Super Bowl Domination

Chapter 1654 Walking Alone
puff.

Talia couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Li Wei's frustrated voice came through the phone, "Oh God, it seems like I've dug my own grave."

A small remark made Talia laugh even harder, her bright laughter echoing in her chest. "Aren't you one too? Don't always pretend to be an old person, please, JJ will be sad."

"Haha." This time it was Li Wei's turn, and he laughed heartily.

But Li Wei didn't forget the main point and brought the topic back.

"It's a coming-of-age story about four twelve-year-old boys, each with their own problems and troubles. One day, they decide to follow the railway to the upper reaches of the river to find the body of a twelve-year-old boy. When they actually see the body with their own eyes, everything changes."

"At the end of the movie, the protagonist says, 'Although I haven't seen him for ten years, I know I'll always miss him. I've never made friends as good as those people I had when I was twelve. Who hasn't?'"

Buzz, buzz.

Talia did not respond; the only sound in the silence was the static from the phone. She was completely unaware that she had suddenly held her breath.

Laughter and jokes are forgotten; everything seems to be temporarily forgotten.

Then, Levi said, "Talia, I'm so glad we met each other so early on."

The sound lingered in my ears and on my lips.

Talia only heard Levi's low, slightly hoarse voice coming from the phone receiver, "Talia, I hope you have a wonderful night."

The voice, like a gentle breeze, softly caressed my heart, sending a tingling sensation through me and creating shallow ripples. Before I even realized it, I had already surrendered completely.

The phone was hung up.

Talia stood there, stunned, her heart pounding wildly against her chest, as if it were about to burst out of her throat.

A sudden dizziness and lightheadedness struck.

...Wait, did Li Wei just... confess his feelings to her?
A frenzied joy surged through my body, almost bursting open; the impulse and surge erupted like a volcano.

Finally, unable to control herself any longer, she buried her face in the pillow and screamed—

"what!"

"Ahhh!"

So this is what it feels like to stroll and dance among the clouds.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the phone, Li Wei's heart was pounding just as fast.

Despite the difficulty, he finally spoke up, but he didn't know if Talia understood what he meant. He was immediately annoyed. Had he been too vague? Should he have been more direct?
but……

Feeling anxious and uneasy.

After wandering around for a while, he finally let out a long breath, turned around and continued his stroll, swaying as he walked along the sidelines of the court, and silently began to count sheep.

One sheep, two sheep, three sheep...

Slowly, slowly, my chaotic thoughts calmed down, and I regained my peace.

Li Wei turned and walked towards the locker room, pondering whether he should watch the game recording tonight or clear his mind for the night to allow his turbulent thoughts to settle down and find a better state before watching the recording. However, he caught a fleeting glimpse of a shadowy figure out of the corner of his eye.

Who?
Reflexively, I looked in the direction of the afterimage and vaguely saw someone peeking out from behind the pillar.

He paused, his brows furrowed slightly, and he carefully examined the area.

"Patrick?"

Li Wei did not hide his surprise and called out.

Sure enough, Mahomes emerged awkwardly from behind the pillar, scratching his head. He seemed undecided about his reaction—whether to surprise Levi or reveal his true purpose. Different thoughts raced through his mind, and finally, he simply raised his hands and cheered, "Yay!"

Li Wei: ? ? ?
Li Wei stared wide-eyed at Mahomes. "What's the reason for this?"

Mahomes realized his cheers were abrupt and awkward. He lowered his hands sheepishly, his expression turning embarrassed again, unsure how to explain.

The whole situation is truly baffling.

Li Wei chuckled, "Didn't you just go back with Travis and the others?"

Mahomes held up the pair of sneakers in his hand. "Oh. I forgot about them and ran back."

Li Wei gently raised his chin, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "If I remember correctly, these sneakers were deliberately left at the training base, right? At home, do you have other sneakers, three, four, five, six, or seven pairs?"

Mahomes paused, his smile lingering awkwardly. "...Yes. That's right. I'd completely forgotten, you even helped assemble the shoe cabinet, didn't you?"

Li Wei burst out laughing. "Patrick, what's going on? We've known each other for so long, just say it straight. Don't worry, I really won't hit anyone."

Mahomes laughed along with him.

Li Wei seemed to have thought of something. "Wait, did you get kicked out of the house again? My key is still in the same place. You can go in by yourself..."

Mahomes waved his hands repeatedly, "No, no, no, no..." Looking at Levi's probing eyes, Mahomes was both amused and exasperated, "I'm serious."

Li Wei raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, "I'm serious too."

Mahomes finally couldn't hold back and got straight to the point, "I'm worried about you."

Li Wei: "Me? What do I have to worry about?"

Mahomes said, "It's precisely because there's nothing to worry about that we worry more."

Li Wei laughed immediately. "Patrick, what are you talking about?"

Mahomes thought about it for a moment, then realized he seemed to be caught in a rut. He carefully organized his thoughts and said, "What I mean is I'm worried about you."

"You always shoulder all the responsibility and pressure alone..."

Li Wei: "No, I didn't. We're a team. How could we win without you guys?"

Mahomes, "Is that really the case?"

Li Wei choked on his words.

Mahomes said, "I know you don't mean to play a superhero. On the court, we are a team. You completely trust us, and we completely trust you. But what about on a mental level? You always take all the pressure on your own and face all the doubts and attacks alone."

"Last year was like this. When rumors of discord in the locker room came out, the whole world was attacking you alone. You stood in front of us so that we could concentrate on preparing for the game."

"It's the same now. We lost. God, oh my god, the Kansas City Chiefs finally lost. Now everyone is going to start attacking you, and you're going to stand in front of them all as a shield to block all the attacks."

I'm worried about you.

The words were finally spoken, and although they were not quite the same as the words I had prepared in my mind, the meaning was still conveyed.

Mahomes watched Levi quietly.

“Rookie, you’re the captain. You’re always at the forefront, leading us forward no matter what. I just want to show you with my actions that you’re not alone.”

"And me, and Travis, and Chris and the others, and so on, we are all your support, we will always stand by your side."

"Today's loss is the responsibility of our entire team. Do you remember? We fought together, we worked hard together, we embraced victory together, and we faced defeat together. These are the words you said to me when the team lost to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium because of my interception."

"Now, I want to tell you this."

(End of this chapter)