F1: The Making of a Racing God

Chapter 242 Crisis and Aggression
Gan Mengning still had some work to finish the next day.

Shu Long wasn't idle either; Lao Mi caught him and filmed a promotional clip for the "So You Are Too" series, which is probably going to be used as a surprise at this year's anniversary celebration.

It's the same old cringeworthy drama format again. Considering the sponsor's $800 million after-tax personal donation a year, it seems only natural for them to put in a little bit of effort.

It's really strange, I don't know when it started.

Drive to Survive likes to follow him around and film him. Red Bull's promotional clips often feature him. It feels like his main job is becoming acting, and driving is just his side job.

However, if you switch to the client's perspective, it's not that hard to understand.

When a capitalist is presented with a perfect appearance, appealing to men, women, young and old, Chinese and Western, and whose own life story is quite legendary, and can still resist using it, that's truly "this"!
Cutting it for even a minute less is disrespectful to money!

I also asked Dawei and the others if they wanted to go to the game live, but everyone was busy with their own things. However, some of Gan Mengning's friends from her studio wanted to go and experience the atmosphere of the game.

These are minor matters, and should be considered one of the hidden perks of F1 drivers in the paddock.

Of course, the number of participants couldn't be too large either. Tickets for the Miami Grand Prix were ridiculously expensive, and the number of invitations each team could receive was also subject to greater restrictions.

Especially since the next stop is the first Grand Prix held in Miami, a top team like Red Bull in the paddock will undoubtedly be packed with celebrities and dignitaries. At most, they can go in for a short visit when the team has free time.

Once you've decided on the number of people who want to go, quickly register them in the workers' group so that Shulong can inform Horner in advance.

The next day, Shu Long was dragged around by Gan Mengning again, mainly to cat cafes and catteries with high ratings.

After the season started, there were a lot of miscellaneous things to do. Shu Long did remember that he had promised his girlfriend before the new year that he would accompany her to choose a kitten she liked. It wasn't entirely to fulfill Gan Mengning's wish. Shu Long himself had a strong desire to have a pet of his own.

Gan Mengning was allergic to cat fur because her mother was, while Shu Long was instilled with the value of being responsible for life by Zhang Xin. He devoted almost all his free time to racing and had no ability to take care of himself, so he had to temporarily put it out of his mind.

Recently, Shu Long has been considering buying a permanent property in Europe. Staying home on days without competitions just leads to boredom and getting all fussy, so bringing some furry friends back wouldn't be bad.
"So? You're sure you won't be allergic to cats, right? Have you decided which type you prefer?"

"Hmm—it's so hard to choose! They're all so cute!"

Does that include that one too?

Shu Long pointed to the flesh-colored kitten dressed in small clothes to the side, which immediately drew a look of extreme fear from Gan Mengning.

"No! Except for hairless cats! Don't you think they look weird?"

It's a bit strange; it feels oily to the touch. Just now, out of curiosity, I touched it, and the goosebumps on Shu Long's arms haven't gone away yet.

As expected, Lord Beerus is not someone anyone can control.
After visiting several catteries, Shu Long felt that he probably preferred the kind of chubby-faced cats with round heads.

Gan Mengning initially liked the dolls with particularly beautiful eyes, but after seeing one of them jumping around with poop all over its bottom, she seriously decided to reconsider.

I'm having trouble making decisions.

Price wasn't really a factor for the young couple; if they really wanted to be extravagant, they could have simply said, "Only children make choices."

Raising a pet is not like raising a pig for meat; it requires genuine emotional investment. Before taking someone home, you should be prepared to take full responsibility.

Seeing Gan Mengning still biting her lower lip in indecision, Shu Long took a moment to stretch, found a small chair under a parasol, lay down, patted his thigh to signal his girlfriend to sit there, and then the two of them curled up together to watch a video introducing cute pets.

"Look how cute the British Shorthair Blue and White is! They look just like Tom the cat, all silly and adorable. And the American Shorthair Cheese is also so pink."

"Oh dear~ why are they all big fat people?"

What's wrong with being fat?! Aren't piglets supposed to look better if they're a little chubby?
"Didn't you just say you'd listen to me?"

"Yes, but... but I really like German!"

Devon has curly hair, and his looks are definitely top-notch.

Normally, Shulong doesn't really like cats with small heads, especially some breeds whose bodies can be as fat as a ball, but whose heads still look like they have a pointed mouth and monkey cheeks, which always seems quite disproportionate.

However, Devon should be considered an exception; this little thing is just too exquisitely beautiful.

If he kept agonizing over it, he would probably keep putting it off until tomorrow. So Shu Long decisively took out his phone and sent a private message to a pet-related content creator he had followed.

Deng Fengmeng fell and bruised herself. The main breeds are British Shorthair and British Longhair, but they also manage some other breeds.

He already has several impressive championship titles, a large fan base, and his reputation, resources, and strength are all top-notch in the industry.

Not having time to handle it doesn't mean that Shu Long didn't care. In fact, after Gan Mengning expressed her willingness to take care of the pets, Shu Long had a private message exchange with Deng Feng's family.

He has a great personality, loves cats, and seems quite reliable.

"Blue and white, cheese."

"And German!"

"Yes, yes, and there's German too. OK! They've agreed that they'll keep an eye out for us if there are any decent-looking ones."

Gan Mengning nodded with satisfaction, then seemed a little embarrassed.

"Aren't we going to too much trouble for them? What if they go through all the trouble of finding us a kitten, only to turn their back on us?"

"What do you mean you don't want it anymore? We'll pack it up and take it with us!"

But didn't you say...?

It refers to the kind of wholesale purchase where you buy without a care in the world; you can actually manage three or two at a time.

Of course not now.

It would be best to bring the kitten back near the summer break. In fact, I heard that Shu Long and his family had never had any experience with pets before, and Deng Feng's family was not comfortable handing over the brand new kitten. After finalizing the deal, they said they could take care of it for Shu Long and his family for a period of time for free.

Finally, having put down a major concern, I spent a few days strolling around with Gan Mengning, treating it like a date, and also preparing clothes that we might wear in Miami. It was almost time to set off.

In fact, ever since she learned that Gu Ailing would also be attending the event, Gan Mengning had made preparations that were almost excessive. The suitcase that Shu Long was helping to push, which was almost bigger than her, contained a lot of stories.
Besides Gan Mengning, six chattering girls also came, as well as Director Peng and Teacher Ma's husband, Azhi, who were temporarily brought in to act as laborers. Most of them were acquaintances I had met once at the annual meeting.

Others either had other work orders to process or were not yet very familiar with Shulong and felt embarrassed to cause trouble.

This lineup was indeed quite eye-catching, especially in Shanghai, and for a moment Shu Long didn't dare to get too close.

Sure enough, on their way to the gate with their bags, Teacher Ma, who had the most distinctive features, was recognized by fans first. As a result, this lucky guy discovered that he had opened a rather incredible blind box.

With delight, he called out each person's name, curiously asking if they had received some incredible job offer.

It's not work.

Teacher Ma gestured towards Gan Mengning with her lip. When the fan realized something from that somewhat innocent face, she immediately stood at attention and looked around.

Okay.

Wearing sunglasses and hiding ten meters away, Shu Long helplessly raised his hand in this direction.

What the hell!

No girl group can compare to this heavyweight; there's absolutely no need to hesitate when choosing!
"Shulong, I am yours." "Shh—!"

"I'm your fan, boss! The Red Bull hat you signed for me three years ago is still in my suitcase, I carry it with me everywhere!"

"No, no, don't make a fuss. I'll give you another one."

The burly man nodded obediently, covering his mouth, but then his eyes immediately fell on the Alpha Tauri fisherman's hat that Shu Long was wearing.

"Can I choose this one?"

".OK!"

Shu Long sighed and was about to take off his hat to give it away when the car enthusiast stopped him, insisting that Shu Long wear it first and take a photo together.

After finally seeing that big shot off, Gan Mengning immediately started teasing him, saying, "What a big star~".

A big star, right?
Shu Long glanced at his girlfriend, then lifted her up by the armpits and carried her onto the suitcase. He then started running like crazy, drawing laughter from behind. He quickly caught up with the two clowns.

The closer the chase got, the faster the dragon ran. The piercing "hehehe" sound of the monster behind it was particularly frightening, making it a living advertisement wherever it went.

After several offline meetings, everyone has become much more familiar with Shulong, and the initial sense of distance and restraint when speaking has almost disappeared.

Being too familiar isn't always a good thing. In fact, because of Gan Mengning's relationship with Shulong, they subtly viewed him as a younger brother who needed to be taken care of.

Of course, this only applies while they can still laugh now. Once they get to Miami, they'll probably realize what a "show of force" really means.
“Shuuuuu!”

As soon as they entered the airport terminal, the overwhelming roar almost knocked them off their feet.

Shu Long, who was previously perceived as a socially awkward nerd in China, quickly adapted to the work ethic expected of Red Bull's current star player after three years in the paddock.

He calmly waved to the fans who swarmed around him, and his standard business smile, hidden behind sunglasses, took on a cool and aloof air.

After asking Azhi to help push his luggage, Shulong took a marker that was enthusiastically handed to him for signing. He then walked forward against the crowd, signing his name on all sorts of things that were handed to him.

Thanks to the storyline of DTS and the American cultural atmosphere's admiration for individual heroism, Shu Long's popularity here has always been extremely high. Especially this year, with the added advantage of leading the championship points standings, the current level of fervor has exceeded the imagination of those behind him.

This is actually one of the social responsibilities that Shu Long has unknowingly taken on internationally. His achievements also indirectly represent a part of China's soft power. Some prejudices and misunderstandings have long been dispelled under his continued influence.

Even if people are only interested in him as a person, car enthusiasts around the world will stop believing the media's malicious fabrications and instead take the initiative to explore the actual situation of Shulong and the country behind him.
Welcome to Miami, hope you have a great weekend!

"Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the game."

"Go for it! Our whole family believes you can win the world championship this year!"

"I hope you'll take my good wishes. Who has arrived so far?"

"Uh—I'm not too sure about the specifics, but we just saw Checo."

No wonder!
Even though Miami had events scheduled in advance, making it easier to predict the drivers' arrival dates and allowing for stakeouts, domestic flights shouldn't have attracted so many people to wait here. It seems that another major North American destination just helped generate some buzz?
After slowly advancing for about 60 or 70 meters, feeling that the situation around them was getting increasingly tense, Shu Long could only apologize to the fans, take back his suitcase, protect Gan Mengning's shoulder, and start breaking outwards.

One clause in the drivers' contracts requires them to maintain the team's public image, so they have to cater to the fans' emotions when they have the opportunity to appear in public. However, there are techniques involved in controlling the degree of this. The team has even provided special training for the drivers on this topic.

In summary, they selectively responded to some of the expectations, but when it was time to withdraw, they absolutely could not hesitate for a moment, as there were Red Bull staff outside to meet them.

It wasn't until they boarded the Red Bull-rented bus that the group of friends, who had been speechless for about forty minutes, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

too exaggerated!

These individuals are all seasoned veterans who have reached the top of the industry, and they are not entirely newcomers who have never seen the world. They have also experienced the hustle and bustle of crowds at some large-scale comic conventions they have occasionally attended offline.

But that's just fans' love for the work extended to it; if it weren't for riding the wave of the times, probably not many people would care about them.

Unlike now, it's purely an extreme personality cult of Shu Long, who went through unimaginable hardships to earn his position entirely through hard work and strength.

This constant experience of seeing him sitting high in the clouds, yet feeling the stark contrast between him and being grounded on the ground, made the entire day feel like a dream, and the jet lag made me feel particularly unsteady.

I pinched my face hard twice, but it felt as if the pain came from a distant place in the sky.

Is this really true?!
hum~
In Miami, a city known for its extravagance and materialism, you can't even imagine what kind of crazy things the event organizers might pull off. Just sit back, take a good nap, because there's still more to come.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Shu Long didn't have time to greet his new friends. Instead, while everyone else was busy participating in crossover events with American celebrities, he was arranged by the motorcade to drive for 6 hours in Miami on a simulator.

After all, it's a brand new track, and the new regulations for ground effect racing have brought many upgrades to this race. Even though Shu Long had already thoroughly familiarized himself with the Miami track on the simulator, it was better to play it safe.

However, things got really lively starting Wednesday, with a huge party held that night on the main stage of Hard Rock Stadium, attended by all the drivers and team leaders.

It just goes to show that Americans really know how to play the data traffic game.

Shu Long's recent obsession with simulators wasn't due to his diligence.

Firstly, Hard Rock Stadium primarily hosts Major League Football (MLF) games, which are still relatively unpopular in China. Shu Long himself is a complete novice in this field, so forcing a collaboration would not only be inexplicable but also unlikely to yield good results.

In addition, he also has his own cross-industry collaborations.

On Thursday, Gu Ailing finally accepted the invitation and attended the event.

A white, open-front, lightweight shirt, worn over a sports bra, perfectly showcases her hot figure without appearing vulgar. The loose-fitting jeans on her lower body subtly emphasize the sporty theme, exuding the confident aura that top celebrities definitely have.

Otherwise, how can we say they're professionals?

This talented young skier of mixed Chinese and American heritage rose to fame at the Winter Olympics earlier this year. She is also the only Chinese athlete currently sponsored by Red Bull, besides Shu Long. Tangshui Group certainly wouldn't let such a huge amount of attention go to waste.

Now the teams have adapted to compressing media tasks to Friday mornings, which frees up a lot of time to entertain sponsors and VIPs. With a more flexible schedule, they also have more promotional materials to shoot.

His outfit was indeed a bit daring. Apart from the polite handshake upon meeting, Shu Long deliberately avoided lingering his gaze on the other person, but noticed that Gan Mengning beside him seemed even more nervous than he was.

"What's wrong? Do you want someone's autograph?"

"certainly not!"

The girl made thorough preparations for today, even trying on a revealing top that showed her navel for the first time in front of the camera, as well as a short skirt that barely covered her hips, something she would normally find unacceptable.

It would be great to receive an amazing look from your boyfriend first thing in the morning, but...
Having fully entered a state of food guarding, Gan Mengning's radar was now fully activated, and she had long since noticed that the other party's attention and gaze seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally drifting towards Shu Long.

Although she deeply empathizes with the deepest victim of Shulong, wouldn't it be a bit too troublesome to use him as a hypothetical enemy?
There are even more difficult ones.

After a brief introduction and greetings, we soon moved on to the first interactive activity Red Bull had arranged for the day—which, of course, wasn't skiing!
Instead, cycling has almost completely replaced track cycling activities in Shulong recently.

When Gu Ailing reappeared in a figure-hugging cycling outfit that accentuated her physique, Gan Mengning's eyes were already brimming with tears. No one had told her that this was one of the other's skills!
There was no time to prepare clothes or a car, so what was Red Bull's purpose in having Shu Long invite her here?
Do you really like cows that much?

"Stop standing there like a wooden dummy, come and try it on to see if it fits!"

Shulong is ready.

(End of this chapter)