When the Jazz reached 46 wins, the Suns had already dropped out of playoff contention.

So, like many teams that didn’t make the playoffs, the Suns organized a “community care event.” Any non-professional basketball player could enter a lottery, and the prize was a one-day short-term contract on April 13, 2009—the Suns’ last regular season game of the year—to replace Steve Nash as the starting point guard for the Suns.

Strangely enough, up to now, O’Neal has played 72 games this season, while Nash has only played 70, making the Suns’ medical staff seem even more surreal.

And there’s also the $11,097 “salary” gifted by Steve Nash himself, calculated as the veteran minimum for one game this season.

Without a doubt, the Suns have offered a huge prize this time!

Even without the “salary,” just getting to play in a game is a big enough reward. Even if you get subbed out after just one possession… and it’s basically certain you’re just going up there for show, which is a common event in the NBA. It’s just that he, a perfectly healthy person, somehow got picked for this event.

But hey, sitting on the bench watching the game… that’s even better than courtside tickets!

Brian Carter finally remembered why “he” was here: “Judging from the current situation, this is definitely not a dream, so this ‘self’ must really be me.”

Having finally “survived,” does he really want to die again?

And the reason he didn’t “immediately” remember why he was lying here wasn’t a problem with memory fusion—he just somehow took over someone else’s body.

Since he’s here, he might as well make the best of it. As someone whose father died in a car accident when he was young, whose mother raised him alone and passed away early from exhaustion, and who was raised by his grandfather—who, at 80, passed away peacefully after seeing his grandson grow up healthy by the time he graduated college—coming to this world, he really doesn’t have much desire to “find his way home.”

Thanks to his mother’s good genes, he’s 1.9 meters tall. While not exactly handsome, he’s at least decent-looking. Running a hotpot restaurant didn’t make them rich, but they had some money. Being tall, coming to America, and with some American girls, just a small gift and a few tricks…

……

When Brian Carter woke up, it was already daylight. Out of habit, he picked up his phone to check…

“iPhone 3G? That’s a lot more expensive than my Xiaomi…”

Brian Carter checked the date: April 9, 2009. It was a little after nine in the morning. He glanced at the calendar out of habit—no classes today, so he wasn’t in a hurry to go back to school. He didn’t live on campus, but like most international students, lived off-campus because dorm fees were too expensive.

Some international students had the school arrange for them to stay with host families willing to help, while others rented apartments. Brian Carter was the latter.

After checking the time, Brian Carter reached out… the spot next to him was empty. Only then did he notice the sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

He lifted the covers. In Phoenix, located at the junction of Mexico, Arizona, and California, the weather in April already felt like summer.

The American girl didn’t mind Brian Carter looking at her, then walked to the door. As she left, she smiled at Brian Carter and said, “I’m the evening accounting class instructor. Don’t worry, my name is Selena.”

With that, Selena opened the door and left.

Watching the American girl with such a common name walk out and close the door, Brian Carter felt a bit… something.

The world of Americans… Brian Carter, “newly arrived,” really didn’t get it!

Now Brian Carter remembered—she was one of the female companions a friend brought to the party last night, but he didn’t know her at all… Before Selena closed the door, Brian Carter habitually called out, “Hey beautiful, you haven’t given me your number yet…”

But she didn’t respond and closed the door.

Brian Carter walked over and lay back down on the bed.

Now that he was alone, Brian Carter felt a bit lost.

“What should I do now? Just be a carefree international student, finish college, and go back to take over my cheap old man’s hotpot restaurant? But I don’t know how to run a business! And it’s 2009—smartphones are several generations behind, and I don’t even remember the lottery numbers…”

Brian Carter’s thoughts grew more complicated. He just wanted to say: Who the hell said that time-traveling means you’ll live like a president? I have no idea what to do next!

After thinking for a long time and getting nowhere, Brian Carter gave up and smiled wryly: “Never thought I’d see a day like this…”

After lying there for a while, the hotel staff called to ask if he wanted to extend his stay. Brian Carter said he’d check out soon.

“Let’s just take it one step at a time!”

The easygoing and adaptable personality of Chinese post-90s, shaped by an unfriendly era, was fully embodied in Brian Carter. He didn’t overthink it, got up, got dressed, and packed his things into the backpack on the chair.

Finally, he took the invitation letter from the Suns off the nightstand and looked at this big prize…

“I really am 1.9 meters tall now, but I’ve only ever played pickup ball. If I go up there, I’ll probably embarrass myself…”