Chapter 5: Speeding

Chapter 5: Racing

Zhou Yang, He Zhiyuan, and Xie Yu sat in the upper seats, having a clear view of the commotion below. Xie Yu was stepping over a row of seats and climbing up to their level, his face dark and visibly agitated.

Among Zhou, He, and Xie, Xie Yu was known to have the worst temper, notorious for his violent outbursts. Seeing him approach, Lin Yin shrank back and moved aside.

Zhou Yang wiped his face and turned to Shen Ci, asking, "Can you handle a beating?"

Shen Ci stayed seated, though his eyelid twitched involuntarily.

Zhou Yang looked him up and down: Xie Yu's companion was tall but not muscular, appearing scholarly and refined, with a thin layer of muscle beneath his clothes and a slender waist. A punch to the gut might even make him vomit. With Xie Yu's unstable temper, if he didn't control his strength, it could easily lead to a fatal outcome.

Zhou Yang frowned. "Alright, I'll vouch for you."

As Xie Yu approached, Zhou Yang stood up, threw his arm over his friend's shoulder, patted him twice, and subtly pulled him away a bit, smiling as he asked, "Why aren’t you racing? Is your car acting up?"

Xie Yu shook his head. "No problem."

He thought about lying and saying his car broke down, but racing cars had maintenance records that could be easily checked. If Zhou Yang and He Zhiyuan caught him lying, they’d suspect something was off.

Zhou Yang was puzzled. "So why’d you come down?"

Xie Yu pulled his arm off his shoulder. "Nothing much, racing just lost its appeal."

"Racing just lost its appeal?" Zhou Yang echoed.

Xie Yu glanced meaningfully at Shen Ci. "Leaving someone like this here while I race—what’s the point?"

Seeing that Xie Yu had no intention of starting a fight, Zhou Yang lowered his arm and chuckled. "So what’s interesting to you?"

"Hand over the keys to your limited edition MV Agusta," Xie Yu said.

The original owner also rode motorcycles, though not often. Zhou Yang took the keys out of his pocket and handed them over. "What do you need them for?"

"Takings someone for a spin," Xie Yu replied.

"Step aside," Xie Yu pushed Zhou Yang away and strode forward, stopping on the step below Shen Ci. He looked up and smiled. "Teaching Assistant Shen, ever been on a bike?"

He twirled the keys in his palm and extended his hand towards Shen Ci. "Let’s go for a ride. Racing isn’t that interesting."

Shen Ci lowered his gaze, staring at the hand Xie Yu had extended.

The rain had stopped, and a bit of sun appeared in the west, casting golden rays from behind, perfectly outlining Xie Yu's handsome features. His face glowed in the reddish light, his smile surprisingly genuine.

Like a high school student sitting in the back row, not paying attention but not causing trouble either. He wasn’t exactly obedient, but he seemed sincere.

Strangely, when people in Jiangcheng talked about Young Master Xie, they mostly mentioned his violent temper and his methods of tormenting others. Shen Ci had never seen this side of him before.

Xie Yu urged him. "Hurry up, it’s in the contract."

It was indeed part of the agreement, clearly stated in black and white, that during outings, he must follow the arrangements of Party A, leaving no room for refusal.

Shen Ci lowered his gaze and placed his hand in Xie Yu's palm.

The temperature after the rain was low, and Shen Ci's body temperature was also low, his fingers icy cold. Xie Yu's palm, however, was scorching hot, making Shen Ci's fingertips twitch uncomfortably.

Xie Yu casually suppressed this minor struggle. He closed his hand, exerted a bit of force, and pulled Shen Ci up. Then, gripping his wrist, he quickly descended, stepping over the seats and pulling Shen Ci out of the race track, leaving Zhou Yang staring in surprise.

Lin Yin watched them disappear and whispered, "What’s Young Master Xie up to?"

Zhou Yang withdrew his gaze and muttered, "Has Young Master Xie turned over a new leaf? It’s like the sun rising from the west—totally unexpected."

*

Zhou Yang's motorcycle was parked at the entrance of the racetrack, its deep red body bold and eye-catching. Xie Yu wasn’t much of a racer but was pretty good with motorcycles. He hopped on, turned the key, and got a feel for it, quickly figuring out how to ride.

Shen Ci stood beside the motorcycle, looking visibly uneasy. Clearly, he had never ridden one before, frozen in place, not knowing where to put his hands or feet. Xie Yu, like a commanding figure, placed the helmet on his head and ordered, "Hop on."

He spoke with the air of a wealthy young master, looking down without a hint of politeness. However, Xie Yu was tall, wearing a simple white T-shirt and loose pants. His outfit was laid-back and effortlessly cool. Sitting confidently on the motorcycle, with a few strands of hair casually pushed back, he had a youthful charm that wasn’t off-putting.

Shen Ci stepped onto the footrest and hesitantly climbed on, sitting at the very back of the seat, hands on the rear, keeping his distance from Xie Yu.

Xie Yu said, "You’ll fall off if you sit like that. Move closer."

Shen Ci inched forward, slow as a turtle.

Xie Yu instructed, "Further forward… forget it, just grab my waist."

The situation called for physical contact for a certain duration. Since they hadn’t spent enough time together in the car earlier, Xie Yu intended to make up for it right now.

Shen Ci froze, unmoving.

Xie Yu chuckled, "What, Teaching Assistant Shen not cooperating?"

Without saying more, he started the engine. The key turned, and the twin-cylinder engine roared to life, the three exhaust pipes working simultaneously. The motorcycle roared to life like a wild beast, vibrating intensely. Startled, Shen Ci instinctively clung to Xie Yu.

Through the thin T-shirt, the warmth from Xie Yu’s waist radiated through the fabric. His palm pressed against Xie Yu’s abdomen, and he could just make out the outline of muscles.

Xie Yu chuckled again.

Shen Ci flinched at the laughter, as if burned. He withdrew his hand, keeping his arms around Xie Yu but leaving a small gap, only lightly supporting him.

Xie Yu kindly reminded, "Teaching Assistant Shen, you’d better hold on tight."

Shen Ci: "..."

He averted his gaze, "No."

The next second, the engine’s roar intensified. Xie Yu gripped the handlebars, smoothly shifting gears, and the MV Agusta shot forward like an arrow.

Shen Ci: "!!!"

The wind howled in his ears, the trees on either side of the road blurred into green-brown streaks. The immense acceleration brought a strong backward force. Shen Ci, who had never known a motorcycle could go so fast, reacted by spreading his arms and tightly embracing Xie Yu.

His arms wrapped around Xie Yu’s waist, chest pressed against Xie Yu’s back. As the motorcycle surged forward, Shen Ci even pressed his face against Xie Yu, clinging to him like a koala.

Xie Yu laughed again, "Teaching Assistant Shen is quite enthusiastic."

The system required both physical contact and verbal teasing. With the physical contact achieved, the verbal teasing couldn’t be left out.

Shen Ci wanted to retort, but the motorcycle was speeding down the road, occasionally making sharp turns and drifts. He closed his eyes, his eyelashes trembling, feeling his heart racing, unable to speak a word, just holding onto Xie Yu like a lifeline.

Xie Yu exclaimed, "Ouch! Ouch! Teaching Assistant Shen, you’re quite strong. Are you pinching me now?"

Shen Ci opened his eyes and realized he was gripping too hard, his fingers digging into Young Master Xie’s waist. Now, it was more of a pinch than a hug, the position too intimate. Shen Ci quickly loosened his grip, "I didn’t mean to."

Xie Yu asked, "What? Didn’t hear you, say it again."

The speed was too fast, the wind rushing all around. Pressured by Xie Yu’s questioning, Shen Ci raised his voice, "Sorry! I didn’t mean to!"

Xie Yu chuckled and teased, "Good student, already scared by this speed? We’re just getting started."

Shen Ci was stunned.

—He wasn’t in pain—he was faking it?

Before he could react, he heard Xie Yu say, "Hold on, I’m speeding up."

Before he even finished speaking, the wind suddenly roared louder. In that moment, Shen Ci could only hear the roar of the motorcycle.

Everything spun.

Shen Ci tightly closed his eyes.

In his panic, he instinctively clung to Xie Yu. It wasn’t until they had ridden several kilometers that he finally got used to the bike’s vibrations.

They were driving on a suburban asphalt road, with rolling green hills on both sides, vibrantly green after the summer rain. The air carried the scent of plants and soil, and the leftover raindrops fell on them, feeling a bit cold.

Shen Ci ran cold and hadn’t worn a jacket. Xie Yu was his only warmth. Even though he dared to open his eyes now, he still held on tight.

Xie Yu let him cling. Shen Ci had never ridden a motorcycle before, so the speed was too much for him, and it was normal for him to be scared. But for Xie Yu, it was nothing special.

The MV Agusta was one of the top motorcycle brands, with excellent performance both in stability and speed, ranking among the best in the industry. Moreover, this wasn’t the city but a passage built by the racetrack, with smooth roads and few people. For several kilometers, not a soul was in sight. They could’ve gone even faster. While driving, he found time to tease Shen Ci, "Teaching Assistant Shen, aren’t you going to ask me where I’m taking you? What if I sell you off or lock you in a dark room?"

Shen Ci: "..."

He’d signed a deal with Xie Yu. Even if he wasn’t locked up, it wouldn’t be much of an improvement. Shen Ci closed his eyes and mocked himself, but still asked, "Where are you taking me?"

Xie Yu: "Nowhere, just cruising around."

He just wanted to escape the race. Where they went wasn’t important.

Xie Yu kept track of the time and wandered outside for about half an hour, estimating that the race was mostly over, then made a turn and drove back.

When he braked to a stop outside the venue, a few cars ahead just crossed the finish line.

Xie Yu glanced from afar—He Zhiyuan's car wasn’t there.

He stepped onto the spectator stand and walked over to Zhou Yang, asking, "Where’s Zhiyuan?"

Zhou Yang pointed, "In the last few cars. He’s not in good form today. Actually, none of the cars ran well today. It’s a pity you didn’t participate, otherwise, your results would definitely have been good."

Xie Yu thought to himself, "Please no." If he really participated, it wouldn’t be a question of good results, but how many tables of banquets would be needed.

Shen Ci sat in the back row, with a seat between him and Lin Yin. Lin Yin carefully observed his expression and asked, "Did Young Master Xie do something to you?"

Shen Ci’s face was pale, not looking good at all.

Shen Ci said, "No, it’s just low blood sugar."

He hadn’t eaten lunch.

Lin Yin exclaimed, "Ah, do you have anything to eat?"

Shen Ci shook his head, "No."

He felt his pocket and found it empty. He had bought a chocolate bar earlier, but now it was gone. He figured it must’ve fallen out during the ride.