The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 312 - 50: The Troubles of Growing Up

In January 1986, the Challenger exploded 73 seconds into its launch, disintegrating in the air.

Ronald Reagan postponed his State of the Union address to February to mourn the seven astronauts who perished on the Challenger.

The explosion seemed to herald the gradual downhill slide of the economic recovery that had begun in 1982.

Throughout 1985, All-America’s GDP growth failed to meet the expectations set in 1984, as America was facing a significant challenge from an emerging economy—Japan.

In September 1985, America, along with Japan, Germany, and several other countries, signed the Plaza Accord at the Plaza Hotel in New York, intervening in the foreign exchange market to devalue the US Dollar in a bid to stimulate American manufacturing exports.

In the early ’80s, the US Dollar had already appreciated by about 40%, leading to an influx of Japanese goods such as automobiles, electronics, and household items into the American market, causing American factories to close and workers to lose their jobs. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

It was then that the tragic incident occurred where ignorant White people mistook Chinese-Americans for Japanese and killed them; cheap and affordable Japanese cars were rapidly taking over the American market, and traditional car manufacturing cities like Detroit were entering a decline.

Following the Plaza Accord, the US Dollar depreciated rapidly, while on the Japanese side, capital purchasing power was greatly enhanced. Starting in 1986, Japan entered the phase of the "Heisei Boom."

The economy of Japan was flourishing, with all industries experiencing rapid growth, and Japanese capital began making acquisitions all over the globe, even boldly claiming they could buy the entirety of America.

Gan Guoyang returned to San Francisco and took the chance to visit his father at Gan’s Restaurant during a gap before the competition, and the family gathered to discuss the recent issue of housing prices in San Francisco.

Thanks to Gan Guoyang, Gan’s Restaurant had always been bustling, and they had even opened a branch in Chinatown, which they entrusted to Gan Guohui to manage.

Gan Guohui had graduated from community college last year, was ready to formally take over the family business, get married, buy a house, and then have a child, which would fulfill Gan Youtang’s and Gan Bingguang’s sense of duty.

Now they had the business, the marriage partner, and having children was naturally the next step, but the house had become the problem.

Gan Guoyang asked, "Haven’t the restaurant’s earnings these past years been enough to buy a house? If it really comes to it, I’ll help out. Is there anything to worry about?"

Gan Bingguang replied, "Ah Guoyang, how can we let you provide the money? That’s definitely not okay. Actually, based on the previous housing prices, we did have enough for a nice house. We even found one that we could buy in Pacific Heights. But then this year, out of nowhere, housing prices skyrocketed! What was originally enough for a full payment, now can only cover the down payment!"

Pacific Heights is a luxurious residential area diagonally opposite the Tenderloin District, a place many San Francisco Chinese dream of living, where the wealthy of San Francisco congregate.

There, the best mansions, which have a long history, are priced at millions of US Dollars, and even an ordinary apartment there is much more expensive than other places.

Gan Youtang said, "I told you so, we should have acted sooner. Now look, prices have soared so much in an instant! Blame the Japanese, buying up everything everywhere! If they’re capable, let them buy all of San Francisco! If worst comes to worst, we can make a down payment, and cover the rest with a loan. With the restaurant’s revenue, that’s more than manageable."

Sitting timidly at the corner of the table, Gan Guohui said, "Um... Lisa said, she doesn’t want to deal with a mortgage, wants to pay in full..."

Gan Youtang slammed the table, "Don’t want to face any hardships at all, just want to move in with your bags, huh! It’s already good that we’re willing to provide you with the down payment, and you don’t want to manage monthly payments? Do you know what kind of place your mother and I lived in when we first came to America, where we stayed when we first married? Pacific Heights, is that someplace ordinary people like us could live?"

Seeing the situation, Gan Youwei said, "If it really comes down to it, we could ask Guoyang..."

Gan Bingguang cut off Gan Youwei, "That’s absolutely out of the question. Guohui needs to be self-reliant. The restaurant has already benefited enough from Guoyang, we can’t hold him back with this kind of issue. Moreover, Guohui, from what I see, this Lisa isn’t a suitable woman for marriage, at the very least not a match for you. We all need to think this over carefully. You’re also still young; I’m robust enough to wait."

With that, Gan Bingguang turned his gaze to Gan Guoyang, "Speaking of which, you, Guoyang, are not getting any younger either. Your father is very anxious."

Gan Guoyang thought to himself, how did the conversation suddenly turn to me? I have a stable job, a stable relationship, why rush to marry?

I shouldn’t have come back. I really shouldn’t have come back. Next time Dad asks me to come back to the restaurant, I will have to weigh it carefully.

But for now, Gan Guoyang had to deal with the situation. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Uh... Fuxi is still in college, not yet graduated. You know how it is with girls these days, they all pursue careers, want to work, want freedom, and they’re not in a rush to get married—the earliest is probably around 30."

"30 years old? By the time you’re 30, your dad will be buried up to his eyebrows in the yellow earth!"

"Dad, who curses themselves like that? Being buried up to the eyebrows means death."

"Anyway, what your great-uncle said wasn’t wrong, once Wang Fuxi graduates, you should start planning for marriage. Don’t tell me you have second thoughts? Or other ideas?"

"Not at all, not at all, my mind is focused on work, on playing basketball. You know, I won the All-Star MVP! Did you see me on TV?"

Gan Youwei shook his head; although he supported his son’s basketball dreams, he really wasn’t much interested in basketball, nor did he understand it.

"You spend all day with a bunch of dark, greasy chunks of coal, running back and forth, jumping up and down, throwing the ball around, just to put that ball into the basket, getting all covered in sweat. And me? I’m always worried about you; what if one day you get injured, break a leg, or something else goes wrong? What would you do then! How long can you keep playing? I’ve heard that many players make good money while they’re playing, but it’s all fleeting, and once they retire, they’re bankrupt, as poor as church mice."

Back then, NBA players’ salaries weren’t high enough, so it was common for players to go bankrupt and fall back into poverty after retirement.

Even later, when players’ salaries skyrocketed and many stars became billionaires, others still ended up destitute after retirement.

"Dad, I’m not like those players, I won’t end up like that, rest assured."

"If you want to put my mind at ease, first, learn the dishes from the Gan Family Cookbook properly; second, get married and have kids early so you have someone to rely on when you get older."

Gan Guoyang, though impatient in his heart and feeling the distance between him and his father, was moved by Gan Youwei’s fatherly love, which was "the love of parents, calculating for the distant future."

Each year he taught Gan Guoyang the Gan Family Cookbook, so that his son would have a skill to fall back on, ensuring that whatever happened in the future, he would always have something to rely on for a living.

As for getting married and having children, the idea of raising children to provide for one’s old age aligns with traditional Chinese views—beliefs he could not and would not change in his lifetime.

Gan Youtang then spoke up, saying, "You Wei Brother, you really don’t know the value of your son in America right now. Let me put it to you this way, he could casually walk into any company, knock on the door, and say, ’Pay me a hundred thousand dollars, and I’ll do an ad for you,’ and they’d immediately give him two hundred thousand US Dollars. Then with just a simple photo shoot that takes one day, he’d have the money. And I’m understating it."

Gan Youtang wasn’t exaggerating, but Gan Youwei was unmoved, his desire to see his son married and with children remained strong.

In the end, Gan Guoyang promised that once Wang Fuxi graduated, he would definitely bring her to San Francisco to discuss it properly.

In regards to Gan Guohui’s situation, Gan Guoyang also gave some advice, "How about this, I can buy the house in Pacific Heights outright. The house would be mine. Then, if you decide to get married, you can live there first, and when you’ve saved enough money, I’ll sell it back to you at the price I bought it for—maybe just a bit more for taxes. If you don’t get married, it works out for me too, as I’m looking to invest in some property in San Francisco, preparing for my father’s future and my own. We can’t let the Japanese buy up all the houses, right?"

Gan Guoyang’s suggestion received approval from the entire family, yet Gan Guohui’s face showed little joy.

After dinner that night, as Gan Guohui and Gan Guoyang cleaned up the dishes together, Gan Guoyang didn’t put on any airs of a basketball star at home.

Suddenly, Gan Guohui said to Gan Guoyang, "Brother Guoyang, can I work with you?"

Gan Guoyang was startled and said, "What, you want to play basketball?"

"No! I... I want to be your agent, or your bodyguard, or if not that, your secretary. I could even be a handyman or an attendant!"

Gan Guoyang laughed, "I’m not a high-ranking official; I don’t need an attendant."

But Gan Guoyang could see that throughout the family gathering that day, Gan Guohui’s face remained downcast.

Even when Gan Guoyang offered to initially buy the house, Guohui remained unhappy.

Everyone had grown up, but the passion and joy of youth seemed to have vanished.

After clearing the table, Gan Guoyang pulled up a chair and sat down, saying, "If you have any thoughts, tell me, and I’ll think it over. I’ll help you, but first, you need to have your own ideas, and not just be trying to escape something. Those who run away can’t do things well, and I don’t need people who can’t do well around me."