“The first thing most people notice when they walk into my office is the photo above my head, but very few can tell where it comes from. Eric Turner, do you know who the two people in the middle of this photo are?” The president of Wake Forest University looked to be in his fifties, smiling as he gazed at Eric Turner, who was standing in the doorway, lost in thought.

Eric Turner shook his head apologetically. He had just crossed over and didn’t know much about the history of Wake Forest University. In fact, he wasn’t even familiar with the university’s recent history, let alone the past. Judging by the black-and-white tones of the photo, it was clearly a decades-old relic.

The president wasn’t at all annoyed by Eric Turner’s ignorance. He simply smiled, clasped his hands behind his back, turned around, and looked up at the photo with a nostalgic expression.

“This photo was taken 33 years ago. The two people in it are the team’s head coach at the time, Horace McKinney, and the team’s star player, Len Chappell. I remember it was taken in March 1962, if I’m not mistaken.”

“President, has this photo always been hanging in the president’s office?” Eric Turner asked in confusion. He knew Wake Forest only had a basketball team in the NCAA, so the university placed great importance on the team. He figured the photo must have been passed down by successive presidents, especially since it was already thirty years old.

The president shook his head.

“I brought it myself. It wasn’t here before.”

What? He brought it himself? Eric Turner was once again astonished.

“You know, I took this photo myself. I remember I was just a sophomore at the time. Of course, I was also a member of the basketball team, though just a minor substitute. But back then, our team was a powerhouse in the NCAA, the absolute leader of the ACC. North Carolina, Duke—none of them were our match.” As he spoke, the president smiled, his face full of longing for those bygone days.

“That was the most glorious era in Wake Forest’s history. We only made it to the NCAA Final Four once, and that was then. But at that time, it was the era of Cincinnati and Ohio University’s dominance. The best we could do was reach the Final Four.” Regret was written all over the president’s face.

“But whenever I think of those days, I can’t help but feel my blood boil. Unfortunately, since then, we’ve never made it back to the NCAA Final Four. It’s been 33 years now. In fact, since then, even making it to the Elite Eight or Sweet Sixteen has been so difficult.”

“Of course, basketball has changed a lot since then. Players today are more restless and self-serving. Actually, in 1994, we had a chance to regain our glory. If Rodney Rogers had stayed one more year and entered the draft after his senior season, I believe with a lineup of Rodney Rogers, Randolph Childress, and Tim Duncan, we could have achieved something great. Even this year, if Childress had stayed one more year, couldn’t we have done better than last season? I don’t understand. Every time I have high hopes for the team, it suddenly falls apart. I can’t adapt to such abrupt changes. Eric Turner, I’m sorry to have embarrassed myself in front of you.”

This now somewhat emotional middle-aged man looked so aggrieved that Eric Turner suddenly felt a deep respect for the president he had once looked down on.

“Eric Turner, don’t blame me. I know you must be extremely annoyed by all the recent news about the team’s coaching search, but no matter what you think, for the sake of the team’s revival, I have my own choices and methods. I’m not someone who just goes with the flow, or I wouldn’t have become the president of a top-30 university in the country. You’re a smart person, and I’ve always admired the intelligence of the Chinese people. But I hope you understand that for the team’s revival, I’m willing to sacrifice a lot—even to the point of suddenly terminating your contract if you don’t do well enough or fail to satisfy me.”

At this point, the president changed the subject: “Recently, many teachers have come to me to complain that the basketball players are always sleeping in class. I’d like to hear your explanation about this.”

“My players train very hard, and I can’t control these things,” Eric Turner answered honestly and helplessly. He couldn’t expect the players to train hard and study hard at the same time. As long as they completed the tasks he set during training, he didn’t want to worry about anything else.

“Alright, I understand. That’s all,” the president said after thinking for a moment.

“That’s all?” Eric Turner was puzzled. No criticism? No lecture?

“Students sleeping in class isn’t entirely their fault. Teachers are also responsible. If the teachers’ lectures were lively and interesting, I don’t think any student would sleep in class,” the president said with a meaningful smile.

“What? The teachers’ responsibility?” This left Eric Turner even more speechless.