"Due to time constraints for the mini-episode, I'll only be running the course once. But along the way, I'll walk you through some practical drifting techniques."
Jing Yu gave one last look toward the camera—
Then started the engine.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Cheng Lie immediately tensed up.
After all, this wasn't his first time riding with Jing Yu on this winding downhill course.
"Producer Cheng, stay relaxed. Don't throw up again, okay?" Jing Yu glanced at him with a smirk.
They'd rehearsed this line ahead of time.
Cheng Lie thought it was unnecessary but still responded as instructed:
"Who throws up from just sitting in a car?!"
Even if Jing Yu hadn't told him to say that, Cheng Lie probably would've responded the same.
Li Yin leaned forward, fully focused.
In the next second, the AE86 took off.
The beginning was a short straight stretch. Jing Yu pushed the acceleration steadily,
and as they approached the corner, he spoke:
"Floor the gas. Don't slow too much before turning. Then counter-steer."
As he explained, the five-camera view suddenly shifted.
Jing Yu moved with perfect coordination,
a high-pitched screech filled the air—
and the car's windshield swung laterally as they drifted cleanly through the corner.
Speed at that moment: 84 km/h
Not particularly fast—this car had slow acceleration, after all.
Li Yin stared, stunned.
In the fan group, everyone else was just as speechless.
"So… who actually learned something?"
"I didn't learn a thing. You guys?"
"Jing Yu-sensei made it sound so easy. But watching it—it looks super complicated!"
"It's like saying 'how to play soccer—just kick the ball!' Sounds simple. But is it really?"
"Wait… look at Camera 3. The water cup!"
"Holy crap! I didn't even notice it until now!"
"How is that even possible? Is that for real?!"
"Initial D is a documentary, huh? So the story wasn't exaggerated?"
"I'm crying. This is too insane."
"Why is even driving sexy when Jing Yu does it?"
Following the comments in the group, Li Yin glanced at Camera 3 on the screen.
This angle only took up a small part of the TV—
focused entirely on the water cup.
As Jing Yu drifted through corners one after another, the water sloshed along the rim,
but each time Li Yin thought it would spill—
Jing Yu would execute a clean sideways drift that sent the water spiraling safely back inside.
Eventually, the water began spinning in a smooth vortex around the inner edge of the cup.
That whirling vortex of water seemed almost hypnotic,
drawing the attention of every viewer.
In dramas, characters can brag all they want,
But there's always an instinctive sense that "it's just fiction."
But this—
No cuts. Fully real. Shot in one take.
This was different.
"Alright," Jing Yu said with a smile,
"That was just the warm-up. I went slowly because I was explaining the technique.
But now... let's get serious."
The speedometer crossed 100 km/h.
When they filmed this tutorial, Cheng Lie was in the passenger seat,
And even then, he felt the car starting to float.
He knew exactly how limited the AE86's performance was.
Every single corner felt like the car might fly off the road.
He was well aware that the car's traction was nearing its limit.
If Jing Yu misjudged a single turn, they'd flip.
But even so—
Jing Yu kept accelerating, constantly brushing up against that edge—yet never crossing it.
Cheng Lie's adrenaline spiked.
Watching through the camera angles, Li Yin swallowed nervously.
In the fan group, everyone had gone quiet.
From the main driver's perspective, viewers saw the ever-shifting scenery out the side windows.
They saw the narrow mountain roads
and Jing Yu drifting inches from the guardrail, again and again.
It was… insane.
It looked like he was begging to die.
One mistake, and they'd be off the cliff.
Some of the more anxious fans were already sweating.
"Uh…"
"Can you slow down a bit?" Cheng Lie said, trying to sound calm.
"Jing Yu?"
"Jing Yu??"
"Can you hear me?!"
Cheng Lie looked over, hoping for a response—
But Jing Yu was fully locked in.
He was gone—completely immersed in the drive.
He had even forgotten the camera, forgotten Cheng Lie.
This wasn't the time to talk.
One foot slammed the gas pedal—
The speed kept climbing.
Cheng Lie's face turned pale.
"Slow down…"
"SLOW DOWN! Let me out!!"
"LET ME OUT OF THIS CAR!!!"
"Are you crazy?! You're still speeding up?! Don't you see the windows shaking?!"
"JING YU, STOP! STOP NOW!!"
"Wait—THAT CURVE UP AHEAD IS SHARP! YOU'RE GOING TOO FAST! NOOOOO—!!"
From the mountain echoed Cheng Lie's terrified screams.
At the bottom, just before the final turn of the five hairpin corners,
Jing Yu demonstrated a perfect gutter-drift.
Then the car finally stopped.
Jing Yu snapped out of his intense focus.
Next to him, Cheng Lie was hanging out the window, vomiting like crazy.
"Uh… sorry about that, everyone.
I might've gotten a bit carried away.
After all, I needed to focus on driving, so I didn't explain much.
But drifting… yeah, that's pretty much how you do it."
"All the moves are in the video.
If you're interested, feel free to try them out in private.
That's it for today's driving class! See you next week on 'Initial D!'"
"Producer Cheng… actually threw up." Jing Yu added, rushing to console him.
"You psycho! You absolute lunatic!" Cheng yelled.
"Next time, I don't care who it is—but it won't be me in your car!
I never should've agreed to film this stupid tutorial!"
Cut to black.
Yunteng TV commercial rolls.
That 7-minute mini-episode,
shook 'Initial D' fans to their core—
more than anything, the main story had done.
The top drama teams at Huanshi TV, Imperial Capital TV, and Xingtong TV had been watching 'Initial D' closely this season—
And when they saw this footage, they were stunned.
Even the executives at Xingtong TV and Imperial Capital TV were floored.
"What the hell is this?!"
"Is this even a drama anymore?!"
"Jing Yu's just wasting his talents being a screenwriter and actor!
He should be in Formula racing, bringing home medals for the nation!"
Lin Bin, screenwriter of 'Arrow', was completely dazed.
"Jing Yu actually filmed this stuff for real? Seriously?!
I get that 'art imitates life'...
But he's LIVING like a piece of art! This is cheating!"
Fan Group Reactions:
"I'm crying. This is too freaking insane!"
"I was wrong. I admit it—I was totally wrong.
I only started watching Jing Yu's shows this season.
I used to think fans of 'White Album 2' and 'Your Lie in April' were overhyping his musical talent.
I thought the great OSTs were ghostwritten or bought."
"Fans of 'Hikaru no Go' praised his Go skills, and I thought, whatever—it's just a niche hobby."
"But today… I'm humbled.
I don't know music. I don't play Go.
I don't understand screenwriting or acting.
But I DO know how to drive. I have a license.
And watching this drifting tutorial—I can tell just how crazy this is."
"I got chills. Literal goosebumps."
"Jing Yu-sensei has crushed every bit of criticism thrown at him this past week."
"Who dares say 'Initial D' was fake now?! Hmm?!"
"I'm numb. I can't even describe the awe I feel right now."
"Mom, I want to learn how to drift!"
"Poor Producer Cheng. He almost cried in that passenger seat."
"Forget him. I almost cried watching this video!
Jing Yu's drift was that close to the guardrail.
Two centimeters? No—ONE. It was INSANE."
"The man vomited in the end. I feel bad.
He couldn't distract Jing Yu, but watching Jing Yu floor it like that—he must've felt helpless."
"True. But knowing they're both okay now, I can't help but laugh. HAHAHAHA."
"That ending—Producer Cheng yelling at Jing Yu was cathartic.
I wanted to yell too! Are you crazy?! Risking your life for a drama?! How much are you even getting paid?!"
"Based on his profit-sharing contract with Yunteng TV,
plus music royalties, acting fees, and other revenue—
Jing Yu probably earns over 10 million a month while filming."
"That's actually a conservative estimate.
Considering 'Hikaru no Go' and 'Initial D's popularity, and the reported royalty splits—
He'll keep earning from these shows for years."
"10 million/month? Got it. If I made that, I'd risk my life too!"
"Nope. Still wouldn't. I like living. You guys can learn to drift—I'll pass."
"Drifting's cool. Dying isn't.
Jing Yu's driving? Out of 100 people, 100 would crash trying it."
"Now you understand what true mastery is.
Don't write a music drama if you can't compose.
Don't write 'Hikaru no Go' unless you know how to play Go.
Don't make 'Initial D' unless you can drift yourself."
"He's the kind of genius that makes jealousy feel pointless.
The gap is so big you don't even want to compare."
Episode 3 of 'Initial D' ended with a 6.71% average rating—a significant jump from Episode 2.
But what really blew everyone's mind was Jing Yu's drifting tutorial video.
Fans recorded it on their phones and shared it across forums, video platforms, and drama boards.
Viewers were stunned.
High-speed drifting downhill? Maybe believable.
But spinning a full cup of water without spilling a drop at those speeds?!
That was legendary.
This triggered a massive debate about the authenticity of the video across forums.
'Initial D', along with Jing Yu's name, began spreading like wildfire online.
The next day, media outlets and film critics rushed to ride the trend and grab the traffic.
The drama's story was excellent, no doubt.
But the tutorial?
It was on another level.
Before this, 'Initial D' was neck-and-neck in online buzz with the Big Three's dramas.
Its fanbase was loyal, sure, but its platform limited its reach.
Now?
'Initial D' had clearly pulled ahead.
Not even Jing Yu or Cheng Lie had seen this coming.
"Wait… the audience likes these mini-tutorials?"
Cheng Lie was dumbfounded.
He'd been cringing over how embarrassing his screaming looked on camera.
But now, he didn't care anymore.
As a good producer, anything that boosts ratings is a win.
He'd originally sworn off doing a second episode of this terrifying segment.
Now?
He was reconsidering.