Soon after the exams ended, summer vacation began. The siblings, along with a little tag-along, went to visit Ji Fangyun.
The area near the factory was quite remote, with few people around—only a single shop. Ji Fangyun came out still wearing her work uniform and took off her mask.
"I thought you guys were coming in the afternoon," she said with a smile.
Ji Fangyun showed them her work environment by the entrance. There were many machines inside, and everyone wore uniforms, heads down, busy at work.
There weren't just older workers; some looked very young.
"That kid is still a high school student, but he dropped out to earn money here," Ji Fangyun said in a low voice.
She felt a pang of regret talking about it. So young—how could he give up school? A factory job could be taken up anytime.
Ji Fangyun then took them to see the dormitory.
"My old dorm was so damp that clothes wouldn't dry. I fought for this one afterward—literally fought for it, but they weren't as strong as me." She couldn't help but laugh.
That day, they had argued until their faces were red. After all, a dorm room with good light was hard to come by.
Ji Zhaoxi listened while secretly pinching the muscles on her mother's arm.
Ji Fangyun specifically changed into a floral dress before going out with them.
Ji Zhaoxi stood nearby, watching her mother apply lipstick with bright eyes. Ji Fangyun felt a little shy under her gaze and flicked her forehead playfully.
"Mom, are you the factory beauty queen or what?" Ji Huaichuan joked as he squatted on the ground.
"What factory beauty queen?" Ji Fangyun couldn't stop laughing.
Zhou Chiye watched Ji Zhaoxi bustling around—grabbing her mom's bag one moment, lifting her dress the next. The smile never left her face.
He lowered his head, his eyes full of amusement.
She was the busiest person in the room.
Noticing Zhou Chiye's gaze, Ji Zhaoxi paused.
It seemed Zhou Chiye hadn't said much since they arrived. She suddenly felt a little guilty. Both she and Ji Huaichuan had so much to talk about with their mom, but he didn't.
So she reached over and took his hand.
She wouldn't let him feel left out!
Ji Zhaoxi wasn't that kind of person.
Zhou Chiye, shocked by the sudden hand-holding, looked at her with delighted surprise.
What happened? Why did they suddenly start holding hands, and in front of her elders at that?
His mind went blank. Was this like an announcement?
Ji Fangyun noticed Ji Zhaoxi's move but said nothing, simply looking away.
They went to a park to take photos together, striking poses with a silk scarf. Ji Fangyun's smile never faded.
"Mom, turn sideways—yes, just like that. This pose is stunning!" Ji Huaichuan lay on the ground taking pictures of her.
Zhou Chiye stayed quiet because, from the moment Ji Zhaoxi held his hand, she hadn't let go—even when she was talking to her mom.
Ji Huaichuan wasn't surprised by this scene at all. Ji Zhaoxi had been like that since childhood.
When she was little and they visited relatives, her mom would keep playing with other kids and not pay much attention to her. She would cry the whole way home, saying she felt ignored, that her mom didn't love her anymore.
Ji Fangyun would comfort her for ages, but it never worked. Finally, Ji Huaichuan suggested their mom hold her hand during visits, and only then did Ji Zhaoxi stop crying and nod.
She wasn't just afraid of being ignored herself; she also hated seeing others feel neglected.
Ji Huaichuan never liked chatting with relatives when he was little, so Ji Zhaoxi would insist on dragging him to talk with them. If he didn't go, she'd think he was sulking.
As dusk began to fall, Ji Zhaoxi wanted to go to a bigger supermarket to buy things for her mom. Ji Fangyun refused adamantly, but she was dragged along anyway.
"The stuff here is both expensive and small. Let's just go to the supermarket near the factory," Ji Fangyun grumbled.
She couldn't stand the idea of her school-age daughter buying things for her.
Ji Zhaoxi ignored her, just as Ji Fangyun had once picked out gifts for them, she now carefully chose things for her mother.
Seeing Ji Zhaoxi's earnest expression, Ji Fangyun's eyes welled up.
She had such obedient children. She had no regrets in life.
Later, Ji Fangyun took them out for barbecue. Afterward, they walked her back to the dorm.
This time, everyone left with smiles, because Ji Zhaoxi realized that seeing her mom wasn't as hard as she'd imagined.
Back in City A, Ji Zhaoxi was overjoyed.
It wasn't anything like she'd pictured. Her mom really was happy, and she still treated them exactly the same.
Watching Ji Zhaoxi bounce around on the sofa, Zhou Chiye sat across from her, chin propped on his hand, smiling.
"So happy, so happy..." Ji Zhaoxi hummed her own made-up song.
Zhou Chiye noticed her tunes were always the same, but he didn't dare say it, afraid she'd get mad.
As if she didn't notice a big person sitting on the sofa, Ji Zhaoxi stepped right over him to grab a book nearby.
Zhou Chiye wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her shoulder. "Don't forget, we have to take the track license test tomorrow."
Ji Zhaoxi's face fell instantly.
"So nervous, so nervous..."
Zhou Chiye kissed her hand.
How adorable.
Ji Zhaoxi needed this track license for an upcoming formula race. She'd discovered she really loved racing and always asked Zhou Chiye to practice with her.
At first, Zhou Chiye trained with her, but later he hired a coach. While Ji Zhaoxi practiced on the track, he'd set up a big camera in the spectator area and film her.
Anyone watching would think Zhou Chiye was her crazy fan.
The other racers looked at him, speechless. What was Brother Ye up to? Quitting racing to be a photographer?
Racing became Ji Zhaoxi's daily routine, and eventually, Zhou's mother found out.
She scolded Zhou Chiye harshly.
"If you don't care about your own life, at least don't drag that girl into it! What if her parents come after me!"
Zhou Chiye frowned in silence, not arguing.
He knew it was dangerous—that's why he'd be there with her. But he couldn't stop her, because racing made her truly happy.
"Think it over. When something goes wrong, the one hurting most won't be me," Zhou's mother said sternly.
Zhou Chiye just lowered his head, silent.
Soon, race day arrived. The grid was packed with engineers, mechanics, and equipment. A dozen people surrounded each race car. As the engines started roaring, cheers erupted from the stands.
Ji Zhaoxi felt her heart race.
"We're just here to have fun, right? I haven't even trained that long."
She looked nervously at Zhou Chiye.
She knew she was making excuses, but it was true.
Zhou Chiye wiped the sweat from her forehead, his voice gentle. "They've been racing since they were kids. Just treat it as a game."
Hearing that, Ji Zhaoxi finally relaxed.
She climbed into the narrow cockpit. As the helmet clicked shut, the noise was muffled into a distant hum in the background.
Staff waved flags by the roadside for final checks. The announcement finally crackled through the speakers: "Clear the grid." Everyone cleared the track, leaving only the race cars on the circuit.
When the red signal lights on the track all went out, dozens of cars shot off like bullets.
Ji Huaichuan sat nervously in the stands, holding Ji Zhaoxi's cheering flag.
If others had one, his sister had to have one too!
In an instant, the track was filled with the screech of tires on asphalt. The leading cars cut inward sharply, trying to block the cars behind. Those behind stuck close, looking for gaps and darting into them directly.
The commentator was calling the race with passion. Ji Huaichuan watched intently, but soon he lost track of Ji Zhaoxi—he just couldn't tell them apart anymore...
Zhou Chiye frowned hard, his eyes locked on Ji Zhaoxi's car. His own heart had never pounded this fast, even when he was the one racing.
The track entered the final curve. The roar of engines rattled everyone's skulls.
Ji Zhaoxi was nipping right at the tail of the car ahead of her. That heart-pounding rush felt incredibly thrilling to her.
The car behind was also clinging to Ji Zhaoxi's rear, refusing to let go. As the race neared its end, that trailing car just couldn't overtake her lane.
Just as Ji Zhaoxi prepared to pass on the inside, the car behind suddenly changed lines. With a sharp swing of its tail, it slammed hard into her right front wheel.
"BANG—"
The massive impact sent her car airborne instantly. The left wheel screamed against the track with a piercing screech. A burnt smell mixed with the scent of torn grass.
Face pale with fear, Ji Zhaoxi gripped the steering wheel tightly. She jerked the wheel hard toward the side that was lifting, quickly downshifted with her right hand. Just as the car was about to flip completely, she floored the gas pedal.
The right tires slammed back onto the ground. Ji Zhaoxi veered sharply into the inside line and overtook the car ahead on the spot. Now her back was soaked with cold sweat.
The recovery from the near rollover had cost her precious seconds. So she pushed herself to the absolute limit at every sharp turn that followed. In the final three bends, she spotted the cars ahead tangled up in a fight with each other and thrust straight through the gap.
When the race ended, Ji Zhaoxi was still catching her breath.
Her arms had scraped open a few wounds during the recovery maneuver. Sitting breathlessly in the driver's seat, she felt an immense thrill.
Medics rushed over immediately. Zhou Chiye's face was dark with worry. Fortunately, the injuries weren't serious; the medics sanitized her wounds.
Ji Zhaoxi was glowing with happiness. Zhou Chiye helped her take off her helmet. She was just about to recount her heroic moment—but at the look on Zhou Chiye's face, she kept her mouth shut.
Zhou Chiye forced a smile and praised her: "Xixi did amazingly well. Competing and placing after only such a short time training."
Ji Zhaoxi glanced at him sideways. Was he really praising her?
In the stands, Ji Huaichuan nearly passed out from fright.
He had seen a car flip over, but he didn't think it was Ji Zhaoxi's. When he saw the medics heading toward her, realizing the rolled car had been hers, everything went black before his eyes.
The other racers were leaving in groups.
"Damn, that move of yours was pretty sick."
"Sigh, she wouldn't let me pass, so what could I do?"
Right then, a fist smashed hard into one of their faces. The man dropped to the ground instantly.
"Zhou Chiye, have you lost your mind?!"
The stands erupted into roaring cheers—fights between drivers during a race was always a highlight for the crowd.
But Zhou Chiye wasn't even a driver. Why was he fighting?
