Mingzhou was indeed a good choice. In terms of appearance, character, and how he treated Lin Mei, there was nothing to fault. However, Mingzhou and Xing Zheng belonged to the same circle. If Lin Mei were to get together with Mingzhou, she would inevitably encounter Xing Zheng again, and what would happen then was anyone's guess. If she truly wanted to escape Xing Zheng completely, she shouldn't start a romance with someone from their circle.
Lin Mei was persuaded by Lan Lan. "That makes a lot of sense." Even if Mingzhou reduced his contact with Xing Zheng for her sake, they wouldn't be able to avoid each other forever.
"This young handsome guy, Xu Ying, is quite good. Give him a try, just for fun," Lan Lan said, acting like a salesperson, with Xu Ying as the commodity she was eager to sell. She praised Xu Ying with so many words that she finally concluded, "Rich women spend money to find young male students. You don't spend money, but you get to enjoy the happiness of a rich woman! Isn't that a good deal!"
Lin Mei: "..."
After chatting with Lan Lan for a while, the racing competition began. Lu Xiao and Xu Ying were not in the same category. Lu Xiao was up first. Lan Lan enthusiastically cheered for him, her voice no less loud than the young girls in the crowd.
Perhaps encouraged by her, Lu Xiao overtook on a bend and won the championship in his category. Lan Lan rushed out to greet him, and they embraced. Lin Mei saw Lan Lan kiss Lu Xiao on the cheek and smiled.
Just then, she heard a voice beside her: "I really envy Lu Xiao."
Xu Ying had arrived at some point. Lin Mei turned her head at the sound and saw him looking enviously at Lu Xiao and Lan Lan. Lin Mei said to him, "You cheer too."
Xu Ying became a bit bolder and asked her, "If I win, can I have a hug?" He didn't dare to think about kissing her for now, but if he could get a hug from her, he would be very content.
Perhaps it was Xu Ying's sincere expression that softened Lin Mei's heart, and she found it difficult to refuse him. She agreed, "Of course."
Xu Ying: "Then wait for me!"
Before long, it was Xu Ying's turn to race. The moment he appeared before his car, the cheers from the crowd were even more exaggerated than before. Lin Mei also saw several young girls holding banners for Xu Ying, cheering him on as if he were a star. Xu Ying looked at them and smiled, and the cheering girls smiled even more brightly and cheered even more enthusiastically.
Lin Mei had not been exposed to car racing before and didn't know Xu Ying's status in the industry. However, after witnessing such a grand occasion today, she had a general idea.
After the race started, Lan Lan came over with Lu Xiao. It was Lin Mei's first time watching a car race. Although she couldn't understand everything, she was still infected by the tense atmosphere. She saw Xu Ying being overtaken and then overtaking again, a process that repeated about seven or eight times. Even as a spectator, she felt this way; Xu Ying, who was participating, must have been even more nervous than her.
It was at this point that Lin Mei realized Xu Ying indeed had a strong heart. He was the champion of this race. When he crossed the finish line, the crowd erupted in cheers again.
"Xu Shen is too awesome! So cool!"
"Nanjiang Championship, ask around who's the boss! Daddy Xu!" m..oΓg
Lin Mei: "..." Suddenly, she felt a generation gap between herself and the people around her.
Lu Xiao happened to see Lin Mei's surprised expression and said to her with a smile, "Sis, I bet you don't know Xu Ying's status."
"Status?" Lin Mei became curious.
Lu Xiao pointed to Xu Ying and introduced him to Lin Mei, "Xu Ying, known as Xu Shen in the racing world, the only Asian in the Ferrari team, a three-time world champion, the most formidable and youngest current race car driver in the country. Today, he's just here to play."
The main purpose, Lu Xiao learned, was for Xu Ying to find an excuse to confess to Lin Mei. The event organizers, due to Xu Ying's participation, had doubled the ticket prices, and they still sold out within minutes.
"Holy crap, Xu Ying is that amazing?" Lan Lan was also shocked.
She had only heard Lu Xiao mention before that Xu Ying was very skilled in racing. When Xu Ying introduced himself, he had humbly said that racing was a hobby. She never expected him to be such a prominent figure.
Lin Mei was also very surprised. Although she didn't understand the sport, she knew what three world championships meant. Xu Ying was in his twenties, truly "young and promising." No wonder so many fans came to support him.
Xu Ying soon returned from the finish line. When he came back, Lin Mei was still immersed in her surprise. Xu Ying stopped in front of Lin Mei, opened his arms, and asked with a smile, "Is it time to fulfill the promise?"
Lin Mei looked at him and hugged him. It wasn't an ambiguous embrace, nor did it last long, but Xu Ying smiled brilliantly, his brows radiating satisfaction, like a child who had received candy.
Lin Mei saw what Lan Lan had described as the hormones of a young man in Xu Ying. She hadn't observed him closely before, but now, up close, she realized that Xu Ying had a unique charm and dynamism when he wore his racing suit.
Rebellious yet not frivolous, with sharp jawlines and a heroic aura. Everyone appreciates beauty, and Lin Mei couldn't help but look at him for a moment longer.
Xu Ying thoroughly enjoyed being gazed at. He asked Lin Mei, "For the award ceremony later, will you be with me?"
Lin Mei: "Can I go?"
Xu Ying: "Of course."
Lin Mei: "Okay, let's go."
The award ceremony took place after all events concluded. Xu Ying participated in the Grand Prix, the highest prize money and scale of the event. He took Lin Mei with him to receive the award and placed the medal around her neck.
Before Lin Mei could react, Xu Ying handed her the championship bouquet. As Lin Mei looked at him in confusion, Xu Ying began to confess, "I've kept these words in my heart for a long time. Actually, I participated in this competition waiting for this moment to tell you everything I wanted to say. Lin Mei, I like you. Can you consider being my girlfriend?"
Xu Ying's way of expressing his affection was very direct. His confession attracted a lot of attention, and as soon as he finished speaking, people around began to chant, "Say yes, say yes!"
With the chanting in her ears and the sincere Xu Ying before her, Lin Mei's heart softened, and she almost agreed. However, her sense of responsibility prompted her to tell Xu Ying the truth, "I can't promise you right now, but we can try first, starting as friends."
Since both of them were single, developing their relationship slowly was not impossible. Xu Ying didn't consider it a rejection; he was very happy, "I'll perform well!"
As a result of this competition, Lin Mei and Xu Ying's relationship could be described as "rapid progress." They chatted on WeChat whenever they had time, and they went on dates on weekends. Xu Ying had many hobbies and was very good at having fun, so their dates never repeated the same places.
In the blink of an eye, they had been dating for half a month. This weekend, Xu Ying invited Lin Mei to play golf together.