On the day of the date, Lu Chuan, for the first time ever, agonized in front of his wardrobe for a long time.
All his clothes were sportswear: Joma training kits, Rayo Vallecano team jerseys, and a few Nike hoodies, making him look like an athlete always ready for training.
Trejo pushed the door open and couldn't help but laugh when he saw Lu Chuan frowning at himself in the mirror.
"Oh my god, brother, what are you doing?"
"I don't know what to wear." Lu Chuan turned around, a rare look of helplessness in his eyes.
Trejo walked to the wardrobe, rummaged through it, and finally pulled out a dark blue casual suit jacket.
"This one will do." He patted Lu Chuan's shoulder, "Trust me, Spanish women like men who are a little more formal."
"I'm not going on a blind date." Lu Chuan took the clothes, his tone resistant.
"Ha, don't pretend." Trejo winked, "Kid, conquering the football field is nothing; if you can conquer Esther Eperost, you'll be the idol of all men in Spain!"
"She just wants to thank me for helping her."
"Thank you?" Trejo exaggeratedly widened his eyes, "Brother, you're really naive. No woman invites a man to a Michelin restaurant just to say thank you."
Lu Chuan put on the suit, adjusted his collar in the mirror, and felt like an ill-fitting model.
"Relax, just treat it as a normal dinner." Trejo finally cautioned, "Don't be nervous, maintain your confidence from the pitch."
La Terraza del Casino restaurant is located in the center of Madrid, and it is the top Michelin two-star restaurant in the city.
Lu Chuan arrived ten minutes early and was led to a private room. The room was not large, with only one round table, elegantly decorated, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he could see the night view of Madrid.
He sat in his seat, his hands resting somewhat unnaturally on the table, then moving to his knees.
A few minutes later, the door to the private room opened, and Esther walked in.
Esther just walked in like that, without the haughtiness of a red carpet star, but rather like an ordinary girl next door, only this 'ordinariness' was enough to make the air in the entire room freeze.
Esther saw the fidgety Lu Chuan and let out a chuckle.
"Don't be nervous, I won't eat you." She sat down gracefully, "Sit down, my 'hero'."
Lu Chuan nodded, sat back properly, and found that his palms were already sweating.
"You look very nervous." Esther picked up the menu, "The steak at this restaurant is very good, would you like to try it?"
"Okay, anything is fine." Lu Chuan's voice was a bit dry.
Esther ordered the meal, and after the waiter left, a brief silence fell over the room.
Lu Chuan picked up his water glass, took a big gulp, trying to ease his inner tension.
"That lob shot you made yesterday, I watched it at least ten times." Esther initiated the conversation, "From seventy meters away, how did you do it?"
"It was just… a feeling." Lu Chuan put down his water glass, "I saw the goalkeeper was out, so I kicked it."
"A feeling?" A hint of curiosity flashed in Esther's eyes, "Do you always describe complex things so simply?"
"Football is actually very simple, just kick the ball into the goal."
Esther's laughter was soft, yet it instantly broke the suffocating silence in the room, and Lu Chuan felt his tense shoulders relax a bit.
"You know what? I've never met anyone like you." She rested her chin in her hand, "Under the spotlight, most people become complicated, but you're different."
"I'm just a football player." Lu Chuan looked down at the tablecloth, "Nothing special."
"Being an actor must be tiring, right? Being watched by so many people every day." Lu Chuan finally managed to blurt out a sentence.
Esther stirred her coffee, a hint of weariness flashing in her eyes.
"Yes, it's like living in a goldfish bowl." She sighed, "Every day there are cameras on you, every expression is analyzed."
"What about you? Training and competing every day, don't you find it boring?"
"Not boring." Lu Chuan's answer was serious, "For me, football is everything. I love the feeling of scoring goals,
I love hearing all the fans cheer for me; that feeling fascinates me more than anything else."
When he talked about football, he became a completely different person; there was a burning light in his eyes.
Esther rested her chin in her hand, watching him quietly, and suddenly felt that this man in front of her was more charming than any movie star she had ever worked with.
Chatting with Lu Chuan was a completely different feeling from navigating the social circles of the entertainment industry.
Esther felt very relaxed; she didn't have to discern which words were sincere and which were polite, because every word he said was so real it was almost clumsy.
"You really are special." Esther said softly.
"Special?" Lu Chuan looked at her, confused.
"I've met many men—actors, directors, businessmen—they are all very smart and say many pleasant things." Esther's voice softened, "But you are different, you are very real."
The steak arrived, and they began to eat.
Esther was very talkative; she chatted about interesting things from filming, about the weather in Madrid, and about Chinese culture.
Although Lu Chuan was nervous, he slowly began to respond.
"When you were in China, what did you miss the most?" Esther asked while cutting her steak.
"My family's noodles." Lu Chuan thought for a moment, "My mother's tomato and egg noodles, the best in the world."
"That sounds very comforting." Esther smiled, "I'd like to try them too."
"If there's a chance, I can make them for you." Lu Chuan regretted it as soon as he said it; it sounded too ambiguous.
"Really?" Esther's eyes lit up, "Then it's a promise."
Halfway through dinner, Esther suddenly asked, "Do you… have a girlfriend?"
The question came too suddenly; Lu Chuan was drinking water and almost choked.
He coughed a few times, his face turning beet red.
"No." He shook his head, "No time."
"No time?" Esther raised an eyebrow, "Or haven't you met the right person?"
"Both, I guess." Lu Chuan's voice grew softer, "I spend all my time on football."
Esther nodded, her gaze becoming serious.
"Then let me ask you a question." She leaned forward slightly, "If someone is willing to wait for you, willing to understand your passion for football, would you consider it?"
Lu Chuan was stunned, not knowing how to answer.
"I… I haven't thought about that question."
Esther smiled, her clear blue eyes curving into crescents, so direct that Lu Chuan had nowhere to hide.
"Very good." Her clear blue eyes looked directly at Lu Chuan, "Then from now on, I'll pursue you, how about that?"
Pursue me? Lu Chuan's mind buzzed, a complete blank. This made him more nervous than facing the last penalty kick in a shootout.
"I… I…" He opened his mouth but couldn't form a complete sentence.
"Don't rush to answer." Esther elegantly wiped her mouth, "I know you need time to think."
Lu Chuan spent the latter half of the dinner in a daze.
Esther continued to chat about various topics, while he could only mechanically nod or shake his head.
"Let me take you home." At the end of dinner, Esther suggested.
"No need, I can go back by myself." Lu Chuan quickly waved his hand.
"Alright then." Esther stood up, "It was a pleasure today, Lu Chuan."
"Me too." Lu Chuan forced a smile.
Esther walked to the door and suddenly turned back.
"Oh, I'll be watching your game next week." She winked, "Good luck, my hero."
Lu Chuan watched her leave, feeling as if all his strength had been drained.
He sat in the private room for a long time until a waiter reminded him to leave.
Back at his apartment, as soon as he sat down, Carlos's call came in.
"How was it? My superstar." Carlos's voice was full of gossip, "How was the date with the goddess? Did you get an autograph?"
"Carlos, she…" Lu Chuan paused, "She said she wants to pursue me."
The other end of the phone instantly went silent.
"She said what?" Carlos's voice rose by an octave.
"She said from now on, she'll pursue me." Lu Chuan repeated.
"Oh my god." Carlos took a deep breath, "Lu… you're in trouble, big trouble."
"What do you mean?"
"She's not joking." Carlos's voice was filled with helplessness, "Esther Eperost never jokes."
"Then what should I do?"
"You… figure it out yourself." Carlos sighed, "I'll just remind you of one thing: don't let it affect your football."
"I won't." Lu Chuan said firmly, "No matter what happens, I won't let anything affect my career."
"I hope so." Carlos's voice didn't sound optimistic, "Get some good rest, you have training tomorrow."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Chuan lay in bed, tossing and turning.
Esther's words, "I'll pursue you," echoed in his mind like a spell.
Her smile, her gaze, her words, all made him feel an unprecedented disturbance.
Just as his mind was in turmoil, his phone chimed.
A new email.
Lu Chuan picked up his phone, and when he saw the sender, he was completely stunned.
The email title was: "Notification Regarding the Call-up of Player Lu Chuan for the National Men's Football Team Training Camp"
Sender: Chinese Football Association.
The email began with a bright red national emblem, and the formal official document format instantly made his heart race.
"After deliberation, it has been decided to call up player Lu Chuan to participate in the National Men's Football Team training camp…"
Lu Chuan's hand trembled slightly; he reread it, confirming that he hadn't misread.
National team!
He finally received the call-up to the national team!
At that moment, all his troubles were thrown to the back of his mind.