Chapter 751: An Unexpected Encounter
"I was just passing by and happened to have some time, so I came to take a look," Candice replied when Lu Ke's questioning gaze fell on her.
Then, Curry, who was standing next to her, said honestly, "Huh, weren't you here specifically to cheer for Bambi? You came to Candlestick Park even earlier than I did, painting faces for the fans at the entrance and then rallying everyone to cheer. Were you really just passing by? I think you're more of a pro than I am."
The cover story was instantly blown.
Lu Ke lowered his head slightly, but he couldn't stop the smile from curling up at the corner of his mouth.
Candice's cheeks turned slightly red. She tried to scold Curry but couldn't help but chuckle when she saw his innocent and bright expression, just like a school kid.
So, without refuting or getting flustered, Candice calmly changed the subject, as if the previous conversation had never happened. "Oh my god, did you see the crowd outside the stadium? I heard that the number of fans who showed up today has exceeded 150,000. It's truly unimaginable what a huge number that is."
"Twice the capacity of Candlestick Park," Curry calculated immediately. Then he tilted his head and calculated seriously. "And seven times the Oracle Arena."
When he was calculating, he was only thinking about the numbers, not the meaning behind them. After he finished calculating, his thoughts gradually came back to him. "Seven times? Jesus Christ!" Curry's eyes widened. He imagined the scene of Oracle Arena at 100% capacity and multiplied it by seven. His jaw dropped.
Candice also couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow. So, what does it feel like to stand on a stage like that?"
"My fingers and toes are trembling." Lu Ke's answer was so honest that Curry and Candice couldn't help but burst out laughing. Lu Ke shrugged calmly. "I'm serious. One hundred and fifty thousand people. Just counting the number, you can't even count all the zeros. My God, our entire offense only has eleven people."
Curry pouted and retorted, "Then what about our basketball team?"
In an instant, all three of them burst into laughter. Their cheerful laughter echoed in the hallway outside the locker room.
Just then, three figures came around the corner of the hallway. In the midst of the cheerful atmosphere, a voice cut through. "Stephen, Candice, did you find the locker room okay?"
All three of them turned their heads in unison. A tall figure in a white suit was at the front. It was Sophie Brook, the San Francisco 49ers' assistant public relations officer.
"Yeah, we took a bit of a detour. We even ended up in the utility room for a while, but... we eventually found our way." Curry gave a big smile. "Thanks for the help earlier; otherwise, we really wouldn't have known what to do."
Not just anyone could enter the locker room, especially with the game about to start. Curry and Candice were just trying their luck. If they couldn't get in, they would have just left. Luckily, they ran into Sophie, who recognized both of them. After confirming the time, she led them through security herself.
"Just as long as Lu Ke's game state isn't disturbed. Otherwise, I can't bear the consequences." Sophie gave Lu Ke a meaningful glance, her words hinting at something. As college rivals, every time they met, there were "sparks flying." Clearly, not much had changed.
Candice could feel the tension between Lu Ke and Sophie. Her gaze went back and forth between them.
Lu Ke was about to retort calmly, but before he could speak, a gasp came from behind him, abruptly interrupting him. "What are you doing here?"
The gasp was a little sharp. The shock and surprise couldn't be concealed, and it was even a little rude.
Everyone turned to look in the direction of the voice, and their eyes were filled with surprise. They all turned to look at Lu Ke in unison, swaying back and forth like windshield wipers.
This was because the person who appeared in front of them was too famous. Everyone there recognized her. Furthermore, probably more than half of the audience in the entire Candlestick Park recognized her.
Emma Watson. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter. Who didn't know her?
Today, Emma was wearing a royal blue short skirt suit. Her dark brown hair was permed into a slight curl and braided loosely, resting obediently on her right shoulder. Her fiery red lipstick, however, easily brightened up her entire makeup. It was serious and formal yet also exuded a hint of youthful energy.
But at this moment, her delicate features were a little pale. Her slightly furrowed brows and slightly parted lips could not hide her true emotions, revealing a trace of uncontrollable panic and... anger and frustration.
Honestly, Lu Ke felt very innocent. He was the one who should be asking that question because this was Candlestick Park, not Hollywood. Lu Ke was completely confused about Emma's presence here and had no idea what was going on. But Emma was the one who spoke first, acting as if she were the host.
Lu Ke gave a very obvious fake smile—a strained, awkward smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I've never heard such a soap opera line. It sounds like a classic quote from a Colombian prime-time show. Or, are the living habits of Hollywood something that ordinary people like us don't understand?"
Or, a melodrama.
The retort instantly made Emma's face stiff.
Lu Ke's unannounced appearance was too shocking and too sudden, causing Emma to completely lose control. She only now realized that there were other people present, and not just one or two. Her gaffe and loss of composure just now were so embarrassing that it was impossible to salvage the situation.
Emma decided to ignore the person standing on the other side of the hallway and showed a proper smile, looking at Sophie politely. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive my rudeness. I didn't expect to see so many people here. I thought there wasn't much time left before the game officially started, and everyone should be away from the locker room now."
She cleverly changed the subject. She wasn't surprised to see Lu Ke; she was surprised to see a crowd of people.
If she were a reporter, she would have called Emma out, but Sophie naturally wouldn't do that. She smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. "Apparently, my next task is to start dispersing the crowd to ensure that the players can stay focused. But before I officially fulfill my duties, I still need your help."
The small incident just now seemed to have been completely forgotten. Sophie smiled and took a step forward, making introductions. "Lu Ke, this is Emma Watson. Emma, this is Lu Ke, our quarterback. And this is Robin Goffin, who is in charge of today's photography."
What? Quarterback?
Emma couldn't believe her ears. That guy was the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback? How was that possible?
But on second thought, she finally understood why the reporters at the airport were so excited. It wasn't just because they thought they had another scandal but because the person in the scandal wasn't some unknown nobody. After realizing this, Emma had an urge to run away.
Sophie's introduction was still not over. "Today, Emma will be a special guest host for Fox Broadcasting Company, hosting our pregame event." She looked at Lu Ke. "Remember? I've sent an email to everyone. We have a small event before the game."
As the San Francisco 49ers' first home game of the season, the league and the team had jointly organized a charity event. They invited young patients from a children's hospital in San Francisco to come and watch the game and feel the atmosphere. In addition, after warm-ups and before the official kickoff, the children would also go onto the field and have a brief interaction with the players in the end zone.
"Yes, I remember," Lu Ke said with a slight nod, his gaze falling on Emma.
They knew about the charity event, but they knew nothing about the special guests.
That unadorned look made Emma feel uncomfortable.
She thought they would never have a chance to meet again. The embarrassment from that time was enough. She didn't expect to be caught off guard again.
Clenching her teeth, Emma tried to stay calm because there were too many eyes present. Any small disturbance could lead to endless rumors. She would not let herself fall into another mess.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lu," Emma said, word for word. After the last lesson, she had a very clear understanding of Lu Ke's last name and first name. Now, deliberately emphasizing it was a direct confrontation with Lu Ke.
Lu Ke acted as if he didn't hear it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Watson."
Anyone with a discerning eye could feel the undercurrents, but no one was willing to expose it to maintain a facade of harmony. They all pretended not to see it.
Sophie smiled again. "Then let's go into the locker room for a photoshoot. Lu Ke is here, so it's a perfect time for him to introduce everyone. Stephen, Candice, would you like to join us?" Sophie enthusiastically extended an invitation. It was a free promotional opportunity that came to their door. If they could join the charity event, it would be a huge bonus.
"I'd love to join a charity event."
"I love kids the most."
The two answered one after the other, giving an affirmative reply. Then Sophie took the lead and pushed open the locker room door. The noisy sound instantly rushed out again, filling the entire hallway.
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