Chapter 116: The Comeback of the Devoted Admirer?

After finished grooming and shopping to her heart's content, Kendall walked toward the nanny van with a drink in one hand and her other arm linked through Li Lekang's, looking completely satisfied.

It was nearing evening, and the Lakers game was about to begin. As they walked affectionately, the paparazzi’s shutters clicked frantically. Li Lekang knew exposure was inevitable, so he decided to simply go with the flow. In truth, strictly speaking, Li Lekang might have been the one riding the coattails of her fame. While he had exploded in popularity, his time in the spotlight was brief, whereas the Kardashian family was a brand cultivated over a decade. Kendall, in particular, had been a frequent face in the limelight since her teens; now, at twenty-five, she possessed both the stature and the substance. It was hard to say who was really riding whose coattails. However, looking at the long term, Li Lekang, as a global superstar, was destined to shine brilliantly. Their appearance on the street was, without a doubt, major news.

Even after the bodyguards slammed the car doors shut, the paparazzi kept chasing them, snapping pictures wildly. Inside the vehicle, Kendall was in high spirits. A woman's heart is easily touched by sweetness, and she was moved by how Li Lekang hadn't dodged the cameras, but instead had stepped up to protect her.

They chatted all the way to the Staples Center, where the massive crowd was already filing in. As celebrity spectators, they naturally had a VIP entrance, granting them full protection. There was no need to struggle through queues or endure the crushing crowds. Not wanting to rush their entrance, they even took a moment in the VIP lounge to enjoy a martini and soak up the pre-game atmosphere.

They didn't arrive particularly early, so they didn't linger long. Guided by staff, they headed to their front-row VIP seats, right next to the players' bench. The view was expansive, and the court felt within arm's reach. The experience was absolutely top-tier.

For a "simp," however, this was surely heart-wrenching. The goddess had asked him for tickets, and he had generously provided the best ones, only for her to use them to bring another man to the game? Was she sent by the Lakers to mess with his head? This, however, was giving Kendall too much credit. She was simply swept up in the whirlwind of a new romance. Having learned by chance that Li Lekang liked basketball, she wanted to accompany him to a high-profile game, and a Christmas-season Lakers match was the perfect fit. It just so happened that Devin, the simp, had come forward and asked, so she had casually requested the tickets—if he didn't want to give them, he could have refused!

How could a fairy ever be in the wrong? Li Lekang had already imagined this rich narrative in his mind as he scanned the arena, where the game was about to commence. Many celebrities and big names were in attendance. Because it was the peak of the Christmas season, the annual NBA Christmas Day games were the equivalent of the Super Bowl for the NFL. Though smaller in scale, the star power was considerable.

When the cameras swept over Kendall and Li Lekang, they lingered. After all, one was the household-name Kardashian sister that every ballplayer wanted, and the other was... well, the man by her side. In the sports world, the "Kardashian Effect" is legendary: it is rumored that any player who dates a girl from the Kardashian family will lead his team to a championship. It started with the Lakers' Odom, followed by the NFL's Reggie. Consequently, athletes in these circles were desperate to date a Kardashian woman, willing to sacrifice themselves for a championship title. Kendall was one of them; though she lacked her sister's world-famous curves, she was still pursued by countless players, and Devin was among them.

The audience shifted their focus to the man held by Kendall—who was clinging to his arm like a bird—pouring the most scrutiny onto him. Countless questions surely arose at that moment: Who is he? What makes him so special? Despite his Asian heritage, Li Lekang broke the outdated stereotype of the "slanted-eyed" Asian with his deep-set double eyelids and high bridge of his nose. People quickly recognized him: the Great Magician, Li Lekang!

For a man who constantly stirred up headlines, his exposure over the past few months was no less than a Kardashian's. Especially in this current pose, it was clear he had plucked the flower that was Kendall. This made the players focus on Li Lekang with an extra layer of jealousy, even hostility. Li Lekang kept on smiling; he loved this feeling. You hate me, but you can't get rid of me!

When the camera panned over, he deliberately put an arm around Kendall's shoulder and gave her a kiss. Under the gaze of so many, and knowing they were being broadcast live, the girl shyly nuzzled into his chest. This scene broke the hearts of even more men. The crowd let out a chorus of "Oohs," with many clearly relishing the drama. Across the court, on the visiting team's side, Devin looked utterly miserable. He felt as if something that should have been his had been snatched away by an interloper. He stared blankly at the scene until a teammate patted him on the shoulder, asking, "Are you alright?"

"She's just a woman! Keep your head in the game, kid. You'll have plenty more, even better women in the future!" his coach added as a consolation.

"I know. I will," Devin replied. He stopped looking at the heartbreaking display and focused on preparing for the game. After all, the audience was just a side note; the professional discipline of the athletes meant that once they stepped onto the court, they had to give their best. Lakers versus Suns—game on!

Li Lekang remembered it had been a long time since he watched basketball. Back in school, when Yao Ming was at his peak, he had followed many stars and loved playing on the court. Later, as he entered the workforce, his interest faded. Now, here in person, Kobe was gone, and LeBron had joined the Lakers; time was truly bittersweet. He was watching more for the sake of his youth, as many of the players were strangers to him.

Truth be told, Devin was playing quite well. It seemed he was fueled by a burning desire to prove he was number one, quickly becoming the highest-scoring player on the court after LeBron. But what did it matter how well he played? Kendall was still snuggled in Li Lekang's arms watching the game! Whenever the Lakers scored, she would cheer and wave along with him, often leaning in for a kiss—and it was usually her who initiated it!

After two action-packed quarters, the halftime show began. Li Lekang finally got to see the cheerleading performance he had never been able to see on television in his youth. Following the performance, a special Christmas activity began: the organizers invited lucky audience members to challenge the stars to a quick PK. The crowd was eager, with hands waving everywhere. However, something seemed to be happening on the court. Devin, from the Phoenix Suns, stepped forward and whispered something to the host.

The host looked excited: "It seems our guests are very enthusiastic. He wants to invite a friend who also claims to be quite good at basketball to come up for a performance—now, tell me his name loudly!"

"Li Lekang! It's you! The man by Kendall's side!"

"Whoa!" The crowd erupted in cheers and shouts. No wonder the organizers were so accommodating; they had discovered a goldmine of drama! Having an ordinary fan come up to play could never compare to the "love triangle" tension that fans in the stadium and on the live broadcast could feel. Li Lekang's popularity was at an all-time high, and since it was Christmas, the event naturally had to be creative—they were bringing out segments that weren't usually there!

Devin had publicly invited Li Lekang down for a showdown. As for the reason, everyone knew: it was nothing more than envy, jealousy, and spite, combined with Li Lekang's previous boast that "basketball isn't that hard." Now, Devin was turning the tables, specifically calling him out for a practice session! Was this the counterattack of a simp?