Later, Richard probed a few more tis, but Jordan made it clear that he wouldn’t pay the money—he was going to renege on the debt.
Richard Escinas, considering various factors, didn’t dare to make this matter public, nor did he have the courage to threaten Jordan.
To protect himself and to try to recover the money, after much deliberation, Richard ca up with an idea—he decided to tell Ah Gan about it.
He drove to San Francisco and waited several days at Gan’s Restaurant. By chance, Gan Guoyang happened to be back in San Francisco for a Beiqiao High School event.
After hearing about the matter, Gan Guoyang asked Richard why he was telling him this—was he hoping he could convince Jordan to repay the debt?
Richard said, "I trust your character, Sonny. I know you and Jordan are rivals, but also friends. I’m not hoping that Jordan will repay the money, but I do hope soone with enough authority will know the truth. If one day I encounter sothing bad or suffer unjust accusations, you can stand up and speak for ."
Richard then handed Gan Guoyang a photocopy of the IOU that Jordan had written.
Gan Guoyang hesitated for a mont. He even considered covering the debt himself so he could take back the IOU.
But on second thought, a hundred and twenty thousand US Dollars was too much—it would get him in serious trouble with his wife.
Besides, that damn Jordan had made plenty of money. Why should he be the one to pay for him?
Ultimately, Gan Guoyang accepted the photocopy of the IOU and promised to keep Richard’s secret.
"You’re the NBA’s Vito Corleone—thank you for your protection."
Although Richard said this, Gan Guoyang warned him not to casually reveal this matter to others.
"I’ll find a way to make Michael pay back the money—if it’s true. And let tell you, even if you’ve offended Michael, no one would dare touch you. Michael’s only talk. But if you’re lying to or trying to fool , then things might not end well. After all, I’m Vito Corleone."
Hearing Gan Guoyang’s words, it was uncertain whether Richard Escinas regretted involving Gan Guoyang in resolving this matter.
So, when the Bulls ca to Portland for their away ga, Jordan wasn’t aware that a photocopy of his $120,000 IOU was in Gan Guoyang’s hands.
As the new season began, the Bulls started dominating on the court, united in their intent to avenge their loss to the Trail Blazers from the previous season.
First, they wanted to secure ho-court advantage—they didn’t want to start the series in Portland anymore.
Second, they needed to learn how to win in Portland, as they had lost all three Finals gas there.
Without winning on the road, there could be no talk of winning a championship.
Tonight, the Bulls ca with a strong desire for revenge.
The Trail Blazers, however, were fielding a depleted lineup, and the Bulls were confident they could defeat them.
But to their surprise, the 270-pound Gan Guoyang delivered a career-best performance, scoring 51 points and grabbing 32 rebounds.
Once again, he single-handedly annihilated the Bulls’ interior defense, leading his team through two overtis to a narrow one-point victory over the Bulls.
When the final score settled at 118:119, the Bulls were crushed with disappointnt—they still lost despite everything.
Though it was just a regular-season ga, this match was psychologically decisive for both sides.
Gan Guoyang was determined not to let his greatest rival gain montum or relieve their psychological pressure in the morial Coliseum.
His incredible 51-point, 32-rebound performance sent a clear ssage to the Bulls players: the Ah Gan from last year’s Finals hadn’t been playing at full strength.
This implication brought enormous ntal strain to the Bulls players.
At the end of the ga, Gan Guoyang told Jordan, "Michael, stop gambling. Focus on training and playing—don’t gamble anymore."
Jordan looked at Gan Guoyang, wondering whether this guy had learned sothing. Why was he saying this?
With suspicion and unease, Jordan left Portland. He had once told Phil Jackson, "You don’t understand Ah Gan."
But now, he felt like he himself understood Ah Gan less and less; they seed to share more and more similarities.
Gan Guoyang, though speaking out of friendship to remind Jordan, also inadvertently created a rift between them.
Of course, the root cause was that they had t in the Finals to beco the fiercest competitors.
A rival is a rival—this was a matter of positioning that couldn’t be changed.
As Gan Guoyang watched Jordan leave, he suddenly realized it had been a long ti since they last called each other.
They could no longer enjoy the closeness they had shared when they were younger.
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