pertwk Chapter 41 The outcome remains to be seen.
Chapter 41 The outcome remains to be seen.
Lunchtime.
Jiro pulled Mochizuki Ryo to the small garden where the tennis club often had meals together.
The regular lunch spot for the Hyotei tennis club is next to an ancient banyan tree. Two round tables surround a small flower bed with several crabapple and azalea trees planted in it. Sunlight filters through the gaps in the trees, casting dappled patterns of light.
As soon as everyone saw him, they all praised the delicious dessert he had made that morning.
"Ling, your cooking is amazing! Every time you make something, it's super delicious. But I still like the Napoleon pastry you made last time the most." Xiang Ri reminisced about the dessert she had during the break, looking completely blissful.
Sitting next to him, Shinobu agreed with what he said and expressed his own opinion.
"Indeed, it tastes even better than dessert shops outside. If you opened a shop, it would probably be a bestseller throughout Tokyo... oh no... the whole of Japan."
Hearing the praise, Wang Yueling smiled smugly and opened her lunchbox.
In an instant, the aroma spread, and everyone's eyes turned to look at it.
The bento box contained Chinese food: the sweet and sour pork with pineapple was bright red, the taro rolls were exquisitely shaped, the pork chop with onion was fragrant and tempting, and there were also refreshing green vegetables and white rice. It was a perfect combination of meat and vegetables, and had a good color, aroma and taste.
Completely different from the light flavors of Japanese bento boxes, these dishes are so rich and intense that they are almost overpowering.
Xiang Ri was the first to crowd over, practically burying her head in the bento box. "What's this? It smells amazing!"
"This is... Chinese food, right?" Shinobu leaned closer, pushed up his glasses, and recognized the cuisine despite his wide range of interests.
"Mm." Wang Yueling took out serving chopsticks and greeted them with a smile, "Eat together, don't be shy."
Most of the boys at Hyotei hadn't had much experience with authentic Chinese food, so they were really craving it and didn't stand on ceremony, gathering around to share it.
Xiang Ri took a bite of the sweet and sour pork, and his eyes widened instantly. "Delicious! The meat is so tender! This sweet and sour flavor is so appetizing!"
Cilang also eagerly leaned over, picked up a taro roll, took a bite, chewed it a couple of times, and his eyes widened. "Ling, this taro is sweet, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, so delicious!"
"We added sugar to the taro rolls," Wang Yueling explained with a smile.
Shinobu picked up a piece of onion pork chop, savored it, and nodded. "The sweetness of the onion is coming through, the pork chop isn't dry, the cooking is just right, the culinary skills are quite excellent."
"Ling, you can cook Chinese food?" Xiang Ri asked while chewing on sweet and sour pork.
"My grandmother made it." Wang Yueling stopped using the serving chopsticks to distribute the food and shook her head. "I can only make desserts; I'm far from good at Chinese cuisine."
Atobe sat to the side, holding his own bento box, and didn't come over. Mochizuki Ryo glanced at him, picked up a taro roll, and handed it to him, "Keigo, why don't you try it and see how it tastes?"
Atobe glanced down at the dish being offered to him, hesitated for a second, then took it, ate it elegantly, and calmly said, "It's alright."
Mochizuki Ryo raised an eyebrow. For Atobe Keigo to say "not bad" was already an extremely high compliment.
It seems you like it too.
Kabaji sat next to Atobe, quietly eating his bento box, glancing over here every now and then. Mochizuki Ryo keenly observed his little movements, smiled, picked up some food, put it in a small box, and handed it to him.
"Kabaji is highly recommended; you should try it."
Kabaji paused for a moment, looked down at the small box with some distress, thinking that he had been too obvious in his actions.
"Take it." Wang Yueling smiled, probably guessing what he was thinking, and explained with a touch of humor, "My grandma's Chinese food is super delicious, you won't find it again if you miss it."
Kabaji seemed somewhat moved by his words, slowly reaching out to take the box. His voice was muffled, but a hint of happiness could still be heard: "Thank you, Mochizuki."
Atobe noticed Kabaji's obvious good mood and smiled slightly. The others also noticed and silently continued eating their meals, listening intently to their interaction.
Cilang picked up a few more pieces of his favorite food and stuffed them into his mouth, chewing as he mumbled a praise: "Ling, your grandma is amazing, her cooking is so delicious."
"Yes, she learned Chinese cuisine when she was young." Seeing how much he was eating, Wang Yueling was afraid he would choke, so she quickly poured him a glass of water. "Later, my grandfather liked to eat it, so she often made it, and that's how she gradually developed her cooking skills."
"Wow, your grandfather must be so lucky to eat such delicious Chinese food every day." Xiang Ri put down his chopsticks and sighed, resting his chin on his hand.
Wang Yueling recalled the scene of her grandfather fighting with her for food when she was a child, smiled, and said nothing.
After finishing their meal, everyone packed up their lunchboxes. Some leaned back on the benches and closed their eyes to rest, while others took out their phones to look at things. Wang Yueling really liked this big banyan tree. She moved a chair under it, closed her eyes, and relaxed, feeling the warm sunlight on her skin.
Atobe walked up to him and stood beside him, his voice low: "This afternoon's club activities, take care of them and see if we need to create a new training schedule."
"We'll see, no rush." Wang Yueling leaned back in her chair, her eyes still closed, only her eyebrows slightly curved.
Cilang moved closer to him, nuzzling his arm with his curly hair, and asked curiously, "What training schedule? Ling, are you going to create a training schedule?"
Upon hearing this, Mochizuki Ryo opened one eye, flicked his forehead lightly with her finger, and a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. "You'll find out this afternoon during club activities. I guarantee it'll be interesting."
"What's with all this mystery?" Jiro muttered, rubbing his forehead and pouting.
The other members around him looked puzzled, but didn't ask any questions, assuming that the new teammate had his own ideas.
No one knew that this new member they thought was not an ordinary member, but their tennis team's acting coach.
Sunlight streamed through the banyan tree, bathing the boys in warmth and brightness.
Ryo Mochizuki's gaze swept over Hijiri's carefree nature, Oshitari's nonchalance, Hiyoshi's tension, and Atobe's barely concealed expectation.
These kids are so real and vibrant!
As he watched, a strange smile slowly crept onto his lips.
The words that my old coach used to say often came to mind clearly at this moment: There are no shortcuts in tennis; even the best training is a matter of talent.
He was able to go from playing on the cement floor of the welfare home to competing in the Olympic Games, not because of luck, but because of pushing his body to its limits day after day.
Standing here now, with the best vision and the most solid experience, how could he not be able to train a group of good talents?
He curled his fingertips slightly, and the little bit of arrogance he had hidden in his heart quietly emerged.
In terms of seniority, he has stood at the top of the world and received honors that others could never reach in their entire lives.
In terms of insight, he saw the shortcomings of these teenagers very clearly.
The saying goes, "A great teacher produces outstanding students," and he certainly deserves that reputation.
Atobe, who was not far away, happened to catch that smile, and his heart inexplicably tightened. Yesterday on the court, this man had the same expression, and what followed was a one-sided crushing victory.
That wasn't just an ordinary smile; it was a terrifying sense of control, a confidence that was evident throughout.
Shinobu noticed it too, and quietly moved closer to Atobe, lowering his voice: "Kei, I have a feeling something's going to happen this afternoon."
Atobe didn't turn around; his gaze remained fixed on Mochizuki Ryo. He lightly touched the beauty mark at the corner of his eye with his fingertip, his voice tinged with excitement: "You better behave yourself. I want to see what he's prepared."
Both of them knew in their hearts that Mochizuki Ryo never joked about serious matters without preparation. A frighteningly detailed proposal and a crushing defeat were enough to prove that this transfer student's strength was unfathomable.
That smile at this moment is anything but simple.
A gust of wind swept through the treetops, and Xiang Ri shivered inexplicably, hugging his arms and muttering, "Why am I suddenly feeling a bit cold..."
Cilang also shrank his neck, feeling a chill down his spine, as if something bad was about to happen.
Wang Yueling took in everyone's reactions, and the smile in her heart deepened.
He looked up toward the hospital, the mischievousness in his eyes fading, replaced by a gentle certainty.
Seiichi's surgery was imminent, and he firmly believed that the boy would return safely, step back onto the court, and create his own miracle. He would stay here, guiding Hyotei to grow stronger step by step, waiting for his return so they could face each other fair and square on the court.
In this real world, there is no predetermined script, and no so-called protagonist's halo protecting everything.
True strength is not about piling up empty halos; it's about the sweat in every swing of the racket, getting up after every fall, and the ultimate achievement of engraving the fundamentals into one's very bones.
He will prove in the most direct way that in the face of absolute strength, all empty halos are insignificant.
Hyotei's transformation begins this afternoon.
His match against Seishi officially began its countdown from this moment on.
"Let's go, class is about to start."
Atobe turned around first, his silver-gray coat fluttering in the wind.
Everyone responded and followed. Jiro yawned and stretched, Mukahi and Hiyoshi chatted about the afternoon's lessons, Shinobu was swiping on his phone, and Kabaji followed silently behind Atobe.
Wang Yueling walked at the back, her fingertips lightly touching the little cotton doll in her pocket, her steps languid yet firm.
Everything has just begun.
It remains to be seen who will emerge victorious.