Chapter 555 Let’s Get Married
"Are you her husband? Are you also her boss?" Carmelo Anthony pointed at Lu Xueman beside him in a daze, and asked Yang Mo for confirmation in great surprise.
"Yes." Yang Mo nodded and said calmly, "By the way, I forgot to tell you that she is also my agent."
"So what's our relationship like now?" Carmelo Anthony was completely confused. He'd called his agent in today to negotiate, only to discover he knew Yang Mo better than he did. How was he supposed to proceed? How was he supposed to fight for playing time and shots?
"It's a very complicated relationship." Yang Mo smiled slightly, then said to Lu Xueman, "First, you are Carmelo Anthony's agent, and you must strive for the best interests for him. At the same time, you are also my agent, and you must strive for the best interests for me. Finally, you are also a minority shareholder of MSG, the Knicks' parent company, and you must strive for the best interests for the Knicks. So, now you can display your professional talents."
Lu Xueman was a talented person, a business prodigy even, but Yang Mo's comments still left her completely bewildered. She represented three factions, and couldn't be biased. Yet, today, she was summoned by Carmelo Anthony to help support the team, essentially playing against herself, and she was the referee.
Lu Xueman had no idea how to start speaking, she seemed to be caught in a self-contradiction.
By this time, Yang Mo had already spoken frankly to Carmelo Anthony: "I know why you brought your agent here. You wanted more playing time, more shots, and a greater position on the team. I'm sorry... I won't give you any of these. Furthermore, I will ask you to trim some of your personality and reduce your excessive ball-sticking. If you don't agree, you can request a trade immediately, and I will definitely grant your wish as soon as possible."
Yang Mo's words were simple and straightforward, surprising Lu Xueman. This was the second time she'd sat at the same negotiation table with Yang Mo. The first time had been when Yang Mo had just joined the alliance. Back then, Yang Mo had acted like a country bumpkin, having seen nothing of the world. This had immediately lowered her negotiation threshold, resulting in a relatively low contract value.
But now Yang Mo, who was sitting in front of her, already looked like a dominant figure. He was so powerful that he looked like a CEO.
"I..." Carmelo Anthony hesitated and looked up at Lu Xueman.
Seeing this, Lu Xueman quickly deployed her negotiation skills. "I think you should be aware of Carmelo Anthony's current standing in the league. He's the second-best small forward and holds the single-quarter scoring record. He 's proven his strength with a series of statistics. I think if he extends an olive branch, countless teams will make generous offers. What you should be thinking about now is how to cherish him, not restrict or criticize him."
"First of all, he is not the second-ranked small forward. He is not better than LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Secondly, I am the one who holds the record for scoring in a single quarter. In addition, he is indeed a good player, and many teams are indeed vying for him. But... he is not the player we Knicks need most. We can do without him, and we can still win the championship in this case. What he needs to figure out now is that in New York, he is not as important as he thinks. He is just a piece of the puzzle for the championship. So, if he still wants to win the championship with us, then... please ask him to make changes, starting now." Yang Mo refuted Lu Xueman's remarks one by one, and pointed out Carmelo Anthony's status in the Knicks mercilessly.
Now they are very clear about Yang Mo's attitude, which is that one more or one less of him doesn't matter, so don't be too self-righteous.
Now the initiative is clearly in Yang Mo's hands.
In the past, Anthony would have slammed the table and walked away. But the current situation is not optimistic. He is already in the last year of his contract. If he was just traded to the Knicks and then sold off, it would definitely affect his reputation. After all, superstars have never been traded like this before.
Seeing that Anthony and Lu Xueman had fallen silent, Yang Mo continued slowly, " We sincerely welcome players who truly want to unite and win a championship. After all, Anthony is a top player. If he is willing to spend more time improving his offensive efficiency and defensive enthusiasm, I think it will not only be a good thing for the Knicks, but also extremely beneficial to him personally."
When these words were spoken, it was like giving a slap in the face and then giving a sweet date.
At this time, Carmelo Anthony was actually somewhat convinced.
Seeing that he seemed to be slightly moved, Yang Mo added, "I think the bonus of a championship is very beneficial to a player's career. Some players never win a championship in their entire lives, but now you have a ring in front of you. It depends on whether you are willing to reach out for it."
Yang Mo's words were simple and straightforward, like putting a piece of cake in front of Anthony and asking him whether he wanted to eat it or not. If he did, he would have to listen to me from now on. I can give you great benefits, but for the time being you have to make some sacrifices.
It's a matter of personal choice.
Lu Xueman on the side didn't know how to help Carmelo Anthony make a decision. She just sat quietly and waited for Anthony's answer.
At the same time, she was also a little surprised. She had never expected that Yang Mo had become so powerful. Not only was he eloquent, but he was also well-organized. Even she couldn't find a rebuttal to fight back.
This doesn't mean Lu Xueman is incompetent, it just means Yang Mo doesn't take Anthony seriously at all. If he leaves, he leaves. With this mentality, it's hard not to dominate everything!
Carmelo Anthony pondered for a long time before finally making a decision. He shrugged and smiled, "There's only half a season left anyway. I don't want to be used as a bargaining chip by the Knicks to trade for a few players. Winning a championship would be nice, too."
Although Anthony's words still sounded a bit stubborn, he had already surrendered in his heart and was willing to give in and make changes.
Yang Mo reminded him again, "Although you only have half a season left on your contract, this half season will determine the size of your next contract. If you play well and win a championship, you'll definitely be able to get a maximum salary of $100 million. Of course, the Knicks can't give you a $100 million contract. But if you can't even get playing time, I suspect your next contract will be pitifully small."
"I know what to do." Anthony nodded. Although Yang Mo's tone made him very unhappy, at this moment, he had no choice but to listen to Yang Mo.
After hearing this, Yang Mo stopped talking. He had already achieved a certain level of success.
After Carmelo Anthony chatted with Lu Xueman for a few words, he got up and left.
After Anthony left, Lu Xueman yelled in surprise, "Hey, Yang Mo, how did you become like this? This is incredible. Before, you and I were both so young and inexperienced. I still remember that negotiation with Pat Riley. You just ruined an hour of my efforts with just one sentence."
"I'll just be a novice at that time, okay?" Yang Mo hugged Lu Xueman in her arms, kissed her, and quickly changed the subject: "The rest of the time is our private time, let's not talk about work."
Hearing this, Lu Xueman rubbed against Yang Mo's arms and said gently, "Okay, let's talk about getting married."
"Get married?" Yang Mo's tongue trembled, as if it hadn't been straightened out. He was a little confused. He had been looking for a girlfriend for years, and had neglected the idea of marriage.
"Why? Don't want to?"
"No, no." Yang Mo denied it repeatedly and quickly said, "I just felt a little surprised."
"Actually, I've thought about it. Now that our company is on the right track, I don't need to keep working so hard. Women always have to return to their families. I can hire professionals to help run the company, but I have to take care of my husband myself. Don't you think so?" Lu Xueman said gently.
Yang Mo's heart skipped a beat when he heard this. He knew his free life was over, and his wanton sex life was over. When Lu Xueman returned to the family, how could other women get in the way? This was a strong woman among strong women.
"Hey, that's not right." Lu Xueman suddenly reacted and quickly got out of Yang Mo's arms.
Seeing his drastic reaction, Yang Mo felt a little guilty, wondering if she had noticed something. "What's wrong?"
"You haven't proposed to me yet."
Yang Mo breathed a sigh of relief when she heard this. Lu Xueman then continued, "I don't want a diamond ring; it's too tacky. The All-Stars are coming soon. Bring me all the All-Star trophies and I'll marry you."
"All the trophies?" Yang Mo scratched his head. "I can't participate in the rookie competition anymore."
"As long as you participate in the event, you must win all the trophies."
"Well...I'll try my best."
"It's not about fighting, but you have to get it, understand?"
“Understood…Understood!”
