Chapter 71: The Madman Lin Zhi

After leaving the Sanda boxing gym, Lin Zhiwei grabbed a convenience store bento nearby to make do for dinner. When she paid, she pulled out a gleaming black metal card, yet inside she felt utterly disheartened.

Despite carrying a small fortune, she still felt as if she had no money at all, thoroughly uncomfortable in her own skin.

She sat in the convenience store with deep sorrow, gazing out through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the distant skyscrapers and the city lights. The bustling prosperity of S City spread out before her, yet she felt like a piece of drifting duckweed—directionless and lost. This city remained a stranger to her.

After a few aimless words with her parents, a message flashed on WeChat from an old friend she hadn’t seen in ages:

“Crazy girl, back in S City? There’s a race tonight.”

“You’re well-informed. Where?”

“West side, She Mountain Road. If you need to borrow a bike, we’ve got them here.”

“No need, I’ve brought my own.”

Immediately interested, Lin Zhiwei put away her phone, wolfed down a few more bites of rice, and quickly hailed a ride.

Twenty minutes later, she arrived at a rather run-down old auto repair shop. Garbage and takeout boxes piled up at the entrance like a mountain, but inside, lights blazed, and the roar of machinery filled the air.

Lin Zhiwei pushed open the rusted iron gate and strode in like she owned the place. Deafening music blared, though the battered record player kept stuttering and skipping. Smoke thickened the air. A burly, bearded, shirtless man with twin dragons tattooed on his arms was working away, a cigarette dangling from his lips. Without looking up, he waved her off, “Busy today, not taking any jobs. Move along.”

When she didn’t answer and simply stood there, he was about to curse her out, but when he recognized her, the cigarette almost fell from his mouth, nearly burning him. “Well, I’ll be damned… Linzi?”

The girl before him wore only a simple ponytail, her pale face exposed in the most striking, uninhibited beauty. Her eyes shone bright and clear, dazzling like the midday sun. Dressed entirely in black sportswear, her figure was slim and lithe.

Her face had changed since he’d seen her last, but her eyes gave her away—still that fearless, audacious little wildcat.

He strode over, bumping shoulders with her and giving her a hearty slap on the back. “You brat! How long has it been? Nan Yu showed me your recent photos—I was nearly shocked out of my skin! That special medicine from the Boss really worked wonders; you’ve completely transformed!”

Lin Zhiwei chuckled. “Brother Hu, still as grumpy as ever, but just as sharp.”

“It’s not grumpiness, it’s just that I’m swamped! It’s summer race season. Look over there—see that pile? All trashed, smashed to pieces.” Brother Hu gestured toward a heap of luxury bikes, battered and broken.

She wandered over for a look—indeed, the wreckage was severe. “Brother Hu, I’ve got a race tonight. Is the little darling my sister-in-law left me still running?”

“Of course! I wouldn’t dare slack off with Boss Mo’s ride. Blackie’s in the back. What, racing your first day back?” Brother Hu lit another cigarette.

Lin Zhiwei frowned, deftly snatching the cigarette from his lips and tossing it aside. “Cut down on those. Don’t forget a few years ago, you were on the operating table, nearly died.”

He could only sigh, “You little devil, only you would dare boss me around. Go on, check for yourself in the back.”

“I know.” Lin Zhiwei sidestepped the pile of scrap metal and flipped on the inner room’s lights. Row after row of shiny motorbikes stood neatly lined up, the pungent scent of fresh paint still lingering.

At the far end, one bike was draped with a dusty gray cloth. She pulled it off, coughing as a cloud of dust rose, but couldn’t help the smile that broke out as the bike was revealed.

Her little darling was still as striking as ever. The sleek black body was emblazoned with a crooked “Lin” in graffiti—a mark of her childish mischief years ago. Though it wasn’t new, the bike exuded an untamed energy, just like Lin Zhiwei herself.

“People and their rides, eh? This little beast is as stubborn as you. After that last crash, it took me a year to fix it up. Got a real temper.” Brother Hu shrugged in resignation.

“Haha, thanks for your hard work.” Lin Zhiwei twisted the throttle, listening to the powerful engine roar, nodding in satisfaction. “No one beats your handiwork, Brother Hu.” She crouched down to inspect the details, full of praise. “Only you know my quirks—taking corners too aggressively, always scraping my elbows, putting too much pressure on the front wheel—easy to flip. Now, with these reinforcements, I’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“You maniac, that’s a pro racer’s habit, but only you mess around like this. Go on, get into disguise in the back.” Brother Hu gave her a push and went back to work.

Lin Zhiwei quickly pulled out the makeup kit from her backpack and began her transformation in front of the mirror.

She hadn’t told Ling Ziheng the truth—in fact, over the past few years, she’d often followed her sister-in-law back to S City, always in a male disguise. Extreme sports had always been her passion, a way to vent her restless energy.

When she was flying down the highway, it was as if another self had been unleashed.

“How’s Boss Mo doing these days?” Brother Hu’s voice drifted from afar.

“She’s doing great—wandering all over the world. My brother can’t keep her tied down.”

“No surprise there. Even married, Boss Mo’s as free as ever. How long will you stay this time?”

Lin Zhiwei considered for a moment. “This time I’ll stay longer. My courses in the States are done.”

“Don’t get too wild—I can’t handle another year of fixing up those massive crashes.”

“Understood, understood,” Lin Zhiwei replied impatiently, but her eyes danced with laughter.

The memories of racing alongside her sister-in-law were still vivid. Later, when her sister-in-law got bored, she left everything to Lin Zhiwei, which gave her a chance to make new friends—some of whom were prominent figures in S City, though everyone kept their identities concealed.

This crowd played hard, but they never crossed the line. Everyone followed the unspoken rules—the racetrack was where they settled things; there was never any trouble afterwards. That made Lin Zhiwei even more at ease.

Race locations could change at any time, with the initiator sending out the address in advance. The default start was 8 p.m., with the area being cleared out from 7. All the tracks were remote, so everyone could go all out.

It was now 7:30, rush hour. Lin Zhiwei calculated that twenty minutes would be enough to get there.

Brother Hu glanced at Lin Zhiwei, now dressed as a young man. “You could at least make yourself look handsome. Now there’ll be fewer girls cheering you on—not much fun.”

“Oh please, I rely on my skills, not my looks,” Lin Zhiwei winked at him, swung onto her bike, pulled on her helmet, flashed a victory sign, revved the engine, and sped away in a cloud of dust.

“That girl, so full of confidence,” Brother Hu shook his head helplessly, but his heart felt sweet as honey. It had been a long time since he’d seen her, and now that she was back for a while, she’d surely visit the shop again. Only she dared talk back to him and snatch away his cigarette.