As expected, by the next day—or rather, that very night—Yao Ming's words had made their way back to China, sparking considerable debate.
His comment about "not wanting to play for a National Team like this anymore" in particular was interpreted by many media outlets as a desire to quit the National Team.
The next afternoon, at the medical center, Chen Yu ran into Su Jun, who had come looking for him specifically.
"Dr. Chen, look at these comments. Just look at what they're all saying."
Su Jun had brought a laptop. He opened his email and showed Chen Yu screenshots of comments he had collected.
"After the Crushing Defeat, Severe Conflict Erupts in the Locker Room"
"A Huge Loss to Spain, Who Is to Blame?"
"Yao Ming Furiously Throws Towel, What's Next for the Men's National Team?"
"Yao Ming Implies Someone Is a Prima Donna, Team Conflict Now Public"
These were all from media reports.
Then came the comments from many netizens and fans.
