Chapter 132: The Fragrant Woman

Fifteen seconds passed. Lin Fei accelerated sharply and released the ball with a quick "swish." Another "swish"—it was a bucket. Crisp and decisive! The entire arena erupted in applause.

"In critical moments, Lin Fei is the one you can count on," Nelson muttered to himself. Facing the deficit, even Nelson was starting to feel the pressure. Lin Fei might have been nervous before the game, but the moment his fingers touched the ball, all that tension vanished.

In the second quarter, the Warriors sent out their strongest lineup, yet for some reason, they couldn't find their rhythm. They missed four consecutive shots, including two attempts by Lin Fei. Meanwhile, the Mavericks hit two shots, extending their lead to 10 points. Nelson called a short timeout and signaled for Lin Fei to come over.

"You don't need to be so selfless! All you need is a victory! How you achieve it doesn't matter!" Lin Fei nodded.

On the next possession, Lin Fei turned to his signature move: a super long-range three-pointer from mid-court. But this time, it was an embarrassing airball. The atmosphere in the arena turned somber, and Nelson began to shake his head. With Lin Fei having lost his touch, the rest of the Warriors seemed lost as well. Nelson decided to pull Lin Fei out to shake things up.

Lin Fei walked off the court, frustrated. Suddenly, someone handed him a towel. Lin Fei realized something was wrong with the hand reaching out to him. Usually, it was a pair of dark, rough, and large hands, but this time, the hand holding the towel was delicate—white as frost, soft as if it had no bones.

Driven by male instinct, Lin Fei followed the arm to its source and was instantly stunned. The woman before him had fingers like tender shoots, skin like congealed fat, a neck like a beetle larva, teeth like melon seeds, a head like a cicada, and moth-like eyebrows. Her beautiful face carried a hint of playfulness; the upward curve of her brows and lips seemed to smile, yet there was no warmth or intimacy, drawing a boundary between her and everyone else—a distance that seemed close but was actually quite far.

Having lived in the United States for so long, Lin Fei rarely interacted with women. His friends knew of his talent; he was a man of letters, though he seldom showed it. He often composed delicate, elegant verses, yet he lacked neither fiery blood nor a touch of arrogance. A friend once described him as "gorgeous melancholy and elegant insouciance." But at this moment, Lin Fei didn't know how to act. He even forgot why a woman of such city-toppling beauty would be on the court, a place technically off-limits to outsiders. Furthermore, in this country, it was hard to find a foreign woman with a grace and dignity rarely seen in the East, maintaining an extraordinary air even in the noisy arena.

"Thank you!" Lin Fei smiled faintly. Only now did people notice that while Lin Fei’s appearance was unremarkable, his smile had a certain charm. Honestly, anyone would be moved by such a woman. Lin Fei felt a "hiss" in his heart, as if a clear spring had flowed through it, an incredible sensation to have amidst such an intense game.

"Hi! I'm Avril!" the girl who handed him the towel said, speaking directly to him.

Lin Fei looked up, eyes wide with disbelief. Could it really be the world-famous Avril? It was impossible! She never watched basketball, and he hadn't heard of such a beautiful woman being allowed on the court. Most unbelievable of all, how could that famously sexy and fashionable icon be dressed like an Eastern woman? It was impossible—a hundred times impossible. But the truth was right in front of him. Having looked closer, he realized it really was the legendary Avril, a woman who was the dream lover and fantasy of countless men, now standing right before him.

Lin Fei’s blank stare was truly rude and improper. It took him a long time to regain his composure. "Oh! I'm Lin Fei!"

"Hehe!" The woman gave a casual, light smile that seemed enough to topple a city. "Oh! Play well!"

Lin Fei’s eyes widened further. Suddenly, he had an urge to get back on the court and score—no, it was more than an urge; it was an indescribable desire. Nelson, seemingly oblivious to all this, was only focused on his game.

"Can I stand here?" Avril asked, her eyes still fixed on Lin Fei with such intensity that he felt as if he were being charged with electricity.

"Of course!" Lin Fei shrugged. His teammates looked on in surprise; they all recognized Avril.

"Or you could sit down! If you don't mind, of course!" Lin Fei added. His teammates were practically drooling.

"Hi!" Avril sat down very close to Lin Fei and greeted the Warriors players. She seemed very poised. His teammates began to tease Lin Fei, though in a friendly way. Lin Fei lowered his head, feeling like a shy boy. *Wow,* Lin Fei thought, *American girls really are different.*

"Where are you from?" Lin Fei couldn't help but ask. Usually, he liked to start conversations by commenting on the weather, but inside the arena, he couldn't see the sky. He had to settle for a boring question.

"Canada!"

*Good! That was close!* Lin Fei thought. *I almost assumed she was American and embarrassed myself.*

"Do you like basketball?"

"Yes! I love basketball, singing, and dancing! But I can sing, I can't play basketball!" Avril said, grinning at him. Lin Fei’s heart almost skipped a beat.

"Who is your favorite player?"

"It used to be Nash, but now it's you!" Avril stuck out her tongue. Americans were indeed different—direct and bold. They didn't hide their likes or admirations. It seemed this Avril had adopted the elegance of an Eastern woman, mimicking it perfectly, but she lacked the reserve and inner subtlety of a true Easterner.

Lin Fei was stunned for a moment, then met her gaze and gave an embarrassed grin. He barely noticed the flow of the game anymore. Amidst the smell of sweat from the surrounding players, he could faintly catch her scent, and his heart hammered against his chest.

"Oh! Nowitzki scored again!" Avril murmured.

"You like him too?"

"No, it's just that when he was teammates with Nash, I paid attention to the Mavericks. When will your coach let you back in?"

"Haha, I trust my coach!"

"I watch your games, you run non-stop! I think if you get on the court, you'll definitely win!"

Lin Fei smiled modestly. It was clear Avril wasn't a professional, just a fan.