Yin Guo realized he was playing 9-ball, her own competitive discipline.
"He’s an amateur," Su Wei whispered into Yin Guo’s ear, pointing at Lin Yiyang’s back. "Berry said he’s challenging a regional champion here."
Yin Guo nodded slightly. So, he was an amateur.
Berry continued talking, and Su Wei translated: "And this regional champion has already won three matches in this pool hall. This is his lucky ground. Berry also said that three thousand dollars is a bit reckless."
Yin Guo didn't know much about the betting amounts here, so she remained silent. Three thousand dollars was certainly not a small sum.
Lin Yiyang held the orange ball, while he handed the yellow ball to his opponent. Yin Guo knew they were about to "lag" for the break.
He and the regional champion walked to one end of the table, each placing their ball on the head string. The room fell silent. Yin Guo and Su Wei stopped their quiet chatter as well. Both knew very well that in 9-ball, the break was crucial; winning it significantly increased one's chances of victory. Thus, the players had to compete for the opening shot right at the start.
The rule was simple: both players would strike their balls simultaneously from the head string. The balls would hit the far rail and bounce back. Whoever’s ball stopped closest to the head rail would win.
In the silence of the room, two soft clicks rang out.
The two balls rolled out almost at the same time, tracing straight lines across the blue cloth. They struck the opposite rail in unison and rebounded at a steady speed. The balls slowed down more and more.
Yin Guo stared at them, already sensing the outcome.
Slowly, very slowly, Lin Yiyang’s orange ball overtook the opponent’s yellow ball. The ball rolled toward Lin Yiyang and came to a stop right against the edge of the table—perfectly flush with the rail. It was impossible to get any closer.
The yellow ball also came to a stop amidst a round of applause, trailing by a mere centimeter. Against that one-centimeter gap, Lin Yiyang had won.
"Who’s refereeing?" Lin Yiyang picked up the cue ball and placed it on the head string.
"I’ll do it, I’ll do it," Berry volunteered.
He had originally come to see the regional champion, but after witnessing Lin Yiyang’s beautiful lag, his excitement had surged. By acting as the referee, he could ensure fairness, but more importantly, he wanted to see if Lin Yiyang’s shot had just been a stroke of luck.
A low-hanging long light cast a soft white glow over the blue table. The light was positioned so low that it only illuminated him from the waist down. Berry quickly racked the balls, arranging them into a perfect diamond on the table.
Lin Yiyang switched to green chalk and applied it to his cue tip.
Leaning over one side of the table, his gaze fell on the cue ball, and he lined up his tip. He struck.
As a ball dropped into a pocket, he had already moved to the right side of the table to follow up with the next shot. Another ball went in. Just as Yin Guo saw it drop, he had already shifted to the next position, striking the ball rapidly.
*Was he playing fast pool?*
In major tournaments, few people played fast pool because those matches affected professional careers and world rankings; one had to play steadily and cautiously. Instead, one was more likely to encounter masters of fast pool in local pool halls. Some players pursued speed and flair, but that required extremely high standards for cue ball positioning and accuracy.
The faster one played, the more accurate one had to be.
Unlike Chinese 8-ball, 9-ball required hitting the balls in numerical order, starting with the lowest number on the table. The 1-ball, the 2-ball, the 3-ball...
Finally, when only the 7, 8, and 9 balls remained on the table, he struck the 7-ball with the cue ball, causing the 7 to knock into the 9. Both balls dropped into the pockets one after the other.
Applause erupted as the rack ended. In a 9-ball match, whoever sinks the 9-ball is the winner.
He had won. A total clearance.
She stared intently at Lin Yiyang’s back, watching him apply chalk to his cue tip again. If he weren't playing fast pool, every single shot in an official match would be vital, and one would apply chalk before every stroke to steady the mind and prepare for the next move.
But tonight was different; this felt more like a performance.
"It’s not too late, everyone," this time it wasn't Lin Yiyang inviting them, but an excited Berry. He laughed as he said in English, "We can still increase the stakes. There are fifteen racks in total. Don't miss out, everyone."
The crowd laughed and began pulling out money to add to the pot.
Lin Yiyang’s first rack had conquered all the strangers present, including the regional champion. Perhaps before this, that man had been the reigning champion of this pool hall and this district, but tonight, it looked to be a formidable battle.
"He really seems like a professional," Su Wei whispered in admiration.
In the end, he played faster and faster. Every stroke was precise, every ball found its pocket. There were no mistakes—zero errors. You didn't see him pause or aim at all; there was only the constant sound of balls dropping and him moving to the next position. This was the first time Yin Guo had seen someone play fast pool from start to finish at such close range. The visual appeal and the sheer thrill of it were indescribable.
In the tenth rack, under everyone's gaze, the 9-ball was struck and dropped directly into a corner pocket.
Lin Yiyang stood up straight.
He hadn't even finished the fifteen racks, but he had already secured the win for the night. A perfect conclusion.
The regional champion, who had been sitting on a spectator chair watching the final rack, stood up and extended his right hand toward him, smiling broadly. It was the hearty feeling of having met a worthy opponent. Having lost fair and square, he naturally had no complaints.
"It was an honor." Lin Yiyang leaned on his cue with one hand and shook the man's hand.
The opponent clapped him hard on the arm. "Young man, tell me, will you be at the US Open this year? You must have signed up, right?"
Lin Yiyang smiled and shook his head. He returned the cue to its place on the rack. Unlike those professional players, even though he had come to gamble for such a large sum, he hadn't brought his own cue. He had simply used a house cue provided by the pool hall.
The owner of the pool hall handed him a towel with a smile, along with a glass of warm water. This was what Lin Yiyang had requested from the owner just before the final rack. He was thirsty.
Lin Yiyang gripped the rim of the glass and took a small sip to moisten his throat. Surrounded by several Americans, he kept his head down as he drank; it seemed he had indeed exerted a lot of energy and was severely dehydrated. After drinking about half the glass, he looked up. As if only just noticing Yin Guo, he fixed his gaze on her and gave a spontaneous smile. "Hi."
She had intended to wait until he finished his water before greeting him, but he had suddenly beaten her to it, making her feel a bit caught off guard.
"Hi." She gave a small wave with her right hand.
Because she had been watching the game tensely and hadn't spoken for a long time, her voice was a bit raspy. She couldn't help but clear her throat.
"You two know each other?" Su Wei asked Yin Guo in surprise.
"Are you friends?" the defeated regional champion asked Lin Yiyang at the same time.
"We just met recently," Lin Yiyang set the water glass down on a chair and looked at her intently. He said in English to the gossiping crowd, "I certainly hope she considers me a friend."
"Of course," Yin Guo said. Under everyone's burning gaze, she felt as if she were admitting to a mistake, maintaining a proper attitude and a sincere tone. "We have always been friends."
Lin Yiyang was amused by her earnestness and switched back to Chinese. "Just kidding, don't take it seriously."
Yin Guo also breathed a sigh of relief and replied in Chinese, "I thought I had recognized the wrong person at first."
Lin Yiyang smiled and said nothing more.
However, he seemed to be in a good mood. He quickly fished a crumpled piece of note paper from his trouser pocket and handed it to the regional champion, telling him that it was a classmate's account and he could transfer the winnings there. The regional champion accepted it readily, saying with a chuckle that he would save up and wait to gamble another round with Lin Yiyang.
"There probably won't be a next time," Lin Yiyang said.
The other man didn't take him seriously and patted his shoulder. "You're welcome here anytime."
The crowd quickly dispersed, returning to their own tables. Inspired by Lin Yiyang’s brilliant match, everyone was in the mood to play. Before long, the night's games were in full swing.
Only their corner remained quiet.
Yin Guo introduced Su Wei to Lin Yiyang. "This is Su Wei, she came with me."
Lin Yiyang nodded. He handed a bill to a waiter and whispered something. A moment later, the waiter brought over two drinks. He picked them up and handed them to Yin Guo and Su Wei.
After Su Wei thanked him, she was dragged away by Berry to start a game. She was still looking back and thanking him as she walked away.
Yin Guo was left there alone.
She bit her straw and sat on a spectator chair next to Lin Yiyang’s table, leaning against the wall. Her feet were perched on the crossbar of the chair as she watched the game at the adjacent table. Suddenly realizing no one was around Lin Yiyang, she looked back and smiled at him.
Lin Yiyang was leaning against the pool table, idling with a cue ball.
It was quiet. This was the first time the two of them were alone without Meng Xiaotian present.
He placed the cue ball on the head string. "Why did you come all this way?"
He knew where Yin Guo’s hotel was, so he naturally knew it was far from this pool hall.
"Berry, the guy who was talking to you, brought her. I heard there would be many contestants here tonight, so I came to take a look," Yin Guo thought for a moment and then explained, "I’ve signed up for the US Open."
Lin Yiyang nodded. He actually knew that. From the first day at the bar, when he saw a cue case sitting on top of the three suitcases in the corner, he knew the siblings were here for the Open. To be hiding in a bar during a blizzard with a custom cue—there could be no other reason or identity. It was just that back then, he had assumed the cue belonged to the brother.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Yin Guo continued to bite her straw. She had many questions in her heart, but since they weren't very well-acquainted and she wasn't used to casual small talk like friends, she had to keep them bottled up.
Lin Yiyang fished out the balls he had just sunk one by one from the pockets and placed them in the center of the table, arranging the nine balls into a diamond. She thought he wanted to start another rack, but it turned out he just wanted to tidy up the table.
Once everything was settled, he picked up his winter coat from the chair. "Does that friend of yours stay at the same hotel as you?" He gestured toward Su Wei with his eyes.
Su Wei was currently leaning over, aiming at a shot at a distant table near the door.
"Not the same one, but it's not far," she also thought about the issue of getting back. "But she’s staying at her boyfriend’s place in Flushing tonight, so I’ll probably have to head back on my own."
Lin Yiyang had already put on his coat and zipped it up. "I’ll take you back."
*Take me?*
"Is it on your way?"
It probably wasn't. On the first night in the taxi, the driver had clearly said that taking Yin Guo and her brother to their hotel and then going to Queens was a detour.
"I’m a man; it doesn't matter how late I get back," Lin Yiyang glanced at the wall clock. "You’re different."
It was indeed quite late. Her close friend had also sternly warned her that in New York, unless she was staying in Manhattan, a girl should never go out alone at night. Knowing that Yin Guo would be practicing at the pool hall until dark every day, her friend had even instructed her to have Meng Xiaotian pick her up and take her back to the hotel every day.
But this place was too far from the hotel. Was she really going to let him go out of his way to escort her again? Taking too many favors didn't feel right.
Yin Guo was still hesitating.
"Are you afraid I’m going to sell you off again?" Lin Yiyang teased her.
"No, not at all," Yin Guo shook her head. "I just don't want to keep troubling you."
"It’s only right," he said. "I’m a man; there’s nothing to decline when it comes to seeing a girl home."
Lin Yiyang didn't give her much chance to overthink. He pointed to Yin Guo’s clothes and bag piled on the nearby chair, indicating for her to put them on, while he directly picked up her cue case. Carrying it, he walked to the front desk to settle the bill with the owner.
As per the old rule, whoever won the game paid for the table rental.
Yin Guo didn't have time to think further. She returned her glass to the bar, went over to say goodbye to Su Wei, put on her down jacket, grabbed her bag, and followed Lin Yiyang out the door.
In the time it took to play less than fifteen racks, it had started snowing outside.
"I’ll call a car, wait a second," Yin Guo pulled her phone from her jacket pocket.
"You’ve been here this long and you’re still calling cars? Why don't you take the subway?"
"When I came last year, I went the wrong way several times. After that, I didn't dare take it casually." She was also frustrated.
Yin Guo felt miserable about it. Actually, there was a subway entrance right outside her hotel; logically, she shouldn't have to keep calling cars. But the thought of the subway gave her psychological trauma.
The subway here was over a hundred years old, and many of the cars were very dilapidated. She wasn't afraid of the dirt, but rather the fact that the cars had no electronic displays. Since the announcements weren't in her native language, she had to listen carefully to the station names the whole time. The worst part was that in these old cars, the announcement speakers were often broken. Without the audio prompts, she was completely lost.
She had once been on two consecutive subway cars with no electronic displays and no announcements, and it just so happened that the subway went haywire and skipped four stops. It felt like being in an illegal taxi, about to be driven off and sold...
In the midst of the heavy, swirling snow, Lin Yiyang smiled. He pressed down on Yin Guo’s phone and pointed to her hood. "Put it on. We have to walk three blocks; it’ll take at least fifteen minutes to get to the subway entrance. Follow me, you won't get lost."
With that, he slung Yin Guo’s cue case over his shoulder and stepped into the wind and snow.
Yin Guo put on her hood and followed closely behind him. It was so cold; she didn't even dare take her hands out of her pockets. Her boots kept leaving fresh prints in the new layer of snow as she followed Lin Yiyang’s footsteps. Lin Yiyang had been looking at the traffic, but he looked down and saw those small boots walking at a very rapid pace; it looked exhausting.
He was used to walking with long strides and had never tried slowing down for anyone. Tonight, however, he was being quite a gentleman and reduced his speed.
Once he slowed down, Yin Guo breathed a sigh of relief.
She exhaled white mist and walked in silence with him for five minutes. It didn't feel right to stay this quiet; she had to find something to say.
"Do you like gambling on pool?" she initiated some small talk.
"It’s alright."
"Are the stakes always this high? Or is it just that people here like big bets?" Yin Guo had been startled when she heard the numbers earlier; she hadn't expected the amount to be so large.
Lin Yiyang shook his head. "A classmate of mine bet against someone and put down a heavy stake. He didn't dare show up and kept begging me for half a month."
Lin Yiyang stopped walking. In that short time, they had reached an intersection. The light was red, and they had to wait for the green. Seeing how quiet Yin Guo was, he looked down at her. "Why did you stop asking?"
"I was thinking, he must be a very good friend?" To come all the way from Washington to Flushing, New York—it must be for a very important friend.
Lin Yiyang shook his head. Not really.
"It’s because I wanted to treat someone to a meal but didn't have the money," he noticed the light turn green and placed his hand on Yin Guo’s back, nudging her onto the crosswalk and moving to her right side. "Consider it an exchange of terms."
*So that was it.* As Yin Guo crossed the street, she pondered to herself—he really did love treating people to meals.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 9球 | 9-ball | A pocket billiards game. |
| 地区赛冠军 / 区域冠军 | Regional champion | A title holder for a specific local area. |
| 开球权 | The break / Opening shot | The right to start the game. |
| 争夺开球权 | Lagging | The method used to determine who breaks. |
| 发球线 | Head string | The line behind which balls are placed for the lag or break. |
| 球岸 | Rail / Cushion | The padded edge of the billiard table. |
| 巧克粉 / 巧粉 | Chalk | Used on the cue tip to increase friction. |
| 码放 | Rack | To arrange the balls in a specific starting formation. |
| 菱形 | Diamond | The shape used to rack balls in 9-ball. |
| 一杆清台 | Total clearance / Run out | Sinking all the balls in a single turn. |
| 打快球 | Fast pool / Speed pool | Playing at a very rapid pace without much deliberation. |
| 走位 | Positioning / Cue ball control | Controlling the cue ball's movement for the next shot. |
| 准度 | Accuracy / Potting ability | The ability to hit the target ball into the pocket. |
| 全美公开赛 | US Open | A major professional pool tournament. |
| 公共杆 | House cue | A pool cue provided by the venue for general use. |
| 法拉盛 | Flushing | A neighborhood in Queens, New York, known for its large Chinese community. |
