"Hey, guys, I think I've got a bold idea!"
"What is it?!"
"We're only in the third round of All-Star voting, and Blake Su already has a staggering 2.172 million votes. If this keeps up through the fourth round, could Blake Su... surpass 'Superman' Howard and break the 3.15 million vote record he set in 2009?!"
A collective gasp spread through the fans.
For a rookie, simply making the All-Star team is already an incredible achievement. Even someone like "The Chosen One" LeBron James didn't make the All-Star team in his rookie season.
And yet Blake Su, as a rookie, was not only aiming to make the All-Star team, but also to start, to become the vote leader, and even to break the all-time voting record.
Just thinking about it felt unbelievable.
But now, it was actually possible. How could fans not be shocked?
Today seemed destined to belong to Blake Su. After that comment, another wave of heated discussion about him swept across the internet.
However,
Blake Su himself was still asleep.
Even though it was already afternoon, he wasn't exactly being lazy. Athletes need training, but proper rest and recovery are just as important.
That said,
sleeping until the afternoon did look a little like oversleeping.
Knock, knock, knock.
Blake Su woke up to the sound of knocking.
Out of habit, he grabbed his phone as he went to open the door, only to notice several missed calls from Austin. When he opened it, he saw a small delivery truck parked outside.
Austin stood by the truck and walked over, shaking his head.
"Blake, do you know that if you hadn't opened the door, I was about to call the police?"
Blake Su scratched his head and gave an awkward smile.
"Sorry, I overslept."
Then he quickly changed the subject and pointed at the truck.
"What's all this?"
Austin grinned.
"In Atlanta, didn't you sign endorsement deals with [Krispy Kreme] donuts, [Cold Stone] ice cream, [Ice Breakers] gum, and [Hershey's] chocolate?
They're all chain stores, so they have locations in Phoenix too. Everything in this truck is some of their signature products, delivered for you to enjoy for free."
As he spoke, he stepped closer and lowered his voice.
"Actually, they're hoping you'll eat these during games to increase product exposure. These are part of your endorsement benefits.
And you'll need to pick certain games to casually eat some on the bench during breaks. That's clearly written in your contract."
"Ah, got it."
Blake Su smiled and nodded. It didn't sound like a difficult task. He waved his hand, signaling the staff to carry everything inside.
Soon,
what had been a nearly empty storage room was completely filled with all kinds of gum, chocolate, candy, cookies, and chocolate-flavored snacks.
The freezer was packed with ice cream, and the fridge was stacked with donuts in every flavor and shape imaginable.
There was enough for Blake Su to eat for months on his own.
"Come on, you guys worked hard carrying all this. Take some back with you!"
There was simply too much, and it would go to waste otherwise. Blake Su handed out a bit of each item to the movers.
"Thanks!"
"Thanks!"
The workers smiled and thanked him repeatedly.
One burly young man said, "Blake Su, I'm your fan. I hope you become the vote leader today. Thanks for the snacks. When I get back, I'll get my friends to vote for you too."
Blake Su waved his hand with a laugh.
"No need, no need. These are just for you guys to enjoy. You don't have to do anything.
Well... if you really want to vote, remember to do it on the weekend. Votes count double."
The young man froze for a second, then grinned.
"Got it. Don't worry, I've got this."
After thanking him again, the workers left.
"Blake Su, I've got to go too. I still have things to handle over at Curry's side."
Austin grabbed his briefcase and hurried off.
"Alright, go ahead."
Blake Su called out, also letting him take a large share of snacks back to his family.
After everyone left, Blake Su didn't sit idle.
There was no way he could finish all of this alone. He called DHL to pick up a large package of snacks to send back to his mother in China.
Shipping things internationally was such a hassle. It only strengthened his resolve to bring his mother over to live with him someday.
After handling that,
he paid the delivery driver extra to transport more ice cream, donuts, chocolate, and gum, along with himself, to the Suns' training facility.
Not everyone was training that day, but those who were got lucky.
"Come on, everyone, help yourselves!"
Blake Su turned into a "logistics guy," handing out ice cream, chocolate, and other snacks to Curry, Steve Nash, George, and the staff.
"Wow, these donuts are amazing!"
"The chocolate's really good too!"
"I've loved this ice cream brand for ages. It hits even better in winter. Blake Su is incredible, endorsing so many big brands!"
"Coming to training today was definitely the right choice!"
"Blake Su is the best!"
The atmosphere instantly warmed up. Both players and staff grew even more fond of him.
Just then,
his phone rang. It was Quinnie.
Blake Su stepped aside to a quiet area and answered.
"Hello, Quinnie."
"Mm, Blake..."
"What's wrong?"
Hearing her soft tone, Blake Su could tell something was off.
On the other end, Quinnie hesitated, then spoke with a hint of grievance.
"Blake... can I come see you?"
...
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