He did not even lift it.
Neither of them said more than necessary. The man knew when to back off and returned to his seat with a gracious "Sorry to bother you." He had only approached because Gu Wang was good-looking, thinking he might as well try.
Young boys like that were usually easy to sweet-talk.
Shen Zhao had finished eating. He tossed his chopsticks down. "What the hell? Talk about a mood killer."
Song Zhiyan stood up. "Let's go, then."
Gu Wang was only seventeen, and a man in his thirties had hit on him. The look in the man's eyes had been obvious, his intentions plain. Gu Wang was good-looking, and older men liked keeping pretty young boys like him.
They paid the bill and ran straight into He Qinghuan and Yue Feng at the restaurant entrance. He Qinghuan's gaze passed over Gu Wang and landed directly on the man who had approached him earlier.
The boys were too striking. Passersby could not help looking, and the man was no exception. More precisely, his gaze had been following Gu Wang all along.
Until he saw He Qinghuan and their eyes met.
He Qinghuan walked naturally up to Gu Wang and ruffled his hair. "Let's go."
His manner was utterly possessive.
The man's face stiffened. He gave a couple of silent, awkward chuckles and avoided He Qinghuan's dark, icy gaze, edged with menace. He tried to speak to the friend beside him to divert his attention, but though he struggled to open his mouth, no words came out.
How could someone so terrifying be around that pretty, clean-cut boy?
Apart from him, no one noticed anything-not Gu Wang or the others. Seeing He Qinghuan being so intimate with Gu Wang, Song Zhiyan looked at Shen Zhao. "Zhao, am I seeing things?"
Shen Zhao was much the same. "Wangwang, did you manage to land your class monitor?"
Song Zhiyan said, "How did I not know? When did this happen? I'm with Wangwang every day!"
He and Shen Zhao clung to each other, yelling. Just a little while ago, Wangwang had said he no longer liked He Qinghuan, and today He Qinghuan had ruffled his hair so, so affectionately.
They felt deceived.
Looking at the two of them, Gu Wang explained helplessly, "He Qinghuan and I, um... we're just friends."
Song Zhiyan asked, "Really?"
Shen Zhao said, "Why be friends? You can still be friends after that?"
Gu Wang admitted honestly, "We became friends because I don't like him anymore." It was also because he no longer liked him that they could be friends.
Song Zhiyan and Shen Zhao had both been single all their lives. Song Zhiyan imagined himself and Meng Ou in their place. He liked Meng Ou now, and the thought of being friends would surely tear his heart apart. But if he did not like her? Then there would be no problem.
He Qinghuan and Yue Feng walked a few steps behind them and heard Gu Wang's words perfectly clearly.
Yue Feng turned to look at He Qinghuan. Finding his expression unchanged, he breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his voice. "You can't rush this. Take it slowly."
He Qinghuan gave a barely audible "Mm," betraying no emotion.
Up ahead, Shen Zhao could not speak too loudly either. He kept his voice just loud enough for Gu Wang to hear. "Be careful. It's best if you don't like him anymore. You know what He Qinghuan's like. I've told you."
For once, Song Zhiyan agreed with Shen Zhao. "Wangwang, don't like him anymore, then. Being friends is great. You can even get some perks out of his family later."
"..." Shen Zhao said, "Song Zhiyan, you're so mercenary."
Song Zhiyan rolled his eyes at him. "Fine, you're above worldly concerns, okay? If He Qinghuan's reaching out to Wangwang, he should accept it. Why wouldn't he? Wake up. This is a practical world. You think all those people at school falling for He Qinghuan one after another like him for who he is? Don't be stupid."
Shen Zhao opened his mouth but could not find anything to say. He was only afraid Gu Wang would get hurt.
Gu Wang lowered his eyes and reassured him. "I know where to draw the line. Don't worry."
Shen Zhao tugged at Gu Wang's sleeve. "Then... watch out for everything."
His choice of words was off. Gu Wang wanted to laugh, but found he could not.
He Qinghuan was indeed outstanding. He had the family background and ability that made everyone want to rush up and curry favor with him, but Shen Zhao and Song Zhiyan had not. Even when Song Zhiyan laid out the facts, it was on the condition that Gu Wang stayed safe.
The billiards area was not particularly large, with the tables spaced well apart. Each table had a staff member and a server, with a long sofa and armchairs beside it. The coffee tables had food, drinks, and games.
There were five of them. Wanting to give He Qinghuan and Gu Wang some time alone, Yue Feng talked Shen Zhao and Song Zhiyan into getting another table with him. Even Song Zhiyan, who was so hard to fool, got led astray by Yue Feng.
Shen Zhao soon came around. He even waved as he left. "Wangwang, teach me once you learn."
Yue Feng slung an arm around his neck. "I'll teach you."
Shen Zhao struggled but could not get free. He reached out and tugged at Song Zhiyan. "Yanyan, Yue Feng's choking me! Get him!"
They had introduced themselves earlier. Shen Zhao liked wheedling, whether he knew someone well or not. Hearing him say his name, Yue Feng raised an eyebrow. It sounded unexpectedly nice.
Song Zhiyan took a cue from the staff member beside him. "Let him choke you. Then you can't come over and make trouble."
Shen Zhao fell silent. Listen to that bullshit!
At another table not far away, He Qinghuan finished wiping down a cue and handed it to Gu Wang. "Have you watched other people play?"
Gu Wang nodded. "I know you score by potting balls."
There were many ways to play here. He Qinghuan taught him English snooker, one of the main popular forms. He had no intention of getting into the others too much. Playing was only secondary, after all.
There were twenty-two balls in the middle of the table, with the white ball serving as the cue ball. The cue struck the cue ball to knock an object ball into any of the four corner pockets. Potting a ball scored points, and so did having the white ball hit two object balls in succession.
Billiards demanded quite a lot of its players. It was not simply a matter of chasing the white ball around and poking at it. When using the white ball to hit an object ball, whether it went in or not, players had to judge the white ball's trajectory to better set up their next shot.
He Qinghuan usually held his cue in his left hand. He bent down, resting the cue at the first joint between his index finger and the back of his hand, and aimed its tip at the white ball.
Under the incandescent light directly above the table, the colored balls reflected a sheen like freshly applied lacquer.
The white ball was struck, scattering the twenty-odd balls. One went straight into a pocket.
He Qinghuan looked at Gu Wang. "Wangwang, try it yourself."
Gu Wang did not know what counted as skillful, but potting a ball on the first shot surely did.
Gu Wang was clever. One look at He Qinghuan's stance was enough for him to copy most of it, though the angle of his cue and the angle at which he bent down were a little off.
He felt something was wrong too and turned to He Qinghuan. "I think there's a problem."
The unspoken message: Teach me.
He Qinghuan stood his own cue to one side. Gu Wang thought he would simply point out what he was doing wrong, or demonstrate at most, just as he had with his first shot.
In that case, He Qinghuan would stand beside him.
Gu Wang glanced to his side. He had not come over?
Just as he was about to turn, a hand reached around in front of him and wrapped directly around his waist, drawing him back into the body behind him.
Gu Wang went completely rigid and nearly lost his grip on the cue.
He instinctively looked at the staff member. The young man wore a uniform and had a blank expression. Catching He Qinghuan's look, he said, "You'll learn faster this way."
All right, then, Gu Wang thought, trying hard to ignore the discomfort of being in contact with He Qinghuan.
He Qinghuan had broad shoulders. Dressed in black sportswear, his features cool and aloof, he formed a complete contrast with the boy in white beneath him, yet they looked unexpectedly harmonious.
A thin layer of sweat formed on Gu Wang's palms.
He Qinghuan laid his hand over the back of Gu Wang's. Their knuckles brushed lightly as He Qinghuan slipped his fingers between Gu Wang's and slid them along to his fingertips, adjusting the angle and position of each finger one by one.
The arm around Gu Wang's waist never loosened. He Qinghuan's breath brushed his ear, and Gu Wang's face grew hot inch by inch.
Holding Gu Wang's hand, He Qinghuan took the first shot. Gu Wang was guided through it entirely. The white ball hit the number-three ball, sending it straight into a pocket.
Gu Wang froze, then his eyes lit up. He turned his head. "He Qinghuan, you're really good!"
The boy's lips brushed across He Qinghuan's cheek.
He Qinghuan had not let go or changed his position. Gu Wang had turned too suddenly for him to anticipate it, even though the fleeting contact was over in an instant.
Gu Wang himself noticed nothing. His attention was entirely on the billiards.
Gu Wang always took things seriously, whether studying or playing games. Whatever he did, his attitude was that he wanted to win and do it well.
That attitude allowed Gu Wang to ignore the people and things around him, such as He Qinghuan, who had been momentarily distracted.
He Qinghuan straightened, his eyes lowered and his emotions unreadable. His voice dropped as he reached up and squeezed the back of Gu Wang's neck. "Well done."
Author's note: He Qinghuan: Playing with balls is secondary. Playing with him is the main thing.
Gu Wang rubbed the back of his neck. The spot He Qinghuan had squeezed tingled.
The three people gathered around the other billiard table nearby looked at one another, momentarily speechless.
"Fuck," Song Zhiyan said. "Is that how you're supposed to play fucking billiards?!"
Shen Zhao grabbed him. "Then teach me too. Just like them."
Song Zhiyan turned to Shen Zhao and looked him up and down. "Get lost."
Song Zhiyan and Shen Zhao had both been single since birth. In any case, Gu Wang no longer liked He Qinghuan, and He Qinghuan was even less likely to like Gu Wang. Their thoughts never went anywhere else.
Watching the two of them, Yue Feng marveled that such single-celled organisms actually existed in the world. Did someone have to announce it everywhere through a megaphone for it to count as liking someone?
They were too naive.
Shen Zhao's enthusiasm was short-lived. After a few shots, he announced he was done, tossed his cue aside, and ran to find Gu Wang. Gu Wang was bent over the table when Shen Zhao came charging up from behind and flung himself onto him, giving him a fright.
"Wangwang, let's go watch the fireworks!"
Gu Wang glanced outside. "Weren't the fireworks at nine? It's way past that now."
Shen Zhao shook his head. "I asked. There's another show in a bit."
Gu Wang looked at the balls on the table and hesitated. He quite liked playing this.
Seeing his hesitation, Shen Zhao began wheedling and pestering him. "Wangwang, come on, please? Once we're back at school, we can go play on weekends too."
"...All right." He had little resistance to persistent coaxing and helplessly agreed.
He Qinghuan stood opposite him and had just potted a ball.
Gu Wang handed his cue to the staff member beside him and looked at He Qinghuan. "Then... I'll get going."
He Qinghuan's expression was indifferent. He gave Gu Wang a languid glance, showing no particular emotion, yet that one look made Gu Wang's throat go dry.
"Mm." He Qinghuan nodded.
Gu Wang left without any reluctance. He Qinghuan bent down and took his final shot. The white ball struck a red one, and after colliding, both balls flew straight off the table.
The staff member beside him was young too, and his face went pale with fright.
He Qinghuan straightened, took a tissue, and leisurely wiped down his cue. He looked at the staff member with the faintest smile. "Sorry. My hand slipped."
The young man picked up the balls from the floor and shook his head, saying it was fine. This was all part of their job.
Yue Feng came over carrying his cue and plopped down on the billiard table. "They went to watch the fireworks. You're not going?"
He Qinghuan tossed his cue onto the table and went to sit on the sofa beside it. He smiled and turned the question back on Yue Feng. "You're not going?"
Yue Feng fell silent. He had just asked for Shen Zhao's WeChat, but Shen Zhao had refused. That idiot was too clueless; he had said they did not know each other well, so there was no need to add each other.
He Qinghuan had seen it happen. Now that Yue Feng was mocking him, he stabbed him right where it hurt.
How could a creature as shitty as He Qinghuan exist in this world?
Annoyed though he was, Yue Feng took his cue, intending to play a few shots rather than bother with him. As he reached for a ball in the pocket, he spotted a gold card lying on the floor.
He picked it up and turned it over. It was a room key card with 601 printed on it. The sixth floor was the top floor of guest rooms, with the rooftop garden above it. Every room on that floor was either a presidential suite or a luxury suite.
He Qinghuan and Yue Feng were staying on that floor too.
Yue Feng asked the staff member beside him, "Were we the first guests to use this table?"
Although the staff member did not understand why Yue Feng would ask