Peninsula: Aiming for a Grand Slam

Chapter 89 What if there's blonde bikini?

Schneider turned the car into the parking lot. Before the sound of tires rolling over gravel had even stopped, Chen Jixian heard a voice.

"————Registration fee: 200; Airfare: 350; Hotel: 6 nights————"

Beside the parking lot, a man in his twenties squatted under a streetlamp, talking on the phone. His arms were sunburned red, and his golf bag lay at his feet.

The person read out the numbers, and then remained silent for a long time, presumably saying something on the other end of the phone.

"I know we'll lose money if we don't make it to the main competition. It's okay, I can send the money back home next week."

Schneider turned off the engine, pulled the handbrake, and removed the key—a series of clean and efficient movements.

"get off."

Chen Jixian opened the car door.

The evening wind in Monastir was dry and slightly salty, carrying an indescribable sense of unfamiliarity.

The lobby of MagicHoteI is even more impressive than its exterior.

The background wall at the reception desk is almost entirely filled with photos and signatures, stretching from the counter all the way to the ceiling.

Every face has lived here; some have made it into the world's top ten, while others have disappeared from the draw.

Chen Jixian recognized a few faces, but most of them were ones he had never seen before.

Schneider walked straight to the front desk.

"ASA, reservation name J.Chn."

""

The receptionist checked the computer and pushed the check-in form over. Schneider glanced at it, then handed it to Xiao Chen.

"signature."

Chen Jixian took the pen.

While he was signing, another receptionist next to him was dealing with a player's matter.

"I was eliminated today and I'm leaving tomorrow. Could you please refund my breakfast money for the next few days?"

The receptionist politely declined.

The player was getting impatient: "Can we order takeout instead? I'll eat it at the airport tomorrow."

Chen Jixian looked away and pushed the signed check-in form back.

Schneider took two room keys from the front desk and handed one to him.

"Main building, sea view rooms, downstairs is the restaurant, all three meals are taken care of there."

"The restaurant was designated by the event organizers, and the ingredients and menu are registered with the ITF. In short, don't eat out."

Schneider picked up his luggage and walked towards the stairwell.

Chen Jixian followed.

The two prepared to go upstairs.

"Mr. Schneider, there's an elevator."

"Take the stairs."

Schneider has already moved up the ranks.

Chen Jixian sighed and followed.

At the corner on the second floor, Schneider's steps suddenly slowed down.

Chen Jixian followed his gaze to the end of the corridor, where there was a laundry room.

There was a very young player standing inside, with a laundry tub in front of him filled with dirty jerseys.

He was staring at the price list on the wall.

Laundry: 5 dinars.

Dry for 3 dinars.

The man stood there for a long time, then reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and flipped them in his palm.

Then he put the coins back, picked up the washbasin, and turned to walk out.

It probably needs to be hand-washed.

He didn't see Chen Jixian and Schneider; the young player kept his head down, looking at the road beneath his feet.

Schneider looked away and continued walking uphill.

Chen Jixian followed behind and heard the German say without turning his head, "If you lose, you won't be able to afford the laundry room either."

The third-floor corridor was quieter than the second-floor corridor, with thicker carpets and brighter lighting.

Schneider swiped the door open, pushed his luggage inside, then leaned against the doorframe, looking at Chen Jixian.

"You saw three people downstairs just now."

"7

Chen Jixian remained silent.

The German's voice wasn't loud, but he enunciated each word clearly: "The one in the parking lot, the one doing the accounting. The one at the front desk, the one who wants to pack breakfast. The one in the laundry room, the one who can't even afford 8 dinars."

"This hotel is full of people like this. They work harder than you, strive harder than you, and want to win more than you."

"————But they don't have wildcards."

Schneider paused.

"Do you know why ASA chose you?"

This is not a question.

Chen Jixian was silent for two seconds.

"----Know."

"That proves they didn't make the wrong choice."

Schneider straightened up and put the other room key in his pocket: "Go to bed early tonight, I'll wake you up at 6:30 tomorrow."

He turned and took two steps, then stopped without looking back.

"Mr. Chen."

""

"I've read that manifesto."

The corridor was silent for a second.

"That person who said tennis is being ruined is talking about people like you."

Schneider leaned against the door and looked over.

"He was proven wrong."

Chen Jixian returned to his room.

He leaned his golf bag against the wall, walked to the window, and glanced outside.

The last rays of sunlight on the Mediterranean Sea were just setting, turning the surface from gold to deep blue. In the distance, several fishing boats were heading back, their mast lights flashing.

Chen Jixian took a photo and wanted to send it to Liu Zhimin.

Suddenly, his expression changed.

If he loses, he won't be staying in the ocean-view room in the main building, but will be squeezed into a small room in the annex.

"I'll send it the day after tomorrow—at least, I need to win one game before I'm qualified to send it to her."

the next day.

Seoul time, Monday night at 9 pm.

Tunisia is in the Eastern Time Zone 1, while Seoul is in the Eastern Time Zone 9, a difference of eight hours.

dorm room.

Liu Zhimin leaned back on the sofa, idly swiping her phone screen.

Ningning rolled over and lay on the sofa next to her, continuing to scroll through her phone.

Suddenly, she blurted out, "Onnie, Monastir is a seaside city."

Liu Zhimin's fingers paused for a moment.

Ningning smiled and leaned closer: "One of Tunisia's five major tourist cities, a summer resort, with yachts and private beaches—your contestant Chen is probably lying on the beach sunbathing right now."

Ningning deliberately emphasized the word "contestant" very clearly.

Liu Zhimin: "—He went to play ball, not to sunbathe."

Ningning stared at Liu Zhimin with bright, sparkling eyes: "He must be able to see the sea, right? Let him take a picture of the seascape. I've never seen what the Mediterranean looks like."

Liu Zhimin didn't say anything, but glanced at her.

Ningning blinked and added, "While you're at it, check if there are any blonde bikini models around him."

"boring."

Liu Zhimin ignored her.

But after a while, she picked up her phone and opened Kakao.

Are you busy?

after awhile.

Read.

"Just finished training, need to sign in right away."

Ningning nudged Liu Zhimin.

Liu Zhimin ignored her and typed: "How's the scenery over there?"

Ningning craned her neck, saw the message on Liu Zhimin's screen, and lay back down contentedly.

My phone vibrated.

Liu Zhimin glanced down.

Four words.

"The scenery is alright."

good?

Liu Zhimin frowned.

Ningning leaned over from the sofa again, her chin almost resting on her shoulder: "What did he say? 'The view is alright'? This guy lives in a sea-view room, and that's all he said to you?"

Why does it seem a little suspicious now?

Liu Zhimin turned to the side to block the screen, and her fingers tapped the keyboard half a beat faster than before.

"What does 'not bad' mean? Take a picture so I can see it."

The message has been sent.

The "typing" message on the dialog box flashed several times, then stopped a few times. Ningning held her breath beside her, as if she were watching a live stream.

A message popped up; it was a long one. It wasn't a photo, it wasn't an emoji, it was just a long paragraph of text.

"After landing yesterday, I saw a lot of things."

"Some people can't bear to part with two euros and take their dirty clothes home to wash by hand. Some people are struggling to make ends meet but still have to send money home."

"They played for many years, lived in a cramped annex, and made ends meet by counting their airfare and registration fees."

"I feel that I am not worthy of this wildcard, nor am I worthy of a sea view room."

"I'll send it to you after I win the first match—then I'll send it to you. The photo and the victory, all together."

Ningning peeked out, glanced at the phone, and then fell silent for a second.

"Photos and victory, both for you—"

She read the line twice.

"—This person is quite capable."

Liu Zhimin tilted the phone screen towards herself, but didn't have time to lock it.

Ningning had already leaned back on the sofa, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, as if she were savoring something.

"Normally, guys would just say, 'I'll send you a photo.' But in his mouth, it means, 'I'll send you the photo along with the victory.'"

"Is your Mr. Chen a tennis player or a lyricist?"

Liu Zhimin did not look at Ningning.

She simply put her phone away quietly.

Ningning suddenly slapped her thigh: "Wait a minute, unnie, he didn't seem to explain anything about the blonde bikini."

Liu Zhimin looked at the little girl with disdain: "He's not that kind of person, and besides—"

Moreover, the match is tomorrow.

Most athletes abstain from sex before a competition.

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