Chapter 19: Big Sister’s Biggest Rival
“I think this Little Lu is a good kid,” Chu Jingyi’s mother said, settling into the living room to watch TV after Lu Li and Chu Jingyi had left. Chu Xiaodong, the head of the household, was washing dishes in the kitchen. “Don’t you dare try to scare him off this time. Our precious daughter is growing up, and she doesn’t even have a close friend. You’re entirely to blame for that.”
Chu Xiaodong chuckled as he scrubbed a plate. “That’s because those other kids had ulterior motives. I was worried they would take advantage of Yi Bao.”
“And do you think Little Lu’s motives are pure?”
“He’s a good kid.” Chu Xiaodong often praised people in public, but rarely offered compliments in private. “He’s just lacking a bit of luck.”
“There you go again, being narcissistic. Are you implying that you’re Little Lu’s lucky charm?” Chu Jingyi’s mother teased, making her husband’s crow’s feet crinkle with amusement.
“If the boy works hard, I might be able to lend him a hand.” He paused. “Let’s see what Yi Bao decides. We’re not lacking anything. Little Lu’s shortcomings are hardly a dealbreaker.”
“Dad, what are you talking about?” Chu Jingyi, who had just entered the room, looked confused. “What shortcomings? Lu Li doesn’t have any shortcomings!”
Chu Xiaodong sighed. “See? Already siding with him.”
*
Lingyue City.
Lu Li hadn’t replied to her messages all day. Had he already left for his classmate’s house?
Zou Yameng stared at her phone screen, lost in thought. It wasn’t unusual for them to be apart for extended periods, but this time, the separation felt unbearable. She felt like she was coming down with something, a strange and unsettling feeling. She realized, with a growing sense of unease, that her feelings for her brother had crossed a line. She was jealous when he spent time with other girls, she craved his scent, she dreamt of his gentle smile.
When had it started? She couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment. It was as if these feelings had always been there, buried beneath layers of self-deception. She propped her chin on her hand, her gaze unfocused as she watched the other athletes practicing.
She picked up her phone again and searched for online forums discussing relationships between siblings. After a while, she turned off the screen and shook her head. “I’m losing my mind.”
“Yameng, you’re up,” Coach Dan called out. “Focus. Your opponent is He Ping from Jindong.”
The name snapped her back to reality. He Ping from Jindong – a name that struck fear into the hearts of every member of the Chuanhai Women’s Table Tennis Team. Last year, during their expedition to Jindong, He Ping had single-handedly crushed them, leaving them demoralized and defeated.
This was just a practice match. The official Six-Province Tournament wouldn’t begin for another few days. The athletes who had already arrived were using this time to size each other up. Zou Yameng had gained a bit of notoriety amongst the players for her aggressive style. Her serves were faster and more powerful than most male players. She felt that she had made significant progress over the past six months and hoped to put up a decent fight against He Ping this time.
He Ping was an unassuming woman with short hair and an impassive expression. Her poker face was her most defining feature. She always seemed preoccupied, even when she had decimated the Chuanhai team last year. She hadn’t shown a hint of pride, as if she had merely swatted a fly.
It was this attitude that infuriated Zou Yameng.
“I won’t lose again,” she muttered, gripping her racket, her determination burning bright.
“You are…?” He Ping looked at her with a confused expression.
It was like a punch to the gut. Zou Yameng bit her lip, her frustration growing. The Chuanhai team had been training with He Ping as their imaginary opponent, dreaming of the day they would defeat her. Yet, she didn’t even remember them. The humiliation was unbearable. Any further explanation would be a sign of weakness. The only way to reclaim their dignity was through skill!
Zou Yameng played aggressively, responding to He Ping’s tricky shots with powerful smashes, resulting in several lost points. Coach Dan, watching from the sidelines, frowned. “Yameng, calm down! Play strategically!”
“Calm down” was a foreign concept to Zou Yameng. She and Lu Li had always had to fight for everything. Whether it was securing his place in school or keeping a roof over their heads, they had clawed their way through life, two children with nothing but their determination. They were like wild wolves, like stray dogs, scavenging for scraps, holding their breath as they devoured even the most rotten meat.
Thwack.
Another forehand smash, the trajectory too low. It didn’t even clear the net. The score was 11-4. Zou Yameng had lost the first set miserably. The referee reset the scoreboard and the players switched sides, preparing for the second set.
Coach Dan approached her.
“Yameng, what’s wrong?”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. You’re playing too recklessly. He Ping isn’t like those rookies you’ve faced before. The more aggressive you are, the more vulnerable you become.”
“I can win,” Zou Yameng said, her voice firm. Like Lu Li, she was incredibly stubborn. Once she set her mind to something, not even ten Coach Dans could sway her.
The second set began with He Ping serving. Zou Yameng’s performance only worsened. Her first return went out of bounds. He Ping didn’t even bother retrieving the ball, looking at her with a puzzled expression.
“Do you need a break?” It was a genuine concern, but coming from He Ping’s emotionless face, it sounded incredibly condescending.
“No,” Zou Yameng replied curtly.
The second set ended swiftly, another crushing defeat for Zou Yameng, 11-2. Her eyes were red with frustration. “Again!” she growled. Failure! Failure! Why did failure always follow them? Why couldn’t fate cut them some slack? Why did she and Lu Li have to suffer so much? She wanted to make it to the provincial team, and her brother wanted to go to university. Why was it so difficult?
“Zou Yameng!” Coach Dan barked. “Take a break! Don’t let your emotions control your game!”
Zou Yameng ignored her and stubbornly prepared to serve, but He Ping simply caught the ball with her hand.
“Your skills are pathetic. You’re no better than a middle school student,” He Ping said flatly. “There’s no point in continuing this.”
Zou Yameng’s performance might have been affected by her emotions, but her skills weren’t as bad as He Ping made them out to be. It was simply that He Ping was on another level, her skills far exceeding Zou Yameng’s, magnifying her weaknesses tenfold. If the average player in the Six-Province Tournament was a 100, He Ping was a 500.
A dominant force.
Zou Yameng’s eyes welled up. She couldn’t accept this second defeat. The first time, she could blame it on underestimating her opponent, on carelessness. But what excuse did she have now?
Her biggest weakness was her inconsistent performance, her mental fragility. Coach Dan had repeatedly advised her to cultivate inner peace, to take up meditation, reading, or fishing. However, Zou Yameng didn’t have the luxury of time. Between training, competitions, and her part-time jobs, she was constantly on edge, a tightly wound spring that was bound to snap sooner or later.
Coach Dan sighed and led the heartbroken girl out of the stadium. The other members of the Chuanhai team surrounded her, wiping away her tears and offering words of comfort.
“She’s under a lot of pressure,” Coach Dan said, her experience allowing her to see through Zou Yameng’s facade. “Give her some space. Those of you who need to practice, go practice. The rest of you, go rest. I’ll take care of Yameng.”
After dispersing the concerned crowd, Coach Dan sat down with Zou Yameng on a bench outside the stadium.
Zou Yameng had forced her tears back. It had been a long time since she had cried. She had a brother to take care of. She couldn’t cry in front of Lu Li. She was the older sister, the pillar of their little family. Over time, suppressing her tears had become second nature. No matter how much she suffered, she wouldn’t allow herself to show weakness.
“Yameng, is something bothering you?”
Was something bothering her? She shook her head. Everything seemed normal. The only thing that had changed was the sense of impending doom that had settled over her, a fear for the future, for herself. She felt like a small boat caught in a storm, at the mercy of the waves.
“Coach, I want to win,” she said, her voice trembling, her heart still racing.
“I have to win,” she added, her voice gaining strength.
Looking at her determined yet beautiful face, Coach Dan sighed inwardly. Sometimes, being strong-willed wasn’t a good thing. The world could be a cruel place, ready to crush those who refused to bend. Only towering trees could withstand the storms, not fragile reeds.
Zou Yameng was a reed, a reed that refused to break.
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