Chapter Eighteen Unconventional Friends

  "I'll go downstairs, and maybe a friend will look for me in a while." Ye Feng said with a smile.

  Airi stopped him. "I saw you and Nina come together, are you her boyfriend?"

  "No, just schoolmates, we've just met."

  Airi patted the sofa beside her and said softly, "She has many friends and can't take care of you. Why don't you come over and sit down to chat with me? I want someone to talk to."

  Ye Feng didn't want to refuse, so he sat down and asked: "What's there to talk about?"

  Ariel said in a low voice, "I pushed her down the stairs, aren't you curious why? Fortunately, you were there, or she would have fallen and scared me to death. With your reaction speed, it's no wonder you can cover for Batiel."

  It seems she didn't mean to hurt anyone either. Ye Feng didn't want to push her down the stairs, and asked with a smile: "Do you watch soccer too?"

  Ellie burst out laughing. "I'll be attending all the Lakers and Clippers home games. I've been watching live games since I was a kid, maybe one day my dad will let me take over the Clippers. This year's 14th overall pick, Alen Soudrette, was recommended by me, you'll definitely admire my vision after the new season starts."

  "I didn't expect Aili to be on the team too," Ye Feng smiled and said, "Soton is indeed a good player, I've matched up against him in preseason games, I really envy his ability to shoot."

  Airi beckoned a waiter over and asked, "What drink would you like? A cocktail perhaps?"

  "Let's go." Ye Feng had a great capacity for liquor and could drink without any problems. Aili said a few words, and the waiter went to prepare things.

  Airi smiled and said: "Now please don't change the subject again, you haven't answered my question yet. Aren't you curious why I pushed people down the stairs?"

  Ye Feng smiled and said: "This is your privacy, I'm not curious at all."

  "But I'm curious why you want to help me."

  Ye Feng sighed. "Was I helping you? I was helping that young lady avoid a fracture and concussion."

  Although Aili has short hair and wears men's clothing, she still looks very pretty when she smiles, giving people a sense of extraordinary confidence. Ye Feng secretly thought it was fortunate that she didn't look like Donald Sterling, who also loved to smile, always showing a smiling face in front of the camera, but somehow it looked like a lewd smile.

  Airi leaned in closer, staring into Ye Feng's eyes and said softly: "Your gaze was quite strange when you were sizing me up. I don't like it when others have random thoughts, so it's better if you speak your mind. If what you're thinking is wrong, I can correct you."

  This woman is not quite right in the head, does she want to hear others say - hey, I know you're a lesbian, this men's clothing suits you perfectly! Only then will she be happy?

  Ye Feng sank into thought for a moment, then said lightly: "My idea is very strange, you may hear it and be unhappy."

  "It's all right, I'd like to hear your opinion of me. Even if you're not pleased, it won't matter, I don't have the strength to push you down the stairs." Eriol said with a smile.

  Ye Feng remembered that in his previous life, Ailier had publicly revealed to the media and outsiders the reason for pushing someone down the stairs and her sexual orientation. She didn't mind others knowing these things, so why was he being coy? "Since you insist, I'll say it. I guess the woman earlier was your girlfriend, you two had a dispute, perhaps because of this outfit of yours. She didn't want others to know about your relationship and suggested leaving you, so in a fit of anger, you pushed her down the stairs?"

  Ariel still had a smile on her face. "We just met today, how did you guess correctly? Are you someone like Sherlock Holmes?"

  "Judging from your appearance, you look like the second most handsome man in the room today, and the first is me... Even someone like me thinks you're very masculine, I guess that's just how it is. By the way, I'm not like Holmes, he and Watson are a good pair of gay friends, I'm normal."

  Ariel listened and didn't feel disgusted. Smiling, "You're really interesting, guessing most of it right. I indeed want to announce our relationship publicly, I've had enough of pretending to be a lady. Will you spread the word?"

  "It won't be me, this is your private matter, even if I knew, it's up to you to say. Don't worry, I'm a person who can keep secrets. However, you don't seem like the kind of person who cares about what others think."

  At this time, the waiter brought cocktails, and they each took a glass and lightly touched. Ellie said softly: "I think you really don't take me as a woman, am I not charming? There are many people chasing me."

  Ye Feng took a sip of wine and smiled, "Good looks, good figure, great background, how can you not be charming? But with such great conditions, why do you like women?"

  Ellie tilted her head and downed the drink in one gulp, startling Ye Feng. The cocktail had a high alcohol content, and it was clear that she was also a heavy drinker. She placed the empty glass to the side and laughed: "If you watch the news, you must know that my father is a philanderer. He dates women around my age and keeps mistresses. But he's always been very strict with me since I was young, afraid that I'd be deceived by men. From childhood to adulthood, I've never had many male friends. In high school, there was once when I went out with a partner and we got drunk, really badly. When we came to, we were already naked and intimate. After that, I started liking women. Isn't it strange?"

  "My god, what a romantic story, it makes one's imagination run wild." Ye Feng swallowed his saliva and said softly: "Please tell me again."

  "What?"

  "This story is great. Don't look at me like that, I'm only 19 years old, and I'm still a virgin." Ye Feng said with a straight face.

  Ellie burst out laughing, doubling over. "I didn't think you'd be so interesting, I've heard about you before and thought you were a cold-blooded bastard. Ye Feng, do you want to be friends with me? But let me warn you, I'm not a good person, I can push people down the stairs and I like to use people."

  "Is it that bad? I'm willing to be friends with you... but I'm poor and white, except for being handsome, I don't have any other advantages, what can you use me for? On the other hand, your family is wealthy, being friends with you will definitely bring many benefits." Ye Feng recalled the news about Ailier from his past life, she was very low-key, there weren't many scandals about her, except for this time, she hadn't done anything that harmed others. Having more friends means having more paths to take, knowing a few rich people still has its advantages. The only drawback is that this white and wealthy young lady likes to pretend to be a high-class gentleman, she's a weirdo.

  After chatting for a while, Ye Feng also began to take an interest in Ailier. Ailier was very knowledgeable about basketball and could talk about the technical characteristics of Lakers and Clippers players. She thought Ye Feng had great potential, but his weaknesses were his shooting ability and lack of game experience. After playing several seasons, he would at least be able to sign a mid-range contract. As for Ye Feng's contract, Ailier believed that he had made a big loss, and the clause restricting free agents might ruin his future prospects.

  "The contract can't be discussed like this. Do you want me to introduce a financial advisor to you? Otherwise, you might get cheated in the negotiations next summer."

  Airi is six years older than him, and claims to be his sister Ye Feng has no choice. He said in dismay: "I don't want to leave the Lakers at all, why would the restricted free agent option ruin my situation? Isn't this an option for the Lakers and me to renew our contract?"

  Ellie had another cocktail, still sober as usual, and smiled: "You don't understand businessmen. Kupchak wanting to keep you is one thing, if you have a bad season this year, it will be hard for you to get a big contract in the free market in the summer, he can choose to renew your contract with you at a comparable price. If you play well and show enough potential, there must be a team that looks at you during the season, if that team happens to have players that the Lakers want, you're in trouble. The restricted free agent clause will make you more valuable for trading, and you may become a bargaining chip."

  Trade chips? Ye Feng's heart skipped a beat, thinking of the mid-season trade between the Lakers and Grizzlies. Oh no! Won't they actually use me to exchange for Gasol? This was just speculation, but Ye Feng still felt somewhat uneasy in his heart, lightly sighing: "This kind of thing isn't what I should be considering, improving myself and striving to become a star player is the key."

  "Cheers." Ariel clinked glasses with Ye Feng again and asked, "What do you think of the Clippers this season?"

  "Am I being tested?"

  Airi smiled and said: "I suppose so, you must have some insight, I don't think you're a fool."

  Yue Feng has a good memory of the Clippers' performance in recent years, and smiled: "To be honest, I think the Clippers will definitely be at the bottom of the West this season."

  Ellie frowned slightly. "Indeed straightforward, but even if Brand is injured, we still have Kaman, Maggette, Mobley, plus rookie Sutton, can't we make a push for the playoffs?"

  Yue Feng thought for a moment and analyzed: "Without Brand, Kaman's data may be improved to around 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He is a good center, but he lacks the ability to attract double teams in the low post and his high-post response ability is also insufficient, making it difficult for him to become a core player. Small forward Maggette has strong scoring ability, but he can only score. Scoring guards Mobley and Rose are old, and their state is hard to guarantee. Rose doesn't even know how to attack. At the power forward position, Thomas's level is limited, and Sprewell is just a rookie. They can't make up for Brand's vacancy at all. The most deadly thing is that there is no point guard. Without Shaun Livingston, the Clippers can only use Cassell as the starting point guard. He is already 40 years old, it's time to return to Mars. Substitute point guard Nate is also an old general, I can run faster than both of them with one leg."

  "Haha, they're really slow, I'm fed up with his speed too. Buddy, listening to your analysis, I feel like you're not a player, but a manager?"

  Ye Feng is the kind of person who shines when given a little sunlight and climbs up with a stick. He smiled: "I've always believed I have the mind of a manager. The team's lineup doesn't necessarily need to be all big-name stars, what's most important is that the configuration is reasonable, the bench depth needs to be strong, and there needs to be players who fit the tactical system. The Clippers are currently very unreasonable, your point guard will be blown up by the whole league, I can see the weakness, won't other teams' coaches be able to see it too?"

  "What do you think would be a good way to deal with the Fast Ship?"

  Ye Feng is a man of the future, he knows which players will be able to play at a high level in the future. If he were to build a team, he would definitely be able to assemble a strong one. But would he tell Aria, this new friend?