F1: In Ferrari, Schumacher at the start.

Chapter 95 Holiday Balance Reset

Happy times are always fleeting.

With the nearly month-long summer break completely over, Lin Feng has reached the point where he must set sail again.

Just two days ago, Gu Ailing finished her domestic trip and flew back to the United States ahead of schedule to prepare for the start of the new semester and the winter skiing training in the second half of the year.

On the morning of the day of departure, in the Lin family's house in the Garden Road community of Haiding District.

"Mom, please, my suitcase is about to explode!"

Lin Feng knelt on the floor in despair, using all his strength to try to close the Rimowa metal shipping container that had bulged into a ball.

Beside him, Lin's mother was holding two large vacuum-packed bags of Quanjude roast duck and three jars of bright red secret-recipe beef chili sauce in transparent glass bottles, looking around for a gap to squeeze into.

"What are you talking about! This suitcase is top-notch. When your dad bought it, the salesperson said it was bulletproof!" Lin's mother ignored Lin Feng's protests, shoved him aside, and forcefully stuffed the two bags of roast duck into the edge of the suitcase. "What good food can you get in Europe? It's all cold sandwiches and raw beef with blood on it. You train so hard, how can you eat without some homemade chili sauce?"

"Mom, there's a Chinatown in London, England, and Chinese supermarkets too! I can buy Lao Gan Ma anytime I want!" Lin Feng was on the verge of tears.

"How can that be the same? The ones exported are all modified and don't smell good at all! I used the finest beef brisket and Erjingtiao peppers to simmer for a whole afternoon!" Lin's mother said, while pulling out several packets of local specialties from under the coffee table.

"Oh, right, you have to take this with you. This is pastries from Daoxiangcun, two boxes of premium bird's nest, and a silk scarf." Lin's mother packed these items into an exquisite tote bag and solemnly handed it to Lin Feng.

"What's this for? To be eaten as a snack on the road?" Lin Feng was stunned for a moment.

"Eat, eat, all you ever think about is eating! This is for your future mother-in-law and grandmother!" Lin's mother glared at him, annoyed. "Didn't Ailing go back to the US a couple of days ago? Once you're settled in England, the first thing you do is find an international courier and send all these things to Los Angeles unopened! They brought so many gifts when they came to our house last time, we have to return the favor! Do you hear me?"

"Okay, okay, I'll send it, I'll send it, alright?" Lin Feng quickly took the bag, afraid that his mother would stuff two more pounds of garlic into it.

At this moment, Lin Guoqiang walked in from the balcony, mysteriously holding a huge thermos cup that was as thick as a calf.

"Xiao Feng, Dad doesn't have much to give you. Take this." Lin Guoqiang solemnly handed the thermos to Lin Feng. "Inside is some top-quality wild deer antler that I asked your Uncle Zhang to get from his hometown in Northeast China, along with some medicinal wine made with goji berries. Your line of work is too hard on your back. Take a sip tonight, and I guarantee you'll be full of energy the next day."

Lin Feng stared at the thermos cup, which was as big as a mortar shell, and felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.

"Dad! Are you even my real father?! I'm on an international flight! When this thing goes through security, customs will definitely treat me like a biohazard terrorist and pin me to the ground!"

After a tug-of-war that lasted half an hour, Lin Feng finally managed to condense the elderly couple's beloved local specialties into two large shipping boxes by signing countless humiliating treaties that promised "good meals" and "wearing long underwear every day."

When he went downstairs, Lin Feng was carrying a 30-kilogram suitcase in each hand, panting heavily from exhaustion.

However, when he stepped out of the building and saw the car parked in front of the apartment building, his mood instantly improved.

It was a pure electric sports sedan that the sponsor had just delivered a few days ago. Its streamlined body shimmered with a technologically advanced metallic luster under the sunlight, and its design was extremely stylish.

Most importantly, he was finally able to hold the steering wheel himself today!

"Beep beep beep".

Lin Feng pressed the car key, unlocked the car door, and then, in an extremely flamboyant manner, pulled out the brand-new C1 driver's license from his pocket and waved it in front of Lin Guoqiang and his mother.

"Dad, Mom, I'm personally driving you to the airport for a drive today! Get in!"

Lin Guoqiang looked at the driver's license that still smelled of plastic, swallowed hard, and instinctively took a half step back.

"Xiao Feng—how about I drive? You only got your license a few days ago, you haven't even finished your probationary period. There are a lot of cars on the highway to the airport, don't get excited and slam on the accelerator like you do at work."

"Look at what you're saying! I'm an outstanding student who passed the third part of the driving test with a perfect score! Even Coach Wang praised my steady start!" Lin Feng opened the driver's side door and got in, patting the steering wheel. "Hurry up, we're running out of time."

The elderly couple looked at each other, and finally had no choice but to bite the bullet and get into the car. Lin's mother sat in the back seat, and Lin Guoqiang sat in the front passenger seat.

"Click".

As soon as Lin Guoqiang got into the car, he immediately fastened his seatbelt tightly and then gripped the safety handle above the door with his right hand. He looked as if he were riding a roller coaster, not a sports car.

Lin Feng started the car. The electric motor made no sound at all, so quiet that it was a little unusual.

He shifted into drive, and his left foot instinctively reached for the clutch, only to find it missing. He then realized that this was an automatic trolley.

"Son, slow down. There are children in the neighborhood," Lin's mother reminded him anxiously from the back seat.

"Don't worry, Mom, I know what I'm doing."

Lin Feng gently pressed the accelerator, and the car smoothly glided out of the residential area.

Once on the main road, Lin Feng's pent-up driving desire, suppressed for over twenty days, was finally unleashed. However, he dared not act recklessly here. That little driver's license was earned under the scorching sun and with his instructor's spittle. If he were to lose points on the very first day, it would be more unjust than the story of Dou E.

Thus, an extremely bizarre scene unfolded on the streets of northern Beijing.

A top professional racer, worth millions and known for his wild driving style, was driving a performance sports car that could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just over two seconds. On a city expressway with a speed limit of 60 km/h, he was "crawling" in the far right lane at a very standard speed of 50 km/h.

As soon as a car ahead lights up its brake lights, Lin Feng will start slowing down 50 meters in advance; whenever he changes lanes, he will turn on his turn signal 3 seconds in advance, and he will even turn his head to check the blind spot.

The movements were so precise that they could be recorded and used as a traffic management bureau safety promotional video.

"Didi—"

'

A BAIC taxi, rushing to work, impatiently honked twice and sped past in the left lane. The driver even turned around and gave the slow-moving luxury car a disdainful look.

Lin Guoqiang sat in the passenger seat, watching the taxi speed away, then turned to look at his son, who was gripping the steering wheel tightly at the "3 and 9 o'clock" positions. He couldn't help but feel a little helpless.

"Xiaofeng, should we step on the gas a little? You're driving slower than Grandpa Zhang's electric scooter in the neighborhood. That delivery guy on the electric scooter overtook us three times already."

"Dad, what do you know?" Lin Feng stared straight ahead, his eyes fixed straight ahead. "This is called defensive driving. The road is like a tiger's mouth. I have a family and a job, and I must be responsible for the safety of everyone in the car. Speeding incurs six points, running a red light incurs six points, and my license can't withstand that."

Lin's mother, listening from the back seat, chuckled, "Old Lin, don't rush him. Slow down, it's safer. I'd rather sit in the car a little longer than be on edge."

The car steadily drove onto the airport expressway. On the section with a speed limit of 120 kilometers per hour, Lin Feng cruised at a steady 100 kilometers per hour, remaining unmoved despite the cars whizzing past him.

Seeing that the car was driving smoothly, the elderly couple breathed a sigh of relief, and the conversation naturally turned to their marriage.

"Xiaofeng, don't ignore what I just told you." Lin's mother leaned forward, sitting between the two seats. "Once you get to England, send Ailing's things there first. You two are in a long-distance relationship, which is the biggest test of your relationship. Don't worry about the time difference, you need to be proactive. Send her a good morning message every morning and video chat before bed every night."

"Mom, we video chat every day, so please don't worry about it." Lin Feng glanced helplessly at the rearview mirror.

"How can I not worry!" Lin's mother pleaded earnestly. "Ai Ling is such an outstanding young lady; she's bound to have no shortage of suitors. You've been abroad for almost half a month, surrounded by foreign girls. You'd better keep your distance! If I find out you're flirting with other women and making Ai Ling angry, I'll break your legs!"

"Exactly!" Lin Guoqiang also loosened his grip on the handle and joined the chorus of condemnation. "Work is work, but we must crack down on misconduct! Our Lin family doesn't produce those heartless men who abandon their lovers. Next holiday, we must find a way to bring Ailing back to Beijing for the New Year. Your aunt and your second aunt are all waiting to meet her in person."

Lin Feng was so tired of being nagged by this mixed doubles player that his ears were practically calloused.

"Dad, Mom. My schedule is so packed every day that I don't even have time to drink water. I'm either in the car or playing simulators. I don't have time to meet any foreign girls. You can rest assured, it won't happen."

Amidst laughter and heartfelt chatter, the all-electric sports sedan smoothly entered the departure level of Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital International Airport.

Lin Feng parked his car in the designated drop-off area. His agent, Zhou Kai, had arranged for an assistant to be waiting by the roadside, ready to drive the car back in a little while.

Lin Feng laboriously unloaded the two heavy suitcases from the trunk and placed them on the luggage cart.

After checking in and dropping off their luggage, the three of them walked to the security checkpoint for international departures.

The elderly couple, who had been chattering away in the car, suddenly fell silent as they watched their son about to walk through the security checkpoint.

The atmosphere of parting was like a waterlogged sponge, heavy and pressing down on the air.

Lin's mother's eyes immediately reddened. She stepped forward and gently straightened Lin Feng's already neat collar, her movements as if she were handling a fragile piece of porcelain.

"Xiaofeng, take good care of yourself out there. Don't stay up too late. If you get cold there, remember to wear long underwear." Lin's mother's voice was thick with tears, and her eyes were brimming with emotion.

"Mom, I'm a grown man, how could I not know how to take care of myself?" Lin Feng felt a pang of sadness in his heart. He stretched out his arms and gave his mother a tight hug.

"How can that be the same? Even if you grow up to be eighty years old, you'll still be a child in your mother's eyes." Lin's mother patted his back and secretly wiped away a tear.

Lin Guoqiang stood to the side, cleared his throat, and tried to hide his slightly red eyes. He stepped forward and, instead of embracing Lin Feng like his mother had, patted Lin Feng's shoulder heavily like an old friend.

"When you get to England, work hard. But remember what your dad says: results are important, but life is more important. If you feel you can't go on the track, don't force yourself. If you have to retire, so be it. We can afford to lose some wages. We're not short of money for repairs now, understand?"

Lin Guoqiang's extremely simple safety education made Lin Feng laugh out loud, but his eyes also stung a little.

"Dad, your mindset isn't right. If you take the sponsor's money and don't work your ass off, the boss will be furious." Lin Feng joked casually, then hugged his father tightly. "Don't worry, I value my life the most. I need to be alive to come back and eat Mom's dumplings."

"You brat, all you think about is food," Lin Guoqiang chuckled, shoving him aside. "Alright, hurry up and go inside. Don't miss your flight."

"Dad, Mom, I'm off now. I'll let you know I arrived safely."

Lin Feng slung his backpack over his shoulder, picked up his boarding pass and passport, and turned to walk toward the security checkpoint.

He had only walked a few steps when he stopped and turned back.

Lin Guoqiang and his mother were still standing there, standing on tiptoe to look in his direction, waving at him incessantly.

Lin Feng also raised his arm high, waved it vigorously, then pulled down the brim of his baseball cap and strode into the security checkpoint.

The plane soared into the sky.

Lin Feng sat in the spacious and comfortable seat in first class, looking thoughtfully at the city of Jingbei outside the porthole as it gradually shrank.