Chapter 2326: Gossip

The small disturbance at the sidelines was quickly quelled.

Dong Chenxi stepped in to communicate with the arena staff, and coupled with the fact that Zhao Fusheng and his group held VIP tickets and were accompanied by bodyguards, their identities were clearly not ordinary.

Moreover, the game was about to start, so naturally no one paid attention to them anymore.

That Curry is quite interesting.

Returning to sit beside Zhao Fusheng, Dong Chenxi said to him in a low voice.

Yeah, a good guy.

Zhao Fusheng nodded.

Just now, Curry had specifically apologized to him.

After all, anyone who could sit courtside at a game must have a special status.

The rules here were different from back home; courtside seats were comparable to VIP boxes.

Generally, they were extremely expensive and only available to people with special status.

Tickets like the ones Tan Kaixuan had—if he came in person, the arena would soon know that the boss's tickets had been used by someone else.

If he didn't come, they would be sold off before the game started.

The game was exciting, or rather, the Golden State Warriors played in a very interesting way.

The team's current style was basically all offense and no defense.

By offense, they just brought the ball up the court and let Curry shoot threes.

Of course, everyone else shot them too.

That's it?

Dong Chenxi, who had been watching from the sidelines for a while, was dumbfounded.

Even though she didn't understand basketball rules, she felt that Curry's slender frame was far inferior to the muscular opponents.

The team's deficit kept growing.

It's actually quite interesting.

Zhao Fusheng remained calm and smiled. "Don't you think Curry needs help?"

Help?

Dong Chenxi was slightly surprised, then realized what Zhao Fusheng meant.

As Zhao Fusheng said, if that player named Curry had a few more helpers, the game might turn out differently.

After all, a group of three-point shooters together would be more intimidating than a single one.

What's more, if they shot as accurately as Curry...

Tsk.

Just imagining that scene made Dong Chenxi shudder.

That would be too exaggerated.

Heh, tell Tan Kaixuan to buy players when we get back.

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said to Dong Chenxi.

Dong Chenxi nodded. She naturally understood that Zhao Fusheng's words made some sense.

After the game, the two didn't linger at the arena and left quickly.

Zhao Fusheng wasn't one to enjoy spectacles; he had come to watch the game today only because he was bored.

But he really thought the arena was too old.

They drove away from the arena and returned to their住处.

The next morning, Zhao Fusheng was woken up by a call from Dong Chenxi.

You're in the news.

Dong Chenxi said to Zhao Fusheng.

Huh?

Zhao Fusheng was startled.

He really didn't know he would end up in the news.

What's going on?

Zhao Fusheng asked Dong Chenxi in confusion.

Normally, he wouldn't appear in newspapers.

He had no fame in the US, and those who knew him wouldn't leak his photos.

So why did Dong Chenxi say he was in the paper?

Soon, he understood.

Because Dong Chenxi brought him the latest newspaper.

This?

Zhao Fusheng stared at the newspaper in surprise and asked Dong Chenxi speechlessly.

Yeah.

Dong Chenxi nodded, pointing at the news. "We were photographed while watching the game with our people. They found it odd, looked into my background, and quickly dug up my identity. As for you, they thought you were my boyfriend..."

...

Zhao Fusheng was speechless.

He had been mistaken for Dong Chenxi's boyfriend!

But thinking about it, it was possible.

After all, Dong Chenxi was the head of Future Investment and widely known as Zhao Fusheng's most trusted subordinate.

Over the years, their relationship had been exposed.

College classmates, long-time friends.

Based on these relationships alone, many knew Dong Chenxi would not easily betray Zhao Fusheng.

So people paid quite a bit of attention to Dong Chenxi.

Of course, Westerners and Easterners had different focuses.

Damn it.

Zhao Fusheng looked helplessly at the newspaper's speculation about his relationship with Dong Chenxi. Clearly, the American public loved this kind of gossip.

Haha, what, you're unhappy? I haven't even asked you for reputation damages.

Glaring at Zhao Fusheng, Dong Chenxi said irritably.

In her and Zhao Fusheng's eyes, this was really no big deal.

Their relationship was clear; even her boyfriend Wu Sijie knew about Zhao Fusheng and her, not to mention that Fan Baobao and the others were old friends.

Could someone be probing my identity deliberately?

Zhao Fusheng thought for a moment and asked Dong Chenxi.

At his level, he had to consider many things.

Dong Chenxi hesitated, then shook her head. "It shouldn't be someone scheming behind the scenes."

She had her own people here, and judging by the other side's subsequent reactions, it wasn't that troublesome.

Good.

Zhao Fusheng nodded in satisfaction.

He cared about this.

Not that he minded his photo being exposed, but he felt he didn't need such attention.

He preferred to keep to himself.

By the way, are you really planning to renovate that arena?

Dong Chenxi casually asked Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng nodded. "Yeah, the arena is too old. Honestly, if I were a fan, I wouldn't want to watch a game there."

He meant it.

There weren't many big teams in the Bay Area. If the Golden State Warriors could achieve results, attendance would surely be high.

True.

Dong Chenxi agreed, even though she wasn't a fan.

As Zhao Fusheng said, even if the team's record was mediocre, as long as they played well, fans would enjoy watching.

Especially in a big city like San Francisco.

But if you couldn't even provide a good viewing environment, why would fans come to the arena?

Wouldn't it be better to watch comfortably on the couch at home?

As they were talking, Zhao Fusheng's assistant came in and told him Tan Kaixuan had arrived.

Oh, what are you two doing here?

Tan Kaixuan saw Zhao Fusheng and Dong Chenxi chatting and asked with a smile.

Dong Chenxi glared at him. "Can't you stop being so flirtatious?"

She could smell perfume on him; he must have been up to no good last night.

Tan Kaixuan looked innocent.

Familiar or not, I can still sue you for defamation.

Tan Kaixuan said cheerfully.

Dong Chenxi rolled her eyes, too lazy to retort.

Tan Kaixuan was hopelessly flirtatious.

Even though he had mellowed, he still sometimes exasperated people.

But there was no helping it; even Zhao Fusheng couldn't persuade him, let alone others.

Still, he knew not to go too far, so most of it was just playing around.

What are you looking at?

Tan Kaixuan noticed a newspaper on the table and picked it up curiously.

He took one look and his eyes widened.

What's there to see!

Dong Chenxi's cheeks flushed slightly, and she said resentfully, "It's all your fault for giving us those tickets. Now we've become gossip!"

Hearing this, Tan Kaixuan burst out laughing.

It was just too funny!

How could something so amusing happen!

Zhao Fusheng and Dong Chenxi were suspected of being a couple.

And someone even thought Zhao Fusheng was Dong Chenxi's secret boyfriend.

Haha!

Thinking about it, Tan Kaixuan felt he couldn't control himself.

Damn you!

Seeing him still laughing, Zhao Fusheng got angry.

As Dong Chenxi said, wasn't this all his fault?

If he hadn't given them the tickets, he wouldn't have taken Dong Chenxi to the game and been photographed.

In the end, it was all Tan Kaixuan's doing.

Look at you.

After laughing, Tan Kaixuan said to Zhao Fusheng, "Why are you so angry? Chenxi is such a beautiful girl, and she hasn't said anything. Why are you so irritable?"

...

Zhao Fusheng decided not to speak anymore.

This guy was too annoying.

After a few jokes, they got down to business.

Renovate the arena?

Tan Kaixuan looked at Zhao Fusheng in surprise, clearly not expecting him to propose this idea.

Yes.

Zhao Fusheng said seriously to Tan Kaixuan, "I know it might cost a considerable investment, but I think it's worth it."

Are you serious?

Tan Kaixuan was somewhat surprised.

He really hadn't expected Zhao Fusheng to be so serious.

When they first invested in buying the Golden State Warriors, Tan Kaixuan knew Zhao Fusheng was just going along with him.

He had no real interest in the project.

Since college, Zhao Fusheng had always declined sports like basketball and football.

He never ran around on the court for fun.

In his own words, those were muscle-bound activities that didn't suit his temperament.

Of course.

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said to Tan Kaixuan, "Do we need to report this to the league for approval?"

No, we don't.

Tan Kaixuan shook his head.

He was now a qualified team owner and had some understanding of how to run a team.

Of course, understanding didn't mean expertise; everyone knew that.

It was like how many people thought they had lots of friends, but knowing someone's name, phone number, having them on WeChat, and having shared meals and drinks didn't make them friends.

The entire NBA had thirty teams, and their owners formed the most powerful group in the league.

The so-called league commissioner was just a professional manager they hired.

In short, these owners were the ones who really called the shots.

Of course, becoming a team owner didn't mean you could do whatever you wanted.

Often, the interests of the majority mattered most.

But renovating an arena was something no one cared about.

After all, it was the Golden State Warriors' private matter.

In other words, Tan Kaixuan had money and could do what he wanted, as long as it didn't affect other teams' operations or infringe on other owners' interests. Otherwise, there would be opposition.

Zhao Fusheng didn't know these details, but after Tan Kaixuan explained, he understood the nuances.

It was actually a very interesting business model.

It really is a commercial league.

Zhao Fusheng was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke.

Dong Chenxi and Tan Kaixuan exchanged glances, a bit puzzled, then realized Zhao Fusheng was comparing this model to the basketball league in China.

After all, they were adults and knew the state of professional sports in China.

Whether basketball or football, the situation in China was more of a joke.

Full of scandals and mismanagement.

That was the current state of Chinese sports.

For instance, anyone with a bit of sense knew how bizarre Chinese football was.

Players earned high salaries, played bizarrely, and when faced with issues, they brazenly claimed they were earning hard money.

Hmm.

Hard indeed.

Drinking, partying, and fighting all day—how could that not be hard?

In Zhao Fusheng's view, those bizarre Chinese players might as well not have a league and just treat it as a fitness activity.

At least they wouldn't embarrass themselves abroad.

In his later life, Zhao Fusheng disliked two professions the most: players and streamers.

The former because they had no achievements yet shamelessly thought they were good.

The latter, simply put, benefited from the crackdown on certain special professions.

No matter how nicely they put it or how high-sounding they were.

Streamers aimed to trick money out of fans, saying all sorts of nice things, even if it meant ruining the fans.

Once you gifted, the money was in their hands.

And once they found out you had no money, almost all streamers' attitudes changed fundamentally.

The word 'interest' was the most realistic in that circle.

Hey, hey, what are you thinking about?

At that moment, Tan Kaixuan's words brought Zhao Fusheng back to reality.