With Lu Zhengsi in her life, Miao Jing’s weekend activities became much more varied.

During that business trip to Jing City—boyfriend, two or three months, family member seriously ill—at the time, Miao Jing had only explained this much, and Lu Zhengsi nodded in acceptance the next day. Compared to other male colleagues’ ambiguous advances that led nowhere, he had already gained the advantage of proximity.

Miao Jing smiled, her dimples showing as she extended her hand to Lu Zhengsi. She never thought he would refuse. As for more detailed explanations, she gave a charming smile: “You’ll understand gradually.”

They didn’t make a big announcement. After their rough agreement, they entered an ambiguous friend-like state, from 8 AM company morning meetings to 10 PM overtime, they were in the same camp. Added to their private weekend interactions, Lu Zhengsi felt Miao Jing was someone who made others comfortable both professionally and personally—maintaining a cool distance yet being easy-going without airs, serious and dedicated while knowing how to care for others, firm and assertive yet willing to yield gently.

She didn’t talk much. Lu Zhengsi rarely heard her mention her affairs, only knowing that she had followed her mother who remarried in Teng City, Chen Yi was the son of the restructured family, then after her stepfather died, her mother married again, and she returned to Teng City after finishing university.

A complicated story told in just a few words. Miao Jing described it lightly, and before Lu Zhengsi could digest it all, she switched to work topics, speaking seriously: “Check with the process department, do these sheet metal parts’ welding and assembly feasibility match? If we have to return after issuing the mold opening order, the mess afterward won’t be easy to clean up.”

Such a cool and beautiful woman, so serious and hardworking at her job, everyone in the department more or less looked after her, but Miao Jing was truly outstanding, even far surpassing her male colleagues.

Lu Zhengsi was enchanted, completely following her pace.

Because of the meal and movie after bowling that day, Lu Zhengsi had also added Tu Li and Chen Yi on WeChat. He knew Chen Yi ran a pool hall, and Tu Li had laughed about getting everyone together again to play, saying the pool hall had mahjong tables, perfect for the four of them.

While Miao Jing went out dating on weekends, Tu Li naturally also urged Chen Yi to date, she had some feminine intuition—Chen Yi was acting a bit strange.

The strange part was that since Chen Yi went to Yunnan over summer vacation, three months had passed without them sleeping together.

Moreover, he had been much more settled recently, rarely hanging out eating and drinking with his questionable friends and rarely actively pursuing her. When she called, he was always practicing at the pool hall. Tu Li asked Bo Zai about recent activity at the pool hall, and whether Chen Yi had been entangled with other women. Bo Zai said recently Chen Yi went straight home after closing the shop, rarely flirting with girls, quite normal.

She wanted to stay overnight, but Chen Yi wasn’t in the mood. She wanted to stay at his place in the evening, but Chen Yi refused with a dark face. Tu Li thought he was still bothered by the mishap in front of Miao Jing last time, laughing that Miao Jing was also an adult, what did it matter, suggesting they could get a hotel room instead? He coldly tossed his cigarette, saying he knew she didn’t lack other men, telling her to find someone else.

They had first met at a bar, Tu Li believing Chen Yi was just a player, thinking they were just having fun. She hadn’t expected Chen Yi to directly give her girlfriend status. Tu Li naturally held on tight, continuing until now. Now that Chen Yi had said such things, her delicate eyebrows furrowed, her heart suspicious and uncertain.

Tu Li had also indirectly asked Miao Jing about Chen Yi’s situation, but Miao Jing seemed to refuse to engage with this topic, only politely replying: “I don’t know, perhaps you can ask Chen Yi directly.”

–

Lu Zhengsi and Miao Jing had many activities—board games, sports, hiking, running, and sometimes simply working overtime at the company or going to the test track. When Tu Li knew they were going out dating, she would find Chen Yi to go along. Chen Yi’s expression was always somewhat difficult, refusing twice, but finally came along reluctantly.

His attitude toward Lu Zhengsi was cool, not particularly warm, and somewhat lazy. When the four were together, he stood like a door god, wearing an arrogant world-weary face, crossing his legs to play games on the side, or simply disappearing.

The best atmosphere was probably when they went karting. Men naturally have enthusiasm for cars, plus there were two automotive engineers—Miao Jing and Lu Zhengsi gathered together, discussing the car’s chassis, steering, suspension, and tires, and from there talking about work, workshop emergencies, and project technical documents. Tu Li and Chen Yi did their own thing, the two competing on the track, the rumbling sounds racing past as background to the conversation. During a pause in speaking, Miao Jing looked up, her gentle gaze sweeping past. Lu Zhengsi followed her line of sight to see Chen Yi doing drifts on the track.

“Brother Yi’s driving is pretty cool, strong rally feel, very stable control, must play with cars often, right?”

Miao Jing didn’t know about it recently, but remembered from before: “He used to race motorcycles, and was very skilled at all this.”

“Really?” Lu Zhengsi smiled, “Brother Yi is quite impressive. Sister Li says he’s very good at pool too.”

Miao Jing asked him: “Do you play pool?”

“A little bit.”

“You should compete with them sometime.”

When Tu Li came off the track to rest, Lu Zhengsi eagerly took to the field. The track had turned into a rally race, and Lu Zhengsi’s speed wasn’t bad, following behind Chen Yi, darting left and right. Miao Jing and Tu Li sat in the rest area, Tu Li taking out the foundation to touch up her makeup, also watching Chen Yi for a while, seeing him already in Fast and Furious mode, dust rolling on the track. At the height of excitement, she turned to ask Miao Jing: “Don’t you think Chen Yi is cool?”

“No,” Miao Jing’s voice was flat, unimpressed. “He’s just pretending to be cool.”

Tu Li giggled: “You’re good at taking him down a peg.”

Miao Jing smiled: “He has too many pegs to take down.”

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 crew cut soaked through, T-shirt clinging to his body, bones and muscle lines completely visible, wet and handsome and sexy.

After the four had dinner, Chen Yi sent Lu Zhengsi and Tu Li home. Miao Jing sat in the back seat scrolling on her phone, looking up to ask him: “Those years, did you still race?”

Chen Yi gripped the steering wheel: “Didn’t you forbid it?”

“So you never did it again?”

“I’m not forever seventeen, not so keen on that hot-blooded life-risking anymore.” His tone was casual. “Some money isn’t worth making, playing pool is enough to make a living.”

“Your cleverness is all in these areas,” Miao Jing said slowly. “Indeed living quite well.”

His black eyes burned: “What else, be like you and Lu Zhengsi, go to university, become engineers?”

“I didn’t think that.” Miao Jing lowered her eyes, replying to messages on her phone. Chen Yi glanced at her in the rearview mirror, shrugged his shoulders, and drove home.

–

Since they had talked about the pool last time, Lu Zhengsi became genuinely curious about Chen Yi’s pool hall, finding time with Miao Jing to check it out. Chen Yi knew about it, naturally wanting to be a good host, especially reserving a table for Lu Zhengsi.

Lu Zhengsi had occasionally gone to pool clubs with friends in university, hadn’t played much, his skills were average. Chen Yi lazily played along, intentionally going easy on him, letting him last longer.

Miao Jing and Bo Zai sat at the bar chatting. The pool hall only had eight pool tables, plus two or three mahjong tables. The per-customer spending also relied on soft drinks, cigarettes, and fruit plates. Daily revenue was between one thousand and fifteen hundred, and Bo Zai’s monthly salary was eight thousand, actually the same as Miao Jing’s, except there were off-seasons during winter and summer breaks. Calculating this, Miao Jing asked if Chen Yi had other income. Bo Zai chuckled: “Brother Yi won’t let me say.”

She didn’t ask further, her gaze sweeping across the row of pink claw machines—there were no girls in the shop today, the claw machines were quiet. Bo Zai saw Miao Jing glancing over several times, and gave her a big bucket of game tokens, telling her to play. Miao Jing took the tokens to play the claw machine.

Since they were free game tokens, she played without concern for cost, only trying for the plush toys she liked best, the input-output ratio was very low.

“How long have you been playing? Only got these two?” Chen Yi went to the bar for water, passing by to ask.

“Zhengsi likes turtles, I’m trying to get that one for him,” her eyes fixed on the glass case. “It’s hidden inside, the angle isn’t good for grabbing.”

“Want me to try?”

“No.” She refused directly.

Chen Yi made a sound of acknowledgment and returned to the pool table.

Honestly, Chen Yi’s pool skills had exceeded Lu Zhengsi’s expectations. While Lu Zhengsi wasn’t a pool expert, he knew the basics and had watched competitions. Chen Yi’s power control and ball control were very precise. Lu Zhengsi guessed his skill must be the best in the district. Pool players watching nearby laughed, telling him to guess higher.

The pool hall’s monthly friendly competition first prize had been hanging there since opening, no one had ever claimed it.

Even coaches from other pool clubs who had won first place in university pool championships had never beaten Chen Yi.

Pool produces masters from among common people—perhaps a street vendor selling grilled noodles could shock everyone with their skill. The wall between professional and amateur players isn’t that thick. Chen Yi had never participated in competitions but had played against national players, and had never lost in Teng City.

After finishing with the claw machine, Miao Jing came to stand by the pool table watching. Chen Yi was already teaching Lu Zhengsi, demonstrating aiming methods and striking rhythm, from short straight shots to small angle shots, finally clearing the table in one turn. Lu Zhengsi had a revelation of understanding, eagerly playing another round, practicing hands-on, becoming absorbed, nearly forgetting Miao Jing was watching from the side.

She didn’t know how to play pool, had only seen it, touched it, hadn’t tried playing in all these years. There had been several chances to stand at a pool table in university, but she had never thought to try, never thought to let someone teach her.

“Miao Jing, want to try?” Lu Zhengsi raised his eyebrows with a bright smile. “I’m not qualified to play with Brother Yi, shall we two beginners play a round?”

Chen Yi held his cue out to Miao Jing, raising an eyebrow: “Want to try? I’ll teach you?”

Miao Jing thought for a moment, took the cue, applied chalk to the tip, and then followed the demonstration.

She wore simple flowing wide-leg pants and a silk shirt, originally elegant and graceful like still water-reflecting flowers. Now she rolled her sleeves to her elbows, revealing arms delicate as white porcelain, bending over close to the pool table, twisting her waist. The simple clothes outlined graceful curves at several points of her body. She positioned her bridge hand, trying to slide the cue: “Is this right?”

The wall mirror completely reflected her figure, clear and bright, with almost nowhere to hide.

The pool hall wasn’t empty, quite a few men were sitting or standing around watching. Lu Zhengsi was on the opposite side of the table measuring shot angles. Chen Yi stood beside her, his broad frame blocking her slender body. His eyes slid across the mirror, his sharp Adam’s apple bobbing, sword-like eyebrows pressing down at the corners, that pair of pupils unfathomable. Expressionlessly he reached out, his fingertips supporting her pointed elbow bone, a touch of scorching temperature lingering on the smooth skin.

“Straighten your arm.” His fingers slid from her elbow to her shoulder, two fingers pressing down, his voice low and deep, “Don’t twist your shoulders, keep them level.”

Correcting her posture, teaching her how to use the cue and strike, his tall body naturally bending down, two hands bracing at her sides, leaving her space to move. Their breaths and scents were close enough to touch, breathing mingling by their ears.

She felt his body close behind her back, broad and heavy build, weighty oppressive feeling, almost isolating her in a separate space. Slightly turning her head, outside the noisy crowd, her autumn-water-like eyes and brows curved alluringly, her throat silently letting out a soft gentle laugh: “Do you teach other girls to pool like this?”

Warm breath spilled on his neck, slightly reddening Chen Yi’s ears. His Adam’s apple bobbed heavily, his jaw line taut and hard as he pressed down on her wrist, hoarsely whispering: “Relax your wrist!”