Lin Shuyuan couldn't help but pull up the collar of his jacket. It was only the beginning of October, and the strong winds of San Francisco were already showing their power. He had been sitting in his office all morning, rushing to meet a deadline for the "World Journal." He not only missed his lunch break but also almost turned back because of the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors.

But his growling stomach awakened his will to survive. He didn't want to eat instant noodles again, so he gritted his teeth, rushed out of the editorial office, and jogged all the way to the restaurant. As he pushed open the door, he was already thinking about what to eat for lunch, but the sight inside made him freeze.

His first reaction was to take half a step back, look up at the sign outside, and confirm he was at the right place. Then he stepped inside again, dumbfounded by the bustling scene. The lively discussions echoed in the not-so-spacious room, as if he had walked into a bar in the early hours of the morning, when the party was in full swing.

The problem was, this wasn't a bar. It was a Hong Kong-style tea restaurant. It wasn't the early morning but 2:08 p.m. Also, today was Monday, a workday.

Lin Shuyuan couldn't help but open his mouth, his face full of surprise. He walked in a daze, found an empty table, and sat down. The owner of the restaurant came over and greeted him familiarly, "What are you having today? Still the char siu rice? If you want char siu, the roasted goose is great today. The fat is just right, not too greasy."

This was Cantonese, Cantonese with a slight accent. In the vicinity of Chinatown, Cantonese could get you by anywhere, and of course, so could Mandarin. The owner of this tea restaurant was a second-generation immigrant who still followed some of the customs and habits of first-generation immigrants. Compared to English, Cantonese was more familiar and intimate.

This place was only one block away from the "World Journal" editorial office, less than a five-minute walk. The newspaper's journalists were regulars here, and Lin Shuyuan, who had been working for over nine months, was very familiar with it.

The "World Journal" was a Chinese-language daily newspaper, and all its articles were written in traditional Chinese. As a third-generation immigrant, Lin Shuyuan's listening, reading, and writing skills were decent, but for speaking, he was more used to English. After all, his living environment and education were mainly in English.

In response to the owner's Cantonese order, Lin Shuyuan replied in English, "Okay, I'll go with your recommendation." The question and answer in two languages didn't feel out of place at all. This was the difference between San Francisco and New York. While both cities were known for their cultural diversity and integration, they did it in two completely different ways.

"That's a touchdown, I'm telling you, it's definitely a touchdown."

"But he flew out of bounds. Doesn't that mean it's not a touchdown?"

"No, no, there are more rules for a touchdown. This is definitely a touchdown!"

"Nonsense, the referee already made the call, I know it's a touchdown. I mean, why is this one a touchdown?"

...

The chattering and discussions came to an abrupt halt. Everyone looked at each other, unable to make a sound. A large group of people gathered together, but suddenly there was no sound, which had a dramatic comedic effect.

This was why Lin Shuyuan was so surprised. There were at least twenty young people in the restaurant, all looking like college or high school students. They were all gathered together, talking and expressing their opinions, scrambling to speak like college students discussing a group project. Not only that, but they were all wearing the San Francisco 49ers' home jerseys. The bright red jerseys formed a sea of red, which was a significant visual impact.

In a trance, Lin Shuyuan was reminded of the home game yesterday. The excitement and passion still resonated in his chest.

"Them?" The tea restaurant owner noticed Lin Shuyuan's gaze and said enthusiastically, "A group of fans. You know, a Chinese quarterback appeared in San Francisco. He's really good. Now the whole US is a sensation. Even I, who never watch sports, know about it. It's really not easy."

The owner said with a big smile, his eyes and forehead filled with wrinkles, and his squinting eyes flashed with pride. "Three weeks ago, I started to specially arrange special events on game days, calling on everyone to come and watch the game together, and at least cheer on one of our own."

"My son and daughter are in high school now. They say that young man is really good, and even their classmates are starting to discuss him. Now, these young people in our neighborhood are also starting to get interested. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but I welcome them to come here to watch the game," the owner said with a look of relief. "You know, it's always not easy for Chinese people here."

Lin Shuyuan also looked in the direction of the owner's gaze. It was a rare sight to see a group of young Chinese people gathered together to discuss football. In this number one sport in the US, the Chinese community's presence was always the lowest. Let alone participating, even the number of spectators was very limited.

But now, a change was finally beginning.

"I'm thinking of buying a super-large TV to put on the wall. This way, on every game day, everyone can gather together and cheer for that young man," the owner said with a satisfied expression. "I heard that last week, there were two other bars that also organized group viewings of the game. Did you hear about that?"

Lin Shuyuan nodded. "Yes, I even went to report on it." Although the number of attendees was not too large yet, only a dozen people, a single spark can start a prairie fire. The number of attendees was rapidly growing exponentially.

The owner nodded. "Someone has to organize it. The community needs to unite."

"Oh, by the way, I remember you're in charge of the sports column at the 'World Journal,' right?" The owner suddenly remembered this and patted Lin Shuyuan on the shoulder enthusiastically. Without waiting for an answer, the owner eagerly shouted, "Come over and ask him, he's the expert on this."

An expert?

Lin Shuyuan's head was full of black lines. He had only truly come into contact with football for the first time at this year's rookie training camp. Of course, after a few months, he was no longer a complete novice.

Facing the eager gazes of the young people, Lin Shuyuan explained, "In a football game, if the football or the person holding the ball touches the pylons in the four corners of the end zone, it's also a touchdown."

"Wow!" Everyone let out a cry of surprise in unison, and the look of sudden realization on their faces made people laugh. The anticipation in their eyes was filled with hope, the hope that football would expand in the Chinese community. "Then what about this play...?"

In a frenzy, everyone swarmed over, eagerly asking questions. The restaurant, which was a little quiet in the afternoon, suddenly became lively.

A lunch that could have been finished in fifteen minutes, Lin Shuyuan ended up staying for a full forty-five minutes. Especially when he mentioned that he had interviewed Lu Ke face-to-face, the entire restaurant erupted. The enthusiastic questions were endless.

"How did Lu Ke do it? He's the first Chinese quarterback in the entire NFL, right?"

"Lu Ke became a starting quarterback with his own ability. Does this mean that we can also stand on an NFL field in the future?"

"How do you train to be a quarterback? I have no idea. How do you define a good feel for passing?"

"I saw on the internet last time that Lu Ke isn't even twenty-two yet. Is that true? Then he's the same age as me? My God, what is he doing now, and what am I doing now? I want to die!"

"Wait, wait, you've talked to Lu Ke face-to-face. What kind of person is Lu Ke?"

All the gazes focused on him, filled with eager anticipation, and they fell heavily on Lin Shuyuan's shoulders. Just like Yao Ming joining the NBA, Sun Jihai joining the European leagues, and Liu Xiang breaking the world record, every breakthrough made by a person of Chinese descent always brought infinite confidence.

For many third-generation immigrants, they had gradually lost their dependence and connection to their motherland. Their daily lives had gradually integrated into American immigrant society. But in some special fields, such as competitive sports, the difference in talent still made them realize that there were differences between people.

Now, Lu Ke had become the first starting Chinese quarterback in the league, which undoubtedly gave many people confidence and made them truly realize that if Lu Ke could do it, they could too. This kind of encouragement and inspiration was indescribable and could only be felt silently.

"I read in the 'San Francisco Chronicle' before that Lu Ke is a sunny college student who seems no different from us, and his personality is very outgoing. Is that true?" The young man who had just asked the question added. Noticing Lin Shuyuan's questioning gaze, he admitted frankly, "I like Lu Ke's style of play. I also occasionally play football at school, but I'm nowhere near as good as Lu Ke."

Change was infiltrating little by little.

Lin Shuyuan smiled. "Yes, Lu Ke is a very special young man. In private, he likes to joke around and is very approachable. If you happen to run into him on the street and say hello, he will definitely respond enthusiastically."

"What else, what else?" The impatient gazes urged Lin Shuyuan to continue sharing. This made Lin Shuyuan chuckle. "In fact, I've only met Lu Ke twice. I'm not an expert."

"Twice is enough!" The young people all clamored. Their impatient excitement and fervor gradually infected Lin Shuyuan, so he also generously began to share his experiences. This meal was filled with joy and excitement, so much so that when he left the restaurant, Lin Shuyuan's mood also brightened, and the fatigue from the morning disappeared.

🗒️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 30 chapters in advance!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.