Chapter 505: The Long Off‑Season

Fan Xi's response triggered a mountain‑of‑roars tsunami in the basketball world.

Although for a long time everyone had been talking about Fan Xi surpassing Qiao Dan, Fan Xi never responded proactively. Now, his open reply is equivalent to submitting a formal cross‑time‑space war letter.

Zhongguo has a saying, "Guan Gong battles Qin Qiong," which also refers to a cross‑time‑space war, a matter completely unrelated.

However, in Guan Gong versus Qin Qiong, no winner can be determined because there is no reference point.

Fan Xi versus Qiao Dan does have a reference point.

If, as Fan Xi says, Fan Xi can indeed win a championship in New York, achieving a four‑peat finals MVP, then, from a statistical difficulty standpoint, he can already stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with Qiao Dan. Because he would have earned four consecutive finals MVPs with three different teams, which from any angle is harder than Qiao Dan's two three‑peat feats.

But can Fan Xi actually do it?

Everyone is doubting.

Although Fan Xi was enshrined in the final game of last season's finals, people still think the New York Knicks are far from comparable to the Kuaisuan, which posted the best regular‑season record in history last season. Moreover, the Kuaisuan's eventual championship was decided by a hair's breadth.

Next season, the Heat will be even stronger, their will to return being extremely vigorous. Le Bu Lang Zhang Si gains a huge power boost after each off‑season; what will Fan Xi use to compete with them then?

The Knicks' old‑timer club members?

The commentary is one‑sided.

Even though New York's media industry is powerful, crushing Los Angeles, they still haven't controlled public opinion because they themselves aren't very convinced.

They think Fan Xi's arrival getting the Knicks to the Eastern finals would be a good thing. A league championship? Too hard! Even an Eastern title is difficult.

But New York fans have dreams. They treat Fan Xi's statement as a benchmark, digging up his past records and finding that Fan Xi is a player who never fires empty shots—he does what he says.

So New York fans secretly even start mentally preparing for a championship in June next year.

…

Fan Xi ignores the American public opinion climate, and boards a plane to Asia with Si Di Fen Ku Li and Yang Ni Si A Tuo De Kun Bo. They are going to promote sneakers.

Of course, Fan Xi also has other commercial activities.

As the world's most commercially valuable sports star, any of his commercial activities amount to astronomical figures. Even just appearing on a stage costs the price of a super‑luxury sedan.

Fan Xi is the top money‑making machine in sports; Wall Street analysts say even a money‑printing press can't match Fan Xi's earning speed. According to authoritative valuations, Fan Xi's net worth has long surpassed Michael Qiao Dan, because Michael Qiao Dan once gave up Nike shares to take royalties from the Jordan brand.

Although some say Qiao Dan's cash flow would be larger, Wall Street disagrees; they think Fan Xi is not only a master investor but also still the world's top cash‑flow earner, because his sneakers and his club continuously generate money for him.

Moreover, his annual advertising revenue reaches tens of millions of dollars, plus his stocks and internet investments.

Wall Street authorities say Jie Ke Fan no longer needs to make any decisions for money.

Fan Xi acknowledges this authority's analysis.

Thus, he turns down some ads. Yet this actually raises his market value.

Just as he refused multiple film offers, his salary surged to 20 million dollars, reaching Hollywood's super‑A‑list star level.

But Fan Xi has no interest at all; in conversation with Lai Ang Nuo Duo he said: Most of that money will become taxes, and to preserve my reputation I must devote myself fully to it. It will consume a lot of my time and greatly affect my sports career. I cannot jeopardize my profession just to earn a side profit.

Moreover, Fan Xi only needs to take two ads to earn that portion of the salary.

Fan Xi's Asian tour is, as always, a success; after securing a three‑peat, he has become the greatest star in Asian sports history. No one can match him.

Fan Xi's influence completely transcends national borders.

He is the shared idol of Asian peoples.

Island‑nation citizens even jealously remark that their female stars are so unremarkable that South Korean actresses have stolen the spotlight, and none have become Jie Ke Fan's rumored girlfriend. If a female star had a rumor with Fan Xi, it would be a national honor.

These absurd statements flood the island nation's internet.

In reality, Fan Xi also endures many…deliberately staged physical contacts. Fan Xi walks on thin ice, cautious. He doesn't want any more stories to happen.

When Fan Xi is surrounded by women, Si Di Fen Ku Li and the young Yang Ni Si's eyes are filled with incredulous, uncontrollable envy.

Who doesn't want to be like Jie Ke?

Fan Xi flies to Hanguo overnight, where he meets his Lin Yun Er; they do not deliberately hide it.

They openly check into a hotel.

This caused the ratings of many Hanguo TV stations to skyrocket.

Because here, Fan Xi is already treated as the national son‑in‑law, which in turn boosts Lin Yun Er's commercial value, landing many ads. Moreover, more and more people are urging her to marry, hoping she will fight for Hanguo's pride, bear a child of Jie Ke Fan, and eventually lead Hanguo's men's basketball out of Asia to the world.

Fan Xi makes some effort.

He is candid with Lin Yun Er at Seoul's top‑tier hotel; a reunion surpasses a new marriage, everything unspoken.

The next day, Lin Yun Er misses a commercial event due to ill health.

Fan Xi says this himself, because it's their joint endorsement event.

After Fan Xi finishes the sentence, the audience erupts in cheers. A host even asks Fan Xi: "Jie Ke, are you ready to become a Korean's father?"

Fan Xi jumps in surprise.

He's a bit worried he'll be retroactively turned into a Korean.

There is precedent.

Later, Fan Xi returns to the motherland mainland.

Wherever he goes, crowds still surge, and Fan Xi enjoys heroic treatment. Because the miracles he creates are so inspiring, he led the national team to an Olympic gold and three times wore the crown in basketball's highest hall.

It can be said that Fan Xi is already the number one in the nation's sports history; no one's status or influence can surpass him, and he will certainly appear in textbooks.

What an ultimate honor that is.

Fan Xi stayed in the country for 15 days, 7 of which he spent with Liu Yifei; they were truly inseparable, entwined, and took no precautions.

Fan Xi now lets go of some principles. This may be related to his parents constantly urging him to marry.

Father Fan and Mother Fan became idle after the family business got on track and was fully handed over to professional managers.

They watch their son's glory on TV, which greatly satisfies their vanity and sense of superiority. When asked if they've eaten, they automatically reply: How do you know my son just won another league championship, or a finals MVP?

Yet, with their vanity and superiority fully gratified, they feel a strong emptiness. Their son isn't with them; they want him to settle down, to have grandchildren.

Every now and then they urge Fan Xi to put this matter on the agenda, stop chasing rumors, and if anything, get a wife back.

These 'well‑meaning admonitions' have dulled Fan Xi's rare family happiness.

Half a month later, he boarded the plane returning to the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

Although the new season was still a long time away, Fan Xi had already eagerly thrown himself into training. After all, he had already bragged; if he couldn't deliver, the American media would surely slap him in the face wildly.

This time, Fan Xi's opponent is not just James, but also Michael Jordan, or rather the entire American basketball scene.

So, he must work even harder.

Fan Xi focused his training on his own pull-up jumper; he not only had to practice the one-stage jump shot, but also had to improve his two-stage jump shot. Otherwise, such great explosiveness, such great leaping ability, such great hang time would be wasted.

Moreover, after training with Stephen Curry, Fan Xi realized he could never reach Stephen Curry's current level, and Stephen Curry still had great room for improvement.

However, on another track, Fan Xi felt his two-stage jump shot could reach an unprecedented level, because his physical condition was excellent; he only needed to diligently hone it.

So, this is an easy choice to make.

Kobe Bryant became his sparring partner and also freely helped him train Yannis.

Kobe Bryant was also a training maniac; despite his age being a bit old, he could still really stir things up.

Although he complained that Fan Xi was taking advantage of him, his guidance of Fan Xi was very meticulous.

Moreover, his training of Yannis was even stricter; he treated the Greek little monster like a tyrant. Yannis was initially unaccustomed, but his resistance to blows was extremely strong, and his mental fortitude was far greater than that of Kuameibulang.

So, at first Kobe Bryant somewhat 'abused' Yannis, intentionally giving him difficult tasks.

But later, he increasingly appreciated Yannis, even thinking he could train him into a James-type Kobe, ah.

Once this frightening idea came up, he no longer cared that the Greek was a Kuaisuan player.

His traitorous behavior became increasingly obvious, even sharing his trainer and nutritionist with Yannis.

This caused Yannis's physique to undergo rapid positive changes; his own physical quality was already extremely strong, and after receiving this high-intensity training and high-dimensional support, he became even more outstanding.

Fan Xi began to believe more and more that he had picked up a treasure; this guy was very likely to truly become a superstar.

Even the newly joined trainer Tim Hardaway was amazed at his low center of gravity and ball-handling transition.

Thank you, Jennifer.

Fan Xi thought this in his heart.

If it weren't for pursuing Jennifer, none of the subsequent events would have happened, and he wouldn't have gritted his teeth to sign him in the fourth pick.

Thinking of Jennifer, Fan Xi wanted to return to New York.

Troy, oh Troy!

This time, he truly captured Fan Xi's heart.

…