Surprise! My online crush turned out to be... - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

For some strange reason, Shu Yang quickly tossed his phone onto the bed, not even checking for a reply. He slipped on his slippers, and since Chen Yi wasn’t around, he used another phone to call Tao Zi.

“It’s me, Shu Yang. Going for a run?”

Tao Zi’s surname is Tao and his given name is Zi. It’s said his father, to save trouble, simply called him Tao Zi, since he was his son. However, Tao Zi protested at home about this name, fighting to change it, but to no avail.

After all, for a boy over 5 feet tall, being called “Tao Zi Tao Zi” was unacceptable to anyone. Tao Zi believed he had no such thing as a boyish or girly heart, and he wouldn’t accept pet names.

But this was his name, so what could he do? He couldn’t stop being called that. If someone gave him a random nickname like “Xiao Tao” or “Zi Zi,” Tao Zi would get a chill all over his body. He’d rather just be Tao Zi.

But he made a rule: when people addressed him, the final “zi” (zi) could not be pronounced softly; it had to be pronounced with three tones.

At first, Shu Yang found the name awkward, but after getting used to it, it didn’t bother him.

Tao Zi’s situation was somewhat different from theirs. Shu Yang and Shen Yi both came from business families. But Tao Zi came from a well-established military compound. He was quite eccentric, never hanging out with the scions of the military compound, but instead hanging out with Shu Yang and the others.

Of all the other guys, he was the best driver. Shu Yang had asked him to practice with him, hoping he could learn some tricks.

“Okay, now?” Tao Zi agreed readily.

“Then I’ll see you at the club in half an hour.” Shu Yang ran to the bathroom, took a look at his appearance, and feeling completely out of place, he casually grabbed his hair and was about to leave.

Having reached the entrance, his hand gripping the doorknob paused before he ran back to the bedroom, grabbed his phone, and took his “lonely” online chat pigeon with him.

However, during all this time, Shu Yang didn’t even have the courage to open his phone to check for any replies.

What do you think this pigeon should think of him? Would he think he was just a loser?

The more he thought about it, the worse it got, so he simply stopped thinking about it. Shu Yang shoved both phones in his pockets, opened the door, and walked out. His pockets were heavy, a feeling of wealth and pretentiousness.

The Wild Dog Club was located almost on the outskirts of City B. It occupied a large area, almost entirely occupied by a racetrack and a tuning shop. Having been operating for so many years, the managers had long since figured out what these wealthy kids loved most.

Ordinary entertainment and pastimes didn’t pique their interest at all. Only something that looked cool like this could catch their eye.

But when the race came, the track wasn’t here. Due to the terrain, it was located in the more distant City H. Shu Yang slowly walked into the club and found Tao Zi, practically slumped over his car.

“What are you looking at?” Shu Yang asked, puzzled. He walked over and leaned closer to where Tao Zi had been looking, but saw nothing.

Tao Zi stood up and leaned against his beloved car. “I just repainted it. Take a look.”

“Is it necessary to get so close? I thought you were looking in the mirror.” Shu Yang examined his car carefully. “Why do you think it looks different?”

“Oh, you have good taste. I just had someone do some major modifications.” Tao Zi blinked and smiled mysteriously, but he wouldn’t say a word about the modifications. “Wait until the competition and see me take first place.”

“Stop talking nonsense. Let’s go. You’re so focused on getting first place that you’re embarrassing your brother?” Shu Yang gave Tao Zi a push, but he didn’t push.

There was still a big difference in their physiques. Shu Yang had a slim and well-proportioned build, while Tao Zi, judging by his appearance and figure, was a typical northern hunk.

The two weighed 178kg and 188kg, respectively—a considerable difference. However, the two people involved didn’t notice. In Shu Yang’s inner circle, Chen Yi was the same height as him, but weighed 200kg. Tao Zi was tall and strong, and the others also looked more robust than him.

He, in turn, looked like a weakling. This was partly due to everyone’s habit of pampering Shu Yang, but Shu Yang was oblivious.

Tao Zi nodded and walked towards the club. “It’s been a while since you’ve touched a car, hasn’t it? Don’t get out of the car for now. Let’s see something new.”

Shu Yang was confused. In fact, if there wasn’t something going on, he wouldn’t even come in.

—

A sleek car frame sat in a spacious room. In front of it was a massive screen.

If it weren’t for the incongruous look between the car and the screen, Shu Yang would have thought he was driving one of those gaming cars in an arcade.

But why did this frame look so familiar to him?

He turned to look at Tao Zi, who nodded. “Yes, this is the car you drove in the last race.”

Although Shu Yang had participated in two races, he hadn’t taken them seriously. It was only when people kept asking him about it that he decided to achieve something this time.

Since he had been perfunctory the previous two times, it meant he hadn’t been properly prepared. Tao Zi had prepared the car for him and taught him some techniques, and he was just forced to compete.

“How did it get like this?” Shu Yang touched the frame of the car. It was cool and comfortable to the touch, but at the same time, a sense of desolation washed over him. His car was already in this state, and this time…

“It’s the same model as yours.” Tao Zi stepped forward and turned on the large screen. “Didn’t you say you wanted a serious competition this time? How could I not help you make fun of those idiots?”

“After the last race, you told me about your feelings. I had someone work on a plan and refit your car. But since you never wanted to drive it, I’ve just left it there.

This is a specially made test sensor. Taozi patted the car frame heavily. “Wow, this thing is so small, don’t underestimate it; it cost me a fortune. But it can simulate real driving conditions, practice my skills, and also help me identify your problems, so I can propose better solutions.

I can’t say anything else, but you’re the only one in the Wild Dog world who has it.”

Taozi smiled, revealing his bright white teeth. “This is your birthday present. I missed your birthday last time, so I just finished installing it these past two days. Only you can use it.”

Shu Yang punched Taozi hard. “Stop trying to get emotional with me? I get it.”

Some things brothers understand without words. True friendship requires understanding each other’s needs and concerns without needing to be told. Putting actions into practice is the best way to treat others.

Taozi wasn’t as articulate as Chen Yi and Shu Yang. When the three of them were together, Taozi would often choose to remain silent, but she would always, unnoticed, offer a solution, elevating a matter from a 7 to a 10. How could anyone dislike such a friend?

Shu Yang didn’t offer any thanks or politeness, but simply accepted it graciously. If he were to be too picky, he would only alienate his friend. Tao Zi had gone to such great lengths this time, and he would definitely take note. He would be willing to help him whenever he could. A reciprocal relationship, a mutual support, would make this relationship last longer and more genuine.

“I’ll give it a try.” Shu Yang leaned over the car seat and pressed the start button. The car roared, but the commissioning didn’t begin immediately.

“You need to link it first. This one’s connected to the internet, making it easy to upload and share data.” Tao Zi picked up a remote control and navigated through the options on the screen.

Before Shu Yang could react, he had already entered Shu Yang’s previous phone number.

“I’ll send you a verification code. Check to see if you received it.” Tao Zi continued to work on the screen without looking back. “That’s your initial password. Okay, log in.”

Shu Yang instinctively pulled out his phone and read the text message box that popped up: “945, 214.”

Taozi continued entering the verification code and finally logged in.

Shu Yang suddenly realized that he hadn’t told Taozi about his new temporary number. He’d called Taozi that morning using the new number, and Taozi didn’t seem to notice.

The phone number registered for him was still his old one.

So…

Shu Yang glanced at his phone screen, a voice message indicating a read message brought him back to reality.

No reply.

Seeing Taozi might need a moment, Shu Yang typed a few words in the chat box: [I’m not a pervert…]

“Okay, okay, try it.” Taozi put the remote down and sat aside, waiting for Shu Yang’s input.

Since this device had been built, Taozi hadn’t touched it; only the debugger and Shu Yang had used it.

Shu Yang’s sudden call distracted him, and he put his phone aside, leaving the unfinished chat box unsent.

He stepped on the accelerator and gripped the steering wheel, feeling a sense of relief.

“This screen can simulate a racetrack. It’s not 3D, but it’s good enough to give it a try. We won’t be using it often, so in a couple of days, I’ll take you for a run. Then, call Shen Yi, and we’ll go to H City and try out the track.” Tao Zi wasn’t usually talkative, but whenever he did, he always got to the point.

Shu Yang nodded, indicating understanding, and then pressed the countdown.

As the colorful ribbons fell, Shu Yang floored the accelerator and rushed out. For some unknown reason, the moment his car shot out, he was forced to lean back, like a sudden burst of force but still experiencing inertia.

“This is so realistic!” Shu Yang exclaimed in praise.

Just a few days ago, he and Fatty Shen had been randomly raving about holographic online games, but today, his good friend had given him a vivid technical lesson.

The screen of the phone, tossed aside, remained constantly lit. On the Imperial Capital Planet, unknown to the two, Marshal Francis was watching the video, a look of confusion on his face. His lips moved slightly, as if trying to imitate some kind of sound, but no sound came out.

How could a man make a kitten-like sound?

The roar of a car interrupted Francis’s thoughts. The car in the video, which looked almost antique, also gave him an unlikely idea.