During the Snowstorm

The plane landed early in the morning.

Yin Guo sat in Meng Xiaodong's car, wearing a black dress that he changed on the plane. Meng Xiaodong handed her a shoebox, which were black flat shoes from her house last night.

"Is Jiang Yang okay?" Her flight had no satellite network, so she didn't have time to discuss Jiang Yang's affairs in detail before boarding. Now she finally has the opportunity to ask, "Have you been discharged from the hospital?"

"Out, he will definitely be there for the memorial service today," Meng Xiaodong started the car. "Your family doesn't know about the Open Championship."

She breathed a sigh of relief.

"But don't take your parents for fools. Mr. He has been talking with your mother on the phone. She guessed it a little and asked me."

When her heart was lifted, she asked nervously, "...What did you say?"

"I said—" Meng Xiaodong smiled helplessly, "I already knew that I was the one who matched you two."

In fact, Meng Xiaodong had planned to take this knife for a long time, and even greeted his father in advance, just waiting for the time to solve the problem.

In the first few years of his playing, Yin Guo's mother was still a referee and often took him around to play games. So from childhood to adulthood, Meng Xiaodong was the closest to her. And because Meng Xiaodong is strong enough, his position in Yin Guoma's heart has been unshakable for many years. If he carries this first knife in person, he will definitely take a big step.

Of course, the most important thing is that since Lin Yiyang came back, he has behaved beautifully along the way. From the China Open, which brought China's best results this year, to shaking hands with his mentor, and now taking over Dongxincheng.

As early as subconsciously, a lot of impression points were mentioned.

"Don't worry," he added, "I think her face is okay, but she's not angry."

Yin Guo exhaled: "Thank you brother."

"Fortunately, you didn't run back." What he was most worried about was that Yin Guo gave up the tournament and returned to China. Not only did he lose his grades, but it would also make his parents think that her love came first and forgot her responsibility. "Congratulations, the U.S. Open champion."

Yin Guo smiled.

The joy of the champion had long since been diluted, and she just wanted to see him soon.

***

Yin Guo's mother is with colleagues from the Sports Bureau.

When they got there, Yin Guo said hello to her mother first, and followed Meng Xiaodong into the hall. She was a representative of Beicheng.

The site of the memorial service was simple, with the portrait of Mr. He in the middle, and the entire hall was filled with wreaths.

He has two daughters. The eldest daughter died a few years ago, leaving behind a grandson, and the youngest daughter gave him a granddaughter. My grandmother also passed away. This family is not prosperous. These days, it mainly relies on the youngest daughter, son-in-law, and a few apprentices to take care of all the funerals.

Yin Guo walked into the hall, Meng Xiaodong took the pen from the reception desk at the door, and signed his and Yin Guo's names on the book.

She looked around and didn't see Lin Yiyang.

I was thinking, should I send him a WeChat message to tell him that he had arrived at the scene, but it was on the right side, with a familiar voice, it belonged to Wu Wei. A few people came up down the stairs. Headed by Lin Yiyang and Jiang Yang.

Both were the same, wearing black shirts and trousers, all black.

It hasn't been seen for three days since he returned home early from the Open, so there shouldn't be any major changes, but he has already lost a lot of weight in a state visible to the naked eye, not only in the face, but also in the arms, and the shirt no longer fits. .

Yin Guo's eyes met with him, and his heart seemed to have been scratched by a blade.

Lin Yiyang's footsteps slowed down.

All eyes are on, not much to say, not much to do. As soon as he slowed down, Jiang Yang beside him, and the older generation of Dongxincheng behind him simply stopped.

Yin Guo held her breath, he seemed to be in slow motion until he stood in front of her.

The man I miss most is standing a meter away.

Lin Yiyang has said too many things, arranged too many things, and made too many decisions in the past few days. When facing his girlfriend, he couldn't think of anything to say.

Meng Xiaodong put down the pen and broke the silence first: "If you can help, just say it."

Lin Yiyang patted Meng Xiaodong's arm: "You have already helped."

Help to appease Yin Guo's emotions in the past two days, let her play smoothly, and then bring her back safely. enough.

Lin Yiyang finally took a deep look at Yin Guo: "The ceremony is about to start, I'll go in first."

These words seemed to be addressed to Meng Xiaodong, but they were actually addressed to Yin Guo.

Yin Guo nodded lightly, feeling that he had passed him by. The newest generation leader of Dongxincheng is surrounded by former brothers, many of them, and is responsible for receiving all colleagues from the industry and sports circles here.

Yin Guo was behind the crowd, by the door, at the intersection of natural light and light, watching him.

Watching him shake hands with others and greet each other.

The memorial service began soon. Important guests filled the auditorium, and the younger generation had no place to stand. They were all standing outside the hall and on the stairs. Jiang Yang is the host of today's memorial service. He just left the hospital and looks very bad.

But as a man who has led Dongxincheng through more than ten years, even if he is about to enter the operating room, standing here, he can preside over the whole scene.

In a very ordinary memorial service process, Yin Guo faced Lin Yiyang up close for the second time, shaking hands with the family members. She followed her cousin, shaking the hands of the family members one by one, and then to a few apprentices. Lin Yiyang was standing at the end of the family members. Everyone was crying, except for the most favored little apprentice, only he was calm.

All the people who came, said their condolences one by one, and shook hands with each family member and apprentice.

Yin Guo followed the team and came to him.

Lin Yiyang reached out to her and she held it. The rough lines on his palm slid across the back of her hand and then separated.

After the handshake, everyone left the auditorium one after another.

Yin Guo's suitcase was taken out of the car by his cousin. He took the box and went to the parking lot with her, and Yin Guo's mother was waiting for her.

Yin Guo always felt that after he shook hands with Lin Yiyang, he was watching him.

So much so that she followed Meng Xiaodong to the flower bed beside the parking lot, and when she saw her mother, she felt his silent gaze behind her.

"Are you tired after flying for more than ten hours?" Mom asked him.

Meng Xiaodong took the car keys, opened the trunk, and put her suitcase behind Yin Guo's mother's car.

She smiled: "I'm used to it."

"Go home first," Yin Guo's mother said, "Xiaodong, you come too. Grandma is here and wants to have dinner with you two."

"Okay," Meng Xiaodong responded, "I'll drive with you."

Yin Guo watched the interaction between her cousin and her mother, but she was thinking of Lin Yiyang.

She wanted to stay, to see him alone, to have a few words with him.

don't want to go...

Meng Xiaodong turned around and went to drive.

"Mom..." Yin Guo suddenly said, "I'll go home later, okay?"

Meng Xiaodong stopped, and Yin Guo's mother also stopped.

A car happened to pull out of the parking lot, hit the brakes when passing by, and said goodbye to Yin Guo's mother. Yin Guo's mother smiled and waved to the car, then turned to look at her, and asked after a moment of silence, "Grandma misses you too, why don't you go home first?"

She looked at her mother pleadingly: "Go home at night."

The brief silence made people more and more uneasy.

She was afraid that she was too direct, which would bring bad results. Looking at Meng Xiaodong, Meng Xiaodong also suggested that she should take it easy and go home first. Unexpectedly, when the siblings made eye contact, they heard a sigh from their mother: "Go ahead."

After speaking, he warned again: "Don't be too late."

Yin Guo showed her happiest smile in days. She excitedly said "Thank you mom" and ran away immediately.

Yin Guo's mother watched her daughter's back disappear, and said to Meng Xiaodong, "Xiaodong, do you know? Most of the people who come here today have received the favor of Mr. He."

The so-called favor is not necessarily material, but spiritual help.

Yin Guo's mother graduated from college and entered the industry for the first time. She took the referee qualification test. Teacher He Wenfeng was often seen on the field. Back then, billiards were even more niche than they are now. She liked it and wanted to be a referee, but no one in her family understood. All the infighting in the workplace occurs in any industry, and the referee can't escape. He wanted to give up countless times, so he chatted with Mr. He, who often went to the stadium to watch people's games.

Mr. He is usually serious, but also very funny. The most common thing he says to her is: people, day by day, choose what you want to do most every day, and do what you are most happy about. Don't think too much, don't think too far, look at the moment, look at the most real road under your feet.

Mr. He has never learned to use the inspiring word "dream". It belongs to the new generation. He often pats his chest and says that it is just that kind of energy. When he thinks about it, he gets excited and can't sleep. The blood is hot and boiling.

How lucky is Lin Yiyang, he was able to learn from He Wenfeng back then, but he couldn't feel it all when he was a teenager. I believe that today he sees so many seniors coming from all over the country to express their condolences, not only him, but also all the apprentices of Mr. He and everyone in Dongxincheng. should have a better understanding.

Dongxincheng is not so much a ball club as it is a place of inheritance. Maybe it will decline in the future, maybe it will be better, but it does not affect the status of its name.

And Lin Yiyang is its future leader, which was decided by Mr. He himself before his death.

***

Lin Yiyang's car was not in the parking lot, but in a corner behind the auditorium.

He came out carrying a cardboard box with some sundries in it to take back to Dongxincheng. He threw the box into the trunk and got in the car. The door on the passenger side was opened, and the person who got in the car was smiling at him.

Lin Yiyang was still pulling the seat belt with his right hand. When he saw her face, he stopped for a few seconds before showing the only real smile in the past few days: "I'm not afraid of being seen."

"My mother knows," Yin Guo couldn't help laughing. "My brother carried a knife for you. He said he arranged it, and we arranged it. With my brother here, it's fine."

Lin Yiyang tilted his head to look at her, and she leaned on the seat and looked at him.

She took the initiative to hold Lin Yiyang's right hand on the steering wheel, Lin Yiyang held hers instead, and stroked the back of her hand with the pulp of her finger.

"Where are you going? Just now?" She asked him proactively.

"Back to East New City."

"Then go to Dongxincheng," she said. "I will accompany you back."

Haven't been there yet.

The Beicheng Club was later relocated by Meng Xiaodong, because he disliked the previous location, which was not central and inconvenient. From the beginning of its establishment to today, the address of Dongxin City has not changed. It is not as good as the ball room rented by Lin Yiyang, but it is better.

The main building is large and has three floors.

Yin Guo got out of the car and was taken outside the gate by Lin Yiyang. When he saw the plaque of "Dongxincheng Billiard Club", he couldn't help looking around.

The red walls and iron gates of the compound block out a unique place, here is the main building, and there is a second-story building on the first floor. There is an open space behind the building for parking cars.

Today, all the members of the club went to the memorial service, and few people came back, including Lin Yiyang's car, there were only three.

After seeing Yin Guo, Lin Yiyang's depressed mood improved a little, and since everything was dealt with today, it was a worry, much better than the previous two days. But the dark clouds in my heart have not yet dissipated, and there are still few words.

Yin Guo didn't want to talk more with him today, just wanted to accompany him.

On the first floor, there were a group of children practicing ball. They were very young, not even ten years old.

She followed Lin Yiyang up the stairs, and what came down was Chengyan and several young female players from Dongxincheng. This time, there was no Chengyan in the US Open and World Championships. This was the second time the two met in New York. Face to face.

She was also surprised to see Yin Guo. There were so many people at the memorial service that they didn't notice each other at all.

"Sixth brother." Chengyan was calling him.

The rest of the people were calling him at once: "Uncle Liu."

Lin Yiyang nodded.

The girls rushed downstairs, most of the stairs were occupied by them, Lin Yiyang saw Yin Guo parked there, directly clasped her wrist, and led her upstairs from the far right.

When the two turned the corner, the back disappeared.

Chengyan was still holding on to the handrail of the stairs, suppressing all the emotions in her heart.

Yin Guo walked beside Lin Yiyang because Chengyan was distracted. I forgot about this earlier. If Lin Yiyang returns to Dongxin City, he will see Chengyan every day. And I have to compete, train, and spend less time with him...

Lin Yiyang walked to the first office on the south side of the second floor, took out the key, and opened the door of the office.

The door is pushed open.

There are simple desks and sofas inside, and on the coffee table, the ashtray is full of ash, and various cigarette butts are piled up in a mess.

It was left by a few big men who chatted here all night last night. The window was opened for a long time in the morning, and the smell of smoke disappeared. Lin Yiyang went to close the windows and draw the curtains.

Yin Guo was pulled by his wrist and brought to the sofa. He made her sit down first, then lay down on the sofa in the most tired state, with his head resting on her legs: "It's not very comfortable," he said in a hoarse voice, "sleep for a while."

She had never seen him like this, even if she was ill and talked to her about a long-distance love in two places, she was still able to do it with ease. But now, he has dissipated the anger that has supported him for a few days, revealing his truest side.

This was the time he wanted to sleep the most since he came back, and the only time he felt that he could fall asleep. It was yesterday's decision to take over Dongxincheng. All personal belongings are still in my ball room, and the dormitory here has not been cleaned up. There is no office bed, only this leather sofa. But it seems right to come back here.

He remembered his younger brother toasting himself on the Qingming Festival, and the same sentence: find a home, brother.

…

Lying on the couch in this office, he doesn't want this more than he does today: a home.

It's okay to have her at home, and only her.