After Lu Ke finished signing, Lu Zhengze also came out in his jersey. Then, Lu Ke, as requested, signed his name on the back of his jersey. Looking at his satisfied parents, Lu Ke couldn't help but smile.
In just three weeks since he entered the league, his world had changed dramatically and started to permeate every aspect of his life, making him keenly aware of how unique professional sports were. Or, to be more precise, everything started to change after he won three games as a starting quarterback.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz," the phone in his backpack started to vibrate, interrupting Lu Ke's thoughts. He placed his backpack on the back of the sofa, took out his phone, and answered it just in time. "This is Lu Ke."
"Lu Ke, this is Leigh." A strange voice came from the other end of the line. Lu Ke was still getting used to this change. Leigh Steinberg, his agent.
Only twenty-four hours had passed since they had signed the contract, and Lu Ke hadn't quite gotten used to having an agent yet. He paused for a moment before speaking. The other person on the phone seemed to understand his hesitation and chuckled. "Your agent. We've already signed. You haven't forgotten, have you?"
"Haha, I remember now," Lu Ke joked. "What's wrong? Are you regretting it already?"
"I hope you don't make me regret it," Leigh joked back, but he didn't dwell on it and continued, "I'm at the St. Francis Hotel in Union Square. Do you know where that is?"
"Yes." Lu Ke was very familiar with Union Square, which was the city center of San Francisco.
"Great. How long will it take you to get here?" Without any pleasantries, Leigh got straight to the point. This was the first time he had shown Lu Ke his professional work style.
"Twenty to twenty-five minutes," Lu Ke also got into work mode and answered directly. "But I just finished training and I'm in my workout clothes," he added.
The St. Francis Hotel was one of the most famous hotels in San Francisco and was a landmark. Although they welcomed all guests, casually dressed guests would inevitably have to answer some questions and explain their situation.
"Okay, I'll give you forty minutes," Leigh decided without any debate or hesitation. "Get yourself ready, change your clothes, and try to wear what you normally wear in your private life. When you get to the hotel, find the lobby manager, give them my name, then your name, and they'll guide you up."
After giving the instructions, Leigh hung up without any more small talk.
It was an abrupt and decisive call. This Leigh was very different from the kind old man he had met twice before. Lu Ke couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. He didn't have time to think about what was going on. He greeted his parents and went upstairs to take a shower.
In about ten minutes, Lu Ke was ready to go. He said goodbye to Lu Zhengze again, grabbed his car keys, and drove off in a hurry.
Union Square was one of San Francisco's most famous landmarks. Although it was called a square, it was actually very small, only about one hectare. The square itself had no special features, just some flowers, palm trees, and yew trees.
However, it was the center of the city, surrounded by department stores, high-end boutiques, souvenir shops, art galleries, theaters, and fine restaurants. The famous cable cars, on both lines, would definitely pass through here. All of this made Union Square a well-deserved commercial center of the city.
Every winter, a tall Christmas tree would be set up in the square, facing Macy's on the other side of the street. The square would then be turned into an ice rink, making it one of the best places for families to go during the holidays.
In the past, when Lu Ke had part-time jobs, Union Square was the most frequent area for activities. It was also where he had run into Candice again.
It was not rush hour, so Lu Ke arrived at Union Square without any problems. Since this was a bustling shopping street, parking was undoubtedly the most difficult thing. Lu Ke skillfully drove to the underground parking lot under Union Square, which was a paid parking lot and had more parking spaces.
Sure enough, he found a parking space without any trouble. After he was done parking, he walked to the St. Francis Hotel next to the square.
Now part of the Westin brand, the St. Francis Hotel was one of the most famous hotels in San Francisco. It wasn't because of its luxury—it was only a four-star hotel—but because of its history. The building, which had witnessed the American Civil War, was undoubtedly one of the city's most precious treasures. It had since hosted countless national leaders and Hollywood superstars and had also been the setting for many movies.
The small bar in the hotel lobby, "The Compass Rose," was undoubtedly one of the best choices for afternoon tea. It served champagne, caviar, and high-end vodka, among other things, and also had live music at night. It was a good place to rest tired legs after shopping or to enjoy a leisurely afternoon.
There were also bookstores and flower shops next door, which added to the charm.
Lu Ke entered the hotel lobby and walked straight to the lobby manager. "Good afternoon. I'm here to see Mr. Leigh Steinberg."
"May I ask who you are..." The hotel lobby manager, Rose Grey, looked up. Before she could finish her sentence or the person could answer, her eyes lit up a little. "You're Bambi!" After saying that, she couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head. "No, I mean, you're Lu Ke!"
This caught Lu Ke off guard. He stammered for a moment, then laughed heartily and nodded. "Yes, I'm Lu Ke."
"I have to say, that was a beautiful game this week! A few of your offensive choices were particularly good," Rose said excitedly, trying to keep her voice down but still unable to hide her true identity as a passionate fan.
"Thank you. I'm trying my best," Lu Ke said with a light laugh. He glanced at her name tag. "Uh, Rose? I'm here to visit Mr. Leigh Steinberg."
This was the first time Lu Ke had met a real fan outside of the stadium. It was truly rare that the person not only recognized him but also knew a lot about the game. After three consecutive wins, there were a lot of "firsts," and Lu Ke was trying his best to adapt to these new changes.
If time permitted, Lu Ke would have been happy to stop and discuss the game that just ended with her, but the situation today didn't allow for it. He had a job to do and had to leave.
"Oh, right, right," Rose reacted, nodding repeatedly. "I'm sorry, please forgive my behavior." Rose then returned to her professional demeanor. "Mr. Steinberg is waiting in room 2501. This is the room key. The bellhop will take you up in a moment." Rose placed the room key on the counter, then snapped her fingers to summon a bellhop and whispered some instructions.
After she was done with her work, Rose hesitated for a moment, as if she was secretly clenching her fist to cheer herself on. "I'm sorry, can I take ten seconds of your time? I know this is very rude, but... can you sign this for me?" Rose also realized that her actions were very unprofessional.
As the lobby manager of the St. Francis Hotel, she hosted countless top superstars every year, and maintaining a professional demeanor and not being rude or undignified was a basic professional requirement.
As soon as she said the words, Rose couldn't help but bite her tongue in annoyance. She was a San Francisco 49ers fan, a passionate fan. She had loved the team since she was four years old and was an absolute die-hard fan. In Lu Ke, she saw hope. More importantly, she loved his presence on the field.
That's why she was a little out of character today.
"Of course, no problem," Lu Ke stopped and showed a friendly smile. This was the least he could do. "Where would you like me to sign?"
"Here! Here!" Rose quickly pulled out her business card and a pen from her jacket pocket and handed them over. She watched as Lu Ke quickly signed it and then handed the business card and pen back to her. Rose had a brilliant smile on her face. "Thank you, thank you so much. I hope the game next week goes well!"
"I should be the one saying thank you," Lu Ke said with a chuckle. He turned around and, guided by the bellhop, walked toward the elevator.
At this moment, Rose looked down at the back of her business card. On it was written, "To my dear Rose, thank you for your support. It's what keeps me going. Lu Ke." A simple sentence, but it made Rose's whole day.
The elevator was a bit old and slowly ascended to the twenty-fifth floor. The bellhop led him to room 2501. After Lu Ke knocked on the door and paid the bellhop a twenty-dollar tip, the door opened, and Leigh appeared with a cheerful smile on his face.
This was because Lu Ke had arrived earlier than the scheduled time. Punctuality was a very important quality.
"Come in," Leigh invited. Lu Ke walked straight in and saw at least three people in the living room. One was standing, and two were sitting on the sofa.
When the woman who was standing saw Lu Ke, she walked up to him with a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lu Ke."
Lu Ke politely shook her right hand. "The pleasure is all mine." But the woman didn't introduce herself, and Leigh didn't seem to have any intention of introducing her either. Just as Lu Ke was about to introduce himself, the two men in suits on the sofa stood up. One of them, a middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed beard, said with a kind expression, "You're younger than I imagined."
Lu Ke smiled. "Asians always look young in your eyes."
NOTE:
New chapters drop Three times a day, every Monday through Sunday! Plus, you have the power to unlock more: we'll release Three bonus chapters for every 300 votes! Let's get this story moving together.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
Explore up to 20 chapters in advance!