The Prince of Tennis Episode 8 Recap
> The Prince of Tennis Recap
A comical pursuit began when Qiao Chen, disguised with a fake beard to get free burgers, unexpectedly spotted Lu Xia and Qi Ying. His hunger vanished as he hastily abandoned his meal and started trailing them. He soon ran into Lu Xiangqian, who was also secretly following his son. Their loud conversation nearly exposed them, forcing them to hide behind a trash can. Just then, Zhang Baiyang, having tracked Qiao Chen via his un-hung phone call, joined the duo.
The trio, filled with gossip, continued their clumsy chase, speculating whether Lu Xia and Qi Ying were dating, almost giving themselves away multiple times. Their pursuit led them to a bookstore where Lu Xia and Qi Ying had entered. Inside, they discovered a hidden door leading to Uncle Jiang’s home, revealing the true nature of the bookstore as a front for his skilled racket repair business.
Uncle Jiang, a fan of Lu Xiangqian, was watching replays of Lu Xiangqian's old matches, much to Lu Xia’s visible annoyance. Lu Xia, uncomfortable with the constant reminder of his father's tennis history, left early, with Qi Ying following close behind. Their departure was witnessed by Zhuo Zhi, who promptly called Tang Jiale to join the burgeoning group of curious onlookers. The gathering crowd grew even larger with the arrival of Huang Jing and Ma Xiuwen.
Huang Jing, eager to get Lu Xia expelled from the school team to secure a main player spot for himself, planned to capture evidence of Lu Xia dating. However, Qiao Chen, Zhang Baiyang, and Lu Xiangqian overheard their plot and promptly threatened them, warning them against any actions against Lu Xia. Confronted, Huang Jing began to complain, narrating a fabricated tale of woe.
By this point, nearly everyone connected to the Yuqing team, including Lu Xiangqian and the growing group of trackers, had converged, quietly observing Lu Xia and Qi Ying's every move. Amidst the silent surveillance, Qi Ying decided to offer Lu Xia a cake she had made. To her embarrassment, the cake was squashed. She then tried to discuss Lu Xiangqian with Lu Xia, which only made him visibly displeased.
Feeling awkward, Qi Ying suggested Lu Xia didn't need to accompany her to retrieve her repaired racket and started to leave alone. However, Lu Xia, feeling apologetic, bought her a drink as a token of appreciation for the cake and then accompanied her. On the way, Lu Xia shared his struggles with tennis training and expressed his admiration for Qi Ying's diligent practice, implying that her hard work might have contributed to her racket's condition.
His words of encouragement brightened Qi Ying’s mood considerably. Meanwhile, Mu Siyang approached Coach Qi (Qi Na), proposing a match against Lu Xia. He explained that Lu Xia's presence had already inspired teammates like Qiao Chen to develop new playing styles and make significant breakthroughs in their skills. Therefore, he felt it was his duty to challenge Lu Xia to further ignite his potential.
Coach Qi expressed concern about Mu Siyang's old injury, advising him to prioritize recovery for the upcoming National Youth Tennis Tournament and his future professional career. However, Mu Siyang insisted that Lu Xia's current need for a breakthrough was crucial. Coach Qi, convinced that the match would benefit Lu Xia's progress, asked Lu Xia for his opinion and ultimately supported the challenge. Mu Siyang then met with Lu Xia to formally propose the match.
Lu Xia was thrilled, having long anticipated a challenge against Mu Siyang. Coach Qi later cautioned Lu Xia to be extremely careful, emphasizing Mu Siyang’s exceptional skill and his determination to play all out. Chi Dayong, upon learning of the match, strongly opposed it due to Mu Siyang's severe injury. Mu Siyang then took Chi Dayong to the hospital to show him his latest check-up results.
The doctor sternly advised Mu Siyang to minimize tennis training and, more specifically, to completely avoid his signature slice shot. Despite Chi Dayong's persistent pleas to cancel the match, Mu Siyang remained resolute. Lu Xia, eagerly anticipating the match, rigorously trained for their three-day pact. On the scheduled day of the match, both Lu Xia and Mu Siyang, along with Chi Dayong, were conspicuously absent from team training, having taken sick leave.
Their sudden disappearance sparked suspicion among the other main players. Simultaneously, Lu Xiangqian was deeply engrossed in a Hua Chenyu video when Xiao Sha arrived, bringing him a highly anticipated signed photo of the singer. Using the opportunity, Xiao Sha proposed a twenty-year retrospective report on Lu Xiangqian, which he promptly agreed to, swayed by the idol's autograph. At that very moment, Lu Xia and Mu Siyang were engaging in their highly anticipated match.
