October arrived in the blink of an eye. On National Day, He Qi had arranged to return to Ningshi with Li Jiajia.
She had been sleeping in every day at home, letting her biological clock drift later and later. Now, after finishing her morning routine and tidying herself up, she yawned and walked out of the bedroom.
Chen Jin was sitting in the living room in his pajamas, the computer on the table seemingly still open for work. She had no idea how long he had been awake.
“I bought breakfast,” he said casually, pointing at a packaged bag on the coffee table without even looking up.
He Qi strolled over lazily and opened the bag. Inside were a bowl of wonton soup, a couple of red date rice cakes, and youtiao with soybean milk.
The portions were too much for just one person, so she asked, “Have you eaten yet?”
Chen Jin said he had.
He Qi nodded and reached out to lift the bag. “Then I’ll take it to the car and eat with Jiajia.”
He didn’t object. As she passed him again on her way out, he suddenly called out, pushing a bank card across the table: “There’s a hundred thousand yuan in here. Give it to your parents for me.”
He Qi carried the breakfast and refused decisively: “No.”
She regularly sent her parents money, sometimes in substantial amounts. Chen Jin had also contributed over the years. Her father wasn’t yet at retirement age and still drew a salary every month, so their living standard wasn’t a concern. This was reason one.
Reason two: if she took this hundred thousand yuan to her parents, it wouldn’t just be money — it would become a perfect excuse for them to push her to marry. Her strategy for this home visit was to minimize Chen Jin’s presence and avoid the relentless nagging about marriage.
So this money absolutely could not be accepted.
Chen Jin didn’t insist. Instead, he said, “Then just spend it.”
He Qi had already reached the foyer, put on her shoes, and lifted the small suitcase containing three or four sets of clothes. She said casually, “I am spending your money already.”
The door opened and closed gently, leaving only Chen Jin in the apartment.
….
Li Jiajia was still driving her flashy pink BMW to pick her up. He Qi sat in the passenger seat, opened the breakfast packaging slightly, and cracked the window for ventilation while asking what Jiajia wanted to eat.
Jiajia glanced at the traffic light in between stops and said, “Red date cake.”
He Qi nodded, carefully broke the rice cake into bite-sized pieces through the plastic bag, and fed her.
The drive from Jiangshi to Ningshi took about three hours, longer because of National Day traffic.
The two of them sat side by side, just like during late-night high school study sessions — their conversation never stopped. Jiajia chatted enthusiastically about all kinds of gossip, and He Qi reacted in mock amazement.
Four hours passed like water, and the entire bag of breakfast was slowly devoured as if it were snacks.
He Qi’s parents’ home was in an older neighborhood with relaxed security, no vehicle registration required. Jiajia drove straight in and dropped He Qi off at the foot of her building. “My parents are waiting too, so I won’t bother to greet your uncle and aunt. Let’s have lunch together tomorrow,” she said.
He Qi nodded. “Drive safely. See you tomorrow.”
She carried her luggage to the third floor. On the right, the only unit in the hallway with a fingerprint lock was her parents’.
As she pressed her fingerprint and opened the door, the aroma of food drifted to her nose.
Xu Yan happened to be carrying two bowls of food from the kitchen. Seeing He Qi, she exclaimed happily: “Qi Qi! Perfect timing! I just finished cooking!”
He Yunping, who had been scrolling his phone in the living room, also stood up and greeted: “Qi Qi’s back?”
Even the robotic vacuum seemed to sense her arrival, circling the foyer before slowly moving away.
He Qi replied and carried her suitcase to her room, then came out to wash her hands and eat.
The first day home was always the easiest. Family reunited after a long separation, all interactions were careful, warm, and polite — avoiding any topic that might upset anyone. No one wanted to start off on the wrong foot.
But after the first day, things could get unpredictable.
He Qi only planned to stay three or four days. During that time, her parents were bound to bring up their most pressing concerns. Ideally, they would want a thorough conversation, trying to persuade their daughter whose views on love and marriage were unorthodox.
He Qi carefully calculated their intentions. The next day, she slept until late, giving them no chance to engage her in a heart-to-heart. She only left her room before lunch, saying she was going out with Li Jiajia.
Xu Yan asked, “What about dinner? Come back for dinner, okay? Mom bought a lot of your favorite dishes.”
He Qi could only agree.
She and Li Jiajia arranged to have sukiyaki at a nearby mall and then wandered around the mall afterward to digest.
When they had walked enough and were looking for a dessert shop to sit for a bit, Jiajia suddenly received a message.
She took out her phone, glanced at it, and told He Qi: “Li Leyi says he’s playing billiards at the new hall next to this mall. He asked if we want to come watch him. Do you want to go?”
He Qi shrugged. “Sure. Your cousin is back too?”
“Yeah. His mom’s strict. He couldn’t skip coming back.” Jiajia put her phone away and decided, “Then let’s go see.”
The billiard club had a nice environment — high-end gray and white décor, bright lights, and a faint pleasant scent as they walked in.
At the front desk, the staff greeted them politely. Jiajia said they were there to see someone. Li Leyi spotted them immediately and waved excitedly: “Cousin! Over here!”
Li Leyi’s group was sitting toward the corner, six or seven young men and women huddled together — likely classmates.
“Let’s just check it out. If it’s awkward, we can leave,” Jiajia whispered in He Qi’s ear.
He Qi smiled faintly. “Okay,” letting Jiajia link her arm and lead her over.
It was He Qi’s first time meeting Li Leyi, but Li Leyi had heard about her for years from his cousin. Now, seeing her in person, he enthusiastically greeted: “Cousin! He Qi!”
Jiajia smacked his arm lightly, scolding him quietly: “Are you crazy? You didn’t tell me there were this many people!”
Li Leyi rubbed his arm where it hurt and explained, “It’s fine, sis. These are my friends. We have four tables set up, enough to play.”
Jiajia was about to scold again when a clear male voice suddenly rang from behind: “Sister.”
Everyone looked over in surprise.
Through Li Leyi’s head, He Qi saw Fang Yi standing with a pool cue in hand, his hands in his pockets, eyes sparkling, hiding a smile he couldn’t quite contain.
Li Leyi was confused. “Who are you calling sister?”
He Qi knew he was calling her. Clearing her throat, she replied, “Fang Yi, you’re here too.”
After that, the entire area fell silent for a moment.
Li Leyi quickly turned back, while Jiajia gave He Qi a “what’s going on?” look. Several people’s eyes darted back and forth between them.
Li Leyi asked again, “Do you two know each other?”
Fang Yi answered proactively: “We met in Jiangshi. Jiajia was there too.”
Jiajia touched her chin but said nothing, suspiciously shifting her gaze toward Fang Yi.
Li Leyi’s mind raced, looking from Fang Yi to He Qi to Jiajia, then seemingly understanding. He grabbed Jiajia’s arm and, with a determined look at Fang Yi, said: “Cousin, come play over there with me.”
Jiajia stumbled but quickly recovered, calling back: “Are you crazy?”
Li Leyi silently endured, not forgetting to give Fang Yi a resolute glance.
Fang Yi returned his gaze calmly, raising an eyebrow.
Once the siblings left, only He Qi and Fang Yi remained by the table.
Fang Yi handed He Qi his pool cue: “Sister, let’s play together.”
He Qi hesitated, crossing her hands in front of her, glancing around nervously. “Sorry, I don’t really know how to play. Maybe your friends can play with you instead?”
“No one else left.” Fang Yi lowered his head cutely and explained, “Everyone was paired up. I was supposed to play with Li Leyi, but now he’s with Jiajia. If you don’t play with me, I won’t have anyone to play with.”
He Qi pursed her lips and looked around, realizing every table had two people — the numbers matched perfectly.
“Fine.” She took the cue from Fang Yi, reminding him again, “But I really haven’t played much.”
Fang Yi immediately smiled brightly and picked a cue he was comfortable with: “It’s fine. Just for fun anyway.”
He swiftly rearranged the balls from the previous game, setting up the triangle, and positioned the cue ball. “Do you know the rules?” he asked.
He Qi nodded: “Roughly. You go first. I’m bad at the break.”
Fang Yi nodded, leaning over the table with his cue aimed at the white ball.
His stance was impeccable — left hand arched naturally on the table, fingers steady, right hand gripping the cue, forearm vertical, muscles taut, shoulders open — his body like a drawn bow.
“Thwack.”
The cue struck the white ball with some force.
“Thwack.”
The white ball rolled forward, scattering the tightly-packed triangle of balls.
“Thwack.”
A striped ball dropped into a pocket, rolling all the way through the return channel.
According to the rules, the player who pocketed a ball could continue shooting. Fang Yi glanced at the table and adjusted his position, striking the cue ball toward another striped ball, slightly softer this time. The ball stopped just short of the pocket.
It was He Qi’s turn. She looked at Fang Yi for confirmation: “I’m playing solids, right?”
“Right,” Fang Yi said.
He Qi scanned the table, spotting a solid ball that lined almost perfectly with the cue ball and the pocket — a straight shot, the easiest one on the table.
She adjusted her stance, positioned herself at the right angle, and bent over slowly to line up the cue.
She tried to move the cue, but found she couldn’t get enough power. Feeling her posture might be off, she lifted her head: “Am I doing this right? I don’t seem to be able to hit it properly.”
Fang Yi stepped closer, observing for a moment, then suggested, “Sister, lift your right shoulder a little.”
He Qi did as he said. “Like this?”
“Yes,” Fang Yi said. “Also, your right hand… you might be gripping too far back on the cue.”
He Qi’s hand held the cue awkwardly. It was hard to move it forward.
Fang Yi stepped even closer, lifted her cue with his hand: “I’ll hold it for you. You adjust.”
He wasn’t exactly pressing against her; there was still more than a step between them, but it was clearly beyond normal social distance.
He Qi quickly positioned her hand correctly: “Got it. Thanks.”
Fang Yi quietly stepped back: “You’re welcome.”
Everything in place, He Qi focused on the straight line, decisively struck, and with three crisp pops, the solid ball sank perfectly.
Fang Yi cheered sincerely from the side: “Wow, nice shot, sister.”
He Qi, aware of her own skill, let his flattery slide with a small smile. She lined up for the next shot, but this one didn’t go in.
Though she hadn’t been keen on playing initially, once she started, He Qi was completely absorbed.
She could faintly feel that Fang Yi was accommodating her — if she made a shot, he’d make one too; if she missed, he’d set up the cue ball in a favorable position for her next solid.
Judging by this, Fang Yi’s skill was likely high — he could control the cue ball precisely, sending it along any path he wanted.
After playing over half the game, their scores were almost even.
Even though he was letting her win, He Qi genuinely enjoyed the experience. Fang Yi’s assistance was subtle, and when she pocketed a ball, she still felt the satisfaction of accomplishment.
Near the endgame, the Li siblings had just finished their match and came over to watch.
Li Leyi approached, eyes wide with surprise: “He Qi, you’re this good? You’re even with Fang Yi! He’s never lost a game here!”
He Qi’s heart skipped a beat. Embarrassed, she smiled weakly and stayed silent.
Li Jiajia knew how well her sister could play, so she didn’t say anything either.
Fang Yi, however, glanced at Li Leyi, pocketed a ball, and smiled lightly: “Yeah, sister’s pretty talented.”
Li Leyi, expecting an epic showdown, watched the table intently, rubbing his hands in anticipation.
Ten minutes later, he went silent.
Fang Yi had subtly let her win, including sinking the eight ball to claim the game.
He Qi looked around awkwardly, especially at Li Leyi, who had just said Fang Yi never lost here.
Li Jiajia, barely containing her laughter, walked up, patted He Qi on the shoulder, and gave a thumbs-up: “Awesome.”
He Qi took the chance to tweak her arm lightly, without applying force.
Li Jiajia couldn’t help but laugh, but inwardly, she understood. Linking her arm with He Qi, she said to Li Leyi: “We have plans this afternoon, so we won’t bother you and your friends.”
“Don’t go!” Li Leyi tried to stop them. “I haven’t even introduced all my friends yet.”
Li Jiajia ignored him, leading He Qi away: “We really do have plans. You guys enjoy yourselves.”
“Okay,” Li Leyi waved at his two cousins like a schoolboy. “Bye, Cousin, bye, He Qi.”
He Qi thought the boy was unusually polite, nodded at him, and turned her attention elsewhere.
Fang Yi had been quietly holding his cue and watching her. Now, as she finally looked at him, he smiled with eyes curved like crescent moons and waved:
“See you next time, sister.”
He Qi didn’t respond and turned to leave.
Outside the billiard hall, Li Jiajia kept examining He Qi curiously.
Unable to stand it, He Qi asked proactively: “What?”
Li Jiajia got straight to the point: “Did you two chat on WeChat afterward?”
“No, he only sent greetings twice,” He Qi replied.
“Then why do you two seem so familiar today?”
“I ran into him when I went out for hot pot with Zhang Xinyi, like I told you. We bumped into him at a café afterward.”
“Three coincidences already? That’s fate,” Li Jiajia said, nodding solemnly.
“Fate my foot,” He Qi gave her a sidelong glance. “You were the one who brought me here today.”
Li Jiajia cried “Unfair!”: “I didn’t know he’d be here too. If you say it like that, I can’t face Jiangshi’s brother-in-law.”
He Qi scoffed, too lazy to argue further.
They stepped into the elevator, and Li Jiajia changed the subject: “By the way, when are you heading back? I’ll go with you.”
“I think the fourth,” He Qi said. “I’ll have Chen Jin pick me up or take a taxi. Your family isn’t pressuring marriage, so why leave so early?”
Li Jiajia made a face like life had no meaning.
He Qi noticed her expression and asked, confused: “Your parents can pressure you even if you don’t have a boyfriend yet?”
“Blind dates!” Li Jiajia banged her head twice against the elevator wall. “They found a guy who also runs a factory and told me to meet him and settle it fast. Anyway, I have class the afternoon of the fourth. Better sneak out early.”
Indeed, every family had its own troubles.
He Qi sympathized: “Fine. You can drive me back then.”
The elevator opened. They stepped out into the chilly autumn wind. He Qi asked: “Where to next?”
“Massage?” Li Jiajia pointed to a nearby beauty salon. “Mom has a membership there.”
“But I have to be back for dinner,” He Qi said. “Xiao Yanzi already cooked for me.”
Xiao Yanzi was Xu Yan’s nickname, given by Li Jiajia. He Qi found it amusing and sometimes used it herself.
Li Jiajia giggled: “Alright, we won’t keep Xiao Yanzi waiting.”