F1: The Making of a Racing God

Chapter 241 Another Year Older

"Whoosh!"

The photographer had just pressed the shutter when Horner, at the very front of the group photo formation, launched himself into the air and quickly escaped from the Red Bull fountains that were scattering everywhere.

Marco, being a bit older and having difficulty walking, also hunched his neck and struggled to escape outside the frame of the picture, shaking and swaying.

Only Shu Long, already decked out in champagne, sat there blankly, accepting the Red Bull waterfall of energy behind him with a look of utter despair. Finally, in a fit of desperation, he raised his head and barked at the air with a series of "hoo hoo hoo" sounds.

Waste is shameful, pour it into my mouth!

"Pfft-"

It felt like a taro ball had gotten stuck in her brain. Gan Mengning quickly covered her mouth and coughed softly, looking pitiful with teary eyes.

If someone were to spray something out of their nose in public, their life would probably be over.
Unable to bear her own loss of composure, the girl pinched the bridge of her nose hard, intending to quietly suck that slippery thing back the way it came.

"Are you OK?"

"It's okay, it's okay. Wasn't there supposed to be a crying scene today? My emotions seem just right now!"

"Well, it's probably better to tone it down a bit. You need to balance some kindness with a playful quality in your tone. Sister Susu will tell you the specifics."

"Oh, okay, I'll adjust myself first and go to the restroom!"

He threw the words on the ground and ran away, not even having time to grab his phone.

What were you looking at that was so funny?

As senior colleagues in the same studio, they often play games together. Bao Bao Yan and Gan Mengning are so familiar with each other that they don't need to be so careful about avoiding each other.

With another Mace teacher constantly urging me on, I straightened the screen, moved the progress bar back a little, and pressed play.

Oh—there's another match recently?

With identical maternal smiles on their faces, Bao Bao and Teacher Ma exchanged a meaningful glance.

A girl in love.
When Gan Mengning returned, rubbing her sore nose, she felt like the sky had fallen. It was one thing for Bao Bao to be so enthusiastic about gossip, but Teacher Ma, you're already married, why are you still so energetic?
Wow~ x2
what? What? !

"Ah, you can't look!"

In the scene, Shu Long has somehow tossed his shirt aside and is now sitting in a large water tank filled with ice, making faces at the viewer.

Whether it was the reflection of the water stains or the muscle contraction caused by the low temperature, the sculpted lines on his body seemed even more captivating than he remembered. Even though he had done it countless times himself, Gan Mengning still subconsciously swallowed.

My boyfriend has alienated me!
Cheer up, Bean Demon King! You're not usually into this kind of thing! Show some longing for sweet, soft, and beautiful girls!
Fortunately, Shu Long in the video didn't seem to be showing off. When he realized that the shameless photographer was still filming him up close, he reached out and shoved a bunch of ice blocks over himself to bury himself.

As a result, the two senior colleagues from the nearby studios sighed with undisguised disappointment.

Such high-quality resources should be handed over to the country. Leaving them in the world is just inviting the original sin of jealousy!

No, what's there to be disappointed about?
he's mine!

Gan Mengning quietly ground her back teeth, but couldn't help feeling a bit smug and proud. Without making a sound, she disconnected the Bluetooth connection to the headphones.

Giving car enthusiasts some "skinny treats" was just a side effect; clearly, the photographer's original plan before he came in with his camera wasn't quite so original.

"How do you feel now?"

"So comfortable~ The moment I sat down, all the heat and stickiness of the sugary soup disappeared. Believe me, once you experience it, you'll be addicted."

"No, no, no, I want to say this was a truly great race, wasn't it? From P12 to P2, today's best driver is well-deserved. How do you feel now?"

"I'd rather admit that this was a P1 to P2 match, with too many mistakes that shouldn't have happened, so I feel very tired right now and just want to forget about it as soon as possible."

Well.
Dude, it's no fun if you kill the conversation like that!
Fortunately, the purpose of this small photo shoot organized by Red Bull was not to interview Shu Long about his feelings after the competition. The topic just now was only a prelude. The voice-over who was in charge of filming and asking questions quickly completed his task before the other person's patience was completely exhausted.

"Is there any plan you can share with us after the competition?"

plan?

Shu Long's face clearly showed his confusion.

After the competition, all he wanted to do was find a bed to lie down comfortably for as long as he could, and then take advantage of the break before the Miami Grand Prix the week after next to go home.

I already asked Horner for leave last Wednesday, so what other plans could I possibly have?
Just before Shulong was ready to get everyone out of the water and put on their clothes after freezing enough, the close-up shots abruptly ended, replaced by a fast-forwarded segment of Shulong's busy schedule.

Interview, interview, and still an interview!

After finishing with one media outlet, they immediately went to the next, even taking time to attend the exclusive press conference for the podium trio, followed by another interview upon their return.

Just looking at it gives you a rather suffocating feeling.
So why did I specifically ask about post-match plans? With such an involuntary schedule, does Shu Long really have any choice in what to do with it?
Yes, but money will be deducted from your pay.

It was 20:17 PM when Shu Long finally managed to escape the media's pursuit. His expression, with his dead fish eyes and trembling hands, was both pitiful and funny. Then, he was informed by the photographers who were waiting with their cameras that the motorcade had to attend a meeting.

Is this the discussion about the steering wheel program malfunction during the race just now?

Finally, something serious came up. The continuous forced overtime had left Shu Long full of resentment, but in order to avoid similar troubles in the upcoming competition, he could only force himself to cheer up.

This kind of fatigue isn't physical exhaustion; it's purely mental exhaustion, the kind that even Red Bull can't cure.

However, at the P-site next to Red Bull, while other companies were busy dismantling equipment and transporting it to the next stop, Red Bull's site was inexplicably dark.

Aren't we supposed to have a meeting?

Is the demolition all done now? We'll have a meeting later to see who can shout the loudest.
The photographer stopped following and simply stood there waiting to see what would happen. But as soon as Shu Long opened the door a crack, he too stopped in his tracks.

Something's not right! This cloyingly sweet smell...
"Happy birthday!"

Two loud bangs of confetti cannons rang out. Seeing that Shu Long was so vigilant, the mad bulls who were lying in ambush in the conference room simply rushed out and tied him up under their armpits.

"Is today your boyfriend's birthday?"

Gan Mengning did not answer.

Watching the video of Shu Long standing on the table throwing cream bombs everywhere, looking more disheveled than anyone else but laughing like a monster, Shu Long just sighed softly.

I feel the generation gap between us is widening.
The video was filmed on the main day of the Imola tournament, which was yesterday, but it was only released today.

Strictly speaking, yesterday was not Shulong's birthday; today is.

Just after midnight last night, Gan Mengning sent a birthday greeting, but has not received a reply yet.

She was also afraid that her boyfriend was still sleeping in because he was too tired from yesterday's competition, so she didn't dare to call him to bother him.

The video was posted by Red Bull on A-B's official account. After exiting, Gan Mengning found that the official account had posted a new video. She didn't rush to watch it, but exited again and asked the two sisters next to her to check the number of private messages on her account.

It's already exploded.

The latest posts are all asking her how she plans to celebrate Shu Long's birthday; if you scroll back further, you'll see all sorts of different ideas.

Some fans urged her to update her daily life, others wanted to see her interactions with Shulong, and still others, newly emerging fans wanted her to show her face more often.

This is what happens when you're exposed to the public. I've been on the internet for so many years, when have I ever experienced anything like this? Now I have to sneak off to class beforehand.

It was originally just a private matter between the young couple. Birthdays are something that can be celebrated in a grand way if one feels like it, but if there's really no time, just blowing out a couple of candles is enough.

Gan Mengning also needs to have her own life, and Shu Long doesn't want to force his girlfriend to be tied to him in everything, but now these enthusiastic fans on the internet are worrying about them.

Oh no, it should be called kidnapping.

No daily video chats = Does this mean your relationship has cooled down or you've broken up?

If a birthday isn't properly planned, some people will see it as "not caring," as if she only deserves the status of a good partner if she takes the lead in making even the smallest, most trivial things known to the whole world.

Sometimes I really want to call the police!
Gan Mengning even had the urge to abandon the account and run away, but she couldn't bear to lose it after so many years of growth, and she hadn't figured out what to do with the account next.

Heaven knows how many people in this era of self-media hope to capitalize on this massive influx of traffic, but for Gan Mengning, it seems to have become an inescapable burden. As her life partner, she already finds it difficult to offer Shu Long any further assistance in his racing career, and sometimes she wonders if she can contribute in other ways.

For example, if someone can actually help Shulong build up some popularity outside of racing, that can also be considered a driver's commercial value, right?

So when she was invited to participate in an event at the Miami Grand Prix, Gan Mengning agreed without much hesitation.

Saying
The promotional video we filmed last year for the team seems to have been for the Miami Grand Prix?

Yes! And it's the video that Red Bull's official account just released!
The girl walked into the recording studio with her head down and began to finish her work. The two industry veterans were indeed intrigued, and each logged into their own accounts, confirmed their interest, and then clicked the play button.

The very first scene shows Mr. Shu yawning and smoothing his hair as he walks out of the bathroom. (See Chapter 191 for details)
Damn it! How can I be handsome twice by the same person in such a short period of time?!

The interactions between Shu Long and Xiao Gan Gan were so sweet they made my teeth ache. But that's exactly what girls love about this kind of thing. I shuddered a couple of times, sniffed, and then kept watching.

But when Shu Long pulled off his bathrobe, revealing his Red Bull racing suit underneath, the two girls finally stopped in their tracks.

How does this person manage to look incredibly funny when he's being serious and cool, and also somewhat handsome when he's being serious and funny?

"Sigh~ I was still on my honeymoon at the last company party. I should have asked Susu to get me an extra autographed photo. Azhi would have really wanted it. I don't know when I'll have another chance."

"Huh?! You didn't go either? I happened to be back in my hometown for the last year's annual party, and I almost died of regret when the group chat found out!"

The two girls were chatting for a while when they realized something was wrong. They suddenly turned to look at Xiaomengmeng, who was wearing headphones and repeatedly thinking about her lines and emotions through the transparent soundproof glass.

For an entity of the magnitude of Shulong, the subconscious reaction of most people is that it is something that can only be looked up to but not reached. It is already quite remarkable to hear its name once in the news, let alone dare to hope for an opportunity to meet it in person.
But this person, who should only exist in legends, is actually the boyfriend of their adorable junior colleague?!
It feels so unreal. You could make a fortune selling just a few autographed photos of these, right?
Ahem, don't be so worldly!

However, it is a real phenomenon that an autographed baseball cap from Shulong can be sold for nearly 10,000 RMB. An autographed racing suit or even just a glove can easily fetch two or three times that price, and an autographed helmet can even be sold for six figures, with prices that are hard to come by.

Thankfully, the other women didn't see the entire wall of original helmets in Gan Mengning's house; they could probably be exchanged for an apartment in Shanghai.

No!

When Gan Mengning comes out in a little while, I must grab her ankles and give her a good shake to see what good things she still has hidden on her body!

dong dong~
"Please come in."

"What do you mean 'come in'?! We're working right now; there should be a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door!"

The person who had just poked his head in was immediately scolded and quickly apologized before closing the door.

Teacher Mace is currently preparing to take over some of the directing work and is quite particular about some of the rules in the recording studio. He first sternly dismissed the uninvited guest and was about to give him a thorough reiteration.

Voice acting is strictly speaking a form of performance, and there will inevitably be moments when inspiration strikes and you're in a particularly good state. It's very important to avoid anyone messing around when you're in the zone.

For a moment, Teacher Ma felt that the tuft of hair she had just glanced at looked somewhat familiar, and then she saw that Miss Bao's expression had already fallen into a daze.

"Was that person just now—was it..."

Dark gray cargo pants, and an open black stand-up collar short-sleeved T-shirt.

He wore a seemingly ordinary white tank top underneath, which clearly outlined his muscle lines and exuded a strong masculine aura.
Without the racing suit, his everyday attire felt somewhat unfamiliar, but who else could it be but Shu Long, awkwardly scratching the back of his head while standing outside the corridor?
I have a bunch of business contracts on me right now, many of which have requirements regarding my daily clothing and attire.

He can't just take someone else's endorsement fee and not do any work. Now, apart from casually wearing a leather outfit in the paddock, every outfit he chooses for going out is designed and styled by a professional.

Sometimes it's really hard to tell whether you're on vacation or not.

"Who are you--?"

"I'm so sorry, someone downstairs just told me that Gan Mengning is in this room. I'm really sorry if I've disturbed her!"

It's confirmed, it's him!
The big star who was laughing and joking in the video just a moment ago has suddenly jumped out of the phone and into reality?! And he's even unexpectedly polite!

Why do people have these kinds of dreams?

"Mengmeng still has work inside, but aren't you still in Italy?"

"Oh, I flew back overnight last night."

If the team hadn't reminded him, Shu Long would have almost forgotten that it was his birthday. But now that he had, he still wanted to spend it with special people.

Since there were no new jobs available at the moment, and knowing that it wasn't right for Shu Long to leave them hanging outside, the two girls decided to stay and chat idly.

Curiosity is essentially a two-way street.

The girls were curious about Shu Long's daily life as a race car driver, and also about what it felt like to drive an F1 car and fight bravely on the track.

Shu Long wasn't particularly curious about the CV's job, since he already knew pretty much about it because he had a girlfriend. But it was Gan Mengning who said it, and it's always good news to family members, so there's always some embellishment involved.

He was more curious about Gan Mengning's actual work situation on a daily basis, and whether she truly enjoyed this lifestyle.

But it's okay.

According to Teacher Ma, most people with some experience in this field started out as doing it out of passion; those who don't genuinely love it and have the talent to support them simply can't stick with it.

The Mengmeng they were talking about was probably the kind of person who was both talented and hardworking, and never thought of becoming a parasite by clinging to Shulong.

It wasn't until almost six o'clock in the afternoon that Gan Mengning opened the door, rubbing her stomach and groaning. She came out with two men and one woman, industry colleagues who had met Shulong once before.

"I'm so hungry!"

"Aha?"

The interjection instantly transformed into a joyful cheer, and Shu Long tilted his head and echoed it.

Without even a greeting, he simply opened his arms a little, and the next moment Gan Mengning was lifted up by Shu Long and hung in her boyfriend's arms.

"What happened? Did you stay up all night and take a flight again?! Weren't you supposed to be back the day after tomorrow?"

"I didn't remember it was my birthday then, but when I did, of course I had to come back to ask you for a present!"

"You wish! I haven't prepared anything!"

is it?

Shu Long gently weighed it in his hand a few times, feeling that he had not only received a gift, but that this gift seemed to have gained some weight compared to the ones he had received before.
Whether or not a gift is given is actually irrelevant.

Neither of them is short of money, especially since Shulong's income is already beyond that of ordinary wealthy people. The points, other rewards, and sponsorship income from just one game are astronomical figures.

More than the value of the gifts, they now value the sentiment of caring for each other.

There's no need to be particular about the date. If you see something interesting on a regular day, it's enough to think about bringing one back for the other person.

There are outsiders here, so let's stop this intimate reunion.

Just then, Gan Mengning and her friends were planning to have a meal together after finishing their work. Although Shu Long wasn't exactly a familiar face in their circle, his suggestion to turn the meal into a birthday celebration was unanimously approved.

Let's leave aside some of those unpleasant topics for now.

I overheard Bao Bao saying outside in the hallway that Gan Mengning choked on her milk tea. Is she under a lot of pressure lately and has developed a sweet tooth to boost her dopamine levels? She's even starting to gain weight around her stomach.

It hasn't turned into excess fat yet. To be honest, when I'm holding my girlfriend's slim waist in a prone position, it feels soft and comfortable to touch. But this isn't going to work in the long run.

In fact, Shu Long himself does not advocate extreme fat loss. As a tall 186cm racer, he is a veteran victim who has suffered from body fat anxiety for many years.

Sometimes it wasn't that he wanted to be anxious, but rather that his nutritionist, Elena, forced him to be anxious along with her.

Obesity is ultimately a major enemy of health, especially since Gan Mengning's lifestyle is even more sedentary than when Shu Long wasn't competing. She already lacks exercise and is constantly indulging in high-calorie foods, which is unacceptable.

It's only thanks to Gan Mengning's naturally slim physique that she doesn't easily gain weight; otherwise, her lifestyle alone, which keeps her from sitting side-by-side with a gas cylinder, would be considered a gift.

It's time to consider doing some simple physical exercises with your girlfriend!
However, involuntary coercion is not advisable; only interest is the strongest driving force for long-term perseverance.

Horner said that there will be many activities when Gu Ailing is invited to visit, including several activities where they will experience the intensity of each other's sports. This may be a good opportunity to stimulate Gan Mengning's interest in exercising.

(End of this chapter)