When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 162: Chapter 75: The Top Star of the 1960s Art Troupe (14)

Xia Zhaoyun had a bone-deep aversion to the very concept of "men." After all, every miserable memory she had was tied to one. Who was to blame? She was delicate and soft, but no one had ever been willing to genuinely pay the price for this beauty—to have her back.

But when it came to specific individuals, as long as she wasn’t put in a compromising position with them, it was fine.

The only exception was the man in front of her. She wasn’t particularly guarded around him, perhaps because she saw him as a fellow member of the marriage-averse club.

’Men are all about saving face. If I refuse to drink in front of so many people, who knows what kind of trouble he’ll stir up later.’

’It’s just a glass of red wine, maybe ten percent alcohol. What’s there to be afraid of?’

Xia Zhaoyun’s eyes darted around before she picked up the wine glass and chugged it down in one go. Everyone stared, slightly stunned.

Liu Mingkun couldn’t help but say painfully, "Sister-in-law, that’s a ’66 Bor..."

Huo Tianhao shot him a look, and Liu Mingkun swallowed the rest of his words.

Xia Zhaoyun scrunched up her little face, the sweet yet astringent taste overwhelming her a bit. She grabbed a cup, GULP GULP, and drank it all down. As she set it on the table, she felt a murderous aura coming from the man beside her, and she wanted to cry.

’That was the cup belonging to the man beside me!’

With a spoilsport like her present, the meal was rather awkward for everyone.

After the meal finally ended, they relocated to a private billiard room.

On the way, Xia Zhaoyun guiltily explained to Huo Tianhao, "Brother Hao, I wasn’t trying to sabotage you on purpose. It’s just... I really do have a boyfriend. If people from my factory find out I’m pretending to be your girlfriend, they’ll gossip me to death!"

"But, you know, I think this works out for both of us. Think about it! You have this one-sided crush on me, but I have my own boyfriend and can’t return your feelings. This way, you can escape the fate of being controlled by arranged dates and live out your days as a proud, lonely bachelor, right?"

"It’s hard to find a woman as talented and beautiful as me in this world. Everyone will understand your situation."

Huo Tianhao couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation. It was, indeed, a useful but terrible idea. He abruptly gunned the engine, and the woman on the back seat shrieked, clinging to his waist for dear life.

The room wasn’t very large, and with two tables in it, it was packed solid the moment everyone crowded inside.

A mix of young men and women, all in their twenties—that reckless, hormone-fueled age—couldn’t help but start stirring up trouble again.

The rivalry between the kids from the North and South Courtyards, as incompatible as fire and water, had been going strong for over a decade. How could a single glass of wine truly erase that? Some of them had even brought their girlfriends and couldn’t resist showing off their skills.

And how does one show off their skills? By having someone to serve as a foil, of course.

Xu Weilin glanced at the flash of sky blue, casually holding a pool cue. "So many people and only two tables. If we play by the usual rules, it’ll be too boring."

Liu Mingkun was a sharp one. He glanced at Huo Tianhao beside him, felt reassured, and said with a grin, "Brother Lin, how do you want to play? The brothers will play along."

"How about this? Everyone puts in ten yuan. You go up, take one shot. We won’t play solids or stripes. For every ball you sink, you get your money back. Sink two in a row, you get twenty. Three in a row, forty, and so on, all the way until the eight-ball is pocketed. But if you miss a shot in the middle of a streak, your winnings are halved. If you sink the cue ball, you have to cough up another ten yuan. What do you say?" Xu Weilin said with a smile, glancing at the crowd.

Then, he pulled a thick wad of cash from his pocket and threw it on the table. "It was my birthday. A red envelope my family just gave me. Haven’t even counted it. I’ll bet it all and be the house."

The bills immediately scattered across half the table. Even the compound kids, who prided themselves on being worldly and sophisticated, couldn’t help but stare.

The women didn’t seem to mind. After all, their boyfriends weren’t short on cash, so they wouldn’t have to pay. In fact, if the men won, they might even stuff the winnings into their hands.

As for the men, their blood was pumping. According to Xu Weilin’s rules, even if they lost, it was only ten yuan. If they sank just two balls in a row, they’d make their money back. Three balls would earn them ten yuan, but four balls would net them thirty!

The amount of money wasn’t the point—it was the thrill of it.

As for Xu Weilin’s money, no one even dreamed of taking it. Even if they did, it was an impossible dream.

They didn’t have that kind of skill. Besides, Xu Weilin might be rich, but he wasn’t stupid. Pool was one of his signature moves.

Xia Zhaoyun clutched the ten-yuan bill in her pocket, a faint blush on her cheeks. She wasn’t sure if it was from the heat or the lingering effects of the wine.

In any case, she loathed this gang of rich brats and felt the man beside her had set this up on purpose. Shielded by her sunglasses, she glared daggers at each of them in turn.

’Couldn’t we have just had a nice meal? We all rode motorcycles here, and they just had to drink.

And now we’re playing pool and gambling with money!’