F1: In Ferrari, Schumacher at the start.

On Tuesday evening, the Mediterranean sunset painted the sea in Monaco's Fontvieille district a large expanse of orange-red.

Lin Feng stood in front of the spacious floor-to-ceiling windows of his new apartment.

Thanks to agent Zhou Kai's efficient international relocation efforts, the apartment is now full of life. A racing simulator, flown in from the UK, has even been set up in the corner of the living room.

Unfortunately, he now lives alone in this big house.

Yesterday morning, my girlfriend hurriedly boarded a flight to the United States due to the pressure of final exams at Stanford.

Before leaving, she made sure to fill Lin Feng's refrigerator with all sorts of healthy ingredients and sternly warned him not to order takeout every day during the off-season.

"Living alone in a 300-square-meter apartment, you can hear the echo of someone speaking." Lin Feng took a sip of orange juice and casually placed the glass on the marble bar counter.

He walked to the entrance hall and looked at himself in the mirror.

The gauze on my nose was removed yesterday. Although there is still a slight bruising, the swelling has completely subsided.

What made him most grateful was that the nasal "Donald Duck" voice that had been bleak finally disappeared completely, and his voice regained its former clarity.

The doorbell rang right on time.

Lin Feng opened the door, and Zhou Guanyu, dressed in a well-fitting dark black suit with subtle patterns and his hair neatly styled, stood outside.

"Are you ready? Boss Lin, the embassy representative is hosting a banquet tonight, and we two are the guests of honor. It wouldn't be good if we were late." Zhou Guanyu glanced at his watch and urged.

"Let's go." Lin Feng casually draped a dark blue casual suit jacket over his shoulders, without a tie, emphasizing a relaxed style.

The two got into Zhou Guanyu's Alfa Romeo, drove out of the apartment's underground parking garage, and headed towards a top-tier hotel in downtown Monte Carlo.

Tonight, representatives from the Chinese Consulate in the area will host a high-level exchange dinner.

The car drove smoothly on the winding mountain road.

Lin Feng sat in the passenger seat, bored, and took out his phone, skillfully opening Twitter.

You wouldn't believe it until you see it; his blood pressure spiked immediately.

The AlpineP room fight incident hasn't completely died down, and those media outlets that thrive on chaos are already stirring things up again.

Instead of showing any mercy to Lin Feng because he was the victim, they went even further and started writing lengthy posts about him.

"Brother Guanyu, listen to the nonsense these Italian journalists are spouting!"

Lin Feng was so angry that he laughed, and started reading the title on the screen.

"La Gazzetta dello Sport: 'Williams' young talent has been exposed at Monaco, crawling along the track and causing trouble off the track. He used injuries to cover up the fact that he is completely uncompetitive at Monaco!'"

"What did I cover up?! I got a P6 in that junk car! Their Ferrari's Sainz only got a P3 after driving for ages! Is that what you call being uncompetitive?"

Zhou Guanyu, gripping the steering wheel, chuckled as he listened: "Why are you arguing with those Italians? They're already against you because you threatened to wreck their place in Monza. Of course, they'll seize every opportunity to sabotage you."

"Listen to this one too." Lin Feng quickly swiped the screen and opened another report.

"The Evening Post column: 'A poor PR stunt. Lin Feng stormed into the Alpine garage not to break up the fight, but to try and grab attention by creating chaos. This lack of manners proves he is utterly unfit to be a top driver.'"

After reading this passage, Lin Feng threw his phone aside, buried his head in his hands, and sighed deeply.

"Good heavens, are these people blind? I got a black elbow to the head, bled half a pound from my nose, and was in so much pain I passed out on the spot. And in their writing, I'm portrayed as a self-harming scammer trying to grab attention? These reporters' imaginations are wasted if they're not writing Hollywood scripts!"

Zhou Guanyu laughed so hard his shoulders shook, and he almost drove the car onto the curb.

"Alright, Lin Feng, just treat this as a joke. You're the ultimate traffic magnet now; they can sell newspapers just by writing about you. If you're really angry, just lap their Ferrari once in the race at Monza, and those reporters will be lining up to sing your praises."

"One lap isn't enough, I'll spray them in the face with champagne on the podium." Lin Feng gritted his teeth and shoved his phone back into his pocket, out of sight, out of mind.

Twenty minutes later, the car came to a smooth stop at the main entrance of the banquet hotel.

The valet respectfully opened the car door.

Lin Feng and Zhou Guanyu walked into the hotel lobby side by side and, guided by the staff, arrived at the banquet hall on the second floor.

As soon as you push open the carved door, an atmosphere of extravagant luxury hits you.

The banquet hall was brightly lit, with a huge crystal chandelier casting a soft glow. The air was filled with the glimpses of elegant women and celebrities. Ladies in haute couture gowns and gentlemen in suits gathered in small groups, sipping champagne and conversing quietly.

The event was attended not only by representatives of major European conglomerates and fashion industry leaders, but also by many local political figures and business celebrities from Monaco.

Lin Feng and Zhou Guanyu looked like country bumpkins who had just arrived in the city, and were momentarily dazzled by what they saw at the door.

"Brother Guanyu, this is quite a big operation." Lin Feng lowered his voice and looked around. "I think I just saw the president of that luxury handbag company."

Zhou Guanyu straightened his suit collar. He usually had a good understanding of the fashion industry and recognized many important figures at a glance.

"Of course. Our country's commercial influence in Europe is growing, and these local celebrities will definitely give us face by attending the consulate's banquet. We're here today to act as mascots, so let's talk less and smile more."

"I'll smile, just don't make me offer toasts." Lin Feng's eyes were already fixed on the French lamb chops on the long table.

Not long after the two entered, an embassy staff member dressed in a black business suit greeted them with a smile.

"Mr. Zhou, Mr. Lin, good evening. The counselor is already waiting for you in the VIP room. Please follow me."

Lin Feng glanced at the lamb chops with reluctance, then followed the staff through the noisy banquet hall and into a relatively quiet VIP lounge.

In the lounge, a kind-looking middle-aged man, probably in his early fifties and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, was sitting on the sofa. Upon seeing them enter, he immediately stood up and strode forward to greet them.

"Guanyu, Lin Feng! Please come in!"

This is Counselor Wang from the Chinese Consulate in Monaco, representing the ambassador at tonight's event.

"Counselor Wang, hello." Zhou Guanyu and Lin Feng quickly stepped forward to shake hands.

"Sit down, please sit down. There are no outsiders here today, so please make yourselves at home and relax." Counselor Wang warmly invited the two to sit on the sofa and instructed the staff to pour them some hot tea.

Counselor Wang looked at the two young men in front of him, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration and pride.

"Guanyu, I watched the entire Shanghai race a while ago. The moment you scored points on your home turf, several young people from our embassy jumped up in excitement. Twenty years of hard work have finally paid off, and you've brought great glory to Chinese racing drivers!"

Zhou Guanyu smiled modestly: "Thank you, Counselor. Playing on home soil, we mainly didn't want to disappoint our hometown fans. But Lin Feng stole the show that day; he practically beat the Ferrari."

Counselor Wang turned his gaze to Lin Feng, and seeing the bruise on the bridge of his nose that hadn't completely faded, he couldn't help but laugh.

"Lin Feng, Lin Feng. You're quite the character. Your sudden emergence in Saudi Arabia, your incredible comeback in Shanghai, and your brilliant defense in Miami. Even though we're not involved in sports, we know how exclusive Formula One is. The fact that you can beat those Europeans with your performance in this circle is a huge boost to the image of our national sports."

Upon hearing the official representative's affirmation, Lin Feng put away his usual roguish manner and nodded seriously.

"The counselor is too kind. Sitting in the car with the steering wheel in my own hands, I can't let foreigners look down on me."

"Well said!" Counselor Wang slapped his thigh. "Competitive sports rely on this indomitable spirit. However..."

Counselor Wang changed the subject, pointing at Lin Feng's nose with a tone that carried a hint of elder's concern and teasing.

"I heard that you got hit hard in Alpine's garage a couple of days ago? How are your injuries now? The ambassador even called me the day before yesterday to ask if our racing star had been bullied in Monaco and whether the embassy needed to intervene."

Lin Feng blushed and quickly touched his nose.

"Counselor, thank you for your concern, you and the Ambassador. It's really nothing, just a minor scratch. It was purely accidental that day; I was trying to break up the fight, but who knew that French driver would side with the enemy. But don't worry, I've already charged their team a medical bill, so it's a good deal."

Hearing Lin Feng answer in perfect, clear Mandarin without a single stray word, Zhou Guanyu couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Counselor, you didn't hear his voice the other day. He had cotton stuffed in his nostrils, and he sounded exactly like Donald Duck. He went to the referee to complain in that voice, and it almost made the FIA ​​officials laugh themselves to death."

Consul Wang was also amused and laughed heartily, pointing at Lin Feng and saying, "You, it's good that young people have a sense of justice, but in this arena, you still need to learn to protect yourself. Health is the foundation of everything, you can't let breaking up a fight delay the rest of the competition."

"Don't worry, there will absolutely be no next time. From now on, even if they fight until their brains are splattered, I'll be standing by, drinking cola and clapping." Lin Feng assured him confidently.

The atmosphere in the VIP room was very harmonious. Without the formalities and restraints of officialdom, Counselor Wang, like an elder in the family, carefully inquired about the two men's training and life in Europe, as well as their upcoming competition arrangements.

"The next stop is Canada, right?" Counselor Wang asked, taking a sip of tea.

"Yes, the Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montreal. I'm flying there next week," Zhou Guanyu replied.

Counselor Wang nodded, stood up, and walked over to the two men.

"Guanyu, Lin Feng. You're charging ahead on the front lines, and the country is your strong support. If you encounter any unfair treatment abroad, or need any assistance, please contact the embassy at any time. While we can't step on the gas for you, we can certainly help you handle any off-field troubles."

These words, though spoken in a plain manner, carry considerable weight.

Lin Feng and Zhou Guanyu both stood up, a warm feeling welling up in their hearts.

"Thank you, Consul. We'll definitely run well," they both replied in unison.

"Alright! Let's go, the banquet outside is about to officially begin. I'll introduce you to some Chinese entrepreneurs who do big business here. They're big fans of your Ironman Cycling, and they've been waiting outside for autographs ever since they heard you were coming."

As we walked out of the VIP room with Counselor Wang, the music in the banquet hall had become lighter and more cheerful.

Throughout the evening, Lin Feng and Zhou Guanyu were the absolute focus of the banquet. Countless business tycoons and celebrities came over with wine glasses to exchange pleasantries. Although Lin Feng still found this kind of socializing somewhat boring, out of consideration for the fact that these people were all compatriots, he patiently maintained a smile for two whole hours, and even signed dozens of notebook papers that he casually tore off.

The banquet didn't officially end until 10:30 p.m.

Stepping out of the hotel, the Monaco night breeze felt refreshing on my face.

"Phew—" Lin Feng let out a long breath, loosened his suit collar, and said, "Brother Guanyu, this kind of socializing is more tiring than running seventy-eight laps in Monaco. My face is stiff from smiling."

"Be content. So many people want to cross this threshold but can't." Zhou Guanyu tossed the car keys to the valet, then turned to look at Lin Feng. "But the counselor is right today, we're not fighting alone when we're out here."

"Yeah." Lin Feng looked up at the night sky. "With official certification, if those Italian media outlets write nonsense again, I'll have the embassy send them a protest letter. That'll scare them to death."

The two smiled at each other and got into the car.

The black Alfa Romeo drove into the night, heading towards the Fontevier district.