Chapter Thirty-Eight: Come, Let’s Compete—A Wager of One Million

Consort Xiao had certainly noticed Chen Yang’s keen interest in racing. Though she was a woman, she was no ordinary one; Xiao was a formidable presence in the business world. To unwind from her intense workload, she preferred the thrill of racing over the typical pursuits of shopping or strolling through boutiques that many women enjoyed.

Seeing Chen Yang’s enthusiasm, Xiao smiled and said, “Mr. Chen, shall we head to the racetrack for a bit later?”

Chen Yang looked at her with surprise. “I never expected you to be into racing, Ms. Xiao.”

She laughed. “Isn’t my hobby rather different from most women’s?”

“Of course. Female racing enthusiasts are quite rare,” Chen Yang replied with a gentle smile.

“Mr. Chen, it seems you’ve raced before, haven’t you?” Xiao inquired.

“I suppose so. It was years ago,” Chen Yang answered calmly.

He had learned racing during his time in the Chen family. Though he only raced for five years, his exceptional talent set him apart from most drivers. At fifteen, he and his mother had been expelled from the family. During the five years his mother was still alive, he occasionally practiced in secret. After her passing, he married Qin Muxue and, forced by circumstances, took up food delivery to make ends meet, leaving racing behind entirely.

In truth, Chen Yang had been separated from the world of racing for only about five years.

“Mr. Chen, why don’t we go to the racetrack now? It’s a rare opportunity,” Xiao suddenly proposed.

After all, sharing coffee was a common activity among friends. But racing together, she felt, would bring her much closer to Chen Yang.

Chen Yang hadn’t expected Xiao to be a fellow racing enthusiast. Seeing the cars, he felt a familiar itch in his hands. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Let’s eat first. Afterwards, we can go.”

“Alright, that sounds good,” Xiao nodded eagerly.

For her, racing with Chen Yang was a true honor. Surely their relationship would deepen swiftly. She was eager to accompany him to the racetrack and enjoy the experience. Still, she wondered about Chen Yang’s racing skills.

She suspected he might be just an amateur. How good could he really be?

Soon, they finished their meal. Xiao warmly led Chen Yang to her sports car and drove toward Linhai City’s professional racetrack.

During the drive, Chen Yang observed her handling of the steering wheel—her movements revealed a seasoned racer with considerable skill.

Of course, compared to him, she still had a long way to go.

On the way, Xiao’s curiosity got the better of her. She smiled and asked, “Mr. Chen, how long have you been racing?”

“I used to race, but it’s been a while,” Chen Yang replied modestly.

“When we get to the track, you should drive and see if you can recapture your old feel,” Xiao suggested, smiling.

Chen Yang replied instantly, “Alright, I’ll give it a try.”

Xiao continued, “I know quite a few experts and top drivers at the racetrack. If you’d like, I can introduce you to them.”

“We’ll see,” Chen Yang responded with a faint smile.

Privately, he thought to himself, Back then, I was the king on the track. Why would I need experts or help?

At last, Xiao drove into the racetrack. Many players were already there, and in Linhai, only the well-off could afford such a hobby.

She parked her white sports car at the starting line, tapped the steering wheel, and said, “Well, Mr. Chen, would you like to try?”

“Certainly. It’s been a long time—let’s see how it goes,” Chen Yang replied.

“Good.”

Xiao smiled slightly, opened the door, and gracefully stepped out of the car. Chen Yang followed.

Her eyes gleamed with anticipation as she watched him, eager to see how this young CEO would perform behind the wheel. Still, she guessed he was likely just an amateur—he looked young and somewhat boyish; how skilled could he be?

Chen Yang climbed into the driver’s seat. Xiao, keeping her thoughts to herself, smiled warmly. “Mr. Chen, please drive well.”

“Thank you.” Chen Yang nodded to her.

She smiled back. Then, Chen Yang pressed the accelerator, and the white sports car shot forward.

Soon, he approached a curve—a perfect, smooth drift carried him through. Another bend followed, and again he executed a flawless drift.

One after another, he navigated the bends effortlessly.

At first, Xiao had harbored some slight contempt for his skills. But after witnessing several of his drifts, her smile faded, replaced by astonishment.

Suddenly, with a roar, Chen Yang pulled up beside her, stopping the car so abruptly that she hadn’t even registered his approach.

His driving had been a delight to watch, more than mere racing—it was like witnessing a finely crafted work of art.

Only a genius, a true master, could achieve such perfection behind the wheel.

Chen Yang lowered the window and called out, “Ms. Xiao, Ms. Xiao!”

She snapped out of her reverie, her gaze full of admiration as she looked at him. “Mr. Chen, your driving just now was like a flawless piece of art.”

“I was only driving casually,” Chen Yang replied humbly.

He saw no need to boast about his abilities—it wasn’t his style.

He opened the door and stepped out, turning to her. “Ms. Xiao, your car’s modifications are impressive. You must have spent quite a bit.”

She blushed slightly. “Yes, more than a million.”

“I thought so. Its performance is outstanding—one of the best cars I’ve ever driven,” said Chen Yang.

“Chen Yang, I really enjoy watching you race,” Xiao admitted, the memory of his perfect drifts still vivid in her mind.

Chen Yang thought to himself, Don’t idolize me—I’m just a legend.

But aloud he said modestly, “If you keep saying things like that, Ms. Xiao, I’ll have to start charging admission next time I drive.”

Xiao laughed, knowing he was only joking.

As they chatted, a red sports car executed a flawless drift and parked perfectly on the track.

The door opened, and a tall, lean young man in his late twenties, with a buzz cut and standing about six-foot-three, climbed out.

Xiao’s eyes lit up as she saw him. “King of the Track? Mr. Chen, that’s Qin Dong, Linhai’s famous racing king. Come, let me introduce you.”

Chen Yang smiled slightly and followed Xiao to Qin Dong.

“Ah, isn’t this the King of the Track?” he greeted.

Qin Dong was clearly a proud man. Seeing Xiao and Chen Yang approach, he deliberately ducked back into his car as if searching for something, ignoring them entirely. “Hmm,” he muttered.

Xiao felt awkward at Qin Dong’s icy attitude and said to Chen Yang, “Mr. Chen, this is the renowned Qin Dong, King of the Track.”

“Hello,” Chen Yang said politely, mostly for Xiao’s sake.

But Qin Dong didn’t so much as glance at him, muttering, “Where did I put my gloves?”

He clearly didn’t regard Chen Yang—or even Xiao—as worth his attention. His cold demeanor said it all.

“Qin Dong, come and meet a new friend,” Xiao pressed on, unwilling to lose face in front of Chen Yang.

Qin Dong ignored her, searching under the passenger seat for his gloves—whether genuinely or just pretending was unclear.

Xiao was left feeling even more embarrassed by his arrogance.

At that moment, Chen Yang made a quiet decision. He looked at Qin Dong and said, “King of the Track, shall we race? One million on the line.”