The black Maybach smoothly merged into New York's afternoon traffic, shutting out the clamor at the hospital entrance but unable to block the escalating storm of public opinion sweeping the internet.
In just one hour, major newspapers, sports forums, and gossip sites across the United States had completely exploded. Outrageous rumors rode the Christmas holiday traffic boom and spread through streets and neighborhoods across America.
American media in the 1990s had always been unscrupulous, especially tabloids and gossip outlets, which firmly believed that "scandal means traffic."
They needed no evidence and no verification. With nothing more than a candid photo of the two leaving a maternity and children's hospital, they could fabricate explosive dirt that overturned a superstar's image, smearing and sensationalizing him to the fullest extent.
Sports forums across the United States were instantly flooded with comments. Countless fans put aside their Christmas leisure to gather and discuss this sudden uproar.
"My God! Li Fei showed up at a maternity and children's hospital, and now they're saying he has some serious infectious disease? How is that possible?"
"Look at these reports. Syphilis, AIDS—those terms are everywhere. Is the league's number one player about to follow Magic Johnson's old path?"
"Magic was exposed for having an illness at the peak of his career, and it directly ended his career. Is history about to repeat itself?"
The moment countless longtime fans saw those trending terms, panic and disbelief surged through them.
For the past six years, Li Fei had been the absolute dominant force in the NBA. Twenty-four straight wins, five consecutive championships, six straight MVPs—he had claimed every top honor on both ends of the floor.
At a perfect 2.24 meters tall and weighing an overwhelming 120 kilograms, combined with unstoppable mid-range shooting and interior physicality, he was an irreplaceable