Chapter 405: Different Significance
After the manager finished talking about some trivial matters, the group headed to the rest area of the first track.
The so-called rest area was actually a spacious lounge. Sunlight streamed in through the transparent tempered glass windows, and the heating inside made the environment comfortable. The lush indoor plants added to the pleasant atmosphere.
"You really know how to spend money," Yang Chen remarked, looking around at the luxurious facilities.
Tang Wan smiled, "In a place like this, if you pinch pennies, no one will want to come. The people who come here aren't afraid of high prices; they are afraid of low prices."
Yang Chen nodded in agreement.
As they talked, a few figures became visible in an open parking area ahead.
It was indeed Ning Guodong, whom Yang Chen recognized. Today, Ning Guodong wasn't wearing a suit but an Armani casual shirt, casually tied with a flashy red tie, still exuding his usual charm.
Beside Ning Guodong was a Western man with a slightly gaunt face but an extremely robust build. His scruffy beard added to his rugged look. Wearing a colorful baseball cap and holding a bottle of Martell, he was chatting and laughing with Ning Guodong, occasionally taking a swig of his drink.
Suddenly, a large figure rushed over from the other side, shouting, "Sis! Sis!"
Yang Chen looked closely and saw a standard northern brawny man with curly hair and a square face, standing about six feet three inches tall and weighing around two hundred pounds. His prominent nostrils, oversized leather jacket, and a face full of anger and reluctance gave him a bit of a childish air.
The contrast between such expressions and his massive build almost made Yang Chen laugh out loud.
"I've told you countless times to stop gambling all the time. When are you going to quit that bad habit?" Tang Wan stood in front of the big man, looking up at him, yet scolding him in a tone one would use with a younger sibling.
The big man hung his head, looking aggrieved, and in a rough voice, he said softly, "That Ning Guodong brought a foreigner to show off. As a member of the Tang family, shouldn't I uphold our ancestral traditions and fight back?"
"Fight back with a knife, not with a car race! Are you a racecar driver? Or do you think you're in the Olympics competing in a running event against the Eight-Nation Alliance?" Tang Wan questioned sternly.
The big man gave a sheepish smile, trying to act cute, and grabbed Tang Wan's slender arms with his large hands, shaking them, "Sis, sis, you're the best. Please help poor little Tang Jue. That 599 GTO was your birthday gift to me. How can I lose it to someone?"
Yang Chen, watching this scene unfold, almost fainted. The big man's tone and actions were simply outrageous. How could anyone stand this?
The staff and bodyguards nearby seemed accustomed to this, which was remarkable in itself.
At this moment, Ning Guodong and Webber approached. Ning Guodong greeted Tang Wan warmly, but his face darkened upon seeing Yang Chen.
"What are you doing here?" Ning Guodong asked with a frown. Although he had seen Yang Chen being recognized by Guo Xuehua at the Yang family compound, he didn't know the full story and assumed it was a mistake. Moreover, with no news from Yanjing, he was convinced Guo Xuehua had been mistaken.
"Why can't I be here?" Yang Chen retorted, raising an eyebrow.
Ning Guodong sneered, "Do you know how much the annual membership fee here is? Your salary wouldn't even cover a tenth of it."
Tang Wan calmly replied, "Yang Chen is my friend. I asked him to come and help race against Mr. Webber."
At these words, not only was Ning Guodong surprised, but Tang Jue, who had been pleading with Tang Wan for help, also widened his eyes and scrutinized Yang Chen. To Tang Jue, Yang Chen seemed like a nobody, but now he realized this friend of his sister might be the reinforcement she had called in. As he looked, Tang Jue's eyes took on a somewhat ambiguous gleam.
"Miss Tang, are you sure you're not joking with me and my friend?" Ning Guodong asked with a strange laugh, thinking it was absurd for Yang Chen to challenge Webber. Even if Tang Wan had randomly pulled a taxi driver off the street, he would have thought it more credible than Yang Chen.
Webber, not understanding Chinese, had his translator explain the situation. Upon learning that this young man named Yang was to race against him to win back the car that was just lost, Webber grinned with interest. True professionals never fear challenges; they look forward to new opponents. Webber respected every opponent, no matter how unimpressive they might seem, which was a mark of a world-class racer.
Yang Chen, feeling confused by all the talk of betting cars and racing to reclaim a loss, stopped them and said, "Hold on, I still don't understand what's going on. What's all this about betting cars, racing, and making a comeback? Explain it to me clearly."
"I'll explain!" Tang Jue volunteered eagerly, as if the whole fiasco was not his fault at all, and began narrating the events of the past hour.
It turned out that Tang Jue, bored in Yanjing, had followed Tang Wan to Zhonghai and, with nothing else to do, spent most of his time enjoying the various entertainment facilities under the Fenglin brand. Today, he happened to be at the racing club, playing with some newly acquired sports cars. Coincidentally, Ning Guodong, who was in Zhonghai with his friend Webber, came to the club for some leisure as well.
Tang Jue and Ning Guodong were evidently the type to clash. After a few exchanges, they started talking about racing. When Ning Guodong boasted about his friend Webber's prowess, the patriotic Tang Jue decided to "fight against the foreign devils" in the spirit of their revolutionary ancestors.
Tang Jue boldly wagered his car against Webber, agreeing that the loser would give their car to the winner. However, Tang Jue ended up losing the race and his face, but most importantly, the Ferrari 599 GTO, a birthday gift from his sister Tang Wan. Not only was the car rare globally, but it also held significant sentimental value.
Tang Jue then called Tang Wan for help, hoping she could somehow get the car back. After listening to the whole story, Yang Chen felt a bit annoyed, realizing he was there to clean up after Tang Wan's foolish brother.
"Hey, brother-in-law, are you really good at driving? Can you win?" Tang Jue let go of Tang Wan and bounded over to Yang Chen, throwing an arm around his neck.
Yang Chen chuckled and shrugged off Tang Jue's arm, "We'll see. It's not about whether I'm good or not; it's about doing my best to help your sister." He turned to Tang Wan, "Alright, I'll give it a shot. Let's get this over with."
Tang Wan looked at Yang Chen with a mixture of hope and gratitude. "Thank you, Yang Chen."
Yang Chen nodded and walked towards the racing track, ready to face the challenge head-on.
"Little brat! What nonsense are you spouting?!" Tang Wan's face flushed with anger as she kicked Tang Jue's thigh forcefully, clearly quite practiced in this action, suggesting she did it often.
Tang Jue awkwardly stepped back a few paces and said timidly, "Sis, you never bring any boyfriends for me to meet. Now that there's finally one, isn't he my brother-in-law?"
Tang Wan wanted to grab a brick and smash her useless, loose-lipped brother. She glared at him fiercely and said to Yang Chen, "Sorry, he just talks nonsense. Don't take it seriously."
"If I took it seriously, I'd lose," Yang Chen said, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.
Tang Wan rolled her eyes at him, then turned to the dazed Ning Guodong and said, "Young Master Ning, you should know the price of that Ferrari 599 GTO. It was a birthday gift for my useless brother. Although he lost the bet, can't you show some mercy and give us a chance to win back our loss?"
"Miss Tang, a cooked duck may not fly away, but we have no reason to concede on the gambling table," Ning Guodong replied with a wicked smile.
Tang Wan frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, "How about this? I'll have Yang Chen pick another car from my garage to race against Mr. Weber. If we lose, the car Yang Chen picks will belong to you and Mr. Weber. If we win, we only want our Ferrari back. How about that?"