Ten minutes before the championship parade was to begin, a middle-aged man whom Lin Qi didn't recognize walked over to the assembly area at the North Station, carrying a cardboard box. He said the Cardinal had sent it.
Lin Qi took the box and opened it. Inside were cigars, neatly arranged one by one. He counted them; there was one for each person. A folded note was pressed into the box; the handwriting was old but strong.
"I'm too old for this kind of thing. Besides, I'm tired of these kinds of scenes... I don't want to steal the spotlight from the kids."
The signature was Auerbach's, with an extra horizontal line drawn below it, as if for emphasis.
Lin Qi folded the note, put it in his pocket, closed the box, and handed it to his assistant.
The parade started from the North Station, went south along Causeway Street, passed through the Government Center, went past City Hall Plaza, and finally circled back. Lin Qi stood near the front of the third duck boat, trying to stand a little off to the side, closer to the gunwale, to avoid being too conspicuous. He didn't succeed.
He was spotted in the very first shot, about two minutes after the parade began.
The camera was set up by the roadside, and when the lens turned, Lin Qi was looking at the crowd on the other side. He caught a glimpse of himself on the monitor, paused, looked away, and pretended not to see him.
But the crowd saw it.
" Lin Qi..."
Someone called his name. He felt an unexpected discomfort... not embarrassment, but more like being suddenly hit by a spotlight, blinding and with nowhere to hide.
Someone shouted again, followed by a chorus of voices, mixed with " Boston," and some words he couldn't quite make out, but the meaning was clear... They had checked and knew that this was the person who had built this team.
Lin Qi stood on the duck boat, his expression unchanged, and put his hands in his pockets.
He recalled the deduction he hadn't yet written down, and a thought that had crossed his mind one afternoon: the more famous you are, the more reason that person has to keep an eye on you.
His name was called out, the camera found him... this is what "fame" looks like.
Just then, a muffled thud came from the right.
Chris Paul Pierce leaned almost his entire upper body out of the port side of the duck boat.
It wasn't just a slight probe; he was completely hanging outside, legs clamped tightly to the edge of the boat, arms outstretched to both sides, high-fiving the fans in the crowd, once on the left, once on the right. He reached for an even more outstretched hand, leaning forward again, nearly losing his balance. His feet lurched backward, but Billups grabbed him by the back. Pierce steadied himself, grinned at Billups, and turned back to lean out again.
Billups frowned.
Pierce didn't notice.
Watching this scene, Lin Qi felt a faint, inexplicable amusement rise in his heart. He recalled when he selected this person, the list was spread out on the table, and some people said he was lazy, some said he didn't put his heart into defense, and some said his attitude was problematic. Lin Qi looked at these comments at the time and thought for about three seconds: A person who can get these statistics in college is not lazy, he just hasn't found a reason worth working hard for.
This man is now hanging outside the duck boat, nearly falling into the crowd, because he wants to reach more people's hands.
The convoy slowed down in the City Hall Plaza, where the crowds were densest and the cheers were loudest.
Lin Qi's gaze swept towards the edge of the crowd, stopping when he saw two people.
Beal Russell was taller than everyone around him, except for John Havlicek, who was shorter than him.
At the same time Lin Qi recognized them, people on the duck boat ahead also saw them.
Dominique Wilkins was at the stern of the first boat. He turned around, his gaze falling on Russell's direction, pausing for a second. Russell saw him too, and through the crowd, without saying a word, simply raised his right hand—just a quick gesture.
Dominique Wilkins nodded and turned away.
And so, the convoy continued onward.
As the convoy approached the Charles River, Lin Qi noticed Dominique Wilkins standing up at the stern of the first boat.
He rose slowly, as if checking if his knees could hold up. Then he straightened up, gripped the edge of the boat, and turned towards the crowd.
The fans, around forty years old, chanted a familiar name. " Dominique," as if calling out to an old friend.
Dominique Wilkins responded by waving his right hand.
The parade ended on the Charles River, and the duck boats entered the water one by one, circled halfway, and returned to the north bank dock. Several men in suits, wearing small Confederate badges on their chests, were waiting on the dock.
One of them came over, shook hands, and said with a professional smile and voice, "Congratulations, a fantastic season."
Lin Qi shook hands and said thank you.
The man didn't let go immediately; he paused for a second. In that single second, he glanced at Lin Qi with a wary scrutiny, just for a second, then released his grip and turned to greet Gary Payton.
Lin Qi stood on the dock, watching that figure from behind, motionless for a long time.
There was something chilling in that instant, like a chess player sensing that their opponent had just glanced at the chessboard.
The celebratory dinner was held in the hotel banquet hall. After the main course was served, Lin Qi nodded to his assistant.
The cardboard box was placed in front of him. He opened it and passed the cigars around the table, one by one, starting with Gary Payton, until the last one was in his own hand.
Garnett looked down, said nothing, and simply twirled the cigar between his fingers.
Gary Payton asked, "Where did you come from?"
"It was sent by Auerbach," Lin Qi said. "I invited him before, but he replied, 'I'm too old for this kind of thing, and besides, I'm tired of this kind of scene. I don't want to steal the spotlight from these kids.'"
There was a moment of silence on the table, then Mutombo burst out laughing. Pierce's expression changed; he picked up the cigar and examined it closely, as if suddenly realizing its weight.
The lighter was passed around.
The smoke rose slowly, dispersing in the banquet hall's lights.
Lin Qi twirled the cigar in his hand, then brought it to his lips, lit it, and took a puff.
Then he put it down, stood up, and gently tapped the edge of the table with the cup.
"I want to give everyone a break," he said. "A real break isn't three days; it's about getting out and about."
Pierce put down his fork.
" Europe," Lin Qi said. "The team's entire trip, including airfare and hotels, is covered. They can go wherever they want, see whatever they want, even with family."
Pierce spoke first. Mutombo put down his napkin and asked, "Which country?"
"Not just one," Lin Qi said. "First stop, Athens."
Lin Qi looked at the faces at the table, shrouded in cigar smoke and beginning to get excited, and silently added a sentence in his mind.
It was indeed a holiday at the beginning...
And then...
Once you're on that pirate ship, it's hard to get off.