Randolph and Tony Allen sat in Link's home.
Lin Ling was happily jumping around with the toys her two uncles had brought her, but at the dinner table, the three men all wore serious expressions.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Randolph looked stunned. He was usually all smiles and jokes, so this expression was rare for him.
"Yeah, today isn't April Fools' Day, is it? Rachel, Link's joking, right?" Tony Allen chimed in as well.
The two had come to Link's house today to spend some time with him after announcing their retirements.
After all, throughout nearly ten years of Link's career, these two had been by his side.
Back then, Tony Allen had been Link's mentor, while Randolph had been his big brother. They had led Link through the league.
And over the past few years, as they had grown old, Link had been the one to lead them to the top of the world.
The three shared a deep bond. They were no longer merely teammates, but lifelong friends.
That was why Randolph and Tony Allen had specifically come to Link's home to catch up.
But they never expected Link to give them a surprise instead.
"I'm not joking. I'm really retiring after next season," Link said, filling everyone's glasses for another round.
After Link spoke, Randolph still stared at Rachel in disbelief. It wasn't until she nodded firmly that he finally let it go.
"Why!?" Tony Allen asked, unable to understand.
"Because I want to spend more time with them." Link smiled at his wife and daughter.
Then, the three fell silent. After about a minute of silence, Tony Allen took a sip of beer before speaking again.
"Next season's going to be tough, right? Fuck, if you'd told me earlier, I'd have waited another year to