Chen Yilun finalized the details with Riley and hung up the phone.
"These two picks are enough." He was more than satisfied with selling a first-round pick for that price. Not only had he secured the 10th pick—a guaranteed lottery spot—and the 40th pick as a potential steal, but he had also picked up another future first-rounder, even if it would take a long time to materialize.
Still, as long as that pick was in his hands, it gave him another bargaining chip.
Just as he was about to head back to his room, his phone rang again at the worst possible moment.
"You guys just won't give me a break, huh!" Chen Yilun answered, sounding a little helpless.
"Hello? Who is this?"
To his surprise, a somewhat nervous young man's voice came through. Stranger still, he was speaking Mandarin.
"Um… is this Chen Yilun, Manager Chen?"
"Yes, that's me. And you are?" Chen Yilun frowned. Hadn't Director Zhang promised that people back home wouldn't bother him for a while?
"My name is Tang Zhou, but you can just call me Tang. Mr. Harris gave me your number."
Harris?
Chen Yilun thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered.
"Oh, right—I know who you are. You're the kid from China Harris told me about, the one looking for a job in the league, right?"
"Yes, that's me!"
Relieved to be recognized, Tang Zhou let out a deep breath.
"I was in Italy working on a scouting report these past couple of days, so I couldn't call until now. When would you be available? I'd like to come to Sacramento for an interview."
"Hold on."
Chen Yilun stepped into his room and checked his schedule.
"This weekend works. I'm free then. I'll let you know the exact time later."
"Perfect! I'm already in Sacramento. Just tell me when you're free!"
"You're already here?"
Chen Yilun blinked, then glanced at the time. "In that case, let's not wait until the weekend. How about tonight? In an hour, meet me at a bar on Fifth Avenue called 'The Pump.' I'll be there."
"Okay, I'm on my way!"
Chen Yilun grabbed a jacket and slipped it on. "Why are you guys still here?"
When he walked into the living room, the three were still sitting obediently on the sofa.
"If you've got nothing better to do, stick around. I've got something to take care of. I'll go over the draft picks in detail at tomorrow's meeting."
With that, he turned and left.
"What's he up to, acting all mysterious?"
Malone glanced after him.
"Why do you care? I'm done here. Time to go home to the wife." Peja got up, brushed off his pants, and everyone went their separate ways.
...
The Pump Bar
A classic American-style bar in Sacramento. As soon as Chen Yilun walked in, he spotted Tang Zhou at the counter, waiting.
He spotted him immediately—it wasn't hard to pick out someone new in a familiar crowd.
"Tang Zhou, right?"
Chen Yilun sat down beside him. The bartender immediately recognized Chen, poured a full glass of beer, and slid it across the counter.
"The first round's on me."
Chen Yilun raised his glass, nodded in thanks, and took a sip.
"Harris already told me about your background. You were working as a freelance scout, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
Freelance scouts weren't on any team's payroll. They traveled constantly, across the U.S. and even abroad, searching for hidden gems.
It was grueling work: long hours, little pay, and almost no recognition.
"Why not work at a sports company? With your education, getting an analyst job should be easy."
"Because I don't want to be too far from the league," Tang Zhou answered firmly. "In those companies, all you do is crunch numbers day after day. I love basketball, I love the way a team operates—not being stuck in a cubicle surrounded by spreadsheets."
"I see."
Chen Yilun took another sip and went on.
"I promised Harris I'd give you a chance. From your résumé, your strength is mainly tactical analysis. Starting next week, you can join the team. I'll talk to Coach Malone—you'll begin as an analyst under him."
"Great! Thank you so much for this opportunity!"
Excited, Tang Zhou jumped off the stool and bowed. "I won't let you down, sir!"
"Stop calling me 'sir.' I'm really not that much older than you."
Chen Yilun waved him off before he could launch into another speech of loyalty. "Just call me Yilun, like everyone else."
"Okay, Master!!"
"Hold it right there!"
Chen Yilun stared at him. "What did you just call me?"
"Master. My biggest dream is to become the head of a team like you. Now that you've taken me in, doesn't that make you my master?"
Tang Zhou blinked, wide-eyed and innocent.
"You little rascal!"
Chen Yilun laughed. "With that shamelessness of yours, you might actually make a name for yourself in this league."
"Alright, I'm buried in work these next couple of days. Don't call me unless it's important."
Not wanting the kid to cling to him any further, Chen Yilun quickly finished his drink, slipped a bill to the bartender as a tip, and left.
Tang Zhou, meanwhile, stayed at the counter, staring blankly into space.
"Young man, what's your relationship with Chen Yilun? He came out here in the middle of the night just to talk to you?"
The bartender leaned closer, his curiosity piqued. He knew Chen Yilun—sometimes Yilun would drop by when he was bored. In neighborhood bars like this, the clientele was mostly regulars, and over time Yilun had become a familiar face.
"Hehehe!"
Just as the bartender was about to press further, Tang Zhou suddenly broke into a wide grin.
Startled, the bartender took a step back. Was this guy losing his mind after talking to Chen Yilun?
"Boss!"
Tang Zhou lifted his glass and downed it in one gulp. "Another!"
"I've got a job now! I'm part of Chen Yilun's team! My chance has finally come!"
...