Hand Glue

A badminton match notice made 43-year-old Shen Yi and 29-year-old Lin Xiao a doubles partner. The white shuttlecock whizzed back and forth overhead, and the clear sound of hitting the ball filled the empty venue. Shen Yi's solid defense made up for Lin Xiao's risky attack, and Lin Xiao's agile running covered the corners where Shen Yi was sluggish due to old injuries. Sweat hits the floor glue and evaporates quickly, but something quietly seeps in... The badminton court has clear boundaries, but life does not. The gazes of colleagues, the expectations of family, and the unspoken rules within the system are like invisible nets, trapping them at a safe distance. Lin Xiao's preference is direct and passionate, like his signature jump kill; Shen Yi's hesitation is heavy and long, like his multi-shot rounds that he is good at defending. Two men wearing the same navy blue uniform, in the trivial and ordinary day after day, learn how to wrap an unspeakable heartbeat into the grip of each other's lives, carefully and firmly, just like changing the "hand glue" of badminton. This is a story about restraint and proximity, defense and offense, old injuries and new healing, taking place in the most disciplined place, and about the most unplanned emotions.