Ping Pong Episode 17 Recap
> Ping Pong Recap
Xu Tan, noticing Yu Kenan's cheerfulness, probed whether he was happy about Zhang Caiwei. Xu Tan had observed their dynamic for a while and guessed Zhang Caiwei was pursuing him, but Yu Kenan corrected him, admitting he was the one doing the courting. Yu Kenan dismissed the importance of who initiated the pursuit, stating that when love is present, such details are irrelevant.
He then playfully read aloud a love letter: "Looking up at the stars in the sky, listening to the night breeze, I miss you so much. At this moment, I look forward to it. So far, yet so near. How lucky. In days chasing my dream, you are the one protecting me."
Xu Tan reacted with surprise, asking how Yu Kenan came to possess it, only to realize with a jolt that it was his own letter, intended for Lei Lei. Yu Kenan explained that the chocolates had been mixed up. He recounted that his own box, which was mistakenly sent to Lei Lei, contained painkillers, while Xu Tan's box, which he had received, was missing a piece.
Xu Tan was astonished, questioning how a piece could be missing from a brand-new box. Meanwhile, in the dormitory, Ma Chuan and Liu Shi were enjoying a butter hot pot. Ma Chuan offered some to Xu Tan upon his return. Xu Tan sat down and stared intently at Ma Chuan, making him so uncomfortable that Ma Chuan excused himself to the bathroom. Xu Tan followed, demanding an explanation.
Ultimately, Xu Tan, visibly furious, confronted Ma Chuan and threw him out of the dormitory for eating his chocolate. Liu Shi advised Ma Chuan to find another room for a couple of days, remarking on Xu Tan's intense reaction to a missing piece of chocolate. The promotion and relegation matches were in full swing.
Yu Kenan, still recovering from his initial loss, learned that Zhang Caiwei would come to watch him play the next day, which finally settled his anxious mood. Because of his first match loss, Zhang Caiwei had not paid attention to him for a long time, so her promise to watch the match brought a rare satisfied and slightly shy smile to Yu Kenan's face as he hid under the covers.
Xu Tan, now aware of the chocolate mix-up, tried desperately to reach Lei Lei, but her phone was busy. She was speaking with her father, Lei Cheng, who was in a meeting and couldn't commit to visiting her school to finalize her stream change from science to art. Lei Lei, frustrated by her father's repeated delays, ended the call abruptly, insisting he must go in two days.
When Xu Tan finally managed to call Lei Lei, he apologized, explaining the chocolate had been sent to the wrong person. Lei Lei revealed her confusion upon finding painkillers in the chocolates, asking if his intended gift had contained something equally strange. Xu Tan, hesitant to admit it was a love letter, vaguely described it as "some mathematics… It’s hard to describe it. Just stop asking about it." Lei Lei, sensing his discomfort, accepted his evasiveness and ended the call.
During the ongoing matches, Yu Kenan, motivated by Zhang Caiwei's presence, played with renewed vigor. Conversely, Xu Tan felt a profound anxiety, struggling to execute his shots, which affected his performance. His master, Lei Cheng, noticed his distracted state, attributing it to either physical tension or mental unease, stating his play was "not clean." He advised Xu Tan to clear his mind and play freely, emphasizing the six-word principle: "Person present, ball present, heart present", to play with "soul."
After her match, Zhang Caiwei approached Yu Kenan, expressing her sadness over Xiao Jun's retirement to the provincial team and the impending separation. She complimented Yu Kenan's handsome performance but regretfully informed him she couldn't watch him play the next day due to her own training and seeing Xiao Jun off. Yu Kenan, disheartened, confided in Zhang Caiwei about his mistake of returning the love letter to Xu Tan.
He worried it had affected Xu Tan's mental state, noting his poor performance that day compared to the previous one, potentially jeopardizing his chance to join the First team. Zhang Caiwei acknowledged his good intentions but suggested they brainstorm ways to make amends. Yu Kenan, feeling helpless, even asked if he should play on Xu Tan's behalf. Xu Tan had achieved significant progress, reaching fourth place and needing only one more win to secure a spot in the First team.
However, his confidence waned when he learned his final opponent would be Yu Kenan. Yu Kenan, having already secured his spot in the First team, was reminded by Teng Biao to take the match seriously. As the game unfolded, Yu Kenan initially maintained a lead. However, he recalled a past conversation where he was told that if Xu Tan failed to improve his results, Lei Cheng's position would be affected.
Remembering his guilt and knowing that even if he lost, it wouldn't affect his First team spot, Yu Kenan began deliberately allowing Xu Tan to score. His intentional misses were glaringly obvious to everyone, including the coaches and Xu Tan himself. Xu Tan, however, refused to accept a victory through such means. He viewed Yu Kenan's actions as a profound insult. This led to a bizarre exchange where both players openly let each other score.
Fu Chuanzhi, witnessing their unsportsmanlike conduct, immediately halted the match and removed them from the court. Outside the arena, Xu Tan angrily confronted Yu Kenan, accusing him of being ungrateful and belittling his abilities. Yu Kenan retorted, claiming he only helped because of Xu Tan's poor condition and that he could beat "two of him" three years prior, also blaming Xu Tan for potentially implicating his master.
Xu Tan insisted that his ability to win was his own business and Yu Kenan's actions were humiliating. Fu Chuanzhi intervened, scolding them for continuing their dispute off the court. During the official announcement of the promotion and relegation results, Fu Chuanzhi declared that Dong Yu, Zhang Ran, Peng Shan, and Chen Ke would be relegated from the First team to the Second team. Fu Jingchun, ranked first in the Second team, successfully joined the First team.
However, Yu Kenan, ranked second, and Xu Tan, ranked fourth, were both disqualified from the ranking due to their passive play and "blaspheming the match." Their spots were subsequently awarded to Ma Chuan and Liu Shi, who were ranked fifth and sixth, respectively, entering the First team by luck. Fu Chuanzhi then called Yu Kenan and Xu Tan aside, asking them if they still desired to play.
When they both affirmed their passion for the sport, he pressed them to honestly explain what went wrong in their final match. Both admitted to intentionally letting the other score. Fu Chuanzhi sternly admonished them, stating that a lack of fighting spirit and deliberately giving points was a grave disrespect to their opponent and a major taboo in table tennis. He emphasized that as members of the national team, disrespecting the game was more disappointing than losing.
He warned them that severe punishment from the team was inevitable and they should mentally prepare for it. In a subsequent coaching meeting, Fu Chuanzhi announced the promotion of Zheng Hao and Qin Zhen to First team coaches, extending congratulations. The meeting then shifted to the disciplinary action for Xu Tan and Yu Kenan. Teng Biao, advocating for leniency, suggested that the incident stemmed from youthful impulsiveness and proposed a focus on criticism and education rather than a public spectacle.
Lei Cheng, however, took a hardline stance, asserting that every national team member must take full responsibility for their actions. He deemed their conduct in the solemn promotion and relegation match unacceptable and demanded severe punishment to deter others and prevent a negative example for the whole team. Teng Biao argued that the incident had no serious consequences, with promotions already determined and the players showing remorse.
Lei Cheng, acknowledging his own "lack of oversight" in Xu Tan's training, accepted full responsibility and stated he would comply with any decision. Fu Chuanzhi concluded the meeting by assuring that all opinions would be carefully considered. Fu Jingchun, now a First team member, immediately resumed intense training, aiming for the World Table Tennis Championships qualification event. During a session, his foot injury flared up again.
The team doctor assured him it wasn't serious but advised rest and to avoid overtraining to prevent re-injury. However, Zheng Hao downplayed the doctor's caution, urging Fu Jingchun to seize the rare opportunity of the World Table Tennis Championships qualification event right after joining the First team. Despite his pain, Fu Jingchun, determined, returned to his training. Zheng Hao still did not reveal the full truth about Fu Jingchun's injury, likely because he didn't want Fu Jingchun to miss this World Table Tennis Championships.
