The two of them turned their heads in confusion.
"Young man, do you like racing?" Boss Zhou approached Qin Miao with a warm smile.
For some reason, the face of the middle-aged man in his forties showed an affection usually seen on elderly people in their sixties or seventies.
Without hesitation, Qin Miao replied, "I like it, otherwise I wouldn't have spent so much time on the simulator."
There was nothing to hide about it, and Qin Miao didn't think there was anything embarrassing about his hobby.
Boss Zhou nodded knowingly, "Here's the thing, I have an invitation here for a non-public racing competition. However, I'm too old and don't have the energy to participate. But it would be a waste not to use this invitation. I think you have the talent, so I wanted to ask if you're interested in participating?"
Qin Miao frowned and said, "Of course, I'd love to go. Why wouldn't I go if there's a competition? But why do you think I'm suitable to participate?"
Boss Zhou smiled and pointed to the simulator Qin Miao had just used. The simulator screen still displayed the Red Bull Ring track, with Qin Miao's fastest lap proudly at the top position.
Qin Miao's fastest lap time was 1:01.975.
This was the lap time Qin Miao achieved with all assists off and the added interference from the G-force seat.
Although the simulator's realism wasn't that high, and the cars in the game were in somewhat better condition than real-life cars,
nevertheless, achieving such a lap time with all assists off proved to some extent that Qin Miao had the potential to develop into a racing driver.
"Your performance is something even some professional drivers might not achieve, and you managed to do this on your first time on the simulator. I'm quite impressed, and I believe you have the talent to develop into a racing driver. So, giving you this otherwise useless competition spot wouldn't be a waste."
Qin Miao was genuinely surprised. His girlfriend took him to play on the simulator, and he unexpectedly received a chance to participate in a real racing competition.
Qin Miao glanced at Qimeng, and for some reason, he felt he could fully trust Qimeng at such a moment and believe in her judgment.
Qimeng noticed the look Qin Miao gave her and understood what was on his mind.
"Where is the competition held?" Qimeng took the initiative to ask.
Boss Zhou was in no hurry and calmly replied, "Shanghai."
"You'll have to handle your own travel arrangements, like flights, on your own. I just think your boyfriend has talent and wanted to give him a ticket. But whether you can seize this opportunity is up to you."
After thinking carefully for a moment, Qimeng turned to ask Qin Miao, "Do you want to go?"
Qin Miao's thoughts were straightforward, and he was quite interested in the so-called competition.
Not to mention, any competition would give him a chance to drive, and as long as he familiarized himself with a track to 100%, he would get a chance to draw a prize.
If he could run on the track, Qin Miao only needed to complete a hundred laps, and he also wanted to experience what driving other cars besides a go-kart felt like.
Qin Miao also realized that as long as he practiced, his attribute points, which weren't that great, would improve. He believed that after getting involved in higher-level races and cars, his attributes would grow faster.
Moreover, Qin Miao genuinely felt that the actual learning experience on the track was far more than what he could get on a computer.
"I want to give it a try," Qin Miao said without hesitation.
Qimeng sighed helplessly.
Qin Miao got a little nervous, "You don't want to go? If you don't want to, it's fine. We can stay and have fun in Changsha for a few more days."
Although becoming a couple was somewhat unplanned, over time, Qimeng turned out to fit perfectly into Qin Miao's ideal image of a partner, and at that moment, Qin Miao wanted to maintain and nurture their relationship even further.
Qimeng smiled contentedly and then said, "What are you thinking? I sighed because the Passat I rented was for three days, and if we return it now, we can't get the deposit back."
Qin Miao: ... Alright, then.
"Have you decided?" Boss Zhou looked at the interaction between the young couple, his face full of a thoughtful smile.
"Yes, what's the specific process, Boss?"
With a mysterious smile, Boss Zhou said, "Just wait."
After saying that, he turned around and entered the store, leaving the two of them wondering what he was getting.
In no time, Boss Zhou returned holding a black envelope embossed with gold, standing before them.
"Inside is the competition invitation."
He handed it directly to Qimeng, who quickly accepted it with both hands, thanking him.
"The competition procedure is quite simple. You just need to hand this card to the reception person when you get there, and they'll guide you through the next steps."
"Competitions generally have rewards, though I'm unsure about the specific prizes for this one. But if you manage to secure one of the top three spots, I can offer some personal sponsorship rewards."
With a smile, Qimeng said, "Thank you, Boss Zhou, for valuing my boyfriend so much, but what you're offering is already too generous. We're grateful to receive this invitation."
Boss Zhou replied, "It's what I should do. If your boyfriend does well, I can show off a bit in front of my pals."
"In the future, if he really makes a name for himself and participates in some high-level racing events and wins good rankings, I could tell my friends, 'See that? I was the one who discovered this kid back in the day!'"
"If it allows me to boast like that, then today's invitation, which was just sitting around waiting to expire, will have been worth it."
Qimeng understood and nodded, realizing that Boss Zhou probably acted on a whim, considering his indifference to the store's losses.
This competition invitation might have been a lucky coincidence for the two of them, providing an opportunity at the right moment.
"In that case, we gratefully accept it. Thank you, Boss Zhou," Qimeng sincerely thanked him.
"It's nothing... but I think you two make a great couple. If you get married someday, be sure to send me an invitation, and I'll shamelessly come to your wedding banquet."
Qin Miao felt a little shy hearing this, while Qimeng cheerfully replied, "Definitely, we'll be waiting for you then!"
After chatting a bit more and exchanging contact information with Boss Zhou, they finally left.
After leaving the simulator experience store, Qin Miao glanced around the roadside but didn't see the red sports car he had been thinking about.
"What are you looking for?"
Qin Miao snapped back to reality and shook his head regretfully, saying, "Nothing."