Chapter 585: The Curtain Rises
Pat, pat, pat. The sound of feet hitting the ground echoed with a steady rhythm. It was a dull, steady, and powerful sound. Even just based on the sound of the footsteps, one could imagine a figure that had been undergoing rigorous and disciplined training for a long time.
Suddenly, a flurry of chaotic footsteps broke the rhythm. The sounds were fast and slow, light and heavy, and disorganized. It was as if a pool of plastic balls had been dumped all at once. The clattering and banging suddenly made the street crowded and lively.
The children from the neighborhood surrounded Lu Ke, one by one. They looked up with big smiles, their heads tilted back to see his tall figure. To these young children, Lu Ke looked like a lighthouse, so tall and big. They had to crane their necks so hard that it hurt just to get a glimpse of his face up in the clouds.
Although he was surrounded and forced to slow down, Lu Ke continued to run until he saw the familiar street and houses, returning to his parents' neighborhood. He then gradually stopped and saw the lively scene of the entire street. All the neighbors had hung up the San Francisco 49ers' team flag. The bright red flags were fluttering in the wind. The lively conversations and people walking back and forth intertwined into a wide and noisy net, completely enveloping the entire street. The sky was high and far away, and it didn't have the weight of winter. Instead, it gave off a feeling of refreshing autumn.
The snow from a month ago had already melted. San Francisco was still San Francisco, and he might have to wait another 35 long years for the next snowfall.
"Bambi, how about it? Want to join us? We're about to have a barbecue party! I've got some serious steaks ready!"
"Hey! Hey! Bambi, which team do you think we should support? How about the Lions? We beat them once in the regular season, so we can beat them again in the playoffs."
"How are you preparing for the game?"
"You should get some rest this week and recharge for next week!"
"We are! 49ers! We are! Warriors!"
Those familiar faces, many of whom had lived here for ten or twenty years, had watched Lu Ke grow up. However, they were mostly just nodding acquaintances, and their usual interactions weren't frequent. Now, because of football, the entire neighborhood had come together over the past six months. He could clearly feel the genuine joy and happiness from the bottom of their hearts.
Lu Ke stopped and was about to greet his neighbors, but all the children who were surrounding him scattered. One second, they were all over him, and the next, he was all alone again. It happened so fast that Lu Ke couldn't help but be stunned. Hmm, what just happened?
The children all laughed when they saw Lu Ke's confused expression. A few of them were bold enough to shout, "Bambi, can you throw a pass?"
Before Lu Ke could answer, someone threw a football to him. Instinctively, Lu Ke put out his hands and barely managed to catch the football. His sweaty fingertips were a little slippery, and he almost fumbled the ball. His 38 catch ability was indeed unreliable. Lu Ke secretly wiped his forehead.
"So, who wants to catch?" Lu Ke asked loudly.
The children immediately started shouting in a jumble, "Me! Me!"
A few of the older kids were smarter and immediately ran out. They waved their hands as they ran, continuously making the gesture for the ball. Lu Ke then aimed for the oldest kid who was running in the front and threw a high, floating rainbow ball. All the children immediately started to shout, and the entire neighborhood became even livelier.
At that moment, a loud shout came from his right. "You little guys, don't you know that I've monopolized all of Bambi's passes?"
He turned his head and saw Logan Newman, wearing a classic throwback San Francisco 49ers black jersey. His handsome, upright posture only lasted for less than two seconds, and then he spread his arms and charged toward the children like a hawk catching a chick. He looked like a king of the kids.
At that moment, Lu Ke's pass was already descending rapidly. In the distance, he saw a child nimbly and lightly leap into the air. The high jump and hang time showed a rare talent. In the middle of a group of children, he firmly caught the football. All the children around him started to cheer and shout.
But the older kid didn't show any pride. Instead, he hugged the football, pushed away his friends, and ran stubbornly and excitedly toward Lu Ke. He then held the football high in front of Lu Ke and said loudly, "Bambi, when I grow up, I want to catch your passes too."
Lu Ke was slightly stunned and then chuckled. Although he didn't use all his strength on the pass, it was only about 35 yards, and the arc and landing point were relatively accurate. The force and spin were reduced, but the older kid's ability to successfully catch the ball still showed a rare talent. He definitely had the potential to be a wide receiver.
His eyes fell on the boy. He saw him puff out his chest high, as if he was unswervingly expressing his determination. But his trembling pupils betrayed his nervousness and anxiety. The expectation and excitement were so familiar and so genuine, bursting with the passion that every boy shows when he sees his idol in person.
Lu Ke could feel a faint warmth passing through his heart. He smiled and nodded. "Of course. Then I'll have to work hard and stay in good shape and keep playing in the league for a long, long time, and wait for that day to come."
In an instant, the boy's face blossomed like a sunflower. His sunny and bright eyes were full of vigor. He then nodded heavily and didn't say a word. He turned around and ran toward the corner of the street, shouting loudly, "I caught Bambi's pass! I caught Bambi's pass!"
All the neighbors on the street started to cheer.
Logan jogged to Lu Ke's side and shouted at the boy's disappearing back, "Hey, we agreed that I'll be catching your passes for the next ten years, and then it's your turn!" The childish shout made all the other children around them laugh. Logan didn't care. He made a funny face and then turned to Lu Ke. "God, this is only your first season, and you already have admirers. That's something else."
"Jealous?" Lu Ke asked back, not caring at all.
Logan scratched his head and said with a smile, "Nah. Your admirers are my admirers, right?"
Lu Ke shook his head speechlessly. He turned around and walked toward his house. Logan quickly followed him. "I'm serious. My admirers are definitely your admirers. I bet on it!" His chattering words once again showed his talkative nature, and then the two of them pushed open the door and entered Lu Ke's house.
At this time, the entire house was filled with a strong party atmosphere. Red balloons, red ribbons, and red jerseys were all over the place. Even the cake on the table was red velvet. For a moment, it felt like they were back in Chinatown during the Chinese New Year. Red was the most festive and auspicious color.
The room was filled with guests. They were all holding champagne glasses and talking joyfully. Then, Julia Newman was the first to notice Lu Ke and Logan's return. She immediately greeted them and said happily, "Ladies and gentlemen, the two protagonists of today's bet have arrived!" After that, Julia was the first to blow a party horn. The blaring sound instantly drew everyone's attention.
Julia turned around with a big smile and winked playfully at Lu Ke and Logan. She said in a host's standard accent, "Alright, you two protagonists, which team do you choose to support?"
Then, Julia jumped one step to her right and pointed at the ground. There was a round team logo card for the Detroit Lions on the floor. Then, she jumped one step to her left and pointed to another round team logo card, for the New Orleans Saints.
Today was January 7th. It was the day the 2011 season playoffs officially started. The first game was the NFC Wild Card game between the third-seed New Orleans Saints and the sixth-seed Detroit Lions. As usual, the Lu family and the Newman family gathered together to watch the game. This time, it wasn't just the two families. Both sets of parents had invited their colleagues to attend the grand party. There were more than 30 people, and Lu Ke's house suddenly became extremely crowded and lively.
Although he didn't know the exact details, it was clear that Julia was hosting a "betting game," and the main characters were Lu Ke and Logan. After understanding, Lu Ke looked at Julia helplessly and gestured at his messy appearance. He had just finished his daily long-distance run and was drenched in sweat. His vest was completely soaked, and his hair was messily stuck to his cheeks. And he was being forced to participate in an event like this?
He looked at the handsome and charming Logan next to him, and then at his messy self. The contrast was too obvious. Lu Ke spread his hands and protested silently to Julia, "You did this on purpose, didn't you? Although Logan is your brother, you can't treat me like this. Did you forget? At the homecoming dance, I was the knight in shining armor who saved you."
Julia caught Lu Ke's look and instantly understood. She pursed her lips and smiled. Her sparkling eyes clearly showed that she was thinking, Yes, I did this on purpose. So, what are you going to do now?
๐๏ธNOTE:
New chapters drop Three times a day, every Monday through Sunday! Plus, you have the power to unlock more: we'll release Three bonus chapters for every 300 votes! Let's get this story moving together.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
Explore up to 30ย chapters in advance!