Speed ​​God

Chapter 158 Confrontation in the air
"Boss, don't pay attention to what's going on outside. Just stick to your own path and do things at your own pace."

In an instant, all eyes turned to Song Bo.

They thought this guy was carefree and oblivious to everything else, completely absorbed in the novel experience of the hunting grounds, but in fact, Song Bo had been keeping a close eye on him all along.

Lu Zhizhou paused, turned around, raised his hand and tapped his head, a smile spreading across his face. "Trust me."

His words, spoken casually yet brimming with confidence, seemed to instantly quiet the hustle and bustle of the hunting grounds. By the time they realized what was happening, Lu Zhizhou had already left.

Standing outside, April in Shanghai is still cold. The dim sunlight falls weakly, and the crowd is struggling against the strong wind.

Lu Zhizhou took a deep breath. Since landing at Pudong Airport, he had been busy non-stop. His schedule was filled with interviews of all sizes. He had been involved in all kinds of events, from interviews to photo shoots to videos, including those with F1 and Ferrari officials. Even his sleep time had been severely compressed.

It may sound absurd, but Lu Zhizhou has never seen Lu Cheng and Jiang Mo's faces; they have only talked on the phone.

The pressure is everywhere; you can feel this wave of nationwide frenzy even without logging into social networks, leaving absolutely no room to breathe.

Originally, Lu Zhizhou thought he would finally be able to see his parents at the paddock on the weekend of the competition. He hoped to complete a wonderful race in front of Jiang Mo on the home track. However, Jiang Mo was still not mentally prepared to come and watch the race. The 300-kilometer competition was too exciting for her.

and so--

He will face it alone.

But he was ready. He might be sitting alone in the cabin, but he wasn't fighting alone.

With his shoulders slightly open and back straight, Lu Zhizhou took a step forward.

Behind her, Li Miaomiao kept watching Lu Zhizhou's back. In the blink of an eye, the surging crowd had already swallowed him up. She couldn't help but peek over, but immediately realized her lapse in composure and felt slightly embarrassed. She looked away and secretly glanced around before finally letting out a sigh of relief. She wasn't alone.

Song Bo and Wang Lin were the same; as if watching a live documentary, they stared wide-eyed and shouted as a camera crew quickly caught up and surrounded Lu Zhizhou. The figures jumping and shouting Lu Zhizhou's name were soon completely blocked from view.

Even seeing it with my own eyes was still amazing, and then the boys started making strange gorilla noises.

Then, a dashing figure in a leather jacket appeared. According to his self-introduction, he was Lorenzo, Lu Zhizhou's friend in Italy.

Although Lu Zhizhou was too busy to attend to anything else, he still remembered to ask Lorenzo for help in preparing a souvenir gift bag for the students who came to the hunting grounds today.

Song Bo was the first to eagerly open it, and inside were all sorts of official Ferrari merchandise. He immediately put on the red baseball cap with the number 22 on it.

"Wait a minute, this isn't signed. No way, I need a refund."

Lorenzo, standing nearby, looked at Song Bo, who was full of complaints, with a puzzled expression. After Li Miaomiao translated for him, Lorenzo laughed and said, "Of course, no problem."

"The free practice matches are all over today, so we're forcing that guy to do the work. He must have signed so many autographs these past few days, at least 800 to 1000. Last night in the hotel room, he was sitting on the sofa signing autographs obediently."

Everyone imagined the image of the child crying and frantically writing his homework, and burst into laughter. Even Su Tong couldn't help but laugh.

Chattering and laughing, the group of young people were having a great time.

Amidst the commotion, the free practice session was finally ready, and the live broadcast began to show the situation in the maintenance area. Song Bo was the first to notice the details.

"George Russell!"

Everyone was puzzled, so Song Bo explained, "Last year, he was the only driver in GP3 who could threaten the boss, a Mercedes-Benz junior trainee. He should be racing F2 this year, so how did he end up here?"

On the screen, Wolf is having a close conversation with Russell. So, is Wolf trying to train Russell, or is he trying to learn about the weaknesses of the Continent through Russell?
Others didn't understand, but Song Bo and Lorenzo both sensed the undercurrents in the air.

The live stream switched, and the red race car slowly drove out of the pit lane. The engine sound was no longer a roar, but a steady, deep, and rhythmic sound.

No further words are needed to know that this is the most iconic red color in F1 racing, and the number "22" on the car immediately catches the eye.

Ah! Ahhhhhhh!
In an instant, an unbelievable sound erupted from the main grandstand as a vast expanse of red spread out, aggressively swallowing up all other colors.

The air, thick with the heat of the moment, rippled slightly, and my heart pounded uncontrollably in the storm, on the verge of exploding.

"They're here! They're here!" Song Bo had just shouted when he was immediately drowned out by the roar of the main grandstand, leaving only a deafening boom in his ears.

Li Miaomiao held her breath and stared intently. Even though she knew nothing about racing, she could feel how different this moment was from her school life.

Then, the roar of the engine instantly filled the "field of vision," as if the speed could be captured by the eyes—

F1, vivid and striking.

Before anyone could even react, Lu Zhizhou had already finished his lap, the car roaring past on the main straight, the engine's roar piercing their eardrums, instantly breaking through their skulls, and opening a door to a mysterious universe.

Just a short while later, a string of data appeared on the big screen—

First time slot, purple, Lu Zhizhou.

A cheer erupted from the stands. Every move of car number 22 on the track captivated the entire audience; no one was exempt.

Although the live stream only showed the race car, that race car was Lu Zhizhou. It seemed that Lu Zhizhou's image could be seen in the speeding race car, but it was completely different from Lu Zhizhou in his daily life. His professional demeanor was radiant and captivating.

The race car is the driver, and the driver is the race car.

Lorenzo was slightly taken aback. After the initial shock, a smile crept onto his lips. This home-field fervor was enough to rival that of the Monza Iron Buddha Temple.

However, in the second time slot, the color changed to green, which only represented "personal best".

"Why has it slowed down? Is this normal?" Li Miaomiao couldn't help but blurt out.

The commentator's voice came through the live stream. For once, the camera was completely focused on Lu Zhizhou, closely watching his performance in the free practice match, and the commentator explained it as if it were a ranking match.

"It seems that Lu Zhizhou is trying different braking points, especially the entry speed of Turn 13. He is conducting different tests."

As the commentator spoke, Song Bo and Wang Lin exchanged a glance, and Song Bo said, "That's normal. Our leader is always like this. Free practice matches are just for warming up and collecting data."

Wang Lin nodded repeatedly, "In the previous Melbourne and Bahrain free practice matches, the boss's performance was just average. Actually... ah!"

Before he could finish speaking, his voice suddenly rose sharply and changed pitch, almost cracking.

Wang Lin stared at the screen, mouth agape, dumbfounded. Racket number 22 trembled slightly in the center of the corner, a rare sight, and its rear end briefly slid away.

Danger!

In an instant, I stopped breathing, my heart rushed to my throat, blocking my throat completely, and I couldn't make a sound. Even the noise in my ears disappeared.

Sure enough, being there in person to experience the vibrations of the track and the temperature of the air firsthand, and then watching the live stream, is a completely different experience.

However, it was fleeting.

There was no time to react. In the next second, Lu Zhizhou had already steadily brought the race car back on track, as if he had anticipated everything and was firmly in control of the situation.

Su Tong craned his neck, staring intently at the screen, and couldn't help but ask, "Does he always play with fire like this, pushing the boundaries of danger?" Is street racing like this?

Song Bo swallowed hard, but still subconsciously defended Lu Zhizhou, "This is called testing the limits. Testing the limits of the track, the car, and yourself."

A dozen minutes later, Lu Zhizhou completed the long-distance simulation and the race car returned to the pit area.

His calm voice came through the radio: "The tire temperature is starting to drop in the later stages, and the brakes need to have more leeway under high load. The tire wear is higher than expected."

"We need to take the initiative in our entry strategy and avoid entering the pit behind our opponents, which could lead to an undercut. We need to strike first."

In fact, the tire wear on the track is relatively even – at least compared to Melbourne and Bahrain. However, compared to Mercedes, Ferrari's car setup is unbalanced, emphasizing straightaways and high-speed corners, aiming to fully utilize the strengths of its car.

This means that not only do low-speed corners require skillful control, much like roller skates on ice, but the problem of tire temperature rising rapidly in high-speed corners is also quite noticeable.

Ferrari will face even more serious tire management issues this weekend, and Lu Zhizhou believes they should take the initiative and control the race at their own pace.

“Received, Zhizhou,” Greenwood replied politely as always. “We will proceed with the second quota.”

Standing in front of the live broadcast screen, the viewers were completely bewildered, having no idea what was going on. Lu Zhizhou was sitting in the race car, and the race car was parked in the maintenance room—that was all.

But Song Bo knew that things weren't as calm as they seemed on the surface—

Lu Zhizhou is communicating and providing feedback to the entire team, constantly recording data and confirming information to prepare for the next test.

Completely focused and single-minded, this professional demeanor was completely different from usual, making people deeply feel that racing is not as simple as it seems.

Not only Ferrari, but all other repair areas were no exception.

So far this season, Ferrari has won both races, and is the only team with both drivers on the podium in both races. Obviously, Ferrari is the target that the entire paddock is eager to defeat, and Mercedes and Red Bull are sharpening their knives.

From the start of the free practice matches, unseen calculations, games, and contests permeated the air.

Clearly, the live streaming team was aware of this, frequently showing Wolf and Russell on camera as they looked at the data and talked.

But what are they talking about? Are they watching Bottas and Hamilton's stats, or Lu Zhizhou's free practice session?
That's unknown.

As expected, the free practice sessions were underway.

In the first free practice session, Mercedes performed strongly, with Hamilton and Bottas taking first and second place respectively.

Ferrari remained unchanged, finishing third and eighth respectively, heading into the third Grand Prix. Now everyone knew that Vettel was responsible for setting speeds at the front during free practice, while Lu Zhizhou calmly conducted a comprehensive test in the back. No one could see through Ferrari's true strength.

Red Bull's performance remained stable, securing fourth and fifth place, but it seems they haven't yet found a way to break through the encirclement of Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz.

The next two free practice sessions were similar, with Vettel battling Mercedes alone, while Red Bull kept a low profile in the leading group; the real point is that Lu Zhizhou's lap times were consistently neither good nor fast, even more understated than Red Bull's.

By this time, even the most naive critics had learned their lesson and wouldn't cause trouble in the free practice matches; and the professionals in the paddock had noticed something amiss—

Is the responsibility of testing Ferrari gradually shifting towards Lu Zhizhou?

As mentioned earlier, there are many tests and complexities to be tested and adapted to in free practice sessions. Rookie drivers often cannot complete all the tests and adjustments smoothly, which in turn affects their strategy for subsequent qualifying and the race. Teams often need two drivers to work together to complete all the tests.

And now?
Of course, this can be interpreted as Ferrari delegating all the heavy lifting to Lu Zhizhou, just like in the winter test races, allowing Vettel to relax and have an easy time.

Haters can laugh at Lu Zhizhou for playing the role of a servant in a Ferrari.

However, from another perspective, this also proves Ferrari's trust in Lu Zhizhou. Both Arrivabene and Vettel believe in the efficiency and results of Lu Zhizhou's test data, and Lu Zhizhou's perception of the car and track has won the recognition of professionals within the team.

This is truly astonishing, considering that Lu Zhizhou has only been officially in the F1 world for a month at most, yet he has already established himself.

Or perhaps all of the above speculations are wrong. Lu Zhizhou's poor performance in the free practice was simply due to a lack of experience. He needed to adapt to each track from scratch. The truth is not that complicated, nor are there many conspiracies or tricks. It was simply the adaptation process during the novice period.

So how to interpret Lu Zhizhou's free practice session and Ferrari's smokescreen is a matter of opinion, with keyboard warriors on social media offering a variety of views and the topic remaining highly popular!

Then, on Saturday afternoon, during qualifying, the answer was finally revealed.

The "Big Three" Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, and Red Bull have indeed taken a slight lead in overall strength so far this season, with other teams not yet catching up. The three teams and their six drivers not only easily made it into Q3, but also kept the suspense of the outcome until the very last moment, making it a thrilling experience.

Q1, Vettel is the fastest.

Q2, Hamilton takes the top spot.

In Q3, Ricciardo took the lead and set a new fastest lap time, becoming the first driver to break the 1 minute 32 second barrier. He led Renault's Hulkenberg, who was previously in first place, by nearly 0.6 seconds, a clear advantage. The difference in car performance was immediately apparent, and the "Big Three" were indeed a whole step ahead.

However, Ricciardo's fastest lap time didn't last long, as he was overtaken by his Red Bull teammate Verstappen.

Everything seemed familiar, just like in Melbourne. Verstappen was on the verge of taking pole position, but after the first flying lap of Q3, no one could overtake him. Red Bull pulled off a stunning upset, breaking through the pack and preparing to make a comeback, shaking off the shadow of the two retirements in Bahrain the previous race. All the pressure was now on the second flying lap—

A last-ditch fight.

Hamilton took the lead and overtook the lead by a mere 0.121 seconds, dominating the race and once again proving that he is still the "King of Shanghai".

In the main grandstand, Hamilton's fans collectively lost their minds, overjoyed, and wept with joy in their hands!

So, is the racing king back in his place?

It is obvious that Hamilton has a large fan base in Shanghai, and no one who has become a fan of F1 in recent years can resist Hamilton.

Hamilton has consistently performed exceptionally well on this track, as evidenced by his performance in free practice. He has maintained his competitiveness throughout, and after the painful loss in Melbourne and his complete absence in Bahrain, the defending champion is ready to make a strong comeback and return to his peak in his lucky place.

The present scene is the best proof.

Verstappen's seemingly unattainable lap time was squeezed to second place under the wheels of the Mercedes, and the main grandstand erupted in clamor.

Cheers, screams, tears of joy—they finally found a brief outlet for their anxieties about Hamilton's season, which had so far been erratic. However, their surging emotions couldn't be fully released; they immediately held their breath, remaining standing and anxiously watching the other drivers' performances.

Before the live stream camera even locked onto the screen, a chorus of exclamations erupted from the repair area, and all eyes turned towards the large screen.

First time slot, purple, Lu Zhizhou.

scare!
In an instant, everyone gasped, their hearts stopped beating. The live broadcast camera, understanding the situation, followed the red Ferrari number 22, leading the audience to race along with the home team on the Shanghai International Circuit. The roar of the engine and the surging air created a storm that swept everyone into it.

Light, smooth, and agile, like the flowing lines of an ink painting, Ferrari has fully demonstrated its advantages on straightaways and high-speed corners this season.

Incredibly, Lu Zhizhou made the most of the track space, and despite it being his first time playing here in his professional career, he had a naturally smooth feel to it.

Second time slot, get another purple!
The main grandstand erupted in commotion, people could hardly believe their eyes. From Verstappen to Hamilton, the lap times were already outstanding; but now, the fastest lap times in the first two timeouts had all fallen to Lu Zhizhou. Could this mean...?
Their hearts were pounding, their mouths were dry, and their blood was boiling. They all stood on tiptoe and craned their necks to look at the right end of the main road.

Standing there, even though the race car wasn't immediately visible, the roar from the air vibrations made my heart pound uncontrollably in my chest, growing stronger and more intense. Anxiety and anticipation spiraled wildly through the suspense, almost bursting out of my head.

Until——

coming!

At the end of the main straight road, a streak of red light, trailing a billowing wave of air and leaving a long trail, roared in. The sound from the main grandstand erupted instantly, only to be extinguished in the blink of an eye. Silence reigned, everyone held their breath, completely forgetting to breathe. The red afterimage had already swept past them in a mighty torrent. Grabbing at the last moment of their vision, they plunged into the vortex at the other end, their souls seemingly being sucked into a black hole, a shiver running through their entire bodies.

I subconsciously looked at the starting line screen.

First, Lu, 1:31.182.

Second, Hamilton, 1:31.675.

Third, Verstappen...

Consciousness returned to the body, and before anyone could think, it had already transformed into a raging storm. The audience in the main stands all raised their arms and roared with joy.

Ah! Ahh ...

Collective frenzy.

Hamilton's fans were caught in the storm, disoriented and bewildered, unsure whether to be sad or happy.

Lu Zhizhou continued his strong performance throughout the season, transforming from free practice to qualifying, much like Superman taking off his glasses, becoming a spectacle in the paddock.

Lu Zhizhou not only surpassed Hamilton, but also had a clear advantage. Does this really mean that the only local representative has a chance to stand on the highest podium in the main race?

Such a huge gap is reminiscent of Hamilton's oppressive pole position advantage at the Melbourne Grand Prix, but now the positions have been reversed.

In an instant, the air seemed to boil.

Immediately afterwards, the second Mercedes crossed the finish line, the frenzy in the main grandstand paused briefly, and then erupted in full force many times over.

Bottas is in second place.

He surpassed Hamilton, but he couldn't surpass Lu Zhizhou.

This situation is quite surprising. If Lu Zhizhou had defeated Hamilton, they could have said that Ferrari had the fastest car in the paddock, and Mercedes was powerless to stop it. But Bottas's victory over Hamilton in qualifying for the second consecutive race makes things much more complicated.

Amidst the bewildered glances, their chaotic thoughts swirled in their throats, their eyes fixed on the last race car in the stadium—

Ferrari No. 5, Sebastian Vettel.

Whether the Shanghai International Circuit can achieve a historic breakthrough and secure its first home-field pole position rests entirely on the shoulders of another four-time world champion driver.

Undoubtedly, the start of the 2018 season was not what Vettel had envisioned. From Melbourne to Bahrain, he could feel the all-around impact and pressure from the continent, even more clearly and intensely than Hamilton, because they were driving the same car.

Vettel did not expect that he would still need to prove himself on the track this year.

But no problem, he will prove himself, not by beating his teammates, but by proving he is still a championship contender, that he should be compared to Hamilton, and that he should be the protagonist of the 2018 season.

Full concentration! High morale!
In Shanghai, Vettel, who had been ignored and disregarded, was full of fighting spirit and unleashed an unprecedented fighting power, shutting out all the noise.

At this moment, Vettel seems to have found his peak form.

After the last bend, it pierced the straightaway like an arrow of light, leaving only a blur as it sped past, and the world fell silent for a moment.

All eyes were on the official timer, including Vettel and the repair wall, until the moment the real-time rankings were refreshed.

First, Vettel, 1:31.095.

Pole position belongs to Vettel.

An uproar!
The spectators in the main grandstand of the Shanghai International Circuit all covered their heads, staring at the scene with awe, surprise, and astonishment, their hearts pounding wildly.

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel lives up to his reputation, dominating all his rivals!
This marks Vettel's second consecutive pole position, edging out Lu Zhizhou by a mere 0.087 points to claim the title. This victory represents a small two-game winning streak after losing to Lu Zhizhou in qualifying in Melbourne.

With that, the qualifying rounds have concluded.

First row, Ferrari.

Second row, Mercedes-Benz.

Third row, Red Bull.

So, is this considered a standard ending?
Without a doubt, the Shanghai International Circuit is a track that puts a car's aerodynamic balance to the test, and car performance is of paramount importance. The three best-performing teams so far this season occupy the top three rows, which perfectly illustrates the competitive landscape of the paddock.

however--

Lu Zhizhou lost to Vettel, Hamilton lost to Bottas, and Ricciardo lost to Verstappen. Do these three comparisons reveal any clues that might indicate changes in car setup, the race, and qualifying?
Nevertheless, social media still went viral instantly.

Lu Zhizhou!
The moment Vettel crossed the finish line, the mere 0.087-second difference was heartbreaking, and the scene was instantly filled with complaints and lamentations. But these regrets and resentments did not last long. With a turn, they all began to celebrate the historic moment before them.

His first home race in his professional career! And also the first time in the history of the Shanghai International Circuit that a local driver has been present! With the cheers of the home crowd, he bravely secured second place, starting from the front row, making history once again!
Indeed, it is true that he missed pole position by a hair's breadth; but it is also true that he continues to make history as a rookie!
If the media had been hyping up Lu Zhizhou's potential podium finish and even his championship win, the general public remained cautiously optimistic. However, after the qualifying rounds, expectations skyrocketed, as evidenced by Lu Zhizhou dominating the top three spots on the trending topics list, demonstrating the continued surge in fervor.

On this land, F1 has never received such attention. Even CCTV News made an unprecedented move by dedicating thirty seconds of its evening news program to a report on it. Those thirty seconds were just a fleeting moment, but the attention from top to bottom was still clearly felt, an unprecedented level of importance attached to it.

They've all gone mad! A frenzy has broken out!
……

As the spotlights shone, a relentless stream of media reporters packed the mixed zone to capacity. No explanation was needed; it was clear they were there for Lu Zhizhou.

This is the home advantage; even Vettel and Hamilton paled in comparison, with millions of eyes waiting for that one particular figure.

When Lu Zhizhou appeared, the scene went out of control, with a barrage of flashes making it as bright as day. This was the second time since Bahrain that he had faced such a scene, and he was still not used to it, but at least it was no longer unexpected.

One could vaguely sense a hint of regret in Lu Zhizhou's expression, but he quickly put on a smile to greet the barrage of cameras and microphones.

After a flurry of congratulations, praise, and questions about making history, a reporter posed a question in a gentle tone.

"Zhizhou, your qualifying performance has been excellent since the start of the new season, but you've finished second in all three races, always seeming to fall just short of pole position. What are your thoughts on this?"

Lu Zhizhou looked in the direction of the sound and immediately spotted Shi Yiying from Five Star Sports. He remembered that Shi Yiying had left the hunting grounds for many years.

Reuniting in the paddock at this moment has a special flavor.

Lu Zhizhou wasn't angry; in fact, he smiled broadly. "It's a real shame. To be honest, I wish I could have done better today."

"But that's F1, a competition where the outcome is decided by a tenth of a second or a hundredth of a second. I think the gap between second and pole position is what I need to make up for now, not just in terms of experience, but also in many other ways. This also means that I still face many challenges and issues."

"This is a good thing, and I will continue to take on challenges. I hope that in the near future, I will be able to close this gap and truly become a top driver."

Lu Zhizhou remains Lu Zhizhou, graciously and bravely facing all challenges.

Shi Yiying felt a slight pang of sympathy. Were their expectations of Lu Zhizhou too high?
For any driver, finishing second in qualifying for the first three races of their career is already an incredible achievement, so why aren't they satisfied?

“You still have time to explore more possibilities. Hamilton didn’t get his first pole position until the sixth race, and Verstappen is still chasing his first career pole position.” Shi Yiying tried to encourage Lu Zhizhou.

Lu Zhizhou's lips curled up slightly, his bright eyes seemingly filled with stars and the sea. "I'm trying to forge my own path. I'm not sure what the outcome will be, but I believe in my own rhythm."

Confident and exuberant, that youthful energy burned brightly without reservation, stirring the hearts of even the onlookers.

He is neither Hamilton nor Verstappen; he is Lu Zhizhou, a unique existence who forges a new world with his own footsteps.

Clearly, this will not be a smooth road, and things will not be easy, but fortunately, they will grow up alongside Lu Zhizhou and write history together.

Without realizing it, Shi Yiying also smiled and said, "Good luck in the main competition."

Lu Zhizhou laughed heartily, "Haha, let's see if we're lucky on the third try."

That vibrant life force emanating from within quietly ignited the hopes of even the most seasoned veterans on site.

In the world of motorsports, they have waited far too long for a Chinese person, an Asian person, to stand on the highest stage and compete with those top players, only to be disappointed time and time again after hitting walls and setbacks, to the point that they began to doubt themselves and lose faith.

They even subconsciously deny the possibility.

Up until now, we have not only seen the first Chinese driver in the paddock, but also a truly impactful and competitive top driver.

As they looked at each other in bewilderment, their long-dormant blood seemed to begin to boil again.

Sunday morning.

When Jiang Mo actually stood on the Shanghai International Circuit's pit lane, he regretted it and had an urge to turn around and run away.

She had never felt so uneasy in her memory.

Because no matter what she encountered in the past, she faced it all on her own. She always had the opportunity to take a gamble and was always able to bring things under her control.

However, she was completely powerless to help him. She could only stand by and watch, spreading her wings and letting Lu Zhizhou face all the difficulties and storms alone, without being able to do anything to assist him.

My heart was pounding wildly, unable to stop; a sense of unease trembled within my blood.

Zhang Qiaomu noticed this and reached out to grasp Jiang Mo's left hand. It was ice-cold, without a trace of warmth, and her heart trembled along with it.

Jiang Mo gave a wry smile, mocking his own disheveled state, "I feel like I'm just a burden standing here. Not only am I not helping, but I'm also making things worse."

"Haha, this just means we're getting old and should retire from the stage. It's time for the younger generation to take over." Zhang Qiaomu seemed very carefree. "Jiang Mo, we came here to support Xiao Zhou, right? We need to let him know that he's not alone in facing the storm."

In fact, Jiang Mo still didn't have the courage to watch the race live. She couldn't control her worry, nor could she control the endless stream of wild thoughts in her mind.

However, Song Bo said that after they came to watch the free practice session on Friday, social media traffic continued to climb, and Lu Zhizhou faced incredible pressure. The senior high school students at the school were unusually preparing to watch the main race on Sunday and witness their classmates competing on the Shanghai International Circuit.

The pressure, which should have been invisible, is now visibly increasing.

However, Lu Zhizhou said nothing to her, remaining strong and confident in facing everything and preparing to meet the challenges.

Jiang Mo felt a pang of guilt. Her son was so resilient and tenacious, yet she had hidden herself at home, turning a blind eye and trying to cover her eyes and ears to continue her escape.

This is not her.

So Jiang Mo came. Despite her fear and dread, she mustered her courage, took a step forward, and stood on the track to cheer on her son.

From childhood to adulthood, Jiang Mo has always taught his son this way: no matter the difficulties or storms, be brave and take on challenges. You may not be able to overcome difficulties and break through your limits every time, but fight with all your might to the end, leave no regrets, and face all the results with your head held high. This is the right attitude.

She should set an example now.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Mo regained his smile. "Of course he's not alone. It's not just me; you all came to cheer him on too, didn't you?"

Zhang Qiaomu laughed, "You mean Dr. Song? He's just looking for an excuse not to do his homework. The test papers he has this weekend are piling up like a mountain. Let's see what he does when he gets back."

A lighthearted remark made both mothers laugh.

Then, Lu Zhizhou came into view and walked towards Lu Cheng and Song Bo. Jiang Mo patted Zhang Qiaomu's right hand and said, "Let's go over there too."

Jiang Mo smiled and waved in greeting.

Standing in the crowd, Lu Zhizhou spotted his mother at a glance. He was stunned, completely unprepared for such a pleasant surprise. He stopped in his tracks, standing there dumbfounded. A mix of emotions surged up inside him, like a punch to the nose, leaving him with a feeling that was hard to describe.

What a surprise! This is definitely a surprise!
(End of this chapter)