Chapter 191 189: Follow-up Questions
The interview was over.
Brian began to pack up his equipment—the voice recorder, camera, notebook, and so on—preparing to leave.
Today's interview had gone very smoothly, even more smoothly than he could have imagined. Lu Ke's eloquence and humor had left a deep impression on Brian—
This wasn't the resolute quarterback who was so decisive on the field. Nor was he the hero who pulled off a comeback when everything was on the line. He wasn't even the athlete who hit back hard in the face of doubt. Instead, he was a rookie who had just graduated from college and just entered the Alliance, full of youthful energy and vitality, along with the greenness and aspirations of someone new to the professional world.
If it weren't for this exclusive interview, Brian would never have known that the most precious part of Lu Ke's childhood memory was a Famicom—a Nintendo Famicom that had crossed the ocean with him when he immigrated to San Francisco.
In fact, Lu Ke was born in 1989. For someone his age, the Famicom was already becoming obsolete, as kids had many more gaming options. The console was more of a childhood memory for Brian and the generation after him. This unexpected coincidence was a real eye-opener for Brian. The two of them even played a round of Super Mario Bros., a round of Battle City, and a round of Contra.
Those games, which had all but vanished from memory, were the greatest joy in Lu Ke's otherwise dull and tedious training life. They had also accompanied Lu Ke through the days he spent missing his hometown. Even now, that old Famicom was still kept in perfect condition, and Lu Ke continued to treasure a wide variety of game cartridges.
"I collect them," Lu Ke said, his face breaking into a brilliant smile. "I often search online, then bid at auctions to collect more games. If I come across a rare collector's edition, it's not exactly good news for me—all my allowance money goes to it. You know? I once delivered papers and milk for three months and helped Mr. Robinson on the corner prune his garden for a month just to buy a single game cartridge."
As he recalled those years, a captivating light sparkled in Lu Ke's eyes. This was the real him.
Overcome with curiosity, Brian couldn't help but ask, "Could I take a look at your collection?"
"Next time. The collection is only open to real friends," Lu Ke replied politely. The subtext was clear: We're not friends. This playful hint, tinged with a bit of cunning sharpness, made Brian burst out laughing.
The private interview was full of surprises and full of fun. Brian was genuinely starting to like Lu Ke.
He paused for a moment while packing his things, then 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.
It was an answer full of youth and vitality, the kind that always got people fired up. Especially now that Lu Ke had achieved his dream, truly becoming the first player of Chinese descent to step onto the field in the Alliance, it made for an even more legendary story. As a news report, it would be an absolutely great story.
"No, it wasn't," Lu Ke answered matter-of-factly, which made Brian blink in surprise. Then he saw Lu Ke add nonchalantly, "To be honest, in the beginning, it was just to fit into the local life. Learning the language and integrating into the culture takes time, but sports are simpler and more direct. All the communicating is done on the field. So, I joined the football team, hoping to adapt to life here quickly."
Lu Ke had never been the type to surrender or just sit back and wait for defeat. That was true in the past, and it was true now. It was why he would never give up easily in a game. You could see the first hints of this mentality and competitive spirit even in his childhood.
"But… why football?" Brian had completely unexpected Lu Ke's answer, and his usually smooth speech came out haltingly.
"Basketball was my first choice, but the school I transferred to didn't have a basketball team," Lu Ke said truthfully.
Brian's mouth fell open in astonishment. "That's it?"
"That's it," Lu Ke confirmed.
After they stared at each other for a moment, Brian came to his senses. It was both absurd and hilarious, and he just laughed out loud. On second thought, however, it made perfect sense.
Lu Ke was from China, where the spread and popularity of football lagged far behind. Even now, in 2011, it still hadn't broken into the market, let alone in the distant past. When Lu Ke immigrated to the United States back then, the first time he saw a football, he was probably utterly confused, with no idea how you were supposed to play with that oblong thing.
In that context, how could anyone even talk about dreams?
A true dream isn't the seed that first sprouts. It's something that gradually takes root and grows as you participate, as you throw yourself into competition, as you thrive, until it finally becomes a towering tree. That's what led to the Lu Ke of today, the one who made history in the Alliance.
"So, if you had to choose again now, would you still pick football? Or… basketball?" Brian asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Lu Ke shrugged. "Today? If it were today, I'd still choose football. But if we lose the next game, I might change my answer." The witty, humorous jab made Brian laugh again, and he nodded repeatedly in agreement.
After packing everything up, Brian stood and first went to the backyard to say goodbye to Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning. Then, escorted by Lu Ke, he left the house.
Standing on the porch, Brian gestured. "I know you still have training today, so I won't keep you."
This was a tidbit Jiang Youning had let slip. As one of the Undrafted Players, even without the "of Chinese descent" title, Lu Ke needed to work much harder. His training was relentless, every single day, with no exception for official days off. Brian was deeply impressed by this and had already made up his mind internally: he would go to UCLA and do a truly in-depth report.
"Wednesday is the team's recovery practice. Will you be at the training facility?" Brian confirmed. After getting an affirmative reply, he continued, "In that case, I'll go directly to the facility then to take some usable photos. I'll contact your press department about the specific time."
"No problem. See you Wednesday," Lu Ke said with a nod and a smile.
Brian walked briskly down the steps, turning to wave goodbye. Bright, brilliant sunlight filtered through the treetops, casting down to outline Lu Ke's figure. He still looked a bit thin; he needed to keep putting on weight. In terms of natural explosive power and muscular endurance, it was hard to gain an edge over Black players. But it was precisely this seemingly ordinary Chinese-American quarterback who was in the process of making history.
"Bambi," Brian called out, standing by the street. Compared to "Lu Ke," the nickname "Bambi" always added a touch of familiarity. "There are so many top quarterbacks in the Alliance. Which one do you want to be?"
Lu Ke paused for a second, then smiled. "I'm guessing this interview is never going to end, is it?" The joke made Brian chuckle, but he didn't look away, his gaze remaining fixed on him.
To be honest, Lu Ke had never thought about this question before. In college, he didn't have the right to think about it. In the Alliance, he didn't have the space. But now, after securing two victories at the start of his professional career, Lu Ke was considering it for the first time.
"I have to admit, Peyton Manning is the player I admire most. Without a doubt, he's my role model," Lu Ke said frankly. He paused for a moment, then his tone shifted. "But I hope to become the kind of player everyone else wants to be."
The immense confidence and lofty goal revealed in his casual tone were completely unexpected to Brian. This seemed to have happened too many times today, to the point that his surprise was just a flicker before it felt natural.
Brian furrowed his brow and joked along, "Are you sure you're an immigrant of Chinese descent?"
Generally speaking, Asian culture values humility and modesty. In people's stereotypes, immigrants of Asian descent often lack confidence. Even when praised, they can't puff out their chests and accept it openly, let alone be flamboyant and brimming with self-assurance. But clearly, Lu Ke was an exception—not just confident, but even a little crazy.
Then again, if he weren't an exception, Lu Ke wouldn't have been able to survive on a football field in the first place.
Lu Ke ignored him and waved his right hand. "Goodbye! The interview is over! Our conversation ends here, no more follow-up questions! If you're still curious, either wait for media day or schedule another appointment!" With that, Lu Ke flashed an obviously fake smile, turned around, went back into the house, and shut the door decisively.
Brian was left chuckling in spite of himself.
'To be the kind of player everyone else wants to be? That's a grand and arrogant goal, an unrealistic one, even. It's insane.'
But the Alliance's first player of Asian descent was also once an unrealistic idea, yet Lu Ke had succeeded, and done the job so beautifully. So… what else was impossible?
For the first time, Brian felt a faint sense of anticipation growing. Not just for the future of the San Francisco 49ers, but for Lu Ke's future as well. This long road had finally set sail, so what kind of scenery would await at the destination?
Just imagining it in his mind made Brian feel a surge of excitement.
History was being written, and he was not just a witness, but a participant. Ten years from now, or maybe thirty, could he write an autobiography titled, "Brian Westbrook: Witness and Participant in NFL Alliance History—A Biography of the Alliance's Number One Quarterback, Lu Ke"? The thought alone made his blood pump with excitement.
Then, Brian started walking toward his car with a spring in his step, even humming an unknown tune, his mood bright. This time, without hesitation or delay, he truly departed, the day's exclusive interview concluded, content and fully rewarded.