Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 152: The Hand-cleaning Ritual

Tonight, the entire internet was in an uproar; Twitter's trending topics were exploding!

"Holy crap!! What did I just watch?! Did the national swim team collectively evolve? This surge in strength is terrifying!"

"Help! A relay world record? I thought we'd be lucky just to medal, but this left me speechless!"

"Who else is crying? This is the greatest comeback in history!"

"Where did they go for secret training? This rate of improvement isn't scientific!"

In the post-race interviews, tonight's champions were beaming, their excitement radiating through the screen.

Gabriel gripped the microphone, his eyes shining. "For today's breakthrough, we have to thank a very special group of 'behind-the-scenes heroes.'"

The head coach nodded with a smile, adding, "We have already applied to the higher-ups to ensure these heroes receive the most grand commendations and rewards!"

These meaningful statements immediately sparked a heated debate online:

"Behind-the-scenes heroes? They definitely hired some legendary figure as a special coach!"

"What level of expert must they be? We can't let other countries poach them!"

"The state needs to show some real sincerity; talent like that must be kept at any cost!"

While the athletes were ecstatic and the netizens were buzzing, Nancy, sitting in front of her screen, was grinning from ear to ear.

"Seven hundred thousand for breaking a record, three hundred thousand for a gold medal." She counted on her fingers, her eyes brightening like they were filled with stars. "So just from tonight's two golds, that's a full million in prize money?!"

She excitedly continued her math: "Plus the three hundred thousand from the demolition case, and the twelve thousand reward for that major police case..."

"We made over 1.3 million today!"

If Nancy had a tail, it would be wagging at the sky right now. She arched an eyebrow triumphantly at Barry. "The animals and I made over 1.3 million in a single day. At least for today, I'm a better breadwinner than you!"

Barry glanced at the screen where the muscular swimmers were being interviewed, but he noticed Nancy hadn't given them a second look. Her entire focus was on counting her "loot" with glowing eyes.

An inexplicable sense of relief washed over him. He didn't bother arguing with her childish competitiveness and simply replied, "Mm. Quite impressive."

The corners of Barry's mouth curled up, his tone carrying a trace of indulgence he didn't even notice. "Keep it up. Aim for two million next time."

Barry pulled out a pack of soft wet wipes, preparing to clean Star's paws, which were covered in food residue from his snack-snatching.

"Star, paw." His tone carried its usual command, but it wasn't harsh.

Star immediately and obediently lifted a large paw stained with yogurt.

Seeing this, Snowball the weasel—who had just finished his chicken jerky—hurried over and held his crumb-covered paws high, his dark eyes full of expectation.

It was as if a mysterious ritual had been initiated.

The stray cat King sauntered over with an elegant gait and calmly extended a front paw. The Squirrel Bros hopped into line as well, raising their tiny furry paws above their heads.

In an instant, a "paw-wiping squad" of various furry limbs had formed in front of Barry.

Stunned by the sudden explosion in his workload, Barry let out a helpless sigh. "...I really do owe you all."

Resigned to his fate, he half-knelt and began his "assembly line cleaning operation."

He started with Star's sturdy paw, carefully wiping between the toes and cleaning the soft pads. Then he cupped Snowball's tiny paws, wiping them gently. Next was the cat's dignified offering, and finally, the Squirrel Bros' minuscule paws that were almost buried in fur.

He kept his head lowered. Those eyes, usually cold and arrogant, were downcast now, his long lashes casting a soft shadow beneath them as he silently and patiently served each "little master."

The warm yellow light of the motorhome spilled over Barry's sharp profile and his well-defined hands, magnifying this rare moment of tenderness.

Watching the "paw-wiping queue," Nancy was both surprised and amused. She instinctively moved to pull off her gloves to record this adorable scene on her phone.

But she forgot she had just been eating fried chicken. Though she had worn gloves, her fingertips were still shimmering with oil once she pulled them off.

Just as she reached out a greasy hand, Barry looked up.

He frowned and, without a word, pulled out another wipe. "Hand."

Nancy instinctively held out her "paw"—no, her hand. He naturally wrapped her palm in the wipe, half-knelt, and lowered his head to begin meticulously cleaning her hand.

Her fingers looked exceptionally slender and small against his broad palm. Her nails were a soft pink, rounded and cute.

Barry's movements were incredibly gentle. His warm fingertips occasionally brushed against her skin, sending a faint, ticklish sensation through her.