It’s normal to have skills in Wangwang, right?

In the following days, Liu Lingyin perfectly demonstrated what it means to be "stuck at home" through her actions.

Aside from appearing at the dining room for three meals a day on time, she almost never left the house, her activities strictly confined to her bedroom, study, and the adjacent bathroom. Even the housekeeper couldn't help but subtly remind her when bringing fruit, "Miss, the weather is lovely today, the hydrangeas in the courtyard are in full bloom..."

Liu Lingyin simply responded with an apologetic smile: "Ah, I'll definitely go next time!" Then she turned away and went back to her own world.

She wasn't actually extremely lazy; rather, she took advantage of this quiet time when no one was around to continue sending 'data' to China using her personal computer, and then focused wholeheartedly on studying the mental cultivation method.

Although this method is currently at a low level, since she drew it, she has developed the habit of replacing part of her sleep with meditation every night before going to sleep, accumulating little by little without interruption. This time, however, she is no longer satisfied with the usual practice, but instead uses large parts of the daytime to study, experience, and try it, like a patient scholar, repeatedly scrutinizing every detail of perception and guidance.

Her sustained focus paid off. The accumulated knowledge, like a quietly gathering stream, seemed to have found a clearer channel under this deeper guidance and refinement. She clearly felt that some inner awareness was being quietly awakened.

The most noticeable change was her heightened senses – not in terms of improved hearing or eyesight, but in a more acute and nuanced perception of her surroundings. She could clearly distinguish the calls of different birds in the courtyard, detect the subtlest changes in sound as the breeze passed through the window cracks, and even vaguely "sense" the emotional state of others. For example, when the housekeeper delivered snacks, she was calm and peaceful, and when Sakaki Chiharu's mother called, even through the phone, she could vaguely sense the excitement and fatigue brought on by her work.

Even more mysterious was the inner transformation. It was as if her soul had been cleansed, becoming more transparent and light. Distractions were easier to eliminate, her mind was more easily calmed, and her thinking became clearer and smoother when considering problems. It was an indescribable sense of "sublimation" that captivated her.

Just as she was almost forgetting what day it was, completely immersed in the mysteries of cultivating spiritual power, time quietly passed in the outside world.

The youth selection training camp has ended.

That evening, Liu Lingyin finished her meditation as usual, feeling refreshed. She stretched her slightly stiff neck and decided to go downstairs to find something to eat. Just as she reached the living room, she was surprised to find that the tall, upright figure who should have been at the training base was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper.

"Sakaki's father?" Liu Lingyin asked in surprise. "You're back? Is the training camp over?"

Taro Sakaki put down his newspaper and looked up at her. The girl looked radiant and bright-eyed after a few days apart, though she was wearing loose loungewear and her hair was casually tied up, a typical "stay-at-home" look.

He said succinctly, "Yes, it's officially over this afternoon."

Liu Lingyin sat down on the single sofa next to her and asked curiously, "How is it? Have the selection results been announced? Who was selected?" Although she had a general idea, she still wanted to hear the "official news".

Sakaki Taro recited eight names. Sure enough, it matched Yanagi Suzune's memory perfectly: Atobe Keigo, Sanada Genichiro, Oshitari Yuushi, Kikumaru Eiji, Sengoku Kiyosumi, Fuji Syusuke, Kirihara Akaya, and the substitutes…

Liu Lingyin listened and nodded, not surprised by the result. With the main characters and plot framework remaining largely unchanged, this lineup was almost inevitable. She wasn't particularly interested in the roster itself; since the personnel were the same, and given the strength of these young people, the result against the American team shouldn't be too bad.

However! There was a hidden "highlight" in the list that she simply couldn't ignore.

Her mind raced between the names "Atobe Keigo" and "Sanada Genichiro," and two images flashed through her mind: one of Atobe snapping his fingers and shouting, "Be intoxicated by my magnificent skills!", and the other of Emperor Sanada, his face dark, unleashing "Swift as the wind"...

How do you pair these two players, both with extremely strong singles styles and equally impressive personal charisma, into a doubles team?

The scene was too beautiful for her to bear. Who on earth came up with such a... well, "insightful" (mischievous) idea?

She couldn't help but ask, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Sakaki Taro: "Sakaki-papa, who suggested the doubles pairing of Atobe and Sanada?" She tried her best to make her tone sound like she was just being genuinely curious, rather than trying to suppress a laugh.

Taro Sakaki's expression remained unchanged, still displaying the serious and focused demeanor of a coach. However, upon closer inspection, a faint, almost gentle smile seemed to flicker in his usually sharp eyes. He picked up the teacup on the coffee table, took a sip, and calmly replied, "Coach Hanamura and I came up with this together."

Liu Lingyin: "..."

She blinked, then blinked again. Sakaki's father and Coach Hanamura? One was the classically serious Hyotei coach, the other a research fanatic coach who worshipped scientific data and the perfect physique…

Is this all you two have come up with? Putting the two fiercest "lions" in the same cage and expecting them to dance a duet?

"puff--"

Liu Lingyin couldn't help but chuckle softly. She quickly raised her hand to cover her mouth, but the smile in her eyes was impossible to hide.

"Sakaki's father, you guys are really... your forward-thinking is admirable, you really dare to think and act!"

This assessment is quite tactful.

Sakaki Taro calmly put down his teacup, seemingly oblivious to the teasing in her words.

Liu Lingyin, however, was not about to let this interesting point go, so she leaned closer and continued to ask, her tone full of curiosity:

"So... if you were to give an objective score to their doubles teamwork, what would it be? Would it be... passing?"

She emphasized the word "pass".

This time, Sakaki Taro didn't answer immediately. He was silent for a moment, then coughed very lightly, almost imperceptibly. He then stood up, straightened the hem of his perfectly wrinkle-free suit, and said in his usual calm and even tone, "Enough joking, let's go have dinner."

Liu Lingyin was taken aback at first, then looked at Sakaki Taro's serious and solemn face, as if he had just announced a very ordinary schedule, and then recalled his soft cough, which could almost be called a "tactical cough," and his evasive attitude...

"Pfft... Hahaha..."

She finally couldn't help herself, covering her mouth and chuckling softly, her shoulders shaking. "Okay, okay, let's eat, let's eat... haha..."

This isn't just a question of passing or failing; it's clearly gone beyond the scoring system and should be categorized as "unusual anecdotes from the youth selection training camp" or "the coaching team's boldest experiment"!

Imagine the scenes of Atobe and Sanada "fighting for the ball", "suppressing each other's aura", and "going their own way" on the field... Liu Lingyin felt that she could eat an extra bowl of rice at this dinner.

Therefore, their doubles teamwork doesn't even need a score; the score is practically laughable. Hahaha...

***

After dinner, Liu Lingyin returned to her room, the smile still lingering on her face. She picked up her phone, opened her contacts, her fingertip lingering on the name labeled 'The Magnificent Atobe-sama', before pressing the dial button.

The phone rang a few times before being answered, and Atobe's signature voice, languidly magnetic and utterly self-assuredly arrogant, came through: "Hmm? What's up, calling me at this hour?"

Liu Lingyin leaned against the headboard, smiling broadly as she said, "Xiao Jing, I heard you were selected in the Youth Selection! Congratulations!" Her tone was cheerful. (?＞?＜?)

A very slight, disdainful hum came from the other end of the phone: "Isn't it expected and only natural that I was chosen? Also, don't call me 'Grandpa' in such an unrefined way." The last half of the sentence was the usual protest.

"Okay, Xiao Jing, I understand, Xiao Jing." Liu Lingyin readily agreed, then immediately called out again, her tone completely insincere.

"You unglamorous woman!" Atobe's voice carried a hint of annoyance.

"Hey!" Liu Lingyin drawled out, not backing down at all, "We're evenly matched. I told you before, stop using such unglamorous language. You're criticizing me for being unglamorous, but you haven't changed either."

"Hmph!" Atobe snorted arrogantly, as if this was a matter of course. "Compared to me, you are not glamorous at all."

Liu Lingyin was too lazy to get entangled with him on this recurring topic and decided to get straight to tonight's "theme." Her voice was filled with obvious curiosity and amusement:

"Well... the magnificent Atobe-sama, I heard that you're paired with Sanada Genichiro... in doubles, right?" ψ(｀?′)ψ!

She emphasized the words "doubles partners".

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, and one could almost imagine that Atobe might have raised an eyebrow or given a "I knew it" look.

"Hmm." He responded with a sound of acknowledgment, then asked, "Just say what you have to say." Meaning, don't beat around the bush.

Liu Lingyin didn't stand on ceremony and immediately asked in a tone full of curiosity (and anticipation of a good show): "Then... can you satisfy my little curiosity? When you and Sanada, two top singles players, practice doubles, how... is your teamwork?"

She paused, lowered her voice as if suppressing something, and asked softly, "Won't you... always steal the ball from the other player?"

After asking the question, she held her breath, waiting to hear whether Atobe would become angry or arrogantly declare, "I can win brilliantly with anyone I team up with," or... reveal some "exciting" details from the training.

On the other end of the line came Atobe Keigo's ambiguous, drawn-out voice:

"uh-huh--"

This tone, no matter how you listen to it, doesn't sound particularly elegant!

An uncontrollable laugh burst from Liu Lingyin's throat: "Ha, hahahaha..."

"Beep-beep-"

Unable to bear hearing Liu Lingyin's unrefined laughter any longer, Atobe hung up the phone in a rather unrefined manner.

The smile on Liu Lingyin's face had not yet faded after she hung up the phone call with Atobe Keigo, which ended with a complicated yet arrogant "hmm".

She smiled mischievously through her bright almond-shaped eyes. How could "interviewing" only one party be enough? There are two doubles partners, after all.

She swiped her finger across the phone screen and quickly found another name—Sanada Genichiro.

Looking at the serious-sounding name, Liu Lingyin's smile deepened, tinged with a mischievous anticipation. She pressed the dial button.

The call connected faster than expected. After three rings, Sanada's deep, steady voice, as always, came through the receiver: "Moshi moshi, this is Sanada."

"Good evening, Genichiro-nii-san. Did I disturb you?" Liu Lingyin's voice was filled with a light laugh.

On the other end of the phone, Genichiro Sanada, who had just returned home from training camp and was sitting in his room reviewing his training notes, almost imperceptibly loosened his grip on his pen the moment he heard Rin's voice. His usually hard lips softened into a tiny, unseen smile.

"No," he answered succinctly, then added a sentence, his tone carrying an almost imperceptible warmth.

Clearly, Sanada felt a subtle but significant joy upon receiving Liu Lingyin's call; in his social circle, Liu Lingyin was a very special person.

However, Liu Lingyin's next words caused Sanada's usually expressionless handsome face to freeze for a rare moment.

"I just heard about the results of the selection process! Congratulations on being selected!" Liu Lingyin said sincerely.

Just as Sanada was about to reply with "Thank you!", she changed the subject, her voice now tinged with obvious curiosity and a hint of... cunning?

“However, I’m more interested in another piece of news. You’re going to be playing doubles with Atobe this time, right?” She emphasized “doubles” and “partner”.

Sanada, who knew Liu Lingyin's personality, couldn't help but tighten his grip on the phone. "Hmm..."

Liu Lingyin seemed oblivious to his nervousness, and continued to ask in that inquisitive, light, and innocent tone, "Then... can you satisfy a small curiosity of mine? When you and Atobe, two top singles players, practice doubles, how's your... teamwork? Do you... always try to steal the ball from each other?"

A vein throbbed faintly on Sanada's forehead, and a deep sense of powerlessness and... subtle embarrassment welled up in his heart.

"Don't let up!"

"Oh~ they still stole it!! Hahahaha..."

"......"

Hearing that crisp laughter, Sanada's helplessness at being asked about his "awkward moment" was quickly covered by another, softer emotion—a helplessness that was almost indulgent.

He could even picture her on the other end of the phone, her eyes crinkling with a mixture of smugness and curiosity.

Sanada sighed almost imperceptibly. Facing Liu Lingyin, he seemed to find it difficult to put on a serious face and display the authority he held as the vice-captain of the tennis club.