Chapter 043: Crisis!

Chapter 043: Crisis!

Zhou Xiaolong exhaled heavily, his face pale as he turned to look at the Audi that had just raced past the final checkpoint like a sword, its arrogance undiminished. Frustrated, he slammed his fists on the steering wheel twice.

A whole lap.

That Audi had actually lapped him—he hadn’t even finished two laps, and the Audi had already completed three. And as if that wasn’t enough, the Audi had finished with a fierce drift that sent him spinning off the track. If his own driving skills weren’t up to par, his Bugatti would have taken flight from that move.

Such perilous situations only occurred in the races his mentor, a professional driver, participated in—never in his own experience. The memory of that dangerous instant left Zhou Xiaolong with lingering fear, cold sweat soaking his back. He felt as though he’d skirted the edge of death; had his car actually gone airborne...

He dared not imagine it. Even if he survived, at that speed, he’d almost certainly be left crippled.

—

The red Audi R8 screeched to a halt beneath the stands after a final, flawless drift.

"Wow, Master, you’re amazing! Absolutely stunning—so cool!" Lan Youyou, who had already quit the race halfway, darted over, threw her arms around Chu Fei’s neck, and squealed with excitement.

She wasn’t alone; the other girls all gathered around as well. Their eyes sparkled as they gazed at Chu Fei, their admiration now genuine and heartfelt. Before, it might have been out of deference to Lan Youyou’s status, but now it was pure adoration. He was too impressive—especially the way he drove, which was nothing short of dazzling.

The girls’ reactions stood in stark contrast to those of the young men who had also left the track early, visibly shaken. Their faces clouded, they hurried to their cars and sped off toward Zhou Xiaolong, who had been sent flying off the track by Chu Fei’s final drift.

Chu Fei frowned and gently removed Lan Youyou’s hand, glancing in concern at Xiao Mimi, who still sat in the passenger seat, petrified. Guilt pricked at him—he’d been so caught up in venting his frustration through speed that he’d completely forgotten about the girl next to him.

"Damn, Big Mimi, are you in shock? Don’t tell me you got so excited you—" one of the girls teased, curiosity in her eyes.

"Really? Was it that intense?" The others crowded closer.

"Ugh—" Xiao Mimi’s response was to open her mouth and retch violently. She flung open the car door and tumbled out, paying no heed to the dirt as she collapsed on the ground, vomiting everything in her stomach until only bile was left. Even then, the dry heaving wouldn't stop, and her clothes were covered in the mess—a truly foul sight.

The girls exchanged glances and then all turned to Lan Youyou. One stammered, "Boss, is this what you meant by ‘spraying’? Turns out it’s from the mouth, not the other end?" Her expression was odd.

"When did I say it was the other end?" Lan Youyou said coolly, pouting. "I warned her, but she didn’t listen. Now she’s learned her lesson."

"Yeah, yeah." The girls nodded in agreement. Looking at Xiao Mimi now, “suffering” didn’t begin to describe it. They were just grateful it hadn’t been them in the passenger seat. They’d been jealous of Xiao Mimi before, but now they felt a mix of schadenfreude and lingering fear.

At last, when Xiao Mimi could vomit no more, even her bile spent, two girls helped her to her feet. Her legs were as limp as noodles, and she faced Chu Fei with an aggrieved, pitiful look, tears and snot smeared across her face. After a long moment, she managed a weak, trembling voice: "Handsome Master, you almost killed me."

It was an ambiguous remark, but after watching her retch, the girls only felt a chill.

Chu Fei gave her an apologetic look. "I warned you, but you wouldn’t listen."

Xiao Mimi managed a bitter smile. No one could imagine the ordeal unless they’d experienced it themselves. She’d wanted to vomit for ages, but Chu Fei’s speed and relentless drifting had kept her mouth clamped shut—otherwise, she’d have covered the car’s interior by now.

Even now, after vomiting, every part of her body felt battered, as if it had been taken apart and put back together. She realized for the first time that riding in a car could feel so much like courting death.

"Don’t drive your Audi for a while when you get back," Chu Fei suddenly said. "Take it to a service center for a thorough check."

"Huh?" Xiao Mimi was taken aback.

"I pushed the car too hard just now, didn’t consider its limits. If I’m not mistaken, it’s probably totaled," Chu Fei said wryly. He knew Audi’s limits well—there was no “probably” about it; it was certainly a write-off.

"No way!" the girls exclaimed in unison.

"If repairs cost too much, just buy a new one. Make Lan Youyou pay for it," Chu Fei said, turning to Lan Youyou with a grin, utterly unconcerned.

"No problem, it’s just an Audi," Lan Youyou replied carelessly. But the look she gave Chu Fei showed her disbelief—she wasn’t alone; the other girls also looked skeptical. Could a few drifts really ruin a car? What a joke.

Still, none of them challenged Chu Fei at that moment. So what if he was wrong? He was so dazzling that they were already completely won over.

Just then, a group approached from nearby—it was Zhou Xiaolong and his companions. Their expressions toward Lan Youyou and the others were far from friendly.

"What are you staring at? Sore losers?" a girl with big eyes taunted, acting as if she’d been the one to win the race.

"Lan Youyou, you did well today. I concede," Zhou Xiaolong said, his tone straightforward. He shot a wary glance at Chu Fei. There was no sign of provocation, only a slight nod. He hadn’t realized it at first, but now, in hindsight, he understood just how close to disaster he’d come. Had Chu Fei pressed a bit harder, he’d have gone flying for sure.

Was it that Chu Fei couldn’t do it? Of course not.

The only explanation was that Chu Fei had shown mercy. Otherwise, at best, he’d be crippled; at worst, dead.

Zhou Xiaolong, for all his arrogance and notoriety in Donghai, wasn’t truly a scoundrel. That’s why he now felt an even deeper respect and awe for the man before him.

"Zhou Xiaolong, you lost, so you need to pay up," Lan Youyou said now.

"Don’t worry. I’m not that petty. The Bugatti is yours now—do with it as you please," Zhou Xiaolong replied, his face darkening, but he said nothing more. He turned and left with his companions.

So Zhou Xiaolong’s wager was actually the Bugatti?

Chu Fei glanced at the Bugatti in the distance, quietly impressed. These rich kids didn’t play around. Lan Youyou had wagered herself, and Zhou Xiaolong had bet his sports car—utterly crazy.

But then, looking at the two Bugattis, Chu Fei understood. Anyone who could afford to drive a Bugatti wouldn’t care about money. To them, a sports car might mean less than a glass of milk.

"It’s getting late. I have things to do, so I’ll head off," Chu Fei said, withdrawing his gaze.

"What? We just won—shouldn’t we go somewhere to celebrate?" the girls exclaimed in shock.

"Celebrate all you want if you like. Do you think Master is as idle as you?" Lan Youyou scolded, her tone sharp.

The girls pouted. Lan Youyou was acting like she was the responsible one, but she was no better.

Ignoring her friends, Lan Youyou quickly brought the Hummer over and enthusiastically opened the door for Chu Fei. "Master, get in—I’ll drive you wherever you want to go." Her eagerness was unmistakable.

Chu Fei smiled, not refusing her offer, and got into the car.

The Hummer H3 roared to life and sped off, leaving the girls coughing in its exhaust.

"Hey, don’t you think Lan Youyou’s acting a bit strange today?" one girl asked, fanning away the fumes.

"Strange? She’s head over heels! Didn’t you see the way she looked at Master? So full of affection," said another.

"Nonsense—affection! It’s admiration, pure and simple—ugh—" Even Xiao Mimi couldn’t help but chime in, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she started retching again. The others immediately stepped back, wrinkling their noses. Only now did they realize just how awful she smelled.

—

"Master, you really are a racing god. That last drift was incredible," Lan Youyou gushed, her eyes full of stars. She had no idea what her friends were saying behind her back, nor did she care.

"Is that so?" Chu Fei smiled faintly, lighting a cigarette and taking a drag. His eyes grew distant—the race hadn’t quite dispelled his inner frustration. The thought of Qi Hong still gnawed at him.

"Of course," Lan Youyou nodded. "Master, you promised to teach me how to race. You can’t go back on your word, okay?" She gazed at him imploringly, her admiration now carved into her very bones, terrified he might change his mind.

"I said I’d teach you, and I will. But I don’t have much free time..."

"That’s fine! I’m in no rush. Whenever you have time, just call me—I’ll be there," Lan Youyou replied, waving her hand with a smile as bright as a flower.

Chu Fei couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. The more he interacted with her, the more he found her endearing—even if her foul mouth and rich-girl quirks were a bit much, they weren’t off-putting.

"Hmm?"

Just then, Chu Fei’s eyes narrowed as he looked ahead.

Two blinding headlights were speeding straight toward them.

Normally, this would be nothing.

But his instincts screamed that something was wrong. The racetrack was in the outskirts, and to get back to the city, they had to take a deserted mountain road—the very stretch they were now on.

"Youyou, watch out!"

The headlights drew closer and closer. A sense of impending danger surged within Chu Fei, and he shouted a warning. His sharp eyes made out, behind the dazzling beams, a large truck barreling toward them.

What was a truck doing on a deserted mountain road at this hour? It didn’t make sense.

But it was too late—

Bang—crash!

A deafening roar shattered the night as the truck slammed into the Hummer.

Sturdy as it was, the Hummer was no match for the truck. It was sent careening off the road and straight over the cliff’s edge.