Chapter 185: Are There Any Important Figures Arriving Today?
Wu Shi fell silent for a moment, then said, "Please thank him for his kindness."
"Mm."
Sid didn't ask why Wu Shi was turning down a fortune that had practically fallen into his lap. As Wu Shi's agent—a rising star with limitless potential—Sid had placed his bet early.
Compared with professional agents, his business ability, network, and operational experience still had a clear gap. But his greatest advantage was his relationship with Wu Shi.
Their bond, forged back in their karting days, was something no outsider could replace. As long as Wu Shi didn't make any outrageously irrational decisions, Sid would never interfere.
---
The plane's engines roared as it crossed the sky. The eleven-hour flight was neither too long nor too short.
They arrived in Modu just before six in the morning.
Dawn had only just broken, and the vast city was slowly waking up. As they exited the airport, it felt as though the air still carried traces of last night's revelry.
Sid spoke with the airline staff in his heavily accented Chinese. In truth, most of them spoke English perfectly well—he was probably just showing off the progress he'd made.
Wu Shi turned to Louise, who was holding onto his arm.
"Didn't you always say you wanted to learn Chinese when you were little? How's that going now?"
"Grumble~"
Louise made an indistinct sound and fell silent. Her progress spoke for itself.
Wu Shi chuckled, pinched her cheek, and went to collect their luggage.
Just then, a commotion erupted near the exit. A large crowd of people waiting to pick up passengers was pressing tightly against the railing.
"What's going on?" Wu Shi asked in confusion. "Is some important figure arriving today?"
"I haven't heard anything about that," Sid replied.
His voice gradually trailed off.
Then it hit him.
This was China.
And Wu Shi was China's first-ever F1 driver.
And not just any driver—an exceptionally strong one.
Sure enough, sharp-eyed fans soon spotted them.
"He's out! Wu Shi is out!"
"Wu Shi! Wu Shi!"
Foam boards bearing Wu Shi's name and huge printed photos shot up over the crowd. If not for the railings, they would have already been completely surrounded.
Fortunately, airport security had noticed the gathering early and deployed a large number of staff to maintain order.
This was the first time Wu Shi had ever faced such a scene—true fan frenzy.
He wasn't the type to hide behind sunglasses or pretend not to hear anything. Instead, he smiled and waved.
"OHHHHHHH!!!"
The cheers surged like waves crashing onto the shore.
Fans near the passageway thrust Williams caps and shirts toward him.
"Wu Shi! Wu Shi! I'm your die-hard fan! Please sign this!"
"Thank you for your support."
Wu Shi signed a few items. But when more and more people started pushing forward, he quickly realized things could spiral out of control.
He signed a few more, then raised his voice:
"That's all for today, everyone. Please don't block other passengers!"
He clasped his hands together and bowed.
"Thank you all very much!"
Security immediately moved in, clearing a path and escorting the three of them out.
Only after getting into the pre-arranged car did they finally breathe again.
"That was terrifying…" Sid shook his head. This was definitely his failure as an agent.
"Uh… hello, are you Wu Shi? I didn't expect to be driving you. Could you sign for me too?"
Even the driver eagerly leaned back, pulling at his collar.
Wu Shi smiled awkwardly.
No wonder Pan Zi rarely went back to the Netherlands after becoming world champion. Being too famous in your hometown meant losing all personal space.
Looks like settling in Monaco really needed to be put on the agenda.
Taking the pen, Wu Shi signed.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" The driver grinned, buckled his seatbelt, and drove off.
---
The Williams team had originally booked the Four Seasons, but later changed it to a hotel in Jing'an.
In theory, Wu Shi was only assigned a deluxe room, but the bed was large, and Louise had long stopped caring about propriety, so they naturally stayed together.
Sid booked his own room nearby. At a thousand yuan a night, it wasn't exactly cheap, but it was well within his budget.
The moment Wu Shi entered the room, he collapsed onto the sofa.
He had originally planned to go out and look around, but after the airport scene, he was feeling socially exhausted.
Louise walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the bustling city.
"China is developing so fast," she sighed. "This already feels much more prosperous than Pengcheng."
"It really has taken off these past few years."
Wu Shi walked over to stand beside her.
"Many of my classmates talk about you," Louise continued softly. "They say you came from some backward little village. They're full of prejudice about China."
"People get trapped in information bubbles very easily," Wu Shi said.
"If you don't go out and see things for yourself, you'll never truly understand. It's the same in racing—before every Grand Prix, we walk the track several times just to feel the surface conditions."
Louise suddenly changed the topic.
"Uncle Wu… you haven't seen Mom in a long time, have you?"
Wu Shi froze for a moment, then nodded.
So she had noticed after all. She just hadn't said anything.
"…Will you stop seeing me too, in the future?" Louise asked, turning to look at him.
Wu Shi met her moist eyes, shook his head, and pulled her into his arms.
"No. I won't."
He gently patted her back.
"Their adult problems are theirs. Ours are ours."
"Mm…"
Louise buried her face in his chest, nodding softly.
The familiar scent she had known since she was nine years old made her feel safe. She wished it could stay like this forever.
Holding her, Wu Shi looked out at the vast city beyond the window.
In this life, he had grown used to Louise's constant presence—her congratulations after victories, her comfort after defeats, her endless chatter and quiet understanding. Almost all of his memories off the track included her.
And suddenly, he felt guilty.
Louise had always stood by him, caring about everything he did.
But he had rarely thought about Louise in the same way.
He tightened his arms around her.
"Mm…"