The first punch that shocked the basketball world

The vegetable shop was even more dilapidated than I had imagined.

The green metal roller shutter door was half-closed.

It was dark inside, filled with vegetable baskets.

It's more like a large warehouse than a shop.

Lin Fei bent down and went inside.

There was only one dark-skinned middle-aged man in the shop, sitting behind a broken table playing on his phone.

He was a little over 1.7 meters tall, with a very protruding belly and a lot of fat on his face.

Marvin Black.

The locals call him Lao Hei.

A native of Alhambra, he used to work on the streets when he was young, and later he bought and sold vegetables to earn a meager living.

After more than a decade in the business, I've accumulated supply contracts with over a dozen small restaurants.

A week ago, they partnered with a large hotel, and their business suddenly boomed.

From then on, the best dishes and meats were always delivered to the big restaurants.

The remaining odd-shaped and damaged fruits are then distributed to the small restaurants below.

When he encounters someone tough or difficult to deal with, he'll give them something fresh.

When they encounter someone as honest and upright as Lin Xiuqin, they specifically choose the worst ones to send.

Treating customers differently based on their status—a typical unscrupulous businessman.

Old Black didn't even look up when he heard footsteps.

"You pick out your own vegetables; the price tags are all posted on the wall."

Lin Fei didn't say anything.

He walked straight to the table.

The footsteps were heavy.

When he got three meters away from the table, Lao Hei finally realized something was wrong.

He looked up and saw Lin Fei.

Old Hei knew him.

Lin Xiuqin's nephew, that Asian boy who always keeps his head down and doesn't say a word.

I just had a fight with Lin Xiuqin this afternoon.

They've come here at this time, they must be here to demand an explanation.

Old Hei chuckled, leaned back in his chair, and looked disdainful.

What good is being tall?

He looks like an easy target.

"Get out if you're not going to buy groceries."

He had a cigarette dangling from his lips and blew a smoke ring: "I don't have time to argue with you."

Lin Fei remained silent.

Keep going.

One step, two steps.

Old Hei couldn't save face.

"Didn't you hear your mother talking to you?" He stood up abruptly, reaching out to shove Lin Fei's shoulder. "Get out!"

His hand was just halfway up in the air.

Lin Fei flipped his wrist and grabbed his arm with his other hand.

Lift it up, then twist it back.

A soft click.

"what!"

Old Hei let out a scream as half of his body was slammed onto the table.

My arm was sore from being twisted, it felt like the bones were about to crack.

"Fuck!!"

"Let the fuck go!"

He grimaced in pain, muttering profanities: "You yellow-skinned monkey, you're asking for it!"

The door to the inner room was kicked open with a bang.

Then a young Black man rushed out; he was the older Black man's brother.

He was holding an iron pan scale in his hand, and he swung it around and smashed it down.

"Let go of my brother!"

Lin Fei didn't even look up.

He freed up his other hand and pulled a fruit knife from his lower back.

"Snapped!"

The blade was pressed directly against Old Black's neck.

The cool touch pressed against my skin.

Old Hei's cursing stopped abruptly.

Her face turned pale instantly.

The younger brother, who was rushing over, also suddenly stopped, and the scale in his hand clattered to the ground.

He quickly raised his hands.

"No, no, no!" he panicked. "Young man, let's talk this out! Put the knife down! It's not that serious!"

Both brothers had a history of gangsters in their youth.

But they knew all too well that young men in their early twenties were the most dangerous.

I'm not afraid of anything, but if you really push me too far, I'll stab you with a knife.

It's not worth risking your life for this little supply business.

Lin Fei then spoke.

The voice was cold.

"I won't take my vegetables from you anymore," he said. "Give me the contract; I'm terminating it."

Old Hei's neck stiffened, and he swallowed.

"If I terminate the contract early, I'll have to pay a penalty..." His voice trembled.

The blade pressed down slightly.

"Ugh!"

Old Hei shrank back in fright: "No, no, no! We can talk this over! We can talk this over!"

"It's written in the contract," Lin Fei said calmly. "If the goods don't meet the standards, the buyer has the right to unilaterally terminate the contract."

"You...you're talking nonsense! The vegetables we delivered are all fresh..."

Whether it's new or not, you know in your heart.

Lin Fei exerted a little force with his foot, kicking Lao Hei so hard that he fell to his knees.

The knife was still held to his neck.

"I'm asking you."

Lin Fei leaned down slightly, his voice low: "Do you want a dignified termination of the contract, or should I help you achieve that?"

The threat was palpable.

Old Hei's back was covered in cold sweat.

He knew perfectly well what kind of food the vegetables he had been sending to Lin Xiuqin's family recently were like.

Yellow leaves and rotten stems—it's considered good if you can pick out even half of the good ones.

If he strictly adheres to the contract, he's in the wrong.

He still wanted to try.

"Young man, how about this?" he said, panting. "From now on, I'll prioritize delivering your goods, and they'll all be the freshest! I'll even lower the price by five percent!"

He didn't want to lose this business deal.

Although it's not much money, every little bit helps.

Lin Fei shook his head.

No need.

This kind of person, once unfaithful, will never be trusted again.

If they back down today, who knows what tricks they might pull on the food tomorrow?

Spitting in the vegetables and mixing in rotten leaves is impossible to prevent.

He's not the only vegetable vendor in the area.

Just switch to another one.

"Stop talking nonsense."

Lin Fei tightened his grip slightly, pressing the blade even closer to the blade: "I have no interest in continuing our cooperation. Terminating the contract now will make things difficult for everyone."

"If pushed to the limit..."

He paused.

"I'll give my life for your whole family. You decide for yourself whether it's worth it."

These words sounded light and casual, but to Old Hei's ears, they sent chills down his spine.

He looked into Lin Fei's eyes.

Dark and gloomy, devoid of any emotion.

This doesn't sound like a joke.

His younger brother quickly pulled his arm.

"Brother! Let's terminate the contract!" he said urgently. "It's not worth it!"

Old Hei gritted his teeth, and the flesh on his face twitched.

Not reconciled.

But I dare not gamble.

"...Fine! I'll terminate the contract!" he managed to choke out. "I'll go get the contract!"

His younger brother quickly ran into the inner room, found the supply contract, grabbed paper and pen, and quickly wrote out a termination agreement.

Old Hei signed his name with trembling hands.

Lin Fei took it, glanced at it, confirmed it was correct, and put it in his pocket.

He stood up, put away the fruit knife, and stabbed it with his backhand.

"Pfft!"

The knife was driven directly into the solid wood table.

The blade was mostly embedded in the ground.

The two black brothers turned pale.

How much force does that require?

Lin Fei patted off non-existent dust from his hands.

"If you had done this earlier, none of this would have happened."

He turned and walked towards the door.

He stopped at the door and looked back.

Old Hei shuddered in fright.

"What else do you want?!" he shouted, his voice trembling with fear. "The contract's already signed! Don't push your luck!"

Lin Fei smiled.

He flashed a bright white smile.

"I wish you booming business, but may you go bankrupt soon."

After saying that, he turned and left the store.

Never looking back.

...

Back at the restaurant, Lin Xiuqin was mopping the floor.

When she saw Lin Fei come in, she straightened up.

"Where did you go? You're being so secretive."

Lin Fei didn't say anything, but took out two contracts from his pocket and placed them on the table.

One original supply contract and one termination agreement.

Lin Xiuqin picked it up and her eyes widened immediately.

"You went to see Old Black?!"

She grabbed Lin Fei's arm and looked him up and down: "Didn't I tell you not to go? Did he give you any trouble? Let your aunt see if you're hurt!"

Her hands were shaking.

She knew exactly what kind of person Lao Hei was.

He's been through the rough and tumble of society; he's ruthless.

The thought of Lin Fei, a teenager, going there terrified her.

"It's alright, Auntie."

Lin Fei pulled her hand away: "It happened all of a sudden. I went over and explained the situation to him, and he realized he was in the wrong, so he readily terminated the contract."

Lin Xiuqin looked incredulous.

"That scoundrel Lao Hei, would he really be so easy to talk to?"

"Really." Lin Fei said without changing his expression. "Maybe he doesn't want to make a big deal out of it, since he's the one in the wrong."

If Lao Hei were here, he'd probably spit out a mouthful of blood.

With a knife to your throat, how could you not feel relieved?

Lin Xiuqin looked at him again and, seeing that he was indeed unharmed, felt a little relieved.

Anyway, the matter is resolved.

The knot that had been pressing on my heart for several days suddenly loosened.

"It's good that the contract was terminated." She put the contract away. "Tomorrow I'll ask two more suppliers, and this time I'll be more careful."

"Um."

Lin Fei nodded: "Don't sign a contract for too long, let's try a three-month contract first. If it doesn't work, we'll change it."

"Yes, yes, that's what I think too."

Lin Xiuqin nodded repeatedly, finding her nephew more and more reliable the more she looked at him.

They've grown up and can handle things now.

After helping his aunt clean up, Lin Fei went upstairs.

Just as I reached the top of the stairs, the door to the room next to me creaked open a crack.

Zhu Xiuli peeked out with half her head showing.

She glared fiercely at Lin Fei, still holding a grudge for getting her scolded that afternoon.

Then he immediately put on a gossipy face and tiptoed over.

"elder brother."

She lowered her voice: "Who was that woman tonight? Was she really your girlfriend?"

Lin Fei ignored her and went straight to his room.

"No, colleague."

"colleague?"

Zhu Xiuli followed behind him: "A colleague coming to my door to deliver a bag late at night? I don't believe it!"

"Does she like you?"

Lin Fei stopped in his tracks.

He resisted the urge to flick his forehead.

"I left my backpack in her car, and she brought it over on her way. It's that simple."

Zhu Xiuli responded with an "oh," her face full of disappointment.

"That's boring." She pouted. "I thought I had a sister-in-law now."

After saying that, she hung her head and went back to her room.

Lin Fei shook his head and went into the house as well.

After a long day, I'm really tired.

He lay down on the bed, and soon drowsiness washed over him.

His breathing gradually became steady.

I slept without any dreams.

The next morning at 5:30.

Lin Fei opened his eyes right on time.

As usual, I changed into my workout clothes and went out for a morning run.

Ten kilometers, with a stable pace.

We returned to the restaurant before 7 p.m.

Lin Xiuqin had already served breakfast.

Eggplant noodles, steaming hot.

Lin Fei sat down and picked up his chopsticks.

I just picked up a mouthful of noodles.

The phone in my pocket buzzed twice.

He took it out and looked at it.

It was a text message from an unknown number.

"Dear Mr. Lin Fei: Hello. You have passed the Los Angeles Defenders tryout and are eligible to sign a contract. Please arrive at the Toyota Center tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM with your personal identification to sign the player contract. — Los Angeles Defenders Operations Department"

Lin Fei stared at the screen for two seconds.

Then he clenched his fist tightly.

"Yes!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an irrepressible excitement.

Lin Xiuqin, who was opposite him, was startled.

"What's wrong?"

She quickly asked, "Why are you so happy all of a sudden? Did that girl confess her feelings to you yesterday?"

Lin Fei put down his phone, smiled, and shook his head.

"Auntie, it's really not, it's just a colleague."

He paused, his arm still tingling with excitement.

"I passed the interview," he said. "The company told me to come and sign the contract tomorrow."