The unmatched Portland dynasty is waving to everyone, and the Trail Blazers are immersed in an atmosphere of joy and anticipation.
Even better, the fifth game will continue in Portland, and one can imagine what a spectacle it will be on game day.
After experiencing the thrill of a huge comeback and a buzzer-beater victory, Gan Guoyang returned home with his family.
The whole family was happy, and the uncle and aunt from San Francisco also came to Portland to watch Gan Guoyang's game live.
Gan Guohui withstand the interrogation of the espionage case, although the cost was a divorce from his wife, he quickly recovered and re-engaged in work.
The whole family gathered together as Gan Guoyang shared the joy of victory with them, a feeling that kept resonating inside, and it felt great.
Gan Youwei was pleased, and at noon the next day, he suggested cooking, but Gan Guoyang said, "You forget how much salt to put in, so don't cook."
"No, no, I take notes for cooking now, there's absolutely no problem!"
"I haven't won the championship yet. It's not good to be cooking and celebrating early, is it?"
"I'm not cooking to celebrate your championship; you've won plenty. I'm impressed with your performance last night and will remember this. Even if one day I can't remember anything, I won't forget today. Damn, when people crowded in, I almost got squeezed to death!"
Gan Youwei witnessed another of his son's magical games, adding a colorful cloud to his gradually barren memory.
"Dad... hey, where are you going? Aren't you cooking?"
"Huh? Cooking? What cooking, what am I cooking?"
"Didn't you say you would cook lunch today to celebrate for me?"
"Did I say that?"
"You did, the ingredients are all ready!"
"Oh, is that so? I thought you were going to cook for me."
After lunch, Gan Guoyang practiced shooting in the gym for an hour.
There is only a 1-day gap between the fourth and fifth games. Tomorrow, Gan Guoyang may face the last game of his career.
The joy of victory is fading, replaced by an indescribable melancholy. Could the fifth game really be the final one?
Should I lose a game and continue playing in Boston? This thought even crossed Gan Guoyang's mind, and he found it unbelievable.
He had boasted that he would finish the series in Portland, and now the team's morale is high, with the championship already in the bag.
"How could I have such thoughts..." Gan Guoyang dispelled the chaotic thoughts from his mind.
However, the distracting thoughts did affect him, as his shooting accuracy significantly dropped in the next twenty minutes of practice.
"Brother, are you tired?" Gan Guohui, who was retrieving the balls, noticed the decline in accuracy and changes in form, and suggested he take a break.
In the past, Gan Guoyang would have said, "How could I be tired?" But this time he threw the ball to Gan Guohui and sat down courtside to rest and drink water.
"How's your family situation, the kids, and everything?"
"I'm doing well, no problems at all, you don't have to worry."
"You're fine, you're free now, the sky is vast for birds to fly, and the sea is wide for fish to leap."
"Hehe, you will soon be free too, exploring new worlds and discoveries."
Gan Guohui was implying that Gan Guoyang is about to retire; although his basketball career was ending, he could venture into other fields.
Gan Guoyang didn't answer, so Gan Guohui continued, "Brother, what are your plans? Where do you want to go after this? Stay in Portland?"
"Portland... staying here would be best, as I have everything here. But I fear staying might not be a good thing."
"What do you mean? You are like the Emperor here; you might as well buy the Trail Blazers!"
"It's because I'm like the Emperor here that things would be difficult. Too conspicuous, too famous. Old Tang is already selling his shares of the Trail Blazers, and Nike will surely take over. Avia and Nike's competition is heating up; they won't allow me to exert influence on the Trail Blazers. If I'm not in Portland, considering my influence, they would show me some respect, and everyone would save face. If I stay in Portland and try to buy shares of the Trail Blazers, it would give them a chance to make things difficult for me."
"No way, you are a ten-time champion!"
"Ah Hui, why are you still so naive? Even if you are a hundred-time champion, you are just a player on the court, not a real player off it. Haven't you noticed, having been in America for so many years, that some boundaries are hard to break?"
As Gan Guoyang said this, Gan Guohui understood and nodded.
When it comes to clear boundaries and strict barriers, young America is actually more defined and explicit than an ancient nation.
Because it is so young, those walls and ceilings have not been shattered, and because it is so young, these walls are not made of stone and bricks but transparent tempered glass.
From afar, everything seems so clear and transparent, with sunlight gently permeating from top to bottom, everything appears beautiful.
Only by truly touching these transparent glass walls will one realize how closed, solid, and insurmountable they are.
Bill Russell was once Boston's basketball hero, the true Ring King, enjoying endless cheers and applause on the court.