Back in the rest area, Jian Changnian wiped her sweat with a towel and glanced at her knees.
"Your injury..."
Taking on the defensive work of the entire backcourt is no easier than smashing at the net; she almost fell several times.
Xie Shi'an tilted his head back and chugged the mineral water, wiped the water stains from the corner of his lips with the back of his hand, and handed the bottle back to Wan Jing.
"It's okay, we can play. Let's try to win the next round."
Wan Jing handed another bottle of water to Jian Changnian and said...
"Yes, that's what I mean too. We need to get this over with quickly and not waste time with them. The longer it drags on, the worse it will be for you."
Jian Changnian nodded, only managing to take a sip before halftime was over, and the referee's whistle blew again.
She quickly handed the water back.
"Okay, then I'll play at the net."
The second game has just begun.
The South Korean team changed their tactics, focusing their attacks on Jian Changnian alone, as she was under immense pressure at the net.
Xie Shi'an stepped forward, wanting to share her burden, but Jian Changnian was concerned about her injuries and was unwilling to give in.
The two players had their first disagreement on the court, which led to several mistakes and missed some points they should have scored.
They lost the game by only two points.
The two sides drew 1-1.
Xie Shi'an was holding his breath and sat down to rest. As she walked over, he pulled off the towel covering his head.
"Why didn't you let me smash the ball just now? We could have tied the score!"
"I..." Jian Changnian was also upset about losing the game, but the team doctor had clearly told her to do what she could.
The explosive power of that instantaneous jump is now putting too much strain on her knees.
"I thought I could do it."
"Don't you know whether you can do it or not? Don't take on a job you're not qualified for."
She said it in anger, but it touched on Jian Changnian's painful memory of losing to Kim Namji in singles a few days ago. Her heart suddenly felt like it was being pricked by a needle, and her eyes instantly turned red.
"I'm sorry... I... I tried my best, I really didn't expect... them to target me..."
When Xie Shi'an looked up, he saw that she was about to cry. He knew that he had spoken too harshly and felt a little awkward.
"Alright, how old are you? The cameras are still rolling. If the media sees this, they'll say there's discord within our team again."
It's better not to say anything at all when you're trying to comfort someone.
Wan Jing, fearing that things would get even worse, quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Say less, it's over. That's all in the past. Let's calm down and play well next time."
Xie Shi'an glanced at the South Korean team, his expression turning cold.
"I'll be the main attacker next time."
Jian Changnian was also getting anxious and wanted to try again.
"Give me another chance, let me try. I'll definitely do better next time, and I won't make the same mistake again!"
Xie Shi'an looked at Wan Jing.
Although Wan Jing was worried about Xie Shi'an's injury, the score was already 1-1, and the situation did not allow them to make any more mistakes.
He gritted his teeth and resolutely placed his hand on Jian Changnian's shoulder, applying a little force.
"It's the last round, let Shi'an go."
Even though she was unwilling, Wan Jing was, after all, the head coach, so when it was time to go on the field, she still stood at the back.
Seeing that they had changed tactics, Kim Nam-ji thought for a moment, then turned to the side and whispered to her teammates.
“Let’s deal with Jian Changnian; I’ll handle Xie Shi’an.”
"good."
Choi Hye-hee nodded, then turned her gaze to Park Min-heon, who also nodded in acknowledgment.
Choi Hye-hee gritted her teeth slightly and reached a certain consensus with him.
The referee's whistle blew.
As the two passed each other, Xie Shi'an extended his hand slightly.
Jian Changnian also took a deep breath and bumped her palm.
"come on!"
Their voices mingled with the cheers of the audience, and the decisive game officially began.
The South Korean team executed their tactics very well. Knowing that Jian Changnian was weak, they targeted her. Xie Shi'an, who was in front of the defense, didn't have eyes in the back of his head and couldn't cover some balls. They managed to tear a hole in what was originally an impenetrable defense.
The two sides traded points back and forth, basically one scoring a point and the other chasing it, neither willing to give an inch, resulting in a long and drawn-out tug-of-war.
Commentator A, observing the close score, also commented.
"Xie Shi'an is an explosive player. Among all active female badminton players, her average match time is the shortest. Such a prolonged match situation is quite disadvantageous for her."
Commentator B: "Especially before the match, we received information from the coaching staff that Xie Shi'an was playing with an injury."
Commentator A: "Jian Changnian needs to straighten up quickly. He must be careful of the ball that Cui Huixi sends from the backcourt, otherwise Xie Shian will be under too much pressure alone in front."
Commentator B: "Speaking of Choi Hye-hee, don't think of her as some unknown young player who could beat Jian Changnian like this. Kim Nam-ji is a trump card that the South Korean team sent to China to study and improve in order to break the Chinese team's gold medal monopoly in the world badminton arena, while Choi Hye-hee is a secret weapon that the South Korean team has been secretly cultivating."
Commentator A chimed in.
"Yes, she's a third-generation badminton player. Her grandfather was Choi Jun-wook, the first South Korean to win an Olympic gold medal, known as the godfather of South Korean badminton."
"Her father was the head coach of the previous South Korean national team, so she really comes from a family with a strong academic background."
Commentator B: "Moreover, she has rarely appeared on the world stage in recent years, and there is very little video footage of her matches. Even if you want to study her, there is no way to do so."
The match was in full swing, and as the two commentators provided their professional analysis, the live chat was constantly filled with messages.
"Does that mean we're going to lose this match?"
"Xie Shi'an, Jian Changnian, keep it up!"
"Don't let them lose on their home turf!"
"You trashy little brat, you only know how to pick on the weak."
"Jian Changnian has only been practicing for a short time, and Cui Huixi has been practicing for a long time. Xie Shi'an can't carry the team alone. It's over. Let's call it a day."
"Hey upstairs, if you can't speak properly, shut up. Can you stop badmouthing the Chinese team? If you're so good, why don't you play?"
...
The score is tied at 11-11.
The first half has ended, and it's halftime.
The two commentators exchanged a glance, their expressions both somewhat solemn.
"Actually, we might not necessarily lose; the outcome is about 50/50."
"Yes, when masters clash, it all comes down to who performs better."
"Jian Changnian has also had a tough time. Xie Shian played with an injury, and she took on a lot of the defensive pressure. She was still the main attacker in the first set, and we still won. Let's be more lenient with our athletes. No one doesn't want to win."
"I have to admit that the South Korean team played really well today. They executed their man-marking tactics very well."
"Moreover, Kim Nam-ji is not weak to begin with, ranking in the top five in the world, right behind Xie Shi-an. How weak could she be? Her combination with Choi Hye-hee is more than the sum of its parts."
"They made some slight mistakes in today's match. In the last game, you could feel that they had some disagreements."
"Let's see how they adjust in the second half and whether they can widen the score gap."
At the start of the second half, Kim Nam-ji scored first, fooling Chien Chang-nian's defense with a feint.
Xie Shi'an glanced back at Jian Changnian, who was still sitting on the ground, and her expression was clearly somewhat dejected.
"What are you doing?! Can't that ball be saved?!"
“I…” Jian Changnian’s hand holding the racket went limp, and she stammered, “I thought it… it would go out of bounds.”
Xie Shi'an resolutely turned his head back.
"What do you think? You're overthinking things on the field, you might as well just get off the field and stop playing."
It felt like we were back to when we first met.
When she was still training with the provincial team in Binhai, she went out to play pickup basketball and was harassed by scoundrels. Just like now, she stood in front of her like a wall, protecting her.
Jian Changnian watched her retreating figure.
The stadium lights shone on her.
Over the years, her spine has never bent, whether facing powerful enemies or public opinion.
She was knocked down time and time again, but she got up again and again. Jian Changnian once thought that she was the one who reached out to Xie Shi'an and pulled her out of the mire during those darkest days, but it turned out that she was the one who was saved.
Perhaps people only unleash new courage when they are driven to the brink of despair.
Jian Changnian, supporting himself with his racket, slowly stood up, walked to her side, and stood shoulder to shoulder with her.
Even though she didn't say anything, seeing the determination return to her eyes, Xie Shi'an smiled slightly.
Do you remember what Coach Yan said?
"Remember, when two armies meet on a narrow path, the brave shall prevail."
Jian Changnian slightly raised her chin.
"Don't worry, I won't give them any more chances to score. Even if it costs me my life, I will defend every ball that comes my way."
The situation on the field can change in an instant.
Kim Nam-ji's tricky left-handed shot was blocked by Chien Chang-nian, and Choi Hye-hee took the opportunity to move to the net and hit her right half of the court.
Jian Changnian took a half step back, raised his racket, and the moment his body blocked the opponent's view, Xie Shian rushed out.
A white meteor flew towards us.