Chapter 128: No Apologies

Wang Lei had gone viral once again. Someone had uploaded a video to Xunbo showing him fiercely confronting unscrupulous reporters at the airport.

Titled "Standing Up to Reporters at the Airport: A Pure, Tough Man," this crudely edited clip quickly circulated across Xunbo and various other video platforms.

Accustomed to seeing celebrities dodge, evade, or provide canned, official responses when faced with the press, the public found Wang Lei’s approach—a blend of authentic, streetwise grit and genuine swagger—incredibly refreshing.

In particular, his retort to a reporter—"Are you married? This is the girl I intend to marry"—captured the hearts of many single women. To a woman feeling vulnerable, having a boyfriend step up to protect her like that was the height of romance.

As the video spread, enterprising netizens dug up the recording of Ma Dongmei’s semifinal match at the Republic’s Women's Volleyball Tournament. They isolated the footage of her being ejected from the court and slowed it down to analyze exactly what had happened.

One has to admit, the power of the internet is formidable. Through the footage, they effectively reconstructed the truth: Ma Dongmei had shown no disrespect while debating with the referee, let alone threatened them. The earlier criticisms were nothing more than sensationalism by foreign media and "alternative" measures taken by the host team to save face.

When more capable netizens compared the footage to the "Hawk-Eye" replay that had sparked the dispute, the host team’s malicious conduct became glaringly obvious. The entire incident was, just as Wang Lei had claimed, the result of biased, crooked, and home-field officiating that had strayed all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

The truth sparked widespread indignation. Meanwhile, the other party in the airport incident—the unscrupulous reporters—began targeting new angles to attack Ma Dongmei and Wang Lei, focusing primarily on Wang Lei for causing them such a loss of face.

The day after Wang Lei confronted the reporters, several media outlets ran stories branding him, a youth team head coach, as immoral. They accused him of spewing profanity in public, tarnishing the image of the nation, and insulting the media personnel present. They argued that such a person was unfit to coach young athletes and should be stripped of his position.

Beyond these reports, some outlets even claimed that Wang Lei’s behavior would negatively influence the moral education of the youth, insisting he should be blacklisted and removed from the public eye.

For a time, aside from the mainstream press, Wang Lei became the primary target for numerous minor media outlets desperate for clicks.

These unscrupulous reporters were, in fact, quite clever. They had initially tried to manipulate public opinion to create a major scandal around Ma Dongmei, but they hadn't expected netizens to be so sharp. With Ma Dongmei’s innocence largely proven and the public aware of the injustice she had faced, continuing to attack her would have backfired. With Wang Lei already drawing fire, they shifted their focus to him, finding it a safe and profitable strategy regardless of the outcome.

Back at his home in the capital, Ma Dongmei’s emotions had stabilized. With her boyfriend’s protection and her family’s comfort, she had shaken off her previous state of bewilderment. Now, she was the one worrying about Wang Lei, fearing the fallout might affect him.

"Da Lei, ignore the noise outside. Just focus on your work. It’s absolutely outrageous—a bunch of shameless hacks think they can just do whatever they want."

Li Weihong had gained a newfound respect for Wang Lei through this ordeal. She hadn't expected this young man, who usually seemed a bit reckless, to be so incredibly protective. Truly, after seeing the media reports, she had started to see him in a different light, and she was furious that these vultures were targeting him now.

"Don't be angry, Auntie. It’s just a small group of people; they aren't worth it. I have to head back to Jinghai later. Let Mei rest for a few days, and this will all blow over."

"Yes, go back. Your work is important. Don't let this distract you. Someone will surely deal with this eventually; the media shouldn't be allowed to manipulate public opinion like this. It’s simply lawless."

Compared to the past, Li Weihong was gentler toward Wang Lei than she had ever been.

Ma Dongmei wanted to go to Jinghai with him, but realizing she only had a three-day leave before returning to her club—and knowing her presence would only draw more attention to him—she gave up on the idea.

"Stay home and rest, then go back to your club. Don't listen to the rumors, just focus on yourself. Don't worry about me. Heh, honestly, that outburst felt great."

After settling his girlfriend in, Wang Lei returned immediately to Jinghai. He didn't care about the media reports; he didn't rely on fame to make a living. Even if he lost his current job, he had other options. Having been given a second chance at life, why should he keep suppressing himself?

However, just as Wang Lei arrived at the team’s base in Jinghai, a few so-called "veteran basketball legends" began to publicly condemn him.

It must be said that in this society, there are always those looking for fame without effort. Now that Wang Lei’s situation was in the spotlight, some were looking to "ride his coattails."

These "legends" took to their social media accounts, publicly declaring that Wang Lei’s behavior was inexcusable, demanding he apologize and step down from his position for a period of reflection.

When Wang Lei reached the base, even the Frontier Provincial Sports Management Center suggested he offer a public apology to appease the media frenzy.

The Center’s decision was purely self-serving. The team had made a historic breakthrough by reaching the top eight of the youth tournament, a massive milestone for Frontier basketball. With Wang Lei now at the center of a controversy, the management simply wanted him to bow his head temporarily so they could focus on the games. They completely ignored Wang Lei’s own feelings.

"Apologize? That’s impossible. I didn't do anything wrong, so why should I?"

Wang Lei’s stance was resolute. He saw no reason to apologize to those people.

"I will play the games with total focus, but don't expect an apology. And I don't think my players believe I should apologize either. This is a matter of principle. It’s non-negotiable."