The western suburb racetrack was as bright as day.
As soon as Lu Qi and the other two arrived at the rest area, Young Master Li, who had been sitting on a chair, stood up and walked toward them. He enthusiastically threw an arm around Zhou Chiye’s shoulder.
“You’re finally here, kept me waiting long enough.”
Zhou Chiye pulled his arm down and gave him a once-over. “Well, well, haven’t seen you in days, Young Master Li. Looking quite dashing.”
“Hahaha, you sure know how to talk.”
Young Master Li glanced at the tall man beside him and asked, “Is this your friend?”
“This is the good buddy I told you about, Lu Qi.”
Only then did Lu Qi, standing to the side, spare him a glance. After shaking hands, they chatted for a bit before Young Master Li left to attend to other matters.
The Shelby Tuatara parked on the track drew many eyes the moment it appeared.
Lu Qi had changed into a black racing suit. His exceptionally handsome face wore an unruly expression, a belt cinched his narrow waist, and his long legs were particularly striking. With his superior build, he stood beside the sports car, helmet tucked under one arm.
He looked so cool it was as if he existed in a different dimension from everyone else—even movies couldn’t capture this kind of vibe.
Shi Zaiqing handed him his phone. “Someone sent you a message just now.”
Lu Qi took the phone and saw Ji Qingyan’s name. It took him a few seconds to remember who that was.
Ji Qingyan: 【What are you up to?】
He raised his phone, snapped a photo, and sent it over.
The other person seemed to have been waiting for his reply, responding quickly.
Ji Qingyan: 【A racetrack? Are you there to watch the races?】
【Racing.】 Lu Qi’s reply was brief as he lowered his head to check his helmet.
Over on his end, Ji Qingyan looked at the message. He had watched racing before and knew the adrenaline and passion on the track. He hadn’t expected Lu Qi to be into something this wild.
Ji Qingyan: 【It must be thrilling. A bit of a shame I can’t be there to watch you race in person. Stay safe.】
LQ: 【Mm.】
Turns out he’s the strong, silent, cool type.
After replying, Lu Qi casually tossed his phone back to Shi Zaiqing. As he turned to put on his helmet and gloves, he suddenly thought of something and turned back. “Record a video for me.”
“Huh? Oh, oh, sure, no problem, leave it to me.” Though he didn’t know why Lu Qi made the request, Shi Zaiqing patted his chest and agreed.
Lu Qi had spent ten million modifying this car, and it was in no way inferior to professional racing vehicles.
He bent down and slid into the driver’s seat, fastening his seatbelt. The other door opened, and Zhou Chiye, also in a racing suit, got in. He curiously examined the interior, looking thoroughly excited.
“So cool! Let me experience the thrill and speed of a supercar race. Whew, I can’t wait.”
Lu Qi took a test lap to get a feel for the track.
Five minutes later, dozens of sports cars were poised and ready. At the signal, all the cars shot forward like rockets. Lu Qi was currently in fourth place, his tires practically sparking from the friction.
The car he was driving was powered by an 8.0-liter 16-cylinder engine, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.3 seconds. The speed was still climbing, already hitting 300 km/h, and the scenery outside had blurred into streaks of light.
With a serious, focused expression, Lu Qi kept his eyes on the road ahead, accelerating further to overtake a car from the side. Ahead lay a slight downhill slope.
He didn’t slow down at all. After driving down the slope, the wheels left the ground, flying straight through the air for over ten meters—a real-life “extreme car stunt”—before landing steadily on the ground.
Unlike Lu Qi’s calm and composed demeanor, Zhou Chiye, sitting in the passenger seat, felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest. He shrank into his seat, gripping the seatbelt tightly with both hands, his face filled with terror, afraid he might be flung out at any moment.
“Ahhh, holy shit…” he screamed at the top of his lungs.
When approaching the first curve, Lu Qi tightened his grip on the steering wheel and executed a clean, sharp drift to overtake another car. The tires behind him were practically smoking, a testament to his incredible speed.
Securing the first position with ease, there was still one lap left until the end of the race. He had already pulled far ahead of the cars behind him. As he passed the spectator stands, a gust of wind swept by, and the car itself became nothing more than a blur.
Finally, with another beautiful drift, he crossed the finish line, taking first place by a landslide.
The driver’s side door opened, and Lu Qi stepped out. He removed his helmet and handed it to a staff member standing nearby, then took the water Shi Zaiqing offered and gulped down several mouthfuls.
“That drift at the curve was so cool, I didn’t even dare to breathe while watching. You were really risking your life out there, driving so fast you practically flew,” Shi Zaiqing said, still feeling a bit shaken.
Lu Qi steadied his breathing. “What’s there to panic about? It’s not like I was going to die.”
Zhou Chiye got out of the car but hadn’t yet recovered from the adrenaline rush. His legs were still weak, truly living up to the saying, “The body flies, but the soul chases.”
For a moment, he felt like he was about to meet his ancestors.
Sitting on a chair, he looked at the man who appeared completely unfazed and said with utter despair, “Just live, I guess. Who could outlive you?”
“Er Ye, are you okay?” Shi Zaiqing asked with concern.
“Just great, almost scared to death.”
“Hahaha.” The response was merciless laughter.
Lu Qi took off his racing suit and sat down to rest, sending over the racing video Shi Zaiqing had taken of him earlier.
LQ: [Just tell me, was it cool or not?] He added a little yellow bean emoji wearing sunglasses.
Ji Qingyan: [Cool! You’re not at all inferior to professional racers.]
Lu Qi kept a straight face, but inwardly, he was thrilled and proud.
LQ: [Hmph.]
In the living room, the movie was nearing its end. Ji Qingyan looked down at his phone, imagining through the screen a little wolf cub excitedly wagging its tail.
Glancing at the clock hanging on the wall, it was already past ten at night. He asked: [It’s so late. Are you planning to keep playing?]
LQ: [No, I’m getting ready to head back.]
Lu Qi checked the time—10:40 p.m. How was that late? The nightlife was just getting started.
Ji Qingyan: [I’m going to sleep.]
LQ: [Huh? Sleeping this early?]
This didn’t fit the lifestyle of a young person at all.
Ji Qingyan: [I have to work tomorrow. I’m not as energetic as you.]
Lu Qi replied with an “Okay, good night.”
Shi Zaiqing stood behind him and accidentally caught him chatting with someone, teasing him with a mischievous grin: “Oh, good night~ Who are you texting? So intimate.”
“You startled me. None of your business,” Lu Qi said, turning off the screen and putting away his phone as if to hide it.
“I think there’s more to this. Something’s fishy,” Shi Zaiqing said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, looking as if he had already figured everything out.
Lu Qi thought to himself, it was just a “good night.” What’s so intimate about that?
But the thought of sending those two words to Shi Zaiqing made him shudder—it felt way too gay.
Ji Qingyan looked at the “good night” message and smiled faintly. He turned off the TV and lights, picked up his phone, and headed back to his room. A few minutes later, the lights in his room went out.
While Ji Qingyan was sound asleep, Lu Qi and his friends were sitting in a shop eating barbecue, their late-night snack stretching on for two or three hours.