C16 The Billiard Room

"Tch, quit the act."

Not everyone possessed Gu Wenying's patience and tolerance. In response to Xia Liang's impoliteness, a boy quickly became infuriated and scoffed dismissively.

"Look, that's just how Xia Liang is. No need to get upset. Let's all hang out sometime—sing some songs, grab a meal. You'll see, he's not so bad once you get to know him. Let's not bother him now; he might just be having an off day, especially since the school's decision on his case is still up in the air."

A voice cut through the tension. Xia Liang looked up to find the class monitor with glasses, a guy known for his eloquence.

The class monitor offered Xia Liang a slight smile upon catching his gaze.

Xia Liang looked away and settled back into his nap.

After all, he'd had a rough night thanks to Gu Wenying's antics and could use the extra sleep...

During the second period that morning, a math class, Xia Liang was wide awake, doodling in his workbook with a marker. The class teacher, sporting a band-aid on his forehead, didn't dive into the lesson right after the bell. Instead, he addressed yesterday's incident.

"About yesterday, the school was set on taking strict action against Xia Liang, but I intervened. The college entrance exams are just around the corner, and sometimes less is more when it comes to these matters..."

He rambled on, essentially patting himself on the back for his leniency and for advocating on Xia Liang's behalf with the school.

Many classmates were visibly moved by his words, casting looks of admiration his way, which secretly thrilled the teacher.

As for Xia Liang, with Uncle Yao having already resolved the issue, he saw no point in calling out or challenging the teacher. He was content to keep to himself.

Meanwhile, not far from the school, in an old district less than a kilometer away, an alley marked with "Demolish" signs housed a history-rich cyber cafe. Business was slow, with hardly anyone online.

"Boss, I need some water."

A sweaty, overweight man approached the counter, purchased a handful of drinks, and then trudged up the metal staircase to the second floor of the internet cafe.

Upstairs at the internet cafe, a collection of odds and ends cluttered the second floor, yet a billiard table stood prominently on the balcony.

The table's edges were impeccably smooth, but its green felt surface bore several cracks, and the pockets around it were bereft of their nets, leaving behind mere gaping holes.

It was a billiard table with history, easily over a decade old.

Three figures huddled around it, the same middle schoolers who had swiped Xia Liang's money the day before.

Goose Egg, the hefty one, lugged drinks up to the group, prompting a pause in the game as they eagerly quenched their thirst.

"Don't wander off this afternoon. We'll collect the money tonight," the middle schooler instructed, his voice grave as he sipped his Coke.

"Boss, you think that kid will cough up the cash to get his wallet back? That's ten grand. Could buy a bunch of phones with that. Just take another photo, right?" the blonde youth blurted out.

"Doesn't matter. If he doesn't show, no big deal. Won't waste much time," the middle schooler mused, seemingly persuaded by the blonde's logic.

"No, I bet he'll come," Goose Egg countered, unconvinced.

"What makes you so sure, you big oaf?" challenged the blonde, skeptical.

"Boss, hand me the wallet," Goose Egg said, dismissing the blonde's doubt and gesturing to the middle schooler.

The middle schooler passed the wallet to Goose Egg, who flipped it open and brushed aside the bills to point at a photo tucked inside.

"This picture's ancient, turned yellow with age. It's definitely an old photo. Nowadays, anyone can snap a pic with their phone. So why's this kid so hung up on this one? Simple..."

Goose Egg's eyes, narrowed by the plumpness of his cheeks, dimmed with a touch of melancholy. "His mom's passed away. No more chances for phone snapshots."

"He's a student... without a mother."

With that, Goose Egg pushed the wallet back to the middle schooler and trudged off to the side, sinking into a seat to nurse his drink.

Gazing towards the sun, he slowly lifted the bottle and took a swig, somehow managing to imbue the soft drink with the weight of a beer.

The middle schooler stared at the wallet in his grasp, the earlier gleam of excitement in his eyes now dulled to a somber glint.

"Come on, boss, your shot at the pool table."

The blonde kid hastily tugged at the junior high student, handing him the cue stick.

As the junior high student bent down to take his shot, the blonde shot a fierce glare at the chubby guy, Goose Egg.

"That idiot, always stirring the pot, especially when he knows about the boss's parents..."

In the midst of their game, the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs suddenly echoed.

Two figures, one trailing the other, made their way slowly up to the second floor.

"Dayong, it's been ages. What's been keeping you busy these days?"

Leading the way was the internet cafe owner, a man in his sixties with a stern face and a lean frame, his vest unable to conceal the faint scar and tattoos across his chest.

"Let's not talk about it. I've been locked up for a few years, just got out." The man following was a towering, bald bruiser, nearly 1.9 meters tall with muscles to spare, yet his face bore a gentle, naive smile that seemed to radiate kindness.

His neck sported several noticeable red scars, resembling minor burns.

"I remember as a kid, I always loved coming here with my brother to shoot pool. Can't believe you've kept the old table, Gu."

Dayong surveyed the room with a wistful gaze before his eyes settled on the billiard table on the balcony.

"We've kept this first table all these years. Some of the old gang still drop by to play. But this place is on borrowed time; it's set to be demolished and turned into a shopping district in a few years," the internet cafe owner explained, punctuating his words with a couple of coughs.

"What a shame! Oh, it really is the first table. That notch there? My brother made it when he was drunk. You gave him a good thrashing for it, Old Gu, haha!" Dayong chuckled, his eyes brimming with memories.

"It's a real loss. Your brother was a decent guy. What a waste to get mixed up in the Golden Triangle... Sigh." The cafe owner's voice trailed off into a sigh, as if weighed down by the recollection.

"It's all because of a woman. If not for her, my brother wouldn't have chased after that money and ended up losing everything in the Golden Triangle." Dayong's voice tinged with sorrow as he spoke of his brother, but he quickly regained his composure with a smile.

"However, that woman inexplicably leapt from the building. I suppose they'll have the chance to meet again down below." His eyes briefly flashed with intensity and satisfaction before the look vanished without a trace.

Yet, that fleeting expression did not go unnoticed by the perceptive internet cafe owner, who had immediately grasped the situation upon hearing the news of the woman's suicide.

"Who are those kids?" Dayong inquired, nodding toward a group of middle schoolers at the billiard table.

"Just a bunch of no-good punks. If they catch your eye, feel free to show them the ropes," the internet cafe owner replied nonchalantly.

At that moment, the youths playing pool took notice of the newcomers. The one with the blond hair quickly stepped forward, a sycophantic smile plastered on his face.

"Mr. Gould, it's been ages since we've seen you. How have you been? And who might this gentleman be?"

Gould's son was the usual face of the internet cafe, with Gould himself seldom making an appearance. His presence today was solely due to Dayong's visit.

"This here is Wu Dayong. You can call him Brother Dayong. He's a local legend from this street, one of your predecessors," Gould introduced, his demeanor stiff, betraying his old-school nature.

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