The Ex-Wife-to-Be Is Acting Weird After Losing Her Memory - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Song Without Words Four

“The track map for the afternoon speed race is out.”

In the Tianfeng Technology rest area, the project team received the map data from the organizing committee. When they saw the track’s layout for the afternoon, several race team staff showed obvious doubt.

“This is clearly targeting us!” The experienced team captain immediately noticed the anomaly. “There are four types of tracks in the practice area. This continuous-curve track is the most disadvantageous for us. Our car has a carbon fiber chassis, which is lighter, so our cornering speed won’t be as fast as XA’s…”

However, it was difficult for them to appeal against such subtle targeting. Since the four tracks were randomly drawn, the opponent could claim bad luck if they drew a track unfavorable to their car model. Facing this race, everyone felt a bit hesitant.

Zhen Zhen wasn’t demanding: “Don’t feel pressured. The ultimate application scenario for driverless technology is the mass market. Our performance in the first round was already very good.”

Although she said this, the people present had endured skepticism from all sides over the past few days, and having finally achieved one victory, they were naturally unwilling to stop there.

“CEO Zhen, I think we can do it.” The speaker was Cheng Changan. While everyone was agitated, he had already studied the map repeatedly. He said nervously: “I don’t understand the technology, but racing… I’m quite familiar with it.”

Overly profound terms like technological bullying and great-power arrogance were not within Cheng Changan’s scope of knowledge.

In the days since arriving in the United States, his everyday life felt novel. To ensure the team members were well-rested and maintained their condition, Zhen Zhen rented two villas near the racetrack and hired a cleaning and cooking service. They didn’t have to worry about accommodation or meals.

Cheng Changan’s daily job was to follow the team to the track and familiarize himself with the course. Due to the special nature of the driverless car, the navigator could only take over manual control in emergency situations during the official race. All preparation work needed to be completed beforehand.

He had heard some skepticism and knew that Tianfeng Technology, which was rising fast in China, was being excluded by big foreign companies. The white-collar elites of the technical team, though usually seeming unapproachable, were pulling all-nighters and encouraging each other. Although he couldn’t help much, Cheng Changan silently cheered for them in his heart.

Now that Lightning-S had achieved a good result in the first round, they couldn’t let their morale drop in the second round.

With this thought, Cheng Changan’s internal courage increased. He looked at the young female boss and stammered: “Because the car is light, there’s not enough centrifugal force during cornering, leading to slower speed. But if handled properly… it can, can still be achieved…”

Hearing his words, the team captain first simulated it in his mind and worriedly said: “But that will affect the car’s stability. There’s a risk of rollover…”

“If we strengthen the program for power delivery, and immediately adjust based on the car body’s weight after cornering, there’s still a chance to save the car!” a technical department engineer suggested. “But the timing of the cornering must be extremely precise. Being off by half a second could lead to an accident…”

This moved the discussion to the professional field of driving, and several team members chimed in excitedly: “It’s a small issue. As long as the timing is accurate, it won’t be a problem.”

“Exactly. This curve is much safer than a real-life race car course. Enough centrifugal force means we can drift…”

“I don’t agree.” Zhen Zhen interrupted the heated discussion. A clear disapproval showed on her fair face. “This is a risk. If something unexpected happens, the navigator could be in danger.”

She looked around at everyone, fixing her gaze on Cheng Changan’s face, and said sincerely: “I know you want to help, but there’s no need. Our goal with driverless cars is safe driving. Speed results don’t represent everything.”

“CEO Zhen, it’s really okay! You have to believe me!” Seeing her disagreement, Cheng Changan grew anxious. He rubbed his hands and explained: “I’ve been racing for over a decade. This level of risk is truly nothing. You brought us to the United States and spent so much money… I also want, want to contribute to the company.”

Hearing Cheng Changan’s stance, the team members, who had been holding in their frustration for days, echoed his sentiment: “That’s right, let us contribute too!”

“Let that bearded guy see how our Chinese race car demolishes him!”

In the midst of the fervent and excited voices, everyone simultaneously directed their expectant gaze toward Zhen Zhen. Zhen Zhen silently faced these young faces and, after a long while, said: “Let me see a simulation test first.”

A small cheer immediately broke out in the rest area.

On a race track, a continuous-curve section is usually incredibly exciting to watch, representing the perfect blend of speed and rhythm, but it also carries immense risk.

At 1:30 PM, the seven driverless cars in the final were lined up neatly at the starting point of the track. Sitting in the co-pilot seat were the chief navigators sent by each automaker. The wine-red Lightning-S and the silver-gray Speeder were positioned at opposite ends of the track.

After his outburst in the rest area, Gary seemed slightly calmer. He sat in the canopy, his face dark, gazing ominously at Zhen Zhen across from him.

After the engineers’ urgent calculations, a heavy race car like the Speeder had extremely strong drifting ability in the curves, giving it an advantage on this track. He was confident it would completely crush the attention-grabbing Lightning.

With the crack of the starter’s gun, the car engines roared loudly, and they shot onto the track like arrows released from a bow.

Since this was a driverless car race, the program commands were set in advance according to the route. All the cars rushed into the first curve, led by the Speeder. Its powerful horsepower and heavy mass created a swift tail-whip, and the car body sliced through the curve in an extremely standard arc.

A smile appeared on Gary’s face at this sight, but then he saw the red car that made him so irritable clinging to the Speeder’s rear as if it were a shadow.

“What’s going on!” he practically roared at the others. “Why can that car keep up with the Speeder?”

The canopy was deathly silent. No one dared to answer him. Several engineers furiously typed on their computers, their faces etched with shock and disbelief.

And before Gary could explode again, he witnessed a sight he would never forget.

The wine-red race car swiftly slid into a curve. Under the high-speed drive, the tires at the car’s typically lighter rear slid, and the entire car drifted and turned like a swimming fish, perfectly passing the curve. The car body then adjusted its center of gravity in less than a second, continuing to rush forward like the wind and lightning.

The entire maneuver was seamless, flowing like water.

“Amazing!” Xu Yang in the grandstand was also witnessing this spectacular moment. When she saw the red race car, like a true flash of lightning, cross the finish line first, something surged out of her chest as well.

It was an indescribable excitement, as if that flash of red resonated with her heartbeat. Her blood surged wildly, rushing forward, making her heart pound with a massive echo.

If she hadn’t considered the feelings of the surrounding audience, Xu Yang felt a strong urge to scream out loud to release the thrill surging in her chest.

She won.

That quiet girl with the clear eyes won. Her race car defeated dozens of automakers from countries all over the world, becoming the first Chinese person to stand on the champion’s podium in the decade-plus history of the LA test race.

Before Xu Yang could suppress her intense emotions again, she heard a torrent of thunderous cheers erupt from the grandstand behind her.

Amidst the cheering, Zhen Zhen’s elegant face appeared on the big screen. She still didn’t show a particularly obvious expression, standing composedly among a crowd of blonde, blue-eyed people. But when a cameraman waved and said something to her, she suddenly blinked and offered a smile to the camera.

The smile was slight, yet it seemed to draw a stroke of light onto her bright face. Her clear, dark eyes held a light, gazing softly in some unknown direction.

This smile and her subsequent interview remarks were quickly edited into videos and photos, rapidly transmitted back to China via network fiber. Countless electronic screens flickered, bringing Zhen Zhen’s name, along with Tianfeng Technology, to the public eye.

A fair, soft finger lifted and lightly poked the face on the screen.

“Your mama won an award.” Lu Jiayin lay lazily on the sofa, a section of smooth, delicate calf exposed beneath her nightgown, flashing like snow, catching people’s eyes. She hugged the bunny Gabriel, gently scratching its soft, long ears.

Due to the time difference, she hadn’t slept all night waiting for the race results, even having Ding Ding brew a large pot of coffee for her. Finally, the news of her victory appeared, and Lu Jiayin happily kissed Gabriel.

But when she saw Zhen Zhen smiling at the camera, she frowned disapprovingly: “Hmph, what’s that? Flirting around?”

Topics about Zhen Zhen and the race were quickly growing on the internet. Many fans were already praising the smile as “striking the heart.” Lu Jiayin scrolled through the comments, her lips unconsciously turning down.

She used immense self-control not to accidentally use her own account to attack the comments saying “I can have Zhen Zhen.” Just as Lu Jiayin was feeling incredibly sour and about to turn off her phone, a video call request suddenly popped up on the screen.

Seeing the familiar smiling face appear on the screen, Lu Jiayin first curved her lips, then regretted giving her a nice expression so quickly. She compensated by letting out a soft “hmph.”

I won’t smile at this person.

The background on the screen shifted, and the view became slightly blurred. Lu Jiayin couldn’t hold back and blurted out: “Where are you?”

“In the car,” Zhen Zhen said simply. “There’s a celebration banquet later, so I found a quick moment to call you.”

No wonder it looks a bit dark. Lu Jiayin listened to her gentle voice and flipped over on the sofa: “It’s only a little past seven in the morning here. Aren’t you afraid I’d be angry if you woke me up while I was sleeping?”

Her voice carried a hint of coyness. Zhen Zhen chuckled softly: “Because you’d be angrier if I didn’t call you.”

The hypocritical Lu Jiayin, who had answered the video call in the first second, was now deliberately pretending to be half-asleep. Zhen Zhen quietly watched the beautiful face on the screen and doubted her former intelligence.

The answer was clearly written in Lu Jiayin’s eyes, so why couldn’t she see it back then? How could she have brought herself to not call her for half a month?

Hearing her reply, Lu Jiayin gave a “reluctant” smile as a reward.

She was currently lying on the sofa. To make herself look better on camera, she thought for a moment and sat up. In the process, the smooth silk bathrobe she was wearing slipped down, revealing the champagne-colored slip dress underneath.

The dress was thin as water. Its delicate straps outlined her smooth shoulders, covering the curve of her chest.

With her precise memory, Zhen Zhen quickly recalled that she had seen Lu Jiayin wear this dress exactly twice: once now, and the other time was… the day she first came home after her injury.

Seeing Zhen Zhen’s gaze constantly drifting toward her, Lu Jiayin belatedly asked: “What is it?”

Zhen Zhen’s gaze became somewhat focused. She seemed to look around the environment before saying something in a very light tone.

The moment the words fell into her ears, Lu Jiayin’s face instantly flushed bright red. Her beautiful peach-blossom eyes widened. She subconsciously gathered the neckline with one hand, then quickly realized that the meaning of this action was wrong. But if she let go now… wouldn’t that be…

Inviting her to look?

Fortunately, Zhen Zhen didn’t leave her to struggle for too long, just saying gently: “You don’t have to specially reward me.”

“Who’s rewarding you!” Lu Jiayin interrupted her, her face scarlet. “Ding Ding came over to clean the cloakroom this weekend… and found this… Hmph, when… when are you coming back?”

Her last question was whispered, and her fingers lightly clutched the corner of her dress. Although there was still a slight trace of bitterness in her heart, she genuinely… missed her.

Looking at Lu Jiayin, who lowered her eyes and remained silent, Zhen Zhen’s gaze became exceptionally gentle. She thought for a moment and said: “Tomorrow and the day after are the weekend. I’ll give everyone a break and wait for the committee’s filing. There’s an exhibition race on Monday. If everything goes smoothly, I’ll come back immediately after the exhibition race.”

That meant she wouldn’t see her for at least another three or four days. Lu Jiayin nodded, then anxiously instructed: “Don’t rush. You need to take care of yourself and get some rest…”

She had never been this wordy. She kept feeling like the other person wouldn’t take good care of herself, and worried about what would happen if she got sick from overworking. After saying a long list of things, Lu Jiayin sighed in frustration: “…I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Zhen Zhen chuckled softly: “I know. I’ll pay attention to everything. You be good at home. I’ll miss you too.”

Someone seemed to be tapping on the car window on the other end. She looked at Lu Jiayin reluctantly one last time and said softly: “I have to go?”

The video call was disconnected.

All the sleepiness in her mind had unknowingly vanished again. Lying back in the soft bed covers, Lu Jiayin stared blankly at the ceiling, experiencing the feeling of time creeping by for the first time.

Four more days…

“Disneyland… Park?” Little Jia looked at the seemingly honest Cheng Changan in surprise and shook his head hesitantly. “Brother Cheng, although I really want to go with you, I really can’t.”

After the test race successfully concluded, Zhen Zhen gave everyone two days off for the weekend, allowing them to take the opportunity to explore LA. Several team members gathered to discuss where to go.

Little Jia, being the youngest, was sent to ask a young man from the marketing department who had studied in LA for recommendations. The young man enthusiastically suggested a bunch of popular attractions, and the group decided to first check out the legendary “Hollywood.”

But Cheng Changan said he wouldn’t be going with them. Little Jia scratched his head and advised: “Don’t they sell Mickey Mouse stuff in the mall too? Come with us.”

Cheng Changan didn’t want to delay their plans. He just smiled and said: “Xiao Jin wants one… I figured the ones bought at Disneyland would be more authentic. Besides, I’m not really interested in Hollywood. You guys just go and have fun. Don’t worry about me.”

They only had two days off, a rare opportunity for the team members to relax. Therefore, Cheng Changan waved his hand firmly: “Miss Lin from the marketing department said I can take the company’s rental car, so it’s very convenient.”

Seeing his firm intention, Little Jia could only nod and added: “Then come find us when you get back with that water bottle. Let’s go eat steak together tonight.”

Cheng Changan replied: “Alright.”

However, he didn’t make it to the steak dinner with everyone that night.

Even on the second day, Little Jia and his group were taken by the enthusiastic young marketing staff to the beach and happily returned to the lodging after shopping, but Cheng Changan was still nowhere to be seen.

The girl responsible for their itinerary was worried that something had happened and quickly called Cheng Changan. After a long time, she finally got his response, saying he had run into old racing friends in LA and had forgotten the time while drinking and catching up.

Seeing that he wasn’t missing, everyone was relieved. Soon, Cheng Changan returned to the villa. After two days, his complexion looked much worse than before, with thick dark circles under his eyes, clearly showing he hadn’t rested well.

Little Jia, his roommate, happily shared the gifts he bought for his family. After talking for a long time, he noticed Cheng Changan hadn’t responded at all and asked worriedly: “Brother, are you okay?”

Hearing his question, Cheng Changan shook his head mechanically.

Little Jia thought he was tired from drinking with friends and casually asked: “Oh, right, didn’t you say you were going to buy a water bottle for Xiao Jin? Did you get it?”

This question seemed to awaken Cheng Changan’s consciousness. His eyes flickered: “No… I didn’t find a suitable one…”

“I told you you didn’t need to make a special trip… But don’t worry, I’ll ask Miss Lin for you. Girls are more meticulous. She’ll definitely know where to buy one…”

Amidst the enthusiastic, chattering voice, Cheng Changan’s expression was sluggish, and he slowly said: “Okay.”

His condition only slightly recovered by the exhibition race the next day. The team captain had initially been worried that he hadn’t rested well and wanted Little Jia to replace him as navigator, but Cheng Changan refused outright.

“I slept better last night, and I feel much more energetic,” he insisted on going himself. “It’s just a few laps. If I need someone to cover for me, then I’m slacking off on my job…”

The exhibition race, as a post-test race bonus, did not count toward the score and was more of an occasion for exchange and sharing. Since he insisted on participating, the team captain didn’t think much of it and simply patted his shoulder: “It’s fine if you go. After all, in the next race, our group of old-timers will probably have to step down and give the opportunities to the younger generation…”

Cheng Changan gave a forced, dry laugh: “Yes.”

The weather was exceptionally good that day.

Due to Tianfeng Technology’s victory, the number of Chinese spectators who came to watch the exhibition race surged. Many people even drove overnight from other states. In the media area at the end of the track, reporters set up their long and short lenses, all aimed at the wine-red Lightning-S.

“Several domestic media outlets are live-streaming today’s exhibition race,” Xiao Chen stood at the starting point, unable to contain his excitement. “We’ve gone viral this time!”

Zhen Zhen smiled faintly, her mind still preoccupied with something else: “Have the flight tickets been bought?”

She wanted to return to that person as soon as possible.

Xiao Chen knew his boss’s thoughts very well and replied cheerily: “I’ve arranged a 5:30 PM flight for you. You can head straight to the airport right after the exhibition race finishes…”

A flock of birds with flapping wings flew across the sky.

Dozens of race cars sped past the starting point.

Amidst everyone’s expectant gazes, the highly anticipated wine-red race car, like a speeding bird, gracefully sliced through the field of vision. Its speed was fast, seemingly striking a ball of vibrant flame in the air.

Then, the fire suddenly magnified, and the light became scorching and blinding.

Accompanied by an earth-shattering boom, the Lightning-S exploded into a towering blaze on the track.

Support The Ex-Wife-to-Be Is Acting Weird After Losing Her Memory