Unconventional Center

Chapter 20: A Boss Who’s Willing to Invest Is a Good Boss

After defeating Ameyari, the team was just three points behind second place. With Numancia and Vallado—the top two teams in the standings—both in red-hot form, Valencia had to avoid even the slightest slip-up in all remaining matches this season to secure direct promotion to La Liga at the end of the season. they couldn’t afford even the slightest slip-up in any of the remaining matches. So, even though the second half of the season had only just begun, the entire club was on edge. Even Chairman Xiao Luo, who rarely interfered in the team’s day-to-day affairs, personally stepped onto the training field to address the players. Gresel lined up the players on the training field. Xiao Luo—young but already commanding a formidable presence—stood before them as straight as a spear, making even these rough-and-tumble players, who could joke and laugh freely in front of tens of thousands of spectators, feel a sense of pressure. “This is my second year with Valencia, and I hope it will also be our last year in the Segunda División. I’m sure that’s what everyone here wants as well.” Xiao Luo’s gaze swept across everyone’s faces as he continued, ““I won’t spout any nonsense about hoping you won’t feel pressure or let it affect you. I’ll just announce a few things: First, starting today, all bonuses for goals, assists, clean sheets, wins, and so on will be increased by fifty percent. Second, if the team secures promotion to La Liga through the playoffs this season, I’ll put up one million euros as a bonus; if we’re promoted as runners-up, three million; and if we win the championship, five million.” The players’ eyes lit up one by one. As professional athletes, they certainly needed passion, loyalty, and dedication—but money was just as essential. Five million might be nothing more than the transfer fee for a bench player at a top-tier club, but in the Segunda División, it was no small sum—not even selling Valencia’s entire midfield and attack as a package might fetch that much. Xiao Luo paused, waiting for them to process his words before continuing, “Of course, there are rewards and penalties. If an individual’s careless mistake costs the team a victory, or if the team loses due to personal grudges or similar reasons—I’m sorry, but my team has no place for such players. And I believe no team would want them either.” The group, which had just been getting excited, sobered up a bit. As soon as Xiao Luo finished speaking, they immediately threw themselves into training with renewed urgency. It was clear that Xiao Luo’s speech had had a significant impact—or perhaps it was the power of the euros that was so compelling—as everyone’s enthusiasm for training reached an unprecedented high. Even their movements were a bit more vigorous than usual, though fortunately, they all exercised restraint and avoided any training accidents. Gresel was also satisfied—though, of course, it would have been better if those two little guys whispering to each other had paid a bit more attention. “Hey, Chu, the Big BOS is from your hometown, right? Did you know him before?” “No idea, but his old man is a super-rich tycoon who’s a household name back home.” “Oh, damn rich kid,” Mo Ya grumbled. “Huh? Do foreigners resent the rich, too?” “What?” “Nothing. Rich kids really are a pain in the ass—unless I’m the one being rich.” “I feel the same way.” “That’s what they call ‘great minds think alike.’ ” “Chu, Cesc, since you two love chatting so much, why don’t you come over to the sidelines and talk it out? I’ll have someone go get you some beer and fried chicken—hmm, how about that place Old Fink runs?” “No thanks, Coach, I’m trying to lose weight.” Hero No. 1 backed down immediately. “Cesc, I told you not to talk to me—I’m trying to train!” Hero No. 2 raised his voice indignantly, just loud enough for Gresel to hear. Mo Ya：“……？” In the chairman’s office, Xiao Luozheng and Chen Ping were standing by the window, looking down at the training field. “Looks like your speech had quite an effect,” Chen Ping said with a smile, watching the players train enthusiastically. Xiao Luo ran a finger along his chin and said, “Guess what he would have said instead?” Chen Ping knew “he” referred to Xiao Yu, Xiao Luo’s father—Asia’s most successful businessman and a renowned orator. Aside from his famous public speeches, which blended humor and philosophy, even a short video of him addressing his team in his own small living room during the early days of his startup had gone viral online, becoming a cherished bible for many aspiring entrepreneurs. “I can’t guess,” Chen Ping laughed. “That’s why I’m not the richest person.” “Let’s not talk about that,” Xiao Luo said with a slight smile. “It’s been over a year since we took over. How have the fans reacted?” “Most are still waiting to see how things play out, but there are some who are getting worked up—though they can’t really stir up much of a storm,” Chen Ping said. “Fans are a bit different from music fans; they can be simple or complex. We don’t have much experience, so we’ll just have to learn as we go. For now, we’ll just aim to avoid making mistakes rather than seeking to achieve great things.” “It’s impossible to be perfect. No matter how well you do, there will always be someone who’s dissatisfied. Just do your best and leave the rest to fate,” Xiao Luo said. “Fortunately, this is Athletic sports—in the end, it’s the results that matter.” “Not necessarily. In the eyes of some fans, a good owner is one who’s willing to invest money.” “But an owner who spends money yet fails to deliver results is just a fool,” Chen Ping nodded and pointed to the training field below. “That makes sense. Take Old Lin, for example—he’s got quite the ambition. You can tell just by looking at this training facility and the team’s home stadium; they’re built entirely to La Liga standards. It’s just a shame that while his ambitions reached for the sky, his luck was as thin as paper.” The “Old Lin” he was referring to was Valencia’s previous owner—a wealthy Singaporean named Lin. Years of disproportionate investment relative to returns had forced him to abandon his soccer venture, which paved the way for Niepan’s takeover. “Don’t be so quick to laugh at others—we’re just getting started, and there’s no guarantee we’ll do any better than he did.” Chen Ping gave a wry smile. “All right, I was getting a bit carried away. Looks like you’re taking this seriously. Everyone else is just dying to have a powerful dad pulling strings for them so they can lord it over others and enjoy life, but you, of all people, are insisting on going it alone. Is that really necessary?” “Bullshit about self-reliance. With a fortune of hundreds of millions just sitting there, and I’m not going to inherit it? Do you really think I’m that stupid?” Xiao Luo said, crossing his arms. “It’s unlikely I’ll surpass him in his career, but as for chasing dreams and all that—it does sound a bit childish. I’m doing better than him in that regard.” “Fine, you’re on a higher plane. I’m different—just a lousy businessman who only thinks about profits,” Chen Ping shook his head. As one of Xiao Yu’s longtime loyalists and effectively Xiao Luo’s senior, he spoke without reservation. “Let’s get down to business. Are you really planning to promote Chu Yang? Don’t you want to watch a few more games first?” Chen Ping, of course, also hoped to turn his compatriot into the club’s top star; he was just worried that Chu Yang might be a hopeless case. “We’re watching, and so are others. If we wait too long, there won’t even be any scraps left,” Xiao Luo said. “It’s all about having the right eye for talent. Let’s place our bet. If we lose, it won’t affect the big picture; if we win, we’ll make a fortune. Why not?” “All right, then I’ll put in a word with the Online Video Department,” Chen Ping said. “But I have to warn you: in the eyes of outsiders, Chu Yang is someone you insisted on signing. If he performs well, it’ll be a testament to your keen insight and foresight; but if he turns out to be a bust, you’ll be stuck with the label of favoring your own people and being stubborn and self-righteous.” “No problem. With those two hat tricks under his belt, I’m very confident.”