Ping Pong Episode 2 Recap
> Ping Pong Recap
Yu Ge attempted to trick Yu Kenan into attending the Regional Training by falsely claiming it was a competition. Yu Kenan fiercely resisted, believing his father was merely trying to fulfill his own unachieved dream of becoming a world champion by controlling his son's life. He defiantly declared he no longer wanted to play ping-pong.
Despite Yu Kenan's protests that he could make the national team on his own merits, Yu Ge forced him to register, signing on his behalf after Yu Kenan refused. Yu Kenan lashed out in anger, kicking the sign. Coach Teng Biao intervened, chastising Yu Kenan for his destructive behavior.
Teng Biao, an old friend of Yu Ge, acknowledged Yu Kenan's exceptional talent, noting he had joined the Shanghai team at 11 and won the Eight Cup twice at 12, along with all national youth championships. However, he also highlighted Yu Kenan's problematic history, which included being disciplined from the Second team and sent back to the provincial team for fighting, due to his inherent pride and impetuous playing style.
While Yu Ge vehemently defended his son, insisting Yu Kenan would become a world champion, Teng Biao cautioned that Yu Kenan's volatile temperament made him a "time bomb" who might struggle to achieve greatness. Yu Kenan later received a phone call from his mother, who was worried about his arrival at the training camp. He vented his frustration about being deceived, emphasizing his unwillingness to participate in the regional training.
His mother, understanding Yu Ge's demanding nature, explained that his father only wanted him to return to the national team. Annoyed, Yu Kenan ended the call. In the dorm, other players whispered about Yu Kenan's past, noting his incredible talent but also the incident where he was dismissed from the Second team for assaulting a teammate. That night, Yu Kenan attempted to escape the training camp by scaling the perimeter wall. Coach Teng Biao intercepted him, asking his destination.
Yu Kenan declared his intention to return to Shanghai, insisting he had his own means, despite Teng Biao's observation that the last boat had already departed. Teng Biao provoked him, asking if he was afraid of losing, to which Yu Kenan retorted that he could rejoin the national team through matches, not through this training. Teng Biao warned that running away would signify complete surrender, either from a lack of ability or from fear.
As Yu Kenan successfully scaled the wall, Teng Biao revealed a critical detail: the training center was built on a hillside, with the exterior higher than the interior, making re-entry or further escape extremely difficult. He also warned of the biting sea wind and snakes in the woods. Yu Kenan struggled on the other side, calling out to Teng Biao, but received no response, left to find his way back alone in the cold night.
The next morning, as Xu Tan and his dorm mates ate breakfast, they speculated that Yu Kenan, given his rebellious actions the previous night, would not show up for training. Regional training officially commenced with coaches Zheng Hao and Teng Biao addressing the assembled players. Zheng Hao stressed that as elite players from their respective provincial teams, they must approach the training with utmost dedication, urging them to put in "three days' worth of work" every day.
He sternly warned against complacency, arrogance, and indiscipline, stating that such behavior would lead to the immediate termination of their training. Teng Biao then outlined the selection process: players were divided into seven groups based on past performance. After three days, an initial intragroup elimination would determine placement into first and second training echelons.
He also revealed the "tournament-based" system for the final day, where the top three provincial players would challenge the bottom three players from the National Second Team for a coveted spot in the national team. He Jin Bao elaborated to Xu Tan that this was, in essence, an "elimination" round where losing meant packing up and going home. Both Xu Tan and He Jin Bao found themselves assigned to Group 7.
He Jin Bao commented that this was an unofficial rule, where "old, young, and weak players" were typically placed. Xu Tan, however, despite acknowledging his past retirement and his recommissioned status, affirmed his commitment to training diligently. Later that morning, Yu Kenan, still wearing his national team uniform, approached Teng Biao, formally requesting to withdraw from the regional training.
Teng Biao, after confirming Yu Kenan's resolve, had him sign the withdrawal form, advising him to submit it to Mr Cui at the reception office. He also suggested Yu Kenan remove his national team uniform, as it was no longer appropriate, to which Yu Kenan retorted that he didn't care for it.
With genuine concern, Teng Biao urged Yu Kenan to deeply consider his decision, reminding him not to live under his father's shadow or to start and abandon ping-pong solely for his father's sake. He then gave Yu Kenan his personal file, telling him to keep it for his family to review. As Yu Kenan departed, he encountered Fu Jingchun, a former friend and fellow 'genius,' who regarded Yu Kenan as his only rival and suggested they play some matches.
Yu Kenan arrogantly retorted, questioning if Fu Jingchun "deserved" to play him. Xu Tan also tried to engage Yu Kenan, recalling their childhood encounter, but Yu Kenan coldly responded that he didn't remember all the people he'd beaten. On the way home, Yu Kenan reviewed his personal file, which contained details of his journey in ping-pong.
This triggered a powerful flashback to his childhood when, watching his father, a young Yu Kenan had passionately declared he would win a world champion title for him, recalling his father's moved and gratified expression. This memory spurred Yu Kenan to immediately return to the regional training camp. He found Teng Biao and earnestly apologized, pleading for another chance to participate in the training, stating his ultimate goal was to become a world champion.
Teng Biao, after some initial skepticism about his sincerity, laid down three strict conditions: no fighting, no tardiness, and he absolutely must not lose a single game throughout the training, otherwise he would be sent back to the provincial team. Yu Kenan readily accepted these terms, confidently stating the "no losing" rule was "easy."
Teng Biao then retrieved Yu Kenan's luggage (which his father had discarded) and offered him a warm drink, advising him to avoid falling ill after his night out in the cold. Back in the dorm, Yu Kenan's return didn't go unnoticed. He Jin Bao, among others, continued to gossip about Yu Kenan's arrogant nature and his past, recounting how Yu Kenan was disciplined from the national team for assaulting a teammate.
Later, on the first day of training, He Jin Bao, in a playful mood, pretended to be a "Xiaotuyu TV" reporter, interviewing Xu Tan and then attempting to interview Yu Kenan. They were caught by National Team Head Coach Mo Hongwei. Coach Mo gathered all the players, reminding them of the privilege of being among the 77 elite players in China with access to top-tier facilities and training. He sternly warned them to choose between serious training or going home.
He then singled out the occupants of Room 203, including Xu Tan and He Jin Bao, for disrupting training, ordering them to perform five frog hops. Yu Kenan objected, asserting he did not participate and was, in fact, bothered by their antics. Xu Tan confirmed Yu Kenan's account. However, Mo Hongwei emphasized that the national team functions as a unified entity, where victories and defeats are shared.
As a "reward" for Yu Kenan's dedication to training, Mo Hongwei appointed him as the dorm leader, granting him authority to manage his roommates. Yu Kenan grudgingly accepted this new role. Mo Hongwei, introducing himself as the Head Coach of the national team who traveled from Beijing to observe, announced the week's training strategy: "replace the training with matches."
Under this system, winners earn points towards promotion and relegation, while losers must complete an additional set of multi-ball training for every point they concede. He then tasked Yu Kenan with closely supervising his roommates.
