Basketball miracles

Chapter 88 [This is America]

After thinking it over all night, Rosamund Kwan still decided to stay with Xiao Tu and confront him when he returned to Los Angeles after his away game.

Her reason for doing this was simple: she felt she couldn't find a better man. This man had an incredibly impressive resume, was poised for even greater success, and possessed an attractive appearance and demeanor.

Xiao Tu is the NBA's most popular vote-getter and the youngest All-Star in history. He's ranked fifth on the best player list (he's moved up), and he could very well dominate the NBA in the future.

When she met such an exceptional man, Rosamund Kwan felt she had been foolish to break up with him.

Many people look down on mistresses, but the truth is, when a man is outstanding enough, there are plenty of women vying to be his mistress. Women without looks can't even get that position if they wanted to.

Things like "a domineering CEO falling in love with a fat, big-eared girl" only happen in Chinese female-oriented novels.

Rosamund Kwan's father, Kwan Shan, is a typical example of "men become bad when they have money." Even at the peak of his career, he wasn't particularly wealthy, and many women were willing to throw themselves at him. Rosamund Kwan understands the situation of successful men; it's not something a woman can change through her charm alone.

In Hong Kong, which wealthy man doesn't have multiple wives and concubines? For them to remain faithful, it requires immense self-control and the ability to resist temptation. And temptations are endless.

Rosamund Kwan felt that the wealthy older men in Hong Kong couldn't compare to Xiao Tu at all; the difference in their image was too great. Even the Xiang brothers, who liked to touch their noses with their index fingers to look cool, were considered wealthy men with good images.

People in Hong Kong know about Rosamund Kwan's situation; her marriage ended in divorce less than six months later, making her a laughingstock in the entertainment industry. Did she really abandon a handsome American man to find an older man in Hong Kong?

The failed marriage deeply hurt Rosamund Kwan, leaving her extremely insecure and yearning to be loved. She felt inadequate and unimportant to men, causing her moral standards to plummet.

Xiao Tu was unaware that Rosamund Kwan had already completed her self-defense strategy; he was in excellent form and maintained a high level of play on the court.

The Lakers defeated the Rockets 125-107, marking their second win against the Rockets this season.

肖途15投8中，三分球2中1，罚球8中7，得到24分13篮板2助攻4失误。

奥拉朱旺15投8中，罚球4中3，得到19分10篮板6助攻2盖帽4失误。

Statistically, the two are evenly matched, with Xiao Tu committing a career-high four turnovers. Recently, Pat Riley encouraged Xiao Tu to handle the ball more often and attack, but after receiving the ball, he needed to dribble and adjust, resulting in two turnovers.

The good news is that Xiao Tu proved he can score a lot of points when he has the ball. He fakes a move, then steps back and pulls up for a jump shot; whether it goes in or not depends on his touch, and even Hakeem Olajuwon couldn't block it.

While Hakeem Olajuwon possessed exceptional mobility, he played a classic center style, preferring to stay near the paint and block shots. He wasn't particularly aggressive in defending pick-and-rolls, a common weakness among interior players in the 80s.

During the counterattack, Xiao Tu used a Euro step to get past Hakeem Olajuwon in a one-on-one situation, successfully dribbling past his opponent and scoring with a right-handed dunk, which was the best goal of the game.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson both seemed distracted and didn't take many shots. Without their two stars putting in enough effort, the Rockets couldn't win.

Role player Michael Cooper also had an outstanding performance. He not only fulfilled his defensive duties but also organized the offense better, playing 28 minutes and scoring 9 points and 9 assists.

The Lakers have too many scoring options in their starting lineup, so Riley occasionally starts Cooper and uses Byron Scott as a substitute.

Scott was a little frustrated but had no choice but to follow orders. He was doing well leading the bench players, currently averaging 15.5 points per game, making him the team's fourth-leading scorer.

Despite the loss, the Rockets remained optimistic, and the coach praised the players for their excellent performance after the game.

Last season, the Rockets failed to make the playoffs. After Hakeem Olajuwon joined the team, they finished fourth in the Western Conference and second in the Central Division at the halfway point of the season.

The Rockets are one of the few teams in the league that can hold their own against the Lakers in interior battles. Considering Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's age, the Rockets will have an advantage in the future, with two star centers facing off against Xiao Tu.

If Ralph Sampson doesn't suffer a serious injury, that would be true. But Sampson has a physique that seems very prone to injury, and unless there's a major ripple effect, he won't be at his peak for many more years.

Hakeem Olajuwon was already better than Klay Thompson in his rookie season, possessing a mid-range shot and superior overall qualities. Xiao Tu's matchups against Olajuwon were mutually torturous, while he clearly had the upper hand against Sampson.

Xiao Tu had another day off, and after returning to Los Angeles, he immediately contacted Rosamund Kwan to meet at her apartment.

The two immediately opened up to each other upon meeting. Xiao Tu admitted that he had a girlfriend and expressed that he really liked Rosamund Kwan.

"And what about her?" Rosamund Kwan asked.

"I also really like Madonna. Sorry, but what guy wouldn't be able to resist the most popular female singer pursuing him?" Xiao Tu replied matter-of-factly. There's always a first-come, first-served order, except for minors.

"Was it really her who pursued you?" Rosamund Kwan expressed doubt.

“Chris can testify that she invited me to film the music video, and I initially refused, saying I was too busy. Then she came here and said that I was indispensable for that music video.” Xiao Tu couldn’t suppress the corner of his mouth; being chased to his home by a big star made him very proud.

Unlike those who have both virtue and virtue, Xiao Tu dares to admit that he is philanthropic and lustful.

Of course, he wouldn't tell Rosamund Kwan that he initially refused because he didn't know Madonna was a beauty in her youth.

Rosamund Kwan felt a terrible headache, a terrible headache, it was so painful... like she had been hit by a boot.

Xiao Tu doesn't look like an innocent guy at all.

It's an unsolvable question that outstanding men attract many women. Who knows how many women will like him in the future? Getting to know him seems quite simple; just go to a Lakers game from the front row.

Rosamund Kwan thought for a moment and asked, "If other women pursued you, would you agree to date them?"

Xiao Tu shook his head and said seriously, "How could that be? I have very high standards. Unless it's a super beauty I can get along with, I won't be tempted at all."

Rosamund Kwan breathed a sigh of relief; they could communicate in Chinese. Her mysterious Eastern charm was one of her greatest advantages.

"Then what do we do now?"

"We'll just keep our relationship a secret from Madonna. She's too busy, and when she finally gets a break, she prefers sleeping in to me. You don't have to worry about bumping into her. As long as we don't make the entertainment headlines, everything will be fine. Even if the paparazzi do take pictures and report on it, it doesn't matter. This is America."

Rosamund Kwan sighed, "But I've heard that Americans are very concerned about infidelity. Aren't you afraid it will affect your image?"

Xiao Tu laughed and said, "In America, it's only married people who are considered to be cheating; if you're not married, it's fine. The reason they care about cheating isn't because they're loyal to love, but because they're afraid of being left with nothing."

Although the divorce rate in the United States is high, the rate of infidelity among Americans is far lower than in other countries around the world.

The reason Americans are reluctant or afraid to easily betray their marriages is that the United States has a relatively complete divorce process, and the party who betrays the marriage will lose a large portion of their assets after the divorce. Typically, the house and children are awarded to the other party, and the unfaithful party may even have to leave with nothing. Moreover, divorce proceedings are lengthy and time-consuming, causing considerable anxiety.

In the US, if people don't get married, both men and women can have casual relationships without worrying about damaging their image. Take Leonardo DiCaprio, for example, who starred in "Titanic" in the future; the whole world knows he's a scoundrel, yet he's still incredibly popular.

In this environment, wealthy Americans face significant risks when getting married. They typically consult lawyers to create complex trust agreements and sign documents to protect their assets before even considering marriage.

When the topic of marriage came up, Rosamund Kwan's expression was unpredictable.

She's not considering marriage again anytime soon; she feels it's bound to be bad news, having been terribly deceived by her ex-husband.

Xiao Tu could tell she had psychological trauma, and it took him a while of sweet talk to calm her down.

Rosamund Kwan began to tearfully explain that she had only recently arrived in the United States and was not used to reading English news. Furthermore, her younger brother was a primary school student and knew nothing about the entertainment industry; she hadn't known Xiao Tu had a girlfriend.

"I believe you. We are a perfect match and we are together because of love." Xiao Tu dared to admit his mistake: "This is my fault. When I met you at Big Bear Lake, I didn't intend to tell you about Madonna."

"And then you got Andy Lau to help you fish? You even used a child to seduce me, and you still say you're not a playboy?"

"That's because you're so charming, that was the only idea I could think of. Andy had so much fun fishing, and I didn't bully him. If you don't believe me, go back and ask him. If I tell him I'll take you fishing again during the holidays, he'll definitely be happy."

"..."

In any case, Rosamund Kwan had a way out. She saved face, and since she wasn't accused of being a mistress, she felt much better.

Xiao Tu's suggestion wasn't exactly aboveboard, but it was the result both of them wanted, and it resonated with her.

(End of this chapter)