Should they call her cousin over?
"And Xiao Guo, you come too," her mother said finally.
Yin Guo was only halfway through preparing the fruit platter. She didn't know whether to put the knife down or keep going. She was slow; it would take her at least ten more minutes to finish washing and slicing the rest of the fruit.
Lin Yiyang took the thin paring knife from her hand and deftly finished the task in under three minutes. Back when he was working under the table at a restaurant to earn tuition, there was nothing he hadn't done; this was child's play. If given a few more minutes, he could have even arranged them into decorative shapes.
He turned on the tap, rinsed the blade, flicked off the water droplets, and handed it back to Yin Guo. "Go on up. Don't keep your mother waiting too long."
Feeling apprehensive, Yin Guo couldn't help but marvel, "You're much more efficient at chores than I am."
In other words, he had endured a lot of hardship growing up.
Yin Guo pulled the kitchen door slightly ajar and whispered, "In this house, my dad listens to my mom, especially when it comes to me. You understand, right?"
Lin Yiyang nodded.
"My mom is very reasonable and won't embarrass anyone to their face," Yin Guo added, still worried. "If she brings up the past, just listen. You don't need to argue. My brother said that because of your teacher, her opinion of you has already improved a lot."
"Okay."
"Also, she actually dotes on me. Her biggest weakness is me acting spoiled," Yin Guo whispered again. "I'll read the room. If things don't look right, I'll start acting cute, and you just stay quiet. Leave all the trouble to me."
Lin Yiyang smiled. "Alright."
"And..." Yin Guo racked her brain, but her nerves eventually made her mind go blank. She said anxiously, "Forget it, let's just go up. My brother is there, anyway."
The two of them opened the kitchen door and walked through the living room.
The room was empty now.
"What did my sister say to you just now?" She had seen her sister heading upstairs and thought of the few minutes she had been away. "She didn't say anything unpleasant, did she?"
Lin Yiyang shook his head. "We met once in the past."
"You've met my sister before?" she asked in surprise.
Lin Yiyang nodded. "A friend of a friend. Just a brief encounter."
As a man, there was no need to go around talking about the romantic history of an unrelated woman. He simply acted as if he didn't know.
Yin Guo nodded. "The two of you are about the same age."
By the time they finished those few words, they were outside the study door.
Before pushing the door open, Yin Guo gripped the back of his hand, still uneasy. "No matter what my mother says, she doesn't speak for me."
After a pause, she added softly, "I've chosen you for life."
In truth, she was afraid.
The only serious conflict they’d ever had was after the last time he met her mother. The thought of Lin Yiyang’s loneliness that day, his frustration, and the way his pride had been crushed made her heart ache. Even though she knew her mother’s attitude had changed and her cousin was there, she was still terrified at the moment of bringing them face-to-face.
Lin Yiyang hadn't expected Yin Guo to say something so definitive—a declaration of lifelong commitment—in such an ordinary setting, outside her family's study. He couldn't describe his current feelings; they were complex.
Amidst that complexity, she squeezed his hand firmly, speaking words that could soften any heart...
Lin Yiyang squeezed her hand back. For a long time, he couldn't find anything to say.
Without hesitation, he took the initiative to push open the study door.
Her mother was already seated in a single armchair by the coffee table, while Meng Xiaodong sat in the desk chair. Yin Guo seemingly had no choice but to share the long sofa with Lin Yiyang.
Before sitting down, she tugged at Lin Yiyang’s shirt, wanting him to sit on the outside. She wanted to sit on the inside to act as a buffer between her mother and him.
"What are you doing?" Her mother saw through her little scheme immediately. "Let Xiao Lin sit on this side, near me."
...
Yin Guo pouted and wrinkled her nose at her mother in a spoiled manner.
Her mother laughed.
Lin Yiyang moved to the inner seat and sat down. Yin Guo had no choice but to follow, pushing the fruit platter to the center of the coffee table. "He sliced all of this."
After saying it, she thought for a moment and added, "He did a good job, didn't he?"
Meng Xiaodong, who was drinking tea, almost laughed at the question but held it back.
Yin Guo had no idea that ever since she entered the room, she had been like a cat with its fur standing on end, trying to act calm while protecting the treasure behind her... And that sentence? It was like she was holding her treasure in her paws, asking everyone warily: *Isn't my treasure beautiful?*
Meng Xiaodong shot a fleeting glance at Lin Yiyang: *Look how scared you've got my sister.*
Lin Yiyang’s eyes were also tinged with a smile: *She's so cute.*
Yin Guo’s mother was a direct person. She smiled and asked Lin Yiyang, "Do you know why Xiao Guo is so nervous?"
"I'm not nervous," Yin Guo said immediately.
Her mother laughed again. "Alright, Mommy isn't going to eat him. Let me have a proper word with him."
Yin Guo smiled and used a toothpick to spear a slice of mango, only for it to slip and land on the coffee table with a *thwack*.
Truly... the more she rushed, the more things went wrong.
Beside her, he handed her a napkin. He didn't look at her, but instead spoke politely to her mother. "Please, Auntie, go ahead."
"Last month, when we first met and you came to offer tea," her mother said, "I could tell even then that Xiao Guo wanted to speak up for you."
Yin Guo slowly wiped the table, her ears perked up.
"So, to be frank, I have been observing you ever since—from your application to join the Billiards Association to your victory at the China Open. You could say that for Xiao Guo’s sake, I’ve watched every one of your matches and post-match interviews, including the one where your teacher was present."
That day, when Lin Yiyang bowed on the court, had been the turning point for her mother’s impression of him.
She paused for a moment, then smiled. "I also saw the US Open for 9-ball."
...
Yin Guo froze and looked at her cousin: *Didn't you say she didn't see it?*
Meng Xiaodong was also surprised.
Only Lin Yiyang felt this was within expectations. From the moment he picked up the microphone while sitting in the audience, he had envisioned today’s situation.
Yin Guo clutched the napkin, which now held the fallen mango. She had intended to throw it in the trash, but she didn't move.
Lin Yiyang’s words at the New York tournament were, of course, incredibly romantic to the audience and fans. But if her mother saw it, wouldn't it expose Meng Xiaodong’s lie? Her cousin had claimed he was the one who set them up...
Meng Xiaodong remained quite calm, picking up the teapot to pour more tea for Yin Guo’s mother. "I didn't realize you watched that."
Her mother smiled as she picked up her teacup. "If I hadn't, I wouldn't have known how much you children fear me."
"Your English at the scene was excellent," her mother said, clearly not wanting to make things difficult for Lin Yiyang as she naturally shifted the topic to his studies. "Was it very hard studying in the US?"
Lin Yiyang replied naturally, "It was alright. Generally speaking, the hardships I endured were worth it."
"It's very impressive," her mother remarked with emotion. "To do it without family support is truly impressive."
Finally, she said with a smile, "Before Xiaotian came back, I didn't know much about your academics. He stayed here with his grandmother for a week and talked about nothing but you. He told me about your school and your major; I was very pleased to hear it."
Yin Guo was overjoyed to hear nothing but praise. "Mom, he studies incredibly hard. In America, he could only see me once or twice a week because he was so busy with school."
Her mother gave a deliberate "Oh?" and asked, "In America? You mean last year?"
Yin Guo realized she had let too much slip. She fell silent, blushing as she signaled her mother with her eyes: *Please don't call me out in front of him... I'll confess and apologize in private later.*
Seeing her daughter's expression, her mother didn't intend to press further in public. "Alright, I'm done talking."
Lin Yiyang went from being on high alert to feeling a sense of relief. He took the initiative to raise his teacup. "Thank you, Auntie, for being willing to give me a chance—a chance to look at me anew."
With that, he drained the cup.
This was the second time he had offered tea to Yin Guo’s mother. The circumstances were worlds apart from the first.
Her mother nodded, stood up from the sofa, and went to the desk to find a folder. When she returned, she pulled out a sheet of paper.
"Let's talk a bit about the Asian Games. It's not exactly official business," she said, placing the paper between the three of them. "Just a casual chat."
On the paper was the breakdown of the billiards events for the Asian Games:
Women’s: 6-Red Snooker, 8-Ball, 9-Ball, 10-Ball, Women’s 9-Ball Team (3 players)
Men’s: Snooker, 8-Ball, 9-Ball, 10-Ball, Men’s Snooker Team (3 players)
There were ten events in total, five for men and five for women.
Her mother explained simply, "I want to hear your thoughts—your thoughts on registration."
Yin Guo didn't quite understand. "I'm just doing 9-ball and the team event."
"For this Asian Games, each country can register a maximum of two people per event," her mother emphasized.
So that was it...
Yin Guo had been ranked third in the world last year, so it was a bit uncertain.
"I'll sign up for the qualifiers first and try my best," she answered.
"Besides 9-ball, I hope you'll consider registering for 6-red snooker," her mother said, pointing to the paper. "We don't have many strong players for this event. I hope you can step in."
"6-red snooker?" Yin Guo was stunned.
Although she had learned billiards from Meng Xiaodong since she was a child and snooker was no problem for her, still...
"I'll talk to you about that privately."
Yin Guo gave a dazed "Oh."
Her mother turned to Meng Xiaodong. "I know that besides snooker, you never play other forms of billiards. But the Asian Games are different; the number of team medals is very important."
Meng Xiaodong surrendered immediately. "I understand. I'll register for whichever one you want me to."
"I'll talk to you privately tomorrow," her mother said.
Meng Xiaodong nodded. He understood; the main subject of this conversation was today's guest.
Finally, her mother looked at Lin Yiyang.
Lin Yiyang also guessed that the real focus was on him. "Please, go ahead," he said proactively.
Her mother smiled. "Snooker and the team event are your main specialties."
Lin Yiyang nodded. "Yes, I will register for those."
"Your results in the 9-ball tournaments in the US are obvious to everyone."
Lin Yiyang nodded again. "I'll register for 9-ball as well."
"Most players balance 8-ball and 9-ball," her mother added.
"Alright, I'll sign up for 8-ball too," he said without hesitation.
"Do you still have the energy to handle 10-ball?" her mother asked finally.
...
"I can do it," Lin Yiyang caught the drift. "I'll register for all of them. As long as I pass the qualifiers, I'll play them all."
The final result was that, in front of his future mother-in-law, Lin Yiyang agreed to take on all five events.
Yin Guo finally couldn't listen anymore.
She felt Lin Yiyang might actually die of exhaustion on the court. It looked like just a few events, but the training load was massive, the pressure during matches was even greater, and the physical toll was heavy.
Wasn't this like asking someone to run the 200m, the 400m, the 4x100m relay, and then a marathon?
She spoke up for him, "What if the toll is too high... and he can't even protect his main events?"
"That depends on Xiao Lin's own wishes," her mother replied with a smile.
"You're asking him to his face, so of course he'll say it's no problem..." Yin Guo muttered, looking at her mother pleadingly. "Even if he's capable, you can't let him run until he's completely burnt out."
Meng Xiaodong was amused, thinking to himself: *Look at her, she's actually grown enough to argue with her own mother for her man.*
Her mother’s smile deepened. "There are two slots per event. He has to participate in the qualifiers first; he might not even get all the slots."
"If he goes, he'll definitely get them all," Yin Guo said without a shred of doubt.
She still remembered how her cousin had described Lin Yiyang: *There is nothing he isn't good at, only whether he wants to play or not.*
...
At this, everyone laughed.
Lin Yiyang patted her knee, signaling: *It's fine.*
Yin Guo looked into his eyes. Seeing his lack of concern and his completely unburdened expression, she felt slightly relieved, but she still argued her point. "Usually, when someone plays so many events, the results in one of them are bound to be less than ideal. You can't blame him."
"Of course I won't," her mother said.
***
Once they finished discussing the Asian Games events, they chatted about casual family matters for a while.
With the Asian Games approaching, her mother wasn't just concerned with billiards; there were many other sports waiting for meetings, the formation of coaching staffs, and the assembly of national teams.
They talked until past ten o'clock. Her mother gave Lin Yiyang an apologetic smile. "I still have a lot of official business to attend to, so I can't chat much more today. Come to the house often in the future. Your uncle called me just now and said you should visit frequently as well."
As she spoke, she stood up.
The others also rose, preparing to leave.
With a smile in her eyes, her mother extended her right hand to Lin Yiyang. "Congratulations in advance, Captain of the Chinese National Billiards Team, Lin Yiyang."
...
Not just Yin Guo, but even Lin Yiyang and Meng Xiaodong froze.
The light in the study fell upon him, feeling almost searingly hot.
If anyone else had said those words, he would have surely thought it was a joke.
A little over a month ago, he had only just returned to the country.
Half a month ago, he had successfully won the China Open, joined the Billiards Association, and been selected for the national team.
Two weeks ago, he had suddenly taken over Dongxincheng...
And just this morning, in his yet-to-be-opened pool hall, Jiang Yang had informed him that billiards had been included in the Asian Games.
Now, at ten o'clock at night, he was being told—he, Lin Yiyang, would be the Captain of the Chinese National Billiards Team.
In three months, he would lead the team into battle, taking China's strongest group of players to storm the arenas and bring back medal after medal...
Back in that innermost office on the second floor of Dongxincheng, eight-year-old him and fourteen-year-old Jiang Yang had sat before the television. Their teacher had pointed at the replays on the screen, analyzing match after match, watching players ascend the podium... it felt like it was only yesterday.
As proud as he was, he had never imagined this day would come.
"This is the result of a secret ballot," her mother’s voice said. "I received the news just before I came home."
It could be said that Lin Yiyang had conquered everyone who voted for him through his actions and his results.
Everyone was willing to believe that the new captain, Lin Yiyang, would lead the Chinese National Billiards Team into a newer, more glorious era.
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 六红球斯诺克 | 6-Red Snooker | A variant of snooker played with only 6 red balls instead of 15. |
| 八球 | 8-Ball | A popular pocket billiards game. |
| 十球 | 10-Ball | A rotation pool game similar to 9-ball but with ten balls. |
| 中国台球队 | Chinese National Billiards Team | The national representative team for cue sports. |
| 队长 | Captain | The leader of the team. |
| 预选赛 | Qualifiers | Preliminary matches to determine who enters a tournament. |
| 兼顾 | Balance / Handle multiple | To take care of or participate in multiple things simultaneously. |
| 无记名投票 | Secret ballot / Anonymous voting | A voting method in which a voter's choices are confidential. |
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Amidst a Snowstorm of Love | Chapter 55 | The National Team Captain | Novela.app | Novela.app
