Su Xi certainly hadn't expected that rejecting Larry Bird would only make the man more enthusiastic.
Su Xi knew exactly who Larry Bird was.
After all, he was part of the legendary duo that ruled the league before Jordan, a player with an incredibly high standing in the history of the sport.
Still, Su Xi felt it was unnecessary. First, a meeting like this wouldn't decide anything. The most Larry Bird could offer was a draft promise. However, it could also attract unnecessary trouble... something like a recruitment violation.
Second, Su Xi knew it was only a matter of time before he made it to the NBA. As his various talents continued to fuse, his confidence grew.
Finally, Larry Bird wasn't a Super Talent. Meeting with him had more downsides than upsides.
He'd rather save the time and go take a shower. The showers in Boston didn't have much hot water; the last ones in had to take a cold one.
...
Larry Bird wasn't the only person who was rejected today.
The Kobes had prepared an elaborate setup inside the North Shore Garden Arena. As Su Xi and his teammates emerged from the locker room, people lined the path, scattering flower petals. Someone was specifically guiding Su Xi in a particular direction.
His teammates, curious about what was going on, all followed close behind.
Led by the trail of flowers, Su Xi and the others arrived in an open area where Kobe and Vanessa stood beside a giant gift box.
"Jack, take a guess. What kind of victory surprise do you think we prepared for you?" Vanessa said.
His teammates were thrilled. They never expected Kobe and Vanessa to actually be here, giving a gift to Su Xi.
McNamara excitedly nudged Su Xi. "Jack, I had no idea you were so close with the Kobes! You must have a draft promise from the Lakers, right?"
Su Xi denied it.
Urged on by his teammates, he walked over to the enormous gift box, which came up to about his shoulders.
"Uh..." Su Xi held up his hands. "I hope there isn't a person hiding in there. I grew out of that boring game when I was a kid."
Hm?
The expressions on the Kobes' faces shifted.
Just then, a familiar voice drifted from inside the box… "SURPRISE!!!"
The box burst open.
A beautiful blonde woman in a bunny girl costume slowly turned around.
Su Xi's teammates erupted in screams. Even Carmeron Anthony, who prided himself on being worldly, leaped to his feet, yelling, "Oh my god! Dear God, it's really her! Jack, what else are you hiding from us?!"
McNamara slapped himself hard across the face, twice, just to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Just yesterday, he had been talking to Su Xi about this very goddess, even generously offering to give Jack a few of her pictures for "moral support."
And now, here was Jessica Alba, presenting herself as a gift to Su Xi.
Why?
McNamara felt like his entire worldview was shattering.
'Since when had Jack won Jessica Alba's affection?'
The Orange People let out a collective shriek of surprise.
Jessica Alba walked toward Su Xi, holding a bouquet of flowers. "Congratulations on winning the game. See? I didn't show up at the arena to distract you."
"Do you like the gift I got for you?"
"This might be a little fast for you. But for me, every second from last night until now has felt like an eternity. Jack, I'm certain that I can't live the rest of my life without you. You're like the air I breathe—you're everywhere, and I can't breathe without you."
Jessica Alba confessed her feelings to Su Xi, her words full of genuine, heartfelt emotion.
Then, she rose onto her tiptoes... intending to kiss Su Xi.
Su Xi was inwardly ecstatic. He knew this make-out session would surely bring an upgrade to his Super Flexibility Talent fusion.
But his rational mind overcame his personal desires. He only had five years to break through his limits, and he wasn't ready to get involved with a celebrity. It would undoubtedly bring a mountain of distractions and trouble.
He raised a hand, stopping Jessica Alba's lips. "Jessica, I think this is a little too fast," he said. "We don't even know each other. Maybe the person you like is just an idea you have of me."
"Besides, all I want to do right now is play basketball."
"Thank you. You're a good person."
Su Xi had just played the "nice guy" card. He was perfectly calm.
Almost unnervingly so.
No one had seen this coming.
Jessica Alba had been adored and pursued her entire life; she was completely confident in her own charm.
She believed Su Xi had no reason to reject her. She was like a perfect, juicy peach, delivered right to his door and already peeled. And he wasn't going to take a bite?
The Kobes felt the same way. Even a basketball fanatic like Kobe thought Su Xi's excuse—"All I want to do right now is play basketball"—was absurd. Playing ball and having a love life weren't mutually exclusive. Shaq used to call for escorts on the road; he was a VIP at strip clubs in practically every city.
His Orange People teammates stared at Su Xi in disbelief. 'Why? Jessica Alba just confessed to you! It's a scene straight out of a dream, and you rejected her? You said you want to play basketball? How is that any different from turning down thirty million USD to go work on an assembly line in Detroit because you want to "enjoy the simple pleasures of blue-collar culture"?'
'This is Jessica Alba we're talking about!'
None of the Orange People could understand it.
McNamara, the die-hard fan, was especially baffled. He even felt indignant on his idol's behalf. 'On what grounds could he reject Jessica? What's possibly wrong with her?'
"You... rejected me?" Jessica Alba looked at Su Xi, her eyes filled with hurt.
Seeing her heartbroken expression, Su Xi's mind flashed back to their kiss the night before. He'd even dreamed about Jessica last night.
He couldn't deny that he had special, undeniable feelings for Jessica.
So, he said evasively, "Right now, I just want to focus on basketball. I have to achieve my dream."
That was Su Xi's answer.
"Fine. I won't bother you for a while. But..."
Jessica paused. Then, she threw her arms around Su Xi's neck, pulled him down, and forcibly kissed him. It was a wild, savage kiss.
He felt a sharp pain from her teeth.
But under Jessica's forceful 'assault,' he felt a rush of pleasure and began to passively respond. The fusion speed of his Super Flexibility Talent skyrocketed, jumping from 66% to 76%.
'Nothing beats the real thing,' Su Xi thought.
At this point, Su Xi's flexibility was already at an excellent level for an ordinary man. Among basketball guards, it was approaching the elite tier. This was because the taller a player is, the worse their flexibility tends to be. Only a few uniquely gifted guards possessed both a tall frame and top-tier flexibility.
"Jack, remember this: you belong to me. I told you I'd take responsibility for you, and I will never let anyone take you from me."
Jessica Alba declared forcefully to Su Xi.
She maintained the posture of a victor.
Then, she turned and walked away.
Su Xi stood frozen in place.
His teammates felt like they were in a dream. They couldn't believe that a top Hollywood beauty, Jessica Alba, had just been there, confessed to their teammate, been rejected, and then force-kissed him before leaving with a bold declaration.
'It was hard to connect Little Sheep Su Xi with a gorgeous Hollywood superstar.'
'After all, they hung out together every day. They were all just a bunch of nobodies. How had Jack suddenly caught the eye of a huge star?'
'And that idiot Jack Su actually turned her down.'
'Judging by Jessica's mood tonight, if Jack Su had just nodded, he wouldn't be sharing a double room at the hotel.'
"Jack, I need to have a word with you."
Kobe walked over. He had something to say to Su Xi.
...
...