"Hey! Boss..."
As soon as Lin Feng addressed him, Kobe replied, "Lin, where are you? Come to Staples Center and wait for me."
"Okay, Boss. I'll be right there."
Lin Feng sprang out of bed, but as he swung his legs over the side, he landed on the floor with a thud.
Accustomed to a different bed setup, he hadn't registered Su Muqing sleeping beside him. Normally, he would extend his legs to the floor before getting up.
Consequently, when Lin Feng made his usual movement, he was startled to find Su Muqing lying there. To avoid stepping on her, he quickly retracted his legs, lost his balance, stumbled, and fell awkwardly beside the bed.
"Ouch, what the hell!" Lin Feng muttered, slightly embarrassed. He hadn't expected Su Muqing to stay the night.
Drinking really makes you forget things. I didn't even realize such a beautiful mixed-race girl was sleeping next to me.
"Ah! Baby, what happened? Are you alright?" The sound of Lin Feng falling woke Su Muqing. She rubbed her eyes, saw Lin Feng kneeling in a comical position beside the bed, and asked with concern.
"Uh, I'm fine. You... you didn't go home last night? Did we sleep here all night?" Lin Feng asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.
Su Muqing smiled. "Yes, I got back around three in the morning last night. I live quite far, so I decided not to go back and slept here with you. But don't worry, I didn't do anything to you~" She finished with a sly smile, her gaze lingering on Lin Feng, who was only wearing boxer briefs.
Lin Feng had been completely out of it last night and remembered nothing after returning home. Su Muqing had taken off his clothes and wiped him down.
While tending to him, she couldn't help but notice his... impressive physique.
Definitely my type!
this? Noticing Su Muqing's curious gaze, Lin Feng suddenly felt self-conscious.
"Okay, baby, stop teasing. I'm a virgin. The Boss just called and asked me to go to Staples to meet him. Are you coming?"
"Really? Kobe called you again?" Su Muqing's eyes widened in surprise.
Is this still the arrogant Kobe the world talks about? Why is he contacting an NBDL player so frequently?
Despite her lingering doubts, Su Muqing was thrilled by Kobe's recognition of Lin Feng.
"Okay, baby, I'll go with you."
"Alright, then you should get up and get ready quickly. We shouldn't keep the Boss waiting too long. That would be impolite."
"I know, baby." Su Muqing was usually a good girlfriend. Though occasionally mischievous, she was mostly very considerate.
Just as Su Muqing headed to the bathroom, Lin Feng suddenly felt a jolt.
The system beeped again.
[Bite!]
[Congratulations to the host for reaching 50% similarity with Sakuragi Hanamichi. Your personal skills, physical fitness, and strength have improved. You have activated a new skill: Crazy Block!]
This notification plunged Lin Feng into deep thought.
He had been wondering how to increase his similarity beyond the initial 40% after the appearance change.
He had a hunch that Su Muqing's presence was a key factor, given her resemblance to Akagi Haruko.
Slam Dunk fans knew that Sakuragi Hanamichi harbored a deep affection for Akagi Haruko.
However, the anime never explicitly showed their relationship progressing beyond friendship, leaving a lingering sense of unfulfilled potential for many fans.
Traveling back to 2006 and having the opportunity to date a woman who resembled Haruko Akagi felt significant.
Is this another world offering a chance to rectify the unfulfilled romance between Sakuragi Hanamichi and Akagi Haruko? Lin Feng couldn't help but wonder if his relationship with Su Muqing was destined to blossom.
Could this lead to fully activating 100% similarity?
Of course, this was purely speculation on Lin Feng's part. He had no concrete idea whether it was true.
Only the enigmatic system knew if Su Muqing's appearance was a crucial element in the overall narrative.
"Baby, what are you thinking about? You've been zoning out a lot lately." After washing up, Su Muqing playfully waved her slender hand in front of Lin Feng's face.
Lin Feng snapped out of his reverie, affectionately scratched Su Muqing's nose, and said, "It's all because of you, you little devil. If it weren't for you, why would I be in a daze?"
"Hehe, baby, you're getting better at sweet talk. You know how to make us girls happy."
"Boo~" She hugged Lin Feng and kissed him again, then leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Baby, if one day you and Kobe can win an NBA championship ring together, I will give birth to a baby for you."
Lin Feng froze, completely stunned.
What the hell? Winning a championship with Kobe, and then she'll have my baby? Is this for real?
Lin Feng felt a mixture of disbelief and anticipation.
"Baby, don't look at me like that. I mean what I say. As long as you can win an NBA championship ring, I'll have a baby for you."
"Okay, now that you've said that, I definitely won't let you down." Lin Feng put his arm around Su Muqing's waist and walked out of the house.
Driving his Ford Raptor to the Staples Center, Lin Feng and Su Muqing found Kobe already waiting for them.
Kobe stood at the entrance, waving for Lin Feng to come over.
"Sorry, Boss. I'm late. I live quite far, so driving here isn't very convenient," Lin Feng said apologetically. He appreciated the Boss's recognition and invitation to join the Lakers, and he felt bad for making Kobe wait.
Fortunately, Kobe wasn't a superstar who acted like a big shot. While he was dominant and fiercely competitive on the court, even appearing ruthless in his pursuit of victory, his demeanor off the court was different.
In her posthumous Hall of Fame induction speech for Kobe, Vanessa had spoken about his true character, revealing a humble and low-key individual off the court.
While a warrior on the basketball court, driven and relentless until his opponent was defeated, Kobe off the court was indeed very approachable, offering a warm smile to those he encountered.
He looked at the slightly flustered Lin Feng and Su Muqing hurrying towards him and chuckled. "It's okay, I just got here myself. Let's go, I'll take you to see Kupchak."
"Okay, Boss." Lin Feng happily followed Kobe towards the Lakers general manager's office.
In 2006, Mitch Kupchak held the position of general manager for the Lakers.
He served in that role for seventeen years, during which time he was instrumental in bringing five championship trophies to the Lakers, earning a reputation as one of the NBA's finest team executives.