Chapter 813: A Parent's Heart
"You focus on the game. Leave these off-field things to me," Leigh said, sounding decisive and straightforward.
Lu Ke's mood gradually relaxed, and he said openly, "Don't worry. Since I hired an agent, I'll trust you to handle it."
"By the way, since you called me anyway, I'll tell you some good news ahead of time. The negotiation for a brand sponsorship I'm handling is almost finished. We still need to work out the specific numbers in the contract, but it should be officially signed during the bye week. This will be your first sponsorship brand after Under Armour."
While Lu Ke was playing, Leigh wasn't sitting idle.
If Vance hadn't suddenly visited today, Lu Ke wouldn't have known that Leigh had been busy behind the scenes, working just as hard as Lu Ke was on the field. As Leigh had said during the offseason, he had always been planning, selecting, and moving forward.
"But as for what brand it is and what industry it's in, I'll keep that a secret for now. Just look forward to the surprise when you sign." Leigh didn't reveal the answer immediately, saving the suspense.
However, Lu Ke wasn't very curious about this, so he didn't press for details. Instead, he made a joke, "Does this mean I can spend money recklessly again?"
"Don't say that as if you've been spending money recklessly all this time," Leigh retorted mercilessly. "But... yes. If you want to, you can spend money recklessly. As long as you're not buying luxury goods like villas or yachts, you can spend as you please for now. If you want to go further, then play well this season, and after the season ends, I'll help you negotiate a new contract."
Lu Ke's rookie contract was for two years, but strictly speaking, it would expire in March 2013. At that time, Lu Ke would become a free agent. What was certain was that Lu Ke would become one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the entire league. After missing him in the draft, no team would miss such a great opportunity again.
That would be the time for Leigh to show off his skills.
"I'll be waiting," Lu Ke said with a smile. "By the way, what do you think I should do with Vance in the future? I mean..."
"Jack and Annie?" Leigh took over from Lu Ke. "I know, you're worried that they might get hurt or blame themselves. But, Bambi, on the flip side, Jack and Annie might also be worried about you. In Eastern culture, many things are not spoken aloud and are kept in the heart. But in Western culture, we always believe that communication is one of the most important ways to maintain relationships."
Lu Ke remained silent.
"What I mean is, communication may not solve all problems, but many times, it's an important step. What's more, this kind of situation is inevitable in the future. Jack and Annie need to be a little more vigilant. Otherwise, if they encounter this situation again, they might get truly hurt. After all, not everyone is as open and honest as Nike."
Leigh pointed out Lu Ke's biggest worry and most contradictory key point. Then, he once again stated his position. "I think Jack and Annie are much stronger than you think. You should be open with them and tell them what happened."
Lu Ke let out a soft breath.
"As for Vance, I think you should just treat him normally. Right now, you are the seller's market, and they are the buyer's market. They have to actively try to please you, and you have the advantage. So, relax and just consider it a chance to make some new friends." Leigh was used to this kind of thing, and he spoke with a sense of ease and confidence.
Lu Ke twitched the corner of his mouth. Although Leigh said it was easy, he was still a little worried. But he still agreed. "Okay, I understand."
After a brief chat, the two hung up. Lu Ke looked at the city lights outside the window, which were slowly going out, vaguely outlining a blue-black horizon. Countless worries and thoughts flooded his mind, but he still couldn't clear his head. After all, he had never experienced this before, so he could only feel his way forward.
The taxi slowly stopped in front of his house. The lights in the living room were still on. Lu Zhengze and Jiang Younning hadn't gone to bed yet, waiting for Lu Ke to return.
Lu Ke was about to pay and leave, but the taxi driver turned around with a shy smile and hesitated. "Bambi, I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm a 49ers fan. The last few games this season have been so exciting. I was wondering if I could bother you for an autograph?"
Lu Ke was slightly stunned, and then he smiled. "Of course, no problem."
After signing the autograph for the taxi driver, the driver refused to let Lu Ke pay for the fare. He waved the autograph in his hand. "This is the best reward."
"That's not the same thing," Lu Ke insisted.
He could imagine how hard the taxi driver's job was. Everyone was trying to make a living. A fare might be insignificant to Lu Ke, but to the drivers, it was a steady accumulation.
"How about this, for every home game, remember to turn on the radio and cheer for the team. That would be the best way to repay me. You know, we can always use more fans." In the end, Lu Ke came up with a compromise. He insisted on leaving the fare before getting out of the car.
The sound of the engine faded into the night. Lu Ke walked toward his front door without hesitation.
When he pushed the door open, he heard Jiang Younning and Lu Zhengze talking. "...Hmm, I heard that theater is going to be torn down and rebuilt. A lot of people used to go there to watch plays, but now not many people even go there to watch movies anymore." "I think it would be nice to build a movie theater that only shows old movies. I still miss them sometimes..."
"Ke, why did you come all the way back here? You could have just gone back home and called us." Jiang Younning noticed Lu Ke as soon as he walked in and started nagging. "Don't you have to get up early tomorrow? Go to bed early tonight, or your sleep schedule will be messed up again. I just told your dad to drive the guest home so you wouldn't have to bother."
"Mom, don't worry. I'll make sure to get enough rest," Lu Ke said, walking around the sofa and sitting down across from his parents. "Mom, please sit down. There's something I want to talk to you about. After I'm done, I'll go home."
Lu Zhengze and Jiang Younning exchanged glances, not understanding why. Lu Ke was a child who rarely gave them a reason to worry. Seeing him so serious and solemn made them a little concerned.
Lu Ke didn't know how to start. To be honest, there didn't seem to be a right way. But seeing the worried expressions on his parents' faces, he remembered Leigh's words: they were worried about him, and he was worried about them. Perhaps that was the most important meaning of family.
Lu Ke couldn't help but relax a little and smiled. He decided to get straight to the point without beating around the bush. "Dad, Mom, I just talked to Vance and I also asked Leigh about it. He works in Nike's West Coast marketing department. The reason he approached Dad wasn't a coincidence. It was a carefully planned coincidence. In order to cooperate with me in the future, he's trying to become a friend of our family and build a personal relationship to make things easier for potential future collaborations."
He was direct.
Lu Ke chose the simplest words that weren't sharp to explain the situation. After saying everything in one breath, he quietly watched Lu Zhengze and Jiang Younning. He was still a little nervous, especially since his parents didn't say anything and remained silent, as if they had received a huge shock. This made Lu Ke even more uneasy.
"Dad, actually... I didn't expect this... It's a planned attack against an unsuspecting person, and it's hard to defend against. There are only thieves who steal for a thousand days, but no one who can defend against a thief for a thousand days... I, uh, I asked Leigh about it, and he agreed. It's not a big deal. I just wanted... to tell you so you wouldn't be kept in the dark..."
Lu Ke's words were a bit fragmented. He was still not sure if telling the truth was the right choice and if it would hurt his parents' feelings or cause more negative effects.
Then, Lu Zhengze and Jiang Younning exchanged glances, and a smile appeared on their faces. This made Lu Ke stop talking, and he was full of questions, completely confused about what was going on.
Lu Zhengze smiled and shook his head, pointing at his wife. "I told your mom before that there were too many coincidences. I always felt that something was a little strange. In just one month, Vance and I became good friends. That's not normal. But your mom kept insisting that I was overthinking and making random accusations about others."
Jiang Younning tucked her stray hair behind her ear. "That's how it is. Although there are a lot of bad people in society now, you can't just maliciously accuse anyone you see. Vance never brought anything up before, and he always acted normally. It's rude of you to make random accusations against a friend, isn't it?"
Lu Zhengze didn't say anything. He just quietly looked at Jiang Younning, as if his eyes were saying: So what about what our son just said?
Jiang Younning was a little embarrassed and grumbled reluctantly, "How would I know... that he would go through you to get close to Ke? Even if it's a diversionary tactic, the route he took was a little too roundabout, wasn't it?"
Lu Zhengze didn't press her. He just smiled and looked at Jiang Younning, as if he was enjoying his wife's embarrassment and confusion.
Lu Ke, who had been watching the whole time, also laughed. He spoke up to help his mom. "Mom is right. We can't always assume the worst about people. What happened with Vance was just an unexpected situation. And Vance's plan was so well-thought-out. He intentionally revealed most of the facts, and everything was real. It's a mix of truth and falsehood, making it hard to prove otherwise."
"Exactly, did you hear your son?" Jiang Younning straightened her back again. "That's what I think too."
Lu Zhengze didn't argue. He just kept nodding, like a bobbLeighead doll. "Yes, yes, whatever my wife says is right."
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