Sweet Combat Episode 9 Recap
> Sweet Combat Recap
Song Xiaomi rushed to Zhiying, where she saw Ming Tian in a terrible state. Fang Yu, who had also arrived, made strong statements towards Zhiying. At the Zhiying Boxing Club, Luo Guanyan confronted Ma Yichen, asserting that the whole situation began because of him. Ma Yichen, however, insisted he was innocent and claimed Ming Tian had initiated the encounter. Luo Guanyan countered, stating he had witnessed Ma Yichen's attitude and that Ming Tian had clearly been forced.
He Xiaofeng interjected, accusing Luo Guanyan of siding with Zhengze, asking if he was a Zhiying or Zhengze student. Luo Guanyan defended himself, stating his concern for the school's honor and the club's name. He Xiaofeng then revealed that Luo Guanyan had asked Cheng Yanan’s father to be their coach, causing dissatisfaction among other club members who felt Luo Guanyan was aiding outsiders. They demanded Luo Guanyan choose between Cheng Yanan and Zhiying.
Luo Guanyan maintained his innocence, stating the two matters were unrelated. He Xiaofeng expressed her disappointment and led away the club members who supported her. Meanwhile, at Zhengze Academy, the principal was highly displeased with the behavior of Ming Tian, Fang Yu, Song Xiaomi, and Cheng Yanan. Ming Tian was facing the risk of expulsion for fighting at Zhiying.
Fang Yu immediately spoke up for him, explaining that as someone with a younger brother, she understood Ming Tian's actions and would have done the same. She argued that martial arts should be used to protect family, and expelling them would go against Zhengze’s spirit. When the principal remained firm, Fang Yu declared she would withdraw from school if Ming Tian was expelled. Song Xiaomi and Cheng Yanan instantly echoed her decision.
The principal acknowledged Fang Yu's reasoning and prompted Ming Tian to speak. Ming Tian begged for another chance, expressing his desire to stay at Zhengze. He explained that he used to tolerate bullying but had realized it only made things worse, especially since it had now affected his younger brother and sister. He expressed his determination to become stronger to protect them and make them proud. Outside, Sun Hao met Fang Yu, Song Xiaomi, Cheng Yanan, and Ming Tian.
Song Xiaomi initially chastised him for leaving Ming Lang and Ming Zhu, but Sun Hao explained that Ming Lang had been discharged from the hospital and he had taken both children to his house for his mother to care for them before returning to school. Ming Tian thanked him. Ming Tian then informed them of the principal's condition: he had to prove his determination to stay at Zhengze by his performance in the preliminary rounds of the league.
Sun Hao voiced skepticism, but Song Xiaomi, confident, declared that with Fang Yu and her, no mission was impossible. Cheng Yanan joined their resolve, stating they had all "gambled with their futures" and would withdraw if Ming Tian failed. Later, Ming Tian privately called out Fang Yu to thank her for her support in the principal's office and for rushing to Zhiying, risking her own expulsion for him. He told her he was genuinely touched.
Fang Yu, fearing he might misunderstand her intentions, quickly explained that she did not do it because she liked him, but because he was a valuable asset to Zhengze and could not be expelled. Ming Tian, in turn, told her he had "never thought of it that way." Hearing this, Fang Yu’s eyes registered a touch of disappointment, realizing she had simply overthought the situation. She resolved to interact with him more naturally in the future without overthinking.
Cheng Yanan was then stopped by Zhang Chunhua, who spoke cryptically about Cheng Yanan understanding her feelings and how it would be difficult for "him" to cut ties with her in this lifetime. Cheng Yanan was utterly bewildered by Zhang Chunhua's words. Soon after, Fang Yu and Cheng Yanan visited Ming Lang at Ming Tian's home. Fang Yu, showing a notable change, calmly handled a damaged cup, unlike her usual aversion to imperfections.
At the house, Song Xiaomi continued to express her interest in Ming Tian, suggesting she could even move in. She also subtly advised Fang Yu that an "enemy" was already in her "backyard," urging her to be proactive. Fang Yu simply responded that she would "get along with him however they were supposed to get along." Training began for the preliminary rounds.
Cheng Yanan, as the coach, focused on teaching Ming Tian how to take a hit without closing his eyes, emphasizing that speed was crucial in the preliminaries. Song Xiaomi demonstrated the training, taking hits from Cheng Yanan herself to show Ming Tian how it was done. Sun Hao, eager to join, was instructed by Cheng Yanan to do two hundred pushups as a basic exercise.
Fang Yu, however, was unable to attend the training as she was occupied with company matters. At the company, Fang Yu, accompanied by her younger brother Fang Zhou, conducted inspections and attended meetings. She overheard an employee making a disparaging comment about their youth. Fang Yu calmly confronted the employee, defending Fang Zhou's ten years of dedication and hard work for the company since childhood. She explained that their positions were based on rank and ability, not age.
The employee apologized, and Fang Yu accepted it, hoping she would continue to contribute to the company. In another meeting, Fang Yu sternly dismissed a presenter who was late and unprepared, emphasizing the value of time and proper preparation. Back at the gym, Cheng Yanan continued to rigorously train Ming Tian, making him take direct hits to practice keeping his eyes open. Song Xiaomi, concerned, repeatedly asked Cheng Yanan to ease up.
Ming Tian, due to his childhood experiences of being hit, showed remarkable endurance. Song Xiaomi tried to massage Ming Tian's legs after training, but Cheng Yanan interrupted, accusing Song Xiaomi of trying to take advantage of Ming Tian and calling her "Boy-Crazy Mi." Meanwhile, the principal of Zhengze Academy met with the president of Zhiying University.
The Zhengze principal acknowledged their long-standing rivalry but suggested it was time to put an end to it, stating that young people would always argue and fight, and adults should not take it too seriously. He emphasized that combat does not always mean opposition and expressed hope for future collaboration between their students. The Zhiying president agreed to resolve the past resentment.
Sometime later, Fang Yu, feeling contemplative, went to a coffee shop and conversed with a large stuffed rabbit, expressing her thoughts aloud. She confided that she had a friend who needed help, but he never accepted it and always tried to repay her, making her feel frustrated. She blamed herself for saying the wrong things, like her earlier declaration that she didn't help him because she liked him.
She pondered if finding a way for him to help her might alleviate his feeling of indebtedness. Unbeknownst to her, Luo Guanyan was working at the coffee shop and overheard her conversation, wondering if she was talking about Ming Tian. Later, Song Xiaomi tried a new method to help Ming Tian practice keeping his eyes open by having him focus on her lips. Cheng Yanan interrupted this unorthodox training, calling Song Xiaomi "Boy-Crazy Mi."
