Love Tennis and Yumiko Miura

Four consecutive zero serves ended the first game directly.

He didn't see it clearly the first time, but four male players in a row also saw it clearly - it wasn't that he made a mistake, but that the ball didn't bounce at all.

Newton said that the second dimension was not his responsibility, and Hawking also said that he could not study the black holes in the second dimension.

The male contestants were not at a high enough level so they just had an expression of "what a shame, I'm not educated and I can only complain all over the world".

However, the referee sitting on the bench could see it clearly. He had witnessed the Platinum Combination dominating Chiba Prefecture for three consecutive years, so he was deeply impressed by the Zero-style slice, which was Zhixian's signature skill.

This Zero-style serve is the same principle as the Zero-style slice, but it's exponentially more difficult and should put a certain strain on the arms. However, since it's not a standard skill, the referee wasn't too worried about Zhixian, who is known for his composure and calmness.

What's more, facing such a not very strong opponent, there is a high probability that he will easily win 6:0. In the six games, Zhixian only has two serving games, and eight zero-type serves will not have any impact. After all, it is not the frequency of serving in singles matches.

The second game is the other male player's serve game.

The male player internally grumbled. He'd been quite happy that his first-round opponent had forfeited, but he'd unexpectedly faced the Platinum and Gold pairs, who had received a bye in the first round, in the second round. Zhixian's four serves had made him think that even if they hadn't received a bye, he'd have easily won against them after playing them again.

But even so, he still cheered up and served with all his strength.

Emmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, and then the opponent's Zhixian hit a Return ace...

In two consecutive rounds of eight-ball, neither girl touched the ball.

"This is too strong!" The female contestant was amazed.

Although their combination wasn't particularly strong, they were at least strong enough to qualify for the county tournament after the regional qualifiers. However, they were like a clawless kitten being easily lifted up and unable to resist.

"Let's find a good place to eat lunch later. My professional career ends here." The male athlete looked up at the sky with a sad face.

"...Are you exaggerating too much?" A drop of cold sweat ran down the female contestant's forehead.

But then she understood her partner's feelings, because she, too, had been shut out on Yumiko's serve, and then again on her own serve. The only difference from the previous two games was that they had at least touched the ball, even though each point was scored after only three or four shots...

In a blink of an eye, the score was 4:0. At this time, some players who had started the game and finished the game earlier heard that the platinum combination was playing, so they came to watch, and the venue was crowded with people.

"Are they so famous?" Chiyo was a little shocked for a moment. They occupied the best viewing spot. There were not many people at the beginning, but unknowingly, more and more people gathered around.

"According to Tennis Monthly, they were the most promising mixed doubles team in junior high, but unfortunately they never won the national championship."

"I see..." Chiyo looked at the two on the field, "But after going through so much together, they will definitely win the championship this year!"

"Maybe not." Nozaki said bluntly, "Tachibana said it's hard to say if we can even win the Kanto Tournament."

"......Nozaki-kun, do you know how to write atmosphere?" Chiyo really wanted to give him a Hashimoto Kanna-style facial expression, but she was too thin-skinned to do it.

Chiyo was just complaining casually, but Nozaki actually wrote the word "atmosphere" in a notebook and showed it to Chiyo.

...Should I complain about this? Chiyo suddenly felt a little envious of Zhixian's calmness.

One of Nozaki and Chigen is a cartoonist who is good at depicting delicate emotions, but his EQ is shockingly low; the other one is recognized as a straight man by the whole school, but after dating a girlfriend, he transformed himself into a gentle, considerate and perfect boyfriend who understands women's hearts.

These days, you really can’t figure out who the smart people are without actual contact.

129. Preparation for the Stage Play

The rehearsals and preparations for the second-year F class's stage play "The Prince of the Stars" or "The Little Prince" are in full swing.

After the two male leads, Chigen and Hayama, completely put aside their pride, rehearsals went exceptionally smoothly. The next step was to finalize the costumes and makeup for the performances. Director Ebina Hina was meticulous about both the costumes and makeup. She explained that while the supporting characters' outfits could be rented, she designed the main characters' outfits herself, even drawing the visuals for both characters. You're quite versatile, ma'am, both writing and illustrating.

"There's nothing wrong with it, right? There are a lot of people who haven't seen it..." Some people don't think this is a problem.

However, the supervisor reacted strongly: "Are you looking down on fans of the original work? Do you want to be bombarded online?!"

The intense questioning made the girl hesitate to continue. After all, Ebina's threats were so serious. She looked like a warrior who had survived many battles. After all, with Ebina's hobbies, she was bound to encounter some extreme people online. Or rather, anyone who went online was bound to encounter some unspeakable people.

"Hmm, renting costumes would be quite a stretch. The budget would be very tight. Maybe it would be better to spend the money on other things..." Yuigahama scratched her head with a pen, pressed the calculator, and wrote and drew on her notebook.

By the way, Yuigahama's math grades have always been among the best - if you count backwards.

But if even Yuigahama can come to such a conclusion, then the budget seems to be problematic indeed.

"If you don't have enough money, why not just do it yourself?" Yumiko suggested somewhat presumptuously.

"But does anyone have such a strong ability?" Zhixian didn't think it was too difficult for a high school student to make a set of performance costumes that were not complicated but not simple at the same time. After all, it was already very rare for most female high school students to be able to do needlework.

The more unusual option was probably making simple clothes for one's own dolls. Making one's own costumes was at least a preliminary level of a fashion designer. Zhixian didn't think there was anyone like that in the class.

...and then get slapped in the face every minute.

Yuigahama and Ebina immediately found out Saki Kawasaki, the big boss hiding among the crowd.

I discovered Saki Kawasaki's talent through her own hairband. I have to say that girls are better in this aspect.

Kawasaki even knows how to use a sewing machine, and she is very skilled at hand-sewing. She is really a clever girl.

"Fufu, it's beautifully made and the colors are cute too. Not bad, Kawasaki-san, I've decided on you! I'll take care of the costumes, please!"

"It's you, right? Are you a Pokémon trainer from somewhere?" Zhixian muttered to himself. Ebina was truly unpredictable. He felt that Tobe's secret crush on such a girl was even somewhat sympathetic. Although he didn't know Ebina particularly well, he knew that her inner self was definitely not as simple as she usually appeared. At least of this, Zhixian was certain.

If Hube likes Ebina, he will inevitably need to understand her inner self, and the key lies in whether Ebina is willing to let Hube understand her and then enter her world.

The answer is probably no. After all, Ebina is not the type of girl who wants to fall in love. Zhixian once heard Yumiko say that many boys wanted her to introduce Ebina to them. After all, Ebina is very beautiful and looks very quiet, like a good girl, so she is very popular among boys.

But according to Yumiko, Ebina really doesn't like such activities. She doesn't want to get to know those boys and deepen their understanding and have a romantic relationship.

Because she showed such obvious resistance, Yumiko didn't insist. Their friendship was genuine, so when Ebina clearly expressed this resistance to Yumiko, she naturally stopped doing it.

Yuigahama had never been as decisive as Ebina in this regard, as she was always prone to agreeing with others and was extremely insecure about herself. She didn't dare to easily express her own opinions, and she was foolish and a bit weak. That's why Yumiko wanted Yuigahama to speak clearly, but Yumiko's approach was also very aggressive, so if it weren't for Yukinoshita, Yuigahama might not have changed.

Although she appears to be awe-inspiring, quiet, and imposing, Yumiko actually possesses a motherly quality. She's always quietly paying attention to everything around her friends, quietly noting their casual comments. Honestly, she's a bit clumsy, but this is precisely the kind side of Yumiko's heart.

Of course, this side of her is even more obvious when she's with Rumi. Rumi often complains that Yumiko is even more like her mother than Mrs. Tsurumi. She also says that Yumiko will definitely help Zhixian take care of the whole family in the future because she really is like an old mother.

That being said, Yumiko is often impulsive and lacks thoughtfulness, often speaking without thinking. She harbors no ill intentions, but Chixian often helps her solve unexpected problems. Yumiko is like the passionate protagonist in "Jump," often driven by passion, kind yet impulsive.

Zhixian likes Yumiko like this kind of person, just like her title "Queen of Fire", full of enthusiasm and motivation.

Couples complement each other, just as a family doesn't need two physically skilled individuals. Zhixian doesn't need Yumiko to be as calm and cautious as he is; her enthusiasm always infects Zhixian. Watching Yumiko from behind is also what Zhixian considers a beautiful time. He can always observe her true emotions from behind.

"What are you thinking about, Zhixian?" Youmiko waved her hand in front of her boyfriend.

"Ah, nothing, I was just a little distracted." Zhixian smiled and held Youmeiko's hand that was waving in front of him.

"Oh! So many people are watching us!" Youmiko said angrily, then pulled her hand away. "I stole your makeup rights from the makeup team. Just wait for me to do whatever I want with you!"

Because the girls in the makeup team were surrounding Hayama and Totsuka and taking the opportunity to touch them openly, and from time to time they said things like "their skin is so white and tender."

"I'm very happy to do so." Zhixian said.

130. Band and Stage Play

Ebina took Kawasaki aside and explained what he needed to pay attention to in the pilot's clothes. Then everyone returned to their positions to prepare for the work at hand. Those who made props made props, those who prepared makeup and styling prepared cosmetics, and those who needed to perform on stage measured their sizes and memorized their lines.

"Isn't Sagami the executive committee member? Why is she staying in the class?" Zhixian was holding his arms high and letting Yumiko use a tape measure to measure his size, which was the key to making clothes.

"Hmph, who knows? They probably just threw the job to Yukinoshita, didn't they?" Yumiko replied unhappily. Although she disliked both Sagami and Yukinoshita, compared to Yukinoshita's superior strength, Sagami simply wasn't in her favor. "What's with the position of committee leader? She must have been the only one who raised her hand. Otherwise, how could she have won over Yukinoshita?"

Yumiko, who'd been in Sagami's class for over a semester, couldn't help but wonder what Sagami was like? They were all girls, so how could anyone know what everyone else was thinking? Sagami, the so-called "second group," had absolutely no influence, no special talents, and no beauty. Sagami herself was plain, her only red hair a bright spot, but she was always prone to sarcasm.

Yumiko has never given Sagami face. She thinks this person is fake, hypocritical, narrow-minded, and a bully.

A cultural festival is being organized by a committee member? Come on, what kind of cultural festival is he supposed to organize who hasn't even done any homework? He just happily invited Yukinoshita to be his assistant, dumped all the work on her, and only wanted the prestigious title of committee member.

So boring!

While Yumiko was complaining in her heart, Yuigahama, who had caught a glimpse of Hikigaya leaving, spoke to Sagami.

"Xiaomo, is everything okay with Wenshi?"

"Huh? It's okay, it's okay!" Sagami waved his hand indifferently.

"but......"

"Ah, I can't seem to help anyway, and if I go there, it might just cause trouble, right?"

If that's the case, then why don't you just stop being the committee leader? A temporary committee member acting like a hands-off boss? Is there something fishy going on in your head? Zhixian and Youmiko exchanged a glance, each knowing what the other was about to complain about without needing to speak.

"That's not the case. I can definitely help! And the situation over there seems to be very serious, so it's better to share everyone's burden, okay?" Yuigahama still tried to persuade Sagami to return to the executive committee to work.

"No problem, no problem. Yukinoshita is super reliable! And I'm also in charge of the class project application~"

In short, persuasion was fruitless.

"I can finish writing that kind of project application in about five minutes." Zhixian finally couldn't help but speak.

"Who said it wasn't?" Yumiko curled her lips in disdain while writing down Zhixian's data on a piece of paper - these data would be used by Kawasaki to make the Little Prince's costume.

"This cultural festival is such a disaster." Zhixian sighed, "We need to rehearse for the band's performance later, right?"

"Yes, Hayato said he borrowed a music classroom." Yumiko replied.

Yes, Hayama plans to perform on the main stage of the cultural festival as part of an aspiring group. As for the content, it will be an ordinary band live. He fully realizes that he is a very outstanding existence, and he has indeed responded to this expectation.

Zhixian and Youmeiko were also invited. Zhixian originally wanted to refuse, after all, he was not very good at playing musical instruments and his singing was just average.

However, Hayama made a suggestion that both he and Yumiko were attracted to - a duet of love songs.

This really touched the two of them, and it didn't matter that they didn't know how to play an instrument because it had already been arranged.

Hayama himself is the guitarist, Tobe is the drummer, Yamato is the bassist, and Ooka is the keyboardist.

Zhixian and Youmiko will be the lead vocalists, and there will only be one song scheduled. The title of the song is being kept secret for now.

For Ye Shan, this is just a matter of playing a supporting role, but he doesn't mind it very much. Instead, he is looking forward to the duet of love songs between Zhixian and Youmiko.

Chixian and Yumiko successfully won the regional qualifiers. The county tournament wouldn't be held for a while, giving them a good time to finish their performances for the cultural festival and return their focus to tennis. This was exactly what Chixian meant by "plenty of opportunities to slack off" while studying in the US. Because Chixian Yumiko was so busy with the cultural festival, she didn't have much energy to focus on her studies. She didn't have to report to the club every day; she just needed to attend training classes on time.

After discussing it with Yumiko, Chih-hsien decided on a song from a popular film. It's a female solo song early on, with male vocals added at appropriate points, making it a perfect song for a couple to sing together. However, since the male vocals were a bit lacking, the two had to reconsider the lyrics distribution, shifting some of the female solos at the beginning to the male.

He's been performing in stage plays and bands, but aside from competitions, Zhixian rarely participates in high-profile events. Partly because he's lazy, and partly because no one would invite him. So, both Yeshan and Ebina can be considered pioneers.

As for his cameo in the drama club, it was really just a cameo. Zhixian's lines in all his previous cameos combined were less than half of his current lead role. After all, you can't expect a guard or general to have many scenes or lines. For the drama club, the armored character was simply there to complement Kashima, who played the prince.

By the way, Nozaki has already learned about this matter through Chiyo, and he said that he will definitely be there to watch it.

As for Chiyo, she learned about this through Yumiko. Now Chiyo is like Yumiko's good sister, second only to Ebina and Yuigahama. However, Yumiko said that she would introduce the three of them to each other when she has time.

Once Nozaki and Chiyo knew about it, it meant that all of Nozaki's assistants knew about it. Everyone expressed their support, and Hori-senpai even said that if they had any questions about acting or lines, they could come to him.

Hori: You can ask me any questions Tachibana. Even though I don't perform much now, I still know a lot! By the way, what kind of role do you play?

Zhixian: Prince...

Hori: A prince! That makes it even easier! Kashima is a professional prince actor. He might seem unreliable on a daily basis, but when it comes to acting, he's the mainstay of our drama club!

Zhixian: No, Senior, you are mistaken...

Hori: It’s okay, Tachibana, don’t be shy, don’t worry, Kashima will teach you his experience!

Zhixian: I played the little prince in "Prince of the Stars".

Hori: ...Excuse me!

Extra: Christmas for Two (Part 1)

(This extra story takes place several years after the two entered the professional tennis world.)

"Ah! Neon, I'm finally back!" A blonde woman wearing sunglasses exclaimed with her arms spread out at the airport.

"I really miss you after not seeing you for a few months." The man behind the blonde woman, also wearing sunglasses, agreed with a smile - while pushing two large suitcases in his hands.

"Youmiko, this way!" As soon as Jin and Yin walked out of the hall, they saw someone waving at them.

"Long time no see, auntie~" The one called Yumiko is naturally our heroine Miura Yumiko, and the one she calls auntie is Chixian's mother, Ms. Sato.

"Mom, you didn't even say hello to your son." Zhixian was surprised, "And you just watched me push two boxes without helping me."

"Shouldn't it be you men who should be doing the luggage work? Dad, go help your son."

Then Mr. Ju silently took a large suitcase from his son, and the two of them worked together to put the two suitcases into the trunk - fortunately Mr. Ju's car was a Cherokee, otherwise the two large boxes might not have fit.

Oh, by the way, Mr. Tachibana and Ms. Sato have remarried. The reason is unknown, but it can be said that everyone is happy. (The author is too lazy to write)

After putting away the luggage, Zhixian very consciously got on the passenger seat and let his mother and Youmeko sit in the back seat.

"Your dad and I watched your match at the US Open. Wow! Your dad was so excited!" As soon as we got on the road, Ms. Sato started talking about the Platinum Players' record in the United States. "You guys are amazing! I was so moved that I cried."

The US Open, one of the four Grand Slams, is held in New York City from late August to early September each year. This is the final Grand Slam tournament of the year. This year, after failing to qualify for the first three Grand Slams, the Platinum duo finally triumphed in the final, defeating their opponents and winning the trophy.

This is the first time that the platinum duo has won the US Open.

He has won some championships in previous tournaments, but their value is far less than that of the US Open.

The fledgling Platinum Combination won the French Open mixed doubles championship in their first French Open appearance, which caused a huge sensation.

Although mixed doubles has never received much attention, the fact that a pair of newcomers won the championship still caused a sensation, especially since the male player reached the quarterfinals in the singles competition and unfortunately lost to a seeded player.

As a result, the Platinum Combination became famous in the tennis world. In the following years, they always won championships. Even if they did not win the four Grand Slams, they would win some heavyweight championships.