Chapter 167: Friends with Benefits.
Han Sen felt a bit awkward hearing this.
Those who know, know.
After shaking hands, Han Sen looked around.
Seeing that Durant wasn't there, he remembered Durant was participating in the three-point contest again this year to redeem himself.
Since the skills challenge would be followed by the three-point contest, Durant was likely backstage preparing.
Thank goodness—otherwise, given their history, Durant might have gotten into a fight with him after seeing what happened.
"Aren't you playing today?" Scarlett proactively started a conversation with him.
"I'm on tomorrow." Since the game hadn't started yet, Han Sen casually chatted with her.
When the skills challenge began, Han Sen turned his attention to the court.
However, as he looked over, he noticed Scarlett resting her chin on her hand, looking at him, which caught him off guard.
The skills challenge ended with Conley, in fantastic form, winning the championship by beating Parker and Irving in the final round.
Han Sen stood up and bumped chests with Conley in celebration. Winning this title made Conley's trip to Orlando well worth it.
"Is he your teammate?" Scarlett asked him just as he sat down, sparking another conversation.
Han Sen nodded, looking a bit puzzled.
Scarlett really seemed clueless about basketball. But why would she be here if she didn't understand it?
If it were the All-Star game itself, he could understand since it's a high-exposure event, but today was just a side event.
At that moment, the lights dimmed, and the contestants for the three-point contest prepared to take the stage.
This year's three-point contest was less star-studded than last year's, but with Durant—especially the Durant who had only scored six points last year—that was more than enough.
If there was another highlight, it would be the "defending champions" Chalmers and James Jones.
What were they defending?
Barkley's classic commentary from last year's three-point contest: "The three-point champion by LeBron's side."
With two players sent from the Heat this year, it was clear they meant business.
Just for that, Han Sen was rooting for Durant to knock those two down.
Durant was the first to take the stage.
When Durant appeared, he didn't make any moves, yet the crowd erupted with cheers.
Scarlett's attention was also drawn to the court at this point.
Then, she asked a question that nearly made Han Sen fall out of his seat.
"Who's that?"
It was one thing if Scarlett didn't follow basketball, but not knowing who Durant was felt a bit extreme.
After all, didn't they once have… bathwater history?
But, on second thought, if Scarlett genuinely didn't follow basketball, it was quite possible she didn't recognize Durant's face.
It's like interviewing someone who knows nothing about basketball. They might recognize Jordan and Kobe, but Durant? Probably never heard of him.
Moreover, Scarlett was a busy actress, wrapped up in her own hectic schedule, with little time to pay attention to a man she found uninteresting or even dull.
Back then, her response might have just been a bit of publicity arranged by her manager.
Sigh, so cruel!
Han Sen felt this reality was just too harsh for Durant.
If Durant ever learned the truth, he'd likely feel heartbroken to the point of breathlessness.
If Griffin had entered the dunk contest this year, he might have wanted to hide under a car.
Well, since they'd trained together before, Han Sen decided he'd help him out a bit.
"He's Kevin Durant, the best small forward in the NBA."
Look at that—he'd even ranked Durant above LeBron, showing absolute loyalty.
However, Scarlett, who had initially been interested, frowned suddenly after hearing Han Sen's explanation, covering her mouth with a look of visible discomfort.
Seeing this, Han Sen knew it was game over.
Durant, for all his clutch moments and game-winning shots, had managed to kill any chance with Scarlett the moment he said he'd drink her bathwater.
A friend of Scarlett's handed her a water bottle, and after she took a sip, she seemed to feel a bit better.
"I think you're better than him," she said with a smile.
"Thanks." Han Sen hadn't expected her to say that, but he couldn't help feeling pleased.
Just then, Durant, after smiling and waving to the audience, glanced toward the front row and spotted Han Sen and Scarlett.
His first reaction was excitement.
He couldn't believe he was seeing Scarlett here!
But his expression changed quickly.
He saw Han and Scarlett smiling at each other, engaged in what seemed like an intimate conversation.
The woman he couldn't get was already connected with Han Sen without anyone noticing?
Han Sen felt a chilling surge of animosity and, turning to see Durant's stare, coughed dryly. This was the perfect setup for a misunderstanding.
Then he thought: when playing against the Thunder, he had to rack his brain for trash talk to throw Durant off and make him play solo.
But now, just chatting with Scarlett seemed to be ten times as effective.
"I heard the Avengers is coming out this May?" Han Sen smiled and started a conversation with Scarlett, changing the subject.
Surprised but amused, Scarlett nodded.
Now that they were talking about Scarlett's field of expertise, the two really hit it off.
Durant hadn't taken his eyes off them since he'd spotted them. When he finally took a seat with the other contestants, he ground his teeth, watching them chat happily.
Han Sen was just a second-tier player with an endorsement from a third-rate brand like Under Armour.
On the other hand, he was one of the league's top five stars, Nike's number-two ambassador.
Why would Scarlett prefer Han over him?
Just then, a referee came over to remind him that the competition could begin.
Durant would be up second.
When he took to the court, the crowd burst into cheers.
The cheers caused Han Sen and Scarlett to pause their conversation and turn their attention to the court.
Durant exhaled a sigh of relief.
Tonight, he was determined to show Scarlett just how powerful he was.
The game started, and Durant hit three shots from the first rack, looking impressive.
Han Sen couldn't help but nod.
His assessment last year was correct. Durant had the skill and rhythm, but he was just unlucky last year.
In under a minute, Durant scored a high 20 points, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Even Han Sen couldn't help but applaud him.
Whatever else, Durant's courage to come back and prove himself on this stage was commendable. That alone made him braver than LeBron.
LeBron always said he could win a dunk contest, only to leave it as an "if" forever.
"Are you free after this?" Scarlett leaned in, catching Han Sen's attention.
Han Sen turned to her, looking slightly puzzled.
"I heard the Orlando night view is pretty amazing," she said with a small smile. "But my driver had something come up, so I was hoping you could do me a favor?"
What kind of celebrity driver has "something come up" last minute?
Han Sen was about to explain that he was here with Gasol.
But before he could, Gasol, who'd been listening, quickly interjected with a grin, "Actually, Mike and I already planned to hit up the mall afterward."
Those Spaniards sure know how to set the mood. Han Sen glanced back at Scarlett, eventually nodding his agreement.
Meanwhile, Durant's shooting form didn't waver through the finals, and he wrapped things up with another solid 20 points, securing the three-point contest championship with ease.
Arms raised, he soaked in the crowd's cheers, practically glowing with pride.
But as he lifted the trophy to give his acceptance speech, he noticed Han Sen and Scarlett standing up, heading toward the exit.
The cold February air of Orlando suddenly felt like a freezing cellar.
...
The temperature that night was actually around 10°C (50°F)—chilly enough that they had to keep the car windows up while they drove aimlessly around the city.
But Scarlett was great company, chatting easily the entire time and making sure their little tour felt anything but boring.
They only made one stop, at a cozy restaurant for dinner.
A car with bodyguards trailed them, so safety wasn't much of a concern, though getting photographed was inevitable.
Scarlett didn't seem to mind, and Han Sen didn't either.
After all, his plan was to rile up Durant; getting photographed just helped the cause.
Plus, he found himself genuinely enjoying Scarlett's company; they even shared a love for travel. She eagerly shared stories about her favorite spots across the U.S.
After dinner, Han Sen drove her back to her hotel, where they parked in the underground garage.
It was a Hilton, filled with luxury cars, but given it was already past 10 p.m., the place was pretty quiet.
Being a larger business car, parking took Han Sen a moment, but once done, he felt like he'd fulfilled his favor for Scarlett.
Once he'd parked, he was ready to get out when Scarlett suddenly stopped him.
Just as he was about to step out, she stopped him. "Wait—I have a gift for you."
She unbuckled her seatbelt and slid smoothly over the center console toward the back seat. Han Sen instinctively turned, and his face immediately flushed.
What had made Scarlett so iconic across America? Her figure.
Unlike Taylor's slender build, Scarlett had an hourglass figure with pronounced curves, exuding all things sensual.
People called her the next Marilyn Monroe not just because of her looks but because of her seductive allure.
And right now, in her prime, Scarlett was truly a weapon of mass destruction.
Han Sen turned away, red-faced, while she settled herself in the back. Glancing up in the rearview mirror, she caught sight of his expression and couldn't help laughing.
"It's a little stuck," she said finally, slightly out of breath. "Could you come back here and help me?"
Han Sen swallowed, caught off guard by the atmosphere between them. He got out, then climbed into the back.
Following her instructions, he leaned down to check under the seat—only to find nothing there.
Just as he looked up, Scarlett leaned forward, her lips meeting his in an unexpected kiss.
...
Roughly twenty minutes later, Han Sen exited the car, adjusting his clothes. Scarlett followed, wiping her lips with a satisfied smile.
Han's face was still flushed. That had been exhilarating, to say the least. He'd had a similar experience with Swift once, but this? This was on another level.
After all, that other time had been somewhere secluded.
But this was a hotel parking garage! They could even hear the occasional sound of a car pulling in or doors slamming shut nearby.
The entire time, Scarlett had stayed quiet, stifling any sound beyond the occasional muffled breath right beside his ear.
And, as they say, sometimes silence is more thrilling than any noise could be.
It wasn't just about sound either—her skill was something else. If Swift was a student, then Scarlett was absolutely the teacher.
And just then, a memory hit him: an old story he'd heard about Scarlett back in the day.
After an Oscar ceremony, she'd supposedly had a steamy moment with Benicio in the hotel elevator, setting the entertainment world buzzing.
Compared to that, this car encounter probably wasn't anything.
Naturally, Han Sen didn't leave just yet. They got into the elevator together and headed up to her hotel room.
It had been over a month since his breakup, and the packed game schedule had kept him too busy for anything else.
And now, the door was wide open—there was no reason to stop here.
More importantly, Scarlett was incredible. With a body and talent like that, he was all in.
...
The next day, during the All-Star Game, Han Sen once again played a supporting role.
It wasn't that he didn't get any chances—now that he was making a name for himself, his teammates were more than willing to pass him the ball.
But after last night's...activities, he needed to take it a bit easy.
In the end, he played 18 minutes and scored 17 points.
Durant, however, was unstoppable, just as he had been in the three-point contest. He was all-in offensively, shooting 14 of 25 from the field.
As the newly crowned three-point champion, he also hit the most threes on the Western team, with three successful shots.
He finished with 36 points, leading the West to a win over the East and securing the MVP title.
Han Sen applauded him, as LeBron on the other team had also scored 36 points and clearly wanted the MVP too.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend, so giving Durant some applause felt just right.
However, Durant only shot him a death glare.
Of course, Durant couldn't possibly know what happened between Han Sen and Scarlett in the parking lot and hotel the previous night.
But he'd seen TMZ's report, showing photos of Han Sen and Scarlett out for dinner, and that was enough to set him off.
And he really couldn't understand Han Sen's luck with women—first Swift, now Scarlett. It was beyond comprehension.
If Han Sen had gotten close to Swift through bold social media tactics, why wasn't Durant's even bolder approach working for him?
Was it really just because Han Sen was better looking?
Han Sen didn't care what Durant was thinking. After clapping for him, he pulled out his phone and started texting Scarlett.
He wasn't planning on dating Scarlett, and Scarlett didn't seem to have that in mind either.
In essence, Scarlett and Swift were two completely different types. Swift was a romantic, with dreams of love, while Scarlett was simply a woman with certain needs.
In fact, she wasn't all that different from the other female celebrities who followed Han Sen on social media.
She was just one of the few who wanted to explore her curiosity offline. And naturally, they hit it off perfectly.
Han Sen, freshly out of a relationship, knew he didn't have the time for another one right now.
So why not just enjoy a casual fling? And if that person was Scarlett, it was one of the best things he could ask for.
After the All-Star Game, Han Sen returned to Memphis.
Randolph seemed to be in even better shape than before, and it looked like he'd be back in action after the All-Star break.
And with that, the annual trade deadline was also just around the corner.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone