Dave Odom, brimming with confidence, waved his hand and granted He Ximeng five days of leave.
So, as the team flew back to North Carolina from New Jersey, He Ximeng boarded a plane bound for Oregon in the west.
The flight made a stop in Portland before transferring to Eugene... well, mostly because the tickets were half price...
Most of He Ximeng's savings had already been handed over to John for investment in the stock index fund market, leaving him with only a few thousand dollars. Every penny counted.
Of course, if Nike could reimburse him for the round-trip airfare in the end, that would be fantastic...
When He Ximeng arrived at Eugene Airport, John was already waiting in his flashy Mustang.
"Hey, Miracle Boy, you always surprise me!" Two months hadn't changed John's laid-back demeanor.
"This is just the beginning!" He Ximeng bumped fists with John, a confident grin on his face. "Stick with me, and I guarantee you'll be surprised constantly..."
"Really? What's the next surprise? The draft?"
He Ximeng didn't answer, instead asking John, "Did you get into the basketball academy?"
"I did, but it's all boring classes, a waste of time, youth, and life..."
"Don't say that! Study hard. The basketball academy's classes are packed with valuable content! It'll be very helpful for your future development in the basketball circle..."
John gave He Ximeng a sideways glance. "As if you've ever attended classes at the basketball academy..."
"Uh..." He Ximeng was momentarily speechless.
"Let's talk about Mr. Clark..." He Ximeng quickly changed the subject.
...
By the time they drove to Eugene, it was already afternoon. John didn't take He Ximeng directly to Nike headquarters but found a decent hotel in the city center to settle him in.
"Don't worry! The brand marketing department will cover your accommodation, meals, and transportation during your visit..." John winked at He Ximeng. "Tonight, I'll show you Eugene's nightlife..."
This guy... seems like he's on a perpetual spree! It looks like I need to set him up with Sister Jill soon... I can't let him keep stringing Sister Jill along like this...
That evening, John wanted to take He Ximeng for Western cuisine, but He Ximeng suggested a Chinese restaurant in downtown Eugene instead!
John was initially skeptical, as he didn't expect He Ximeng, who was visiting Eugene for the first time, to know any good restaurants...
However, this Chinese restaurant, specializing in Fujian cuisine, despite its delicate flavors, tasted exceptionally good!
Whether it was the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall or the Lychee Pork, both were prepared authentically.
Even John, with his foreign palate, praised it highly after eating and asked He Ximeng how he knew about this hidden gem.
He Ximeng, citing a friend's recommendation, managed to fool John.
After dinner, John took He Ximeng to the historic Heceta Head Lighthouse on the coast. Seeing that it was late and time for a drink, He Ximeng cited fatigue and decided to return to the hotel to rest.
After all, he had to meet Tinker and Clark the next day and didn't want to show up with dark circles under his eyes.
He Ximeng opted out of joining John for drinks.
John was immensely disappointed but couldn't sway He Ximeng and had to drive him back to the hotel.
The next day, He Ximeng had breakfast at the hotel and spent some time writing "Pirates of the Caribbean"... He had to finish the draft of "Pirates of the Caribbean" for Sister Jill...
John arrived half an hour later than agreed, with dark circles under his eyes and bloodshot pupils.
"Looks like you had quite the night yesterday?"
"Don't even mention it!" John said with a helpless sigh. "Drank for two hours in solitude, and no one even chatted me up... What a waste of this handsome face of mine..."
He Ximeng couldn't help but chuckle. Fortunately, John had a thick skin and didn't care about such superficial things...
The Mustang slowly drove into Nike headquarters. To He Ximeng, everything felt both familiar and unfamiliar.
"Do you want to go to the design department first, or the marketing department?"
"Let's find Mr. Tinker first!"
"Okay! The design department is on the first floor, Mr. Tinker's office is on the second floor, and the marketing department is on the sixth floor!"
He Ximeng waved goodbye to John and walked straight into the office building. He was quite familiar with this place.
This time, He Ximeng didn't rush into Mr. Tinker's office. Following protocol, he first went to the design department on the first floor to find Tinker's beautiful assistant, Mary.
"Hello, my name is Simon. I have an appointment with Mr. Tinker!"
"Oh! Are you Mr. Simon?" Mary's expression turned to surprise.
Mary had expected someone of Mr. Tinker's age, a middle-aged man, not someone so young!
"Yes!"
"Mr. Tinker has been waiting for you for a long time! Please come with me!"
Mary quickly led He Ximeng to Mr. Tinker's office. The familiar layout, the familiar display cabinets, filled with Air Jordan I to Air Jordan XI, neatly arranged, like works of art!
Tinker strode forward to greet him and was stunned at the first sight of He Ximeng.
"Are you, number 4 for the Wake Forest basketball team?"
"Yes, that's me!"
"So, that Simon is you, this Simon?"
Tinker asked in a way that sounded like a tongue twister, which confused He Ximeng a little.
"There's only one Simon on the Wake Forest basketball team, and that Simon is me, He Ximeng! That's right!"
"Oh! My goodness! This is unbelievable!" Tinker's mouth gaped in astonishment. "I remember John telling me you only arrived in the US at the end of January, so I never equated the Simon from March Madness with you..."
"Well... it was a series of coincidences~ I gained Coach Dave Odom's recognition... I was very fortunate to fight alongside my Wake Forest teammates!"
"That's fantastic! I watched the final game between Wake Forest and Georgetown. Your chemistry with Tim Duncan was truly a joy to behold..."
"Thank you for your praise!"
...
He Ximeng knew that Mr. Tinker was a basketball fan. In his previous life, whenever He Ximeng's team played an away game in Rip City, Mr. Tinker would almost always be in the VIP box... well, in the home team's VIP box!
Tinker was a staunch supporter of the Trail Blazers, and He Ximeng had never coached the Trail Blazers, so Tinker had never "supported" He Ximeng!
However, wins and losses on the court didn't affect their friendship.
Tinker would occasionally call He Ximeng, seeking some unconventional inspiration. He Ximeng rarely disappointed Tinker.
When He Ximeng married Kayla, Tinker was among the distinguished guests!
It was just that He Ximeng never knew Tinker was so keenly interested in the NCAA while also following the NBA.