13 – “I think I could!!!”“No, you can’t.”
During dinner with President Zhou, the conversation circled around the topic without ever reaching a concrete agreement. Since nothing was settled by the end of the meal, the two eventually arranged to meet again at the racing club.
“Oh, speaking of which, you’re married to Yan Jin now,” President Zhou remarked with a sigh. “Back in the day, I used to see him on the track all the time. It’s been ages since I last watched him race.”
“He just doesn’t do it much anymore,” Shen Yu replied. “I’ll accompany you there tomorrow to take a look. I’d love to hear some professional insight from you.”
“Oh, come on now, what’s with this ‘professional’ talk?” The moment racing was mentioned, President Zhou visibly perked up, his mood instantly lifting. “When I was younger, I loved doing a few laps for the thrill of it. Cleared the mind and refreshed the spirit. Let me tell you, back in those days…”
As an attentive listener, Shen Yu never showed the slightest impatience. President Zhou was far more animated discussing racing than he had been during business talks. Although neither of them drank much, they ended up talking through several rounds of conversation. By the end of the meal, they were still reluctant to part ways.
For someone his age, reminiscing about his glory days was probably deeply emotional.
Before leaving, President Zhou arranged to meet Shen Yu at a club the following day—the very same club Yan Jin had mentioned before.
Yan Jin had a social gathering of his own that evening, and the two of them ended up arriving home at nearly the same time.
After returning home, Shen Yu updated him on the progress.
“I’ve arranged to meet President Zhou at the club tomorrow. Once everything’s settled, we can move forward.”
Yan Jin nodded lightly. “I’ll stop by after I finish my business tomorrow.”
Shen Yu looked at him. “What are you going there for?”
“To watch the races,” Yan Jin replied casually. “It’s been a while since I’ve gone there. I’ll take a look around.”
Yan Jin had originally started racing to sharpen his driving skills. His parents had died in a car accident, and he hadn’t wanted to develop a fear of driving afterward. So instead, he chose to confront it head-on.
As a result, he developed exceptional driving skills and met quite a few people through racing circles.
President Zhou was one of them.
“Alright then,” Shen Yu said. “Do your thing. If I finish my business before you arrive, I might leave first.”
Yan Jin remained completely calm. “Of course. We’ll handle our own business separately.”
The next day, Shen Yu arrived at the club at the agreed time and met up with President Zhou.
It was Shen Yu’s first time there, but he still recognized several familiar faces among the guests. Quite a few people came over to greet him.
When they arrived, a race was already underway on the track. From the lounge, they could watch everything clearly through the large screen display. The club’s mountain track twisted through steep terrain, packed with sharp turns and dangerous slopes. Judging from the condition of certain sections, there had definitely been accidents caused by reckless speeding before.
But people came here willingly to chase thrills with their lives on the line.
If they were willing to take that risk, it was no one else’s business.
The car currently on the screen was handling the course quite well. President Zhou watched with bright eyes, occasionally calling out praises and offering commentary like an experienced veteran.
After watching for a while, he suddenly turned toward Shen Yu with a smile.
“Little Shen, interested in giving it a try yourself?”
“I wasn’t planning to at first,” Shen Yu admitted, “but after listening to your analysis, President Zhou, I’m starting to find it pretty interesting. I’d actually like to try a lap.”
Another perfectly timed compliment.
As expected, President Zhou looked delighted.
“Excellent!” he laughed. “Young people should have some vigor and spirit!”
He immediately waved over the club manager.
“It’s Young Shen’s first time here,” President Zhou instructed. “Keep an eye on him.”
Shen Yu smiled faintly. “Then I’ll go take a lap around the track. I’m only showing off in front of an expert, so please don’t laugh at me, President Zhou.”
“Laughing at what? Oh, and don’t call me ‘President Zhou.’ That sounds too formal. Given our age difference, just call me ‘Uncle’!”
Shen Yu immediately complied. “Uncle Zhou.”
President Zhou’s face instantly broke into a broad smile.
Shen Yu had driven there in his own car, but the manager quickly stepped forward and suggested, “Mr. Shen, why not try one of our modified cars instead? They belong to the club, but they’re extremely comfortable to handle and especially suited for mountain roads.”
Shen Yu didn’t refuse. “Then I’ll have to trouble you. Thank you.”
“Oh, not at all.”
After all, he was trying to win over a new client—and not just any client, but the young master of the Shen Group. Naturally, he was all smiles and courtesy.
The manager personally accompanied Shen Yu to choose a car. Before they could settle on one, another guest arrived.
It was none other than Yan Jin.
“Wow, Mr. Yan,” one of the staff members who knew him joked, “it feels like it’s been centuries since we last saw you!”
“Don’t curse me like that. I haven’t turned into a ghost yet.” Yan Jin laughed lightly. He clearly knew what he had come for. His gaze swept across the room before immediately locking onto his target. His usual smooth-talking manner returned as he greeted the older man warmly, “Uncle Zhou, long time no see!”
“Yan Jin! Hahahaha, you rascal—it really has been ages!” President Zhou gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder. “I was out of town during your wedding and couldn’t make it. My apologies!”
“Not at all,” Yan Jin replied politely. “I received your well wishes already. I should be the one thanking you.”
“So what brought you here today?” President Zhou teased. “Finally got the itch for another hot ride?”
Yan Jin smiled faintly. “Just came to take a look around… and pick someone up.”
“Pick someone up?” President Zhou dragged out the words meaningfully before suddenly understanding. “Ohhh—you mean Little Shen, right? You newlyweds, hahaha!”
The people nearby immediately perked up, all kinds of looks being cast their way.
Everyone in their circle knew that Shen Yu and Yan Jin didn’t get along. Two people who disliked each other being forced into marriage—it was the kind of situation that looked painful no matter how you thought about it.
Someone bold enough to speak without restraint muttered, “Picking someone up? Sounds more like putting on a show.”
The muttering wasn’t quiet at all—certainly loud enough for the people nearby to hear.
Yan Jin’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. He couldn’t even be bothered to glance over.
President Zhou had heard it too. With the experienced tone of someone who had long since seen through life, he chuckled and said, “What do you unmarried youngsters know? Once you’re married, no matter what happened before, you still have to make things work. You’re a family man now too, aren’t you, Little Yan?”
Yan Jin accepted the advice humbly. “You’re absolutely right.”
Then he paused and asked, “By the way, where’s Shen Yu?”
“Oh! He said he wanted to take a lap around the track to test the car out!”
He did?!!
Yan Jin’s eyes instantly fixed on the screen.
The car hadn’t entered the track for long yet. Since it was Shen Yu’s first lap, driving cautiously was perfectly normal—he was still familiarizing himself with the route. As long as nobody challenged him to a race and he didn’t try showing off, the danger would remain relatively low.
But…
Yan Jin knew Shen Yu too well.
If Shen Yu drove too conservatively and failed to impress President Zhou, with his temperament, he’d probably end up pushing himself into a real race just to prove something.
Yan Jin knew Shen Yu wasn’t weak. He didn’t need someone protecting him all the time.
But understanding that logically and actually feeling at ease were two completely different things.
On the screen, Shen Yu finally appeared behind the wheel.
Shen Yu usually drove steadily, and his skills were already quite good. Seeing that he wasn’t recklessly speeding, Yan Jin quietly let out a breath of relief.
But before he could finish exhaling, another car suddenly appeared behind Shen Yu and flashed its headlights.
Here, flashing headlights meant only one thing: a challenge.
Someone wanted to race him.
Would Shen Yu accept… or refuse?
Shen Yu answered with actions instead of words.
His car shot forward instantly like a bolt of lightning. The other driver, now completely fired up, chased after him in excitement. Engines roared across the mountain road as the two silver cars tore through the darkness like blades slicing across still water.
President Zhou’s eyes lit up. “Now this is getting interesting! Competition makes things exciting. But it’s Little Shen’s first time—I hope he doesn’t lose…”
Yan Jin remained silent, his gaze fixed on the screen as he tracked every movement of the cars.
The vehicle behind Shen Yu stayed glued to his tail. This style of pursuit was like a cat toying with a mouse, placing immense psychological pressure on the leading driver. The more badly someone wanted to win, the more easily their emotions could spiral out of control.
On the racetrack, adrenaline surged wildly through the bloodstream, clouding judgment and making people act completely differently from their usual selves.
That was what impulse meant.
If it could be controlled at will, then it wouldn’t be called impulse anymore.
The two cars maintained this deadlock for most of the track. Eventually, the driver behind seemed to lose patience and decided to overtake on a curve.
He accelerated sharply, pulling alongside Shen Yu midway through the turn.
Then—
Everyone saw Shen Yu’s car suddenly swing sideways.
To everyone’s shock, he executed a drift directly in front of the pursuing car.
President Zhou slapped the table excitedly. “Beautiful!”
Yan Jin: “……”
The car behind immediately jerked its steering wheel and slammed on the brakes. If he hadn’t swerved in time, a collision would’ve been unavoidable.
His reaction was fast, but the evasive maneuver cost him his momentum.
Meanwhile, after smoothly drifting through the curve, Shen Yu accelerated again and instantly wideneing the gap, leaving the other car far behind.
It had been an extremely dangerous hairpin turn—one that curved outward along the mountainside.
A moment ago, Yan Jin’s heart had practically leaped into his throat.
Only after Shen Yu’s car sped far ahead did his nerves finally settle slightly, his heartbeat dropping back into his chest where it belonged. Yan Jin ground his teeth and smiled darkly. Good. Very good.
That was the essence of drama: when everyone believed the ending was already decided, only for someone to suddenly overturn the script.
Everyone had assumed rookie driver Shen Yu was bound to lose. Instead, he won. And he won spectacularly. President Zhou was thoroughly exhilarated.
By the time Shen Yu returned to the lounge after getting out of the car, President Zhou was practically glowing with excitement. He pulled Shen Yu aside and showered him with praise nonstop.
Finally, in an especially refreshed mood, he waved a hand and said, “I’ve already made note of what you mentioned earlier. Leave it to Uncle Zhou—it’s no big deal. I’ll call the head of the agency myself right away. Young and talented people like you really should’ve met me sooner. Who knows? Maybe we’ll even have opportunities to work together in the future.”
Shen Yu had finally achieved the result he wanted, so naturally, he became even more generous with his smiles and compliments.
“Uncle Zhou, you’ve really helped me a great deal today. I’ll remember this. If any good opportunities come up in the future, I’ll definitely think of you first.”
“Hahaha! Good, good! You’re truly a fine young man!”
“Uncle Zhou, please excuse me for a moment. I need to use the restroom.”
The moment Shen Yu entered the hallway, he noticed Yan Jin nearby, but he didn’t say a word to him.
Seeing Shen Yu leave, Yan Jin casually stood up as well. “Uncle Zhou, I’m heading to the restroom too. I’ll come back and chat with you later.”
The two walked one after the other through the corridor.
Before they even reached the restroom entrance, Yan Jin suddenly stepped forward. After confirming no one else was around, he wrapped both arms tightly around Shen Yu from behind.
Shen Yu jumped in shock. “What are you doing?!”
“It’s been a while since I’ve raced, and I just watched a thrilling one.” Yan Jin’s tone was flat, but if one listened closely, it carried a cold, hard edge. “It scared me.”
Shen Yu: “……” Was he scared senseless or furious?
“You… let go first.”
Yan Jin didn’t release him immediately, and surprisingly, Shen Yu didn’t struggle. After a moment, he raised a hand and helplessly patted Yan Jin’s arm. Only then did Yan Jin let go.
The rapid heartbeat and excitement from the high-speed chase were slowly subsiding now. He hadn’t noticed it while he was in the car because he’d been too focused, but once he got out, he realized he’d broken out in a sweat. Now that the adrenaline rush had faded, he couldn’t tell whether it was cold sweat or not, but his heart was still pounding wildly.
Shen Yu turned around. Given the situation, he should say something, but it seemed… he couldn’t find the words.
Yan Jin met his gaze for a moment, then turned and walked forward. “Let’s go. Weren’t you going to the restroom?”
Shen Yu: “…Yeah.”
Just as the two of them headed back, the guy who had raced against Shen Yu earlier approached them with a grin. “You look so mild-mannered, but I never would’ve guessed you drive that wildly.”
Shen Yu didn’t know the guy. He merely smiled, clearly showing he had no intention of responding or getting acquainted. The man, however, wasn’t very tactful. He kept crowding into Shen Yu’s personal space, insisting that he wanted another race. Yan Jin stepped forward and blocked the space between them, forcing the man to take a step back.
His tall frame carried an overwhelming sense of pressure. Yan Jin raised an eyebrow. “Racing against a rookie? Even if I win, it wouldn’t be worth my time. Want to try me instead?”
Yan Jin hadn’t raced in a long time, and the moment he issued the challenge, everyone became excited and started cheering him on relentlessly. Swept up by the atmosphere and unwilling to back down, the other man was practically forced into another race.
Shen Yu watched from the sidelines, witnessing a race that was both spectacular and utterly thrilling.
Earlier, when he’d accompanied President Zhou to watch others race, there had been moments of extreme danger, yet he had remained completely unmoved—a cold, detached observer. Even when he himself had been behind the wheel, Shen Yu hadn’t been afraid. But now, standing in a safe spot, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Yan Jin’s car. Watching Yan Jin race was far more nerve-wracking than driving himself.
The outcome was, of course, Yan Jin’s victory.
After getting out of the car, he lifted a hand to brush back his bangs and exhaled slowly to steady his breathing. The camera captured his profile, his jawline sharply defined. He had taken off his jacket, leaving only a light shirt clinging to his body, making his muscular build even more apparent and radiating raw strength. Combined with his earlier driving skills, he was practically overflowing with testosterone, exuding pure masculine charm.
When the car behind him finally crossed the finish line, Yan Jin curled his lips into a faint smile and glanced up toward the camera.
“Whoa~, handsome!”
Some people whistled, while others stared at Yan Jin with shining eyes. That dependable, masculine charm always drew people in—it was human nature to admire strength. People here were never quiet enough when gossiping; as long as Shen Yu didn’t deliberately block it out, he could hear everything clearly.
“My legs are shaking. Oh my god, such a great guy and he’s already married. Do you think I’d have a chance if I asked for his number?”
“You? Please. You can’t even walk straight when you see a handsome guy. Personally, I prefer Shen Yu’s type—he looks gentle but is actually ruthless. That contrast is seriously attractive.”
“Ha, maybe you should look in the mirror first. I’m still gonna give it a shot later. Even though they’re married, don’t people say their relationship is rocky? That marriage is probably just for appearances. Adding another bed partner—I doubt either of them would mind. Whoa—why do I suddenly feel a chill down my spine? Who opened the window?”
He glanced around but saw nothing, muttering, “That’s strange… Was it just my imagination?”
President Zhou was delighted; he had thoroughly enjoyed himself today. If he hadn’t already had plans for the evening, he definitely would’ve invited Shen Yu out for a meal.
The two of them saw President Zhou off in front of the club, and once they were left alone, they began considering how to head back.
Why did such a simple matter require deliberation? Because they had both driven there. The club could certainly keep their cars overnight, but the real question was whether they should drive home separately or share one car.
Yan Jin headed toward the garage first. It was only a short walk, but when he noticed Shen Yu wasn’t following closely behind, he slowed to a crawl. At that point, he wasn’t even walking anymore—he was practically counting ants, dragging out every step on purpose while waiting for someone.
What he hadn’t expected was that his deliberate slowness would give others the perfect chance to approach him and ask for his contact information.
Just as Shen Yu arrived, two men were asking Yan Jin for his phone number.
The people who came to the club to race were all rich young masters. Even if they weren’t serious about their careers, there was always a chance they’d end up doing business through their families someday. Yan Jin refused as politely as possible. “Guys, if you’re just trying to hit on me, I’m afraid I can’t give you my number.”
“Come on—what’s the big deal? We can just hang out whenever we’re free!”
“He’s usually too busy,” Shen Yu said as he walked over, giving the two a slight smile. “If you don’t mind, you can come find me—”
“We do mind.” Yan Jin grabbed Shen Yu by the shoulder and pulled him behind him, cutting off his attempt to charm them. Then he turned to the two men and said politely, “Don’t listen to his sweet talk. He specializes in charming innocent, kind-hearted people like you. Only after you’ve fallen for him will you realize how despicable he really is.”
Behind Yan Jin, Shen Yu blinked innocently.
The man, still dazed by Shen Yu’s earlier smile, stammered, “I-I-I think I could…”
Yan Jin spoke in the patient tone one would use to comfort a child, his expression unbelievably gentle. “No, you can’t.”
“Alright, handsome guys, that’s enough for today. See you again if fate allows.”
Yan Jin deftly shoved Shen Yu into the passenger seat before quickly driving off. But once they were out of the club, he pulled over to the side of the road because he suddenly realized… had he really just dragged Shen Yu into his car like that?
He turned to look at Shen Yu, who was calmly staring at his phone.
“I left my car at the club,” Shen Yu said casually.
So he had no choice but to ride home with Yan Jin.
Yan Jin was convinced. Even when this guy softened his attitude for once, he still had to do it in such a roundabout way. The words reached the tip of his tongue, but then he remembered his own habit of slowing down just to count ants’ legs. Compared to that, Shen Yu’s behavior didn’t seem much better, so… fine.
The car started moving again.
Shen Yu looked up from his phone and stared out the window before casually remarking, “You really should cut back on the street racing.”
Yan Jin kept his eyes on the road, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “What’s wrong? Got scared after watching it once?”
Shen Yu replied, “It’s not fun. Don’t do it so often.”
“I didn’t start street racing for fun in the first place,” Yan Jin said. “It’s dangerous. You should stay away from it too.”
If it weren’t for work, Shen Yu wouldn’t have touched it at all. But seeing that Yan Jin didn’t seem addicted to it either, he decided not to say anything more.
TRANSLATORS NOTE: Thank you so much for reading this novel! English is my second language, so the translation might not always be perfect. I try my best to stay true to the original story and not change the author’s meaning. If you spot any mistakes or awkward lines, feel free to let me know — I’m always happy to learn and improve 😁❤️
