During the Snowstorm by Mo Bao Fei Bao

Chapter 4.2 Affairs of the Rolling Red Dust

Boys, young men, and men competing in the club all wore the same standard outfit: a shirt and pants. Though she thought she had grown tired of this universal look, she still couldn't help stealing a glance at him.

Silently, Yin Guo pointed to the back of her collar, indicating something to him. Lin Yi Yang caught her meaning but didn't budge.

"The collar is not folded properly," she whispered.

"Where?" he asked his voice barely above a murmur.

......

Yin Guo reached around to touch the spot, this time making contact.

Lin Yi Yang understood the gesture and used his right hand to smooth out the collar's outer edge, pinching it and sliding his fingers around the neck to the plastic button at the collar's opening.

"Is it better now?" he asked.

She tried to understand it as him referring to the shirt in a straightforward manner, but it was probably just a professional habit that made her notice the small details of his outfit. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern when she noticed that he wasn't wearing a belt with his trousers.

"Why don't you borrow one from my younger cousin?" she thought. "Oh, forget it. You're not going to a competition anyway."

As Lin Yi Yang stood face-to-face with Yin Guo, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awkwardness. They had been standing there, with their legs touching, for what felt like an eternity until he finally mustered up the courage to flash a smile. After a brief moment of silence, he turned his head and began rummaging through the pile of pants in the closet, eventually emerging with a black leather belt that he had purchased on sale.

As he fastened the belt around his narrow waist, Yin Guo felt a twinge of embarrassment wash over her. She averted her gaze, choosing to look away as he buckled up. "Your brother wants to play a couple of rounds with me," he spoke up, breaking the silence. "If you want to watch, go ahead. If not, you can wait in the apartment. I'll be back in a while."

Lin Yi Yang's hand landed gently on Yin Guo's shoulder, his touch firm yet tender as he said, "Let's go." With that, he picked up his coat from the couch, headed towards the apartment door, and closed it behind him, his thoughts heavy with the question of whether to have a serious match with him or to play casually.

The weight of his dilemma lingered in his mind as he descended the stairs, the warm weather providing little comfort against the weight of his thoughts. He mulled over his options, each one carrying its own set of consequences.

Despite his mental turmoil, the short walk to the billiard court was pleasant, the sun shining down on his face and the breeze ruffling his hair. He chose not to wear his coat and carried it with him instead, the cool air a refreshing respite from his inner turmoil.

Meng Xiaodong stood at the door of the billiard room, having found it on the map, his eyes glinting with mischievous energy as he waited for Lin Yi Yang's arrival.

As soon as Lin Yi Yang arrived at the pool hall, he asked for a room without saying much to Meng Xiaodong. Knowing that Yin Guo had been diligently training, he had arranged for the room to be booked for the whole afternoon and evening. When he entered the room, the older people playing inside warmly greeted him and even praised his 'girlfriend's' dedication to training.

Without acknowledging the comments, Lin Yi Yang closed the door and pointed to the nine-ball table in front of him, asking, "Shall we play this?"

Meng Xiaodong's reply was firm, "You should know that unless I switch to another field or retire, I won't play nine-ball."