Why Did the Top Alpha Suddenly Stop Acting Out? - Chapter 40

As the two racers smoothly navigated the final bend, the three people on the podium collectively let out a sigh of relief.

Fang Xin stared at the rankings flashing on the big screen. The small display showing the red and black racing suit had jumped to the top of the list. A delayed realization hit her, and she exclaimed in surprise, “She actually overtook her!”

Yi Qian replied calmly, “No big deal.”

Xu Ying raised an eyebrow. “So confident? Just blind faith, huh?”

“No,” Yi Qian shook her head at her. “It’s soul-level trust. You’ve never been in love, you wouldn’t understand.”

Xu Ying: “……” Can someone just kick this person off the podium?

No regrets if she dies.

“Fine,” Xu Ying crossed her arms, deciding to turn the tables. “Let’s make a bet.”

“What kind?” Yi Qian’s eyes remained fixed on the big screen as she responded half-heartedly.

“The loser has to race against the top three riders in a mascot costume just for the audience’s entertainment.”

Yi Qian glanced at her, a smirk playing on her lips. “Then you’re definitely losing.”

“Except,” Xu Ying grinned, “I’m betting on Ye Shuyi to win, and you’re betting on Song Kechi. We’re switching sides.”

“Are you serious?” Yi Qian narrowed her eyes slightly.

Xu Ying shrugged. “Dead serious. Betting on the underdog makes it more exciting, doesn’t it? Adds a little spice to the race.”

After a brief moment of consideration, Yi Qian reluctantly nodded in agreement.

Xu Ying smirked and turned to Fang Xin. “Xin Xin, you’re joining too. Who are you betting on?”

Fang Xin hesitated for a second before tilting her chin toward Yi Qian. “I’m siding with Yi Qian.”

Xu Ying squinted at her, a knowing smile on her face. “Are you siding with Yi Qian, or are you just picking a certain someone named Song?”

Fang Xin: “Stop overthinking. Watch the race, the results are coming any second now.”

All three pairs of eyes locked onto the big screen. Just as Xu Ying was about to shake her head in disappointment, in the very last second, Ye Shuyi miraculously crossed the finish line first!

For a moment, it seemed like no one could process what had just happened in that split second except for Yi Qian, who quietly pumped her fist and whispered, “Yes!”

“She overtook her at the last moment!”

“That’s right! Once again, Rider Ye has delivered a legendary moment on the track, overtaking at the final second to claim first place!”

Amid the commentator’s voice, now raised an octave higher in excitement, the audience finally seemed to grasp what had just happened. The stadium erupted in waves of deafening cheers, one after another.

“Ye Shuyi never changes, Ye Shuyi dominates the track, forever our favorite Ye Shuyi!”

The last syllable of “Shuyi” was drawn out, echoing endlessly.

Fans chanted their goddess’s rallying cry in waves, eagerly awaiting her return.

On the podium, Yi Qian turned her head toward Xu Ying, her expression brimming with smug satisfaction, as if she herself had won the championship. “What did I tell you?”

Xu Ying clapped her hands, clicking her tongue in admiration. “Truly soul-level trust. Almost godlike.”

Yi Qian lifted her chin slightly, clearly pleased with the praise.

Xu Ying sauntered over to her, slinging an arm over her shoulder. Shaking her head with exaggerated regret, she sighed dramatically, “What a shame, it’s not me who has to race in a mascot costume.”

Yi Qian: “……”

She’d forgotten about that part.

Xu Ying looked at the two people about to wear mascot costumes and flashed a perfect eight-tooth smile: “You two must have planned to participate from the start, right? Otherwise, why would you book the entire training track for emergency practice this morning?”

Earlier that day, Xu Ying had gone to her training ground to practice, intending to challenge Ye Shuyi and Song Kechi after the official race. To her surprise, the staff informed her that all training tracks had been booked by someone who threatened legal action if any track was given to others, even the owner herself.

Having already arrived, Xu Ying wasn’t about to leave or waste money going to another club, so she decided to negotiate with the mysterious booker.

Sometimes, similar events in the world seem to attract each other, with one occurrence triggering a chain of related incidents.

Somehow, Fang Xin had discovered Xu Ying was the organizer of SK Motorcycle Club’s private invitational race. Yesterday afternoon, Fang Xin called her directly, bluntly stating her purpose. Curious why her two motorcycle-averse friends suddenly wanted to attend the event, Xu Ying asked more, only to receive a cryptic “you’ll find out when the time comes.”

Coincidentally, the very friends who booked her club’s training tracks that morning were these two. Not only did they learn basic riding skills with remarkable speed their coach confirmed they could handle a simple race but they also bombarded him with fundamental motorcycle knowledge.

If they just wanted to watch, there was no need for such cramming. Their unusual behavior clearly indicated they intended to participate.

Xu Ying slung an arm around Yi Qian’s shoulder and another around Fang Xin’s, lazily guiding them toward the exit: “Come on, let’s change. We’ll still compete just less stylishly, but definitely cuter.”

Yi Qian: “……”

Why did I agree to this ridiculous game?

Fang Xin: “……”

This smooth-talking old woman is completely unreliable. I actually trusted her.

Thus, the trio left the podium before the racers returned.

When Ye Shuyi came back and found them gone, she waved to cheering fans and prepared to leave. Just then, Xu Ying emerged from the entrance wearing pure black racing gear, her vibrant pink hair tied in a low ponytail. Fresh and charming, she jogged toward them with a microphone.

Stopping before the top three racers, Xu Ying announced: “You’ve seen the contract clause about possible second races, right?”

They nodded.

Xu Ying continued: “The second race will be against me plus two unexpected additions.”

She’d originally planned to compete against the top three, with Yi Qian and Fang Xin being unplanned variables.

But sometimes, unexpected developments bring not misfortune, but delightful surprises.

Xu Ying picked up the microphone and explained to the audience what she had just discussed with the three participants. Then her voice suddenly rose with excitement: “Let’s welcome the two special guests for today’s match!”

The crowd turned their heads curiously toward the entrance.

Whoosh, a cold breeze seemed to blow through.

Nothing appeared.

Xu Ying’s eye twitched as she raised the microphone again: “Please welcome our two special guests. If you don’t come out now, I’ll have security carry you out.”

A blatant threat.

As soon as she finished speaking, two figures finally emerged from the entrance, a “dog” and a “bear.” Both had oversized heads that looked comically mismatched with their slender, tall bodies, yet undeniably adorable in an unexpected way.

Perhaps too stunned, neither the fans nor the racers reacted when the two animals appeared. The venue fell into complete silence, as if someone had hit the mute button.

Xu Ying couldn’t help but laugh, breaking the silence with her microphone: “Everyone, please give a warm round of applause to these two friendly human companions.”

The crowd erupted in thunderous applause.

Dog: “……”

Bear: “……”

Song Kechi, watching the frozen dog and bear, chuckled: “What’s going on here?”

Xu Ying lowered the microphone and explained: “Earlier, the three of us made a bet on who would win. The losers have to race in mascot costumes.”

Ye Shuyi narrowed her eyes, studying the dog and bear intently before drawing out her words meaningfully: “Is that so.”

Xu Ying glanced at Ye Shuyi and immediately sensed the icy aura radiating from her. She hurriedly clarified: “Here’s what really happened! Yi Qian was absolutely convinced that Racer Ye would win. But since Ye is her manager, betting on her would’ve been too predictable. So I forced her to play along this way. I can send you the footage of our conversation later.”

She emphasized the words “absolutely convinced” and “forced her,” as if afraid Ye Shuyi might miss them.

Regret washed over Xu Ying, she shouldn’t have mentioned the bet. If this caused tension between Ye Shuyi and Yi Qian, the consequences could be  skin-peeling levels of severe.

Fortunately, Ye Shuyi’s chilling aura seemed to gradually dissipate.

Xu Ying secretly exhaled in relief only to have Song Kechi ask before she could fully relax: “What about Fang Xin? Did you force her to pick me too?”

Hearing this question, Xu Ying finally breathed easy. She wagged her index finger playfully: “Not at all! Her exact words were: ‘I trust the one surnamed Song 100%, I choose her.'”

Fang Xin was far more endearing than a certain someone. A little white lie wouldn’t hurt, Xu Ying thought as she leaned toward Song Kechi and whispered: “Xinxin might seem loud and brash, but she’s actually super sensitive. Teasing her might seem cute and fun to you, but she might just block you afterward. So, tease in moderation, okay? And let’s keep this between us no need to tell her, deal?”

Song Kechi nodded thoughtfully with an amused smile.

At the entrance, the dog and bear remained standing not awkwardly, but with arms crossed, watching the murmuring crowd like two adorable animals observing a human performance.

Seeing their postures, Xu Ying didn’t need to ask to know what they were thinking after all, they’d been close friends for years. She wasn’t entirely sure about Fang Xin’s situation since the “arrow” between her and Song Kechi was still ambiguous, but she definitely knew about Yi Qian’s concerns, she was probably worried Xu Ying might say something inappropriate in front of Ye Shuyi.

Clearing her throat nonchalantly, Xu Ying said, “You two adorable little animals? Planning to stand there like statues?”

The dog and bear exchanged a glance with perfect synchronization before holding hands and skipping over cheerfully, even blowing kisses to fans along the way, radiating playful energy.

The atmosphere quickly heated up, with many audience members exclaiming how cute they were while frantically snapping photos with their cameras.

Midway through their hand-in-hand run, the dog suddenly let go of the bear’s hand and dashed excitedly toward the group at the starting line, heading straight for Ye Shuyi at the far end. The large dog head nuzzled affectionately against her cheek.

Ye Shuyi’s face tingled from the contact as she dodged sideways, protesting, “Stop messing around.”

But the person inside the dog costume seemed oblivious, persistently following to nuzzle her. Familiar scenes flashed through Ye Shuyi’s mind, instantly confirming that this had to be Yi Qian inside the costume.

Normally, Yi Qian and Fang Xin’s half-head height difference would make identification easy, but their oversized mascot heads the dog’s being wider and shorter while the bear’s was rounder and taller made their heights appear identical, with similar builds making it impossible to tell them apart at first glance.

Lowering her voice sternly, Ye Shuyi said, “Yi Qian, behave.”

The dog head paused momentarily before obediently stepping aside. Raising both arms as if to form a heart shape, the oversized head made the gesture incomplete as the hands could only reach temple level.

Though imperfect, it still conveyed the loving intention. Ye Shuyi averted her gaze, secretly smiling in the shadows.

The dog hopped over to stand properly beside her. Noticing numerous cameras pointed their way, the canine head subtly leaned toward Ye Shuyi while secretly flashing a peace sign.

Song Kechi quietly observed the dog’s behavior and quickly identified its occupant. Approaching the bear, she casually slung an arm over its shoulders, posing for cameras while murmuring as if to herself, “Too adorable not to memorialize with photos, it’d be a shame otherwise.”

These two “annoying couples” who hadn’t even properly gotten together yet.

Xu Ying shook her head with a smile before raising her microphone: “Alright, time’s almost up, we should prepare for the race. Plenty of photo opportunities after the competition.”

“Let me explain the rules: we’ll only cover one-fifth of the full course. The turnaround point will be marked by yellow signage before the second curve. After reaching it, you’ll U-turn back to the starting line first one back wins.”

“For this exhibition match, consider it our three motorcycle novices playing with you three experts. Though it’s just for fun, don’t hold back normal or exceptional performance is welcome. Even us beginners deserve to be taken seriously as opponents.”

The racers for the second round were soon ready. Four riders wore stylish motorcycle suits and sleek helmets, while two others were clad in tight mascot costumes with oversized animal heads, an oddly jarring yet strangely harmonious sight at first glance.

The audience’s excitement reached unprecedented levels.

“Puppy, look over here~”

“Bear is so adorable, I just wanna pet it~”

“Never thought I’d live to see dogs and bears racing. This is amazing.”

“Not ‘dog-bears’ they’re separate species! Watch your wording, sis!”

“Hahaha, okay.”

On the track, the starting gun hadn’t fired yet as racers waited. Ye Shuyi kept glancing at the dog-costumed rider actually seated on a motorcycle, puzzled about when this person had learned to ride. Noticing her gaze, Yi Qian playfully shook her head and flashed a peace sign. Ye Shuyi looked away, a hidden smile curling beneath her helmet.

How cute.

When the gunshot rang out, the four central bikes shot forward like arrows from drawn bows. Meanwhile, the two “animal” riders on either flank moved at a completely different pace, starting leisurely and cruising along the track as if riding children’s bikes rather than competition-grade motorcycles.

Before the race, Yi Qian had indeed agreed with Fang Xin: since they were wearing these outfits, there was no point competing seriously with the professionals. Their role was to entertain the crowd from the rear, simply returning together when the others circled back. Happy audience, happy outcome.

At the front, four racers dueled fiercely accelerating, cornering, overtaking. At the back, two moved slower than turtles, waving, blowing kisses, thoroughly enjoying themselves. This stark contrast left spectators torn between the thrilling front-runners and the heart-melting stragglers, wishing for extra eyes.

The lead racers soon reached the turnaround point. Ye Shuyi led the pack, her focus absolute until rounding the course’s sole curve. Her peripheral vision caught the dog rider to her left. As their helmets turned toward each other, time seemed to stretch, the distance between lanes vanished, the world slowed, and through their visors, their gazes locked in a fleeting moment as they passed.

Then time snapped back. Yi Qian faced forward, pursuing that retreating figure. Limited by her bulky headpiece, she pushed her speed to the safe maximum but still lagged far behind until Ye Shuyi unexpectedly slowed. The gap closed until they rode side by side, neither looking yet both acutely aware of the other’s presence, crossing the finish line together.

The stands erupted in sustained applause.

Glasses-wearing spectator: “Do you think Yi Qian’s under that dog costume?”

The girl holding the camera curled her lips slightly: “Under the doggo.  I’m absolutely certain it must be.”

The bespectacled girl hugged the camera girl and jumped up and down, seemingly unable to contain her excitement: “I think so too! Today belongs to Yi Ye Zhang Mu!”

The camera girl patted her arm lightly, lowering her eyes in agreement.

On the track, as the final group Song Kechi and Fang Xin returned to the starting line, all the racers bid farewell to the audience, and the competition concluded amidst the crowd’s reluctant cheers.

Ye Shuyi returned to the locker room, only to realize when changing that she couldn’t reach the zipper on her back, mshe needed someone to undo the clasp for her.

Thinking that Song Kechi should be in her own locker room next door at this moment, she picked up her change of clothes and headed over. Unexpectedly, as soon as she opened the door, a large doggo head came into view.

The doggo seemed equally surprised by the coincidence, pausing momentarily before quickly recovering. Raising a hand, it tilted its head and greeted her.

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