Chapter 42:  “I Like You, I Like You To Death”

The moment Jiang Cheng heard the voice, his heart trembled, fearing that it was an illusion born from his longing and he dared not look up.  Until the voice sounded again, clear as if it were right beside him…

“Jiang Cheng!”

Jiang Cheng finally lost control, frantically looking for the source of the voice in the crowd.  At once, he saw Ji Shu Yi standing by the railing, wearing a red cloak and a woolen coat.  Her eyes were full of concern, her fingers gripping the mesh of the railing as she gazed at him, repeatedly calling his name.  At that moment, Jiang Cheng, like a hammered whale finally finding salvation, felt every cell in his body reborn.  Then, as if possessed, he disregarded the countdown ticking away every second and the overwhelming tension that had filled the entire arena.  He quickly unbuckled his seatbelt, made a gesture to the referee for a pause, and dashed towards Ji Shu Yi.  The young man in the black and white racing suit, who had been on the track, sprinted towards the fence, his figure nearly a blur.

Reaching the fence, Jiang Cheng was somewhat emotional, forgetting the limits he’d promised her. He reached out through the iron mesh and wrapped his arms around the girl’s neck, his voice low and trembling: “You… how did you get here?”

Ji Shu Yi, dusty and exhausted, looked at the boy running towards her with worry in her eyes: “Chen Xing Yi talked to me a lot, and I was so worried about you…”

Jiang Cheng turned his head, surprised, to look at Chen Xing Yi beside him. Chen Xing Yi, with a “don’t worry about it, bro” air, silently smiled and nodded towards him.

Before Jiang Cheng could ask more, he heard Ji Shu Yi’s soft voice, tinged with worry, saying: “Jiang Cheng, come closer, I have something to tell you.”

They were separated by the iron mesh fence, unable to embrace.

“Okay.” Jiang Cheng, flattered and flustered, hastily bent down, trying to get as close to her as possible.  He was anxious about what she was going to say, but never expected that the moment he leaned in, a soft kiss landed on his corner of his mouth.  Then, he heard the girl’s soft voice by his ear: “You must be careful, you must protect yourself.”

Jiang Cheng froze, his soul returning to his body after several seconds.  He stared blankly at the girl who had just kissed him: “You… you kissed me.”

“What’s wrong?” Ji Shu Yi’s ears turned red under his gaze: “I… I didn’t let you kiss me back.”

Seeing her blushing ears, Jiang Cheng’s heart pounded like a drum, his blood boiling.  He tried to control his excitement, carefully probing: “You can kiss me, any way you want.  But… can I kiss you back?”

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the little girl was shy, her cheeks red as she pursed her lips and mumbled: “You can kiss me after your race ends.”

Jiang Cheng’s eyes instantly sparkled with delight.  He excitedly asked back: “Are you sure? Don’t get angry after I kiss you.”

Ji Shu Yi raised her eyelids to look at him, then quickly averted her gaze from his burning eyes.  She nodded: “Okay.”

At that moment, the referee and other racers urged him on.  The corners of Jiang Cheng’s eyes and brows were filled with an uncontainable smile, and he even arrogantly revealed his wild, arrogant nature: “I’m going to win the championship, I’ll kiss you when I win the championship.”  He seemed completely confident in his victory.

But she only said she’d kiss him after the race ended, while he himself had added the wager of winning the championship.  It was as if in his heart, if he lost, he wouldn’t be worthy of kissing her.

Ji Shu Yi watched Jiang Cheng run back onto the track.  In a short time, he had transformed from the hesitant and anxious boy who came running, to someone whose very back was now a beacon of unrestrained confidence.  For a moment, Ji Shu Yi wondered if he had gone mad or she had gone mad, running all this way to tell him these things and then, in a daze, agreeing to kiss him…  But if she hadn’t come, if anything had happened to him, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

On the track now, all the racers were ready.  The girl with the fiery figure waved a flag in front of the racing team.  The flag dropped, the whistle blew, and the simultaneous roar of countless racing cars detonated the entire arena.  Screams and shouts echoed in the air for a long time.

In the blink of an eye, Ji Shu Yi could no longer see Jiang Cheng’s car, only the deafening screams and the receding roar of the racing cars.  The entire course was 5.772 kilometers, and the fastest lap on record was one minute and twenty-one seconds.  Just as everyone was guessing whether the champion could break the record, Jiang Cheng’s car had already left the second place far behind, at a crushing speed, rushing towards the finish line.

Jiang Cheng, having crossed the finish line, didn’t even have time to check his time, didn’t wait for the referee’s voice, didn’t wait for security to clear the way out, he jumped over the barrier and charged towards the outside of the track, like a leopard just released from its cage, eager to break through the throngs of people towards Ji Shu Yi.

Ji Shu Yi saw Jiang Cheng cross the finish line on the big screen and hurriedly went to look for the exit.  Just as she turned her head, she saw Jiang Cheng rushing towards her like the wind through the crowd.  At that moment, he bore the astonished and admiring gazes of everyone, as if draped in a thousand rays of light, so dazzling that she couldn’t help but stop and stare.  It wasn’t until he was only a step away that she called out his name in a daze: “Jiang Cheng… Mmm!”  The rest of her words were swallowed by the kiss that suddenly and forcefully descended.

Jiang Cheng, as soon as he reached her, cupped the girl’s face with both hands, his kiss domineering and irresistible,  under the eyes of everyone, he lowered his head and kissed her deeply.  It was like a fish about to dry out, desperately needing the nourishment of the sea, a desperate and greedy entanglement, a completely uncontrollable craving…

The noisy, chaotic crowd, at that moment, inexplicably quieted down simultaneously, as if everyone had held their breath in unison, afraid to disturb the fiery romance unfolding before them.  The boy, wild and unrestrained, had swept through the racetrack, and then, in his racing suit, impatiently cut through the crowds to embrace and kiss his beloved.  It was impossible to tell whether his extreme speed on the track was to win the championship or if he was simply eager to kiss his girl.

The crowd roared again, everyone enthusiastically and kindly cheering for them.  Amid the chaos and revelry, Ji Shu Yi was almost breathless from the kiss, her whole body went weak, collapsing into his arms.  At that moment, Ji Shu Yi vaguely understood that this man, he could be as humble as dust, making her feel sorry for him, and he could also be strong and wild, leaving her with no way out.  Just like now, his inherent wantonness and domineering nature left her completely defenseless.  But this transformation, however, was only after she had allowed it, as if as long as she didn’t agree, he could forever suppress his nature for her.  The little girl’s heart fluttered again, falling into an infinite vortex, gradually losing herself completely.

“Mmm… Jiang, Jiang Cheng…” Ji Shu Yi, unable to bear it, stammered, pushing him away: “I, I’m going to die from your kissing.”

Jiang Cheng felt her whole body soften against him, her breathing becoming erratic.  Only then did he reluctantly loosen his grip, but he didn’t let her go.  Instead, he held her tightly in his arms, smiling contentedly, and whispered in her ear: “Did you hear that?”

Ji Shu Yi leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, her mind blank and ethereal, her lips numb. She mumbled: “What?”

At this moment, the race on the track had already ended.  Everyone in the stadium was shouting the champion’s name, cheering for the champion.  And the champion could only be him, the gift he wanted to give her.

Hearing the entire stadium chanting his name, introducing his country, and shouting about his breaking of the world record.  The roar of the crowd reverberated throughout the arena.  Jiang Cheng, proud and arrogant, lifted the corners of his lips slightly, whispering in Ji Shu Yi’s ear: “You heard the whole world cheering for you.”

Ji Shu Yi’s wandering mind had been jolted back to reality by the sound of the entire stadium chanting the name “Jiang Cheng,” but she couldn’t help but mutter in confusion: “They’re clearly cheering for you.”

“But I’m yours.” Jiang Cheng tightened his arms around her, bent down, and rested his chin on her shoulder.  After a few seconds, he continued in a low, heavy voice: “You don’t know how happy I was when I saw you appear, I thought it was an illusion.  You kissed me, I was so happy I was going crazy. When I left, you were angry, I was so afraid you wouldn’t pay attention to me anymore.  I don’t know how to coax people, I don’t know how to say nice things, but, Ji Shu Yi, I really…”  He paused for a moment, his voice trembling: “I really like you to death.  You were mad at me, I was going crazy with worry, but I didn’t know where to start to coax you…” He put his hands on the girl’s shoulders, gently pulling them a little apart, bent down, looked at her levelly, and said very seriously: “In the future, if I do anything wrong, just tell me, okay? I’ll change, I’ll change everything, for you, okay?”

Ji Shu Yi finally heard his clear and direct declaration of love.  This was also the first time she had heard him speak so much, so softly and heavily.  He said he was going crazy with worry, he said he would change, he would change for her, and he also said he liked her.  She subconsciously clenched her hand, feeling a subtle sweetness in his words for the first time.

Seeing that Ji Shu Yi only looked up at him with her fair and beautiful face, and didn’t respond, Jiang Cheng anxiously sighed slightly, and directly asked: “Ji Shu Yi, will you be my girlfriend? I won’t bully you anymore, and I won’t allow anyone to bully you.”

Ji Shu Yi, hearing this, clenched her small fist, easing her joyful emotions, afraid that she would laugh out loud.  She had not expected to hear him say these words today, every single one of them had struck a chord in her heart, it was as if an iron tree had bloomed.

Seeing that she was still just tilting her little face, her bright eyes blinking at him, but not giving him any response, after a few seconds of staring at each other, he leaned down and kissed her tender, lustrous lips again.

“Mmm!” The sudden kiss made Ji Shu Yi’s eyes widen in surprise, blushing with embarrassment, she hurriedly pushed him away: “What are you doing!”

Jiang Cheng: “I’m bringing your soul back.”

“…” Ji Shu Yi glared at him with a hint of reproach: “You need your soul brought back.”

Jiang Cheng, with no temper, asked: “So, will you answer me?”

Ji Shu Yi, hearing the sound of the stadium, did not answer, but reminded him: “Everyone’s waiting for you to go on stage to receive the award.”

Jiang Cheng ignored her and repeated: “Will you be my girlfriend?”

Ji Shu Yi didn’t want to agree to his confession so easily, deliberately tilting her chin and saying evasively: “I want the trophy.”

“You’re just trying to make me angry,” Jiang Cheng sighed with no temper: “Okay, I’ll go get the trophy for you.”

Looking at Jiang Cheng’s frustrated and dejected back as he turned and walked towards the podium, Ji Shu Yi covered her face with her hands and laughed with delight, a sweet laugh.  However, at this time, Jiang Cheng, who had already walked far away, turned back to look at her, and the sweetly laughing Ji Shu Yi immediately changed her expression, putting her hands down, only tilting her chin expressionlessly, looking at him with a delicate and aloof air.  He couldn’t do anything about her.

At this time, Chen Xing Yi and Shen Yan returned to Ji Shu Yi’s side.  Shen Yan, smiling stealthily, leaned over and asked: “When did you and Jiang Cheng develop to this point? I don’t know anything, it’s my duty as your older sister!”

Ji Shu Yi, feeling embarrassed, covered up: “Nothing, just… just a sudden situation.”

“Oh~~” Shen Yan, with a knowing smile, continued to mutter softly: “It seems like my brother hasn’t been able to chase you yet, he still needs to work harder.  But don’t worry, I’ve timely stopped Tang Shi Qing from spreading gossip about your ‘sudden situation’, it won’t be on the trending list.”

Ji Shu Yi, realizing belatedly, quickly thanked her: “Thank you, Mei Yan, I don’t want to be on the trending list, especially for something like this.”

“Don’t worry,” Shen Yan reassured her objectively: “Even if I didn’t do it, Jiang Cheng wouldn’t let this spread, he just doesn’t know how to talk, but he’s very careful when it comes to doing things.”

Chen Xing Yi suddenly added: “But I never expected my brother to run through the crowd to kiss you like that, I only know he’s dead arrogant… haha, I didn’t expect him to be a closet romantic.”

Ji Shu Yi: “…”  She couldn’t help but retort: “You’re the closet romantic.”

Chen Xing Yi chuckled and raised an eyebrow: “Oh, you’re already defending him, huh?  Tsk… I forgot to record the audio for my brother to listen to.”

Ji Shu Yi, because Chen Xing Yi had found her to tell her those things about Jiang Cheng, didn’t bother arguing with him, only replying in a good-natured tone: “I don’t want to bother with you.”

Jiang Cheng, after receiving the award, stepped down from the stage amidst the cheers and applause of everyone.  He politely declined all requests for photos and impromptu interviews.  As he hurried back to Ji Shu Yi, she quickly signaled him with her eyes that everyone was around and he shouldn’t say anything ambiguous.  Jiang Cheng, who had already spoken, frowned in distress, afraid of embarrassing her, so he could only shut up for now, only grumbling and asking: “Do you still want the trophy?”

“Of course,” Ji Shu Yi immediately reached out and took the trophy with both hands.  This was the trophy he had won for her, after being injured!

Jiang Cheng handed the trophy to her, but he couldn’t help but ask softly and indirectly: “Just the trophy?”

Ji Shu Yi, seeing his dejected and frustrated look, knowingly asked: “What else?”

Jiang Cheng, feeling frustrated, leaned beside her, lowered his head, and spoke in her ear: “What about me?”  Just the trophy, don’t you want me?

Ji Shu Yi looked up at him, their eyes met for a few seconds, and just when Jiang Cheng thought she was about to answer, she suddenly turned her head and looked at her sister, making a complete 360-degree turn, and asked: “Didn’t you say there’s a victory banquet? Where is it?”

Shen Yan looked at the time: “We can go now.”

Jiang Cheng: “…”

The victory banquet was held at a luxurious club, which included entertainment, dining, games, lodging, and everything else.

 (Two chapters in one!)