Chapter 26: The Last Streaker

Gu Lingyi turned and walked away, her steps light and showing not a hint of reluctance.

If she could not settle the score, she would leave. Three men and a three-way drama—she had no interest in watching that.

Qin Xiao’s gaze followed Gu Lingyi as she exited the yellow sand track, his twinkling, peach-blossom eyes momentarily dazed.

As the setting sun dipped low, he stood in the same spot as Huo Qi and Yu Liang, watching helplessly as Gu Lingyi walked into the distance alone.

His heart tightened abruptly, skipping a beat just as it had when Gu Lingyi had pretended to jump from the building.

Qin Xiao looked straight ahead, his tone firm. His eyes held a rare solemnity. "You two go ahead and play."

Before Huo Qi and Yu Liang could react, he strode to catch up with Gu Lingyi.

His voice returned to its usual carefree tone. "Gu Lingyi! Don't go yet; we haven't even practiced driving."

Gu Lingyi paused, looking back at the person chasing after her with a calm, unhurried expression. "Why didn't you call me 'Little Flower'?"

She narrowed her eyes, a flicker of cold light passing through them.

At the club that day, Qin Xiao had teased her in front of everyone using the name of the character she had played in her original body. Perhaps, to them, it was just an insignificant nickname or a joke. But to her, it was an insult.

"What I did before was wrong..."

Qin Xiao apologized quickly, which showed that he also knew such behavior was inappropriate.

Gu Lingyi chuckled, then turned with an indifferent look to walk toward the car parked on the track.

As Qin Xiao stood frozen behind her, she looked back and said coldly, "Keep up."

For a fleeting moment, her amber eyes were as sharp as bitter frost, and Qin Xiao felt an inexplicable shiver.

Huo Qi and Yu Liang’s little race had yet to begin. The track was small, and they were still discussing the number of laps.

Gu Lingyi walked over, estimating that the track was only three kilometers long. By standard racing specifications, it would take at least 60 laps to reach a competitive level. However, since they were using their daily vehicles, it would be impressive if the tire grip lasted for even 20 laps.

Seeing them return, Yu Liang asked, distracted, "Are you both joining us?"

"Sure."

"No way."

The two answers came simultaneously. Qin Xiao’s eyes widened as he looked at Gu Lingyi. "You can't do this!"

"The speed during a race is extremely fast; you won't be able to handle being in the passenger seat!"

For the average person, one lap in a race car brings dizziness, two brings vomiting, and three brings shock.

Qin Xiao tried to persuade her, "If you want to play, wait until their race is over, and I’ll take you for a couple of laps."

Gu Lingyi swept a cold gaze over the three men and said sternly, "Who said I wanted to sit in the passenger seat?"

"Are you trying to watch me race against them?" Qin Xiao felt a surge of joy, rambling to himself, "That’s fine too, just go up there." He pointed to the abandoned spectator stands. "It’s safe there. Don't come down..."

Gu Lingyi sighed, speechless, and interrupted him. "I am going to sit in the driver's seat."

She pushed her index finger against Qin Xiao’s shoulder, causing the man over six feet tall to stagger back a few steps.

"You," Gu Lingyi said, her tone firm and leaving no room for argument, "go sit in the passenger seat."

When she finished, the expressions of the three men were indescribable.

Huo Qi spoke first: "Gu Lingyi, don't try to seek attention with something like this." He sneered, "Who are you trying to attract?"

Gu Lingyi curled her lips. She simply wanted to "settle the score" according to her original plan, and incidentally, let Qin Xiao have an "out-of-body experience" so he could go apologize to the original owner.

"Miss Gu, this is truly dangerous." Yu Liang’s voice was cool and his tone gentle. "Why don't you be our referee instead?"

"Exactly, exactly." Qin Xiao nodded vigorously. "That way you’ll feel involved."

Gu Lingyi: "..."

Who wanted to be involved with them?

"20 laps," Gu Lingyi said, climbing into the driver's seat of the blue Chiron, completely serious. "The loser streaks."

Huo Qi: "..."
Yu Liang: "..."
Qin Xiao: "..."

Huo Qi and Yu Liang looked at Qin Xiao simultaneously, trying to convince themselves that Gu Lingyi might actually have good driving skills. But they only saw Qin Xiao shaking his head blankly. "She can't even tell the difference between an automatic and a manual transmission."

She had been looking for the gear shift as soon as she got in.

Huo Qi: "..."
Yu Liang: "..."

Gu Lingyi sat in the car, perfectly at ease. Qin Xiao tried to persuade her kindly, "Lingyi, don't mess around. Once they finish, you can drive however you like."

Qin Xiao’s voice was sunny, and his slow, rhythmic speech sounded like he was coaxing a child. Huo Qi frowned as he listened from the side. What was wrong with Qin Xiao? Why was he being so cautious with Gu Lingyi?

The agitation in his heart showed no signs of subsiding; instead, it grew more intense.

Huo Qi snapped, "If she wants to play, let her play! Get in the car!"

Since Gu Lingyi could not be swayed and Huo Qi had lost his patience, Qin Xiao resignedly sat in the passenger seat.

The old signal lights of the track had not yet been removed. Yu Liang connected the power, using the existing equipment as the starting signal. The lap-counting cameras and speedometers required for a multi-lap race were also activated.

The three cars lined up side by side, their engines roaring.

The roof of the blue Bugatti had been closed. In the cramped cabin, Qin Xiao fastened his seatbelt as if preparing for the worst, his voice sounding helpless yet indulgent: "If we lose, we lose. The streaking... I'll do it for you."

He had expected to hear some words of comfort that would move Gu Lingyi, but he only received a cold, indifferent look and a sharp tone: "You’d better not close your eyes for the entire time."

The five signal lights lit up one by one, then extinguished one by one.

The second before all five lights were fully lit, Qin Xiao heard Gu Lingyi’s confident and flamboyant voice: "Watch closely how I beat you all to a pulp."

On the side of the track, Huo Qi and Yu Liang had assumed this was a two-person race, until the moment the lights went out and all three cars surged forward simultaneously.

Just from the start, it was clear that Gu Lingyi was no novice.

A powerful force pushed him back into his seat. Yellow sand churned before them, and the front windshield remained clear of dust because of their sheer speed.

Qin Xiao’s body went rigid as he realized with horror that the car was still accelerating.

The grip on the sandy ground was low, and the entire car felt as if it were floating. A sense of weightlessness washed over him, and Qin Xiao felt his heart drop into his throat, his internal organs fluttering.

The turn after the straightaway made Qin Xiao feel even more dizzy.

The scenery flashed by so quickly that his eyes could no longer keep up. The blue car left a trail, while the two cars behind, their competitive spirits ignited, followed closely.

At this moment, Gu Lingyi still had the leisure to admire Qin Xiao’s contorted face, her voice steady as if she were out for a stroll. "You’re not very good, are you, Qin Xiao?"

Her lazy voice mingled with the roaring of the engine. Qin Xiao, face pale with distress, couldn't say a word.

The two cars trailing behind seemed to be looking for an opportunity to overtake her on the curve. Gu Lingyi curled her lips and, out of nowhere, accelerated through the turn.

"Don't!" Qin Xiao shouted hoarsely.

Accelerating through a curve required extreme performance from the car, and this vehicle hadn't been modified since he bought it.

One careless move could lead to a rollover. Gu Lingyi’s behavior was incredibly dangerous.

Just as he gritted his teeth, anticipating the car flipping over, the sensation of weightlessness suddenly vanished.

Halfway through the curve, Gu Lingyi slowed down as she led the cars behind by two car lengths.

The two cars in the rearview mirror caught up immediately.

Racing was only fun when there was competition; what was the point of being so far ahead?