APTnovel Chapter 194 The Little Lamb on the Substitute Bench is Really Important
Chapter 194 The Little Lamb on the Substitute Bench is Really Important
"That guy, Mukahi, is too stubborn. He insisted on picking me up even though I told him not to. How's he doing?"
Along the way, Atobe walked quickly with his hands in his pockets, his sneakers making a crisp sound on the stone pavement. He glanced sideways at Mochizuki Ryo, his tone casual, but his eyes held worry.
"Young people are competitive. That's normal!"
Wang Yueling smiled and smoothed her bangs, walking slowly with her golden hair swaying slightly in the wind. "Uncle Yuanye said the CT scan results are in. It's nothing serious, just a mild concussion. She needs to rest for a few days."
"He's been a bit noisy, insisting on coming back to watch the game. Hopefully, he didn't sneak out."
Atobe scoffed, his words dripping with arrogance: "He dared to run. Instead of lying down properly, he'll be punished with another hundred laps when he gets back."
He said that, but quickened his pace by half a step.
Feng frowned slightly as she followed behind, asking in a low voice with great concern, "Is Senior Xiang Ri really alright? Will there be any lasting effects?"
"It's nothing." Wang Yueling turned back and smiled at him, her azure eyes curving into crescents. "It's just that the big bump on his forehead is a bit scary, but it'll go away in a few days. When you go to see him later, don't argue with him, okay?"
Shishido snorted, his tone curt: "Who has time to argue with him?"
After saying that, he quickened his pace.
……
The medical building is located on the west side of the sports park. It's a three-story white building in a quiet environment. There were many athletes from other schools coming and going at the entrance.
The butler was waiting downstairs. He bowed slightly when he saw them approaching. He was wearing a sharp black suit and his hair was neatly combed.
"Young Master. Young Master Mukahi has finished all his checkups, and there's nothing seriously wrong. He's in good spirits now, just a little restless. Young Master Sakaki and Young Master Oshitari are both upstairs with him."
Wang Yueling nodded and led the group inside.
The hallway was carpeted in beige, making no sound when you stepped on it. Several landscape paintings hung on the walls, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
The ward was on the second floor, in a sunny spot. Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the air was filled with warmth. The room had a faint smell of disinfectant mixed with a hint of fruit.
When they entered the ward.
Xiang Ri leaned against the headboard, a large ice pack on his forehead. He had just finished lunch and was leisurely lying on the hospital bed playing on a tablet while eating the strawberry cake that Wang Yueling had promised him.
Hearing the door open, I looked up and saw Atobe walk in, followed by a large group of people. I almost choked on the cake and coughed so hard I kept waving my hands.
"Minister! Why are you all here!" He tried to sit up, but frowned as soon as he moved, hissed as he covered his forehead, and asked anxiously, "How did the competition go? Did you win?"
"Slow down." Taki walked over quickly, reached out to help him up, and shook his head helplessly. "You won the doubles, 6-0. Just rest and recover, don't worry about anything."
"6-0? That fast?" Mukahi's eyes widened in disbelief. "I thought it would take much longer. Are Shishido and Ootori that good?"
"What else?" Shishido walked to the bedside, crossed his arms, and retorted in a curt tone, without any malice, "You can't end up like me, winning the match and still having an accident."
"That was an accident! An accident!" Xiang Ri retorted, puffing out her cheeks. "Who knew the racket would bounce back! Besides, I just wanted to win!"
Sakaki Taro was sitting in a chair by the window reviewing documents. When he saw everyone come in, he nodded slightly, said a few words to Atobe and Mochizuki Ryo, and then left.
Atobe walked to the bedside, crossed his arms, and looked him up and down. Seeing that apart from the bump on his forehead, he was indeed fine, and breathed a sigh of relief.
When he opened his mouth, he was still flamboyant and arrogant, stubborn as ever.
"Hmm, looks like he won't die. Stay here for 24 hours and observe him. Don't worry about the match."
"Huh? It's not that serious... I just didn't want to lose that point... I have to stay for 24 hours, does that mean I'll miss the afternoon's match?"
Knowing her boss's temper, Xiang Ri picked at the edge of the blanket with her fingers, lowered her head, pouted, and retorted softly, "I'm perfectly fine now, just a little dizzy. The doctor said it's nothing serious..."
"So be it," Atobe interrupted him, looking down at him with a slight raised eyebrow. "It's better than having lasting consequences. Heal your injuries before returning to the team, or you'll face double the punishment."
Xiang Ri looked down at him with a pained expression, remained silent for a few seconds, and then nodded.
Atobe didn't say anything more.
He leaned back in the chair by the bed, looking out the window. The sports park's synthetic track shimmered with an orange-yellow light under the midday sun, and staff were spraying water to cool it down, leaving a damp trail.
"This time it was just a mild concussion, thankfully. What about next time?" Atobe's tone was calm. "No matter who it is, I don't want this to happen again. That's an order."
Xiang Ri sensed the concern in his words, glanced at her teammates who also looked serious, and smiled slightly, softly assuring them, "There won't be a next time, Captain."
Seeing that Atobe had finished scolding her, Mochizuki Ryo went over and placed the awakened Luna on the small table next to the hospital bed.
He smiled and gently tapped Xiang Ri's uninjured forehead. "It's good that you're not being stubborn anymore. If you try to be tough again, I'll give you twenty times the training."
Xiang Ri stuck out his tongue, not daring to talk back.
The Rikkai students followed them in. Marui leaned close to the bed and teased Mukahi with a grin, "Gakuto, you got knocked out by the racket and have such a big bump, are you alright?"
Xiang Ri blushed slightly at being embarrassed, but stubbornly retorted, "Who fainted! I'm just resting for a bit!"
Renou leaned against the doorframe, chuckling mischievously, and teased, "Oh? Taking a break and ending up on a stretcher?"
"Niou!" Mukahi was so angry that he tried to sit up, but Oshitari pressed him back down.
The ward was noisy, but the atmosphere was relaxed.
Luna clung to the table, a bread ring around her neck, looking around curiously. Seeing the ice pack on Xiangri's head, she tilted her head, finding it fascinating. She waddled up the table with her short legs and climbed onto Xiangri's lap, rubbing her head against his soft hand.
Feeling its affection, Xiang Ri was instantly soothed and reached out to stroke its little head. Her earlier annoyance vanished, replaced by a beaming smile. "Luna is so good, she knows to come see me."
Luna responded with a "meow," raised her little head, looked around, and even glanced at the white-furred two-legged creature to make sure the environment was safe before snuggling back into Yukimura's arms.
The cat laboriously placed its little paws on the edge of the bagel, secretly licking its front paws. It wasn't that the cat didn't want to listen to its father, Yukimura; its paws were just too itchy.
It wrinkled its little nose and licked it again.
"Don't lick it." Yukimura gently pinched its paw and handed the small fish back to it to distract it.
Luna, holding the little fish, looked up at him with her big, watery eyes, and her tail tip twitched twice. Yukimura gently moved its injured paw aside to prevent it from licking it.
The kitten tried again, but Yukimura stopped it once more.
The third time, Luna stretched out her bandaged paw and carefully placed it on the back of Yukimura's hand. Then she looked at him expectantly and let out a soft "meow".
Yukimura's brow twitched, and he gently pressed down on its injured paw.
The King of Kings across from him witnessed this scene. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and smiled with a hint of malice.
"Minister, it got caught red-handed licking something; it's just putting on an act."
Luna turned around and glared at him, then tucked her little ears back and gave him a "ha" sound. It wasn't loud, but it carried an aura of "you talk too much."
Niou raised an eyebrow: "Oh, still yelling at me? This time it wasn't me who complained, yet you're blaming me. Are you going to hit me with your claws again? Come here, I'll put my hands here."
He reached out his hand, and Luna looked at him for two seconds before extending her uninjured front paw and slapping the back of his hand.
The pressure was much lighter than last time, and her paws were soft and squishy. After the pat, she didn't pull back, but instead placed her little paws on the back of his hand and pressed them down, meowing at him: "Now you're happy, aren't you, you cold-hearted human! I will never forgive you! Never!"
Niou looked down at the small paw pad on the back of his hand and the incessant cat-like chatter in his ear, his lips twitching slightly: "...You cat, your temper is getting worse."
"It's all your fault for teasing it." Marui, who was fighting with Jiro for the cake, held up his spoils and complained to Niou, "You keep provoking it, how could it not hold a grudge?"
"That's right, Niou-senpai, you always bully Luna." Kirihara nodded in agreement, holding a strawberry cake in his hand, and mumbled, "Luna is such a good little kitten, she only hits you because you've angered her."
Yagyu, standing nearby, casually added, "Masaharu, you said before, 'I'm not going to tease cats anymore.' It hasn't been that long."
"Puri~" Niou withdrew his hand and leaned back in his chair. "How was I supposed to know it held a grudge like that? Usually, when I tease Akaya, he gets angry for three minutes at most and then calms down. This cat's been holding a grudge for almost an hour, hasn't it?"
Luna understood.
It retracted its claws, bit the little fish's tail hard, and snuggled back into Yukimura's arms, burying its head in the crook of his arm, leaving only its round, black back of head for Niou to see.
Yukimura looked down at its action and chuckled softly, "It's telling you, it's never playing with you again."
Niou clutched his chest, making an exaggerated expression of injury.
Mukahi, sprawled on the hospital bed, burst out laughing, nearly spitting out the cake in her mouth. Shinobu pulled out a tissue and handed it to her. Mukahi took it, wiped her mouth, and turned to look at the kitten: "Yes! Luna, just like that with him..."
After chatting for a while, the doctor came to check on Xiang Ri and said that he needed to rest more, so everyone prepared to go downstairs for dinner.
Before leaving, Wang Yueling gave Xiang Ri a few more instructions, telling him to take good care of himself and not to sneak out to watch the game.
Xiang Ri readily agreed, but his eyes were fixed on the cake on the bedside table, clearly distracted.
Wang Yueling smiled helplessly and didn't expose him.
Before leaving, Sanada gave him a few words of advice on how to take good care of his injuries. Yagyu and Yanagi also gave him some instructions on how to recover. Mukahi nodded quickly, behaving very obediently. Niou teased him a couple of times, and Mukahi threw a pillow at him in return.
After making a fuss for a while, everyone got up and left, heading towards the restaurant.
The restaurant is located on the other side of the sports park. It is a detached building that Wangyue's family booked in advance. The first floor is dedicated to dining, and the second floor has rooms for them to rest.
The environment is beautiful and the decor is elegant...
As soon as you enter, you can smell the aroma of food. All the dishes were ordered in advance by Wang Yueling. The menu includes both Western and Japanese cuisine, which is nutritionally balanced and exquisitely prepared.
Everyone sat down in turn, and the dishes were quickly served.
The aroma of grilled steak mingled with the sweet scent of desserts in the air. The boys, who had just finished their match, were already hungry and picked up their cutlery.
The butler, Haruno, also arrived at the right time with the therapeutic meal. The white porcelain bowl was warm, just the right temperature to drink. Mochizuki Ryou reached out and took it, then placed it in front of Yukimura. She then used serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of stewed yam that was soft and tender and put it into Yukimura's plate, her movements as natural as if she had done it a thousand times.
Marui stared wide-eyed at the table laden with strawberry cakes, mousses, and macarons. She picked up a fork, her eyes sparkling, and exclaimed, "Wow, so many desserts! This is so wonderful!"
Cilang sat next to him, also staring at the cake and nodding repeatedly.
Kirihara was already eating grilled meat, his mouth greasy. Kabaji sat next to him, silently handing him a tissue.
Yagyu slowly and gracefully cut his steak. Niou sat beside him, eating and talking, occasionally reaching out to tease Luna at the small table next to them.
Luna sat in her own little food basket, with a small bottle of milk in front of her. She held the bottle and sucked intently, her four paws curled up, her little belly rising and falling.
She would occasionally look up and glare at Niou, her crooked Elizabethan collar around her neck was incredibly cute.
Sanada sat upright, even while eating, his back ramrod straight. Liu sat next to him, eating while trying to take out her notebook, but after being glanced at by Sanada, she quietly put it away.
After we had eaten enough, the conversation naturally turned to the singles matches that afternoon.
Marui bit off half of the fried shrimp on his fork, chewed it a couple of times, and nudged Jiro, whose cheeks were stuffed full, with his elbow.
"Ci Lang, are you going to school this afternoon?"
With cake in his mouth, Cilang could barely speak. He just shook his head and swallowed hard before he could catch his breath: "I knew... Ling changed the list in the car, saying it would be announced before warming up. I didn't know that."
He spoke sweetly, but he was secretly plotting something.
Wen Tai came here specifically to watch the game today. If he can play a nice shot, he might impress the opponent.
Thinking and thinking.
He simply put down his chopsticks, took small steps to Wang Yueling's side, stared at her with bright, round eyes, and gently tugged at her sleeve with his fingertips, his eyes full of undisguised anticipation.
Kirihara, chewing heartily on his grilled pork belly, overheard their conversation and his eyes widened in surprise. He even forgot to bring the meat to his mouth. "Ah! You two don't know the cast list?"
He put down his fork, started counting on his fingers, and spoke with great clarity and detail:
"Logically, Atobe-senpai should definitely be the one for singles, his strength is undeniable, and he's a perfect match for Tezuka from Seigaku. Since Atobe didn't put Oshitari in doubles, he's almost certainly the one for singles. The only three left who can play singles are Jiro-senpai, Kabaji, and Hiyoshi. We'll pick one of them for singles match three, and the other two will be either substitutes or rest. Right?"
The words fell.
Kabaji, who had been silently eating with his head down, stopped chewing, his thick fingers clenching the grilled meat in his hand, and his gaze secretly glanced at Mochizuki Ryo; Hiyoshi's hand holding the bamboo chopsticks tightened slightly, his back still straight, and a hint of expectation hidden in his eyes.
Both of them waited silently for Wang Yueling's reply.
As the only person besides Mochizuki Ryo who knew the complete list, Atobe sat in the main seat, cutting his steak with a silver knife and fork, his movements fluid and elegant, without even lifting his eyelids.
Renji held the black tea cup and sipped slowly, his fingertips brushing against the cool rim of the porcelain cup, a faint smile playing on his lips, exuding composure.
His calm and composed demeanor clearly indicated that he was well aware of his position.
Wang Yueling used serving chopsticks to pick up a few bites of boiled vegetables and placed them around the edge of the bowl. She glanced at the three pairs of expectant eyes, sighed, and said, "Singles three... Chonghong, you're up. Cilang, Aruo, you two aren't playing this match."
There was a moment of silence at the table for about two seconds.
Jiro's shoulders slumped, and even the curls on his head seemed to wilt a bit. Hiyoshi's back remained taut, but his fingertips loosened, and he lowered his eyes to hide the disappointment in them.
Kirihara forgot to chew the grilled meat in his mouth, his eyes widening: "Huh? Why?"
Liu picked up a napkin and touched the corner of his mouth, his movements unhurried. He waited for Kirihara to finish speaking before he began to analyze, "Singles match three is a mid-game tug-of-war, and both sides will send out stable players to hold the line."
"Seigaku knows that Hyotei has a power-type player like Kabaji, so to be on the safe side, they will most likely send a power-type player like Kawamura Takashi to keep them in check."
"Jiro's technique is more versatile, which makes him vulnerable in long matches against power-based opponents. He also has a 47% higher risk of wrist injury in power-based confrontations. Hiyoshi's traditional style emphasizes footwork and is still being refined, making him a clear disadvantage in head-on exchanges. His wrists are under too much strain, increasing his risk of injury. Only Kabaji's strength and physical prowess can match his, making him the least likely to get injured."
"In addition, Shinobu has comprehensive skills and accurate prediction. He has the highest win rate against Fuji Syusuke, so the second singles spot is basically reserved for him."
Sanada sat next to Liu, listened, and nodded slightly without refuting. Niou leaned back in his chair, holding Luna's fabric fish tail in his hand, secretly handing it towards the kitten. Luna was a little drowsy from nursing, lying dozing by the food basket. Seeing the little fish tail swaying in front of her, she twitched her ears and reached out her paw to grab it.
Niou lifted the fish a little higher, and the kitten's paw missed its target. It meowed in dissatisfaction, rolled over on its back, and kicked the air twice with its hind legs in protest.
Marui, watching from the side, burst out laughing: "Can you two just shut up for a bit?"
Niou placed the small fish on the kitten's belly, and Luna immediately hugged it with her two front paws, rolled over, and pressed the fish under her body, lying down tightly.
After listening to Yanagi's analysis, Kirihara stared blankly for a long time, his eyes slowly widening: "So Kabaji is playing singles match three because Seigaku will send Kawamura Takashi?"
Liu nodded: "Based on the data analysis, the probability is over 70%."
"I see..." Kirihara scratched the back of his head, then looked at Jiro, "So, Jiro-senpai, you're really not going?"
Jiro clung to Mochizuki Ryo's arm and shook it, his voice slightly nasal, but he wasn't crying, just a little muffled: "Ryo... is my name really not on the list?"
Wang Yueling smiled helplessly, raised her hand and ruffled his curly hair. "I've reserved a more important spot for you, so get ready."
"What important position? Puri~"
Niou leaned on Yagyu's shoulder, pulling out an unopened lollipop from somewhere and twirling it in his hand, a smile that made you want to punch him. "There are only a few spots on the roster. Singles third is Kabaji, singles second is definitely Oshitari, and singles first is Atobe. So where do you think they can go?"
"The bench, I suppose."
Cilang suddenly looked up, his eyes wide open, and stared at Wangyue Ling for confirmation.
"He is indeed a substitute." Wang Yueling glared at Renwang, paused her finger on his head, and added, "But let me finish."
He leaned closer, his voice low, so only Jiro could hear: "Being a substitute is very important. We might not need you in the first few matches, but you'll become increasingly crucial as the game progresses. Especially since the opponent is Seigaku... I'm not sure if we'll be playing in the substitute matches, but you're very important."
He paused, then added, "If you don't play today, I'll let you fight Marui in the Kanto Tournament finals."