Chapter 125: Officially Joining the Team

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“Um, let’s not chat here anymore. We’ve been on the plane for more than ten hours, and I’m exhausted.” Afraid that the two women might clash again and spark some kind of “fireworks,” Lin Feng hurriedly changed the subject.

“Then let’s go home. Wenwen and I have already prepared a feast—we’ve been waiting for you to land.” Shen Mengfei smiled at Lin Feng.

“By the way, Ruolin, why don’t you come with us too? It’ll be livelier with more people.” Shen Mengfei turned to Qin Ruolin.

Qin Ruolin slightly furrowed her beautiful brows and glanced at Lin Feng. “You’re staying at her place?”

“Not only is Lin Feng staying with me, but Wenwen and Xiaohan are too. There’s plenty of room, so why don’t you come as well?” Shen Mengfei answered before Lin Feng could say anything.

“Xiaohan is staying at your place too?” Qin Ruolin looked at Qin Han for confirmation.

Qin Han awkwardly pulled at the corners of his mouth. “My brother-in-law and Wenwen were going, so I just went along…”

Qin Ruolin nodded slightly, then smiled at Shen Mengfei. “Thanks. They must have caused you quite a bit of trouble lately.”

“Not at all. We’re all friends. If anything, I should be thanking everyone. Whenever I come to Manhattan, I’m bored to death staying alone in my apartment. This time, I have so many people keeping me company. I couldn’t be happier.” Shen Mengfei smiled.

“Either way, thank you.” Qin Ruolin thought for a moment before continuing, “Since you and Wenwen have already prepared dinner tonight, I won’t stand on ceremony. But another day, I’ll definitely treat you to a magnificent meal.”

“Sure. I’ll remember you said that.” Shen Mengfei gave a soft laugh and pursed her lips.

The few exchanges between the two women were free of gunpowder, and Lin Feng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The group had dinner together at Shen Mengfei’s apartment.

The atmosphere was exceptionally harmonious.

After the meal, Qin Ruolin and Xu Lili left Shen Mengfei’s apartment to join the production crew. After all, Qin Ruolin had come to Manhattan for legitimate work.

Over the next two days, Lin Feng accompanied Walker in completing all the necessary procedures. With the help of American dollars, everything proceeded at astonishing speed.

On the third day, Lin Feng and Walker arrived at the New York Knicks’ club.

“Hey, my friend. I was beginning to wonder when you two would finally show up.”

In the general manager’s office, New York Knicks general manager Mills greeted Walker warmly.

“Those damn procedures are to blame. Otherwise, we would have completed the signing long ago.” Walker pulled Lin Feng over and introduced him. “Lin, this is General Manager Mills.”

“Hello, Mr. Mills.” Lin Feng greeted him neither humbly nor arrogantly.

“Hello, Lin.” Mills embraced him warmly. “I watched your tryout video. It was excellent. I believe your three-point shooting will be a tremendous help to the team.”

“I’ll do everything I can to make my contribution,” Lin Feng said.

Mills nodded. “I believe you will.”

“By the way, here’s the contract. Walker has already looked it over, but you should take a look as well. If everything is in order, we can sign it.” Mills picked up the contract from the desk and handed it to Lin Feng.

“No need. I trust Walker.” Lin Feng accepted the contract and immediately signed his name.

Two days earlier, he had officially hired Walker as his sports agent. The two had already formed a partnership whose interests were closely bound together. Walker naturally had no reason to cheat him.

“I like your character. Very well—here’s to a pleasant partnership.” Mills also signed the contract.

In less than five minutes, Lin Feng had completed his first NBA contract.

Immediately after the signing, the New York Knicks’ official website announced the news. Before long, word that Lin Feng had officially signed with the Knicks had reached China.

Although Lin Feng had previously announced on his own that he had passed the Knicks’ tryout, New York had not given any definite response regarding his joining the team in recent days. As a result, domestic media outlets had widely predicted that Lin Feng would fail to join the Knicks. In particular, those media organizations with close ties to the Basketball Association had published numerous articles smearing him.

They claimed that Lin Feng’s joining the Knicks was merely wishful thinking, that he had never passed the Knicks’ tryout, and so on.

But now that the Knicks had officially announced Lin Feng’s signing, all those negative reports had become jokes. The Basketball Association, which had spared no effort to smear and suppress Lin Feng, had become a laughingstock as well.

A player who had not even been eligible for selection to the national team, a player whom the Basketball Association had completely blacklisted, had nevertheless become the only Chinese player currently competing in the NBA.

The humiliation could hardly have been louder.

Lin Feng’s signing with the Knicks also established two Asian firsts.

First, he was the youngest player from all of Asia ever to enter the NBA.

Second, he was the first Asian backcourt player to enter the NBA.

Because of these two distinctions, news of Lin Feng’s joining the Knicks was widely reported by media outlets in several other Asian countries.

For a time, Lin Feng became not only famous throughout China, but also somewhat well known across Asia.

Coincidentally, not long after the Knicks officially announced Lin Feng’s signing, the Chinese men’s basketball team lost another warm-up game. This time, however, the defeat was not considered especially惨—only thirty-one points…

Obviously, “not especially惨” was meant in comparison with the previous two games.

After three straight losses in warm-up games, with the smallest defeat being by thirty-one points, Chinese basketball fans grew furious once again and began loudly condemning the Basketball Association for its inaction.

Lin Feng became the best weapon for netizens attacking the Basketball Association.

Hadn’t they repeatedly claimed that they selected basketball talent fairly and impartially?

Then where was the talent?

Fined!

Suspended!

Blacklisted!

And then he went to the NBA…

Lin Feng’s signing with the New York Knicks and the men’s team’s defeat were two events that seemed unrelated. Yet once placed side by side, they produced astonishing energy.

The Basketball Association suddenly found itself the target of everyone’s anger.

Domestic media outlets almost universally reported positively on Lin Feng’s joining the NBA. Although the Basketball Association was deeply unhappy, this was, after all, something that brought honor to the country.

American media outlets, however, reacted very differently to Lin Feng’s signing with the Knicks.

Hardly a single outlet believed the Knicks had made a good deal. Several major sports websites even gave Mills’s move a grade of D-minus.

In other words, they unanimously considered it an utterly terrible transaction.

America’s largest sports media outlet even used the following headline for the deal:

“New York Signs Chinese Guard—Are They Sure This Is an Upgrade?”

In addition, a veteran ESPN sports reporter wrote the following on Facebook:

“I hear Mills has signed a Chinese guard. Heh, he’s a shrewd man. I know New York needs that market…”

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