Chapter 28

"Tch, being this polite—isn't that just taking a jab at me?" Fang Jimin rolled his eyes, then rose from the sofa. "Since it's settled, I'll drive over to pick you up tomorrow. I just got a call and have something to take care of, so I'll be leaving first."

"Then I'll be waiting for your horse." Xue Chen wrote down his size on a slip of paper and handed it over with a smile.

Fang Jimin glanced at the numbers in his hand, then sized Xue Chen up from head to toe before turning to leave. Xue Chen, meanwhile, toyed with the cup in his hand, a thoughtful look appearing on his face. Fang Jimin had seemed like he wanted to say something but stopped himself. Was he trying to warn him about Fu Hengzhou?

The night passed without incident. The next morning, when sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, there was a knock at the door. Xue Chen rubbed his eyes, went over to open it, and found Qin Zhou standing outside.

Qin Zhou was dressed casually today, and even his usually cold demeanor seemed much gentler.

"Morning." Qin Zhou greeted Xue Chen, then explained under his puzzled gaze, "Ji Min had something to do this morning. He called and asked me to take you to the racecourse."

"Morning." Xue Chen nodded with a smile, then went back inside to change and wash up. He was ready in no time, climbed into Qin Zhou's car, and headed for the racecourse.

When they arrived, Qin Zhou led Xue Chen to a stop in front of a three-story building. Xue Chen looked up at it. This was Fang Jimin's private racecourse, the sort of place generally used for competitions. Ordinary people would not come here.

Most of the people here were from Gentlemen's Country or wealthy individuals. English was spoken throughout, and if one could not understand what they were saying, there was no way to join the conversation.

Xue Chen looked around. The surroundings were excellent: lawns, artificial rockeries, fountains, a wooden bridge, and several buildings. It all looked elegant and refined. He could not help admiring Fang Jimin's choice of designer.

"Let's go." By the time Qin Zhou brought Xue Chen to the entrance, Fang Jimin had already been waiting for quite a while.

"The clothes are ready. Just go change." Fang Jimin handed Xue Chen a set of casual riding clothes.

Xue Chen accepted them, thanked him, and headed straight for the lounge on the right. Opening the gift box in his hands, he found a vest, while another, thicker box contained a pair of leather boots.

The vest was black and white, studded with sparkling rhinestones that made it particularly eye-catching. Worn on Xue Chen, it made his skin look even fairer and smoother. The moment he stepped out after changing, he instantly drew everyone's attention.

Fang Jimin's gaze swept over Xue Chen several times as he praised, "Very nice. Looks like Qin Zhou wasn't wrong—this outfit suits you."

"Thank you." Xue Chen smiled.

"Don't thank me. Thank Qin Zhou. He personally picked all the fabrics for this outfit. We've been friends for so many years, and he's never treated me this well." Fang Jimin laughed.

Xue Chen turned to Qin Zhou and smiled. "Qin Zhou, thank you."

"You look beautiful in this riding outfit." Qin Zhou smiled.

"Handsome and dashing, you mean? Be more serious with your wording next time." Xue Chen did not stand on ceremony. He thought the outfit was indeed very nice.

"Exactly. He had this outfit custom-made for you, so of course it looks good. Let's go watch the race! That brat Xie Tian and Jiayao have already entered the track. Shall we go buy tickets too?" Fang Jimin laughed heartily.

The three of them headed into the racecourse. Just then, a race was about to begin, and Xue Chen spotted Xie Tian and Chen Jiayao preparing on the track from a distance.

"What a coincidence, Chenchen. We meet again."

"Young Master Fu? What wind blew you here?" As the young owner of the racecourse, Fang Jimin naturally had to show him some courtesy. At the very least, the smile on his face could not look fake.

"Of course, I came for Chenchen." Fu Hengzhou strode up to Xue Chen and looked him over from head to toe. "This riding outfit suits you very well."

"Of course it does. Our Brother Zhou picked it himself, so naturally it looks good." Fang Jimin looked at him with a beaming smile.

Fu Hengzhou's smile faded. "No wonder the colors have faded."

Xue Chen: "..."

"What brings you out riding today?" Fu Hengzhou smiled. "Actually, if you really want to ride, my racecourse is bigger, and it's more comfortable to run there."

Xue Chen's lips twitched. "Mr. Fu, may I ask if you came here for something today?" His voice was cold and completely devoid of emotion.

"I was just accompanying a client here to relax. I didn't expect to run into you." Fu Hengzhou said it casually, and there really was someone behind him waving at them. It looked like running into him had truly been a coincidence.

Bang! With the gunshot, the riders who had finished warming up were all ready. The instant the gates opened, everyone charged onto the track.

Chen Jiayao and Xie Tian took the lead, riding neck and neck as they left the other riders far behind. After making a beautiful turn, they entered the second lap.

Their performance drew waves of cheers. They were both fairly well-known in equestrian circles, and being young as well as backed by substantial wealth, they had always been favorites of Hong Kong Island Entertainment News.

Xue Chen spotted several reporters alone, hiding in various corners to take candid photos. He had no idea what connections they had used to get in here.

"Ooh, ooh, ooh—" The three laps were soon completed. In the end, Xie Tian fell just short and came in second behind Chen Jiayao.

"Not bad!" Xue Chen applauded him, offering some encouragement.

Xie Tian led his horse over and, hearing Xue Chen's generous praise, grinned foolishly. "I'm honored by the compliment."

"Interested in having a race?" Fu Hengzhou watched Xue Chen give Xie Tian an encouraging hug, then smiled as he extended the invitation.

Xue Chen hesitated for a moment before nodding. He really did want to see whether his riding skills had been returned to his teacher. "Sure."