Table tennis: Swinging the racket billions of times, achieving a grand slam

Chapter 309 Competition Prize
The national anthem played, and the red flag fluttered.

Chen Jin stood on the highest podium, his back straight, his expression solemn, and he paid his respects.

The gold medal hanging around their necks and the trophy held in their hands gleamed under the lights.

In this World Youth Championships, he participated in four events and lived up to expectations, working together with his team to win four championships in the U19 category.

To Chen Jin's left, in the runner-up position, Xie Mingyang stood tall, his face showing no disappointment, but rather a relieved smile.

During the group photo.

Glancing at the gold medal on Chen Jin's chest, and then looking down at his own silver medal, Xie Mingyang said in a low voice, "One day, I will snatch this gold medal from your hands."

"it is good."

Chen Jin smiled slightly and put his arm around Xie Mingyang's shoulder. "See you at the next competition."

Xie Mingyang struggled slightly, but ultimately did not refuse.

Then, together with Chen Jin, they smiled at the camera, revealing their teeth.

He stepped down from the podium.

Chen Jin carried a handbag in his left hand and held the trophy in his right, walking towards the exit.

Sudden.

A childish voice called out, "Chen Jin."

Follow the sound.

It was that blond little boy, standing across the railing of the stands, tightly clutching a pen and a straight-grip tennis racket.

"Please!"

The little boy looked at Chen Jin with burning eyes.

The racket in his hand was clearly a finished product; its edges were worn shiny, the rubber was already oxidized, and the handle was wrapped with layers of tape.

Chen Jin shook his head and did not take it.

Like a deflated balloon, the little boy's eyes dimmed, and he was about to reluctantly withdraw his hand.

Unexpectedly, Chen Jin bent down, placed the trophy in his hand beside his feet, opened his bag, took out a brand new racket, and handed it to the little boy.

This racket is clearly the Xuperman test racket.

"For me?"

The little boy paused, his eyes widening as he stared at Chen Jin in disbelief.

"Yes!"

Chen Jin smiled, "It is my... uh, my..."

"What do you want to say? I'll translate it for you."

Xie Mingyang, who was standing next to him, rubbed his forehead.

"This is my WTT Championship racket, now it's yours."

Chen Jindao.

Upon hearing Xie Mingyang's translation, the little boy was both surprised and delighted, almost jumping up. His deep blue eyes seemed to hold the sun, moon, and stars within them: "Really?"

"Yes!"

Chen Jin nodded solemnly.

"Wuhu!"

The little boy shouted excitedly, his fingers gently stroking every inch of the racket, his right palm placed on his left chest, his eyes filled with a determination as if he were about to join the Party, "Chen Jin, I will be like you someday!"

Xie Mingyang was about to translate when Chen Jin interrupted him, saying, "I understand this sentence."

"Fighting!"

After giving the little boy a high five, Chen Jin turned and left the arena.

……

Ye Sijia defeated German player Annette Kaufmann to win the U19 women's singles championship.

With this, the Chinese team swept all the championships in both the U15 and U19 categories of this World Youth Championship.

As the team leader, Li Qian's face was practically beaming with joy.

These are all real achievements!

It will be of great help to my future career advancement!
"We must celebrate properly tonight."

Li Qian was in a great mood and waved his hand, "Zhang Jiahao, find out which is the most expensive Chinese restaurant in Helsingborg. It's on me!"

"Okay!"

Zhang Jiahao's eyes lit up at the mention of food.

I was just about to take out my phone.

Chen Jin yawned: "You guys go ahead, I feel a bit tired and want to go back and rest early."

With four events to participate in, five matches in one day, plus the recently concluded final, the physical and mental exertion was enormous.

It was only through sheer willpower that Chen Jinfang managed to hold on until now.

Now that the competition is over, I feel completely exhausted as soon as I relax.

"This……"

Li Qian frowned slightly.

Chen Jin played a crucial role in the U19 men's team's sweep of the team, doubles, and singles titles, as well as the mixed doubles title, at this World Youth Championships.

Since it was a celebration banquet, it would feel like something was missing if Chen Jinruo didn't attend.

"It's better than this."

Just as he was hesitating, Xie Mingyang suddenly said, "I just checked, and the weather seems pretty good tomorrow. I'll rent a yacht, and we'll have a buffet lunch at sea as a celebration."

yacht?

A buffet at sea?
Upon hearing this, everyone turned their gaze to Xie Mingyang, their eyes filled with anticipation.

It's clear that everyone agrees with this proposal.

"Instructor Li."

Xie Mingyang turned to look at Li Qian, "What do you think?"

"Good...it's very good."

Li Qian hesitated, then said, "The cost of renting a yacht and having a buffet..."

"I'll take it all."

Xie Mingyang spoke in a flat tone.

Holy crap, this is inhumanly extravagant!

Knowing that Xie Mingyang was generous, Li Qian felt reassured and clapped his hands, "Okay, it's settled then."

"Our flight is at 3:55 tomorrow afternoon, so a morning should be enough time."

Li Qian shouted, "Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, we'll board the yacht..."

Before she could finish speaking, she realized something was amiss and turned to Xie Mingyang, "There shouldn't be any problem, right?"

"no problem."

Xie Mingyang nodded.

……

The next morning, the sun was shining brightly.

Everyone packed their luggage and gathered in the hotel lobby.

Xie Mingyang had already made all the arrangements, and a bus had been waiting at the hotel entrance for a long time.

We arrived at the port by car.

A white, double-decker yacht is quietly moored at the dock.

Three waiters had already prepared champagne and a seafood buffet.

Everyone present, including Li Qian and Chen Jin, had never experienced such a luxurious way of relaxing.

He appeared somewhat reserved when boarding the ship.

"I see bikinis on yachts in movies, don't I?"

Zhang Jiahao looked around, "Where's the bikini?"

"How about I go buy you one?"

Chen Jin glared at him.

The yacht slowly sailed away from the harbor, and the azure sea rippled with tiny waves.

Standing at the stern, Chen Jin watched the city silhouette gradually recede into the distance. The sea breeze brushed against his face, his hair danced wildly, and took away the tension and pressure of the competition.

"Taste this."

Xie Mingyang appeared beside him at some point and handed him a cocktail, "Silver Bullet."

"I never drink."

Chen Jin waved his hand.

"I adjusted it myself."

Xie Mingyang said.

"Uh……"

Chen Jin had no choice but to take it and smack his lips into a small mouthful.

The smell of whiskey mixed with lemonade made him frown.

Li Qian lay comfortably on a lounge chair, wearing sunglasses and holding a cup of Dry Martini, enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

"It would be great if I could relax like this after every game."

Li Qian couldn't help but sigh.

He raised his glass and called out to Xie Mingyang, "Young Master Xie, cheers!"

The sky was blue, and the wind was calm.

Several seagulls circled and flew, calling out clearly.

Everything, everything, was filled with such fear.

"If I had more money, I would have liked to stay a few more days before going back."

Li Qian sighed.

"Stay a few more days?"

Zhang Jiahao walked over, holding a large lobster in his hands, unsure how to start eating. "Isn't the Chinese Table Tennis Super League about to begin?"

"That's you."

Li Qian sat up, stretched, and said, "I'll go back and do my job, write a summary report, and then I can take a vacation and continue playing my Black Myth game. See you in winter training."

"Holy crap, this feels amazing?"

Zhang Jiahao stared wide-eyed, filled with envy.

At this moment.

Hearing their conversation, Chen Jin turned around and said, "Speaking of the Chinese Super League, I've already bought my plane ticket back to the provincial team on the evening of the 7th. I should be able to make it, right?"

"As long as we're not late, we should make it in time," Li Qian nodded.

My round-trip tickets to the World Youth Championships have already been booked. Unless I miss my flight and get delayed, I should be able to return home in about ten hours.

"Are you still representing the S Province team in this Table Tennis Super League?"

Xie Mingyang asked.

"Ah."

Chen Jin nodded. "You and Jiahao will probably go to the Chinese Table Tennis Super League too, right?"

"should be."

Xie Mingyang said, "However, the main players of our Shanghai team are Fan Zhendong, Xu Xin and Zhou Kai. I am at most a substitute and probably won't play."

"Don't even think about it."

Zhang Jiahao, gnawing on a lobster claw, said, "I asked Director Wang, and we're both substitutes."

"In other words, this year's Chinese Table Tennis Super League will give me the opportunity to play against Xu Xin and Fan Zhendong..."

Chen Jin narrowed his eyes slightly.

As is well known, Xu Xin has been out of the national team since 23.

Although he hasn't retired, he no longer participates in international competitions.

He is rarely seen in domestic competitions.

I had the chance to meet Xu Xin on the court during the last National Championships.

However, Chen Jin was recalled ahead of schedule and missed the chance to fight.

Both being penhold grip players, Chen Jin had long wanted to have a match with Xu Xin.

As for Fan Zhendong, he withdrew from competitions one after another after the Paris Olympics, during his prime years.

Whether it was voluntary or not, it became a regret for Chen Jin.

Chen Jin defeated several key players from the Chinese national table tennis team, including Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, Ma Long, Liang Jingkun, and Lin Gaoyuan.

Of the five top players in the Chinese national table tennis team, only Fan Zhendong has yet to face off against them.

As the undisputed world's number one in table tennis, if Chen Jin cannot defeat Fan Zhendong, even if he reaches the top of the world rankings, it will be undeserved.

The Chinese Table Tennis Super League might be an opportunity.

The group spent more than three hours playing on the sea, eating, drinking, and fooling around.

We returned at 12:30.

Upon arrival at the port, the bus was still waiting at the same spot.

Then, carrying everyone, they headed to Engelholm Airport.

At 3:55, the plane took off on time and landed at Arlanda Airport in Stockholm.

After a two-hour layover at Arlanda Airport, I finally boarded a direct flight to the capital's international airport.

We arrived safely at 9:45 AM Beijing time on December 7th.

As soon as I stepped out of the airport.

The sun hung listlessly in the sky, while the dry, cold wind was like a knife, stinging one's face.

"It's so cold!"

Zhang Jiahao pulled his collar tighter, licked his chapped lips, and tasted a hint of blood on his tongue. "Is this what winter is like in the North?"

The General Administration's bus picked everyone up and took them back to their long-missed dormitory building.

I rested in my room for a while.

At 3 p.m., accompanied by Xie Mingyang and Zhang Jiahao, Chen Jin headed to Daxing Airport.

"Brother Jin."

Zhang Jiahao was reluctant to leave, saying, "When you go back, please give my regards to my fellow villagers."

"I don't have time for that."

Chen Jin flatly refused.

"Go China Table Tennis Super League!"

Xie Mingyang said, "We must make it into the second stage. I still owe you guys a meal."

The Chinese Table Tennis Super League is divided into two stages.

The first stage was in Changsha.

The second stage will be held in Shanghai.

"Understood!"

After saying goodbye, Chen Jin waved to the two men and walked alone toward the turnstile, dragging his suitcase.

eight pm.

Tianfu International Airport, waiting hall.

Watching the crowds pouring out of the turnstiles, Chen Jianguo stood on tiptoe, searching for Chen Jin's figure.

Upon seeing Chen Jin, he instinctively straightened his back and unconsciously straightened his slightly wrinkled clothes with his rough hands.

"dad."

Chen Jin quickly stepped forward, opened his arms, and gently hugged Chen Jianguo.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Chen Jianguo, who was not used to formalities, felt slightly embarrassed. After struggling for a moment, he finally patted Chen Jin on the back.

Taking the suitcase from Chen Jin, Chen Jianguo held Chen Jin's hand and said, "Let's go home."

An old motorcycle was parked on the side of the road.

After securing the suitcase firmly to the back seat, Chen Jianguo casually placed a brand-new helmet on Chen Jin's head.

"dad."

As Chen Jin fastened his helmet, he said, "Why don't you go get a driver's license? A C2 license will do."

Why do I need to get a driver's license?

Chen Jianguo waved the motorcycle keys in his hand and grinned, "It's not like your old man doesn't have a car."

"Meat wrapped in iron is not as safe as iron wrapped in meat."

Chen Jin said, "Once you get your driver's license, I'll buy you a car."

"Modern cars are so advanced, with intelligent driving capabilities, you can even doze off without any problem."

Chen Jianguo shook his head: "Buy a car? Why waste that money?"

"Saving money without using it is a waste."

Chen Jin habitually took a down jacket from Chen Jianguo and put it on to block the wind. "Most of the prize money I won from the competitions has already been deposited into my account. Buying a car and a house is no problem."

"How about we buy a house first..."

The words were not finished.

Chen Jianguo interrupted him again: "I'm used to living in Baoguang Community, and I don't want to move."

Come to think of it, Chen Jianguo lived in that three-bedroom apartment for more than ten years.

For him and his son, that was home.

The motorcycle engine roared in the night, and Chen Jin gripped his father's clothes tightly around his waist.

A cold wind blew across his cheeks as Chen Jin leaned gently against his father's back.

Even through the clothes, I could still feel a trace of warmth.

I got home at eleven o'clock.

Pushing open the door to the rented room, a familiar, worn-out smell hit me.

Although the furniture was simple, every inch of the space was kept spotless by Chen Jianguo.

Chen Jin's room was even more tidy.

The bed sheets and duvet covers were just changed; there wasn't a trace of dampness or mold.

"Are you hungry?"

Chen Jianguo brought out braised pork ribs and pig's trotter soup from the kitchen, and the rich aroma instantly filled the entire room. "Take your bowls and chopsticks and let's eat."

The father and son enjoyed their meal immensely.

"How many days will you stay this time?"

Chen Jianguo asked.

"Two or three days."

Chen Jindao.

"How was it arranged?"

"I'll go back to the provincial team at 10 a.m. tomorrow. I have lunch appointments with some people."

"Who did you date?"

“My mom and Xixi.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Jianguo fell silent.

There was a pause.

Chen Jin grabbed a tissue and wiped his mouth: "By the way, Dad, where's your bank card?"

"In the bedside table in the bedroom."

Chen Jianguo asked curiously, "What?"

"Give it to me."

Chen Jin held out his palm while eating with his head down.

Although he didn't understand why, Chen Jianguo still got up, took the bank card, and gave it to Chen Jin.

Chen Jin placed the bank card on the table, picked up his phone, aimed it properly, and took a picture.

Then, the card was returned to Chen Jianguo.

"Son, what exactly do you want to do?"

Chen Jianguo was curious.

The voice just fell.

Woo!
His phone suddenly vibrated violently.

Upon picking it up, I saw it was a text message from the bank notifying me of the funds arriving in my account.

Chen Jianguo's eyes widened suddenly, and his hand trembled so much that he almost dropped his phone.

"One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand... one hundred thousand?!"

Chen Jianguo's voice trembled slightly as he looked up at Chen Jin, "Son, you...you..."

He had worked his whole life, but this was the first time he had ever seen so much money.

"Competition prize money."

Chen Jin picked up a piece of pork rib, put it in Chen Jianguo's bowl, and said with a smile.

(End of this chapter)