Section 1

Returning to extreme poverty after graduating from university, earning money again, and then applying for further studies abroad

Lin Yiyang turned around and collided with Yin Guo's pair of eyes

I

The third option, a break shot, with the 9 ball going directly into the pocket, results in a win

Everything should be back on track, such as training

Yin Guo applauded in greeting

This week, in order to make it here by the weekend, he has been living in a rush. He hasn't had time to get his hair cut, and the hair on his forehead is almost covering his eyes, giving him a somewhat rebellious yet stylish look. It is likely that he developed this demeanor from hanging out in pool halls since childhood; he actually has a strong rebellious streak deep down. Over the years, he has toned it down significantly and hides it quite well. However, sometimes, when he is not paying attention, it will slip out.

On the table, the 9 ball is near the corner pocket. He only needs to hit the 4 ball, and it will be easy to indirectly pocket it and win this round

Since it is not an official match and there is no betting involved, the serve is alternated.

The song has played again, and it has reached the line sung by Yin Guo: "I was born to like it, arrogance is my nature... I was born to like it, I strive for victory with strength, and I dominate solely based on true ability..."

Her original intention was to casually play with him, to draw closer through shared interests; now it seems she has put him in a difficult position.

With a sharp sound, four balls rushed towards the four corner pockets, all sinking into the bags

They respond very quickly over there

During this time, Yin Guo often pondered whether to have a chat or not

Sister," Meng Xiaotian said with great envy, "You have such a good rapport with others..."

In fact, I have a good friend who is from the same school as you, an alumnus," Yin Guo said, "She is from the law center.

For example, the posture of undressing now

With a sharp sound, the white ball struck the colored ball, and the four balls sank into the pocket

"Oh, do you think he comes from a wealthy family?" Wu Wei laughed, "Students in their first year of studying abroad are not allowed to take formal jobs. Teaching people how to play billiards here is one way to make a living."

Lin: That's easy to say

Lin: [ Coffee ]

Lin: I am in class, I will talk after class

Find the plastic frame for placing the balls and arrange the colored balls into a diamond shape

This year, in your women's team, there is a strong contender for the championship who plays fast-paced. Lin Yiyang suggested, "Let me accompany you to get accustomed to it first"

With the assistance of Wu Wei, Yin Guo signed a short-term lease with the landlord, which will last until the end of April. The lease is for two months and includes two rooms. She also agreed with the landlord in the contract that once they confirm receiving the offer for Meng Xiaotian's room, they will renew the lease for a full year.

The owner of the billiard hall came to check on her once again, advising Yin Guo that if she encountered any harassment or trouble, she should not hesitate to call the staff of the billiard hall to resolve it directly. Yin Guo agreed, and the other party kindly patted her shoulder, saying: "A friend of Lin is a friend of everyone"

So, how many balls are needed

This is her first time playing ball with Lin Yiyang

Yin Guo nodded slightly

Finally, he placed the white ball on the service line and pointed at the ball: "Best of five games, you need to be spirited; a best of ten games is also acceptable."

He is surprisingly familiar with the female team members

Lin Yiyang opened the door, returned the cue, and conveniently settled the payment for today's billiard table.

Since that night, when the two of them had a brief conversation about the ramen shop in the middle of the night, there has been no further communication

It seems that she has suddenly entered Lin Yiyang's world

Today, she felt good. As she became happy, she hummed the song in her heart: "I was born to like it, arrogance is my nature... I was born to like it, striving for victory with strength, dominating entirely based on true ability..."

Laughter and loud cheers are continuous

Where are the people? They were all here before leaving

She is not one to be unable to afford a loss

Yin Guoning focused on that white ball; when it appeared in her line of sight, the match had begun. It did not matter who the opponent was.

Yin Guo still wants to argue

Two men are looking at her together

No more distractions, focus, focus.

Everyone here has a bit of acquaintance with him

Wu Wei glanced at the watch and said, "Alright, you practice, I will go to work."

The origin of the pool tables varies from one billiard hall to another, and there will always be some differences compared to the one he usually goes to with Yin Guo. He is concerned that she might not adapt well since she is new here

He said, patting the pool table: "Are you used to it? The pool table here?"

In the second game, Lin Yiyang cleared the table with one shot

Every day: I didn't watch it all, this time it's just right that I haven't seen it before, and it's great to have someone to accompany me. Every time I come alone, sister, you can just eat at home by yourself.

Yin Guo nodded slightly

This is his first time serving as a sparring partner, so he needs to think it over carefully

Yin Guo was momentarily taken aback: "I... my skills are quite good"

Wu Wei briefly discussed how Lin Yiyang transformed from being at the bottom of his middle school class, ranked over thirty, to making a determined effort to catch up in high school, enduring numerous hardships, and ultimately peeling back layers to rise to the top. Over the past decade, since he decided to start anew, he has gone from being at the bottom to becoming an academic achiever, sacrificing almost all personal life except for billiards.

Lin Yiyang used to work here, teaching people how to play billiards, so he has a good relationship with the boss, Wu Wei explained to her, here, his name is much more useful than mine

The song being hummed in the mouth suddenly came to a halt

Yin Guo then realized what she was doing and quickly turned around: "Then I will go prepare."

Fortunately, this time he took the initiative to speak first

Suddenly realized that the song of the gangsters fits him very well, he holding a cue stick

Before long, Chinese songs unexpectedly started playing outside. It is quite surprising to hear such songs in a non-Chinese environment. This song evoked some childhood memories for Yin Guo. Is it from "The Great Star of the Turbulent Times"?

It is possible to walk back to the apartment from here, so I practiced for an extra hour today to readjust to my routine in the country. By evening, more people started to gather in the billiard room, and the owner even specially closed the door to her small compartment.

Bend down, extend the rod, and swiftly secure the catch

On the table, one can still see a very small pot that Yin Guo prepared before leaving, as well as some uncut vegetables

She practiced alone until dark

This is quite similar to the situation in the country, where crowded ballrooms are all like this

But a wooden door cannot block out much of the noise from the men outside who are drinking and having a good time

"I practiced by myself today," Yin Guo smiled at him amiably, "If you have some free time, would you like to play a game with me?"

Wu Wei shook his head: "Lin Yiyang is familiar with the boss. That day after he dropped you off, he couldn't go back home, so he slept here."

Fortunately, with Lin Yiyang present, otherwise this entire table would have been in vain

What is going on today, you have been staring at others continuously

Lin Yiyang pondered for a few seconds

In the third game, she lost

"Thank you, thank you," the cousin echoed, "let's wait for Brother Yang to return"

Yin Guo ran over with her own cue stick bucket, wanting to pay for herself, but he blocked her with one arm and casually took her cue stick bucket: "As a guest from afar, since this is your first time here today, let me cover the table fee."

In recent years, apart from practicing basketball by myself, I have been involved in gambling on matches and teaching others how to play. Even when teaching, I adopt a strict approach, as I fear that girls might be brought to tears by my training, which is why I never teach girls.

In the blink of an eye, a week has passed

The boss smiled and pushed the money back to Lin Yiyang, saying it was on him

"How long have you been practicing? Are you planning to go back?" He leaned against the pool table with one hand, asking her.

As the two entered, the boss warmly greeted Wu Wei upon seeing him. Wu Wei specifically informed the billiard room owner that she was Lin Yiyang's "female friend," and directly reserved the training time for every day, leaving Lin Yiyang's favorite billiard table.

The meal has been eaten, and the room has also been tidied up

At first, she, like her cousin, believed that Lin Yiyang was a wealthy young man, similar to Zheng Yi, excelling in studies, leading a stable life, and being outstanding in every aspect. However, Wu Wei's subsequent remarks completely overturned her impression of Lin Yiyang

She held the cue stick and smiled at him amicably: "How about we go eat? I forgot you just got off the train"

She temporarily set aside her phone, picked up the chopsticks, and inadvertently grabbed a large mouthful of wasabi octopus, stuffing it all into her mouth. A strong taste of wasabi surged up her nose, causing tears to stream down her face

"It's nothing, I'm not hungry," Lin Yiyang said as he took out the colorful balls from the bag one by one and tossed them onto the pool table

Perhaps because I am somewhat familiar with it, at this moment, this coffee expression looks quite adorable

But do you think this idea of mine is too eager

Xiao Guo: Haven't you seen it several times already

To win at nine-ball, there are three methods

She was distracted and thought to herself: "That will do."

It is now the fifth round, and it is Lin Yiyang's turn to bat

In the fourth game, she clearly sensed that Lin Yiyang was starting to play aggressively, allowing her to win.

Wu Wei understood her thoughts without her having to mention them. He directly handed her the cue and took her to the nearest billiard hall to the apartment. Billiards is not a popular sport worldwide, and it is not particularly popular here either, so there are not many local billiard halls, and finding a suitable one requires some effort. This apartment was also recommended by Lin Yiyang to Wu Wei, precisely because it is adjacent to the billiard hall, making it convenient for his regular practice.

This mustard... is so authentic she explained with tears streaming down her face

Lin Yiyang agreed

Upon graduating from university, the savings from various scholarships alone were sufficient to pay off all the debts incurred during high school as well as the student loans from university

It is as if it has descended from the heavens

He suddenly laughed: "Aren't you afraid of being made to cry by me?"

Xiao Guo: We moved to the apartment today, and Wu Wei said that you spoke highly of the landlord. Thank you very much

This aura truly resembles that of my cousin

"Do you want to play fast or take it steady?" Just as she was about to take her shot, Lin Yiyang suddenly asked

Yin Guo withdrew her thoughts, picked up the cue, and walked to the side of the pool.

Yin Guo took the chalk powder and gently rubbed it on the tip of his cue stick

"Lin Yiyang is the person I admire the most in my life; I truly respect him for daring to push himself to the limit." Wu Wei stood by the billiard table, handing a cue chalk to Yin Guo

Thank you, thank you. Yin Guo was taken aback.

Lin Yiyang nodded as a matter of course: "Eat"

Very beautiful

He placed his gloves on the billiard chair by the wall, took off his coat, revealing a plain black long-sleeve T-shirt and ordinary jeans... His legs are really long, this thought crossed Yin Guo's mind

One week later

In the first game, she narrowly won

Lin Yiyang and his boss are friends, so there was no need for excessive politeness. They exchanged a few pleasantries with smiles and left the billiard room with Ying Guo

The boss quickly went to attend to other guests

"Not bad at singing," he said with a smile, placing the beer bottle in his hand on the table beside him

On the day of the move, Yin Guo took the initiative to invite Wu Wei downstairs to go to the ramen shop for a meal, to express gratitude for the assistance received

So Lin Yiyang also lives here? Doesn't that mean we will run into each other often in the future

Oh, fine, you have once again killed the conversation. Don't blame me

Really..." the cousin exclaimed in surprise

"That really has been a burden on us," the cousin directly took the responsibility upon himself, "When will Brother Yang come again? I will treat him to a grand meal."

However, Wu Wei later pondered that there must have been some trickery that night

After speaking, Wu Wei added specifically: "Rest assured, when he comes, he will sleep in my room and will not disturb you."

"After class, he came over, trying his best to avoid looking at her face, lest he appear frivolous. 'I heard you were training here, so I thought I would stop by for a glance.'"

At the very least, they are semi-professional players; even if they cannot win, they would not cry.

In the evening, I prepared hot pot at home, let's eat together. She walked beside Lin Yiyang towards the apartment

He spoke while rolling up the sleeves of his T-shirt, turning on the faucet, and casually washing the unwashed dishes that Wu Wei had left in the sink. Yin Guo unexpectedly discovered that he had a floral tattoo on his right arm. The last time in Flushing, he wore thick clothing, and he rolled up his sleeves symbolically, but not very high, so it didn't show.

Lin Yiyang

"Next time? It's hard to say," Wu Wei said with a half-smile, continuing, "He has to study and earn money, and he doesn't have much free time. Every time he comes and goes in a hurry, we only see each other for a brief moment every one or two months"

Yin Guo stopped reflexively upon seeing these two characters

Yin Guo watched as he picked up the chalk and rubbed it on the cue stick, appearing somewhat displeased

That day, Wu Wei's phone froze and would not turn on. He originally planned to take the subway home, but over a dozen lines had suspended service for the night. He found it too troublesome, so he decided not to go back and instead drank at the bar until he was high. When he returned early in the morning, he found that Xiao Yang had fallen asleep in a noodle shop. It is truly fortunate that Lin Yiyang has friends everywhere; he always manages to get by.

However, since her cousin opened the club, she has had little exposure to such an environment.

The door was pulled open, and a person walked in

It is utterly embarrassing

"Okay," Lin Yiyang picked up the public cue stick, "I will consider you as my practice partner"

In her childhood, in order to practice her on-the-spot psychological quality, she was specifically taken by her cousin Meng Xiaodong to the most chaotic billiard hall, filled with smoke and the noise of cursing. Her cousin would take charge and throw her at one of the billiard tables in the back, casually bringing over a small thug to play. This was a common occurrence. Therefore, the external environment now is completely a piece of cake for her, no different from soothing music.

You may thank him," Wu Wei said aptly, "the landlord is willing to rent to you for a short term; he has spoken quite highly of you.

Has he worked here before

Taking advantage of Lin Yiyang turning on the light, she went to the washroom, took out her phone, and inquired about the whereabouts of Meng Xiaotian

After holding it in for half a day, she finally asked: "Aren't you ... ... in class?"

The difference is not significant, "Yin Guo pointed to a nearby public cue, "I occasionally use the public cue as well; one must get accustomed to it."

You do not need to accommodate me. In this situation, she can also win; his skill level does not allow for mistakes

She originally thought that when she got home, there would be Wu Wei and Meng Xiaotian, two chatterboxes, and their presence would always balance the atmosphere. However, upon returning to the apartment, she found that the lights were off, and the room was shrouded in darkness

Indeed, I was puzzled at first, " Wu Wei said with a meaningful smile, " suddenly claiming to have an urgent matter to attend to, yet the urgent matter was not accomplished, and he ended up back at home.

She put down her phone in frustration: "They are not here, do you still want to eat?"

"Your brother has mentioned it," he replied

Just now, while he was applying the powder, he was contemplating how to make the water look real, as the situation was too favorable to fabricate. He took advantage of the light from the pool table and noticed that Ying Guo looked quite happy, which put him at ease

So good

Her line of sight was just blocked by the billiard lamp; as she straightened up, she unexpectedly saw him

The temperature outside is even lower than when she arrived. Yin Guo believes that the weather forecast is accurate and that it is certainly going to snow again

She bent down, facing the three balls she had arranged at an awkward angle, humming this song to herself

After Wu Wei left

The boss smiled at her and said, "Please, go ahead."

She was once again distracted and looked at him in surprise

Yin Guo listened to them while waiting for the noodles, and at the same time, he opened WeChat and accessed Lin's chat window

Every day: Brother Wei bought tickets for Broadway in the afternoon and took me to see the show

Bend down and position the cue correctly

Lin Yiyang noticed her looking at him, shook off the water droplets from the plate, picked up a cloth, and while drying the plate, turned back to look at her

A plate of wasabi octopus was just placed in front of Yin Guo after ordering.

A very good opening

Little Fruit: [ Cheerful ]

The first method is to knock down the balls in order, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and finally hit the 9 ball into the pocket to win

The second method involves striking the lowest numbered colored ball on the table, indirectly hitting the 9 ball into the pocket to win

She was also quite confused and asked Wu Wei, "You are regular customers, aren't you?"