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"Even people who don't understand tennis will fall in love with it after watching Tezuka Kunimitsu's matches."
This was written by a German media outlet in a report about Kunimitsu Tezuka.
Such sentimental sentences are completely unlike those from German news outlets, which are known for their rigor.
But Tezuka Kunimitsu is such a figure; he broke the arrogance of traditional German print media and also challenged the audience's preconceived notions about tennis.
People prefer Tezuka Kunimitsu.
He Zou stood on the sidelines, listening to the cheers from the crowd for him winning another goal.
She thought that after so many days, she had a thorough understanding of his data, including his serve speed and spin rate, but that was in a training environment. Very few athletes can truly bring out their full potential in a match.
But Tezuka was different. When he hit the ball, the largest tennis stadium in Tokyo was packed to capacity, yet completely silent.
The crisp sound of the ball hitting the shuttlecock seemed to strike the hearts of every spectator, making them forget to breathe.
Unparalleled control and mental strength... For a moment, He Zou felt that his perception covered not only that hard court, but the entire arena.
Watching him play live is an ultimate enjoyment and... a baptism.
A soft laugh accompanies the melody.
Those who say Tezuka Kunimitsu is aloof should probably watch his matches.
Reason and desire, this contradiction, are perfectly integrated in him, forming a unique and vibrant vitality.
“Melodia…Melodia?”
"Ah," the voice in her ear brought her back to her senses. She had actually been daydreaming while working. She lowered her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, Professor."
Professor Antberg said with an understanding look, "It's okay, that's how it is when watching Guoguang's games."
He Zou smiled, unsure whether it was because of the professor's rare humor or his praise, but she quickly focused her attention on the pile of testing equipment on the table.
Seeing that she had recovered, Antberg pointed to the screen in front of him, "Melodia, look here."
The screen was densely packed with the transmitted data.
He Zou glanced at it and his eyes widened.
“It’s perfect, isn’t it!” Antberg was very satisfied that she could find the key data in an instant, and his face showed a rare look of excitement. “Neural recruitment efficiency, decision-making speed under pressure... this field data is too valuable! This project was worthwhile.”
However, what pleased her was something else entirely. Looking at one of the line graphs, she asked, "In a formal competition setting, the stability of his old injury area is better than expected. Professor, does this mean that if he can maintain this, his peak career period will be longer than you predicted?"
Antberg raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, his sharp gaze falling on Hezou.
“Melodia”.
"Yes, Professor."
Under such gazes, Kazusa, unaware of what she had said wrong, composed herself and met the professor's gaze directly.
Antberg stared at her for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly: "From the very beginning, when you applied for this program, your goal wasn't simply internship credits, but my lab, right?"
When her little scheme was suddenly exposed, Kazusa's heart skipped a beat. She was indeed caught red-handed in front of this big shot, but the surprise only lasted for a moment.
She had her own agenda, but she also believed that her performance in the team from beginning to end was satisfactory, so she had nothing to be ashamed of.
"Yes, Professor. Your lab is what I'm striving for."
Seeing her expression of not only shame but also composure, Antberg was not annoyed. Instead, he chuckled softly, his tone carrying a hint of admiration: "Very good. Being ambitious and knowing how to create opportunities for yourself are essential qualities of an outstanding person."
“I’ve looked at your work records over this period, and,” Antberg glanced at the tablet in her hand, “the prototype you’ve been working on privately for a ‘telemedicine system for neurosurgery’.”
He Zou was genuinely surprised this time. She unconsciously gripped the Pad she never let go of. It contained only some preliminary ideas and scattered data, hidden deep in her personal folder. She never expected that the professor would notice it.
When did this happen? As far as she could remember, she hadn't mentioned it to the professor, since her thoughts were still somewhat rudimentary.
Although the idea came about a long time ago, she was only able to actually start building it because she learned about mature models during this German-Japanese collaborative project. She plans to refine it further before showing it to professors as a stepping stone for applying to labs.
“The idea is still very rough, but the direction has great potential. You should have told me sooner.” Antberg seemed to understand her thoughts, and his tone became serious and earnest. “What surprises me more is your idea of moving neurosurgery, which is overly reliant on the operating room, outdoors. That’s fantastic! If we have the means to perform streamlined or 3D remote surgery, we can reduce the mortality rate even further.”
As a former MSF operations director, Antberg saw the value of this model more than anyone else. It was more than just a model; if a nerve anastomosis could truly be performed with a device the size of a suitcase, it would be one of the hopes for survival for people living in areas with poor medical conditions.
He looked at Hezou and spoke to the junior student with a serious tone: "Your vision is not limited to a single examination or a single competition. You are trying to build a bridge that may change the future of neurosurgery. Melodia, I admire this ambition, but you still have a lot to learn to support your vision."
Antberg looked intently at the student and extended his hand to her. “After this project ends, there is an assistant researcher position in my lab. I hope you can come. There, you can get access to the world’s most cutting-edge neurosurgical techniques and have more opportunities for field surgery. Your model may really have a chance to go from concept to reality.”
This is the path she sought.
He Zou opened her mouth, looking at Professor Antberg who had solemnly extended the invitation to her, and for a moment she didn't know how to respond.
“Think it over carefully.” Antberg didn’t need her to give an immediate reply. He patted Kazusa on the shoulder and then focused on the screen in front of him again.
He Zou stood still, trying to calm his turbulent emotions.
The long-awaited path suddenly opened up before them, and Hezou felt a surge of excitement he hadn't experienced in a long time coursing through his body.
At that moment, another deafening cheer erupted from the stadium—they were celebrating Tezuka Kunimitsu's perfect victory once again.
It was as if they were celebrating that her blueprint had taken another step forward.
He Zou couldn't help but raise the corners of his lips, his eyes shining with an astonishing light.
After thanking the audience, Tezuka walked towards the medical team. The first thing he saw in the somewhat noisy scene after the show ended was this kind of harmony.
His clear and calm gaze met hers, softening slightly for a moment.
When Kanade saw him looking over, she almost ran to meet him, tilted her head up in front of him, and smiled as brightly as the winter sky after a snowfall: "Tezuka, congratulations!"
She even skipped the honorifics, her voice filled with undisguised excitement, and she even subconsciously raised her arm slightly—a gesture that was almost like an embrace.
However, the loud cheers suddenly brought her back to her senses, and she finally put her outstretched arms behind her back.
Tezuka easily caught the hint of disappointment beneath that bright smile.
However, neither excitement nor disappointment are emotions that Kazusa would easily exhibit.
He looked down into her eyes and asked softly, "What's wrong?" His concern and care were clearly revealed in his eyes through these simple words.
He Zou still had his hands behind his back, looking at him and shaking his head.
Seeing that he was still looking at her silently, she could only smile and explain, "Professor Antberg just praised my model and invited me to join his lab. You also won the championship so beautifully. I'm so happy."
She could share her happiness, but she couldn't tell him about her disappointment—the impulse that had been suppressed by reason was like a flood of emotions being blocked, slowly transforming into a stronger, more unreleased anxiety that made her fingertips slightly numb, yet she couldn't find any outlet for it.
She could only stand there, using a smile to hide the unspeakable emotions in her heart.
"Congratulations, which model is it?"
These were indeed two things to be happy about. A faint smile appeared in Tezuka's eyes, and he nodded to congratulate her, taking it as if he believed her words.
As he spoke with He Zou, he deftly removed the medical testing armband from his left arm and returned it to the medical team.
Oh right, he came to return the equipment.
Seeing that he was no longer asking questions, He Zou quietly clenched her fist behind her back and then relaxed it, trying to relieve the tingling and numbness from her heart to her fingertips with this action.
After she calmed down, she smiled and nodded: "Yes, the professor said my idea is good and we can continue to work on it."
She had mentioned her model to him once before. To make it easier to take notes, she always carried a tablet with her, recording any fleeting thoughts in its separate database. Once, in the medical room, she took it out and shared it with him.
She looked at the armband that Tezuka had just taken off, as if she suddenly remembered something, and then opened the Pad and quickly swiped and clicked on the screen to make a preliminary connection between some key data from his recent match and the model.
The excitement from earlier had brought a rare, faint blush to her fair cheeks, which hadn't completely faded yet. A strand of hair slipped from her temple, partially obscuring her vision, swaying gently as she lowered her head. It was somewhat in the way, but she was completely absorbed in the moment, only subconsciously shaking her head to try and get rid of it, her gaze fixed on the screen, not shifting even for a second.
Suddenly, a hand with distinct knuckles reached out, its long, slender fingers, still warm from exercise, gently and naturally lifted the stray strand of hair and tucked it behind her ear.
As it brushed against her cheek, the back of my finger seemed to... lightly rub against her.
He Zou suddenly looked up and met a pair of gentle, smiling, deep brown eyes.
That moment felt like trekking through a tropical rainforest.
Suddenly, we came across a waterfall.
If she could, and if she could imagine, she would kiss him without hesitation.
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