Chapter 477: Rumors, Reconciliation, and a 26 Point Record
Security arrived late, but once they understood what happened, they dragged the 2 troublemakers out of the club.
The crowd erupted again, cheering like they had just watched a game winning shot.
Chen Yan had no interest in soaking in that attention. He grabbed Durant and slipped away. As for Jordan, he was already wrapped around a woman near the dance floor, laughing and blending into the chaos like he belonged there. Chen Yan did not even bother trying to pull him out.
…
They had only walked a few steps outside when a sweet voice called out.
Chen Yan turned and saw the 2 girls he had just helped.
"Thank you," they said together, then added in accented English, "Arigato."
The club lighting had been too dim, but out on the street, their faces were clear. One of them was short haired with a soft, familiar look. Chen Yan stared for a beat, feeling like he had seen her somewhere before.
Durant suddenly blurted out, eyes wide. "Are you Yui Aragaki?"
The girl nodded.
Durant lit up like a kid. "I watched Koizora, Sky of Love. I loved it."
Chen Yan nearly laughed. Durant really did watch everything. Back when they shared a dorm, Durant could stay up all night binging movies and dramas. Still, Chen Yan did not expect him to be into Japanese romance films.
Now that Durant had said it, Chen Yan recognized her too. Yui Aragaki, the kind of name that carried weight across Asia.
"Thank you," Yui said politely. "I also enjoy watching you play basketball."
Durant puffed his chest out, proud for exactly 1 second.
Then Yui turned to Chen Yan and smiled. "Chen, I'm a fan of yours."
Durant froze.
He had been the one who recognized her, but the reality was obvious. Durant was famous in America, but he was still a 2nd year player. Chen Yan was already a superstar across Asia, the face on billboards, the name casual fans knew without thinking.
After a few more words, Chen Yan learned the other girl was also a Japanese entertainer, Higa Manami. Both women were staying at the same hotel as Durant.
Chen Yan did not linger. Paparazzi were everywhere during All Star Weekend, and the last thing he needed was a photo turning into a headline.
He hailed a taxi, dropped them off at the hotel entrance, then went back home in Phoenix.
He had been careful.
It did not matter.
…
The next day, the tabloids exploded.
"Chen Yan, Nightclub Hero, Drops 2 Men With Heavy Punches!"
"A Champion of Justice, Chen Yan Fights Villains in Phoenix!"
"The City Should Give Chen Yan a Medal for Courage!"
"2 Men, 2 Women, Late Night Street Talk, Chen Yan's Secret Life"
"On Court Brothers, Off Court Comrades, Chen Yan and Durant Linked to 2 Asian Actresses"
The headlines were so ridiculous that Chen Yan almost laughed, until his phone rang.
Taylor Swift.
The moment he answered, her voice cut through him. "You'd better explain."
"Would you believe me if I said it was all a coincidence?" Chen Yan tried.
"A hero saving 2 girls was a coincidence?"
"Yes."
"A late night street conversation was a coincidence?"
"It was."
"And going back to the hotel together was also a coincidence?"
"I gave them and KD a ride back. That's it."
Taylor's voice rose. "Do you hear yourself right now?"
"It sounds unbelievable," Chen Yan admitted, jaw tight. "But it's the truth."
"I called to tell you I canceled my flight to Phoenix today," Taylor said.
She had planned to fly in and support him in the 3 point contest and the dunk contest.
"Tay, let me explain properly."
"Go on," she said, but her tone was cold.
"It really was a coincidence," Chen Yan said again, and the moment the words left his mouth, he knew how weak they sounded.
Taylor hung up.
Chen Yan called back immediately. Rejected.
Again. Rejected.
Again. Rejected.
He slammed the phone down and cursed the tabloids under his breath. If he had actually done something wrong and gotten caught, fine. He would take the hit.
But getting his relationship wrecked by fabricated stories felt like being whistled for a foul he never committed.
Meanwhile, plenty of fans were celebrating like it was a championship parade. In their minds, Chen Yan was unstoppable off the court too. First Taylor Swift, now Yui Aragaki. Either he did not make a move, or he only moved for the very top tier.
Chen Yan did not have time to argue with the internet.
His schedule was packed. After lunch, he headed straight to the arena. Media shoots, promotional photos for the 3 point contest and dunk contest, fan events, interviews, sponsor obligations. The NBA did not care if your heart was in pieces, the show still ran.
…
That night's program started with the Skills Challenge.
Derrick Rose, the new top pick, won it with a time of 35.3 seconds.
Then the 3 point contest began, and the building's energy changed instantly. Phoenix fans had been waiting for this.
The 6 contestants were Chen Yan, defending champion Jason Kapono, Rashard Lewis, Mike Bibby, Danny Granger, and Mario Chalmers.
Chen Yan was the favorite. He led the league in both attempts and makes from deep this season, and he had even broken the single game 3 point record in the regular season.
Kapono was favored too. He had already won the contest 2 years in a row. If he won again, he would join a very short list in NBA history with 3 straight titles.
Lewis shot first. He started cold, only 1 make at the first rack. He found rhythm at the top of the arc, drilling all 5 there, then stayed steady and finished with 17 points.
It was not a great score, but it was enough to put pressure on everyone.
Bibby went next. He hit 3 at the first rack, then missed the money ball and never fully stabilized. He was perfect at the top again, but his final 2 racks wobbled. He finished with 14.
Chalmers shot third. He did enough early, hit the money ball at the second rack, hit another at the top, and survived a rough stretch at the fourth rack by knocking down the money ball again. His last rack was shaky, but he still posted 18, almost locking up a finals spot.
Granger followed. He caught a lucky money ball at the first rack, then went uneven, missed the money ball at the top, and faded late. Like Bibby, he was not a pure catch and shoot specialist, so the rhythm shooting exposed him. He finished with 13 and was eliminated along with Bibby.
Then it was Chen Yan.
The moment he peeled off his warmup, the arena detonated. This was Phoenix. This was home.
The cheers got even louder when the PA announced what Chen Yan had pledged before the contest.
For every point he scored, he would donate $1,000 to a local Phoenix welfare home.
It was his agent Bill Duffy's suggestion. After last night's nonsense, a visible charity gesture would help steer the conversation back toward something real. Chen Yan agreed immediately. The money meant nothing to him, and the cause mattered more than public relations anyway.
Before the first rack, Chen Yan's eyes flicked toward the front row out of habit.
Taylor Swift was not there.
A small disappointment pressed into his chest, but it did not touch his hands.
He started shooting.
Rack after rack, the ball kept snapping through the net.
By the time he finished the 4th rack, he already had 20 points. His touch was building, and at the 4th rack he went 5 for 5, clean and effortless.
The crowd rose higher with every make. Even though it was only the first round, people were already on their feet.
In the booth, Kenny Smith could barely hear himself over the noise. "This is what home court sounds like. He's feeding off it."
Charles Barkley laughed. "Man, he's about to donate a whole wing to that place."
At the final corner rack, Chen Yan hit his first 4 shots.
Only the last ball remained, the money ball, worth 2.
If he made it, he would score 26 points, a new 3 point contest record.
He picked it up with about 4 seconds left. No extra dribbles, no pause, no dramatic reset. He did not want to break his rhythm.
He rose and fired.
Kenny's voice jumped. "This is for the record."
The ball arced high, then dropped straight through.
Swish.
The building exploded.
The scoreboard flashed: NEW 3 POINT CONTEST RECORD.
Kenny Smith sounded almost impressed by his own excitement. "He breaks the record in the first round. He's getting stronger with every rack, and this crowd is giving him fuel."
Barkley's laugh came right after. "And he just donated $26,000 in about 1 minute. That's the fastest charity work I've ever seen."
Kapono shot last, and the pressure crushed him. He never found his rhythm and finished with 15 points, which knocked the defending champion out before the finals even began.
.....
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