Chapter 141: Playing Hard

（1）

Shu Shu took the tennis racket from her daughter's hand, pushed open the green partition door, and came to the tennis court.

Pei Du's gaze remained on her the whole time, until she stood firmly opposite him, he reached out and gestured for Shu Shu to serve first.

Shu Shu didn't stand on ceremony with Pei Du.

She casually grabbed a ball from the nearby ball rack, lowered her back slightly, gripped the racket with her right hand, and with her left hand bounced the ball twice on the ground; when the ball quickly bounced back into her hand, she tapped it with the racket's rim.

This was her habitual motion before serving.

Then she lifted her eyes, raised her hand, and as the ball was tossed up, the racket followed closely.

Along with — a bang.

Play!

When Pei Du returned Shu Shu's ball for the second time, he clearly realized that Shu Shu didn't need him to go easy on her as he did when playing with her daughter, and she wasn't just going through the motions to kill time.

She was full of competitive spirit.

This competitive spirit wasn't directed at him alone; no matter who the opponent was, she acted this way.

Competitive spirit doesn't mean provocation; it means respect for the court and the opponent. Often, if one still chooses to hold back at such times, it would seem too low.

Pei Du and Shu Shu locked eyes.

In an instant, they could see each other's emotions at the bottom of their eyes.

His facial expression remained unchanged, still calm, but Pei Du's wrist had already tensed, silently switching off the gentle mode and beginning to increase his effort notch by notch.

…

This end of the basketball court.

The "setback" he had just suffered at his mother's place, in no time, Shu Lingchen fully regained his confidence from little white sister.

For the fun of it, he shot ten baskets in a row.

Ten shots, ten made.

Pei Muyin watched, clapping her hands in amazement, and exclaimed, "Wow, brother, you're awesome."

"Oh dear, stay low-key."

The boy had intended to feign modesty for a few seconds, but he couldn't hold back, flipped back his handsome bangs, and started showing off: "Basic ops, no six, basic ops, no six."

Shu Lingchen listened to his sister's praise, which was comparable to an entire cheer squad, and felt extremely pleased.

As it turns out.

The feeling of making a basket is so wonderful.

ψ(｀? ′)ψ!

"How about it? Want to learn this Ten Consecutive Shots?"

Pei Muyin nodded politely: "Mm-hmm, I want to."

"Ten Consecutive Shots is a bit difficult, so sis, I've decided to teach you the Three Consecutive Shots." Shu Lingchen said authoritatively: "Let's start with the easy stuff, go from simple to hard—what do you think?"

"Okay."

Thus.

The two siblings thus began a mutual teaching session on the Three Consecutive Shots basketball.

Initially.

Shu Lingchen taught wholeheartedly, while Pei Muyin studied with full concentration.

But from time to time, a muffled thud of a ball hitting a racket sounded, each one carrying a strong force that penetrated the wind and reached their ears.

Shu Lingchen and Pei Muyin were instantly drawn to it.

The two siblings turned their heads in unison.

In the distance, they saw Shu Shu and Pei Du inside the tennis court.

Although it's not hot here during the day, sunlight brings UV rays, so sun protection is needed.

Before heading out, Shu Shu changed into a short-sleeve top and long pants for exercise, and she put on a thin layer of breathable ice sleeves on her exposed arms; she slightly arched her slender back, and her high ponytail swayed energetically as she continually adjusted her stance to receive the ball.

From the side, only half of her glowing white face could be seen beneath the shadow of the sun visor.

And opposite her.

Pei Du also wore loose-fitting dark blue athletic pants with a drawstring at the waist; matching the pants was a zip-up jacket, but since exercising would make him sweat, he had already taken off the jacket beforehand, revealing a clean white T-shirt underneath.

The lines of the man's broad shoulders and arms conveyed an inward sense of strength.

He lowered his back, his sports shoes stepping on the rubber floor, his whole body like a taut, ready-to-leap mature leopard, his dark eyes fixed on the ball.

He assumed the same posture as Shu Shu.

However.

He strikes the ball with his left hand.

The two faced off at opposite ends of the tennis court, one shadow light, the other dark, and the ball on their rackets went back and forth.

It wasn't that kind of tender, affectionate rally.

They were playing fiercely.

Each ball was aimed aggressively at the spot where the opponent was prone to make mistakes.

A left-handed tennis player has a natural advantage: they can easily produce that cunning, unexpected curve ball, which after landing flies off in a direction the opponent can't predict, making it hard to return.

Pei Du didn't hesitate and shot a curve ball at Shu Shu.

Thus the ball brushed past the side of Shu Shu's racket, just missing her.

Shu Shu wasn't angry at all; she silently went to pick up the ball, and then, when Pei Du used the curve ball for the third time, she figured out the direction pattern of his shots, and with a backhand she lightly returned the ball.

Pei Du lifted his eyelids to glance at Shu Shu, seemingly wanting to see her reaction.

Shu Shu gripped the racket with both hands, her eyebrows under the visor slightly raised toward him, as if saying:

Already seen through.

Pei Du tugged at the corner of his mouth, no longer spinning the ball.

But Shu Shu obviously wouldn't let him off so easily; she started toying with Pei Du.

Pei Du hit long, she hit short; Pei Du hit short, she hit long, keeping the ball under her racket, waiting for the right moment on the next exchange—while Pei Du was still rushing to reach the ball, she smashed it straight onto the opponent's side of the net.

Perfect smash!

At the edge of the tennis court.

Shu Lingchen and Pei Muyin were already dumbfounded.

……

Each of the two kids held their own basketball in their arms, but right now they'd both forgotten—one was supposed to teach his sister the three consecutive shots, the other was supposed to learn the three consecutive shots from his brother.

They watched Shu Shu and Pei Du play, and got mesmerized.

No, we just came out to play……

How did they end up playing with the intensity of someone aiming to win a prize?

The door is like a dividing line.

Outside the door are spectators; inside, the atmosphere is tense, obviously in the white-hot stage.

Watching made Shu Lingchen and Pei Muyin involuntarily tense with each ball Shu Shu and Pei Du played.

One moment they're nervous about Shu Shu stepping over the line, the next about Pei Du clipping the edge.

Their heads just followed the ball, turning left and right.

Unknowingly.

About an hour had passed.

The match ended.

The spectators found it immensely enjoyable, and the players played to their heart's content.

…

All four had brought an extra set of clothes, but only Shu Shu and Pei Du worked up a sweat.

Changing room.

Shu Shu finished changing, sat on the bench in the public area, preparing to bask in the air-conditioner's breeze, ready to rest a moment—just two seconds of breeze, and she felt the wind shift.

Just about to see what was happening.

A towel was handed over; the hand holding it had distinct knuckles.

Shu Shu looked up and saw Pei Du.

He too had changed into clean clothes, his aura so calm that you couldn't tell he'd just finished a fierce battle.

"One hot, one cold easily catches a chill; Yinyin, use this—an ice-cold towel."

Shu Shu also took the towel without ceremony.

As she took it to cover her face, she inevitably caught a glimpse of the thin wrist guard on Pei Du's wrist.

…

Leaving the lounge.

Shu Shu, avoiding the crowd, asked her daughter quietly:

"Muyin, I've noticed… your dad always wears a wrist guard—what's the story?"

(2)

"Your dad's wrist guard?"

From Pei Muyin's unsurprised expression, it was clear she knew about the wrist guard; the girl first glanced around mysteriously, making sure no one would hear, then leaned in to Shu Shu's ear and whispered something.

"Tattoo?"

Shu Shu couldn't help but tilt her head, eyes showing a hint of surprise.

"Yeah, that's right."

Pei Muyin nodded, saying her dad had worn the wrist guard for a very long time.

Since she could remember, the wrist guard had already existed.

Even little Muyin back then wondered why her dad always wore a wrist guard, and even if it got dirty she never saw him take it off in public.

Dad's answer was——

"Dad once, on a whim, got a tattoo here; later he tried to wash it off, but it left an unsightly mark, so he could only cover it with a wrist guard."

"Little Muyin asked: "Dad, what's a tattoo?""

The young man fell silent, then explained to his daughter in a gentle voice she could understand.

A tattoo is drawing on the skin; once done, it can't be erased with an eraser or washed off with water—it may fade over time, but it will remain there forever.

Only later, when Pei Muyin grew up, did she truly understand what a tattoo was.

…

"Your sister must be surprised too, that Dad would go get a tattoo."

There's no criticism of tattoos; it's just that Pei Muyin is surprised that Dad would do something so contrary to his nature, creating a stark contrast that's startling.

"Yes… quite surprising."

Shu Shu remembers clearly.

In her memory, Pei Du had no tattoos at all, so it probably appeared after they split.

"Muyin, do you know what the tattoo is?"

Pei Muyin thought: "Dad said it was a small picture, but I don't know what it depicts."

"Little picture?"

…

The exercise ended, the four people returned the same way, and took the car back to the villa.

However, before leaving, they saw for the first time here people other than themselves; since this is a vacation mountain resort, there would also be other guests.

That was a family of three.

A foreign-looking couple was accompanying their son, who looked about fourteen or fifteen, as he played baseball.

Shu Lingchen found it novel.

What sport is this? I've never tried it before; it feels cool to play, the car turned, and the boy's head automatically twisted to get another look.

Pei Muyin noticed and asked, "Brother, what's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing."

Shu Lingchen waved his hand, sat back, but his peripheral vision still glanced back now and then.

This scene, reflected in the rearview mirror, fell into the eyes of Pei Du sitting in the front seat.

…

Given that yesterday afternoon's activity had sparked everyone's interest, and they were still not satisfied, with nothing else to do, they simply went back to the sports area after their nap the next afternoon.

This time, upon arriving at the equipment room, Shu Lingchen did not head straight for the basketball.

The boy stood before the shelf, searching, then his eyes lit up as he found the baseball equipment that the family of three had been playing with yesterday when he left.

But after finding it, he then remembered.

This can't be played alone, right? Otherwise, should I call Mom to join him?

……Mom wouldn't play with him again, would she?

The boy was still torn when a tall figure appeared beside him; the figure's owner then reached out, grabbed a baseball bat, and handed it to him, a low, soft voice sounding:

"This model suits you."

"!"

Shu Lingchen turned his head, his dark, youthful eyes meeting Pei Du's equally dark, mature eyes.

The two locked eyes.

"……" Shu Lingchen froze for a moment: "You know?"

You know how to play this ball?

He had seen yesterday that this person was good at tennis, so maybe he also plays baseball?

So versatile?

"A little." Pei Du lowered his gaze at the son: "If you don't mind, I can be Lingchen's practice partner."

"……" Shu Lingchen was about to get tangled up again when he heard Pei Du add: "They're playing badminton outside."

They.

Referring to Shu Shu and Pei Muyin.

First, the mom who had just been playing with him had already been passed over by Shu Lingchen directly; since she was playing badminton with her sister, it's better not to disturb them.

Then only……

Shu Lingchen coughed lightly twice, his expression somewhat unnatural as he said to Pei Du: "Are you sure? I need to give you a heads-up, a precaution—I've never played this before, so don't get hurt by accident."

He said: "My family is very poor; I can't afford medical expenses."

"It's fine." Pei Du paused briefly, not exposing the son, but choosing to go along with the son's train of thought, calmly saying: "I have money; I can afford to treat myself."

"Besides——"

"I believe Lingchen can play basketball well, and baseball won't be much worse; he definitely won't accidentally hurt me."

The latter sentence successfully 'pleased' Shu Lingchen.

The boy's raised corners of his mouth couldn't be suppressed for a moment, and he said somewhat awkwardly: "Eh, not really good, just so-so; it's all your filter on me, filter."

…

Shu Shu and Pei Muyin, who were playing badminton, saw Shu Lingchen and Pei Du pass by them one after another.

Shu Shu asked her son: "What are you up to?"

Shu Lingchen shouldered a baseball bat: "Oh, playing baseball."

Shu Shu: "……"

Nonsense, could holding a baseball bat be to go play shot put?

She wanted to ask why the son and Pei Du seemed to be going together.

This scene is rather, novel.

Shu Lingchen raised his hand to gesture to Pei Du: "Let me introduce, this is my new baseball practice partner."

The words fell.

Pei Du also cooperated with Shu Lingchen, nodding his head at Shu Shu.

Shu Shu: "……"

She had actually previously guessed how Pei Du would reveal his identity to Shu Lingchen.

She also felt that this would be quite difficult.

But now it seems.

Shu Shu looked at her son, shook her head, and waved.

"Go play."

"Okay."

…

Shu Lingchen and Pei Du arrived at the open space specially used for baseball.

A staff member pushed over a machine.

Pei Du said: "This is a baseball pitching machine; the ball speed can be manually controlled, suitable for beginners. You can first try to see if you can hit it, to get a feel."

Shu Lingchen blinked: "We just came here; could the staff have predicted I'm a beginner?"

"I had someone bring it over."

Shu Lingchen was even more puzzled, scratching his head: "I remember I didn't say anything after I went back; how did you know I wanted to play this?"

Pei Du kept a straight face: "When we left yesterday, Lingchen seemed quite interested in baseball."

"..."

Shu Lingchen understood.

The boy's expression instantly became awkward; he moved his mouth, then after a while managed to sputter:

"You, you like this, will make me a bit awkward!"