Recaps

Su Miaoyin accompanied Cheng Che to campus and showed him unexpected affection, while Cheng Che's friends mistook their closeness for romance. The chapter ended with Wang Zheng, Zhou Hao, and Li Yuan teasing Cheng Che and keeping a photo of Su Miaoyin straightening his collar.

• Cheng Che frowned at Su Miaoyin's revealing clothes, so she changed into warmer clothing before they left for campus together.
• Students watched Su Miaoyin and Cheng Che as they walked through Peking University's gates, assuming they were a couple.
• Su Miaoyin walked Cheng Che to the Science Teaching Building and carefully straightened his collar before heading to her own class.
• Wang Zheng, Zhou Hao, and Li Yuan appeared and asked Cheng Che when Su Miaoyin would arrange a mixer for them.
• Li Yuan showed Cheng Che a photo of Su Miaoyin straightening his collar, but refused to delete it, and Cheng Che went into class without answering their teasing.

Cheng Che continued his tennis training and paper revisions while preparing for his upcoming trip and the premiere of North Star. Su Miaoyin visited with a gift, helped him make fried skewers, and watched the drama’s first episode with him as it began.

• Cheng Che received Qin Lie’s message that his visa and wildcard were being processed and that his flight was booked for the 26th.
• Cheng Che invited Wang Zheng to support North Star’s premiere, and Wang Zheng said that Zhou Hao and Li Yuan would watch too.
• Cheng Che bought ingredients for fried skewers, and Su Miaoyin arrived with sports earphones as a gift for his premiere.
• Cheng Che let Su Miaoyin help prepare the skewers, and they fried and ate them together.
• Cheng Che and Su Miaoyin turned on North Star, and the first episode began.

The first episode of "North Star" showcased Cheng Che's natural performance as Lu Shi'an, earning praise from Su Miaoyin, Yan Ruanning, and viewers. After the episode ended, Su Miaoyin sincerely complimented him, then blushed when Cheng Che pointed out beer foam on her mouth.

• Cheng Che and Su Miaoyin watched the first episode of "North Star" together as Cheng Che appeared on screen as Lu Shi'an.
• Su Miaoyin was struck by how different Cheng Che seemed on screen and felt her heart race during his scene.
• Yan Ruanning watched the episode backstage and privately praised Cheng Che's performance.
• Fans and Zhihu users praised Cheng Che's brief, natural performance and called for him to take more acting roles.
• After the episode ended, Su Miaoyin told Cheng Che he had done well, and he handed her a tissue when she wiped beer foam from the wrong side of her mouth.

Cheng Che completed his stamina training, unlocked new rewards, and headed to the airport with Su Miaoyin, Lin Lin, and Zhao Xiaoman for his Tokyo competition. The group planned to explore Tokyo before his qualifier, while Cheng Che promised Yan Ruanning he would bring back a championship.

• Cheng Che finished the training packs, raised his stamina to 76, and earned the skills The More You Exercise, the Longer You Live and Keen-Eared One, plus a task to win an international championship.
• Qin Lie drove Cheng Che to Peking University, where Su Miaoyin, Lin Lin, and Zhao Xiaoman joined them on the way to the airport.
• Cheng Che agreed to spend the day before his qualifier exploring Tokyo with the others, and Su Miaoyin brushed his hand before turning away, blushing.
• Jiang Xue reminded Cheng Che to stay safe and eat on time, Guo Xin asked him to bring back a souvenir, and Yan Ruanning said she could not attend because of rehearsal.
• Cheng Che, Su Miaoyin, Lin Lin, and Zhao Xiaoman entered the terminal with their luggage and prepared to fly to Tokyo.

Cheng Che arrived in Tokyo for the qualifying rounds and learned that his cross-disciplinary research had completed the Intelligence Trial’s second stage, earning him two new rewards. After receiving the draw, he found out that his first opponent would be Japanese player Nakamura Takuma.

• Tanaka welcomed Cheng Che at Narita and arranged separate rides for Cheng Che and Qin Lie and for Su Miaoyin, Lin Lin, and Zhao Xiaoman.
• Tanaka took Cheng Che and Qin Lie to a Wilson-arranged hotel, where Cheng Che read a professor’s positive response to his research paper.
• Cheng Che completed the Intelligence Trial’s second stage and received the Thought Simulation talent and Brocade Weaver title.
• Qin Lie brought Cheng Che the qualifying draw, which matched him against Nakamura Takuma in the first round.
• Cheng Che said he would defeat Nakamura Takuma when they played the day after tomorrow.

Cheng Che entered his qualifying match against Nakamura Takuma and won over the Japanese home crowd with his presence, leaving Nakamura’s fans cheering for him instead. After acknowledging Su Miaoyin in the stands, Cheng Che opened the match with a down-the-T ace.

• Su Miaoyin, Lin Lin, and Zhao Xiaoman watched the crowded qualifying match, where Chinese spectators held banners supporting Cheng Che.
• Yan Ruanning watched the livestream as Nakamura Takuma entered to cheers and online viewers argued over Cheng Che’s chances.
• Cheng Che walked onto the court, and his smile turned the quiet Japanese crowd into loud supporters, including several of Nakamura’s female fans.
• Su Miaoyin waved to Cheng Che from the stands, and he nodded before facing Nakamura Takuma across the net.
• Cheng Che served an ace down the T to take the first point, making the score fifteen-love.

Cheng Che overwhelmed Nakamura Takuma with powerful, precisely placed serves in the Tokyo Open qualifiers, forcing Nakamura to retire with an injured hand. After advancing to the second round, Cheng learned that his next opponent was another Japanese player and vowed to continue.

• Cheng Che opened the match with a serve that stunned Nakamura Takuma and silenced the arena.
• Cheng Che scored an ace on every service point and won the first set 6–0 while Nakamura failed to return his serves.
• Nakamura moved forward to receive in the second set, but Cheng’s serve struck his racket with enough force to make it fly from his hand and leave his fingers trembling.
• Nakamura claimed he was injured and retired; the doctor examined his right hand and wrist, and the referee declared Cheng the winner and advanced him to the second round of qualifying.
• Cheng bowed to the crowd and met Qin Lie at the players’ tunnel, where Qin told him his next opponent was another Japanese player; Cheng said they should keep going.

After defeating Nakamura Takuma, Cheng Che spent the evening with Su Miaoyin and the others, reviewed his mathematics trial, and reflected on how his Keen-Eared One title had helped him read his opponent. The next morning, he began his second qualifying match in Tokyo, facing a nervous Japanese player.

• Cheng Che signed autographs and posed for photos with Japanese fans of Nakamura Takuma after leaving the stadium.
• Su Miaoyin and her friends met Cheng Che, and the group ate together before Qin Lie drove them back to their inn.
• Cheng Che reviewed the Eye of Mathematics trial and recalled using Keen-Eared One to detect Nakamura Takuma's fatigue during their match.
• Fans and tennis commentators shared clips of Cheng Che's victory and praised his serving online.
• Cheng Che started his second qualifying match against another Japanese player and heard that his opponent was nervous before the first serve.

Cheng Che shut out Inoue Kenta to qualify for the Tokyo Open main draw, then invited Su Miaoyin to visit Tokyo Tower. The chapter left Su Miaoyin agreeing to go with him after making an excuse to her friends.

• Cheng Che defeated Inoue Kenta 6–0, 6–0, advancing to the Tokyo Open main draw without dropping a set.
• Qin Lie told Cheng Che that his wins had made him popular and brought in endorsement offers, while Cheng Che reflected on how much stronger he had become.
• Cheng Che learned that his first main-draw opponent was a French player ranked 197th and left the venue with Qin Lie.
• Cheng Che messaged Su Miaoyin to ask if she wanted to go to Tokyo Tower.
• Su Miaoyin told Lin Lin and Zhao Xiaoman that she felt unwell and agreed to meet Cheng Che instead of going to a hot spring.

Su Miaoyin joined Cheng Che for an evening out in Tokyo after her friends uncovered her excuse to meet him. They stopped at a maid café, where the maids’ attention made Su Miaoyin jealous, and Cheng Che reassured her as Tokyo Tower glowed outside.

• Su Miaoyin admitted to Lin Lin and Zhao Xiaoman that Cheng Che had asked her to visit Tokyo Tower, and they encouraged her to go.
• Cheng Che met Su Miaoyin outside the inn, complimented her outfit, and walked with her toward the subway station.
• When Su Miaoyin grew tired, Cheng Che brought her into Café Lumière, which turned out to be a maid café.
• Several maids showed extra interest in Cheng Che, and Su Miaoyin grew increasingly annoyed as they served him lemon water.
• Cheng Che ordered Su Miaoyin a strawberry cake and matcha latte, then told her she was the one he had brought out, not the maids.
• Su Miaoyin blushed and loosened her grip on her bag as Tokyo Tower lit up outside the café window.

Cheng Che visited Tokyo Tower with Su Miaoyin before defeating Jean-Pierre Moreau in the first round of the Tokyo Open main draw. He advanced to the second round, where Qin Lie told him his next opponent had been decided.

• Cheng Che used [Fade into the Bustle] while visiting Tokyo Tower with Su Miaoyin, and they bought souvenirs and took a photo together.
• Cheng Che faced Jean-Pierre Moreau in the main draw's first round and won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3.
• Lin Yan praised Cheng Che's controlled performance as viewers debated how far he could advance.
• Su Miaoyin watched Cheng Che win from the stands and quietly smiled at him afterward.
• Qin Lie showed Cheng Che the draw sheet and told him his next opponent had been decided.

Cheng Che won his semifinal at the Tokyo Open, reaching the final after seven straight-set victories in his first international tournament. As he prepared to play for the title, Su Miaoyin waited in the stands for him to emerge.

• Cheng Che defeated his Czech semifinal opponent six-two, six-four, earning a place in the final without dropping a set across seven matches.
• Su Miaoyin cheered Cheng Che during the quarterfinal tiebreak and watched anxiously as he was broken in the semifinal before he broke back.
• Cheng Che’s run to the final drew record viewership and comments, boosted Wilson’s Blade V10 sales, and prompted congratulations from Guo Xin and Cheng Che’s parents.
• Cheng Che saw that the system’s championship trial still required him to win the final, then put away his racket.
• Su Miaoyin arrived early for the final and waited in the third row as Cheng Che had yet to emerge from the players’ tunnel.

Cheng Che entered the Tokyo Open final to a roaring welcome from the Japanese crowd, while people watching from home and the stands followed his arrival. After warming up, he activated Total Concentration and prepared to face Lucas Becker, determined to sweep everything before him.

• Commentators Lin Yan and Zhou Zhou discussed Cheng Che’s unbeaten run and identified the serve as the key to his final against Lucas Becker.
• Becker emerged to a modest reception, but Cheng Che’s entrance triggered cheers from fans shouting in Japanese, English, and Chinese.
• Su Miaoyin showed Lin Lin a video of Cheng Che’s entrance, and Zhao Xiaoman began filming him from the stands.
• Cheng Jianguo and Jiang Xue watched Cheng Che’s entrance at home, while Guo Xin, Su Qingyue, and Yan Ruanning watched the broadcast elsewhere.
• Cheng Che checked his racket’s feel, activated Total Concentration, and resolved to sweep everything before him.

Cheng Che defeated Lucas Becker in the Tokyo Open final, winning the title without dropping a set in his first international tournament. After Federer welcomed him to the professional tour, Cheng Che received congratulations from Yan Ruanning and left the locker room.

• Cheng Che studied Becker's powerful forehand as they traded games, then broke Becker's serve to take the first set, six-five.
• Cheng Che broke Becker early in the second set and built a five-one lead as Becker's stamina declined.
• Cheng Che saved his second match point opportunity by attacking Becker's return, then won the match six-five, six-one.
• Becker praised Cheng Che's pressure and said he could beat Top 20 players, while Federer posted, “Welcome to the tour, Cheng.”
• Yan Ruanning congratulated Cheng Che and agreed with a post praising her taste; Cheng Che replied, “Mm,” and left the locker room.

Cheng Che’s Tokyo Open victory sparked a huge reaction across China, with fans, tennis players, officials, and Wilson celebrating his title. On the ride back to the hotel, he saw the congratulations and confirmed that his system mission to win an international tournament was complete.

• News that Cheng Che defeated Becker in the Tokyo Open final set off widespread online discussion and pushed six related topics into Weibo’s top ten trending searches.
• Fans celebrated Cheng Che’s seven-match title run, while tennis players praised his game and predicted he would soon reach the world’s top fifty or higher.
• The Caiyun Province Department of Culture and Tourism congratulated Cheng Che, and netizens linked Federer’s welcome to his earlier hope to see Cheng Che compete internationally.
• Cheng Che rode back to the hotel after the ceremony and interviews, scrolling through congratulations from Guo Xin, his adopted sons, Su Qingyue, and Yan Ruanning.
• Qin Lie told Cheng Che that his value had risen and continued negotiating with Wilson, while Cheng Che saw that phase three of the Stamina Trial was complete.

Cheng Che gained immunity to extreme temperatures and a certificate that gave his requests an optimal path, then returned from Tokyo to a swarm of reporters at the airport. He left with his companions, while Su Miaoyin privately reacted to being asked if she was his girlfriend.

• Cheng Che received Immunity to Heat and Cold and the Green Lights All the Way Certificate, and noticed that the heat no longer bothered him.
• At a hot spring, Cheng Che decided he wanted to grow stronger more than pursue luxury, though he considered buying a villa.
• Cheng Che returned to Magic City with Qin Lie, Su Miaoyin, Lin Lin, and Zhao Xiaoman after winning the Tokyo championship.
• Reporters crowded Cheng Che at the airport and asked about his plans, Federer, and whether the three women with him were his girlfriends.
• Qin Lie identified the women as Cheng Che's classmates and guided the group past the reporters to their car.
• Su Miaoyin said she was used to the attention, but privately recalled that the girlfriend question had made her heart skip.

Cheng Che received a direct wild card into the Magic City Masters main draw, apparently through the combined effects of his titles, and gained two days of rest. While taking a nighttime walk along the Bund, he bumped into a Korean woman and began speaking with her.

• Cheng Che and Qin Lie arrived at their hotel in Magic City, where Qin Lie asked the tournament organizers about Cheng Che's qualifying schedule.
• The organizing committee confirmed Cheng Che would enter the main draw directly, giving him two days off from qualifying.
• Cheng Che told Jiang Xue and his dorm group chat that he had arrived safely and shared news about souvenirs from Japan.
• Online, players criticized or questioned Cheng Che's main-draw entry, while his fans defended his Tokyo Open victory.
• Cheng Che walked along the Bund at night, bumped into a young Korean woman, apologized in Korean, and joked that no Korean man was as handsome as he was.

Pei Jingshu met Cheng Che by the river, where his appearance and the effect of his [Heartthrob of Ten Thousand] title left her flustered. After her friend recognized him and explained his fame as a top exam scorer and tennis prodigy, Pei Jingshu searched for his player profile and watched him leave.

• Cheng Che removed his mask, and Pei Jingshu blurted out that he was handsome before twisting her ankle.
• Cheng Che helped Pei Jingshu to a bench, where they talked about their studies and she told him she attended Korea University for vocal music.
• Pei Jingshu's best friend called and came to collect her after learning she had hurt her ankle.
• Pei Jingshu's friend recognized Cheng Che, who put on his mask and left after the friend arrived.
• Pei Jingshu's friend told her Cheng Che was Xia Country's college entrance exam Zhuangyuan and a tennis prodigy, and Pei Jingshu found his profile on the Magic City Masters player list.

Cheng Che began his first-round match against Tiago Ferreira at the Magic City Masters, drawing a packed crowd and catching the attention of Pei Jingshu and Yan Ruanning. Ferreira struggled to handle Cheng Che’s shots, and the match opened with Cheng Che leading 40-love as Ferreira admitted he was in trouble.

• The Magic City Masters began, and the committee scheduled Cheng Che’s first-round match against Tiago Ferreira on Court No. 2.
• Qin Lie briefed Cheng Che on Ferreira’s playing style, while Cheng Che noted that winning the tournament would complete the tennis portion of his system objective.
• Pei Jingshu and her friend attended in disguise, and Pei Jingshu reflected on how much she had learned about Cheng Che by searching for him online.
• Yan Ruanning and Xiao Zhou also came to watch Cheng Che’s match while they were in Magic City for a music awards ceremony.
• Cheng Che entered to loud cheers, then returned Ferreira’s opening serve for a winner and took the first three points.
• After Cheng Che’s third straight point, Ferreira watched him take a 40-love lead and quietly said, “I’m done for.”

Cheng Che defeated Ferreira in straight sets to advance to the second round of the Magic City Masters, where he faced world number nineteen Berrettini. After studying Berrettini’s powerful serve and forehand, Cheng Che exploited his slow movement and broke him in the opening game, leaving Berrettini to regroup as the match continued.

• Cheng Che beat Ferreira six-one, six-two, and advanced to face sixteenth seed Berrettini.
• Pei Jingshu and Yan Ruanning watched Cheng Che’s victory and admired his skill and composure on court.
• Cheng Che studied Berrettini’s strong serve and forehand, then planned to target his slower movement with sharp angles and slices.
• Cheng Che began his second-round match against Berrettini and used precise returns and angled shots to trouble the Italian.
• Cheng Che broke Berrettini’s opening service game, taking a one-zero lead as Berrettini struggled with his first-serve percentage.

Cheng Che recovered from losing the second set to dominate the deciding set and defeat Berrettini, advancing to the tournament’s third round. He left the venue with Qin Lie to prepare for his next opponent, a Russian ranked fourteenth in the world.

• Berrettini won the second set by taking risks, while Cheng Che and Yan Ruanning recognized that the Italian was tiring.
• Cheng Che changed to deep, heavy groundstrokes, broke Berrettini twice, and built a five-one lead in the deciding set.
• Pei Jingshu stood and shouted her love for Cheng Che, while Yan Ruanning praised his play from the stands.
• Cheng Che saved his second match point by hitting a backhand winner down the line and defeated Berrettini six-one in the third set.
• Berrettini asked Cheng Che whether he had been testing him in the second set, and Cheng Che did not answer.
• Qin Lie told Cheng Che that his next opponent was a Russian ranked fourteenth in the world, and Cheng Che agreed to watch footage on the way back.

After Pei Jingshu confessed to Cheng Che at his match, photos of them together at The Bund sparked dating rumors and sent their story to the top of the trending searches. As people close to Cheng Che reacted, Su Miaoyin decided to learn tennis too.

• A video of Pei Jingshu shouting that she loved Cheng Che went viral, and students identified her as Korea University's school belle.
• Netizens matched a photo of Cheng Che and Pei Jingshu sitting together at The Bund to the viral story, and #ChengChePeiJingshuDating# quickly trended.
• Jiang Xue and Cheng Jianguo saw the photos and wondered whether Cheng Che and Pei Jingshu were involved.
• Guo Xin messaged Cheng Che demanding an explanation, while Su Qingyue quietly looked at the four-leaf clover pendant he had given her.
• Yan Ruanning dismissed the dating rumor but asked Xiao Zhou to investigate Pei Jingshu's plans to come to Xia Country.
• Su Miaoyin called Lin Lin and said she had decided to learn tennis too.

Online rumors linked Cheng Che with Yan Ruanning and Pei Jingshu, while fans argued over the pairings and his tennis career. Cheng Che stayed unaware of the gossip and arrived at Qizhong Tennis Center for his second-round match.

• Photos and rumors about Cheng Che, Yan Ruanning, and Pei Jingshu spread online, prompting fans to compare the two women and speculate about their relationships with him.
• Cheng Che's CP fans championed Yan Ruanning or Pei Jingshu, while career fans urged everyone to focus on his tennis match.
• Cheng Che woke after a good night's sleep and told Qin Lie he had not seen the online discussion.
• Qin Lie briefed Cheng Che on his Russian second-round opponent, and Cheng Che packed his tennis gear before heading to the venue.
• Cheng Che arrived at Qizhong Tennis Center, where fans waited outside, and entered the locker room before his match on Court No. 2.

Su Qingyue took comfort in resembling the type rumored to attract Cheng Che, while Su Miaoyin and Lin Lin plotted to approach him without drawing attention. Pei Jingshu openly watched Cheng Che’s match as Yan Ruanning worried about the rumors, and Cheng Che began playing Andrei Volkov.

• Su Qingyue compared herself with Yan Ruanning and Pei Jingshu, then smiled as she touched her four-leaf clover pendant and listened to “Chasing the Wind.”
• Su Miaoyin argued online about Cheng Che’s supposed romantic prospects until Lin Lin suggested they quietly sneak into the village, prompting Su Miaoyin to delete her comment.
• Pei Jingshu sat undisguised at Venue No. 2, where spectators recognized her and raised their phones to take pictures.
• Yan Ruanning worried that the rumors comparing her with Pei Jingshu might affect Cheng Che, but she repeatedly typed and deleted messages to him.
• Cheng Che entered Venue No. 2 to loud cheers, noticed Pei Jingshu in the stands, and began his match against Andrei Volkov.

Lu Yunxiao lost to Tsitsipas, then learned that Cheng Che had beaten Volkov and advanced to the fourth round. Cheng Che ignored the dating rumors spreading online and left the venue with Pei Jingshu after she came to congratulate him.

• Lu Yunxiao lost to Tsitsipas in straight sets and heard that he still had a chance to advance through the playoff round.
• Lu Yunxiao watched a broadcast announcing that Cheng Che had defeated Volkov in straight sets without conceding a break point.
• Cheng Che celebrated his victory as Pei Jingshu cheered from the stands, and Qin Lie told him he had two days to rest before the next round.
• Cheng Che saw trending rumors linking him with Pei Jingshu and Yan Ruanning, but decided to focus on the tournament.
• Pei Jingshu waited outside the players' tunnel to congratulate Cheng Che, and he invited her and her friend into Qin Lie's van to avoid the gathering crowd.