It was already past ten by the time she returned to the dorm. Xu Yao and Ji Xiaoning had gone to the library to study, leaving Lin Shu alone in the room completing an assignment for one of her classes.
Vaguely hearing movement at the door, Lin Shu took off her headphones and glanced over. Realizing it was Jiang Yin, she greeted her.
“You’re back?”
“Mm. Are you going to shower?”
“I’ve already showered. Go ahead; Yao Yao and Xiaoning will be back soon.”
Jiang Yin quickly gathered her shower things and stepped into the bathroom.
The moment the hot water hit her skin, she felt her entire being relax. As steam began to cloud the small space, she massaged shampoo into her hair and stared blankly at the white tiled wall.
For some reason, Jiang Zhen’s face surfaced in her mind—along with Shen Ningzhao.
She thought back to the “CP FMV” she had watched before bed that night. She had to admit the editor was quite skilled; the transitions were seamless and filled with “sweet moments.” If she didn’t know Jiang Zhen, she might have actually believed it. Wait—did she really know Jiang Zhen?
After working up a lather on her head, Jiang Yin turned to let the hot water rinse her hair. As she washed away the shampoo, she questioned herself.
Comparatively, it seemed the relationship between Jiang Zhen and Shen Ningzhao was indeed quite close. After all, they were former colleagues at the same company and had co-starred as the female lead and second lead in a drama.
For some reason, arriving at this conclusion made Jiang Yin feel a bit disgruntled.
Actually, from the first moment she met Jiang Zhen, Jiang Yin found it impossible to hate her, and she had never intended to. After interacting a few times, she could feel the other girl’s sincerity and charisma, and she hoped they could become… a bit closer.
Just like normal sisters. She found a suitable justification for her annoyance.
After a quick shower, Jiang Yin took the hairdryer Lin Shu handed her and prepared to dry her hair. Before she could start, Lin Shu suddenly let out a mournful “Ah!”
Jiang Yin stopped and poked her head out of the bathroom. “What’s wrong?”
“I wasn’t selected as a volunteer,” Lin Shu said with a devastated face. “Have you checked the results?”
“Not yet,” Jiang Yin’s heart suddenly began to race. “I’ll check after I dry my hair.”
“They say tens of thousands of people applied,” Lin Shu wailed at the top of her lungs over the noise of the hairdryer. “I knew my luck was terrible. I’ve never broken even on a twenty-yuan lottery ticket, and I never win signed photos in livestream giveaways, ugh…”
Amidst the constant stream of complaints, Jiang Yin finished drying her mid-length hair and picked up her phone from the desk.
Before clicking the link to the results, her heart—which had just managed to calm down—suddenly sped up again.
Lin Shu leaned in nervously, repeatedly whispering, “Please let it be a hit, please let it be a hit.”
The internet speed was excellent today. Almost the instant the link opened, the result popped up.
Congratulations! You have been selected as an on-site volunteer. Please report to the entrance of Mony Hospital at 8:00 AM this Friday!
“Ah!” Lin Shu couldn’t help but scream. Realizing it was quiet hours, she quickly lowered her voice. “Wow! Your luck is amazing!”
She then grabbed Jiang Yin’s arm with a pitiful look. “Darling baby, the task of getting an autograph and a photo for me is in your hands!”
Jiang Yin, getting goosebumps from the nickname, took a step back and promised, “No problem.”
“I told you you were the chosen lucky one,” Lin Shu sat back in her chair, sighing wistfully. “One day you become a ‘phoenix,’ and now you get to be in close contact with my favorite star…” As she spoke, her sadness returned, and her face crumpled into a dry sob.
Jiang Yin smiled helplessly. “Luck is always balanced out eventually.”
“Oh, right!” Lin Shu suddenly stood up. “Your family is named Jiang, and Jiang Zhen is also named Jiang. There are rumors she’s a daughter of a wealthy family. It couldn’t be your Jiang family, could it?”
Thankful her back was turned, Jiang Yin let out a sigh of relief and replied, “No, we don’t know each other.”
Since Jiang Zhen hadn’t publicly disclosed her identity in the industry, Jiang Yin felt it was best not to tell others about it.
“Sigh,” Lin Shu sat back down gloomily after receiving the denial. “I hope they have more of these volunteer recruitments. I’ll sign up every time. I refuse to believe I’ll never get picked!” She clenched her fist with determination.
On Thursday night, Jiang Yin took out the clothes Jiang Ling had bought her from the closet and earnestly asked her roommates which outfit looked better.
“Now I’ve seen everything!” Xu Yao, who was still struggling in the sea of her studies, looked up in shock. “There’s actually a day where you’re asking us how to coordinate an outfit.”
Ji Xiaoning, who had just showered, looked bewildered. “What’s happening? Jiang Yin, why are you standing in front of the mirror with clothes?”
“Which set looks better?” Jiang Yin waved a white shirt and black pants. “Is this okay?”
“That’s no different from what you usually wear,” Lin Shu critiqued. “That one,” she pointed to Jiang Yin’s closet, “that dark green one looks pretty good. Try it on.”
Jiang Yin set down her initial choices and changed into the dark green top Lin Shu had specified.
It was a loose-fitting, workwear-inspired design. On her, it looked simple and sharp, fitting Jiang Yin’s somewhat aloof and “cold” vibe—an assessment provided by Lin Shu.
“Now try it with those retro-blue jeans in your closet,” the “styling master” Lin Shu commanded.
After changing according to the instructions, Jiang Yin stood before the mirror. Her usual attire consisted of various solid-colored oversized T-shirts and the same black pants. Now that she had changed it up slightly, she actually felt a bit unaccustomed to it.
“I heard the production team looks for good-looking volunteers to appear on camera,” Lin Shu said earnestly, patting Jiang Yin’s shoulder from behind. “Student Jiang, you are the hope of this entire dorm!”
Jiang Yin turned her head speechlessly, only to find the other two nodding vigorously.
“Really nice,” Ji Xiaoning remarked. “Jiang Yin, you’re basically a clothes hanger; everything looks good on you. But I feel like something is still missing.” She rubbed her chin, thinking.
“Missing some muscle,” Xu Yao added. “Since you have more time now, A-Yin, have you considered hitting the gym?” She raised her arm to flex. “Thin, lean muscle is absolutely killer!”
“You’ve all made good points, but I think,” Lin Shu stepped back, “if she really did that, she’d look like the kind of woman who has no interest in men.”
Jiang Yin, who was drinking water, suddenly choked.
“Who cares! As long as she looks good! Besides, she already looks like the kind of woman who wouldn’t be impressed by ordinary men,” Xu Yao shrugged, with Ji Xiaoning nodding in agreement.
“I… I’ll think about it.” Jiang Yin wiped away non-existent sweat from her forehead, quickly gathered her things, and ducked into the bathroom.
On Friday morning, after much agonizing, Jiang Yin eventually reverted to her oversized white T-shirt and black pants.
Fortunately, her three roommates hadn’t woken up when she left; otherwise, they definitely would have forced her to change.
Jiang Yin had intended to wear the outfit Lin Shu put together, but the moment she remembered their comments about her looking “cold” or “not interested in men,” she felt strangely embarrassed.
Jiang “The Conservative” Yin guiltily switched back to her most ordinary clothes and crept out of the dorm.
After taking a taxi to Mony Hospital, she found the camera crew already setting up. Having the variety show film there was a win-win for both the program and the hospital: it helped the show build a good image of animal welfare education, and it helped the hospital expand its reputation and attract more clients.
Several high-end motorhomes were parked in front of the hospital, with masked staff members busily moving in and out.
A staff member in charge of volunteers held up a large sign, gesturing for them to verify their information. Jiang Yin was called over before she could even figure out which vehicle belonged to Jiang Zhen.
After everyone’s identity was confirmed, they were issued red vests.
Just as Jiang Yin put hers on, a girl wearing a “Camera Crew” badge walked over. “Um, hello, I’m with the production team.” After showing her ID, the girl asked earnestly, “Since you have a good look, would you be interested in appearing on camera?”
Jiang Yin looked left and right to confirm the girl was speaking to her.
“If you’re not willing, that’s fine,” the girl said, waving her hands when she saw no reply. “It’s not mandatory.”
“I can appear on camera,” Jiang Yin smiled and said politely. “What do I need to do?”
“That’s wonderful!” the girl beamed. “Call me Xiao Li. I’ll take you over there and explain the work.”
“Volunteers who appear on camera have different duties than those who don’t,” Xiao Li explained as she led her into the hospital. “The stipend for today is also higher.”
“There’s a stipend? I thought it was voluntary,” Jiang Yin was surprised.
“Of course there’s a stipend,” Xiao Li replied. “The meal allowance for on-camera volunteers is two hundred yuan per day, and it’s one hundred and fifty for those off-camera. Our show always provides a stipend; we wouldn’t make you work for free.”
She paused and then added, “Actually, when we first started filming, we didn’t need volunteers. But as the show became more famous and the content grew richer, our small production team found we didn’t have enough hands. So, we decided to recruit volunteers for each episode. After all, it’s cheaper than hiring full-time staff—”
She suddenly cut herself off, realizing she had said too much. She gave an embarrassed smile and looked at Jiang Yin with a “you know how it is” look.
Jiang Yin nodded understandingly. “So what are the specific duties for on-camera volunteers?”
“Each on-camera volunteer is paired with a celebrity to provide assistance during games or interactions with animals.”
Xiao Li stopped and said in an envious tone, “Your partner is Jiang Zhen.”
Jiang Yin froze. In that brief moment, Xiao Li pushed open the door to the temporary makeup room and poked her head inside. “Teacher Jiang Zhen, the volunteer assigned to you is here. Could we trouble you to give her a light touch of makeup? Our staff is a bit short-handed.”
A sweet response came from inside the room. “Of course, please have her come in.”
Xiao Li breathed a sigh of relief and whispered to Jiang Yin, “Teacher Jiang Zhen really is gentle. Thank goodness she agreed. Go on in.”
With that, she walked away, likely to find the next volunteer.
Jiang Yin took a step forward, holding the half-open door. She smiled and greeted the person at the makeup mirror: “Good morning, Sister Zhenzhen.”
The girl at the mirror snapped her head up.