"Hey! Shaq, interested in learning a Chinese phrase? China has hundreds of millions of basketball fans!" He Ximeng called out to O'Neal, who was passing by.
"Really?" O'Neal asked, looking surprised. "Are you sure it's a hundred million fans?"
"Absolutely! More than that! Are you interested in attracting tens of millions of fans for yourself before other stars snatch up this huge market?"
"Of course! Without a doubt, I love China, I love Chinese kung fu, and I love Chinese fans... Simon, what are you waiting for? Teach me Chinese!"
"Uh... okay!" Hearing about the massive fan base in China, O'Neal's change of heart was so swift it would make a Sichuan opera mask-changing master feel inadequate.
So, in front of the cameras, He Ximeng had O'Neal adopt a fist-and-palm salute posture, left palm in front, right fist behind, and imitate a Chinese phrase: "Ni hao, China!"
After fooling around, O'Neal reluctantly bid farewell to the Chinese reporters.
Just then, Kobe, having finished his preparations, walked over. He Ximeng pulled him in front of the camera again.
"Hey, brother, say hello to the Chinese fans! You have quite a few fans in China!"
"Really?" Kobe asked with an expression that seemed to say, "I'm not very educated, don't lie to me." This was a stark contrast to O'Neal's earlier eager-to-be-fooled look.
"It's true, Kobe!" Huang Yusen chimed in. "Chinese fans have given you and Simon a nickname: the 'Te Meng' combination!"
"Te Meng?" Kobe looked confused. "Bryant and Simon?"
"Hahaha..."
He Ximeng and Huang Yusen burst into laughter.
"Alright! Literally, it's a shorthand for the Bryant and Simon combination. But in Chinese, 'Te Meng' also has a homophone which means 'especially cute'..."
"Especially cute?" Kobe chuckled. "Well, I didn't expect our names together to have that meaning... So, what does 'Te Xi' mean?"
"Te Xi... doesn't seem to mean anything..."
"What about 'Ke Meng'?"
"Ke Meng? 'Ke Meng'? It seems to mean something similar to 'Te Meng'..."
"And 'Bi Meng'?"
"'Bi Meng'? It means 'who is cuter'..."
"What about 'Meng Bi'?"
"'Meng Bi'? Uh... it probably means concussion."
"Hmm... concussion? Meng Bi?" After bewildering He Ximeng and Huang Yusen with his questions, Kobe left in deep thought, leaving the two of them staring at each other, wondering about the hidden meaning behind Kobe's inquiries. Could it be that Kobe actually liked the name "Meng Bi" combination?
After the Christmas Day game, the Lakers flew back to Los Angeles that night, as both the coaching staff and the players had their families there.
Christmas held the same significance for Westerners as the Spring Festival did for Chinese people. Everyone would go to great lengths to overcome difficulties and spend the holiday with their families.
By the time He Ximeng returned to Los Angeles, it was already close to midnight. As he drove near Kayla's house, Kayla, having already celebrated Christmas with her parents, was waiting for He Ximeng to arrive so she could sneak out.
Kayla thought her parents were asleep, but they were actually peeking through the curtains, silently watching the scene outside.
"Is that the Chinese player?" Kayla's mother asked.
"Yes. That old-fashioned Camaro... unforgettable..." Kayla's father replied.
"What do you mean? Are you saying his taste is good, or bad?"
"How could his taste be bad if he likes my daughter? I'm just marveling at his luck... to have won the affection of our daughter..." Kayla's father seemed to appreciate the muscle car's rugged appeal, but out of the sadness of his prize daughter being snatched away, he refused to praise He Ximeng. 138 Reading Network.
"This young man is different from other strong-limbed, simple-minded players... I have a student who recently registered an excellent script, with him as a co-author..."
"A script? This basketball player? Are you sure it's the same person?"
"Of course! Chinese, He Ximeng, and he specifically requested your daughter to play the female lead. Do you think there's another He Ximeng?"
"Hmm... is that script really good?"
"Are you questioning my professional integrity?"
"Oh, of course not..."
"Alright! Stop watching. The kids have gone far. Go to sleep. Speaking of which, when was the last time you fulfilled your marital duties? On a day of family celebration like Christmas, don't you think we should do something special..."
He Ximeng had no idea what his prospective in-laws were up to.
But once he brought Kayla back to his small apartment, He Ximeng had a clear view of what Kayla had planned.
After some time together, Kayla's true nature had gradually been revealed.
While a Victoria's Secret outfit wasn't on the agenda, a Christmas outfit certainly was for that night.
"Christmas Day Battle: Lakers' Twin Stars Explode!"
"The Most Harmonious Duo of the '96 Draft Class!"
"Future Cold-Blooded Killer, Kobe the High School Phenom!"
"Genius Point Guard from Across the Ocean, the Lakers' Future!"
...
After the Christmas Day game, news reports about He Ximeng and Kobe flooded the media. The fact that they could contend with the formidable Bulls proved that these two rookies had solidified their rotational spots on the Lakers' bench. Of course, He Ximeng had already secured his spot and was even threatening Van Exel's starting position.
Kobe couldn't threaten Eddie Jones yet, but Scott's hard-won starting spot was already precarious.
As it turned out, before Kobe could oust Scott, a trade by the Lakers pushed Scott back to the bench.
On January 12, 1997, the Lakers and the Suns engaged in a player trade. The Lakers sent Cedric Ceballos, the Dunk Champion, in exchange for Robert Horry, who was not yet the "Big Shot Rob" of the Suns. In Los Angeles, Horry would embark on a career as an ordinary but remarkable role player!
However, in his first game with the Lakers, Horry didn't start. Instead, he came off the bench, pairing up with He Ximeng and Kobe initially. The Lakers' reserve trio immediately exploded! In their first game against the Grizzlies, the three reserves combined for 40 points, nearly matching the output of the starting five. Horry, having just joined, received special attention from He Ximeng. He shot 6 of 9 from the field, including 3 of 5 three-pointers, scoring 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks! Kobe followed closely, shooting 5 of 7 from the field, 1 of 3 three-pointers, and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line, for 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. He Ximeng's scoring wasn't high, with 4 of 6 field goals, 3 of 5 three-pointers, and 1 of 1 free throws for 12 points, but his assists reached double digits for the first time: 11! With 12 points and 11 assists, along with 2 rebounds and 1 steal, He Ximeng achieved his first career double-double! Thanks to the outstanding performance of the reserve trio, the Lakers easily defeated the Grizzlies. Seeing the potential of the reserve trio, Coach Harris decisively increased their playing time. Consequently, the Lakers went on another winning streak in the following games, defeating the Trail Blazers, Pistons, Mavericks, and Warriors in succession. This continued until they faced the Supersonics, one of the Western Conference powerhouses this season.