Qin Lu was certain that Lin Fei and Mo Li were newbies. That was confirmed when they were handed the cue sticks. Lin Fei dropped hers and Mo Li held it from the wrong end. Qin Lu smirked. The confidence from getting first place during the mock exam must have gotten to her head. No matter, I'll knock her down a peg.

"Then we have a deal."

​​

Qin Lu already had the plan in her mind. When she won, she would have Mo Li be her slave for the whole week!

By then, the cue ball was rolling to a stop. It stopped closer to Qin Lu. "It's my ball and I decide to go first!"

Mo Li nodded. This was the perfect chance for her to observe the game. As expected, Qin Lu did not hold back at all. She pocketed all the balls and didn't give Mo Li and Lin Fei any chance to head to the table.

Mo Li had to admit that Qin Lu was a good pool player. Her shots were neat and clean. Her precision and accuracy were not bad too. The skill plus the fact that she was a female soon attracted the attention of the other players.

After she made her last shot, Qin Lu stood up, put away the cue stick, and looked at Mo Li. "I hear that you're a genius. A genius wouldn't lose to a person like myself, would she?"

Mo Li didn't answer but stood up straighter. After the worker was done racking the ball, Mo Li chalked the cue stick. But that immediately caused Qin Lu to tut with derision, "Even a professional wouldn't do that, that will only increase the friction..."

Mo Li was not there for an impromptu lesson from Qin Lu so she ignored her. She decided on her aim, bent down and made her first shot.

She pocketed 4 balls with her first shot. Lin Fei, beside Mo Li, gasped with shock. Mo Li's face didn't show it but she was as shock as Lin Fei was. She only wanted to pocket 1 ball to get the feel of things, she didn't expect to perform such an impressive feat. I guess beginner's luck is real.

With just one shot, Mo Li had taken stock of the situation. As Prof. Tao would say, everything in this world could be calculated with math. Ignoring the stunned look on Qin Lu's face, Mo Li moved onto her next shot. Then came her 5th pocket, 6th pocket. This round, Mo Li didn't give Qin Lu a chance to play at all.

"I hear this is the girl's first time playing."

"Are you for real? She looks like a real professional!"

"I'm not kidding you. I saw that she didn't even know how to handle a cue stick earlier. But now... No wonder the girls over there called her a genius. She is indeed one!"

Mo Li cleared all the shots and lifted her head at Qin Lu. "3 minutes 41 seconds."

Qin Lu frowned, she had no idea what Mo Li was talking about. Then someone in the audience who took the time gasped, "How did she know that?! She indeed used 3 minutes and 41 seconds to clear the table! That means she's 34 seconds faster than the other girl."

Hearing that, Qin Lu felt like exploding. What is the meaning of this? Is she trying to humiliate me?!

Lin Fei looked at Mo Li, her mouth almost forming an O shape. This was Lin Fei's first time holding a cue stick as well and she still had no idea what was going on. Meanwhile Mo Li clearly had already mastered the game.

Qin Lu clenched her fists tightly. She gritted her teeth so hard, it felt like they were about to break. She stomped her way to the billiard table. No matter what I'll have to win today! After all, I was the one who initiated the challenge and the bet! If I lose, where shall I put my face after this?

Furthermore, there are quite a number of students in the crowd. If more of them hear of this, I'll follow in the footsteps of Zhou Xi! I'll never allow that to happen!

"Miss Mo Li, you're amazing." Lin Fei whispered a cheer before she added in concern. "But Qin Lin is not a pushover either."

A boy next to Lin Fei overheard this and said, "But Qin Lu is not going to win Mo Li."

Qin Lu heard that exchange and raised her eyes at Mo Li's direction. Mo Li wasn't looking at her, instead she was taking in the whole scene. There was absolute certainty in her eyes. For some reason, after seeing that, Qin Lu could feel her heart racing.

Qin Lu then bent over, used her left hand as support and aimed with her right hand. Mo Li managed to pocket 4 balls with 1 shot earlier and that impressed many people. Qin Lu could do the same thing and even do it better. After all, she was more experienced than Mo Li was.

Unfortunately though, even though Qin Lu started playing billiards since she was a child, she didn't spend much time training technical skill. Instead she spent more time using the sport to entice the boys and to show off. For that, Qin Lu focused more on adjusting her body postures beside the pool table and striking poses with the cue stick.

But this time, Qin Lu swore to concentrate. She was going to show everyone that she was better than Mo Li!

Her fixation with Mo Li caused the pair of encompassing eyes to suddenly flash in her mind, it caused her heart to skip a beat and then her right arm pushed without even realizing it.

The cue stick hit the ball and instantly Qin Lu wanted to take it back. That shot was too forceful!

Her constant wariness towards Mo Li messed with her cool. Qin Lu watched helplessly as the cue ball knocked around the pool table, and she pocketed not a single ball.

How is this possible? Qin Lu was speechless. It looks like the newbie, Mo Li was about to triumph over her.

The stars must not be aligning for her today...