Actually, Tu Li had also tried to subtly inquire about Chen Yi's whereabouts from Miao Jing, but Miao Jing seemed unwilling to engage with the topic, only politely replying, "I don't know. Perhaps you could ask Chen Yi directly."
Lu Zhengsi and Miao Jing had quite a few activities together—playing board games, sports, hiking, running, and sometimes simply working overtime at the company or going to the test track. Tu Li knew they were going out on dates and tried to get Chen Yi to join them. Chen Yi’s expression would always darken, and after refusing twice, he eventually showed up reluctantly.
His attitude toward Lu Zhengsi was indifferent, not particularly warm, and somewhat lazy. When the four of them were together, he stood aloof like a door god, wearing a defiant, world-weary expression, either playing games with his legs crossed or disappearing altogether.
The best atmosphere was probably when they went go-karting. Men are naturally drawn to cars, and with two automotive engineers in the mix, Miao Jing and Lu Zhengsi huddled together discussing chassis, steering, suspension, tires, and then moving on to work topics like workshop emergencies and technical project documents. Tu Li and Chen Yi did their own thing, competing on the track. The roaring engines provided a backdrop to their conversation. In a brief pause, Miao Jing glanced up, her soft gaze sweeping across, and Lu Zhengsi followed her line of sight to see Chen Yi pulling off drifts on the track.
"Yi Ge is pretty cool behind the wheel. Strong sense of rally control, very steady. He must do this often."
Miao Jing didn’t know about recently but remembered the past: "He used to race motorcycles and was really skilled at this kind of thing."
"Really?" Lu Zhengsi laughed. "Yi Ge is impressive. Lily says he’s great at pool too."
Miao Jing asked him, "Do you play pool?"
"A little."
"Maybe you two can have a match sometime."
When Tu Li came off the track to rest, Lu Zhengsi eagerly took his turn. The track had turned into a rally race, and Lu Zhengsi held his own, weaving left and right behind Chen Yi. Miao Jing and Tu Li sat in the rest area, with Tu Li touching up her makeup with powder while watching Chen Yi for a moment. He was already in full "Fast and Furious" mode, kicking up dust on the track. Feeling the excitement, Tu Li turned to Miao Jing and asked, "Don’t you think Chen Yi is cool?"
"No," Miao Jing replied flatly, unimpressed. "He’s just putting on a show."
Tu Li giggled. "You really know how to take him down a peg."
Miao Jing smiled. "There are plenty of pegs to take him down from."
Later, when Chen Yi and Lu Zhengsi came off the track and removed their helmets, both were drenched in sweat. Chen Yi had enjoyed himself thoroughly—his buzz cut soaked, his T-shirt clinging to his body, revealing every line of bone and muscle, exuding a damp, handsome sex appeal.
After the four of them had dinner, Chen Yi drove Lu Zhengsi and Tu Li home. Miao Jing sat in the backseat scrolling through her phone, then looked up and asked him, "During those years, did you still race?"
Chen Yi gripped the steering wheel. "Didn’t you tell me not to?"
"So you really never did it again?"
"I’m not forever seventeen. I’m not that obsessed with reckless thrills," he said casually. "There are plenty of ways to make money. Playing pool is enough to support myself."
"All your smarts go into things like that," Miao Jing remarked slowly. "You’re certainly living well."
His dark eyes gleamed intensely. "What else was I supposed to do? Go to college like you and Lu Zhengsi and become an engineer?"
"I wasn’t thinking that," Miao Jing said, lowering her eyes to reply to a message on her phone. Chen Yi glanced at her in the rearview mirror, shifted his shoulders, and drove home.Last time we chatted about billiards, Lu Zhengsi became genuinely curious about Chen Yi's billiards hall and found time to visit with Miao Jing. Knowing this, Chen Yi naturally prepared a proper welcome, specifically reserving a table for Lu Zhengsi.
During university, Lu Zhengsi occasionally went to billiards clubs with friends but didn't play often, so his skills were average. Chen Yi played leisurely alongside him, intentionally going easy to let him last longer.
Miao Jing and Bo Zai sat at the bar chatting. The billiards hall only had eight tables and two or three mahjong tables, with most revenue coming from soft drinks, cigarettes, and fruit platters. Daily earnings ranged between one thousand and fifteen hundred yuan. Bo Zai's monthly salary was eight thousand, truly similar to Miao Jing's, though he also had off-seasons during winter and summer breaks. Calculating this, Miao Jing asked if Chen Yi had other sources of income. Bo Zai chuckled: "Yi Ge told me not to say."
She didn't press further, her gaze sweeping over the row of pink claw machines—today there were no female customers, so the machines sat idle. Noticing Miao Jing's lingering glance, Bo Zai handed her a large bucket of game coins to play with. Miao Jing indeed took the coins and went to try her luck at the claw machine.
Since the coins were free, she played without hesitation, targeting only the plush toys she liked best, though her success rate was quite low.
"How long have you been at this? Only two?" Chen Yi came over to get water and stopped to ask.
"Zhengsi likes the sea turtle. I'm trying to get that for him." Her eyes remained fixed on the glass case. "It's tucked deep inside, hard to reach from this angle."
"Want me to give it a try?"
"No." She refused outright.
Chen Yi grunted and returned to the billiards table.
To be honest, Chen Yi's skills exceeded Lu Zhengsi's expectations. While not an expert, Lu Zhengsi knew enough basics and had watched matches—Chen Yi's power control and shot precision were remarkable. Lu Zhengsi guessed he must be the best in the neighborhood. Some spectators nearby laughed and told him to aim higher.
The first-place prize for the hall's monthly friendly competitions had remained unclaimed since the establishment opened.
Even coaches from other billiards clubs who'd won university championship titles had never beaten Chen Yi.
Billiards mastery often emerges from unexpected places—perhaps even a street vendor selling grilled gluten could deliver shocking skills. The gap between professional and amateur players isn't insurmountable. Though Chen Yi never entered formal competitions, he'd played against national-level players and remained undefeated in Tengcheng.
After finishing at the claw machine, Miao Jing came to watch by the billiards table. Chen Yi had begun coaching Lu Zhengsi, demonstrating aiming techniques and striking rhythm—from short straight shots to angled ones, finally clearing the table in one break. Lu Zhengsi had an epiphany, eagerly starting another game to practice himself, becoming so absorbed he nearly forgot Miao Jing was observing.
She didn't know how to play billiards—had only seen others play and touched the equipment, but never truly tried it herself. There'd been chances during university to stand at a table, but she never attempted to play or asked anyone to teach her.
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