Chapter 38: The Return of the King (2)
The scent on Lin Yiyang’s T-shirt beneath his jacket acted like a tranquilizer, gradually calming Yin Guo’s racing heart.
He released her, noticing her reddened nose and still-puffy eyes. "You’ve grown even more beautiful. I almost didn’t recognize you when you walked out," he said.
She knew he was just being sweet, but it still warmed her heart.
After a few seconds of gazing at each other, his eyes drifted from her flushed forehead—red from how tightly he’d held her—to the group of friends behind her.
Jiang Yang, standing behind Yin Guo, chuckled. "You two talk. We’ve seen each other plenty of times already—nothing new here."
"Right," Wu Wei chimed in. "But Chen Anan, we haven’t had the chance to meet since you got back from the U.S. And Lin Lin, haven’t seen you in a while either?"
Lin Lin crossed her arms, studying Lin Yiyang over the shoulders of the taller men. "Still looks the same. Alright, seen enough. You two carry on."
Everyone laughed, giving the couple space to talk.
Only Chen Anan was serious as he calculated, "With such a packed schedule, you and your wife haven’t had much time together, have you?"
Chen Anan genuinely regarded Yin Guo as his sister-in-law, glancing at her after speaking.
"Not much," Yin Guo admitted. "My brother’s seen him more than I have this year."
This past year, Lin Yiyang had been on the competition circuit, and so had she—like two parallel worlds.
Athletes like them, much like those in F1 racing or golf, operated within their own ecosystem of tournaments, sponsorships, and rankings. Their lives revolved around entering as many major association-sanctioned events as possible, earning prize money and accumulating points.
Snooker and Nine-ball belonged to different associations—one British, one American—with separate ranking systems. So the tournaments he entered had nothing to do with Yin Guo.
The only overlap was that Lin Yiyang still played Nine-ball, but he competed in U.S.-based events and regional state tournaments, which were irrelevant to Yin Guo—just as her domestic and provincial competitions were internal affairs.
Of course, there were also mixed tournaments, often plagued by issues like lack of association recognition, no ranking points, poor management, or low prize money. Since both Lin Yiyang and Yin Guo were already high on the world rankings, they generally avoided such events.
But now that Lin Yiyang was back in China, if there were major international competitions requiring national representation, they might have the chance to train and compete together—assuming both made the national team.
That was a matter for the future.
Jiang Yang had arranged a car to pick them up, and the group headed to the underground parking lot.
The elevator was packed, and with Sun Yao pushing a large luggage cart inside, Lin Yiyang figured it was overloaded. He took Yin Guo to the descending elevator instead.
Yin Guo could only accompany him as far as the parking lot. Her club’s night-shift driver was waiting to take her home—no matter how late she arrived, as long as she wasn’t competing, she wasn’t allowed to stay out overnight.
She planned to say her goodbyes when everyone got in the car, but before the elevator even reached the bottom, she spotted her cousin waiting below.
Why is he here?
This past year, Meng Xiaodong had been abroad for closed-door training and competitions with a hired coach and hadn’t returned to China. Yin Guo hadn’t just missed Lin Yiyang—she hadn’t seen her cousin either. Seeing him suddenly appear, dressed unusually in casual wear, standing at the elevator exit, startled her.
It was past 3 a.m., after all.The distinct scent of gasoline mixed with dampness filled the air in the parking lot. Yin Guo noticed her cousin's gaze wasn't directed at her and Lin Yiyang, but rather behind them. She turned to look.
It turned out Lin Lin and Chen Anan hadn't managed to squeeze onto the elevator either and had trailed behind them, separated by a dozen or so steps, following them down. Lin Lin was quite tall for a girl, about the same height as Chen Anan. Yin Guo had first seen her at the competition venue in Hangzhou, leaving a deep impression.
Her first thought at the time was: No wonder there's talk of the "Twin Lins" of East New City—both had faces you couldn't forget once seen. As the years accumulated, simply calling them good-looking felt inadequate; there was an undeniable aura blended in.
When Meng Xiaodong looked at Lin Lin, she didn't avert her gaze but smiled faintly, asking him, "Here to pick up your sister?"
"Yeah," Meng Xiaodong replied, studying her. "How are you? Health-wise?"
"Pretty good."
Yin Guo saw Meng Xiaodong frown, his eyes lingering on Lin Lin's waist. Prompted by her cousin's gaze, she noticed Lin Lin's white lambskin jacket revealed a hint of skin beneath a high-waisted short-sleeve—easy to miss unless you looked closely.
She thought to herself: Lin Yiyang and Wu Wei must have omitted crucial details in their story that morning.
After that glance, Meng Xiaodong ignored Lin Lin, adopting an impatient demeanor.
"If we don't leave soon, your mom will call me again," Meng Xiaodong explained to Lin Yiyang. "Originally, the club's driver was supposed to pick her up, but I was worried he'd notice the flight number and realize the timing was off, then slip up later. So I came myself."
Clearly, Meng Xiaodong wanted to make it known: He was here for his sister.
Before Lin Yiyang could respond, Lin Lin remarked lightly, "You're her brother. It's normal for you to come."
"Yeah," Meng Xiaodong replied after a slight pause. "Normal."
With that, their exchange ended abruptly, the tension between them thickening the air.
It almost felt like they were the main characters today—Lin Lin returning from overseas and Meng Xiaodong picking her up—while Yin Guo and Lin Yiyang were relegated to the background.
With thoughts of heading home soon occupying her mind, Yin Guo didn't dwell on the subtle dynamics between her cousin and Lin Lin. Her fingers curled into Lin Yiyang's palm as she explained, "My family doesn't allow overnight stays. I have to go back."
Even though leaving the airport at this hour meant she probably wouldn't get home until dawn, rules were rules.
Having video-called her sporadically, Lin Yiyang had long noticed she only stayed out for competitions and otherwise lived at home, so this wasn't a surprise. He said to Meng Xiaodong, "You two talk for a bit."
Then, taking Yin Guo's hand, he led her a short distance away to the edge of the roadway.
The airport's underground parking lot had no secluded corners. Aside from the late-night reduction in traffic, it was no different from usual—a steady stream of people flowed through the elevators, and vehicles of all sizes queued along the interconnected lanes. At most, they could only distance themselves from Meng Xiaodong and the others to exchange a few quiet words.
Yin Guo studied Lin Yiyang's hair, which had grown out a bit. Last time, when she visited for his birthday, he'd shaved it into a buzz cut, looking every bit like someone straight out of a prison drama. It suited him better now.
Though, upon reflection, that hairstyle had matched his personality far more—it was just the collared shirts and dress pants he wore during competitions that clashed with it.Lin Yiyang had initially kept a low profile, but as Yin Guo got to know him better, she could clearly sense his aura—a seasoned and deeply ingrained boldness from growing up in all sorts of street environments. Over the years, he had buried this temperament beneath layers of books, but old habits die hard; beneath it all, he was still that vibrant man.
She quietly tugged at the zipper of his jacket, sliding it down to reveal the white handwritten "Saint Laurent" on his black T-shirt. As expected, it was the one she had gifted him this year. The white version was in her suitcase—she had been carrying it with her all along.
"What are you doing?" he asked knowingly. "The moment we're alone, you start unzipping me?"
Flustered by his words, she thought about zipping it back up, but then he added, "Don’t mention me to your family yet. Give me some time."
"I haven’t said anything. My brother also told me to keep it quiet for now," she said softly. "I was afraid you’d be upset, so I didn’t dare bring it up."
Before she could finish, his hands cupped her face, shattering any further thoughts. As their eyes met, Yin Guo’s heart raced as if they had never been intimate before. Just the simple act of him holding her face, gazing at her, made her breath light. Very light.
On the right lane, a car sped past, then another. The smell of exhaust grew stronger.
His face drew closer. "Can I see you tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow, the family is visiting the graves together. A lot of people are coming."
A silence fell between them. Then, she felt the weight of his forehead pressing against hers as he lowered his head, as if about to speak.
In the end, he said nothing. Did nothing. Just smiled.
Later, when Yin Guo got into the car with her cousin, she was still thinking about Lin Yiyang’s last gesture as she fastened her seatbelt. She wondered if what she had said was wrong—that smile of his seemed uncharacteristically subdued, unlike any she had seen before.
But ever since she met Lin Yiyang, each passing day revealed new, unfamiliar subtleties about him.
Meng Xiaodong wasn’t one for idle chatter while driving. Yin Guo, having just met Lin Yiyang only to part so soon, wasn’t in the mood for conversation either. The car sped unimpeded along the airport expressway. After a while, a practical concern crossed her mind, and she messaged Lin Yiyang on WeChat.
Fruit in the Woods: Where are you staying tonight?
Lin: Rented a place. Haven’t unpacked yet, so I’ll crash there for the night.
Lin: Everyone’s here. Probably won’t sleep much anyway.
Fruit in the Woods: Drinking?
Lin: Maybe.
Fruit in the Woods: Don’t drink too much.
The memory of his last drunken episode still unsettled her.
Lin: Okay.
Fruit in the Woods: When I saw you earlier, I was so nervous. Felt like we just got together.
Lin: :)
Lin: Same.
"Zongzong..." A voice suddenly broke the silence in the car. It was Meng Xiaodong’s. Gripping the steering wheel, he signaled and exited the airport expressway. "Did she mention me?"
Yin Guo had heard from Wu Wei that Lin Lin’s nickname was "Zongzong." She thought only those from East New City called her that, just as only their close circle used the term "Dun Cuo."
"No," she replied, unable to lie to Meng Xiaodong.
Meng Xiaodong fell silent. Yin Guo stole a glance at him.
"Something you want to ask?" he suddenly offered, as if eager to talk.
"Why didn’t you like Lin Lin back then?" Yin Guo seized the opening to voice her thoughts. "That’s what they told me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known you had that history."Meng Xiaodong remained silent for so long that Yin Guo began to think he wouldn’t answer.
"Not just this one time," Meng Xiaodong finally said. "I’ve been through it three times."
Three times? Three girlfriends? Including Lin Lin, who had pursued him?
Why had there been no rumors? If they were girlfriends, surely they couldn’t all have been kept hidden—it wasn’t some shameful secret. No one in the family had ever mentioned it during holidays, and relatives usually gossiped about such things in private.
"All three times were with the same person," Meng Xiaodong concluded.
So her cousin’s first love was Lin Lin? And they had broken up and gotten back together three times?
Her curiosity burned, but the man driving the car clearly had no intention of elaborating. Still, there was someone she could ask.
The moment Yin Guo unlocked her phone, Meng Xiaodong saw right through her. "Thinking of asking Lin Yiyang? He might not know. Probably no one at East New City does." Since her cousin had said as much, she couldn’t very well press him further. She carried her questions all the way home.
Meng Xiaodong dropped her off at her doorstep. Only after watching his car disappear into the distance did she message Lin Yiyang.
Yin Guo in the Woods: I’m home. You there yet?
Lin: Almost.
Yin Guo in the Woods: Did you know? My brother just told me he dated Lin Lin.
Lin: Yeah.
Yin Guo in the Woods: He said you might not know.
Lin: Ran into them once.
Yin Guo in the Woods: But didn’t you tell Wu Wei last time that you weren’t sure if my brother liked Lin Lin?
Lin: You that interested in their business?
Yin Guo in the Woods: He’s my brother. This is the first time he’s ever opened up to me about his personal life. It made me feel a little sad.
Lin: Meng Xiaodong has his own life.
Lin: Focus more on me.
That almost sounded like jealousy. Maybe she was overthinking it.
Then Lin Yiyang sent another message.
Lin: Doesn’t feel great when my wife keeps worrying about other men.
……
Lin Yiyang stepped out of the van.
His sneakers hit the pavement as he faced a row of darkened storefronts along the commercial street. To his left was a bubble tea shop, its glass windows plastered with photos of oversized drinks and discount promotions. To his right, a jewelry store.
How many years had it been? He’d left for college in another province, then spent two years after graduation without ever considering a return. Apart from a brief visit to handle paperwork before studying abroad, he’d had no ties to this place. Nearly a decade.
"This staircase connects to a hotel. Used to be a famous hotpot joint," Jiang Yang was saying. "Prime location—better than East New City’s. Just a bit small. The second and third floors are all yours."
It wasn’t actually small—much bigger than the basement pool hall in the Washington youth hostel. Two full floors of open space.
But coming from Jiang Yang, and with the East New City veterans stepping out of the van behind him, the comparison still fell short.
"Not bad," Sun Yao remarked, tilting his head to gauge the building’s width. "Damn, Yang. Coming back with a whole empire."
"Rented, not bought," Lin Yiyang corrected.
The early morning streets were empty. The stairwell was narrow, cluttered with bags of construction debris—broken bricks, shattered concrete. The floor was indiscernible beneath layers of newspaper scraps. The elevator shaft gaped open, a dark, square void where the doors should have been.
The entire building was being subdivided and renovated.Lin Yiyang climbed the stairs to the second floor, arriving at the entrance where a freshly painted red door bore an old-fashioned heavy black padlock.
Taking the key Jiang Yang handed him, Lin Yiyang unlocked it and hefted the weighty lock in his hand. "This thing could be pried open in seconds. Is it just for show?"
Jiang Yang chuckled. "Pretty much. Just to keep people from squatting here for free. There’s nothing left inside anyway."
True to his words, when the door swung open, the space was completely empty.
The previous hotpot restaurant had moved out, but anything immovable remained—like the wooden tables and benches built into the walls, along with the decorative red-lacquered pillars.
"Maybe we should just open a hotpot place. Everything’s already here," Wu Wei joked from behind.
Lin Yiyang smiled. In the morning light streaming through the row of windows to the left, he took in the scene before him, already envisioning where each billiard table, bar counter, cue rack, and pool chair would go—even where his own room would be.
"Call the old crew back," Lin Yiyang said, stepping into the dust-filled room as he turned to Wu Wei. "The ones who didn’t make it."
He had joined the billiard club in second grade and left in his first year of high school. Over the years, he’d had far more than just these few brothers around him, but only a rare handful—a few each year—had real talent and rose to the top. Most kids who ended up in the club were those who struggled academically, and like sand sifted by the tide, they sank to the bottom, scattered across every corner of the city.
Wu Wei and Lin Yiyang had talked about those brothers who hadn’t made it—the ones who still loved pool and refused to give up. He remembered them. Every single one.
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