After the crushing defeat to the Dallas Mavericks, the team quickly arrived in Memphis.

Su Xi still showed no intention of standing up and arguing his case. He continued to train hard every day, and everyone saw his efforts.

Even Paul Silas couldn’t help but remind Jack, "Don’t you think you should be doing more?"

He said this to Su Xi in private.

He even hinted that as long as Su Xi publicly took a stand, he would give him more control of the ball, even if it meant withstanding pressure from the owner and management.

Su Xi just smiled and shook his head, saying, "Things are fine as they are."

Then, during the game in Memphis.

A very strange phenomenon occurred with the Cavaliers. Whenever Su Xi was on the court, his teammates would grab a rebound and immediately give the ball to him, then quickly run over to set screens and run pick-and-rolls for him.

LeBron James was like an isolated island on the court. His only function on the wing was to create space.

Su Xi was moved by his teammates’ strong support.

He led the team on a furious offensive. The Grizzlies couldn’t hold them back. In the final moments, Su Xi drove into the paint, knocked Gasol aside, and completed a dunk that fired up the team’s morale and sealed the victory.

That play by Su Xi was number one on the top five plays of the night.

Su Xi was magnificent. In 27 minutes on the court, he posted 13 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, and 1 block.

It was his second triple-double of the season, and he led the team in snapping their losing streak.

After the game, the locker room was buzzing with excitement.

Tony Battie was so excited he was slurring his words, "Th-th-this is the... basketball... we want to play! If we... if we keep playing like before... what’s the... difference between that and... and tanking?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The majority of the Cavaliers’ locker room now supported Su Xi.

The "Chosen One," on the other hand, was isolated and alone.

After all, he had first driven out Ricky Davis, and now he was suppressing Su Xi. Next... who knew who he’d set his sights on?

Everyone felt insecure.

This was a situation James had never imagined even in his dreams. James was furious and incredibly irritated.

He called and cursed out Goodwin multiple times. And after that night, he made a call to the Cavaliers, flew into a rage, and demanded the team do more. He even issued a threat: either trade Little Sheep Su Xi, or trade the Son of Akron.

What a dramatic turn of events.

Before the draft, it was LeBron James who ’demanded’ the team pick Su Xi. Now, not even two months into the season, it had become a different command: Su Xi must be traded.

How had it come to this!

Even the Cavaliers’ management felt like the world had turned upside down.

On the bus to Houston, Carlos Boozer and Tony Battie were singing a strange Chinese song, one they’d probably learned from some kung fu movie.

Even Su Xi couldn’t understand it.

"Jack, the Chinese Derby is coming up. You ready to posterize Yao Ming? Let me tell you, Yao Ming’s no big deal. Every time I play against him, my stats are amazing!"

Carlos Boozer said boisterously to Su Xi, "This time, we’re all behind you to get some monster stats in Houston."

"Yeah, Jack, you not only have to get monster stats, you have to take the win, too. You need to let all the basketball fans in the world know who the best Chinese player really is!"

Tony Battie chimed in from the side. They created a lively atmosphere. Over seventy percent of the team was now supporting Su Xi.

After arriving in Houston, LeBron James finally went to find Su Xi. He knocked on Su Xi’s hotel room door. It was time for a showdown.

"Jack, ever since last year’s NCAA Final Four, how have I treated you?" LeBron James asked Su Xi.

"Very well," Su Xi answered.

"Then why are you trying to hurt me like this?"

?

Su Xi frowned. "Have I hurt you? I’ve done everything I can to avoid conflict with you."

"The Nike contract! The Pepsi contract! The date with Jessica Alba! The KFC contract! And all those game-winners and triple-doubles you got by bypassing me, all those headline-grabbing comments. You’ve also gotten way too close with Carlos Boozer, and now they all support you..." James listed them off one by one. "Most importantly, you actually listened to Ricky Davis’s instigation and are trying to snatch my power!"

His whole expression was twisted. One could only imagine how much rage had been ignited by all these things piling up in his heart.

Su Xi looked at the furious and brutally honest James and shook his head.

He suddenly felt a sense of sorrow.

"Nike, Pepsi, KFC... those are all business activities, just like how Goodwin is actively working on deals for you. Why are you angry about things like that? Didn’t I even follow your advice and increase my investments in American and Chinese internet companies? This is business."

"As for the game-winners, the triple-doubles, the comments... isn’t that all part of the game? That’s how I play. I do it to win. Does winning also embarrass and anger you?"

"And Ah Bu, he’s been my friend from the very beginning. We trained together back in Los Angeles," Su Xi said. "Friend. Do you understand that?"

"Then what about Tony Battie? He’s not a friend you met in Los Angeles, is he? Why did you instigate him to go against me?" James roared. He was holding nothing back tonight.

Su Xi gave a wry smile and shook his head. "Tony and I don’t even have each other’s phone numbers. You’re too suspicious. Right now, you’re like a groundhog clutching a pinecone, refusing to let go. If you don’t let go of these troubles, you can’t climb the tree."

"I don’t need you to tell me what to do. Why don’t you explain the thing with you and Ricky Davis? You’re still in contact with him, right? You two have teamed up against me. And to think I actually thought you were on my side," James continued to yell.

"I have nothing to do with him, LeBron," Su Xi said seriously. "Although, I do think that if he hadn’t been traded, the three of us would have had an easier path to a championship."

"Hmph!" LeBron snorted, unconvinced.

The two young phenoms fell into silence.

After a long moment, LeBron looked up, his gaze fixed on Su Xi. "Jack, I’m giving you one last chance. I can forget all the unpleasantness from before and call management right now to take back my demand. But you have to give me a promise. You have to promise to support me with all your strength..."

"That won’t be necessary, LeBron." Su Xi stood up. "I won’t give you any promises, and I don’t need you to give me any chances."

"Heh."

James shot to his feet, nearly hysterical. He lowered his voice and roared, "So that’s what you were really thinking. You really do want to replace me. And here I thought you were here to support me."

"After the next game, I’m going to firmly request a trade. I thought we were equals, but you obviously don’t think so. I’m very disappointed," Su Xi told James.

"I’m disappointed too, Jack!"

James said, "But I’m not going to let you play another game. Don’t even think about stealing the show in the Chinese Derby!"

James stormed out.

The two parted on bad terms.

Su Xi stared at the door in a daze for a long time. He suddenly recalled the night after the NCAA championship game, when LeBron James and the Goodwin Brothers had knocked on his door, all smiles.

The two images overlapped in his mind. It was absurd. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Just then, Su Xi received a text message from Eric Goodwin. "Jack, I hope our relationship doesn’t change because of LeBron. We are still willing to provide you with our business services."

...