The next day, when Chen Yu arrived at the clinic on foot, he found it had completely changed.
A few burly, intimidating-looking guys decked out in gold chains and bandanas were aggressively guarding the parking lot, directing cars in and out.
At the main entrance stood another massive man, like a guardian statue. The bulge at his waist made it clear he was armed.
It made the place look less like a clinic and more like a gang headquarters.
But thanks to them, order had truly been restored.
Around here, no one dared to cross Captain Vogel.
The men clearly recognized Chen Yu and quickly ushered him inside.
There were guards in the reception area as well.
All the patients were sitting quietly and obediently.
He asked the front desk and learned that Wade had already arrived and was waiting for him in the examination room.
Chen Yu asked for a white lab coat, put it on, and headed for the examination room with the clinic director, Joe Keenan.
As they walked down the hallway, Chen Yu stopped. A boy was pushing a cleaning cart past them.
"I remember you," Chen Yu said, stopping the boy in the baseball cap.
The boy had clearly seen Chen Yu already. When Chen Yu addressed him, his eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly. "Hello, Dr. Chen. My name is Derek Rose. We met last year."
Chen Yu nodded. He remembered. Last year, when Yao Ming was in Chicago for a tryout, Chen Yu had been in a car that almost hit this kid.
Later, during a free clinic, the boy had come to him to have his arm checked.
’It was a fissure fracture of the olecranon process, if I recall correctly.’
Vogel had told him back then that the kid was an amazing basketball player, undefeated in the neighborhood.
"What are you doing here?" Chen Yu asked.
’Skipping school to work here?’
Rose quickly shook his head.
Joe Keenan, standing beside him, quickly explained.
"I see," Chen Yu said, understanding now. He had told Vogel last year that he would use the clinic’s profits to sponsor athletically gifted kids in the community and improve local sports facilities.
Rose’s family was struggling, but he was too proud to accept handouts. So the clinic had offered him a job, allowing him to come in on his days off to help with custodial work in exchange for a salary.
It was, in reality, a form of sponsorship, as the pay was quite generous.
"Dr. Chen, I really have to thank you," Rose said gratefully. "I wouldn’t have gotten this job if it weren’t for you."
Thanks to this job, his family’s situation had improved significantly.
"That’s great." Chen Yu smiled and nodded. He could see that the boy had filled out since last year; his nutrition had clearly improved.
"Keep it up."
Chen Yu patted his shoulder and walked past him.
Rose spun around, wanting to say something more, but he didn’t dare. He could only watch helplessly as Chen Yu walked away.
This hadn’t been a chance encounter. He knew Chen Yu was coming to the clinic today and had waited for him on purpose.
His goal was to speak with Chen Yu. He knew Chen Yu was an important man. Maybe one phone call, one letter of recommendation, could get him into a good high school and change his fate.
’But I missed my chance to ask.’
Gritting his teeth, Rose could only push his cleaning cart away.
In the examination room.
A whole group of people was there.
There was Wade, his father, one of his brothers, and a young woman holding a one-year-old child.
Upon asking, Chen Yu learned that this was actually Wade’s child.
Chen Yu couldn’t help but give Wade a second look.
’Not bad. He hasn’t even made it to the NBA, and he’s already a father.’
There was also a middle-aged man in a sharp suit with a pencil-thin mustache, who immediately gave an animated self-introduction.
He was an agent named Henry Thomas.
He wasn’t famous; at least, Chen Yu had never heard of him.
He only had two players on his roster. One was a Hardaway—not the one on the Phoenix Suns, but the other one, Tim Hardaway.
The other was Finley.
Wade was entering the draft and was a likely first-round pick, so it was normal for him to attract agents.
Chen Yu cut to the chase and had Keenan take Wade for his examination.
The test results came back quickly.
Before Chen Yu could even speak, Thomas jumped in. "Dr. Chen, does Dwayne need surgery?"
Chen Yu shot him a look.
’Are you the doctor, or am I?’
Thomas gave a sheepish laugh, seemingly oblivious. "It’s just that his injury is to his knee, and he already had an operation last year. If he doesn’t have another one, will it affect his career?"
’Just look at Tim Hardaway. He used to be one of the best slashers in the league, but a knee injury completely derailed his career.’
It was Old Wade who silenced Thomas with a sharp look, then turned to Chen Yu with an apologetic smile and gestured for him to continue.
Chen Yu set down the report. "You’re aware of your own condition, so I’ll give you a suggestion—or rather, a choice. Don’t have the surgery now. Wait until after the draft."
Everyone in the room was stunned.
Wade’s brother instinctively asked, "Why wait until after the draft?"
’Even if he’s busy now, he could have it done after March Madness.’
Chen Yu ignored him, taking out a business card. He quickly jotted down a number and handed it over. "There’s a number on here. Contact this person and tell them I sent you. They can provide you with a professional-grade knee brace. Use it for the time being."
They were a sports equipment supplier that catered to professional athletes. Chen Yu had them custom-make a knee brace for Carter.
’It’s expensive, but it’s the best there is.’
After that, Chen Yu quickly wrote out a prescription. Wade’s inflammation needed to be managed.
"Contact me once you’ve made up your mind."
Chen Yu patted Wade’s arm, then stood up and left.
Keenan hurried after him.
That left Wade and his family staring at each other, completely dumbfounded.
"What was that all about?" Wade’s wife, Theovorn, complained. "We paid for this. Is that how he consults with patients?"
It was so hard to get an appointment with him, and they barely exchanged a few words.
He didn’t even discuss the details of Wade’s injury or what kind of surgery was needed. The whole consultation felt like a joke.
Wade shot his wife a look to quiet her. They had only booked an appointment with a regular doctor at the clinic. To get a proper consultation with Chen Yu himself would have cost a fortune.
Just then, Thomas’s eyes lit up. "I get it!" he exclaimed.
Old Wade’s brow was furrowed in thought. He had apparently reached a similar conclusion. He exchanged a look with Thomas and said, "The Phoenix Suns don’t want to draft Tyrone, do they?"
Wade was taken aback.
Thomas nodded excitedly. "That must be it! I’ve read the reports—Chen is an excellent, very patient doctor. Since he agreed to see you, he wouldn’t make such a rushed diagnosis. There’s only one explanation for his behavior: the Phoenix Suns want to draft Dwayne."
The more Thomas thought about it, the more excited he got. He began to analyze the situation. "Think about what he just said. He suggested we do the surgery *after* the draft. Why? To use the injury concern to make Dwayne’s draft stock fall! The Suns’ pick isn’t very high, even if they trade up."
"This is the only way they can hope to snag a steal. Plus, with the league cracking down on tampering, he can’t say anything explicitly."
"Dwayne, this is a great thing!" Thomas continued. "The Phoenix Suns are the defending champions with a stacked roster. If you could go there and win a title in your rookie year, it would be an incredible start to your career."
For a rookie, going to a weak team means more development opportunities and a chance to pad your stats.
But the appeal of playing for a championship-contending team was just as strong.
You can be a piece of the championship puzzle and then, when your rookie contract is up, go for a much bigger deal.
Plus, you get more exposure on a championship team. One or two brilliant moments can become legendary, remembered by millions of fans, and your commercial value will skyrocket.
For a player who isn’t a superstar, you’re just trying to find your place anyway. It’s obviously better to find your place on a championship team.
Not to mention the glory of winning a championship itself.
Otherwise, why would so many veterans be fighting tooth and nail to join the Phoenix Suns? Why can the Phoenix Suns sign players so easily in free agency?
Old Wade nodded in complete agreement. "So, Tyrone, Dr. Chen’s advice is right. You’re in the middle of the tournament and can’t afford to be out. Your knee must not be serious enough to stop you from playing. The best option is exactly what Dr. Chen said: wait until after the draft to have him perform the surgery."
He had been torn. Wade could still play now, but if he had surgery, his season would be over instantly. Being out for several months would have a huge impact on his draft prospects.
Wade’s brother chimed in, "Tyrone, do you want to go to the Phoenix Suns?"
Wade’s eyes flickered for a second before he nodded without the slightest hesitation.
’Of course I do. It’s the Phoenix Suns, the team with Hardaway and O’Neal. Who wouldn’t want to go there?’
"Good," Old Wade said, his mood lifting. "At the very least, this means the Phoenix Suns have their eye on you. Whatever happens, we have a safety net. And the more I think about it, going to the Phoenix Suns is absolutely the best choice."
Putting aside the chance to win a championship, with a knee injury—and a meniscus injury, no less—it was a huge career risk. Only by going to the Phoenix Suns, where Chen Yu was, could he hope to stay healthy for his entire career.
"The Phoenix Suns have a low draft pick. If he goes there, won’t he lose a lot of money?" Theovorn suddenly interjected.
They’re both first-round picks, but there’s a huge salary difference between the first pick and the 29th.
Old Wade shook his head. "What do you know? How high can a rookie salary be, anyway? And he can more than make up for any lost salary with commercial endorsements."
"If you’re not on a top team, you don’t get the media attention. Without attention, where are the endorsements and commercial value going to come from?"
At this, Old Wade gripped his son’s shoulders. "Tyrone, don’t think about any of this. Just focus on your upcoming games. Since Dr. Chen said he can operate, he can definitely fix your knee."
Wade took a deep breath and nodded firmly.
Even without this whole episode, he was going to play his heart out in the upcoming games—to create a miracle for Marquette University and secure a bright future for himself.
Meanwhile, after discussing some operational matters with Keenan, Chen Yu was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something.
He took out his phone and called Vogel.
He asked him to look out for the kid, Derek Rose.
Chen Yu had just realized it was Monday, a school day. The kid only worked at the clinic on weekends. His appearance today, "bumping" into him in the hallway—it was obvious he’d been looking for him.
The boy was fifteen and would be starting high school in the fall. Chen Yu guessed he was hoping for a letter of recommendation or something similar.
’A letter of recommendation is a bit much,’ he thought, ’but looking out for him a little is certainly possible.’
After all, the plan was always to sponsor promising kids from the community.

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