Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 154 I am never lonely
The days passed quickly and it was Christmas Eve. Even though the three of them had no special feelings about the series of festivals, they couldn't help but feel something in the atmosphere of the environment.

It was a rare opportunity for Chen Fang to go without training, so he returned home early and started his real career: chef.

The three of them celebrated their first holiday in the United States with great joy, but they were a little disappointed that it didn't snow.

In the evening, Wu Zi rewarded Chen Fang and they both got into the same bed again.

"I plan to go to Los Angeles." Wu Zi suddenly said.

"Huh?" Chen Fang was surprised.

"The courses there are more suitable for me. I want to go into art. There are better instructors for design and painting there."

Seeing Chen Fang remained silent, Wu Zi hugged his neck and said, "Aren't you going to start traveling from January? Why should I stay here alone? Besides, it's not safe here anymore after Lu Yun left."

After hearing this, Chen Fang also understood. He changed his mind and thought that this was actually a good thing.

"So when will you transfer schools?"

"It's after winter vacation." Wu Zi reached out from under the covers and tugged at Chen Fang's ear: "You must have been playing basketball so hard that you became stupid."

"Uh!" Chen Fang just remembered that it was already winter vacation. Winter vacation in the United States basically starts from Christmas and lasts for 2-3 weeks. It depends on the climate of the place, and it may be longer in cold places.

Obviously, Missouri is a relatively cold place, so by this calculation, school will not start until late January.

This is not only for ordinary students, but also for the team, as after Christmas, it is also a window of rest and recuperation.

Tatum is now recovering from injury and the Red Devils currently have no game tasks.

Drew sent him a message asking about winter vacation training. Chen Fang did not hesitate and arranged a short training time.

To put things one way or another, as long as the service provided remains in place, what Chen Fang needs now is high-quality training, which is something many people can hardly afford.

Because he has now reached a bottleneck, which is very vague. He felt it after playing with Jaren, but this kind of opponent is rare and it will be difficult to find it again once it passes.

Chen Fang needs to lay a better foundation to break through this bottleneck and prepare for the countless challenges next year.

A short separation is for a longer stay together.

Chen Fang suddenly thought of this sentence. He hugged Wu Zi with his backhand and said nothing.

In the darkness, both of them breathed evenly, and everything was said without words.

The next day, Chen Fang woke up at 5:30 on time. He got out of bed quietly so as not to disturb Wu Zi who was sleeping soundly.

After washing up, I went out. The community was quiet. Maybe only a few people were awake in the whole of St. Louis.

It was dark, and Chen Fang ran slowly towards the school. He had a key, given to him by Perez, and he received the same treatment as Tatum.

The school was very quiet and the gate was empty. Chen Fang trotted to the gym and started the day's training.

Think about it, since his rebirth, he has slept in very few times. From the initial persistence to the current love, this feeling can be described by Chen Fang as - the self-abuse of the strong.

He practiced alone without turning on the lights. This was Chen Fang's habit. He found that in the dark, his shooting ability would be greatly weakened.

This was actually a good thing, as he could only rely on muscle memory and the dim light to get the feel for shooting, but picking up the ball was a bit troublesome.

He didn't notice that a tall figure appeared at the entrance of the stadium.

The man looked for a long time and suddenly turned on the light.

Chen Fang squinted to look, and it turned out to be Tatum, whom he hadn't seen for a long time.

"Is your leg healed?" Chen Fang asked in surprise.

"Almost, we can go now." Tatum's steps were still a little crooked.

"Come on, I haven't trained with you for a long time." Chen Fang threw the ball over.

Looking at Chen Fang who was the same as before, Tatum nodded.

It's a little complicated, but there's more fighting spirit. Tatum likes this feeling, which makes him dare not slack off.

They fought until eight o'clock, then they stopped.

"It's time to have breakfast, what do you say?" Chen Fang asked.

Tatum was stunned for a moment and replied: "It should be home. Mom has already prepared it."

"That's great!" Chen Fang clapped his hands and wiped the sweat off his face.

"I still have to go home and do it myself, so I'm leaving first." Chen Fang waved his hand and left the gym.

Tatum looked at Chen Fang's back and felt inexplicably alienated.

After arriving home, he found that Lu Yun was actually up, so he smiled and said, "Why, you want to get up and make me a loving breakfast?"

"Tsk, wishful thinking!" Lu Yun snorted.

"When does training start over there, Drew?"

Chen Fang thought for a moment and said, "It should be the day after tomorrow, for a period of fifteen days."

"I also ordered a set meal for two." Lu Yun said.

"Double?"

"Yes, Wu Zhen is on the way, you don't mind, do you?" Lu Yun blinked.

Chen Fang was stunned for a moment and shook his head: "This is a good thing."

"Then I'll go to the supermarket and buy some more vegetables." Chen Fang thought about it and made a decision.

Not to mention that today is Christmas, the crowds everywhere make Chen Fang feel like he is still in China. When he and Wu Zi returned home with the bags, they found a pair of sneakers at the door.

Wu Zhen is here!

Sure enough, I heard the door open and a man came out.

The two looked at each other and then moved away.

"Wu Zi." Wu Zhen spoke first.

Wu Zi was very happy and walked forward to compare his height: "You have grown a bit taller."

"Well, it's grown a little bit." Wu Zhen responded dully.

"I've grown stronger." Because there is heating in the room, you can still see my figure after taking off the coat.

Chen Fang didn't know how to face this scene of brother and sister meeting each other. He quietly pretended to be a passerby and carried the vegetables to the kitchen, but was stopped by Wu Zi: "Don't you know each other?"

This one sentence made both of them feel embarrassed.

"Long time no see!" Chen Fang had no choice but to say. He was carrying the dishes in both hands and could only move his mouth.

"I'll bring it." Wu Zhen seemed to have changed a little. He took the initiative to bring up the dishes, which also resolved the problem.

Chen Fang was busy in the kitchen alone when Wu Zi walked in unexpectedly.

"What's wrong?"

"It's okay, I'll help you." Wu Zi obediently began to clean the kitchen, clearing the garbage and sweeping the water stains on the table.

This meal kept Chen Fang busy for nearly an hour, mainly because Wu Zi was in the way and delayed things, but Chen Fang did find the feeling of being a parent.

There was a banquet at home during the Chinese New Year. My father was busy in the kitchen and my mother was making trouble in the kitchen, but my father was always smiling. I didn’t understand it at that time, but now I understand my father’s mood immediately.

Cooking is not a devotion, but the most substantial way to touch the feeling of home.

By the time the four of them sat down, it was already starting to get dark.

At this moment, Lu Yun became the atmosphere adjuster, leading all the topics. Chen Fang responded with a few words casually. The meal was not as comfortable as usual. It was mainly because Chen Fang and Wu Zhen had not figured out how to face it, so everyone ate in a reserved manner.

It was not until after dinner, when the two of them sat in the backyard and watched the snowflakes begin to fall from the sky, that Wu Zhen started the conversation.

"I came this time because I knew Drew was very good. I asked Lu Yun to make an appointment for me. Sorry to bother you."

"That's a good thing." Chen Fang replied.

"From what Lu Yun said, you have become famous now." Wu Zhen said calmly.

"Well, I have to thank you for that. Without your encouragement, I would still be messing around in Shandong."

Wu Zhen shook his head to deny Chen Fang's honest words: "You can't stay in Shandong forever. The awl will eventually break the bag."

"I heard from Lu Yun that you are facing some problems now?" Chen Fang changed the subject.

"Yeah, that's right." Wu Zhen didn't evade the question: "The coach doesn't trust me and doesn't give me playing time, so it's hard for me to perform well."

"Then what are your plans?" Chen Fang felt that this was quite unsolvable. In fact, every team would encounter this situation. If the coach was optimistic about you, he would definitely not be optimistic about someone in the team.

You can't blame the coach, you can only lament that your fate is not right.

"Keep playing. I don't want to change schools for the time being, because it might be the same if I go to a new place." Wu Zhen's tone was low, completely lacking the confident and high-spirited look he had in China.

"Who is your competitor in the team?" Chen Fang thought for a moment and asked.

"Two people, they are competing with each other for the starting position, and I am ranked third." Wu Zhen's expression was indescribably bitter.

Once upon a time, how could Wu Zhen be the third choice? He wouldn't even accept the second.

But for the sake of his dream, he had no choice but to endure it.

In the past, he would never have told these words to anyone because it was too embarrassing, but since he had already planned to come here and meet Chen Fang, these things were unavoidable and it was impossible for him to escape.

Wu Zhen was born with the character of preferring to die standing.

His childhood experiences and upbringing destined him to have a strong sense of self-esteem and a dislike for being sympathized with or despised.

He could only accept praise and admiration.

But during this time in the United States, Wu Zhen was hit so hard that he came to his senses. When Lu Yun made this suggestion, he hesitated for a moment and then agreed.

If you want to find back what you have lost in this dreamland, don’t worry about your face first.

"I want to play two games with you, one before the special training and one after the special training." Wu Zhen suddenly looked at Chen Fang and said.

Facing those shining eyes, Chen Fang did not refuse.

"That's tomorrow. You go to bed early and get up at 5:30." Chen Fang said.

"it is good!"

This conversation was not easy, but after it ended, the two of them felt relaxed. Back in the house, Wu Zi glanced at them and pointed at the peeled apples on the coffee table.

"Eat an apple and be safe."

No one was interested in what was playing on TV, so the three of them started playing poker. Wu Zhen watched from the side, looking quite happy.

In a foreign country, the snow outside is getting heavier. Inside the house, four overseas wanderers gather together for their dreams under the arrangement of fate.

This was an unforgettable Christmas Eve. At least Wu Zi still remembered this day many years later.

That night, Wu Zhen refused to sleep in the same room with Lu Yun. He moved to the garage to sleep. Wu Zi tried to persuade him several times but to no avail. She could only watch her brother go to the semi-basement with the newly bought bedding.

There was a steel bed that the landlord had abandoned, but unexpectedly, it was put to good use today. In the morning, when Chen Fang got up from the bed and went to the living room, he found Wu Zhen already dressed and ready to go.

Chen Fang rubbed his eyelids: "Wait for me for a few minutes."

After going out, I found that the snow was still falling. The whole world was covered in white. The sky was so dark that it didn't feel like it was early morning.

The two of them made the sound of snow crunching with every step, and it took them longer than usual to get to school.

"Is this Chaminade?" Wu Zhen murmured as he looked at the campus.

"Well, Tatum's school." For some reason, Chen Fang suddenly felt emotional. If he had said this a few months ago, he would definitely have been full of boasting, but now, there was a hint of ridicule in his words.

Unconsciously, I have put my mentality on the same level as this future superstar.

Chen Fang realized this the moment he saw Tatum yesterday.

I don’t know if he will come today?

After unlocking the gym, Wu Zhen looked at the key for several seconds.

Don’t underestimate just a key. In American high school, when this thing appears on a player, it means something.

He has the complete trust of the coach.

At this moment, Wu Zhen truly felt the gap between him and Chen Fang.

First was warm-up. Wu Zhen naturally had his own way of warming up, but when he saw Chen Fang's warm-up, he couldn't help but pause slightly.

It's weird, but it seems very scientific.

"Is this a warm-up for your school?" he couldn't help but ask.

"No, I came up with it myself by combining the ideas of several trainers. Do you want to learn it?" Chen Fang asked.

"Yes." Wu Zhen gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Okay, there's still plenty of time, no rush." Chen Fang was quite surprised. He could only say that reality would educate every unruly person.

Ten minutes later, the two stood face to face.

Chen Fang passed the ball over: "11 points, keep scoring."

Wu Zhen hugged the ball and expressed his agreement with silence.

Chen Fang did not step back, but slightly turned sideways, with one hand in front and the other hand hanging naturally. He changed his defensive position according to Wu Zhen's position holding the ball.

This is very important. People say to watch the person and not the ball, but in a one-on-one match, you should watch the ball and not the person.

This has a completely different underlying logic from the competition.

Wu Zhen made a triple threat. He first raised the ball and then swung it to the side, but Chen Fang remained unmoved. His body was always at the same vertical angle with the basketball. His hand also did not move and remained between Wu Zhen's legs.

This made Wu Zhen very uncomfortable. Chen Fang's arm span and shoulder width, as well as his height of seven or eight centimeters higher than his, all put invisible pressure on him.

He swung again, suddenly released the ball, and prepared to break through.

But Chen Fang is faster than him. He duels with Tatum every day and competes against the best players in the United States. In his eyes, Wu Zhen's movements are slow and full of flaws.

He took a small step forward with his front foot, and instead of touching the ball, he pressed his hand against Wu Zi's chest. His hand, which had been hanging down, didn't care about the ball, but stretched out to block Wu Zhen's route.

The huge force made Wu Zhen stagger backward and he lost control of the basketball.

Chen Fang controlled the ball easily. He stood and looked at Wu Zhen, with a flash of emotion in his eyes.

The two of them had never fought each other one-on-one, not because they didn't have the opportunity, but because they didn't dare.

When Chen Fang was just reborn, his first impression of Wu Zhen was that this guy was extremely powerful, and he had no desire to fight him one-on-one.

When Wu Zhen became interested in Chen Fang, he already had some concerns.

A year passed and the two of them no longer had any chance.

Yesterday, Wu Zhen suddenly made up his mind to challenge Chen Fang in a duel. In fact, he had anticipated this scene a long time ago, but he did not expect that it would be so easy.

"It's your turn." After a slight adjustment, Wu Zhen bypassed Chen Fang and stood at the edge of the three-point line.

Chen Fang threw the ball to him, took two steps forward, and turned to face him.

When the ball came, Chen Fang caught it and naturally spread his feet. This was an instinctive skill.

Wu Zhen took small steps forward. As soon as he moved, Chen Fang moved as well, cutting directly to his right side. Because Wu Zhen was standing in a parallel position, in Chen Fang's eyes, it was like the city gate was wide open.

After putting the ball into the basket, Chen Fang threw the ball to Wu Zhen and returned to his original position again.

This time, Wu Zhen walked up to Chen Fang and stuffed the ball into his arms.

Chen Fang stepped forward with one foot, holding Wu Zhen in place, and grabbed the ball with one hand, raising it diagonally. He suddenly half-turned from his sideways position, prompting Wu Zhen to instinctively take a half step back.

As a result, there was a space of about thirty centimeters between the two people.

This distance is really nothing, but for a jump, it's a lot.

Chen Fang half turned around, held the ball in front of his nose, jumped up, then pressed his arm, shook his wrist and flicked his fingers.

From turning around, catching the ball, and jumping to shoot, the entire movement was done in one go. It didn't look forced at all, but rather extremely relaxed and natural.

Wu Zhen turned his head to see the result. The basketball went through the net without touching the rim, and then he heard a "swish" sound.

Walking down to pick up the ball, Wu Zhen forced himself to block out all emotions, leaving only one consciousness in his mind.

Persevere and finish the game.

Three minutes later, Chen Fang stood there without breaking a sweat. He felt a little guilty, but more of it was emotion.

Wu Zhen, no wonder he can’t play.

His level in the Chaminade Red Devils is only at the second team level, and to be frank, he may not be as strong as Lu Yun.

How could this happen? It's only been a year, and the gap in strength between them is too big.

Wu Zhen was depressed. He was holding a basketball, his back slightly hunched, and his eyes were looking at the floor.

Chen Fang didn't know what to say. He felt that he was wrong both emotionally and logically.

"I'll practice by myself." Wu Zhen spoke, but he didn't look at Chen Fang. It seemed like he was just talking to himself, lowering his head and walking to the other side.

Chen Fang hummed in panic and exhaled several times before his complicated emotions calmed down a little.

Seeing Wu Zhen like this, he felt uncomfortable.

I don’t know how to evaluate Tatum’s appearance. After all, his arrival broke the awkward atmosphere.

"Are you here again today?" Chen Fang was surprised. He put on a new face and asked with a smile.

"I can't stay at home thinking that you must be here." Tatum was in a new mood when they met again.

He began to regard Chen Fang as a teammate and opponent of the same level. The two shook hands and bumped shoulders. Tatum glanced at Wu Zhen not far away and asked, "What is this?"

"I'm a friend of mine. Let's get together at Christmas." Chen Fang gave a brief introduction.

"Wait till I warm up. I feel almost well enough."

"What? You want a one-on-one fight?" Chen Fang asked.

"Yes, I really do." Tatum was very direct.

"Well, wait for you."

Not long after, the one-on-one duel between Chen Fang and Tatum completely attracted Wu Zhen.

He was like those people who once admired and watched him play, standing quietly on the sidelines, watching the one-on-one duel between Chen Fang and Tatum.

Tatum did not do as he said, on the contrary, he looked full of energy.

It has been less than half a month since he was injured. With this performance, he deserves the title of the NBA's most durable king.

The two were evenly matched, fighting fiercely, posting up, jumping shots, breaking through, and all their skills were displayed one by one.

Wu Zhen watched intently. If it was a one-on-one fight in which he had not been thoroughly slaughtered, his pride might not allow him to have too many feelings, but that was what happened.

This kind of technical game and physical confrontation fully demonstrates what the existence of a high ceiling of beauty is.

This morning was destined to be the most sober morning in Wu Zhen's memory.

In the end, Chen Fang scored the winning goal with a step-back three-pointer.

"WOW!" Tatum held his head in frustration. He didn't have too many negative emotions.

The two of them high-fived and hugged each other, sweat dripping. "I will definitely win back tomorrow."

"Let's talk about it tomorrow." Chen Fang said with a smile.

"But aren't you going to start special training tomorrow too?" Chen Fang thought of a question.

Tatum acted nonchalant: "That's after nine o'clock, no problem."

After hearing what he said, how could Chen Fang refuse? He had no choice but to say, "Okay, I'll wait for you tomorrow."

"I'm going to take a shower." Tatum walked away without looking at Wu Zhen who was standing beside him.

Chen Fang walked to the seat next to him and began to regulate his breathing and wipe the sweat off his face.

Wu Zhen walked over and sat beside him for a long time before speaking: "Are you a little disappointed with me today?"

Chen Fang put the towel down and unexpectedly replied, "We still have plenty of time."

This one word woke up the extremely depressed Wu Zhen. He looked at Chen Fang and their eyes met.

"Thank you."

"It should."

Last year, you woke me up, this year, I'm here to wake you up.

On the road of basketball, we are never lonely.

　There are so many things I want to say today.

　　First, the content updated today, when I was writing, I thought of many past events. I think many book friends have had similar experiences, or people who once thought they were very strong, suddenly felt not as strong as themselves, or people who they thought were very ordinary, suddenly defeated themselves.

　　I want to say that on the road of basketball, we will never be lonely. As long as we work hard and make sacrifices, the results will not lie. As long as you want to play basketball well, it is never too late to start working hard.

　　The second thing is that I would like to analyze the battle against Mongolia today, but I don't think it's necessary. I will just talk about three points.

　　1: The Chinese team has never gotten over its old problem in intense confrontations, and mistakes are the barometer of intensity.

　　2: Gao Tie is a true love. Other guards would be replaced when they make mistakes, but Gao Tie made 3 mistakes in a row and remained unmoved. Let me give you an example. After Yang got the backcourt rebound, he passed the ball to Gao Tie, but he stood there with his hands open waiting for the ball, and then was intercepted and scored. What level of guard is this! A high-level guard will definitely grab the rebound before the center, get close to the ball as soon as possible, and conduct offense and defense conversion. What kind of tactical quality is it for you to wait for the ball?

　　3: Coach Guo couldn't find Yang's manual. How to pass the ball to Yang? Can he pass the ball to Yang immediately after Yang is in position? Not once in the whole game.

　　Based on these three things, a team like Mongolia is not even qualified to enter the NBL. It is just a team in the amateur circle. Relying on the home court and the blind referee, they got 50 points, which is considered a top performance.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)