Before the Heat-Knicks game.
On the 22nd, with Christmas Eve approaching, the old German coach gave the squad a rare holiday. It was a timely decision—after all, no player in December wanted to be run into the ground. If Mike D'Antoni had tried to copy Pat Riley's infamous "training routines, the locker room would probably have staged a revolt.
And Riley really was putting his players through it. Spoelstra might have been the head coach on paper, but in Miami, everyone knew Riley's word was law. If it weren't for LeBron keeping his head down and leading by example, the Heat players might have mutinied already.
...
Meanwhile in New York, Lin Yi was spending his morning in the most laid-back way possible. He had slept in, fired up the console, and was midway through yet another marathon session of NBA 2K. By the time the clock nudged past noon, he had just wrapped up another one-sided Hall of Fame beatdown when his phone started buzzing.
He answered lazily, only to hear a flustered voice on the other end.
Tijana (over the phone): "Lin… I'm lost…"
It was Darko Milicic's younger sister. Lin Yi frowned. Over the past few days, Tijana had been clashing with her brother. She wanted to chase her dream of acting, but Darko had put his foot down. He had already decided: after Christmas, he was sending her back to Europe.
So she had done the predictable thing—she packed nothing, grabbed her pocket money, and bolted. Right before Christmas Eve, no less.
Lin Yi sighed, half sympathetic, half exasperated. So this is what Darko deals with every year… raising a rebellious younger sister is no joke. Still, he couldn't just leave her stranded. He drove out, picked her up, and brought her back to his villa.
As Lin was helping her settle in, the phone rang again. This time, the caller ID flashed Darko Milicic.
Tijana's eyes widened. She rushed over, tugging Lin's sleeve.
Tijana: "Lin, don't sell me out! Please! I can wash clothes, cook, whatever you want. Just don't send me back to Charlotte. He'll drag me straight onto a flight back to Europe!"
Lin Yi looked at her helplessly. This girl…
He answered.
Lin Yi (on the phone): "Yeah, she's here."
Across the line, Darko exhaled in relief.
Darko: "Thank God. I knew it. She doesn't know many people here, and I figured if she ran off, she'd go to you. Lin, I'm sorry for the trouble. Just let her stay a couple of days—it's Christmas anyway. When we play in New York again, I'll take her back."
Lin Yi: "Don't worry about it. She's safe here."
The call ended, but as soon as Lin put down the phone, Tijana rounded on him.
Tijana (pouting): "Unbelievable! I thought you were on my side. You betrayed me! I trusted you, Lin!"
Lin Yi (calmly): "Your brother's worried sick. What do you expect him to do—call the police? If that happens, where do you think you're going to run? And let me ask—do you even have money?"
Tijana froze. She had no answer.
The truth was obvious. When Lin had gone to fetch her, she hadn't even had enough cash for food. She'd blown all her pocket money on a one-way ticket and showed up with nothing in her wallet. Darko wasn't cruel—he just knew his sister well enough to impose some "economic sanctions."
Tijana (muttering): "I'll make money…"
Lin Yi (raising an eyebrow): "Really? You're seventeen. What job exactly? Washing dishes? Being a maid?"
He didn't press further and turned back to his game controller, resuming 2K.
Tijana's confidence deflated instantly. Reality wasn't as simple as she had imagined.
Just then, Lin paused the game and glanced at her.
Lin Yi: "Actually, I do have a pile of dirty dishes in the kitchen. Wash them and I'll give you twenty bucks."
Her eyes lit up.
Tijana: "Deal!"
She darted off to the kitchen, and sure enough, within a short while, every plate and bowl sparkled. Having grown up in a household where money was tight, chores were second nature to her.
Lin glanced up from his game again.
Lin Yi: "Not bad. Tell you what—mop the floor too. Fifty dollars."
Tijana: "No problem!"
By the time Lin had dropped another 58 points on the Computer, the villa floor was spotless.
For Tijana, the sudden cash flow was intoxicating. She thought to herself, Maybe running away was a great idea after all.
Around lunchtime, Lin was debating whether to order takeout when he spotted Tijana emerging from the living room with a rag in hand. He stopped her.
Lin Yi: "Hang on… you know how to cook?"
She puffed up with pride.
"Of course! I'm not useless, you know."
Lin Yi: "Perfect. The fridge is stocked. Let's see what you've got. If it's good, I'll pay you."
With Christmas, he sent his chefs away on holiday, so this worked out perfectly. Tijana rolled up her sleeves, tied her hair back, and marched into the kitchen with determination.
Tijana: "Relax, Lin. You'll be eating well today."
And for the first time since she had arrived, Lin Yi felt like maybe, just maybe, this runaway Christmas guest might not be such a bad thing.
Just as Lin Yi was waiting for lunch, from the door came the sound of barking.
"...Sakazuki?" Lin Yi frowned, opening the door. The silly dog had somehow gotten even fatter, charging straight inside with Wiggles perched proudly on its head like a tiny general. Behind them stood Elizabeth Olsen, smiling as she greeted Lin Yi.
From the kitchen, Yuna—who had been cooking—came running out the second she heard the commotion. Her eyes went wide, and then came the scream:
"The floor! I just mopped that floor!!!"
Lin Yi: "..."
Olsen: "..."
Elizabeth looked at Tijana curiously. The girl was tall, striking, and right now looked furious at the dirty paw prints. Then she turned back to Lin Yi, her brows raised slightly, as if to ask: Your girlfriend?
Lin Yi shook his head quickly.
"This is Darko Milicic's sister, Tijana. She helps out around here sometimes. Tijana, relax, the floor will survive... don't get too worked up."
He sighed inwardly. If Darko ever found out his sister was cleaning floors for him, would the guy challenge him straight to the boxing ring?
Tijana glared at Sakazuki, who was still tearing through the living room like it owned the place. Then she noticed Olsen.
"This is Elizabeth Olsen," Lin Yi said.
Tijana's face instantly changed. Elizabeth Olsen! She remembered Olsen being in an article with Lin was a student from an acting school. Tijana, who had been fretting about her future in the entertainment world, didn't waste a second. She immediately latched onto Olsen and started chatting with the enthusiasm of a fangirl meeting her idol.
Lin Yi had to intervene, knocking lightly on Tijana's head.
"Did you forget something? You were cooking."
Tijana froze. Then her expression twisted in horror.
"The soup—!!!"
She bolted back to the kitchen.
Olsen laughed softly, watching her disappear in a panic. "I'll give her a hand," she offered, already moving toward the kitchen.
.
Before long, the three of them sat down to a surprisingly lavish lunch. Lin Yi leaned back in his chair, satisfied, and handed Yuna a crisp hundred-dollar bill as thanks. To his surprise, she didn't look happy about it.
Olsen tilted her head curiously. "She's not coming home for Christmas with her family?"
Lin Yi shook his head.
"Her brother's swamped with games, and I already promised Darko I'd look after her. Next time the Bobcats come through New York, he'll take her along."
Olsen rested her chin on her hand, smiling. "That works out, then. My sisters are all going down to Florida for the holidays, but I don't feel like joining them. I'll just spend Christmas here with you."
Lin Yi froze. "..."
Wait... did last year's wish come true?
After lunch, his mood was lifted, and he casually asked the two girls what they wanted to do.
"I want to go to the zoo!" Tijana shot her hand up like a child in school.
Olsen chuckled and nodded in agreement. They both turned toward Lin Yi expectantly.
Lin Yi sighed, helpless but amused. "The zoo it is."
A quick call to Zhong later, two bodyguards were arranged. Both were former special forces, now assigned to Lin Yi's security. One was a stocky fellow nicknamed Minz, the other tall and lean, known simply as Arrow. With them around, Lin Yi had no worries about safety.
They headed to Central Park, which had its modest zoo. For Tijana and Olsen, though, it might as well have been the Serengeti. They wandered from habitat to habitat, pointing excitedly, while Lin Yi found himself constantly stopping for autographs as fans recognized him.
"I want to be a star too..." Tijana murmured, watching enviously as people lined up for Lin Yi's signature.
Olsen shook her head knowingly. "It looks glamorous, but it's not as easy as it seems." There was a depth in her voice—something learned from seeing her sisters navigate the same world.
"Hey, hey, come here! Wildebeests!" Tijana waved them over with both hands, practically bouncing in place.
Lin Yi smiled faintly. Darko had sheltered his sister well. Maybe it was losing their father young that made him so protective of family.
"What's this one doing?" Olsen asked, pointing at a wildebeest that stood near a patch of grass but wasn't eating.
Before Lin Yi could answer, a zookeeper nearby spoke up. "It's waiting. Waiting for its mate to change her mind."
The staffer explained the sad story: once, this wildebeest had a partner. But a stronger male arrived, and she abandoned him. Unable to compete, he now spends his days finding food and waiting, hoping she'll return—though she never does.
Tijana's eyes filled with tears. "That's so tragic..."
Olsen sniffled. "It's... it's like the purest kind of devotion."
Lin Yi stared blankly at the animal. That's tragic? More like the animal kingdom's version of a bad breakup.
"Lin," Tijana turned to him, still emotional, "don't you think it's pitiful?"
Lin Yi blinked. "I guess survival of the fittest?"
What he got was elbows to the ribs.
Lin Yi: "..."
And here I thought this Christmas was finally looking up...
...
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