environment became increasingly chaotic.

The public no longer expects him to achieve success in the NBA, but there is more criticism than praise, and his casual fans are leaving in droves.

"Great, just what I wanted." The Gen Z online troll leader smiled contentedly and rewarded himself with a large glass of carbonated drink.

His popularity in China has already reached its limit.

Even if it's quiet and there's no negative news, it will still slowly decline.

Even with positive news, it still drops.

Because fleeting, superficial affection is something that cannot be sustained; it comes easily and goes even more easily.

Only by refining it to a higher level can it remain stable for a longer period of time.

However, even the most dedicated fans only maintain their level of devotion for a longer period. As fans age and their personal attitudes change, the devotion will eventually fade away.

Parting and reunion are inevitable, even among the closest friends, classmates, and relatives. Why should fans remain steadfast forever?
Therefore, Fang Xinghe's strategic goal in China is to cleanse, purify, and reduce the basic scale, rather than continuing to increase the quantity.

Anyway, they've already profited from this wave of popularity, so losing any number of followers won't be a loss.

It's perfectly normal that outsiders can't understand it.

This is a high-level maneuver that only cheaters can pull off; anyone who tries to learn it will be useless.

Fang Xinghe's attitude towards media outlets in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia varied, demonstrating that he acted entirely according to their needs.

Interview with KBS News in South Korea.

"Of course, if given the opportunity, I would be happy to accept sponsorship from Korean companies and have Samsung and LG billboards appear in the home stadium. Our cooperation has always been very pleasant, and the professionalism and advertising aesthetics of Korean companies have left a very deep impression on me..."

Brother Fang smiled amicably and listened patiently to the questions from the South Korean media.

"Yes, I don't necessarily have to play basketball. I just want to prove that I can do it, that we Asians can do it..."

“No problem. If the one-on-one match is open to the media, I will definitely extend an invitation to your station. We are very good friends.”

My good friend was so happy to be coaxed that she took the initiative to use a lot of space to promote Fang Xinghe's unreleased photo album.

Fang Xinghe has few commercial activities left in South Korea and will not be going there often in the near future, so the promotion of his photobook will be somewhat weak.

Therefore, he adopted an unusually good attitude.

The flattered South Korean media immediately resumed their honeymoon period with Tongfang Xinghe, showering them with compliments.

The South Korean public, whose vanity was greatly satisfied, began to support the products endorsed by Fang Xinghe.

For a time, aside from rival fans, the South Korean fans seemed even more enthusiastic than the domestic fans.

Well, it's really hard to describe, both sides are like that.

……

Japan's NHK television station.

"Jordan? He was incredibly strong. Even after years of not playing basketball and becoming bulky and heavy, he could still dominate 99% of the players in the league with his superb skills."

Fang Xinghe was very serious and boasted to Danzi.

"When he leans on you and stands up, it's hard to believe that he's a middle-aged man who's almost 40."

"How did I win? I kept attacking his lateral movement. Defending small, agile players was his only weakness, and I just happened to have the most extreme agility in the NBA."

"No, no, no, the next official one-on-one duel will be an extremely difficult showdown, and I am not absolutely certain of victory."

"Jordan is a tyrant with an extreme desire to win, and I am absolutely certain that he will return to his peak."

"Once he can maintain the consistency of his playing style, it will be almost impossible for me to interfere with his fadeaway jump shot, but he may be able to interfere with my drive. The height difference is still too crucial in this kind of top matchup."

Xiao Rizi enjoys stories of underdogs overthrowing their superiors and loves watching samurai battles, so Fang Xinghe focuses on one-on-one duels and avoids irrelevant details.

Japanese society is in an uproar, with far more attention on the showdown at the end of September than in other countries, eager to watch it unfold.

Fang Xinghe deliberately exaggerated the difficulty of this duel, placing himself on the weaker side, which fully aroused the expectations of the Japanese.

As for the top draft pick...

"As for the top scholar..."

Fang Xinghe remained nonchalant and unwilling to elaborate.

“The NBA produces a number one draft pick every year, but there has only been one Jordan in decades. The two are not even in the same league.”

The Japanese also feel proud of top-scoring Asians, but not to the extent that the Koreans are so enthusiastic. The Koreans have many international achievements to their name, which leads to a difference in mindset.

Therefore, Fang Xinghe's unpretentious attitude is even more captivating to Japanese fans.

The remaining endorsements that were still pending were quickly finalized. Higher premiums were no longer possible, but they made many concessions in other areas.

……

Southeast Asian media outlets didn't come to Northeast China to conduct interviews.

Due to cost constraints, they can only have fun at home by themselves.

Those with a conscience reprint articles from major foreign newspapers, while those without a conscience blindly fabricate stories—it's insane.

Thai news reports: Even Buddhists can have wrathful expressions.

When the topic of Buddhism entering the world was mentioned last time, the media seized on Fang Xinghe, insisting on claiming he had a deep Buddhist nature.

Playing in the NBA, getting into fights after playing basketball with the black guys, that's really chill.

Vietnamese news reports: Fang Xinghe conquers America / Fang Xinghe will inevitably lose.

The North is swept by anti-American sentiment, while the South is frantically licking the boots of their American daddy. Fang Xinghe refused to give them any interviews, and the Southern media are almost spreading rumors about him as a brainless violent maniac.

While celebrating, they were also holding a funeral. The two sides fought so fiercely that their brains were practically turned into dogs' brains. It was quite a spectacle.

Myanmar is embroiled in warlord conflicts, its people are impoverished, and no one cares.

Indonesia, due to historical issues, has controlled the dissemination of related news.

In Malaysia, the Chinese community is revitalized, and everyone knows Fang Xinghe.

Lijiapo was celebrating normally, with a touch of joy.

Hong Kong and Taiwan media remain aloof, or rather, sleazy, insisting on focusing on gossip rather than serious content; they're all just sensationalism.

The main problem was that Fang Xinghe didn't focus his efforts on that area, so the flow of traffic naturally spread wildly, resulting in a mess.

He is too busy.

July 7th, 8th, and 9th were the dates for the 2001 Jilin Province College Entrance Examination.

Before entering the examination room, Fang Xinghe struck a few poses around the courtyard, letting Ms. Hua take one last set of photos.

The photo series is titled "The End of a Phase," and it marks the beginning of a new phase in his life the moment he emerged from the exam hall after finishing his last exam.

The end of the previous phase was marked by many symbolic moments, but after careful consideration, he decided to choose a campus photo.

This photo will be placed on the last page of the photobook, and he will present his fans with his brightest smile.

The end of adolescence is the beginning of adulthood.

The world should remember how Fang Xinghe laughed as a child, because the adult Fang Xinghe will only be more stingy.

People say I'm crazy, but I laugh even crazier. I give clarity only to the sky, and purity only to the sunlight. I give nothing to the mediocre masses.

The thought of such vast freedom brought a genuine smile to Fang Xinghe's lips. Sunlight streamed down his cheek from the side, causing Mika Ninagawa's fingers to tremble inexplicably, resulting in a blurry photo...

(End of this chapter)