The tide of the match suddenly turned. Zhou Nanye began smashing the ball with fierce momentum, predicting the trajectory of Ming Yao’s returns with uncanny accuracy and consistently striking back with power and precision.

Every single time, he managed to anticipate and counter the incoming shots, returning them without fail.

Under Zhou Nanye’s relentless assault, Ming Yao began to falter. His stamina waned, and for the first time, he made a mistake—failing to return the ball.

The ball landed on the ground.

Ming Yao stared at it, his eyes wide with disbelief.

The spectators, who had been watching with bated breath, erupted into cheers.

“Wow! Zhou Nanye actually scored against him!”

“Who would’ve thought? Ming Yao, the so-called tennis master, actually got bested by a newbie!”

Ming Yao’s earlier smugness vanished. His face flushed with embarrassment.

Determined to save face, he forced himself to focus and vowed not to lose another point.

But Zhou Nanye was not only intelligent but also remarkably enduring.

With every rally, Zhou Nanye predicted Ming Yao’s shots with increasing precision and returned them with ease.

Ming Yao, on the other hand, struggled more and more to keep up. His movements grew sluggish, his shots less controlled.

Zhou Nanye steadily closed the gap in their scores, and by the end of the 20-minute match, he had surpassed Ming Yao by one point.

“Whoa! That was incredible!”

“Unbelievable! So intense!”

The crowd roared with excitement.

Ming Yao, however, stared at the scoreboard in utter frustration.

He had been so confident of his victory. Tennis was his hobby, his strength. Yet he had been defeated—by a newcomer no less!

Furious, he slammed his racket to the ground, the sharp sound echoing across the court.

When he glanced over and saw Jiang Mianmian holding Zhou Nanye’s hands in excitement, his anger and humiliation only deepened.

Unable to bear the sight any longer, he stormed off.

As for Zhou Ling’er, she had been completely ignored throughout the match. Attempting to follow Ming Yao, she was met with a furious snarl, “Get lost!”

Ming Yao no longer had any interest in Zhou Ling’er. The fascination he had felt when she first transferred to their school was gone.

Now, his mind was consumed with Jiang Mianmian—the stunningly beautiful girl who had captured everyone’s attention.

Her exquisite face, curvaceous figure, and confident demeanor were a perfect match for his own status.

Regret churned in Ming Yao’s gut. He felt like an utter fool for having treated her with indifference when she was devoted to him.

Now that she had turned her back on him, he finally realized how much he wanted her.

Could it be true that she no longer had any feelings for him?

The idea was unbearable. Ming Yao refused to believe it.

I’ll wait until this embarrassing episode blows over, he thought. Then I’ll go back to her. I’ll make her forgive me.

Meanwhile, Jiang Mianmian was gleefully holding Zhou Nanye’s hands, shaking them in excitement. She beamed at him, her face radiant with joy.

“Nanye, you’re amazing!”

She hadn’t expected that someone she had coached for only a week would defeat Ming Yao, who had been playing tennis for years.

Zhou Nanye, seeing her so happy, felt a wave of warmth and pride.

Explaining himself earnestly, he said, “I… I just… pre… predicted the ball’s… traj… trajectory… and used… quick… quick reflexes to… return it.”

“Nanye, you’re so smart!”

Jiang Mianmian’s eyes sparkled with admiration. This must be what they call a genius, she thought.

Zhou Nanye, his face slightly flushed, shyly replied, “It’s… because Mianmian… taught me… well.”