Chapter 4

In the city, of course, one can't feel the thrill of a Ferrari, as it moves slowly. Luka asked Yang Jingxing if he had ever driven a car, and Yang Jingxing, unafraid of losing face, said he had driven his father's Audi and had some karting experience.

Luka didn't boast about his wealth, but he listed several of his racing titles, looking very pleased and proud to be heading to Asia.

In less than an hour, they arrived at their destination in the suburbs. Luka was clearly well-known at the track, and it seemed the staff there respected him.

While changing clothes in the locker room, Luka complimented Yang Jingxing on his physique and asked, "Roka said you're a martial arts genius?"

Yang Jingxing shook his head, embarrassed, "No."

Luka was dismissive, "I don't believe in that stuff anyway."

The racing suits fit perfectly, and the helmets and boots were of high quality. Roka praised her father and Yang Jingxing for looking handsome in their red and white racing suits, taking photos of them and asking her father to take photos of her with Yang Jingxing.

The track staff checked Yang Jingxing's suit and helped him put on his helmet. The car was also inspected, and Luka called for Yang Jingxing to get in. His eyes, full of youthful energy, stared at Yang Jingxing and warned, "Get ready to feel it... If you're going to throw up, let me know!"

Yang Jingxing checked the seatbelt, feeling confident, "Don't worry, Mr. Luka."

Roka clapped and cheered, excited for Yang Jingxing.

As they slid onto the track, Luka first showed off his engine, the sound of which indeed excited men.

"Let's go!" Luka shouted, and the sports car shot forward like an arrow. He was indeed a skilled driver, and the start was very impressive. In just five or six seconds, the speedometer hit 100. The seat provided a particularly full and comfortable pressure, but there was no discomfort.

The track was about four to five kilometers long, shaped like a sports field, with no particularly difficult turns, purely for enjoying speed.

On the long straightaway, Luka pushed the top speed to around 250. Yang Jingxing wasn't surprised to find that his field of vision wasn't limited.

Generally, at such high speeds, a person's effective field of vision becomes very narrow and focused, known as tunnel vision. In this state, the human eye can only see a small area clearly, while everything else is blurry.

But Yang Jingxing could still see everything clearly. Even as the car sped by, his peripheral vision could make out the signs by the road.

Since he had never experienced this before, Yang Jingxing didn't know if the thrill he felt was discounted. But his heart still raced, perhaps because the sexy engine sound and the speed appealed to his masculine nature.

When taking the turns, Luka slowed down to below 100 and chatted with Yang Jingxing, "Do you like it?"

Yang Jingxing sighed, "It's amazing... Mr. Luka, you are too."

Luka was a bit disappointed that Yang Jingxing could still speak, so he accelerated again.

They ran eight laps in total. When the car stopped, Roka hurried over to check on Yang Jingxing. But he got out steadily, stood straight, and took off his helmet, smiling at Roka, "Thank you so much." He then turned to Luka, "Thank you, sir."

Luka praised Yang Jingxing to his daughter, "He did very well, very well."

Afterward, Luka took Yang Jingxing to change back into his regular clothes and then to try the simulator, which was different from a video game. The cockpit was identical to an F1 car, with all manual controls, and the tracks were exact replicas of real ones, making it a professional toy.

It was just for fun, so there was no need to be too serious. After about 15 minutes of learning in the cockpit, Yang Jingxing started on the Monza track.

The first time is often the worst. The first time lying in the cockpit, the first time holding the steering wheel, the first time using the button brakes and shifts... Yang Jingxing's first and second laps were terrible, with times of 3:45 and 3:28, respectively.

But the few spectators were very tolerant, and the driving instructor even said Yang Jingxing did pretty well, surprising him. However, there were fewer than 20 such F1 simulators in the world, mostly in Europe, so it was unlikely that Yang Jingxing, an Asian, had ever used one.

On the third lap, Yang Jingxing started to get the hang of it. He held the steering wheel more steadily and controlled the turns better. His braking, acceleration, and shifting were no longer those of a complete beginner, at least not like the repeated stalling in the first lap.

His third lap time was 3:14. The instructor encouraged Yang Jingxing to continue and said to Luka, "Can you see? He's a steady type." Indeed, although Yang Jingxing was still a beginner, he had a good grasp of slowing down before turns and accelerating out of them, thanks to his previous interest and karting experience, which provided a solid theoretical foundation.

On the fourth lap, the instructor and Luka were no longer so casual, watching Yang Jingxing's hands closely. They saw that his steering into turns was no longer hasty but smooth and steady.

"Nice!" The instructor saw Yang Jingxing's shifting, which was accurate and timely for a beginner.

Roka quickly looked away from Yang Jingxing's face.

His time for this lap was 3:01, a rapid improvement. The instructor told Yang Jingxing, "Believe in yourself, you can do it, surprise me!"

Yang Jingxing focused on feeling and summarizing each turn's characteristics, the required gear, the angle of entry, and the speed... Each lap brought new insights.

On the thirteenth lap, the instructor called out as Yang Jingxing took the eighth and ninth turns, "Very good, nice." From his perspective, Yang Jingxing's calm braking and shifting in the combination turns had a professional touch. Of course, it might have been a coincidence, as a 200 km/h exit speed was unlikely for a beginner.

His time for this lap was 2:05. The instructor didn't let Yang Jingxing continue, calling him out of the car and leading him to a large teaching screen, where he began further instruction, pointing and explaining enthusiastically, "Look here, a long right curve, you can speed up to 300 km/h if you have confidence in your braking. What do you do when exiting the turn? Prepare for turn 6, stay to the left, you noticed that... the apex! Always see the apex... here, speed up, don't let anyone pass you... feel it, feel your instincts, 120 km/h is the best speed here, perfect shifting and acceleration..."

Unfortunately, the language barrier made communication difficult. Fortunately, Roka and Luka were enthusiastic about helping, explaining the technical terms and Italian to Yang Jingxing.

After teaching for over half an hour, the instructor got into the cockpit himself, letting Yang Jingxing watch his skills. As a professional, his technique was top-notch, and he knew the track so well he could drive it with his eyes closed. His time was 1:20. The simulation, with perfect weather and track conditions, produced higher times than in real life.

The instructor drove a few laps with similar times. Then Yang Jingxing got back in, and the instructor patted his shoulder, "Believe in yourself, you can do it."

Yang Jingxing took a few minutes to prepare. Under the watchful eyes of several people, his latest time was 1:41, earning cheers and encouragement for several turns.

Some people saw through Yang Jingxing, "Forget it, he can't be a beginner, look at his shifting, don't insult my intelligence..."

Besides Luka and his daughter, the other track staff were also amazed by Yang Jingxing's incredible performance. Luka was a bit jealous, "Great, maybe you're a genius."

Roka was proud, "I told you." She then looked at Yang Jingxing and praised, "You're amazing!"

Yang Jingxing wasn't modest, "I wouldn't have known if it weren't for you."

Roka laughed and linked her arm with her father's.

The instructor, of course, wanted to ask about Yang Jingxing's driving career, but Yang Jingxing only knew how to drive and didn't even have a license. The instructor, who loved talent, took Yang Jingxing out of the room to the parking lot, took out the keys, and pointed to his black R34, asking, "Want to try?"

Yang Jingxing politely shook his head. The instructor, impatient, said, "Don't be shy, my Asian boy, come on, this is our turf!" He put his arm around Yang Jingxing's shoulders and led him over.

The instructor first introduced his beloved car, which was modified, mainly the front, spoiler, and engine displacement. He said, "It's not a Ferrari, but you'll like it."

Encouraged by the group, Yang Jingxing and the instructor changed back into their regular clothes and got helmets. The instructor, of course, wasn't entirely confident, so he first took Yang Jingxing for a few laps, carefully introducing his car and teaching techniques while also explaining how to care for the car and emphasizing safety.

This was different from the F1 simulator, but for Yang Jingxing, it should be simpler. He had secretly driven his father's old Santana on the national highway at speeds over 90 km/h before.

The instructor drove at 200 km/h, but when Yang Jingxing got into the driver's seat, he pointed at the speedometer and warned repeatedly, "Don't go over 90, absolutely not! Keep your head clear, listen to every word I say, and follow it!"

Wearing a professional racing suit, helmet, and gloves for the first time, the feeling of holding the racing steering wheel was completely different from the old Santana. The seat's back support, the distance to the brake and accelerator, and the height of the gearshift... Fortunately, they were about the same height.

Yang Jingxing adapted for a while, pressing the brake and accelerator, shifting gears, and feeling the steering wheel's resistance...

The instructor felt it was time and said with a mix of worry and anticipation, "Let's start."

Yang Jingxing tried three laps, never exceeding 60 km/h, and his technique didn't worry the instructor more. Each time he crossed the finish line, Roka waved from the small stand.

The instructor began to encourage him, "Don't be too timid, I'm not here to take you for a ride."

So Yang Jingxing accelerated, and the instant pressure excited the instructor, "That's it, just like that."

At 60 km/h, entering a 90-degree turn, Yang Jingxing's braking was a bit heavy, but he corrected it quickly, shifting gears very fast and coordinating well with the accelerator.

The instructor praised, "Right, feel it, know what you're doing!"

On the next similar turn, Yang Jingxing performed well, braking and accelerating smoothly and beautifully.

After three more laps, the instructor was more confident and taught Yang Jingxing, "Combine your butt and brain, conquer it!"

Yang Jingxing focused intently, eyes wide open, his right hand moving quickly between the gearshift and steering wheel, smoothly navigating a U-turn.

"Wow, genius, well done!" the instructor whispered, unable to shout due to the G-forces.

On the eighth lap, the speedometer reached 150 km/h. The instructor was silent, his eyes darting between the road ahead and Yang Jingxing's hands. Yang Jingxing's shallow driving experience worried him, but the stability of the car under him reassured him, a contradiction. Especially Yang Jingxing's braking technique, which became increasingly precise, impossible for a first-time racer.

On the tenth lap, the monitor informed the instructor over the radio that the latest time was 2:01. The instructor reluctantly called out, "That's enough, stop!"

The car stopped smoothly. The instructor looked at Yang Jingxing for a while and said, "You did great, very great! Do you want to be a test driver or something?"

If Yang Jingxing were ten years younger, he might have had time for systematic training and a career in racing. But this was clearly a talent, and if he entered the industry, miracles might happen.

Yang Jingxing smiled, "Thank you, sir."

They got out of the car, and the instructor asked Roka to help express his intentions to Yang Jingxing. He knew many professional drivers, A1, F1, and F3, and seeing that Yang Jingxing was a racing enthusiast with great potential, he offered to help him enter the industry.

Yang Jingxing was grateful but declined. After trying for the whole morning, his desire seemed satisfied.

Before parting, the instructor gave Yang Jingxing a big hug and a jacket as a keepsake.

Roka teased Yang Jingxing like a good friend, "Genius driver, you must not want to sit in my little car now?"

Yang Jingxing said, "Of course, I want to relax a bit."

Luka chuckled, "But don't let him drive!"

In the car, Roka signaled her father to go first and then said to Yang Jingxing, "Give me your email, I can send you the photos."

Yang Jingxing said, "Give me yours too, I can send my gratitude."

They both laughed, exchanged emails, and Roka looked at Yang Jingxing's, "Is this your name? Can you tell me how to write it in Chinese?" She had paper and pen ready.

Yang Jingxing wrote it, but Roka found it complicated, "Too complex, anyone who can learn this language is a genius."

Yang Jingxing said, "I'm just a beginner." At that moment, Bo Er's call came, asking when he would return to the hotel.

After Yang Jingxing finished the call, Roka asked, "No time?"

Yang Jingxing nodded, "Yes, it's a pity."

Roka didn't believe it, "Not even for lunch?"

Yang Jingxing said, "I'll treat you."

Roka happily accepted.

They had lunch at a small, cheap, and quick restaurant. Roka was clearly interested in the East and asked Yang Jingxing many questions. What are the famous dishes? What's the climate like? Are there really people who practice witchcraft? Who is the biggest pop star? Can Yang Jingxing sing? What are his hobbies... Yang Jingxing answered simply and conveniently.

"How old are you when you fall in love?" Roka suddenly asked.

Yang Jingxing answered professionally, "It varies, 10 if you're lucky, 20 if you're not."

Roka laughed and asked, "Do you all like... spicy girls? Cheerleaders!" She gestured at her relatively flat chest, embarrassed.

Yang Jingxing said, "Not necessarily."

Roka didn't quite believe it, "Really? What do you like?"

Yang Jingxing was a bit hesitant, thought for a moment, and said, "Kind."

Perhaps due to the language barrier, Roka wasn't satisfied with the answer, "Most people are kind... my father fell in love with my mother because of her cooking." She opened her wallet and showed Yang Jingxing a family photo.

Yang Jingxing, without a photo, felt ashamed, "Maybe I don't understand what love is."

Roka was surprised, "No one can explain love, just listen to your heart and feelings... who do you want to be with? Who do you care about the most?"

Yang Jingxing laughed, "I care about my mother the most, but I don't want to be with her, too much nagging."

Roka chuckled, "We have something in common... what do you want to do in the future? I dream of being a painter." She showed Yang Jingxing photos of her artwork.

Yang Jingxing felt ashamed again, "You remind me, when I have a dream, I'll tell you."

They pretended to eat but were actually chatting, getting to know each other better. The conversation was mostly about boys and girls, centered around youth and love, but both felt they weren't experts and could only share what they had seen around them.

Time flew by, and by 2 PM, Bo Er's call came again. They had to take Yang Jingxing back to the hotel. In the car, Roka looked at the racing jacket the instructor gave Yang Jingxing and said, "Now, you can go back without regrets. You can brag to your friends that you're a good driver."

Yang Jingxing looked at Roka, "More importantly, I met a beautiful Roman girl."

Roka laughed, a bit helplessly, "Boys... are all the same." She then picked up the previous topic, a bit angrily, "We have a guy named Timothy, I don't even know him, and the closest I've ever been to him is five meters away, but he boasts that he kissed me! So embarrassing!" She spoke loudly to cover her embarrassment.

Yang Jingxing comforted her seriously, "Don't worry, my boasting won't reach that far, it won't cause you any trouble."

Roka looked at Yang Jingxing confidently, "You won't, I know."

Yang Jingxing suddenly got mischievous, looking into Roka's eyes and smiling, "You won't let me boast!?"