Tu Li had a good impression of Miao Jing and showed friendliness toward her—regardless of the siblings’ relationship, the fact that Miao Jing could live at Chen Yi’s place meant he treated her somewhat differently.
During the most passionate period of her relationship with Chen Yi, Tu Li had wanted to move in and live with him, but Chen Yi flatly refused, saying women were troublesome and would disturb his peace of mind. She had playfully pinched his arm, asking if he just wanted to sleep with her and be done with it. Chen Yi said yes, then grabbed and twisted her, his muscular arms wrapped around her waist as he roughly threw her onto the bed. She couldn’t say anything after that, loving that lazy yet brutally reckless ferocity of his.
Later, Tu Li didn’t want to move in either. The neighbors were all long-time residents who would openly gossip and criticize when they saw the couple coming and going, their unfiltered words reaching Tu Li’s ears directly. Tu Li would become furious after hearing them and asked Chen Yi to do something about it, but Chen Yi didn’t care at all, saying people’s mouths were their own—let them talk if they wanted, it didn’t matter to him.
Now Miao Jing had returned, such an accomplished sister with what appeared to be a proper and dignified personality. Tu Li thought if she could win Miao Jing over to her side, future matters would be easier to handle.
Though Miao Jing wasn’t difficult to get along with, her reserved nature was evident. She didn’t enjoy socializing much. When Tu Li invited her shopping, to parties, beauty salons, or dining and fitness outings, Miao Jing generally declined, apologetically saying she was busy—having just started work, she had many training sessions and technical documents to review, plus gradually taking over responsibilities and increasing interactions with colleagues and supervisors. Still, Miao Jing did prove helpful; when Tu Li’s gym wanted to open a dance studio, Miao Jing helped create a promotional resume for Tu Li. Despite being an engineering graduate, she could edit videos and use Photoshop.
Chen Yi coldly observed Tu Li’s attempts to befriend Miao Jing, his brows furrowed with slight displeasure and hidden tolerance. Hearing Miao Jing refuse on the phone, he seemed somewhat lazy, expressionless while rubbing his chin: “Stop bothering her so much in the future.”
“It’s just a meal, you didn’t stop me before calling,” Tu Li mumbled, pouting her red lips. “She said she’s working overtime at the company today and will be back later, wanted you to know.”
“Mm.”
After new employee training ended, Miao Jing entered a state of daily overtime work. The factory area was remote and isolated; after work, she would take a taxi back herself. Sometimes, when it was late, around eleven or midnight, taxis wouldn’t want to come to pick up passengers, so she had to ask Chen Yi to pick her up.
Miao Jing wasn’t worried about safety issues when returning late. She always used ride-hailing apps to find legitimate taxis, and Lu Zhengsi, who worked overtime with her, would especially talk to the driver and get contact information after seeing her into the car. He would also chat with Miao Jing throughout the journey until she safely reached home. After learning this, Chen Yi didn’t say a word—if she didn’t want to live at the company and preferred the trouble of commuting from home, that was her choice, he couldn’t control it.
This meal was eaten absent-mindedly. After eating, Tu Li wanted to go shopping at the mall. Chen Yi gave her several thousand yuan but wouldn’t accompany her. It was already September, students had returned to school, and the pool hall was busy—he needed to watch the store.
Tu Li wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his face, her eyes seductive like silk: “I love you to death. How about I skip shopping and accompany you to the pool hall? We can go home together tonight?”
Chen Yi slowly exhaled his last puff of smoke, stamped out the cigarette, and hooked his lips into a wild, cold smile, squeezing her buttocks hard: “You get aroused just from getting money? Get lost.”
“I get aroused even without money.” Tu Li giggled and swayed her waist, knowing his cold face had lasted so long probably because he was still annoyed about that slap. Over these many days, she had sweet-talked him countless times, finally coaxing Chen Yi around—truthfully, men also loved the sweet talk, praising them to high heaven, smoothing their feathers, and in the end they became obedient.
Tu Li didn’t let Chen Yi drive her, taking a taxi to the mall herself. Chen Yi played two games at the pool hall. In street-side pool halls like this, more people played Chinese eight-ball than snooker. Snooker took longer and required more precise, steady shots. Chinese eight-ball was more entertaining, with flashier techniques, faster table turnover, and trick shots that startled onlookers. Chen Yi could already clear the table in one break at Chinese eight-ball, but these past few years he mainly played snooker. Now as he stood at the pool table, a crowd of students gathered around, packed so tightly not even air could get through.
At ten o’clock that night, when Chen Yi left the pool hall and saw the lights still off in his apartment downstairs, he knew Miao Jing hadn’t returned yet. He called her, the siblings exchanged just a few words, and then he turned the car around and drove toward the development zone.
Miao Jing and Lu Zhengsi walked out of the industrial park, walking side by side, gesturing as they chatted, finally stopping to talk under a streetlight. Today Miao Jing wore figure-hugging jeans, a white T-shirt, and canvas shoes. Though her frame was slender, her curves were evident, delicate yet graspable. There was a hint of a smile in her eyes, her expression very gentle, with a maiden’s crystalline quality that perfectly matched Lu Zhengsi’s boyish freshness.
Chen Yi waited through two cigarettes before Miao Jing said goodbye to Lu Zhengsi and walked over with light steps. When she got in the car, her expression returned to its usual tired indifference: “Didn’t I say you didn’t need to pick me up?”
“Was on the way.”
He turned the steering wheel, rolling down both windows. At this hour, the day’s heat had completely dissipated, and the night breeze was cool and pleasant. The city’s nightlife was just getting lively, and while the development zone was desolate, its straight roads were spacious and peaceful, streetlights flying past one by one, creating an exhilarating feeling.
“How much longer will this overtime last? Rushing around until midnight every day.”
His tone was extremely displeased—unclear whether he was annoyed at being a driver back and forth late at night, or at her working herself to death for such a small salary.
“It’s fine. The overtime used to be more intense, working until dawn for two straight months to meet project deadlines. This position also involves supplier management now, so I need to familiarize myself quickly, but it’ll get easier later.”
She spoke lightly, all business. Chen Yi frowned, letting out a heavy sigh: “All prestigious university graduates—some wear suits and high heels, walk into fancy office buildings with coffee cups, casually making international calls, while others wear work clothes in workshops, walking fifteen thousand steps every day on WeChat.”
Miao Jing rubbed her calves, with a look that was neither quite annoyed nor quite amused: “I like it, what’s it to you?”
The atmosphere in the car turned ice-cold, neither speaking. Big brother’s face was dark and stern, muscles twitching—right, it was what she liked, he had no say in it.
“This car’s engine noise is quite loud. Have you cleared the carbon deposits? Maybe check if the bearings are worn.” Miao Jing was looking out the window when she suddenly turned and said this.
“Old car, old problems.” He remembered something, “Can car-manufacturing engineers fix cars?”
“Want me to fix your car? No way.” Miao Jing laughed, showing her delicate white teeth, her voice trailing up at the end, drawn out long.
Just that playful phrase.
Chen Yi smiled, his eyes like black gems, and both hands relaxed on the steering wheel.
The wind through the car windows was strong, blowing against both their faces. Miao Jing simply pulled out her hair tie, closed her eyes, leaned back in her seat, and enjoyed the cool breeze.
A few rays of dim yellow light filtered in, quietly flowing across her porcelain-white face, her smooth forehead with its fine wisps of hair, delicate long eyebrows, curled thick eyelashes, small upturned nose and lips, and refined chin.
In the intervals between the noise, Chen Yi heard her barely audible, slow, and peaceful breathing, and silently closed the windows, turning on the air conditioning.
The car stopped downstairs. He sat in the car waiting for a while, then went out to smoke a cigarette by the roadside. After finishing the cigarette, he opened the passenger door and shook Miao Jing’s head, touching her heavy falling hair, cool to the touch: “Miao Jing, wake up, go home to sleep.”
She opened her drowsy eyes, stretched, and got out of the car to follow Chen Yi, his tall figure walking in front while she followed hazily behind.
–
Everyone heard about Miao Jing’s return from Tu Li. When Bo Zi learned of it, he went to ask Chen Yi, who gave a faint “mm” and said she had returned to work. Bo Zi smiled broadly, rubbing his hands, saying they should meet Miao Jing for a meal. Chen Yi didn’t respond, giving Bo Zi a cool look: “You’re already married.”
“Yi Ge.” Bo Zi rubbed his nose, “That was so many years ago, my feelings for Miao Jing are purely friendly.”
Bo Zi’s parents had divorced, and he grew up with his grandmother whose home was near Chen Yi’s. He had known Miao Jing since childhood and then attended the same middle school. Though they didn’t talk much, they would see each other occasionally and had a decent relationship. Miao Jing… back then, Miao Jing was very quiet, with eyes like clear frost, and grew increasingly beautiful, well-proportioned, and graceful. Even the cheapest, most unfashionable clothes looked dignified and ladylike on her. Back then, quite a few of Chen Yi’s brothers had cast glances her way.
Now Bo Zi’s grandmother had passed away, and after marriage, he lived elsewhere, rarely returning to that declining apartment complex. Chen Yi didn’t actively arrange reunions, but Bo Zi, thinking of his old neighbor and having errands nearby, thought it wouldn’t hurt to meet and chat. He sat with Miao Jing at a nearby dessert shop for a while.
Miao Jing noticed his walking posture and asked with surprise: “What happened to your leg?”
“Fighting—got a steel bar stuck in it, now I limp.” Bo Zi smiled, “Ah, it’s fine, I’m grateful just to avoid prison.”
“When did this happen?”
“Five or six years ago, there was a fight between several groups over territory. Quite a few people were arrested. The boss Zhang we followed also went in. It happened to be during a crackdown period, they all got sentenced. We were lucky—having a criminal record is the real trouble.”
Miao Jing frowned, her gaze bright as snow: “Was Chen Yi involved? Have you been with Chen Yi all these years?”
Bo Zi chuckled: “Not really. After Boss Zhang fell, everyone was out of work. Yi Ge went out on his own for over two years before coming back. Later he earned some money and opened this pool hall, and I followed along.”
Chen Yi had been a pool hall regular since middle school, and by vocational high school, his skills were unmatched at school. Back then he made a living from betting on pool games. This pool hall had been open for two years now, operating from 10 AM sometimes until one or two in the morning. Chen Yi and Bo Zi ran it together, and fortunately, the income was decent, with profits split roughly half and half—this was Chen Yi’s way of taking care of Bo Zi.
“The pool hall is on the street behind the vocational high school’s back gate, just walk forward and you’ll find it. It’s the weekend today, the place is quite lively.”
With Bo Zi saying this, Miao Jing became curious to see that pool hall. The street behind the vocational school was an extremely lively old student area, with a newly built college branch nearby, bringing many people to play in the area. Miao Jing saw a white light box standing by the road with just three characters written on it—Pool Hall.
A long staircase led downward, probably to some underground shops. Spotlights shone from above, with colorful neon lights dancing along both sides of the stairs. Walking in, through a narrow open glass door, the space opened up surprisingly bright and spacious. Several green pool tables were arranged in the elongated room, with mirrors mounted on the back wall making the space appear brighter and more expansive. Along one side stood a long row of pink claw machines.
The place was quite busy, with both male and female customers. Two tall girls with colorful hair particularly caught the eye, moving back and forth helping to rack balls, providing practice games, and chatting. The seats at the bar were empty. Miao Jing stood at the entrance for a while, but everyone was absorbed in their activities, no one noticing her.
Several girls gathered around the claw machines, probably girlfriends of the pool-playing boys. They held a few small plush toys, still had some game tokens left, and called the owner over, complaining that the claw machines were too difficult.
Chen Yi strode over from the pool tables on his long legs, his smile lazy and unrestrained, dazzlingly bright. He grabbed a handful of tokens, raising his eyebrows with an amused snort: “Why not just admit your skills are poor? Which one do you like? I’ll get it for you, guaranteed.”
“This rabbit.”
“This little bear is the cutest.”
“Don’t rush, one at a time.”
The girls crowded around him as he focused intently on the glass window, adjusting the claw while joking with the girls beside him.
“Boss, how old are you? What’s your zodiac sign?”
“Are you trying to set me up or take a census?”
“Do you have a girlfriend—” The young girl’s tone dragged out coquettishly.
“Yes—” Chen Yi mimicked her tone with a mischievous grin.
The girls burst into giggles, covering their mouths.
“Really? What a pity, you’re already taken. I was going to introduce you to someone—my roommate is very pretty, she’d be a good match for you.”
“How pretty?” Chen Yi raised an eyebrow, focusing on the rabbit while quickly pressing the button. “If she’s pretty, I might consider switching.”
“Boss, you’re such a player! Your girlfriend would be so hurt hearing that.”
“Then everyone should stay away from this scumbag.” The claw machine lit up with colored lights as he raised his eyebrows. “Whose rabbit was this? Still want to say my claw machine is too hard? I ought to pull your pigtails.”
“This one, this one too! Boss, I want this one!”
While cheerful giggles floated from the claw machines, someone at the pool tables was getting impatient.
“Boss,” came a sweet voice, “when are you coming back?”
“Coming right now.”
After finishing with the claw machines, Chen Yi returned to the pool tables, resuming his role as pool instructor with effortless grace: “How’s the practice going?”
The pool hall’s membership cards included lessons, and naturally, members could choose their preferred instructor. Between the radiantly smiling young hotties and the masculine young owner, the boys chose the hotties while the girls chose the owner—nothing wrong with that.
Chen Yi was teaching several college girls, first explaining the rules, then demonstrating foot positioning, stance, bridge, cue action, and stroke. His rich voice delivered instructions in steady, deep tones while the girls giggled. Chen Yi bit his tongue with a half-smile, tapping the cue against his palm, irreverently warning: “Pay attention, or you’ll get spanked.”
The girls laughed even more heartily.
Then came the hands-on instruction, correcting postures. The girl holding the cue seemed nervous as Chen Yi stood behind her, adjusting her arms and stance. His tall frame bent down as he corrected her bridge and stroke: “Relax your forearm, keep your eye on the target ball, and feel the power of the shot.”
His handsome, profound features and the intense tobacco scent wafted over, while one tanned, firm arm provided a reassuring support beside her. The man’s posture and expression were completely professional, yet that very professionalism sparked his imagination.
The girl’s cheeks were already tinged pink as she struck a soft shot.
“Seems like you didn’t eat much for lunch,” he grinned roguishly. “Hit it a bit harder.”
After teaching each one, his voice had grown slightly hoarse. Chen Yi made an excuse to leave them practicing on their own while he made a round of the hall, returning to the bar where Vivi called out to him—Chen Yi had hired several girls as part-time practice partners, and Vivi was the most frequent.
“Yi Ge, what’s for dinner? Should I order some Chongqing-style chicken pot?” Vivi rested her hand on Chen Yi’s shoulder, determined to cling to this tree. “Maybe add some seafood barbecue?”
“Sure, order whatever you want to eat.”
“Great! Is Bo Zi coming tonight? Should I order his portion too?”
“He’s off today.” Chen Yi felt the urge to smoke and was about to go outside when Vivi lifted her chin, “A beautiful woman is sitting by the bar, been there a while. Wonder whose girlfriend she is. Beautiful, pure as ice and jade, doesn’t look like someone who’d come to a place like this.”
A young woman with gleaming straight black hair, wearing a white silk blouse and light purple dress, sat quietly with uncommonly refined features, like a summer poster, a retouched photo, or a figure from a painting.
“Your eye for beauty is sharper than any man’s.” Chen Yi turned his head with a playful smile to look, but Adam’s apple suddenly caught, his smile freezing as he brushed Vivi’s hand off his shoulder.
Vivi’s S-shaped figure lost its support and nearly fell flat on her face.
Miao Jing watched as Chen Yi walked up to her clutching his cigarette pack, his long legs striding urgently. He stood before her, examining her with lowered brows, then took out a cigarette and put it between his lips, hands stuffing into his pockets searching for a lighter, but forgetting to take them out again.
“Why did you come?” His voice was rough and unclear.
“Bo Zi said the pool hall was quite nice, so I came to see.” Miao Jing’s tone was very calm.
“How long have you been here? Why didn’t you say something?”
“An hour. I saw you were busy, so I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“Mm.”
He took the cigarette out again, holding it, rubbing the filter either gently or roughly.
“It’s getting late, I should go.”
“I’ll take you home.”
“No need, you’re busy here, there are lots of customers.”
“Miao Jing.”
Miao Jing stood up and walked out, Chen Yi following behind her. Vivi tried to interject something, but no one heard.
There was a taxi right by the street, appearing as soon as she waved. Chen Yi stared at Miao Jing as she opened the car door, turning back with a smile: “Don’t see me off, go back inside.”
Chen Yi stood with hands on his hips, shoulders slumped, slowly smoking as he watched the taxi disappear into the distance.
–
Chen Yi didn’t return home until one in the morning that night.
Since Miao Jing had returned to Teng City, whenever the pool hall closed very late, Chen Yi would spend the night there and go home the next morning.
Whatever he did, however, he lived his life, whether he came home or not—Miao Jing never asked, never cared.
Chen Yi saw light still coming from her room and knocked gently. The door didn’t open; Miao Jing asked what he wanted.
“Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
“Going to sleep soon.” Her voice was soft and weak. “You should rest early too.”
The next day was Sunday, and both siblings slept in late. When Chen Yi asked what she’d been busy with the night before, Miao Jing said she was working overtime—her boss had suddenly sent some component drawings, and she’d worked on revisions until very late. After explaining, she went to look for food in the refrigerator.
“I’ll go downstairs and buy some breakfast. What would you like?”
“No need.” There was milk in the fridge and bananas and apples on the table. Miao Jing planned to make do with these, pouring the cold milk into a cup and sitting in her chair slowly drinking it, posed like a still life painting.
Chen Yi frowned again, crossing his arms and lowering his eyes to the wooden floor.
“With all this overtime, you should just live in the company dormitory,” he said flatly. “It’s convenient, simpler.”
“Mm.” Miao Jing pondered for a moment, nodding, and replied softly, “Yes, and then I won’t interfere with you bringing different girls home in the middle of the night. Otherwise, you have to sleep elsewhere or at hotels, then come back in the morning to shower and change clothes—how troublesome. As your sister, I should be considerate enough to stay out of the way.”
Chen Yi’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his expression changing gradually, turning from white to blue, then blue to white. His eyes fixed on her, dark and hard as a winter night. He wanted to say something but clenched his jaw tightly, fingers trembling as they touched his lips as if to smoke, but with no cigarette. Finally, he squeezed out a few icy words: “Good that you understand.”
Miao Jing finished the last sip of milk and gave him a slight smile, as pure and sweet as the milk itself.
The next workday morning, Chen Yi opened his door just in time to see Miao Jing leaving with a small suitcase. The front door closed with a “thunk.” He closed his eyes, irritably grabbing his forehead as his temples throbbed, his breathing heavy. He strode around the apartment with a tense face, passing a chair that wasn’t properly aligned at the dining table. He kicked it violently, sending it flying to crash against the balcony doorframe, where it lay pathetically on its side.
That night, Miao Jing didn’t return home.