Prologue: He Wants to Bend You

“July 2nd, clear skies, a light breeze, excellent air quality… Hmm, not bad, not bad, everything is just perfect.” Hu Tianhao sniffed the air in an exaggerated manner, as if savoring it. “Mr. Li, don’t you think that without a certain someone, the air here at the racetrack even smells fresher?”

The man being called out was putting on his helmet. Without so much as a blink, he replied coolly, his lips lifting slightly, “Hu Tianhao, don’t joke about others. Get back to your own car.”

“Hey, what did I even say?” Hu Tianhao, surprised by the pushback, quickly ran over to Li Zhiyi, questioning him, “Big Boss Li, he copies your style every day and goes wherever you go. Just watching it annoys me, but you let him do it like it’s nothing. And now you’re going to scold me over Qiao Xingzhou, that little green tea? Are you really my good buddy? Are we even on the same page anymore?”

Li Zhiyi was used to Hu Tianhao’s hyper antics, so he just let out a lazy, faint scoff. “I’ve told you before, don’t bring up irrelevant person. Talking about someone behind their back is really low-class; it makes me almost reluctant to admit I know you. As for him, he’s just imitating me. Let him if he wants; it doesn’t affect me at all.”

Hu Tianhao was choked with frustration, momentarily speechless. “Am I worried about him imitating you? I’m worried he wants to bend you…”

Before he could finish his sentence, he saw the very person they were talking about walking over.

It’s over! Caught bad-mouthing someone behind their back! Hu Tianhao was already imagining how he would meet his end.

Unexpectedly, the other person paid him no mind at all, their full attention focused solely on his good buddy.

“Brother.” In a timid, pitiful tone, with tears on the verge of falling, Qiao Xingzhou looked up and said, “In your eyes, am I really just an ‘irrelevant person’? It seems you don’t remember me at all.”

What a strange point of focus! Hu Tianhao grumbled internally.

So all that worrying was for nothing, this guy never even had him in his sights!

Wait, that’s not right. Why would he be happy that he doesn’t even notice him?!

“No, I have a very deep impression of you.” Seeing his expression, Li Zhiyi instinctively softened his tone. “I remember you. You… what are you doing here?”

“I… I also want to race.” Qiao Xingzhou said, his eyes darting nervously from side to side, clearly uncertain and lacking confidence.

Hu Tianhao exaggeratedly raised his brows and made faces, screaming internally: “It’s all fake! Totally fake! Brother, please don’t fall into that little green tea’s trap!”

As expected, Li Zhiyi frowned. “Do you even know how to drive if you want to race?”

“I… I…” Qiao Xingzhou’s voice weakened, “I don’t.”

“That’s more like it. If you don’t know, just say so. Don’t try to show off,” Li Zhiyi lectured him plainly. “Racing is a dangerous sport, not something amateurs should attempt.”

“But I also want to experience what it’s like to race…” Qiao Xingzhou looked up at Li Zhiyi with admiration in his eyes. “I saw the video that Young Master Wang posted in his Moments. You looked so cool racing in the video, and I just wanted to give it a try.”

“So you’re really set on trying this?” Li Zhiyi said, feeling a bit of a headache. “I can’t let you try, it’s not that easy to race. You even need a special license for it.”

“I don’t have to drive, sitting in the passenger seat would be fine too.” Qiao Xingzhou, understanding and willing to compromise, added in an increasingly pitiful tone, “When I was young, I was in poor health and couldn’t handle the wind, so I never got to experience that thrill of speeding. That’s why I envy it so much.”

Hu Tianhao couldn’t resist pinching his nose and said mockingly, “Hey, where’s this strong tea scent coming from? It’s so intense!”

Qiao Xingzhou immediately showed an expression as if he were about to cry. “Brother Tianhao, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but every time you see me, you say these strange things…”

“Hu Tianhao, cut it out,” Li Zhiyi said with a frown. To distract Qiao Xingzhou from Hu Tianhao’s rudeness, he quickly added, “Young Master Qiao, how about this: you sit in my passenger seat, and I’ll take you for a lap?”

Qiao Xingzhou’s face lit up instantly, though he still feigned hesitation. “Really? Is that okay, Brother?”

“If I’m offering, it means it’s fine.” Li Zhiyi nodded.

“Of course, I’d love to!” Qiao Xingzhou quickly responded. “Thank you, Brother. Oh, by the way, goodbye, Brother Tianhao. I’m getting in the car now.”

“Aiyo, what even is this?!” Hu Tianhao wailed, clutching his head. “This guy’s practically riding over my head!^[1]骑在我的头上 (qí zàiwǒ de tóushàng) = riding over my head, is a common Chinese expression, though not a formal idiom. It figuratively means that someone is disrespecting or disregarding … Continue reading”

“Stop wailing like a donkey,” Li Zhiyi said, turning his head away as if he couldn’t bear to look. “Get in the car. I’ll take him for a lap with you.”

With that, ignoring Hu Tianhao’s even louder wails behind him, Li Zhiyi got into his car.

He turned his head to fasten his seatbelt and only remembered there was someone beside him after he turned back.

Li Zhiyi glanced at him, noticing that he had already buckled up. Clearing his throat lightly, he said, “Racing isn’t exactly stable. Since it’s your first time, be prepared.”

Qiao Xingzhou gripped the seatbelt with both hands, looking tense yet obedient. “Got it, brother. I won’t make you worry, I promise.”

As Li Zhiyi shifted gears, he thought of something and added, “If it gets to be too much, don’t push yourself. It’s not like I have to finish the whole lap.”

Qiao Xingzhou paused, then smiled. “Brother, you’re really good to me.”

Li Zhiyi sighed inwardly: Even though Hu Tianhao had analyzed it so clearly, why did he still find himself softening every time he faced Qiao Xingzhou?

Could it really be that Qiao Xingzhou’s green tea skills are just too advanced? Li Zhiyi felt frustrated and unsettled.

Despite the chaos in his mind, his muscle memory took over, and he completed the lap at full speed, effortlessly leaving Hu Tianhao far behind. He came to a stop with a drift right at the finish line.

Qiao Xingzhou praised him enthusiastically, “Brother, you’re amazing! If you weren’t so busy running a company, you could totally go into professional racing.”

But Li Zhiyi remained modest. “It’s just a hobby; I’m definitely not as skilled as the professionals. You… you just felt the wind, how are you feeling?”

“Ah, my head feels a bit dizzy,” Qiao Xingzhou seemed to realize belatedly, holding his head. “Brother, could you take me home?”

“Let’s call it a day, then. I’ll take you home first,” Li Zhiyi decided after a moment’s thought.

Hu Tianhao slammed his car door shut with a “bang” and ran over. “One lap? Seriously, buddy, did you come to the racetrack just to sweep the place? Leaving after just one lap? Why not just stay home and play racing games on your phone?”

“Stop it,” Li Zhiyi said with a helpless sigh. “Young Master Qiao isn’t feeling well.”

“Brother Tianhao,” Qiao Xingzhou said lightly, “a win is still a win, even if it’s just one lap. Could it be that someone as impressive as you can’t handle losing?”

Hu Tianhao paused, then wailed even louder. After wailing for a while with no one paying him any attention, and on top of that, having lost the race, he looked at the two being all lovey-dovey and finally let out a long sigh:

“Li Zhiyi won the race, Qiao Xingzhou achieved his goal. Great. And here I am, the only one left hurt in this world!”

On the way back, Li Zhiyi had switched to his own car, driving Qiao Xingzhou home.

“Brother, you seem a bit quiet all of a sudden,” Qiao Xingzhou spoke up unexpectedly. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” Li Zhiyi replied, pressing his lips together.

Qiao Xingzhou continued, “Then why?”

After a long pause, Li Zhiyi finally said, “…Last time, you also called me ‘impressive.’”

“Yeah, so?” Qiao Xingzhou didn’t quite understand.

Li Zhiyi let out a deep sigh and asked a question that was very out of character for him:

“So, in your eyes, am I the same as Hu Tianhao?”