Chapter 200
After the sub-station ended, there was still some time before the final battle for the GT Super Cup championship. Apart from preparations for the Open Cup, the racers also had sufficient time to recuperate.
Jing Yi received numerous congratulations during this period, some directed at her, and some at the Jing family. However, most of these were intercepted by Jing Beicheng and his wife.
Congratulations were welcome, but unnecessary social interactions were not.
But today, it couldn't be avoided. It was time for her to have a formal meal with Shen Huaichu's family.
Jing Yi looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was simply tied low, with a few strands framing her face. She wore a sleek black high-neck dress paired with a striking silver and white floral chunky necklace.
The makeup was done by Jing Zejun, who was admiring her work. "Perfect!" Jing Yi nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad, not bad. And no high heels."
Jing Zejun silently looked at her: ...
She only had one comment? Despite thinking that this makeup and styling was so flawless it could be featured in a magazine.
Jing Yi, of course, also thought she looked great, but compared to other things, the hassle of changing shoes when driving in high heels was just too much!
Jing Yi glanced at her watch. Oh no, she was running out of time. She quickly looked at herself in the mirror one last time and stood up.
"I'm off, Junjun! I'm almost late. I'll bring you something delicious when I get back!" With that, she hurried out.
Jing Zejun watched her back and inwardly sighed in relief. Good thing she didn't wear high heels; with Jing Yi's whirlwind personality, she would have been a bit worried.
...
The dinner was held at a private club. Since it was mainly a celebration for Jing Yi's victory, only Shen Huaichu and Shen Tu's family were present.
"Come, Yi Yi, try this. It's their specialty," Shen Tu enthusiastically urged.
Jing Yi sweetly replied, "Thank you, Auntie. You eat too." Shen Tu hardly ate, just smiling and watching Jing Yi with a look of contentment.
Shen Huaichu, sitting beside them, said helplessly, "Auntie, I'll take care of Yi Yi. You should eat too." If she kept staring like that, how would Jing Yi eat?
Jing Yi smiled and obediently ate the food Shen Tu gave her, inwardly relieved.
Shen Tu shot a glare at Shen Huaichu. She said she would take care of Yi Yi, but he hadn't said a word the whole time. It was as if he were mute! She had to step in as the auntie.
However, Shen Tu eventually calmed down and allowed Jing Yi to eat in peace.
"Yi Yi, so you knew that black racing car was deliberately trying to mess with you during the race?" The conversation naturally turned to the details of Jing Yi's race.
Gu Lin, who had been uninterested in eating, eagerly looked at Jing Yi, his admiration evident in his eyes.
Gu Lin was also a hardcore racing enthusiast. Previously, he had only admired Jing Yi's skills, acknowledging that she was indeed better than him, but not to the point of idolization.
It wasn't until he saw Jing Yi's overtaking maneuver that his admiration truly blossomed. At the time, he could still calmly analyze the black car's dirty tactics on the surface, but deep down, he was incredibly excited.
Fake moves, braking on the outside—she overtook them all! That kind of maneuver was simply incredible!
Jing Yi took the shrimp Shen Huaichu peeled for her and looked at Gu Lin. "I didn't have time to react at first. It was only after I dodged that I realized."
Gu Lin was excited. "Your reaction speed is incredible! If it were anyone else, they would have crashed!"
Shen Huaichu's hand paused for a moment as he peeled the shrimp, but he quickly continued, though this subtle movement did not escape Jing Yi's notice.
Her eyes flickered, and she subtly changed the subject, engaging Gu Lin in a conversation about his daily work.
Jing Yi could tell that Shen Huaichu was worried. The way he relaxed after the high-pressure race was more apparent than anyone else's.
After dinner, Shen Huaichu sent Jing Yi home. They walked hand in hand along the street.
Moonlight bathed the street, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves, bringing a cool touch of the night. Occasionally, a few cars passed by.
The quiet night seemed peaceful, but both of them were far from calm inside.
Jing Yi spoke first. "Actually, you didn't have to come watch my race."
It was the same thing she had said before. Compared to having Shen Huaichu witness her victory, she cared more about how he felt in that environment.
When he watched her training, Shen Huaichu probably wasn't at ease, and during the actual race, with the added worry about her safety, it must have been even harder for him.
Shen Huaichu tightened his grip on their clasped hands. "I wanted to see you win."
Jing Yi stopped walking and looked seriously at the person in front of her.
"Shen Huaichu, you don't want to see me win. You want to see me safe and sound."
Shen Huaichu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he couldn't refute Jing Yi's words.
They stood under the streetlight, the warm light unable to dispel the tension between them.
"If it makes you uncomfortable, why force yourself?" Jing Yi pulled Shen Huaichu and stood quietly under the streetlight.
"Shen Huaichu, I'm not so demanding that even knowing my boyfriend doesn't like that atmosphere, I would still selfishly ask him to stay with me."
Shen Huaichu immediately replied, "It's me who wants to stay with you."
"... Am I affecting you?" he asked cautiously.
He just wanted to see her safe; he didn't want to become her obstacle.
Seeing the stubbornness in Shen Huaichu's eyes, Jing Yi's nose tingled. She said seriously, "No, you've never affected me."
She just felt that it was time for them to have a good talk.
After a while, Jing Yi softly said, "Didn't you say you would trust me?"
'Shen Huaichu, do you trust me?'
'Yes, I trust you.'
Back then, you said you trusted me, even enough to entrust your life to me.
Why now, can't you even trust that I can come out of the race unscathed?
Jing Yi's voice was soft, but her words struck Shen Huaichu like a heavy hammer.
He tightened his grip on Jing Yi's hand even more, his eyes filled with panic. "Yi Yi, I don't not trust you. It's just that..."
Jing Yi met his gaze, as if trying to see into his heart, her eyelashes quivering. "You were already so uncomfortable, yet you still stood there. What kind of trust is that?"
Jing Yi tried to stay calm, but her voice still carried a hint of grievance.
Jing Yi loved racing, a love that was hard to describe.
It wasn't about wanting to beat everyone else; it was about the love of having her life in her own hands.
She had been an orphan, yet it felt like her fate was never truly hers to control. It seemed like everyone could step in, just because they worried about her being an orphan.
Finally, she went to university, became an adult, and thought she could finally follow the path she wanted. But a bizarre time-travel brought her here.
Oh well, maybe she should just be a salted fish. Having someone arrange things for her wasn't so bad.
Yet, she found herself back at the steering wheel. For her, it wasn't just racing; it was the feeling of holding her own life in her hands.
Now, she seemed to be at a crossroads, unable to find a way that satisfied both.
"Shen Huaichu, let's both calm down for a while."