"What are you you, what are you wearing? You secretly spent all your pocket money for breakfast this week, did you buy this dress? ”

"This is the jersey of the San Francisco 49ers number 14, see? This is a Chinese player, his name is Lu Ke, and he is the first Chinese quarterback to start in league history! ”

"What? Didn't you wear the Golden State Warriors jersey before, what happened to that jersey? Why buy a new one? Your wardrobe is full of jerseys, stop spending any more money! ”

"Mom, that's basketball, it's football, it's different. Oh, I won't tell you, finally, there is a starting Chinese player on the rugby field, shouldn't we support it? And, I'm telling you, he's already won three in a row, three in a row! Do you know? Now all the media are reporting on him, and he has truly won glory for us Chinese Americans! ”

"Really? Why haven't I heard of it? What kind of ball are you talking about? Football? Football isn't more powerful in Europe, where is there anyone in the United States who likes football? ”

"Rugby! Rugby! The one that was thrown by hand, the oval one! Heck, I like him anyway, I bought a jersey and I'm going to wear it in the future. ”

……

The short discussion among the parents sounded in the small grocery store, Jiang Youning stood next to him, listening quietly, not in a hurry to interrupt the conversation between the two mothers and sons, but the smile on the corner of his mouth involuntarily rose slightly, and his chest was full of pride and pride.

The child looked like he was just a middle school student, with an impatient expression, and he didn't continue to popularize science, turned around and left directly; The proprietress of the grocery store called twice, but after all, she couldn't call her child, she shook her head with a helpless smile, retracted her gaze, and showed an apologetic smile at Jiang Youning, "I'm sorry, children are like this now, they don't like nagging, they run away as soon as they smoke away, what do you need?" ”

"I need a bottle of soy sauce, some peppercorns and cumin; By the way, a bottle of sesame oil. Jiang Youning said with a smile.

The proprietress responded with a "belch", turned around and began to rummage through the shelves, "You say, what's going on with the children now?" How did you fall in love with rugby? I've never heard of it before. ”

"That's what we don't know." There was another customer next to him, a middle-aged woman, with a friendly smile on her face, dressed plainly, but very clean, "Football is the number one sport in the United States, and I haven't heard of it." Yesterday, the family where I was a nanny watched the game collectively, saying that it was a Chinese kid, and then said that he did a good job; When I got home, I went to ask my old man, and it turned out that both of my boys knew him. ”

The middle-aged woman laughed heartily, "I heard that this kid is very good now, he has won many, many victories, and then he has also set a lot of records, and those big TV stations want to interview him, but he is unwilling, saying that he wants to play well." This child is so well-behaved, he knows that the family is well educated at a glance, no wonder people can come out. ”

"Yo, is there really such a thing?" The proprietress put the soy sauce and sesame oil on the counter, and couldn't help but pause slightly, "I thought that kid in my family was fooling me, and after spending money indiscriminately, nonsense." ”

"No, no, the street of my employer's house, yesterday everyone was waiting in front of the TV to watch the live broadcast, it was so lively, and there was a barbecue party." The middle-aged woman replied in the affirmative.

At this time, the owner of the fruit stall next door walked over with his hands behind his back.

San Francisco's Chinatown is a very interesting living community, the street is a typical American-style neighborhood, but the storefronts on both sides of the street are all traditional market stalls, seafood stalls, vegetable stalls, fruit stalls, grocery stores, groceries stores, etc., with a strong traditional Chinese flavor, and not the modern one-

As early as the gold rush era, those Chinese immigrants had already settled here, presenting the original picture of Chinese life half a century or even a century ago.

It's modern and retro, but it gives people a strong sense of belonging. Even the housing here is the honeycomb of dense floors in the Hong Kong/Hong Kong area, coupled with the ubiquitous traditional Chinese characters in the sight, it is a small Guangdong. Cantonese is unimpeded.

"Lao Wang, have you heard? So what kind of rugby has a Chinese player? The grocery store proprietress asked in a loud voice.

The old king of the fruit stall nodded, "Yes, what, you have heard about it too?" He snuck into the grocery store, "That kid is great now, and he's the best one when he's the ace on the team." Didn't you read Le Monde? 'Overseas Chinese Daily' seems to have reported it, and they all said that this kid is not good now, and those old beauties are all amazed, that is wonderful! I also saw his TV interview on Fox's news channel today. ”

"What? Fox? The grocery store proprietress marveled that for Chinese immigrants, the influence of the four major public radio and television stations is absolutely extraordinary, and it is extremely rare for minorities to be represented on the four major television stations - CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox.

"My two boys also said yesterday that we should go and buy his jersey and show our support. The entire Chinese community, there is such a lone seedling, and no one else supports it, we must support it, what do you say? The middle-aged woman, who was a professional nanny, asked curiously.

Lao Wang looked like a leader's instructions, and shook his head repeatedly, "Yes, yes." I'm going to buy one of his shirts this afternoon. Anyway, it's not easy for this kid, anyway, I haven't heard of any Chinese kid who has entered the rugby league, and I haven't seen it in the news. I'm ready to support it. I studied the game yesterday and it looked a little complicated, but the kid was doing really well. Not bad! ”

"That daring, my kid bought this jersey, and he bought it right?" The grocery store proprietress said in surprise, a smile flowing between her eyebrows.

The middle-aged woman echoed again and again, "Then when I go back today, I will tell my two boys to buy a jersey." Well, when is the next competition? Another day, we'll see too? To be honest, apart from Yao/Ming, it's really difficult to see a Chinese face in American sports. ”

"I've heard that San Francisco doesn't support that Chinese kid very much." The old king grinned and shook his head meaningfully, "This kid is making history now, and we can't let him fight alone." Another day, I'll talk to the neighborhood committee to see if we can organize a game and watch the game together, and then cheer him on. I really don't know the time of the game, I haven't seen it before, I'll go back and check it, and I'll tell you when the time comes. ”

The grocery store proprietress clapped her hands happily, "No problem! After finishing speaking, she noticed Jiang Youning, who had been standing silently next to her, "Oh, I'm sorry for delaying your time." The proprietress quickly began to rummage again, "It's really not easy to see a Chinese kid who has made a name for himself." A little happy, the conversation began. ”

After quickly digging through the items and placing them on the counter, the proprietress smiled and said, "You said yes, right?" ”

Jiang Youning smiled and nodded, "Yes." That kid, it's not easy. ”

There was a faint warm current surging in his chest, so much so that his nose was slightly sore.

Jiang Youning knows that Lu Ke is never fighting alone, she and Lu Zhengze have always been Lu Ke's strongest backing, as well as the Newman family.

Although Lu Ke never wanted to create history, let alone carry the weight of the entire nation forward, it was really too difficult to rely on the strength of one person, Lu Ke was not Yao/Ming, nor Liu/Xiang; But now, the historical trajectory is still going in an unknown direction, full of thorns and pitfalls, and the future is unpredictable. However, at least Lu Ke has more backing, which is a good start.

Leaving the grocery store, Jiang Youning walked in the direction of the crossroads, ready to buy some fresh vegetables.

Standing at the traffic light and waiting, two young people next to him were flipping through the newspaper, and with an inadvertent glance of his eyes, Jiang Youning saw the front page of the "World Newspaper", which read, "Every step is creating history, and Lu Ke is writing the miracle of the NFL!" The picture on the front page is Lu Ke clenching his fist with his right hand, roaring wildly, full of harmony of strength and beauty.

Jiang Youning raised his head suddenly, and quickly looked around the community. I didn't pay attention to it just now, but now I realize that there are a lot of details that can be seen in the corner of my sight:

For example, at the Chinese restaurant on the corner, a large poster was posted at the door, and it was Lu Ke wearing the number 14 jersey, which read, "Sunday game, fans are welcome to come and cheer."

Another example is a teenager whistling past on a skateboard, wearing the No. 14 jersey of the San Francisco 49ers, and the name "LU" behind it is so clear in sight.

For example, in a car parked behind a traffic light stop line, the radio is broadcasting Chinese announcement, "...... Lu Ke is making history and writing miracles, and this week, he continued his miraculous performance......"

Little by little, Jiang Youning can feel the transformation and impact from the community.

Although it is still weak, only three weeks is still too short to completely change the dilemma of rugby in the Chinese community. But tangibly, change is happening, and Jiang Youning can feel the real support and enthusiasm, at least, it's a start.

The red light turned into a green light, Jiang Youning took a step, crossed the zebra crossing, straightened his waist slightly, and his steps became more and more firm.

In fact, what Jiang Youning doesn't know is that among the young Chinese people, the second or third generation of immigrants have gradually integrated into American society and have a broader and deeper understanding of rugby.

A craze led by Lu Ke is quietly rising; The first way to do this is the sales of jerseys, which is undoubtedly the most direct reflection of the popularity of a professional player.