Chapter 108: Making Friends

"Oh, since you're a friend of Ye Chun, you're a friend of mine too. Don't take it the wrong way."

Noticing the look of shock on Ji Jue's face, Chen Yubo sighed and explained: "Mr. Ji, don't worry, my orientation is perfectly normal. It's just that people have called me strange since I was a kid."

"I just happen to like pink, that's all. Where's the strangeness in that? I don't get it at all!"

"Everyone likes cute things deep down, but they're too worried about their image to admit it, acting all pretentious."

"After graduation, everyone started acting all serious and fake. I can't even find anyone to talk about melodramas with. Some people act like they understand, but behind your back, they treat you like a joke."

"If it weren't for Ye Chun coming out for a meal every now and then, I would've suffocated to death!"

"It's not like you're committing a crime, what's so funny about that?"

Hearing this, Ji Jue's expression turned solemn, and he instinctively stood up for Little Niu Ma: "My scooter is pink too. I've been riding it since college, taking it out to buy groceries every few days. Where's the strangeness in that?"

Although there's a certain price gap between a small scooter and a big boss's car... but it's an upgraded Little Niu Ma now!

Purely in terms of construction and cost, it is by no means inferior to any luxury car!

"I told you pink is easy on the eyes, right? Right?!"

Hearing this, Chen Yubo became instantly excited. He slapped his thigh, took out his phone, and began to show off his collection in various ways...

Including a total of twenty-one limited-edition luxury cars from famous brands launched across the South Continent, North Continent, the Federation, the Empire, and even the Thousand Islands, plus two yachts and an airship...

All of them, were, pink!!!

"Holy..."

Ji Jue couldn't hold it back anymore, his expression twitching.

Is this the ease of the wealthy?

Although he could tell from the seemingly low-key but actually insanely expensive Imperial Light-Gathering watch on the other man's wrist that the visitor was definitely rich or noble, being rich to this extent was truly beyond Ji Jue's expectations.

Then, he began to worry...

What if, after Chen Yubo finished showing off his collection, he suddenly started asking, "Brother, what model do you collect?" Should he take out the glamorous photos of Little Niu Ma?

It even has the childish stickers that Old Yao put on it!

Don't you think it's cute?

Fortunately, perhaps accustomed to others not being as rich as himself, after showing off his extensive collection, Chen Yubo just invited Ji Jue to come over and take a look another day, still feeling unsatisfied.

Then, he finally brought up the real business.

"So, here's the thing."

Speaking with the vague accent of a local from Haizhou, Chen Yubo said helplessly: "Around eleven o'clock tomorrow night, I have a race at Mount Lianhua. I've placed a heavy bet on the outcome, and friends from the same sports car club have bet about two or three thousand in total."

"Sigh, actually, winning or losing doesn't really matter. Being happy is what's most important. Over the years, I've lost about seven or eight thousand in various places."

"The main thing is, this time, the outsider who just arrived is too arrogant, it's really too much! He talked trash and put me in a spot where I can't back down. In short, if I don't win this argument, I won't be able to hang out in the club anymore."

"Since you're a friend introduced by Ye Chun, I won't beat around the bush. Let's speak plainly." Chen Yubo said seriously: "As long as you can help me vent this frustration, I'll pay three hundred!"

Three hundred?

Listening to this soul-stirring, deafening number, Ji Jue's expression revealed a hint of confusion.

You have to know, even at a mainland auto repair shop, three hundred isn't even enough for a touch-up.

Big brother, are you the spokesperson for some gambling addiction support group?

"Right, keep that cool attitude, don't lose focus."

Ye Chun's voice suddenly sounded in his ear. She rested her chin on her hand, staring at the senior student dancing on the stage, and explained: "The unit he's talking about is ten thousand."

Holy—

Ji Jue's eyes widened involuntarily. Looking at Chen Yubo's expectant, smiling face, he felt his whole body go soft.

Boss, you should've said so earlier!

If it weren't for the senior student constantly reminding him to be aloof and reserved, Ji Jue would have already smoothly leaned into the boss's embrace, clinging to him.

"Ahem, ahem. Calling everyone out, I thought it was something else."

Ji Jue struggled to maintain his calm, saying indifferently: "For such a measly amount of money, I'll drive for one night at most."

"As expected of Mr. Ji, so warm-hearted!"

Boss Chen beamed with joy instantly, but then, he hesitated again.

He paused for a moment and said, looking slightly shy:

"It's not you driving, it's me."

"..."

Ji Jue fell silent, seriously examining the boss in front of him.

Weak spiritual quality, no aura of blessing, no matrix, and a few alchemical creations on his body, but they were all of the defensive type. At this moment, under Ji Jue's gaze, he looked over blankly, not understanding what he meant.

Ji Jue coughed: "Let me ask one thing... Mr. Chen, do you have any driving experience?"

"I have a driver for my daily commute, I don't touch the steering wheel much." Chen Yubo answered regretfully: "Otherwise, I wouldn't have been cut off by that bastard today and crashed into the guardrail."

Alright, say no more, the bastard you're talking about is still trying to find a way for you!

Ji Jue's eye twitched, and he asked again:

"Then... driver's license level?"

"Is C2 not enough?"

Chen Yubo's eyes were filled with a certain clear light that Ji Jue was incredibly familiar with, which could be found everywhere at Tianmen University. In a word, it could be called 'naivety'.

Ji Jue felt an even greater headache.

You can't even drive a manual transmission, so how are you going to learn to street race? Big brother, what are you thinking?!

Holding onto his last shred of hope, he looked at the boss in front of him: "Could it be that you are an unparalleled genius driver, a midnight racing god?"

"No, no, no, I'm very careful about safety!" Chen Yubo waved his hands quickly, his expression serious: "I never go over eighty on the highway! Safety first, you know!"

You motherf...

Ji Jue's fists clenched. So you're the kind of person who hogs the entire passing lane by yourself, right? Bastard, take these two hammers!

After understanding the specific situation, Ji Jue sighed and just wanted to cup his hands in a salute.

No hope, just wait for death, goodbye.

But the senior student's voice came to his ear.

"You motherf... just use your power!"

Ye Chun sighed helplessly and reminded: "Anyway, he just wants to win, he wants the thrill, he doesn't care how he wins, as long as the car crosses the finish line. Is it important whether a person drives the car or the car drives the person?"

"If it weren't for the fact that this is exactly my specialty, why would I help you take on this porcelain job!"

Is there really no sportsmanship like this?

Ji Jue was stunned for a moment. Isn't the quality a bit too low?

But he loves it!

So it's a paid pilot service? Just by using a little 'deus ex machina', he can easily pocket three million. This money is earned with a truly unconscionable beauty.

For a moment, just as Chen Yubo felt that he might return empty-handed, he saw a kind and amiable smile appear on 'Mr. Ji's' solemn and aloof face.

"It sounds a bit difficult, but it's not without a solution."

Ji Jue held his hand and said earnestly: "Although you don't drive much, your license is only C2, and you've never raced anyone, I believe that as long as you put in the effort, winning against a professional driver isn't difficult."

"But first, you have to believe in yourself, Brother Chen. Without even a little bit of confidence, how can you drive well?"

"Ah?"

Chen Yubo was also dumbfounded, unable to believe it: "Me?"

Big brother, are you serious?

For a moment, he couldn't tell if Ji Jue was encouraging him or being sarcastic, but the smile on that face was so sincere and reassuring.

"Don't worry, that's how racing is. The driver just needs to try his best to drive, but the maintenance team in the back has to manage a lot of things."

Ji Jue guaranteed: "As the saying goes, passion, effort, and victory—you already have two of them, so I'm sure the last one won't be difficult. As long as we have the bond, isn't winning just simple?"

This is a bond worth three million!

The boss has spent so much, he just wants to win easily and vent his anger. If even this doesn't work, where is the justice, where is the law?

As the saying goes, at home rely on relatives, abroad rely on friends. As Boss Chen's new friend, Ji Jue naturally has to extend a helping hand.

As for whether the rich young masters and princesses of the sports car club will shed little pearls after losing money...

What does that have to do with him?

Thus, amidst the graceful singing and dancing of The Nutcracker, the two men's hands were tightly clasped together, as if they were holding onto victory.

The dirty friend transaction between adults was thus concluded!

Then, in the middle of the night, Ji Jue was awakened by a bank notification.

Amount received: one million exactly.

Transfer note: Winning or losing doesn't matter, thanks for your trouble, brother, let's be friends!

The next morning, Ji Jue was awakened from his dream by Lu Feng's relentless calls. The tears of emotion that had soaked his pillow hadn't even dried yet.

"Holy, Little Ji, what are you doing?"

Lu Feng said in a low voice: "Someone drove a brand-new Kunpeng A7 to the shop early in the morning for maintenance, and they even said you introduced them!"

"Damn, even the floor mats are original leather upgraded for an extra two hundred and ten thousand. The shop doesn't even have the supporting equipment to check the car's system, what the hell am I supposed to maintain? Did you offend someone?"

"Relax, relax, that's our brother from another mother. I heard everyone is short on cash, so he came specifically to help us get out of poverty."

Ji Jue sprang up like a carp, full of energy: "I'll be there right away. Just do the maintenance for now, change the oil, add windshield washer fluid. If you really can't find anything to maintain, can't you at least wax it?"

The fatigue from staying up late practicing the Dissociation Art yesterday vanished in an instant.

After Ji Jue washed up casually, he rode the Little Niu Ma, zooming all the way to the Mainland Auto Repair Shop, only to discover that Lu Feng had closed the doors to receive Chen Dashao.

After all, with such a top-spec Kunpeng parked in the repair bay, if some blind kid or old man came over to touch it and scratch it, he couldn't afford to pay for it even if he sold his own hook.

Lu Feng was pretending to be busy under the raised chassis, as if taking a souvenir photo, looking very busy. And on the old, scratched sofa, Young Master Chen was actually huddled with Old Yao, holding his custom-made diamond-encrusted phone and watching cartoons with the kid.

Hearing that it was a friend introduced by Little Ji, Lu Ma even cut a plate of watermelon for them.

"This yellow sister is the strongest."

Old Yao ignored his mother's death stare behind him and argued loudly: "She has the biggest boobs!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the yellow sister's head fell off.

It shows that having big boobs is useless in some stories.

"See, I told you, the blue sister is the strongest, right?" Chen Yubo smiled triumphantly, but not long after, both the blue sister and the red sister were gone too.

The two of them fell into silence together.

After the black sister was also about to hang up, Old Yao hesitated and said seriously: "Brother, I feel... this cartoon... it's not really suitable for me."

"Indeed, magical girls these days are becoming less and less authentic."

Chen Dashao, already crushed by the plot, wiped his sweat. Sensing that Ji Jue had finally arrived, he felt as if he had been granted a reprieve. "You're finally here, Brother Ji!"

If Ji Jue hadn't come, he feared his last pink-haired girl would be gone too.

"Oh, Brother Chen, you're so much older than me, how could calling you Brother Ji be appropriate!" Ji Jue shook his hand enthusiastically. "Just call me Little Ji."

"Let's just call each other by our own terms!"

"Come, take a look at the car first."

Ji Jue walked toward the bright, fire-red sports car first.

It was from a famous top-tier sports car series in the Federation, the latest model released just last year, limited to ninety-one units.

For a guy like Ji Jue, who hadn't been out of extreme poverty for long, he could only see such things in games or in the selfies of certain internet-famous young ladies.

Just by reaching out and touching it, every condition was reflected in his perception.

There wasn't a single flaw or sign of wear; it was as if it had just left the factory, and it hadn't even burned through a single tank of gas.

The condition was excellent, practically perfect!

"7.4-liter twin-turbocharged, 1790 horsepower, peak torque of 1810nm, zero to one hundred acceleration in 2.4 seconds.

I upgraded everything to the top spec at the official factory-partner modification workshop. For extreme weight reduction, the entire body is carbon fiber. The total weight is pressed down to 1300 kilograms."

Chen Dashao knew the performance of the sports car like the back of his hand. There was a certain beauty in the luxury of a rich person buying something just to never drive it, which was truly admirable.

Who would have thought that someone who truly loved sports cars was a treasure who drove at eighty kilometers per hour in the fast lane?

"That kid surnamed Mu thinks he can play with me using an outdated modified Mustang?" He laughed triumphantly. "How about it? Are you confident of winning?"

"Hard to say, after all, it's not a race on a professional track where everyone just goes in circles."

Ji Jue shook his head. "Besides, there are too many modification schemes for Mustangs. Some, aside from the shell, are modified so much that even their own mother wouldn't recognize them. If you really meet a ruthless person, they might even stuff an airplane engine in there, with enough horsepower to take a shortcut to reincarnation.

Furthermore, according to what you said, an outsider coming to the local sports car club to play, stirring up trouble, and demanding to race you with such high stakes—no matter how you look at it, it sounds like they're setting up a trap to fleece a fat sheep.

Do you know their background?"

"Oh, don't worry, I've already investigated. He's a second-generation heir whose family builds houses."

Chen Yubo took out his phone. "Back in his university days, he went to the Empire's F2 to do youth training, but he wasn't selected and didn't make a name for himself. After coming back, he acted all high and mighty, looking down on everyone. He ended up offending people, couldn't make it in Chaocheng, and ran to Yacheng."

"I looked at the Mount Lianhua track you chose last night. It's fifteen kilometers long, with over ninety curves, including more than twenty sharp turns and six S-curves. In mountain racing, sometimes high performance is useless. We'll have to go look at the actual road later to avoid crashing."

"OK, I'll listen to you."

Master Chen was agreeable and had no temper. He took out his phone. "It's almost noon, what should we eat? I know a takeout place that's pretty good, why don't we all eat something together? I still have two episodes of an anime I haven't finished."

Ji Jue originally wanted to say, stop thinking about your crappy anime, the race is what matters, but when he saw the page open on his phone, he couldn't help but pause.

It wasn't a takeout app; it was the special door-to-door service page for Meilongji, Yacheng's top Super City cuisine restaurant, where a team of star chefs brings their own ingredients and tools to prepare the meal on-site...

Brother, you're the boss, naturally I'll listen to you!

Everything was proceeding according to Ji Jue's expectations and arrangements, all in good order. If nothing unexpected happened, the following process should be: use his ability, awaken the sports car, log in to play on his behalf, win the race, the boss is happy, collect the final payment, and come back next time.

Unfortunately, this plan might be dead on arrival before it even began.

【DREAM ON!!!!】

The furious Kunpeng roared in Ji Jue's consciousness, the engine thundering, accusing him with grief and indignation: 【Do you know what kind of life I've lived this past year and a half?

I've been eating dust every single day, big brother!】

The enraged sports car revved its engine wildly in the garage, the sound rolling: 【When I first left the factory, you brought me in for modifications and upgrades, and I thought the good days had finally arrived.

But ever since this dog-shit guy bought me home, he hasn't even touched the steering wheel. Every day, he just lets me lie in the garage waiting to die. A year and a half! A whole year and a half!

Aside from maintenance, I haven't even seen what a public road looks like.

Today, I finally got out, and for over fifty kilometers, this grandson crawled along at thirty miles per hour. Thirty miles per hour, for fuck's sake! Even a little electric scooter could overtake me!

Bad luck, truly bad luck!

If I had known, I would have just rotted in the factory back then!

And now he finally remembers me? Oh, he has a need, so he wants me to help him race? Two words: dream on! Even if I rot in this garage for the rest of my life and get scrapped at the junkyard, it's impossible for me to drive for him ever again!】

【Today, I'm stalling the moment I start, he's definitely going to lose!】

Finally, from the midst of the frantic tire-burning, Kunpeng roared: 【Even if the God of Racing came, he wouldn't be able to drive me a hundred meters, I said it!】