Basketball miracles

Chapter 26 [I wasn't happy before, now I can't wait]

The father and daughter chatted for a while, and then Jennifer Connelly asked, "Dad, when are we moving to Los Angeles?"

“…” Gerald took a deep breath, unable to calm down. “Didn’t you say you liked living in New York? Your mother and I suggested moving to Los Angeles, and you were very unhappy about it.”

“I used to be worried that people in Los Angeles would be hard to get along with. But today, while filming the commercial, I realized that this high school is really great, and the people in Los Angeles are very friendly. Dad, I don’t have any friends in New York at all. I just thought transferring schools would be too much trouble.”

I was unhappy before, but now I can't wait any longer.

Gerrard shook his head and said with a wry smile, "I think you're just interested because Sebastian Shaw is so enthusiastic. If you come to Los Angeles, do you still want to see him often?"

Jennifer laughed and said, "Why not? He's a basketball star, and he'll only get more famous in the future. Besides, I'll feel much safer going out with him."

"Don't you think he's terrifying? He's only 18 and he's already so tall. Some media outlets are predicting he'll grow even taller." Gerald had a vague feeling that something was wrong... no, something was very wrong.

“He’s different from those black guys in the NBA, he has a really good temper. Superman is stronger and can fly, who would think Superman is scary?” Jennifer laughed.

While both possess exceptional physical abilities, Xiao Tu and the Black man are fundamentally different; Xiao Tu is handsome.

Gerald knew his daughter liked tall, handsome men, but he couldn't think of a reason not to come to Los Angeles.

The idea of ​​moving was first proposed by the couple. Gerald is a clothing merchant of Norwegian and Irish descent, while Eileen comes from a Russian and Polish Jewish family and deals in antiques. They are quite wealthy, so living in any city is not a problem for them.

Compared to crowded New York, Los Angeles not only has fresher air, but also a much less stressful lifestyle.

He can't expect his daughter to never have male friends, can he? Sebastian Shaw is young and promising, and is certainly much better than those kids at his daughter's school who have no plans for the future.

Gerald knew his daughter had no friends at school, and that Jennifer always stayed home when she wasn't working during school holidays.

Jennifer isn't socially awkward; she just doesn't like people her own age and often complains that her classmates are too immature. As an only child, she started her career early, making her even more of an oddity in the eyes of her classmates.

At an age when you should be playing around, you frequently take leave to work? And yet you still get first place in the final exams. Is that normal?
In American schools, pretty girls are more likely to be isolated or even bullied. Girls are three times more likely to report being bullied than boys, and surveys show that "girls bullying girls" is very common.

Aren't you beautiful? We'll isolate you and mock you!

Eat shit, Jennifer!
Many Hollywood stars have experienced bullying, both men and women. Even Ethan Hunt and Batman have been victims.

Jennifer was only isolated; another future female star whom Xiao Tu admired was in an even worse situation. Winona Ryder had her head broken and stitched up by classmates at school, and also had her ribs broken.

Gerald thought about it for a while and felt that moving to Los Angeles was necessary. Jennifer was definitely going to pursue acting in the future, and doing anything else would be a waste of her talent. It would indeed be more convenient to develop her career in Los Angeles.

My daughter knows young NBA stars... doesn't seem like such a bad thing?
Gerald was a good judge of character; Xiao Tu's appearance and demeanor were definitely not associated with gangs or drugs. Although they didn't exchange any words and only exchanged brief greetings, Gerald believed that Xiao Tu was a promising young man.

There was no way around it; his daughter was so beautiful… he was even more worried about her making friends with ordinary people.

Xiao Tu's actions off the court have created a butterfly effect; Jennifer's life would likely be very different if she had a different upbringing. The academically gifted girl leaving New York may not necessarily choose to attend Yale University in the future.

When Xiao Tu got home, Chris was watching TV and practicing his accent. He asked with a smile, "How did your commercial go?"

"Everything went very smoothly, and I met a beautiful woman. I'm in a great mood today, so I'll treat you to a nice meal tonight."

"Then I won't be polite. Shall we go with that beautiful lady?" Chris asked curiously. "You said she's a beautiful lady, so she must be very pretty."

Chris thought Xiao Tu had very high standards and was extremely picky. When the two watched TV series, he would be very interested in some of the beautiful women, but Xiao Tu would often say they were just average and complain that their hairstyles were too weird.

Anyone whom Xiao Tu describes as beautiful must be extraordinary!
Xiao Tu shook his head and smiled, "She's from New York and still a student. She came to Los Angeles with her dad. She has to go home after filming the commercial; her flight is tomorrow. You'll find out in a few days when the commercial airs."

Post-production for commercials isn't that difficult because modern ads are all live-action, without special effects. The censorship process is also simpler; some graphic ads in the US even get on TV, only to be taken down after being reported.

Xiao Tu was really looking forward to the commercial airing; he was sure it would be a hit. That evening, Xiao Tu and Chris went out for a seafood buffet. The American buffet originated in 1939, and now there are many thriving buffet restaurants in Los Angeles.

Lobsters and king crabs are very cheap in Los Angeles, prices that Xiao Tu find hard to believe. High-end seafood in China, on the other hand, is very expensive; he couldn't afford it in his previous life.

He eats seafood frequently now, partly to make up for what he lacks. Chris also likes seafood; the stereotype that Texans only love barbecue is a misconception.

During their meal and conversation, Chris brought up Jennifer again.

Xiao Tu laughed and said, "Don't ask. I'm not looking for her to be my girlfriend. She's only 14 and a minor. It's just that she's really beautiful and has acted in movies. She could very well become a Hollywood star in the future."

Chris paused for a moment, then smiled wryly and asked, "What has she acted in?"

“Once Upon a Time in America, a supporting character.”

Jennifer wasn't the goddess Xiao Tu liked yet; she was just a child. He needed to explain some things to his roommate to avoid her thinking he was a pedophile.

Chris's words piqued Xiao Tu's curiosity, making him want to know about Jennifer's future.

His memory of Jennifer was somewhat hazy; he only remembered that her acting career hadn't been very successful, though she had debuted early. She starred in many movies, almost all of which were bad, failing both critically and commercially.

She didn't prove her acting skills until she starred in the 2002 Oscar-winning film "A Beautiful Mind," winning the Best Supporting Actress award. That award was also strange; despite being the lead actress, she lacked confidence in competing for Best Actress and nominated for Best Supporting Actress instead.

Wait, it's very early now. If I knew her future, I could completely change her fate.

I want to understand her, but I don't necessarily need to meet and chat with her.

I can get to know this person first, and then become friends with her.

Xiao Tu was just about to go back to 2003 for a look. The Lakers were going to play the Bulls at home in the next game, and he wanted to take a break and relax so he could seriously think about how to deal with Jordan.

Additionally, he wanted to know if the Euro step, a basketball technique he mastered in the 80s, was applicable to small forwards. If he couldn't practice the Euro step with five times the experience using that physique, it would be problematic.

Life in the 80s was too dull, and Xiao Tu would occasionally miss his ordinary life in his previous life. He would stay at home on weekends, surf the internet, and order takeout when he was hungry, living a leisurely life.

He won't stay in 2003 to play; he'll just travel there for a day and come back. He's already a star center, having a great time, and he's determined to win a championship with the Lakers first.

What does it feel like to win an NBA championship? He wants to experience it as soon as possible! Given that he can definitely reach the top in this world, there's no reason for him to torture himself by playing for the 2003 Heat.

Xiao Tu decided to set off tonight.

By 2003, it was already the internet age, and he could find a lot of information online. He looked up all the information he wanted to know, and then came back to continue playing ball.

That was fun, and I'm sure I'll get along even better with Jennifer next time we meet.

Jennifer is too young to date, so I can play the role of a "big brother" first.

Additionally, I can check my teammates' information and learn about the major events that have occurred in the NBA this season. If anything bad happens to the Lakers, I can anticipate it and do something to prevent it.

Xiao Tu knew it was tasteless to have feelings for a 14-year-old girl, but as a time traveler, he couldn't help but think of Jennifer, the mature woman from the future. The timing was wrong; what could he do?
As the famous Marvel scientist Iron Man once said, "If you play with time, time will play with you."

Xiao Tu was certain that he wasn't a pervert; it wasn't his fault, it was all because Jennifer was too beautiful.

Superpowered people seem to encounter similar things. Even the abstinent oppa Professor Do secretly dated a 15-year-old girl, didn't he?

He still remembers the mess South Korea made in 2025; he's definitely much better than Professor Do...

(End of this chapter)