HCILH Ch. 123

Chapter 123: National Finals

During this period, Sui Houyu and Hou Mo often watched He Shibi and Chu You’s matches, studying their playing styles and tendencies to develop strategies in response.

He Shibi played in a style familiar to Sui Houyu, known for creating opportunities for his partner. Chu You, on the other hand, was an opportunist, skilled at seizing moments and converting them into scoring chances.

Their styles complemented each other perfectly, showcasing a “1 + 1 > 2” level of strength, which earned them last year’s national championship title. This demonstrated why He Shibi only achieved top results when paired with Chu You. They proved that even a forced pairing could turn out sweet.

This year, things were different. He Shibi and Chu You had stopped arguing and maintained an unusually harmonious relationship.

This subtle change increased the difficulty of defeating them, making this duo even tougher than when Jiang Wei’s team faced them last year.

Sui Houyu doubted the world’s “oneness,” while Hou Mo believed these two had gotten together, and neither could convince the other otherwise.

Of course, asking directly was out of the question.

The match would come down to who could stay more composed.

Before the coin toss, Sui Houyu made sure to shake hands with Ran Shu at the team seats, trying to absorb some good luck.

Ran Shu watched Sui Houyu, who was carrying his racket toward the court, and quickly said: “Brother Yu, grab the first place and have fun.”

“Alright, I’ll give it a shot. Don’t forget the island sculpture.”

“Got it!”

Sang Xian crossed his legs and glanced at the two of them, asking: “What code are you two talking about?”

Ran Shu scoffed: “Pfft, eliminated players shouldn’t talk.”

Sang Xian rolled his eyes.

What happens when you draw bad luck in the bracket?

In the later rounds, Sang Xian and Hou Mo faced each other, leading to an unremarkable placement for Sang Xian, who didn’t make it to the finals.

The teammates joked that Sang Xian had angered the “lucky koi” and faced divine punishment.

Sui Houyu went first for the coin toss and chose blindly—luckily, he picked right.

He turned and gave Ran Shu a thumbs-up, seeing Ran Shu raise his arms above his head and form a heart.

Hou Mo gained a newfound respect: “Brother Ran’s got a touch of magic.”

“A bit, yeah.”

Round one started with Sui Houyu serving.

Hou Mo positioned himself for volleying near the net.

They opted for a standard “I-formation” to counter the opposing “double baseline” formation.

Given their current net skills, they were confident in handling balls returned from the baseline.

He Shibi’s returns typically laid the groundwork. His shots were steady, paving the way for a decisive play later.

With such a return strategy, He Shibi gradually adjusted the ball’s spin and power, transitioning into his comfort zone and setting up Chu You.

Chu You would then seize the moment, directing the ball to positions that were difficult for opponents to handle.

Chu You could be described as a placement-focused player.

He Shibi was purely an assist.

Today, however, Chu You faced an opponent who neutralized his play style.

Sui Houyu’s skills were a direct counter to Chu You’s.

Chu You, a player who capitalized on sudden openings, would typically make split-second decisions, catching opponents off guard. Many competitors would concede when they saw the angle or trajectory, knowing the ball was out of reach.

Not Sui Houyu.

No matter how difficult the ball was to chase, Sui Houyu never gave up. His reflexes were extraordinary, with an explosive speed akin to a sprinter’s burst.

Chu You hit a powerful smash that barely cleared the net, landing within a fist’s length from it and shooting off at an angle.

Sui Houyu, laser-focused with eyes locked on the ball and racket, instantly identified the path. Pushing off with his toes, he dashed forward like a bullet, swinging his racket and smacking the ball back hard.

The ball skimmed past Chu You, who froze, unable to react in time.

Only as an opponent could one truly appreciate that kind of speed and burst. Watching from the stands couldn’t compare.

To Chu You, that shot should have been dead—yet Sui Houyu managed to reach it.

He heard footsteps behind him; He Shibi hadn’t given up and called out before returning the ball.

Sui Houyu was already positioned at the net, anticipating the block.

Chu You rushed up to lift the ball, but before it could fully rise, Sui Houyu smacked it back, fast and fiercely.

The ball flew out of reach, ending the point.

15:0.

Sui Houyu turned, took a ball from the ball boy, patted it a few times, then tossed it backward for the boy to catch. He picked up the second ball and patted it, noticing something odd with the pressure and went to check with the ball boy.

Hou Mo trailed after him, whispering something. To an observer, it might look like they were discussing tactics.

At first, Sui Houyu listened intently, expecting strategy talk, but what he heard was far from it.

Hou Mo suddenly remembered an incident and said: “There was a report on Sang Xian last year, with a picture of him serving. Someone in the comments said, ‘This guy’s got a big package.’ When we looked closely, it turned out Sang Xian had a ball in his pocket.”

Sui Houyu, waiting for the ball, burst into a laugh.

A laugh at the oddest moment.

The ball boy brought a fresh set of balls, handing them to Sui Houyu. As he pocketed one, he felt self-conscious, checking himself quickly.

Looking up, he saw Hou Mo smirking back at him, making him irritated. Why bring that up now? Now he felt uneasy.

How annoying!

Hou Mo crouched to resume the match.

He had done it on purpose, to distract Sui Houyu.

He’d noticed that when Sui Houyu focused too intensely, it led to mental strain. His lips would pale, and he’d even experience headaches, leaving him exhausted enough to fall asleep instantly.

Jiang Wei and Lu Qinghui were formidable opponents, tough to break serves against.

This team, however, had a different dynamic. Chu You’s unpredictable play required intense focus to counter.

Hou Mo had to occasionally divert Sui Houyu’s focus to give his brain a break.

The second serve began, and Chu You seemed fully alert, no longer underestimating his opponent.

Confident in his surprise shots, Chu You now knew Sui Houyu could handle them. He brought out his absolute best, prepared to follow up and block, ensuring each strike was more secure.

Would Sui Houyu manage to maintain that level through several rounds?

Could his stamina keep up?

No one could stay at peak energy forever.

Sui Houyu quickly recognized that Chu You’s tactics were making his returns increasingly difficult, with awkward positions after each recovery.

Forehand, backhand, forehand—alternating with no rhythm, like a “boom-ka boom-ka” beat.

He Shibi’s net coverage, off-the-ball movement, and positioning were top-tier.

Such a player was born for doubles. Skilled at assisting, he had no weaknesses to exploit.

But in singles, He Shibi would be mediocre, steady but lacking standout strengths.

With a partner like Chu You, adaptable and unpredictable, he could match any counter-strategy, and their half-year of playing together had deepened their synergy.

Between points, they whispered tactics, evidence of their improved rapport.

In the stands, Lu Qinghui lounged with his arm on the seat in front, casually watching the match: “Chu You and He Shibi are adjusting to their opponents’ play style and speed. Once they do, they’ll be hard to beat. I wonder if the little guy and that cheap monkey can win.”

“So, subconsciously you’re rooting for the cheap monkey?” Jiang Wei asked, holding a bottle of water as he watched the game.

“We’re from the same province, and that cheap monkey just beat us. If they lose to Chu You, doesn’t that imply we’d also lose to them?”

“We lost last time anyway.”

“Chu You is tricky; you never know what he’s planning or where the next ball will land. His unpredictability is Hou Mo’s toughest challenge since Hou Mo can’t predict Chu You’s plays.”

“Yeah, Hou Mo has played enough matches for opponents to study his footage and figure him out. This match will hinge on whether the little guy can counter Chu You.”

Chu You counters Hou Mo.

Sui Houyu overcomes Chu You.

A fascinating triangle relationship.

This turned the match almost into a duel between Sui Houyu and Chu You. If Hou Mo were smart enough, he should act as a supportive partner like He Shibi, helping to ease Sui Houyu’s burden.

The one who needed to adapt to the ball’s speed and power was He Shibi.

Once he adjusted, his true ability began to show—instantly changing the ball’s trajectory and spin after receiving, creating a situation more favorable for Chu You.

He could even predict where the opponent would return the ball before it happened.

And that position would undoubtedly be the best spot for Chu You to strike.

He could also foresee his teammate’s movement paths, stepping aside swiftly and silently positioning himself in the perfect spot to cooperate.

This made Sui Houyu find the game increasingly difficult.

Chu You’s unexpected shots became harder and harder to defend against.

At a score of 3:3, neither team had managed a break.

When it was Sui Houyu’s serve again, He Shibi’s returning spin took Sui Houyu by surprise. After barely sending the ball back, Sui Houyu realized his return was too shallow—a poor lob.

As expected, Chu You capitalized on the mistake, striking the ball with a backhand that sent it flying behind Sui Houyu.

Sui Houyu turned to chase but couldn’t reach the ball.

At that moment, a feeling of being overpowered set in, like waves crashing against Sui Houyu’s confidence.

Hou Mo quickly came over to encourage him: “It’s okay, we’ll go again.”

“Mm,” Sui Houyu nodded in response.

Hou Mo had by then realized that he needed to abandon his habit of predicting and instead rely on intuition.

However, old habits die hard, and with the fast pace of men’s doubles, he instinctively continued to make predictions—yet Chu You never followed them.

His intelligence was working against him.

The opponents had adapted to them, while they hadn’t managed to adapt to their opponents’ strategy.

This game ended in a break.

Until the end of the first set, Sui Houyu and Hou Mo couldn’t secure a break.

They lost the first set.

Sui Houyu and Hou Mo walked back to their seats, rackets in hand, as Sui Houyu took a sip of water.

Suddenly, Hou Mo reached over and pressed Sui Houyu’s head onto his shoulder.

Startled, Sui Houyu said: “I’ll get sleepy.”

“Rest your head a bit; it’s fine. If you do get sleepy, I’ll pinch you.”

After hesitating for a moment, Sui Houyu didn’t move away but instead leaned on Hou Mo’s shoulder for a short rest. Leaning on Hou Mo gave him an instant sense of security, calming him and making all his worries disappear.

Hou Mo comforted him: “Don’t rush. We can win this. I’m making adjustments.”

“Mm.”

“You did really well just now.”

“Mm.”

“Finish the match well, and you can use that set.”

Sui Houyu immediately pulled away from Hou Mo and took another sip of water.

Hou Mo’s mischievous smile made Sui Houyu notice, and in an instant, he blushed, pretending to be calm.

There’s nothing scarier than a handsome rogue who’s always thinking about mischief.

Just as they leaned together, a wave of cheers erupted from the audience, so loud it startled He Shibi, who turned to look in their direction.

He then turned back to Chu You and asked: “What are they shouting for?”

“No idea, who cares.”

“Pretty boys playing tennis… if we win, will we get hate?”

Chu You rarely smiled and said: “Why do you care? You don’t even have the app installed.”

Not only did he not have the app, but He Shibi avoided using a smartphone altogether for fear it would interfere with his training. He used an old black-and-white screen phone, capable only of making calls and sending texts—it couldn’t even run WeChat.

The biggest game on his phone was Snake.

He Shibi was the embodiment of “slow and steady wins the race,” not particularly bright but relentlessly hard-working.

The recent online controversy had escalated before he even knew about it. His teammates wrote apology letters, and that’s when he discovered there was a flame war online.

He still couldn’t understand why people would argue on the internet. Why not just focus on the game?

During the break, He Shibi pulled out his small notebook again to review his notes. He even had several pages dedicated to observing Hou Mo and Sui Houyu’s play.

It was likely that these two didn’t even know He Shibi understood their play styles so well.

Chu You leaned over to take a glance and said: “Your handwriting… really isn’t great.”

“As long as I can read it.” He Shibi continued marking notes while adding, “When my serve ends up in Hou Mo’s hands, it’s uncomfortable for me. He can anticipate my every move and counter my changes. Hou Mo should soon find a way to counter me in the next set.”

“You’ve got me.”

“Mm.”

The second set began.

Both sides gradually adapted to each other’s play, and it was clear they were both trying to find ways to break the other’s strategy.

Chu You sent a tricky-angled return.

Sui Houyu sprinted to the backcourt to chase it. He reached the ball but couldn’t turn his body around in time.

So, he jumped and hit a between-the-legs shot, unable to see behind him and relying solely on instinct.

A shot as daring as this actually made it over the net! It was practically miraculous!

Chu You shifted sideways, aiming another shot at Sui Houyu—standard “kick him while he’s down” strategy.

“Turn and hit at four o’clock!” Hou Mo, seeing Sui Houyu hadn’t yet turned back around, called out instructions.

Sui Houyu trusted Hou Mo’s judgment unconditionally. Without seeing the ball, he swung as he turned and successfully hit it back.

Hou Mo leaned back at the net, clearing the path.

The ball’s trajectory fell into a blind spot blocked by Hou Mo’s body, so Chu You didn’t see it.

He Shibi hurried to chase the ball but couldn’t reach it.

The ball was ruled out of bounds.

Hou Mo approached the referee, appearing as though he wanted to see a replay. From his angle, that shot seemed inbounds.

After waiting a while, no replay was shown on the big screen.

Hou Mo bit his lip, feeling a bit unwilling. No wonder there had been disputes before—this referee was clearly biased toward the local team.

At this point, He Shibi walked over: “The ball landed in front of me; I saw it clearly. It was in.”

The referee was surprised that He Shibi would come forward to support the opposing team. If that shot was indeed in, then Sui Houyu and Hou Mo would have broken serve—a critical point.

Chu You also approached: “He’s stubborn and wouldn’t lie. That shot was in.”

After conferring with other officials, the replay was finally shown.

In.

Sui Houyu and Hou Mo secured their first break.