Chapter 18: Private Messages and the Warriors-Rockets Showdown Begins

After practice, Tang Lei decided to upgrade his car. He traded in his second-hand vehicle for a brand-new BMW X7, a car with more space and a smoother ride. The top-tier version was priced at $92,600, but now it was well within his budget.

"Life's meant to be enjoyed. Why settle for less?" Tang Lei thought as he drove back to his apartment, feeling the difference in comfort. When he got home, still in a great mood, he instinctively reached for his phone and opened Twitter.

His follower count was rising steadily, but that wasn't his main focus. What he really wanted to know was if Caroline had sent him another message.

Scrolling through his inbox, a smile spread across his face as he noticed a new message from her.

"Wow, I'm flattered! I didn't expect you to reply, and follow me back," Caroline wrote. "I was busy with classes yesterday and missed the live game, but I watched the replay. You played amazingly well, especially that last shot! It was incredible, and my friends back home couldn't stop talking about it. By the way, have you thought about what your fans should be called?"

Tang Lei couldn't help but grin. The attention, especially from Caroline, gave him a rush. Although she didn't know their past connection, it didn't matter now. In his previous life, he had admired her from afar, too shy to make a move.

But this time was different. He wasn't the same timid boy anymore.

"Following you back was the least I could do," he typed. "We're both from the same country, and it's always nice to talk with someone familiar when you're far from home. Thanks for the support! As for a fan name, I'm not too good with that stuff. Got any ideas?"

After sending the message, he took a deep breath, feeling the excitement building up. There was no rush to take things further—no need to ask for a number or get too personal too soon. That would come off as too forward. Building a connection took time, and this time he wasn't going to blow it.

With no game scheduled for the next day, Tang Lei shifted his focus to preparing for what would be a major test: the Golden State Warriors versus the Houston Rockets. It was the showdown everyone had been waiting for. The Rockets, led by James Harden and Chris Paul, were out for redemption after their heartbreaking loss in the Western Conference Finals last season.

The Rockets had come within one game of eliminating the Warriors, leading the series 3-2. But an injury to Chris Paul crushed their hopes, and the Warriors capitalized by winning the next two games, ultimately securing the championship.

This season, the Rockets were once again a serious threat. They'd made it clear their primary goal was to knock off the Warriors.

Steve Kerr knew this would be a tough matchup, and he didn't want to overwork his players before the big game. The practice was light, with an emphasis on maintaining form.

The next day, Tang Lei received another message from Caroline.

"Hey, I've been thinking. Since your last name is Tang, how about calling your fans 'Sugar Cubes'? It's a name that balances strength and sweetness, and I think it works, even though most of your fans are probably guys. What do you think?"

Tang Lei chuckled and replied, "That's a great name! I'm gonna use it. How should I thank you?"

This time, he wasn't holding back. He was taking charge of the situation. He had the chance to get closer to Caroline, and he wasn't going to let it slip away.

After sending the message, Tang Lei officially announced the fan name on both Twitter and Weibo, making sure to credit Caroline for the idea. Then, he turned his attention back to practice. The showdown with the Rockets was looming, and he needed to be fully prepared.

The next day came quickly.

Tang Lei didn't receive another message from Caroline, but that didn't bother him. He was laser-focused on the task at hand.

At 8:30 PM, the Oracle Arena was packed, and the atmosphere was electric. The Warriors versus Rockets matchup was a big deal, but tonight, a huge part of the excitement was because of Tang Lei. His last game had made headlines, and now over a million fans in China were tuning in, many of them just to watch him play.

"He's starting again! It's been a while since a Chinese player had a big moment like this in the NBA," one fan wrote in the live chat.

"Hope Tang Lei can keep up the momentum and solidify his spot in the starting lineup!" another added.

"Do you think he can match his performance from the last game?" someone asked.

"The Rockets are going to be ready for him. Just staying consistent will be impressive enough," came the reply.

At 9:00 PM sharp, the game tipped off.

The Warriors started with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, and Tang Lei. On the other side, the Rockets sent out Harden, Paul, Capela, Tucker, and Rivers.

Green surprisingly won the opening tip against Capela, swatting the ball over to Iguodala, who quickly returned it to Green. The Rockets immediately sagged off Green, focusing their defense on the Warriors' more dangerous scorers.

From the top of the key, Green pulled up for a three-pointer.

"Bang!"

It wasn't the prettiest shot, but it went in, giving the Warriors a 3-0 lead.

On the next possession, Paul found Harden for a three, but it clanked off the rim. Curry then drove to the basket for an easy layup, extending the lead to 5-0.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly for the Warriors—until the Rockets' player Austin Rivers suddenly caught fire and shocked everyone by hitting three consecutive threes, each more difficult than the last.

Just like that, the Warriors found themselves trailing 9-5.

...

Notes:

 1. Why "Sugar Cubes" for Tang Lei's fan base? The word "Tang" in Chinese is a homophone for "sugar," so "Sugar Cubes" plays off his name while also symbolizing strength and sweetness.

Let me know yall think about Tang's Nickname!!!! Leave the comment and add it to your bookshelf!!! I would really appreciate it!!!