Lu Ke spread his hands with an innocent look, proclaiming his innocence.
He thought that Brian was an experienced journalist from the "San Francisco Chronicle" and that he should be quick-witted, if not a crafty old-timer. Who would have thought that Brian would fall for such a simple joke?
Jiang Youning burst out laughing and went back into the kitchen to prepare drinks for the guest. Lu Zhengze, who was left behind, took over the conversation and said with a smile, "He's always been a smooth talker since he was little. When we first came to the US, he only knew a few English words, but he would still go out and talk to other kids."
While chatting, Lu Zhengze expertly guided Brian to a seat in the living room. "At that time, we said that when he grew up, he would definitely be suitable for a career as a journalist or a lawyer. Now that he has suddenly become a professional athlete, I have a strong feeling that the locker room will be very lively. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
"I regret it. Can we end the interview now? Before more secrets are revealed, I need to protect my image as a player." Lu Ke's witty interjection made the atmosphere lively again. This time, Brian finally reacted and couldn't help but chuckle.
"Lu Ke's major in college was..." In just two sentences, Brian had found a newsworthy point and quickly cut in.
"Journalism," Lu Zhengze replied.
Brian suddenly understood. He had noticed it when he was doing his research before. But to be honest, a professional athlete's college major was usually just for show and had no real purpose. So, Brian had seen it and forgotten about it, not paying any attention until today. "So, did you object to his choice of becoming a professional athlete? For most parents, a professional athlete is not a positive choice."
After all, the elimination rate in competitive sports is extremely high.
"Of course. Anne and I... Oh, my mistake. I'm Jack, and Anne is Lu Ke's mother," Lu Zhengze said, finally remembering to introduce himself.
Brian also introduced himself and then asked curiously, "I'm more curious about your Chinese names. I noticed that Lu Ke didn't use an English name, but you did."
"Lu Ke actually has an English name," Lu Zhengze said. Then he saw the look of annoyance on Lu Ke's face, which made Lu Zhengze chuckle. He had no intention of saving his son any face. "When we first came to the US, in order to adapt to life here, we also gave him an English name, Andrew. But..."
Brian turned around and looked Lu Ke up and down. He couldn't help but laugh and shook his head repeatedly. "No, he's not Andrew. I can't see Andrew in him at all." As he continued to imagine Lu Ke, with the name "Andrew," dominating the field, the vivid image made Brian laugh even harder.
"I think the name Lu Ke suits him better," Brian said as the atmosphere became a little more relaxed and his words flowed more smoothly. "I don't know if you're familiar with the movie 'Star Wars.' The main character is named Luke Skywalker, which is a very special name."
"His name also has a deeper meaning in Chinese. Respect, adherence, and caution," Lu Zhengze explained and then paused for a moment. "I'm sorry, you probably aren't interested in Chinese."
Brian waved his hands repeatedly. "No, no, I'm very interested. So what are your and Anne's Chinese names?"
"My name means to state justice and have laws. It is in accordance with etiquette, Lu Zhengze." While introducing his name, Lu Zhengze found a pen and a piece of white paper under the coffee table and wrote his Chinese name on it. "This is mine, and this is Anne's. Anne's Chinese name is Jiang Youning."
Lu Zhengze's calligraphy was strong and unrestrained, and every stroke carried the charm of the Chinese language.
"It means to be open and honest," Jiang Youning's voice came from behind. She was holding a tray with several cups on it and placed them on the coffee table one by one. "Soda water. Are you sure? We have some beer at home if you need it."
Brian replied with a smile, "This is great. No problem." He then picked up his camera. "Can I take a picture? I mean, Jack's handwriting. I know that Chinese characters have calligraphy, and I think it's very interesting."
"As long as you're only taking a picture of the words, there's no problem," Lu Ke answered on behalf of his parents.
An exclusive interview with the "San Francisco Chronicle," and it was arranged by the team. Lu Ke knew that this was part of a professional athlete's job, and he would have to face it sooner or later, even if it wasn't today. What's more, he himself majored in journalism, so he was not only not opposed to it but was also very familiar with it.
The problem was Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning. They were both regular office workers, not professional athletes, and even less so public figures. They had no interest in being in the public eye. Moreover, the potential problems that came with being in the public eye could disrupt their daily lives.
The harassment from a fan before the regular season was just two weeks ago.
So, after some discussion, Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning agreed to the interview. As Lu Ke's parents, they were naturally a part of Lu Ke's life. But on one condition: no photos of them, and only a written interview to protect their privacy as much as possible.
Brian gave an "OK" gesture and then added, "So, can you also add Lu Ke's Chinese name?"
Watching Lu Zhengze write out "陆恪" with his own eyes, Brian couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, this is much more complicated than English. It looks like a painting." The undisguised praise made Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning both laugh.
Brian pressed the shutter button. After taking the picture, he sat back down. "Where were we? Oh, right. Were you worried about Lu Ke's choice? If it were up to me, I think he would have made an excellent journalist."
"Of course. As parents, it's our responsibility to worry about our child," Jiang Youning said, sitting down next to Lu Zhengze. "But it's also our responsibility to encourage and support our child. To be honest, it wasn't easy for us because of the risks involved in competitive sports and being a professional athlete. But Lu Ke proved to us that he knows what he's doing and what he wants. So, all we need to do is stand behind him and give him our support."
Brian caught the resilience in Jiang Youning's eyes. The conflicting emotions of fragility and strength clashed together, giving off a resilient light. At that moment, he seemed to understand where Lu Ke's brave heart came from.
"Before the regular season officially started, when the team announced that Lu Ke would be the starting quarterback for the first game, some irrational fans did some crazy things. Were you scared at that time?" The reason Brian was visiting Lu Ke's home for an exclusive interview, instead of just a one-on-one with Lu Ke, was that he wanted to understand the thoughts of Lu Ke's parents face to face.
Right now, Lu Ke was still facing the doubts and challenges of the fans. He needed more support and more motivation. So, after the interview began, Lu Ke, who was the main character, became a bystander.
"Heh, whether you believe it or not, as immigrants living in the US, we've experienced far more things than you can imagine," Lu Zhengze said casually, but his words revealed a lot of information. "Compared to us, we were more worried about Lu Ke because he was the one who was bearing the fans' anger; he was the one who was on the field."
At this point, Lu Zhengze felt a squeeze from his left hand. Jiang Youning was holding his left hand tightly, and the small action revealed her inner worries and tension.
"We don't know what those crazy fans will do," Lu Zhengze said, straightening his back firmly. "But I hope these fans know that Lu Ke is working hard. He is putting in an unimaginable amount of effort, and he is trying to lead the team to victory. All the fans need is a little more patience and a little more support. After all, our goal is the same."
The simple words were full of sincerity and carried a lot of weight.
Brian's eyes also flashed slightly. Recalling his own reporting before the regular season and the scenes from the last two games, Brian felt a little embarrassed but quickly covered it up. "That's true. Lu Ke has given us victories with his excellent performances for two consecutive weeks. He deserves all the support he gets."
Brian turned to Lu Ke and gave him a smile, showing his support.
The rest of the interview went smoothly. Brian talked to Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning about interesting stories from Lu Ke's childhood, his introduction to football, the ups and downs during his college years, going undrafted, his feelings from the past two weeks, his hard work in practice, and the couple's understanding of football...
And so on.
From the perspective of his parents and family, they revisited Lu Ke's journey to becoming a professional athlete step by step. The entire conversation lasted for about 30 minutes, and Brian had to admit that he had been proven wrong and his eyes had been opened.
The deep-rooted identity of being an Asian immigrant was still visible in Lu Zhengze and his wife, but they were working hard to adapt to their new lives, making changes bit by bit. This also became the reason for Lu Ke to open up and integrate into life, which in turn became the starting point for Lu Ke to embark on his journey as a professional athlete.
Prejudice always exists, but it needs to be broken down little by little. Brian deeply believed that today was a perfect start. He had already started to like Lu Ke. Maybe Lu Ke could really become the face of the San Francisco 49ers.
After finishing the interview with Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning, Brian turned his attention to the true main character of the day, Lu Ke, the person who had created a miracle in the past two weeks.
"As an undrafted rookie, when the team decided to make you the starting quarterback for the first game of the regular season, and you only had 10 days to prepare, how did you feel?"
NOTE:
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 20 chapters in advance!