Yao Ming burst out laughing. "That's quite a boast, but I like it."
"I can put in a word with the officials overseeing the Asian Games, but you'll still have to qualify through the trials to compete in those events."
Wang Yi nodded. "Of course. Everything should be fair, impartial, and open."
Yao Ming continued, "Then wait for my call."
After ending the call, Yao Ming phoned the director of the General Administration of Sport.
In truth, Yao Ming didn't know who was in charge of the Asian Games trials.
And since Wang Yi wanted to enter a whole hodgepodge of events, there were bound to be a lot of officials overseeing all those trials.
Yao Ming couldn't call every single one of them, so he went straight to the director of the General Administration of Sport.
They exchanged a few pleasantries.
Then Yao Ming got to the point. "Director Wang, I've got something I need your help with..."
Before Yao Ming could finish, the director joked, "You've always been impartial and never asked anyone for favors. What's gotten into you today?"
Yao Ming knew Director Wang was joking, and laughed too. "Don't jump to conclusions. Let me tell you what it is first. Then you can decide whether you want to help."
Director Wang burst out laughing.
"Oh, really? Is that how someone asks for a favor?"
Yao Ming said with a laugh:
"Here's the situation. Wang Yi retired, didn't he? But he's still a passionate young man—his words, not mine—and with the Asian Games coming up, he can't sit still. So he wants to compete."
Director Wang chuckled.
"I knew that guy couldn't sit still. It'd be great to have him at the Asian Games. We'd get to see him dominate on the court again. So just sign