Chapter 118: The Big Move.
"I'm not done yet."
"Can we just sleep…?"
"Round three?"
"I'm exhausted… let's sleep."
"Mmm…"
"Are you kidding me? Again?!"
...
Swift originally planned to catch an early flight for an event, but she didn't make it. It wasn't because she overslept—it was because she could barely stand.
Han Sen was relentless.
He had taken her to the point of complete surrender, leaving her mind blank more times than she could count.
If it hadn't been for the flight she had to catch last time, she would've experienced this in Miami already.
She glanced at Han Sen with a mixture of exhaustion and something else—like a plea. She was always so career-focused, never missing an event, but now, because of him, she was stuck.
"Just rest a bit. I'll get us some breakfast," he said, kissing her forehead before slipping out.
He had to escape for a moment. This wasn't entirely his fault; athletes are naturally full of energy. And last night? It felt way better than any night out at a club.
There was also a small detail. Swift had been very eager in the beginning… and with the rare chance to have her stay over, Han couldn't hold back.
Still, he needed to show some restraint.
Dating Swift and then breaking up is one thing, but breaking up over something like this would be seriously awkward.
On his way to grab breakfast, he checked his phone and saw the media headlines blowing up about last night's game.
No need for his agent Khalil to step in this time; the coverage was everywhere.
"43 Points in Three Quarters: Grizzlies' Future Has Arrived."
"The Best Trade in Grizzlies History: Memphis Has Found Their Kobe."
"Home Fans Turn Against the Cavs: Front Office Loses Big."
"'Who is your daddy?' Grant Walks Off in Defeat."
"'God gave 23 to Jordan; I'm taking the remaining 77.'"
---
When it comes to 'hype', American media may not be as extreme as Chinese media, but they are definitely more intense than most people think.
For Han Sen, this was perfect.
Back when he was with the Cavaliers, even his game-winning shots were downplayed as 'LeBron's supporting piece for the championship'. Leaving Cleveland felt like finally seeing the light of day.
After reading the reports, Han Sen checked his hater system, and what he saw left him stunned.
His hater points skyrocketed from 1.1 million to 1.4 million overnight—a gain of 300,000 in just one night!
What the heck happened?!
He didn't even mention LeBron in his post-game press conference, and it wasn't likely from Cleveland fans either.
Cleveland fans? A thought struck Han Sen.
He quickly went to TMZ's website.
Right there on the homepage was a picture of him and Swift getting out of the car and entering a hotel. Even though Swift wore sunglasses and a hat, the clarity of the photo made it easy to identify her.
More importantly, he had turned his head.
At that exact moment, he'd heard a fan calling his name and instinctively looked back, only to be captured by the paparazzi.
Unlike the previous photo of them meeting in Dallas, this one was crystal clear, and it was taken right at the hotel entrance—no room for doubt.
He scrolled through the comments below the article, and the hate aimed at Swift was overwhelming.
"You're really with that clown? He's just some Asian guy!"
"An overrated singer and a loudmouth baller—match made in heaven."
"Unfollowing. Can't believe you'd choose him. LeBron is a hundred times better!"
"I showed up to your event today, and they said you were sick, but turns out you were with him at a hotel. So disappointed!"
"No wonder you won Best Video; were you cozying up with the judges the night before, too?"
"Oh, so all it takes to date you is dropping 43 points? Why not date Kobe then?"
Han Sen was so annoyed he started responding with his burner account, but like last time, he couldn't keep up. You can never win against haters; the more you engage, the more fired up they get.
He checked his social media, and it was filled with similar comments. He thought about using his official account to clap back, but he realized it would only backfire.
Sometimes, the best approach is to act like nothing happened and let time take care of it. Haters are most excited at the beginning; once their energy fades, they move on.
When Han Sen got back to the hotel with breakfast, he saw that Swift had fallen back asleep. He quietly tucked the blanket around her and noticed her phone was still lit up, open to the TMZ article.
Sitting beside her, he looked at her peacefully sleeping face and couldn't help but feet a pang of guilt.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. Just as he pulled away, Taylor stirred awake.
"Sorry."
"I'm a light sleeper anyway," she smiled. After a quick nap, she seemed much more refreshed.
Han Sen gestured towards her phone, bringing up the TMZ article.
She reached out, signaling for him to come closer. When he did, she wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest.
"I told you before, I don't care about any of that."
"Do you?" she asked, looking up at him.
He shook his head. "No, not really."
Ever since his career took off, he'd never been free from criticism. If anything, not getting hate felt strange to him. Besides, those negative comments were just points in his hater system; from his perspective, it was a win.
But now, Swift was his girlfriend. He didn't mind the hate himself, but he couldn't ignore it when it came to her.
She didn't say anything else, just snuggled closer into his embrace.
Han Sen thought about saying more, but when he looked down, he realized she had already fallen asleep again. After last night's chaos and all the media frenzy this morning, she must've been exhausted.
He waited until he was sure she was deeply asleep before gently laying her back down and tucking her in.
Then, he headed to the bathroom to shower.
It was there, under the stream of water, that inspiration hit him. A hot story could be cooled down not just by ignoring it but by covering it with a bigger story.
Last time, when he first arrived in Memphis and said he'd bring the Grizzlies a championship, the backlash didn't hit as hard because free agency stole the spotlight. That's the key—dominate the headlines with something bigger.
A new idea started forming.
After his shower, he saw Swift still asleep. Han Sen grabbed his phone, stepped out onto the balcony, and called Khalil.
Later that afternoon, Han Sen took Swift to the airport. This time, she didn't wear sunglasses, and they shared a kiss goodbye in plain sight.
The TMZ report had already stirred up a storm, but it also confirmed their relationship. Since it was out in the open, there was no need to hide anymore.
Shortly after Han Sen left the airport, a new TMZ report from Khalil sent shockwaves through the league.
Khalil described an incident from last season. The day after the Christmas game, Han Sen led the Cavs' third squad to dominate the first and second squads, boldly declaring, "You guys f**king need me."
"I'm not going to pretend I'm the most talented player on this team. That title goes to LeBron. And when it comes to experience? Yeah, that's Shaquille.
But let's be real here—who's the one that helps this team win games? That's me!
Without me, you're not beating the Magic. Without me, you won't get past the Celtics. And honestly, without me, there's no way you're even making it to the Finals."
---
Even though these words were just in Khalil's report, they still had a powerful impact.
LeBron's fans immediately jumped in to discredit the story.
Their biggest issue was the belief that Han Sen couldn't possibly have done those things. With LeBron and Shaq on the Cavs, the idea of Han Sen, a rookie, dominating them sounded impossible.
Their second point of contention was that if this had really happened, why was there no news back then? Was there any proof?
But while LeBron fans doubted the story, many others instinctively believed it.
The reason? It sounded exactly like something Han Sen would say.
And, more importantly, everything he claimed was true.
During the regular season, Han Sen was key in defeating both the Magic and the Celtics. That was even more apparent in the playoffs. With Han Sen, the Cavs beat the Celtics. Without him, they lost to the Magic. And without him, they didn't make the Finals.
Social media buzzed with heated debates.
Another piece of news surfaced. During a Cavs practice last season, Han Sen blocked LeBron's shot, and there was footage—until it was confiscated.
At the time, since LeBron was still with the Cavs, reporters had no way to speak out. But now, the timing was right, and it came out.
Fans instantly turned it into a trending topic.
LeBron's team: you want the footage? Not happening!
With pressure mounting, reporters interviewed Shaq in Dallas. They thought he might be vague, but instead, he confirmed everything.
"Yes, he said that. I was mad, but he was right. He was the one who helped us win."
Shaq's response was candid. With the Mavericks doing well and contending for a title this season, he was in a good mood. This was also because of Han Sen's advice back then; helping him now was just returning the favor.
Soon, Cleveland journalists also interviewed other Cavs players, who confirmed the story.
For them, supporting Han Sen's narrative also justified their recent loss. If Han Sen dominated their squad back then, it made sense that he would dominate the Grizzlies now.
Finally, reporters in Miami tracked down Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
"It wasn't a pleasant experience because he destroyed us. We underestimated his talent and determination, but he did exactly what he said."
Ilgauskas, still playing with LeBron, didn't twist the truth.
With so many witnesses confirming the story, the truth was clear, even without video evidence. And as a bonus, the rumor about LeBron suppressing the footage was also verified.
The situation only worsened for LeBron. As the media storm continued, TMZ released another bombshell.
Somehow, TMZ got hold of a recording of the infamous 'Dunkgate' incident from 2009.
That summer, Nike hosted a training camp with LeBron as their star. Naturally, being the best attracts challengers—just like Michael Jordan faced throughout his career.
LeBron was no different. The organizers even incentivized the players, offering $500 to anyone who could dunk over LeBron.
Fueled by ambition and money, young players gave it their all. One of them, Xavier University's Jordan Crawford, seized the moment and dunked on LeBron.
But instead of getting the $500, the media team's footage was confiscated. Despite denials from LeBron's team and Nike, those who were present, including reporter Ryan Miller, confirmed the incident. However, without direct evidence and with Nike's PR efforts, the story faded away.
But now, TMZ had obtained footage from a fan in the audience. It wasn't the best angle, but it clearly showed the moment.
The new footage connected all the dots. Even Khalil's past headline resurfaced:
"Jordan Elevated Nike, Nike Elevated LeBron. That's the Difference."
Han Sen didn't expect the chain of events triggered by his actions, but it perfectly achieved his goal.
Meanwhile, as the "victim" of this incident, LeBron was struggling both on and off the court, facing an unprecedented crisis.
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