In July, Incheon, South Korea, had entered the hottest part of summer, and even the evening breeze carried a wave of heat. Having concluded a day of intense and busy matches, the athletes inside the venue began leaving in small groups.
In this Open, both players had suffered defeats in the singles events. For the mixed doubles, the coaching staff had originally paired Wang Chuqin with Chen Xingtong, but Tongtong had to withdraw due to illness. The coaches temporarily paired Wang Chuqin and Shasha together instead, yet they had fought their way through numerous obstacles all the way to the semifinals.
"Brother Tou, is your foot feeling any better?" Shasha asked her partner with concern as she packed her things.
Chapter 39