Ping Pong Episode 21 Recap
> Ping Pong Recap
Heavily inebriated and deeply melancholic, Qin Zhen stumbled back to the training hall in the middle of the night and knocked on Liu Shi's door. He pulled Liu Shi, still in his sleepwear, to the training room, aiming to practice and vent his frustrations. Qin Zhen, once a top chopper, could no longer play due to health reasons, and he resented the decline of the chop shot style.
While drinking earlier, memories of the 1997 Manchester World Table Tennis Championship resurfaced, where the Belarusian player Samsonov had defeated four Chinese players to reach the men's singles final. Qin Zhen, a popular favorite, had been relegated to a supporting role against the more powerful Waldner. During this time, he was haunted by critical voices saying, "Do you think you are still the national team's favorite? Wake up! Chop shot is dead now, and so are you!"
Back in the training hall, despite Liu Shi's attempt to change into sportswear, Qin Zhen insisted he could play without it, urging him to train faster with more spin. Liu Shi, fascinated by Qin Zhen's signature move where he could control the ball's spin with a stomp, expressed a desire to learn it.
Qin Zhen, after questioning Liu Shi's current level, passionately explained the history of chop shots, asserting its enduring vitality for over a century, despite some dismissing it as outdated or judging it by doubles standards. He described the chop shot as "performing magic," allowing players to attack or defend at will, and confidently declared, "When there's a chopper on the court, no one else will matter!" and "Chop shot is the king of singles."
He concluded by stating his strong disagreement with the notion of chop shots being useless, and agreed to teach Liu Shi, seemingly pouring his unfulfilled dream into the young player. The next morning, Yu Kenan and Xu Tan, still handcuffed together, were on their way to training. Zhang Caiwei called Yu Kenan, questioning why he hadn't contacted her after returning yesterday and threatening to come to the training center.
Embarrassed by the handcuffs, Yu Kenan lied, claiming he wasn't there and that his father was visiting. To make the lie believable, he even had Xu Tan imitate his father calling him, before quickly hanging up. When Xu Tan asked why he was hiding, Yu Kenan retorted that he wouldn't bring Xu Tan, a "third wheel" or 'gooseberry,' to meet her.
During their doubles training, Yu Kenan and Xu Tan’s lack of coordination led to another heated argument about ball quality and court space. They exchanged insults, with Xu Tan even getting physical after Yu Kenan taunted him about his boxing experience. Their clash was interrupted by an enraged Teng Biao, who exclaimed, "If you want to fight, do it!" He revealed that Lei Cheng had personally commended Xu Tan as a talented player, asking him to guide him well.
He also disclosed that Yu Ge, Yu Kenan's proud father, had swallowed his pride to repeatedly call him secretly, inquiring about Yu Kenan's progress. Teng Biao explained that while other players were punished for mistakes, Fu Chuanzhi saw potential in them and continuously arranged special training.
However, he warned them that if they couldn't overcome their personal friction, they would never make it into the First team, or even remain in the Second team, threatening to send them back to where they came from. He urged them to reflect on the purpose of being handcuffed. Feeling ashamed after Teng Biao’s stern lecture, Yu Kenan and Xu Tan silently re-handcuffed themselves.
Other Second team players, like Xu Nuo and Zhai Jia Chen, grumbled about Yu Kenan and Xu Tan receiving special treatment like boxing, football, and sparring with the women's team, but conceded that the two did play quite well in the match they just had. Xu Nuo boasted about being a champion in Ji'an and Jilin, while Yu Kenan reminded him that many in the team, like himself, were also champions in their hometowns, such as Yichang, Hubei.
At home, Lei Cheng, preparing dinner, was surprised to find his ex-wife at the door, rather than Lei Lei who he thought might have forgotten her keys. He was initially awkward but noted she hadn't aged, even looked younger, a compliment she returned. She offered him liver supplements and samples of her own successful brand. Inquiring about Lei Lei, she learned Lei Lei was out buying noodles.
She then revealed she had visited Lei Lei's school and was informed of problems with Lei Lei's studies and other issues, which Lei Cheng acknowledged and promised to address. Her true intention became clear: she wanted to take Lei Lei abroad, citing her promise to do so when she was capable, believing Lei Lei would have more educational opportunities and a better living environment.
Lei Cheng vehemently refused, asserting that he and Lei Lei were doing fine in China and didn't need foreign care. She accused him of neglecting Lei Lei's studies and well-being, suggesting Lei Lei was more caregiver to him than vice-versa. Lei Cheng countered, calling their unique bond "tacit understanding" or "patriotism," which she wouldn't comprehend. She scoffed at his "20-year-old excuse" and insisted on taking Lei Lei this time. Lei Cheng, angered, threatened to escort her out.
She passionately declared it her responsibility to provide Lei Lei a better life, but Lei Cheng fired back, accusing her of abandoning them to live with another man "on the other side of the world" and only now showing concern because she had made money. Just then, Lei Lei returned, entered, and pointedly greeted only her father, completely ignoring her mother. When her mother tried to speak, Lei Lei curtly dismissed her, "I'm not free!"
Later, Yu Kenan and Xu Tan, still troubled by their training issues and Teng Biao's scolding, received a call from Lei Lei. Xu Tan, hesitant, fumbled for words. Yu Kenan, seizing the phone, boldly informed Lei Lei that Xu Tan was free tomorrow at five in the evening, then hung up, stating the need to face problems directly. Prompted by Xu Tan, Yu Kenan then called Zhang Caiwei. She hinted that Teng Biao had already told her about his situation.
Yu Kenan arranged to meet her on the track after training the next afternoon, sternly telling her not to be late. The following afternoon, Zhang Caiwei arrived at the track, finding Yu Kenan and Xu Tan still handcuffed. She immediately chastised Yu Kenan for not contacting her during his punishment. Yu Kenan explained that the village had no signal, and that Teng Biao had sent him to work at a pigsty.
He also explained that Fu Chuanzhi had handcuffed him to Xu Tan, which was why he avoided her—to prevent her from laughing at their predicament. Lei Lei then joined them, giving Xu Tan a USB drive with video materials from Director Lei (her father), which she hoped would be useful. When Xu Tan asked about her recent troubles, Lei Lei vaguely cited school stress and her desire to graduate and live as she pleased, omitting any mention of her mother.
In a moment of mischief, Yu Kenan blurted out that Xu Tan had written a love letter to Lei Lei. A mortified Xu Tan quickly covered Yu Kenan's mouth. Although the plot summary suggests Lei Lei might not have heard the "love letter" part, the overall awkwardness of the situation prompted her to promptly excuse herself, with Zhang Caiwei following.
As they left, Zhang Caiwei lamented that Yu Kenan and Xu Tan would remain handcuffed until they learned to get along, and warned against going against coaches, playfully adding that if it wasn't for Xu Tan, she'd let Yu Kenan suffer longer. As the Kuwait Open approached, the team announced its selections. Leng Yi and Ma Chuan, known for their stable doubles performance, were chosen to represent the national team in the Kuwait Open Tournament.
Qin Zhen urged them to prepare well and uphold the national team's honor. To Liu Shi's surprise, he was selected as the men's singles participant for the tournament. Qin Zhen encouraged him, reminding him to embrace the opportunity and "face the hardship head-on." Meanwhile, Fu Jingchun, a player, approached Zheng Hao, requesting to join the open game to improve his world ranking.
Zheng Hao firmly rejected the idea, stating that Fu Jingchun, aiming for the World Table Tennis Championships, shouldn't waste energy on such "minor competitions," especially with the close timing to the direct qualification match. He emphasized that gaining entry to the World Table Tennis Championships was far more valuable than numerous open games and assigned Fu Jingchun additional training exercises to prepare for his true goal.
Zheng Hao's unwavering stance and disregard for Fu Jingchun's wishes caused resentment in Fu Jingchun's heart, but as a player, he could not openly oppose his coach. At dinner, Xu Tan and Yu Kenan, still handcuffed, endured teasing from teammates, who even sang a song about them having "glue smell" on them. Ma Chuan, now in the First team alongside Liu Shi, shared his observations, remarking on the vast skill gap between the First and Second teams.
He confessed to struggling to comprehend the tactics of top players like Fang Yue and Xia Ke, admitting he couldn't even return Xia Ke’s serves. He proudly shared that he and Liu Shi were going to the Kuwait Open, believing their future was bright under Qin Zhen's guidance. Xu Tan and Yu Kenan expressed their eagerness to improve their doubles play to join the First team.
They mentioned being flummoxed during a recent practice match against Xu Nuo and Zhai Jia Chen, who used a secret hand gesture that disrupted their rhythm. Ma Chuan explained these were "self-created gestures," not for serves but for communicating pre-set strategies based on partners' styles, similar to what he and Leng Yi used. However, he refused to reveal his own "national secrets" as an international player, jokingly citing the possibility of competing against them in the future.
Nevertheless, he advised Xu Tan and Yu Kenan to develop their own unique gestures based on their playing styles, noting that hand signals were a practical way to communicate during a match, as excessive talking could result in fouls.
