Chapter 142: Fake News

Following the Knicks, it was the Clippers' turn to take the stage.

He Xinghui was the one representing the Clippers at the press conference. Mike Dunleavy was actually there too, sitting right next to He, but the reporters didn't even notice him; they only had eyes for He Xinghui.

"He, you protested to the referees about Jalen Rose wearing headphones before the game. Were you worried that the headphones would block out your trash talk?"

The reporters were not about to let go of such an interesting topic.

"I’d suggest Jalen spend a little more money and get custom headphones that let him hear his teammates but block out his opponents," He Xinghui said with a laugh.

His remark essentially addressed the question of whether he was "worried." As long as humanity hadn't yet invented the kind of headphones he described, he had nothing to worry about.

"In the third quarter, you made ten shots in a row without a single miss. How did you manage to be so accurate?" a reporter asked.

"Honestly, I didn't want to be that accurate, but the shots just kept going in during the game. There was nothing I could do about it," He Xinghui replied.

Damn.

The reporters suppressed their nausea. A female reporter continued, "Was the song you performed after the game improvised on the spot, or was it a calculated marketing stunt?"

"Uh, do you really think I could control tens of thousands of Knicks fans to help me with a publicity stunt before today? It’s a pity you aren't prettier; otherwise, I might have given you the chance to test me on the spot."

He Xinghui’s response was a mix of sarcasm and mockery. He was baffled that anyone could link such an event to a conspiracy theory. Did they really think the world was so dark that there couldn't be a genius or two among them?

The female reporter, mocked by his comment, sat down in embarrassment, regretting her impulsiveness. After a few relatively harmonious questions, a reporter finally asked something that everyone was deeply concerned about.

"He, do you have a secret to controlling your own state, allowing you to choose exactly when to explode?"

Because He Xinghui had performed mediocrely in the first half and only "exploded" because he had promised Taylor Swift he would, people couldn't help but suspect he had the ability to toggle his performance at will.

"You could say that, but there’s a price to pay for such outbursts. The way I played in the third quarter today is very hard on the knees and ankles. If I kept playing like that, I might have to retire due to injuries in two seasons. So, most of the time, I use a 'longevity' style of play, and only explode occasionally."

Facing this question, He Xinghui didn't panic at all. He told a lie that outsiders found easier to believe—if he told the truth about having a system, they would likely believe it even less.

"Are you saying that in some games where you didn't explode and lost, you could have actually played better? But for your own sake, you sometimes just give up early and watch your team lose?"

A reporter immediately lobbed a tricky question.

A player who doesn't play with full effort easily alienates passionate fans and is often seen as lacking professionalism. Conversely, playing through pain is something that easily moves fans. It was precisely because of this that some players would take the court with terrifying, long-named injuries, only to proceed to throw down thunderous dunks and drop thirty or forty points. Is it reasonable to be flying around the court when you're that badly injured? Kobe and Iverson fans would say, don't worry about those details; we should focus on the spirit of never giving up.

Once this question was asked, the other reporters mentally gave the guy a thumbs up. It was brilliant; they were eager to see how He Xinghui would handle this one.

He Xinghui paused for a moment, then countered, "So, would you prefer that I stay in the league for a long time, or that I put on a flashy show for two seasons and then retire due to injury?"

He Xinghui turned the tables with a death-trap question. If the reporter said he wanted He to play for a long time, he couldn't continue his accusation. If he said he wanted him to play "beautifully," he would be essentially wishing for He to get injured, which would lead to him being torn apart by He’s fans.

*Shit, he’s hard to deal with,* some reporters cursed inwardly.

"I hope you can play beautifully while also having a long career," the reporter replied.

It was a draw in the battle of the thick-skinned.

"He, the Knicks fans were chanting, hoping you would come to New York to play for them. Would you be willing to satisfy them?" the reporter continued.

"Trades are a matter for the front office. I only focus on playing basketball."

He Xinghui’s answer caused several reporters to burst into laughter. There was nothing wrong with the answer, but such official, canned responses usually came from other players. This was the first time He Xinghui had said, "I only focus on playing basketball." Coming from him, it felt incredibly out of character.

"He, the news says you are currently in a hot romance with Charlize and Diaz. Today you were flirting with another beauty on the court. Are you a scumbag?" The topic had sharpened unnoticed.

"Fake news. Next." He Xinghui said.

"This is not fake news. I have a reliable source saying you and Diaz have indeed been on dates."

"Fake news."

"But you were seen kissing Charlize and Diaz on the court."

"Fake... that’s all for today."

He Xinghui simply took over the press officer’s job and walked off the stage.

"He, is it because..."
"He, are you..."
"He, how could you..."

The reporters shouted after him, secretly hoping that He Xinghui would lose his cool and turn back to get into a shouting match with them. Many celebrities had fallen into this trap after losing their composure. Unfortunately, He Xinghui disappointed them.

The game between the Clippers and the Knicks ended early, so the Clippers flew back that night. When boarding the plane, Kaman noticed that He Xinghui was missing.

"We’re heading back first. He needs to discuss some business partnerships," Dunleavy said.

"Shit."

These players, whose combined IQs were well over three, didn't believe a word of Dunleavy’s nonsense.

"Coach, you should keep an eye on He. He’s still young; he can’t be ruined by women," Mobley suggested, though it was unclear if he was genuinely looking out for He or just jealous of his romantic encounters.

Dunleavy really wanted to say that he wanted to advise him too. But he had seen the madness of the Knicks fans today, and he was genuinely worried that if he kept He Xinghui on too tight a leash and caused a conflict, He might just run off to the Knicks. If that happened, he wouldn't even have a place to cry.

"Everyone is tired from the consecutive road games. No practice tomorrow; get some good rest," Dunleavy said. He didn't want the players to think he was playing favorites, so he simply gave everyone the day off. Anyway, the next game wasn't until two days later, so a break wouldn't hurt.

"Cool!" Cassell and the others cheered, instantly wiping away their earlier frustration. They realized that having an unreliable team leader had its perks—at least it meant they could relax too.