Chapter 445: Ageless Friendship

Sitting in the stadium stands, they quietly watched the sea of red slowly recede. The commotion and euphoria gradually subsided until the whole of Candlestick Park returned to its former self. Once the brilliant colors vanished, the stadium seemed to slip into black and white—vast, ethereal, and utterly still, possessing an indescribable, soul-stirring power.

Lu Ke and Leonardo sat in silence, admiring the grand and moving spectacle. They didn’t speak, instead relishing a rare moment of peace—a quiet that was undisturbed and needed no conversation. This was true for Leonardo, and just as true for Lu Ke, who was increasingly finding himself in the eye of the storm.

“I think I should head back to the locker room.”

Lu Ke was the one to break the silence. “I need to take a shower, start my ice bath, and probably get my muscles worked on,” he said with a smile. “The team doctor is likely searching everywhere for me by now.”

Especially after the ups and downs of his performance in today’s game, the fatigue in his right arm needed extra physical therapy. Otherwise, if he found himself in a similar bind every game, he couldn’t guarantee he’d be able to escape by the skin of his teeth each time.

“You know, athletes always have a whole routine to get through,” Lu Ke said, making fun of himself. His simple words always carried a teasing undertone. “It’s all to extend our careers and stay healthy outside of the games.”

Leonardo couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh, nodding again and again. “Of course. Forgive me for holding you up. I’d better not delay the rest and recovery of the King of the Bay Area. If something were to happen in the next game, I’d be in hot water.”

King of the Bay Area.

Slipped into the conversation, the title sounded casual, but it was tinged with playfulness. Leonardo was teasing Lu Ke right back. A proper friendship required some give and take.

Lu Ke didn’t argue. He accepted the jab gracefully. “By that logic, what does that make you? The King of Hollywood?” With that, he both accepted the compliment and turned the tables on him.

Leonardo opened his mouth, his first instinct to argue back, but one look at the effortlessly composed Lu Ke made him realize he was outmatched in a battle of wits. Continuing this line of banter would only dig him into a deeper hole. So, he quickly changed the subject. “Whoa, whoa, relax. I’m not a New York Giants fan, nor am I a reporter. I’m just…”

“You’re just the King of Hollywood,” Lu Ke finished for him seamlessly. They both paused for a beat, then burst out laughing, the atmosphere growing even lighter and more cheerful.

Once the laughter died down, Leonardo extended an invitation. “You should come down to Los Angeles sometime. Attend a movie premiere.”

Without a second thought, Lu Ke chuckled and shook his head in refusal. “That’s not really my stage. I think I’ll stick to practicing my throws on the training field. But thanks for the invitation. I know it’s an opportunity a lot of people would kill for.”

“No, I’m serious,” Leonardo cut in, his expression earnest.

Seeing Lu Ke’s surprised look, he added, “I’m sure the reporters would welcome you with open arms. You’d have a place, even in Hollywood. Of course, if you want, I could introduce you to some actor friends, take you to some parties… It’s all the usual stuff, but it can be pretty fun if you get into it.”

‘Hollywood?’

Lu Ke had spent his four years of college in Los Angeles, the epicenter of the global film industry, but honestly, his knowledge of Hollywood was incredibly limited. He’d barely even seen a handful of movies.

The last time he’d been to a movie theater felt like a lifetime ago. If he wanted to watch a film, renting a disc or streaming it online was the more straightforward option—but he hadn’t done even that in a very long time.

Just as he was about to refuse, another thought flashed through Lu Ke’s mind. “You know… if the offer’s still open in the future, would it be okay if I gave the premiere tickets to someone else?” He quickly clarified to avoid any misunderstanding. “What I mean is, my parents are huge movie fans. They still go to the theater every single week.”

Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning were true movie lovers. They weren’t the fanatical, analytical type; they simply enjoyed it as a form of relaxation and entertainment. It had been that way back when they were still in China, and they’d continued the hobby after immigrating. At first, they went to the theater every week to practice their conversational English, but it eventually just became a habit.

Since Lu Ke wasn’t very interested in movies, their weekly trip to the cinema became a rare chance for Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning to enjoy some time alone together.

A look of pleasant surprise crossed Leonardo’s face. “Of course, no problem at all. I can get you a few extra premiere tickets if you need. You could bring some friends. Just give me a heads-up beforehand.”

After a moment’s pause, Leonardo still looked incredulous. “Are you serious? Your parents go to the movies every week? I assumed they were sports fans, just like you.”

“I’ll let you in on a secret,” Lu Ke said. “My father’s English name is Jack. It comes from…” He trailed off, letting his gaze rest on Leonardo.

Leonardo was confused for a second, then it dawned on him. He nodded in sudden understanding before his eyes went wide. He stared at Lu Ke in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

“No offense,” Lu Ke said earnestly, unable to stop a smile from breaking out, “but it’s the truth.”

‘They had, in fact, brought up *Titanic* during their very first meeting. The age gap between him and Leonardo was even wider than he’d thought—a full fifteen years. Yet now, they had unexpectedly become friends. In a way, could this be considered a friendship that transcended age?’

Leonardo gradually collected himself and shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. “No problem. Of course. I mean, sure, that’s… uh, possible. Besides, Jack is a really common name…” After rambling incoherently, he paused. “Wait, are you sure? Your father decided on it after watching…”

“After watching *Titanic*, yes. I’m very sure.” Lu Ke could sense Leonardo’s mental ‘collapse.’ He still couldn’t seem to believe it, which made Lu Ke burst into gleeful laughter.

Leonardo’s brow furrowed, his face still a mask of disbelief. “Then what about your mother? Is her name…?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Leonardo regretted it. He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence. He stared blankly at Lu Ke, who remained silent, and his heart sank. ‘Why do I feel like I’m just digging a hole for myself and falling deeper and deeper into it?’

After intentionally delaying his reply for a moment, Lu Ke noticed Leonardo’s tortured expression and, satisfied, delivered the punchline. “No, my mother’s name is Annie. It comes from Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway.”

Later, an actress also named Anne Hathaway would enter the public eye and shoot to fame with *The Princess Diaries*, but Jiang Youning’s English name hadn’t come from her. It had been chosen long before that.

Leonardo let out a long sigh of relief. He knew it was silly, but he felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He nodded repeatedly. “Annie is a good name. Yes, a very good name.” His expression of someone who had just survived an ordeal was comical.

‘I’d better not kick him while he’s down,’ Lu Ke decided.

Lu Ke had originally planned on telling him that Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning were huge fans of *Titanic* and would be thrilled to get his autograph, or even meet him someday. But seeing Leonardo’s still-reeling expression, Lu Ke thought it best not to scare off his new friend.

He escorted Leonardo to the VIP exit, which led directly to a private parking lot, allowing them to bypass the waves of celebrating fans. He watched as Leonardo pulled a dark blue baseball cap from his back pocket and zipped his jacket all the way up to hide his face. The back view of his stocky, bear-like frame was actually quite comical.

‘That silhouette, that outfit, that whole getup… it was all too familiar.’ Lu Ke tilted his head. ‘He had a feeling that every time Leonardo was caught on camera by the paparazzi, he was wearing the exact same thing. He looked like… just another middle-aged guy. Or a walking meme.’

Lu Ke couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing again.

He turned and strode back to the locker room, where his teammates were still making a rowdy commotion. They swarmed him one by one for celebratory high-fives, roaring in amazement. “Dude, that’s insane! Seriously insane! You’re even schmoozing with Hollywood now! What’s next, you gonna be a movie star?”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny.” Lu Ke’s deadpan delivery did nothing to deter the gossiping mob. ‘Since when were athletes such busybodies?’

If the team doctor, Walter Hudson, hadn’t shown up right then, Lu Ke probably would have been eaten alive.

Walter shot the laughing players a stern look. “Get to it, now! Stop bothering Lu Ke. He needs a check-up. We had a close call in today’s game; we might not be so lucky next time.” With that, Walter strode quickly toward the medical room, signaling for Lu Ke to follow.

Lu Ke, trailing behind, threw up his hands in a pitiful expression before dejectedly trudging after Walter. The little bit of theater made everyone burst out laughing again—but one look from Walter forced them all to clamp their mouths shut.

It was a real struggle to hold back their laughter.