Chapter Ninety-Seven: Kindness

His own trapped racing car had been “rescued” by his archrival. Wasn’t this fate lending a helping hand? Destiny had sent Ai Chixiang to save Mo Shu’s car, a twist both ironic and absurd.

“You! You’re such an idiot!” Ai Chixiang, furious, was still grabbing his navigator by the collar and berating him when he saw Mo Shu standing on the other side of the car window, smiling and offering a courteous gesture. “Thank you!” Mo Shu said.

Ha! Barefaced mockery!

Ai Chixiang felt he might faint from sheer indignation. “Mo Shu! Wang Yining! You’d better remember this!”

As Ai Chixiang’s hoarse curses echoed, Mo Shu started his own car.

Vroom—

From the sound alone, the car was in perfect condition; Wang Yining’s “tank aura” had worked wonders at a crucial moment.

Watching his opponent return to the race, and knowing it was because he himself had helped, Ai Chixiang was deeply anxious. If only he’d been a little more careful, he wouldn’t have fallen into the ditch, and the opportunity to lead in the SS1 stage had slipped right through his fingers. How could he not be frantic?

Ai Chixiang tried several times, but his car wouldn’t start; the crash had been severe. Glancing ahead, he saw Mo Shu’s car slowly leaving the ice, watching helplessly as his rival sped off—surely the most painful experience for any driver.

Yet, on the Nth attempt to start his car, Ai Chixiang was surprised to find the vehicle suddenly moving. What was happening? He couldn’t figure it out.

It moved again! Had the car come alive, saving itself?

No, wait—why hadn’t Mo Shu left yet? Why was his car spinning its wheels so desperately on the track?

Then, a burnt smell filled the air, thick smoke billowing with the furious spinning of the wheels. Through the smoke, Ai Chixiang thought he saw something.

Was that a tow rope?

After a moment’s confusion, Ai Chixiang finally realized why his car was moving. A tow rope connected to Mo Shu’s rear bumper was pulling him free—his nemesis was actually helping him! Unbelievable!

“He must be out of his mind!” Ai Chixiang grumbled to his navigator, but inwardly, he was genuinely astonished.

Truth be told, Mo Shu had no idea if this act would bring him more trouble—if Ai Chixiang managed to beat him again, it would be a loss for Mo Shu. But since he’d made the decision, he was determined to see it through.

Mo Shu’s rally car had sturdy, highly durable tires, but even they could barely withstand the relentless friction on dry ground. To Ai Chixiang, Mo Shu’s car looked as though it were ablaze, white smoke pouring out as the tires reached their limits.

“Damn it! Why save me? I won’t be fooled by your phony kindness!” Ai Chixiang protested, but as his car gradually broke free, a knot of conflicting emotions grew inside him.

“Mo God! Hold on a bit longer! We’ll help you from the back!” The local Frenchman who’d appeared earlier now showed up at Ai Chixiang’s rear bumper, gathering his companions to push the car up the slope.

Ai Chixiang fell silent. He wanted to shout at these meddlesome people, telling them to get lost. He wanted to declare that the indomitable Ai Chixiang needed no one’s pity. Since he’d chosen to destroy himself, he never intended to accept any friendship again.

But to his surprise, the harsh words stuck in his throat, unable to come out or be swallowed.

So, caught in this inner struggle, with the help of the spectators and Mo Shu’s determination, Ai Chixiang’s car was finally rescued and returned to the track.

The enthusiastic Frenchman waved to Mo Shu, then jogged over to remove the tow rope, tossing it back into Mo Shu’s car.

A roar erupted, and Mo Shu sped away, not wasting a single second.

“Go, Mo God!”
“Mo Shu, don’t forget us!”
“Come visit sometime! Our village’s grapes are famous, too!”

Watching the car disappear, the local spectators and journalists waved their hands, cheering endlessly for their favorite driver and the sport they loved.

“Hey, what are you waiting for? Aren’t you afraid the next car will catch up?” someone shouted, knocking on Ai Chixiang’s window, looking as if they couldn’t wait to drive themselves.

Ai Chixiang snapped back to reality; his tangled thoughts had nearly made him forget he was still in the race.

Vroom—

The car finally started—thank goodness!

Ai Chixiang raised a stiff thumbs-up, in gratitude to the warm-hearted locals, though his expression and gestures were so awkward it was almost comical.

His navigator was busy high-fiving the locals, only scrambling back into the car once he realized they’d gotten started.

This time, there was no scolding from the driver?

The shaken navigator swallowed hard, grateful for his luck.

“Three hundred meters ahead, a steep slope, then a right turn at speed ninety, followed by a one-kilometer tunnel—remember to turn on the headlights.”

No matter what, the two had finally returned to the rhythm of the race. Only now, Ai Chixiang’s complaints to the navigator had lessened, bringing the navigator a fleeting sense of comfort.

Perhaps he’d been moved by Mo Shu’s spirit.

Perhaps it was the kindness of the locals.

Or perhaps it was all just temporary—after all, forgetting old wounds was Ai Chixiang’s nature.

Anyway, after this season, the navigator didn’t plan to work with this driver again—it was too exhausting.

...

“Come back to China with me this time; let’s make downhill racing part of our routine,” Mo Shu said to Wang Yining in the service area, having already taken the lead in SS1.

“What about the next race? Will we have enough time to prepare?” Wang Yining worried that their strong position in the ERC might be affected.

“Don’t worry. With Wang Qing and Geng Hua in charge, their teamwork is getting better and better.” Mo Shu’s body was in Europe, but his heart was back home.

“You… you never stick to anything. Who was it that wasn’t satisfied with the domestic racing scene and insisted on plunging into international events? And now you regret it and want to develop at home?”

“Who says so? The Yunding Peak Downhill is an international event too. Besides, we’re not just organizing races—we’re starting a car company.”

“A car company? Why didn’t you mention that to me?” Wang Yining felt she was always one step behind Mo Shu’s leaps of thought.

“Yes, the idea came to me when I went home and talked to my dad and an uncle.” Mo Shu admitted he hadn’t expected things to progress so quickly.

“Your dad’s in racing too? He never told me—how many secrets are you hiding from me?”

“I only found out this time, too. My dad kept it from me for over twenty years.”

“Haha, like father, like son. I’ll have to find a chance to interrogate you properly.”

“…Well, let me explain—there’s another thing. Wang Qing said that to promote the new race, she arranged for me to record a reality TV show. If I end up interacting with a female celebrity, don’t get jealous,” Mo Shu’s voice grew quieter as he spoke.

“Heh, sounds great. Go ahead…” Wang Yining smiled with a mysterious expression, leaving Mo Shu unsure how to respond.