Chapter 876: Looking Back
In reality, Lu Ke was just a regular liberal arts student outside of football. He didn't know much about numbers, finance, or economics. He didn't even know the basics.
Helping Ryan was just a small act of kindness as both a player and a fan. Lu Ke himself didn't realize that things would get to this point.
He had never even thought about starting a foundation. He didn't know if it was appropriate or how to manage it. When Noah suggested it, his first reaction was confusion, but he also knew that it was because of their trust that the Niners came to him in person. It was an honor.
Fortunately, he had Leigh Steinberg.
He could ask Leigh about this later and see what the plan was. As his agent, Leigh could definitely give him better advice. So, Lu Ke smiled and agreed.
"Great!"
"I knew Bambi was a man of his word."
"Of course. Not everyone can be a leader, but Bambi definitely can."
Lu Ke laughed. Suddenly, everyone started praising him, and he couldn't help but blush. He awkwardly scratched his head, looking a little flustered. Only then did his immaturity and youth show.
This wasn't the end.
Li Mo Nian then walked up to him again, standing side-by-side with Noah. He was holding a normal brown paper box, which didn't look big. It was about the size of a laptop. He said with a smile:
"Lu Ke, today is a special day. It's special for all of us. Thank you, not just because you won, but also because you chose football and stuck with it until today. Thank you for your hard work and fighting spirit. You've given us hope and let everyone know that an Asian player can also be on the football field. I can't imagine how much sweat you've put in to get here today, but thank you, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Happy Birthday!"
Lu Ke's mouth was slightly open. From his initial immaturity to his later confusion and then to his final emotion. In just a few short sentences, his eyes couldn't help but turn red.
He had forgotten. He had completely forgotten that it was his birthday.
Lately, to prepare for the St. Louis Rams, he had been highly focused and had no time to think about anything else.
What's more, this was his twenty-third birthday, not the twenty-first, which is the legal drinking age in the U.S. or a milestone birthday in China. So there was nothing special about it. Even Jiang You Ning seemed to have forgotten.
He didn't expect the fans to remember, and they said such meaningful words. The emotion surged in his chest.
Jeff also came over and said loudly with a smile, "We missed it last year, so we can't miss it this year. Happy Birthday, Bambi! Thank you for choosing football!"
"Happy Birthday!"
"Thank you!"
Everyone started cheering and sincerely giving him their blessings. It was the most beautiful scene Lu Ke had ever seen.
Lu Ke's mouth was wide open. He tried to say something, but not a single word came out. Too much had happened today, and it all came at him at once, making him feel overwhelmed.
Li Mo Nian was happier than ever. Seeing the faint tears in Lu Ke's eyes, he showed a look of satisfaction. "This is a small gift we prepared."
Jeff joined in on the fun again. "This is just what they prepared. It has nothing to do with us. We just came to take advantage of the situation and get some exposure." His lighthearted words made the others around him laugh.
"No, I can't accept this..." Lu Ke was still not used to being a public figure and receiving gifts. The education from his father Lu Zheng Ze was still in effect.
But Li Mo Nian seemed to have already anticipated Lu Ke's reaction. He opened the brown paper box and showed it to Lu Ke. "This is just a small gesture from us. It's not expensive, but the meaning is in the sincerity. Don't worry about it."
The words of refusal stopped in Lu Ke's mouth. His eyes were glued to the box.
It was a box of Famicom game cartridges!
The box was full! Lu Ke already had some of the game cartridges, but not all of them. Some were classic re-releases, while others were special commemorative editions. There was a wide variety, and they were dazzling.
Lu Ke couldn't help but look at them carefully, his eyes filled with excitement he couldn't hide.
"We know you collect game cartridges. For us, many of these are just childhood memories and not necessarily valuable collectibles. But for you, the meaning is different. Real collectibles should be given to someone who appreciates them," Li Mo Nian said with a smile.
They had been racking their brains for a long time to prepare this gift. They didn't want it to be too expensive but still wanted it to show their sincerity. It was really difficult. In the end, they learned about Lu Ke's small collecting habit from an exclusive interview with Jay Fox and decided on the gift.
Now, seeing the bright smile on Lu Ke's face, Li Mo Nian's sense of accomplishment and satisfaction was indescribable.
Lu Ke reluctantly looked up and looked at Li Mo Nian helplessly. "You guys intentionally didn't leave me any room to refuse, did you?"
"Then don't refuse," Li Mo Nian said with certainty.
Lu Ke took a deep breath, happily took the brown paper box with both hands, and no longer refused. Instead, he said with ease, "Thank you!"
"You're welcome." Li Mo Nian also gave a hearty smile. "You know what? The best part about giving a gift is when you see the other person's satisfied smile."
Jeff came over again. "You should get used to this. Many, many beautiful girls will be sending you gifts in the future."
"Is the key the gifts or the beautiful girls?" Lu Ke also returned to his usual humor and said lightly, "Today couldn't be any better. I'm going to sleep with a smile on my face."
"Wait, Bambi, you were just joking about the trade, right?" After the serious talk was over, Jeff suddenly remembered the trade and said loudly. He looked eager and nervous, as if he would fall apart right there if Lu Ke said "no."
This sentence immediately stirred up a hornet's nest. A lot of chatter started at the same time.
"If Trent gives you a hard time, you tell us. We'll get all the Niners together and show our firm determination."
"Exactly, exactly. We don't want anyone but Bambi!"
"I think Bambi should get the highest salary in the league!"
"Isn't that obvious?"
"Bambi, promise us that you'll stay in San Francisco, okay?"
In the end, Jeff walked up to him excitedly. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides because he was so nervous. He looked at Lu Ke eagerly and said with great emotion, "I used to be a die-hard UCLA Bruins fan. I followed you all the way to San Francisco and have now become a Niner. My life has changed because of you. You can't just leave!"
"Haha." Lu Ke couldn't help but laugh happily. "Next, you're not asking me to solve your relationship problems, are you? That's a heavy burden."
But this time, the Niners didn't laugh at Lu Ke's humor. Their eager eyes were still looking at Lu Ke. It was clear that they would not give up until they got the answer they were hoping for.
Lu Ke smiled and shrugged his shoulders gently. "It's my honor to be able to continue playing here."
"Whoa!"
All the fans raised their hands high and cheered in unison. Happiness was that simple.
Even as they left, the cheers didn't stop. They put their arms around each other's shoulders and sang loudly, jumping and hopping as they enjoyed this beautiful night. In fact, fans are really, really simple. They don't ask for much. A victory is enough. Even if they can't win, the spirit of trying their best to win can satisfy them.
The Niners today were the happiest people in the world.
Unconsciously, the smile on Lu Ke's face also grew. As he watched them walk away, the burden on his shoulders seemed to get a little heavier, but he was happy to carry it.
"Hey, handsome, are you free tonight? I'd like to buy you a cup of coffee, what do you say?"
A cheerful voice fell like a ray of bright sunlight. The sunset on the horizon began to glow again. Lu Ke felt that the voice sounded a little familiar. He instinctively turned his head and saw Candice bathed in the pale red sunset.
She was wearing a red number fourteen jersey and a pair of light gold athletic shorts, which outlined her slender waist and long legs. Her soft long hair was tied up high, and she was wearing a pair of golden bunny ears. Her face was painted with bright colors. The 49ers logo was on her left side, and a golden Bambi was on her right side.
She was waving a pair of golden inflatable noisemakers. Her bright smile shimmered under the fiery sunset. Her bright eyes and white teeth lit up the whole world. Then, she started to jump happily, hitting the noisemakers together and cheering joyfully:
"We are the Niners! We are warriors! Fight on! Fight on!"
Her youthful and energetic cheerleader-like cheer, her smiling eyes and upturned lips, and her entire being exuded a glowing radiance and endless vitality. The pale red sunset and the golden accessories reflected each other, outlining a graceful halo under the slowly descending navy blue night sky. It was breathtaking, and even the blue sky and sea paled in comparison.
He had searched for her a thousand times in the crowd, and when he suddenly looked back, he found her in the dimly lit place.
On this afternoon that made history, on this unforgettable afternoon, on this afternoon that carried belief and faith, on this afternoon of becoming a leader... On this ordinary afternoon, after a regular season game, he was exhausted and drenched in sweat after finishing his work, and then he saw that smiling face again. A bright and moving smiling face.
What did he just say? That today couldn't be any better? He was clearly wrong.
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