The second time, the ball hit the rim.
The third time, it swished cleanly through the net.
Monica threw her hands up excitedly. "It went in!"
Li Fei watched her delight, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. At that moment, she was not the Italian goddess who captivated men all over the world, but simply an ordinary woman, happy because she had made a basket.
That evening, the two returned to the apartment. The setting sun painted all of Manhattan gold, while beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the Hudson River shimmered beneath the evening glow.
Monica went to take a shower while Li Fei turned on the television. TNT was airing the day's NBA news.
"...Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Houston Rockets and the Portland Trail Blazers has just concluded. The Houston Rockets narrowly defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 98 to 94 at home, taking a 3-2 series lead..."
Li Fei watched the screen intently.
The footage switched to a postgame interview at Toyota Center. Charles Barkley wore a suit and tie, but his expression was anything but relaxed. He had put up 22 points and 14 rebounds, but by the final stretch, he could barely run.
"Charles, you won Game 5. How are you feeling now?" the reporter asked.
Barkley wiped away his sweat. "How am I feeling? Like I just fought a boxing match. Those young guys on the Trail Blazers can really run. They spent the whole game trying to outrun us. We won, but it wasn't easy."
"The next game is in Portland. Are you confident you can advance on the road?"
Barkley fell silent for a moment. "We'll give it everything we've got. But listen, if we can't build a lead in the first three quarters, the fourth is