American Football: King of the Bay Area

Lu Ke spread his hands with an innocent look, protesting his innocence.

’He’d thought that Brian, a senior reporter for the ”San Francisco Chronicle,” would be quick-witted, if not downright shrewd. Who would have known he’d fall for such a simple joke?’

Jiang Youning chuckled, unable to help herself, and turned to walk into the kitchen to prepare drinks for their guest. Lu Zhengze, who had stayed behind, picked up the thread of conversation. ”He’s been a smooth talker since he was little,” he said with a smile. ”When we first came to the United States, he only knew a handful of English words, but he’d still run outside to chat with the other kids.”

As he spoke, Lu Zhengze expertly guided Brian to a seat in the living room. ”Back then, we used to say that he’d be perfect for a career as a journalist or a lawyer when he grew up. Now that he’s suddenly become a professional athlete, I have a strong feeling the locker room is going to be incredibly lively. I’m just not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

”I’m having second thoughts. Can we end the interview now? I need to protect the player’s positive image before any more embarrassing stories come out.” Lu Ke’s witty interjection made the atmosphere light up again. This time, Brian finally caught on and couldn’t help but chuckle.

”Lu Ke’s major in college was...” After just two lines of conversation, Brian had already spotted a news angle and smoothly pivoted to it.

”Journalism,” Lu Zhengze answered.

It dawned on Brian. He’d noticed it during his initial research, but to be honest, a professional athlete’s college major is usually just for show and serves no real purpose. So, Brian had seen it and promptly forgotten it, never giving it a second thought until now. ”So, did you ever object to his choice to become a professional athlete? For most parents, that’s not exactly seen as a desirable career path.”

After all, the attrition rate in competitive sports is incredibly high.

”Of course. Annie and I... oh, my apologies, how remiss of me. I’m Jack, and Annie is Lu Ke’s mother.” It was only then that Lu Zhengze remembered to introduce himself.

Brian quickly introduced himself as well, then asked curiously, ”I’m actually more curious about your Chinese names. I noticed Lu Ke doesn’t use an English name, but you two do.”

”Actually, Lu Ke does have an English name,” Lu Zhengze said, then saw the mortified look on his son’s face. This made Lu Zhengze chuckle, showing no intention of sparing his son’s feelings. ”When we first came to the United States, we gave him an English name to help him fit in. We called him Andrew. But...”

Brian turned to look Lu Ke up and down, then burst out laughing and shook his head. ”No, he’s not an Andrew. I don’t see a trace of Andrew in him.” The vivid mental image of Lu Ke, under the name ’Andrew,’ tearing it up on the football field made Brian laugh even harder.

”I think Lu Ke, which sounds like Luke, suits him better.” As the atmosphere lightened, Brian’s words began to flow more smoothly. ”I don’t know if you’re familiar with the movie ’Star Wars,’ but the main protagonist is named Luke Skywalker. It’s a very special name.”

”His name has a deep meaning in Chinese as well: respectful, observant, and cautious,” Lu Zhengze explained, then paused briefly. ”My apologies, you’re probably not interested in Chinese.”

Brian waved his hands dismissively. ”No, no, I’m very interested. What about your and Annie’s Chinese names?”

”Right. My name means to be just and principled, in accordance with propriety—Lu Zhengze.” As he spoke, Lu Zhengze rummaged under the coffee table for a pen and paper and wrote out his Chinese name. ”This is mine, and this is Annie’s. Annie’s Chinese name is Jiang Youning.”

Lu Zhengze’s hard-pen calligraphy was bold yet graceful, every stroke and flourish imbued with the unique charm of Chinese characters.

”It means to be open, honest, and serene,” Jiang Youning’s voice came from behind them. She carried a tray with several glasses, which she placed on the coffee table. ”Are you sure about the soda water? We have some beer, if you’d prefer.”

Brian smiled and replied, ”This is great. No problem.” He then picked up the camera slung over his shoulder. ”Excuse me, may I take a picture? I mean, of Jack’s handwriting. I know that Chinese characters are a form of calligraphy, and I find it fascinating.”

”As long as you’re only photographing the writing, that’s no problem,” Lu Ke answered for his parents.

This was an exclusive interview from the ”San Francisco Chronicle,” and it had been arranged by the team. Lu Ke knew this was simply part of a professional athlete’s job; if not today, he’d have to face it sooner or later. Moreover, as a journalism major himself, he wasn’t just accepting of it—he was very familiar with the whole process.

The issue was Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning. They were both ordinary working-class people, not professional athletes, and certainly not public figures. They had no interest in being in the spotlight, and the potential problems that came with that exposure could disrupt their daily lives—the fan harassment incident before the regular season had happened just two weeks ago.

So, after discussing it, Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning had agreed to the interview. As Lu Ke’s parents, they were part of his life, after all. However, they had one condition: no photographs of any kind. It would be a print-only interview to protect their privacy as much as possible.

Brian made an ”OK” sign with his hand, then added, ”In that case, could you add Lu Ke’s Chinese name to the paper?”

As he watched Lu Zhengze write out the characters for ”Lu Ke,” Brian couldn’t help but exclaim, ”Wow, that’s so much more complex than English. It looks like a little painting.” His undisguised admiration made both Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning smile.

Brian pressed the shutter. After taking the photo, he sat down again. ”Now, where were we? Ah, yes. Were you worried about Lu Ke’s choice? If he’d wanted, I think he could have become an excellent journalist.”

”Absolutely. As parents, it’s our responsibility to worry about our children,” Jiang Youning said, taking a seat next to Lu Zhengze. ”But by the same token, it’s also our responsibility to encourage and support them. Honestly, it wasn’t an easy decision for us. There are so many risks involved with competitive sports and being a professional athlete. But Lu Ke proved to us that he knows what he’s doing and what he’s passionate about. So, all we need to do is stand behind him and offer our support.”

Brian saw the resilience in Jiang Youning’s eyes. Vulnerability and strength, two contradictory emotions, collided and sparked into a tough, tenacious light. In that moment, he felt he understood the source of Lu Ke’s courageous heart.

”Before the regular season started, when the team announced that Lu Ke would be the starting quarterback, some irrational fans reacted... wildly. Were you scared then?” This was precisely why Brian had come to Lu Ke’s home for the interview, rather than just doing a one-on-one with Lu Ke; he wanted to understand his parents’ thoughts firsthand.

Even now, Lu Ke was still facing doubt and challenges from the fans; he needed more support and motivation. And so, as the interview got underway, Lu Ke, its supposed main subject, found himself relegated to the role of a spectator.

”Heh, believe it or not, as immigrants in the United States, we’ve been through a lot more than you can probably imagine.” Lu Zhengze’s casual remark was incredibly revealing. ”We were more worried about Lu Ke than ourselves. He’s the one taking the heat from the fans. He’s the one out there on the field.”

As he spoke, Lu Zhengze felt a pressure on his left hand—Jiang Youning was gripping it tightly. The small gesture betrayed her inner anxiety and tension.

”We have no idea what those fanatical fans might do,” Lu Zhengze said, straightening his posture and speaking with conviction. ”But I hope they know that Lu Ke is working hard. He’s putting in an unimaginable amount of effort, and he’s trying to lead the team to victory. All the fans need is a little more patience, a little more support. After all, we all have the same goal.”

The simple words were filled with sincerity and resonated with conviction.

Brian’s eyes flickered. He recalled his own reporting before the regular season and the highlights from the past two games, which made him feel a little awkward. He quickly masked it. ”That’s right. With two weeks of spectacular performances, Lu Ke has brought us victories. He deserves all the support he’s getting.”

Brian turned to Lu Ke and gave him a supportive smile.

From there, the interview really hit its stride. Brian spoke with Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning about Lu Ke’s funny childhood stories, his introduction to football, the ups and downs of his college career, going unselected in the draft, his feelings over the last two weeks, his grueling daily training, and even the couple’s own understanding and perception of the sport.

The list went on.

It was a look at Lu Ke’s step-by-step journey to becoming a professional athlete, all from the perspective of his parents and family. The conversation lasted for about thirty minutes, and Brian had to admit that it was a real eye-opener. He saw them in a completely new light.

You could still see the deep imprints of their heritage as Chinese immigrants on Mr. and Mrs. Lu, but they were also clearly trying hard to adapt to their new life, making changes one small step at a time. This, in turn, created the opportunity for Lu Ke to open up and integrate, which ultimately became the starting point of his journey to becoming a professional athlete.

Prejudice would always exist; it had to be broken down little by little. ’Today was a perfect start,’ Brian thought. He was starting to really like Lu Ke. ’Maybe, just maybe, Lu Ke really could become the franchise quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.’

After finishing the part of the interview with Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning, Brian turned his attention to the day’s true protagonist: Lu Ke, the man who had worked miracles for the past two weeks.

”As an undrafted rookie, what was your reaction when the team made the call to make you the starting quarterback for the first regular-season game, giving you only ten days to prepare?”