Marriage and perseverance
The first snow of 2013, weighing down the eaves, seemed to silence the entire city, leaving only the joyful laughter of the family. After the Lantern Festival dinner, Fourth Uncle took Xiaofeng aside and asked about her recent training and fitness.
“Everyone can adapt.”
"Has Coach Mao arranged a match for you?"
"Well, there are five races." Xiaofeng raised his head, a barely perceptible sadness flashing across his eyes.
Wenqing's heart tightened, and just as he was about to speak, his fourth uncle took over the conversation: "Are you reluctant to leave Wenqing?"
Xiaofeng's face flushed instantly, and she quickly explained, "I'm just worried about not doing well in the competition."
Wenqing secretly laughed at the side, but couldn't help feeling a little distressed.
"Don't worry, Zhen Kang and his fellow riders will also participate in the competition, which will make it easier for us to plan our tactics," said Fourth Uncle.
"What do you mean?" Xiaofeng was puzzled.
"Simply put, we should first work together to face the outside world, and then compete within the team. Your main goal at this stage is to gain experience."
Xiao Feng sighed softly: "My training is always intermittent. Every time it's like going back to the 'factory settings'."
"You thought you were back to the starting point, but in fact you were spiraling upwards and had already reached a higher point." Fourth Uncle gently counseled.
"Thank you for the encouragement, Fourth Uncle!"
"Did you have any interesting experiences during your road trip?" As soon as Fourth Uncle asked, Wenqing smiled and said, "Let me tell you something."
He cleared his throat and began to tell the story. "One day after dinner, she said she wanted to drive, but I didn't agree. Seeing her dazed look, I was afraid she'd lose focus. She adjusted her seat, got out of the driver's seat, and sulked with me for a long time. After we got on the road, a driver kept cutting us off, doing some stupid maneuvers. I stopped my car and went out to confront them. But when the driver saw me getting out of the driver's seat, he hurriedly apologized, saying, 'I saw a beautiful woman sitting in the driver's seat in the parking lot, so I wanted to tease her.' I was so angry that I laughed, and told them, 'If you really encounter a female driver, you should stay away from her.'" At this point, Wenqing laughed again. "In the end, she ignored me all day because of this."
Xiaofeng pouted and retorted, "You're being sexist! Why should we stay away from female drivers? Not all female drivers are 'road killers.'"
Wen Qing was stunned for a moment, then reacted and said with a smile, "I'm not targeting all female drivers, I'm just targeting you."
"If you doubt my driving skills, you are doubting Coach Mao's ability and your fourth uncle's judgment!" Xiaofeng's voice became louder and louder, and the last sentence was almost shouted.
Fourth Uncle coughed lightly, breaking the slightly tense atmosphere: "Xiaofeng is very talented. When I first met her, I briefly told her a few words about driving skills. Were you stunned at the time?" Fourth Uncle patted Wenqing's arm.
Wenqing was stunned, and memories came flooding back like a tide - Xiaofeng, who was concentrating on racing, exuded a unique charm all over his body.
Her timing of shifting gears was astonishingly precise, and her choice of cornering route revealed amazing judgment; when she saw the motorcycle, her eyes were filled with awe and an eagerness to try.
Wenqing had to admit that his wife, this seemingly weak girl, actually had the blood of a racing driver flowing in her bones.
After Xiaofeng went to take a nap, Fourth Uncle asked Wenqing, "What are you worried about?"
"I'm worried the competition will separate us," Wenqing said softly, "or, worse, affect her performance."
Fourth Uncle patted his shoulder and said, "Then let her go and make her better."
As the competition drew closer, Xiaofeng's pressure grew. Five races meant long periods of separation and enormous challenges. She began to suffer from insomnia and made frequent mistakes during training.
Late at night when they arrived at their first stop, Xiaofeng sent a message to Wenqing: "I might not be able to do it."
Wenqing immediately replied: "You can."
"But..." Xiaofeng's reply was slow to come.
The next day, Xiaofeng was late for training. Her uncle was waiting anxiously and was about to call to ask about her when Xiaofeng rushed over with red and swollen eyes.
"What's wrong?" Fourth Uncle asked quickly.
Xiao Feng shook her head: "Nothing, just... a little scared."
"It's normal to be afraid. But you have to believe in yourself and believe in the team."
"What if I fail?" Xiaofeng's voice trembled.
"Then start over again." Fourth Uncle said firmly, "What's important is your progress, not your temporary success or failure."
"The competition is important," Uncle Si continued, "but your happiness is more important. No matter the result, we will be here waiting for you to finish safely."
In the first race, Xiaofeng always remembered the coach's advice - "keep the outside line before Turn 3", and finally won the first place.
Due to weather conditions, visibility was extremely low at the second stop. Xiaofeng, relying on his familiarity with the track before the race, simply used the forward leaning posture forbidden by the coach, sacrificing his vision and won first place again.
Rain before the third race nearly canceled the race. After the rain stopped, a drainage system failure caused by the heavy downpour resulted in a pool of water at Turn 5. "Slow down, make adjustments, don't brake"—this is the key to racing in the rain. In this race, she maintained her lead with a 0.05-second advantage.
The high temperatures at the fourth stop were a huge challenge, and her car's coolant alarm went off during the race. Due to her lack of experience, she attempted to increase heat dissipation by shifting the car's center of gravity, but her operation was inappropriate, and she ultimately finished second.
At the finals, Xiaofeng only needed to finish second to accrue the 25 points needed for the championship. Her eyes were filled with the desire for victory. Before the competition, she repeatedly stroked the photo of them on her phone—after nearly a month apart, she wanted to return home as a champion, to be Wenqing's pride.
On the final lap, Xiaofeng and Zhen Kang's cars entered the hairpin bend side by side. Xiaofeng employed a delayed steering strategy, completing her full steering maneuver only after exiting the turn. As she crossed the finish line, the timer showed her lap time was 0.12 seconds faster than her training best.
In the team assembly area, everyone waited for the final results to be confirmed. Zhen Kang sighed, "With such a short acceleration window, you were able to straighten the car. Your balance is so impressive that I'm completely convinced of your defeat."
But Fourth Uncle said in a warning tone: "The exit angle has exceeded the safety threshold during training. Go back and review it carefully."
The moment the screen froze on "No. 1. Rao Xiaofeng," Xiaofeng pumped her fists and screamed. Everyone was about to rush forward to hug her in celebration, but suddenly silence fell. Xiaofeng turned and saw Wenqing, arms outstretched behind her. Without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms and leaped high. Wenqing steadily caught her impact and held her tightly in his arms.
The familiar woody scent lingers on the tip of my nose - it's great, there is always someone waiting at the end.
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