This lasted for nearly half an hour. No one disturbed him; he just wanted to be alone, not wanting to show any of his vulnerability or lancholy to others.
Half an hour later, Gan Guoyang erged from the shower with his usual deanor and said, "I've won too many championships and sweated a lot, so I need to wash a bit longer, but finally, I'm clean."
No one pointed it out, and the music and dance continued. It was a sleepless night.
Such nights went on for a week; the entire Portland was celebrating.
Initially, it was to commorate Ah Gan's retirent, but later, it simply beca revelry for the sake of revelry.
Organizations and schools went on holiday. Young people gathered on the streets seeking reasons to celebrate, rchants launched various activities, and the Portland governnt declared Gan Guoyang's retirent day as "Ah Gan morial Day."
The morial Coliseum held a three-day "Ah Gan Exhibition," displaying over five hundred items, including photos, jerseys, shoes, championship trophies, and morabilia from Gan Guoyang's high school days onward. It was akin to a mid-sized relic exhibition.
This was rely a part of Gan Guoyang's brilliant basketball career on display. Local Portland schools organized students to view the exhibition, allowing children a more direct understanding of the greatest star in NBA history.
Additionally, Gan Guoyang's wax figure, statues, short films, ads, etc., were all ready for display in a rush.
Gan Guoyang initially planned to spend a peaceful, serene ti post-retirent, to accompany his family more without considering the next season.
In reality, it was impossible as there were too many commitnts to fulfill.
Many Portland malls, restaurants, car dealerships, and large hotels had brand partnerships with Gan Guoyang.
Many were local businesses he signed with when he first joined the Trail Blazers. As Gan Guoyang achieved greater success and fa, these businesses seed sowhat unworthy of this superstar.
Yet Gan Guoyang never looked down on them, continuing to collaborate and allowing them to use his image as a brand ambassador.
For instance, the car dealership that once gifted him a car still displays Gan Guoyang's photo at their store entrance, updating it every so often.
Local chain fried chicken shops, supermarket malls, etc., maintained over a decade of collaboration with Gan Guoyang, and are staunch supporters of Gan Guoyang and the Trail Blazers.
As Gan Guoyang retired, they launched promotional events inviting Gan Guoyang to participate.
While Gan Guoyang might decline larger brand events, he couldn't resist local people's enthusiastic invitations.
Having retired, he just went ahead; no matter how small the store, or ordinary the brand — as long as they still collaborated, he ensured to visit them.
Thus, Gan Guoyang was busier in this week than when he played, having no ti to savor the glory of his tenth championship nor find peace.
In Portland's streets and alleys, you could see Gan Guoyang's presence everywhere, especially posters and stickers, which were ubiquitous.
Gan Guoyang marveled, "Why does it feel like I'm running for mayor, with my photos everywhere..."
More exaggerated, one night Portland held a city-wide lantern parade. In the parade's center, soone made a statue of Gan Guoyang with plaster, with people sticking US Dollars onto it, as if worshipping Jesus at the Saint Carlo Festival.
Gan Guoyang saw the news and remarked sarcastically, "I retired, not died, why are they treating like Jesus?"
At this point, a week had passed since his retirent. He knew things couldn't continue like this; leaving was to seek peace and a new beginning, not to linger in past mories.
Thus, after discussing with his family, Gan Guoyang decided to go to San Francisco with Gan You and Gan Guohui for a while, while Wang Fuxi temporarily stayed in Portland with the children to manage many comrcial matters.
Gan Guoyang worried about his wife staying alone in Portland, but Wang Fuxi assured him, "It's ti for you to rest well; you still have the Olympics to worry about; I'll handle the rest. And in July, you'll have to go to New York quickly to resolve the spy case issue, so we can then plan our future path."
Over the years, aside from the two children, Wang Fuxi has managed family business and investnts single-handedly; she is quite a formidable woman.
Gan Guoyang noticed traces of fine lines appearing on Wang Fuxi's once egg-shell white cheeks, feeling the inevitability of ti passing fast.
However, their union was undoubtedly the right decision. Gan Guoyang's stability on the court owes much to a solid support system at ho.
Gan Guoyang returned to San Francisco with his father, spending a peaceful half-month in the recently purchased seaside villa.
Though San Francisco's dia didn't spare Gan Guoyang, occasionally paparazzi would snap photos and harass, but evidently, they weren't as crazy as Portland's dia.
During this half month, Gan Guoyang relaxed, enjoying life and accompanied his father for treatnt, while pondering his future path.
The spy case's impact was evident; retirent was a dignified choice for Gan Guoyang, now holding a large amount of funds.
A considerable portion will certainly cross the ocean, invested into the fiery socialist market economy construction of his holand, as a form of giving back from Gan Guoyang.
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