Bai Li's heart stirred slightly.
Back in high school, he and a few close friends had been regulars at the billiards hall.
A bottle of ice-cold cola, a few lousy shots — that was enough to while away an entire afternoon.
But somewhere along the way, the sport had gradually been branded as the territory of wild guys and wild girls, becoming their exclusive social scene.
The familiar halls he once knew had turned into rough, smoky dens, and he'd never gone back.
"What's wrong, big bro? Don't tell me you're scared?" Chen Tingting nudged him with her elbow when he didn't respond, her tone carrying a hint of challenge: "Too afraid to witness Sister Ting's skills?"
"Let's go." Bai Li snapped back to the present, the corners of his mouth curling into an amused smile.
Perfect timing — his daily investment quota had just refreshed. A little spending wouldn't hurt.
"Alright then!"
Getting the answer she wanted, Chen Tingting excitedly waved her hand, every bit the queen bee, and led the way with the confidence of someone who knew the place well.
The night in Ping County was far from quiet. The noise from snack street hadn't fully died down yet, and clusters of young people roared past on souped-up motorcycles.
Bai Li walked surrounded by the three girls, weaving through several dimly lit alleyways.
A cool breeze swept through, and Lin Xiaoshuang, in her JK skirt, instinctively hunched her shoulders, her bare legs shivering from the chill.
Bai Li noticed. Without drawing any attention to it, he subtly adjusted his stride, positioning his tall frame directly in front of Lin Xiaoshuang, shielding her from most of the cold wind.
Lin Xiaoshuang didn't notice at first. It was only after a few more steps that she realized the wind seemed much gentler.
She looked up in puzzlement, and met Bai Li's warm, gentle gaze looking back at her.
A warmth spread through her chest. A flush crept across her cheeks, and the arms she had wrapped around Bai Li's tightened just a little more without her even realizing it.
Li Jiaxin, walking on the other side, maintained her usual cool, aloof look — both hands tucked into her leather jacket pockets, not saying a word.
Bai Li's gaze dropped to her leg, and he asked casually:
"The rose on your ankle — why isn't it colored in?"
His tone was offhand, like a passing thought, with no hint of judgment or scrutiny.
Li Jiaxin's step faltered. She hadn't expected him to notice that.
The rose on her ankle was a design she had drawn herself, one that held a special meaning to her.
She hadn't had enough money to fill in the color — only the outline had been done — and it had always been a quiet regret of hers.
"Ran out of money," she answered softly, her voice carrying a trace of wistfulness she hadn't even noticed herself.
"It looks great, actually," Bai Li said, his gaze open and unhurried. "Clean lines, good composition. Once it's colored in, it'll be stunning."
He paused, then added: "You've got a good eye."
Li Jiaxin looked up at him.
She had heard far too many criticisms and snide remarks about the way she dressed — frivolous, indecent, a bad influence...
This was the first time anyone had ever complimented her taste.
And it had come from the mouth of a man who radiated class from head to toe.
A strange feeling spread through the depths of her heart, rippling outward like rings on still water.
Her cheeks grew warm. She turned her head to the side, letting her hair hide the unguarded expression on her face, and muttered under her breath:
"...Weirdo."
Though her mouth said otherwise, the hand hooked around Bai Li's arm quietly tightened.
Bai Li felt the different pressures from both sides and understood completely.
For girls like these, starved of affection, a simple word of acknowledgment or an unassuming gesture of care left a far deeper impression than money ever could.
The group passed through the alley and emerged into an open space.
The large letters of "V8 Billiards Club" blinked in the night, and music drifted down from the second-floor windows.
"This is the place!" Chen Tingting pushed open the glass door marked "Upstairs" with the ease of a regular.
A wave of cigarette smoke and perfume hit them immediately.
Bai Li followed the girls up the staircase, its walls covered in crooked graffiti and old QQ numbers.
The second floor was spacious, with more than a dozen billiards tables arranged across the room, nearly every one occupied.
The place was packed with wild guys in skinny jeans and bowl cuts, and wild girls in heavy makeup and skimpy outfits.
They gathered in loud, laughing clusters, smoke hanging in the air, the crack of billiard balls and the thump of music trading off in a lively, street-life tableau.
"Hey boss, open a table!" Chen Tingting called out toward the bar.
A young man behind the counter with equally dyed yellow hair didn't even look up. "Twenty an hour."
Chen Tingting was about to reach for her wallet when Bai Li had already stepped forward, pulling two red hundred-yuan notes from his wallet and slapping them on the counter:
"Two hundred up front — give us the change when we leave!"
The yellow-haired guy finally looked up. He took in Bai Li's appearance and clothes, then glanced at the three wild girls behind him with their very different styles, and a knowing, envious flicker crossed his eyes.
"Sure thing, big bro! Table 12!" He pocketed the cash neatly, his attitude noticeably more courteous.
Money talks, no matter where you are.
Chen Tingting excitedly picked up a cue, twirled it in her hand, and winked at Bai Li:
"Big bro, let me show you what I'm made of!"
She leaned over the table and shoved the cue forward with a sharp thrust.
The cue ball rolled off. The target ball didn't budge.
"Damn, my hand slipped." Chen Tingting straightened up without a care and shoved the cue at Li Jiaxin. "Jiaxin, your turn!"
Li Jiaxin's form was considerably better, but perhaps her leather pants were too tight and cramped her movement — her shot also failed to pocket anything.
When it was Lin Xiaoshuang's turn, the girl held the cue — thicker than her own arm — looking completely at a loss.
She glanced at Bai Li, face flushed, standing awkwardly by the table with no idea how to begin.
Bai Li smiled and walked over, naturally stepping behind her and wrapping his hands around hers.
"Relax. Lower your body, shift your weight forward."
His voice was soft, and his warm breath brushed past Lin Xiaoshuang's ear, making her already-red face burn even hotter.
He stood behind her, his chest nearly pressed against her back, his large hands enveloping her small ones as he guided her grip on the cue together.
"Eyes here — yes, exactly that angle."
Bai Li leaned forward slightly, his chin almost resting in the curve of her shoulder.
From Lin Xiaoshuang's perspective, she could smell the clean scent drifting from him — a faint mix of tobacco and the fabric of his coat.
She went completely rigid, her mind a blank, feeling only her heart hammering so hard it might leap out of her throat.
Bai Li, unaware of the girl's state, adjusted the angle patiently and guided her:
"Good — just like that. Push it out gently."
Thud.
A crisp sound rang out, and a red ball dropped cleanly into the pocket.
"It went in! I actually got one in!" Lin Xiaoshuang spun around in delighted surprise, and found herself looking straight into Bai Li's smiling, peach-blossom eyes.
Their gazes met, close enough to see their own reflections in each other's eyes.
Lin Xiaoshuang quickly looked down and murmured:
"Th... thank you, big bro."
Just then, an ill-timed voice cut in.
"Well, well — isn't that Xiao Shuang? Haven't seen you in a few days, and you've already found yourself a sugar daddy?"
The voice was flippant, dripping with a sleazy, insolent edge.
Bai Li's brow furrowed slightly. He turned toward the sound.
At the neighboring table stood a lanky young man with green-dyed hair, wearing a jacket emblazoned with a huge tiger's head, smirking at them with undisguised mockery.
Around him stood several other wild guys dressed in equally mismatched outfits, each with a cigarette dangling from their lips, their eyes sweeping over the three girls with open hostility.
At the sight of the newcomer, Lin Xiaoshuang's face drained of color instantly. She instinctively shrank behind Bai Li, her small hand clutching tightly at the hem of his coat.