"Come on, brother, raise your glass. Through water or fire, we face it together. In life and death, we're always by each other's side... When the day of triumph comes, we won't go home sober..."
No one had expected Dao Lang to sing anything other than "Rakshasa Sea Market." Instead, he sang "Eternal Brothers."
American viewers didn't think much of Dao Lang's "Eternal Brothers," since they couldn't understand the lyrics. They just thought the melody was quite beautiful.
The chorus that followed was also pretty stirring.
Many Chinese fans had tears in their eyes when they heard the song.
Some just sat frozen in front of their screens.
"It reminds me of my days in the army, of all the brothers I had back then."
"To the brothers I played ball with for four years in college—are you watching?"
"I'm crying. Brother, are you doing okay up there?"
On the sidelines, James, Anthony, Paul, and the other players who had once played with Wang Yi couldn't understand the lyrics. But music was a universal language, and sometimes people could feel the emotions it carried.
All three of them were moved.
They hadn't spent long as Wang Yi's teammates, but they had shared a deep bond with him.
They found themselves missing the days when they had fought alongside Wang Yi.
How they wished they could take the court again and play alongside their old brother.
But time never turned back. The past could only be remembered.
All they could do now was think back on it.
After Dao Lang finished performing, the players from both teams came to the sidelines, ready for the second half.
Wang Yi came over and slapped Dao Lang's hand in a hearty high five.
"Brother Dao, you're really hard to get ahold of."
Wang Yi