Chapter 23
“…Why would I cling to running ultra-close quicks with him? Have you considered that?”
Ning Zhou’s commanding tone stunned everyone…
Nie Feiang leaned in, whispering, “Zhou Zhou, calm down. We only tried it back then for fun.”
“Relax, that was just the excuse I gave you…”
Ning Zhou soothed him with a few words, then went right back to squaring off against Hou.
Hou cautiously probed, “You started practicing a new tactic just days before the Asian Championship roster was decided—were you trying to catch the coaches’ eye?”
Ning Zhou shrugged. “No. At the time, I just wanted to lift Nie Feiang’s spirits after he switched groups. As for why we worked on ultra-close quicks—It compensates for my weak second attack.”
Hou’s pupils contracted sharply. Qiu Shao froze for a moment too, then realization dawned, and his gaze toward Ning Zhou changed.
“Hm?” Nie Feiang’s brain lagged behind, unable to keep up. He tugged on Ning Zhou’s arm, bewildered, “What? What do you mean? You’re all speaking in riddles!”
Ning Zhou: …whole vibe ruined.
“Exactly…” Hou muttered under his breath, “With your height, if you try to dump the ball on second touch, even a slow-reacting opponent can tiptoe and block it.
But if you never threaten second attacks, that’s one less worry for the blockers. Ultra-close quicks can act as a substitute, pulling blockers toward you instead.”
Nie Feiang barely understood, but that didn’t stop him from blurting out, “Wait, so you’re saying I’m super important to Zhou Zhou? Oh no, Zhou Zhou, I’m fired up now!”
“You get fired up way too easily!”
Ning Zhou pushed him away and added, “I remember that Shao Qiu is a setter with strong attacking ability, his second attacks are effective. There’s no need to waste time imitating ultra-close quicks—it’s tiring and thankless.”
Seeing that Assistant Coach Hou was actually taking his words in, Ning Zhou still felt a stifled breath in his chest and couldn’t stop himself from adding, “These are just the small opinions of a ‘twenty-year-old kid.’ I’m not on the same level of team as them, so Assistant Coach Hou doesn’t need to mind my doubts.”
Assistant Coach Hou’s face darkened. He opened his mouth several times but couldn’t get words out.
Nie Feiang, thoroughly enjoying his change of expression, felt immensely satisfied. Imitating Ning Zhou in “perfect playback mode,” he declared, “Zhou Zhou makes sense! Training should be designed according to different players’ characteristics. ‘Prioritize cooperating with first-team members,’ everything is for the sake of China’s men’s volleyball team!”
The veins bulged on Assistant Coach Hou’s forehead, thunder and lightning practically flashing across his face.
“…The coaching staff has a meeting soon. Practice on your own.”
He left quickly, his steps a bit unsteady.
“Hahaha—” Only when Assistant Coach Hou’s figure disappeared from the court entrance did Nie Feiang dare to burst out laughing. “Zhou Zhou, did you see his face? That’s enough material to keep me laughing for a whole year!”
Ning Zhou ignored him, focusing on practicing passes at the side. Nie Feiang scooted over to Shao Qiu instead, “Brother Shao, you were closer to Assistant Coach Hou. You must have seen it clearer, right? The coaching staff has a meeting~”
Imitating Hou’s tone, Nie Feiang laughed so hard at himself that he beat his chest and stomped his feet. Shao Qiu only gave him a “look at this idiot” expression before heading to the next court to train alone.
Nie Feiang, embarrassed, dropped his head—only to notice Ning Zhou’s shoes. Instantly, his awkwardness vanished, “Zhou Zhou, did you buy new shoes?”
“Mm. The variety show gave me a Yu’s Shopping Card.”
“I knew it! No wonder your looks are even more next-level today. These shoes are sick!” Nie Feiang rubbed his hands together, suddenly bashful. “Zhou Zhou, is your show still looking for people?”
“…”
After checking the price of those shoes, Nie Feiang became even more determined to “join the variety show.”
That afternoon, he insisted on tagging along with Ning Zhou to the training center entrance.
“Zhou Zhou, trust me. As long as I show my face in front of your contact, the program team will definitely invite me!”
Ning Zhou remained skeptical, “…Good luck.”
Sure enough, the moment the contact saw Nie Feiang, they were stunned, “Wow! This guy—”
Nie Feiang, with an expression of “just as expected,” flipped his hair. “I’m free in my schedule to join your prog—”
“This guy could be a landmark!”
Nie Feiang’s smile slowly faded, “…A landmark?”
The contact couldn’t see him properly through the car window, so they stopped on the roadside, got out, and looked up in awe, “Heavens, unbelievable! May I ask what’s the secret to growing this tall? Is there a special ratio of carbs, protein, and fat in your diet?”
Nie Feiang was completely thrown off by the machine-gun barrage of questions: “I just… eat whatever’s around. When the coaches aren’t watching, my favorite’s spicy sticks.”
The contact fell into deep thought, “Could it be that spicy sticks contain some undiscovered growth factor…”
“Huh?”
At over two meters tall, Nie Feiang shrank pathetically in front of the 1.6-meter-tall contact, like a little quail.
The sheer absurdity of the scene made Ning Zhou laugh. “Compared to spicy sticks, I think genes play a bigger role.”
Ning Zhou introduced them properly. Nie Feiang grinned obsequiously as he shook the contact’s hand, finally revealing his true aim, “Hello, does your show have plans to invite special guests? Zhou Zhou and I are inseparable bros—how about me?”
“Uh…” The contact made a frame with their hands like a camera, trying to fit him and Ning Zhou together. “The lens might not be able to fit you in…”
“That’s fine! I can even accept being a headless guest!”
The contact’s mouth twitched. “…Alright, I’ll ask the director later.”
“Thanks!” Nie Feiang looked thoroughly satisfied, giving Ning Zhou a pat. “Zhou Zhou, go on then. Remember to manage your expressions—we’ll be cheering for you on screen, Xu Zichang and I both!”
…
The second episode was recorded at a shooting experience hall, with “shooting” as the sports theme.
Ning Zhou had tried all kinds of ball sports, but had zero experience with firearms. He couldn’t help worrying about whether he could complete the tasks. And it wasn’t just him—several other guests also hurriedly sought advice from Olympic shooting champion Fu Binhong. Cold outside but warm inside, Fu Binhong patiently taught them basic postures. Until the very last second before filming began, everyone was still huddled together learning.
When the livestream opened, viewers saw the group correcting each other’s stances in harmony:
[This is the most wholesome guest lineup ever. Only the second episode and they’re already like family. Seems like everyone’s got great personalities!]
[They’re close off-camera too. Sister Yu Tong and Ning Zhou were spotted shopping together this morning.]
[I saw that Weibo! They’ve got me switching sides between straight and bent every five minutes… /crying/]
[That pose, those outfits… This episode’s sport is shooting, right?]
[I came here after watching highlights from episode one. Let me see for myself just how amazing this overhyped Ning Zhou really is. /wide-eyed/]
[+1. This athlete named Ning Zhou really knows how to market himself. Trending searches before, and these days my feed is full of his short clips. I don’t get it…]
[Everyone’s praising him. Fine, he’s good-looking, I’ll give him that. But what’s with all this “vision” talk? How much do paid commenters cost per post? I want pocket money too. /smirk/]
Thanks to the buzz from the first episode, livestream viewership at the start of the second episode had multiplied several times over.
“Livestream is starting. Please line up in a row.”
Hearing the PD’s reminder, Ning Zhou and the others spread out, politely refusing each other. Nobody wanted to stand in the center spot.
Zeng Yunsheng pushed Ning Zhou forward. “Ning Zhou, you take the middle. You’re the face of the sports team.”
“No, no, no!” Ning Zhou darted to the edge. “Seniors, please pick first. I’ll stand here.”
Fu Binhong was pushed to the middle, but quickly waved it off: “Let someone more popular take it. The audience isn’t here for me anyway.”
“…”
The program team was stunned—when they filmed celebrity variety shows before, no matter how big or small their fame, stars would fight tooth and nail for the center spot.
When it was the sports group’s turn, there was no need to explain any scheming or power struggles—between the five of them, they couldn’t even cobble together the tiniest bit of cunning…
The PD, unwilling to waste time, helped them out, “Why don’t you just line up by height?”
The guests obediently nodded, like schoolchildren on their first day, earnestly comparing who was taller…
[The sports group is truly a breath of fresh air in the variety show world. You don’t need to use a single brain cell watching them.]
[The program team really has an eye for casting—gathering all the introverts of the sports world in one place. /laugh-cry/]
[They’re so cute! Dominant and fierce on the court, but in real life they’re lining up back-to-back measuring height like kids—it’s killing me with cuteness!]
[By popularity, Ning Zhou is on top. Why won’t he stand in the center?]
[Athletes care a lot about seniority in private. Showing basic respect to seniors is a must!]
[Look! They’ve lined up like a Wi-Fi signal hahaha!]
Ning Zhou, being the second-tallest, stood next to Yu Tong and greeted the camera with everyone else.
The sports group linked shoulders, exuding a relaxed and lively atmosphere.
The PD cleared his throat and began to announce the second episode’s rules, “This time, the task segment format will change—from a team battle to an individual battle!”
Zeng Yunsheng quietly withdrew the arm he’d slung over Fu Binhong’s shoulders: “Individual battle?”
“That’s right. The five members of the sports group will compete against each other, and one ultimate winner will be crowned, receiving a mysterious grand prize.”
In an instant, the once-united and harmonious sports group underwent some subtle changes…
[Friendly reminder: this is not a still image.]
[Look at their eyes—one second harmless, the next razor-sharp. For a moment, these retired players looked like they’d transformed back into the dominators who once ruled their arenas… /stunned/]
[As expected from athletes. The only thing that can truly ignite their fighting spirit is competition. Popularity and traffic are just clouds passing by~]
[Eh? Did I see that right? Why is Ning Zhou the only one still staring into the camera?]
[Ning Zhou, wake up! Everyone’s entered battle mode—stop playing “find the camera”! /frustrated/]
[So strange… he gives me this vibe of “I’ll try to compete, but if I lose, oh well.” Such an open-minded aura…]
“The first task segment—shooting practice!”
The moment “shooting” was mentioned, Fu Binhong clenched his fists, already certain of victory.
“That’s not fair!” Yu Tong protested. “How can an individual match choose shooting? How are we supposed to beat Brother Fu…”
Ning Zhou immediately gave up, “Let’s just fight for second place.”
“You can’t give in so easily, Xiao Ning!” Zeng Yunsheng, standing beside him, grabbed and shook Ning Zhou’s shoulders, frustrated. “Where’s your sportsmanship? You can’t give up until the very last second!”
Ning Zhou was shocked, “Does a beginner really have any hope of beating an Olympic shooting champion?”
“No.” Zeng Yunsheng answered firmly. “Which means all we have left to talk about is our spirit.”
“…Makes sense.”
Encouraged by Zeng Yunsheng, four fiery rookies and one Olympic gold medalist lined up at the shooting range…
[This is the least suspenseful competition I’ve ever seen…]
[Don’t say that—the rankings from 2nd to 5th still have suspense. /dog-head/]
[Brother Zeng, your “spirit theory” is on point. As expected, national table tennis players are all natural comedians. /thumbs up/]
[Logically I know Brother Fu will win, but in my heart I’m still hoping for an earth-shattering upset… /rubbing hands/]
With nothing but “spirit” to prop them up, the four rookies stood in the shooting zone, staring at the target again and again.
“Where’s the target? Did the crew forget to set it up?”
“It’s right in front of you.” The shooting range staff pointed to the target sheet. “This is what you’ll be aiming at.”
Ten meters away, the black scoring rings on the target sheet were barely the size of a palm. From the firing position, it looked like nothing more than a tiny black speck…
Ning Zhou squinted hard at it, “Tss… If you hadn’t told me that was the target, I’d have thought it was a fat black bug lying there…”
“Ridiculous!” Tong Rong had to zoom in with his phone camera before he could even confirm the rings. “It’s way too small. How can anyone hit that?”
Yu Tong eyed the program team suspiciously, “Are you pranking us? I’ve tried archery before, and even the ten-ring circle in archery is about this big!”
Fu Binhong smiled and explained, “This is the standard target. We’re practicing air pistol shooting, so the target paper is already considered big. For rifles, the target is only about a coin’s width bigger.”
Zeng Yunsheng, clinging to his last shred of hope, asked, “Old Fu, doesn’t the gun have a scope? Can’t we use that to magnify?”
The staff handed him the air pistol. Zeng Yunsheng turned it over and over, finding only a notch-and-post sight, “What if we switch to rifles instead? At least they have scopes…”
“The scopes on rifles don’t magnify either. They’re only for aiming assistance.” Fu Binhong crushed the fantasy without mercy.
The more Zeng Yunsheng heard, the more despairing he grew. Leaning against Ning Zhou, he muttered darkly, “Xiao Ning, you were right. There are just some things… that spirit alone can’t solve…”
Ning Zhou comforted him, “Every field has its barriers. Just do your best.”
[Watching broadcasts, I always thought shooting looked simple. Turns out a single hand tremor and your shot will fly off tens of thousands of miles…]
[I’m near-sighted with astigmatism. Not only can I not see the target, the black dot doubles itself. True embodiment of the shooting black hole. /smile/]
[Ning Zhou, how could you compare it to a “big black bug”!? Now I can’t unsee it—it’s making my skin crawl!]
[Once you accept this interpretation…]
The five athletes stood in a straight line, each waiting at their own shooting station.
The PD explained, “Each person will shoot once. You’ll be ranked by score, and higher ranks will get easier tasks in the next round.”
“Only one shot?” Yu Tong thought for a moment, then spread her hands. “Well, that actually makes it a bit more random. The more shots we fire, the bigger the gap with Brother Fu…”
Zeng Yunsheng, face full of worry, leaned forward to ask for help, “Brother Fu! When aiming, what should we line up with?”
Fu Binhong glanced at him coolly. “Not telling.”
“?” The memory of them learning together was still fresh, and Zeng Yunsheng cried out in anguish, “Where did that kind-hearted Brother Fu from just now go!?”
[Bullet comments]
[Who just said they were “the most harmonious guest group ever”? Step forward and take your punishment.]
[Sports team plastic friendship: meaning friendship comes second, competition comes first — true variety show spirit. /dog head/]
[Go Zhou Zhou! Charge! You can do it! /cheering/]
[So annoying, paid commenters—mindlessly hyping him, really?]
[Excuse me? Watch your mouth. I’m a founding member of the prestigious “Zhou Zhou Support Squad”! /breathing fire/]
[Where did this idiot come from…]
After the staff taught everyone how to handle the air pistol, the contest began—According to height order, Tong Rong went first.
She focused intently, muttering as she aimed, “Gods and Buddhas, please just let me hit the target at all…”
She pulled the trigger, and the electronic screen in front of her showed the result—2.2 rings.
“!” Tong Rong was overjoyed, twirling and jumping. “I hit it!”
Fu Binhong generously applauded, praising her repeatedly.
Ning Zhou clapped too, looking a little blank, “So… the fewer rings the better?”
“Don’t doubt yourself, 2.2 just means you barely touched the target,” Yu Tong whispered, “Brother Fu’s daughter is around Tong Rong’s age, he probably dotes on her like his own kid…”
After the appetizer, the camera turned to the “championship favorite”—
The moment Fu Binhong held the gun single-handedly, his friendly-neighbor aura vanished; even his beer belly looked professional. Focused, concentrated, eyes sharp as blades. His arm was steady like a surgeon’s hand over an operating table—without the slightest tremor.
10.1 rings.
The screen displayed the astonishing number, yet Fu Binhong frowned as he lowered the gun: “My hand feels a little off today.”
Ning Zhou: O.o
Tong Rong, who had just been smug about 2.2 rings: …
Bullet comments: ???
[Wait, wasn’t he supposed to be retired? Why does it feel like his competitive form is still at its peak…]
[Fun fact: Fu Binhong retired because he wanted to relax, but the air pistol “final boss” is still a final boss.]
[Quick, look at Zeng Yunsheng’s face: “Crap, I fell for his act.jpg.” I can’t stop laughing!]
[Zhou Zhou don’t back down! Aim for ten rings too!]
[Comment above, you look familiar… founding member?]
[Me too! We’re both founding members—go Zhou Zhou! /fighting/]
[Heh, plenty of brainless fans watching this show I see…]
[I’ve heard Ning Zhou’s vision is unusual. If it’s him, maybe he really could make a miracle? /thinking/]
The task continued. Zeng Yunsheng scored 1.3 rings, temporarily in third place.
Next up was the contestant bullet chat was waiting for—Ning Zhou. Although air pistol doesn’t require special uniforms, for the sake of promoting the sport, the production team had given them matching shooting outfits.
Ning Zhou stood sideways, arm raised, gaze sharpened into a needle, threading through the sights straight toward the target.
The shooting jacket fit him perfectly—clean, crisp, with bold color blocks making a strong visual impression…
[You’re supposed to aim at the target, not at my heart! /sucking fingers/]
[I didn’t know shooting could look this cool. I’m buying tickets to a match next time!]
[Upstairs, you’re not going for the match, let’s be real… /wiping sweat/]
[What good is looking cool? As if he can hit above five rings…]
[But hey, Ning Zhou carried the sports team with his vision in the first episode, and shooting relies on eyesight too—maybe, just maybe?]
[If he scores over five rings, I’ll wash my hair standing on my head. /grinning/]
“Bang!”
The pistol fired, the sharp crack cutting through the air. Bullet chat froze mid-argument, every viewer staring at the electronic screen beside Ning Zhou, waiting for the result—One second, two, three…
The screen remained blank. A staffer went to check the target opposite Ning Zhou, then shook his head at the producers.
[Missed? Or is the display broken?]
[Lmao, where are Ning Zhou’s fans now? He couldn’t even hit the target!]
[Delightful to watch! I knew his “vision” stunt last episode was scripted!]
[As handsome as he looked posing, this is just awkward now…]
[Weird. His hand didn’t shake, and he looked relaxed after firing. I thought he did well. /confused face/]
“Huh?”
Yu Tong suddenly spoke up, incredulous, “Is my screen broken?”
Everyone looked over at her display—
7.9 rings.
“Wuhu~” Zeng Yunsheng gave a thumbs-up. “Yu Tong, amazing! Your basketball aim carries over to shooting too!”
Yu Tong was dazed, clutching her head in disbelief, “But… I haven’t even fired yet…”
Fu Binhong folded his arms, chuckling as he shook his head, “Guess the venue’s equipment glitched, broke two at once—huh?”
He froze, realization dawning, and turned in horror toward Ning Zhou—
“?” Ning Zhou blinked, glancing back and forth between himself and Yu Tong’s target. His face flushed red, “Sorry, I got distracted just now…”
[???]
[So Ning Zhou didn’t miss—he hit Yu Tong’s target instead? /mind blown/]
[Ning Zhou, your wide vision isn’t meant to be used like this! /faint/]
[His gift literally turned into a handicap…]
[And people said Ning Zhou’s “vision” was made up—nope, this proves it’s real, and freakishly so. /wiping sweat/]
[Wait, none of us noticed he was angled the wrong way when he fired!?]
[Cough cough, everyone was too busy admiring the eye candy, brains switched off…]
[Hey, where’s the guy who said he’d wash his hair upside down? Time to… wash your hair, maybe.]
[7.9 rings! But the question is—whose score does it count as?]
The score Ning Zhou fired landed on Yu Tong’s target…
The PD flipped open the emergency handbook, utterly frazzled.
After painstakingly drafting emergency plans for months, not a single one applied to this situation.
Who could have expected this!?
Once again, Ning Zhou had created a completely absurd program effect, catching both the audience and production crew off guard…
After a brief discussion, the directors reached a decision— The 7.9-ring score would be invalidated, Ning Zhou would be ranked as a “miss,” and Yu Tong would continue her round and be ranked according to her own results.
Thus, in the very first task, Ning Zhou happily claimed last place.
[The battlefield changes in an instant; a single mistake can send even the strongest contender to the bottom—that’s the beauty of competitive sports! (commentator voice)]
[Zhou Zhou, you let us down! You wasted that 7.9-ring, ugh, I was counting on you to win a few more shopping cards!]
[Wait, what’s with that tone… does Ning Zhou have a little wifey waiting at home?]
[What? He’s only twenty!]
[Don’t believe that username’s nonsense. Earlier they said they were part of his fan club, not a single word was true.]
[Ridiculous, I’m his teammate! Tell me where your local volleyball court is, I’ll prove myself with my skills!]
Two usernames in the live comments began a fierce debate, arguing nonstop.
Meanwhile, the program had already shifted to the second filming location, right next to the shooting range—
An escape room.
The shop was decorated with small horror-themed details. Acting as host, the PD deliberately lowered his voice into an eerie tone, “Welcome to the final task of episode two. You’ll be facing new challenges—are you all ready?”
The live atmosphere grew heavy and unsettling as the PD continued, “You five will each enter different themed rooms. Whoever escapes in the shortest time will be the winner! Of course, each room has a different level of difficulty…”
At that point, his eyes lingered on Ning Zhou for a moment, carrying a very meaningful look.
Ning Zhou: …Uh-oh.
“Now, based on the shooting results from the first task: the top two will enter light-horror rooms, third and fourth get medium-horror, and as for our last-place contestant, Ning Zhou—”
The PD put on an expression full of pity, as if to say farewell: “—heavy horror.”
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