Picture Us | Zhuo Zhi

nineteen

y u f e n g ma t c h

Nam wonders around for a bit, looking for a vending machine, but manages to make it back to the court in time. This time, she stands on the side of the court with Yan Zhiming, Huang Jing, and Ma Xiuwen, dutifully holding her camera.

Nam watches Zhuo Zhi and He Xinglong on the court for second doubles, and is shocked to see the pair struggle. From Yu Feng's side, she sees the captain, Xu Ziping, leave the match, but he eventually comes back.

Why would he do that? Nam wonders.

"He meant it," Yan says.

"You can tell?" Huang Jing asks.

"This is a method to rally the troops. The captain left the court in such an important match, this will pressure the players psychologically. To rally the troop," Yan answers.

Nam tunes out Huang and Xiuwen as they bicker, and favors her attention onto the court. From the corner of her eye, she sees the reporter, Sha, sit next to Qi Ying and Peng Xiang. She doesn't know why, but seeing other photographers tends to bother Nam.

Nam gasps in amazement as she sees Zhuo Zhi's special stunt, the Swallows Return. "The ball didn't even bounce back up," she quietly states. I've never seen him play like that before, she thinks.

She sees one of the Yu Feng players move his wristband to his elbow, and when he returns the ball to Zhuo, it looks like it's on fire.

"It's a wave ball," Yan says, "Zhuo Zhi can get injured if he hits it."

Nam gasps from horror. But before Zhuo can react, Xinglong steps in the way and returns it. The original player who hit the wave ball, Tienan, isn't able to return it, and his racket breaks upon contact. The crowd cheers with this point, but reality eventually hits the Yu Qing side as Xinglong is revealed to be injured. Nam walks with the three other boys as they make their way to the bench. With that, Zhuo and Xinglong forfeit the first game, and they leave to go to the hospital, accompanied by Huang and Xiuwen.

Nam walks back over to the side with Yan as the Golden Partners play their match for the first doubles. She smiles from behind her camera as the game gains Yu Qing an easy win.

Nam watches Baiyang face off Shen Weiming in the third singles, and is astonished by his fast reflexes. "Whoa," she says to herself, "I have to adjust my shutter speed if I want to keep up with him."

"Indeed. Shen Weiming is an extremely fast player," Yan adds. "Baiyang will struggle with his speed."

-

Nam gasps as Baiyang hits the ball with his backhand, and it lands in the court behind Weiming as it travels around the net, and even through the ref's chair. But that victory is short lived as soon as Weiming uses a super-speed serve. He can go even faster? Nam wonders.

She looks over at Yan's notebook, and notices the pages of intense training that Baiyang has planned. He's so hardworking, Nam thinks, that he won't lose. And after an exhausting match, he wins. Baiyang truly tortures his opponent for his playing style.

Nam watches her twin start off the second singles match with a twist serve, with this stunt winning him the first set. In the second set, his opponent, Sima Yiwu, also does a twist serve, knocking Xia's hat off. Good, Nam thinks, Xia's not phased.

-

Nam's shocked as it seems that Xia's arm stops short in returning the ball.

"The constant switching between topspin and downspin will cause muscle contractions," Yan explains.

"Temporary paralysis?" Nam questions.

"Yes. Lu Xia will need to find a way."

Nam gasps as the temporary paralysis causes Xia to drop his racket. It breaks, causing the handle to fly back up and hit him in the face. She winces as she sees blood trickle from his eye. Knowing he wouldn't want his teammates too, Nam rushes to Xia on the court and helps him to the bench. Nam gathers around Xia and the medic along with the rest of the team. At that moment, Zhuo and Xinglong come back from the hospital.

"You're... you're still going to play... aren't you?" Nam asks.

"I'm okay," Xia responds.

The team protests, but Siyang eventually sends him back to the court, saying that he only has ten minutes to win. Xia can do it, Nam confidently thinks.

"Lu Xia will never fall here," Qiao Chen says.

Nam nods, but knows that he'll have to adjust to seeing distance with only one eye. But she smiles to herself as he solves his problem to the temporary paralysis, switching the racket between his hands. "His double volley," she says to herself with pride in her voice.

Nam smiles as Xia ends the match with his Backspin Ball, securing the victory for Yu Qing.

He won, she thinks, but his eye is still bleeding so much... I should scold him later.

Nam walks away with the team as they drag her twin to the hospital.