For a long time before this, Qi Yanzhe had a preference for exquisitely handsome boys with gentle and delicate personalities. Because his elder brother was Qi Yanfeng, many film and television companies sought him out for connections in the entertainment industry, and banquets would often arrange for young stars who matched his taste to accompany him. After a while, he found these pretty boys too vulgar and obsequious, gradually losing interest.

So, when he saw Jiang Ruotang in the billiard hall, he truly felt a sense of clarity, a refreshing sight. This boy looked really comfortable. However… he looked familiar, but Qi Yanzhe just couldn’t recall where he had seen him before.

At this moment, Jiang Ruotang leaned over the table patiently and calmly, his cue-holding arm forming a perfect angle with the table. With a push, the cue ball drew a beautiful arc, bypassed the obstacle ball, and directly sent another red ball into the pocket. Then he smiled, turning his face to look at Lu Guifan beside him. As he walked to the other side with the cue, Qi Yanzhe noticed that Jiang Ruotang was wearing what looked like high school uniform pants. Perhaps it was his good physique and proportions, but his legs were long and straight, and his back would tense up when he applied force for the shot, which looked particularly good.

As Qi Yanzhe played, he felt an itch, wanting to go and strike up a conversation with Jiang Ruotang. His friends all knew he was a “face-con”; even if it wasn’t for romance, even for friendship, he preferred good-looking people. It was a problem he’d had since birth, a “face-dog,” not easily cured.

Qi Yanzhe’s childhood friend, Chen Dan, was well aware of his habits. Following his gaze, he spotted Jiang Ruotang and Lu Guifan. Although Lu Guifan was handsome, his aloofness made him unapproachable and not to Qi Yanzhe’s liking. Oh, the one next to him, fresh and cheerful, quite charming. As a good-for-nothing friend, Chen Dan was very dutiful. He put down his cue and walked towards Jiang Ruotang, winking at Qi Yanzhe.

Jiang Ruotang played another curve shot. He found it was like riding a bicycle; once you found the right feeling, the more you played, the more interested you became. He was about to smile and look for Lu Guifan when he heard applause beside him.

“Oh, that’s a good shot. But it’s just the two of you at this table, how boring. Why don’t you join us and play together?” Chen Dan tried his best to look serious.

Jiang Ruotang only wanted to stay with Lu Guifan. Just as he was about to politely decline, his gaze went past Chen Dan and saw Qi Yanzhe standing not far away. Eh? When did this guy arrive? What a small world; they actually met at this billiard hall ahead of time. If this Chen Dan was with Qi Yanzhe, and he was calling him over now, was he going to beat him up again? Jiang Ruotang’s mind spun with possibilities, but he quickly dismissed the idea of Qi Yanzhe beating him up again. After all, if they got into another physical conflict, it wouldn’t be something that Qi Yanfeng bringing his brother to apologize could smooth over anymore.

Qi Yanzhe was wiping his cue, but he was clearly paying attention to them, his face calm, but the corner of his eye betrayed his thoughts—Chen Dan, can you handle this? It takes you this long to invite two high school students to play? Chen Dan tried to persuade them a few more times. Lu Guifan followed Jiang Ruotang’s gaze and happened to see Qi Yanzhe, frowning slightly. Qi Yanzhe’s attire suggested he came from a well-off family, and he looked like he regularly worked out and was quite robust, with decent features. However, he clearly seemed to be a self-centered type, accustomed to being the center of attention. Lu Guifan barely glanced at him before realizing that Qi Yanzhe’s true intention wasn’t playing billiards, but rather Jiang Ruotang. A feeling of annoyance, as if a treasured possession was being coveted, welled up in Lu Guifan’s heart.

He walked to Jiang Ruotang’s side, raised his hand intending to put it on Jiang Ruotang’s shoulder and ask if he wanted to firmly refuse. To his surprise, Jiang Ruotang stood on tiptoes slightly, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, “That’s the guy who asked me to meet at the billiard hall for negotiations.” The warm breath and the vibration of his eardrum from the voice almost made Lu Guifan shrug his shoulders and turn his face to lean closer.

Jiang Ruotang added, “But he probably doesn’t know it’s me coming to the appointment.”

“Oh,” Lu Guifan softly responded. So, the enemy is in the open, and we are in the dark.

“Also, last year, I went to an annual meeting for the film and television industry with my dad, and he punched me! My nose bled. How come this guy… doesn’t seem to remember that?”

Lu Guifan was stunned for a moment. Someone had actually hit Jiang Ruotang? And made his nose bleed? Lu Guifan had never liked solving problems with violence, but hearing that Jiang Ruotang had been bullied by this Qi Yanzhe inexplicably made his fists clench. However, it was clear that Jiang Ruotang now needed to cooperate with Qi Yanzhe, so revenge with fists was definitely out of the question. They had to find an opportunity to quickly resolve the conflict.

“Should I go over with you?” Lu Guifan asked softly.

“Yeah. Let’s see what he’s really up to.” Jiang Ruotang had a serious expression, as if he was about to enter a boxing ring.

Lu Guifan could only sigh. Qi Yanzhe wasn’t trying to sell anything; he was interested in Jiang Ruotang. Of course, Lu Guifan wouldn’t say that.

As the two of them followed Chen Dan over, Qi Yanzhe initially pretended to be nonchalant. As Jiang Ruotang got closer, the guy finally couldn’t keep up the act and kept looking at Jiang Ruotang. The light from the ceiling shone down, making Jiang Ruotang’s eyes bright. He was wearing North City Guangyao’s white shirt tucked into his school pants, and a smile played on his lips, instantly reminding Qi Yanzhe of the vague crush he had on his deskmate in school.

However, Jiang Ruotang’s first words after opening his mouth caught Qi Yanzhe completely off guard. “Oh, Qi Yanzhe, did you call me over to gang up on me with your buddies, or are you ready to bury the hatchet and become friends again?” Jiang Ruotang tilted his head, looking at Qi Yanzhe. That slightly arrogant and somewhat willful expression made Qi Yanzhe’s memory flood back, and that instant felt like a lightning strike.

“You… you… you are Jiang… Jiang…” Damn it, Qi Yanzhe racked his brain but couldn’t remember Jiang Ruotang’s name. This was from last year. At the time, his impression of Jiang Ruotang was that he was a weakling who acted like a young master without any capability. Who would remember the name of someone they looked down upon?

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Chen Dan leaned over to Qi Yanzhe and whispered, “You’ve met him? Sounds like there’s a past grudge, and you don’t even remember his name? What kind of grudge is it?”

Qi Yanzhe’s neck was turning red. He couldn’t possibly say what the grudge was. At that time, he had been played by a small celebrity and was furious. When he saw Lin Lu, he thought he looked kind and gentle and spoke nicely, so he wanted to chat and make friends with Lin Lu, but who knew Jiang Ruotang would ruin it? He only thought Jiang Ruotang was particularly annoying, just like that small celebrity who played him. He originally just wanted to pull him aside and reason with him properly, but who knew the other person was just walking down the stairs, and the height difference caused Qi Yanzhe’s outstretched hand to miss Jiang Ruotang’s shoulder and instead hit his nose. Of course, with Qi Yanzhe’s personality, he would never admit that he wasn’t trying to beat up Jiang Ruotang. If I hit him, I hit him. Who cared if Jiang Ruotang looked willful, harsh, and annoying that night? But… was Jiang Ruotang really like that? Could it be that he was blind at the time, thinking Lin Lu was delicate and cute, but completely failed to notice that Jiang Ruotang was the true catch?

Jiang Ruotang looked at Qi Yanzhe, a knowing expression appearing on his face: “So, I took a punch from you for nothing, and you don’t even remember my name.”

Qi Yanzhe instinctively retorted, “I personally came to your house to apologize to you, what more do you want?”

Chen Dan had never seen Qi Yanzhe like this before. He asked someone nearby, “When does our Young Master Qi ever go home to apologize after hitting someone? Looks like this Jiang person has some background.”

Qi Yanzhe immediately said, “This is Director Jiang Huaiyuan’s son.” He meant to tell Jiang Ruotang that although he didn’t remember his name, he knew his background. And to tell his friends that the Jiang family was also well-known in the film and television industry, so they shouldn’t tease or joke about Jiang Ruotang anymore. As expected, after this introduction, his winking friends all quieted down.

Chen Dan stepped in to mediate: “Since both the Jiang and Qi families are in the same circle, let’s shake hands and make peace today. Come on, let’s play together! I just saw Young Master Jiang practicing with this classmate for so long, perfect for a game with us!”

Jiang Ruotang smiled gracefully, “Okay, but you don’t need to call me Young Master Jiang, it sounds like a CEO drama. My name is Jiang Ruotang, you can call me Xiao Jiang.” That phrase “CEO drama” hit Qi Yanzhe right in the knee, making him feel like a brainless idiot. Chen Dan and the others chuckled gleefully.

“In that case, Aze, you should play a game with our new friend, Xiao Jiang.” Chen Dan pressed Qi Yanzhe’s shoulder. “Be smart. You need to show you’re good, but also go easy on him. Friendship first, winning second. Understand?”

Qi Yanzhe never went easy in billiards; he had to win completely. But looking at Jiang Ruotang opposite him, who was seriously warming up his wrists, his eyes burning with eagerness. Alright, since I need to leave a good impression… I can lose. Despite this, Qi Yanzhe started like a king, displaying various techniques one after another, such as jump shots, pocketing from the corner, and high-cue braking, which made Jiang Ruotang’s eyes widen. He had to admit that while Qi Yanzhe might be a lightweight compared to his elder brother, when it came to billiards, he was definitely top-notch among amateurs. Seeing half the balls already pocketed, Jiang Ruotang suspected Qi Yanzhe was going to clear the table in one go, meaning he wouldn’t get a chance to practice.

Chen Dan saw Jiang Ruotang’s disappointed expression and immediately cleared his throat. Qi Yanzhe glanced over unhappily, immediately receiving Chen Dan’s hint: Don’t show off too much like a peacock! Although the remaining balls were perfectly arranged, Qi Yanzhe made a mistake, and more importantly, he left the white ball in a very easy position to hit. Not just Chen Dan, but the other onlookers were also stunned. It was clearly a deliberate foul. Qi Yanzhe even sighed and said to Jiang Ruotang, “That was an accidental mistake on my part. Xiao Jiang, it’s your turn.” Jiang Ruotang didn’t refuse, smiling as he said, “Thank you, Brother Qi, for giving me the whole Pacific Ocean!” Qi Yanzhe touched his nose. Even though his “going easy” was exposed, he was inexplicably a little happy.

Jiang Ruotang picked up the cue, eager to try, but still looked back at Lu Guifan: “Master, do you have any instructions for your disciple?”

Lu Guifan replied, “Billiards isn’t just about technique; planning the entire situation is also very important. Don’t worry too much about winning or losing, just have fun.”

“Okay.” As Lu Guifan instructed, Jiang Ruotang also began to pay attention to the position of the cue ball and applied all the techniques Lu Guifan had just taught him. Lu Guifan watched the focused Jiang Ruotang from the side, feeling that his little apprentice was adorable no matter how he looked at him. Then, looking up again, he saw Qi Yanzhe openly tracing Jiang Ruotang from waist to legs countless times. Lu Guifan’s eyebrows raised slightly.

Finally, Jiang Ruotang failed to hit the ball, but he still left it in a difficult position. It was Qi Yanzhe’s turn. He frowned and watched for nearly a minute. After his shot, although the cue ball hit the target, it failed to go into the pocket. Sounds of regret rose and fell; they all thought Qi Yanzhe would successfully finish.

It was Jiang Ruotang’s turn again. Jiang Ruotang, who was ready to show off his skills, also drooped his face, because all the balls were in extremely tricky positions. He would at most get one shot and then have to retreat. He might even help Qi Yanzhe open up the situation, allowing him to successfully finish. Playing billiards’ positioning was comparable to playing chess.

Not just Jiang Ruotang, but the others present couldn’t help but offer advice, chattering away. Chen Dan gestured for a long time, indicating there was no solution, and nudged Qi Yanzhe with his elbow. “If you have any angles, share them with little Jiang to earn some goodwill.”

Qi Yanzhe wanted to, but he had already walked around the billiard table once and couldn’t find a way. Jiang Ruotang thought for a long time, his eyes lit up, and he whispered his idea into Lu Guifan’s ear. Lu Guifan looked at Jiang Ruotang’s expression seeking approval, and stroked the back of his head: “The idea is good, but you’re being too idealistic.”

Qi Yanzhe overheard and immediately leaned in: “What idea? How do you play it?”

Lu Guifan looked at him and slowly asked, “Brother Qi, please forgive me, Ruotang is also here to practice billiards today. Although his technique isn’t superb, he has some brilliant ideas. If you don’t mind, I’ll take Ruotang’s turn and make a shot.”

“Oh?” Qi Yanzhe’s interest was immediately piqued. He provocatively bumped Lu Guifan’s chest, “Alright! If you can score in one shot, I, Qi Yanzhe, will humbly concede.”

“No need to concede, Brother Qi just needs to agree to help us with a favor.”

When Jiang Ruotang heard Lu Guifan say this, he knew the other party was laying the groundwork for the negotiation a few days later. For someone like Qi Yanzhe, once he made a promise in front of so many people, he wouldn’t make things difficult for Jiang Ruotang. Qi Yanzhe heard that they wanted his help and felt a surge of pride. He lifted his chin and said, “No problem, as long as I can do it.”

Lu Guifan took the cue, and everyone looked at him. Lu Guifan calmly walked to the billiard table, slowly circling it, occasionally using the cue to measure the angles between the balls. Chen Dan and his brothers started whispering.

“What’s he doing? Surveying a construction site?”

“If there really was an angle, with Aze’s personality, he wouldn’t be able to hold back; he’d definitely show it off!”

“This four-eyed kid looks like just a student; can he be more impressive than Aze?”

At this moment, Lu Guifan leaned down and set up his stance. Jiang Ruotang’s heart tightened. The previously chattering onlookers simultaneously fell silent. The billiard table was surrounded by other curious spectators, including those college students.

At this point, the cue ball was almost touching the pink ball, near the long cushion. There was a blue ball near the central axis, but it wasn’t Lu Guifan’s target; instead, it was an obstacle. The actual target, the red ball, was on the other side of the short cushion, blocked by four or five other balls, as if protected. Qi Yanzhe looked at Lu Guifan, thinking that he was being overly theatrical. At the same time, he thought that even if Lu Guifan had a way to clear the shot, the execution would be incredibly difficult, with a very low success rate.

Just then, Lu Guifan struck the cue ball. The speed was so fast that the sound of the cue hitting the cue ball made everyone’s nerves quiver. The white ball narrowly passed the blue obstacle ball, hit the short cushion, almost missed the pocket, but then bounced off the long cushion, and then bounced again, almost traversing a diagonal to hit the long cushion on the other side. Another bounce—a miracle occurred. The white ball went around the obstacle balls, hit the red ball, and the red ball rolled, under everyone’s gaze, into the pocket.

“Oh—” Jiang Ruotang excitedly raised his hands. Qi Yanzhe was also stunned; he hadn’t imagined such a way to clear the shot. The onlookers cheered and clapped.

“That’s divine skill!”

“How much calculation must it take to find such a trajectory?”

“The key is that the power also has to be controlled perfectly. Too little power, and it won’t hit the red ball. Too much power, and the cue ball will follow the red ball into the pocket.”

Chen Dan was the first to snap back to reality. He leaned into Qi Yanzhe’s ear and said, “This guy’s skill is probably above yours. Even if you’re not convinced, there’s nothing you can do.” Qi Yanzhe understood. If Lu Guifan had used a trick or some rogue shot, he might have been able to compete and win. But Lu Guifan’s shot showed incredibly advanced clearing ability.

So, under everyone’s gaze, Lu Guifan potted the remaining balls. Under public scrutiny, Qi Yanzhe had to fulfill his promise, otherwise, he would become a laughingstock among these young masters. He raised his chin and said loudly, “Speak. What favor do you need my help with?”

Lu Guifan slowly put down the cue, then gently put his hand on Jiang Ruotang’s shoulder and brought him forward. “This favor is for Ruotang. When the time is right, let Ruotang tell you.”

Qi Yanzhe’s eyes almost lit up on the spot. It was to help Jiang Ruotang? He was willing, very willing, extremely willing; Lu Guifan didn’t even need to make that incredible shot.

Chen Dan immediately chimed in, “Well, what are you waiting for, Aze? Add Xiao Jiang as a friend. Once you’re friends, you can’t resort to violence over trivial matters anymore. Xiao Jiang is younger than you, so as the older brother, you should be lenient with your younger brother.”

Jiang Ruotang truly felt that Chen Dan’s keen eye and eloquence were wasted on following Qi Yanzhe; he should be doing business with Mr. Zheng, that would be a huge success!

Qi Yanzhe immediately took out his phone and added Jiang Ruotang as a friend. Then, he looked at Lu Guifan, raised his chin, “Add me too as a friend. We can arrange to play sometime.” Indeed, Qi Yanzhe was thinking that if his group wasn’t good enough in future matches against others, he could always call Lu Guifan to save the day.

Jiang Ruotang immediately said, “My master and I are both in our final year of high school; we usually have classes and evening self-study…” Before he could finish, Lu Guifan took out his phone and added Qi Yanzhe as a friend, calmly saying, “It might be difficult to meet in person; the school is strict. But we can exchange ideas about clearing shots.” Qi Yanzhe felt much better upon hearing this.

Jiang Ruotang looked at Lu Guifan in shock. Wasn’t this guy always so stubborn? He resolutely wouldn’t do anything he thought was wrong, like skipping class to play billiards, which was definitely one of the forbidden behaviors. But today, Lu Guifan knew how to speak in a way that saved face.

After adding each other as friends, Lu Guifan said to Qi Yanzhe, “We both have class tomorrow and have to rush back by 6:30. Ruotang’s driver is also waiting downstairs, so we’ll be leaving now.” Qi Yanzhe was a bit dejected. Were they separating right after adding each other as friends?

Chen Dan once again displayed his diplomatic skills, patting Jiang Ruotang’s shoulder and saying, “Ah, final year high school students, I understand. It’s already 11:40; if you don’t go home soon, your parents will start making endless calls. So, Xiao Jiang, if you need your Brother Qi’s help with anything, don’t be shy; just tell him directly.”

Jiang Ruotang nodded: “Definitely.”

“Alright, we’re going to keep playing here. Aze, go send off Xiao Jiang and his master.”

“Ah, okay.” Qi Yanzhe finally snapped back to reality. He not only escorted Jiang Ruotang and Lu Guifan into the elevator but also walked them all the way to Xiao Gao’s car.

As the car started, Jiang Ruotang waved to Qi Yanzhe, and Qi Yanzhe quickly waved back, bidding him farewell. Once the car drove away, Jiang Ruotang turned around, chin in hand, deep in thought.

“What are you thinking about?” Lu Guifan asked.

“I’m thinking… Qi Yanzhe actually took the initiative to add you as a friend?” Jiang Ruotang’s brows furrowed.

“Isn’t it because you called me your master?”

“No, no, no… Qi Yanzhe has also been pampered, and in his heart, he’s the best at billiards in the world, yet he was actually bested by you…” Jiang Ruotang inexplicably recalled Jian Sha’s arrogant lines from idol dramas and blurted out, “Man, you’ve captured my attention!”

Lu Guifan looked confused: “What attention?”

Jiang Ruotang grabbed Lu Guifan’s shoulders and said guiltily, “I’m sorry! It’s my fault! I shouldn’t have let you appear in front of Qi Yanzhe!”

“Hmm? Why?”

“You’re so handsome, with a slender waist and long legs, and you play billiards so well… He added you as a friend because he’s definitely interested in you!” Xiao Gao, who was driving, almost swerved in an S-shape when he heard this.

Lu Guifan closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

Jiang Ruotang was still feeling guilty. “He’s probably never seen someone with both beauty and intelligence like you before. Otherwise, why was his temper so good today? It’s because he interacted with you and finally grew a brain!”

Lu Guifan couldn’t help it anymore. He grabbed Jiang Ruotang’s head and pulled him into his arms. “You always hang out with me too, so why haven’t you grown even a tiny bit of a brain?”

“I have! I’m ranked 250th in my monthly exam now!”

Perhaps not wanting Jiang Ruotang to suffer in his future interactions with Qi Yanzhe, Lu Guifan still spoke the truth he had observed. “He’s interested in you.”

Jiang Ruotang froze for two seconds, then burst out laughing. This was the most ridiculous joke he had heard since his rebirth. “Impossible… Haha, impossible… He likes innocent, pure types, the kind that look gentle and considerate, making people want to protect them.”

“People’s tastes change. In the past, he liked innocent flowers; today, he might like sunflowers.”

Jiang Ruotang still found it absurd. “Master, I know I’m very good in your heart. After all, a disciple taught by oneself, no matter what, one has to accept it. But Qi Yanzhe, seriously… do you know what kind of young stars accompany him when film companies invite him to dinner?” With that, Jiang Ruotang took out his phone and searched for several male idol groups to show him. One or two of them had already been made famous by Hongtian Borui.

Lu Guifan only glanced at them and commented, “You’re still better.” Jiang Ruotang patted Lu Guifan’s shoulder, almost saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but he managed to stop himself. His mind quickly shifted, and he changed his words. “In my Master’s eyes, even rotten wood can blossom!”

Meanwhile, Qi Yanzhe, ever since Jiang Ruotang left, hadn’t been focused on billiards. He kept checking his phone, wondering if Jiang Ruotang would send him a message once he got home. But he waited and waited, until one o’clock, and Jiang Ruotang’s number hadn’t moved at all.

“Aze, what are you thinking about? Aren’t you coming over?” Chen Dan asked.

Qi Yanzhe muttered to himself, “You know, it’s only been a year, how could he have changed so much?”

“Ah? Who changed a lot?” Chen Dan lowered his eyes and saw that Qi Yanzhe’s phone screen was still on Jiang Ruotang’s account. He chuckled inwardly, “I say, Young Master Qi, he added you as a friend, not to date you. It’s already one o’clock; normal high school students go home and go straight to sleep, don’t they?”

“Oh, I see,” Qi Yanzhe said, feeling a sense of loss.

Chen Dan added, “Didn’t little Jiang also say he needs your help with something? He’ll definitely contact you again. Come on, let’s play!” Of course, Chen Dan didn’t say the latter half of his thoughts, because he felt that if Xiao Jiang liked boys, it was clear he preferred that “Master.” However, he was very happy to see Qi Yanzhe’s crush end as soon as it began.