When Wang Yi returned home, Nicole handed him a glass of warm water.
He didn't mention the details of buying the island. He only said softly, "Once this round is over, we'll talk about what comes next."
Nicole smiled gently. "I'll be waiting."
Outside the window, the city lights glittered, and the playoff fever continued to build.
On one side were the smoke and glory of the court; on the other, the peace and belonging of home.
At forty, Wang Yi stood between the two, his steps steady and his gaze unwavering.
He was still the Lakers' leader, the one the Entire League feared,
and he was still an ordinary man who had quietly bought a little piece of the ocean for himself and his family.
The Chinese basketball scene had already been set ablaze by this matchup. The excitement had spread from social media to local gyms, becoming the talk of the nation.
The Lakers and Trail Blazers hadn't even played Game 1 yet, but topics like "Wang Yi Yang Hanson Playoffs China Derby" and "Legacy of Two Generations of Players" had already claimed the top spots on the trending lists.
The comments were full of anticipation and excitement. Longtime fans reminisced about their youth, while new fans got to witness the torch being passed.
Countless people kept an eye on the livestream schedule, determined not to miss this historic game.
Major Chinese sports platforms rushed to prepare their coverage, and commentators repeatedly reviewed the two players' strengths.
News feeds kept pushing updates from before the game. Street courts, school dorms, and sports bars were all abuzz with talk of the coming matchup.
Pang Bo, Zhang Yu, Shan He, and Zhang Jiacheng—the Chinese NBA players—had all added the game to their must-watch lists well in advance.
After team practice,