Chapter 107: Suspension

Following the Warriors' defeat, all fingers pointed at Lin Fei. There was no doubt that his lack of composure had directly squandered a promising position. Lin Fei found himself the target of universal condemnation. After the game, he remained silent; only then did Nelson and his teammates realize that when Lin Fei was angry, he was just a kid. He was only twenty-four, after all, and living in a foreign land, he was carrying a burden far heavier than most could imagine.

Many reporters were eager to know why.

At the press conference, Lin Fei shouted defiantly, "If you have a problem, come at me! Don't curse my family, don't curse my friends. The kind of trash who resorts to that is exactly what I despise most!" He said nothing more after that.

Later, this "come at me" attitude won him a legion of die-hard fans. There is an old Chinese saying: "Scholars are often fickle, while the righteous are often butchers." It holds true here. Many fans will love a single star for their entire lives; even if another player’s achievements and abilities far surpass their favorite, they remain loyal. Even after that player retires, they remain devoted followers. Perhaps Lin Fei's confrontational challenge won him a following of "butcher-level" fans who valued that raw, unyielding spirit.

The last thing Lin Fei said to the reporters was, "We’ll see each other on the court next time. I will surely crush you; just wait and see." It sounded arrogant, but a rumor had already begun to circulate throughout the league: a player with such immense pride as Lin Fei was someone you didn't want to provoke. Lin Fei was already nearly unstoppable in his normal state, but an enraged Lin Fei was unimaginable. Consider that heaven-defying performance where he contributed ten three-pointers and thirty-five points in the final quarter, or that god-like game where he dropped sixty points—both were the direct result of being humiliated by his opponents. Afterward, no one remembered him being dunked on; all they remembered was his frenzied scoring and wind-like speed.

However, that "see you next game" sentiment was soon cut short. The league issued a suspension against Lin Fei for his poor attitude both on and off the court. For the Warriors, this was a nightmare; they were forced to endure another game without their core player. Upon hearing the news, Nelson couldn't stop scratching his head in frustration.

The Warriors' general manager spoke out for Lin Fei, arguing, "They didn't investigate this properly at all. This is clearly unfair to Lin Fei!" This series of complaints only led to the league fining the manager as well.

Such is the chain reaction of failure. When you are winning, the world is yours and everything is justified; when you lose, every fault is yours. For a time, an atmosphere of defeat hung heavily over the Warriors.

After the game, Lin Fei walked home in silence. That evening, he stood on his balcony, staring at the stars, not knowing what to say. He felt incredibly lonely. He pulled out his phone and fiddled with his MSN and QQ, but there was hardly anyone there. It had been so long since he had felt this quiet.

Lin Fei was a man of deep thought. In truth, he was a latecomer to basketball, yet the achievements he had created were truly unprecedented.

"This is not the life I wanted," Lin Fei said to himself.

Perhaps it would shock anyone to hear this, as Lin Fei now had everything: money, honor, and a status in the NBA that made him nearly a man of great influence. He was admired by thousands, an idol to millions. With a single wave of his arm, countless people would respond to his call. Looking at his smile and his performance, it was hard to tell just how much sorrow he truly carried.

Perhaps you are the same. When things are going smoothly, you forget everything else, but when you encounter setbacks, it feels as though every trouble in the world descends upon you at once. Lin Fei was perhaps the same, but the contrast in his life was far greater.

No one knew what Lin Fei was thinking.

Lin Fei put his phone down, then picked it up again. He dialed a number, but hung up before five seconds had passed. He stared blankly at the phone, wondering who was on the other end. Why had he hung up after just a brief shudder?

Someone once said that if you miss a person, you should let their phone ring twice.

Perhaps at this moment, Lin Fei was feeling the distance between himself and someone else. Perhaps they had once embraced and cried together, shared drinks and laughter, and stayed up until dawn. Now, they were at a loss for words. Although the old kindness remained, the distance between their hearts had gradually grown, and the space was filled with a sense of unfamiliarity.

He went inside and opened an article.

Every stage of life brings different friendships. In childhood, playing in the dirt and pretending to be housemates, it was the little girl from next door with the ponytail and the dirty-faced little boy. In elementary school, humming tunes, jumping rope, and running through the fields, it was the innocent, naive classmates. In middle school, being willful, rebellious, and acting wild together, it was the schoolmates with the same temperament. In high school, venting frustrations, striving for the college entrance exam, and bearing the pressure together, it was the partners who truly understood you. In college, drifting through life, struggling for ideals, and feeling lost about the future together, it was the soulmates from all over the country who shared the same dreams. Upon entering society, bustling for work and striving for a career, it was the weary colleagues who rose and fell with the tides of life...

On the long road of life, we are always accompanied by friends. Yet, these friends rotate through different roles. Every separation and every reluctance leaves us with sorrow and blessings; every indifference and every look back leaves us with regrets and expectations. We are always accustomed to saying, "May our friendship last forever." Indeed, friendship can transcend time and space, but if we do not cherish it well, it cannot cross the membrane of the heart, even if it spans the world. So, when you think of him or her, why not let their phone ring twice? Let them know that in another city, there is a friend missing them, and that a friendship is waiting for them, until the end of time.

Often, Lin Fei still preferred to read quietly like this.

This was not the life Lin Fei had wanted, but it was the life he had to face: lonely, helpless, and filled with a stark, jarring contrast.