CIATB Chapter 159 Serves you right for being so cheeky.
Chapter 159 Serves you right for being so cheeky.
The following afternoon, the sunlight in Kanagawa still carried the salty scent of the sea breeze.
When Mochizuki Ryo came out of the Yukimura house, Luna was curled up in his coat pocket, only her two fluffy little ears showing. The Elizabeth collar was pressed a little crooked, but she didn't care and was sleeping soundly with her eyes half-closed.
The driver was already waiting at the door.
"Young Master, shall we go straight back to Hyotei?"
"Okay." Wang Yueling sat in the back seat, carefully pulling the pockets outwards to avoid crushing the kitten. "Drive carefully."
As he started the car, he took out his phone and glanced at the time. It was 3:10 PM, and the ranking match should have been at a crucial moment.
Atobe sent a message ten minutes ago, consisting of only one sentence: 【This great one is about to go on stage.】
Wang Yueling stared at the message for two seconds, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly.
He could almost picture Atobe sending that message with his chin slightly raised and his finger pointing at the beauty mark at the corner of his eye, a picture of arrogance on his face.
[Number One Under Heaven]: Coming right away, sir, you can start fighting first, no need to wait for me. (Q version of Mochizuki Ling wagging its tail and standing at attention.jpg)
After sending the message, he put his phone back in his pocket and glanced down at Luna. The kitten rolled over in his pocket, revealing its round belly, its injured paw resting on the edge of the pocket, and purring softly.
Thirty minutes later, the car turned into the side gate of Hyotei.
The commotion from the tennis club could be heard from afar. The sounds of hitting the ball, running, and the occasional suppressed cheers mingled together, like a pot of boiling water.
Wang Yueling opened the car door, first protecting her pockets with her hand to make sure Luna wasn't woken up, before walking towards the stadium.
The area around the stadium was packed with people.
The non-regulars stood in twos and threes outside the fence, craning their necks to peek inside. Some were taking notes with their clipboards, while others were whispering to their companions.
As soon as Wang Yueling walked in, several members in the back row saw him.
"The substitute coach has arrived."
Someone shouted, and the crowd automatically parted to make way. The boys stood ramrod straight, their eyes filled with pure respect.
Wang Yueling nodded, one hand in the pocket of her sports jacket, and walked forward at a leisurely pace.
In the center court, Taro Sakaki sat on the coach's bench.
Even in the sweltering summer, his posture remained impeccably upright. He wore a dark gray three-piece suit, the collar buttoned up meticulously, and held a silver fountain pen in his hand, writing something on a notepad.
Wang Yueling walked over and sat down next to him.
Luna rolled over in his pocket, and he reached out and gently pressed her through the fabric. The kitten quieted down again.
"Cousin," he called out, his tone casually affectionate.
Sakaki Taro didn't look up; the pen tip paused briefly on the paper.
"They're here."
"Hmm." Wang Yueling leaned back in her chair, her gaze sweeping across the various courts. Each final match had entered its final stage.
The match currently underway at the Central Stadium is between Atobe and Shishido, with the score at 4-1, Atobe in the lead.
Atobe stood at the baseline, twirling his racket in his hand. His greyish-white team uniform accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow legs, and his purplish-grey hair gleamed coldly in the sunlight.
His posture was relaxed, but his eyes were focused, like an eagle eyeing its prey.
Across from him, Ryo Shishido was half-crouched, his center of gravity low, his long black hair tied back. His breathing was heavy, and his wristband was soaked with sweat, but his grip on the racket was steady.
Atobe tossed the ball up into the air.
"Tannhäuser serves."
The ball landed in the service area with almost no bounce, sliding straight across the ground. Shishido took a step forward, extended his racket, and scooped the ball up just before it went out of bounds.
The quality of the return shot was not low, landing on Atobe's backhand side.
Atobe turned sideways and hit a forehand smash; the ball was very fast and the angle was very tricky.
Shishido chased after him and blocked the attack with his backhand.
The two started pulling against each other at the baseline.
As Mochizuki Ryou watched Shishido move, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes.
A month and a half ago, Shishido's defensive range was limited to a small area in front of him. Now his coverage area has increased by at least one circle, and his footwork is cleaner than before, without any unnecessary shuffling steps; every movement is aimed directly at the ball's landing point.
"Shishido's progress is obvious."
Sakaki Taro finally raised his head and followed his gaze.
"Hmm. His defensive range has expanded significantly, and his timing for interceptions is more accurate than before." He paused, tapping the pen tip on the scoreboard. "His training during his time away from the starting lineup has indeed yielded excellent results."
"Of course." Wang Yueling raised an eyebrow, a hint of smugness in her voice. "Don't you know who brought them?"
Sakaki Taro glanced at him but didn't reply.
On the court, Atobe suddenly changed direction, sending a cross-court shot straight to Shishido's backhand corner. Shishido lunged forward, his racket barely touching the ball, but the return was weak, drifting limply towards the midcourt.
Atobe seized the opportunity to go online, intercept, and score.
"30-0".
Atobe stood at the net, watching Shishido bend down to pick up the ball, and offered some advice, "Your backhand is still a bit slow. If you had moved half a step to the left earlier on that last shot, you could have hit a more threatening return."
Shishido straightened up, wiped the sweat from his brow, and nodded.
"understood."
He walked back to the baseline and readjusted his posture.
Wang Yueling smiled slightly as she watched this scene.
"Atobe is really dedicated to his duties as department head."
Taro Sakaki nodded slightly.
"Atobe has always been like this."
In the following shots, Shishido clearly adjusted his positioning. He lowered his center of gravity, became more agile, and appeared at the ball's landing point several times in advance.
In the fifth game, Shishido seized on a mistake by Atobe that wasn't really a mistake and delivered a beautiful supersonic smash.
The ball was so fast that it was almost invisible, and bounced off the net after landing.
"Beautiful!" someone on the sidelines couldn't help but shout.
Shishido stumbled when he landed, but quickly regained his balance. He looked up at Atobe opposite him, his eyes gleaming with a "see, I can do it" light.
Atobe looked at him and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
That smile wasn't mocking, it was one of satisfaction.
In the sixth game, Atobe gave Shishido no more chances. In his service game, he hit three consecutive Tannhäuser serves, each one precisely hitting Shishido's backhand corner.
On the last ball, Shishido lunged forward with all his might, his racket touched the ball, but the ball flew out of bounds.
The referee's voice rang out.
"Game, Atobe. 6 to 1."
Atobe stood at the baseline, his breathing not too rapid, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. He rested his racket on his shoulder, watching Shishido, who was bent over and panting, opposite him.
Shishido's team uniform was soaked through on the back, and a few strands of his long hair clung to his face. He straightened up, brushed his sweaty bangs back, and walked to the net.
Atobe also walked over, and the two shook hands.
"Well played."
Atobe's voice wasn't loud, but everyone on the sidelines could hear him: "The consistency of the supersonic spike is much better than last week, and the landing deviation is controlled within ten centimeters. However, the timing of the jump was still a bit too early; if it were 0.2 seconds later, the ball would be more powerful."
Shishido looked at him, listened attentively, and nodded.
"I understand, Minister."
"Hmm." Atobe withdrew his hand, tapping the beauty mark at the corner of his eye with his finger. "But today's performance was quite spectacular."
Shishido's lips curved slightly, not a big one, but it did curl up a little.
He turned and walked back to the sidelines, wiping the sweat from his face with a towel. Ryohei Koizumi stood beside him, holding a water bottle, his eyes filled with obvious admiration as he looked at Shishido.
"Shishido-senpai, that smash was amazing."
A muffled voice came from under the towel: "Still a long way off."
Koizumi smiled and said nothing more.
Sitting on the coach's bench, Mochizuki Ryo shifted his gaze from the center court to the other courts.
Takiginosuke walked over from the side and handed the record sheet to Mochizuki Ryo. "Coach, this is a summary of the data from all the matches today."
Wang Yueling took it and turned the pages one by one.
The first page lists the main candidates: Atobe, Oshitari, Jiro, Kabaji, Shishido, Mukahi, and Ootori.
Hiyoshi and Taki were confirmed as the candidates for the main election.
Just as he had predicted.
"Not bad." Mochizuki Ryo glanced at Takiginosuke. "Your data tennis has matured a lot since a month ago, and your on-court judgment is more stable. Keep it up."
Takiginosuke bowed slightly, his tone respectful but his eyes clearly showing happiness, "Thank you for your guidance, Coach Dai."
Wang Yueling continued flipping through the pages.
The following pages contain the match records of the non-regular players, with detailed data following each person's name.
Serve success rate, return shot placement deviation, running distance, number of errors...
He read it very carefully, and by the end, the corners of his mouth curved into a smile.
The progress made by the entire tennis team during this period is visible to the naked eye and a solid improvement.
A month ago, the success rate of serves by non-regular players was hovering around 40%, but now it has generally increased to over 70%. The deviation of the return ball's landing point has also been reduced from 15 centimeters to less than 10 centimeters.
Several members even performed at a level close to that of the regular players.
He closed the record sheet and let out a long sigh.
"Damn it, these guys, at least my words weren't wasted."
Sakaki Taro sat beside him, watching his expression, and put down his pen. "They've progressed much faster than I expected in this period of time."
His gaze fell on Xiang Ri, who was stretching on the sidelines.
"Xiang Ri's jumping height has increased by nearly 20 centimeters compared to a month ago, and his hang time during lunar flips has also increased. He used to get out of breath in the latter part of the game, but now he can last the whole match."
"The allocation of physical energy is also much more reasonable than before."
Wang Yueling nodded without interrupting.
Sakaki Taro's gaze shifted to the other side.
Shinobu was leaning against the net, drinking water, still looking as lazy as ever, but his eyes behind his glasses were more serious than in any previous match.
"In the past, Renji always liked to keep his moves hidden, only using them in crucial moments. Now his playing style is more proactive, and the frequency of his tidal volleys is twice as high as before, with a success rate consistently above 90%."
He paused, then tapped the pen tip lightly on the notepad.
"Jiro's volley reaction time has improved by 0.3 seconds. Don't underestimate this number; in net play, 0.3 seconds is the dividing line between scoring and losing points."
Hearing this, Wang Yueling couldn't help but interject, "Cousin, you even took this test?"
Sakaki Taro glanced at him, his tone indifferent.
"Only data doesn't lie."
Wang Yueling was taken aback by his words and silently swallowed back the words she wanted to say.
Sakaki Taro continued speaking, his gaze falling on Kabaji.
"Kabaji...he has changed the most."
When he said this, there was a faint, almost imperceptible, emotion in his voice.
"His tennis used to be purely imitation; he just played whatever others played. Now it's different; he's starting to have his own ideas. His serve choices, return shots, and tactical adjustments are showing signs of a personal style."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yueling smirked somewhat narcissistically and muttered something under her breath.
"Of course, I taught him step by step."
Sakaki Taro ignored him and continued:
"Phoenix's One-Shot Soul-Piercing Technique has increased its success rate from 50% a month ago to over 90%. Hiyoshi's Ancient Martial Arts Tennis has eliminated unnecessary movements, making it even more lethal than before."
He paused here, his gaze slowly sweeping across the court, and his voice softened a little.
"And those who aren't regulars."
"Sato's backhand slice, which used to frequently hit the net a month ago, can now consistently hit the baseline. Koizumi's serve speed has increased by nearly 20 kilometers per hour, and the placement deviation has also decreased..."
"There are also several complete beginners in the first year, and their serve reception is much more disciplined than when they first joined the club."
He looked away, stared at the notepad in his hand, and remained silent for a few seconds.
"I don't come to Hyotei very often each week; Atobe manages it most of the time. Since you came, I've come even less."
He placed the clipboard on his lap, turned his head, and looked at Wang Yueling, his eyes revealing something he rarely showed in front of others.
"But I've been watching this ranking tournament since this morning. I can clearly feel... Xiaoling, you're more suited to be a coach than I am."
Ryo Mochizuki was taken aback by the sudden praise. Looking at Taro Sakaki's expressionless face, he was momentarily speechless.
Then he blinked, and the corners of his mouth slowly turned up.
"Cousin, are you praising me?"
"State the facts."
Wang Yueling laughed out loud, leaned back in her chair, and swung her crossed legs. "But to be honest, cousin, your old training methods really weren't working."
Sakaki Taro's brow twitched slightly.
Wang Yueling didn't notice, or rather, he didn't care at all, and continued speaking. His speech was not fast, but every word made people's teeth itch.
"You've focused too much on technical training, and haven't paid much attention to physical fitness and mental fortitude."
"He only comes a few times a week. Every time he comes, he sits on the coach's bench, strikes a pose, and makes a gesture."
"When your teammates don't play well, you don't scold them, you just watch. Do you realize that your 'thinking' gesture has become a signal in the players' minds that 'the coach is here to check on us again, so everyone should act convincingly'?"
Sakaki Taro's lips twitched slightly.
"And your troop deployment."
Wang Yueling held up a finger and wagged it. "Too rigid. Who plays singles and who plays doubles? You should have thrown away that fixed mindset a long time ago. Tennis is about adjusting your performance on the day, not about fixed positions."
He got more and more excited as he talked, and his tone became increasingly irritating.
"Hyotei wouldn't have achieved what it has today if it weren't for Atobe, such a reliable captain."
Upon hearing this, the team members standing nearby froze. They exchanged glances, their eyes all saying the same thing: "Coach Dai has gone mad; he even dares to criticize Coach Sakaki to his face."
Then they saw Sakaki Taro's expression.
There was no anger, no embarrassment, not even a flicker of emotion. He simply looked at Wang Yueling, remained silent for several seconds, and then nodded slightly.
"you're right."
Wang Yueling raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Sakaki Taro withdrew his gaze and looked back at the court.
"That's why I'm making you the coach."
"..."
Wang Yueling opened his mouth, only to find himself choked. He had prepared a whole bunch of things to say, intending to tease his cousin from head to toe.
The other person simply replied, "You're right," completely shutting him down.
He sighed inwardly.
Mon dieu, my cousin is getting harder and harder to deal with.
The team members standing nearby, watching their substitute coach's humiliated state, were all trying hard to suppress their laughter, their shoulders shaking like leaves.
No one dared to laugh out loud, but everyone silently added in their hearts, "Serves you right for being so cheeky."