Chapter 54: Racing

Chapter 54: Racing

Seeing Liu Erxing hesitate to take it, Yun Fan looked at him curiously: "Hey man, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Besides, this isn't cheap; it's a respectable gift."

"I want it, I want it!" Liu Erxing suddenly reached out, as if snatching it, his fingertips brushing the back of Yun Fan's hand.

Yun Fan glanced at the white scratch on his hand and helplessly pressed his lips together. Cheng Yu was about to make a sarcastic remark, but when he looked up, he noticed Liu Erxing's strange expression.

How could a small jade peace pendant make Liu Erxing look as if he had been struck by lightning? Everyone was puzzled.

This feeling was hard for Liu Erxing to articulate himself.

He had participated in too many races. His teammates would tell him to just charge ahead without worrying about anything else. This was the first time someone had wished him safety.

In the heat of the moment, who cared about safety? There was only the desire for victory. But most of the time, after stepping off the track and being alone, there was also a bit of unease.

So hearing such a blessing before a race was unexpected for Liu Erxing and deeply affected him.

Yun Fan was still frowning in front of him, but Liu Erxing knew he probably couldn't let go of this person now. There was a phrase called "wholeheartedly devoted," and now he understood it.

"Thank you, Yun Fan." Liu Erxing smiled, without any hidden meaning, a truly sincere smile.

With that, Liu Erxing swiftly put the peace pendant around his neck. He pinched the small circle; its smooth texture felt just like the impression Yun Fan gave him.

"Let's eat." Liu Erxing jerked his chin at Cheng Yu. "I got Western food specially for you, so you better eat a lot."

Wen Haochen stared at the pendant around Liu Erxing's neck and looked at Yun Fan enviously: "Butler Yun, you've never given me anything."

As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Erxing shot him a dagger-like look. Cheng Yu raised his eyes and muttered under his breath but stayed silent. After all, he was older and couldn't imitate Wen Haochen asking for things—it was too undignified for him.

Yun Fan looked at Wen Haochen's slumped shoulders: "What you want, I can't afford. Things like planes and yachts? Really not possible."

Oh no. Wen Haochen opened his mouth, realizing that in Yun Fan's eyes, he was just a spoiled rich kid. After some painful reflection, he decided to change.

*

Early the next morning, Liu Erxing was nowhere to be seen. Cheng Yu drove Wen Haochen to pick up Yun Fan. They wandered around Liu Erxing's house for a bit before being chased out of the yard by three barking dogs.

Yun Fan came out with his backpack, rubbing his hair and yawning. Wen Haochen eagerly stepped forward to take Yun Fan's bag, but Yun Fan deftly avoided him.

"Didn't sleep well?" Cheng Yu raised an eyebrow and handed Yun Fan a cup of coffee. "Freshly ground, try it."

Yun Fan took a sip and explained: "There were mosquitoes buzzing half the night."

"Da Liu is really cheap. Why didn't he let you stay in a hotel?" Cheng Yu said sourly. "Afraid you'd see us too early."

Yun Fan smiled: "I've never stayed in a *siheyuan* before. It's nice staying here."

Since meeting Cheng Yu and Wen Haochen the day before, Yun Fan had felt the atmosphere among these three top dogs was a bit strange. If not exactly confrontational, it was like three prickly characters.

When they arrived at the race venue, Yun Fan was sandwiched between them, sitting on either side. Every time he looked up to find Liu Erxing, they would distract him.

Yun Fan was puzzled. Wasn't the plan to watch the race? If they weren't watching Liu Erxing, who else did they know?

Over there, Liu Erxing, who was preparing for the race, had no time to care about Cheng Yu and Wen Haochen's petty jealousies. He sat in the car in his racing suit, pulled out the peace pendant from his collar, flashed a bold grin at the camera, and kissed the jade pendant.

In the past, Liu Erxing raced for victory for himself and for the team. Today, Liu Erxing had to win even more because the person he loved now and would continue to love was in the stands.

He never used to care who came to watch his races. Today, the person he cared about was here, and that changed everything.

The race began. Yun Fan's heart raced along with the cheers of the crowd. Cheng Yu and Wen Haochen finally stopped their nonsense because they, too, were riveted by the speed and excitement.

Amid roaring engines and lightning speed, the race car shot out like a rocket. The drivers skillfully maneuvered their vehicles, pulling off dazzling drifts around the curves.

In an instant, Liu Erxing's car surged to the front, and the entire crowd shouted his name.

Yun Fan couldn't contain his excitement and joined in the cheers. Wave after wave of adrenaline rushed through him, surging to the top of his head.

So this was what it felt like to watch a race live—it was like he was right there in the car, charging forward alongside the driver.

The competition grew intense, the cars moving so fast that they became a blur. Sometimes all that was visible was a trail of smoke before the vehicle had already sped far ahead.

It was a crazy adventure, throwing all reason to the wind, leaving only the pursuit of speed and the desire to cross the finish line first.

Yun Fan waved his arms wildly, continuously whooping and cheering. Cheng Yu tried several times to pull his arms down but couldn't succeed. Wen Haochen was cheering even louder than Yun Fan—after all, he was still young and easily carried away.

The tires screeched violently against the track, the engine's roar never let up, and Liu Erxing's car executed turns and drifts seamlessly, gradually pulling ahead of the others.

"Liu Erxing! Liu Erxing! Liu Erxing!" the crowd chanted, cheering for his spectacular performance.

Inside the car, Liu Erxing didn't dare lose focus for a second. He wasn't just racing to win—he had to return in one piece to stand before Yun Fan. Man and machine united, he pushed the car to its limits, crossing the finish line first amid the flying dust.

Liu Erxing had won!

"Whoo—" Yun Fan stood up, waving his arms vigorously. In that moment, he felt his emotions release, overflowing with happiness.

Wen Haochen, monkey-like, clung to the railing as if ready to jump down. If Cheng Yu hadn't held him back, he might have tumbled over like an overexcited monkey.

Well, Cheng Yu thought, today was Liu Erxing's complete victory. After all, a man who could drive a race car certainly had his charms.

Oh, and Liu Erxing could also fly planes—didn't that seem like overkill? Cheng Yu frowned.

Popping champagne, receiving the prize money, and wearing the gleaming gold medal—these were routine for Liu Erxing, but what made him happiest today was taking a photo with Yun Fan.

Yun Fan gathered everyone for a group photo. Cheng Yu buttoned his suit jacket, smoothed his hair, and walked over. Wen Haochen bounced around excitedly, pestering Liu Erxing to teach him how to drive a race car.

"Give it up. If I taught you, your big brother would skin me alive," Liu Erxing replied, wiping sweat from his brow, then turned to Yun Fan. "And you're no different either—Zhao Fu would never allow it."

Yun Fan shook his head with a laugh. The way he looked at Liu Erxing now was full of admiration, his shining eyes mirroring Liu Erxing's confident expression.

Those eyes were so bright that, for a moment, Liu Erxing desperately wanted to pull Yun Fan close and kiss him without a second thought.

Just as impulse was about to override reason, Cheng Yu couldn't take it anymore and stepped forward, pulling Liu Erxing away.

"Wake up!" Cheng Yu shouted.

Liu Erxing snapped back to reality, his smile fading. He shook off Cheng Yu's hand defiantly and pulled Yun Fan over unwillingly. "I'm asking Yun Fan to take a photo with me. Step aside."

Yun Fan had no objections—he also wanted a picture with the champion, thinking it might even improve his own driving skills. He beamed at the camera, happily flashing a peace sign.

Watching the two standing side by side, Cheng Yu felt waves of jealousy welling up inside. For a moment, he entertained some childish thoughts, wondering why his mother had only let him learn stuff like tennis—a sport where he could never become a champion.

Liu Erxing was stealing the spotlight so thoroughly that even Wen Zhaofu probably couldn't have upstaged him.

Then again, Cheng Yu thought, Wen Zhaofu was shrewd—knowing he couldn't possibly be the center of attention in such a setting, he had simply chosen not to show up at all.

Losing once, then losing again—Cheng Yu glanced at Wen Haochen and wondered, somewhat startled, if he was now only fit to compete with the kids' table.

*

The victory party that night was completely wild, with no holds barred on smoking or drinking, accompanied by loud music and energetic dancing.

Wen Haochen initially stood next to Yun Fan, but after meeting more race car drivers, he completely forgot the original purpose of his trip.

Liu Erxing, having gone through intense physical and emotional highs and lows, now sat on the sofa feeling somewhat listless. When he was down, his bad temper surfaced, and he held Yun Fan in place, not letting him leave.

Though not actually drunk, Liu Erxing felt like throwing a tantrum. Even Cheng Yu couldn't handle him later, feeling like he might start a fight any second.

Many emotions that Liu Erxing had suppressed earlier surged up again because of today's victory. He wanted to confess to Yun Fan but was afraid of scaring him away just as Yun Fan was about to return to Hong Kong, fearing Yun Fan might never speak to him again.

If that were the outcome, he would rather crash during the race than endure such pain.

Yun Fan had no idea Liu Erxing was struggling internally; he was busy texting Wen Zhaofu on his phone. Wen Zhaofu had finished work early, flown back from abroad, and arrived in Beijing.

"I have to go," Yun Fan said, leaning closer to Liu Erxing and raising his voice.

Liu Erxing squinted at him, his earring catching the light, momentarily dazzling Yun Fan: "No, today I..."

"Today you won the championship, and I congratulate you. But I really have to go now; Mr. Zhao Fu is here." Yun Fan smiled politely.

"Yun Fan, I won the championship," Liu Erxing raised a finger to point at himself, his smile gone.

Yun Fan frowned slightly, meeting his gaze. At that moment, he sensed the stubbornness in Liu Erxing's personality—an emotion often hidden, only surfacing at specific times.

Like now, he was stubbornly insisting Yun Fan stay, even if they did nothing.

Yun Fan abruptly stood up, stared at Liu Erxing, and said sternly, "I'm not a dog or a parrot kept in your yard; I live by my own will."

Then, Yun Fan walked away without looking back, not even leaving them with a glimpse of his retreating back. When Wen Haochen returned, he found Yun Fan gone and stomped his foot in frustration.

"Why did you have to provoke him?" Cheng Yu said coldly. "What exactly did you do to make Butler Yun feel that way?"

Liu Erxing tilted his head back and took a sip of hard liquor, shaking his head: "How could I, how could I treat him like an object? I like him so much."

"Perhaps none of us really know how to love properly," Cheng Yu said, surprisingly perceptive.

Liu Erxing, probably drunk, actually handed Cheng Yu and Wen Haochen each a glass of liquor and clinked glasses loudly with them in a toast in their dazed state: "Then we all need to learn properly!"

Outside the bar, Yun Fan ducked into a small alley. He spotted a figure in a wheelchair and called out excitedly, "Mr. Zhao Fu!"

Wen Zhaofu turned at the sound, smiling gently at Yun Fan. Though Beijing was quite warm, he still wore a proper suit, just as Yun Fan usually saw him.

Unsure how long Wen Zhaofu had been waiting, Yun Fan only felt his lonely figure contrasted sharply with the bar's liveliness, and his heart ached a little.

Yun Fan walked over, bent down to look at Wen Zhaofu, lips pressed together and brows slightly furrowed. Wen Zhaofu raised his hand and gently pressed his thumb between Yun Fan's brows.

"Xiao Yun, you're unhappy," Wen Zhaofu stated rather than asked.

In front of Wen Zhaofu, Yun Fan seemed unwilling to suppress his emotions. He nodded and mumbled like a child, "I'm a person, not a toy to be pushed around."

"Who treated Xiao Yun like that? I'll be angry," Wen Zhaofu said, his mouth tightening.

Yun Fan took a breath; Wen Zhaofu's anger was no small matter. He shook his head and managed a weak smile at Wen Zhaofu.

"Sir, you've worked too hard, coming all this way just for me. I..."

"Come here, Xiao Yun," Wen Zhaofu patted Yun Fan's shoulder, interrupting him. "Let me hug you."

---

Author's note: Oh, Da Liu, why did you have to provoke Xiao Yun? [Oh oh oh]