0057 Free Race
Shen Yuxiu did not take Song Ning directly outside, but led her upstairs to a room.
The room is as big as five or six bedrooms. One side has a long floor-to-ceiling window facing the stadium, offering a panoramic view of the game. Inside, there are also entertainment facilities such as a bar, gambling tables, and pool tables. On the wall facing the corridor, there is a large screen that is playing the live broadcast of tonight's game.
There were more than twenty people scattered around the room, some drinking, some playing cards, and some standing in front of the glass window watching the game...
As Shen Yuxiu and Song Ning entered, a blond man standing in front of the glass window with his arm around a pregnant woman turned around and smiled when he saw the two of them, saying, "Hey, isn't this the little fairy?"
He had barely finished speaking when the woman beside him glared at him. He looked at her and immediately added, "Baby, you are the most beautiful in my heart."
The woman was only up to the man's shoulder, with slightly curly short hair. She smiled after hearing the man's compliment, revealing two deep dimples.
She turned to the door and said to Shen Yuxiu, "I heard you were bringing people over today, so I came a long time ago. I didn't expect you to arrive so late."
“If you don’t miss the next two races, it won’t be too late.” Shen Yuxiu led Song Ning to the two of them and said to Song Ning, “Jack and Jiang Qian. You’ve met Jack before. Jiang Qian is the general manager of this racetrack and also Jack’s wife.”
Song Ning remembered that Jack seemed to have only dated men, so she was surprised to see him get married. However, she hid it well. She greeted Jiang Qian and Jack, and then stood in front of the glass window to watch the game with them.
The waiter brought over drinks, and Shen Yuxiu asked for a cup of hot water to warm Song Ning up.
Jiang Qian, supporting her lower back and touching her stomach, laughed: "So you only came here tonight for those two matches?"
Shen Yuxiu glanced down at Song Ning before looking at Jiang Qian: "To be precise, you came for the third match?"
"Looks like I'll be getting a decent venue fee tonight," Jiang Qian said mischievously.
Song Ning looked at Shen Yuxiu, not understanding what they were talking about.
“Looks like he didn’t tell you,” Jack explained. “We hold a racing competition here once a month. There are three rounds in total. The first round is a team race, which is only open to the teams and drivers we invite; the second round is an open race, which is open to everyone who signs up here, but only 20 people will be selected.”
Jack smiled mysteriously: "In the last amateur tournament, professional players cannot participate. Only 10 players will be selected, and an entrance fee will be required. The entrance fee will be given as the final prize money to the sole champion. Of course, we will charge a small venue fee."
"Since there's a limit, how do we decide who can participate?" Song Ning asked.
Jack: "The second round will be decided by drawing lots, and the third round will, of course, be decided by the amount of the admission fee."
Are there upper and lower limits?
"Of course not, it would be so boring if we did."
After speaking, Jack explained the competition rules to Song Ning.
Song Ning then realized that the car Shen Yuxiu bought for her was the same displacement vehicle used in the last two races.
Song Ning glanced at the female companions in the room, then tilted her head to look at Shen Yuxiu: "Do you come here often?"
“I don’t come often, so I don’t play.” Shen Yuxiu’s words had a double meaning.
He didn't play with cars or women. Song Ning understood and felt a little better.
Jack: "Haha. I never imagined you two had been having an affair all along."
Song Ning and Shen Yuxiu: "..."
Jiang Qian glared at Jack: "If you don't know how to use words, then don't use them carelessly."
Jack shrugged and looked at Jiang Qian considerately: "Honey, do you want to go rest over there?"
Jiang Qian must have gotten tired of standing. She nodded and was helped by Jack to a sofa chair to rest.
Seeing the tender and affectionate look in Jack's eyes as he looked at Jiang Qian, Song Ning asked Shen Yuxiu, "Isn't he...them?"
Shen Yuxiu knew what Song Ning was wondering about, and he said, "Sometimes, whether you love someone or not has nothing to do with gender."
Song Ning still remembers how Jac swore he only admired women, not loved them, but now he's proven wrong pretty quickly.
The first race ended almost without any suspense, with the team's favorite, Pang Yuning, winning the championship. Because the result was not unexpected, the people at the betting table were not very interested.
In the second round, the host started drawing tickets. Song Ning didn't expect to be selected, but she was very excited at the thought of competing with professional players.
Song Ning changed his clothes and put on his gear. Thinking that there was still one more game to go, and worried that the tires might not be able to withstand the pressure of two games, Song Ning chose a motorcycle of the same model as his own from the venue and went to the game.
Before the race, Shen Yuxiu told her to have fun and not to worry too much about winning or losing. However, Song Ning has always been competitive. After warming up the car in the first few laps, she kept close behind her opponent and competed with another racer for third place.
Inside the viewing room, Jiang Qian sat on a sofa in front of the screen and said admiringly, "Her technique is good, but she's not familiar with the venue, so she'll probably lose this match."
Jack chimed in, "I'm not familiar with the venue or the car, only my muscle memory is good."
Jack turned to look at Shen Yuxiu, who was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window: "You're still planning to let her participate in the third round? Isn't that just throwing money away?"
Shen Yuxiu smiled and didn't argue, but Jiang Qian said, "That's not necessarily true. She's feeling better and better now. If she runs a few more laps, she might actually win."
Jiang Qian stroked her baby expectantly, then looked up and continued, "Besides, not using your own car means you're planning to save it for the third show, right?"
When his wife praised someone, Jack didn't say anything more, but he didn't quite agree with it.
Although it's an amateur race, the third round often includes retired professional racers as well as high-level drivers who can't participate due to their status, so winning isn't easy.
Moreover, the two cars have the same configuration. There may be differences, but they won't be significant. He doesn't think the outcome will be any different.
On the track, the competition was fierce, with everyone chasing each other. One motorcycle made a mistake and went off the track, tumbling twice in the run-off area.
The guide's enthusiastic and passionate narration and the exclamations of the audience in the stands resonated in the night sky.
After another cornering maneuver, Song Ning overtook the car in front and moved into third place, but was quickly overtaken by the other car. The two cars resembled a spiraling, intersecting curve as they battled for third place in the last three laps.
In the first few laps, Song Ning was unfamiliar with the terrain and failed to position himself properly a few times. Now he can't catch up with the first and second place, and no one is chasing the fifth place, which means they can't catch up with them either. So his only opponent is the car in front of him.
The opponent has a lot of throttle on the straightaways. Although Song Ning overtook him several times by using extreme maneuvers on the corners, he was easily overtaken by the opponent on the straightaways. And the last part of this track is a straightaway. Unless the opponent makes a major mistake, crashes or goes off track, it will be difficult for Song Ning to win.
Moreover, after several extreme maneuvers, Song Ning's car had started to shake, and if he continued, he was likely to make a mistake.
Song Ning calmly analyzed the current situation and decided to continue trying to overtake on the final curve to see if he could create a safe distance on the straightaway.
Unfortunately, after several attempts to catch up, they were unable to beat their opponent on the last straight and finished in fourth place.
Song Ning handed the car to the staff, took off his helmet, and walked into the room.
Song Ning stood on the big screen, which was playing highlights from the previous match, including several shots of Song Ning overtaking other cars.
However, Song Ning's face showed no joy, but rather a strong sense of unwillingness to compete again.
Several people came forward to offer words of encouragement and comfort, but Song Ning didn't really listen. After all, for her, a loss was a loss, and saying things like "you did well" or "you have a bright future" was meaningless.
"Don't be discouraged, you're welcome to come back next month." Jack stood next to Song Ning and thoughtfully asked the waiter to bring her a glass of soda.
Song Ning took the water from the waiter: "Why next month? Isn't there another match?"
She didn't want to wait until next month.
Jack feigned surprise: "You want to compete again?"
"No way?" Song Ning didn't look at Jack, but turned to look at Shen Yuxiu standing behind her.
"Yes." Shen Yuxiu's words were concise but his tone was firm.
After receiving the assurance, Song Ning found a seat and began to mentally review the match he had just played.
Jack and Jiang Qian exchanged a glance, and then both of them tacitly revealed expressions of suppressing laughter.
This is completely different from how Shen Yuxiu was arguing with people just now.
Five minutes ago, someone in the room made a flippant remark: "No wonder you have such high standards. This girl is both alluring and innocent, and she has a great figure. Even if you gave her to someone else, I wouldn't want to give her up."
Shen Yuxiu's expression remained unchanged as he calmly replied, "When will we see you in the top ten of the free tournament?"
"Damn, if you're so capable, come in and see for yourself."
Shen Yuxiu said calmly, "I don't know how, but my girlfriend is currently in third place."
"She came in third place, what are you so proud of?"
"I just want you to learn more so that you won't lose too badly in the next match," Shen Yuxiu said calmly.
"..." The man said, "You're too confident in her."
"Because she has the ability."
Shen Yuxiu's voice was calm and composed, without any hint of sarcasm, but his unwavering gaze was inexplicably unsettling.
"I hope she really does what you say and makes me lose badly."
"Let's wait and see."
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