Late November, Nancheng International Airport.
Xie Chengnan pushed his suitcase with his left hand, his dark gray wool coat draped over his right arm. At the exit, he shared a fierce embrace with Shen Qinian, whom he hadn't seen in two years.
Patting his shoulder, Shen Qinian sighed with emotion. "You brat finally decided to come back!"
Xie Chengnan looked up at the Nancheng sky through the windows, the corners of his mouth curling slightly. After fourteen years of living abroad, this was the first moment he truly felt his feet were on solid ground.
"How long are you planning to stay this time?" Shen Qinian asked as he drove. An old song from over a decade ago was playing on the radio.
Xie Chengnan found that he could still remember the melody. He couldn't help but hum along for a few beats, relaxing as he said, "I’m not leaving."
Shen Qinian shot him a surprised look. "Not leaving? Then what about your project over there?"
"Sold it," Xie Chengnan said.
"Sold it?!" Shen Qinian was so startled he slammed on the accelerator. "You sold a project that won an IERA award just like that?!"
"Brother, don't get excited," Xie Chengnan said, grabbing the handle with a headache. "A few more kicks to the gas and we’ll be having this conversation six feet underground."
Shen Qinian steadied himself. "Has your head been kicked by a donkey?"
Xie Chengnan let out a short laugh. "Couldn't help it. I'm broke."
"Tell me how much you need!" Shen Qinian slapped the horn. "Why go as far as selling the project?!"
"It’s a bottomless pit," Xie Chengnan said. "I had no choice but to sell."
"Fuck!" Shen Qinian said. "Weren't your family's debts paid off long ago? You didn't go gambling and take out shark loans, did you?!"
Xie Chengnan looked at him as if he were an idiot. "Do you think that’s possible?"
Shen Qinian also felt that with Xie Chengnan's IQ, such a thing was impossible. He truly couldn't figure it out and asked, "Then what happened?"
Watching the streetscape fly by outside the window, Xie Chengnan said lazily, "I found a new direction in life. It’s just that this new direction is a bit expensive."
"What kind of nonsense is that?" Shen Qinian was utterly confused. "Forget it, it's already sold. If you need any help, just speak up. In this territory of Nancheng, your brother can still pull a few strings."
Xie Chengnan didn't stand on ceremony. "First, help me look for a house. Somewhere quiet, preferably a large single-level apartment, around two hundred square meters."
Shen Qinian nodded. "Fine, leave it to me."
The car was heading up the mountain. After the onset of autumn, the mountain air had turned chilly.
Xie Chengnan rolled down the window, watching the city below that had become entirely foreign to him. His emotions surged and then settled into a calm.
The upheavals of his youth seemed to have drifted far away; without thinking deeply, he could hardly recall the aimlessness he felt when he first fell into hardship, or the world-shaking panic and frantic chaos that followed. Back then, he had left in the most pathetic and wretched state possible. Xie Chengnan couldn't understand where his obsession with this homeland originated.
"You can stay at my family's hotel for the next few days," Shen Qinian said. "I started a club after I came back the year before last. There happens to be a race tonight, from this mountain road to the peak. Do you want to do a lap to relax?"
Xie Chengnan waved his hand disinterestedly. "I quit."
Shen Qinian glanced at him and smiled. "When we were in Country Y, you played much wilder than I did. I didn't expect you to quit before me."
Xie Chengnan said, "Too busy. No time to play."
"True." Shen Qinian shrugged. "Back then, you were spinning like a top for that project. I couldn't get in touch with you for six whole months; I almost thought you’d gone missing."
Leaning back against the seat, Xie Chengnan smiled. "I had to push myself a little."
Knowing a bit about his family's situation, Shen Qinian patted his shoulder and didn't pursue the topic further.
Xie Chengnan hadn't overcome his jet lag yet and was feeling a bit fatigued. After a simple meal, he curled up on the sofa in the small private cinema, half-closing his eyes as he sipped his drink.
Shen Qinian was on the phone with the club manager, listening to the report on the night's race arrangements.
"You're really not racing tonight?" Shen Qinian hung up and turned to ask him. "I can lend you my car."
Xie Chengnan gestured to the glass in his hand. "Drunk driving is against the law."
Shen Qinian clicked his tongue. Knowing he was truly uninterested, he didn't push.
The sofas at the nearby tables were gradually filling up. Xie Chengnan hadn't been back in the country for years; aside from his fellow alumnus Shen Qinian, he didn't recognize anyone. Shen Qinian knew he wasn't fond of socializing, so he didn't make any special introductions. The two of them just drank and chatted about club matters, not feeling bored at all.
The live broadcast from the foot of the mountain was being projected onto the screen in real-time. A large crowd had already gathered in the specially cleared area.
On this side of the screen were the second-generation elites, chatting and laughing with glasses in hand. On the other side were shouting racers, tattooed youths, and beautiful girls in miniskirts despite the cold. Bonfires, beer, and cigarettes blended into a wild, unrestrained carnival.
Xie Chengnan loosened his tie with one hand and unbuttoned two buttons.
Shen Qinian chuckled. "Feeling nostalgic?"
Xie Chengnan clinked glasses with him. "A little."
Years ago, to make money, Xie Chengnan had participated in underground races. Back then, he had been part of that kind of crowd—drinking, smoking, hitting the track, and trading his life for cash. While he was filling the holes in his family's finances, he had also created the first generation of NC robots.
It was also during a race that he met Shen Qinian. At the time, he was a racer, and Shen Qinian was a boss placing bets. When he reached the finish line and took off his helmet, Shen Qinian had looked at him with a face full of shock, stuttering as he called him "Academic God." That was how they met.
Xie Chengnan pulled his thoughts back from his memories just as the camera focused on a youth wearing a motorcycle jacket.
The youth leaned casually against a black Yamaha-R6, his long legs stretched out. His fine bangs were all swept back, revealing a smooth forehead and a slight widow's peak. His peach-blossom eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, were half-lidded, his expression indifferent.
In the corner of half-light and half-shadow, the youth's green aura mixed with a world-weary posture—beautiful, exquisite, yet detached.
Perhaps noticing the camera filming him, the youth looked up at the lens, his brow furrowing slightly in annoyance. His dark eyes narrowed slightly, as if warning the camera to stay away.
Xie Chengnan heard someone behind him say, "Fuck! Jiang Yuan is hitting the track today? Then my club's newcomers have no hope."
"So this is Jiang Yuan? The 'Beauty Jiang' you guys talk about?"
"Don't you dare mention that nickname to his face. If Young Master Jiang hears it, he’ll castrate you with a knife."
"For real? With such a beautiful face?"
"The beauty is real, but the ruthlessness is also real. He’s not someone to be trifled with."
Shen Qinian gave a light scoff. "These people only dare to gossip behind his back."
Xie Chengnan felt the name Jiang Yuan sounded familiar. He asked, "Who is this?"
Shen Qinian said, "The Jiang family—the one from the old saying 'Xie of the South, Jiang of the North.' Do you remember?"
"I remember." Xie Chengnan realized why it sounded familiar. Back when the Xie family was at its peak, the two families had a deep friendship. Later, his grandfather passed away, and the family business ran into trouble. After his family immigrated to Country Y, the two families gradually lost contact.
His memory of Jiang Yuan was still stuck fourteen years ago. At that time, Jiang Yuan was only five years old—pink, tender, like a little glutinous rice ball, both obedient and beautiful. Every time he went to the Jiang house as a guest, Jiang Yuan would follow him like a little tail, tugging at his hem and calling him "Chengnan-gege." He hadn't expected that when they met again, he would be a stranger of a youth.
Likely having received instructions, although the cameraman moved further away, the lens remained covertly pointed at Jiang Yuan.
On the screen, people occasionally went up to strike up a conversation with him—men and women, some shy, some bold. Jiang Yuan remained expressionless and silent throughout, until a burly man walked into the frame. Only then did he show a reaction.
Jiang Yuan held out a hand toward the man, hooking his finger nonchalantly.
The man seemed to say something, his expression doting yet helpless.
Jiang Yuan just kept looking at him until the man compromised and handed him a cigarette. Only then did the corner of his mouth quirk up into a fleeting smile.
He didn't let the man light the cigarette. He took out a lacquered wood-grain lighter from his jacket pocket—an S.T. Dupont limited edition. Xie Chengnan had one just like it.
"That man is Qiao Song," Shen Qinian introduced. "His family owns mines—rare earths and diamonds. He only appeared in the circle in the last two years. The Qiao and Jiang families are close now. Basically, wherever Jiang Yuan is, Qiao Song follows. He’s interested in Jiang Yuan, but unfortunately, Young Master Jiang is straight."
Xie Chengnan frowned. "Does Jiang Yuan know?"
"He probably does." Shen Qinian glanced at him. "You seem quite interested in him. I haven't seen you ask about anyone else."
"Yeah." Xie Chengnan lit a cigarette and remained silent for a long moment. "His mother was very good to me. I want to pay her a visit in a few days."
Hearing this, Shen Qinian's expression became somewhat strange. "Then you probably won't have the chance."
"Hmm?" Xie Chengnan turned his eyes in confusion.
Shen Qinian lowered his voice. "His mother passed away. Suicide."
Xie Chengnan's expression changed. "When did this happen?"
"A few years ago." Shen Qinian leaned in and whispered, "His dad was caught cheating. The illegitimate son is even older than Jiang Yuan. His mother couldn't take the shock and developed depression, then later committed suicide. Jiang Yuan also took a two-year break from school because of this. Now the mistress and the illegitimate son have moved in. Jiang Yuan has been fighting, hitting night clubs, and racing these past few years just because he’s miserable. He does whatever it takes to spite his father."
Xie Chengnan lowered his head, taking two deep drags of his cigarette. He looked up at the indifferent youth on the screen with a slight ache in his heart, thinking it was no wonder that once-obedient child had become like this.
Seeing that his mood was off, Shen Qinian didn't know what to say for a moment. Fortunately, the race was about to start. Xie Chengnan seemed to recover slightly, refocusing his attention on Jiang Yuan.
On the screen, Jiang Yuan was putting on his helmet and leaning forward. Qiao Song got onto an identical Yamaha-R6 and stayed right beside him.
The starting gun fired.
On the winding mountain road under the streetlights, the youth on his motorcycle was like a black bullet ready to fire, suddenly tearing through the air. The speed instantly surged to the limit. When he took the first corner with his body almost touching the ground, the crowd outside the screen erupted. The insane driving skills stimulated everyone's adrenaline, turning into feverish shouts and screams.
Xie Chengnan sat up straight, his pupils shrinking. He hadn't expected that Jiang Yuan's way of racing was this kind of suicidal gamble.
His eyes darkened as he asked Shen Qinian, "Does he always race like this?"
"Yeah." Shen Qinian didn't notice his gaze and continued, "That's why there's basically no suspense in races he's in. Not many people dare to drive like that. I've only seen this kind of skill back when I watched you in the underground races."
Xie Chengnan remained silent. Back then, he dared to race like that not because his skills were good, but because he wasn't afraid to die. At one point, he even felt that dying would be fine.
What about Jiang Yuan? Was he also harboring the same secret mindset, letting himself hover on the edge of death...
***
