Chapter 31

### Chapter 31: The Race

Kit's anger was hard to quell. She tried taking a cold shower to calm down, but the anger persisted despite her efforts. After drying off, she changed into a tight black outfit, jumped out of her second-floor window, and walked to where her motorcycle was parked in the woods. She sped off, hoping the wind and speed would blow away her frustrations.

The wind roared in her ears, and the wheels spun rapidly on the ground, turning the surrounding scenery into a blur. She wanted to forget all her unhappiness and pain through speed. Suddenly, she heard the roar of engines behind her. Looking back, she saw two sports cars closely tailing her.

"Hey, beautiful! Riding so fast, be careful!" a rich kid leaned out of one of the cars, whistling and taunting her.

Kit ignored them and twisted the throttle, speeding up instantly to overtake their cars. The rich kids, unwilling to lose, decided to compete with her, turning the road into an instant race track.

They forced Kit to stop at the foot of Clear Water Mountain, where a crowd had gathered. Kit dismounted her bike and removed her helmet, her sleek hair fluttering in the wind. The rich kids also stopped their cars. One of them, clearly unhappy, said, "Nice riding, Miss. How about a race?"

Another rich kid sneered, "What's a girl doing here? This is a race, not bumper cars."

"Exactly! With that bike, even a professional racer would have a hard time winning, let alone a girl like you," the girl clinging to the rich kid named David mocked, gazing at him adoringly.

Kit looked at them coldly, a hint of disdain in her eyes. "Let me borrow your car," she said to the rich kid who had been driving.

David gave a challenging smile. "That car? Sure! If you win, I'll call you Granny!"

Kit smiled faintly. "I hope you won't regret this."

The race began with both cars roaring to life. Kit and David sped along the mountain road, initially neck and neck. The wheels spun rapidly on the narrow mountain road, the wind howling in their ears, hearts racing, and adrenaline pumping. Kit gripped the steering wheel tightly, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, her mind racing with various driving techniques.

Approaching the first sharp turn, Kit executed a perfect brake drift, slowing down swiftly to navigate the curve, then accelerating out of the turn, leaving David behind. Unwilling to concede, David accelerated to catch up, sticking close to Kit's tail.

The mountain road grew steeper, with more turns. Kit skillfully shifted gears, keeping the engine in its optimal rev range to maintain high speed. She also expertly used weight transfer techniques, leaning her body inward during high-speed turns to keep the car stable and maintain traction.

David tried to overtake Kit on the straightaways, but her agile driving blocked his every attempt. Kit utilized every slight change in the track to her advantage, precisely choosing the best lines through the turns, leaving David with no room to maneuver.

As they neared the finish line, the track became even more treacherous, with the last sharp turn being the race's critical point. David decided to go all out, accelerating towards Kit's rear, hoping to force her off the track. But Kit anticipated his move, swiftly adjusting her speed and performing a quick brake at the last moment, entering the sharp turn steadily, then flooring the accelerator to pull away from David.

Caught off guard by Kit's superior skills, David's car wobbled, nearly crashing into the guardrail. He watched helplessly as Kit's car sped past the finish line, filled with unwillingness and astonishment.

The crowd at the foot of the mountain erupted in cheers and amazement as Kit won the race. She looked coldly at David, removing her helmet, her hair fluttering in the wind. That night, Kit's performance became a legend in Clear Water Mountain racing, with no one able to surpass her record.

Terrence stood at the finish line, watching Kit get out of the car. He recognized her and pulled out his phone, dialing a number. "Hey, Ryan, guess who I just saw?"

On the other end, Ryan's voice was low and curious. "Who?"

"Kit. She just beat David. She rides like a pro," Terrence said excitedly.

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, then Ryan's low voice came through. "Really?"

Kit opened the car door and stepped out, greeted by loud cheers from the crowd. David, still catching his breath, opened his car door and stepped out, calling out, "Granny," in resignation.

The respect in that "Granny" was genuine. During the race, he was about to drive off the cliff, but Kit's precise maneuvering allowed him to safely navigate the dangerous turn. He knew his respect was heartfelt.

Ryan heard the "Granny" from the other end of the call and was silent for a while before angrily hanging up the phone.

"Hello? Hello? Ryan, are you listening?" Terrence looked at his phone, realizing the call had ended.

He drove quickly to the foot of Clear Water Mountain, worried about Kit's safety. When he saw her unharmed, he sighed in relief. As Kit walked down from the mountain, she noticed Ryan standing by her motorcycle. She raised an eyebrow. "Ryan, what a coincidence."

"Not really," Ryan replied with a stern face. "It's dangerous for a girl to be out alone this late."

Ryan opened the passenger door and looked at Kit. She obediently got into the car. The ride back was silent, with Ryan focused on driving, occasionally glancing at Kit, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

When they arrived at the Shu house, Ryan finally spoke. "Motorcycles are dangerous. Here's the car key. Take this car instead." He handed her a set of car keys. Kit looked at him and took the keys, replying indifferently, "Alright."

Ryan got out of the car and gave her a doting smile, reaching out to touch her head. Kit immediately dodged, glaring at him. Seeing her like a little girl, Ryan's smile deepened.

"Get some rest," Ryan said softly. "You can always come to me if you need anything."

Kit walked back to the Shu house, waving him off. Ryan shook his head fondly.

Kit looked at the car keys in her hand, her eyes flashing with thoughts. She gripped the keys tightly.