The match continued without objection. During the second point, Shi Yu served again. He maintained his previous form, tossing the ball and springing upward. Unlike his first shot, he noticeably restrained his power, and his form appeared rougher. The tennis ball arched through the air before landing directly in the net.
The spectator area fell silent again. The score was 15-15. To save time, this friendly match did not include the rule allowing a second serve after a fault.
Hao Shuai understood the situation this time. “Shi Yu gave him a point back.”
“Brave,” Cheng Sheng remarked.
“Interesting,” Xie Jingting added.
On the third point, both sides were fully prepared. Shi Yu served with his racket tilted slightly, the strings slicing the ball to create an inner rotation known as a topspin serve. The ball bounced upon impact. Duan Jinghuai, with eyes like a hawk, swung his racket forward quickly for a backhand drive.
After the ball crossed the net, Shi Yu executed a light slice, sending the ball flying at a sharp angle toward the flank of Duan Jinghuai. Unsurprisingly, Duan Jinghuai was quick enough to swing back. After a few more volleys, Duan Jinghuai eased his strength and played a drop shot just over the net. Shi Yu reacted nimbly, rushing to the net to hit the ball back with equal finesse.
The tennis ball traveled high and slow over the net. Duan Jinghuai had predicted this move. As Shi Yu approached the net, Duan Jinghuai moved forward as well, raising his arm to jump and smash the ball. Everyone watched the incredible speed of the ball as it crossed the net toward the area beyond the service line of Shi Yu.
“It is over,” Cheng Sheng said.
“Brilliant. It looks like Old Duan is playing for real now.”
Shi Yu had been in a passive position during the previous volleys, and now he seemed powerless to save the point. However, just as everyone thought the point was decided, Shi Yu turned and moved lightly toward the baseline. After the ball bounced, he scooped it up with a two-handed grip.
The bright green ball sliced through the air like a sharp sword, leaving a perfect arc against the azure backdrop and heading straight for the flank of Duan Jinghuai. With a thud, it landed exactly on the baseline. The scene went silent for a moment before a collective gasp erupted.
“Holy crap!” Hao Shuai snatched off his sunglasses and sat bolt upright on the lounge chair, looking at the court in disbelief.
Xie Jingting was also surprised, and his lips slowly curled into a smile. This truly was a meeting of equals.
Qin Hao raised both hands above his head to cheer. “Great shot!”
Even Shen Zhinian could not hide his astonishment. He knew Shi Yu had always been athletic and enjoyed competitive sports, but he did not expect him to remain so calm and composed while returning such a difficult shot during such a tense moment.
Shi Yu finished his follow-through and panted slightly to steady his breathing while looking directly at Duan Jinghuai. The scoreboard flipped to 30-15.
The sun peeked through the clouds, making the sky appear vibrant and shifting. Duan Jinghuai stood tall and slender. Standing against the light, he tilted his head slightly and gave a very low laugh. His eyes were clear and bright, and his expression was as arrogant as ever. “Continue.”
Shi Yu pursed his lips.
The situation became even more strained. Every strike was like a sword drawn from its sheath. The ball spun with immense speed, maintaining a fierce and accurate rhythm that pushed the match to a climax. It was tense and thrilling. The people on the sidelines felt their moods fluctuate, nearly forgetting to breathe.
“What is this?” Cheng Sheng asked. “A mini-Wimbledon in the capital?”
Hao Shuai felt a bit hurt. “I can tell that Old Duan went easy on me when he played me last time.”
“Interesting,” Xie Jingting repeated.
The normally silent Shen Zhinian furrowed his brows, watching Shi Yu with concern.
The battle was exhilarating, with both men fighting nearly every game to a deuce. In the fourth game, the score was 40-40. The match used a no-advantage system, meaning whoever won the next point would win the game.
Duan Jinghuai steadied his breathing. He pulled off his headband and tossed it aside, using his well-defined fingers to push back the soaked hair on his forehead. His deep, narrow eyes were sharp and aggressive. The serve was his. He let go of the ball, and a few strands of hair fell back over his brow. He bowed his body slightly, his jaw clenched, and the muscles near his shoulder blades tensed as he tossed the ball.
The racket sliced across the ball for a side-spin serve. Although it was a slice, the landing spot was ingenious. After crossing the net, it dropped at an extremely difficult angle that forced the opponent into a passive return.
However, Shi Yu seemed to have calculated the trajectory. Before the ball even crossed the net, he lunged forward several steps to reach the landing spot early and executed a perfect swing. Sweat sparkled like crushed gold in the sunlight.
Duan Jinghuai had predicted that this ball would not stump him. His jawline was tight. As the ball came back, he pressed his racket down with extra force, slicing the ball at a wide angle toward the other side of Shi Yu. The ball took on a reverse spin and crossed the net with fierce speed. It was a shot with almost no room for maneuver.
The ball bounced high after landing. Shi Yu could not react in time. He retreated quickly beyond the baseline, holding his racket and leaning forward. Taking advantage of a sliding step, he managed to scoop the ball up. The return lacked power and followed a low, flat trajectory, causing the ball to spin and hit the top of the net.
Everyone held their breath. Just as they thought the ball would fall back, it clipped the net cord and popped over, dropping into the service area of Duan Jinghuai. It was a lucky shot. Getting a let cord at game point felt like divine intervention.
However, the score was not settled yet. Duan Jinghuai, positioned at the net, reacted lightning-fast. The moment the ball bounced over, he started moving again, following the trajectory toward the baseline. Before the ball could bounce a second time, he turned his back to the net and used the back of his racket to slice the ball backward with precision. The bright green ball traveled diagonally across the net and landed steadily in the small corner of the service box.
The game score was tied at four all.
Qin Hao was the first to recover and let out a breath, slowly clapping. A stunned Hao Shuai hung his jaw in amazement. “That was incredible.”
The move was arrogant and incredibly flashy. Duan Jinghuai turned around with his racket over his shoulder, lifting his chin proudly. A smile played on his lips, and his eyes were full of unbridled provocation.
It was time for a break between games. Duan Jinghuai walked lazily to the sidelines and threw a towel over his head to rub his hair. His damp hair remained messy and wild. He bent down to grab a bottle of water and unscrewed it. As he drank, his neck elongated, sweat ran down his throat, and his Adam’s apple moved.
Birds chirped in the distance. He looked sideways, pretending to glance casually at Shi Yu. Shi Yu was panting slightly, his long eyelashes trembling, and his damp eyes looked as clear as if they held water. His skin was naturally thin and white, and after the exercise, he was flushed with a light pink glow. His nose, the corners of his eyes, and his ears were blurred with an alluring crimson. He looked coldly elegant yet enchanting.
Duan Jinghuai quietly withdrew his gaze, spaced out for two seconds, then frowned and looked back at Shi Yu quickly. The standing posture of Shi Yu was a bit strange, with his weight distributed unevenly between his legs. Thinking back, his steps had also been a bit uneven when walking from the court to the sidelines.
The break ended, and the ninth game began. The players switched sides, and it was the serve of Shi Yu. On the first point, Shi Yu attacked with a slice serve until Duan Jinghuai was forced beyond the baseline to hit a lob. Shi Yu finished with a volley to lead 15-0.
On the second point, Shi Yu served to a tight angle in the opposite service box. Duan Jinghuai slid to scoop the ball. Shi Yu slowed his swing, and as the ball crossed the net, Duan Jinghuai rushed the net and jumped for a smash to make it 15-15.
On the third point, the two engaged in a long rally, with many shots landing on difficult diagonal lines. Both of their defenses were like walls; no matter how many angled shots were given, they could return them. After a fifteen-shot rally, the match became extremely tense.
Sweat slid down the lines of the face of Shi Yu and into his collar. He jumped with all his might, and as he swung his racket, his baseball cap flew off in the wind and landed on the grass. After a short ball crossed the net, the tennis ball brushed past the ear of Duan Jinghuai. The score was 30-15.
The two men panted heavily and looked at each other across the net. The sweat-soaked hair of Shi Yu clung to his temples, and the hair on his forehead obscured the expression in his eyes. He was a bit confused. The last shot was clearly within the reach of Duan Jinghuai, and the ball was not particularly high-quality in terms of speed or power, yet he had not returned it.
Amidst the heavy breathing, the court fell silent. Duan Jinghuai pursed his lips, his fingers tightening on the racket, a suppressed darkness hidden in his eyes. Shi Yu froze for a moment. He hesitated to speak, but before he could, he saw Duan Jinghuai suddenly drop his racket and stride directly toward him.
The onlookers could no longer sit still.
“What is happening?” Cheng Sheng cried out.
Hao Shuai’s eyes widened. “Is Old Duan going to hit him?”
“Surely not. It is just a game of tennis.”
Shen Zhinian was alarmed. He stood up quickly to walk toward the court, but before he could step onto the grass, he froze.
Duan Jinghuai stopped in front of Shi Yu. His eyelashes were lowered, and his jawline was tight. He snatched the racket from the hand of Shi Yu and, amidst the bewildered expression of Shi Yu, bent down without a word. He hooked one hand under the leg of Shi Yu and slung him over his shoulder, carrying him toward the pavilion.
“Ah?”
Everyone who was about to intervene stopped in their tracks. Even Shi Yu was stunned. He lay across the shoulder of Duan Jinghuai, blinking blankly as he saw the referee on the high chair, whose jaw looked ready to drop.
There was a vacant leather sofa inside the pavilion. Duan Jinghuai walked straight past Shen Zhinian, bent down, and placed Shi Yu on the sofa. He then knelt beside him, gripped the ankle of Shi Yu, and pulled down the edge of his sock.
The ankle of Shi Yu was white and slender, and his Achilles tendon looked delicate and fragile. However, the inner ankle bone was swollen, and purple bruising was visible under the skin.
Jiang Yinni leaned over and gasped. “He is injured?”
Duan Jinghuai’s brows furrowed tightly. With a dark expression, he looked up at Shi Yu and pressed the cold side of a drink cup against his ankle bone. On one side was the intense heat of the palm of Duan Jinghuai, and on the other was a bone-chilling cold. Shi Yu instinctively tried to pull his foot back, but the moment he flinched, the man gripped it even tighter.
Xie Jingting instructed a nearby waiter to call the family doctor. Qin Hao stared at the ankle and judged, “You twisted it while returning a ball, right? It looks fairly serious. Does it not hurt?”
Duan Jinghuai gave a dry, mocking laugh. “How could it not hurt? He just likes to show off.”
Shi Yu did not know when Duan Jinghuai had noticed. Although he felt a slight stinging pain while steadying his breath, it did not interfere with his normal hitting or running. During the competition, the adrenaline had completely masked the pain. This level of foot injury was nothing to worry about.
Meeting the eyes of Duan Jinghuai, Shi Yu said nonchalantly, “It does not affect my play. It certainly has not reached the point of a medical timeout.”
Duan Jinghuai froze for a moment as a memory drifted back from a thick summer afternoon. He had just finished a difficult school basketball game with an injured knee. His hair was soaked with sweat, and he walked haltingly toward the stands. Shi Yu had been sitting there with his arms crossed, staring at him with a cold face and red-rimmed eyes.
Staring at the misty eyes of Shi Yu, Duan Jinghuai had knelt before him, half-amused and half-softened. “What are you nervous about? It does not affect my play. It certainly has not reached the point of a medical timeout.”
Recalling this, Duan Jinghuai was suddenly moved to an angry laugh. He gritted his teeth and said, “Shi Yu, you are trying to annoy me on purpose, are you not?”
Standing nearby, Shen Zhinian frowned and said gently, “You should still take an injury seriously. It is only a friendly match; do not let it become a permanent problem.”
After saying this, he knelt down and gestured to Duan Jinghuai. “Let me do it.”
Duan Jinghuai did not move and did not acknowledge him. In the ensuing standoff, the hand of Shen Zhinian remained awkwardly in the air. He felt that something was strange.