The morning sun cast a lazy glow as the navy blue night sky slowly receded. A gentle breeze blew by, causing a shiver. Although it was still hot in California in September, San Francisco already had a hint of early autumn. It's no wonder Mark Twain once said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."
In the blink of an eye, Wednesday had arrived. Before he could even fully process everything, the short vacation was over, and the team had to start preparing for the third week of the regular season.
Today would be an incredibly busy day. First, there was the media open day, then a photo shoot for the "San Francisco Chronicle," followed by a recovery practice, and then all the players would gather to watch the game film from week two.
Although Lu Ke had already spent most of yesterday watching the game film, that was for his personal preparation. Today, the team would prepare as a group, analyzing tactics, coordination, and successes and failures.
After two weeks of adjusting, Lu Ke was now slowly organizing his training schedule according to the team and the game schedule. From Monday to Friday, the training schedule for each day had to be adjusted accordingly.
For example, today was Wednesday. After waking up, Lu Ke didn't start with strenuous exercise. Instead, he started with a 20-minute slow jog on the treadmill, followed by a warm-up, including pull-ups, parallel bar dips, and push-ups, three sets of 15 to 20 reps for each. Next, he would do a 10,000-meter interval run. After that, he would go to the training facility to start his strength training.
Overall, today, Lu Ke had divided his daily training into three parts, which he would complete at three different times throughout the day. This not only complemented the team's plan and the system's tasks but also allowed him to adapt to the "recovery practice" theme of Wednesday, slightly easing the intensity of his training.
Of course, adapting to a professional league is a long process. It had only been two weeks, and there were bound to be some irrationalities in his plan. With more experience, he would gradually get the hang of it.
After changing into his clothes and running shoes, he left the house, ready to start his interval run for the day. He began to pick up his pace along the slope, going uphill, and adjusting his breathing in a climbing pattern. But after only half a block, he stopped at a street intersection.
An old man with white hair was sitting on the side of the road. A wooden cane was next to his feet, and he was wiping the sweat from his forehead with a dark blue handkerchief. His slightly pale face looked like he was in physical pain. He didn't even bother with his custom-made dark gray suit, sitting on the ground with his legs crossed and panting.
"Sir, do you need any help?" Lu Ke walked back, crouched down, and asked with concern.
It was just after seven in the morning. The chilly air was giving him goosebumps. There weren't many pedestrians on the street. The quiet and crisp atmosphere of a weekday morning was just beginning to stir in the residential area. It seemed that this old man had run into some trouble during his morning walk.
The old man didn't speak but calmly adjusted his breathing, taking a deep breath, and another deep breath. Then, a self-deprecating smile appeared on his wrinkled, weathered face. "Birth, old age, sickness, and death. With the passing of time, the body starts to protest and go on strike. A lot of parts start to break down."
"I thought that was a problem everyone has to face, regardless of age," Lu Ke said with a smile, feeling a little relieved that the other party was okay. "It's just that age brings a few more problems, along with life experience and wisdom. So, you win some, you lose some. We can't be too greedy."
Noticing the old man's smile and furrowed brow, Lu Ke asked with concern again, "Are you alright? If you need it, I can call 911."
In the United States, 911 isn't just for calling the police. You can call this number for any request, describe your situation to the operator, and they will make a judgment and a choice, and then call an ambulance, the police, or the fire department. So, if you don't remember the specific emergency number or are unsure of who to call for help, calling 911 is the easiest and most direct option.
The old man didn't speak but clutched his heart. It seemed that his heart was under a greater strain than his body could handle, causing a chain reaction.
Without hesitation, Lu Ke took out his phone from his sports armband, ready to dial.
"Don't worry." The old man raised his right hand and waved it lightly. "It's just an old man running out of energy." To convince Lu Ke, he looked up and gave a big smile. "Trust me, I have no intention of surrendering just yet. If there's a problem, I'm more anxious than you are."
Lu Ke was slightly stunned. He saw the playful and teasing look in the old man's eyes and laughed wryly. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure," the old man said, slightly lowering his chin, his weak voice filled with determination.
He looked about sixty years old, maybe even older. His face was full of wrinkles, looking like a shriveled orange. His neat three-piece suit seemed a little out of place, as it was too formal, but it showed his taste. He looked like someone of a certain class and status.
At this moment, two red spots appeared on his fair cheeks, and the sweat on his forehead and neck revealed a hint of weakness. However, he had a pair of bright eyes, a clear emerald green in the thin morning light. His vibrant gaze showed a youthfulness that didn't match his age or body.
Lu Ke nodded slightly, indicating that he understood. He believed that the old man was indeed okay.
"That's good." Lu Ke didn't try to persuade him further. "I'm in the middle of my morning run, so I'll be going now." He didn't linger, but he didn't leave immediately either. He looked left and right. "If you still don't feel well, this is the Casaani family's house. He's Italian and very hospitable. He's not very reliable in a crisis, but for something like calling 911, he's trustworthy."
The old man laughed wryly and nodded slightly. "Thank you for the advice."
Lu Ke smiled, waved, got up, and started running again, getting back into his run for the day.
Leigh Steinberg let out a long, long breath. The slight stuffiness in his chest eased a little. He looked up, watching Lu Ke's departing back, watching the young man get further and further away. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, and the redness on his cheeks gradually returned to normal.
Although it was only a brief encounter, Lu Ke left a good impression on Leigh: he was enthusiastic, humorous, and approachable. When faced with an unexpected situation, he was able to make a judgment in a short amount of time, was willing to help, but wasn't overly sentimental, and only helped within his means. Most importantly, he had a determined look in his eyes and a strong will. He maintained a high-intensity daily training.
This was truly rare for a young rookie who was not yet 22 years old.
Of course, as the first Chinese-American starting quarterback in league history who had also led his team to two consecutive wins, this player must have some qualities that ordinary people didn't possess. Otherwise, luck alone would not be a sufficient explanation.
However, it wasn't unheard of for a rookie to have this kind of demeanor. The question was, how long could he maintain it? Especially after the attention and the lights, after being surrounded by wealth and fame, how long could this pure heart last?
Without rushing, Leigh sat peacefully in place, quietly waiting for his breathing and heart rate to return to normal.
After his physical condition had fully recovered, Leigh grabbed his cane, used it as a support, and slowly stood up. Then he took a slow, unhurried pace downhill. After just half a block, he found his destination and stopped in front of a house.
He held his cane with both hands, leaning slightly against the fence, and his gaze fell on the red mailbox next to it. "LU" was painted on it in white.
This house was Lu Ke's home.
Visiting Lu Ke and getting to know him was Leigh's task this morning. But the minor heart problem was an accident, and meeting Lu Ke ahead of time was an even bigger one. One accident met another, but there was an unexpected gain. Now that the accident was over, it was time to get back on track with the original plan.
Patiently, very patiently, Leigh was in no hurry. He stood in place and waited patiently.
After some time had passed, he heard the sound of footsteps and the steady adjustment of breathing. In his sight, he could see Lu Ke, who was slowing down, covered in sweat, and with a flushed face. But his eyes were still clear and bright, with a hint of surprise. It was clear that he was not mentally prepared for this reunion.
"Hey, can I help you with something?" Lu Ke stopped five steps away from Leigh, a wary aura emanating from him.
The old man he had unexpectedly met earlier was now at his doorstep, and it was still early in the morning. Something about this was strange.
Leigh didn't mind. He smiled and shrugged. "Don't worry, I'm not a crazed fan who's here to cause trouble." He knew about the fans' excessive behavior before, which was why Lu Ke was so wary.
But that sentence still didn't make Lu Ke relax. Leigh slowly took a small silver box out of his suit pocket. You could see the exquisite design and the vintage clasp. The small object exuded a sense of nobility.
He opened the box and took out a white card with an excellent texture, which he handed over. "Good morning. Although we've already met, please allow me to formally introduce myself. Leigh Steinberg, agent."
Lu Ke took the card and looked down at it. It was a business card, simple and elegant. He could feel the texture and pattern of the card with his fingertips. There were no unnecessary decorations, just a name and a title:
"Agent, Leigh Steinberg."
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