CM - 16

Zhou Shuirong’s weekend was quite dull. She wrote many essays, then exercised, watched crime movies, and casually wrote reviews. After that, she played two rounds of LOL, losing one and winning one. Feeling bored, she changed clothes and went shopping.

As soon as she stepped out, she received a call from Xu Su. Xu Su asked about her situation at school and reminded her to pick up her package.

“What is it?” Zhou Shuirong asked.

Xu Su said, “I sent you some local specialties from Yunnan. You can snack on them when you’re bored.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“Call me if anything happens,” Xu Su paused, then added, “You can call me even if nothing’s wrong.”

Zhou Shuirong still remembered what Zhou Siyuan had told her: “My maternal uncle said not to bother you if nothing’s wrong, he said you’re very busy. I think he’s right, I shouldn’t interrupt your law enforcement and public service.”

She was joking, but Xu Su didn’t find it funny: “I can help the people, and I can also protect you well.”

“Got it.”

After hanging up, Xu Su splashed cold water on his face. He must be crazy. Putting aside whose daughter she was, she was only seventeen. What was he doing?

________________________________________

Zhou Shuirong walked leisurely, wearing headphones. Before she knew it, she had arrived near the school—she had become quite familiar with this road lately.

There was a large indoor sports complex near the school, with courts for basketball, tennis, badminton, billiards, and more. She suddenly felt an itch to play, so she strolled inside.

Two girls were chatting at the front desk, one with dreadlocks in a high ponytail, the other with pink hime cut. Chewing gum, they asked her, “How many people? What do you want to play?”

Zhou Shuirong wanted to play billiards: “Can I share a table for pool? I’m alone.”

The two girls shook their heads, about to say no, when a man walked over, leaning his arm on the front desk. He told the two girls, “Let her join us.” Then he smiled at Zhou Shuirong: “As long as you don’t mind us guys.”

Zhou Shuirong turned to glance at the billiard area not far away. There were a few men in their twenties, seemingly office workers from nearby.

The man grabbed a few bottles of water and led Zhou Shuirong over. His friends’ eyes lit up when they saw him bring back a young girl: “You got two bottles of water, and you also brought a sister along?”

Someone even teased him in front of Zhou Shuirong: “Sister, you should be careful. This guy isn’t good news.”

Zhou Shuirong wasn’t good news either; she was just there to play a game, nothing more. She ignored their banter, picked up a cue stick, and asked, “Are you playing nine-ball?”

The man who brought her over raised an eyebrow: “You can play?”

Zhou Shuirong didn’t answer. She held the cue stick with a standard posture, potted the six-ball on the table, then the seven-ball, and the eight-ball. The eight-ball didn’t go in, so it was the next person’s turn.

Although she only potted two balls, it was enough to make these men look at her with new respect. Her technique and skill clearly showed she had been taught by a master.

Several men had ulterior motives, and a few were already wondering how to get her WeChat.

The sports complex had an internal supermarket that sold various sports drinks and snacks. When Jing He came out to get water, he saw Zhou Shuirong. At first, he thought he had seen wrong. Holding his water, he walked closer and saw it was indeed her. He called her name: “It really is you, Zhou Shuirong!”

Zhou Shuirong turned and saw Jing He, briefly lifted her eyes, and looked around.

Jing He knew she was looking for Shen Tingwen and said, “He’s playing basketball. Do you want to go watch?”

“No.”

Jing He didn’t insist. He placed a bottle of water down for her: “Alright, I’ll head back then. If you want to watch later, come find us in the basketball area.”

Zhou Shuirong ignored him and turned back to play billiards.

The men continued to interrogate her, asking her name, age, school, where she lived, with an excessive amount of small talk.