That night, Zhao Wei lay in Wang Yu's arms, sulking. She complained endlessly about Zhao Dong's cold treatment at the social gathering, demanding Wang Yu "do something" to fix it.
Wang Yu jolted upright as if she had cursed him. He shoved Zhao Wei off the bed like he was shaking off a nightmare.
"Deal with Zhao Dong? Are you insane?!"
Even the thought made him break into a cold sweat. One wrong move and Zhao Dong could bury their entire family with a single word. Even his father couldn't afford to provoke him.
"You?" Zhao Wei froze, stunned by his reaction.
Wang Yu's expression darkened. In that moment, he realized she was trouble—stupid trouble that could destroy him.
Slap!
He climbed out of bed, slapped her hard across the face, and pointed at the door.
"Get out."
"..."
Zhao Wei shrieked, covered her cheek, and stormed out in humiliation.
A few days later, the luxury yacht Dongwei, which had been cruising the seas for three months, finally docked in Shanghai.
Its arrival drew a media frenzy.
The yacht's staggering price tag—five hundred million U.S. dollars—was still the highest in the world. Even with China's rapid development, that figure remained astronomical.
---
On June 1st, Lindsay officially began work at Tianlong Investment Bank.
With Tianlong's ventures spread across multiple provinces, her entry should have stirred controversy. Instead, her influence was so overwhelming that her arrival was met only with applause, not opposition.
Meanwhile, the NBA playoffs were in full swing.
The Nets were dominant. Their Big Three stormed through the East, dropping only one game across three series before punching their ticket to the Finals.
Out West, despite bitter infighting, the Lakers still clawed their way to the Finals on sheer talent.
But once there, O'Neal was left one-on-two in the paint. No matter how strong he was, he couldn't carry the burden alone. The Lakers managed just one win. The Nets cruised to a 4–1 victory, capturing the first NBA championship in franchise history.
Yao and Duncan shared the Finals MVP honors.
Yao's success sent shockwaves. His international reputation skyrocketed, and back home his influence in basketball was now second only to Zhao Dong—standing above everyone else.
---
After the loss, rumors of locker-room turmoil exploded again.
One day later, GM Jerry West resigned. That same day, David Robinson, one of the Lakers' four superstars, announced his retirement in disappointment.
It was a clear signal—the Lakers dynasty was collapsing.
Sure enough, days later, Buss Jr., the owner's son, stepped in as GM, declared a rebuild, and put O'Neal on the trading block.
---
"Poor Shaq," Zhao Dong muttered after hearing the news. "No championship, no MVP, no Finals MVP. If he gets traded now, what's left for him?"
Out of concern, he picked up the phone and called O'Neal.
"Shaq! Why don't you come play in the CBA? I guarantee you'll win a championship and an MVP."
"Zhao Dong, you bastard!" O'Neal's booming voice carried equal parts sorrow and rage. "If it weren't for you, the Lakers would've won a long time ago. You ruined me!"
"Come on," Zhao Dong teased. "You didn't win the title this year either—and I wasn't even on the court."
"Don't get cocky. We'll fight again in the next life," O'Neal snapped.
Zhao Dong's tone turned mock-serious. "Shaq, don't talk like that. You're still young. Don't do anything stupid. If you really think about it… will you burn charcoal? Jump off a building? Swallow a gun? Just don't jump into the sea—you're a shark, you'd never drown."
"..."
There was a long pause before O'Neal suddenly exploded.
"Who said I was gonna commit suicide?! You shameful clown, Zhao Dong, quit making rumors about me!"
"Hahaha!" Zhao Dong burst out laughing and hung up before Shaq could roar any further.
---
Athens Olympics
By August, the Athens Olympics had arrived.
China won 32 gold medals—three shy of the U.S.—finishing second overall. It was still considered a great success.
The men's basketball team, led by Yao, dominated the interior against every opponent. But their weak backcourt and poor point guard play held them back. In the end, they finished fourth, a result the public found acceptable.
At the closing ceremony, Zhang Yimou's eight-minute performance stunned the world. Red silk, Peking opera, jasmine, kung fu—traditional Chinese elements flowed one after another in a dazzling display of oriental culture.
Among the performers were two names who would one day become stars: Tang Yan and Guan Xiaotong.
As the Athens Games ended, preparations for Beijing 2008 kicked into high gear. The capital transformed into a massive construction site, volunteers visible everywhere.
---"
Zhao Dong strolled the streets of Beijing daily with little Qiaoqiao in his arms.
Dressed in volunteer uniforms, the father and daughter shamelessly lined up for free lunch boxes. At first, media reporters followed, snapping photos of the "NBA legend" acting as a volunteer. But after too many repeat performances, they gave up.
He wasn't serious anyway—why waste the film?
"Haha…"
Qiaoqiao, now four months old, had learned to laugh out loud. Every time her father teased her, her giggles filled the air, brightening the days.
Time passed quickly in her laughter.
---
By September, the Lakers pulled the trigger on a massive eleven-player, three-team trade.
O'Neal was shipped to the Heat.
Yao Ming landed with the Lakers in a sign-and-trade.
The Nets, meanwhile, walked away with two unprotected first-round picks from both the Lakers and Heat, plus a package of marginal players and signing rights.
The Nets quickly cut several of the players acquired in the blockbuster deal, freeing up roster space and avoiding luxury tax penalties. The Lakers and Heat both landed the superstars they wanted, while the Nets secured draft capital and flexibility. All three teams had achieved their trade goals.
Time moved quickly, and soon it was 2005.
---
Qiaoqiao turned one year old on March 26, the first day of the lunar calendar.
The house was lively, the floor covered with hundreds of symbolic items for her to choose from—a family tradition.
Qiaoqiao toddled among them, frowning in confusion, unable to decide. Finally, she looked up at Zhao Dong and shouted crisply:
"Dad, pack it up!"
The room erupted with laughter.
"Pack it up! Pack it up for my sister!"
Her fourth brother, Zhao Rongxing, yanked the tablecloth off the table, trying to gather everything. The other three brothers rushed to help, and soon Zhao Dacheng's two boys joined in as well.
Meanwhile, Xu Qing, six months pregnant with her third child, rubbed her belly with a sigh. She longed for a daughter, but this time it was another boy. Watching the sweet and beautiful Qiaoqiao, she felt so envious that she half-joked she wanted to start over and try again.
Zhao Dacheng, however, couldn't care less. He even boasted that he wanted a fourth son, just to "tie the score" with his younger brother.
---
By May, the NBA playoffs had reached the Conference Finals.
In the West, the Lakers' Yao-Kobe duo proved unstoppable, sweeping their way back into the Finals.
In the East, the Heat's Shaq-Wade combo clashed with the Nets' Duncan-Marbury core in a grueling seven-game series. In the end, the Heat emerged victorious to face the Lakers in the Finals.
The 2005 Finals were a war. The first four games were split 2–2. But in Game 5, Yao Ming pushed himself too hard. His body gave out, forcing him to leave the game with an injury. With Kobe left to carry the load, the Lakers faltered.
Shaq dominated inside, Wade dazzled outside, and the Heat closed the series 4–2, winning the 2005 NBA Championship.
---
Time flew, and 2006 arrived.
Construction for the Beijing Olympics roared ahead, with preparations for the opening and closing ceremonies in full swing. The first big decision was choosing the director.
The Olympic Committee announced a bidding process. Thirteen candidates entered, eight were eliminated in the first round, leaving five. The frontrunners were Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and Ang Lee.
But Zhao Dong's habit of wandering the streets with Qiaoqiao—volunteer uniform on, shamelessly lining up for free lunch boxes—had begun attracting negative attention. To keep him out of the headlines, the higher-ups dragged him into the Olympic Committee as a "consultant"… and forced him to participate in the bidding.
---
"Brother, Kaige is one of us. You've got to back him," Zhao Dacheng said the night before the second round of bidding.
Zhao Dong frowned. "What if he screws it up? Who's taking the blame—you or me?"
Dacheng opened his mouth but couldn't answer.
Changing the subject, Zhao Dong asked, "Today's Friday. Dad's coming home tonight, right?"
"Yeah." Dacheng nodded.
Their father, Zhao Zhenguo, had been transferred elsewhere, but since Li Meizhu stayed home to look after her granddaughter, Zhenguo often came back on weekends.
"Alright, let's go," Zhao Dong said, standing up.
Dacheng followed, muttering, "Brother, you've been idle at home for two years now. Don't you think it's time to actually do something?"
"Idle?" Zhao Dong laughed. "I play ball in the mornings, volunteer with Qiaoqiao in the afternoons, still oversee the Wenchuan project, drop by companies when I need to, and now I'm a consultant for the Olympic Committee. I'm ten times busier than you."
When they reached the family home, Zhao Zhenguo's car was just pulling in. The brothers hurried to greet him.
"Is Weiwei not off work yet?" Zhenguo asked after nodding.
"I just called—she'll be here soon," Zhao Dong replied.
Zhenguo sighed. His daughter-in-law now held a position equal to his own, with even higher pay.
Then he turned to Zhao Dong, his tone serious. "Son, it's not good for you to keep wandering the streets begging for free lunch every day. You should accept a formal position—maybe with the General Administration of Sports. Or better yet, return to your old job."
"No way," Zhao Dong refused immediately.
If he entered the system, his rank would be below Lindsay's. He'd have to call his own wife "leader" in public. That was unthinkable.
Besides, it didn't suit him. If he did well, people would say it was expected. If he did poorly, his reputation would be ruined.
"You think you can just say no and that's it? Where's your dedication?" Zhenguo glared at him before marching inside.
Zhao Dong turned to his brother. "What's Dad really getting at?"
Dacheng shrugged. "Don't ask me. Figure it out yourself." And he hurried into the house, not wanting to get caught in the middle.
---
End of Chapter
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Check my Pâtreon for Advanced Chapters
Pâtreon .com/Fanficlord03
Change (â) to (a)
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9