Chapter 126: The Kind Intentions of Diva Qin

Lin Feng could not be bothered to pay attention to the various doubts from the outside world; he knew that these voices would eventually vanish into thin air once he proved himself on the court.

After signing his contract, Lin Feng began participating in the team’s regular training sessions. The New York Knicks had finished the regular season with a 42-40 record, placing them eighth in the Eastern Conference. They had barely managed to squeeze into the final spot for the playoffs, and their first-round opponents would be the Cleveland Cavaliers, who reigned supreme at the top of the East.

It could be said that the Knicks’ playoff prospects were bleak. The consensus outside the organization was that the Knicks would be swept 4-0; even the most optimistic forecasts suggested that the Knicks might steal a single victory before being eliminated with a 4-1 series loss.

Although the outside world did not favor the New York Knicks, the team itself was full of drive and unity. After all, the franchise had not made the playoffs for five consecutive years. Having spent so long as a cellar-dweller, the entire team—and indeed the entire city’s fanbase—was immensely excited to have finally broken back into the postseason.

In particular, the New York Knicks had once achieved the "Miracle of the Eighth Seed," becoming the first team in such a position to reach the NBA Finals.

That was during the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season. The Knicks entered the playoffs as the eighth seed in the East, defeated the top-seeded Miami Heat 3-2 in the first round, and subsequently eliminated the Hawks and the Pacers to reach the Finals against the Spurs. Unfortunately, Knicks center Patrick Ewing suffered an injury during the Eastern Conference Finals that year, leaving the team helpless as the Spurs’ twin towers mercilessly dominated the paint. Ultimately, the Knicks’ "Miracle of the Eighth Seed" came to an end on the biggest stage of all.

However, that run remained the furthest any of the five teams to have ever achieved the "Miracle of the Eighth Seed" had gone; they had been only one step away from the championship.

Because of this glorious history, the fans of the city still held onto a glimmer of hope for the team’s advancement; they were praying for a miracle. Just as the NBA’s official slogan for that season proclaimed: This is where miracles happen!

After three days of practicing with the team, Lin Feng gradually integrated into the squad, and his life in Manhattan began to settle into a rhythm.

Lin Wen had flown to Los Angeles shortly after Lin Feng signed his contract, as classes were starting at her university. Qin Han had flown back to the country to participate in the blind auditions for "The Voice of China."

Consequently, the large apartment was left with only Shen Mengfei and Lin Feng.

Being a man and a woman living alone under the same roof made Lin Feng feel quite uneasy. In fact, he had already started looking for a place of his own, but after two days of searching, he hadn’t found anything suitable; the ones he liked were too expensive, while the affordable ones were either too remote or in poor condition.

At the moment, Lin Feng was essentially penniless. Before coming to the United States, he only had about 600,000 RMB in his pocket—money he had originally prepared to pay the Basketball Association’s fine—which amounted to less than 100,000 USD. To successfully join the NBA, he had already paid over 60,000 USD for tuition and other related fees at Carter University. Combined with the airfare for his trips between Beijing and New York, he had very little left. As for his salary from the New York Knicks, it would be paid in installments, meaning he couldn't access that money just yet.

"Not having money is truly impossible!" Lin Feng stood on the apartment balcony, gazing at the glittering lights of Manhattan, sighing to himself.

Just then, his phone rang. It was Qin Ruolin.

"What are you doing?" Her cold seemed to have cleared; her voice was as sweet and crisp as ever.

"Looking at the scenery," Lin Feng chuckled. "The lights are dim, the bustling city stretches out before me..."

"You’re in quite the mood," Qin Ruolin asked. "Are you alone, or with someone else?"

"Alone," Lin Feng replied.

"Oh? Is the charming and fragrant Ms. Shen not keeping you company?" she teased.

"She’s busy," Lin Feng shrugged. "Also, please don’t misunderstand us. We are just ordinary friends."

"Is that so?" Qin Ruolin laughed daintily. "I actually think you two are quite a match. If it weren't for our nominal relationship, I suspect she would have pounced on you by now."

"Stop it, Diva Qin. You didn’t call me just to tease me, did you?" Lin Feng gave a bitter smile.

"Fine, I’ll let you off for now," she said, sounding in high spirits. "There was a scheduling issue with my production crew, so I have half a day off. I happen to be near your apartment right now. Do you want to come out for a bit?"

"Is there something up?"

"Can’t I look for you if there’s nothing wrong?"

"Uh, alright then."

Lin Feng changed his jacket, tidied up his appearance, and left the apartment.

Qin Ruolin was alone, driving an old, boxy red Lincoln. The car’s rigid design seemed quite at odds with her elegant temperament.

"This car doesn't suit you," Lin Feng remarked as he sat in the passenger seat.

"It’s a car from the American production team. It’s just for getting around; it’s better than taking a taxi," she said, starting the engine and pulling away with a press of the gas pedal.

"Where are we going?" Lin Feng asked, feeling suspicious.

"You’ll know when we get there. What, are you afraid I’m going to sell you off?" She glanced at him.

"I’m not familiar with the place, so you never know," Lin Feng laughed.

"Pfft!" She pouted and rolled her eyes at him, choosing not to respond.

The car sped along and eventually arrived near Madison Square Garden. Lin Feng asked, confused, "Where exactly are we going?"

"Almost there."

Qin Ruolin didn't say much more. The car drove past Madison Square Garden and, after about fifteen minutes, entered a villa district. Her old Lincoln pulled into a private courtyard.

"We're here." She turned off the engine and pushed open the door.

"This is...?" Lin Feng looked bewildered.

"My place," she smiled and stepped out of the car.

"Your place??" Lin Feng was stunned. "A villa like this in Manhattan must cost at least ten million dollars."

"So what?" She shrugged, looking indifferent.

"Alright, you wealthy diva..." Lin Feng stepped out. With Qin Ruolin’s years of fame and her status as a superstar, it was certainly well within her financial means to purchase such a villa.

The villa had a total area of about 1,000 square meters, with a built-up area of around 500 square meters. The courtyard featured two garages, a small swimming pool, and even a basketball court.

"I heard you were looking for a place to stay?" she asked casually after they entered the villa.

"Huh?" Lin Feng was taken aback. "Qin Han told you, didn't he?" He had mentioned his housing search to the boy on WeChat, and that was surely how the diva found out.

Qin Ruolin ignored the comment and asked, "What do you think of this place? It has a gym, a swimming pool, and a basketball court—everything you need. Plus, it’s only a fifteen-minute drive from Madison Square Garden..."

"The house is great, but I can't afford the rent," Lin Feng shrugged.

"I'm not charging you rent," she rolled her eyes at him. "I rarely come to Manhattan, so the house would just be sitting empty anyway. You might as well stay here."

"This... isn't really appropriate..." Lin Feng scratched his head. The house was truly nice, but staying in her home for no reason made him feel uneasy.

"There’s nothing inappropriate about it. You’ve done me a huge favor by pretending to be my boyfriend; I don’t even know how to repay you. Just stay here!" She tossed the house keys directly to him. "Oh, and by the way, Xiao Han might transfer to the Manhattan School of Music soon. He’ll be staying here too, so you can keep an eye on him. It’s a win-win!"

"This..." Lin Feng gripped the keys, unsure of what to decide.

"Lin Feng, when did you become so indecisive? You weren't afraid of the Basketball Association, yet you're afraid to live in my house?" She stared at him with her beautiful eyes, a playful glint in them. "Unless... you don't want to move out of Shen Mengfei’s place...?"

"What are you thinking!" Lin Feng gritted his teeth and said seriously, "Fine, I’ll stay! Who cares if it’s a spider cave or a skeleton den!"

Hearing this, Qin Ruolin was displeased and huffed, "Well, look at you, Lin Feng! You’re actually treating me like some sort of enchantress to be wary of!?"