Chapter 345: You Won the Game, I Won Life!
"They won! Unbelievable, that AE86 actually beat Fujii Yusuke, Sakura Country's number one racer!"
"Hiss… Consecutive inertia drift through the five hairpin turns, is that even a maneuver a human can perform? It's divine!"
"Racing Immortal! We can call the driver of that AE86 the Racing Immortal!"
"Racing Immortal! Well said, we have witnessed the birth of a legendary racing god! Our Sakura Country has given birth to an invincible racing god!"
"..."
At the Akina Mountain finish line, the atmosphere was electric. The roar of the crowd was deafening, drowning out the cooling ticking of engines. Everyone looked at the battered black-and-white Toyota AE86 with intense admiration and fanaticism, their eyes burning with the fervor of believers witnessing a miracle. To them, this wasn't just a race; it was the toppling of a giant.
Fujii Yusuke walked out of his professional racing car in a daze. He took off his helmet with trembling hands, his hair matted with sweat, and looked at the AE86 with shocked disbelief.
He never dreamed that he, Sakura Country's number one racer, a man who had stood on international podiums and bathed in champagne, would lose to such a lazy and unreliable-looking young man in a rural backwater like Akina Mountain.
But looking at the tire tracks left on the asphalt—the impossible angles, the sheer disregard for physics—he had no resentment. Only deep, suffocating frustration. That continuous drift around the corners... it was simply incredible. It was art.
He was thoroughly convinced of his defeat.
Fujii Yusuke reluctantly composed himself, swallowing his pride. He walked towards the AE86, forcing a sportsmanlike smile, and extended his hand:
"You won, congratulations! Your skills... are terrifying."
Echizen Takumi shook hands with Fujii Yusuke. A brilliant, boyish smile spread across his face. The cheers and applause from the surrounding crowd, their adoring and fanatical gazes, and Fujii Yusuke's utterly defeated expression as the nation's top racer made his vanity soar.
For a nineteen-year-old boy, this was the peak of life.
'If Natsuki-chan saw me like this, so impressive, defeating a pro... she would definitely fall in love with me, right? She'll definitely say yes to the date!'
Thinking this, Echizen Takumi became even more excited and thrilled. His heart pounded not from the race, but from the anticipation of his goddess's praise.
However, as he released the handshake, he looked left and right. He stood on his tiptoes, scanning the sea of faces.
He looked back and forth, searching everywhere—by the guardrails, near the vending machines, in the spectator stands.
But he couldn't find her.
He couldn't find his beloved childhood friend, Suzuki Natsuki.
"Eh? Eh? Where's Natsuki-chan? Why isn't she here?"
Echizen Takumi was stunned. The smile froze on his face. Where was his Natsuki-chan? She wasn't at the starting line when he left, nor was she here at the finish line to welcome him.
Where did she go? Did she not come??
The trophy in his mind shattered. The cheers of the crowd suddenly sounded like mocking noise. Without her to witness it, his victory felt hollow, like eating unseasoned tofu.
[Ding! Child of Destiny Echizen Takumi is greatly disappointed, plundering +9999 Destiny Value!]
[Ding! Child of Destiny Echizen Takumi's emotional key point has been destroyed, plundering +50000 Destiny Value!]
...
The night of madness faded, replaced by the reality of dawn.
The sunlight pierced through the darkness, scattering specks of gold across the skyline of Tokyo.
In the blink of an eye, it was already the morning of the next day.
In the presidential suite of the five-star hotel, the air was thick, heavy with the unique, musky scent of hormones and the aftermath of a fierce battle. Clothes were scattered haphazardly across the expensive carpet—a school uniform skirt here, a torn stocking there, mixed with a man's discarded shirt.
On the massive king-sized bed, Suzuki Natsuki let out a soft, kitten-like groan. Her long eyelashes gently fluttered, and her hazy, sleepy eyes slowly opened.
Her watery peach blossom eyes revealed a hint of lingering charm, a glaze of satisfaction that showcased an astonishing allure. Her skin was flushed with a healthy, post-coital glow, moist and tender.
This beautiful girl from Sakura Country became even more radiant after yesterday. She had bloomed from a bud into a full flower in a single night of storm and rain.
But once she was fully awake, her eyes fell upon the center of the messy white sheets.
Seeing that dazzling red stain—like a red plum blossom blooming on the snow—Suzuki Natsuki felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
My first time...
Memories of what happened yesterday flooded her mind like a tidal wave. The luxury dinner, the hotel pool, the "one request" Shen Anyu had made, and then... the overwhelming, domineering possession.
A complex expression appeared on Suzuki Natsuki's pure and lovely face. It was filled with regret and guilt towards her childhood friend, but also... a shy, undeniable joy.
The shadow of Echizen Takumi seemed to fade further and further in her mind, becoming blurry and distant.
Originally, Suzuki Natsuki thought she would be filled with extreme regret and guilt towards Takumi. She thought she would cry. But now, checking her own heart, she found such feelings were very, very few.
Instead, she felt... satisfied.
Whether it was the diamond necklace worth tens of millions of yen sitting on the nightstand, or Anyu-kun's incredible prowess that had taken her soul to the clouds... she felt no regret at all.
"Suzuki Natsuki, are you a shameless bad woman?"
She whispered to herself, her voice trembling slightly.
Suzuki Natsuki patted her burning cheeks, spat lightly at her own reflection in the mirror of her mind, then quickly got up. Her legs were weak, trembling slightly as she stood. She winced at the soreness, a physical reminder of Shen Anyu's roughness, and quickly began to tidy herself, preparing to leave.
She couldn't stay here any longer. If she stayed, she felt she would completely lose herself. She would die—die of shame, or perhaps die of pleasure.
"Natsuki-chan, are you leaving? Shall I give you a ride?"
At this moment, a familiar, gentle voice sounded from behind her.
Suzuki Natsuki's delicate body trembled. She hadn't realized he was awake.
Before she could turn, a pair of strong, muscular arms wrapped around her from behind. Shen Anyu's broad chest pressed against her smooth back. The heat radiating from him was scorching.
Shen Anyu rested his chin on Suzuki Natsuki's fragrant shoulder, inhaling the scent of her hair, and asked with a lazy, satisfied smile.
"Natsuki-chan, you're not feeling well down there, are you? It's inconvenient to walk. Shall I take you home, alright?"
Listening to Shen Anyu's gentle but undeniable words, Suzuki Natsuki's lips moved slightly. She wanted to refuse, to maintain a shred of independence, but the soreness in her legs and the domineering aura of the man behind her silenced her.
She hesitated, ultimately unable to say anything but a soft nod.
...
Half an hour later.
Inside the red Ferrari SF90.
The car hummed smoothly, a stark contrast to the chaotic emotions inside the girl.
After getting into the sports car, Suzuki Natsuki deliberated for a long time. She clutched the hem of her skirt, her knuckles white. Finally, she mustered the courage to turn to the man driving.
"Anyu-kun... can we keep what happened between us a secret?"
"Hmm?"
Shen Anyu turned his head slightly, looking at Suzuki Natsuki in surprise, though a mocking glint flashed deep in his eyes.
Suzuki Natsuki blushed furiously. She lowered her head, stammering with her swollen, pale pink lips:
"Anyu-kun, I... I can be like that with you privately. I can do anything you want. But... can it not be public? I don't want people at school to know..."
I don't want Takumi to know.
Upon hearing this, Shen Anyu immediately understood.
He smiled internally. Greedy little thing.
Although Suzuki Natsuki's overall favorability had reached ninety-one, it didn't mean she had fallen in love with Shen Anyu solely for him. She had fallen in love with Shen Anyu's value—his money, his power, and the pleasure he provided.
[Favorability] in the System was complex. It wasn't just romantic love; it included family affection, friendship, gratitude, fear, and dependency.
The favorability of the little maid Ruan Lingshan and the little apprentice Yang Luoluo towards Shen Anyu was primarily based on gratitude and awe.
And Suzuki Natsuki's favorability? It was mainly about loving money and the lifestyle he represented.
In Suzuki Natsuki's heart, the person she "emotionally" cared about was still Echizen Takumi. He was her safety net, her innocent past. Of course, after yesterday's baptism of reality, Echizen Takumi's shadow in Suzuki Natsuki's heart had faded significantly. He was becoming a relic.
The famous saying by the great female writer Eileen Chang—"The way to a woman's heart is through her vagina"—is indeed an undeniable truth in this world.
Unlike men, who can separate sex and emotion easily, most women—especially those like Natsuki—tend to give a piece of their heart once they give their body.
This is why men can have various social engagements or mistresses outside and still return to take care of their family, rarely divorcing over a fling. In contrast, if a woman finds a lover outside, the marriage is often doomed because she shifts her emotional allegiance.
Even Empress Dowager Zhao, the mother of the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang, was no exception. After having two illegitimate children with the "false eunuch" Lao Ai, she became so infatuated that she even conspired to help her lover usurp the throne of her own son. It was utterly insane, but it proved the power of intimacy.
Looking at the timid, pleading expression of the beautiful Sakura Country girl, Shen Anyu already had a plan in mind. He enjoyed this duality.
On the surface, he maintained a reasonable, gentle, and refined demeanor. He reached out and stroked her hair, smiling as he said:
"No problem. I understand. I won't make it public unless you wish to."
'Unless you wish to.' That was the key point. He would make her beg to make it public eventually.
"Actively make it public," was the trap.
Upon hearing this, Suzuki Natsuki immediately breathed a sigh of relief, as if a heavy stone had been lifted from her chest. Her watery peach blossom eyes looked at Shen Anyu with profound gratitude:
"Arigato (Thank you), Anyu-kun! I'm so grateful, I really don't know how to repay you!"
"What kind of relationship do we have? A verbal thank you is enough."
Shen Anyu smiled slightly, his eyes narrowing. You'll repay me with the rest of your life.
Accompanied by the roar of the V8 engine.
The red Ferrari, like a fiery blaze cutting through the morning mist, sped along the winding roads. They quickly reached the outskirts of Gunma Prefecture. Akina Mountain was looming ahead; Suzuki Natsuki's home was just a little further down the road.
However, as they rounded a bend, the essential path ahead was blocked by a group of people.
Of course, they weren't there to cause trouble for Shen Anyu.
It was the "Speed Stars" team and the other racers who had been on the mountain last night. They hadn't left yet. Having drunk beer and barbecued all night to celebrate the victory, they were now sprawled haphazardly in the middle of the road, laughing and shouting in a drunken stupor.
"Burp…"
In the center of the road, a young man sat on a guardrail.
Echizen Takumi, tipsy and disheveled, his face red from alcohol, let out a loud burp. He looked pathetic. He crushed an empty beer can in his hand and threw it forward aimlessly.
"Natsuki... where are you..." he mumbled.
Shen Anyu raised an eyebrow with a playful smile. He saw the recognition in Natsuki's eyes—the panic.
He didn't swerve.
Screech—!
He immediately slammed the brakes, stopping the Ferrari right in front of them!
[Akarin Note:
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