Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 285: 284 Keep going

The undercurrents in the locker room were swirling, hidden conflicts abound, but Bell felt it didn’t concern him as he held no sway. Brown and Roethlisberger wouldn’t truly listen to his opinions anyway, dismissing the running back just the same.

His gaze searched through the crowd until it quickly locked onto that figure; head up, chest out, without hesitation, Bell took steps towards him.

Li Wei.

Roethlisberger and Brown, those fools, blamed each other, each thinking the other should be responsible for the game’s loss, but Bell thought differently:

Actually, they had lost to one person today, Li Wei.

Of course, Reed’s tactical setup did indeed choke the life out of the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching Tomlin off guard, but the real key was still Li Wei, who completely dismantled the Steelers’ defensive group in the last two offenses.

Did Bell like Li Wei?

The answer was no. Li Wei’s victory over the Steelers also disrupted Bell’s plans to prove himself. If the Steelers couldn’t make the playoffs this year, Bell’s application for a major contract might face even more obstacles.

But, he didn’t need to like Li Wei—

Competition is a good thing.

It not only demonstrates the collective strength of running backs, "Gather Sand into a Tower" to overturn league biases; but also... if he could defeat Li Wei squarely, surpass him with on-field performance and running back data, it would further prove his own strength and worth.

This, too, would aid him in fighting for a major contract.

So, he wanted to meet Li Wei, that guy who burst onto the scene and disrupted the market.

Clearly, Bell wasn’t the only one with such unique insight.

TJ Watt had already taken a step ahead, just now exchanging jerseys with Li Wei, the two rookies who entered the league this year seemed to find kinship in each other.

"God, who told me that football players don’t like exchanging jerseys?" Li Wei said with a look of frustration—

Well, there goes the jersey from this game too.

Watt didn’t understand the backstory behind Li Wei’s words, he just smiled, "It was JJ who reminded me, he wants one of your jerseys too."

"But, I’m not planning to give it to him. If he wants it, he’ll have to swap with you next time; trust me, he’s probably sharpening his knives already."@@@@

Li Wei calmly pressed his palm downwards, "Slow down, slow down, I’m right here, not planning on leaving anytime soon, waiting for you guys right here."

The natural confidence and composure that flowed from him made young Watt’s eyes also sparkle with fighting spirit:

Today, in the last defensive stance, he hadn’t held up, but he was already eager for their next encounter.

Watt was about to speak when he noticed Bell appearing next to them, interrupting the conversation between the two.

Li Wei appeared very calm, even smiling slightly, "Although I can’t tell if this elevates expectations for me or undermines the Pittsburgh Steelers Defense, either way, thank you?"

With a teasing remark, he effortlessly dissolved the reporter’s assault into nothingness.

"As for being distracted?"

"Indeed, when I saw the string of numbers on that check, I did get distracted for three seconds. Please forgive me for being too young and not having seen much of the world. I’ve never seen such a big check before, so have you?"

Having said that, Li Wei widened his eyes, his face a picture of innocence and openness, and incredibly, threw a question back.

The reporter: ...

Rustling noises could be clearly heard around the press hall as many reporters stifled their laughter, feeling a mix of envy, astonishment, and amusement. They were unclear on how to react properly.

But someone soon stepped in to ease the tension.

"Li Wei, before this game, Juju Smith-Schuster had made a provocation—he’s a Wide Receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, played for the University of Southern California last year, and he suggested that you were just a "pretty face with no substance." Now, do you have any response for him?"

"Thanks for the compliment, but I’m not interested," Li Wei responded.

A question and an answer.

Li Wei’s face remained composed. His concise and elegant reply caught everyone in the press hall off guard. It took a moment for the reporters to realize what had just been implied:

Was Li Wei hinting that Juju had confessed his feelings, and he had politely rejected him?

Indeed, who would care about a professional player’s looks?

Except for sponsors.

Initially, Juju wanted to tease Li Wei for relying solely on looks, with female fans screaming madly for him like a bunch of lunatics; little did he expect that Li Wei’s comment would completely turn the tables on him.

Juju: utterly speechless.

The press hall was abuzz with a wave of muffled chuckles and whispers, the atmosphere suddenly stirring. The querying reporter hadn’t anticipated this turn of events and momentarily found himself stuck—

The reporter actually faltered in speech!

"No, uh, I mean, what’s your opinion on Juju?"

Li Wei didn’t mind, "Sorry, I haven’t been paying attention to his game stats."

"Three targets, one successful reception, advancing three yards," a reporter immediately inputs with data.

Li Wei slightly lifted his chin, clenched his right fist, and with a face full of sincerity gave his fist a firm pump, "Keep it up, Juju!"