A run, a roar, a release; in the end, the storm cleared. After slowly regaining his strength, Lu Ke and Candice walked side by side down the slope, chatting and strolling slowly. They returned to the Castro district, near the main street. The hustle and bustle of everyday life came back into view, simple but full of vitality.
"So, are you living in San Francisco now? Or is this just a short-term stay?" Lu Ke suddenly remembered this. Candice had already been in San Francisco for ten days, but in the past two weeks, everything about the regular season had rushed by like a tornado, and he barely had the energy to pay attention to anything else.
"Short-term," Candice said, bumping Lu Ke's shoulder with hers as she laughed, sensing the guilt in his voice. "Don't worry, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." As a professional football player, the season from September to February is the busiest time of the year, with no breaks. Similarly, this is how models work. So, Candice understood perfectly.
"I have a short-term project here. The shooting was temporarily concluded yesterday, and I'm flying to New York this afternoon," Candice explained simply. "Next Wednesday is the big annual show." The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Lu Ke's eyes widened. "Is it next week? That's so fast. I thought it was in November?"
"It is already November, and November is almost over," Candice said, with a look of exasperation. She then saw Lu Ke scratch his head in a daze and couldn't help but chuckle. "This year's show is in New York. However, it's right in the middle of the season, and you have a game, so you'll have to miss it. Otherwise, I could have gotten you a few tickets to bring your teammates along."
Lu Ke's mouth was slightly agape. He imagined a group of burly men appearing at the Victoria's Secret show, and when they saw Leonardo DiCaprio, they would act like a bunch of little fans. It would be a very lively scene.
"That's a shame. If next week's game were an away game in New York, we could have snuck out to watch the show. What a pity," Lu Ke said with a regretful look, hitting his right palm with his left fist to express his regret. The sight made Candice laugh. "Maybe next time. Maybe we'll play against the Jets in New York next year, and we'll have a chance."
"What if our show moves to London?" Candice said, winking playfully. Victoria's Secret had always been trying to expand its market and extend its show to other markets, which was highly likely. Lu Ke also winked and said seriously, "You know the league already has the London Bowl, right?"
Suddenly, neither of them said anything. Candice looked at Lu Ke seriously, questioning the truth of his words, while Lu Ke met her gaze with a calm expression, vowing that he was being serious. Looking at each other, the corners of their mouths turned up. Candice nodded heavily, acknowledging it. "Well, then we'll just have to wait and see." There was still a hint of doubt in her words.
But the taxi had already stopped on the side of the road, so Lu Ke didn't argue further. He gentlemanly opened the door for Candice to get in, then watched the taxi drive away. Only then did he turn around, look left and right, and finally decide to walk toward his parents' house.
Lu Ke was serious about the London Bowl. In 2006, Roger Goodell took over the NFL, and the new commissioner created a series of global promotion plans. It was less about promoting football and more about promoting the NFL, just like the NBA, to open up the global market. In 2007, the London Bowl was officially born, and every year, a regular-season game was moved to Wembley Stadium in London. However, for the teams, it was a hassle to travel so far. And one of the two teams would inevitably lose a home-field advantage, which made most teams unwilling. So, the league introduced a series of compensation measures, including a high appearance fee, which ensured that the teams would cooperate with the league's promotion plans.
Also in 2007, in addition to the London Bowl, the China Bowl was also in the works. Originally, the NFL planned to hold a preseason game at the Beijing Workers' Stadium on August 8th of that year, as a one-year countdown to the Olympic Games. The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks were confirmed as the teams, and the related promotional plans and game logos had already been designed and executed. Unfortunately, the idea was good, but reality was harsh. Due to a variety of complex factors, it ultimately fell through.
Regardless, the London Bowl was successfully held and was a huge success. Now, the annual London Bowl games are still going on, and the league is also planning for more possibilities, such as the Mexico Bowl. So, one day, it is indeed possible for Lu Ke to play in London, and it's even possible for him to play a game in China. Standing on the field in his homeland as a Chinese quarterback would definitely be a very special thing.
However, all of that is in the distant future. For Lu Ke, the next game is the most important. One step at a time. Everything is unknown until the end of his rookie season. As he walked along the familiar streets, the familiar sights, corners, and houses seemed to take him back to his middle school days. He would walk along the same streets every day, doing similar training. It was a monotonous life, but it was full of endless possibilities. Even without seeing any hope, he would still run with great enthusiasm.
Gradually, his mood became completely calm, and he once again found the desire to win and the motivation to fight in the ashes of defeat. Without him realizing it, his parents' house appeared in his sight. From a distance, Lu Ke saw Jiang Younin standing at the door, looking around cautiously, as if she was waiting for something or exploring something. Then Jiang Younin's eyes fell on Lu Ke. In an instant, Jiang Younin turned around in a fluster, as if her fingertips had been burned. She began to busy herself on the porch, as if she had been busy with this all along.
As he got closer, Lu Ke saw his mother focused on wiping the windows. Even when he was standing next to her, she seemed so absorbed that she didn't notice his arrival. After a moment of pause, she suddenly turned her head. "Oh, you're back." The awkward performance made Lu Ke want to laugh, but he held it in and said seriously, "Mom, I'm fine. I'm okay."
"Yesterday's loss wasn't a bomb. There's no need to avoid it or treat it like a taboo. It's real, it's an objective reality. I don't like it, but it's a fact. Learning to accept it and then overcoming it is my lesson, just like I've been doing for the past decade or so. I'm not that easy to defeat," Lu Ke said, getting all his thoughts out in one go.
Jiang Younin, who was standing in front of him, was slightly stunned. She then nodded lightly, not knowing how to express her emotions. In the end, she just nodded again and said one word, "Okay." Just one word, but it was so careful, yet so emotional. Lu Ke gave her a big smile. "Mom, what do you think if I decide to retire right now?"
Jiang Younin clearly didn't anticipate such a turn. Her thoughts couldn't keep up with Lu Ke's. Countless thoughts flooded her mind, but she finally found her voice. "Don't worry about your dad and me. We can take care of ourselves, so the most important thing is that you don't starve yourself to death."
This response made Lu Ke a little stunned, and then he broke into a big smile. "I mean, to me, your health and your life are always the most important things," Jiang Younin said, taking a deep breath. Lu Ke could tell that his words had caught Jiang Younin off guard. In that instant, countless thoughts had flashed through her mind. For traditional Chinese parents, they habitually think about everything for their children, even making decisions for them. But after hesitating and thinking, Jiang Younin ultimately chose to respect Lu Ke, just like she had with all his previous choices and decisions.
Jiang Younin gave him a firm smile. "I think that's all."
"That's all?" Lu Ke asked in return. Seeing Jiang Younin nod firmly, he also nodded. "That's good. Now I should prepare for next week's game. If I want to win the Super Bowl, every game is crucial. What I lack the most is experience, so I have to cherish every opportunity to play." After saying that, Lu Ke opened the door and walked inside.
Jiang Younin stood there in a daze for a moment before she finally realized what the conversation was all about. Only after experiencing the storm can you see the rainbow; only after enduring hardships can you become strong. On the football field, Lu Ke was growing little by little. This process was not easy, but he would not give up easily. And all she and Lu Zhengze had to do was to continue worrying and to continue supporting him, becoming his most solid support system.
Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes, but before she could wipe them away, Lu Ke's voice came from inside the house. "Mom, I want to eat steak for lunch. A thick one, okay?" Jiang Younin quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks and answered loudly, "Yes, okay. I'll take out the steak to thaw it now." A smile bloomed on her face, and the dark clouds hanging over her head finally dissipated. Then she started to chatter, "What else do you want to eat? I'll go to the supermarket later..."
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