Dominate the Super Bowl

The seemingly effortless demeanor hid unspeakable hardships and endless difficulties that were invisible to others, showing that life is never easy, and everyone has their own problems and challenges, invisible though they may be.

But no matter what, this was his own battle, and he eventually had to fight it alone, so his words hung in the air, unspoken.

Then, a brief silence fell into the conversation—

Lilith didn't receive a response from Li Wei.

It was somewhat unexpected.

Lilith looked up and then saw a smile on the corner of Li Wei's mouth.

Lilith was startled, and Li Wei spoke, "You have no idea how hard each step forward is for an Asian in a sport dominated by whites and blacks."

He left it at that, but the implication was profound.

Lilith slightly opened her mouth and, ultimately not holding back, showed a smile, openly acknowledging her mistake, "Sorry, clearly, I missed the point."

After a slight pause, Lilith couldn't help but ask, "Are you always this confident?"

Li Wei showed a smile, "Do you think so?"

Lilith gently nodded.

Li Wei, "Then that proves I've succeeded. Actually, whether or not I'm confident isn't important; what's important is not to let opponents see your true thoughts. When someone thinks you're confident, it often means they are starting to falter."

"That's what you call presence."

After a slight pause—

"So, don't," Li Wei continued.

Lilith was startled, reflexively looking at Li Wei, puzzled by his abruptly-ended statement.

Li Wei shook his head, "Don't doubt yourself. You've already taken the first step, which already puts you ahead—let me think—of 80% of those who all talk and no action and 10% who give up halfway after a brief enthusiasm. This means you are now among the top 10% at the pyramid's peak; it's rare, trust me, I'm well aware."

Looking at Li Wei talking nonsense seriously, even knowing that those statistics were fabricated, she couldn't help but want to believe. When Lilith realized her lips were curling up, she frantically tried to cover her expression, attempting to steer the conversation elsewhere, only to find she was a step too slow.

She could see Li Wei's slender fingers slightly shaking twice in front of her, and Lilith abruptly looked up and saw his smiling face.

He gestured to his face, "Your loose hair."

Normally accustomed to Lilith's no-nonsense, unapproachable seriousness, this moment seemed slightly unfamiliar, though Li Wei maintained a gentlemanly distance.
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Lilith was startled, her breathing hitched slightly, and she hurriedly tucked the falling hair strands behind her ear, momentarily revealing her usual icy demeanor—

Her cheeks heated up.

Lilith took a deep breath, regaining her composure before Li Wei could speak again, promptly returning to her usual rational and sharp self, preemptively changing the subject.

"Are you self-praising now? You've started to try different positions, as a wide receiver and a quarterback, so you're praising yourself for also being in the top 10%?"

Li Wei gently shook his head, his face calm.

"No, I am amongst the 1%."

"I've not only begun to try but also have gotten a grip after just a week."

"No, no, no, it's not the same level, otherwise how do you think I've managed to hold my ground in the league?"

That full confidence, so flamboyant and natural, yet never off-putting, Lilith genuinely admired him, her tight lips slightly relaxing without notice as her gaze dropped briefly, signaling Li Wei's jersey.

"So, is this how you've become the team leader? I can assure you, if you show up like this today, the fans coming to watch the practice will turn around and start burning number twenty-three jerseys."

Li Wei looked down, "This? Haha, if you all are upset, that means my strategy is correct."

Today, Li Wei was wearing a number four jersey—

the number four of the Oakland Raiders, belonging to quarterback Derek Carr.

Next week, in week fourteen of the regular season, the Kansas City Chiefs are set to host the Oakland Raiders, trying to end a six-game losing streak against these opponents.

Undoubtedly, it was going to be a tough battle.

So why had Li Wei come to practice wearing the jersey of the Oakland Raiders?

Lilith gently shook her head, "Those people will tear you to pieces."

Li Wei was not afraid, "Anger? Anger is just right."

Not only was he not afraid, but the smile on his lips was also gently rising.

"Victory has momentum, and so does failure. Suffering continuous defeats casts a shadow overhead, invisible in regular times, yet critical at the decisive moments of a match to turn the situation around," he said.

"We need anger, we need fighting spirit, we need to ignite. Only by igniting can we disperse all that gloom and all those dark clouds."

"We must light up the belief in victory in training, because only this way, when we step onto the real game, can we complete the psychological suggestion, shake off the shadow of failure, and immerse ourselves fully in the battle."

The Li Wei before her was unfamiliar, completely different from his usual sunny, laid-back demeanor; but at the same time, he was familiar, completely consistent with his spirited, battling presence seen during matches.

Lilith couldn't help but feel her blood start to boil too.

She thought, maybe, wearing the jersey of the Oakland Raiders truly was a good idea.

"Do you have confidence?" Lilith asked.

Li Wei didn't hesitate for a second, "Of course."

Lilith, "I believe you have confidence, but to be so steadfast?"

After all, the team was facing a six-game losing streak, not to mention the players, even the coaching staff was desolated, with every day being permeated with oppressiveness.

These logistics personnel were no exception, lacking spirit, lacking motivation, even their footsteps unintentionally became lighter, as if afraid to create even a slight noise.

At this moment, one could see the naivety of Li Wei, an outsider—

fearless due to ignorance.

Clearly, Li Wei lacked understanding of the NFL and had little experience with the gloom of continuous defeats, which was why he could be so confident, almost blindly so.

Li Wei's smile reappeared, "The previous six victories were all decided in the fourth quarter; the subsequent six losses were all decided in the fourth quarter as well, including a defeat in overtime and four defeats within a single play. What does that tell us?"

"It tells us that the strengths among NFL teams are closely matched, and the suspense of winning or losing is often just by a hair's breadth."

"We were able to win consecutively because we gained confidence by defeating the defending champions in the opening game, always being able to closely follow our opponents in the fourth quarter, relying on belief to withstand the tough fights."

"And our losses occurred due to fluctuations in confidence, physical stamina, and morale throughout the long season, after struggling and losing to the Oakland Raiders and then falling into swings of self-doubt."

"Therefore, in the upcoming games, either a touchdown or an interception, a victory clenched tightly between the teeth, can overturn the whole situation and put us back on track."

"I believe in us."

He said, "us," not "I," referring to the entire team.

Li Wei pointed at his jersey, that number four jersey of the Oakland Raiders.

"I think this represents a perfect opponent, we will defeat them, we will get back on track," he said.

"I believe we can do it, and I will do my utmost to help the team achieve it."