Ping Pong Episode 12 Recap
> Ping Pong Recap
Xu Tan continued his arduous task of moving sports equipment back and forth in the warehouse, directed by the elder Mr. He. Xu Tan complained to Mr. He, stating that he had made over twenty trips in just two days for only three items. He protested that he was there to play ping pong, not for repairs, even after fixing some broken equipment for Mr. He.
Mr. He, observing Xu Tan's hard work and obedience, noted that he was not a troublemaker, just an introverted and quiet person who simply followed instructions. Realizing that Xu Tan played ping pong, Mr. He's eyes lit up. He pulled out a long-forgotten ping pong table and challenged Xu Tan.
Initially, Xu Tan found it easy, but Mr. He increased the difficulty by placing tape with a small circular hole on the table, requiring Xu Tan to hit a ball through it to strike another ball behind it. After several failed attempts, Xu Tan asked who could possibly achieve such a feat. Mr. He revealed that Fang Yue, a famous player, used to train this way when he was a young, mischievous boy, undergoing similar punishments.
Inspired by this story, Xu Tan's competitive spirit was rekindled. Mr. He then brought out a decade-old automated ping pong serving machine that served balls with random topspins, backspins, sidespins, and mixed spins, at varying speeds and frequencies, making it incredibly challenging. Mr. He pointed out three worn spots on the table, telling Xu Tan these were marks left by Fang Yue during his training.
He challenged Xu Tan to conquer the machine, reminding him of his desire not to become "useless." Day after day, Xu Tan diligently continued to move equipment and train relentlessly with the serving machine. Mr. He later remarked that the incessant sound of ping pong from the warehouse had become a welcome change, a sound he hadn't heard consistently in a long time. Meanwhile, the special training team's time was up.
Liu Shi had successfully entered the national team, but for the others, their journey in professional ping pong was coming to an end. Xu Tan and Liu Shi went to bid them farewell. The teammates expressed their reluctance to leave, with one advising Xu Tan to look out for Liu Shi, who could be too blunt for the national team.
Another teammate apologized to Xu Tan for his role in the incident that led to Xu Tan's punishment, acknowledging that they were leaving while Xu Tan bore the responsibility. Xu Tan dismissed it, saying it was all in the past and he held no grudges. The teammates encouraged Xu Tan, believing he was different and destined for greatness, eagerly anticipating him becoming a champion.
When Liu Shi asked what they had to say to him, his teammates lightheartedly teased him for being forgotten at the start of their journey but acknowledged his achievement as the best chopper in the national second team. Before parting ways, they took a group photo, urging both Xu Tan and Liu Shi to make their names known. Fu Jingchun, still training under Mr. Zheng, felt he had reached a plateau and that his current training method wasn't effective.
He asked Mr. Zheng if there was a more suitable approach. Mr. Zheng, with a serious expression, had Zhang Chen place a paddle over the net, leaving only a tiny gap. Fu Jingchun managed to get only one out of three balls through the narrow opening. Mr. Zheng then demonstrated, effortlessly passing every ball through the gap, before sternly telling Fu Jingchun that in the national team, anything less than perfection was mediocrity.
Liu Shi, now officially in the national team, had set his sights on having Qin Zhen as his coach. He frequently followed Qin Zhen, trying to convince him, as he believed Qin Zhen, a world-class chopper, was the ideal mentor for his own chopping style. One evening, Liu Shi went out to mail money to his great-grandmother and stumbled upon a heavily intoxicated Qin Zhen. Liu Shi helped him back to his dorm.
Believing Qin Zhen to be asleep, Liu Shi confessed his difficult background, revealing that he had no parents and only his great-grandmother at home. He shared his deep desire to stay in the national second team, not only for his love of ping pong but also to provide a better life for his great-grandmother.
Qin Zhen, who had been awake the entire time, subtly encouraged Liu Shi, telling him that his gameplay was good and that choppers rarely made it into the second team, implying that Liu Shi had a promising future. Meanwhile, Yu Kenan's time as a training partner for the women's First team had started on a rocky note.
On his first day, he openly criticized a female player named Jing Jing, telling her that her current state meant she would only be "accompanying the runners" at the Asian Cup, causing her to cry. Zhang Caiwei immediately confronted Yu Kenan, telling him that while some of his criticisms might be true, he needed to communicate in a different manner. Yu Kenan retorted that changing his communication style wouldn't make her a champion.
He then tried to challenge Zhang Caiwei, but she curtly refused, stating he wasn't worthy of playing against her. After a period of reflection, Yu Kenan approached Liu Shi to apologize for accusing him of stealing his paddle. He acknowledged that being falsely accused was a terrible feeling.
Liu Shi, in turn, told Yu Kenan that he should thank Xu Tan, who had taken the blame for the trophy incident to prevent Yu Kenan from being expelled from the national team. Liu Shi also mentioned Xu Tan's recent late nights, hinting at his current difficult situation. Curious, Yu Kenan asked Liu Shi about the warehouse where Xu Tan was working.
That night, Yu Kenan visited the equipment warehouse and observed Xu Tan diligently training with the old automated serving machine. Seeing Xu Tan's dedication, a smile spread across Yu Kenan's face, signifying his full acceptance and appreciation of Xu Tan as a friend. The next day, Yu Kenan proactively engaged with Xu Tan during mealtime. He inadvertently let slip that he had seen Xu Tan's improved forehand while training, prompting Xu Tan to ask how he knew.
Embarrassed, Yu Kenan quickly made an excuse about extra training with Mr. Teng and hurried away. Following this, Yu Kenan sought out Mr. Teng, offering a sincere and profound apology for his past actions, acknowledging his mistakes in fighting and disrespecting coaches. His changed demeanor genuinely surprised Mr. Teng, who commented that while his new way of speaking was awkward, it was much more pleasant than before. Yu Kenan then explicitly requested to return to training.
Impressed by his newfound attitude, Mr. Teng agreed to find a way to get him back on the team. Buoyed by this promise, Yu Kenan returned to the women's team training area and immediately boasted to Zhang Caiwei about his impending return to training. He then started offering unsolicited advice to Xiao Jun during Zhang Caiwei's practice, analyzing every aspect of their technique. Annoyed by his meddling, Zhang Caiwei ignored him and walked away, despite Yu Kenan's attempts to stop her and challenge her to a game.
