Chapter 59

Nine days later, Philadelphia.

After a grueling road trip, the Philadelphia 76ers faced a series of Eastern Conference opponents, winning three out of four games, bringing them closer to the playoffs.

The team's morale was high, and everyone was enjoying the journey. Although they lost to the not-so-strong Raptors, the team's recent rise in fame, especially after Chen Mu's game-winning dunk against the Pistons, did not dampen their spirits. In that game, Chen Mu struggled against the young and dynamic power forward, Chris Bosh, who dominated him on the defensive end.

This season, the 76ers had a difficult start, with numerous injuries, especially in the frontcourt. The prolonged absence of starting center Samuel Dalembert, a key defensive presence, cast a shadow over the team's prospects.

However, with Chen Mu's arrival, the team's morale improved significantly. With his help, the 76ers' previously weak bench began to contribute, often stepping up when the team's offense and defense faltered.

Chen Mu, despite showing various issues, especially against agile, accurate, and highly mobile big men like Bosh, who posed significant defensive challenges, still managed to save the team multiple times, quickly earning the trust of his teammates and coaches.

The 76ers seemed like a transformed team, full of spirit. No one had expected them to perform well at the start of the season, and many analysts predicted they would finish at the bottom of the weak Pacific Division.

However, their mid-season performance proved the analysts wrong. The 76ers, who were initially at the bottom of the Pacific Division, suddenly started to gain momentum, climbing to a mid-table position with a string of victories.

Halfway through the season, the 76ers, after the All-Star break, were in high spirits, closely trailing the Celtics and the Raptors.

Looking at his tired players, head coach Larry Brown knew that making the playoffs was not the team's primary focus at the moment.

"The future, the future of this team, is in the future!"

Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver, Louis Williams, and Chen Mu.

These four players were the focus of Brown's attention. If they continued to improve during the off-season, the 76ers would have a solid lineup, with leaders on both ends of the court.

"In that case, even if AI is traded, the 76ers' resurgence is just a matter of time, right?"

The conflict between Allen Iverson and the team was no longer a secret. Over the years, Iverson's relentless efforts on the court won the hearts of fans, but his occasional insubordination caused headaches for the management.

While everyone acknowledged that in terms of the will to win and determination, few in the league could match Iverson, his rebellious nature and his double-edged performance on both ends of the court hindered his further progress.

The plane landed smoothly, and the players woke up, yawning, and gathered their bags before disembarking.

"Take today off, and we'll resume training tomorrow. We have a tough game the day after tomorrow, so don't let your guard down!"

Brown gave his players a final reminder before leading them into the terminal.

"Chen, what are you going to do later?"

Before they even left the airport, Andre Iguodala approached, putting his arm around Chen Mu's shoulder and smiling. "Want to hit the gym for another man-to-man challenge? Ha ha!"

"Sure!"

Iguodala's suggestion aligned with Chen Mu's thoughts. After facing strong opponents, Chen Mu realized how crucial strength was for a frontcourt player.

Especially after the game against Rasheed Wallace at The Palace of Auburn Hills, where Wallace's aggressive and bulldozer-like play in the paint made Chen Mu resolve to intensify his training.

I must train harder and not become a defensive liability!

As they walked out of the terminal and retrieved their luggage, Chen Mu and Iguodala chatted and walked out. Suddenly, a familiar voice made Chen Mu pause.

"Chen Mu~"

It was a very familiar female voice, with a tone that exuded pride, instantly bringing back memories for Chen Mu, who stood there in a daze.

Looking up, he saw a girl in a short dress shivering slightly in the not-so-warm air near the exit.

She wore a round hat and black sunglasses, and her outfit was clearly well-groomed, looking elegant and a bit proud.

Her legs, exposed below the short dress, were smooth and attractive, even making the self-proclaimed religious Iguodala swallow hard.

Looking up, the girl's figure was not as curvy as that of American women, and her bust was not as impressive. However, her strong Eastern charm appealed to Chen Mu.

"Really, you went on a road trip without telling me, making me search high and low. I had to check countless English websites and ask many sports-loving classmates to find out which flight you were on today~"

The girl lifted her sunglasses slightly, her beautiful eyes captivating, and looked at Chen Mu seductively. She then glanced at Iguodala, clearly intrigued by the American's muscular build, and gave a flirtatious smile.

"You must be Mr. Iguodala, nice to meet you, I'm Shen Mufei~"

"Oh... oh!"

Iguodala, who was easily embarrassed, looked at Chen Mu, who showed no reaction, and awkwardly shook hands with Shen Mufei. "Uh, yes, I'm Iguodala. Are you... Chen's friend?"

"Ha ha~"

Shen Mufei smiled, stepped forward, and without hesitation, grabbed Chen Mu's arm, leaning her delicate face on his shoulder, and said in a sweet, cloying voice, "I'm Chen Mu's friend, but not just any friend~"

"I'm his girlfriend~"

She then leaned in close to Chen Mu, sniffing him up and down, and said with a playful frown, "Oh, you stink! Go home and take a shower~"

"Oh, so you have a girlfriend, huh?!!"

Iguodala, hearing Shen Mufei's words, was taken aback and turned to Chen Mu, shouting, "You, saying you're single! Isn't this the same Eastern beauty from that party? You two have been dating all along!"

"No, no, wait a minute..."

Chen Mu was confused, trying to placate Iguodala, and then turned to Shen Mufei with a frown, "What are you talking about? Who said you're my girlfriend? That was all in the past, okay?"

"Aww, how disappointing~"

Shen Mufei's face turned red, and she said, "NBA players are all playboys, forgetting so quickly. You were so rough with me that night, and then you didn't even answer my calls. It's really heartbreaking~"

"What are you doing?!"

Chen Mu, in a panic, started speaking in his hometown dialect, trying to explain to Iguodala, but couldn't shake off Shen Mufei.

"Alright, alright, it's normal. I was just joking, ha ha!"

Iguodala, realizing that Chen Mu and this Eastern beauty would have a complicated relationship, laughed and waved. "I'll go to the gym by myself. You should spend time with your girlfriend, ha ha!"

With that, Iguodala left, catching up with his teammates who had already walked ahead, explaining the situation. The teammates turned back, saw Shen Mufei politely greeting everyone, and smiled in response.

But as they turned away, Chen Mu clearly heard a burst of laughter, especially from Allen Iverson, who was laughing so hard that his stomach hurt, saying something about "chasing girls and becoming a husband."

As the commotion died down, Chen Mu was left in the sticky sweetness of Shen Mufei's embrace, feeling disoriented.

After some unsuccessful persuasion, Shen Mufei was determined to stick with Chen Mu. Chen Mu had no choice but to take a taxi from the airport, return home, and let Shen Mufei in.

"Shen Mufei, what are you up to?"

After a long silence, Chen Mu couldn't help but ask, "Yes, what I did that night was wrong, but you were even worse to me before. So, I thought we could just part ways, call it even, and move on. Why did you come to the airport today and cause such a scene?"

"Alright, fine."

Shen Mufei sighed, sat up straight, and said seriously, "To put it simply, I've changed."

"Indeed, when I first came to America, I contacted you just to find a meal ticket, a guide, and a translator. Going to parties with you, including that wild night, was partly driven by vanity."

"But after some reflection, I realized I was wrong. My actions hurt you, and I have no complaints about anything you do to me. However, I beg you not to send me away. The decisions I make are mine, and I want to make amends to you. I just want to change myself, bit by bit, to earn your forgiveness and recognition, to show you that I, Shen Mufei, have truly changed."

"You... you're using bandit logic!"

Chen Mu was almost in tears, never imagining that in this passionate basketball world, he would encounter such a romantic entanglement.

Their conversation didn't last long. Shen Mufei, being very familiar, started cleaning Chen Mu's room, doing laundry, and cooking. No matter how much Chen Mu tried to persuade her, it was no use.

In the end, that night, Chen Mu couldn't maintain his composure under Shen Mufei's seductive advances. His calm on the court was forgotten, and he didn't care about her motives. They ended up together, reaching the peak of human experience.

Two days later, at the Wachovia Center.

"Chen Mu, good luck~"

Seeing Shen Mufei, who insisted on coming to the game, sweetly waving at him, Chen Mu felt his teammates' mischievous grins and sighed helplessly.

Today, the 76ers would face a new Eastern power, a team with two superstar players, the Miami Heat.

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