He Ximeng was shocked to receive the call, learning that "Third Master" had actually become an assistant coach for the Chinese men's basketball team. However, he quickly reminded himself that this world was already vastly different from his original one, so Zhang Yide becoming an assistant coach might not be entirely out of the question.
He Ximeng found it difficult to refuse Zhang Yide outright. Nevertheless, he laid out several demands for the coaching staff, with three being the most crucial.
First, He Ximeng wished to join the Chinese men's basketball team as an independent, free agent, an auxiliary member, not subject to the unified management of the basketball association. This was the absolute bedrock of his agreement, as he did not want to be controlled by administrative power.
Second, He Ximeng hoped to have some authority in tactical decisions. He wanted to address this upfront to preempt any unnecessary conflicts with Zhang Bing in the future. He Ximeng had, more than once or twice, altered head coaches' tactics on the court. Some coaches tolerated it, while others considered it an affront. Unsure of Zhang Bing's personality, He Ximeng deemed prior agreement the best course of action.
As for the third, He Ximeng would only participate in the World Championships and the Olympics, not Asian tournaments. He did not want to waste his limited energy on unnecessary games. If the Chinese team couldn't dominate Asia without him, then even with his participation, he would merely be a stepping stone on the world stage. He Ximeng had no interest in being a stepping stone for others.
These three conditions were, frankly, quite demanding, essentially granting him special player status. Consequently, head coach Zhang Bing did not agree to them initially.
However, Zhang Yide did gain something. He Ximeng advised him that during the upcoming Asian Championship, the Korean team would employ a "small, agile, and quick" style, combined with "shooting quick threes" to counter China's lineup of tall players. He urged Zhang Yide to remind Zhang Bing to avoid using both Da Ba and Da Zhi simultaneously, to maintain lineup flexibility, and to develop Da Zhi's three-point shooting while not being too conservative on offense or rigidly sticking to the inside game.
He Ximeng's suggestions proved accurate in the semi-final match against South Korea. Zhang Bing, in a state of distress, accepted Zhang Yide's advice, adjusted the lineup, and ultimately helped China reverse the game, averting a crushing defeat and securing his own position as head coach.
After the game, Zhang Bing privately invited Zhang Yide for drinks and grilled skewers, thanking him for his timely intervention. Zhang Yide, in turn, credited He Ximeng for the victory, stating candidly that China's team would absolutely not go far in the World Championships without He Ximeng.
The scare from the South Korean team had made Zhang Bing realize that the Chinese team he coached might not be as formidable as he thought. Meanwhile, He Ximeng, having become an All-Star player in 1998 and leading his team to the Western Conference championship, battled the formidable Bulls in a grueling seven-game NBA Finals. He Ximeng proved step by step, with his performance, that he possessed the skill and qualification to be a privileged player.
Ultimately, Zhang Bing persuaded the basketball association leadership to privately agree to He Ximeng's demands in exchange for his commitment to join the Chinese men's basketball team and participate in the 1998 World Championships.
He Ximeng was scheduled to return to China first to integrate with the team, and then they would travel to Greece. The entire process was expected to take about three months. Keira initially intended to accompany He Ximeng back to China, to meet his mother and tour the country. However, the production for "Pirates of the Caribbean" was completed and ready to commence filming. Keira was naturally cast as the female lead, and Johnny Depp would reprise his role as the male lead. He Ximeng had also planned to cameo as one of Jack Sparrow's many pirate companions. This served a dual purpose: to accompany Keira during filming, preventing any entanglements with other men, although he considered this possibility remote but still wanted to be cautious, and to dabble in cross-industry ventures, expanding his part-time endeavors.
However, as the start of filming was earlier than He Ximeng anticipated and overlapped with the World Championships, he had to reluctantly forgo his cameo and focus on his primary commitment. Coincidentally, Fox, having somehow learned that He Ximeng was a behind-the-scenes screenwriter for "Pirates of the Caribbean," approached him, hoping he could secure a small, on-screen role, even without dialogue. He Ximeng then offered Fox the minor pirate role he had initially planned for himself. Fox, having tried without high expectations, was astonished when He Ximeng made a single phone call and secured the part. Overwhelmed, Fox vowed his unwavering loyalty to He Ximeng within the Lakers team from that day forward. He Ximeng had not anticipated that a simple favor would gain him a devoted follower. Fox, in many ways, was quite an eccentric character.
After a week of intense affection, He Ximeng and Keira, exhausted, shared a passionate farewell kiss. He Ximeng boarded his flight back to China, while Keira and the film crew embarked on their journey to the filming locations in the Dominican Republic.
Instead of heading directly to Beijing to meet the team, He Ximeng first arrived in Shanghai, planning to spend three days with his mother and reconnect with his middle school friends before proceeding to the Beijing training camp. Waiting for He Ximeng at the Shanghai airport, besides Ms. Ren Fengding, were the Zhang siblings. After two years, the Zhang siblings had completed high school. In the subsequent two years, Zhang Zhenpeng had not led Zhuji Middle School to another championship, with their best achievement being runner-up in the Zhejiang region and third place in the Eastern region.
"There's no successor... I'm the only one playing well, but I can't beat those teams that play team basketball..." The moment he saw He Ximeng, Zhang Zhenpeng complained that Zhuji Middle School was lacking talent, hindering his ambitions.
Although only two years had passed since the national championships, for He Ximeng, it felt like many more years had gone by. His experiences over these two years had been incredibly rich. He had progressed from NCAA regional group stages all the way to the NBA Finals, while the unfortunate Zhang Zhenpeng remained stuck in the national championships. This thought evoked a hint of pity in He Ximeng for Zhang Zhenpeng's talent. He Ximeng believed Zhang Zhenpeng could have pursued an NBA career.
"What are your plans now? Are you planning to play in the NCAA, the domestic CUBA, or a domestic professional league?" He Ximeng changed the subject, asking Zhang Zhenpeng in return.
"I haven't decided yet! Of course, I want to play in the NCAA across the ocean, but my mother adamantly refuses. She says there's no one to inherit the family business and won't let me go so far. She refuses to give me money..."
"Just apply for a full scholarship! You can work part-time to cover living expenses."
Zhang Zhenpeng gave He Ximeng a look. "Do you think everyone is a monster like you? I've applied to over ten North American universities and sent them my training and game videos..."