blogombal Chapter 151 Reunion of Friends and Heading to the NBA
Chapter 151 Reunion of Friends and Heading to the NBA
Chapter 154: Reunion with Friends and Heading to the NBA
The convoy drove away from the bustling airport, winding its way up the highway and gradually entering the tranquil and beautiful tree-lined avenues of the Bel Air Mountains. The scenery outside the window changed from the hustle and bustle of the city to the understated luxury of the mansions, making Li Wenbin and Zheng Jiaming, who were visiting the area for the first time, turn their heads in surprise.
"Wow, Ah Yan, the place you live in...it's incredible!" Li Wenbin's face was almost pressed against the car window as he looked at the rows of mansions of different styles nestled among lush vegetation. "This is Beverly Hills? Where movie stars live?"
Even the usually composed Zheng Jiaming showed a hint of surprise in his eyes and nodded slightly: "The environment is quiet and the view is wide open. It is indeed a place with excellent feng shui."
When the two cars finally slowed down in front of a grand gate with intricate wrought iron decorations and drove into the estate through the slowly opening gate, even the two wealthy young men, who were used to seeing luxury homes in Hong Kong's Mid-Levels, were not able to help but be shocked by the sight before them.
The estate boasts wide roads lined with meticulously manicured lawns and lush tropical vegetation. In the distance, the sprawling Mediterranean-style main building, with its warm yellow stucco walls and red tile roof, appears dignified and imposing under the California sun. Most refreshingly, upon entering the estate grounds, the faint, pungent odor that permeates the Los Angeles basin completely vanishes!
"Huh?" Li Wenbin was the first to notice the anomaly. He took a deep breath, an incredulous expression on his face. "Strange, the air in the city felt a bit stuffy and had a strange smell, but here the air is so fresh? It's like...like being in the mountains!" He took a few more deep breaths, the air carrying the fragrance of grass, soil, and the distant rose garden, refreshing and washing away the fatigue of the long flight.
Zheng Jiaming also raised an eyebrow, keenly sensing the change. He looked out the car window and saw that the leaves of the trees were exceptionally green, as if they had been washed with water, and the outlines of the distant mountains were unusually clear, a stark contrast to the scene that had been faintly visible in the mist before. A thought struck him, and he looked at Lin Yan in the front passenger seat, but did not immediately ask a question.
The vehicle came to a stop in front of the main building's imposing arched entrance. Charles was already waiting at the door with two servants, their manners respectful.
Li Wenbin jumped out of the car impatiently, spreading his arms as if to embrace the fresh air and luxurious surroundings: "Wow! Ayan! This isn't just a manor, it's practically a small kingdom! This house, this lawn, this air! It's so luxurious!" He circled the car, marveling at the main building, "This style, so grand! It looks even more opulent than our house in Repulse Bay!"
Zheng Jiaming gracefully alighted from the car, straightened his suit jacket, and walked to Lin Yan's side. His gaze swept over the beautiful scenery of the manor, finally settling on Lin Yan's face. His tone was filled with sincere admiration: "Ah Yan, truly... a grand gesture. This 'Laurel Manor' lives up to its name; it's breathtaking." He paused, then added, "Especially the air here; it's completely different from outside, like two different worlds. You... did you make any special arrangements?"
Lin Yan smiled inwardly at his two friends' reactions. He took in both Li Wenbin's direct enthusiasm and Zheng Jiaming's calm and astute demeanor. He didn't directly explain the existence of the "Nine Revolutions Cleansing Spirit Array," but simply smiled vaguely and said, "Perhaps it's because the terrain here is high and the vegetation is quite dense. Alright, don't stand outside. You must be tired from your journey. Let's go inside and rest. Rooms have been prepared for you."
Just then, a white shadow darted out of the main building like lightning, pouncing precisely on Lin Yan, rubbing affectionately against his feet and making a "woof" sound. It was Xiao Qi.
"Hey! Xiao Qi! I missed you so much!" Upon seeing Xiao Qi, Li Wenbin immediately forgot about his earlier question and squatted down to pat its head. Xiao Qi turned its head away haughtily, dodging his hand, but still flicked its tail as a greeting.
Zheng Jiaming looked at the psychic Xiao Qi and smiled gently.
Led by Charles, the group passed through the high-ceilinged doors and entered the lavishly decorated and spacious living room. The exquisite reliefs, the gleaming marble floors, the huge crystal chandelier, and the abundant sunlight streaming in from the floor-to-ceiling windows once again drew repeated exclamations of amazement from Li Wenbin, and even Zheng Jiaming couldn't help but carefully examine the furnishings and layout.
The Laurel Manor, a blend of cultivation techniques and modern luxury, left an incredibly deep and impressive first impression on the two guests from Hong Kong.
Lin Yan instructed Wang Yuling to prepare lunch, and Wang Yuling obeyed and went to the kitchen. Although she was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, her culinary skills had been greatly improved by Lin Yan's love of food. Today, to entertain the young master's friend, she was putting in extra effort. Although the ingredients she used were not spiritual items, they were all top-quality ingredients nurtured by the space's soil and water, containing a purity and freshness far exceeding that of ordinary ingredients.
Before long, a sumptuous and exquisite lunch was served.
The main dish was braised sea cucumber with scallions. The sea cucumber was bouncy and plump, with a rich scallion aroma and a thick broth. It was poured over the glistening rice, and Li Wenbin ate several mouthfuls of it.
Steamed shad, with its silvery-white body and rich fat under its scales, is steamed with only shredded ginger and scallions, preserving the fish's natural sweetness to the fullest extent. The meat is as delicate as tofu, which even made the usually composed Zheng Jiaming frequently pick up his chopsticks.
A braised lamb chop dish uses fat lamb raised on the grasslands of Kongjian, whose meat is neither gamey nor greasy, and is stewed until tender and flavorful, with an irresistible aroma of soy sauce.
It is served with blanched bok choy, which is bright green, crisp, sweet, and free of fibrous residue.
There was also a Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup. Although it did not use any spiritual ingredients, the various dried goods and poultry produced in the space were carefully simmered by Wang Yuling with the fire control skills of a cultivator. The soup was golden and clear, with a rich and layered flavor and a strong aroma. It truly lived up to the saying, "When the pot is opened, the aroma of meat wafts to the neighbors, and even Buddha would abandon his meditation and jump over the wall to come."
"Wow! Sister Yuling's cooking is amazing!" Li Wenbin exclaimed, sweat beading on his forehead. "This fish, this lamb chops! I've never tasted anything like this in the best restaurants in Hong Kong! Ah Yan, what kind of heavenly life do you live every day?!"
Zheng Jiaming elegantly wiped his mouth and sincerely praised, "The ingredients themselves are of extremely high quality, and the cooking technique is superb. This meal alone is enough to make the airfare worthwhile for this trip to the United States."
Lin Yan smiled and said, "I'm glad you like it. Yu Ling's cooking skills are truly rare."
During the meal, the three naturally discussed their upcoming itinerary.
"Basketball game! Ah Yan, the NBA you promised!" Li Wenbin couldn't wait.
Lin Yan nodded and instructed Charles, who was standing to the side, "Charles, go and find out where there are NBA games to watch in the next few days, and get the information to me as soon as possible."
"Yes, young master." Charles bowed and withdrew, then went to his study to make a phone call.
Less than half an hour later, Charles returned to the restaurant with accurate information.
"Young Master, it has been confirmed. There are two upcoming matches worth watching:"
On November 8, the Minneapolis Lakers will play against the Boston Celtics at the Minneapolis Auditorium.
• On November 10th, the Philadelphia Warriors will play against the New York Knicks at the Philadelphia Auditorium.
Upon hearing that it was indeed a clash of titans from this legendary season, Lin Yan immediately made a decision: "Great! Charles, book your flights to Minneapolis right away. Then, contact Alexander Winster and have him find a way to get five good seats at the stadium for these two games." As the head of his Golden Alliance in the Americas, Alexander could easily use some "special" methods to secure a few popular tickets.
"Five sheets?" Li Wenbin asked, puzzled.
"Me, you two, Lin Gang, and..." Lin Yan paused, "And Xiao Qi too! If I dare not bring it, this little devil will definitely tear the house apart."
In the afternoon, Lin Yan accompanied Li Wenbin and Zheng Jiaming to play a few rounds of tennis on the private tennis court at the manor. Li Wenbin was full of energy, and Zheng Jiaming had solid technique, so they both had a lot of fun.
Early the next morning, Charles drove the Cadillac, carrying Lin Yan, Lin Gang, Li Wenbin, and Zheng Jiaming, to Los Angeles Airport. Before departing, Lin Yan naturally picked up Xiao Qi and said to his two friends, "Xiao Qi can't come on the plane, so I'll have someone drive it there."
Charles chimed in at the opportune moment: "Don't worry, young master, I will arrange for reliable people to safely transport Young Master Seven to Minneapolis to meet you all."
Li Wenbin and the Zheng family, unsuspecting, even smiled and said goodbye to Xiaoqi. Little did they know that the moment Charles carried Xiaoqi back to the car, she had been silently transported to that magical space, and the so-called "driving her there" was merely a convenient pretext.
Lin Yan and his group's flight took off from Los Angeles and landed smoothly at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after about four hours. Despite the long journey, Li Wenbin and Zheng Jiaming were quite excited at the thought of witnessing the on-court prowess of this era's NBA superstars.
As the group collected their luggage and stepped out of the airport exit, two tall, distinguished-looking Caucasian men quickly approached them. They wore well-tailored dark coats, their demeanor respectful yet alert, their eyes sharp; they had clearly been waiting for some time.
One of the men, with a more composed demeanor and the air of a business elite, bowed slightly and spoke in fluent but slightly accented Chinese:
"Young Master."
Immediately afterwards, another man, even more wiry and with sharper eyes, greeted them with equal respect:
"And I am Ethan Blackwood, at your service."
Ethan Blackwood is also a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator and serves as the Operations and Security Director for the Americas Group. He is more like an unseen guardian, with a cold demeanor and decisive actions, specializing in handling "unconventional" matters to ensure the absolute safety of the Americas Group and its forces.
Alexander continued his report in Chinese: "Young Master, your hotel in Minneapolis has been arranged. We have reserved the best luxury suite on the top floor of the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis for you and your friend."
After speaking, Ethan stepped forward, took out an exquisite envelope from his inner pocket, and handed it to Lin Yan with both hands: "Young Master, these are the tickets you requested. The Minneapolis Lakers vs. Boston Celtics game has front-row seats, guaranteeing the best viewing experience."
Li Wenbin listened from the sidelines, and although he was slightly curious about Alexander and Ethan's overly polite attitude, he immediately forgot his doubts upon hearing about the "front row" tickets, and excitedly rubbed his hands together: "Great! Ayan, your two friends are so kind!"
Zheng Jiaming, maintaining his usual composure, nodded slightly to Alexander and Ethan, saying, "Thank you both for your trouble."
Lin Yan took the envelope and scanned it with his divine sense, immediately detecting a very faint spiritual energy mark attached to the ticket—a small trick Ethan had set up to ensure everything went smoothly. He nodded in satisfaction: "Well done. Let's go to the hotel and settle in first."
Led by Alexander and Ethan, the group boarded a waiting luxury car and headed towards the city. A visual feast of basketball's golden age awaited them.