The interview was over.
Brian began to pack up his equipment—the voice recorder, camera, notebook, and so on—and prepared to leave.
The interview today had been very smooth, even smoother than he had expected. Lu Ke's eloquence and humor had left a deep impression on Brian.
He wasn't the ruthless quarterback on the field, the hero who had made a comeback from the brink of defeat, or the athlete who had fiercely fought back against doubts. He was a rookie player who had just graduated from college and was new to the league, with the vigor and vitality of a young man, as well as the naivety and aspirations of a fresh face in society.
If it weren't for this exclusive interview, Brian wouldn't have known that the most cherished part of Lu Ke's childhood memories was a Nintendo Entertainment System, a console that had traveled with him across the ocean to San Francisco when he immigrated.
In fact, Lu Ke was born in 1989. For someone his age, the NES was gradually becoming obsolete, and children had more game options. The NES was more of a childhood memory for Brian and the generation after him. This unexpected coincidence was an eye-opener for Brian. The two of them even played a round of Super Mario, a round of Tank 1990, and a round of Contra.
These games, which had almost disappeared from his memory, were Lu Ke's greatest joy during his boring and monotonous training life. They also accompanied Lu Ke through the days when he missed his hometown. Even now, that old NES was still perfectly preserved, and Lu Ke still cherished all kinds of game cartridges.
"I collect them," Lu Ke said with a bright smile on his face. "I often look for them online, and then I bid on them to collect more games. If I find a rare, collector's edition game, that's not good news for me. I spend all my pocket money on them. Did you know? I once delivered newspapers and milk for three months and helped Mr. Robinson at the corner mow his garden for a month to buy a game cartridge."
When recalling those years, Lu Ke's eyes sparkled with a touching light. This was his true self.
Involuntarily, Brian became very curious. "Can I take a look at your collection?"
"Next time. All my collections are only open to true friends," Lu Ke politely declined, the subtext being, "We're not friends." This playful hint, with a little cunning and sharpness, successfully made Brian burst out laughing.
The private interview was full of surprises and fun. Brian had truly started to like Lu Ke.
He paused for a moment while packing up his equipment. Brian looked up at Lu Ke. "In the beginning, I mean, when you first arrived in San Francisco, why did you choose football? Was it really because of a dream?"
A dream.
This was a spirited and lively answer that always made people's blood boil. Especially now that Lu Ke had achieved his dream and had truly become the first Chinese-American player to set foot on a professional field, it was even more legendary. If it were a news story, it would definitely be a good one.
"No, it wasn't," Lu Ke answered as a matter of course, which made Brian stunned for a moment. Then he saw Lu Ke say casually, "To be honest, at first, it was just to fit into the local life. Learning a language and integrating into a culture take time, but sports are simpler and more direct. All communication happens on the field. So, I joined the football team, hoping to adapt to life here quickly."
Lu Ke was never the type to give up easily and wait for death. He was like that in the past, and he was still like that now. So, in games, Lu Ke would never give up easily. This kind of fighting spirit and demeanor could be seen in his childhood.
"But... why football?" Brian hadn't expected Lu Ke's answer at all, and his fluent language became a little halting.
"Basketball was my first choice, but the school I transferred to didn't have a basketball team," Lu Ke said truthfully.
Brian's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Is that all?"
"That's all," Lu Ke replied with a definite answer.
After a moment of silence, Brian came back to his senses. It was both absurd and funny, and then he burst out laughing. When he thought about it carefully, it made perfect sense.
Lu Ke was Chinese. The spread and popularity of football in China were seriously lagging. Even in 2011, the market had not yet opened up. Not to mention the distant past. When Lu Ke immigrated to the US, the first time he saw a football, he was probably full of questions and couldn't understand how to play with this oval-shaped thing.
In such a context, how could he talk about a dream?
A true dream isn't a seed that sprouts at the very beginning. It takes root and sprouts as you participate, as you invest in the game, and as you grow, eventually becoming a towering tree. That's how we have Lu Ke today, who has made history in the league.
"So, if you had to choose again today, would you still choose football? Or... basketball?" Brian asked with great curiosity, his eyes full of interest.
Lu Ke shrugged. "Today? If it were today, I would still choose football. But if we lose the next game, I might change my answer." The humorous jab made Brian laugh again, and he nodded repeatedly in agreement.
After everything was packed up, Brian stood up and went to the backyard to say goodbye to Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning. Then, with Lu Ke escorting him, he left the house.
Standing on the porch, Brian said, "I know you have practice today, so I won't bother you anymore."
This was something Jiang Youning had mentioned. As an undrafted rookie, even without the "Chinese-American" title, Lu Ke had to put in more effort. Lu Ke's training was non-stop every day, even on official days off. Brian was deeply impressed by this and had already made a decision to go to UCLA for a more in-depth interview.
"Wednesday is the team's recovery practice. Will you be at the training facility?" Brian confirmed. After getting a definite answer, he said, "Then I'll go directly to the training facility to take some photos I can use. I'll contact your press department for the specific time."
"No problem. See you Wednesday," Lu Ke nodded and smiled.
Brian quickly walked down the stairs and turned around to wave goodbye. The bright and brilliant sunlight pierced through the layers of treetops and outlined Lu Ke's figure. He still looked a little thin, and his weight needed to be increased. His explosiveness and muscle endurance were also not as good as those of black people, but it was this seemingly ordinary Chinese-American quarterback who was making history.
"Bambi," Brian called out, standing on the side of the street. The nickname "Bambi" sounded more friendly than "Lu Ke." "With so many top-tier quarterbacks in the league, which one do you want to be like?"
Lu Ke was stunned for a moment and then laughed. "I guess this interview is never going to end, right?" The joke made Brian chuckle, but he didn't look away. He continued to stare at him.
To be honest, Lu Ke had never thought about this question. In college, he didn't have the right to think about it. In the league, he didn't have the time to think about it. But now, after two victories and at the beginning of his professional career, Lu Ke was thinking about this question for the first time.
"I have to admit that Peyton Manning is the player I admire the most. He is my role model, no doubt," Lu Ke said honestly. He paused for a moment and then changed his tune. "But I want everyone to want to be a player like me."
The strong confidence and grand ambitions revealed in his casual words completely exceeded Brian's expectations. This seemed to have happened too many times today, so the surprise only lingered for a moment before it became a matter of course.
Brian frowned and joked, "Are you sure you're a Chinese immigrant?"
In general, Asian culture values humility and modesty. In people's rigid minds, Asian immigrants often lack confidence. Even when they receive praise, they cannot straighten their backs and accept it gracefully, let alone be outspoken and full of confidence. But clearly, Lu Ke was an outlier. He was not only confident but also a little crazy.
However, when he thought about it, if he wasn't an outlier, Lu Ke wouldn't have been able to survive on the football field.
Lu Ke didn't pay any attention to it. He waved his right hand. "Goodbye! The interview is over! Our conversation ends here for today! No additional questions! If you're still curious, either wait for media day or make another appointment!" After saying that, Lu Ke gave an obvious fake smile, turned around, and went back into the house, closing the door cleanly.
Brian was speechless.
Everyone wants to be a player like Lu Ke? That was a great and arrogant goal, even an unrealistic and insane one.
But being the first Asian player in the league was also unrealistic, and Lu Ke had successfully achieved it and had done a beautiful job of it. So... what else was impossible?
For the first time, Brian was beginning to look forward to it. Not just the future of the San Francisco 49ers, but Lu Ke's future as well. The long journey had finally set sail. So, what kind of scenery would the destination hold?
Just imagining it in his mind made Brian a little excited.
History was being written, and he was not only a witness but also a participant. Ten years from now, or 30 years from now, would he be able to write an autobiography with the title, "Brian Westbrook: Witness and Participant in the NFL Records - The Legend of the League's First Quarterback, Lu Ke?" The thought made his blood boil.
Then, Brian took light steps toward his car, even humming an unknown tune, his mood bright. This time, there was no hesitation or stop. He truly left, ending today's exclusive interview, returning home satisfied and with a bountiful harvest.
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