Chapter 25: The Time of Our Lives
“Yameng, have some water.”
“Xiaomeng, let me wipe your sweat.”
“Xiaolie, Xiaolie, it’s not a loss this round.”
During the break, Zou Yameng let her teammates surround her, but her mind wasn’t on the court at all. Instead, like a fallen leaf drifting down a river, it returned to the summer of eight years ago.
Little Lu Li plopped down on the pillow angrily, his face filthy, probably from another fight with some kid. Although Zou Yameng was only a year older, she already had the composure of an older sister. Before she could speak, little Lu Li started yelling.
“It’s not fair! It’s not fair!”
Zou Yameng took off his dirty T-shirt and went to the bathroom to fetch a basin of water. “What’s not fair? Who messed with you again?”
“He’s only two years older than me, but he’s bigger, and his serve is stronger. Otherwise, I could have returned it!”
“What?”
“The ball.”
“What ball?”
“Ping pong ball.”
Zou Yameng scrubbed little Lu Li’s face with a towel and said with a smile, “Wipe yourself down, you’re filthy. Since when did you start playing ping pong?”
“Last week.” Little Lu Li was still well-behaved in front of his sister, but his pouting lips could have hung a kettle. “I’m so mad!”
That day, the sun outside was bright, the cicadas were noisy, and she still remembered that the water bucket in the bathroom was too full, wasting three cents on the water bill. That was Zou Yameng’s first encounter with table tennis. She had only picked up the racket and practiced for a month to avenge her brother, easily defeating the sniveling boy in front of her brother’s admiring gaze.
It was hard to say whether she had fallen in love with the sport at that time. Even many years later, she didn’t know whether she wanted to continue on this path.
But at this moment, she clearly felt it: she loved table tennis, just as she loved Lu Li. Not the love of a sister for her brother, but the love of a wife for her husband. Only in this moment of near-emptiness in her mind could she truly face her heart. She loved this sport, wanted to win, wanted to achieve something. She wanted to be able to stand proudly in front of her brother with a racket in her hand, just like she had eight years ago, and tell him, “Don’t worry, you have me!”
Zou Yameng wiped off her sweat and left the rest area without a word.
“Xiaomeng… Is she alright? Her eyes are scary.”
“S-she should be fine.”
He Ping met Zou Yameng’s gaze, a rare look of astonishment flitting across her face. If Zou Yameng was a fearless tiger before, now she was a desperate wolf, her desire for victory undisguised, adding a touch of wild charm to the beautiful girl.
Perhaps only He Ping could instantly understand such a look because she had also gone through this stage. From the stage of desperately wanting to win, to the current stage of “having a reason to win.” The former was a lone wolf wandering aimlessly in the wilderness, while the latter was a lion ruling over a pride. There was a clear distinction between the two.
“With just this, you can’t beat me.” He Ping’s voice was soft.
The third game began.
Zou Yameng’s playing style became even more aggressive. She abandoned defense and attacked relentlessly, even if it didn’t earn her points, she would consume He Ping’s stamina. This was an extremely despicable tactic. Whispers arose from the audience, clearly disapproving of Zou Yameng’s actions.
Facing such a Zou Yameng, He Ping remained as calm as an old monk. Her movements were even faster than before, trying to crush her opponent physically once again. But this time, He Ping had met her match. The only thing Zou Yameng was not inferior to He Ping in was stamina. At seven minutes and twelve seconds into the third game, Zou Yameng finally scored her first point, bringing the score to 5:1.
This was the first point, the first point Zou Yameng had scored in today’s match, finally breaking free from the curse of being shut out.
It was also the first point He Ping had lost in the Six-Province Tournament.
The first step was always the hardest. With the first point scored, Zou Yameng gradually found her rhythm and went on to win two more points in a row, closing the gap further. Just when everyone thought Zou Yameng was about to make a comeback, He Ping unleashed even greater strength. Like a bottomless pit, she kept raising her level of play. As in every previous match, He Ping continued to suppress her opponent.
11:3. The third game ended with He Ping’s victory.
He Ping had won three games. As long as she won one more, the match would be over. Zou Yameng’s counterattack was more like a last hurrah, barely managing to buy her a moment of respite in front of He Ping.
As the fourth game began, Zou Yameng’s eyes were noticeably red. He Ping didn’t speak, silently watching her. She had made many opponents cry, one more or one less Zou Yameng didn’t matter. Relatively speaking, Zou Yameng was considered quite tenacious. The referee, a kind-hearted person, asked, “Player Zou Yameng, do you need a break?”
Zou Yameng really wanted to rest, but she was afraid that once she relaxed, she would no longer have the courage to face He Ping. So she stubbornly shook her head, her eyes red-rimmed, but not a single tear falling.
Perhaps what Zou Yameng lacked more than strength was luck. If she hadn’t met He Ping in the second round, would the outcome have been different? In this Six-Province Tournament, apart from He Ping, Zou Yameng was confident that she wouldn’t lose to anyone. During the warm-up matches, she was called the “Tiger of Chuanhai” by other players, the seeded player second only to He Ping.
She held the ball, staring blankly at the table, seemingly pondering tactics and strategies. The referee didn’t rush her, just silently watched the stopwatch.
No loud noises were allowed in the venue, and an eerie silence fell over the place. Everyone wanted to know how Zou Yameng would gracefully finish her final act.
Just then, a reckless and abrupt voice came from the audience. It was loud and clear, completely at odds with the silent and oppressive atmosphere of the gymnasium.
“Go Zou Yameng!”
Zou Yameng looked towards the source of the sound as if she had been electrocuted. She saw the security guards surrounding the person, telling him to be quiet. But the teenager was smiling recklessly and unrestrainedly, his hands cupped around his mouth, shouting at the top of his lungs:
“Go Zou Yameng!”
He completely ignored the security guards’ attempts to stop him. Like Prometheus stealing fire, he cheered for her with the most carefree voice. Even as the security guards dragged him out of the audience, the voice never stopped.
Zou Yameng could no longer hold back her tears. Two clear streams flowed down her face. She was both crying and laughing, “You idiot. Now you’ve been invited out by security for tea…” Her first thought was, “Why is my brother here?” Then it was, “You idiot, aren’t you embarrassed to shout like that in such a place…” Finally, all thoughts faded away, leaving only one:
“I want to win.”
Like a lost knight regaining his badge, Zou Yameng’s expression calmed down, her heart filled with a sense of contentment and happiness. She didn’t need to ask why Lu Li was here; she knew he was here for her. Even though she was at her lowest point, facing certain defeat, Lu Li still chose to support her without hesitation. Knowing this was enough.
The emotions in her heart could no longer be controlled. Love, victory, courage, future, unrelated words flowed through her mind. She cried and laughed, laughed and cried.
“Is that your brother?” He Ping asked.
“He’s the most important person to me.”
The fourth game began.
At this moment, Zou Yameng was reborn, her smile as bright as the morning sun.
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