hotmtlnovel Chapter 35 The Countdown to Times Square
Chapter 35 The Countdown to Times Square
2008年12月31日，23:45。
Private penthouse apartment on 57th Street, Midtown Manhattan, New York.
Scarlett Janssen wore a deep-V black velvet evening gown, holding a glass of bubbling Don Pérignon champagne. Leaning against a marble railing, the wind tousled her blonde hair, outlining a figure that could take the breath away of Hollywood.
"Do you know?"
Scarlett swirled her wine glass, her eyes gazing dreamily at the lights of the Empire State Building's spire in the distance.
"If you go to Zach's New Year's Eve party in Brooklyn tonight, there will be at least fifty Victoria's Secret-level models lining up to meet you. I heard he also hired a hot rapper and even prepared an even crazier 'surprise'."
She turned her head, her deep blue eyes looking at the man beside her.
"This is also a privilege of yours as the 'King of New York.' Why not go? Are you afraid your beautiful agent will be jealous?"
Li Xiangbei stood beside her, holding a bottle of ordinary sparkling water in his hand—even on New Year's Eve, he insisted on not touching alcohol.
"Models?" Li Xiangbei chuckled. "Uniform appearances, boring compliments, and a headache tomorrow morning. That's all Zack's party can offer me."
He turned around and met Scarlett's gaze. His aggressive look made the seasoned actress's heart skip a beat.
"Compared to all that, I prefer spending time with you and discussing what else I can conquer besides basketball. Or, how to completely conquer this damn league."
Scarlett raised an eyebrow: "Conquer the league? Quite ambitious, my scoundrel. But I've heard LeBron and Kobe won't agree so easily."
"Whether they agree or not is not important," Li Xiangbei said, taking a sip of soda water. "What's important is that I'm already on my way."
Just then, a deafening countdown erupted from the direction of Times Square, a chorus of shouts from millions of people.
"10! 9! 8!... "
A massive wave of sound swept in like a tsunami, shaking the entire city that never sleeps.
Scarlett put down her glass, which made a crisp sound on the stone table.
She walked up to Li Xiangbei, without even taking off her high heels, and naturally wrapped her arms around his neck.
"3! 2! 1!"
Happy New Year!!!
Countless dazzling fireworks exploded simultaneously over the Hudson and East Rivers, turning the Manhattan night sky into daylight.
Amidst the dazzling lights, Scarlett tiptoed and, in that moment of transition between the old and the new, took the initiative to kiss Li Xiangbei's lips.
This was a long kiss without flashbulbs, without paparazzi, only the sound of each other's heartbeats.
Her lips carried the crispness of champagne and the chill of a winter night, but were quickly melted by Li Xiangbei's warmth—a kiss about conquest and being conquered.
For a long time, the lips are divided.
Scarlett's cheeks flushed slightly. She stretched out her slender fingers and gently traced Li Xiangbei's cheek, her voice low and firm:
"Happy New Year."
"Let's make a promise. Next year (2009), I want to see you standing on the highest podium, holding that golden Larry O'Brien Trophy in your hands."
Li Xiangbei took her hand and kissed it.
"Just an agreement? Is there no reward?"
Scarlett whispered in his ear, "Later, I'll give you a reward that's even crazier and more intimate than tonight. You can ask me for anything. Anything."
Li Xiangbei looked at the stunning woman before him, a confident smile curving his lips.
"Deal. For that reward, I'll have to dethrone Kobe and LeBron."
……
2009年1月1日，下午3:00。
Knicks training facility.
"vomit……"
Randolph had only run two sets of half-court shuttle runs when he started gagging while leaning against the basketball hoop.
"God... I feel like my liver is on fire..." Randolph.
Nate Robinson and Chris Duhon, standing nearby, weren't faring much better. They were still running, but their steps were unsteady, as if they were walking on cotton.
"Hey Nate, did that blonde Jessica from last night leave with you?" Du Hong asked, panting.
"Don't even mention it... I threw up all over her." Nate looked utterly dejected.
*Smack!*
A sharp crack interrupted their whispers.
D'Antoni slammed the tactical board he was holding onto the floor, sending plastic shards flying to Randolph's feet, startling the black bear.
"Look at the state of you all!!"
The old general's face turned ashen with anger, clearly also quite infuriated by this group of drunkards.
"A bunch of good-for-nothings who only know how to drink! Is this your attitude towards the New Year?"
"Tomorrow! Tomorrow we're going to Indiana! This isn't a nightclub! This is a basketball court! If you guys can't run tomorrow, I'll make you sit on the bench for the entire month of January!!"
The coach's yelling clearly had limited effect. A hangover, a physiological reaction, can't be cured by simply yelling.
However, among this group of staggering drunkards, one figure stood out from the crowd.
Li Xiangbei.
He was wearing his already soaked dark blue training uniform and was already practicing his 500th three-point shot in the corner.
Catch the ball, jump, and shoot.
The movements were precise, without any unnecessary shaking.
"brush!"
"brush!"
His eyes were clear and sharp, showing absolutely no signs of a hangover—because he hadn't drunk anything the night before.
Hearing the coach's roar, Li Xiangbei stopped what he was doing.
He carried the ball and slowly walked to the center circle. His imposing presence, combined with the prestige he had built up over time, instantly silenced his teammates who had been complaining about headaches.
Listen.
Li Xiangbei's voice was not loud, even calm, but it could be clearly heard in the quiet training hall.
"You had a lot of fun last night, and I won't interfere. That's your prerogative."
His gaze swept over everyone.
"But a game is a game."
"If we lose to those Indiana bumpkins tomorrow, if Danny Granger scores 40 points on us because you guys are too weak in the knees..."
"Join me in an extra 500 physical training sessions."
The entire room fell silent.
Watching his teammates start running again, D'Antoni picked up the fragments of the tactical board from the ground and shook his head helplessly.
"This kid...sometimes he's more like a coach than I am."
……
Conseco Arena, Indianapolis.
The media is buzzing about the Knicks' resurgence and Li Xiangbei's All-Star vote count.
Their core member, Danny Granger.
This top scorer, averaging 26 points per game, was a strong contender for the Most Improved Player award that season.
In the locker room after training.
A local reporter from the Indiana Star asked, somewhat indignantly:
"Danny, Li Xiangbei is currently leading the league in All-Star votes. And you, as a top scorer in the East, aren't even ranked in the top five guards. Your stats aren't worse than his. Do you think this is fair?"
Granger is applying an ice pack to his knee.
He raised his head.
"All-Star vote leader? That's interesting."
"That's for New Yorkers who only know how to put on a show, only know how to make bad movies, and only know how to pander to the Chinese market. That's entertainment, not basketball."
He stood up.
"Tomorrow, I will let them know."
Granger walked up to the locker.
"Basketball in Indiana is not for show."
"Tomorrow I'll let him taste Indiana's muscles."