Chapter 88: Writing a Song for Taylor Swift? Outrageous Scandal!
Chen Yan didn't take the team bus back to the hotel after the game. Tonight, he had plans of his own.
Even though he tried to keep a low profile, it was hard to stay unnoticed. A few Chinese fans waiting outside the arena quickly recognized him. Almost all the Chinese fans who showed up tonight came just to support him, and Chen Yan took the time to return the love—signing autographs, snapping selfies, and exchanging brief words with each of them.
"Hey! Big star, can I get an autograph too?"
A playful voice came from behind. Chen Yan turned around—and was stunned for a second.
Taylor Swift stood there with a bright smile.
He scratched his head awkwardly. Yeah… he'd made her wait outside a little too long.
But Taylor didn't seem to mind. She knew how insane things would be for Chen after a performance like that. The media would hound him all night, trying to milk every soundbite they could get.
Though it had been a few months since they'd seen each other in person, their chemistry was still there—effortless, natural. They chatted almost daily over social media, sharing pieces of their lives. Distance didn't seem to change that.
"So… where to next?" Chen asked, slipping on a hoodie.
Los Angeles was Taylor's turf—she knew this place way better than he did.
"Anywhere you want to go," she said with a grin.
"Then take me somewhere you go a lot."
Taylor laughed. "That'd be my recording studio, honestly."
Chen blinked. "I've never been to one before."
"You're in for a treat then," she said, linking her arm with his. "Let's go. I'll show you where the magic happens."
To her, it was something new. She'd never taken a date to the studio before. Something about the quiet, closed-off space—and the two of them alone—made it feel… exciting.
As they walked toward her car, Chen was a bit surprised. Unlike most girls he knew who drove cute compacts or luxury sedans, Taylor's ride was a Chevy Tahoe. A beast of an SUV. Looked more like something you'd see in an action movie chase scene.
"You want me to drive?" Chen offered.
"You've been running the court all night. Sit your ass down—I got this," she said, laughing as she nudged him toward the passenger seat.
But Chen stiffened up a bit. He'd heard the stories—Taylor Swift was a menace behind the wheel. She failed her license test three times. She'd even accidentally hit a reporter once—twice actually—and the guy literally ran off in terror.
Still, luck was on his side tonight. They made it to the studio in one piece.
"Damn, this place is bigger than I expected," Chen said, stepping inside and looking around in awe.
"Chen," Taylor turned to him, "do you like singing?"
"I mean, I sing in the shower. Mostly to chill out."
"Are you any good?"
"Not as good as my jump shot," he chuckled.
Taylor laughed. "I'd still love to hear you."
With nobody else around, Chen didn't feel embarrassed. He cleared his throat and started humming:
"It's been a long day without you, my friend… and I'll tell you all about it when I see you again…"
It was "See You Again"—a hit from his past life. One of the few English songs he knew well. But mid-hum, realization hit.
Shit.
That song didn't come out until 2015. It was 2007 now.
"Whoa… what song is that? That melody is amazing!" Taylor's eyes lit up.
"Uh… just something I came up with in the shower," Chen muttered, trying to brush it off.
Taylor didn't buy the casual act. She was already fired up. "Chen, hum it again. Please."
That one moment sparked her creativity. The two of them jumped into action. What started as a casual visit turned into a full-blown studio session.
Hours passed.
Taylor looked up from her notes. "This is insane. You're telling me you don't read music? But you're still able to hum something like that?"
Chen shrugged. "Michael Jackson couldn't read sheet music either. Didn't stop him from becoming a legend."
It was true. MJ made entire beats and arrangements with his mouth alone. He'd hum the percussion, the bassline, even the guitar riffs—and producers built from there.
Chen wasn't trying to compare himself to the King of Pop, but the memory of the song's melody from his past life was sharp. He just followed it.
Taylor was beyond impressed. "This song is going to be huge! I'll give you full credit—composer and lyricist. I just need to clean up a few things in production."
She disappeared into the recording booth.
Chen flopped onto the studio couch, staring at the ceiling.
Did he… just help write a Taylor Swift song?
This wasn't how he imagined their date going.
It felt like something out of Charlotte, that movie where the guy accidentally becomes a musical genius. He chuckled to himself.
Even if this little side quest was fun, basketball was still his world. The league was where he belonged. The entertainment stuff? Just a side hustle.
Taylor's dedication inside the booth was mesmerizing though. She was completely locked in.
Chen, on the other hand, passed out on the couch not long after.
---
"Yo… you stayed up all night recording?"
Chen rubbed his eyes. It was dawn. Taylor was still in the booth, headphones on, voice steady.
"Yup. This song's magic, and I don't want to waste the energy," she replied, her face lit with passion despite the dark circles under her eyes.
Chen smiled wryly.
Their "first date" ended with him knocked out on a couch and her grinding away in the studio all night. Definitely not what he pictured.
Still, her work ethic lit a fire in him.
No wonder she was a star.
He left the studio quietly and returned to the team hotel. There was another game coming up. Clippers this time. Still in L.A., but no less important.
As he stepped into the lobby, he noticed the team was already gathering for morning training.
And then… the teasing began.
"Look who finally showed up," Boris Diaw said, sipping his coffee. He patted Chen on the shoulder. "You play on and off the court, huh?"
Raja Bell grinned and slapped Chen on the butt. "MVP of both games!"
Chen blinked, confused. "What the hell are you guys talking about?"
Stoudemire strolled over and held up a tabloid. "This."
The headline screamed:
"Golden Boy and Pop Princess! Late-Night Studio Date Shocks Fans!"
"From Locker Room to Recording Booth: Where Will the Next Crossover Be?"
"Chen Yan Conquers Taylor Swift With More Than Just Game!"
"Taylor Leaves Studio With Bedhead, Dark Circles, and a Smile!"
"While Kobe Shoots 1,000 Jumpers After Games, Chen Works on His Two-Ball Rhythm!"
Fxxk.
Chen forgot he was in L.A.—paparazzi central.
The entire damn country probably saw this by now.
Even Coach D'Antoni was cracking up at the headline.
But Coach wasn't the type to micromanage. As long as Chen showed up, put in the work, and played like a monster, he wouldn't get in the way.
Surrounded by smirking teammates, Chen just shook his head.
What was he gonna say?
That he and Taylor just… made a song?
Yeah, like anyone was gonna believe that.
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