The few men sitting around the court moved into action when they saw the girls leave.
Fu Renjie stood up first and walked over to Tang Hao. The four men surrounded Tang Hao. Their faces were hostile.
“Hmph! You’re indeed a little white face. Your looks are not bad, I didn’t expect Qin the Femme Fatale to fall for your style.”
“Kid, if you know what’s good for you, leave Qin Xiangyi at once. Have you ever considered that you’re not on her level?”
“If you dare to disobey us, you’d better watch every step!” Fu Renjie laughed coldly with a sinister face.
Tang Hao’s expression went cold. “You guys think you can touch me?”
“Dammit, you brat! Getting arrogant now, are we? You think you’re somebody now just because you’re under Xiangyi’s care? I’ll beat you up into a pulp!”
Fu Renjie, burning with anger, clenched his fist and aimed it at Tang Hao’s face.
Tang Hao smirked. A weak punch like that posed no danger to him.
He lifted his hand and grabbed his opponent’s wrist. He tightened his grip, and Fu Renjie squealed like a pig being sent to the slaughter. His face became pale as a sheet.
“Let go of me! Let go!”
He screamed in agony. He felt that the hand that grabbed his wrist was like a steel clamp. He could not move a millimeter.
‘What the hell? How can this kid possess so much strength?!’
Tang Hao narrowed his eyes. There was a glint of coldness in them as he strengthened his grip.
Fu Renjie’s cries became louder and louder.
Many people curiously came over to look at the source of the screaming. Qian Wei and the others were all shocked beyond belief. They did not expect this scrawny little kid to be so strong.
“What are you all doing?” Qin Xiangyi’s voice was heard from afar.
Tang Hao immediately let go.
Fu Renjie stumbled backward and fell on his rear. It was an extremely embarrassing sight.
“Qian Wei, what are you all doing? Are you bullying Lil Tang?” Wu Xiaomo was also yelling.
“Are you OK, Lil Tang? All of you are grown adults! How can you do this? I’ve mistaken you for good people!” The two other women also rushed over anxiously.
Qian Wei and the others were all confused.
‘What’s gotten into all of them?
‘Weren’t they ignoring this kid earlier? Why did they suddenly start calling him ‘Lil Tang’ as though they are old friends?’
“We’re not bullying him. We only want to invite him to a tennis match. He’s already here at the tennis court anyway, so he should at least play a match, don’t you think so?” Qian Wei explained.
Wu Xiaomo and the others were exasperated. They were not idiots. They had seen the events that transpired earlier.
COMMENT
Tang Hao spoke. “I’m not good at tennis. I’ve only played several games when I was in high school.”
Qian Wei and the others were happy when they heard that.
“Don’t worry, it’s the taking part that counts. If you’re a real man, come play a match with us.” Qian Wei smiled hospitably.
In his heart, he was cackling with glee. He thought that he could take this kid down a notch in front of Qin the Femme Fatale.
“Well…” Tang Hao hesitated.
Fu Renjie clambered from the ground and yelled at him.
“Hmph! Tang, if you’re a real man, you will compete with me! If you lose, you will leave Xiangyi forever. Do you dare?”
Chapter 39
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“How can you do this, Fu Renjie? Lil Tang isn’t a tennis player!” Wu Xiaomo said indignantly.
“That’s right. You guys have played tennis for so many years. Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves, challenging a newbie?”
Fu Renjie was red in the face. He pointed a finger at Tang Hao. “So, Tang, do you dare? Are you a real man?”
“Lil Tang, you don’t have to entertain ridiculous requests like this! Just ignore him!” Wu Xiaomo was even more anxious than Tang Hao.
“Just ignore him!” Qin Xiangyi also agreed.
Tang Hao slowly stood up, and told them, “Don’t worry!” Then, he looked at Fu Renjie. “I accept your challenge! Let’s play a match then. However, if I win, you’d better keep your distance from Xiangyi.”
“It’s a bet! Whoever loses, leaves!”
Fu Renjie was ecstatic. He nearly laughed out loud.
He had played tennis for about ten years. He was not considered a pro, though he was still one of the better players in the local scene. Defeating a newbie should be a walk in the park.
‘He’s a country bumpkin after all! I only needed to rile him up and he’ll fall into my trap!’
He was trembling with excitement. He immediately went off to change into sportswear.
“Haha, let’s prepare the popcorn! We’ll see how Bro Fu torments this kid.” Qian Wei and the other men laughed at Tang Hao’s misfortune.
“Why did you accept his challenge, Lil Tang? Don’t you know that he’s quite proficient in tennis?” Qin Xiangyi whispered.
“Don’t worry! I won’t lose!” Tang Hao replied.
“But…” Qin Xiangyi was anxious.
Tang Hao smiled and gave her a look of assurance.
“Can I borrow a racket?”
Wu Xiaomo immediately passed him one.
Tang Hao took the racket and gripped it tightly. He swung it a few times to familiarize himself with its weight distribution.
Then, he closed his eyes and countless images flashed past his mind.
It was true that he was not a tennis player. However, he had played several matches when he was in high school and had read many books on tennis, as well as watched many tennis games on television.
He understood the underlying concepts behind the game.
His physique was totally different from back then. Ever since he had started on his path of cultivation, his body had undergone a total transformation, and his physical aptitudes have been augmented dramatically beyond the realm of normal humans.
Looking back at those techniques, mastering them was trivially easy.
Fu Renjie walked to the other side of the court. He cracked his neck and stretched his body as a warmup. He laughed coldly and his expression was confident.
There was no doubt that victory would be his. His problem was how to torment this fellow and utterly embarrass him.
The ruckus earlier had attracted the attention of people on the other courts. They had gathered around to watch the ensuing match.
“Isn’t that Fu Renjie? That kid is finished. I don’t think he can score a single point against him.”
“I think these two people are competing over a woman. There, it’s that beautiful woman.”
Knowing that their tennis duel was over a woman, especially a beautiful woman, had reignited the excitement in the crowd. They shouted and cheered, and the atmosphere became heated.
“Xiangyi, why didn’t you stop him? He’s a newbie. He’s no match for Fu Renjie!” Wu Xiaomo anxiously grasped Qin Xiangyi’s hand.
Qin Xiangyi’s eyebrows were furrowed and she was also worried.
However, she suddenly remembered that day when he also acted in a similarly confident way when facing that bunch of hooligans.
She smiled and felt a lot more relaxed.
“I believe in him!”
“Eh, Xiangyi! Are you stupid? What’s the point in believing in him?” Wu Xiaomo rolled her eyes. She did not know what else to say.
A portion of the crowd parted. A burly man in his thirties stepped forth. He had a square face and looked somewhat fierce.
“Coach Xu is here!” Someone in the crowd cried out.
Coach Xu was a popular figure in the local tennis circles. He was a professional player when he was young, and he was still one of the top players even after he became a coach.
Coach Xu walked next to th
e court in great strides. He looked to the left and the right, then laughed. “Fu Renjie, why are you challenging a scrawny little kid? Won’t you be bullying him?”
“Coach Xu, please be the umpire!” Fu Renjie said.
Coach Xu took a look at Tang Hao, then nodded. “Alright, I will be the umpire! Don’t play too rough, Fu Renjie, at least show him some mercy.”
“Who’s serving first?” Coach Xu asked the two while clutching a tennis ball.
“Let him serve!” Fu Renjie pointed at Tang Hao.
“Alright. Kid, catch!” Coach Xu tossed the ball at Tang Hao.
Tang Hao opened his eyes. He reached out and caught the tennis ball firmly in his grasp.
He held firmly in his palm and carefully analyzed its weight distribution.
“Alright, let’s begin!” Coach Xu raised an arm and shouted.
The atmosphere at the tennis court became more heated. All eyes were focused on the boy with the tennis ball.
This boy held the ball in his hand and stood there quietly, not moving a muscle. When some people in the crowd were starting to become impatient, he started moving. He walked over to the serving position, then gently tossed the tennis ball in his hand.
The tennis ball rose into the air, then fell toward the ground.
The strangest thing was that the boy did not move at all. His eyes followed the movement of the ball.
Thud!
The ball fell to the ground and bounced.
“Whoa!” The crowd was riled. Then, everyone booed loudly.
“F*ck me, is he a newbie? Don’t tell me he doesn’t even know how to serve. What’s there to watch then?” Everyone looked disappointed as they booed.
Fu Renjie was shocked, then burst out laughing.
He knew that the opponent was a newbie, but did not expect that he did not know how to serve a ball.
Wu Xiaomo sighed sadly and covered her face. “I can’t bear to watch!” She mumbled.
Tang Hao was unaffected by the booing. He remained his composure while furrowing his eyebrows as if he had just understood something. He bent down and picked up the ball, then threw it into the air once again.
Once again, he did not move and allowed the ball to fall to the ground.
The crowd booed again.
‘What’s this kid trying to do?’ Coach Xu was starting to become impatient. He wanted to say something but he saw the boy pick up the ball and throw it again.
This time, he moved.
At the moment he swung his racket, his posture drastically changed from someone normal to someone as fierce and intimidating as a tiger.
The racket struck the tennis ball.
Thwack!
The ball rebounded with astonishing speed, flew over the net and hit the opponent’s side of the court.
The ball hit the ground with a thud and left a mark, then bounced up. It flew at an impossible angle toward Fu Renjie.
Bam!
Right on the chin!
Fu Renjie cried out in pain, then stumbled and fell backward. He was thoroughly confounded.
The tennis court fell into a dead silence.
Chapter 40
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
No one made a sound on the vast tennis court.
All the people stood there, their mouths open and their eyes bulging round and wide. Their faces displayed utter shock and confusion.
“What… what happened just now?”
“That… that shot earlier. How did the ball bounce and smack Fu Renjie?”
Many people in the crowd cried out in surprise and puzzlement.
More people stood on the spot, their eyes displaying a look of extreme disbelief.
Coach Xu also stood there, slack-jawed.
Suddenly, he remembered something and his face changed into a panicked expression.
“That… don’t tell me that was… the twist serve?” His voice was trembling. He swallowed hard.
The twist serve was a legendary technique. In real life, not many professional players were able to pull it off. It could be said that it was almost like a fantasy.
Those who mastered this technique were the best of the best tennis players. You would not see this technique being used in an everyday match.
This fantasy technique had appeared in front of his eyes. Also, it was delivered by a teenager of seventeen or eighteen.
Coach Xu was dumbfounded. He even found it a little ridiculous.
His face turned red out of embarrassment. He had thought this kid was a total newbie earlier. Now that he saw him serve, he found that the kid was a scarily powerful player!
“What? Twist serve?”
Coach Xu’s cry sent the whole tennis court in an uproar.
“How is that possible? Isn’t the kid a newbie? How does he know such a super-advanced technique?”
“Did someone say he’s a newbie? Have you ever seen such a powerful newbie?”
“What the hell? How old is this kid again? How can he be so powerful? This isn’t a f*cking comic book!”
The atmosphere became tenser and tenser.
Wu Xiaomo and the others stood on the spot. Her petite mouth was stretched into a big O shape and did not close for a long while.
“Oh my god, a twist serve? Is he a monster? Xiangyi, why didn’t you say that he was an expert player?” Wu Xiaomo complained.
Qin Xiangyi was dumbfounded and did not know what to say.
Meanwhile, Fu Renjie was lying face up on the ground. He was clutching onto his jaw while his face was blank. At this moment, he could not think of anything, and he could not believe the earlier scene that happened.
“Twist serve? No… that’s impossible! He’s a total newbie, isn’t it? How does he know such a technique? Right, it must be a coincidence!”
He pushed himself off the ground. His eyes were bulging and his expression was contorted.
“Again!” He roared. He picked up the ball and threw it across the net.
“I don’t believe that you can pull it off one more time!” He mumbled hatefully through gritted teeth.
Tang Hao picked up the ball and stood at the serving position. He tossed the ball into the air again, then swung his racket fiercely.
Thwack!
A crisp detonation. The ball flew across the net once again, its speed and intensity like a cannonball. It struck heavily on the ground.
The ball spun at an incredible speed. It bounced off the ground, then flew toward Fu Renjie.
Though Fu Renjie could see the ball coming, he could not dodge the ball in time and was hit on the cheek.
He cried out in pain, then fell once again.
“Whoa!” The crowd roared again.
“Another blow. Oh my god! He’s a real pro!”
The crowd was excited, and some were close to fanatic. Their gazes toward the boy were not condescending anymore but were replaced with total admiration. Some girls even squealed with excitement.
In their eyes, this boy dressed in a plain white button-down shirt was so cool and charming.
Qin Xiangyi was spellbound. Something occasionally flashed in her eyes.
“Cough cough!” Fu Renjie stood up while pressing his cheek. His face became more contorted.
“How could this be…”
He trembled. In his heart, he could not come to terms with the fact that this country bumpkin, this poor loser, this kid of a lower social class could be a pro of this caliber.
“I don’t believe it. Again!” He roared, almost close to hysterics.
Thwack!
Another explosive detonation. The ball whizzed past the net, and when it hit the ground, spun wildly, then bounced straight at him.
Fu Renjie’s eyes were wide open to look at the trajectory of the ball. He knew when to dodge but still failed to dodge in time. He was hit by the ball once again, this time knocking out a front tooth.
“I don’t believe it!” He roared.
Thwack!
<
br /> Another ball flew past the net and bounced. This time, it struck him in the face. His nose was crooked and his glasses flew away.
He felt dizzy in the head as he stumbled a few backward steps. He felt weak in his feet and fell kneeling.
His face was as pale as a sheet, as though someone sucked the soul out of his body. His face was terribly swollen. It was a pathetic sight.
Qian Wei and the others were already shivering with fear. Each of their breaths sucked in cold air.
Their gazes toward Tang Hao were of pure fear.
This kid to them was a monster in human form. He had only served several balls and had utterly defeated his opponent.
“Shall we continue?” Tang Hao said coldly without any expression on his face.
Fu Renjie coughed violently. He struggled off the ground, stumbled a few steps, then fell once again.
“Don’t! Don’t continue. There’ll be casualties if you push on!”Coach Xu shouted urgently.
Tang Hao gave him a side-eye, then turned to look at Qian Wei and the other men. “Now it’s your turn!”
Qian Wei shuddered. He almost pissed his pants.
“No, no, no… Tang… Brother Tang, we… well, don’t mind us. You’re a great player. We surrender!” Qian Wei’s voice was trembling.
Tang Hao frowned and said coldly. “Are you a real man?”
“Right! Qian Wei, didn’t you say earlier, you should accept the challenge if you’re a real man? Don’t tell me you’re not?” Wu Xiaomo laughed and shouted excitedly.
“I…” Qian Wei looked like he was on the verge of tears.
At that moment, he found that taunting the kid was the worst mistake in his entire life. This was like digging a grave then jumping into it.
“Hey! Are you a real man? You’re a coward!” The crowd around him also shouted.
Qian Wei walked miserably and reluctantly onto the court.
“I’ll serve this time!”
“Alright!”Tang Hao said nonchalantly.
Qian Wei breathed a sigh of relief. The kid did not seem as scary without that horrific twist serve.
He calmed himself down as he picked up the ball. He took a deep breath, tossed the ball then served it with a powerful show.
The Mightiest Little Peasant c1-799 Page 20
