Lorenzo watched Malèna's retreating figure, the swirl of her red dress making it impossible to read her emotions. His curiosity got the better of him.
He lunged forward and bumped Kai's shoulder. "Man, what did you say to her?"
Kai turned to him with a perfectly straight face. "I told her that you're secretly in love with her, but you can't bring yourself to say it. And because we're good friends, I couldn't possibly cash in on the bet. But, if she's interested in you too, she should give you a sign."
Kai tipped his chin up slightly. "So? Did she give you a signal?"
Lorenzo's mouth fell open. He couldn't believe his own ears, sputtering as he tried to form a rebuttal. "I… You… How… Is she…"
Seeing Lorenzo speechless for once, a barely perceptible smirk touched the corner of Kai's lips.
Lorenzo noticed it and was gearing up for a counterattack when he caught sight of two figures out of the corner of his eye. He slammed the brakes on his retort, refusing to be seen at a disadvantage.
He turned his head and his eyes went wide, nearly choking on his own spit.
Jean Todt. A living legend in the world of motorsport.
He had led the Lotus and Peugeot teams to World Rally Championship titles. Later, he joined Ferrari, where, alongside Michael Schumacher and Ross Brawn, he built an F1 dynasty.
After leaving Ferrari in 2009, Jean Todt became the President of the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile), a position he still held. It was under his leadership that motorsport, in all its forms, expanded its reach across the globe, with Formula 1 becoming one of the most popular sports in the world.
Today, Formula 1, the FIFA World Cup, and the Olympic Games are often called the "three great global sporting events," a status owed in no small part to the man standing before them.
To put it simply, the Frenchman was a godfather of the racing world.
Of course, Lorenzo wasn't some wide-eyed rookie. He recognized the legend immediately and quickly composed himself, taking the initiative. "Hey, Samuel! I didn't expect to see you guys here."
Samuel glanced at Todt. To be honest, he had no idea what his old friend was thinking or what was about to happen. Still, it was good to see a familiar face. "Lolo," Samuel said with a smile, "you'd better hope your father doesn't find out about tonight."
Lorenzo just laughed it off. "Well, then I'll need you to help me keep it a secret." He brought a finger to his lips. "Shhh."
Samuel just shook his head, looking helpless.
From the side, a new voice cut in. "Samuel, aren't you going to introduce us?"
Samuel reacted instantly. "Lolo, this is Jean. Jean, this is the Moretti's boy, Lorenzo."
Lorenzo seized the opportunity, stepping forward smoothly. "Jean, it's a great pleasure to meet you. Of course, I wish it were under different circumstances."
Todt, with his soft potbelly and thinning white hair fluttering in the wind, offered a harmless-looking smile. "These circumstances are just fine. They bring back memories of my youth. So," he said, his gaze shifting, "this driver's face is new to me. I don't believe I've seen him before."
A torrent of Italian followed.
Kai didn't understand a word, but he remained composed, his face a neutral mask. Inwardly, however, he was grumbling. Do Italians really hate speaking English this much?
Lorenzo noticed and switched languages. "Kai, this is Jean, and this is Samuel. Samuel, Jean, this is Kai."
He then turned his head. "Wait, is your name Lu, or Zhizhou?"
Kai shot his so-called friend a look. Jerk.
But to his surprise, Todt spoke first. "Zhizhou… right?" His pronunciation was hesitant, but it was better than expected.
Kai didn't hide his surprise. "Yes. Zhizhou is my given name."
Todt chuckled. "I have some connections to China. I assume that's where you're from?"
The lines of tension in Kai's face relaxed. "I've been in Italy for three days, and you're the first person to guess that correctly."
"Oh, my honor," Todt replied. "It seems we are connected by fate, aren't we? Yuánfèn. You believe in yuánfèn."
Kai was even more surprised now. Clearly, Todt's connection was more than just "some."
Without pausing, Todt pulled a business card from his pocket and offered it to him with a smile. "I'd like to invite you to Maranello for a trial."
"And please, rest assured, I'm not a con artist, even though this business card has nothing to do with Maranello."
After saying it, Todt himself laughed.
Kai glanced down at the card.
Jean Todt, President, FIA.
He froze for a second. It finally clicked. He'd known the man looked familiar, but he hadn't been able to place him. The memory was unlocked now.
As a kid, he had watched Formula 1 broadcasts on CCTV-5. It was the peak of Ferrari's dominance, when the combination of Todt and Schumacher wrote legends. But as a child, he'd been oblivious, his eyes glued only to Schumacher, completely overlooking the short, older man behind the scenes.
He never imagined he would one day meet a person from his television screen, standing right in front of him.
Connecting the dots, a slight smile played on Kai's lips. "Formula racing? That's a rich man's sport. I don't have the money for it."
He refused?
Kai actually refused?
Lorenzo nearly swallowed his own tongue and started coughing, choking on his breath.
Samuel couldn't believe his ears. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"
Todt tried to stop him, but he was a fraction too late. He let out a soft, resigned sigh.
Kai, however, was completely unfazed. "Does it make a difference? No matter who he is, the result is the same. My wallet can't handle it." As he spoke, he patted his empty pockets.
"Ha," Todt laughed.
It was a sudden, genuine laugh. He had made the offer on a whim, but Kai's reaction was only confirming his initial hunch. That instinct, that spark of inspiration, was becoming clearer and clearer.
Todt's eyes lit up with a renewed sense of anticipation. "My apologies. Please, forgive my friend's rudeness."
"Let's get back to the point. I liked your driving tonight. And not just the driving. The strategy, the technique, the judgment, the timing of your attacks and defenses… it was all very clever."
"People always assume racing is just about being fast. But at the highest level, it's not like that. Or rather, it's about more than just that."
"I want to invite you to Maranello for a trial. Regardless of the outcome, all expenses will be paid, and there will be a bonus. What was the wager for tonight's race?" Todt asked, looking at Lorenzo.
Lorenzo's eyes darted back and forth. "Eight thousand euros."
The words were barely out of his mouth before he broke into a cold sweat. He had to bite his tongue to keep from taking it back. Kai, you'd better thank me for this later. I'm going through hell for you, brother.
Todt gave Lorenzo a long, knowing look but didn't call him out. He turned back to Kai. "Then eight thousand euros it is. How does that sound?"
Samuel still couldn't believe it. He couldn't wrap his head around what his friend of over thirty years was doing. He finally turned to him. "A trial at Maranello? Regardless of the outcome? And you're paying him eight thousand euros on top of it?"
This was insane!
Todt didn't even look at Samuel. His gaze was fixed on Kai as he nodded slightly. "Yes, that's right. The world is willing to break the rules for a true genius. Perhaps tonight is one of those exceptions."
Kai pursed his lips, thinking for a moment. "The trial. Is one day tomorrow enough? My flight back to Shanghai is the day after tomorrow in the afternoon."
Lorenzo's jaw was now completely dislocated.
But Todt didn't hesitate. He snapped his fingers. "One day is plenty. Can you get yourself to Maranello for a nine o'clock start tomorrow morning?"
He paused, a slight smile on his face. "Or… would you require an escort?"