Volume 1, Chapter 23: A Nocturnal Visit to the Dormitory

Helpless, Susan pulled the quilt over Xiao Rui’s head and retorted indignantly:

"Gratitude, apology, being moved, and on top of that, a weakness for handsome faces—facing someone like Jiang Ming, a top-tier specimen, who wouldn’t have their heart stirred? But I have self-control. Do you think I’m the type to pounce on every good-looking guy I see? Go to sleep! Look at how gossipy you are! It’s a waste of talent to have you working on a news-oriented public account..."

Xiao Rui was truly exhausted. Listening to Susan’s rambling, she drifted off to dreamland, only managing to mumble one last sentence: "Yeah, you’re the type of... person that men want to pounce on..."

...

The following days were fulfilling for Susan. Compared to the turbulence of the first day, things were relatively calm.

At work, thanks to Jiang Ming’s unspoken cooperation, the full support of Wang Yining, Wang Gulai, and others, and Lin Tingyuan’s decision to lay low, the filming went smoothly. She documented the swim team’s daily training routine, interviewing them in various settings—during practice, in their personal lives, and during rehabilitation—and her pool of material grew richer by the day. She gained the most from the complete training footage.

Taking the medley as an example, thanks to Jiang Ming’s cooperation, Susan—a swimming novice—managed to edit together a comprehensive weekly training plan, much to the satisfaction of her editor-in-chief.

Monday: Technical training. Morning warm-up, technique drills, and cool-down; afternoon core and flexibility training. For technique, Jiang Ming focused on the breaststroke, which was his slight weakness among the four strokes.

Tuesday: Endurance training. Morning long-distance pool sessions, afternoon aerobic endurance training—shattering the misconception that swimmers don’t need outdoor conditioning.

Wednesday: Speed and explosive power. Morning speed drills, afternoon explosive and flexibility training.

Thursday: Medley-specific training. Morning medley drills, afternoon physical conditioning.

Friday: Recovery and adjustment. Morning light recovery swimming and technique fine-tuning; afternoon self-selected exercises and light stretching to promote recovery.

Saturday: Long-distance endurance. Morning long-distance training, afternoon physical conditioning.

As for Sunday, it was said to be a complete rest day when athletes could make their own plans. However, during the intensive training camp, they were generally not allowed to leave the premises to avoid any mishaps.

With such a high-intensity and jam-packed schedule, the week was both fulfilling and grueling. Yet, under Susan’s editing, which highlighted their looks, physiques, explosive power, strength, technique, sweat, and raw masculine energy, the footage became vibrant. Although she hadn't yet added the special interviews or voice-overs, the montage of athletes working hard for their country, their perseverance and tenacity, made for a deeply moving pilot.

During training, Susan’s workload was heavy. When she wasn't interviewing the athletes, she had to interview the head coach, the wind-management coach, the strength and conditioning coach, and other staff, delving into details like medical support, rehab, nutrition, and dining.

The most relaxing time of the day for everyone was mealtime.

With the first day’s experience behind her, Susan quickly became the "meat-choosing expert." She could always pick the best cuts from the daily supply and use her silver tongue to convince the head chef to provide extra portions. Wang Yining and Wang Gulai always beckoned her to sit with them, and Jiang Ming didn't object, so the seat that had remained empty for ages became Susan’s exclusive spot.

After the incident where she coldly shut down Gao Lu and Tian Yang, word spread that Susan was a VIP of the swim team—a tough character that even Jiang Ming had to treat with respect. Suddenly, no one found it inappropriate for her to sit there; in fact, no one dared to cause her any trouble.

The women who secretly pined for Jiang Ming could only watch from afar, consumed by silent jealousy and bitterness, but... that was all they could do.

Consequently, thanks to Susan’s arrival, Jiang Ming enjoyed much more peace and quiet, with fewer sycophants hovering around him. Protected by Jiang Ming, Susan made great progress with her TV station work, and under the guise of "Zoe," she could quietly observe Lin Tingyuan’s movements with much greater safety. Although the two still exchanged few words, the mutual understanding between them seemed to require no language at all.

...

Saturday night marked the end of the week’s training. After the coaching staff concluded their final meeting, the team was dismissed.

Susan should have been happy to say goodbye, end her busy week, and go home to lounge, but instead, she found herself pacing back and forth at the entrance of the training hall, holding a bottle of medicated oil, feeling hesitant.

"Here! Thanks for the help earlier!" Susan practiced, performing a monologue to the empty air.

"No, that’s too cold. Not sincere enough," she thought.

"Jiang Ming, uh... I noticed you’ve been keeping up with your physical therapy this week. Your wrist ligament injury isn't fully healed yet, right? Coach Wang is great and his technique is solid, but if you add this miracle medicine, it’ll be even better! This... I know you athletes are very cautious about diet and medication, but trust me, this 'Yao Wang Sun' oil is the real deal and stands up to any test. How about... you give it a try?"

Susan continued to rehearse, but as soon as she finished, she waved her hand, dismissing the idea.

"No, that’s too long-winded! He won’t even wait to hear the end of it."

"What are you doing? Swatting mosquitoes?"

A cold, crisp male voice rang out from behind her. Susan jumped, turned around, and collided with Jiang Ming’s clear, bright eyes. Perhaps it was the dim light, but Susan felt a hint of a smile in the depths of his gaze.

"No! I was waiting for you," Susan blurted out, hiding the oil behind her back.

"Hm?"

Jiang Ming’s drawn-out tone was the most intimidating interrogation, enough to make one’s hair stand on end. It looked as if he had already seen through her and realized she was up to no good.

Susan steadied herself and, in a flash of inspiration, reached for an official excuse.

"I was organizing my footage and realized I missed one location. You’re the contact person Director Zong assigned to me, so of course, I have to find you!"

"What location?"

"The dormitory."

"Are you sure? It’s so late—you want to go to the men’s dormitory?"

Jiang Ming’s voice was calm, revealing no emotion, but his deep gaze seemed to want to look straight through her.

"I know it’s a bit awkward at this hour, but you’re always training in the hall, and I never have a chance to follow you there."

Susan defended herself. To sound more confident, she habitually lifted her chin and straightened her chest, unaware that in the hazy moonlight, the gesture added a touch of allure.

Jiang Ming couldn't help but cough lightly. He turned his face away and began walking toward the dorms.

"Come on then. As long as you aren't embarrassed, it’ll be everyone else who is."

His words were cold, but as he turned away, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upward.

...

The men’s dormitory building at the Jiangzhou Sports Center was an old structure from the 80s—damp and antiquated.

Since the week’s training had just ended, the mood was boisterous, and the hallways were noisy. Most of the doors were left open; many men were shirtless, some playing games, some playing cards, others binge-watching shows. The noise was thick with the scent of masculine hormones.

In the men’s collective dormitory, women were generally not allowed inside after 9 PM. It was only because of her work that Susan had secured a "green card" to explore the building late at night.

When the men saw a woman entering the building, they became rowdy; some leaned in doorways to watch, while others began catcalling.