It was a new day and a new beginning. Lu Ke woke up at his usual time and followed his routine, jogging to school.
The UCLA campus in Westwood, Los Angeles, is a bustling area. To the west is the coast highway, which leads to Malibu, where countless wealthy people and celebrities live. To the east is downtown Los Angeles, with attractions like the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Dolby Theatre. To the north is Beverly Hills, a luxury residential area for Hollywood stars. To the south is Santa Monica, with its beaches, ocean, and sunshine.
The distance from his apartment to the campus was about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles). To complete his daily training mission from the system, Lu Ke jogged to school every day. He would run a lap around the school and then finish the rest of his distance on the training field. Afterward, he'd clean up in the training field's showers to prepare for his day of classes.
This way, he could complete his training, save money on transportation, and not miss out on his studies or training. It was a win-win situation.
After entering the Westwood campus, the entire area had a semi-open layout with wide roads, old libraries, modern teaching buildings, tall trees, and young students. The scenery was full of vibrant energy and youthful vitality, the kind that makes California hard to resist.
"Good morning."
"Good morning!"
The campus didn't have a formal gate, but there was a barrier to check incoming and outgoing vehicles to prevent unauthorized access. A security guard was always on duty in a nearby booth. Over the past five months, Lu Ke had jogged past at the same time every morning, following a well-established route. The guards had gotten to know him, so they'd always greet him, and Lu Ke would nod back.
"The game last night was so exciting!" The guard pumped his fist at Lu Ke, his excited expression clearly showing his current enthusiasm. This made Lu Ke smile. He raised his right hand in a salute and called back, "Thank you." But he didn't stop, continuing to jog at a steady pace.
"Good morning!" Not far ahead, someone shouted from the side of the road. Lu Ke didn't react at first, but then he saw a group of five or six people on his right, all waving their right hands and excitedly shouting, "Good morning!" The voices came one after another.
Lu Ke was stunned. He didn't recognize any of them, but he politely waved back to greet them. After he jogged past, he heard a few people screaming and cheering wildly. The campus in the early morning suddenly became lively.
But this was just the beginning.
On his jogging path around the campus, people would greet him every few minutes. Some would just smile and nod, others would shout excitedly. One person even ran alongside him, not saying a word, just staring at him with a goofy, happy smile that made Lu Ke a little uneasy. Luckily, the person's stamina wasn't enough, and he couldn't keep up for even five minutes. Lu Ke took the opportunity to pull away and left him behind.
Usually, a lap around the campus took about 25 to 30 minutes, but today he finished it in 18 minutes. The increase in speed was significant, making his breathing a bit uneven when he arrived at the training field.
The purpose of his daily 10,000-meter run was not speed but endurance and consistency. However, Lu Ke now realized that he should start trying to vary his speed to complete the 10,000 meters because, during a game, energy consumption isn't a steady pace but constantly changing.
Before he could sort out his thoughts, a chorus of cheers and shouts from the stands startled him. He looked in the direction of the noise and saw a dozen people gathered in the stands. They were waving their fists excitedly, roaring and shouting at Lu Ke like young girls at a concert seeing their idol.
Lu Ke hadn't expected this at all and swerved his jogging path.
It was only a little past 7:00 in the morning. Normally, since most classes started at 9:00, the campus was just waking up and was quiet. On the training field, there would only be a few staff on duty. No one else would be there. But now, a small group of people were in the stands, shouting wildly?
The world had gone crazy!
Lu Ke came to his senses and listened carefully, realizing they were chanting, "Bambi! Bambi!" The voices were trembling, even cracking from the excitement, becoming hoarse. The scene was quite comical, and Lu Ke couldn't help but chuckle.
Clearly, last night's game had made Lu Ke a celebrity on campus.
In American high schools and colleges, sports culture is very strong. The most popular students in high school are usually the quarterbacks or basketball team captains, and so on. In college, games are more professional and connected to the league. Students will cheer wildly for a victory and riot after a loss. Even students who aren't interested in sports still feel a sense of school pride.
Lu Ke knew this, having lived in America for so many years. However, he had never expected to become the main character, at least not so quickly. After all, he was Chinese, and in this immigrant society, Chinese people still hadn't fully integrated into the mainstream.
Lu Ke waved to the supporters, giving a simple greeting, but didn't stop. He continued to jog, burying his head and running laps. His laps today felt a little strange, as there were always strange noises coming from the stands. It was like the male lead in a romantic drama, with a halo wherever he went, and a group of "fan girls" following him everywhere.
Although "fan girls" might not be the right word to describe the enthusiastic fans in the stands, it was the only word that came to Lu Ke's mind at the moment.
Jeff, watching Lu Ke jogging with his head down, began to jump. "Nate, I'm telling you, he's the savior. He's the savior of the Bruins!" His excitement was endless. "Last night's game is over, the season is over, but he's not resting or being lazy. He's still holding himself to high standards. That's so rare! Jesus Christ! Why didn't the school find him earlier?"
If Lu Ke had heard that, he would have complained. He also knew the season was over. If he could, he'd want to rest for a day or two, not because he was lazy, but to relax and recover. He knew that a good balance between work and rest was needed to reach higher goals.
But that was the issue. As of yesterday, his daily training plan was at "13/14." This meant that if he gave up today, the previous 13 days of training would be wasted. But if he continued today, he would earn another basic point. Lu Ke didn't want to miss that.
So, he wasn't "self-disciplined" but "forced." However, once he got into his run, Lu Ke realized it wasn't as painful as he thought. Maybe it was because he had been consistent for the past five months, and his body had gotten used to the rhythm. Maybe he should continue to be consistent tomorrow, too.
"Uh, have you ever considered that maybe it's because he's Asian?" Nate, however, was more aware of the facts.
Jeff said "shit" without a care. "I don't care if he's Chinese or British. The point is, he's capable, talented, and determined. He can lead us to victory and make the arrogant Trojans bow their heads! I like him! I support him! He's my hero!"
After saying that, Jeff turned to the other people and shouted, "What do you all say?"
"Of course!"
"Absolutely!"
"Definitely!"
...The scattered responses came one after another, triggering another round of cheers. They had been celebrating until dawn last night and hadn't slept at all. Even now, they showed no signs of fatigue. This victory was enough to keep them celebrating for three days and three nights.
What could be more perfect than ending the season by defeating your rival? There was one thing: a stunning comeback with four touchdowns in the fourth quarter!
"Bambi! Bambi!" Jeff saw Lu Ke's pace slowing down and shouted excitedly. "Bambi, can you sign my scarf?"
Lu Ke was stunned. He exhaled deeply and inhaled slowly, adjusting his breathing. He looked at Jeff with a face full of surprise and simply nodded as a reflex. Then he saw the group of supporters jump down from the stands and swarm him, surrounding him. "God, Bambi, last night's game was amazing! You are God! God!"
Lu Ke looked at the team scarf and the carbon pen handed to him. This was a first for him. In fact, even the team's starters didn't have a big autograph culture. After all, college sports weren't the professional league. Fans' support came more from school pride than from a love for and support of a star player.
"I tried to buy one of your jerseys, but... the school store didn't have any, so I got this scarf instead. I hope you don't mind," Jeff said excitedly, without taking a breath.
"No, of course not," Lu Ke replied, taking the scarf and pen. "What's your name?"
"Jeff. My name is Jeff Locke!" Jeff's eyes were shining as he looked at Lu Ke. "I'm your loyal fan! You're so good! Wow!"
Jeff's excitement seemed to be contagious. A smile involuntarily appeared on Lu Ke's face as he signed his first fan autograph on the silk scarf.
"To Jeff Locke, thank you for your support. Lu Ke."
He chose to sign his Chinese name. It was his root and his soul.
NOTE:
New chapters drop three times a day, every Monday through Saturday! Plus, you have the power to unlock more: we'll release three bonus chapters for every 100 votes! Let's get this story moving together.