Chapter 14 Racing: The Mindset Comes First!
"According to Big Eye Sports, on May 12th, Beijing time, the second leg of the 2007 National Karting Championship concluded at the Sanshui Forest Circuit in Guangzhou."
"Wu Shi wins another championship in NCJ-A group! Does this signify the rise of a new karting star? Let's take a look at the interview with Wu Shi."
Ye Zhongming read aloud the words one by one in front of the computer screen.
Reporter: "I heard this is your first time running this track. How did you achieve such a good result? What's your secret?"
Wu Shi: "As for the secret, I don't think there is one. Everyone has their own driving style. I just drive the race car in my own way. I am very happy to have achieved this result."
Reporter: "Driving style? This is a term that the young drivers haven't mentioned in their interviews. What is your understanding of this term?"
Wu Shi: "Well, I think that as a reporter, you have your own interviewing style. If you talk to everyone about your understanding of interviewing style, that is my understanding of driving style."
Reporter: "Haha~ Kid, you're really sharp-tongued. One last question: As a rising star this season, will you run the entire season? Will you participate in higher-level races later?"
Wu Shi: "Of course, I've registered for all the races this season, and I'll run them all, otherwise it would be a waste of the registration fee. As for higher-level races, I haven't thought that far ahead yet. I think completing the races I'm currently in is more important."
After reading the interview, Ye Zhongming stretched and turned to his son, Ye Zhaohui, saying, "This young man is extraordinary."
"He's too fast! I'm confident against the second-place finisher, but I have no confidence against him at all," Ye Zhaohui said dejectedly.
"Haha, before the race started, you said no one in Sanshui could outrun you! Now you know there are always people better than you, and there's always something beyond your reach!"
Ye Zhongming patted his son on the back and said earnestly:
"Zhaohui, life is always full of setbacks. If you want to do something, don't be discouraged by setbacks."
"I know, Dad! I've decided I'm going to finish the entire race calendar!" Ye Zhaohui clenched his fist.
"Yes, that's a fine young man from the Ye family! He has ambition!" Ye Zhongming clapped.
"Daddy, Daddy! Do you think my little dress is pretty?" Just then, the little girl in the light red dress ran in.
"It's beautiful, it's beautiful! Who took you to buy it?"
After asking the question, Ye Zhongming saw the person behind his daughter, immediately stood up, and said, "Dad, what brings you here?"
"What? Can't I come?"
"Don't mention it! Aren't you recuperating at a sanatorium recently?"
"Yes, I was recuperating there, but I've recently heard some things about you."
"Oh! Dad, I can handle it, don't worry." Ye Zhongming quickly helped his elderly father sit down.
"I was initially worried about you being the youngest, but after hearing what you said to Zhaohui, I'm relieved. Yes! Life is long and full of setbacks, so never lose heart!"
In the old man's fried chicken shop, Wu Shi, Ling Kang, Zeng Tianyi, and several parents sat around a large table piled high with fried chicken, hamburgers, and fries.
"Tianyi, what's wrong?" Ling Kang asked, gnawing on a chicken wing.
"Sigh, it's nothing." Zeng Tianyi shook his head.
"Tianyi, are you planning to dedicate your life to the racetrack?" Wu Shi suddenly asked. He had just finished his interview when he received a call from Ling Kang and rushed over.
Ling Kang and Zeng Tianyi both looked over, but the elder standing to the side spoke first.
Zeng Tianyi's mother said, "You little rascal, you always talk like an old man! Eat first, the fried chicken wings won't taste good when they're cold."
"Xiaolin, I told you, of the three of them, Wu Shi is the most mature. Sometimes when you talk to him, it feels like you're talking to a peer," Ling Kang's mother said.
"Yes, little Wu Shi, I don't want everyone to bear huge pressure at such a young age. Childhood should be a happy one, shouldn't it? Tianyi said he likes driving go-karts, so I brought him here to drive, that's all," Zeng Tianyi's mother said.
"Yes, that's what I think too." Wu Zhenlin nodded.
Only Zeng Tianyi kept his head down after hearing this.
"Auntie, I understand. If it weren't for passion, who would sit in that bumpy plastic shell?" Wu Shi nodded, then looked at Zeng Tianyi and continued:
"That's why we need to distinguish between hobbies and goals, otherwise hobbies will eventually become a burden, or even become objects of hatred."
Zeng Xiaolin opened her mouth, but for a moment she couldn't think of a rebuttal.
"I think so," Zeng Tianyi replied to the previous question.
"Don't just think about it, plan about it," Wu Shi said.
"Yes, I'm willing. I want to dedicate my life to the racetrack!" Zeng Tianyi clenched his fist.
Wu Shi smiled and said, "That's right. The road ahead is long, and who doesn't encounter difficulties and setbacks? If you get discouraged and become lax and lazy when you encounter a little trouble, how can you talk about striving for a lifetime?"
"If you cannot face every competition with a steadfast mind, then even if you have unparalleled skills, you will eventually fall into an abyss of defeat from which you can never escape when the time, place, and people are not in your favor."
"Racing starts with the mind!"
Ling Kang froze, still holding the chicken wing in his mouth.
Zeng Tianyi looked up, his eyes red-rimmed. He blew his nose and said, "I... I know! It's just one loss. It's not like I haven't lost before!"
"That's right. Even if there are people more capable than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding, the significance of relentlessly pursuing what you love outweighs everything else."
Wu Shi took a sip of cola. This was an insight from his past life. He wasn't a genius at first. It was only after failing and failing again and again that he seemed to have grasped something.
Even so, he still struggled against the geniuses on the track and had to be like an unkillable cockroach, standing firm until he reached the F1 circuit.
He just wanted to win! So he didn't care about his life and pushed himself to the limit in every game.
After surviving the extreme time and time again, he understood two things: first, you can't succeed without pursuing the extreme; second, the extreme is always expanding!
He also knew that being able to survive at the limit was a talent and a matter of luck, and not everyone could achieve it, but he had to try first, right?
After dinner, Wu Shi returned to Pengcheng with the waiter.
On the way, Mr. Chen, who was in the passenger seat, said, "Xiao Wu, you'd better accept all the interviews from Big Eye News. They have a huge amount of resources behind them. If you go on to compete in international events in the future, having their sponsorship will be a lot of help."
"Yes, thank you for your guidance, Uncle Chen."
"Big Eye News? Is it under the Tianyan Group?" Wu Zhenlin asked.
"Yes, it's a separate organization dedicated to all kinds of news reporting; it was only established a few years ago," Mr. Chen nodded.
"Tianyan Group?" Wu Shi was not very familiar with this company.
"A behemoth company whose main business covers many fields such as chips, photovoltaics, the Internet, and surveillance cameras," Mr. Chen explained.
After listening, Wu Shi felt he should go back and learn more about the group.