Chapter 196

The sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves, casting dappled shadows on the grass. The air was filled with the refreshing scents of pine forests and wildflowers.

Lin Ruiqing and Jing Beicheng were taking photos not far away, while Jing Yi and Jing Zeqian were setting up the barbecue equipment. They occasionally discussed the two who were busy with their photoshoot.

"Look at our dad, isn't he pitiful?" Jing Zeqian whispered, careful not to be overheard by Lin Ruiqing. Jing Yi glanced at him and said, "Second Brother, you must have a hard time finding a girlfriend."

Jing Zeqian widened his eyes in protest. "How could that be?! You have no idea how popular I am."

Please! His fame even surpassed that of most artists Jing Yi knew!

Jing Yi took the ingredients handed over by Jing Zejun and said slowly, "I think they must not know what you're really like behind the scenes. They're all fooled by your looks."

"Hmph, next time I'll bring a dozen of them to you, and let them tell you..."

When Jing Zeyou finished setting up all the camping equipment and returned, he overheard the two siblings arguing about something. He paid no attention and took the tools from Jing Yi's hands, telling her and Jing Zejun to go play elsewhere.

Jing Yi stopped arguing with Jing Zeqian and pulled Jing Zejun to the nearby lounge chairs to rest, quietly waiting for the food to be grilled.

Perhaps it was the warm sunlight or the relaxed atmosphere, but Jing Yi dozed off.

Not far away, Jing Zeqian's voice, tinged with a hint of defiance, could still be heard.

"This is Jing Yi's prejudice. I must find a chance to show her how popular I am!"

"What's the point of proving that?"

"She's looking down on me!"

"…If you want to think that way, I can't stop you."

There was also Lin Ruiqing's slightly disdainful voice.

"Jing Beicheng, I told you not to stand there, why did you stand there again?"

"…Didn't you tell me to stand on that rock?"

"I've never seen such a clumsy model!"

"…I've never seen a photographer who complains about their model being clumsy."

On the other side, Jing Zejun, who was waiting for her response, turned his head to see that she had fallen asleep.

Jing Zejun was momentarily stunned, then smiled softly, gently covering her with a jacket. He quietly gazed at the distant valley, his consciousness gradually fading.

...

When Jing Yi woke up, the sunset was already hanging over the valley, casting an orange-red glow.

A gentle breeze brushed against her cheeks, bringing a hint of coolness. Jing Yi stretched lazily.

A slender hand appeared in front of her, holding a plate of warm grilled food.

Jing Yi smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, as she took the food from Jing Zeyou. "Thank you, Big Brother!" Jing Zeyou smiled faintly, placing a glass of juice beside her with his other hand.

He sat down, leaning lazily back, gazing at the gentle sunset ahead.

Jing Yi looked behind her, but Jing Zeqian and the others were nowhere to be seen. She asked curiously, "Where are Mom and Dad?"

"They ate too much and went for a walk."

Jing Yi was shocked.

【How long did I sleep?!】

Jing Zeyou's lips curled slightly. All he could say was that his sister had excellent sleep quality.

"Do you feel more relaxed?"

He always worried that Jing Yi was pushing herself too hard, especially in such a state.

Jing Yi nodded happily. The surroundings were filled with the fresh scent of flowers and grass, in front of her was the valley, the river, and the sunset, and behind her were her family and their laughter.

There was no better scene to help her relax.

"That's good. I did feel you needed to adjust your state recently."

Jing Yi put down the skewer in her hand, smiling shyly. "So Big Brother noticed, huh?" She had a vague sense of it herself, but she just couldn't figure out how to deal with it.

Jing Zeyou's smile was gentle and light. "Perhaps it's easier for an outsider to see. I could sense it." His expression became more serious. "Yiyi, you seem to be worried about something."

If Jing Zeyou could feel anything, it was Jing Yi's emotions first, and then her drive.

Jing Yi was very focused on this competition, yet she seemed to be conflicted and afraid of something.

Jing Yi's expression was momentarily blank. She had only thought that she was too tense in her mind, which led to frequent mistakes during training. She had never considered what she was afraid of.

【What could I be afraid of? Fear of mistakes? Or fear of injuries? I'm a race car driver, I'm very familiar with these things.】

Jing Yi wanted to refute, but in the end, she couldn't say anything.

Jing Zeyou sighed inwardly, voicing the thoughts Jing Yi had in her heart.

"You love racing, you're passionate about it. You're not afraid of the naysayers, not afraid of the debris after a crash, not afraid of getting hurt on the track. So, are you afraid of failure?"

"Yiyi, that's not like you."

Jing Yi suddenly felt her mood drop. She held the skewer, not knowing what she was thinking. How could she be afraid of failure?

As long as she stood on that stage, she had already succeeded. What failure was there?

So, what was she afraid of?

Jing Zeyou quietly stayed by Jing Yi's side, patiently waiting for her to think it through.

He didn't understand the professional aspects of racing, but he knew that once an uncontrollable fear took hold, Jing Yi, as a race car driver, would never be able to let go and race freely on the track.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Seeing the mood of the person beside him growing lower, Jing Zeyou sighed helplessly, affectionately ruffling her hair.

"Yiyi, the world is harsh to women. Even if they are beautiful, they may face irrelevant speculation from all sides."

"Even if they are successful, they may face societal judgment of 'unworthiness.'"

"Their brightness, bravery, and success may all be drowned out by the world's focus on gender."

Jing Zeyou paused for a moment, his gaze on Jing Yi gentle and focused.

"The only thing I'm grateful for is that the Jing family can provide enough protection. Within this shield, you and Junjun can do whatever you want."

"Your ambition can be as high as you want, your dreams can be as big as you want, and your courage can be as strong as you want. We are all behind you."

"So, the strength to move forward without hesitation, I hope you will always have."

All the panic and tension in Jing Yi's heart seemed to disappear at this moment, leaving only a warmth like water nourishing the earth.

She smiled, her dimples deepening on one side of her mouth, her eyes slightly red. "So that's why Big Brother suddenly wanted the whole family to go on a road trip."

Jing Zeyou raised an eyebrow, leaning back into the lounge chair, a gentle smile on his lips. "This can't be said in front of your second brother." His younger brother believed he was the main character of this trip.

Jing Yi's smile was soft and warm as she happily ate the still-warm barbecue in front of her.

"Jing Yi, you're finally awake. You slept way too long! You said you'd help with the barbecue, but you just ended up eating what was prepared!"

Jing Zeqian's voice came from behind.

Jing Yi retorted unconvincingly, "What? Anyway, this was given to me by Big Brother!"

Jing Zeqian was instantly incensed. "What?! That was grilled by me!!!" He glanced at Jing Zeyou, who was leisurely enjoying the sunset, his eyes filled with resentment.

Damn it! The credit was stolen again!

Jing Yi paused, then retorted confidently, "Well, Big Brother kept it for me!"

Jing Zeqian was furious. How could this be? She didn't even remember his efforts at all!

He rolled up his sleeves, determined to have a three-hundred-round battle with Jing Yi!

As the sun gradually set, occasional noise and laughter could be heard from the depths of the valley.