Chapter 631: The Clueless Man
The second divisional playoff game was over, and night had fallen. The city, which had been bustling all day, was slowly falling asleep. Most of the lights in the houses were turned off, but the air still held the lingering excitement. With a deep breath, you could feel the joy and happiness of this land. A long-awaited playoff victory had reignited everyone's passion.
Lu Ke's car slowly moved forward in the night. A bright smile was on his face as he replayed the second playoff game of the night in his mind. He was full of admiration. "...That old fox, he really is an old fox. Bill Belichick is so cunning. In terms of strategy, he's truly a master. Did you notice? The strategy for the first half of the game..."
Candice, who was in the passenger seat, turned slightly and watched Lu Ke gesticulate. He was clearly driving, but he still had his left hand on the steering wheel and was using his right hand to demonstrate the play-calling, as if he was playing Go. He was using vivid movements to explain the details of the game, and his focused and absorbed expression was flowing gently.
Lu Ke, who was completely engrossed, seemed to have a sparkle in his eyes. Gradually, the world became quiet, and only Lu Ke's voice was left, bit by bit, painting a picture of his world, his own world.
Candice just watched Lu Ke intently. Unconsciously, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
Lu Ke's movements suddenly stopped. He turned and quickly glanced at Candice. He also laughed at himself in embarrassment. "Sorry, I got a little too into it."
"I know," Candice nodded. Her white teeth gently bit her lower lip. Her eyes fluttered, and a smile quietly flowed through them. "But I think it's interesting. Every time you talk about strategy, your eyes change, as if they can open a door to a whole new world. That's your world, just like the runway is mine."
Lu Ke awkwardly scratched his head and laughed cheerfully. He explained apologetically, "I can't help it. It's a professional habit. You know what? After entering the professional league, it's a completely different world. Football strategy is a sport and a competition, but it's also mathematics, astronomy, and physics. When you really get into it, it's a very interesting thing."
"Even now, I can't say that I've completely mastered our team's playbook, and after watching the Patriots' game today, I finally understand why Belichick is so intimidating!" But as he spoke, he opened the floodgates again, and the words just wouldn't stop.
Lu Ke even couldn't help but hit the steering wheel with his right fist. "Before, every time I watched Peyton Manning and Brady's games, I was just there for the fun of it. I never quite understood why the Colts always fell behind when they played against the Patriots. Now I finally understand. The Colts only have one Manning, while the Patriots have Belichick and Brady. It's too difficult to fight against two people."
Candice just watched Lu Ke quietly. A warm smile was flowing in her eyes.
The first time she realized that Julia liked Lu Ke, Candice was more confused because, in her eyes, Lu Ke was just a friend, a cheerful and sunny guy. There was nothing special about him. All their interactions were very natural. It wasn't awkward, and she didn't have to put in any effort. On the road to chasing their dreams, they walked side by side, like travel companions.
But now, Candice suddenly realized that Lu Ke was a man, a man with a charismatic personality. A fresh, hormonal aura radiated from his every move. Behind his focused and bright eyes were pain, sadness, joy, and countless stories. Most importantly, he had dreams, persistence, dedication, hard work, and focus. He was a man worth liking.
Liking.
A thought flashed in her mind like lightning. Candice's cheeks flushed slightly, and she awkwardly lowered her eyes. But she could still clearly hear Lu Ke's slightly hoarse and magnetic voice, like a cat's paw, gently stroking her heartstrings again and again.
"Candy?" Lu Ke's voice came through.
A simple call, but it was like a thunderclap that suddenly exploded in her ears. Candice suddenly sat up straight. She accidentally hit the dashboard with her knee. She didn't know why she had lifted her leg, and then she winced in pain. She could clearly hear Lu Ke's cheerful laughter, and then he asked with concern, "Are you okay? My lady, please maintain your image."
Candice waved her hand dismissively and said to herself, "Do I even have an image in front of you?"
But as she spoke, Candice didn't dare to look up and meet Lu Ke's gaze because her current flushed and racing heart was not normal. She could only pretend to look at the scenery around her. A moment later, Candice realized that the car had stopped in a parking spot on the side of the road. Without realizing it, they had arrived at the front door of Candice's temporary residence. That was the reason why Lu Ke had just called out to Candice.
In an instant, Candice knew that her embarrassing moment of distraction had been exposed. She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes, so ashamed that she wanted to crawl into a hole. But she still tried to stay calm and said in a composed voice, "Thank you for the ride. Today's game was great, I mean, the 49ers' game. Well, good luck with the next one!"
Although Candice was still trying to say a little more to show her composure, it was not an easy task. After a hasty ending, Candice smiled brightly at Lu Ke and said, "Good night! Drive safe." She waved happily, then opened the car door. After saying goodbye again, she closed the door and turned to leave.
"Calm down. Calm down. Calm down."
Candice kept telling herself to calm down, but her racing heart was slowly getting out of control. She used all her strength to stop herself from running away. Otherwise, all her efforts would be for nothing, and she would be completely exposed in front of Lu Ke, which would be too embarrassing!
One step, and then another. Candice had never been this nervous, not even the first time she walked on the runway. The short ten-yard distance felt like an entire century. She finally arrived at the front door of the residence, took out her keys, and then turned around. Sure enough, she saw Lu Ke leaning out of the passenger seat, making sure she got home safely.
Candice smiled and waved. She pushed the door open, trying her best to enter gracefully, and then closed the door. She leaned her back against the door and took big breaths. Her heart was beating so hard that it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat. She couldn't help but scream silently.
What was going on just now? What was wrong with her? Why did she feel that fluttering feeling? How could that feeling of a pounding heart appear between her and Lu Ke? No, no, no, everything was wrong, but why did she still want to scream! It was as if the whole world was exploding with fireworks. Why?!
Lu Ke's eyes were fixed on the closed door. He could vaguely sense that something was wrong, but he couldn't explain it. The feeling of being completely confused was difficult to describe. He tilted his head and thought about it, but he still couldn't find an answer. He could only restart the engine and slowly drive away. Tonight was a little strange.
Logan pushed open the glass door to the backyard corridor. The moonlight fell on Julia's shoulders, outlining her lonely and solitary figure. He quietly walked over and sat down next to Julia.
Julia rolled her eyes and glanced at Logan. She complained angrily, "It's too late to apologize now."
Logan didn't argue. He just sat there in silence and then sincerely advised her, "Julia, I'm serious. Bambi is not a good choice..."
"Why?" Julia interrupted Logan's words. She turned around to face her brother and asked eagerly, "So, you've known Lu Ke for so many years, but you're friends with a jerk? And you even introduced him to me? You even allowed him to take me to the homecoming dance?"
"Friends are friends, but it's different..."
Logan tried to argue, but Julia interrupted him again, not giving him a chance. "Or are you saying that you like Lu Ke? Is that why you've been trying to stop me?"
"What?" Logan was confused. How did the conversation jump to this? He blinked and said in a dumbfounded tone, "Julia, have you been watching too much 'Mysterious Force'? Those stories... How is that possible? Honestly, I really can't understand how your mind works. You're thinking too much, definitely thinking too much!"
Julia looked at Logan's absurd and funny expression in a daze. She then burst into laughter. Her sad and bitter mood suddenly cleared up. The more she laughed, the happier she became. After finally calming down, she asked, "Logan, you did that on purpose, right?"
"...Yes." The lie was finally exposed. Logan didn't try to defend himself anymore and said honestly, "My teammate, my friend, well, no, no, no." Logan's expression of keeping a distance from Lu Ke immediately made Julia laugh again. Logan said in a flustered tone, "I'm serious. You don't know how many jokes about 'sisters' we have on our team."
Julia nodded, and she gradually realized. "I know. You were protecting me. But you should trust my judgment. Besides, it's not like I like just anyone..."
Logan let out a long sigh of frustration, looking up at the sky. A feeling of "a girl who has grown up will leave home eventually" surged in his chest. His shoulders slumped, and he said helplessly, "Julia, I just want you to know that those men are very, very dangerous. Don't trust others easily, even Bambi. But... if you want to go for it, then go for it bravely. I'll always be behind you to protect you. Don't worry, I won't let anyone bully you."
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