Chapter 627: The Sky Full of Sunset
A heart pounding like a startled deer. This phrase perfectly described the rhythm of Candice's heart at this moment.
She secretly looked up and met Lu Ke's clear and bright eyes. His shallow smile seemed to have something to say but never did, with a lingering charm, revealing a sense of effortless ease.
In an instant, Candice realized her awkwardness, which had never happened in their previous interactions. So, she subconsciously straightened her back and pretended to face Lu Ke's eyes head-on without any hesitation.
Even though Lu Ke's eyes were still bright and profound, as clear as Bambi's eyes, making her want to look away, Candice tried her best to suppress the urge to turn her head. Then, with a calm tone, she said, "I just happen to have a vacation and was bored, so I came to watch the game."
Candice also shrugged her shoulders, as if it was a given, but her stiff and uncoordinated movements gave away her nervousness. "This season, I spent most of my time watching the games on TV. Now that I finally have the chance to watch a game in person, the feeling is completely different." Her tense voice didn't help either.
As she spoke, Candice's conscience gradually began to falter. The problem was that these were all truths! Since she was telling the truth, why was she feeling guilty? Why?!
"Bambi!" Candice stomped her foot in frustration. She finally couldn't hold it in anymore. She widened her eyes and leaned in, nose to nose, looking at Lu Ke's pupils up close. It was like a cat suddenly coming close. This, in turn, startled Lu Ke. He instinctively leaned back, and Candice burst into a triumphant laugh.
From a distance, the teammates who were quietly observing all of this couldn't believe their eyes. They pounded their chests in frustration, their hearts aching. They wanted to scream to vent their feelings, but they couldn't make a sound. It was truly frustrating to the extreme.
This idiot! This idiot who was destined to be alone for his whole life! He didn't know how to seize such a great opportunity! He just let it go to waste! The calmness and wisdom he showed in setting up the plays during the game, even if he used one percent of that, he wouldn't have missed such a great opportunity! What a big idiot!
Almost everyone put their hands on their foreheads, and they almost couldn't control their gasps. Suddenly, Lu Ke and Candice both turned their heads and looked around the area with a questioning gaze, like a radar. In an instant, everyone froze, as if they were playing "Red Light, Green Light." They were so nervous that they started to sweat. It wasn't until Lu Ke and Candice looked away again that everyone let out a long sigh of relief.
Was it easy for this group of Cupids? They were worried about their starting quarterback's love life, and they weren't even this nervous during a game!
Lu Ke looked away and laughed helplessly. "They are definitely still around. Do you believe me?"
"No way? They don't seem that childish." Candice still couldn't believe it. She scanned the area again with a quick glance but still didn't catch any movement.
Lu Ke, however, was full of confidence and said calmly, "Trust me, men are very childish, and professional athletes are the manliest of men, so their childishness is naturally doubled."
"Pfft," Candice giggled. "So, how old are you? How childish are you exactly?"
"What, you want to find out?" Lu Ke raised an eyebrow playfully and challenged her.
Instantly, Candice's mind replayed their close encounter from just now. Her cheeks started to feel a little hot. Candice widened her eyes and complained speechlessly, "You're only seven years old."
Lu Ke laughed out loud happily.
Afterward, without many words, a tacit understanding was formed through their eye contact. The two of them left the stadium tunnel and walked toward the parking lot. They looked around but didn't find the team bus. Either it had left early, or it was still in the tunnel. Lu Ke believed it was the latter.
So, Lu Ke didn't continue looking. He waved to Candice, and they walked along the tree-lined path of Candlestick Park toward the team's training facility while chatting.
At this time, the team bus was parked next to a tent at the corner of the stadium, hiding its tracks. After the engine was turned off, there was no sound at all. The players gathered in the bus were all like geckos, carefully pressing their faces against the glass, hiding themselves. It was silent, and they held their breath, like a ship sailing on a dark sea, silently riding the waves.
With their eyes, they eagerly watched Lu Ke and Candice's every move. First, they walked toward the parking lot, then they gave up on looking for the team bus, changed their route, and finally walked side by side toward the training facility. Bathed in the brilliant sunset, their shadows stretched out long.
In an instant, all the players jumped up, and the entire bus started to shake violently. They howled and had a great time, even high-fiving each other in celebration.
Then, the other players who were hidden in the grass and cars on the other side all came out. They were jumping, punching the air, and cheering. They all sprinted toward the team bus, and the two groups of people finally reunited.
The uplifting atmosphere spread throughout the entire team. It was clear that the party was far from over.
Amidst the noise, the back of the team bus was the only peaceful place.
Parys Haralson quietly sat in a seat, with his arms crossed over his chest in a defensive posture. He silently watched the commotion in front of him, as if none of it had anything to do with him. The excitement and commotion were outside of his boundary, clearly separated into two worlds.
When did it start? In this team, he had gradually lost his place.
In the surging crowd, Parys found Alex Smith. He was standing in the center of the players, surrounded by his teammates. He was smiling, in high spirits, and jumping and laughing happily. From time to time, he would high-five his other teammates and sigh with emotion, as if he had truly become one with the entire team.
How ironic. As a backup, Alex had let go of his burden and had been reborn in the team. It seemed that after his role changed, he had transformed from the inside out. That ease and confidence had never been felt before.
Was all of this because of Lu Ke? It was absurd, completely absurd.
Parys looked away and then saw Colin Kaepernick sitting on the other side. He was wearing a large headset and a large eye mask, completely sealing himself off in his own world, isolating himself from all the noise. He was lonely and trying to find a place in the team.
Parys realized that maybe Kaepernick couldn't find a place in the team either, just like him. He closed his eyes again, crossed his arms, and entered the darkness.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Lu Ke asked worriedly.
"That's what I should be asking you." Candice looked serious. "You just went through such an intense game and fought until the very end. You must be exhausted. Are you sure you're okay with walking such a long distance?"
Lu Ke laughed lightly and said with a serious expression, "To be honest, I'm having a little trouble. My legs can barely move. But if I walk slowly, it can be a form of recovery training. It's fine."
Standing in front of Candice, Lu Ke didn't need to be a hero. After knowing each other for so many years, they could truly take off their masks and face each other honestly. However, Candice could tell that Lu Ke was joking. The teasing in his words was too obvious, which made her laugh dumbly.
"So, you're going to Europe soon to prepare for the fashion shows? When are you leaving?" Lu Ke asked curiously. For models, the busiest times of the year were February at the beginning of the year and October in the second half of the year, when the four major fashion weeks started. This was their best stage to show themselves.
"Next Wednesday," Candice said cheerfully. Then she noticed the surprise in Lu Ke's eyes. He seemed a little surprised that the vacation was so short, but she didn't mind at all. "I'm used to it. Choosing this job means I have to fly long distances all the time, just like you guys. It's home and away games, week after week. There's no time to rest throughout the season."
"But the offseason is coming," Lu Ke said with a smile.
Candice carefully looked at Lu Ke and then said hesitantly, "I think the reason you're so excited is obviously not because you're on vacation, is it?" Although it was a question, Candice's tone was quite certain.
Lu Ke didn't answer but gave her a brilliant smile, which was the best answer. Candice also laughed helplessly and shook her head. She obviously understood the deeper meaning in Lu Ke's smile. Training. The offseason was undoubtedly the best opportunity for training and the best way to improve his skills quickly.
Lu Ke then explained, "Hey, if it wasn't for the offseason, how could I have so much time to focus on training? I talked to Stephen Curry before, by the way, he's a Golden State Warriors player. He said that the rookie season was very difficult, but the second-year season was even more difficult..."
Chatting away, Lu Ke and Candice walked side by side. The setting sun stretched their shadows out long. Their footsteps were about a half-step apart, but their shadows on the ground gradually came closer and closer to each other, finally meeting and overlapping in the distance.
There was no noise, no disturbance, no waves, and no movement. They just walked quietly like this, away from the hustle and bustle of Candlestick Park, enjoying a rare moment of peace. Everything became calm.
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