ABT ### Chapter 0095: The Birch Forest
An hour later, Alonso returned to the press center with a dark expression. Facing the anxiously waiting media, he announced that he was retracting his earlier comments about Chen Chen. He stated that driver number 16, Chen Chen, was a skilled and determined driver, and hoped that sponsors would pay attention and support him.
When the reporters eagerly asked about the outcome of the recent competition, Alonso remained silent. Seeing this, Li Fanyu grabbed the microphone with a mischievous smile and announced that he had lost the race. However, the reporters, sensing something unusual from the two men's strange behavior, suspected that the situation was not that simple. But since neither of them would speak, the reporters left reluctantly, still full of doubts.
What they didn't know was that after winning, Li Fanyu had proactively given Alonso an out. By speaking well of Chen Chen, he helped preserve the dignity of a top driver...
That afternoon, while Chen Chen was receiving treatment in the hospital, he was approached by representatives from Olympus China. Olympus expressed a clear willingness to sponsor him, offering to provide training funds and team channels for his motorsport endeavors.
Olympus was keen on sponsoring various events; their presence could be seen at the French Open, Le Mans, and F1. In recent years, Olympus cameras and optical instruments had performed well in China, and they were eager to increase their exposure to showcase their corporate culture.
Learning that Chen Chen's family was not well off, they generously offered to cover all his hospitalization expenses.
After the sponsors left, Chen Chen could no longer hold back. He buried his head under the blanket, letting the pressure and frustration he had been enduring flow freely with his tears.
When Li Fanyu exited the press center, he saw Zhou Qingyu waiting at the door. She was still wearing a mask, though she had taken off her sunglasses.
"Did you really lose just now?" Zhou Qingyu asked as Li Fanyu approached with a wide grin.
"Uh... yeah, I lost. Did you see me nodding at you during the race?"
Zhou Qingyu pouted, clearly not believing his clumsy lie, but she didn't press the issue.
"I saw you. Even with the helmet on, I recognized you right away."
"Really? Then I guess I must be quite important to you, huh?"
"You're overthinking it. Out of everyone, you're the least like a racer, so you were easy to spot."
"..."
Seeing Li Fanyu's frustrated expression, Zhou Qingyu couldn't help but laugh. She had witnessed his driving skills while filming a movie. Those flashy drifts—who else could it be but him?
"Alright, enough kidding. I came to watch your race and cheer you on. This afternoon, it's your turn to help me, isn't it?"
Li Fanyu scratched his hair, flattened by the helmet, and readily agreed, "No problem at all! Let's go!"
An hour later, at the Pudong Garden Hotel.
Li Fanyu sat scratching his head by the door, waiting for Zhou Qingyu to finish her lengthy makeup session, while he sneakily looked around.
This hotel wasn't a five-star establishment, but the rooms had a unique setup; simple and casual fabric sofas, a bookshelf filled with various magazines and books by the wall, and a few common orchids and potted plants on the windowsill.
The arrangement and decor seemed to constantly remind guests that this wasn't a hotel, but their home.
Zhou Qingyu was evidently a tidy girl without the habit of leaving her underwear lying around. Li Fanyu searched for a while but didn't find any personal clothing items.
Over half an hour later, the door to the makeup room slowly opened.
Seeing Zhou Qingyu walk toward him, Li Fanyu felt a momentary daze, followed by a rush of cool air, like he had just popped a mint in his mouth.
Zhou Qingyu had tied up her long hair and wore light makeup. She had changed into a white long dress, with a simple crystal pendant hanging above her alluring collarbone. Apart from this, she wore no other jewelry.
In that instant, Li Fanyu was somewhat lost in thought. Looking at the girl in front of him, he could only sigh inwardly.
Sometimes, beauty doesn't need complexity.
Seeing Li Fanyu's dumbfounded look, Zhou Qingyu smiled slightly and twirled in place. The hem of her dress lifted, revealing a pair of delicate, translucent feet.
On the runway, Zhou Qingyu never hesitated to show off her beauty. But in private, she never dressed ostentatiously.
"Do I look good?"
"Hmph! I'm not going to compliment you, especially after you said I didn't look like a racer. Honestly, I'm the guy who beat Alonso!"
Li Fanyu patted his somewhat numb face, trying to make his expression more natural. "It's just okay."
Zhou Qingyu frowned, then realized this was a petty guy's act of revenge. She narrowed her eyes, "If that's the case, should I go change? You can wait a little longer."
Li Fanyu quickly stopped her. He had already waited an hour! "No, no, no, this is fine."
"How can that be? If you think it’s just okay, how can I feel comfortable going out?"
"You look great, really great."
"Insincere."
"..."
By the banks of the Huangpu River, in Gongqing Forest Park, even though it was already sunset, the park was still bustling with visitors. Zhou Qingyu, wearing a mask, got out of the car, holding the hem of her dress. Li Fanyu followed behind, carrying a violin like a tail.
Looking at the graceful figure in front of him, Li Fanyu sighed, "Are we really doing this?"
Zhou Qingyu stopped, turned around, and stared at him with wide eyes, "What else do you suggest?"
Li Fanyu slapped his face; damn! So you were counting on me, miss? "Weren't you saying there would be organizers filming, making it like a reality show?"
Zhou Qingyu turned around, facing away from him, "That will be arranged after we inform them about the event content."
"Oh," Li Fanyu said. "Then why are we here today? Why not do it all at once later?"
"If we’re not prepared, what if I don’t play well then? We need to try it first, to break the psychological barrier."
Although there was no limit to the charity fundraiser, the celebrities were pulling out all the stops. After the charity event was initiated, the big sister of the domestic entertainment circle, Na Ying, issued a statement and call, hoping that the participating stars wouldn't fight or argue. Everyone should raise funds based on their abilities, without competition, and the more the better.
This was almost unbelievable in an entertainment circle known for its conflicts, but to show their love for children living in poverty and separated from their parents, the stars all expressed their support.
So, Zhou Qingyu was slightly annoyed at someone being irresponsible. Li Fanyu shook his head; women are just troublesome!
The two stood on a slope in the park, with a small birch grove behind them. At this time, the birch leaves had already started to turn yellow, and with the occasional gust of wind, a few withered leaves would fall.
Zhou Qingyu touched the mask on her face and noticed that her palms were already sweating. Revealing a side of herself that no one knew in public made her a little uneasy. Even her first time participating in a Victoria's Secret show didn’t make her this nervous. After all, Zhou Qingyu was a very contradictory person. Being a model was about showcasing charm, but she was inherently an introvert.
Lost in her thoughts, Zhou Qingyu came back to reality and saw Li Fanyu taking out the violin with his butt sticking out. Then, unbelievably, he spread the empty violin case on the grass in front of them, even throwing in some loose change.
She hurriedly squatted down, puzzled, "What are you doing?"
"Aren’t you here to raise funds? Even though we're just scouting the location, we can't come out for nothing. We should raise what we can. Haven't you seen guitar players on the pedestrian bridge do this? You play your piece well, and I'll drum up some support. Honestly, you picked the wrong person. If you had found someone who could do ballet and perform Swan Lake, people passing by would be swiping their cards to give you money."
Li Fanyu muttered as he set up the violin case and then stepped aside. Seeing that she hadn't responded, he gestured with his hands for her to start quickly.
Zhou Qingyu stood up, stomping her foot in anger; this jerk! Now she was even more nervous.
NEXTNEXT