Chapter Fifty-Four: There Isn’t That Much True Love in This World!

“Wait—you’re actually a player?” Connelly covered her mouth in astonishment.

With her arms drawn together, the obstacles in front of her appeared even more prominent and exaggerated.

You could barely see her chin!

Lin Tian could not help sighing inwardly.

There was another important reason he had decisively abandoned the idea of striking up a conversation with Magic Johnson.

If he remembered correctly, Connelly was not the sort whose beauty lasted for very long.

She had made her debut in 1984 at the absolute peak of her looks, making people cry out that a goddess had descended upon the world!

But after that, each year was worse than the last. Her beauty began an irreversible decline. By her early twenties, although the collagen of her fourteen-year-old face had already begun to fade, she could still maintain an extraordinary allure thanks to the sudden development of the obstacles on her chest and the lingering babyishness of her features.

Once she passed thirty, however, her looks would collapse with terrifying speed, and she would quickly blend into the crowd.

After thirty…

Lin Tian thought it over and settled on one fact: Magic would not die for at least another thirty years. There would be plenty of opportunities!

But Connelly’s peak would be gone in just a few more years. If he missed this chance, the next time he saw her might well be a year later. He had to seize the moment!

Looking at Connelly, Lin Tian smiled. “What? I don’t look like one?”

As he spoke, he rather provocatively lifted his shirt a little and displayed his abdominal muscles. “I’m the real deal.”

When he finished, Lin Tian clearly saw Connelly’s throat move slightly—a tiny, almost imperceptible swallow.

Could she be the predatory type?

“I’m sorry, but I’ve truly never seen such a handsome basketball player. I thought they were all like Jordan—looking as though they worked as plumbers,” Connelly said with a smile, voicing her honest opinion of Jordan’s looks and, at the same time, helping Lin Tian understand why she had never done particularly well in Hollywood.

This girl never considered whom she was speaking to before badmouthing someone. Normally, no one would criticize a powerful figure in front of his subordinate, especially when they had only just met.

Even if Connelly was telling the truth, there were some truths you simply could not say aloud!

Which of Hollywood’s A-list stars was not highly perceptive? Knowing how to speak to people in the appropriate way was the most basic professional skill.

Of course, there were exceptions. But those exceptions could only burn brightly for a short while before vanishing from public view at lightning speed.

No wonder she could never land many major productions!

Lin Tian continued chatting with Connelly, drifting from basketball to movies, from designer handbags to famous landmarks around the world. There was almost nothing he would not discuss and nothing he did not know.

As it turned out, for a psychologist, rapidly drawing closer to someone was an exceedingly simple matter.

And if that psychologist also possessed a face as handsome as Keanu Reeves’s, the process became ten times faster.

Thus, before the game had even begun, while the players were still warming up, Lin Tian was already laughing and chatting with Connelly as though they were old friends.

Whenever she was enjoying herself, Connelly would occasionally slap him playfully, while Lin Tian had already begun finding excuses to collect a little interest from her in return.

That was how fast it happened. That was how astonishingly fast!

When the team finished warming up, Pippen noticed that Lin Tian was deep in conversation with a stunningly attractive woman.

“Michael, did Lin bring a date to Los Angeles?” Pippen asked Jordan curiously.

“A date? How could he have a date? When he came in, he was sitting by himself. He… When the hell did he manage that?” Jordan followed the direction Pippen was pointing and saw Lin Tian whispering some joke into Connelly’s ear, making her burst into laughter.

The obstacles before her chest rose and fell with that laughter, enough to make anyone suck in a breath.

It was a sight to behold!

Jordan and Pippen arrived at the same thought almost simultaneously.

“She has to be a groupie! She spent every penny she had on a courtside ticket, hoping to hook up with an NBA player and never have to worry about money again!” Jordan said angrily. “I need to warn Lin later and tell him to be careful! I’ve seen women like that by the dozen. Some of them will even deliberately poke holes in a condom, waiting only to have a child and secure a worry-free life forever!”

“Exactly, exactly! A girl of that caliber couldn’t possibly have gotten someone’s attention so quickly. She has to be a groupie! Lin is definitely going to fall for it! Call him over now—we have to protect him!” Pippen nodded vigorously in complete agreement, then gestured for Lin Tian to come over and take part in the team’s final pregame rally.

“Sorry, I have to join my teammates for our entrance ritual. Shall we continue our conversation later?” Lin Tian smiled at Connelly. “I haven’t even told you about all the interesting places in Chicago yet.”

“I’ll wait for you.”

Connelly had completely forgotten that she had come there to stir up a rumor with Jordan or Pippen. At that moment, her eyes contained only Lin Tian.

I’m not lovesick! It’s simply that Lin Tian—well, he’s an NBA player too! That’s all. Being with him could generate a rumor as well!

By the time Lin Tian rose and walked toward the team bench, Connelly had already found herself a perfectly suitable excuse.

“Lin, you have to be careful! We’re all millionaires, and there are plenty of groupies out there—the sort of women who think that spreading their legs will earn them a fortune. They’re all watching our wallets!” Jordan began the moment Lin arrived. “Never assume you’re irresistible, and never think you can get something for free. Everything in this world comes at a price!”

“That’s right, Lin. Some women will poke holes in condoms and have a child. Others will even accuse you of rape afterward! Your entire life could be ruined. You absolutely have to be careful!” Pippen also took Lin aside and earnestly tried to enlighten him.

From the intensely sour tone of the two men, Lin Tian understood exactly what they were thinking. He immediately smiled and said, “I’ll be careful. But she isn’t like that. She’s different.”

Jordan felt that he had finally found Lin Tian’s weakness.

The kid was still inexperienced! No matter how capable he was, he still had a weakness, didn’t he? The moment he saw a beautiful woman, he lost the ability to walk straight, didn’t he?

Jordan patted Lin Tian on the shoulder with great solemnity. “Everyone thinks they’re different. Everyone thinks they’ll be the one to find true love. But let me tell you, Lin, there isn’t that much true love in this world. Most of what you’ll find is self-interest and calculation. It’s just like…”

“Michael, you do know who she is, right? She isn’t a groupie.”

Lin Tian cut him off with a mischievous grin. He had a feeling he might even gain something extra that night.