Chapter Summaries

Wang Chao dominated the Qatar Open and Asian Championships before leading Black Spade Q to the Table Tennis Super League autumn title. The season ended with Wu Li proving himself as a singles contender and Wang Chao earning the league championship and MVP Player of the Year.

• Wang Chao won all three Qatar Open events, while the Tang Dynasty Combination's mixed-doubles victory ended the partner controversy and silenced doubts about the pairing.
• Wang Chao and Luo Jiu took the top two places at the Asian Championships, and Wang Chao later helped his league team reach the playoffs.
• Qiu Shang upset Arul as Black Spade Q beat Imperial Capital Panlong 3–0 to reach the autumn-season final.
• Black Spade Q defeated Shanghai Fire Phoenix 3–2 after Wu Li beat Qi Hao in the deciding match.
• Cai Guodong decided Wu Li deserved opportunities in world-event singles, and Wang Chao finished the season as league champion and MVP Player of the Year.

Wang Chao won the season-ending finals and celebrated Luo Jiu and Fan Xiaoxian’s wedding before learning that Wang Mei was two months pregnant. The chapter ended with Wang Chao promising to love and care for his future younger sibling.

• Wang Chao won the World Cup singles title, then defeated Fan Xiaodong 4:0 in the season-ending finals.
• Hook ended his losing streak against Luo Jiu, but Fan Xiaodong beat Hook and reached the final after defeating Lin Zijun in seven games.
• Luo Jiu and Fan Xiaoxian married in a grand ceremony attended by Wang Chao, Geng Shuai, and China Table Tennis figures.
• Wang Chao noticed that Wang Mei was not doing housework and learned she was two months pregnant.
• Wang Chao reassured Wang Mei and Wang Zhongzhu that he supported their decision to have a child and promised to care for the baby.

After Luo Jiu returned to Spade Q, Wang Chao dominated the international circuit while Fan Xiaodong repeatedly fell short against him. Sun Tianlong brought Fan Xiaodong and Wang Chao to meet Qin Huachang, who admitted there was no clear way to defeat Wang Chao and then asked to speak with him privately.

• Luo Jiu returned to Spade Q, and Fan Xiaofan arranged for Hou Xijia and Qiu Shang to join Jiangcheng University while seeking Wang Chao's advice about a new star.
• Fan Xiaodong chose Xiangnan Province Fruit TV Club, rose to become one of China's top players, and repeatedly lost to Wang Chao as Wang won major titles.
• Luo Jiu withdrew from the World Table Tennis Championships qualification tournament, and Wang Chao won the championship by defeating Fan Xiaodong 4:0.
• After Fan Xiaodong broke down following another 4:0 loss to Wang Chao, Sun Tianlong decided to take him to see Qin Huachang.
• Qin Huachang told Sun Tianlong that Wang Chao seemed unbeatable and urged him to help Fan Xiaodong hold off Lin Zijun, Morad, and Zhang Benkuang instead.
• After the livestream ended, Qin Huachang asked Wang Chao to talk, and Wang Chao readily agreed.

Wang Chao continued dominating table tennis as veteran players Luo Jiu, Liu Wen, and Lin Li retired and China’s men’s team completed its generational transition. After Qin Huachang explained Wang Chao’s increasingly controlled victories and warned that his heavy schedule would bring injury, Wang Chao was hurt during a match against Fan Xiaodong but still won, leaving Fan devastated.

• Wang Chao won the World Cup after defeating Fan Xiaodong and Lin Zijun, while Luo Jiu and Liu Wen lost their semifinals and later retired.
• Liu Wen returned to Liaoning to coach, Luo Jiu took a sports administration post in Northern Hubei, and Lin Li later retired to coach in Jizhou.
• Lu Feiyang and Wang Qin won places among the national team’s five main players, completing China’s generational transition.
• Wang Chao won several tournaments with 4–1 scores, and Qin Huachang explained that he had adjusted his play to improve his margin for error.
• Qin Huachang warned that Wang Chao’s packed schedule would lead to injury, and Wang Chao fell while saving a ball against Fan Xiaodong at the Italian Open.
• Wang Chao returned after emergency treatment and defeated Fan Xiaodong 4–2, then beat him 11–0 in the final game; Fan refused the post-match handshake and left the venue.

Wang Chao continued his unprecedented dominance, completed the Double Grand Slam, and later withdrew from the World Table Tennis Championships so Fan Xiaodong could seize his first major title. Qin Huachang died after a long illness, leaving a legacy that moved the table tennis world, while veteran players began retiring as a new generation rose.

• Wang Chao won his fourth year-end finals title, retained the Super League MVP award, and claimed five Open titles while Fan Xiaodong became China's second mainstay.
• Wang Chao won the World Cup team championship, two Olympic gold medals, and the National Games men's singles and team titles, completing the Double Grand Slam.
• Wang Chao withdrew from the World Table Tennis Championships, and Fan Xiaodong defeated Hook in the final to win his first major-event gold medal.
• Qin Huachang became ill during a year-end finals broadcast and later died of recurring lung cancer; his will praised the sport's growing worldwide reach and his role in promoting it.
• Wang Chao mourned Qin Huachang, whose funeral drew players, coaches, and fans from around the world, while the International Table Tennis Federation paused an Open tournament in his honor.
• Bai Feng retired, and after young players Wang Qin and LeBron defeated Wolf and Ochomirov at the Denmark Open, both veterans announced their retirements.

Wang Chao reduced his appearances as injuries mounted, while Chinese Table Tennis changed leadership and Fan Xiaodong emerged as his chief rival. He won three table tennis gold medals at the Olympics, completed three Grand Slams, and submitted his retirement application after returning to the national base.

• Hook won the World Cup singles title and declared that he could chase a Grand Slam like Fan Xiaodong.
• After a doctor warned him about his injuries, Wang Chao cut back on tournaments and gave more opportunities to other players.
• Cai Guodong chose Zhu Zeshi as his successor and advised him, Wang Lu, and Wang Chao to put collective interests first.
• Wang Chao returned to win the World Cup singles title, then competed at the Olympics as flag bearer and claimed the men's singles, mixed doubles, and Men's Doubles gold medals.
• Wang Chao defeated Fan Xiaodong in the Olympic final, completed three Grand Slams, and submitted his retirement application to Zhu Zeshi.

After retiring from table tennis, Wang Chao married Tang Yuanyuan and later traveled with her to Nanjing, where a pair of young players reminded him of someone from his past. He returned to investigate the familiar child, but the story ended with him standing in the alley, caught between memories of his old life and the present.

• Wang Chao applied to retire, and Sun Tianlong thanked him for clearing the way for Fan Xiaodong.
• Tang Yuanyuan retired as well, and she and Wang Chao agreed to marry.
• Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan held a lavish wedding in Jiangcheng City during the National Day holiday.
• During their honeymoon, Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan visited Nanjing, where Wang Chao recognized an alley from his past.
• Wang Chao noticed a young player who resembled someone he remembered and returned to ask the children about him, but they ran off before he learned more.

The author reflected on completing Ping-Pong Life, thanked the readers, editor, and group administrator, and shared the book’s performance and writing experience. The author ended by saying the next book would probably not be about table tennis and thanking readers for their rewards.

• The author described affection for the characters, including Hu Buming, Qin Huachang, He Jingping, Rohlskov, and Mizutori Hato.
• The author recounted chatting with readers about the book, table tennis, and the next project, and said they had written seventeen thousand words on the final day.
• The author thanked editor Chao Shen de yy for supporting and advising the novel, which had ranked among the Sports channel’s top ten.
• The author thanked reader-group administrator Ye Hongye for managing the group and joked about his habits and age.
• The author said the next book would probably not be about table tennis and thanked several readers for their rewards.

At Inspiration Primary School, Gao Fei was mocked for his poor penhold play until he called over Zhang Xing, who easily defeated the local players with precise returns and powerful attacks. Zhang Hailong refused to continue after Zhang Xing beat him twice, and the students left as evening fell.

• Gao Fei lost repeatedly to the Inspiration Primary School children, who targeted his weak backhand and mocked his penhold grip.
• Gao Fei called Zhang Xing over and asked him to hold the table until sunset; Zhang Xing agreed and took the battered paddle.
• Zhang Xing used heavy backspin serves and easy returns to defeat his first opponent, then attacked a Sneak Long Serve for a direct point.
• The other children backed away, so Zhang Hailong, their strongest player, challenged Zhang Xing with backspin and a fast Sneak Long Serve.
• Zhang Xing returned Zhang Hailong's shots and smashed his serve for points, prompting Zhang Hailong to quit and the students to leave.

Gao Fei secretly pursued table tennis despite his parents’ objections, and Grandpa encouraged him with stories of his own past. Inspired, Gao Fei vowed to become the Ping-Pong God, while his parents later went upstairs to speak with Grandpa.

• Gao Fei and Zhang Xing rallied at the table, and Gao Fei arranged to meet him early the next morning.
• Gao Fei hid his paddle, ate dinner, and finished his homework while his parents were away.
• Grandpa told Gao Fei stories about playing alongside a legendary table tennis champion and encouraged him not to give up despite his lack of talent.
• Gao Fei declared that he would play professionally, win the World Championship, and become the Ping-Pong God.
• Gao Fei’s parents scolded him for shouting, then went upstairs to talk with Grandpa after he fell asleep.