"Uh, this seems a bit difficult, doesn’t it?" Shen Yibin looked troubled. By now, he could already chop most of the fruit, but chopping and stabbing were two different things. Stabbing fruit was much harder than chopping it.
SMACK! Without a word, Xiaoliu whipped Shen Yibin across the butt with a bamboo switch. Shen Yibin didn’t dare waste another word. He obediently stood in the center of the training area, mimicking Xiaoliu’s posture and holding the bamboo branch level. Only then did he notice that the tip of the branch had been sharpened. He had no idea who had done it, but it now looked even more like a sword.
"I’m ready! Let’s start, Hah’Er!" Shen Yibin shouted to Hah’Er once he was in position. Hah’Er thought for a moment, then picked out an orange and tossed it over. ’Even if this one hits me, it’s better than an apple, right?’
Shen Yibin instinctively went to swing the bamboo branch for a chop, but at the last second, he remembered he wasn’t supposed to do that anymore. He hurriedly changed his move from a chop to a stab, but it was too late. The orange smacked him on the head with a THUMP. Xiaoliu immediately and mercilessly resumed the whipping, while Maphario expertly scurried over to retrieve the orange. Hmm, this one wasn’t too damaged. It could be reused.
"My turn now!" Without another word, Cheeky flew to the fruit basket, grabbed an apple, and prepared to dive-bomb. As he flew, he muttered, "Hey Bin, how about we buy some durian or papaya tomorrow? Pineapples would be fine too!"
’Damn it, I never should have bought you so many Amazonian fruits. Are you trying to kill me? Why are you so evil!’ Shen Yibin had no time to retort. He immediately focused his concentration, staring fixedly at the apple in Cheeky’s claws.
Diving at top speed, Cheeky released his claws at the last moment. The apple flew straight toward Shen Yibin’s head. ’He’s aiming for my nose! This is a death sentence!’ Shen Yibin gave up on trying to stab it and quickly dodged out of the way.
Unfortunately, while he could dodge the apple, he couldn’t escape Xiaoliu’s switch. Shen Yibin’s pained cries once again echoed by the pool. For the next hour, it was as if Shen Yibin had regressed to his very first practice session with Xiaoliu. His accuracy plummeted. Despite his best efforts, he found it nearly impossible to stab the targets. Xiaoliu’s bamboo switch rained down on him, beating him until tears streamed down his face. ’What kind of life is this?!’
He finally managed to endure until practice was over. Soaking in the bathtub, Shen Yibin let out a series of wails. ’Looks like the next few days are going to be hell! I wonder if Xiaoliu’s attitude would improve if I bought it?’ Shen Yibin mused, but after a moment’s thought, he abandoned the idea.
There were only two days left before the two-month deadline. Filming was nearing its end, and they would soon be embarking on a worldwide promotional tour. His time was precious, so it was better to wait. He didn’t want to be left with no time to search for his next pet, or to find a suitable owner for it.
After a night of rest, Shen Yibin was his energetic self again. He brought Hah’Er to the set early in the morning, but something seemed different from the day before. Shen Yibin did a quick headcount. ’Why are there only three of the four members from the foreign animal protection organization? Where did Bernanke go?’
"Bernanke exhausted himself to the point of cramping yesterday. He’s still resting at the hotel. I don’t think he’ll be able to make it until this afternoon," Katrina explained, noticing Shen Yibin’s confusion.
"Oh, I see," Shen Yibin said with a nod. "Well, as long as he can make it this afternoon. Let’s go play tennis again after we finish shooting!" Shen Yibin had realized that tennis and Swordsmanship had something in common. His Swordsmanship improved his tennis, and after playing for so long yesterday afternoon, he felt his Swordsmanship had also improved slightly. He wondered if it was because both sports emphasized wrist movement, and he was eager to test his theory.
"If he makes it, I’ll pass along the message," Katrina said, nodding with a smile. Inwardly, however, she was already debating. ’Should I secretly contact Bernanke and tell him not to come this afternoon? After all, when Shen Yibin plays tennis with Bernanke, it isn’t just Bernanke who suffers. Even we spectators can barely stand to watch.’
However, either because they got too engrossed in work once filming began or because they were completely smitten by Hah’Er’s cuteness, Katrina and the others forgot to warn Bernanke. When he arrived at the set that afternoon, Shen Yibin intercepted him right away.
"Mr. Bernanke! We just have one more scene and then we’re done for the day. It’s still early, how about we go play some more tennis later!" Shen Yibin said, extending an enthusiastic invitation.
"Mmm!" Hah’Er chimed in, even striking a serving pose as if he was eager to go along and watch the spectacle.
Had it only been Shen Yibin’s invitation, Bernanke would have found a way to refuse. But seeing Hah’Er so enthusiastic, he just couldn’t say no. ’If the Panda wants to watch, then I’ll just have to bite the bullet!’
Katrina, Bianca, and Ryan all facepalmed in unison. They couldn’t bear to watch Bernanke’s miserable fate unfold. "Should we go ahead and book a doctor and a massage therapist for him?"
"We’d better," Bianca said, nodding in agreement with Katrina’s suggestion. "Tell them to be on standby."
Before long, the day’s filming was wrapped up. Shen Yibin enthusiastically ushered Bernanke and the others onto Harold’s van and took them to the hotel, where they brought their gear to the tennis court.
And so, the same scene from the previous day played out on the tennis court. Bianca, Katrina, Ryan, and Hah’Er sat on the sidelines, their heads turning left and right, back and forth like a metronome. Meanwhile, on the small court, Shen Yibin and Bernanke had begun their marathon once again.
Bernanke collapsed from exhaustion again before they could even finish a single game. They had played for three solid hours without completing even five points. The spectacle left the audience utterly speechless.
After dropping Bernanke off at the massage room, Shen Yibin took Hah’Er back to the shop. At the hotel, he was the one tormenting others; back at the pet shop, it was his turn to be tormented by Xiaoliu, Hah’Er, and Cheeky!
The next day, Bernanke decided not to go to the film set at all. ’If Shen Yibin drags me to the tennis court again, I might actually die from exhaustion,’ he thought. So, he decided to hide out in the hotel’s natatorium instead.
However, Shen Yibin found him anyway. Shen Yibin, who had just been planning on taking Hah’Er for a swim, saw him and his eyes lit up. "Bernanke, let’s try a different game!"
"Mr. Bin, please, just let me go!" Bernanke raised his hands in surrender.
Everyone nearby turned to look, their expressions all asking the same question: ’What in the world is going on with these two?’
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