Inside the bus: ???
As they watched Li Wei's dashing departure, the fans on both sides of the player's tunnel erupted in incredulous cheers and roars. The entire world was smitten with him, but inside the first bus, there were only question marks. No one understood what had happened: Chapter Continue:
Is it over?
Humphrey had said that all the media were waiting to ambush—oh, no, interview—interview Li Wei?
And then, this was it?
Hertz didn't understand and was the first to rush out, his face full of confusion as he looked towards Samantha Pond. Pointing towards the back of Li Wei, ready to ask some questions, Samantha beat him to it, trying to dig up some inside information from this rookie starting high school quarterback of the Crimson Tide Storm.
Hertz: Huh? What? Li Wei? Didn't he just walk right past you?
Samantha looked at Hertz's bewildered face and quickly refined her question, "Is number twenty-three still behind? And you, what are your thoughts?"
Hertz: ...
After a while, baffled and utterly confused, he also said, "Li Wei is at the back."
A fellow sufferer spares his mates.
How Hertz responded afterward, he couldn't even remember. His mind was just filled with shock, as he stumbled along following Li Wei's steps.
Then.
One after another took the stage, filled with question marks, their faces either stifling a laugh or showing confusion or curiosity, but unspoken and unanimously, the baton simply continued like that.
Anyway, it was a prank. They hadn't caught Li Wei, but eventually, they'd catch someone.
Until Jacobs showed up—
This high school newcomer who had just enrolled in September was also a fresh face.
Samantha glanced at the empty bus. Because of her position, she couldn't see clearly and wasn't 100% sure, but it seemed like nobody was left. Just then, the bus driver released the handbrake, and the bus just went off, leaving the person in front of her.
Samantha was startled: Wasn't Li Wei supposed to be of Chinese descent? What's going on here?
But instinctively, Samantha still asked, "Do you have the confidence to take on Derrick Henry's mantle and bear the offensive burden for Crimson Tide Storm?"
Jacobs: ??? Who? Who is supposed to take over Henry's mantle?
Before the season began, Burns had a talk with each of the running backs separately, confirming the key positions. Li Wei would be the lead running back for Crimson Tide Storm, while Jacobs would be the second. Although their styles differed, they were to jointly tackle the team's ground offensive.
The next second, Humphrey made faces at the camera and kept gesturing:
It's him, it's him, it's definitely him.
The figure removed his headphones and sunglasses, and only then did Samantha recognize him—it was Li Wei.
The only Asian face among all the main lineups in this year's NCAA, how could she mistake him!
Samantha couldn't help but facepalm. What on earth had just happened?
From fifty or sixty yards away, Li Wei raised his right hand, his index and middle fingers together, making a salute gesture towards the camera lens, his smile turning upwards.
Because of the distance, Samantha couldn't make out Li Wei's facial features clearly, but she could see the gesture, and seemed to also see the unrestrained and bold smile on that face. Involuntarily, her own lips curled up into a smile, turning all that annoyance and gloom, all that astonishment and panic into laughter—
Maybe this was better.
Instead of Li Wei standing in front of the camera exchanging pleasantries, such a small prank better showcased Li Wei's personality.
Without even having met face to face, Samantha was already somewhat looking forward to number 23's performance.
Now, Samantha somewhat understood why everyone was talking about number 23; in fact, tonight's opposing team was no exception.
The head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans, Clay Helton, was a bit nervous—
Although this was his sixth season with the Trojans, it was only his first season as head coach.
Last season, the Trojans performed poorly, finishing the season ranked twentieth nationwide, failing to enter any bowl games—a result unacceptable for a traditional powerhouse of the West Coast. Therefore, the head coach was fired, and Helton, after a competitive internal interview, took over the position.
A new season, a new start.
Naturally, Helton hoped his team would start off with a victory to welcome his first battle as head coach, but his opponents were the defending champions—
And it was the seasoned Saban.
Gulp.
Helton swallowed hard, trying his best to hide his nervousness, his words coming out extremely cautious, "Regarding Li Wei, we have very limited information, and I don't think it's appropriate to comment right now; but no matter what the situation, we are prepared, we will be ready."
The first statement was "are," the second was "will be."
The contradiction in his words exposed Helton's unease, typical of a new coach in a new position.
However, seeing their head coach being so cautious and timid, the youthful and spirited hot blood of the Trojans' players couldn't be contained, and immediately someone stepped forward to boost morale—
Juju Smith Schuster.