The first punch that shocked the basketball world

The sound of a car braking came from the doorway.

Lin Fei put down his chopsticks and walked to the restaurant entrance.

A black Jeep Wrangler was parked on the side of the road. The window was rolled down, and Sofia Green leaned out, waving a black backpack.

"You left your backpack in my car." She got out of the car and handed the bag over. "I only realized it after driving almost two kilometers, so I brought it back to you."

Lin Fei slapped his forehead.

No wonder I felt like something was missing when I got off the bus, but I couldn't remember what it was for a while.

It turned out that the backpack had been left in the passenger seat.

Thanks.

He took the backpack, his fingers touching the strap, which still carried some of the warmth from the car.

He hesitated for a moment.

It's lunchtime, and Sofia must not have eaten yet since she made the trip to deliver the bag.

"Want to come in and grab a bite?" Lin Fei pointed to the restaurant entrance. "It's all home-style cooking. If you don't mind, I can cook you a couple of new dishes."

While the two were talking at the door.

Behind the restaurant curtain, three heads were huddled together.

Lin Xiuqin clung to the door frame, her eyes wide open.

Zhu Yuliang squatted down next to her, craning his neck.

Zhu Xiuli went even further, secretly recording a video with her phone, her fingers trembling.

Lin Fei used to be a complete shut-in, spending all his time in his room, doing nothing but playing ball and video games.

Although I've been more outgoing in the last two weeks, this is the first time a girl has taken the initiative to come to me.

Moreover, this girl is pretty, tall, and has blonde hair; she looks very energetic.

Lin Xiuqin was increasingly satisfied with what she saw, her smile almost reaching her ears.

Zhu Xiuli was even more excited.

High school students are at the age where they love gossip, and their minds are already conjuring up eight hundred episodes of idol dramas.

As she recorded, she calculated how much pocket money she could extort from her brother using the video later.

At the door, Sofia was about to refuse.

But she looked up at the warm yellow lights shining in the restaurant and smelled the aroma of food wafting out.

I am indeed a little hungry.

Moreover, she originally wanted to get to know Lin Fei better and gather more material.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony." She smiled and smoothed her hair. "It'll be a good opportunity to try your cooking."

Lin Fei led her into the restaurant.

The three people behind the curtain heard footsteps and scattered like birds.

Lin Xiuqin quickly sat back down at the table, picked up her chopsticks and pretended to eat, her gossipy expression still lingering on her face.

Zhu Yuliang held the bowl, his head almost buried in it.

Zhu Xiuli reacted the fastest, going around to the side and walking towards the two of them.

"Hello, sister!"

She tilted her little face up, smiling sweetly, "I'm his sister, Zhu Xiuli. You're so pretty!"

Sofia paused for a moment, then smiled.

She reached out and ruffled Zhu Xiuli's hair.

"You're very pretty too," she said. "You look just like your brother."

Zhu Xiuli immediately beamed with joy.

The two entered the hall.

Lin Xiuqin quickly stood up and wiped her hands on her apron.

"Xiao Fei, aren't you going to introduce them?" Her eyes darted back and forth between Lin Fei and Sophia, her gossip-loving nature burning brightly.

"I met him during the interview today, he's a colleague," Lin Fei said casually.

That makes sense.

Sofia is a reporter covering the Defenders, so she's considered part of the team.

If they actually sign a contract, they'll be considered colleagues.

But Lin Xiuqin clearly didn't believe it.

I went for a job interview in the morning, and that girl came to my door to deliver something that evening?

What a coincidence to have a colleague!

Most likely, the girl has taken a liking to her nephew.

After all, Lin Fei was tall and had a good appearance.

Lin Xiuqin thought about it more and more and felt that it made sense, and her smile became even more enthusiastic.

"Please sit down, young lady," she hurriedly invited. "Look, there's leftover food all over the table. Please wait a moment, I'll go to the kitchen and make two more dishes, they'll be ready soon."

Sofia was about to get up to say that it was no trouble for her.

Lin Fei spoke first.

"Auntie, you rest, I'll just cook a couple of dishes," he said. "You've been busy all day, sit down and relax for a bit."

Before Lin Xiuqin could refute, Lin Fei picked up his backpack and walked towards the kitchen.

The kitchen is fully stocked with ingredients and seasonings; it won't take long to cook two dishes.

Sophia sat alone at the dining table, feeling extremely uncomfortable under the scrutinizing gazes of Lin Xiuqin and Zhu Yuliang.

Even someone as oblivious as her could tell.

This family has clearly misunderstood.

"Um... I'll go check out the kitchen." She stood up with a smile. "I've never been inside a Chinese restaurant kitchen before, I'm a little curious."

After saying that, she practically fled into the kitchen.

Watching her figure disappear behind the door, Lin Xiuqin immediately nudged Zhu Yuliang with her elbow.

"See that?" she whispered, gesturing with her chin towards the kitchen. "Xiao Fei just went in, and that girl followed him in. A colleague she just met? Do you believe that?"

Zhu Yuliang stroked his chin and thought seriously for two seconds.

"I don't believe it."

"Me too! Me too!" Zhu Xiuli jumped over. "I don't believe it either!"

She pouted.

"I really don't understand, with my brother's taciturn personality, how come girls still take the initiative to come to his door?"

The voice just fell.

Lin Xiuqin grabbed a feather duster from the side and smacked her on the buttocks.

"What's wrong with your brother's personality? He's perfectly fine!" she feigned anger. "I think you're becoming more and more disrespectful."

"Hey, hey, hey, Mom!"

Zhu Xiuli jumped up with a scream and ran towards the kitchen, yelling, "I was wrong, I was wrong!"

She's very shrewd.

Knowing there were guests present, her mother would never have chased her into the kitchen to beat her.

really.

Lin Xiuqin stopped at the kitchen door and muttered curses at her retreating figure.

"You brat, I'll deal with you tonight!"

...

In the kitchen.

Lin Fei, wearing his uncle's gray apron, was standing in front of the cutting board cutting meat.

The knife was sharp, and the meat slices were cut into even, thin slices.

Sofia pushed the door open and came in; he looked up at her.

"Why are you here too?"

"It's too hot outside, I can hardly stand it," Sofia laughed, leaning against the door. "Besides, I've never seen a professional player cook before. I'll just have to watch and maybe get a quick interview with you."

Lin Fei smiled but didn't expose her.

He knew what Sofia was planning.

Gathering material, writing reports, and riding the wave of online traffic.

Everyone gets what they need; there's nothing wrong with that.

"There's nothing worth interviewing about." His knife kept moving. "It's just an ordinary person cooking. You can watch if you want."

The two had only exchanged a few words.

The kitchen back door was kicked open with a loud bang.

Zhu Xiuli rushed in.

Seeing that both of them turned to look at her, she immediately put on a smile.

"It's alright, it's alright! You guys keep chatting!" She waved her hand. "I was just passing by! Just passing by!"

Behind the restaurant kitchen is a small courtyard where my uncle has piled up some odds and ends and planted some flowers and plants.

There is a staircase in the corner of the yard that leads directly to the second-floor bedroom.

Zhu Xiuli walked towards the backyard with small, quick steps, and winked at Lin Fei as she passed by.

That expression made it clear—Brother, you're awesome! Keep it up, and bring me a sister-in-law next year.

Lin Fei simply ignored it.

The more you pay attention to this brat, the more energetic she becomes.

Zhu Xiuli ran away in a flash.

The kitchen fell silent again.

The only sound was the thud of the cleaver hitting the cutting board.

Lin Fei plans to make two dishes that are on the sweeter side.

Cola chicken nuggets, sweet and sour pork.

Most Americans can get used to this taste.

He prepared the ingredients, while Sofia stood by and watched.

As she watched, Sofia suddenly spoke.

"By the way, the coaching staff should be finished by now." She took out her phone. "Should I make a call for you and ask about the trial results?"

Lin Fei paused for a moment while cutting the meat.

He was confident in his performance, but knowing the outcome earlier would have allowed him to make plans accordingly.

"Sure," he said, turning back with a smile. "If it's not too much trouble."

"It's nothing."

Sofia dialed Mark Harris's number.

It rang twice before the call was answered.

"Hey Mark. Sorry to bother you so late," Sofia said casually. "I just wanted to ask, have the results of today's tryouts been decided?"

Harris's voice was a little muffled on the other end of the phone, but it was still audible.

"It's settled."

"Lin passed unanimously; we'll notify him to sign the contract tomorrow."

Sophia looked up and glanced at Lin Fei.

Lin Fei continued cutting the meat with his head down, seemingly not listening, but his cutting pace was noticeably slower.

"Okay, thank you." Sofia exchanged a few more pleasantries and hung up the phone.

She put away her phone and smiled at Lin Fei.

"Congratulations, Lin, you passed the trial."

Lin Fei stopped wielding the knife in his hand.

Although I had expected it, hearing the result with my own ears still made my heart sink.

Down-to-earth.

From the baseball field to the development league.

This step has finally been taken.

A slight smile played on his lips as he continued cutting the meat.

"That's good news," he said. "Looks like this dinner invitation was just right."

Sofia was amused by him.

Sofia then got to work.

She took out a notebook and pen from her bag and leaned against the countertop.

While watching Lin Fei cook, she casually asked a question.

They were asking basic questions.

"Is it just your aunt, uncle, and younger sister in your family?"

"Um."

"I came to America with my aunt when I was nine years old and have lived here ever since."

"You've only ever played on amateur courts? Never played professionally?"

"I played in NCAA Division II for two years in college, but I didn't make the starting lineup. After graduation, I trained on my own and occasionally played one-on-one games on the streetball court."

Lin Fei spoke of it casually.

Sofia, however, wrote down her notes quickly.

He came to the United States at the age of nine, lived under the roof of others, and was unknown in college leagues. After graduation, he made a living by playing streetball one-on-one. He was discovered by a scout and made his way into the Development League.

In addition, there's the fact that he's of Chinese descent.

An underdog's rise to success, pursuing his dreams in a foreign land.

This storyline is so complete.

It's much fresher than the cookie-cutter stories of Black players from slums.

In the United States, the fact that Chinese-American players are playing professional basketball is itself a topic of discussion.

The hype surrounding Lin's "crazy" persona from a couple of years ago hasn't died down yet.

Sofia felt more and more that she had struck gold.

After noting down the basic information, Lin Fei took the initiative to ask about the contract.

What is the approximate salary level of a development league contract?

This is the practical issue he cares about most.

Sofia put away her pen and began to explain to him earnestly.

"The G League salaries aren't high," she said. "The average annual salary across the league this season is about $45,000. It's a one-year contract with basically no guarantee."

"Nobody comes here to play golf for the money. Those who want to make money go to Europe; there are plenty of contracts there with annual salaries in the millions."

"Everyone stays here because it's close to the NBA. Whenever the home team has an injury gap, the first thing they do is bring in players from the G League."

"A ten-day contract, if you play well you can stay. This is the closest path to the NBA."

Lin Fei nodded.

He knew these things in general terms, but not the specific details.

"How will salaries be paid? Monthly?"

"On a weekly basis."

Sofia said, "Payed every Sunday. The total pay is spread over 52 weeks, paid weekly."

"Why is it paid out weekly?" Lin Fei asked, somewhat surprised.

Sofia smiled.

"Don't you know what Americans' spending habits are? They spend everything they earn and can't save any money. And the development league is full of young people. If they get paid monthly, they'll spend it all in the first week and starve for the next three weeks!"

"Paying out weekly means everyone can see the money every week, which allows them to focus on training and concentrate on making it to the NBA. It's also a way for the league to encourage its players."

Lin Fei understood.

It's quite humane.

"After taxes, how much do you take home each week?" he asked.

Sofia took out her phone and opened the calculator.

"With an annual salary of $45,000, after federal tax, California state tax, and deductions for insurance, the deductions are approximately 28%."

She tapped her fingers quickly a few times.

"All told, it adds up to about $865 per week before tax, which is about $620 after tax."

More than 600 a week.

It costs about 2,500 a month.

Lin Fei considered it for a moment.

Not much, but enough to get by.

Expenses such as shoe wear and tear, protein powder, and daily training supplements can all be covered.

Saving money is unlikely, but at least I won't have to ask my aunt for money anymore.

And this is just the beginning.

He is confident that it won't be long before they can break out of the Development League.

The weekly wage system was actually more favorable to him.

If it were paid monthly, he might not even have enough money to buy equipment in the first two weeks.

"What about trainers and medical staff?" Lin Fei asked again.

"Daily training is led by coaches and trainers, and the team covers medical care for injuries sustained during games," Sofia said. "But if you want to practice alone, refine specific skills, or get injured while playing, you have to pay for it yourself. It's not like the NBA; there's not that much comprehensive support."

Lin Fei kept it in mind.

In his previous life, he played basketball in Europe and was indeed unfamiliar with the Development League system.

"Thanks," he said. "It saves me the trouble of asking them one by one when I sign the contract tomorrow."

"Don't mention it," Sofia shrugged. "We'll be dealing with each other often in the future."

While we were talking, two dishes were ready.

Sweet and sour pork tenderloin and cola chicken nuggets, with bright colors and a fragrant aroma.

Lin Fei carried the dishes out.

The hall was empty.

My aunt and uncle went upstairs at some point.

The dishes and chopsticks on the table had been cleared away and were kept clean.

It was obvious that they were afraid the two young people would feel uncomfortable eating, so they deliberately avoided them.

Lin Fei chuckled inwardly.

He put the dishes on the table and went back to the kitchen to get a set of cutlery.

Sophia didn't know how to use chopsticks, so Lin Fei got her a fork.

"Try it."

Sofia forked a piece of cola chicken and put it in her mouth.

The chicken was tender, the sauce was perfectly balanced between sweet and salty, and had a caramel aroma reminiscent of cola.

Her eyes lit up slightly.

"tasty."

She nodded, her tone sincere: "It's better than several Chinese restaurants I've been to."

Lin Fei went back to the kitchen and brought out two egg pancakes.

It was freshly made and is still steaming hot.

"Try this, it's a main dish."

Sofia picked up a piece and took a bite.

The crust is soft and chewy, with a strong egg flavor.

"This one smells good too."

She gave him a thumbs up: "With skills like yours, you could open a restaurant even if you didn't play sports."

Lin Fei smiled but didn't reply.

Sofia ate slowly, chatting about the team's daily life as she ate.

After finishing her meal, Sofia wiped her mouth and stood up.

"It's getting late, I'll head back now," she said. "Just wait for the contract signing notification tomorrow. If you have any questions, feel free to call me anytime."

"it is good."

Lin Fei escorted her to the door.

I watched the Jeep Wrangler's headlights disappear around the street corner before turning back to the restaurant.

Inside the restaurant, Lin Xiuqin was wiping the table.

The dishes on Sofia's table hadn't been cleared away yet.

"The girl's gone?" Lin Xiuqin asked, glancing towards the door as she wiped the door. "Didn't you see her off?"

"It's been delivered to the door."

Lin Fei took off his apron and casually draped it over the back of the chair.

He planned to take care of the grocery delivery business.

My aunt must not know about this; she'll only worry unnecessarily.

He didn't greet Lin Xiuqin and went straight to the door.

Several old men were playing cards on small stools at the street corner.

Lin Fei walked over.

"Uncle Zhang, I have a question for you," he said. "Where is that old man who delivers vegetables to our street, his shop again?"

The old man looked up, saw it was him, and pointed in a direction.

"Go straight ahead, turn left at the second intersection, and that's the house with the green metal door."

"Thank you, sir."

Lin Fei thanked him and walked in that direction.

It's about 800 meters, not far.