Hello, the Sharpshooter Episode 18 Recap
> Hello, the Sharpshooter Recap
Recently, under Shen Qingyuan's intense training regimen, everyone on the team felt exhausted. Jiang Yitian approached Tang Xin, complaining that Captain Shen's daily drills were so demanding their hearts were "about to stop beating." He argued that while Shen Qingyuan's goal was to prepare them for the upcoming winter training fitness test, a little reward would motivate them to "fly even higher." Tang Xin acknowledged their struggles and promised to speak to Shen Qingyuan on their behalf.
That evening, Tang Xin offered Shen Qingyuan some crispy winter jujubes, prompting him to recall a time she ran away when he offered her some before. She explained she was merely nervous. As the weather grew colder, Tang Xin mentioned a craving for hotpot, vividly describing the warmth of the bubbling pot. Shen Qingyuan immediately offered to take her out that weekend.
Seizing the opportunity, Tang Xin proposed inviting the entire team, suggesting it would boost their morale before winter training. Shen Qingyuan agreed but playfully requested a reward in return. To provide his reward, Tang Xin initiated a game. She blindfolded Shen Qingyuan and, referencing how darkness sharpens the senses for blind shooting, challenged him to guess her location. Shen Qingyuan accurately pointed to her.
When he asked for his prize, she told him to open his mouth wide, only to stuff a handful of her favorite snacks into it. Realizing he had been tricked, Shen Qingyuan playfully chased a laughing Tang Xin around the room. Afterward, she presented him with a handmade "evaluation sheet," giving him a checkmark for being happy that day and explaining that once she collected seven checkmarks, his "no" would become a "yes."
Shen Qingyuan kept his promise and treated the team to hotpot. During the lively dinner, the teammates expressed their gratitude. Jiang Yitian toasted Shen Qingyuan, crediting him with reigniting his motivation and preventing him from "muddling out" of the team. Yang Zhou also raised his glass, humorously calling Shen Qingyuan his "noble person" because his name contained the "water" element that Yang Zhou felt his own fate lacked.
Putting their rivalry aside, Du Lingfeng sincerely toasted Shen Qingyuan as a "good partner," acknowledging their shared excellence. Shi Xiaoci joined the toast, subtly reminding Du Lingfeng not to drink too much. Later, Du Lingfeng tried to romantically guess Shi Xiaoci's favorite foods, but she playfully corrected him, declaring her love for meat. Later, Shen Qingyuan found Tang Xin meticulously working on a miniature model house.
She explained that building it felt like fulfilling her lifelong dream of owning her own home. She revealed that the tiny items inside, like a model of the rice they bought, represented her happy memories, which she hoped would one day fill a real house. She then showed him a miniature teddy bear and a doll, identifying them as him and her, and expressed her wish for them to always stay together.
Moved, Shen Qingyuan assured her that her wish would come true. The team received news that Shen Qingyuan had been selected for the national winter training team. His national championship victory granted him direct entry, exempting him from tryouts. While proud, his teammates were sad about his imminent departure. Coach Zhang called Tang Xin to his office, crediting her positive influence for Shen Qingyuan's recent growth as a leader.
He urged her to continue supporting Shen Qingyuan, emphasizing his potential to compete on the world stage. Handing her the registration form, Coach Zhang clarified that this was just for winter training, with the true national team selection to follow. Tang Xin understood his underlying message: she should not hold Shen Qingyuan back from his future. After her talk with the coach, Tang Xin was visibly distracted.
When Shen Qingyuan asked if she truly wanted him to go, she hid her reluctance, insisting she did and expressing confidence in his ability to excel. She handed him the form and excused herself to the restroom, where she encountered Shi Xiaoci. Sensing Tang Xin's sadness, Shi Xiaoci affirmed her own ambition, stating that while she wasn't on the national team yet, she would train hard to earn her place there.
Outside the restroom, Du Lingfeng offered Tang Xin a tissue for her unshed tears, but Shen Qingyuan appeared and accused him of bothering her. Du Lingfeng scoffed, comparing Tang Xin unfavorably to Shi Xiaoci, which provoked Shen Qingyuan to passionately defend Tang Xin. To de-escalate the tension, Tang Xin quickly left, claiming she had company matters to attend to. That night, the teammates created a group chat to persuade Shen Qingyuan to stay.
Noticing Tang Xin was the only one silent, Shen Qingyuan asked Jiang Yitian to check on her. In response, Tang Xin emerged from her room, snatched Shen Qingyuan's phone, and typed a few quick messages to the group, silencing the chat. Amused by her actions, Shen Qingyuan told her she could look at his phone anytime and playfully asked to see hers, but she clutched it and retreated to her room.
Meanwhile, upon learning of Shen Qingyuan's departure, Zhou Zuguang was furious, worried it would derail his marketing campaign for the "Shen-Du duo." He ordered Tang Xin to "squeeze the final value" out of Shen Qingyuan before he left for training. Unsure how to proceed, Tang Xin consulted Du Lingfeng.
He suggested a strategy of "stocking up" on content: they would have Shen Qingyuan and him do a "lifestyle portrait" photoshoot, which could be released gradually to maintain public interest during Shen Qingyuan's absence. Later, a jealous Shen Qingyuan confronted Tang Xin, demanding to know if she was there to see him or Du Lingfeng. She tried to evade the question, but he persistently blocked her path. Exasperated, she called him a "broken record" before managing to slip away.
Afterward, Shen Qingyuan's "exclusive wingman group" confronted Du Lingfeng, humorously warning him to stay away from Tang Xin because she had been "marked" by Shen Qingyuan through "pheromone matching" and was exclusively his. Tang Xin worked late into the night finalizing the photoshoot plan. When she finally returned home, exhausted, Shen Qingyuan was waiting up for her. She leaned against him, simply saying, "I'm so tired." Instead of questioning her, a pleased Shen Qingyuan gently told her she did a good job that day and rewarded her with another checkmark on her evaluation sheet.
