Section 5

Yin Guo sat alone on the billiard chair, idly flipping through WeChat, when he suddenly remembered that he had not yet checked his Moments.

I take back what I said, " Su Wei handed her the phone, " Have you offended him? "

In order to prove his words, Yin Guo showed Su Wei the WeChat conversation between the two of them

Lin Yiyang picked up the ice bucket and walked towards the pool table he often frequented. He set down the bucket, did not choose a cue, and opened a bottle of wine, taking a sip: "You can drink freely here, but smoking is not allowed, so keep that in check—"

Making money is not easy, even Wu Wei has been grumbling about him, saying how nice it would be to attend a more affordable school, yet he insists on going to an expensive one. However, after muttering about it a couple of times, he stopped mentioning it. This is because Wu Wei also understands that this is part of his stubbornness.

In all the chat records, she maintained a good temper, offering lengthy self-introductions, frequently expressing goodwill, and trying to build a friendship. However, all the conversations ended with Lin Yiyang's cold replies, either "No need to be polite," or "That's fine," or sometimes just sending an emoji to conclude the dialogue

She is the person you want to get to know the first time you see her. The boss is in his forties and is an experienced individual

Jiang Yang is a snooker player who has taught a group of apprentices how to play nine-ball, which is somewhat unusual

They have known each other for one year

You all continue your conversation; I will go downstairs to have a meal

In these past ten years, he has struggled greatly, all because of a single phrase from his mentor: "You, Lin Yiyang, have no family; once you leave this club and lose your racket, you will be nothing."

He carefully studied the entire conversation between the two individuals, from adding each other as friends to last night, leaving not a single detail overlooked. What should he say? He pressed a finger against the empty small glass bottle, spinning it in circles as he contemplated.

Isn't it the April competition? If Lin Yiyang remembers correctly, both Wu Wei and Yin Guo are competing at that time

What kind of girl? Which country is she from? What is her skin type or ethnicity?

Clean and spotless, pure and innocent

Outside the door, Jiang Yang, dressed in a black cotton coat, walked to the edge of the steps, half-squatting down, and waved to Lin Yiyang inside the store. Through a glass door, the owner asked, "Are you looking for someone?"

In the past, Lin Yiyang was always referred to as a genius player by the teachers of the sports club

That night, Lin Yiyang helped her move boxes to the entrance of the inn. Yin Guo sincerely bowed and thanked him, and that appearance was truly adorable. That night, he slept in this ramen shop, and the image of her bowing and expressing her gratitude kept replaying in his mind.

Lin Yiyang turned around and smiled easily: "Will there be any difficult matters for me?"

Lin Yiyang wants to refuse

He shook the white ball in his hand and said, "It's not as mysterious as Wu Wei described, considering that," he bent down from the side of the table and placed the white ball on the break line, "they might not even be interested in me."

Lin Yiyang reviewed all the materials related to her athletic career

He could even imagine her daily training, being honed and pressured by experts, repeatedly training her mental resilience for on-the-spot performance

"What are you doing to play nine-ball?" Lin Yiyang asked Jiang Yang

The boss saw Lin Yiyang, first smiled and turned back, took a large ice bucket, filled it with seven or eight bottles of beer, placed the ice bucket in front of him, and pointed to a pool table inside.

... ...

"Which day is it? I mean, which day did we meet?" the boss asked

In the past, I spoke with a sharp tongue, hurting many people. Especially when using a mobile phone, as I cannot see their faces while speaking, I fear there may be even more misunderstandings

Jiang Yang chuckled, took another puff of his cigarette, and patted him on the shoulder: "That's right, for our little Master Yang, there's nothing that can't be handled."

Lin Yiyang withdrew his thoughts and continued eating the noodles

How to describe her ... ... ?

You know she has talent, but you can see even more how much effort she has put in for it. Such athletes, no matter how far they go, will receive the warmest applause, because they are "worthy"

What Yin Guo did not know was that when she applied to add him as a friend on WeChat, Lin Yiyang had just entered the subway platform

Lin Yiyang returned to his room, put on his cold-resistant clothing, slipped on his sneakers barefoot, and took his keys and wallet, making his way through the living room. It was only at the end, when he saw the children all staring at him, that he felt a twinge of reluctance, waved his hand slightly, and treated it as a farewell

In their youth, before becoming famous, everyone in the sports club would give each other nicknames

He wanted to say, like a sissy electronic cigarette, he held it back

Lin Yiyang pointed to his pitch-black pupils and said: "Chinese."

He sent Yin Guo back to the hotel, and upon returning to the apartment, he realized that he had not brought the apartment key at all. The two sisters in the apartment were also stuck on the other side of the city and had not returned.

In fact, we have just met and do not yet know each other well he added

As the two individuals were conversing, they entered the billiard room

Yesterday, in order to meet Yin Guo, he changed his train tickets three times and finally found a gap in his schedule to invite Meng Xiaotian to that café for coffee. However, when he actually saw Yin Guo appear before him, he was at a loss for how to start the conversation

Lin Yiyang stood with his hands in his pockets, looking up at the distant flow of traffic.

The door is closed

Jiang Yangxiao: "At that time, both of us were among the lowest in the rankings, right? With nearly forty students in the class, could you even rank thirtieth?"

He did not speak, merely nodded, and walked shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Yang down the street to the right

This is fortunate for Yin Guo, who has a good temper; if it were Su Wei, she would have given up long ago

He is a person without a circle of friends

"Choose a cue." He tilted his head and pointed to the cues on the rack

"Junior high school? About the same." He recalled

Su Wei certainly does not believe it

These years have not been easy, have they? Jiang Yang looked at his junior apprentice.

After two minutes of leaving, he arrived at the same ramen shop. He had an excellent memory and recalled the noodles that Yin Guo had eaten that night, including the ingredients that had been added. At this time, there were not many people, and the owner, having some free time, sat down opposite Lin Yiyang

After leaving the basketball club in high school, I was deeply stimulated and studied day and night. Aside from making money, I was focused on my studies, and it was truly difficult

The boss finally taught him: "Speak your most genuine words, and she will feel it"

Su Wei was also tired, and she suggested that the two of them take a ten-minute break together, putting down their clubs and going outside for some fresh air

Lin Yiyang cast a sidelong glance at the electronic cigarette in his hand Jiang Yang understood his thoughts and took out a pack of cigarettes he had just bought from the pocket of his cotton jacket along with a lighter and handed them to him saying I am alternating between smoking them as I quit smoking

Jiang Yang whistled

Fortunately, a kind-hearted boss took him in, allowing him to sleep here, in the store, for one night

That night, a heavy snowstorm blanketed the city

Everyone sincerely congratulates, as it is well-deserved

That night, the night I slept here

Especially in Washington, she thanked him for hosting her cousin, also coldly responding with a "good to say" along with an expression. At that moment, she was truly hurt. In the following long ten days, they did not exchange a single word.

"The girl you brought last night is very beautiful," the boss said

But for some reason, perhaps because he was just pondering how to send a message to Yin Guo, his mood was quite good, at least much better than when he woke up in the morning

Lin Yiyang picked up the noodles with chopsticks and smiled

She quietly opened it

How many matches have been lost to achieve this?

In the sports club, there are very few children with good academic performance. At that time, some of them could not continue their studies, and their parents, being open-minded, chose to send them to the sports club for an alternative path. Otherwise, it was often the case that their families were involved in this line of work, such as running a bowling hall, providing the necessary conditions and environment for direct entry into the industry. Lin Yiyang himself did not perform well academically in middle school.

With the first shot, the first game was won

After that, if one achieves a ranking, especially as the champion or runner-up, they will jokingly refer to each other as "Master".

Today, I do not know what I was thinking, repeatedly making mistakes, and being teased by Su Wei several times. She asked if I spent the night with the person who won the regional championship, which left me lacking in spirit. At first, Su Wei said a few words, and Yin Guo smiled without saying anything. However, after being teased multiple times, she had to clarify that her relationship with Lin Yiyang was quite ordinary

Lin Yiyang leaned against the wall of the ramen shop, took out his phone, and opened the WeChat window for Yin Guo.

"Why so lacking in confidence?" Jiang Yang unexpectedly smiled, pointing at the white ball, indicating for Lin Yiyang to break. "One must know their strengths and leverage them. For example, you, of course, find seduction the easiest, little junior brother."

How many years has it been since you last saw me? Lin Yiyang retorted

He is Dun Cuo, Jiang Yang is a great thief, Wu Wei is indifferent, Fan Wencun is a vendor, Lin Lin is a miscellaneous person, and Chen An'an is called An Mei because her name sounds feminine... and so on, there are many such examples. The sports club has several teachers, all of whom were taught by different instructors. He and Jiang Yang are the most talented among He Lao's apprentices. It is often said that He Lao found six apprentices, and finally, at the end of his career, he discovered two children with good aptitude, among whom Lin Yiyang has the highest talent and even sought him out personally.

Yin Guo is in the ball room, practicing with Su Wei.

But in fact, his favorite is the player Yin Guo.

The nine ball is pocketed directly

Now, he stands here properly. Whatever he thinks, that is what it is

A girl who made him want to get to know her at first sight, the only one in twenty-seven years

Compared to chatting, treating her to food is the easiest.

Aim at that white ball

One cannot say that I have watched all your matches, from childhood to the present, and have gone through all the gossip posts from fans as well.

Able to pick up the cue, also able to put it down, one can live in any way

Lin Yiyang straightened up, took a sip from the bottle, and stared at the two remaining colorful balls on the table, pondering. What message should I send? ... Chatting with the girl ...? ... Should I send an emoji first?

What she did not know was that he had watched numerous reports and videos of her matches on the bus from Washington, D.C. back to New York

A long ten days

"He is my apprentice, but An Mei is the one teaching. An Mei switched to nine-ball a few years ago, and this time she has family matters that prevent her from coming early. She asked me to bring the children over earlier."

With a forceful strike of the right hand, the white ball was sent flying, crashing into the colorful balls scattered across the table with a loud bang. The continuous sound of balls dropping into pockets echoed as only three balls remained on the table. Finally, even the nine ball rolled into the pocket in front of Jiang Yang, falling in with a resounding thud

If Lin Yiyang describes himself as a free-spirited player, then Yin Guo is one who shows no signs of error at all, as if he has lost his personal emotional stability the moment he steps onto the stage

Still the same as in those years

Everyone enjoys competing in domestic professional tournaments at the age of thirteen

Lin Yiyang found the white ball and then heard Jiang Yang casually ask, "Last night, I saw Wusuo posted something."

Last night, you were here, and you hardly spoke to her at all, " the boss said with a smile

Lin Yiyang tilted his head back, took another sip of wine, set down the bottle, and watched Jiang Yang select a cue stick. Without being particular himself, he directly picked up the one on the far right.

Moreover, it cannot be said that your brother Meng Xiaodong and I have not encountered each other many times on the competition field, with each of us having our victories and defeats, making us rivals. Ask him, and he will surely remember me

What are you doing? Jiang Yang smiled, "You are not like yourself anymore"

The conversation on the subway last night resembled a blind date that had been forcibly arranged by someone.

Yin Guo smiled helplessly: "On the night we first met, I offended you just a little."

It is said that Yin Guo does not understand him

He slowly walked down the stairs in the corridor

If one can be so self-indulgent as to believe that others have an interest in them, that would be quite an overestimation of oneself

Jiang Yang arranged nine balls in a diamond shape on the blue table

Lin Yiyang shot a glance at the other party, said nothing further, bent down, and adjusted the cue stick.

He did not deny it

It cannot be said that the excitement of your two matches is comparable to the highlights of major competitions. In such a state, if you were to replace your opponent with me, I would not dare to claim that I could win against you

Indeed, Lin Yiyang tucked his phone into his pocket, set down the meal payment, hastily put on his coat, and pushed the door open to leave

In the end, Lin Yiyang said nothing, merely watching her walk into the café from the sunlight

In the cold wind, he jumped up two steps.

In the past, present, and future, the two individuals were supposed to have no intersection.

Jiang Yang took out an electronic cigarette, opened the lid, inserted a small cigarette, and after heating it, took a deep puff: "To be honest, I have admired you since childhood. Among our group, only Wu Wei has managed to study reasonably well; it is not surprising that he has continued his education until now. However, none of us expected you to persevere until today"

She paused in surprise, steadied her mind, and slowly walked to the coffee table, draping her backpack over the back of a chair. After she took her seat, I pushed a menu towards her, saying: "Take a look and see what you would like to eat"

The noodle shop owner seemed to understand Lin Yiyang's state very well and said with a smile, "My wife is my high school classmate. For a long time, I also didn't learn how to speak to her normally. Later, she told me that she felt very wronged at that time and thought I disliked her." The owner took a plate of wasabi octopus from the staff and placed it in front of his noodle bowl

Lin Yiyang can speak Japanese, and the boss can speak English, complementing each other, and they always have enjoyable conversations.

Nothing at all, not a single one has been sent.

Even so, Yin Guo believes that before last night, Lin Yiyang somewhat disliked him

The first post he saw on her Moments was the registration introduction for the open tournament, and it was then that he realized the golf club resting on the three suitcases did not belong to his younger brother, but to his older sister. He was worried that he wouldn't have signal in the subway to check, so he lingered at the entrance for a full hour, during which he gathered various pieces of information related to her from Moments.

The children on the sofa are eagerly looking forward to chatting with their young master.

In the first year, I was not allowed to work, so I just hung out with the Chinese bus and made money doing odd jobs everywhere

Oh. Lin Yiyang continued to drink beer

Jiang Yang first won the championship, and he is referred to as Master Yang. When it comes to Lin Yiyang, he can only humbly add a "little" character, as both of their names end with a sound that is the same but with different characters.

I called the coach to take the children back to the hotel first," Jiang Yang tilted his head and pointed to the right, "It doesn't matter, there is a billiard hall nearby. Let's go and play a game. When brothers meet, there should always be a proper way to greet each other.

The boss immediately recalled: "Blizzard"

Lin Yiyang lowered his head, tore open the plastic film of the cigarette box, and then found it uninteresting. He stuffed the film, the cigarette box, and the lighter back into Jiang Yang's pocket all at once

The youth group and the young adult group will meet in March. Wu Wei answered on behalf of Jiang Yang

Moments is truly a wonderful thing

Including the three years of studying abroad, what jobs has he not done?

Lin Yiyang halted his hand

Certainly, face-to-face interactions are not much better either