Chapter 628: A Group Gathering
Candice leaned her chin on her palm and rested her face against the car window, letting the slightly cool sea breeze blow against her face. The scenery on both sides of the street was fully visible. Large patches of vibrant red adorned the residential area, making it look passionate. It felt as if she could close her eyes and still hear the deafening noise and excitement from the game, spreading across the whole city.
The streetlights were just turning on, and the chimneys were smoking. Everything indicated that the tranquility at this moment was not a peaceful rest, but a warning of a storm brewing. To welcome the second Divisional Playoff game of the night, every family was actively preparing dinner in advance—because this game would start according to East Coast time, which was dinner time on the West Coast.
Unconsciously, Candice cautiously extended her right hand and spread her fingers, feeling the breeze flowing like a stream. Carelessly, a few playful strands of hair broke free and started to flutter freely. The freedom of that moment made her want to immerse herself in it and never leave.
But the car slowly slowed down and stopped by the side of the road, as they had reached their destination. Lu Ke leaned over slightly and looked out the passenger window. The lights in his parents' house were all off, while the Newman family's house on the other side of the street was brightly lit. He could see a lively crowd coming and going through the living room window. He could also see Logan's car parked at the door.
"Are you sure?" Lu Ke asked again with concern.
Candice smiled lightly, her eyes filled with confidence. "Bambi, trust me, I'm not a shy girl."
Lu Ke showed a meaningful expression and slowly nodded. Candice instantly understood that she had just gone through a team teasing, and the same situation might happen again. This made Candice pout. "God, Bambi, how long has it been since you went on a date? Why is everyone so worried about your personal life?"
"The problem is not when my last date was, but when you showed up," Lu Ke said in a tongue-twister-like manner, which made Candice giggle.
But before the two of them could continue their conversation, someone from the Newman family noticed Lu Ke's car. The door opened, and Austin appeared at the door, shouting, "Hey, the game is in countdown. You're about to miss the kickoff."
"Miss the national anthem? I think I can endure that," Lu Ke shouted back. The small joke made Austin laugh out loud.
There was no doubt that the American national anthem was the ultimate challenge for every singer. This was not a joke but a fact. The American national anthem was very difficult. First, there were too many lyrics, and second, the melody was very unique. Even professional singers often made mistakes during performances, from being off-key to forgetting the lyrics, and even singing a completely new song. It was not surprising. There were countless types of bloopers. There was even a compilation of national anthem performance fails on YouTube.
The most typical example was in 2012, when Barack Obama was successfully re-elected as the President of the United States. At the inauguration ceremony, Beyoncé was supposed to sing the national anthem. To avoid making a mistake, she chose to lip-sync, which was met with a barrage of criticism from the media and fans, and it even became a major stain on her career. The problem was that the American music industry has always been critical of lip-syncing. Beyoncé knew the consequences of doing so, but she still chose to lip-sync without hesitation because there had been too many bloopers of professional singers singing the national anthem during top sports events that were broadcasted nationally. Either they forgot the lyrics or were completely off-key, and their voices cracking was a common occurrence. The scenes were truly unbearable to watch. To avoid such a tragedy, Beyoncé had no choice but to lip-sync.
Even Americans themselves often joked about this. So, Lu Ke was just teasing that missing the national anthem was not a big deal.
Lu Ke looked away and turned to face Candice, smiling. "How about it? Are you ready?"
Candice firmly clenched her fists and said with determination, "Of course!"
Then, the two of them opened their car doors and got out, walking toward the Newman family's house.
Tonight, Candice decided to join Lu Ke to watch the first AFC Divisional Playoff game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos. However, Lu Ke knew that after watching the game at Candlestick Park this afternoon, the Lu and Newman families would definitely gather together to watch the live broadcast on TV tonight. So, he needed to confirm Candice's decision again.
They crossed the street and pushed the door open. The orange light and warm air rushed toward them. The bustling sound was soft. Logan, who was holding a salad bowl and walking through the living room, noticed Lu Ke and Candice. He stopped and shouted happily, "Hey, you guys are here."
Logan came forward and greeted them with a laugh. "Candy, welcome. Please make yourselves at home." Without waiting for Candice to reply, Logan shouted, "Dad, Mom, we have guests. I mean, new guests." His cheerful and lighthearted tone was full of joy and excitement.
Lu Ke and Candice exchanged a look, and a knowing smile flowed through their eyes: It was just as they expected.
Just as they were greeting each other, Zhengze Lu and Youning Jiang came out from the living room one after another, and then they showed surprised expressions. "Candice, you're here. This is great. Long time no see." Youning Jiang warmly opened her arms, welcoming Candice's visit.
When she was in college, Candice had come to San Francisco once. It was not for vacation but for work. She stayed here for two months and visited Lu Ke's home three times. She had met Zhengze Lu and Youning Jiang. They weren't just passing acquaintances. They had even sat down and had long conversations. They could be considered friends. So, Candice was not nervous about the group gathering tonight at all.
"Annie, long time no see." Candice went up and gave Youning Jiang a big hug, greeting her with warmth and friendliness.
Then, Candice looked at Zhengze Lu, who was standing next to her. "Good evening, Jack. I actually saw you at Candlestick Park this afternoon. You were holding the 'King of the Bay Area' flag and calling on everyone to cheer, but there were too many people around, so I didn't go up to you."
"It was an unforgettable game, wasn't it?" Zhengze Lu also sighed with a big smile. "You never know the final outcome until the very last moment. It was so exciting that my heart almost exploded. I think we were more nervous than the players on the field. It was almost a hindrance."
The comment made everyone laugh.
Austin Newman's figure appeared again. "Guys, hey, guys, hurry up and help in the kitchen. We can get ready to eat now. Hey, Bambi, it's fine to skip the national anthem, but I don't want to miss the kickoff."
At this time, he was holding a plate with a hot piece of beef on it. It was steaming and fragrant. He was about to walk toward the living room but then stepped back. "Hey, over there, I'm Austin, Logan's father. The guy who caught the last-minute pass today is my son."
His words were full of pride.
Then Candice showed a brilliant smile and gave a salute. "It's nice to meet you, Austin. I'm Candice, Bambi's friend. The guy who threw the last-minute football today is my friend." The same answer template was used with different content, which was witty and humorous.
Austin laughed happily. "Welcome. Hurry, get into the living room. Tonight's game is also worth looking forward to. I don't think it can be as exciting as the performance this afternoon, but... we can enjoy it as neutral fans, Candice! Candice!" Halfway through his sentence, Austin raised his chin and called out, "Patriots or Broncos?"
"Broncos!" Candice answered without hesitation.
Austin immediately raised his hands high, and the beef on the plate started to wobble. "Whoo hoo, we have another ally. Candice, I like you!" After saying that, Austin hummed a little tune and walked into the living room.
Candice turned to look at Lu Ke. The two of them exchanged a look, and then she said in a low voice, "Now I finally know who Logan gets his personality from." Both of them couldn't help but smile.
The group walked into the living room, but before they could even sit down, a cheer came from behind them.
"Lu Ke? Lu Ke! Lu Ke!"
A vibrant figure, like a hurricane, rushed into the living room from outside. Her golden hair flowed like a waterfall. There was no time to look at her facial features, but you could clearly feel her fiery vitality.
Julia Newman, Logan's sister, rushed in and greeted them excitedly. "Today's game was amazing! That last pass, wow, it was a classic of the entire season! It's definitely comparable to 'The Catch,' I'm serious!"
Lu Ke could clearly feel Julia's enthusiasm, but he didn't respond. Instead, he greeted her with a smile, "Hey, Julia."
Then, Julia noticed Candice standing next to him. Her smile stiffened slightly, and her expression and movements became a little unnatural. "Hey, Lu Ke!"
She always insisted on calling Lu Ke by his full name, not his nickname. This was a very, very small detail that only she knew. Because, to her, Lu Ke was still the knight who saved her at the homecoming dance. That night's dance was a secret between her and him.
But when her eyes fell on Candice, Julia's words became hesitant. "This is..."
"Candice, Julia. Julia, Candice." Lu Ke gracefully made the introductions. He glanced back and forth between the two of them, and then he rubbed his hands together excitedly. "It's starting! It's about to start!"
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