After confirming she wasn’t seeing things, Jiang Zhen stood up in shock, ignoring the fact that she was in the middle of getting her makeup done. “A-Yin? Why are you here?”
“I am working as a volunteer,” Jiang Yin replied, closing the door behind her and shaking the ID badge hanging around her neck. “You all go ahead and stay busy.”
Seeing Jiang Yin, Song Xi immediately beamed with joy. “It is great that she is your sister. That way, I do not have to worry about any friction or issues with the volunteer.”
“Why did you come to volunteer?” Jiang Zhen was still puzzled. “I thought you had many classes every day.”
“I have no classes today,” Jiang Yin answered while greeting the other women in the room.
Jiang Zhen nodded understandingly and sat back down obediently to let the makeup artist continue her work.
“Wait a moment, sweetie,” Liu Yin handed Jiang Yin a glass of water. “As soon as we are finished with Zhenzhen, we will do your makeup.”
Holding the warm water, Jiang Yin asked somewhat hesitantly, “May I skip the makeup?”
“It is better to wear a little light makeup so you look good on camera,” Song Xi smiled. “Just like Zhenzhen, you have a great natural foundation. You will look beautiful with just a little touch-up.”
Flustered by the compliment, Jiang Yin brushed her hair back awkwardly.
“By the way, do you know the program flow for today?” Liu Yin suddenly asked.
Is there a flow for this? Jiang Yin shook her head blankly. “No, the staff only said I should cooperate with Zhenzhen during some interactive segments. They did not mention anything else.”
“It seems they did not give you the script,” Liu Yin said, picking up a white booklet from the table and handing it to Jiang Yin. “You can take a look first to familiarize yourself with the process. It will help prevent you from getting nervous and making mistakes in front of the camera.”
“Am I allowed to see this?” Jiang Yin was surprised but took it anyway.
Liu Yin nodded readily and laughed. “It is not a secret, so do not worry. This is Zhenzhen’s script; we cannot see the ones for the other artists.”
It dawned on Jiang Yin as she began flipping through the booklet. It turned out that the things Lin Shu and the others always complained about—that variety shows are entirely scripted—were actually true.
The room fell quiet for a moment, save for the slight clicking sounds of the makeup artist opening and closing her kits.
As the blush and highlighter were being applied, Jiang Zhen tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling on Jiang Yin sitting nearby.
The young girl had her head down, studying the thin script. She looked incredibly serious, as if the item in her hand was not a variety show script but one of her difficult professional textbooks. Her hair was not tied up; the medium-length strands fell along her cheeks, partially obscuring her clear features. One could only see the bridge of her nose and her pursed lips.
As if sensing someone’s gaze, Jiang Yin suddenly looked up and met Jiang Zhen’s eyes as if they shared a telepathic connection.
When their eyes met, she gave a soft, gentle smile. It was like a small pebble dropping into a calm lake, sending out ripples of warmth.
Jiang Zhen hurriedly retracted her gaze, feeling the guilt of being caught watching. Her heart began to race unknowingly.
Seeing the other person look away, Jiang Yin lowered her head again to flip to the last page of the script.
The details inside were exhaustive. It even arranged which lines Jiang Zhen should say in which scene, along with the corresponding expressions and movements. Jiang Yin was once again deeply shocked.
However, thinking about it, it was justifiable. To ensure a positive outcome when the show aired, the production team naturally had to make sure every segment was perfect. Yet, under such mechanical operations, the authenticity that variety shows originally held was inevitably lost.
Even a show as popular as this could not escape a script. She wondered if Lin Shu and her friends would be heartbroken if they knew the truth.
With that thought, Jiang Yin closed the booklet and returned it to Liu Yin.
“Perfect, Zhenzhen is finished,” the makeup artist waved at Jiang Yin. “Sister, your turn.”
Jiang Zhen stood up to give her seat to Jiang Yin.
Sitting at the vanity, Jiang Yin still felt a bit out of place.
“Is this your first time getting makeup done?” Seeing her discomfort, Zhao Wen, the makeup artist, smiled gently.
“Well,” Jiang Yin thought back. “I had it done once for a school performance when I was a child. Does that count?”
“That must have been a long time ago,” Liu Yin laughed along. “Sister Zhao, just give her a simple base. This child does not usually wear makeup; she probably will not be used to anything too heavy.”
“Alright, leave it to me,” Zhao Wen said. She picked up some toner and lotion and gestured for Jiang Yin to close her eyes.
In the darkness, she heard the door open and close; someone seemed to have left. When she opened her eyes again, she realized Liu Yin and Jiang Zhen were gone.
Noticing the confusion in her eyes, Song Xi explained, “They went to change their clothes.”
Since the base makeup was being applied, Jiang Yin could not nod, so she just gave a stiff confirmation.
To ease her nerves, Song Xi turned on her phone and played some soothing music. She chatted casually. “During the shoot later, just do what the director’s team tells you. Do not worry about how it will look on television; they will handle all the editing later.”
Jiang Yin nodded and, following Zhao Wen’s instructions, closed her eyes again.
When she opened them next, she suddenly met a pair of eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.
Jiang Zhen was leaning against the table, watching her get her makeup done with a look of novelty. She had finished changing and wore a light blue denim jacket with a matching denim skirt. Her hair was styled in two buns with several small braided pigtails, making her look incredibly vibrant and playful.
Looking into those doe-like eyes, Jiang Yin felt her heart skip a beat. There was a clarity in those eyes she had never seen before, conveying an innocence that seemed untouched by the world.
“So this is what it feels like to watch someone else get their makeup done,” Jiang Zhen leaned in closer and remarked. “A-Yin, your skin is so good.”
Though they were at a close distance, as she approached, Jiang Yin caught a faint, elegant fragrance from her. She could not pinpoint the scent, but it was pleasant and not at all overpowering.
“I am jealous of her skin too,” Zhao Wen said. “I only put on a thin layer of lotion, yet the foundation does not cake at all.”
“What is caking?” Jiang Yin could not help but ask.
“Well, it is like this.” Jiang Zhen pulled up a few pictures on her phone and held them up to her.
After looking at the photos, Jiang Zhen circled the room, dragged a small stool from the corner, and sat down next to Jiang Yin.
“I am just curious and wanted to watch,” she explained, noticing Jiang Yin’s puzzled look.
“Are you not reading the script anymore?” Song Xi picked up the booklet from the table, gesturing to hand it over.
Jiang Zhen waved her hand hurriedly. “No, I have already memorized it.”
“As long as you remember it. And,” Song Xi glanced at Jiang Yin and paused, “do not forget the things I told you.”
Jiang Yin did not know what they were talking about, but through the reflection in the mirror, she clearly saw a flash of disappointment in Jiang Zhen’s eyes, though it vanished quickly.
Despite her curiosity, Jiang Yin refrained from asking.
Silence returned to the room.
Once everything was ready, a staff member from the production team knocked on the door and invited Jiang Zhen out to record.
Since there was nothing for Jiang Yin to do yet, she waited with Song Xi and the others to watch the recording of the opening remarks.
Jiang Zhen was the guest of the week, so there was an introduction before the program officially started, which was to be read by Shen Ningzhao. In front of the cameras, the beautifully dressed woman expertly recited a long introduction about Jiang Zhen, looking as though she had rehearsed it many times.
Following that, Jiang Zhen walked into the frame and stood beside Shen Ningzhao. The two looked at each other and smiled, appearing as relaxed and natural as old friends. Jiang Yin could not tell if it was her imagination, but she felt the atmosphere between them was somewhat strange.
It felt like a forced closeness.
After the opening, the production followed the script to record the first segment: a pet knowledge quiz.
Educational segments like this usually do not have many comedic highlights, so the production team kept it brief.
The guests drew lots to form pairs. After seeing Jiang Zhen and Shen Ningzhao step up to the box to draw their slips, Jiang Yin felt she already knew the result. Sure enough, when the host announced it, Jiang Zhen and Shen Ningzhao were a team.
“They are so compatible! Seeing them in person makes it feel even more real.”
While Jiang Yin was focused on the recording, an excited female voice came from behind her. She turned slightly and saw a girl chatting with her companion.
“Just now, when Jiang Zhen got the answer wrong and Shen Ningzhao had to take the penalty, Shen Ningzhao was not even mad. She even comforted Jiang Zhen to take it slow. That was so sweet!”
“And also, when Jiang Zhen was about to get penalized, Shen Ningzhao rushed in to block the mist for her. That was so cute!”
Jiang Yin thought to herself that the situation was quite strange.
She silently took a step to the side to avoid hearing any more analysis from the two girls. For some reason, hearing such talk made her feel uncomfortable.
It was obvious that Shen Ningzhao had ulterior motives and was anything but simple. How could they support them? Furthermore, in her eyes, Jiang Zhen’s body language was a bit awkward when interacting with Shen Ningzhao. Why could they not see that?
With many questions, Jiang Yin turned back to watch the guests play the game.
After the first round ended, the artists had a short fifteen-minute break. The volunteers were tidying up the props and trash on set. As Jiang Yin was about to help, the staff member, Xiao Li, came over to find her.
“Excuse me, your name is Jiang Yin, correct? You will be on for the next segment. Please come over here; I will walk you through the process.”
Jiang Yin followed her as instructed.
“The next segment is animal rescue,” Xiao Li cleared her throat. “You will follow the artists you are assigned to today to the location of the person requesting help to assist in rescuing an animal. During this process, you must protect the artists, but do not hog the camera. Do you understand?”
After everyone nodded, Xiao Li let them go.
By the time she returned, the program was starting to record again.
After the director announced the second task, the artists drew lots again to decide which requester they would help. Once everything was assigned, Jiang Yin followed Jiang Zhen’s car to the nearby Baisheng Residential Area.
Since the variety show was recorded continuously, a cameraman also got in the car. This was the first time Jiang Yin appeared on camera.
Once in the car, Jiang Zhen began to strike up a conversation with her.
“You are still in university, right?” “Yes.”
“Where do you study? Is it convenient to tell us?” “Peking University.”
“That is a key national university. Your grades must usually be very good, then?”
Watching Jiang Zhen fully commit to playing the role of a stranger with her, Jiang Yin found a sliver of humor amidst the absurdity. She was a calm person and did not usually laugh at inappropriate times.
On the other hand, the highly professional Jiang Zhen also clearly found it a bit ridiculous, but the polite smile she maintained served as a cover. Only her eyes revealed her true feelings.
The two continued to chat for a while, and the group soon arrived at their destination.