Be Passionately In Love

Xu Zhi ran downstairs and casually asked Cai Yingying, "Don’t you think there are a lot of mosquitoes here?"

Cai Yingying didn’t stop walking, giving her a doubtful glance. "No, I don’t see any."

Really?

Outside, the atmosphere was electric. The competition had reached its peak, with a large crowd gathered around the racetrack. The deep, roaring hum of motorcycles surged in waves, echoing endlessly. Feng Jin was holding a camera, squeezed among the spectators, snapping photos. When he saw the two of them coming down, he pushed his way out and said, "The team captain said anyone can join. I’m going to give it a try. Want to come along?"

Xu Zhi agreed. Five thousand yuan was on the line—only a fool would pass that up.

"Bold," Feng Jin said, growing more impressed by this girl who spoke little but acted decisively. Just then, Chen Luzhou walked up from behind, and Feng Jin cheerfully called out, "Hey, idol, want to give it a shot? Ever tried racing?"

Chen Luzhou had his hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the bustling racetrack outside. Without looking at anyone, he walked straight to Xu Zhi’s side and replied coolly, "Never tried. Not interested."

Xu Zhi turned to look at him. She wasn’t particularly tall, but she wasn’t short either. Before the college entrance exams, her height had been measured at 163 cm, though she suspected the scale was off—her classmates all said it undercounted by about two centimeters. She remembered measuring at nearly 165 cm during the New Year.

But standing next to Chen Luzhou, she still felt his imposing presence. Tilting her head, she could see his sharp, clean jawline just at his chin level.

The buzzing in her ears returned. Xu Zhi wondered why the mosquitoes were so persistent. She asked, "Did you eat enough?"

Chen Luzhou glanced down at her. "Yeah."

"You barely touched anything."

"Not very hungry."

Chen Luzhou was someone who valued his life. Though he appeared aloof and hard to approach, those who knew him well understood that he steered clear of dangerous activities. He hadn’t even ridden a roller coaster at amusement parks, let alone raced motorcycles. But seeing the determination in Xu Zhi’s eyes—her barely contained eagerness—he knew there was no point trying to dissuade her. He didn’t waste his breath.

A hand clapped his shoulder.

Chen Luzhou turned to see Yan Letong, who was covering his phone with one hand, looking desperate for a favor. Chen Luzhou kept his hands in his pockets, leaning back slightly to offer his ear.

Yan Letong spoke urgently, "Bro, I need a favor. My little sister’s here, and I can’t get away right now. Can you pick her up from the bus stop for me?"

Chen Luzhou instinctively glanced at the back of Xu Zhi’s head. It wouldn’t hurt to go—after all, to her, he wasn’t as important as five thousand yuan. Whether he watched her race or not didn’t matter. He gave a quiet "Mm" and said, "Give her my number. Tell her to call me when she arrives."

Yan Letong sighed in relief, thanking him profusely before speaking into the phone, "Stay right there. I’m sending one of the team’s brothers to get you."

The person on the other end seemed to ask how they’d recognize each other. Yan Letong looked at Chen Luzhou and joked, "Just go with the hottest guy you see."

Chen Luzhou knew his sister was still quite young. Playing the responsible big brother, he lightly kicked Yan Letong and, still watching Xu Zhi’s head, teased sternly, "Is that how you teach kids?"Yan Letong wiped the smirk off his face, gave him a glance, and then spoke into the phone, "Alright, enough teasing. He's wearing black clothes and a baseball cap, and he's definitely good-looking. His name is Chen Luzhou. Confirm the name with him first."

After Yan Letong left, within minutes, Chen Luzhou received a call from his sister. Hanging up, he slipped his phone back into his pocket and prepared to go pick someone up. He took a couple of steps before turning back and flicking Xu Zhi on the back of her head with his index finger, admonishing her gruffly, "Have fun, but be careful."

"Got it," Xu Zhi nodded.

......

Truth be told, girls weren’t uncommon on motorcycle racetracks, especially in recent years as more people took an interest in the scene. Many of the most renowned professional racers were women. China even had all-female racing teams, though there were no separate competitions for women—most female racers competed directly against the men. Quite a few had achieved results that rivaled their male counterparts.

This particular club was just an amateur team from a small third- or fourth-tier city, with only a handful of members who had ever participated in professional races. Earlier, a female photographer had taken a spin on the track, and when Xu Zhi stepped up, the atmosphere grew even more electric. The stands erupted with whistles and cheers—not because she was a girl, but because she was strikingly beautiful. Everyone assumed she was just there for fun and enthusiastically egged her on from the sidelines.

What they didn’t know was that Xu Zhi had a godfather who was a racer. Fu Yuqing had been a professional motorcycle racer in his early years, with a room full of trophies to his name. Xu Zhi had grown up riding with him on Mingling Mountain. If not for Old Xu’s concerns about the danger, Fu Yuqing would have thrown her into a racing team for training long ago. Her mental toughness made her an ideal candidate for competitive racing. But Old Xu disagreed, believing girls should stick to simpler jobs, and since Xu Zhi herself seemed indifferent, Fu Yuqing eventually gave up. Later, he realized Xu Zhi wasn’t necessarily gifted at racing—she was just naturally observant and quick to pick up technical skills. The problem was her tendency to dabble in everything without mastering anything, always a bit half-hearted.

Fu Yuqing said that while she might be out of her depth against professional racers, she was more than capable among amateurs—otherwise, he wouldn’t dare claim her as his protégé. Besides, earlier that afternoon, while learning video editing from a technician, Xu Zhi had watched some footage and realized this team from the neighboring city was just an amateur club. Most members had day jobs to support their families, and racing was merely a hobby. Hardly any of them had seriously competed in professional leagues, let alone placed in them.

Xu Zhi paid little attention to the stares—whether well-meaning, curious, or outright hostile. She had always been the type to focus solely on results.

But just as she finished suiting up in her racing gear—helmet, knee pads, and all—the team captain dropped a bombshell. Seeing how smoothly she handled the equipment, he figured she must be a racing enthusiast. To avoid misunderstandings, he felt obliged to clarify, "Hey, just so you know upfront—while the race is open to everyone and we welcome all kinds of participants, the prize money is strictly for our team members. So even if you win, we won’t be giving you the cash."The disclaimer came just in time; otherwise, Xu Zhi would have floored the accelerator, risking her life to get that money. After all, Chen Luzhou’s camera fees were all tied up in it.

Feng Jin smiled and explained from the side, “It’s fine, Captain. We’re just playing around—participation is what matters.”

The captain inexplicably sighed in relief and said, “Alright then.”

However, without another word, Xu Zhi started removing her helmet and then decisively took off layer after layer of knee pads. “Forget it, I’m not racing.”

Feng Jin blinked in shock: “…”

The captain also blinked in utter disbelief: “…”

When Chen Luzhou arrived at the bus stop, he realized Yan Letong’s little sister wasn’t so little after all. Thinking about it, Yan Letong was practically a sis-con. He was always going on about his sister in the team, saying they sometimes even shared a room. Chen Luzhou had assumed she was around seven or eight years old. Otherwise, the girl at the bus stop—wearing a JK uniform, sporting twin ponytails, and nearly as tall as the bus stop sign—would have been reason enough to keep some distance.

“Yan Lelin?” Chen Luzhou ambled over slowly, confirming her name as he walked.

“That’s me, that’s me!” Yan Lelin hopped down from the curb, her twin ponytails bouncing. “Wow, you’re really handsome, big bro.”

Yan Lelin’s face was full of mischief, her personality as outgoing and unrestrained as Yan Letong’s—but even more exaggerated. She was practically the poster child for weaponizing beauty. Within two minutes of meeting, before she could even clearly see what color clothes he was wearing, she pointed at an ice cream shop across the street and pushed her luck. “Big bro, can you treat your pretty little sister to some ice cream?”

Taken at face value, the request wasn’t too outrageous—after all, narcissism was a disease. But when the girl actually looped her arm through his and leaned her head against him, it crossed into irritation.

Her weaponized beauty routine was even worse than his own. Chen Luzhou felt grateful he didn’t have a sister. If he had to deal with a little devil like this, they’d probably spend all their time scheming to swindle each other’s money. A dumb but rich younger brother like Chen Xingqi was way more fun.

Chen Luzhou smoothly lifted his arm to avoid her touch, frowning as he looked down at her with visible impatience.

Normally, he wouldn’t bother saying much—maybe just toss out a casual “Your brother only asked me to pick you up.” But today, Yan Lelin had walked right into his line of fire. He figured enlightening the ignorant was a virtue too.

His inner scoundrel couldn’t be contained. Effortlessly, he slid into the role of mentor, dishing out advice on weaponizing beauty—or in his case, weaponizing looks. “Not to burst your bubble, but you’re just okay-looking. Your methods, though? Not great. At least pick your targets. If the other person is better-looking than you, skip the cringey lines. Case in point: me.”

……

Back at the racetrack, the competition didn’t seem to be over yet. The roar of engines still filled the air, and Lü Yang even revved his throttle provocatively, like a beast finally quenching its thirst before the final strike. Then, with a challenging glare, he looked over at Xu Zhi.

Off the track, Yan Letong had just finished his race, helmet still in hand, sweating profusely as he rushed over to Cai Yingying and Feng Jin. “What the hell happened? Why is she picking a fight with Lü Toothpaste?”

Lü Toothpaste—aka Lü Yang—was the nitpicky racer who had managed to piss off every photographer. The same one Chen Luzhou had spent an entire afternoon reshooting footage for.But Feng Jin was quite intrigued by the nickname, "Is Toothpaste small and soft?"

Yan Letong glanced at him, and they shared a knowing, slightly vulgar grin—the kind only guys understand. "No, it's because he poops like squeezing toothpaste—a little at a time."

Feng Jin: "..."

Cai Yingying: "Ugh, you guys are disgusting."

Yan Letong got back on track, "So what’s really going on with you guys?"

Cai Yingying gritted her teeth, "He’s just a jerk with a big mouth, so full of himself!"

Xu Zhi hadn’t planned on competing in the first place. When they went to the restroom, they happened to overhear this guy inside bragging loudly to his teammate. Since the racetrack only had an open-air public toilet with terrible soundproofing, if you got close enough, you could even hear the splattering sounds of him doing his business.

He said Xu Zhi was just trying to hook a rich guy—everyone knew what girls were really after. She was just putting on a show for the guy she liked, but who knew Chen Luzhou would be so uncooperative, leaving to pick up Yan Letong’s friend instead. All that talk about the 5,000 yuan was just an excuse—she’d failed to reel in her target. And with a rich, good-looking guy like Chen Luzhou, who knew how many girls like her were already in his circle? Those photos he took—were they even worth looking at? He thought drone enthusiasts were supposed to be impressive, but this guy acted like touching his stuff was a life-or-death matter, shamelessly calling him "bro." Wasn’t that just hilarious?

Even Feng Jin was furious when he heard this and wanted to storm in to confront him, but Xu Zhi held him back. The three of them stood patiently, neatly blocking the restroom entrance.

When Lü Yang and his teammate finally came out, pants barely up, they were stunned to realize they’d been overheard. Seeing no way out, they decided to go all-in. "What’s the deal? You looking for a fight?"

Feng Jin had initially wanted to reason with them, but Lü Yang showed no intention of apologizing and even provoked them repeatedly. Just as Feng Jin clenched his fist, ready to smash it into this idiot’s face, Xu Zhi stopped him again. Surprisingly calm, she said, "Hey, old timer, let’s have a match."

Lü Yang raised an eyebrow, sneering, "You?"

Xu Zhi nodded. "One race. If I lose, I won’t ask for much."

Lü Yang grinned obnoxiously. "What do you want? Don’t tell me you want me to kiss you?"

Feng Jin’s fists tightened again, while Cai Yingying, catching a whiff of his foul breath and yellowed teeth, felt her stomach churn.

Xu Zhi blinked, her expression deadpan. "No need to be so generous. Just give me the 5,000 yuan."

Her effortless deflection was masterful, leaving Toothpaste Lü momentarily speechless.

Gambling with money!

Feng Jin said, "Are you crazy? Gambling on races is illegal!"

"Is it?" Xu Zhi paused, then suggested, "Then how about he kisses you instead?"

Feng Jin sighed. "...Then you go to jail."

Xu Zhi sighed too. "It’s fine. If I win, I have a way to get the captain to give us the prize money."

"You’re sure you’ll win?" Feng Jin asked.

"I’ll try. I’m just so sick of him. If I do win, I’ll treat you all to every bowl of snail noodles on Food Street—100 yuan’s worth. The rest, I’ll keep for myself." Xu Zhi didn’t even bother lowering her voice as she discussed prize distribution right in front of Lü Yang.Lü Yang didn’t hear a thing. His gaze was ravenously sweeping over Xu Zhi. The girl was strikingly beautiful—her skin fair and delicate, her long legs slender and perfectly proportioned. She looked as fresh and tender as a white rose meticulously nurtured to bloom, dewdrops glistening on her petals, radiating an air of pure innocence.

“You really want to race me?”

Lü Yang stared at Xu Zhi, his heart itching with a burning restlessness.

Outside the ice cream shop stood a tall, bare poplar tree, standing stiff and leafless. Chen Luzhou leaned lazily against the glass door of the shop, a can of ice-cold cola in one hand, his other tucked in his pocket, as he studied the prematurely “bald” poplar. It really shouldn’t be like this in this season. How had it lost all its leaves already?

Life was unpredictable. For instance, he couldn’t wrap his head around why Xu Zhi was so stubborn. It wasn’t like he didn’t have the five thousand yuan.

Then again, now that he thought about it, he actually didn’t. His bank account probably only had a thousand left.

Damn.

Chen Luzhou glanced back and saw Yan Lelin still standing at the counter, deciding which ice cream to get. He had only given her a hundred yuan, telling her to buy a Häagen-Dazs and spend the rest however she wanted.

In the end, Yan Lelin chose a strawberry sundae. Combined with the cola in his hand, there were still eight yuan left. She handed the change and the Häagen-Dazs to Chen Luzhou. This guy was truly one of a kind—this was the first time someone had treated her to ice cream, yet he was eating an eighty-yuan Häagen-Dazs himself while giving her an eight-yuan sundae. Rich yet stingy.

By the time Chen Luzhou returned with Yan Lelin, the roar of engines on the racetrack had grown even more intense, fiercer and heavier than when he had left. It was like the growl of a long-dormant beast, reverberating endlessly over the racing grounds.

Yan Lelin was immediately drawn in by the electrifying atmosphere, stomping her feet in excitement. “Wow, there’s even a female racer! That sister is so cool!”

Before anyone could react, the track fell eerily silent—until a sudden, startling gunshot rang out.

Two heavy Yamahas shot forward simultaneously, like arrows released from a bow, tearing across the starting line. The crowd erupted in a frenzy, cheers layering upon cheers, rolling through the clouds.

Chen Luzhou scanned the area but couldn’t find Cai Yingying or Feng Jin. Even Yan Letong had disappeared. He grabbed a random bystander and asked, “Why are they still racing? Which round is this?”

“Your friends were about to quit when they heard there was no prize money, but then somehow they ended up challenging Lü Toothpaste. This is just the first round,” the person replied.

Chen Luzhou glanced at the track. The two bikes were neck and neck—Xu Zhi wasn’t lagging far behind. Just as he was about to ask what Lü Yang had done, Yan Letong strode over with a grave expression, not even sparing a glance for his sister.

His face was stern, his tone dead serious as he said—

“Brother Chen, I need to explain something to you.”

**Feng Jin and Cai Yingying were at the closest spot to the racetrack, their initial nervousness now replaced by exhilaration as they cheered at the top of their lungs, their voices dripping with resentment toward Lü Yang. However, when the starting gun fired, both Cai Yingying and Feng Jin immediately covered their eyes tightly, too afraid to look at the track.

One said, "Cai Yingying, open your eyes and see—has Xu Zhi started? Can she even drive? Has the car moved?"

The other replied, "No, I won’t look! You look if you want to! I’ve had a weak heart since childhood—I might faint. What if she loses? She wouldn’t really have to spend the night with that Lü Toothpaste, would she?"

Feng Jin reassured, "Then Chen Luzhou and I will call in reinforcements. Don’t worry, Chen Luzhou knows tons of people—we’ll absolutely crush that Lü Toothpaste. Thinking Xu Zhi would accompany him? Dream on! What wishful thinking! A toad lusting after swan meat!"

Cai Yingying, eyes still shut, was moved to tears. "Wahhh, I’ll never call you a catfish again. Feng Shuai, you’re a good person."

It was the kind-hearted video editor nearby who reminded them, "You two really aren’t going to look? Your friend’s pretty impressive."

Their eyes snapped open. The two cars on the track were actually neck and neck, and since both drivers were fully suited up, it was impossible to tell which was Xu Zhi. Taking the editor’s words as confirmation that the leading car was hers, they immediately erupted in cheers. "Wow, she’s actually faster than Toothpaste!"

The editor corrected, "No, the one behind is your friend."

Feng Jin: "..."

Cai Yingying: "..."

The editor explained, "What I meant was her cornering technique is better than Lü Yang’s. Maybe she hasn’t fully adjusted yet, so her speed isn’t up there, but she takes corners earlier than Lü Yang. Plus, Lü Yang takes wide arcs, while she cuts tight. Don’t underestimate these cornering skills—I’ve been filming at this club for days, and hardly anyone takes corners without braking. She’s one of them. Look at Lü Yang—he instinctively brakes late, which forces him into wider arcs. It’s like running an 800-meter race: if you’re stuck on the outer lane while others take the inside, you’re at a huge disadvantage. Just watch—by the fifth turn, if Lü Yang still brakes late, your friend will definitely overtake him."

Cai Yingying, however, was thinking about how impressive Uncle Fu still was. Back when she was a child, she had also learned racing for a while, and Uncle Fu had personally taught her how to take corners. He had said back then that professional racers never brake when taking a turn—corners were the dividing line. If you couldn’t conquer them, there was no point in continuing. She hadn’t been able to, but Xu Zhi had excelled at cornering back then. No wonder Uncle Fu had wanted to send her to train with a racing team.

Chen Luzhou and Yan Letong stood on the outer edge of the track, their eyes fixed on the two cars chasing relentlessly on the circuit. Yan Letong said with certainty, “Lü Yang is panicking. He’s realized Xu Zhi takes corners smoother than him. He never thought his cornering was an issue—always said many professional racers use rear brakes. He must really be rattled this time.”

Chen Luzhou replied, “Xu Zhi gains on him a little with every turn. And now that she’s adapted, she’s picking up speed on the straightaways. He’s probably trying to push for the fourth turn.”

Yan Letong, however, thought of something else. “You know, Xu Zhi is really clever. When she agreed to the race, Lü Yang was still acting all cocky, afraid people would say he was bullying a girl. He told her to name any condition—like if she lost within a certain margin, it’d still count as her win. But Xu Zhi only asked for one thing: a long-distance race. She must’ve observed his habits earlier. If Lü Yang can’t swallow his pride, he’ll definitely try to take the fourth turn without braking.”

The result? A crash.

It wasn’t that the maneuver was particularly difficult—it was Lü Yang’s impatience. Trying to change his racing habits mid-race was the worst mistake a racer could make.

And so, everyone watched as Lü Yang unexpectedly flipped his car while taking the fourth turn. With a tremendous scraping force, he was flung out by sheer momentum, the metal screeching against the ground in a piercing noise. Sparks erupted across the track in an instant—

Everyone held their breath and turned their eyes to the other side.

The roar of the engine thundered like war drums on the circuit. In Xu Zhi’s vision, the grass and trees blurred into the sky, swaying wildly in the wind as if the world had been split apart. She couldn’t hear anything—only the fierce howl of the wind behind her. There was no time to dodge as the other car came barreling sideways. Thankfully, she had prepared in advance. The two cars collided violently on the track with a deafening “BANG!”

The impact sent her tumbling uncontrollably from the bike, but luckily, she had slowed down enough to cushion the fall. Her protective gear took the brunt of the scrapes, so she wasn’t badly hurt. The moment she hit the ground, she scrambled back up.

For some reason, at that moment, Xu Zhi remembered Chen Luzhou’s parting words: Have fun, but be careful. Instinctively, she glanced toward the sidelines, certain he was watching. That reflexive guilt felt exactly like when she was a kid, carelessly hurting herself while playing and immediately looking for her parents’ reaction.

So even though her knees ached faintly, she forced herself to walk off the track as if nothing had happened.

**

There was no point in another race—Lü Yang had enough self-awareness to know he’d probably lose again unless it was a short sprint. But he had enough pride to admit defeat outright, handing the prize money to Xu Zhi.

Once the farce was over, the crowd gradually dispersed.On the ride back, Cai Yingying and Feng Jin never expected the trip to be such a bountiful harvest. They excitedly discussed where to grab late-night snacks and relished the sight of Lü Yang finally backing down like a coward. The satisfaction was even more exhilarating than devouring an entire ice-cold watermelon in one bite—every pore tingling as blood rushed from their heads.

Still buzzing with excitement, Feng Jin, sitting in the passenger seat, said, "I’ll call Chen Luzhou to check. He mentioned he’d join us after wrapping up two more shots. Seems he booked the same hotel tonight—probably planning to leave with us tomorrow."

Cai Yingying noticed the Häagen-Dazs in Xu Zhi’s hand. "When did you get that?"

Xu Zhi replied casually, "Yan Letong’s sister gave it to me. Said Chen Luzhou bought it and told me to ice the bruise on my forehead."

Compared to Lü Yang’s battered face, Xu Zhi had gotten off lightly—just a sore knee and a faint bruise on her forehead.

Cai Yingying belatedly remarked, "Rich guy Chen strikes again. Häagen-Dazs as an ice pack—what luxury. Xu Zhi, I feel like you and Chen Luzhou have been getting closer lately."

"Really? He seems friendly with everyone," Xu Zhi said. "He bought Yan Letong’s sister ice cream too."

Distracted by their chatter, Feng Jin didn’t realize his call had already connected until he noticed the timer showed ten seconds elapsed. As soon as he lifted the phone, Chen Luzhou’s voice came through: "Feng Jin, pass the phone to her."

Somehow, Feng Jin instinctively knew "her" meant Xu Zhi, not Cai Yingying.

Xu Zhi took the phone. The familiar, teasing voice sounded oddly distant through the receiver—low and unexpectedly cool, yet sending a strange electric current straight to her heart. "Yan Letong’s ice cream cost eight bucks. Your Häagen-Dazs was eighty. Now tell me—who am I closer to?"

Xu Zhi hadn’t expected Chen Luzhou to overhear. She studied her reflection in the car window, trying to gauge the bruise on her forehead. It looked like it might’ve bled a little. Unable to see clearly, she frowned. She’d always cared about her looks—as a kid, a scratch like this would’ve had her crying all day, needing Old Xu to console her for ages. Even now, it bothered her. Would it scar? The thought of a permanent mark unsettled her. Distracted, she replied flatly, "That’s your metric? Just pure cost?"

"Isn’t money the best measure for people like us?" Chen Luzhou had just finished his last two shots and was packing up his gear. He took back his half-finished Coke from Yan Letong and plopped onto the grass, only to notice a colony of ants diligently digging tunnels. Amused, he held the phone in one hand while lazily propping himself up with the other. The vibrant green blades brushed against his arm, making his fingers look pale and restrained—though his words were anything but. "For example, if I offered you five grand to kiss me right now, you’d probably dive in headfirst, no hesitation."

Her retort was even bolder: "Deal. Transfer it now, and I’ll tell the driver to turn around immediately."