Chapter 433
Chapter 433: 432 Young Role Models Chapter 433: 432 Young Role Models “Taylor, Taylor Rapp.”
Li Wei looked at the right hand laid out before him, wide and solid, yet mildly trembling.
Despite exerting all his strength to suppress it, he still couldn’t quite still the slight tremors, where emotions of excitement and nervousness bubbled in his blood.
Li Wei also extended his right hand, solemnly clasping the other’s hand, squeezing firmly, transmitting a solid and steady strength, quickly you could see the excitement twinkling in the eyes of the boy in front of him.
So thrilled and elated was the boy that he was completely immersed in the moment before him, even feeling the temperature of Li Wei’s skin and the strength of his palm, he still couldn’t believe it was real, his expression somewhat vacant:
Who am I?
Where am I?
What am I doing?
“Taylor!” The girl beside pulled on her boyfriend’s arm.
Taylor let go of the hand in a fluster and anxiously looked at his palm, as if in the brief contact it had started to sweat again.
He scratched his head embarrassingly and introduced, “Oh, this is Danny Johnson.”
Compared to the boy, Danny was slightly more composed, “Really nice to meet you.
You have no idea, during the divisional game two weeks ago, Taylor spent the whole time with his hands clasped in silent prayer.”
“Oh God, I think he might have been even more nervous than you guys on the field.”
“And in the end…”At this point, Danny couldn’t contain her glee, almost unable to straighten up from laughter, while Taylor stood beside, somewhat embarrassed, scratching his head.
Li Wei stood aside with a head full of question marks.
Noticing this, Danny pulled out her phone, rapidly searched for a moment, and immediately handed the phone to Li Wei—
It was a video.
In the video, Taylor knelt on the ground, hands clasped together, his back to the phone camera, oblivious to the others around him, eyes glued to the television screen broadcasting the live divisional game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots.
It was… the Wanfu Mary moment.
On the phone screen, Li Wei hadn’t expected to relive the Wanfu Mary moment from the American League divisional game—
The moment Li Wei completed the catch, Taylor leaped up, exclaiming, “He did it, God, he did it!”
As he shouted, Taylor then collapsed back to the ground, his head buried between his hands, crying uncontrollably, muttering “can’t believe it, can’t believe it,” his sobs filled with genuine emotion, his shoulders and back trembling slightly from the intensity of his excitement.
The next second, Taylor stood up again, ripping his T-shirt in half like the Hulk, roaring into the sky with all his might.
Behind the phone, Danny laughed throughout, as if she’d never seen Taylor like this before; but Taylor paid no attention to Danny, fully absorbed in his own world, celebrating and cheering with the Kansas City Chiefs shown on the television broadcast.
The happiness of that moment, so real and pure.
Li Wei looked up again, Danny nudged the stiff Taylor with a teasing tone to lighten the mood and cheer him on, “He thinks he’s on the field too.”
Li Wei handed the phone back to Danny, looking at Taylor, “We can be sure this isn’t a far-off dream.
So, Taylor, which school are you at?”
With Danny’s encouragement, Taylor regained some composure, took a deep breath, trying to calm the tangled emotions of excitement and embarrassment, “University of Washington.”
Li Wei paused, “Didn’t we meet last year?”
Last year in the nationwide championship semifinal, it was the University of Alabama that had beaten the University of Washington to advance.
Taylor looked a bit downcast, “Yes, but I was just a freshman, no playing time during the playoffs, I stood on the sidelines, embarrassed to cheer for you.
In fact, my father was born in Alabama, he was eager to root for the Crimson Tide Storm.”
“You wouldn’t believe it, but when I stood there, I just couldn’t focus on the taste of the game.”
A little self-deprecating joke, and Li Wei couldn’t help but laugh.
So, was this the modern version of ‘being in Cao Camp but having one’s heart in Han’?
Taylor didn’t know Li Wei’s real thoughts, but seeing Li Wei’s mood relax a bit, he spoke more smoothly, “After my sophomore year, next season, I should be able to become a starter.
I’m confident I can be a starter, but it’s a pity that I won’t have the chance to face off against you.”
One second he was elated, the next second his face was filled with disappointment.
Indeed, still a child.
Li Wei’s eyes and the corners of his mouth were filled with smiles, “What position do you play?”
“Safety.”
“Ha!
Then there is still a chance.
One day in the future, I hope we can meet on the professional field and have a fair and square showdown.”
With a simple sentence, Taylor’s blood boiled, and he stood up straight, looking at Li Wei confidently, a sense of pride welling up within him, “I will keep working hard towards that goal.”
Even now, Asian players remain a minority on the football field; calling them rare wouldn’t be an overstatement.
However, with Li Wei’s meteoric rise, all Asian players in the NCAA were filled with hope and vigor.
This was something Li Wei hadn’t anticipated—
His steps not only made history but also forged a new world, pioneering the wilderness with every footprint, becoming an idol and a role model for the youth.
One season in the NCAA, one in the NFL, Li Wei, carrying numerous records, miracles, and legends, reached the pinnacle and illuminated a wasteland.@@novelbin@@
Perhaps, they were heading towards an entirely different future.
“I want to tackle you on the field and see,” Taylor said with the enthusiasm and vigor of youth, eagerly rubbing his hands together.
The smile on Li Wei’s face blossomed fully, “That might be a little difficult.
However, I’m ready and welcome any challenge at any time.”
Then.
Li Wei extended his right hand, introducing himself with all seriousness, “Li Wei.”
Though they had just shaken hands, this time it meant something different; it wasn’t as spectators and players or fans and idols, but as players facing each other, as future opponents.
Taylor’s excitement was palpable, his irrepressible joy.
He, too, squared his shoulders, stood tall and proud, swallowing the words that were at the tip of his tongue and promptly changing his approach, “Chi Youjun.”
He grasped Li Wei’s right hand firmly; even the slight trembling of his wrist and forearm conveyed the tempestuous emotions that he couldn’t calm within himself.
Li Wei was slightly surprised because he knew the name was of Chinese descent right away.
Asian players were scarce on the football field, and Chinese players were even rarer.
Now, Li Wei looked forward to the possibility of meeting Chi Youjun on the field in the future—
Sincerely, Li Wei hoped to see more and more Chinese and Asian players in the NFL, where they could have fair and honorable matches and clashes.
“Then, I look forward to seeing you at next year’s draft.”
Having said that, Li Wei didn’t stay any longer.
He turned to leave nonchalantly but ended up seeing the eager gazes of a bustling crowd behind him, looking expectantly at Li Wei.
Only then did he realize that he had been surrounded.
In less than three minutes, when Li Wei had left the taxi, everyone’s attention was on the mural, and no one had noticed him; but with just a turn, the tall, strong-bodied Li Wei effortlessly attracted all eyes and found himself in a tight spot.
This…
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