Chapter 84:
Ignoring their disappointed expressions, Ji Ran firmly gripped the steering wheel. With a flick of his left hand, he pulled the car window up.
“Boyfriend is boyfriend, why mention girlfriend?”
Qin Man returned to his original position, only then hearing this faint remark from his side.
He raised an eyebrow, taking a moment before saying, “Roll down the window.”
Ji Ran looked puzzled. “Why?”
“You didn’t handle it well just now,” Qin Man said. “Give it another chance.”
Ji Ran replied, “Shut up and sit properly.”
Outside the Mancheng Raceway, the parking lot was filled with sports cars. Ji Ran gripped the steering wheel with one hand, casually scanning around, looking for a parking spot closer to the entrance.
He spotted a flashy tour bus among the luxury cars, its presence particularly conspicuous.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed a support banner plastered on the side of the bus.
The oversized head of He Suiran was printed on it, accompanied by a bolded slogan below.
【Teen heartthrob He Suiran, dominates the Mancheng Racetrack.】
In Ji Ran’s eyes, this slogan was no less absurd than “I’m DJ Happy Sheep, the wildest on the grassland.”
A decent racer, but how many championships had he won? Instead of focusing on racing, he wasted time on these nonsensical matters.
And to top it off, taking up a parking spot.
After parking the car, Ji Ran realized that He Suiran’s influence on this race track extended beyond just the support banner.
Outside the race track, there were even several entertainment media vehicles, with quite a few people carrying cameras visible among them.
Although there were formal racing events in China, the high costs involved meant that there were few enthusiasts. Even a well-known domestic racing event held its finals in China a couple of years ago, the stands were filled with spectators, but media attention was not high, with hardly any news coverage. Online live streaming viewership was only a little over four thousand.
Ji Ran hesitated for a moment, then went back to his car and grabbed two face masks.
He wasn’t sure if any media would recognize him, but it was better to be safe than sorry. He was here to watch the race today and didn’t want to encounter any trouble.
The two of them put on their masks and entered the venue, finding their seats as indicated on their tickets.
The front row of the audience section had a large broadcast screen in front of it, offering a perfect view of the most exciting turns of the race track. It could be said that it was the best seat in the entire audience section.
Just as Ji Ran sat down, his phone rang.
[Ji Wei: Father has awakened, don’t worry.]
Who the hell was worried?
Ever since the day he met Ji Wei at the hospital, the latter had been sending him a message every day, updating him on Ji Guozheng’s condition. Ji Ran hadn’t replied to a single one, but Ji Wei continued to send them.
Ji Ran put his phone away and glanced up at the display screen.
Coincidentally, the screen happened to be broadcasting He Suiran’s preparation. In the camera, He Suiran was drinking water. Sensing the camera, he unconsciously smiled, looking gentle and handsome.
Ji Ran heard several screams from behind.
… The seats were good, but unfortunately, behind them were He Suiran’s fans, holding banners in their hands, not sure whether they were here to watch the race or attend a concert.
However, since others had paid for their seats, it was their right to cheer a few times.
He was thinking absentmindedly when his face was suddenly turned by the person next to him.
Qin Man asked, “Want some candy?”
Ji Ran frowned, “Where did you get the candy?”
“Got it from the supermarket yesterday.” Qin Man took out a piece of candy from his pocket and placed it in Ji Ran’s palm. “If you feel like smoking and I’m not around, you can have a candy to curb the craving.”
“…..” What was this guy thinking?
Ji Ran internally scoffed, then took the candy, peeled off the wrapper, lowered his mask, opened his mouth, and tossed the pink ball into his mouth.
When he looked up again, the camera had already switched to a foreign racer.
Today’s race wasn’t small-scale, and many prestigious clubs had arranged for their members to participate. Ji Ran estimated that He Suiran was probably aiming for third or fifth place.
But judging by the enthusiasm of He Suiran’s fans in the stands… it made him look like a potential champion instead.
He Suiran should consider becoming a star – making money without needing training, how great would that be, Ji Ran sincerely thought.
Soon, the announcement came over the broadcast.
Ji Ran initially thought the race was about to start, considering he had timed his arrival perfectly. However, upon closer listening, it turned out that there was an issue with one of the facilities on the track, requiring about thirty minutes to be fixed, so everyone was asked to wait for a moment.
Though they said thirty minutes, it would probably be at least an hour until the race actually began.
It was now noon, and Ji Ran had no intention of waiting foolishly under the scorching sun. He asked the person beside him, “Want to go sit in the neighboring café?”
“Sure.”
Just as Ji Ran stepped down from the stands, he noticed a crowd gathering at the entrance to the work aisle – most of the media cameras were concentrated there.
During this period, he had developed an aversion to cameras, so he subconsciously wanted to avoid them. However, to his surprise, the person at the center of the crowd was even faster than him.
“Ji—” He Suiran had barely uttered a word when he realized it wasn’t the right time and quickly stopped himself.
He struggled to make a path for himself with his hand, apologizing to the media as he chased after Ji Ran.
Why couldn’t this guy just leave him alone?
Damn it, if it weren’t for the overcrowding, he would have left already, Ji Ran thought irritably.
Seeing that Ji Ran’s pace didn’t slow down, He Suiran subconsciously reached out to grab him, but someone blocked their path, causing He Suiran’s hand to collide with the area above Qin Man’s abdomen.
Qin Man smiled and subtly pushed away his hand, “Is there something you need?”
The media swarmed around them.
Ji Ran frowned and pulled his mask up a bit more.
He Suiran paused. He knew Ji Ran wasn’t suited for media attention, but he didn’t want Ji Ran to leave now.
Since their last encounter at the hot spring hotel, they hadn’t seen each other again, and Ji Ran rarely responded to his messages.
“Long time no see,” he pondered and asked, “Where are you headed?”
“To the coffee shop,” Ji Ran replied.
“If you want coffee, why not go to the lounge? I’ll take you there. I brought coffee powder all the way from overseas,” He Suiran suggested.
“No, thanks.”
“Come on, I have something I want to talk to you about,” He Suiran insisted.
All the media and fans’ eyes were on Ji Ran.
Everyone was curious, who was this person that He Suiran invited to the lounge!
It’s important to note that the lounge for racers was not open to the public. What’s more, this person actually refused.
The group of female fans beside nearly stared a hole through Ji Ran.
If it weren’t for that blasted variety show, it would have been fine. Now that the show’s viewership has exceeded a billion, countless people have seen the three of them together. A few girls finally noticed that something was amiss.
Just as they were about to figure it out, Ji Ran turned around in resignation and said, “Lead the way.”
He Suiran escorted them into the work area ahead of them.
Then he turned around with a smile and said, “Sorry, everyone. I have to go prepare now. Let’s do the interviews after the race.”
He hadn’t originally planned to come out, but because of the sudden delay in the race and the complaints from the audience, the organizers had no choice but to let him, the most popular racer in the country, come out and say a few words to appease them.
However, the media continued to press him.
“There are rumors that you will leave your current team after this race. Is that true?”
“Do you have confidence in aiming for the top three today?”
“Who was the person just now? Was it a staff member?”
He Suiran hadn’t planned to answer, but when he heard the last question, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
“He’s not a staff member,” He Suiran said solemnly, “He’s my former teammate.”
This statement caused quite a stir, and He Suiran was very satisfied with the media’s reaction.
After bidding farewell to everyone, he turned back towards the door to see what kind of reaction Jin Ran would have. However, the doorway was empty, with no one in sight.
He Suiran: “…”
The two had already gone to the lounge.
Seeing He Suiran come in, Jin Ran looked up. “Did that group of people leave?”
“No, I’m still here. There must be people outside all the time,” He Suiran replied.
Qin Man asked, “Where is the back door?”
He Suiran’s expression changed slightly, but he remained silent.
“For the convenience of the staff coming in and out, there must be a back door,” Qin Man nodded, his expression unchanged. “It’s no trouble, you can just show us the way, we’ll leave on our own.”
“I still have something to say to Ji Ran,” He Suiran smiled awkwardly, “If you’re in a hurry, you can go ahead.”
Before Qin Man could sneer, Ji Ran frowned and interrupted them, “He’s with me… Go ahead, what’s the matter?”
He Suiran keenly sensed that something was amiss.
Suppressing his doubts, he turned to say a few words to the foreign coach, then closed the door behind him.
In the lounge, only the three of them remained.
“I heard recently that you’re recruiting race car drivers?”
Ji Ran paused his hand from playing with his phone. “Who’s been gossiping?”
“It doesn’t matter who it is, it’s not something to hide,” He Suiran’s eyes lit up slightly, and he asked hopefully, “Are you recruiting teammates? Are you coming back to racing? You…”
“I don’t intend to race,” Jin Ran interrupted all his fantasies with one sentence.
He Suiran was taken aback, his expression somewhat deflated. “Then why did you go to them?”
He had been troubled by this for the past few days.
Wasn’t he good enough? In China, he was already considered a top-notch driver. Why did Ji Ran go to those obscure drivers who hadn’t even raced before?
This matter would definitely leak out during the procedures, and Ji Ran didn’t bother to hide it. “I’m planning to open a racing club.”
He Suiran hadn’t expected this answer, his eyes widened, and he didn’t respond for a while.
“Open a racing club…” He Suiran repeated, murmuring, “How did you come up with this… When do you plan to open? Do you still need people?”
Ji Ran replied, “Yes, I do. Do you have anyone to recommend?”
“No, I don’t,” He Suiran hardly hesitated, “I want to join.”
Ji Ran was taken aback.
“I want to join, is that okay?” He Suiran said, “I don’t care about the signing fee, as long as I have a car, I can race…”
“Hold on,” Ji Ran interrupted him, feeling a headache, “This isn’t so simple, I can’t sign you.”
“I told you, that’s fine with me.”
“Not necessary,” Ji Ran interrupted him before he could finish, “Are you crazy? You have a Ferrari, why would you come to me?”
“Signing with them is for results, but signing with you, I can develop in China. Although I’ll lose out on the signing fee, I can get more from advertising…” He Suiran quickly found a good excuse.
Ji Ran looked at him coldly, “Keep making excuses.”
He Suiran took a deep breath.
He glanced at Qin Man, who kept his eyes down, not even giving him a glance.
He Suiran gritted his teeth and said, “I want…”
I want to be closer to you.
I want to wait for an opportunity.
For a moment, he couldn’t figure out what to say, and after hesitating for a few seconds, he found himself unable to speak.
Qin Man had been silently listening to their conversation, not interrupting or expressing any opinions.
During He Suiran’s silence, Qin Man calmly picked up the coffee from the table and handed it to Ji Ran.
“Didn’t you want some coffee? Try it.”
There was a ring on his middle finger.
Ji Ran took it, and he too had a ring on his hand. Although the styles were different, He Suiran had a strange intuition.
Ji Ran used to be indifferent to flashy accessories like rings and earrings. He once heard Ji Ran joking with Yue Wenwen and others, saying that those things were too effeminate and ugly, so he never wore them.
But now, he had a ring on his hand.
Ji Ran took the coffee, took a sip, and urged him, “Finish what you were saying.”
He Suiran remained silent for a long time before hoarsely saying, “I want… I want to be on the same team with you again.”
Ji Ran raised his eyebrows unexpectedly.
In his eyes, He Suiran was just a former colleague, not even considered a friend, and they rarely talked… Why did he keep coming to him after returning to the country?
He didn’t know that a casual remark he made many years ago had invisibly changed someone’s fate.
“I won’t recruit you,” Ji Ran snapped back, “It’s a simple principle that people should strive for higher goals, you should understand that, right? Our relationship isn’t deep enough for you to abandon your contract with Ferrari, so save it.”
He stood up, “The coffee is not good, let’s go. Good luck with the race.”
After saying that, disregarding He Suiran’s attempt to stop him, Ji Ran grabbed Qin Man and left the lounge.
“Isn’t it a pity?” he heard the person behind him ask after they had walked a bit.
Ji Ran raised an eyebrow. “Pity for what?”
“If he joins the team, it’s like getting free advertising.”
Qin Man had been silently listening for a long time, refraining from interrupting for this very reason.
He Suiran was currently the most popular driver in the country, and if he joined, the attention from the media and sponsors alone would increase significantly.
That’s why he had been restraining the impulse to take Ji Ran away.
“I’m not running an entertainment company, I don’t need advertising,” Ji Ran said indifferently. “And besides, I’m starting the club not for money.”
He paused, then corrected himself, “Not entirely for money.”
Furthermore, upon careful consideration, Ji Ran couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about He Suiran.
Who would give up a signing bonus worth millions for a friend they hadn’t seen in years?
In any case, whether it was his own narcissism or He Suiran’s genuine intentions, Ji Ran didn’t plan on having much more contact with him.
After a roundabout route, they finally found the back door. Qin Man pushed it open and peeked outside, finding several people who looked like reporters sitting in the corridor, with cameras still present.
Compared to the front entrance, there were just fewer people.
Hearing the commotion, the group turned to look at them. However, since both Ji Ran and Qin Man were wearing masks, they didn’t pay much attention, and the reporters withdrew their gazes upon realizing they weren’t athletes.
One of the journalists was organizing their notes when they inadvertently glanced at them, causing their typing to immediately stop.
That green hair…
He had just been stationed at the front door, knowing full well that the person He Suiran had brought in earlier also had the same hair color.
Moreover… he remembered that among the passersby who attracted attention in a recent episode of a popular variety show, there was a man with green hair.
Anxious enough to not even properly set down his computer, he grabbed his voice recorder and rushed over, ensuring his colleagues behind couldn’t see, and blocked their path.
“Hello, excuse me, are you a friend of He Suiran? Have you participated in the variety show ‘Spring Outing’?”
As a journalist accustomed to running in gossip circles year-round, he couldn’t be described as muscular, but certainly not petite either. However, as soon as he approached, he was harshly bumped on the shoulder by the man with green hair, nearly causing him to fall.
Both of them acted as if they hadn’t heard a thing, and simply walked away.
The journalist leaned against the wall, a displeased expression on his face, then suddenly remembered something. He quickly opened the variety show program, took a screenshot of the scene featuring the man with green hair, and tentatively asked a certain WeChat friend.
【Do you know this person? Any scoop?】
—
Coming out of the lounge, Ji Ran didn’t intend to go back to the café. The race was about to start in roughly twenty minutes, and today the sun wasn’t too intense, with occasional cool breezes making sitting in the stands bearable.
Midway, Qin Man mentioned he wanted to buy something, Ji Ran acknowledged with a nod, and proceeded back to the audience seats alone.
Observing the unwavering presence of He Suiran’s female fans in the stands, Ji Ran couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration.
Returning to his seat, feeling a bit bored, he engaged in some idle chat with the discussion group, casually mentioning his plan to open a club.
Cheng Peng: Sure, I’ll be your first sponsor. Do you want cars or money?
Yue Wenwen: Wuwuwu, I’m broke, but I’m willing to be your racing babe [shy emoji].
After saying this, Yue Wenwen immediately sent a photo of herself dressed in hot pants, holding a parasol.
Ji Ran accidentally clicked on it, feeling like he was openly watching adult content in public.
He closed it with a disgusted expression.
Ji Dad: Send another lewd picture and I’ll report you.
Ji Ran was engrossed in the chat when he overheard a few whispered conversations behind him.
“He’s really daring. My roommate’s idol once dyed his hair this color, and it became a dark period in his idol’s history.”
The voices behind gradually diminished as the race began, leaving only bursts of cheers.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that at least seventy to eighty percent of the entire racecourse had their eyes glued to He Suiran’s car.
Ji Ran was among the few exceptions.
The girl behind him exclaimed, “Come on, Suiran! Suiran, you took that turn beautifully!! Ahhh, Suiran just passed another car!!!”
Ji Ran remarked, “The first should be No. 7, that French guy. I heard about him in high school; he’s experienced, well-regarded, and quite popular abroad… Suiran’s cornering skills aren’t as good as his, he has a considerable gap to make up. Well, finally, he managed to overtake. Suiran should’ve done this in the first two laps, but it’s still acceptable. If he keeps it up, he might secure third place.”
The female fans’ gazes shifted from puzzled to icy, staring straight at Ji Ran’s back. Ji Ran remained unaffected, continuing to provide commentary to Qin Man.
Qin Man chuckled and reached out to hug his shoulder, pulling him closer. “Keep your voice down a bit, or we won’t be able to leave this grandstand later.”
“I’m not worried,” Ji Ran replied. “I’m providing commentary for free, and they still complain? Those other commentators up there don’t even match up to me.”
As it turned out, Ji Ran was right. When the race results came out, the No. 7 player secured the championship, while He Suiran came in third, just managing to step onto the podium.
During the award ceremony, He Suiran frequently glanced towards the grandstand, as if searching for someone. Even when the camera approached him, he didn’t react.
Then, his gaze settled on a particular spot, and suddenly, he smiled, waving his hand slightly.
“Oh my gosh, is he looking at us?!” the female fans behind exclaimed excitedly. “Yes! Yes, he is! He’s looking at us!! Suiran is so good to his fans, I love him!”
Ji Ran glanced back at He Suiran briefly, offering no response, and stood up to leave.
The race turned out to be more boring than he had imagined. It was the peak season for driver transfers, and many drivers didn’t participate in this race because they were still negotiating contracts.
The grandstand was almost full, and the stairs were narrow, making it very inconvenient to leave. Half a minute passed, and Ji Ran was still trapped in the stands.
Finally, after struggling to break free from the crowd, Ji Ran was about to say something when he caught sight of a familiar face out of the corner of his eye.
It was the journalist they had encountered at the back door just a moment ago.
And at this moment, behind the journalist was a man holding a phone and filming.
Ji Ran frowned, quickening his pace to leave, but the other party was prepared and swiftly ran up to him.
“Ji Ran! You’re Ji Ran, right?! The son of the late actress Zhao Qingtong—”
Ji Ran’s face immediately darkened.
Qin Man pursed his lips and stepped forward, positioning himself between the two, effectively separating them. He cast a cold glance at the journalist. “Stop filming.”
They didn’t stop walking, and the journalist persisted, following them closely.
At first, he had only heard that those passersby in “Spring Outing” had some inside information, but he didn’t think much of it since they were just ordinary people and couldn’t stir up much trouble. He hadn’t bothered to inquire further.
Who would’ve thought that just a simple question would lead to such a big revelation!
People who knew about it had advised him not to get involved, but he had previously covered international news and wasn’t afraid of this.
“Ji Ran, how did you meet He Suiran? Was your appearance in ‘Spring Outing’ intentional or accidental? Do you plan to enter the entertainment industry?”
“I plan to enter your entire family,” Ji Ran thought to himself.
“Ji Ran, we are currently live broadcasting, and many netizens are waiting for your response. Can you please give a direct answer? Or are you feeling guilty?” The journalist persisted, seeing Ji Ran’s delayed response.
“Ji Ran, there are netizens who have revealed that you used to abuse alcohol and drugs. Is this true? According to rumors, He Suiran, who is currently abroad, also frequently indulges in drug use. Now that you two have a close relationship, does this confirm the matter even more—”
The audience leaving the venue nearby were stunned, collectively halting their steps.
The man holding the phone noticed the increasingly intense barrage of comments in the live stream and signaled to the journalist to continue speaking.
Knowing the psychology of the masses well, the journalist quickly changed his tack. “Ji Ran, did you get your drugs through He Suiran? Or do you have other sources? Have you ever considered the sacrifices made by the heroic anti-drug police…”
Qin Man’s face had completely darkened, a terrifying grimness settling over him.
The people around him also stopped in their tracks at this statement.
Ji Ran broke free from Qin Man’s grasp and finally stood still. He removed his mask and asked the journalist expressionlessly, “What did you just ask me?”
Seeing him stop, the journalist became hopeful. “I asked if your drug source came through He Suiran? You—”
“My source?” Ji Ran scoffed, speaking with unusual calmness. “My source is your idiotic ancestors, who visit me in my dreams every night.”
The journalist was shocked.
… This was the first time he had been scolded during an interview in China.
Normally, the celebrities he interviewed would never dare to confront him over his nonsensical questions.
“Are you… are you feeling guilty and lashing out??”
Ji Ran ignored the journalist and turned to the man holding the phone. “You’re live streaming, right?”
The man nodded, holding onto the phone tightly, fearing that Ji Ran might attack him.
“How many viewers?” Ji Ran asked.
The man glanced at the screen. “Sev… seventy thousand.”
“Seventy thousand?” Ji Ran sneered. “That’s too few. Which garbage media outlet are you from?”
The man was stunned.
In the live stream chat, the comments were flying by rapidly, and the number of viewers kept increasing.
“Forget it, just do your best. Hold the phone higher… Who can it capture?” Ji Ran impatiently reached out and lifted the man’s hands higher.
Ji Ran’s entire face appeared on the live stream.
Many onlooking netizens were momentarily stunned, unsure whether to comment “drug user” or “damn, he’s so handsome.”
“To those keyboard warriors who were talking nonsense under my Weibo posts,” Ji Ran began, addressing the camera unexpectedly, engaging directly with the viewers in the live stream.
“Let’s put aside all that talk about campus violence and bullying the weak for now. Here, I want to say to those bastards online who falsely accused me of drug use — if you have the guts, why don’t you report your own dad with your real name? You’ve made such a big fuss about this. If I really were a drug user, I wouldn’t worry about getting away with it.”
“You can spread rumors about anything else, it doesn’t bother me, but I do have a temper. Don’t cross the line, and we’ll still have a good relationship.”
“Don’t think spreading rumors online comes without consequences. If you upset me, I’ll grab hold of you… and take you for a little stroll to the police station. Get tested. When the results come out, you’ll see how I won’t hesitate to sue you into oblivion.”
Almost everyone was dumbfounded.
Ji Ran’s words were harsh and vulgar, to say the least.
But it was the most audacious way of clarifying things that the netizens had ever seen.
The man fell silent, lowering his head to read the comments in the chat.
All the comments were “666” and “spreading rumors,” and any opposing views that appeared were quickly drowned out.
Note: 666 is a slang to say “cool or impressive”
Ji Ran vented his anger freely.
“As for whether He Suiran has used drugs… Every race driver undergoes a medical examination before the race. If you’re curious, perhaps you can ask the team’s doctor.”
He nodded, wrapping up succinctly, “Finally, salute to the anti-drug police.”
As soon as Ji Ran finished speaking, Qin Man stepped forward and mercilessly covered the camera lens with his palm.
His gaze was dark, and he asked, “Do you want to turn it off yourself, or do you want a new phone?”
The man closed the live stream with a disgruntled expression.
Before leaving, Qin Man took out a business card from his pocket — ever since the incident with Ji Ran, he had been carrying it with him at all times, afraid of any delays in handling such matters.
“This is my lawyer,” he said, placing the card on the journalist’s shirt pocket. “I suggest you refrain from making any malicious edits to the video. As for the other matters, my lawyer will contact you within three days to deal with them.”
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
Hot damn!