Kobe and Vanessa!

Kobe was slightly surprised that the rookie who had dared to elbow him and left him needing eight stitches at the corner of his eye had actually come to apologize in person.

That damned little punk had gone toe-to-toe with him during the game, showing no regard whatsoever for him as the team leader.

And yet someone with that kind of personality had chosen to lower his head.

Could everything he told me before have been true?

Was he really my fan?

Bullshit!

Who would be so ruthless toward their own idol?

Thinking of Zhou Ze coming here of his own accord, Kobe's anger toward him eased by a few degrees.

But Kobe was no mild-mannered gentleman.

Like those old-school players, he disliked the buddy-ball mentality where everyone got along happily.

When young players offended them, they would never simply laugh it off. Instead, they would crush them with their skills and make them cry.

That was also why young players respected and feared old-school players like Kobe, not daring to talk big so casually.

Although Kobe admired Zhou Ze's courage in daring to challenge him, just as he himself had challenged Michael Jordan back then, that damned rookie had hit far too hard.

He had to destroy him, make him cry, and only then could there be any talk of what came next...

Kobe did not particularly want to let Zhou Ze in, but Vanessa kept urging him otherwise.

Vanessa opened the door for Zhou Ze.

Mexican-American Vanessa had a sexy, voluptuous figure and a particularly captivating smile. She was very polite upon seeing Zhou Ze arrive.

Vanessa truly was beautiful. No wonder his junior, Lance Stephenson, had held back and held back, yet ultimately still revealed his true male nature.

Having been deeply steeped in Confucian culture, Zhou Ze handled this aspect quite well.

Polite and composed, with clear eyes, he made Vanessa, who was accustomed to the world of fame and fortune, secretly think, "This young man Zhou looks refined and pure. It seems he really didn't deliberately elbow my man."

Kobe's mansion was like an estate, with the main building standing two stories tall.

Inside, there was a training gym of nearly eighty square meters, a movie theater, a small library, four bedrooms, and seven bathrooms.

Outside, there was also a swimming pool, a leisure fitness center, an open-air outdoor kitchen, a lawn, and a volcanic pit.

"Ms. Vanessa, it's almost dinnertime. May I borrow your kitchen?" Zhou Ze asked Vanessa with a smile.

"Ah?" Vanessa was slightly taken aback, but then she noticed the bags Zhou Ze was carrying and recalled the news reports about him.

He possessed exceptional cooking skills.

Vanessa was immediately intrigued and asked, "Zhou, are you planning to cook personally?"

"Mm." Zhou Ze nodded.

Vanessa smiled and nodded, then instructed the household staff to assist Zhou Ze.

But Zhou Ze refused.

In his previous life, Zhou Ze had been known as "Chef Zhou."

Only mediocre cooks ordered people around while cooking and endlessly fed them chicken soup for the soul.

Zhou Ze, on the other hand, greatly enjoyed the feeling of working alone in the kitchen.

Kobe did not personally welcome Zhou Ze. Even after Zhou Ze came in, he did not take the initiative to speak to him.

Kobe was still carrying out his daily training.

Even Vanessa could not stand it anymore. She went to the gym herself and called a halt to Kobe's workout.

"Kobe, Zhou is making Chinese food in the kitchen. He seems quite polite to me, nothing like the ignorant little punk you described," Vanessa said with a smile.

Kobe frowned deeply and said in a low voice, "Don't let his looks fool you. That kid's elbows are especially dirty."

Vanessa froze for a moment, thoroughly confused.

But at this moment, she did not want her man to fall out with his teammate again, especially when this matter had drawn attention from across the entire country.

Vanessa dragged the unwilling Kobe out of the gym and headed toward the outdoor kitchen.

Along the way, Kobe said that while he would meet with that little punk, he could not guarantee that he would give him a pleasant look.

As for the food he had made for him, if it did not taste good, Kobe might not eat much of it.

When they were less than ten meters from the outdoor kitchen...

Gurgle!

Gurgle!

Kobe's Adam's apple bobbed repeatedly.

Vanessa, beside him, heard the sound of him swallowing loud and clear.

Seeing this, Vanessa couldn't help but snicker.

"Hmph." Kobe gave an aloof snort. "I've seen plenty of chefs whose dishes tasted fine, but felt like dog shit in your mouth."

Vanessa, who had her arm wrapped around Kobe's, smiled but did not refute her man.

Before long, Zhou Ze brought his first dish to the table—braised lion's head meatballs.

Braised lion's head meatballs, a famous Huaiyang dish.

Kobe kept a straight face as he glanced sideways at it. The first thing that caught his eye was the plump, perfectly round meatballs, neatly arranged on the plate like carefully carved works of art, full of texture and beauty.

Soaked in sauce, the braised lion's head meatballs had taken on an enticing deep red color.

Just one glance at the meatballs' rich color made Kobe's mouth water, and he swallowed again.