On Thursday, June 19, 2008, Manhattan welcomed its annual carnival.
Battery Park was bustling early in the morning.
At this moment, many people forgot about the continuously falling housing prices, forgot about the heavy loans they carried, and happily cheered with the crowd!
Large numbers of sports fans wearing New York Knicks blue championship T-shirts turned both sides of the street blue.
ESPN sports reporters loudly interviewed young people participating in the championship parade in front of the camera:
"Fuck! Kobe! He doesn't deserve to be Captain America! The clown get out of the Team USA!"
"Oh!!! Fuck Kobe! Go lick Shaq's ass!"
"Ah!!!"
The blonde girl holding the microphone hadn't had time to continue asking questions.
With the shouts from the crowd behind, some young people jumped and danced to grab the camera, completely igniting the atmosphere.
Some sports fans threw their hats into the air, while others enthusiastically blew their atmosphere props, making "woo-woo" sounds.
Even some self-hyped black sports fans started taking off their clothes.
As the other party took off their shorts, the scene completely lost control.
Amidst the jeers, the few people planning to celebrate by streaking didn't forget to shout to their friends and family:
"Bro! Don't let the camera shake! We're going to upload it to YouTube immediately!"
These young people, who looked like high school students, cheered wildly, and some scantily clad girls also started cheering loudly.
This year's Finals, boosted by Twitter, also made the championship parade start to become abstract.
The joyous atmosphere affected the ESPN reporter.
In fact, they broadcast and filmed material every year, but this year's situation was different from previous years.
The fans seemed more invested.
"It's a crazy scene, and I'm sure you, like me, have seen the enthusiastic New York fans!"
"In about 10 more minutes, Clay Lee will board the parade float from here. This year's float was exclusively customized by New Jersey Epic Floats!"
"We can already see it..."
Facing the camera, the blonde girl quickly recited the advertisement.
This was her job.
Commercials were interspersed throughout the broadcast.
Everyone loved the championship parade.
Unlike the joyous atmosphere at Battery Park, a desperate atmosphere permeated the Lehman Brothers headquarters on Seventh Avenue.
In the financial trading hall, rows upon rows of trading desks, each seat equipped with multiple computer screens, and traders in the back nervously making calls.
The sound of keyboards and low curses made the internal atmosphere even heavier.
The luxurious lounge area was no longer like previous years, with celebrity traders talking loudly.
The quality of meals in the employee cafeteria had been continuously declining since last year, and fewer and fewer employees ate breakfast.
In the conference room, the expensive art luxury items surrounding them seemed to indicate how much Lehman Brothers had profited from commercial real estate in recent years, but the current arguments among the company's executive committee members indicated that the company was facing a huge crisis.
Ever since Bobby Axelrod attacked their CDO products on Fox News on Monday, the boosted stock price had fallen again, with a tendency to plummet.
CEO Richard Fuld's face was red with anger at this time.
Since the meeting last night, people had been constantly holding him accountable.
His usually meticulously groomed black short hair was messy at this time, and faint white strands indicated how much pressure he had endured in the past two years.
"Another hedge fund has withdrawn capital. We can't handle it anymore! Everyone is panicking, Richard, you have to make them stop operations, we need time."
"JPMorgan Chase has added an additional 5 billion in collateral. We can only pay part of the amount."
"European investors told me this morning that they wanted to withdraw their capital. They don't believe our balance sheet! We have to sell some assets."
"Richard, why not consider the investment from Korea Development Bank?"
Having received no answer, the executive committee members, who had taken off their suit jackets, began to argue with each other, arguing until they tore off their ties, and some even started rolling up their sleeves, ready to fight.
The wildly hot real estate market in these years allowed them to profit, but as housing prices collapsed, all the subprime mortgage companies they had acquired before became junk, and commercial real estate also began to depreciate.
"Sit down! I don't want to repeat myself, everyone sit down!"
Fuld, standing up, raised his voice.
Under his gaze, the conference room fell silent again.
From traders to company executives, Richard Fuld rose with Lehman Brothers and held extremely high prestige within the company.
The title "Wall Street Bulldog" was very apt.
"Tom, call Timothy again!"
Legal counsel Tom Russo, upon receiving the instruction, immediately dialed the office and mobile phone of Timothy Geithner, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
The call still went unanswered.
The conference room became even quieter.
An executive committee member was almost on the verge of an emotional breakdown.
He looked at George Walker IV, who had been quiet and pale, and said in a pleading tone:
"George, please, make a call, this is a global disaster, I'm almost on my knees begging you..."
Top investment expert, George Walker IV, was Lehman Brothers' last straw!
George Walker IV had no "achievements" on Wall Street, but his cousin had enormous power—the current White House occupant, George George W. Bush, was his biggest reliance.
Seeing the arrogant and stubborn Richard Fuld also looking at him, George Walker IV's face turned even paler with nervousness, and sweat even soaked his shirt.
Finally, he slowly nodded.
Richard Fuld let out a long breath, then personally called the Securities and Exchange Commission.
If possible, he wanted them to restart the investigation into Axe Capital.
Other committee members also began to act again.
Everyone paced back and forth in the conference room, occasionally whispering to each other.
George Walker IV looked a bit like his cousin.
His gold-rimmed glasses made him look like an elite.
Under everyone's expectant gazes, he tried to control his emotions, feigning composure as he left the conference room.
After entering the company library, George Walker IV dialed the White House.
After stating his identity, the operator's voice made him even more anxious:
"Please wait, I will consult with the Chief of Staff."
David Addington's loyalties were skewed.
As early as his trip to New Mexico, Lee had communicated with him.
Last year's huge profits shocked him and the Cheney family, so naturally, he would not stop now.
After a brief conversation with George George W. Bush, the operator quickly received instructions.
Meanwhile, in the library, George Walker IV felt these few minutes were as long as several hours.
The moment the voice sounded, he involuntarily tensed up:
"Mr. Walker, I'm very sorry, the President is unable to take your call right now."
George Walker IV, his mind blank, instinctively thanked and hung up the phone.
He didn't even know how he got back to the conference room.
When everyone saw the distraught George Walker IV, everyone fell silent.
They clearly knew that the company was likely finished.
Richard Fuld also failed to get the results he wanted.
What shocked him was that there seemed to be problems within the committee itself.
No one was paying attention to Axe Capital now.
"Sorry, Mr. President cannot take my call."
Hearing George Walker IV's whisper, Richard Fuld froze in place.
His tightly furrowed brow suddenly relaxed, and he looked utterly dejected, as if "God had abandoned me."
"Contact Paul Pellegrini of Axe Capital. Tell that Italian that Bobby Axelrod won. We'll redeem the CDS at their price."
"Remember to apologize to Lee and ask him if he's interested in our assets."
The "Bulldog" bowed his head.
Those committee members who had once mocked Lee and the others now became yes-men.
After confirming that the government would not offer assistance, they now only wanted to stop the losses.
"Should we accept the investment from the Development Bank?"
George Walker IV quietly asked the question.
Richard Fuld collected his thoughts.
After deciding to surrender, he regained his confident demeanor:
"I'll talk to MetLife again. As long as those few short-selling companies stop crashing the stock, we'll be able to solve the problem quickly."
"..."
Richard Fuld firmly believed that the crisis was triggered by Axe Capital's massive CDS short selling, and he felt that as long as the source was resolved, Lehman Brothers would be able to overcome the difficulties.
However, the elites present were all deceiving themselves at this moment.
Many of their clients, after watching Fox's program, listened to advice and bought insurance because they were worried about the company's financial situation.
Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy had entered a countdown.
At 11 o'clock, in a townhouse on 82nd Street in Manhattan, Melinda, who was working from home, also received a call from the White House.
After a brief greeting, David Addington's cheerful voice came through:
"Ms. Lamis, I hope you and Lee enjoy this pleasant weekend together!"
"It is our honor."
Melinda, wearing only a loose blue shirt, couldn't help but wave her small fist after hanging up the phone.
The 33-year-old mature woman tore off her shirt in the study and celebrated happily.
The succubus, who had brought fruit to the room to curry favor, was stunned.
Since they met at 16, Scarlett had never seen Melinda so out of control outside of bed.
Melinda had a good figure, with a full bust and shapely rear.
Although her breasts were a size smaller than Scarlett's, they were perkier.
Neither woman chose to breastfeed, so all the milk over the years went into Lee's stomach.
"Sister Mel, has something good happened?"
Privately, Scarlett sometimes still called her'sister' in a sweet voice, just like when she was little, to express intimacy.
Melinda, whose face was flushed with excitement, controlled her emotions and, seeing the little succubus's curious eyes, replied in a sugary voice:
"The White House has invited Lee to play golf next weekend. It's still confidential for now, but in short, you'll get an unimaginable birthday present this Christmas!"
"Let me kiss you, dear, you're so beautiful!"
Scarlett, who hadn't dyed her hair since she became pregnant, had her hair color revert to brown.
Her somewhat rounded face was kissed, and the succubus simply leaned into her embrace, enjoying the soft and Active kiss.
Melinda's big eyes showed a smile.
She sometimes enjoyed getting close to pretty girls.
If the succubus wasn't so close to her due date, she wouldn't mind helping Lee further train the lovely girl.
"What a lucky baby, will it be a girl?"
"Wilfred and Willis both want a sister!"
The twins were still toddlers.
Melinda was too busy, and Scarlett wasn't good at taking care of children.
She herself was still being taken care of.
Most of the time, Krysten Ritter was taking care of the little ones at home.
"Has something good happened? I know the family budget has had some issues these past few years. Clay never talks to me about these things."
Sports Illustrated reports the income of active professional athletes every year.
Although Lee consistently ranked in the top two, Scarlett noticed large sums of money disappearing over the past few years, and she even contributed her own pocket money for it.
Aside from maintaining a decent daily life, Scarlett would only regularly invite her 'plastic sisters' to show off, secretly reducing expenses with the excuse of needing to have a healthy baby.
Hearing the succubus's low, husky voice, Melinda simply rubbed her shoulder, still not revealing the specific situation despite the curious gaze:
"Anyway, it's all over. This Christmas, Axe Capital will hold an investor conference at the Metropolitan Club. We'll all be there, and you'll find out what exactly happened these past few years."
Her heart involuntarily sped up.
Scarlett had attended once a few years ago, which made her realize that the family might have made a lot of money again.
Thinking of the dollars, she suddenly felt her body Heat up.
The succubus in her arms had watery eyes, and Melinda chuckled softly, whispering and teasing at the same time.
It wasn't time for full celebration yet, but she was already looking forward to the second half of the year.
Wall Street investment banks had been losing more and more since 2006.
By the first half of 2008, the CEOs who had made grand pronouncements had resigned one after another, and the old-established Bear Stearns investment bank even went bankrupt.
A few short sellers quietly celebrated at the end of 2007.
Like Axe Capital, they discreetly reaped huge profits, and only when everything was completely settled would they begin to make their voices heard.
Where there are bulls, there are bears, and short sellers are also rivals.
Bobby's exclusive interview on Fox News Channel was a signal of victory for the short sellers, but for some Wall Street elites, it was the beginning of a nightmare.
Ordinary people were not deeply affected by this.
Mainstream media and large investment banks were still proclaiming that housing prices would rise steadily, even providing eloquent justifications:
"Even if problems arise, at this election time, the Treasury Department will help us solve them!"
....
The onlookers attending the championship parade believed the mainstream media's reports.
Wall Street was "crying," but they were laughing happily, enjoying the victory brought by the Knicks!
On the championship parade float, Alvin, the curious baby, was firmly perched on Lee's shoulders.
The little guy giggled as he grabbed his hair, hearing the cheers, while the clingy Zell in his arms seemed a bit shy, quietly observing his surroundings.
Georgina, who had regained her slender figure, quickly picked Alvin down, giving Lee a glare.
The lively parade was not very safe for the two little ones.
On the other side of the float, Mayor Bloomberg was quietly discussing financial issues with James Dolan.
Ever since his second daughter gave birth to a boy, he felt that Lee had problems, but Georgina wouldn't admit it.
The cheers in front of City Hall soon interrupted their conversation.
Amidst the sky-high blue ribbons, some troublemakers began to shout loudly:
"Lee! Lee! Lee!..."
The cheers grew louder and louder, and some young people started jumping and bouncing.
Ever since Lee dominated Kobe, the online confrontations had filled everyone with emotional value, and they had crushed those stubborn "Kobe fans."
Mike Walczewski had been the New York Knicks' home announcer since 1989.
His voice had echoed in Madison Square Garden since the Ewing era, witnessing the team's entire rise.
When 52-year-old Mike Walczewski began introducing Ewing and others, the familiar shouts of "PAT-RICK Ewing!" from old fans completely ignited the atmosphere.
Ewing, wearing a Knicks championship T-shirt, had gotten round, with his waistline having expanded by several inches, and his face was fleshy.
Most of his beard had turned white.
At this moment, Ewing came to the stage with an excited expression, embraced Mike Walczewski in greeting, and waved to the fans with red eyes.
After the scandal, Gorilla had lived a very low-key life, only making an appearance this year upon his induction into the Hall of Fame.
Among the championship members, Charles Oakley had maintained his physique quite well, though his hair and beard were mostly white, making him look much older.
He laughed and waved to the fans.
Hearing his name, Larry Johnson jogged onto the stage.
"Grandmama" had also gained weight, and most of his beard was white.
He posed to cheers before bumping fists with his old friends.
Starks and Allan Houston were both in management, responsible for community activities.
They would occasionally appear on MSG programs.
They had maintained their figures the best over the years, appearing much younger compared to their teammates.
George Kalinsky had been the official photographer for Madison Square Garden since 1966.
After the Dolan Family took over Radio City Music Hall, he also became the official photographer for that music hall.
When Lee appeared on stage, constantly embracing and greeting his old teammates, George Kalinsky's camera shutter clicked non-stop.
The old man in the plaid shirt smiled happily.
He had witnessed all of the Knicks' great moments.
"While we celebrate the championship, we cannot forget the team's championship members. I'm a little jealous, Pat seems more popular than me today!"
"A Hall of Fame championship center! I am proud of Pat, this is an achievement he deserves!"
Lee took the microphone and teased Ewing in front of everyone.
For a moment, the old fans who had specifically come to see Gorilla also began to cheer loudly—that was their youth...
With Ewing's induction into the Hall of Fame, this year's championship parade also had a nostalgic atmosphere.
Mike Walczewski, who was hosting, almost shed tears.
Looking back, those years were truly a losing streak.
"OH—! Man!"
"I'm so happy! Seeing these trophies, I'm proud of the Knicks. We established the team's winning culture, and now it has been passed down. This is truly amazing!"
"."
After the spherical Ewing took the microphone from Lee, he expressed his gratitude to the fans with red eyes.
With the championship, the Hall of Fame, and the fans' support, his career was completely fulfilled this year.
The two generations of championship members gathered together, and Lee listened with a smile as Mike Walczewski and others recalled their past losing seasons.
The old-timers used this opportunity to educate the fans on how difficult it was to win a championship!
For young people born after 1990, the New York Knicks have almost always been winning throughout their upbringing.
The Yankees had won many championships in previous years, but they have become "ugly" in recent years, which has made New York fans lean more towards the New York Knicks.
Hearing these historical details, many people exclaimed in surprise that the championship center had been booed in the past.
After the reminiscing session, everyone quickly started talking about this year's Finals.
The active players on the team received affirmation from the fans, and among the old-timers, some bigmouths mocked their opponents.
"Seeing Kobe Bryant being 'pinned to the floor' and beaten by Clay Lee, I laughed in front of the TV!"
"He's just a self-aggrandizing clown! He gained attention by imitating Michael Jordan. I know Michael Jordan, and I know Clay Lee, Kobe has never come close to them!"
"Los Angeles is a team made up of softies."
Charles Oakley grinned widely, wildly belittling the opponents, which made the New York fans in the audience ecstatic, and for a while, there were only happy shouts.
An ESPN reporter found the conspicuous tall man in the crowd behind.
Kevin Durant, with his temporary girlfriend, also participated in the championship parade.
At this moment, he accepted an interview and did not forget to show off his championship hat:
"I have always been a supporter of Lee. He is the greatest player in NBA history! God, seeing so many golden trophies, I don't know what to say, his achievements are simply incredible."
"."
The Seattle SuperSonics have confirmed their relocation, and the team will officially move into Oklahoma City in July.
Kevin Durant has recently received extra attention, becoming the last first-round pick chosen by the Seattle SuperSonics.
Meanwhile, in this year's draft, the Seattle SuperSonics were renamed the Oklahoma City Thunder, and they will also acquire the first Rookie in team history.
The old men were taking turns mocking Kobe and the Lakers.
Amidst the cheers of the surrounding fans, the blonde female reporter from ESPN raised her voice and asked:
"Kevin, do you think Kobe Bryant is qualified to be the United States Mens National Basketball Team captain? You worked together in the previous Americas Championship qualifiers, how would you evaluate his performance in this year's Finals?"
Looking down at the blonde reporter's smiling face, Kevin Durant suddenly remembered that his goddess's hair color had changed, and then thinking that his goddess was about to give birth again, he suddenly felt that his temporary girlfriend's charm had greatly diminished:
"Uh..."
"Kobe is very hardworking. When he was on the national team, he was the first one to wake up and train every day!"
"I respect the coaching staff's choice. Kobe postponed the surgery, and I only have respect for his decision!"
The increasingly fan-club-like New York fans didn't care that Kobe was playing with an injury.
The shouts of "Fuck, Kobe" continued to come out.
They had no interest in respecting a big-mouthed loser.
Kevin Durant's Good Brother, Michael Beasley, was also shouting along with the fans at this time.
He liked the basketball atmosphere in New York, but unfortunately, he currently had no chance to play here.
Having already received tryout invitations from multiple teams, Michael Beasley was extremely confident in his talent and was about to become a "millionaire," which made him a bit inflated.
Squeezing his Good Brother's temporary girlfriend aside, Michael Beasley didn't even look at the glaring black girl, pulling Kevin Durant closer and whispering:
"Bro, if there's a chance in the future, how about we play in New York together? The fans here are too enthusiastic, completely beyond my expectations!"
From time to time, some enthusiastic girls would wink at the two of them.
Times were tough on Wall Street, and some pretty girls from modeling agencies had lost their income.
Now they didn't mind finding some long-term meal tickets.
Kevin Durant, who aspired to win the NBA's highest honor, the "One Person, One City Award," was still very loyal at this time.
He looked down on those veterans who banded together and was extremely confident in his own talent:
"You can come to Oklahoma City, I guarantee you'll get a starting spot!"
"Who would want to play there! There aren't even other sports leagues there."
The New York Knicks championship parade continued until noon, and ESPN's Sports Center naturally reported on it.
Kobe, far away in Los Angeles, finished his morning training and returned home to watch the New York Knicks' grand championship parade on TV.
The sounds from the television made him "unhappy" again:
"Over a million people participated in this event, and the entire city is cheering for Clay Lee!"
"His 10th championship, Clay Lee has created a miracle..."
The blonde reporter's voice made Kobe frown.
Ever since he announced his participation in the Olympics, ESPN's reports these days had not praised him.
Instead, they began to question why he would serve as captain.
Coach Krzyzewski greatly admired Kobe.
After receiving the news, he announced in front of the media that Kobe would become the team leader and even put the captain's hat on Kobe's head.
"Change the channel, I don't like watching ESPN news, they keep reporting nonsense and don't respect us at all."
Vanessa didn't like the sound coming from the television.
In response, Kobe gradually relaxed his brow, and while moving his right hand, he showed a confident demeanor and said to his wife in a deep voice:
"When I lead the team to a gold medal, all these voices will disappear."
The Lakers management has already revealed some plans, and Kobe is full of confidence about it.
God takes care of disciplined children!
On Friday, June 20th, Axe Capital quietly shifted its targets, but the shorting of Merrill Lynch, Citibank, Municipal Bond Insurance Group, and rating agency Moody's continued.
This financial feast was nearing its end, and by autumn, a great harvest would arrive.
Manhattan was still in a festive mood; the weekend was approaching, and workers could catch their breath.
Lee, on the other hand, spent the entire day in his study.
Drinking more celebrity "chicken soup" still had its benefits.
The memories in Lee's mind helped him determine the trend of this financial crisis, though the timing of entry was a bit off, losing a lot of money in the first half of 2006.
With management fees reaching hundreds of millions of dollars, in February of last year, as the APX index fell, Axe Capital's two new funds earned over a billion dollars in a single day.
When they saw this number, all the "family members" of the company went crazy.
Starting last year, everyone worked until after 7 PM every night, and their phones were almost blown up trying to attract more clients.
However, the large profits were quickly blocked by several investment banks, and then both sides completely tore off the mask, starting a crazy confrontation.
Looking at the emails forwarded from Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs on the computer, Lee also felt relieved.
As long as all remaining CDS were sold before August, the profits would be safely secured.
Ivanka, who came back from work, was still dressed in her black silk professional suit.
Since Kim was on a business trip to Washington, the other girls had returned to Peninsula Manor for the weekend to accompany the elderly dog, leaving only the two of them and the butler team at home.
Silently coming up behind Lee and "colliding with the ball," Ivanka leaned down, glanced at the email content, found that she couldn't understand it, and finally whispered:
"Do you want to go see Cyrus this weekend? Father is taking good care of him."
Donald had obviously received some news.
He was very knowledgeable about the real estate market, but he couldn't quite grasp the complex derivative bonds on Wall Street.
Lee, leaning back in his chair, let out a long breath.
In a few more months, the profits would be in hand.
He, who was usually not nervous, was a bit excited at this moment.
He casually pulled Ivanka into his arms and smoothly unbuttoned her shirt.
"Every time I see the little guy, I feel like I'm getting old."
Lee's muffled voice came from his chest.
Ivanka didn't mind.
Instead, she straightened her fair skin, leaned close to his ear, and said passionately:
"Father said you made a lot of money this time, dear, how much?"
Lee, who had lifted his head, did not answer the question.
Instead, he separated his right thumb and slowly covered a pair of fair breasts, kneading them rhythmically, and giving a hint at the same time.
"God! Oh! $55 billion?"
The huge numbers, coupled with Lee's bold teasing, made Ivanka in his arms instantly wet.
Lee's confidentiality work was excellent.
In fact, all short sellers were afraid that their opponents would know the secret to making money, so everyone was quietly getting rich.
"This was last Christmas."
After Lee whispered, Ivanka proactively kissed him.
After years of confrontation, she had long shed her past shyness, and with no other teammates at home, she completely let loose.
She proactively lay on the spacious office desk, arching her body in invitation, and Lee, who was skilled at undressing, naturally didn't stand on ceremony.
The intense sparring seemed unable to satisfy their surging emotions.
When Ivanka started walking towards the window, Lee chuckled, gently holding her waist and whispering,
"I like these little tricks!"
"."
On Monday evening, the 23rd, Donald's family gathering became a little more formal, switching to French cuisine instead of the usual family steak and potatoes.
Erik, sitting on the right side of the dining table, wore an "I knew it" expression, and the Good Brother next to him also looked a bit helpless.
Their father's eagerness for money was undisguised.
Having provided a lot of industry data, Donald forgot how he had jumped up and down not long ago.
By holding on until now, he had gained even greater returns, far exceeding his previous expectations.
"You know, Lee, Jeffrey Green was showing off his investments in Los Angeles before, but now he's starting to worry about those insurance policies not selling!"
"I advised him a long time ago, but that fool forgot my words as soon as he heard those compliments!"
"No one understands real estate investment better than me. Now that idiot has learned his lesson."
Donald, sitting at the head of the table, had a hearty appetite and none of his previous anxiety, adopting a "Mr. Know-It-All" demeanor.
He had only invested ten million with his friend, choosing an irredeemable fund due to greed.
Now that the profits were about to arrive, he started to be a Monday morning quarterback, mocking Jeffrey Green, the well-known real estate developer who had personally invested in CDS.
Lee had a good relationship with the fired CEO of Merrill Lynch, and could also get some inside information from internal traders.
Seeing Donald's gloating expression, he couldn't help but remind him,
"He's the only individual buyer in the entire U.S. Merrill Lynch will repurchase it. He'll still make a profit before Christmas. Give him an early blessing. Maybe it can ease your somewhat tense relationship."
Although the other party making money annoyed him, Donald became happy again when he remembered Jeffrey Green's tired face at his wedding not long ago:
"You're right! I'll bless that lucky idiot."
The billionaire Jeffrey Green was younger, mingled in Hollywood in Los Angeles, had close relationships with many actresses and young models, and was also a close friend of Michael Tyson.
His wedding was very grand.
Lee felt that Donald seemed jealous of him.
He had long proposed a plan: Donald's sister worked at JPMorgan Chase and had a better opportunity to personally invest in CDS, but she ultimately "chickened out."
"Daddy, didn't you want to make an additional investment? Clay told me that it will be easier to make money in the next two years."
A weekend of intense sparring left Ivanka radiant.
After removing her makeup, her complexion was rosy.
Seeing his obedient daughter, Donald couldn't help but shake his head inwardly, always feeling like he was losing out.
"Currency devaluation, investing in gold, and those investment banks are also high-quality assets."
"Can Cyrus speak yet? The little guy looks a bit fatter."
Lee also stopped chatting and proactively changed the subject.
The model stepmother sitting beside Ivanka looked at the two well-cared-for little ones, her emotions complex at that moment.
"The nutritionist told me they are the healthiest little ones in the entire America!"
Looking at his laughing father, Erik felt powerless to complain.
His father had been clamoring about getting married before, but now he didn't mention it at all.
Money seemed more important to him than they were.
On Thursday, June 26th, Madison Square Garden once again hosted the annual NBA Draft that evening.
The "tragic" atmosphere on Wall Street did not affect this place.
Most of the spectators who bought tickets to the lower-level theater were New York fans.
When David Stern appeared on stage, everyone began to cheer for the commissioner.
Since the Knicks won consecutive championships, New York fans have highly praised David Stern, calling him "the best commissioner in NBA history."
"Thank you! Thank you!"
Waving constantly to the audience and expressing his gratitude loudly, David Stern was in a good mood.
The Finals' viewership rating of over 11.0 made advertisers very satisfied.
It was a year of "rise."
The staff of various teams were still making final deliberations.
They were not interested in the commissioner on stage.
The Rookies were what everyone pursued.
The first-round players invited to the scene sat with their entourages.
ESPN's cameras frequently focused on Derrick Rose.
The Chicago Bulls had practically made it clear: this was the first overall pick!
Michael Beasley showed a confident smile to the camera.
He was also set.
The Heat had given assurances, and he couldn't wait to go to Miami to "play basketball."
OJ Mayo, with a superstar face, had already received an offer from Nike.
Hailed as the "next Lee," the talented high school dual-threat guard Mayo had also been making waves recently and was not at all worried about his draft prospects.
When the camera swept over Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, also from UCLA, they didn't look as confident, and their entourages also seemed a bit nervous.
Entering the NBA meant becoming a millionaire, a dream for countless young people.
Rose, maintaining a poker face, was actually nervous inside until David Stern on stage called out his name:
"...selected Derrick Rose, the core guard from the University of Memphis, with the first overall pick."
"Oh!!"
His entourage cheered for Rose.
His older brother, who was involved in gangs, couldn't sit next to his brother but was excitedly shouting in the hallway, happily pumping his fists.
Walking onto the stage, Rose took the Chicago Bulls' red hat from a staff member, an involuntary smile appearing on his face, and quickly went to David Stern for a photo.
When Rose returned to the audience, his emotions were still somewhat stirred.
He had done it.
Surrounded by ESPN and other sports media, when faced with routine questions, he proactively boasted as per his agent's instructions:
"I'm a Chicago kid. My dream since childhood has been to play for the Chicago Bulls!"
"I will shine at the United Center and I am confident I can lead the Chicago Bulls to revenge!"
"."
Some sports reporters were stunned.
The Rookie actually initiated a challenge.
In all these years, besides the fake fan Dwyane Wade, this was the first time this had happened.
"Clay Lee is very successful, but in my heart, Michael Jordan is the greatest player!"
Leaving that remark, Derrick Rose was invited to ESPN's broadcast booth.
He didn't notice that the sports reporters behind him were already overjoyed.
Mayo was selected with the third pick and was soon traded by the Timberwolves to the Grizzlies.
A beaming Russell Westbrook was selected by the Thunder with the fourth pick.
He became the first Rookie in the team's history, donned a blue hat, and smiled brightly for the cameras.
The draft order did not deviate much from what sports media had predicted, until David Stern announced again:
"...The New York Knicks select Serge Ibaka from the Spanish League with the 24th pick..."
The cheers from the New York fans at the scene immediately halved.
No one had much of an impression of him.
The New York newspapers hadn't been reporting it this way these days:
"Where did George Hill, who was hyped to the sky, go?"
....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)