Speed and Love Episode 9 Recap
> Speed and Love Recap
After overhearing a conversation between Wan Qing and Jin Chao, Jiang Mu approached Jin Chao and offered him an apple. Jin Chao initially questioned why she thought he would eat something she offered. Jiang Mu then asked if he wanted to be continuously entangled by Wan Qing, to which Jin Chao replied that he was not afraid of being pursued by women, declaring he had never feared anyone in his life.
Jiang Mu, taking a bite of the apple herself, playfully suggested he might encounter someone he truly feared one day. Jin Chao met her gaze, took another bite, and walked away, conceding that if such a day came, he would accept his fate. Na Na, Jiang Mu's friend, arranged for her to have a skilled Chinese-speaking driving instructor, Coach Hua. Under his guidance, Jiang Mu quickly passed her driving test.
Celebrating her success, Na Na called Jiang Mu her "lucky star" and mentioned feeling an "instant connection" with her from their first meeting, describing it as meeting by chance and becoming immediate friends. Meanwhile, Xin's test scores were quite poor. Jin Fengzi attempted to sign her report card as a parent but realized he couldn't remember how to write the character "Jin." San Lai, mocking him, grabbed the paper to sign it himself, leading to an argument.
Jin Chao arrived and noticed the last two questions on Xin's paper were left blank. Xin admitted she intentionally left them blank to avoid getting first place, which would require her to give a speech as the student representative, a task she wanted to skip. Jin Chao signed her paper but advised her to be direct with her teacher next time instead of resorting to such tricks.
He then playfully accused Jin Fengzi and San Lai of often impersonating parents and signing Xin's papers. Later, at a service area, Jiang Mu spotted Lin Sui while buying milk tea. Lin Sui, noticing her purchase, remarked that she had chosen the worst flavor and offered to make her a special strawberry-flavored drink. Jiang Mu mentioned she was waiting for San Lai.
Lin Sui revealed that he had invited San Lai, and since San Lai was currently lost, he offered Jiang Mu a ride up the mountain. Lin Sui also explained a "secret code" used between racers. They soon spotted San Lai's bright pink pickup truck heading up the mountain, an hour behind schedule. Lin Sui wondered aloud why he had even invited San Lai.
Upon San Lai's arrival, he proudly showed off his "spruced up" appearance, including a red scarf for "good luck," but Lin Sui dismissed his efforts as typical of an "underachiever with lots of stationery." Lin Sui suggested they begin their race. To show hospitality, Lin Sui offered San Lai a five-second head start. San Lai accepted, but as the race began, his truck veered, nearly falling into a ditch.
Lin Sui then took San Lai's duckbill hat, promising to return it to its owner. As they prepared to descend, San Lai complained about his bad luck, lamenting his ruined outfit. Jiang Mu corrected him, stating that the downhill road was actually more challenging. Feeling dizzy from the uphill drive, San Lai agreed to let Jiang Mu take the wheel, and she confidently promised to reach the service area within half an hour.
True to her word, she completed the drive in an impressive 23 minutes, earning Lin Sui's admiration. San Lai went to buy cupcakes, specifically requesting cream-free bases for Jin Chao, who disliked cream and sweet foods. Jiang Mu, curious about the hat, asked San Lai whose it was. San Lai replied it belonged to Jin Chao. Overhearing this, Lin Sui smiled, drove away, and discreetly paid for their cakes in advance.
Following Jiang Mu's suggestion, San Lai got a new haircut, shaved his beard, and adopted a more stylish wardrobe, which indeed made him look refreshed and sharp-featured, "like an idol." He went to show Jin Chao, mentioning it was Jiang Mu's idea and boasting that he now looked "more handsome" and had "a slight edge over" Jin Chao. When Jiang Mu returned home, she excitedly praised San Lai's transformation, gushing over his new look and admiring his accessories.
Jin Chao had to call her name twice to get her attention. Jin Chao then asked why she was always inquiring about him. Jiang Mu replied simply, "Because it's you." Jin Chao probed further, reminding her that they were not related by blood and questioned how others, especially Jin Qiang, would perceive her frequent visits. He then leaned closer and explicitly asked if she "wanted something to happen between us."
Startled, Jiang Mu pushed him away and ran out of the room. Later, Lin Sui visited Jin Qiang's Chinese Restaurant. Jin Chao was there, and when Zhao Meijuan stepped out, she left Jin Chao to attend to Lin Sui. Lin Sui found the dumplings too salty, so Jin Chao made him fried rice instead, telling him to eat and leave and not come back. Lin Sui then returned the duckbill hat to Jin Chao.
He revealed that he had been looking for Jin Chao since their previous encounter on the mountain, during which Jin Chao had interrupted his race. Lin Sui also recalled a boxing match and how San Lai had falsely claimed to be the driver that night. Lin Sui challenged Jin Chao to a one-on-one race, but Jin Chao declined, suggesting Lin Sui challenge Liang Yanfeng instead.
Jin Chao brushed off his past win against Liang Yanfeng, attributing it to mere luck and familiarity with the road, reiterating his lack of interest in another race. Jin Chao received news that the next competition would be a cornering speed race. Despite his lack of confidence after almost losing his previous race, he was told that winning first place was crucial.
Achieving this would allow them to transport cargo for Wan Shengbang, thereby disrupting Wan Shengbang's illicit business and securing vital evidence. Seeking guidance, Jin Chao consulted Jin Qiang. Jin Qiang, a veteran racer, shared his philosophy: while calmness, attentiveness, courage, and skill are commonly cited, they are "bullshit." He emphasized "mastery" and viewing the car as "an extension of your body," with the driver becoming "part of the car," understanding its "breathing, rhythm, sound, and temperature."
He elaborated that true skill comes from hands being "faster than your brain," making all actions "muscle memory" and "instinctive" without needing to think. To achieve this, Jin Qiang instructed Jin Chao to assist him with food deliveries the following day. He summarized his advice concisely: "Don't be a coward." Disturbed by Jin Chao's earlier intimate question, Jiang Mu felt annoyed and avoided visiting Jin Chao at the garage.
Jin Qiang noticed her absence and asked Jin Chao if he had said anything to her. Jin Chao admitted that he had. To help Jin Chao practice his driving and embody the philosophy of "man-car unity," Jin Qiang tasked him with delivering takeout orders using his race car. Jin Chao initially worried about getting complaints for slow delivery, especially since his car's rotors were "completely worn out" and might fall apart.
Jin Qiang challenged him to "wreck it" if he could, while urging him to drive fast, turn off the AC to keep the food warm, and return quickly for more orders. Jin Chao faced various challenges on the road, including a customer threatening to complain about slow service, but he skillfully navigated traffic and sped to his destinations. Jin Qiang later hinted at the challenges Jin Chao faced, remarking that if he had arrived earlier, he wouldn't have gotten "splashed."
This implied that Jin Chao's difficult delivery experiences were part of his training to push his limits. That night, Jiang Mu woke up from a dream where she was passionately kissing Jin Chao in a swimming pool. Reflecting on all their physical contact, she felt it was "too much" and tried to control her thoughts, but couldn't stop wondering what Jin Chao truly thought of her. She pondered if she was "overthinking" things or if his words were "serious." She remained awake, lost in thought, until dawn, urging herself to "pull yourself together" to face him in the future.
