Chapter 138: The Wound of the Rose

Thanks to Aldridge, Barkley and the audience watching at home had the privilege of witnessing the entire process of He Xinghui picking up a girl.

"Hahaha, He is truly amusing. Giving her a Chinese nickname upon their first meeting. 'Mei Mei'—it sounds quite nice." Smith laughed heartily.

"Amusing? Why do I see this little scoundrel succeeding yet again? His techniques for picking up girls are so sophisticated that the young lady stands no chance at all," Barkley grumbled.

"Come on, what does it matter? This is a country where one is free to love. Besides, if not for this beautiful girl’s appearance, this game might have been quite dull. Now that He has declared he’s going to explode, we have a spectacular performance to look forward to. For us fans, that is enough," Smith defended.

In the entertainment industry, affairs and fleeting romances are all too common; there is no point in delving too deeply into them. Furthermore, He Xinghui has no public relationship or girlfriend, so he is free to roam as he pleases.

"Nonsense, can a player really control when they 'explode'?" Barkley chuckled.

"Since Cousin said so, he must be confident. I believe in Cousin."

"That’s a sign of a brainless fan. I can tell you clearly: this is impossible. In fact, he could say that regardless of whether he was confident or not. Even if he couldn't pull it off, he could still project an image of having tried his hardest to the girl and leave her completely moved. I’ve seen this routine many times," Barkley said with the authority of someone who had been there before.

Their debate kept the fans and onlookers watching at home thoroughly entertained.

"Learned another trick."

"I’ve learned many of these high-level flirting techniques, but every time I try to use them myself, I end up with finger marks on my face."

"That’s because you lack Cousin’s talent, wealth, and looks."

"That stings; I suspect you’re talking trash to us."

These were the playful remarks from the male fans—a mix of envy, jealousy, and indifference. As for the female fans, they found the story romantic, imagining themselves in Taylor Swift’s seat. Some even contemplated attending the next game in person, wondering if they might have a chance at such a romantic encounter themselves.

As for the "He-haters," after listening to Barkley’s analysis, they were utterly depressed. They knew He Xinghui was about to win over another beauty. It was an outcome they couldn't change, so all they could do now was pray for He Xinghui to perform poorly. Perhaps the girl would be disappointed and reject him after all.

Amidst the anticipation, the game resumed. After consulting with the referees, it was unanimously decided that Jalen Rose’s foul was unintentional, resulting in only a common foul. As the Clippers prepared to inbound the ball, He Xinghui said to Jalen Rose, "If I were you, I’d fake an injury and leave the game right now, because I’m about to turn you into a backdrop for my highlight reel."

Jalen Rose fully understood what He Xinghui meant; he had watched the entire "tutorial" on picking up girls. He was panicking now, fearing that He Xinghui would deliver on his promise. But faking an injury wasn't exactly realistic.

He Xinghui received the pass, faced Jalen Rose, and while dribbling, waved his hand and shouted to the other Knicks players: "Attention, everyone! I’m about to drive past Jalen now. You’d better be ready to help on defense."

"Motherf***er! Kenny, don't stop me! I’m going to go kill him right now. I can’t take this for another second!" Barkley stood up, rolling up his sleeves to show he couldn't bear it anymore. Damn it, he was being way too arrogant.

"Go ahead, I’m not stopping you," Smith said coldly. The audience roared with laughter; they loved seeing "Sir Charles" so flustered.

On the court, this group taunt caused the Knicks players to lose their cool instantly. At that moment, He Xinghui launched his move. He used the "Rose’s Injury" prop—a replica card of Derrick Rose’s career top-ten plays. It cost 500 Rage Points and, upon activation, granted him the peak abilities of Derrick Rose for ten shot attempts. The system would also subtly correct his movements to replicate Rose’s spectacular finishes. Of course, there was no guarantee of success; if he encountered elite defense, there was still a possibility of failure.

He had chosen Rose’s abilities primarily for their flair—the exaggerated drives, gravity-defying layups, and incredible shots. While such a style could be hard on the knees, that was usually the result of long-term wear and tear. He Xinghui figured playing it for a possession or two would be fine.

He Xinghui took off, his speed surging suddenly. By the time Jalen Rose reacted, He had already blown past him. Fortunately, thanks to his earlier taunts, the Knicks actually had players ready to rotate.

Maurice Taylor had planted his feet, building a wall with his body. Seeing He Xinghui about to crash into him, the audience couldn't help but tense up. Any other player would have either committed an offensive foul, lost the ball, or thrown up a desperate, forced shot. Even passing the ball out would have been considered a successful outcome.

But He Xinghui, empowered by Rose’s abilities, changed direction mid-drive. Even more shockingly, his speed increased after the change, leaving Marbury, who had rushed over to intercept, grasping at thin air.

Reaching the paint, the Knicks’ two big men were waiting like hunters. He Xinghui jumped, Eddy Curry jumped, and reached out. He Xinghui tucked his body, floated through the air, maneuvered around Curry, and tossed the ball toward the rim. He landed just as the ball dropped through the net.

"Oh... my... God! What the f***! What kind of god-tier play is this? Cousin drove through three defenders and finished with a layup over Eddy and Frye. He—he just single-handedly destroyed the entire Knicks team!" Smith leaped up in the broadcast booth. This shot was simply outrageous, unique, one-in-a-million, and impossible to replicate.

Barkley stared with wide eyes, as if he had seen a ghost, muttering to himself, "This is impossible, this is impossible..."

In the arena, the fans rose to their feet and applauded. Although He Xinghui was the opponent, this performance was too spectacular not to admire. This visual feast made the price of admission worth it. As for Taylor Swift, her eyes were already sparkling with stars.

He Xinghui was pulled up from the floor by his teammates and celebrated briefly. Meanwhile, the Knicks players looked at him with entirely different expressions. They never imagined he was serious. They had thought he was just bragging in front of the young lady, never dreaming that he would actually pull it off.