Love is as simple as badminton.

Chapter 38 She really couldn't stand these two anymore!

"Meow."

Inside the cat cage, Fat Tiger, who was sleeping sprawled out, stretched and slowly rolled over.

Because he was too fat, he failed to flip over the first time and fell back down.

Using its momentum, it exerted another burst of strength and finally managed to turn its belly back down.

"Meow~"

The first thing Fat Tiger did when he woke up was to look at the pretty girl in the distance.

That snow-white fur, those big blue eyes, that fluffy tail, and those soft ears…

Hehe, Nobita is so handsome~

Fat Tiger has excellent hearing and knows that those human cubs often speak ill of him, calling him a pervert and a simp, but he doesn't care at all.

If you can lick it every day, what's the difference between not licking it at all?

And Nobita clearly has feelings for him too!

Look! She's coming!

Fat Tiger immediately stood up straight, which was quite remarkable for someone of his size to stand up in such a short time—that was the power of love!

This was the first time in so many days that she had taken the initiative to approach him.

Even Sigma the Fat Tiger, who was used to all kinds of storms, couldn't help but feel his heart racing a little at this moment.

As the saying goes, "A rainbow appears only when you see it"—could it be that he is about to meet his destined beauty, the pretty cat?

"Meow meow."

Da Xiong pulled at Jian Yueying's trouser leg and pointed at Pang Hu.

"Oh right, I almost forgot about this guy. Let's schedule his sterilization for tomorrow."

Gian: "???"

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"squeak!"

"Whoosh!"

"squeak!!!"

On the court, Lin Xiang finished practicing his last set of cross-court smashes and net play transitions to defense.

This footwork training teaches how to quickly switch to a defensive rhythm when an attack fails.

Wang Tianmao noticed that in the previous matches, Wang Luo mainly relied on his exquisite saves to defuse Lin Xiang's attacks and then launch counterattacks to score.

Therefore, in recent training sessions, Wang Tianmao has consciously added this type of footwork training to Lin Xiang's curriculum.

In addition, there are tailor-made strength training, coordination training, explosive power training, etc. For players of Lin Xiang's level, the routine training is no longer effective.

Only by having a keen eye to spot the flaws beneath perfection and addressing them accordingly can we bring about a qualitative change in him.

Of course, Wang Tianmao was only giving him directions.

In reality, he wasn't strict with Lin Xiang, and sometimes he wouldn't even come to the court. He would only personally supervise and correct him when practicing unfamiliar content.

The vast majority of the training was completed through Lin Xiang's own self-discipline and self-correction.

"Is training over, Brother Lin Xiang?"

Jian Yueying put away the school cat's sterilization registration form and walked to the edge of the sports field.

Seeing Lin Xiang nod silently, she couldn't help but exclaim, "You're still training as usual even though military training starts tomorrow! You're really pushing yourself!"

"It's alright. I took on the task of providing badminton tutorials for the badminton association, so I don't need to undergo military training."

Lin Xiang looked around. "Where's my senior?"

"Something came up with the badminton association's sponsors, so Qiqi and Ye-ge had to go out temporarily. Knowing you won't be looking at your phone while training, they asked me to pass on this message!"

Jian Yueying squinted, grinning like a silly old woman, "Tsk tsk~ Why does Brother Lin Xiang keep referring to her as 'senior sister'? You seem to care a lot about Qiqi, huh?"

"Yes, my senior is my good friend."

Lin Xiang nodded without hesitation.

"That's hilarious! You always have that serious look on your face!"

As Jian Yueying spoke, she brought over a large plastic bag filled with colorful snacks.

"Here you go! Your good friend specifically asked me to bring this to you!"

Seeing Lin Xiang silently thank her and accept the gift, Jian Yueying couldn't help but suppress a laugh. She thought to herself that Lin Xiang was truly aloof and naturally clueless, completely oblivious to the little trap in her words. If it were Shi Yuqi hearing her say "your junior," she would have already started spinning around like she'd been stepped on.

"Qiqi really cares about you! These are the best ones, and she wouldn't even give me a few extra packs, but she gave them all to you."

Jian Yueying's tone carried a hint of jealousy and resentment.

I still can't forget the image of Shi Yuqi's eyes sparkling when she packed snacks; I've never seen her show such a gentle and cheerful expression before.

Sigh, I'm clearly the one Kiki loves the most, and I was here first...

"Thank you, Senior Sister Jian, for making the trip."

Lin Xiang thanked him again, then walked to his golf bag, rummaged around for a bit, and took out two exquisite gift bags.

"For me?"

Jian Yueying had already heard about the gift from Shi Yuqi and had been looking forward to it on the way here. Now that she saw the actual gift, she was even more delighted.

"Yes, we are very grateful for the care taken by the two senior students during this time. This is a small token of our appreciation from our dormitory. This is for you, and this is for the senior students."

"Wow! Thank you so much, juniors!"

Jian Yueying happily accepted the bag, and could already vaguely see the contents inside – it was a limited edition merchandise item from the Badminton High School League!

In addition to various small items such as bookmarks, pens, keychains, notebooks, phone holders, and commemorative badges, there is also a deluxe collector's edition of Duan Jiafan's autobiography, "Fan Yu Fanfan" (Fan Yu Extraordinary).

Duan Jiafan is a well-known alumnus of Qingcheng University. He comes from a mountainous area and his family is poor. He has had almost no opportunity to practice badminton since childhood. However, with his unremitting efforts and superhuman self-discipline, he was not only exceptionally recruited by the school team, but also led Qingcheng University to compete in the National High School Badminton Championships as captain, and won the championship of the 72nd National High School Badminton Championships.

That was one of only three badminton leagues during Shangri-La's peak period where they did not win the championship.

However, after graduation, Duan Jiafan did not choose to continue as a player. He rejected offers from several top clubs and used the capital and influence he had accumulated during his university years to found his own badminton brand, "Fanyu".

Unlike some factories that only want to fleece consumers, Fanyu has focused on high cost-performance since its inception, winning over a group of loyal fans with its affordable prices and good quality.

In addition, Duan Jiafan frequently organizes various charity competitions and has established the Fanyu Foundation to provide financial assistance to children who aspire to play badminton.

He may not have the skill and domineering presence of a top player, but his compassionate heart for the world is incredibly moving.

From the northern border to the southern border, from Qingdao University to Xiangtan University, he has fans at every school, including Jian Yueying and Shi Yuqi.

Who wouldn't love a badminton player like that?

"It's even autographed! I'm so happy!"

Jian Yueying's joy was palpable. "Qiqi and I wanted to buy this set before, but we couldn't get our hands on it. I never expected to get it this way!"

"The four of us in our dorm tried to grab it together, but Xu Yue managed to get it in the end."

Lin Xiang smiled as well.

He then took out another gift box and handed it to Jian Yueying.

The senior student accepted it with delight, her eyes lighting up immediately: "This is another one?"

It turned out to be her favorite blueberry white chocolate oat crisps, and it was even a gift box endorsed by Duan Jiafan! This was a double delight for both of them.

"This is a personal gift from me."

Lin Xiang gave a polite smile, "I'm grateful for Senior Sister Jian's special care during this time. This is just a small token of my appreciation."

"Thanks, Brother Lin Xiang! I love eating this!"

Jian Yueying's mouth stretched almost to her ears, and she suddenly felt a small sense of pleasure.

The previous gift was something she and Shi Yuqi both received, but this one was a special gift from her junior!

"Brother Lin Xiang, what made you think of giving me this?"

Jian Yueying asked with curiosity, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Won't your best friend be unhappy if she finds out?"

"No, please don't worry, Senior Sister Jian."

Lin Xiang answered with the same serious expression, but his polite smile gradually faded, revealing a genuine joy.

"This is a gift that my good friend recommended to me."

「!?」

Jian Yueying's smile froze, feeling as if she had been punched hard, and she almost fell to the ground.

Good heavens! She really can't stand these two anymore!

……

The next day, as the sun rose—

For the first time since the start of the semester, the Xiangda playground was packed with people by 7 a.m.

Amidst the gloating and schadenfreude of upperclassmen eating watermelon and popsicles, the freshmen's military training officially began.

"Reporting, Instructor! The 25th Company was supposed to have 36 men, and 35 are present. Count complete! Requesting further instructions!"

"Okay, you can go back to your team now."

Zhao Jie, the instructor in charge of the sociology department, received Lin Xiang's leave note yesterday, which was not surprising. After hearing about Lin Xiang's deeds, he was even a little happy.

There's even a badminton expert in the company he's in charge of. He's really lucky this year!

Hearing that Lin Xiang would also participate in the Freshman Cup, he was even more excited.

The Freshman Cup is held after the military training ends, and the Badminton Association invites the instructors to stay and watch the competition every year, so the Freshman Cup is also jokingly called the "Military Training Cup".

One of the instructors' greatest pleasures was boasting about how well the boys in their company fought.

However, the team led by Zhao Jie from the Social Academy fared rather poorly, with very few participants each year, and those who did participate were eliminated in the first or second round.

This made him lose face in front of his brothers.

While everyone else was giving their opinions, he could only watch helplessly, venting his resentment by sneaking in more snacks.

This year, finally someone has come along who can prove him right!

Zhao Jie couldn't be happier that Lin Xiang wouldn't come back for military training and could focus on practicing basketball, so that he could also experience the satisfying plot of a novel where "don't underestimate the poor middle-aged man".

"Hey, who's that dark-skinned guy?! Don't move! Do you have a mushroom growing on your butt? Stop scratching yourself!"

Upon noticing Xu Yue secretly scratching his buttocks, Zhao Jie sternly reprimanded him.

"You can't even last two and a half minutes? Kun's physical condition is much better than yours!"

Seeing this, Xu Yue quickly stood at attention, but when he exerted himself, he got a cramp and couldn't help but bend over and tremble, which made the other students laugh out loud.

"Don't laugh at him, you guys aren't much better. My poop stands straighter than yours."

Whether it's military training or academic life, don't think about how much better you are than those who are worse; instead, think about how much worse you are than those who are better.

Zhao Jie took the opportunity to give a speech to the team.

"While you guys are struggling to stand at attention, Lin Xiang is practicing basketball on the court, sweating profusely."

While you're still struggling to stay in bed, they've already gotten up and started training.

This is the kind of role model we should all look up to…

Xu Yue was rubbing his calf, trembling. The cramps were already painful, but these words made the pain even worse.

It's one thing that Lao Lin doesn't need military training, but how come he attacked me even though he wasn't there?

You bastard! You deserve to die!

·

Achoo!

Lin Xiang, who had just finished practicing a set of footwork, frowned slightly, looking wary.

Why did I suddenly sneeze? Could I be catching a cold?

Could it be that I haven't been to the school gymnasium for too long and am not used to the air temperature here?

Preventing and treating various injuries is also part of training.

Players are like precision instruments, constantly pushing themselves to their limits; the slightest misstep can break them. In this sense, they are more vulnerable and require more caution than ordinary people.

However, Lin Xiang was fortunate; he had always been physically resilient since childhood.

I've never been injured or sick, and I rarely even catch a cold.

After confirming that there were no other discomforts, Lin Xiang felt relieved and rested to prepare for the next set.

He had been training at the Haomao Home for the past few weeks, and the spacious and empty badminton hall at the school was indeed somewhat unfamiliar to him.

If it weren't for the fact that everyone except the school team was in military training, he wouldn't have had much of a chance to come back and train.

Actually, he didn't really want to come back—he was more used to that small warehouse now, cramped but cozy.

However, Wang Tianmao told him that it was necessary to get used to it beforehand, as the ball speed was completely different in large and small stadiums, a fact he was already aware of.

*Smack!*

*Smack!*

The rhythmic sound of balls being hit echoed from afar; the school team was training as usual. Wang Luo even gave him a wink.

Lin Xiang nodded, but his gaze was mainly fixed on Ling Ye.

Compared to the other members of the school team, this genius, who carries both legend and controversy, now gives him a sense of obscurity, completely unlike the spirited figure Lin Xiang had previously seen on television.

He trained alone, only exchanging a few words with his partner and occasionally with Deng Ziyang.

Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, like a giant sword, dividing him from the others.

At this moment, Ling Ye walked off the court to rest and also looked at him. The two then stared at each other for a few seconds.

Ling Ye quickly looked away, took a sip of water, and went back to the court to train.

Lin Xiang narrowed his eyes. Seeing that there were still five seconds left in the break, he decided to skip it and went onto the court as well.

Hmm, I suddenly don't feel so tired anymore, let's move on to the next set.

Insufficient rest is the essence of interval training!

·

Two hours passed in a flash.

After completing the training, Lin Xiang, as always, reported the details of the training to Wang Tianmao.

Yutenji Wakamaru: "Each rest period was five seconds shorter... and we even did one extra set?"

Yutenji Wakamaru: "What the hell? Are you an animal?"

Shoko Toyokawa: "I feel fine. Yeah, maybe I'm just in good shape today."

While typing, Lin Xiang glanced at the distant basketball court again.

Seeing that the school team had finished their work in bits and pieces and Ling Ye had disappeared, he took out a pack of Xiapu Nostalgia from his side pocket, tore it open, and stuffed it all into his mouth with satisfaction.

Although I still don't think it tastes good, it's spicy, so it's quite enjoyable to eat.

Yutenji Wakamaru: "Why are you suddenly so energetic today? Is it because you want to impress your crush?"

Shoko Toyokawa: "There's no particular reason, I just have the motivation."

Yutenji Wakamaru: "Hahaha, okay, then remember to take care of your recovery/covers mouth and laughs."

"Junior, sir~"

A familiar female voice came from ahead, gentle and clear. Lin Xiang looked up, and the girl's pleasing face came into view.

"Looks like you've finished training?"

"Yes. Did you just finish class too, senior?"

"Okay, the tutorial will start filming today. You just need to film a little bit each day after your training. I'll tell you which points to explain and which points to demonstrate."

"Okay, let's begin."

So, under Shi Yuqi's guidance, Lin Xiang first filmed a tutorial on how to hold the racket.

"As we all know, the first step for every badminton player is to evolve from using a fly swatter to gripping the racket with the tiger's mouth."

If you're not holding on properly, all the effort you put in is wasted—it's like dating; it only makes sense if both parties are involved. If you're chasing the wrong person, no amount of licking will help!

The same principle applies to life as well as badminton. If you fail at something, congratulations, you've taken the first step towards becoming stronger!

"fall in love?"

Upon hearing Shi Yuqi's voiceover explanation, Lin Xiang looked up blankly.

"Oh, that's just an example! I haven't actually talked about it."

Shi Yuqi waved her hand and smiled.

"oh."

Lin Xiang nodded and smiled as well.

I don't know if it's because the metaphor is so cringeworthy, or because she looks so cute, or because I just smile along when I see her smile.

"Alright, that's all for today. Thanks for your hard work, junior."

"Aren't we filming this afternoon?"

"No need today, because you still have promotional videos to film for Yueyue's side."

"Oh, I almost forgot."

The two chatted as they walked out of the stadium until a dark blue figure came towards them—it was Ling Ye.

"The medium size is less sugar."

Lin Xiang saw him hand two cups of milk tea to Shi Yuqi and say succinctly.

"Thank you, Brother Ye~"

Shi Yuqi accepted it with a smile.

Ling Ye nodded, gave Lin Xiang another deep look, picked up his golf bag, and left.

"Hey."

Shi Yuqi handed the large glass to Lin Xiang, saying, "This was bought for you by Brother Ye!"

Lin Xiang silently accepted the gift, observing Shi Yuqi's smile, and asked softly, "Are you and Senior Ling Ye on good terms?"

"Of course it's great!"

The girl nodded, catching the complex emotions in his eyes and vaguely guessing what was going on. A mischievous smile appeared on her lips, but her eyes were curved, giving her a look of secret joy.

"Because he's my cousin."

"cousin?"

Lin Xiang was stunned for a moment, recalling all the details from before, and suddenly felt enlightened.

The inexplicable feeling that had been lingering in my heart, the inability to feel happy, vanished in an instant.

It turned out to be like this...

Lin Xiang took a sip of milk tea thoughtfully and thought it tasted pretty good.

And that Xiapu Nostalgia dish isn't actually that bad.

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