I completely agree with you. Fang Bo misleads, saying it's not possible to brush first and then hit, yet somehow possible to hit first and then brush. Like you mentioned, it requires closing the blade angle to hit first and then brush. However, the ball stays on the paddle for such a short time, it's not possible to time this change. Even if the paddle angle is continuously closing, that change happens so slowly relative to the duration of contact, that to the ball, the angle is effectively not changing. I believe the truth is this. The ball is so small, just hitting it off-center won't generate enough spin. Therefore, the entire arm must focus on brushing. It's the timing of contact, the rotation of the body, and the forward transfer of the body center that provides the hitting component.