Chapter 10: Scenery After Snow (1)
One week later.
With Wu Wei's help, Yin Guo signed a short-term lease with the landlord, renting until the end of April—two months for two rooms. She also agreed with the landlord that once Meng Xiaotian confirmed his offer, they would renew the lease for a full year.
On moving day, Yin Guo invited Wu Wei downstairs to the ramen shop for a meal as thanks for his help.
As soon as they ordered, a plate of wasabi octopus was placed in front of Yin Guo.
The owner smiled at her and said in English, "On the house."
This nice?
"Thank you, thank you!" Yin Guo was pleasantly surprised.
The owner quickly went off to attend to other customers.
"Sis," Meng Xiaotian said enviously, "you’re so well-liked..."
She was just as puzzled and asked Wu Wei, "You guys must be regulars here, right?"
Wu Wei shook his head. "Lin Yiyang is close with the owner. After dropping you off that night, he couldn’t get home, so he slept here."
"Really?" Her cousin was shocked.
"Yeah, I thought it was weird too," Wu Wei said with a meaningful smile. "He suddenly said he had urgent business to attend to, but then didn’t get it done and ended up back home."
That night, Wu Wei’s phone had frozen and wouldn’t turn on. He had planned to take the subway home, but over a dozen lines were suspended. Deciding it was too much hassle, he stayed out drinking at a bar until morning. When he got back, he found Lin Yiyang sleeping at the ramen shop. It was just like Lin—friends everywhere, always finding a way to get by.
But later, Wu Wei realized there must have been something fishy going on that night.
"That was totally our fault," Meng Xiaotian took the blame directly. "When’s Brother Yang coming back? I’ll treat him to a big meal."
"Next time? Hard to say," Wu Wei replied with a half-smile. "He’s studying and working, so he doesn’t have much free time. He comes and goes in a flash—maybe once every month or two."
Then, Wu Wei deliberately added, "Don’t worry, when he’s here, he’ll crash in my room. Won’t bother you guys."
Yin Guo nodded.
So Lin Yiyang lived here too? That meant she might run into him often from now on.
Since that night when they’d briefly chatted about the ramen shop in the middle of the night, there had been no further communication.
A whole week had passed in the blink of an eye.
Every time she thought about it, she wondered if she should message him.
But then she’d second-guess herself—was that being too eager?
"You guys should thank him," Wu Wei said at just the right moment. "The landlord agreed to the short-term lease because he put in a good word for you."
"We will, we will," Meng Xiaotian chimed in. "When Brother Yang gets back."
Listening to them, Yin Guo waited for her noodles while pulling out her phone and opening Lin’s chat window.
Xiao Guo: We moved into the apartment today. Wu Wei said you helped convince the landlord. Thank you so much.
The reply came quickly.
Lin: No problem.
Seeing those two words, Yin Guo reflexively paused.
Luckily, this time he continued on his own.
Lin: I’m in class. Talk later.
Lin: [Coffee]
Xiao Guo: [Smile]
Maybe because they were a little more familiar now, that coffee emoji actually looked kind of cute.
She set her phone aside and picked up her chopsticks, accidentally scooping up a huge bite of wasabi octopus and stuffing it all into her mouth. The sharp sting of wasabi shot up her nose, and tears instantly streamed down her face.
Both guys stared at her.
"This wasabi... is really authentic," she explained through her tears.
So embarrassing. Seriously.After finishing the meal and tidying up the house, it was time to get back on track—like training.
Wu Wei understood her thoughts without her having to say anything. He handed her a cue and took her to the nearest pool hall near the apartment. Pool wasn’t a popular sport globally, nor was it here, so local pool halls weren’t abundant, and finding a suitable one required some effort. Wu Wei’s apartment had been recommended by Lin Yiyang precisely because it was close to this pool hall, making it convenient for his usual practice.
As soon as they entered, the owner recognized Wu Wei and greeted him warmly. Wu Wei specifically introduced her to the owner as Lin Yiyang’s “female friend” and reserved their daily training time in advance, securing Lin Yiyang’s favorite pool table.
“Lin Yiyang used to work here, teaching people how to play pool, so he’s on good terms with the owner,” Wu Wei explained to her. “Around here, his name carries more weight than mine.”
“He worked here?”
“Yeah, did you think he was some rich kid?” Wu Wei laughed. “First-year international students aren’t allowed to take formal jobs. Teaching pool here was one way around that.”
At first, like her cousin, she had assumed Lin Yiyang was from a wealthy family—similar to Zheng Yi—someone who excelled academically, lived a stable life, and was outstanding in every way. But Wu Wei’s next words completely overturned her impression of Lin Yiyang.
Wu Wei briefly recounted how Lin Yiyang had gone from being a bottom-ranked student in middle school to pushing himself relentlessly in high school, enduring hardships and shedding layers of his old self as he climbed his way up. Over the past decade, ever since he decided to start over, he had transformed from a struggling student to a top achiever—sacrificing almost all personal life outside of pool.
By the time he graduated from university, his savings from various scholarships alone had repaid all his high school debts and college loans.
After graduation, he returned to square one financially, earning money from scratch before applying to study abroad.
“Lin Yiyang is the person I admire most in my life. I respect him for pushing himself to the absolute limit,” Wu Wei said, standing by the pool table as he handed Yin Guo a piece of chalk powder.
Yin Guo took the chalk and lightly rubbed it on the tip of her cue.
Wu Wei checked his watch. “Alright, keep practicing. I’ve got work.”
After Wu Wei left, the pool hall owner came by again to check on her, telling her not to hesitate to call for help if anyone bothered her or caused trouble. Yin Guo nodded, and the owner gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder, saying, “Lin’s friends are our friends too.”
It was as if she had suddenly stepped into Lin Yiyang’s world.
Here, everyone had some connection to him.
She practiced alone until dark.
Since the apartment was within walking distance, she trained an extra hour today, readjusting to her routine back home. By evening, the pool hall grew livelier, and the owner even closed the door to her small practice room.
But a wooden door couldn’t block out much of the noise—the rowdy, drunk men outside.
Laughter and loud cheers kept pouring in.
In that regard, it wasn’t much different from back home. Busy pool halls were always like this.When she was little, to train her mental resilience in live matches, her cousin Meng Xiaodong had specifically taken her to the rowdiest pool halls—filled with smoke and the clamor of curses. With her cousin keeping watch, she was thrown into the innermost pool table, often paired with some random troublemaker for a game. So now, the chaotic environment outside was nothing to her, no different from soothing music.
But ever since her cousin opened his own club, she rarely encountered such settings anymore.
Before long, Chinese songs started playing outside. It was quite a surprise to hear such music in a non-Chinese pool hall. The song stirred some childhood memories in Yin Guo—was it "The Unrivaled Star of Troubled Times"?
She bent over, eyeing the tricky angle she'd set up with three balls, humming the tune in her head.
With a sharp crack, four balls shot toward the four corner pockets—all sinking in one go.
Her touch was good today. In high spirits, she hummed aloud: "Born to love, arrogance my nature... Born to love, winning with skill, unrivaled by true prowess..."
The door swung open, and someone walked in.
Her line of sight was blocked by the pool table lamp. Straightening up, she saw him.
Lin Yiyang.
The song on her lips abruptly stopped.
"Nice singing," he said with a grin, setting a beer bottle down on a nearby table.
He'd had a hectic week to make it here by the weekend, with no time for a haircut. The strands of hair falling over his forehead nearly covered his eyes, giving him a roguishly handsome look. Probably from growing up in pool halls, he had a natural rebellious streak, though he'd toned it down over the years, hiding it well. But sometimes, it slipped out unintentionally.
Like now, with the way he took off his jacket.
He placed his gloves on a pool chair by the wall, shrugged off his coat, revealing a plain black long-sleeved T-shirt and ordinary jeans... His legs are so long, Yin Guo caught herself thinking.
After hesitating, she finally asked, "Weren't you... in class?"
How did he just appear out of nowhere?
Lin Yiyang turned and met Yin Guo's gaze.
"Class ended, so I came over," he said, trying to avoid looking directly at her face to keep from seeming too casual. "Heard you were training here, thought I'd drop by."
He patted the pool table. "Getting used to it? The table here?"
Every pool hall had tables from different manufacturers, always slightly different from the one Yin Guo usually played on. He worried she might not be comfortable yet.
"Not much difference," Yin Guo pointed to a communal cue nearby. "I sometimes use public cues too. Gotta adapt."
"How long have you been practicing? Ready to head back?" He leaned against the pool table, tilting his body toward her.
"Just been practicing alone today," Yin Guo smiled at him warmly. "If you're free, want to play a game with me?"
"Me?"
Yin Guo nodded.
He suddenly grinned. "Not afraid of crying when I beat you?"
Yin Guo was taken aback. "I... I'm pretty good."
At least a semi-pro player—she wouldn't cry even if she lost.
"Okay," Lin Yiyang picked up the communal cue. "I'll be your sparring partner."
Over the years, aside from practicing alone, he'd either gambled or taught others to play. Even when teaching, he was strict—so strict that he avoided coaching girls, afraid they'd cry from his harsh methods.
So, how many balls should he give her?
This was his first time being someone's sparring partner. He needed to think it through carefully.
Yin Guo watched as he picked up the chalk powder, rubbing it on the cue, looking somewhat displeased.She had originally intended to casually play with him, using their shared hobby to build rapport. But now, it seemed she was forcing the issue.
Hugging her cue stick, she gave him a friendly smile: "How about we go eat instead? I forgot you just got off the train."
"It's fine, I'm not hungry," Lin Yiyang said as he took the color balls one by one from the bag and tossed them onto the table.
Finding the plastic rack, he arranged the color balls into a diamond shape.
Finally, he placed the white ball on the break line and pointed at it: "Best of five. If you're up for it, we can do best of ten."
His aura really resembled her cousin's.
The song playing again reached the part Yin Guo had been humming earlier: "Born to love, arrogance is my nature... Born to love, competing with real skill, dominating with true ability..."
Suddenly realizing how well the Young and Dangerous theme song suited him—this version of him holding a cue stick.
Yin Guo snapped out of her thoughts, lifted her cue, and walked to one side of the table.
Bending over, she aligned her cue properly.
"Want to play fast or steady?" Just as she was about to strike, Lin Yiyang suddenly asked.
Distracted, she considered: "Either is fine."
"This year in the women's division, one of the championship favorites plays fast," Lin Yiyang suggested. "Let me help you adjust first."
Her attention diverted again, she looked at him in surprise.
He actually knew about the women's division players?
No more distractions. Focus, focus.
Yin Guo fixed her gaze on the white ball. The moment it entered her vision, this became a match. The opponent didn't matter.
With a crisp crack, the white ball scattered the color balls, sending four into pockets.
A great opening.
This was her first time playing with Lin Yiyang.
Since it wasn't an official match and there were no stakes, they took turns breaking.
First game: she narrowly won.
Second game: Lin Yiyang cleared the table in one run.
Third game: she lost.
Fourth game... She clearly sensed Lin Yiyang holding back to let her win.
It wasn't like she couldn't handle losing.
Now the fifth game, Lin Yiyang's turn at the table.
The 9-ball sat near the corner pocket. All he needed was to hit the 4-ball for an easy combo to win this game.
In Nine-ball, there are three ways to win:
First: sink the balls in numerical order (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9), pocketing the 9-ball last to win.
Second: hit the lowest-numbered ball on the table to indirectly sink the 9-ball and win.
Third: break shot where the 9-ball goes in directly to win.
"You don't need to go easy on me." Even she could win from this position—there was no way someone of his skill would miss.
Lin Yiyang thought for a few seconds.
Earlier while applying chalk powder, he'd been considering how to throw the game convincingly—this position was too good to fake properly. Under the table lights, seeing Yin Guo's pleased expression reassured him.
Bending down, he took the shot and cleanly won.
Yin Guo applauded in acknowledgment.
Lin Yiyang pushed open the door to return the cues and settle today's table fee.
Yin Guo hurried over with her cue case, wanting to pay, but he blocked her with one arm while taking her case: "Guest from afar—since it's your first visit here, the table's on me."
When Yin Guo tried to insist,
The owner laughingly pushed the money back to Lin Yiyang, saying it was his treat.
Being friends with the owner, Lin Yiyang didn't stand on ceremony, exchanging a few pleasantries before leading Yin Guo out of the pool hall.The temperature outside was even lower than when she had arrived. Yin Guo thought the weather forecast was right—it was definitely going to snow again.
“Tonight, I prepared hotpot at home. Let’s eat together,” she said, walking beside Lin Yiyang as they headed toward the apartment.
Lin Yiyang agreed.
“Actually, I have a good friend who went to the same school as you—an alumni,” Yin Guo added. “She’s from the law center.”
“Your brother mentioned that,” he replied.
Oh, great. You killed the conversation again. Not my fault.
She had originally thought that once they got home, Wu Wei and Meng Xiaotian—two chatterboxes—would be there, and their presence would balance out the atmosphere. Unexpectedly, when they returned to the apartment, the lights were off, and the place was pitch black.
On the table, she could still see the small hotpot pot she had prepared before leaving, along with the uncut vegetables.
Where is everyone? They were all here before I left.
While Lin Yiyang turned on the lights and went to wash his hands, she took out her phone and quickly texted Meng Xiaotian to ask where he was.
Xiaotian: Wei-ge bought Broadway tickets this afternoon and took me to see a show.
Xiao Guo: Haven’t you seen it several times already?
Xiaotian: Not all of them. This one happens to be one I haven’t seen, and it’s nice to have company. I always go alone. Sis, you can eat at home by yourself.
At least Lin Yiyang was here—otherwise, all this preparation would’ve been for nothing.
She put down her phone, frustrated. “They’re not here. Do you still want to eat?”
Lin Yiyang nodded matter-of-factly. “Yeah.”
As he spoke, he rolled up the sleeves of his T-shirt, turned on the faucet, and casually washed the plates Wu Wei had left in the sink. To Yin Guo’s surprise, she noticed a tattooed arm on his right forearm. Last time in Flushing, his clothes had been thick, and even though he had rolled up his sleeves symbolically, they hadn’t gone up high enough to reveal it—
It looked really good.
Lin Yiyang noticed her staring. Shaking off the water droplets from the plate, he picked up a towel, drying it while glancing back at her.
Only then did Yin Guo realize what she was doing. She quickly turned away. “I’ll go get things ready.”
What’s wrong with me today? I keep staring at him.
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