Chapter 52: A Smashing Victory!

　　“It’s Su Ling’s turn to serve,” Su Dan observed, his voice calm but firm.

　　“Wenxi should be able to hold his own, right? After all, he’s competed in the junior tournament in Country M.” Even as Yu Qiang said this, a twinge of doubt crept into his voice.

　　After watching the first game, it was clear where both of them stood in terms of skill.

　　There was no denying that Wenxi was formidable; each of his serves was incredibly tricky to return, leaving his opponents scrambling. If anyone else had been in his place, they would have likely failed to return even a single shot. But Su Ling was different. After losing two points, something seemed to click within him, almost as if he had unlocked some hidden cheat. No matter the angle from which Wenxi served, Su Ling returned each shot with ease, effortlessly turning the tables and securing the next point.

　　Su Ling’s skills were definitely a cut above the rest!

　　After draining the last of his mineral water, Su Dan expertly tossed the bottle into the trash can beside him. He then grabbed his racket and made his way out of the area.

　　“Eh? You’re not watching anymore?” Yu Qiang called out as he hurried to catch up.

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　　Shen Wei shrugged nonchalantly. “Good things are meant to be shared among brothers, don’t you think?”

　　Upon hearing that, Yu Qiang cursed under his breath, “What a beast.”

　　On the court, Su Ling casually bounced the ball with his racket, waiting for Wenxi to get into the zone. Once he was ready, Su Ling nodded at Lin Zhou.

　　Meanwhile, Lin Zhou gave Wenxi a furtive glance and then blew his whistle, signaling the start of the match.

　　“Go, Wenxi!” Li Ting cheered.

　　Wenxi bit down on his lip, his grip on the racket so tight it seemed ready to snap. His eyes, however, blazed with a fiery intensity as they locked onto Su Ling.

　　How could I possibly lose to an amateur like him? It’s alright, I’ve only just lost the first game… There’s no way I’ll let him score even a single point in the second!

　　Taking a deep breath, Wenxi steeled himself, ready to give his all.

　　Su Ling tossed the ball into the air and swiftly smashed it with a swing of his racket. The yellow ball shot forward like a missile, hitting the ground with a deafening bang. Instinctively, Wenxi leaped to return the serve but misjudged the timing. His racket swung through empty air as the ball ricocheted off the court with a low bounce, skimming the floor as it zipped past him.

　　Beep! Lin Zhou announced, “Fifteen-love, Su Ling!”

　　Li Ting’s mouth fell open slightly as he stared in disbelief at the small yellow ball rolling on the ground.

　　This is…  a flat serve?

　　Wenxi froze mid-swing, holding his racket stiffly as his face turned a ghastly shade of pale.

　　The flat serve, also known as the cannonball serve, was notable for its incredible speed, power, and low bounce. It often caused opponents to either completely miss the ball or hit the net, resulting in service faults and lost points.

　　By starting off the match with this serve, Su Ling had effectively countered the topspin serve he had used in the previous game.

　　Wenxi lowered his racket and readied himself for the next serve, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.

　　Does he really think this will intimidate me? How naive! What kind of players haven’t I faced in the junior tournament? I’ve battled through professional athletes with a dizzying variety of skills and strategies to clinch second place, so there’s no way I’d stumble here.

　　Seeing Wenxi regain his confidence, Su Ling broke into a warm smile.

　　For him to have recovered so quickly showed he had remarkable mental resilience. Once his pride was shattered, the sense of achievement from overcoming it would be all the more satisfying.

　　He tossed the ball into the air, then smacked it with a swing of his racket.

　　Thump!

　　Wenxi quickly lowered his center of gravity, swinging his racket to strike the ball. But once again, he missed — his racket slicing through nothing but air.

　　The ball bounced ever so slightly on the floor, but as his racket swept through the air, it seemed to have lost all its spring, rolling along the ground instead.

　　Su Ling’s racket sliced through the air once more, sending another flat serve sailing over the net and securing the point effortlessly.

　　Meanwhile, Wenxi’s breath came in quick gasps, his forehead glistening with a fine sheen of sweat.

　　No one can ever rely on flat serves all the time!

　　Even though this serve was powerful, its accuracy was dismally low. Hitting it once or twice could be chalked up to luck, so he refused to believe that Su Ling would manage to pull it off a third time!

　　With the ball clasped in his hand and a warm smile brightening his features, Su Ling launched his third serve, undeterred by Wenxi’s piercing stare.

　　Thump!

　　The ball skimmed past the service line as it hit the ground. Wenxi scrambled to return it, but it dove straight into the net.

　　Another flat serve?! How is that even possible? He actually pulled it off three times in a row!

　　Beads of sweat poured down Wen Xi’s face, blurring his vision like a cascading waterfall. He yanked up the corner of his shirt, wiped his face, and glared at the impossibly handsome young man across from him, whose harmless smile only deepened his irritation.

　　Is he trying to make a fool of me?

　　Wenxi’s fury ignited at the mere thought of it, burning brighter than ever.

　　The next game seemed to prove his thoughts right, with Su Ling’s relentless serves scoring point after point, leaving Wenxi no opportunity to fight back.

　　“Left!”

　　“Right!”

　　“Wait, no, it‘s still left!”

　　Wenxi darted frantically from side to side, chasing after Su Ling’s shots. Even when he managed to predict where the ball would land, its low bounce always threw him off — leaving him either missing the return or sending it straight into the net. Each failure chipped away at his resolve, and before long, his vision blurred. The incoming balls multiplied, first becoming two, then four, until they swarmed him, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

　　“Ah!”

　　His ankle twisted, sending him sprawling to the ground with his racket stretched out in vain. The ball landed a mere two inches away, bounced high into the air, and flew out of the court.

　　This time, it was not a flat serve. Utterly spent, Wenxi crumpled onto the court, falling a step too soon.

　　“Wenxi!” Li Ting cried out in alarm, hurrying to his side to help him up. Yu Qiang and Shen Wei quickly rushed over from the rest area, concern written all over their faces.

　　Su Ling wiped the beads of sweat from his brow and slowly made his way to the net. His voice softened with concern as he asked, “Are you okay?”

　　With Li Ting steadying him, Wen Xi’s eyes were rimmed with red, his lips quivering with each unspoken breath. His elbow had scraped raw against the ground, blood seeping slowly from the wound, leaving him looking utterly disheveled and in agony.

　　Li Ting felt a pang in his heart as he shot a sharp glare at Su Ling. “Does this look okay to you?”

　　Frowning deeply, Shen Wei chided, “Wenxi is younger than you, Young Master Su. Don’t you think it’s a bit much to make him run around like this?”

　　Lin Zhou strolled over to Su Ling, arms crossed and a smirk playing on his lips. “You can’t put it like that since accidents happen all the time in matches. Xiao Ling just happens to be more skilled, so there’s nothing we can do about that. And besides, your friend was the one who asked for this match, so he’ll have to live with the outcome!”

　　Su Ling pressed his hand firmly on Lin Zhou’s shoulder before effortlessly swinging his long legs over the net. He approached Wenxi, extending his hand with a furrowed brow. “I’m sorry you got hurt. If you’re feeling unwell, I can take you to the Lin Clan Private Hospital for a full check-up.”

　　“No need,” Wenxi replied curtly, swatting his hand away with hardly any semblance of grace.

　　Su Ling withdrew his outstretched hand, a flicker of hurt passing through his peach blossom eyes while his visage wore a picture of pure innocence.

　　He had always been beautiful, so seeing him gently bite his lip, hesitate to speak, and wear that forlorn expression stirred a deep sense of sympathy.

　　As such, Yu Qiang stepped in to ease the tension. “How about… Wenxi goes to the hospital for a check-up?”

　　Li Ting glared fiercely, frustration boiling within him. Whose side is he really on? How could he speak up for the enemy? No matter how beautiful Su Ling is, he’s still a married man!

　　Lin Zhou raised his voice and added, “Exactly! If Xiao Ling takes him to the hospital, it’ll all be free of charge.”

　　Those words were like pouring fuel on a fire, leaving Wenxi utterly humiliated. Rage contorted his face as he shoved past Li Ting and the others, limping away from the court.

　　“Hey, Wenxi!” Li Ting hurried after him and reached out to steady him, only for Wenxi to shove his hand away in a fit of anger.

　　Noticing the pitiable expression on Su Ling’s face, Yu Qiang and Shen Wei uttered gently, “Wenxi is still young, and a bit immature at times. We hope you won’t hold it against him, Young Master Su.”

　　Su Ling lowered his gaze and whispered, “Alright, I won’t.”

　　As Wenxi and Li Ting walked off the court, the two exchanged glances and knew it was best not to stay. Grabbing their tennis bags, they rushed out without a second thought.

　　Like a magician’s trick, the grievance vanished from Su Ling’s face. He waved his racquet indifferently, as if nothing had happened.

　　“Haha, you really gave him a hard time!” Lin Zhou chuckled.

　　“Is that so? I merely gave him a taste of his own medicine,” Su Ling remarked coolly.

　　Lin Zhou raised an eyebrow, sensing the hidden motives behind Wenxi’s actions.

　　This Wenxi was clearly up to no good. He’d tried to gain an advantage but ended up losing not just the match, but also any shred of grace he had left.

　　Su Ling walked over to the rest area and took a bottle of mineral water from his bag. He drank deeply, downing half the bottle in one go. Once quenched, he settled into a chair and exhaled in relief.

　　“If he held on for another ten minutes, I’d definitely slip up.”

　　“He was completely thrown off by your consecutive flat serves,” Lin Zhou laughed, pausing to sip from his water bottle.

　　After all, Su Ling was ultimately an amateur and nowhere near the level of professional athletes. Yet, his two signature moves often left others momentarily stunned.

　　As an artist, he was inherently sensitive, a trait that sharpened his intuitive abilities to an extraordinary degree. His tall stature provided an edge in flat serves, and after practicing diligently for some time, he achieved an impressive accuracy rate of ninety percent. Once the ball was in his hands, his opponents had little chance to retaliate.

　　However, there were two sides to every coin. As fatigue set in, his accuracy began to slip. But if Wenxi could hold on for just one more game, he would have a chance to turn the tide.

　　Unfortunately, Su Ling had shattered his pride, leaving Wenxi disoriented and unable to make sound judgments.

　　Su Ling pulled out a towel and wiped the sweat from his face and neck. Feeling his energy return, he effortlessly sprang into a few light jumps.

　　“Come on, let’s play a few games.”

　　“You still have energy left?” Lin Zhou questioned.

　　“Of course,” Su Ling declared, his voice dripping with confidence.

　　If I didn’t have the stamina, how could I possibly handle ten rounds with Lin Feng in one night?

　　Cough!

* * *

　　After their tennis match, Su Ling and Lin Zhou headed over to the riding arena, where they spent over an hour riding. By four in the afternoon, they called it a day and drove home separately.

　　The sapphire-blue sports car cruised leisurely through the bustling streets. As he passed a towering skyscraper, Su Ling deftly turned the steering wheel, performing a wide U-turn into the building’s outdoor carpark.

　　After parking the car, he stepped into the building, taking in the lavish lobby filled with shimmering gold accents. With a curious glance around, his eyes landed on the front desk, and he strolled over with a graceful stride.

　　“Excuse me, could you tell me which floor the CEO’s office is on?”

　　As she worked diligently at her desk, the receptionist heard a charming male voice and instinctively lifted her gaze. The sight of an exceptionally handsome young man rendered her momentarily speechless, her mouth jaw dropping in astonishment.

　　“Oh! You’re—”

　　Cutie!

　　The receptionist nearly exclaimed in shock, but she caught herself, forcing the sound back down her throat.

　　Oh my God! Am I hallucinating? Why on earth is the CEO’s wife here at the office all of a sudden? Ahhhh!

　　Up close, his face was a hundred times more beautiful than in the live stream — no, a thousand times, a million times more stunning!

　　The receptionist was overcome with an indescribable exhilaration, and if it were not for her practiced professionalism, she would have passed out from sheer happiness right then and there.

　　“H-hello…” She swallowed hard, rising from her seat to reveal the most perfect smile.

　　“Hello.” Su Ling greeted, a warm smile gracing his features. “Could you tell me how to get to the CEO’s office? Do I need an appointment?”

　　“Of course, it’s no trouble at all! And no appointment is needed!” the receptionist replied quickly. Usually, she would stick to the rules with anyone else, but this was CEO Lin’s beloved partner. Of course, no appointments were necessary!

　　“Please hold on a moment. I’ll find someone to take you upstairs.” She picked up the phone and dialed an internal extension.

　　Su Ling waited patiently, his eyes wandering as he curiously surveyed the Lin Enterprises Headquarters.

　　Only then did it dawn on him that this was his first time visiting Lin Feng! The receptionist’s strange reaction also made it seem like she recognized him. Could it be… that she had watched his live stream?