Chapter 63

“The merger of the two companies is the unity of two forces; Yong Xing’s experience can guide Xunjie on a smoother path, while Xunjie’s technology can revitalize Yong Xing…”

The lobby of Yong Xing Building on the ground floor had a small stage set up.

Various invited guests and media sat below the stage, while Lin Yuzhe stood on the stage, reciting his lengthy and wordy speech.

In the front row, Song Qiming had his hands crossed over his chest, looking attentive, but if one observed closely, they’d notice that his head would occasionally nod forward.

Seeing Song Qiming almost falling asleep, Lin Yushu couldn’t resist nudging him with his elbow. “Pay attention.”

Song Qiming straightened his posture again, his voice carrying a hint of drowsiness, “Your brother sure can talk.”

Lin Yushu automatically translated it to: Your brother talks too much.

“Don’t you see the occasion?” He glanced at Song Qiming, noticing his tie was slightly crooked. Lin Yushu turned his upper body and adjusted the tie for him.

At that moment, the hall suddenly erupted with the sound of a flurry of camera flashes. Lin Yushu was startled and quickly withdrew his hand.

He then realized that the media present today, in addition to covering the signing ceremony of the merger between the two companies, were also keen on getting some gossip about the two of them.

“As Xunjie has come this far, it’s truly not easy. Looking back at the beginning…”

Lin Yuzhe’s speech showed no signs of stopping anytime soon, and Lin Yushu started to feel bored. He took out his phone to pass the time.

He had already dealt with work emails, and the only message left unanswered was from Lu Zibo, urging him.

【Lu Zibo: The car has arrived.】

【Lu Zibo: When will the big boss come to inspect?】

Lin Yushu checked the time; it seemed that the event wouldn’t be over for a while.

【Lin Yushu: You go ahead and start.】

【Lin Yushu: We’ll arrive later.】

“Being able to merge with Yong Xing is also a matter of fate. Back then, my first car was Yong Xing’s classic model…”

This speech wasn’t written by a secretary; it was Lin Yuzhe’s personal reflections.

Lin Yushu found it uninteresting and decided to open a rarely used social media app.

Upon refreshing the page, he unsurprisingly came across a post about Song Qiming – the app automatically pushed related content after browsing similar topics.

The post featured a picture of Song Qiming from his Instagram standing by the racetrack, watching S-power participate in a race.

However, the image seemed unrelated to the text.

“Song Qiming’s boyfriend is the CEO of Xunjie Electric Car!!! Who said he’s a young idol?!”

This news had been made public by Song Qiming after the two companies decided to merge.

At the time, many people tried to dig up information on Lin Yushu but could only find a few pictures of him wearing suits at the opening ceremony of the Shao Family Museum.

Some even claimed that Song Qiming had changed boyfriends twice in a short period, so Lin Yushu decided to put on a hoodie, wear a baseball cap, and take a close photo with Song Qiming, with his face partly obscured by the cap. Song Qiming posted it online with the caption: “My wife when she’s not working.”

People then realized that whether in suits or casual clothes, that was all Lin Yushu.

Lin Yushu scrolled down to read the comments below the post.

— Now it’s not just Xunjie Electric Car; it’s Yong Xing-Xunjie Automotive.

— Isn’t it the same thing?

— The former had a market cap of 50 billion, and the latter has a market cap of over 100 billion; how can they be the same?

Although the merger process had not been completed yet, the market had already estimated that the combined market value of the two companies would at least double. The notion of surpassing a market cap of over 100 billion was considered conservative; once S-power launched its mass-produced cars and international-level racetracks were established, the market value was expected to continue to rise.

Apart from a few discussions about the merger, most people were still talking about Lin Yushu.

— The two of them are a perfect match, I wish I could also be a CEO.

— First, you need to have a chairman brother.

— So envious!

After the merger, Lin Yuzhe remained the chairman, while Song Qiming became the chief engineer.

The couple had agreed that Song Qiming would handle technical matters, while Lin Yushu would handle operations.

“What are you looking at?” Song Qiming tilted his head and glanced at Lin Yushu’s screen. “Consulting with your good girlfriends again?”

“I don’t have any good girlfriends.” Lin Yushu put away his phone and got down to business. “Lu Zibo said the car has arrived.”

“Then let’s wrap up quickly later.” Song Qiming replied.

Song Qiming’s speech was much simpler, but after the signing, exchange of contracts, and a series of other formalities, it was already over an hour later.

Both of them declined media interviews and rushed to the parking lot. They got into Song Qiming’s GTR, where they both quickly removed their suit jackets, loosened their ties, shedding the appearance of corporate executives.

“They’ve already started over there.” Lin Yushu checked the message Lu Zibo sent and said.

“Alright, I’ll drive fast.”

Outside Yong Xing Building, an engine roared to life, and a blue GTR emerged from the underground parking lot, merging into the flow of traffic.

While Lin Yuzhe maintained a smiling face, he couldn’t help but grumble in his heart: “Those two brats are so fast!”

When they arrived at the Longma Racetrack, the race was already in full swing, with cars from different teams fiercely competing.

Lu Zibo seemed quite anxious, “Why did you two take so long to come!”

This afternoon was a four-hour endurance race organized by the City Automobile Association. Each team had four drivers taking turns to race for four hours straight without changing cars. The team with the most laps completed at the end of the four hours would be the winner.

Lin Yushu and Song Qiming didn’t explain much and quickly changed into their racing suits, returning to the team’s pit area.

At the moment, the screen displayed that their team was ranked 7th out of 13 teams, already trailing the first place by more than 30 seconds.

“How long has Ah Liang been driving?” Lin Yushu asked.

— Ah Liang was also a friend in the circle. Since the race required four participants, Lu Zibo had asked him to join to complete the team.

According to the race rules, each driver could not drive continuously for more than 40 minutes. By now, the race had already been going on for over an hour, and Lu Zibo must have already taken a turn.

“He’s about to come back after one more lap, and then it’s your turn, Xiaolin.” The team manager said.

“Alright.” Lin Yushu nodded.

“That car’s steering is quite soft; you might need to drive two laps to get used to it.” Lu Zibo said, “Why did your ceremony take so long?”

“There were many formalities.” Lin Yushu replied.

At that moment, they heard Ah Liang’s voice over the team’s intercom, saying he was preparing to return. Lin Yushu put on his helmet and went outside the pit area to wait.

Soon, a bright orange FlyDoo drove onto the track, adorned with Lu Zibo’s specially customized logo and the team’s name, “Longma Racing Team.”

It was a temporary team with borrowed race cars; Lin Yushu didn’t expect the name to be too impressive.

“Sweetheart, go for it.” Song Qiming stood nearby, cheering for Lin Yushu.

Lin Yushu replied with a “Got it,” then sat in the driver’s seat and drove onto the track, leaving Lu Zibo and the others almost dying from the sweetness overload.

“Big boss, the way you two are…”

“What’s wrong?” Song Qiming shifted his gaze away from the departing car and looked at Lu Zibo.

“Nothing.” Lu Zibo swallowed hard. “Your happiness is what matters most.”

The race cars used in the competition had strict parameter standards, and after a single race, the vehicles suffered significant wear and tear. Therefore, Lin Yushu’s Civic and Song Qiming’s GTR naturally wouldn’t be used.

The FlyDoo was a commonly used vehicle in many small races. It was cheap, durable, and easy to handle.

However, Lin Yushu didn’t adapt in advance and had to quickly learn during the race. After a few laps, he not only failed to catch up but also fell further behind.

In the rearview mirror, the team in the first place was vaguely visible, while the teams at the bottom were facing the risk of being lapped.

Despite being a lower-level city-level race, the drivers’ skills weren’t particularly high, and mistakes happened from time to time. Even the team in the first place was not an exception.

Gradually, Lin Yushu found his rhythm and began to separate from the teams at the bottom.

Before getting in the car, Lin Yushu didn’t take the race seriously. Initially, it was just a casual response when Lu Zibo asked if he wanted to participate. He hadn’t prepared specially, and he even thought it wouldn’t affect much even if the race time conflicted with the signing ceremony.

But after getting in the car, everything felt different.

The front and back were full of rival teams, and everyone wanted to surpass the others. The engine’s roar was exhilarating, making the adrenaline rush and heartbeats accelerate.

At this moment, Lin Yushu didn’t think about anything else; he only had one thought in his mind – to win.

Lin Yushu pushed the car to its limits for a full forty minutes. By the time he returned, he had already caught up to fourth place.

Next up was Song Qiming, but he wasn’t as familiar with the track as Lin Yushu and wasn’t accustomed to driving a front-wheel-drive car. After dozens of laps, he couldn’t move forward but used his skills to suppress the cars behind, temporarily maintaining fourth place.

At this point, the race had passed the halfway mark. After a simple pit stop to maintain the car, Ah Liang got back on the track.

Soon after, the car from the second-place team encountered a problem. Since they couldn’t change cars midway, they had to give up the race.

The Longma Racing Team jumped into the top three, but they didn’t have time to celebrate. Ah Liang suddenly lost control in a series of three corners and crashed into the trackside barriers.

“I have to return early,” Ah Liang’s voice came through the intercom. “There’s a strange noise from the rear, and I don’t know what’s going on.”

“Come back first and let’s check it out.” The team manager responded.

Shortly after, the orange FlyDoo returned to the pit. The strange noise Ah Liang mentioned was actually coming from the damaged rear bumper, which was still hanging on the left side but had fallen off on the right side.

“How are we going to handle this?” Lu Zibo was dumbfounded.

“Move aside.” Song Qiming couldn’t be bothered with long discussions. He and another engineer from another team went to the rear of the car and quickly used silver tape to stick the bumper back in place.

“Are you serious? Will it hold up?” Lu Zibo asked hesitantly. “What if it falls off again while driving later?”

“If it falls off, drive back again.” Lin Yushu pushed Lu Zibo to the driver’s seat. “Get in quickly.”

The shabby FlyDoo once again returned to the track. Due to the unscheduled return for repairs, the Longma Racing Team fell back to last place.

However, with the passage of time, other teams also encountered problems, and changing drivers also took time. Therefore, Lu Zibo worked hard and managed to climb back up. When he returned to the pit again, the Longma Racing Team was back in third place.

“Just block the cars behind you.” Lin Yushu told Song Qiming, who was about to get in the car. “I’ll do the rest and catch up.”

According to the team manager’s plan, the final push would be given to Lin Yushu, who had stronger capabilities.

With less than an hour of racing time left, Song Qiming only needed to drive for about twenty minutes before handing over to Lin Yushu.

However, plans don’t always keep up with changes. Song Qiming returned after just over ten minutes because the battered car had another problem.

“The engine’s temperature is too high. If we keep driving, it might blow up,” the team engineer opened the engine cover, looking serious.

Song Qiming also got out of the car and walked to the front of the engine.

“Is it okay?” Lin Yushu asked Song Qiming beside him.

“I’ll take a look first,” Song Qiming said.

“If we keep driving like this, the engine will definitely be ruined.” The team engineer said to Lin Yushu, “I’m afraid we won’t be able to finish the race in the remaining forty minutes.”

“What does that mean?” Lu Zibo asked. “We’ve been racing for over three hours; do we just give up at the last stretch?”

“The car won’t hold up; do you understand? It’s dangerous to keep driving,” the engineer emphasized.

“Then let’s call it quits?” Ah Liang said, “Since we’re not professionals, it’s still great to experience this.”

The team manager and the engineer were friends Lu Zibo had invited, and they were also professionals in the industry, with considerable experience.

However, Lin Yushu didn’t immediately trust the engineer and asked Song Qiming, “What do you think?”

“It can still drive,” Song Qiming stood up straight and said to Lin Yushu, “Keep the RPM below 8000 and wait for the water temperature to drop a bit before accelerating. It’s alright if you can’t catch up; safety comes first.”

“But you…” The engineer wanted to say something, but he also knew Song Qiming’s status. When one of the world’s top automotive engineers said it’s fine, what else could he say?

“As long as you don’t exceed 8000 RPM?” Lin Yushu asked as he put on his helmet.

“Yes,” Song Qiming replied. “Don’t go overboard; keep an eye on the RPM at all times.”

Engine RPM and vehicle speed weren’t always directly related. As long as the gear changes were timed well, lower RPM could maintain higher speeds.

However, the track had many corners, making it quite challenging.

Other teams also started to change drivers one after another. Lin Yushu maintained a steady performance and gradually caught up to fourth place.

By now, the water temperature had dropped slightly. Lin Yushu began to drive aggressively, taking every corner at the highest speed possible.

Gradually, he overtook the third-place team and approached the second-place team. With only five minutes left in the race, he arrived at the same corner where he had defeated Song Qiming before. This time, he used the same trick, hugging the shoulder of the track to overtake the second-place car.

The team manager’s cheers came through the intercom. He told Lin Yushu to hold on to the position, and the engine’s high-temperature warning sounded again, signaling that further chasing was not very realistic.

Should they give up?

It was just a small race; there was no need to go all out.

However, looking at the car in the first place, Lin Yushu found it hard to convince himself to give up.

The RPM crossed the redline, suddenly soaring to 11,000 RPM.

Smoke started to billow from the engine hood, but he was getting closer and closer to the first-place car.

With 30 seconds left on the countdown, the two cars were only one car length apart.

With 20 seconds left, the gap of one car length reduced to half a car length, but the smoke from the engine became thicker.

Through the intercom, Song Qiming’s anxious voice rang out, “Lin Yushu, don’t push it any further!”

Ignoring the warning, Lin Yushu continued to press the accelerator.

Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

At the last moment before crossing the finish line, Lin Yushu narrowly surpassed the first-place car. At the same time, the engine hood suddenly lifted, and the engine lost power.

A large cloud of smoke billowed from the front, and without taking time to enjoy the victory, Lin Yushu quickly got out of the car and hurriedly moved away from the FlyDoo that had fulfilled its mission.

But as he took a few steps away, he was caught in a sturdy embrace.

“Lin Yushu!” Song Qiming scolded from above, “You are not allowed to drive again in the future!”

Not allowed to drive?

Lin Yushu couldn’t help but feel amused. He relaxed and said, “It’s not that serious. I know what I’m doing.”

Although his behavior just now was indeed risky, it hadn’t reached a life-threatening level.

Song Qiming furrowed his brow and asked, “How come I didn’t realize you had such an impulsive side before?”

Lin Yushu raised an eyebrow and asked, “Aren’t you impulsive too?”

“Well…” Song Qiming hesitated and honestly replied, “Alright, I can be impulsive too.”

Of course, they could be impulsive. Although they were already past the age of impulsiveness, who said they couldn’t be impulsive about their hobbies?

On the way back, Lin Yushu held the shoddy trophy he had won, incessantly recounting his emotions during the race.

“Actually, the third-place car could have blocked me, but the driver braked late, maybe because he didn’t want to slow down too much.”

“That engineer didn’t have your experience. As you said, there was nothing wrong with exceeding 8000 RPM.”

“If you’re distracted by running the company’s operations, it’s a waste. You should focus on research and development.”

As they encountered a red light ahead, Song Qiming slowed the car to a stop and chuckled, “You are indeed a Lin family member.”

“What do you mean?” Lin Yushu was puzzled.

“Just as chatty as your brother,” Song Qiming laughed.

“Song Qiming,” Lin Yushu frowned.

Song Qiming restrained his smile and asked, “Did you see the first group that got eliminated earlier?”

“I think I was on the track at that time and didn’t pay attention. Why?” Lin Yushu asked. “What’s special about them?”

“They were a group of people in their sixties,” Song Qiming said.

Lin Yushu was surprised, “So old?”

“I kind of admire them,” Song Qiming said. “They kept pursuing their hobbies.”

Lin Yushu looked at the trophy in his hand and then at Song Qiming, saying, “We can do that too.”

Song Qiming turned his head to meet Lin Yushu’s gaze, “Enjoy the fast-paced life together?”

“Why not?” Lin Yushu said. “Keep going until we can’t.”

“Alright,” Song Qiming smiled again, “It’s a deal.”

As the green light lit up ahead, the blue GTR merged into the golden flow of traffic.

“What should we eat tonight?”

“I’ll make green pepper and shredded pork pizza. This time, it’ll be a perfect fusion of Chinese and Western cuisines.”

“Okay, I’ll just order takeout.”

“You don’t trust me that much?”

“…”

“…