This quadrangle courtyard has two entrances, with eight families living in it. Zhao Dong's family has four rooms—one for him and his brother, one for his grandparents, one for his parents, and a living room. There's a shed outside the kitchen.
You could say their family situation is solid. His dad, Zhao Zhenguo, works at the Municipal Public Security Bureau after getting out of the service and is now a deputy-department-level official. His mom is in the Municipal Organization Department and made it to director. His grandparents are both retired military officers, so they could live in a military compound or get housing from their parents' work units. But instead, they're still in this courtyard.
Why? Because Mr. Zhao Zhongguo is a Beijing native, and these rooms have been in the family for generations. He retired here and refuses to leave.
But times have changed. Over the past two years, three families moved out, and once Zhao Dong's family got their money up, Li Meizhu just bought all three places. Now, they got plenty of rooms and even a proper kitchen. She even hired some carpenters and bricklayers to renovate the house.
By the time Zhao Dong got Lindsay settled, it was almost one in the afternoon, and Li Meizhu brought out the dumplings.
"Cabbage and pork filling, girl. You like it?" Li Meizhu asked Lindsay.
"It's delicious, and it smells amazing. My mom used to make dumplings like this. It tastes just like hers. Thanks, Auntie," Lindsay said with a smile.
"Oh, you're such a sweet girl. Eat more."
Li Meizhu grinned, dropping more dumplings on Lindsay's plate.
"Our yard's got more than 200 years of history. It's old. I don't know if buying more courtyards is a good idea," Li Meizhu said, a little unsure.
Zhao Dong looked around and nodded. "Our yard is too basic. Let's keep it, but if we're buying more, let's do it for investment."
"But we got so many old neighbors here. It's lively," Li Meizhu said.
"If you don't stay, where else would you go? Your great-grandfather's great-grandfather lived here. We ain't going nowhere," Old man Zhao Zhongguo grumbled.
"Of course, Grandpa. If you say we stay, we stay," Zhao Dong said with a grin.
"Good!" The old man nodded, satisfied.
But Zhao Dacheng had other ideas. "Bro, why not just buy a modern apartment? Living there's way better. I told Mom to get some, but she won't listen."
"That's your brother's money! You think I'm just gonna blow through it?" Li Meizhu snapped and smacked him on the head.
"I was just saying!" Zhao Dacheng pouted.
Zhao Dong laughed as his brother got shut down. He was always the smarter one, taller, and better-looking. Their mom spoiled him since he was a kid. He got to eat, drink, and play, while his brother had to tough it out.
Back in the day, Zhao Dong was always getting into fights, and his big bro had to cover for him. Even in his past life, his brother bailed him out all the time, which even led to his brother's divorce. Honestly, he owed his big bro a lot.
Now, playing ball in the U.S., he barely had time for family. His parents and grandparents had to rely on his brother to hold things down. Leaving them some cash wasn't enough—his brother was the one keeping everything together.
"Dongdong, you still throwing hands out there?" the old man asked casually.
"Man, some people deserve it," Zhao Dong said with a smirk.
"Damn right. Americans only respect you when you knock their asses down. If you don't, they'll walk all over you," the old man said with experience.
"Facts, Grandpa! You know what's up."
Zhao Dong immediately hyped him up.
Zhao Dacheng just rolled his eyes. His little brother always knew how to talk, while he sucked at it, so he always got the short end of the stick. Their whole family favored Zhao Dong, and he was just there taking the hits.
After eating, Zhao Dong took Lindsay for a walk around the yard and the alley, catching up with old neighbors and childhood friends. Lindsay was a little sleepy, but jet lag had her messed up, and if she napped, she wouldn't sleep at night.
That evening, nearly 200 people from the whole alley went out to eat with the Zhao family. More would've come if they had time.
"This is crazy!" Lindsay said. She wasn't used to big crowds but was having a good time.
After a solid night's sleep, Zhao Dong was up early the next morning.
"Mom, me and my bro got stuff to do. We're heading out."
"You coming back for lunch?"
"Nah, we'll eat out."
With that, they hopped in a Jetta and rolled out with Lindsay and Zhao Dacheng.
After grabbing breakfast outside, they headed to Xinrui Jichuang Company.
This was a headhunting company that had only been in China for two years, still in its early days. One of the first headhunting firms in the country.
Zhao Dong didn't have connections in China, but he wanted to start a business and needed the right people, so he turned to Xinrui Jichuang.
An hour later, after laying out his terms, they left and headed to Zhao Dacheng's Sanda Club.
The place was called Dongcheng Club, with an attached fitness center. Sanda didn't make money—it was just his brother's passion. The fitness center was the moneymaker.
It could hold 150 people working out at once, a decent size for Beijing—not too big, not too small.
Most of the equipment was top-tier, imported from abroad by Zhao Dong himself. It was some of the best in Beijing, good enough for pro athletes to train on.
The only problem? The trainers weren't top-tier. They were fine for regular people, but for professionals? Not quite there yet.
Zhao Dong pulled up early in the morning, checking out the scene. Not too many people were around yet. "Yo, bro, how's business?"
"It's alright, money's coming in," Zhao Dacheng grinned.
"You selling cards now?" Zhao Dong asked.
"What cards?" Zhao Dacheng looked confused.
"Annual passes, monthly passes…" Zhao Dong explained.
After hearing him out, Zhao Dacheng still had doubts. "You think people will buy that? Dropping that much cash at once ain't easy."
"Man, don't worry about that. Just put it out there. It barely costs anything to set up," Zhao Dong said confidently.
Scanning the shop, he realized there were no pictures of him anywhere. "Yo, you didn't put my name up?" he asked.
Looking a little embarrassed, Zhao Dacheng scratched his head. "I wanted to, but Mom wouldn't let me. Said she didn't want to embarrass you."
Zhao Dong thought for a second before nodding. "Alright, how about this? I'll go see Director Liu tomorrow and see if we can work something out. Maybe get this place recognized as an official training base for the national team."
It made sense. A lot of national team training bases were at Tsinghua University, but their equipment probably wasn't as good as what he had here. Plus, he could bring in elite trainers from the U.S., teach a new generation of local trainers, and turn this into a legit pro training center.
At noon, Zhao Dong took Lindsay to Quanjude.
Ever since Quanjude went public, the locals stopped coming, leaving it mostly to tourists and foreigners. But the quality was still solid—good enough for him to bring Lindsay.
Recognizing him, the restaurant set him up with their top chef, who started slicing the roast duck with expert precision.
Zhao Dong rolled one up for Lindsay, and she quickly caught on, making one herself.
"Eve, how's it taste?" Zhao Dong asked with a smile.
"It's good! Just a little greasy," Lindsay laughed.
"Have some duck bone soup later. It'll help with that," Zhao Dong said, chuckling.
In the afternoon, they hit Tiananmen Square.
"Mom mentioned this place before! I remember now!" Lindsay beamed as they stood atop the Tiananmen Gate Tower.
"C'mon, Eve, let's check it out inside."
After snapping some pictures, they made their way into the Forbidden City.
---
The next morning, Saturday, Zhao Dong pulled up at Liu Yumin's place with a few gifts.
The Liu family still lived in the old tube-style apartments owned by the Sports Commission. The new dorms weren't ready yet, and Liu Yumin was already waiting at the gate.
"Director Liu, good morning! Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Zhao Dong! You made it. We're up on the seventh floor, good workout for your legs. What's all that in your hands?"
"Had to bring something, can't show up empty-handed."
After a few polite exchanges, they headed inside.
Most folks here were in the sports industry. When he stepped into the building, people downstairs quickly recognized him.
"Yo, isn't that Zhao Dong? The dude tearing it up in the U.S.? Didn't expect to see him here."
"Liu Yumin's been waiting for someone all morning. Guess it was for him."
"He must be trying to join the national team. But doesn't he know Liu Yumin doesn't call the shots in the basketball division?"
"Yeah, after beefing with Director Xu, he got sidelined. Shame too, dude built up the whole CBA."
As Zhao Dong and Liu Yumin headed upstairs, the chatter continued.
Inside the Liu household, her husband and kids were there but left after greeting Zhao Dong.
"Director Liu, the Basketball Management Center is setting up now, right?"
"Nothing official yet, but it'll be done by the end of the year. It's not just basketball getting restructured—next year, the whole Sports Commission is turning into the General Administration of Sports."
They sat down with some tea, and Liu Yumin broke down the current state of Chinese basketball. Zhao Dong got a quick read on the situation and her position in it.
Seeing her situation, he smirked. "So, Director Liu, is the Sports Commission trying to recruit me or not?"
"Of course, they'll have to. The fans would riot if they didn't. But they're gonna wait until the new Basketball Management Center is up and running with new leadership before making a move," Liu Yumin explained.
Zhao Dong nodded. It was only a matter of time before he joined the national team. What else was he gonna do, switch to Team USA and run with the Dream Team?
But between Liu Yumin and Xin Nancheng, he knew who he'd rather see in charge. Liu had deep respect from players, even rising stars like Dazhi, who called her "Mother Liu." She had real pull in the game.
Basketball needed basketball minds running things, and Zhao Dong had no problem applying pressure where needed.
"Director Liu, I'm holding a press conference tomorrow. I want you to be there. I'll be announcing my commitment to the national team."
Liu Yumin's eyes lit up. "Really? Zhao Dong, that means a lot! But won't this put pressure on you?"
"No big deal. I just want someone in charge who actually knows basketball. A little heat? Whatever. I'm not playing ball in China, so I don't care about the politics."
They then discussed Dongcheng Fitness Club.
"Honestly, even the national team's training is outdated. We're behind the U.S. in terms of science and methodology. Here's what I'm thinking…"
"That's a fantastic idea, Zhao Dong! If we bring in modern training methods, we can raise the level of not just basketball, but all sports. This is great!"
Zhao Dong then thought of something. "By the way, Director Liu, are there any financial requirements for me to join the national team?"
Liu Yumin looked confused. "Financial requirements? What do you mean?"
"Like training fees," Zhao Dong clarified.
Liu Yumin was completely thrown off. "Training fees? You're not even in the system. Why would there be training fees?"
She genuinely didn't get it. At this point, all national athletes were state-funded. Zhao Dong was the first of his kind—an independent player from overseas. There was no precedent for something like this.!
Zhao Dong grinned and said, "Man, if someone tried pulling that on me, I ain't buying it."
Liu Yumin nodded. "Your situation is a first, but let's be real, training fees ain't even a question. The country didn't drop a dime on you, so how can there be any fees? It ain't legit!"
Zhao Dong chuckled. "It's not that I don't wanna spend money, but I ain't about to throw cash on something that ain't justified. But I also know the country has put a lot into sports, and I've been making money elsewhere. Here's the deal—I'll set up a training center myself, bring in a squad of elite trainers and coaches from the U.S., and develop high-level talent for China. That's my way of giving back to the game here."
Liu Yumin smacked his thigh, jumped up excitedly, and said, "Zhao Dong, if you can really pull this off, the country and the people won't forget what you did."
"If you're struggling, focus on yourself. If you're blessed, give back to the world. That's what our ancestors taught us," Zhao Dong said with a smirk.
His reasons? First, this was something he actually wanted to do. Second, it would boost his influence in China's basketball scene. He had big plans—building his own sports brand. This training base? It was like an alternative sponsorship deal for the national team, except way more elite.
"Zhao Dong, got any real advice for our basketball industry?" Liu Yumin asked, clearly invested in the game's future.
That's when Zhao Dong remembered something. Last year, the country had started laying the groundwork for the Cuba League—the college league. This year, regulations were rolled out, and next year, it was set to officially launch.
"Director Liu, what's the update on the college league?" he asked.
Liu Yumin replied, "It's being led by the Chinese University Students Association. It's launching next year and already got the Ministry of Education's approval. Why? Got some ideas?"
Zhao Dong leaned forward. "In the U.S., the NCAA feeds straight into the NBA with a full-year system. College kids get drafted and go pro right after. Do we have anything like that in the works?"
"Nah." Liu Yumin shook his head. "Our CBA is still finding its footing. We ain't got the resources to connect it with the college league yet."
Zhao Dong knew that back home, they didn't start linking Cuba to the CBA until after Yao Ming took charge, but by then, they had already wasted too much time.
"Director Liu, without a draft, top players from the college league got no clear path to go pro. That's a waste of talent. The NBA thrives on NCAA recruits—that system works. We should be looking at developing something similar over the next few years."
Liu Yumin let out a deep sigh. "I've thought about it too, but I haven't had the chance to push for it. And honestly, I doubt I ever will."
They continued chatting for another hour and a half before Zhao Dong finally wrapped things up and left.
Later that afternoon, he took Lindsay out for some classic Beijing cuisine. While they were eating, Yao Ming's agent, Yao Mingji, called and mentioned he'd be stopping by Beijing soon.
Around 1 PM, just as Zhao Dong was about to take Lindsay to Chaoyang Cemetery to pay respects to her grandparents, he got another call. Xinrui told him they had two management candidates lined up for his business and asked him to interview them.
First up was Chen Jian—36, Beijing native, Tsinghua University grad with an MBA from the University of Hong Kong. Spent four years at Adidas' Hong Kong headquarters, making it up to deputy sales manager. He quit ten days ago, returned to Beijing, and was still job hunting.
Then there was Huang Zhiwen—42, from Tianjin, Fudan University alum with a master's from USC's business school. Had 13 years of work experience, 12 of them in the U.S. His last gig? Assistant VP at Puma's U.S. headquarters. Came back to China a year ago to start his own business, but it tanked, and he went bankrupt ten days ago.
Zhao Dong and Lindsay rolled up to the headquarters and met Chen Jian first.
"Hey, Mr. Chen, this is Miss Lindsay, my partner." Zhao Dong introduced them.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Lindsay. And damn, Zhao Dong! I'm a huge basketball fan. Never thought I'd be sitting here with you!"
Chen Jian had that typical Beijing energy—outgoing and straight to the point.
"Oh yeah? That's cool, man," Zhao Dong said. "So, after working in Hong Kong for so long, why'd you decide to move back?"
"Things are a bit shaky over there. A lot of folks are considering relocating. Plus, the mainland's economy is picking up speed. Figured it's a good time to come back and build something here," Chen Jian explained.
"My company doesn't even have a license yet. Why'd you take this interview?" Zhao Dong asked, genuinely curious.
Chen Jian laughed. "Man, you don't know how big you are in China and across Asia? Hell, even globally, you're a top-tier sports star. You made waves in just one season. Someone like you has a major advantage in launching a sports brand.
"Right now, the domestic sports market is run by Li Ning. But your reach? It's way bigger, both here and internationally. As long as you drop quality products, you can go head-to-head with him."
"Li Ning, huh?" Zhao Dong smirked.
Back in '93, Li Ning had launched his first basketball shoes, but quality-wise, they weren't great. If Zhao Dong dropped his own brand as an active superstar, he'd steamroll Li Ning's basketball line.
And financially? He was in a much better position. Li Ning's company wasn't even public yet.
Besides, he planned to focus solely on basketball shoes at first, consolidating his resources. He had no doubt he could dominate the market in that space.
After a 30-minute chat, Zhao Dong wrapped up the interview and moved on to meet Huang Zhiwen.
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