Chapter 32 [32]

showdown

Lu Mingxiao is going to race on the track with Li Heng.

Upon hearing this news, Luo Qingyue immediately imagined Lu Mingxiao welding his racing suit to his body.

Wearing a helmet and gripping the steering wheel, she sped along, rounding one bend after another, her blood boiling with excitement.

Li Heng readily agreed at the time, but later said...

"Does Lu Mingxiao think my trophies are made of paper?"

"He challenges me in my field. If he wins, it's an unfair victory for me. If he loses, my professionalism will be questioned. He's really playing the game. Either way, I'm destined to jump into a fire pit."

Li Heng sent a series of voice messages, each word imbued with emotion.

Luo Qingyue had just finished showering and was about to blow-dry her hair when she pressed the screen of her phone to ask a question.

【Crescent Moon】: Then just refuse, why make yourself unhappy?

"A rival in love issues a challenge; whoever refuses is a coward."

Li Heng said matter-of-factly, then changed the subject, "Don't think I didn't see it. After Lu Mingxiao said that, your eyes were practically glued to him. Since you're so eager, as an ally, I'll grant your wish."

Luo Qingyue was deeply moved.

She put down the hairdryer, went to the dining table to pour herself a glass of water, and replied to Li Heng's voice message.

"I will never forget your great kindness, but there is something I must remind you of."

“Mingyue is a car company, and as the president of Mingyue, racing is not a completely unfamiliar field for Lu Mingxiao.”

"I advise you not to underestimate him. Based on my understanding of Lu Mingxiao, he rarely does things he's not confident about."

Li Heng didn't respond, but asked, "Now you only need to answer one question: whose side are you planning to take?"

Luo Qingyue let out a long sigh: "You are my ally, and Lu Mingxiao is my boss. They are both my flesh and blood. Why don't I go on the track and you sit in the stands and cheer for me?"

Lu Mingxiao asked her the same question again.

After the takeout was replaced for the third time, Luo Qingyue blurted out, "Li Heng."

Lu Mingxiao made shrimp and scrambled eggs, winter melon and pork ribs, and stir-fried seasonal vegetables today.

At her desk, Luo Qingyue ate with relish, but what came out of her mouth was another man's name.

A provocation. Lu Mingxiao stared at her, felt a pang of jealousy for two seconds, then leaned back comfortably in his chair.

"Li Heng and I discussed it and decided that, in order to ensure the fairness and impartiality of the competition, we would adopt a live broadcast format across the entire network, and the time is set for this Sunday."

Live streaming means opening the door, allowing more people to know.

Luo Qingyue paused, her hand holding the chopsticks stilled, and looked up to meet Lu Mingxiao's eyes.

"Playing this high? Like, whoever loses gets nailed to a pillar of shame by the other?"

"A competition is more exciting when you leave no room for retreat and cut off all escape routes."

Lu Mingxiao said casually, then changed the subject, "Go back and write a plan on how to maximize the traffic generated by the competition, including pre-event promotion, hype on the day of the live broadcast, and risk contingency plans and revenue conversion under different outcomes. Give it to me by noon tomorrow."

While she thought it was just an ordinary competition, Lu Mingxiao had already set his sights on the next level.

The boss and the spokesperson are going head-to-head, generating plenty of buzz and attention. Why not take this opportunity to leverage the traffic and create another wave of discussion for the Mingyue? Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

Back in her office, Luo Qingyue began writing the proposal, and the next day she reported to Lu Mingxiao as agreed.

After Lu Mingxiao's side passed the test, the showdown between the car company boss and the famous race car driver was announced by the official Weibo account of Mingyue, which caused an instant uproar across the internet.

【cookie0717】: Holy crap, Mingyue, you guys are really something! Both of them are my husbands, I'm going crazy trying to support one of them!

【Birds Walking in the Clouds】: I hope this isn't just a fun match, the kind where everyone crosses the finish line together. Boss and spokesperson, please show your true strength. I want to see a thrilling battle.

[French-style La Cocoa]: Tickets are only 20 yuan each, is that so cheap? Tomorrow I'm going to be squatting in front of the router, my rivals, draw your swords and come at me!

That's right, in addition to being streamed online, tickets for this match will also be available for purchase at the venue.

Since there were only two contestants, the price couldn't be set too high. Luo Qingyue wrote fifty on the proposal, but Lu Mingxiao immediately decided to discount it by 40%.

This means that getting tickets is by no means easy.

The number of people who made reservations for tickets that night exceeded 100,000, while only 20,000 tickets were released.

At noon the next day, the marketing center staff were all on high alert.

Within ten seconds, a series of mournful cries followed.

Xu Jie: "It's gone in seconds, I can't even click on it."

Song Tao: "I saw the payment page and submitted it frantically, but I was kicked out."

Ho Ka-lok: "I asked ten friends, but none of them managed to snag one. These two top figures in the car industry are truly hot."

Feng Xuejiao: "Luckily, I am an employee of Mingyue. At this time, getting in through the back door has become a source of pride."

Luo Qingyue also tried to snatch it, but it ended in defeat without a doubt.

However, this also reflects that her marketing strategy was very effective.

The online discussion garnered over 50 million views. She tracked the data in real time, integrated the data, and wrote it into the effectiveness section of the plan.

The F7 Rally Dongchuan Station kicked off on Friday afternoon.

Wearing her employee badge, Luo Qingyue coordinated the on-site matters and then walked into the audience box with Lu Mingxiao.

"As of noon today, the discussion surrounding your showdown with Li Heng has exceeded 200 million, your personal account has gained over 500,000 followers, the official Mingyue account has gained 300,000 followers across all platforms, and sales of all models have seen significant growth."

One side of the VIP box is a floor-to-ceiling window offering a clear view of the competition on the track.

Luo Qingyue stood by the window with Lu Mingxiao, giving him a briefing before the competition began.

"What about Li Heng?" Lu Mingxiao asked.

"We gained 430,000 followers," Luo Qingyue blurted out.

Lu Mingxiao chuckled: "Then I am indeed a little bit better than him."

Luo Qingyue bluntly exposed: "But your original fan base was larger than his, which doesn't prove anything."

Lu Mingxiao suddenly realized: "You're telling me not to get carried away. I understand, I'll restrain myself appropriately."

Luo Qingyue: ...I was just stating the facts.

The F7 Rally Dongchuan Station race has officially begun.

Li Heng's red race car was eye-catching and attention-grabbing. After a few laps, he left his opponents far behind.

Standing in front of the glass, Luo Qingyue drank pear juice.

Looking to the side, Lu Mingxiao observed the track, his gaze focused and intense.

For an outsider like her, watching a race is simply about who runs the fastest, who overtakes whom, and whose car is the coolest.

For Lu Mingxiao, it must be about making precise comparisons and calculations every moment, knowing himself and his enemy, so that he can win every battle.

On the final lap, Li Heng crossed the finish line first, securing the championship trophy once again.

Faced with such a technically superior opponent, Luo Qingyue asked Lu Mingxiao, "How confident are you?"

Lu Mingxiao sighed, feigning regret: "This is the first time I've realized that it was impulsive of me to challenge someone else's field of expertise with my limited experience."

Luo Qingyue read the unspoken message and said leisurely, "You should have chosen diving, skydiving, or making coffee, right?"

Lu Mingxiao denied it, saying in a lighthearted tone, "You're on Li Heng's side, I only said that to make you happy."

Luo Qingyue let out a long, meaningful "Oh".

Unexpectedly, Lu Mingxiao leaned over, placed his hands on the glass panel, and framed her between his arms.

A strong masculine scent permeated the air.

With her back pressed tightly against the glass, Luo Qingyue's breathing became slightly erratic.

She stared intently at Lu Mingxiao, who lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "Never underestimate the potential a man can unleash because of his competitive spirit."

Lu Mingxiao's voice was soft, yet warm as it brushed against her ear.

Luo Qingyue's skin was a little itchy, and her heart pounded like a deer's.

The next second, Lu Mingxiao stood up straight and pointed at the track.

In her daze, the man's aura was fully unleashed, and he spoke again: "Luo Qingyue, watch me win this round for you."

——

On match day, the weather was fine, sunny, and cloudless.

With marketing responsibilities on their shoulders, Luo Qingyue and her colleagues arrived at the venue early to prepare for the start of the competition.

Poster placement, live streaming equipment debugging, special guest arrangements... After handling each detail, with other colleagues overseeing the process on-site, Luo Qingyue and Xu Jie went together to the main control center, located at the top of the audience seating area, which was also where the live streaming room was located.

The commentator has been deeply involved in the racing field for many years. Luo Qingyue handed him relevant materials, interspersed with introductions about the Mingyue model.

The commentator carefully studied the script, and she and Xu Jie stepped out of the camera's view. Xu Jie held her phone and told Luo Qingyue, "According to the online voting results, 51% of people think Li Heng will win, and 49% think Lu Zonghui will win."

Luo Qingyue unscrewed the bottle of mineral water and took two sips: "Li Heng is a professional, so it's normal that he has more supporters."

"I don't think Lu Zong will necessarily lose."

Xu Jie explained her reasoning: "The model we chose this time is the upcoming Mingyue XS600 supercar. It's Mr. Lu's own creation, and no one knows the car's performance better than him. Moreover, last year, he set a record by defeating a professional race car driver. However, no matter the outcome, the ultimate beneficiary will be Mingyue."

Above the live broadcast room, there is an LED display screen for easy viewing by on-site staff.

During the conversation, the commentator announced the entry of the two contestants. Luo Qingyue looked up and saw Lu Mingxiao in a white racing suit, holding a helmet of the same color in his hand.

As usual, Li Heng chose his favorite red color. The two identical supercars corresponded to the different color schemes of the two contestants.

Both Lu Mingxiao and Li Heng are outstanding individuals. The fact that one of them wins or loses doesn't mean the other is inferior or has any problems.

However, Luo Qingyue's personal feelings might be biased, and the outcome was uncertain. The string in her mind was tightly strung, and her heart was in her throat.

After a simple opening ceremony, Lu Mingxiao and Li Heng put on their helmets and got into their own cars in the starting area.

The XS600 is very cool, with a streamlined body that is both stylish and eye-catching.

The two cars are parked side by side.

The signal lights above the departure area went out, a roar sounded, and they rushed across the stop line together.

Cheers and screams filled the stands as everyone cheered for their favorite players.

"Li Heng was the first to complete the first lap, in one minute and ten seconds, breaking his own personal best record for a single lap."

"Lu Zong came from behind and accelerated on the eighth lap, overtaking Li Heng. The two were neck and neck, and the result was really hard to say until the very last moment."

The host's passionate voice continued to ring out, as Lu Mingxiao and Li Heng were evenly matched, chasing each other.

Neither side was giving an inch, increasing the suspense of the match. Luo Qingyue looked at the live stream data; the number of viewers had exceeded five million, and the discussions were constantly being updated.

There were fifty laps in total, with only ten laps left.

As the results drew closer, Luo Qingyue became hesitant to watch and closed her eyes, facing the live stream screen.

"Are you so nervous?" Xu Jie asked with concern.

Luo Qingyue grabbed her hand: "Hold me, I'm afraid I'll faint."

Xu Jie didn't investigate further and simply did as instructed.

He put one arm around Luo Qingyue's shoulder and held her arm with the other.

Her heart was pounding. Suddenly, she heard screams all around her. Then she heard the commentator exclaim, "The two cars crossed the finish line at almost the same time. It's impossible to tell with the naked eye. Let's wait for the result from the electronic timing system."

Luo Qingyue opened her eyes, and in the camera's view, Lu Mingxiao and Li Heng had already gotten out of the car.

She held her breath as the commentator announced, "Congratulations to Li Heng... oh no, Mr. Lu, for winning this match by a mere 0.7 seconds! Thank you, Mr. Lu, thank you, Li Heng, thank you both for giving us such a wonderful match!"

On the track, Li Heng's expression first turned to elation, then to disbelief.

I actually lost to him? No, this can't be! Li Heng pointed at Lu Mingxiao: "Did you secretly go to the temple to pray?"

In terms of strength, Lu Mingxiao was no match for him. The only explanation was that he had received a mystical boost.

Lu Mingxiao unfastened his racing suit: "Is it possible that Luo Qingyue and I have already performed the wedding vows—the first bow to heaven and earth, the second bow to our parents, as husband and wife—"

Li Heng immediately interrupted him: "Lu Mingxiao, you're shameless! You have no shame!"

Lu Mingxiao stopped teasing him and patted him on the shoulder to comfort him: "A bet's a bet, let's break up."

Li Heng was displeased: "It's one thing for you to win against me, but now you're trying to break us up. I won't allow it. You can't separate me and Luo Qingyue."

Lu Mingxiao coaxed him like a child: "Alright, I knew you were acting all along."

Li Heng: "?"

He and Luo Qingyue, one a movie star and the other a movie queen, were actually seen through so easily?

Luo Qingyue once said that Lu Mingxiao was good at reading people and was a complete detail-oriented person. So, where exactly did things go wrong?

Li Heng couldn't understand it, but Lu Mingxiao put his arm around his shoulder and placed his hand on his own shoulder as well.

This scene on the live stream was a picture of rivals showing affection and mutual respect.

"Although it's an act, your affection for Luo Qingyue is genuine; I can see that."

Lu Mingxiao said in a low voice, "Thank you for appearing and making me realize myself. I can't give Luo Qingyue to you. How about I increase your endorsement fee?"

[Author's Note]

Moon: So exciting! [Let me see][Let me see][Let me see]

Xiao: I'm so impressed with my own handsomeness! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]

Li Heng: The world where only I am hurt has been achieved! [crying][crying][crying]

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I made some revisions to the last chapter, but after thinking about it, I decided not to go to Yuebao's house.

If I write about Mr. Lu's first visit to Yuebao's house later, please don't feel it's too abrupt. [Rabbit head with upright ears][Rabbit head with upright ears][Rabbit head with upright ears]