Chapter 27 Table Tennis

◎ “Who can own Mount Fuji based on love?”◎

After the dishes were almost cooked, everyone realized that they had not bought beer. Finally, Zhou Yan brought down two bottles of red wine and champagne from upstairs.

After the cork was pulled out, the aroma of wine quickly spread. Jiang Siyue handed the cup over with full anticipation, and then Zhao Yan poured her a glass of orange juice.

"The injury hasn't healed yet."

Jiang Siyue was discouraged and drank orange juice obediently.

After just two drinks, they started chatting. Zhou Yan spoke in a mixture of Chinese, Japanese and English, all about specific projects. Jiang Siyue didn't quite understand and was too embarrassed to listen carefully, so she concentrated on the meat in front of her.

After three rounds of drinks, Sun Yao wanted to go play ball.

Zhao Yan turned his head and said to Jiang Siyue, "If you are tired, go back and rest first."

For some reason today, Jiang Siyue was not only not sleepy at all, but also a little excited. "Are you guys playing billiards?" The last time they had a party at the bar, they also played billiards.

"That's right!" Min Sui, who was a little tipsy, hugged Jiang Siyue and said vaguely, "Xiaoyue, come together. I'll teach you how to play! Table tennis is very cool."

Jiang Siyue was a little moved, "Okay."

Several people walked back and forth to another room. Zhao Yan had a hoodie covering his head and his hands in his pockets. He was led forward by Sun Yao. Sun Yao was a little shorter than him. Zhao Yan's body was slightly hunched. From the back, he looked a bit decadent and unruly like a British teenager.

And...quite handsome.

The billiard room may not have been used for a long time, so it was a bit stuffy inside. After opening the window, the air instantly became fresh, and Jiang Siyue quickly took a few deep breaths.

"Here you go." Zhao Yan came over with two poles and handed one to her. Jiang Siyue took it and asked in confusion, "You don't want to play with them?"

"I'll teach you first." Zhao Yan walked towards the table inside.

Jiang Siyue was about to refuse, but when she caught a glimpse of Min Sui sleeping soundly on the sofa, she obediently followed Zhao Yan.

There were two tables in the room, one for nine-ball and one for black eight. Sun Yao and his friends used the nine-ball table.

"Just use the white ball to hit the colored balls." Zhao Yan simplified the rules to the extreme. He picked up two different balls from the table and placed them in front of Jiang Siyue. "The colored balls are divided into color and solid color. Each person hits a color. The first ball to be pocketed will be used to distinguish them. If I pocket the solid color ball first, you will be automatically selected as the color."

"I understand." Jiang Siyue nodded resolutely, holding the club. Zhao Yan turned his head to the side, his mouth slightly curved, "Come here, I'll teach you how to hold the club first."

"Put your feet shoulder-width apart, place your left hand in front of the ball, hold the end of the club with your right hand, place it at your side, and bend over." Zhao Yan put his hands on her shoulders and pressed down. Jiang Siyue's heart was confused for a moment, but she quickly adjusted herself and lay down.

"Keep the club under your chin, aim for the center of the ball, and push."

"Bang—" The white ball hit the sharp corner of the triangle, and the balls that were together separated, but only slightly loosened. Jiang Siyue looked at Zhao Yan embarrassedly, "Was this shot a failure?"

Zhao Yan's expression remained calm as he used the rack to gather the ball together again. "Your strength isn't enough. I'll help you push and you can get the feel for it."

Before she finished speaking, Zhao Yan stood behind her, covered her hand with his right hand, and together they gripped the bar, shaking it gently. "Don't be tense, relax a little."

The scent of red wine fell by her ear, gently blowing the loose hair behind her ear. The loose hair brushed across her skin, leaving only a slight itch.

"Don't be nervous." Zhao Yan spoke again, pressing his body down and resting his chin on her hair. "Look at the center and hit."

The club brushed past the sweaty left thumb and hit the center of the white ball. With a sound of impact, the balls that had gathered together scattered in an instant, scattering in every corner of the table.

After the tee shot, Zhao Yan let go of her and walked around to her side. He briefly explained how to find the hitting point, then pointed to a blue ball facing the hole and said, "Hit this one."

Jiang Siyue took a deep breath, got into position and lay down.

Zhao Yan reminded: "It's tilted, lean to the left."

Jiang Siyue did as she was told, looked up at the positional relationship between the hole, the colored ball, and the white ball, summarized some rules for finding the hitting point, and then picked up the club and hit it out.

"Bang!" The blue ball successfully entered the bag.

"Zhao Yan!" Jiang Siyue looked at Zhao Yan with joy, and said in disbelief, "I actually got in."

"Yeah." Zhao Yan nodded with a faint smile on his face, saying, "You learn very quickly."

This attack made Jiang Siyue's confidence explode, and Zhao Yan pointed to the next one for her.

…

After hitting a few times, Jiang Siyue seemed to have passed the novice protection period, and frequently hit the ball crooked, slid, and jumped off the pole. After failing to hit the hole again, the light in Jiang Siyue's eyes faded visibly, and his expression became listless.

Zhao Yan put the white ball in front of her away and took the club from her hand. "Take a break first."

"Yeah." Jiang Siyue walked to the sofa next to her and sat down. After Zhao Yan tidied up the golf club table, he sat down beside her. After noticing that she was not very energetic, he asked, "Are you sleepy? Go back to sleep."

Jiang Siyue shook her head, "No, I just think billiards is a little difficult to learn."

Zhao Yan: "Not bad. Many people can't hit the ball the first time they learn it. You are pretty good."

"real?"

"Yeah." Zhao Yan looked at Sun Yao, "He just can't even aim the ball."

"Stop spreading rumors about me!" Sun Yao threw a ball over, Zhao Yan caught it steadily and threw it back on the table.

Sun Yao snorted twice and said, "Why didn't you mention that I was drinking late at night?"

"Really? I don't remember."

"Get lost." Sun Yao cursed with a dirty expression, "Come here, we have to fight."

Zhao Yan, "Okay, old rules."

Li Songci, who was already uninterested, handed the pole to Zhao Yan upon hearing this and walked out with his cell phone.

In the first game, Sun Yao teeted off first, then cleared the table with one shot. When he was setting the ball again, he raised his eyebrows at Zhao Yan and smiled provocatively. The second game started soon. Zhao Yan teeted off and, like Sun Yao, ended the game quickly.

The third round was decided by rock-paper-scissors. After Sun Yao got the right to serve, his mouth was almost grinning from ear to ear. He might have been too happy, causing the ball to hit the hole and pass the serve back to Zhao Yan.

"Like the moon."

Jiang Siyue was suddenly called upon and looked at Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yan pointed at Sun Yao and said, "Take out your phone and record a video. He likes to play tricks."

"What? You're always creating a bad impression for me in front of my sister-in-law..." Sun Yao muttered. Jiang Siyue silently took out her mobile phone, turned on the camera mode, and pointed it at the desktop.

The first few shots went into the pockets relatively smoothly, but the last two positions were extremely tricky. Zhao Yan was rubbing chocolate powder on the cue on the side, staring at the table and thinking.

"Hehe." Sun Yao said proudly, "You were the one who suggested the video recording. You must admit your defeat."

Zhao Yan tossed his powder box aside, bent down slowly, and set up his club. "I'm not you." He cleared one tricky ball. There was only one left, and the white ball had no connection to its position.

Zhao Yan walked around to the opposite corner of Jiang Siyue, leaned over the table, his forearm muscles tensed, and his eyes were sharp as he stared at the ball.

Jiang Siyue tilted her phone slightly upwards, aiming it at Zhao Yan. His features, previously dimmed by the light, instantly became clearer. On the screen, his narrow eyes narrowed, his lips pursed, his chin lifted slightly, and his already sharp jawline became even more defined.

The concentration in his eyes almost solidified into a physical entity.

He is determined to win.

With an effort of his elbow, the white ball brushed past and the scoring ball rolled sideways towards the ball pocket in front of Jiang Siyue.

"bump!"

With a crisp sound, the ball fell into the pocket, and Jiang Siyue's heart was relieved.

Although she didn't know what the stakes were, she wanted Zhao Yan to win.

"Oh, I'm so sleepy, let's go." Sun Yao slipped away. Zhao Yan seemed to be used to this and let him go.

"Do you still want to play?" Zhao Yan asked her.

Jiang Siyue shook her head. The sleepiness that had just disappeared seemed to resurface. She could hardly open her eyelids. She yawned softly and said, "I'll hold Min Sui, you hold Zhou Yan, let's go back."

"No need." Zhao Yan put the pole away, strode to Zhou Yan, and pushed him unceremoniously, "If you don't get up, Min Sui will run away."

Just as Jiang Siyue was marveling at Zhao Yan's simple and crude method, Zhou Yan, before even opening his eyes, had already stood up unsteadily, "Min Sui... I'm here, where is she?"

Zhao Yan kindly pointed him in the direction. Zhou Yan staggered and helped the man away.

"He really doesn't forget his girlfriend even when he falls asleep." Jiang Siyue sighed sincerely.

Zhao Yan packed up his things and said, "He chased Min Sui for a long time before he finally caught up with her. He was most afraid that Min Sui would abandon him."

Jiang Siyue thought for a moment, then followed him and said, "No wonder Min Sui feels so comfortable in front of him."

It turns out to be the one who is loved.

Zhao Yan tilted his head to look at her, "Are you uncomfortable in front of me?"

"Huh?" Jiang Siyue didn't expect the conversation to turn to her, and without thinking, she said, "We are different from them." But then she felt something was wrong, and continued, "We are husband and wife, there is no need to be uncomfortable."

"Yeah." Zhao Yan's voice was very calm, "You're right."

*

At eight o'clock in the morning, Jiang Siyue woke up from her dream in a daze, turned over lazily, and wrapped herself in the quilt easily. When she looked closely, she found that Zhao Yan had already gotten up.

I looked around and found no one in the room.

Are you still reading papers and running data?

The moment this thought flashed through her mind, all her sleepiness disappeared in an instant. She jumped up, changed her clothes in a hurry and went downstairs.

The yard was tidy and the mess from yesterday had been cleaned up. Jiang Siyue looked around and didn't see anyone. She was about to go back, but after taking a few steps, she backed away and stood in the sun again.

The sun at this time was not at all scorching, but warm and comfortable, dispelling the morning chill. The air was also exceptionally fresh, and the faint scent of grass was inhaled into the lungs, filling the entire body.

Jiang Siyue changed direction, pushed open the door and walked outside.

Black electric wires were woven wildly against the backdrop of the blue sky. The driveway was empty and deserted, with yards and bushes on both sides. Jiang Siyue found a fork and walked to the side.

There are basically no houses on both sides, but the vegetation is planted in a very regular pattern, and wooden boards and fences are laid on the road. There are not many traces of human intervention, but it is enough to make people feel safe.

After walking for a while, I heard the sound of waves hitting the shore. I walked closer in confusion, and the narrow road suddenly became wide. There was a lake in front of me. Looking around, the scenery at this time was breathtakingly beautiful.

Mount Fuji stands on the opposite bank, and a circle of white clouds as light as gauze just surrounds its mountainside, complementing the snow on the top. The sky is no longer pure blue, but mixed with a few lavender, and finally appears pink.

When the lake breeze blows, the calm lake surface instantly becomes sparkling, and the Mount Fuji reflected in the lake becomes wrinkled, which is quite interesting.

He tightened his coat and his gaze suddenly stopped, resting on a small boat on the lake.

It was a canoe, drifting on the lake with the wind. Even though there was some distance between them, Jiang Siyue could still tell at a glance that it was Zhao Yan.

He was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday, a sweatshirt and shorts, his long legs casually draped over the boat, one leg half-bent, his hands hanging on his knees, his profile blurred by the sunlight, becoming an unclear silhouette.

The canoe drew closer and closer, and Jiang Siyue could see it more clearly. He stared straight at Mount Fuji, his eyes unclear, his gaze never shifting from far to near.

He drifted on the lake and became an isolated island.

Maybe it was her illusion, but she actually sensed boundless sadness from Zhao Yan. The sadness spread all the way and seemed to infect the surroundings, even the pink sky became a little darker.

Jiang Siyue stared at his profile, and suddenly a question arose in her heart: Can the snow trapped on the top of the mountain really melt easily?