17 Wang Chuqin

Day One of the Competition.

Since Duan Nanzhou had no matches scheduled today, she chose to be a “venue wanderer,” roaming around to watch the games. After all, it’s rare to see so many table tennis players from different countries gathered in one place. Instead of focusing only on the top-ranked athletes, observing some of the lower-ranked players offered plenty of learning opportunities.

Later, when reviewing the Tokyo Olympics table tennis matches, some bloggers noticed that whenever Duan Nanzhou didn’t have a match, she could be seen sitting in various sections of the audience, sometimes alone, sometimes accompanied by Wang Chuqin.

After two days without matches, Duan Nanzhou expressed how much she had gained, mentioning new techniques she was eager to practice on the national team. That was great news!

Those on the national team who might be “practiced on” by her: ...

However, during these days, Duan Nanzhou and the coaching staff’s focus was mainly on the mixed doubles event. Especially since Liu Shiwen underwent surgery specifically for this competition, making this match incredibly significant for her, the national team, and Chinese table tennis as a whole.

It must be said that the smaller venue space affected this gold-medal-winning mixed doubles pair quite a bit. Still, because their early opponents weren’t as strong, it gave them a chance to adapt and adjust their play.

Unsurprisingly, the final match pitted Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen against Japan’s Mima Ito and Jun Mizutani. Mima Ito has been regarded domestically and internationally as the national team’s greatest rival in recent years. Though often harshly criticized at home, she truly defeated many Chinese players.

So when the final for the championship was set, the athletes, coaching staff, and spectators alike were on edge.

Duan Nanzhou and the national team’s younger members watched intently from the stands, their nerves heightened especially after the first two losses, their hearts practically in their throats.

As she watched, Duan Nanzhou analyzed the match: Mima Ito had little experience in international competition and employed a unique playing style, which initially bewildered Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen. Now, they just hoped the pair could quickly adjust and counterattack.

The one who felt Duan Nanzhou’s tension most was Wang Chuqin, who sat beside her and tightly held her hand.

Under countless cameras, Wang Chuqin had tried to comfort his girlfriend quietly, but the strength with which she squeezed his hand revealed just how nervous she was.

Duan Nanzhou recalled the coaching staff’s earlier advice, hoping it would help the duo regain their form swiftly. She had devoted immense thought to this mixed doubles event, even drafting strategies to cope with potential shifts in their mindset.

As teammates who trained together daily, Duan Nanzhou understood each player’s style, temperament, and tendencies, keeping notes and tailoring responses accordingly.

She was known as the national team’s strongest caretaker, their unwavering support—the one who cared so deeply for everyone that she almost took on the coaching staff’s role herself, truly an all-around ace.

On the court, Liu Shiwen and Xu Xin’s composure wavered, especially Liu Shiwen, who had sacrificed so much for this match and was under tremendous pressure, fearing she might not secure the gold as expected. Her mind was in turmoil.

During a break, the coaches hurriedly delivered instructions, urging the pair to recover quickly; there was still a chance to turn the match around.

As old partners, Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen shared a tacit understanding and immediately grasped each other’s intentions. They altered their strategy and decided to gamble.

When play resumed, the confident Mizutani and Ito realized their previous tactics were no longer effective.

Caught off guard, they lost two consecutive games, prompting their coaching staff to urgently strategize.

In this delicate balance, Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen regained much of their form. They exchanged glances, confirmed their plan, and landed a decisive blow against their Japanese rivals, eliciting astonishment from spectators, commentators, and coaches worldwide.

The commentators stumbled over their words—this killer shot was the first of its kind in mixed doubles. The crowd paused in stunned silence before erupting into cheers.

Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen ultimately defeated Mizutani and Ito 4-3, claiming the mixed doubles gold—the first table tennis gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics.

All glory belonged to them at that moment. Standing on the podium was the pinnacle of their careers, a perfect, regret-free conclusion.

...

With mixed doubles concluded, the national team breathed a collective sigh of relief. The main events were about to begin.

Duan Nanzhou and Sun Yingsha’s women’s singles, as well as Ma Long and Fan Zhendong’s men’s singles, were officially underway.

Looking over the draw, Duan Nanzhou raised an eyebrow—she was grouped with someone she wanted to face. Excellent.

On the court, she relentlessly struck down her opponents; off the court, Wang Chuqin’s eyes were fixed solely on his girlfriend. He thought she was unbelievably cool—calmly dismantling her rivals and winning every point with poise, every moment making him adore her more.

Her opponents, meanwhile, went from fierce resistance to numb resignation. Some even laughed out of frustration under her intimidating presence and disdainful gaze, with a few breaking down in tears. Their coaches had to comfort them to help them finish their matches.

Duan Nanzhou, calm and composed as ever, was baffled: “She cried? No way?”

During her matches, the coaching staff had little to do. Coach Li Sun appeared relaxed and unconcerned in the background, even caught fiddling with his hands out of boredom.

Viewers watching the live broadcast urged, “Coach Li, get serious!”

Only when Duan Nanzhou faced Mima Ito did Coach Li pay closer attention. Though confident in Duan Nanzhou’s abilities, he couldn’t help but worry more about this so-called “greatest rival” genius from overseas.

But soon, Duan Nanzhou’s prowess reassured him—he could continue fiddling with his hands in peace.

In the early games, Duan Nanzhou had occasionally held back, allowing Ito to score a point or two to save face.

However, facing Ito’s flashy serves and grim expressions, Duan Nanzhou decided no mercy was needed—she would show her what it meant to be completely shut out.

Her full-on assault left Ito and her coach dumbfounded. Ito struggled to return shots, her failures casting a hush over the crowd.

In the end, Duan Nanzhou utterly crushed Ito, handing the once confident “genius girl” a devastating defeat.

The final killer shot meant Ito scored zero points. Until then, the usually stoic “Bking” Duan Nanzhou showed her first smile, instantly making the world recognize the name “Duan Nanzhou.”

Wang Chuqin in the audience nearly leapt up in celebration. His Zhouzhou was simply magnificent! Luckily, his good friend Liang Jingkun quickly held him back—cameras were rolling!

Viewers held their breath from the moment Duan Nanzhou faced Ito until the smooth conclusion, barely believing the victory was so decisive.

Excitement overflowed everywhere. Short video apps were flooded with clips of Duan Nanzhou’s matches, her victorious reactions, and people digging up her past tournaments.

Her overwhelming skill, stunning beauty and figure, cold and aloof “Bking” persona, and those disdainful “look at you like trash” eyes quickly propelled Duan Nanzhou to stardom.

Trending topics shot up and remained high; influencers mimicked her iconic gaze and “Bking” aura; countless highlight reels circulated—suddenly, it felt like the whole nation knew her.

Fans of all kinds—skill admirers, beauty enthusiasts—flocked to support her, dramatically boosting attention for the women’s singles final and team events.

Meanwhile, Duan Nanzhou and Sun Yingsha unsurprisingly met in the final. The Chinese team had secured gold and silver; what was once an international contest had become an internal battle. The coaches gave up trying to favor either side and moved to the stands—after all, both were their own.

The coaches likely understood the outcome was almost certain, but they eagerly anticipated how the match would unfold.

After her match, Sun Yingsha also followed Duan Nanzhou’s results and even heard about some players being brought to tears.

As both training partners and rivals, Sun Yingsha was fully aware of Duan Nanzhou’s strength. She had endured many “painful” training sessions under Duan’s regimen. Her only hope was that Duan wouldn’t be too brutal and cause her to cry.

Faced with her good friend Shasha, the new table tennis “Bking” Duan Nanzhou shed her usual cold demeanor, transforming from a stoic, aloof queen into a sweet smiley girl.

Commentators, spectators, and previously defeated opponents cried double standards: “Such blatant hypocrisy!”

In their final, Duan Nanzhou treated the match more as a forcing exercise. She smiled beautifully while delivering the fiercest shots, determined to make Sun Yingsha break old habits and adapt to new styles.

On the other side, Sun Yingsha was exhausted and suffering. She felt that the easy training days were over—if she didn’t change, Duan Nanzhou wouldn’t let her off easily.

Eventually, through painful learning and progress, Sun Yingsha finished the match. At one point, she even wondered if she would have been better off not reaching the final—it was that grueling.

This seemingly gentle but actually brutal national team training match ended with Duan Nanzhou taking gold and Sun Yingsha silver.

Commentators and hosts remarked: “It seems Duan Nanzhou is training Sun Yingsha?”

Fans responded: “Weird... something feels off!”

The coaching staff exchanged mysterious smiles, their suspicions confirmed.

Wang Chuqin exclaimed excitedly: “Yeah! Zhouzhou is amazing!”

This time, Liang Jingkun failed to hold back the ecstatic Wang Chuqin, who was caught on camera cheering wildly. Most viewers thought he was simply happy for his teammate’s victory, though some critics berated him for not considering Sun Yingsha’s feelings.

None of that dampened Wang Chuqin’s joy and excitement. Compared to Duan Nanzhou’s reserved reaction to winning, he seemed more like the true victor of the match.

At this moment, a small but growing number of fans began shipping the duo, delighting in their chemistry.

[End of excerpt.]