9. Wang Chuqin

Soon, a new year arrived.

At that moment, Duan Nanzhou was training alone in the gym, hitting the ball against the wall somewhat bored, her thoughts drifting elsewhere.

She had heard that there wouldn’t be much of a holiday this year for the New Year, and she felt quite down about it. Although she had just returned from home, it didn’t stop her from longing to go back and rest.

Unfortunately, with the new year came a heavy competition schedule, and the upcoming Olympic Games were fast approaching. There would be little chance to rest, and staying home longer was unlikely.

“Zhouzhou, haven’t you finished training yet?” Wang Chuqin, who had just finished training with the men’s team, was making his way against the crowd toward the women’s team as usual.

“Ah?” Duan Nanzhou, lost in thought, came back to reality. “Is it over?”

“Everyone’s done training; it’s time to eat.” Wang Chuqin said as he began helping Duan Nanzhou pack up her things.

“Okay.” Duan Nanzhou handed over her racket to him to help pack as well.

“Let’s go!” Bored, Duan Nanzhou watched Wang Chuqin pack while fixating on his face.

Unaware of what was happening, Wang Chuqin gradually felt his face flush red as she stared, and he tried to compose himself, saying, “Alright.”

As they walked toward the cafeteria, Duan Nanzhou kept glancing back at him. Unable to hold back, Wang Chuqin finally asked, “Zhouzhou, is something wrong? Is there something on my face?”

“Nothing,” Duan Nanzhou responded naturally. “It’s just that you’re getting more and more handsome.”

“Huh?” Wang Chuqin was stunned by the direct compliment.

“By the way, isn’t it troublesome for you to come find me after training every day? Next time, why don’t we just meet directly at the cafeteria?” Duan Nanzhou changed the subject quickly before he could respond.

“No trouble at all!” Wang Chuqin was on high alert. What did this mean? Was she trying to avoid him? Had a new rival appeared?

“Zhouzhou, what’s going on? Why suddenly say this? Haven’t I always come to find you directly?”

“Oh, nothing really. I just thought it might be too much trouble for you and could affect your training and rest.” Duan Nanzhou said it casually, but Wang Chuqin read more into it.

“No trouble! I do it willingly.” Wang Chuqin replied earnestly, but Duan Nanzhou didn’t pick up on it, and the conversation ended there.

The young man was left feeling dejected for a long while before rallying himself slowly, reminding himself to take it one step at a time.

As for Duan Nanzhou, she had other thoughts. In earlier years, she hadn’t felt much—he was a bit immature and hadn’t grown into the handsome man he was now. But looking closely today, he was indeed getting more attractive. Could she try talking to him?

Such were the mischievous thoughts swirling in Duan Nanzhou’s mind.

But none of that mattered yet, because she suddenly received terrible news:

“What!? I have to perform in the program? Why?”

Duan Nanzhou was terrified when the female team’s seniors and coaches informed her she had to perform at the National Table Tennis Spring Festival Gala. What was going on?

Duan Nanzhou knew about the National Table Tennis Gala, but she also knew it had nothing to do with her. Those who could perform had already been chosen, and she had planned to quietly be an audience member, with the coaches agreeing.

Unexpectedly, there was this sudden twist—she was asked to perform? What exactly had happened?

Behind the scenes, the “instigator” Sun Yingsha chuckled awkwardly: “Sorry, Zhouzhou, I really had no choice.”

Originally, the gala planners wanted the second team girls to perform an opening dance medley; the first team wasn’t involved.

However, the coaches thought the first team couldn’t be left out of the talent show. But since Duan Nanzhou and her group basically refused, and nobody knew of any talents they had, they were initially spared.

Among the first-team main players, Ding Ning was already booked as the host, Liu Shiwen simply shrugged, saying she didn’t have any special skills; Sun Yingsha said she only knew how to play table tennis; Wang Yidi said she only knew how to eat; Chen Meng and Wang Manyu remained silent.

So, under the coaches’ frustrated gazes, they planned to forcibly pick a few to perform something—anything, maybe even a comedy sketch—because the first team couldn’t lose face.

The youngest, Sun Yingsha, was pushed forward. With her terrified eyes and her seniors’ affectionate smiles, she couldn’t refuse.

Knowing Sun Yingsha and Duan Nanzhou were roommates and close friends, the coaches persuaded her to bring Nanzhou along, so she wouldn’t be alone.

Amid the coaxing and pressure, Sun Yingsha blurted out that Duan Nanzhou could dance. It wasn’t a lie, and at that moment, the coaches’ and seniors’ eyes lit up.

Sun Yingsha: “Zhouzhou, I’m sorry, sob, the pressure was too much, sob…”

Coaches: “Great! We knew Duan Nanzhou was a genius—turns out she not only plays well but can dance too. Truly multi-talented!”

First-team seniors: “Nanzhou can dance? Wonderful, next time we’ll learn from her.”

Thus, without Duan Nanzhou’s knowledge, she was signed up to perform at the gala, and no one told her, as if by unspoken agreement.

Sun Yingsha: “I’m too scared to speak, afraid I’ll be silenced.”

Coaches and seniors: “Yingsha and Zhouzhou are roommates, she should’ve told her, right?”

About a week before the gala, Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen saw Duan Nanzhou returning from the men’s team and asked:

“Nanzhou, how’s your dance rehearsal coming along?”

“Dance? What dance?” Duan Nanzhou looked utterly confused.

Seeing her genuine ignorance, the two seniors exchanged horrified glances. No way—nobody told her?

So, from their mouths, Duan Nanzhou learned she had been “signed up” for the gala without her knowledge.

As the coaches and staff discussed the gala programs and rehearsals, they suddenly saw an intense figure charging toward them.

“Ah, Nanzhou, why are you here?” Liu Guoliang looked at Duan Nanzhou, feeling oddly unsettled.

“Coach Liu, why didn’t anyone notify me about participating in the gala?” Duan Nanzhou was genuinely speechless.

“Huh? No one told you?” Liu Guoliang quickly turned to confirm with everyone, “Didn’t Yingsha tell you?”

“I had no idea!” Duan Nanzhou pondered. No wonder Yingsha’s expression had been unusually appeasing lately—now she understood why.

“Can I withdraw from the performance? I didn’t even know about this, and I haven’t rehearsed at all!”

“Ah, Nanzhou…” Liu Guoliang launched into soothing mode, “The program is set and can’t be canceled. How about you start practicing now and just perform casually? Otherwise, our first team won’t have a program—it’d be so embarrassing! Just prepare a little, and I promise you’ll get a long holiday afterward!”

That was Liu Guoliang for you, immediately offering the most appealing deal to Duan Nanzhou.

“Alright, then we need to sign a guarantee.” Duan Nanzhou figured she couldn’t back out now, so she might as well secure the best terms—like a signed holiday guarantee.

In the end, with Liu Guoliang “tearfully” agreeing, Duan Nanzhou left satisfied.

Liu Guoliang thought: “She’s really talented—tricking her is no joke!”

On her way back, Duan Nanzhou saw her dear Yingsha, who immediately turned to leave upon spotting her.

“Yingsha! Where are you going?” Duan Nanzhou didn’t let her run off, grabbing her collar and stopping her by the neck.

Against Duan Nanzhou’s height of 168 cm, 162 cm Sun Yingsha looked especially petite and helpless.

“Ah, Zhouzhou, what’s wrong?” Yingsha smiled awkwardly, trying to wriggle free, but failed. “Zhouzhou, even the closest people need some distance, right? Why don’t you let go of my arm first?”

“Hmph.” Duan Nanzhou, holding Yingsha firmly, asked, “Is that so? Then how did they find out I can dance? Why is there suddenly a dance performance of mine at the gala? Yingsha, explain this to your best friend—me!”

“Zhouzhou!” Seeing escape was impossible, Yingsha broke down and spilled everything. She revealed that under pressure, she had accidentally let it slip, which was why she had felt awkward around Duan Nanzhou these days.

“If that’s the case, then you’ll dance with me!” Duan Nanzhou proposed calmly, earning a panicked look from Yingsha.

“Zhouzhou, maybe not! Look, I’ve been learning with you for so long and still can’t dance it right. Now with such little time, I definitely won’t learn in time!” Yingsha begged. Practicing privately as a hobby was one thing, but performing on stage was a nightmare for her.

“It’s okay, I can teach you slowly!” Duan Nanzhou’s smile looked deadly to Yingsha.

“Waaah, Zhouzhou, can you please tell me how to get out of this?” Yingsha imagined the scene and felt doomed.

“That depends on you, Yingsha. Think about how you’ll make up for what you’ve done to me.” Duan Nanzhou’s words triggered Yingsha’s “little follower” mode, replacing Wang Chuqin’s place and beginning her atonement.

Gradually, Yingsha grew to enjoy it, discovering that following Duan Nanzhou daily brought not only delicious treats but also many new things to learn beyond table tennis.

In the process, Yingsha started to resent Wang Chuqin a bit—turns out he got all the perks from being with Nanzhou every day!

However, Duan Nanzhou was mostly teasing Yingsha, planning to have her serve tea and run errands for just one day. Unexpectedly, Yingsha got hooked, so Duan Nanzhou began taking her on different fun adventures regularly, and Yingsha became even more addicted.

At this moment, Duan Nanzhou missed Wang Chuqin terribly. With him around, everything was considerate, and she could follow along without thinking. Indeed, people only realize what they have when it’s gone.

Fortunately, Yingsha didn’t follow her around every day for long. After the New Year, the coaches assigned her heavier training tasks, leaving her to whine while waiting for visits and snacks from Duan Nanzhou and Wang Manyu.

This was because the coaches had high hopes for her and wanted her to quickly rise to the first team. So, whenever Duan Nanzhou had some free time, she accompanied Yingsha in training.

Together, the two improved steadily, gradually becoming the coaches’ strongest prospects for the next generation.