Ping Pong Episode 31 Recap
> Ping Pong Recap
Wang Siheng, claiming she had no umbrella, insisted Xu Tan walk her back to the school team in the rain. As they walked, she apologized for her earlier bluntness about his national team past, encouraging him to think about himself for once. Xu Tan stated he quit ping-pong for his own sake, not out of spite, and explained his belief in extremes: either pursue something to its utmost or abandon it entirely.
He confessed he no longer knew why he played. Upon seeing Lei Cheng, Xu Tan instinctively tried to avoid him. Lei Cheng, however, confronted him directly about choosing Green Vine Normal University over a sports school, asking if it meant he had given up ping-pong. Xu Tan explained that returning to the national team would only make him a training partner, which wasn't his ambition.
Lei Cheng pressed him for a simple yes or no, and Xu Tan, cautiously, agreed to play if Lei Cheng would coach him. Soon after, Xu Tan was in his dorm, where his new roommate, Liu Jia Hao, introduced him to an online game called Asktao, helping him create a character. Back at the training hall, Feng Zhonghe observed Lei Cheng coaching Xu Tan.
He remarked to Wang Siheng that he hadn't seen Lei Cheng so happy in twenty years, since Lei Cheng and a former partner formed a doubles team. Wang Siheng then sought out Feng Zhonghe, asking him to talk to Xu Tan about joining the school team. She revealed Xu Tan was a national player, which made Feng Zhonghe initially reluctant, saying he couldn't coach someone of that caliber.
Wang Siheng clarified that Xu Tan faced a mental hurdle and just needed someone to talk to, but Feng Zhonghe retorted that it sounded like a job for a psychologist. Despite his reservations, Feng Zhonghe later watched Lei Cheng put Xu Tan through drills, during which Lei Cheng reflected on his own past, stating that if he could reincarnate, he would still play and strive to be a world champion.
During a team meeting, Feng Zhonghe asked Xu Tan, who had experience in the national team, to analyze a video of Yu Kenan's match. Still struggling with past events, Xu Tan denied knowing Yu Kenan. Lei Cheng stepped in, describing Yu Kenan's formidable backhand banana flip and his balanced offense and defense, emphasizing that top players must possess unique skills.
Later, Xu Tan grew worried when he heard a hospital announcement in the background during a phone call with his father, Xu Zhan Kun. His father quickly dismissed it as a routine work-related physical exam and abruptly hung up, leaving Xu Tan unable to reconnect. Concerned, Xu Tan became withdrawn and late for training, unresponsive to his teammates. Wang Siheng noticed his unusual demeanor, wondering if he was always so resistant to making friends.
That evening, Xu Tan finally reached his mother, who quickly fabricated a story about a spontaneous trip to Jiuzhaigou, claiming they were on a plane, and assured him his father was fine. After hanging up, his parents exchanged knowing glances, revealing they were intentionally hiding his father's illness to prevent him from worrying and disrupting his studies. Xu Tan set aside his personal worries and returned to training with renewed focus.
Re-watching Yu Kenan's match, he was now willing to critically analyze it. He acknowledged Yu Kenan's recent improvements, describing his play as having immense quality that no one could withstand, like a "big hand grabbing a hairy crab," simple but overwhelmingly powerful. Lei Cheng asked Xu Tan how he would face Yu Kenan.
Lei Cheng advised either a full defensive strategy, waiting for an opponent's mistake, or, to win, an aggressive counter-loop, stating, "offense is the best defense; fighting violence with violence is the most effective method." Xu Tan worried about the high error rate of counter-loops. Lei Cheng challenged him, saying he wasn't unable to do it, but "dared not" to, and stressed the importance of speed, explosive power, and resistance training, concluding, "a counter-loop breaks all."
Xu Tan then began intense counter-loop training with Lei Cheng, eventually hitting a ball so powerfully it knocked over a table surround behind Lei Cheng, demonstrating his burgeoning strength. Meanwhile, the national ping-pong team announced an upcoming exchange event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Chinese ping-pong team first winning the World Table Tennis Championships men's team trophy in Lvteng, which Kang Ning and Fang Yue would attend.
Liu Shi continued to receive massages from Yuan Ran, a sports medicine intern who had studied in Germany. He was deeply smitten and learned that Yuan Ran was a devoted fan of Kang Ning and desperately wanted to meet him at this event. Recognizing that such an event was usually for champions, Liu Shi promised to find a way. He first tried asking Qin Zhen, who brusquely refused, accusing Liu Shi of aiming too high.
Undeterred, Liu Shi then learned Yu Kenan had received an invitation to the event and asked for his help. Yu Kenan, realizing Liu Shi's affection for Yuan Ran, agreed, but in return, asked Liu Shi to leverage Yuan Ran's German connections for a favor. Yuan Ran, hearing of Liu Shi's efforts, was deeply touched and praised him for his honest and kind nature.
Through her friend in Germany, Yuan Ran arranged a romantic surprise for Zhang Caiwei on Yu Kenan's behalf. Yu Kenan called Zhang Caiwei, asking if she liked his gift. He apologized for their past arguments about her going abroad, admitting his fault, but still encouraged her to return to China to train with top players. Zhang Caiwei reassured him that she was not avoiding anything and would seriously consider her future. As the Shenzhen Universiade approached, Feng Zhonghe asked Xu Tan to fill out registration forms and review opponent details. Xu Tan, however, decisively refused to participate.
