Is This The Right Way To Repay A Favor? Chapter 32

Sweet Talk

Jiang Zhou intentionally tried to lean toward the other side, but Dong Qianqian was there, and he didn’t want to get too close and cause misunderstandings.

After much internal struggle, Jiang Zhou finally chose to lie flat, with his limbs curled up.

Fortunately, the sleeping bag concealed him, so the posture wasn’t too awkward.

After several days of rain, the sky seemed to have been thoroughly washed, transforming from a dim, heavy gray to an inky blue. A full moon hung high, surrounded by twinkling stars that formed vast, brilliant galaxies.

The crisp night wind blew, mixing the unique clarity and freshness of the countryside air. Everything was so quiet and beautiful.

Cai Zhiyang said smugly, “See? Wasn’t my suggestion great? A bright moon, a clear starry sky, everyone lying down together counting stars and looking at the moon—how romantic!”

The moment he spoke, the beautiful, romantic atmosphere was instantly shattered.

The guests internally: Please shut up!

Once the atmosphere dispersed, it was hard to gather it back. The guests started chatting, one sentence after another.

Someone brought up the topic of the show’s filming, and everyone began to express their feelings:

“We’re leaving Taoyuan in three days. Time flies so fast!”

“What! It ends in three days!”

“I don’t want to leave, I want to keep filming.”

“I’ll miss everyone…”

The more they talked, the more sentimental they became. Dong Qianqian and Hua Qian even started to choke up.

Even Cai Zhiyang, who usually kept the mood lively and was generally carefree, became unusually subdued.

“We might not have another chance to gather like this again.”

“You are all my family. Director Weng is like our patriarch; although Zhang Qian always argues with me, I still really like hanging out with him; General Manager Jiang looks unapproachable, but I didn’t expect…”

Mid-sentence, he suddenly realized, “Wait! Why are we getting sentimental? General Manager Jiang is right here!”

He turned his head and asked, “General Manager Jiang, when will the next season of this show be filmed?”

“Taoyuan Dream Weaver” is a resident variety show launched by Languang Media, scheduled for one season per year, with a gap of about six months to a year between seasons.

This year was the first season, serving as a trial run, so the schedule for the second season wouldn’t be too tight.

He thought for a moment and replied, “Next year.”

“Then we have a deal. Everyone make sure to keep your schedules open. General Manager Jiang, you must invite us back.”

“Alright,” Jiang Zhou agreed.

Everyone chimed in, and the earlier sadness gradually faded, the conversation returning to a lighthearted tone.

After being caught in the rain a few days ago, Jiang Zhou had a slight cold and had been feeling unwell. He drank a packet of cold medicine when he arrived. Now, curled up in his sleeping bag, listening to the guests chat, his consciousness gradually blurred, and he drifted off to sleep.

Despite the sleeping bag, it was still the countryside in March, and the night wind was chilling. Jiang Zhou unconsciously moved closer to the heat source beside him.

Shen Zhiyu paused the hand scrolling on his phone and slightly tilted his head to look at Jiang Zhou.

Jiang Zhou was lying on his side facing him, his face resting on his hand, his breathing steady. He was clearly fast asleep.

Jiang Zhou had a pair of beautiful deer eyes that looked somewhat innocent when he was awake. However, he seemed intent on counteracting that innocence, usually applying a slightly upturned gray eyeliner at the corner of his eyes.

His eyelashes were also trimmed, but the technique was poor—they were uneven, and some areas were almost bald.

This person was truly interesting. Others dressed up to look better; he did the opposite.

His sleeping face was slightly paler than his usual appearance. This paleness finally matched the fairness of his neck.

Jiang Zhou unconsciously moved even closer in his direction.

Shen Zhiyu thought that Jiang Zhou, when asleep, was much cuter than when he was awake.

The usual Jiang Zhou exuded an air of strict adherence to male chastity, deliberately keeping his distance.

Of course, he would be even cuter if he didn’t talk nonsense in his sleep.

Jiang Zhou seemed very cold. Even through the sleeping bag, Shen Zhiyu could feel his unconscious, subtle shivering.

Shen Zhiyu opened Cai Zhiyang’s WeChat and messaged, “Go get a blanket for your General Manager Jiang.”

Cai Zhiyang saw the message and immediately got up, muttering to himself, “Why is the wind getting colder the later it gets? I’ll go get a few blankets for everyone.”

As he spoke, he grabbed Zhang Qian. “Come on, you come with me.”

Zhang Qian was dragged away, grumbling and reluctant.

Not long after, the two returned, each carrying two blankets.

These blankets were large, meant to be shared by two people. Cai Zhiyang spread out the blankets he was holding. One was placed over Dong Qianqian and Hua Qian, and the other was placed over Jiang Zhou and Shen Zhiyu’s sleeping bags.

Dong Qianqian and the others had felt a bit cold for a while but hadn’t wanted to say anything. Seeing Cai Zhiyang bring blankets and cover them, they were touched and praised Cai Zhiyang for being thoughtful.

Cai Zhiyang shamelessly accepted the praise.

The blanket was laid down, completely submerging the curled-up Jiang Zhou.

Shen Zhiyu turned onto his side, propped himself up on one arm, and lifted a corner of the blanket covering Jiang Zhou.

Jiang Zhou seemed to sense it, leaning closer toward Shen Zhiyu, mumbling something unconsciously.

Shen Zhiyu leaned in and heard Jiang Zhou’s indistinct words, “Yuan Chong, I… send, really… him… last… time…”

Shen Zhiyu’s hand, holding the blanket, loosened, and the heavy blanket fell directly onto Jiang Zhou’s face.

Jiang Zhou was sleeping soundly and didn’t wake up even when hit.

However, Dong Qianqian next to him heard the movement and quietly asked, “What’s wrong?”

Shen Zhiyu: “General Manager Jiang is asleep and talking in his dreams.”

When the guests heard that Jiang Zhou was asleep, they consciously lowered their voices.

Shen Zhiyu lay back in his sleeping bag, pulled up the blanket, and decided to ignore Jiang Zhou. Let him suffocate.

Lying next to him, yet calling out Yuan Chong’s name in his dreams?

It was ridiculous.

What was so great about that Yuan Chong?

He messaged Lu Shen late at night: “What do you think of that guy named Yuan who runs the bar?”

Lu Shen had just left Diqian Bar. He looked back at the retreating figure who had just seen him off.

Why was Shen Zhiyu suddenly asking about Yuan Chong? Did he take an interest in Yuan Chong? But he didn’t seem like Shen Zhiyu’s type at all.

Didn’t Shen Zhiyu like the type who was outwardly well-behaved and refined but inwardly obsessive—like that Jiang Zhou?

Lu Shen felt a sudden pang in his heart, and his mouth moved faster than his brain. He called out, “General Manager Yuan.”

Yuan Chong turned around and walked toward him with a smile. “Are you too drunk to walk?”

Lu Shen looked at Shen Zhiyu’s message again and decided to strike first before Shen Zhiyu did.

“Get lost! Who are you looking down on! If you have the guts, come to my place and keep drinking.”

Yuan Chong’s smile vanished. He looked at Lu Shen, his tone suddenly serious. “Is that an invitation?”

“Yes. Do you dare?”

Yuan Chong chuckled softly, his clear, watery eyes reflecting the seductive glow of the bar’s neon lights. “Are you sure you can handle the consequences?”

Under the gaze of those eyes, Lu Shen’s heart pounded erratically, but he had no time for hesitation.

“I’m sure.”

Yuan Chong gave Lu Shen a deep look, confirming that the other party was serious.

Yuan Chong walked back to the bar entrance and tossed his car keys to an employee. “I won’t be back tonight. Wash my car tomorrow.”

The employee glanced at Lu Shen not far away and knowingly accepted the keys.

Lu Shen vaguely heard the employee’s teasing, his face flushed, and his heart felt like it was on fire.

Yuan Chong walked back. Seeing Lu Shen standing there slightly awkwardly, he scoffed, “Regretting it already?”

Lu Shen shook his head. “I am not.”

Yuan Chong said no more, walking straight to Lu Shen’s car, opening the door, and telling the driver in an unquestionable tone, “You can go off duty.”

The driver witnessed the entire exchange in the rearview mirror, immediately unbuckled his seatbelt, and got out of the car, knowing better than to linger.

Lu Shen was still standing in place. Yuan Chong honked the horn, and he finally snapped out of it and got in.

“Address.”

Lu Shen gave his address.

Neither of them spoke after that.

Yuan Chong turned off the air conditioning and rolled down the window. The car sped up, and the night wind howled in, instantly dropping the temperature in the cabin to freezing point.

He pulled a cigarette pack from his jacket pocket, lowered his head to take out a cigarette, then let go of the pack, allowing it to fall onto the floor mat.

As he pulled out his lighter, he casually glanced at Lu Shen and raised an eyebrow. “Do you mind?”

Lu Shen shook his head. “Do as you please.”

Yuan Chong lit the cigarette. The strong, pungent smell of smoke drifted toward Lu Shen with the wind.

Lu Shen couldn’t help but cough once, then again.

Yuan Chong bit down on the cigarette and sneered, “With you like this, you dare invite me? Lu Shen, have you been drinking yourself stupid these past few days?”

Lu Shen looked at him, then turned his eyes to the car window, saying, “Then just take it as a drunken mistake.”

His voice was quiet but unusually clear and firm.

Yuan Chong: “…”

“What? Are you incapable?”

Damn it!

This old-fashioned guy dared to provoke him?

When he was running wild, Lu Shen was probably still cooling off somewhere.

If he wasn’t worried about Shen Zhiyu and Jiang Zhou’s relationship, he would have dealt with him long ago.

He had grown up hustling in bars, acting without principle, his bottom line nonexistent.

Since someone had actively delivered themselves to his mouth, there was no reason for Yuan Chong not to take the bait. “Fine, tonight I’ll let you know if I’m capable.”

With a screech, the accelerator was pressed, and the black car body vanished like a phantom in the traffic flow.

Only then did Lu Shen reply to Shen Zhiyu, “I slept with him.”

Although the sleeping part hadn’t happened yet, a few minutes wouldn’t make a difference.

Shen Zhiyu: “!?”

That bastard! Even Lu Shen slept with him?

Was his charm really that great?

Lu Shen and Jiang Zhou shared some superficial similarities; both were seen by outsiders as refined, well-behaved students who loved reading and had good grades.

But they were fundamentally different. In Jiang Zhou, Shen Zhiyu sensed the aura of a kindred spirit—beneath the mask of refinement and obedience lay the soul of a devil.

Lu Shen, however, was completely consistent inside and out. Upright, proper, following the path laid out by his family since childhood.

He never had a rebellious phase, didn’t smoke or drink, ate lightly, lived a disciplined life, and was always gentle and polite in his interactions.

Shen Zhiyu should have noticed the signs earlier. How could someone who didn’t like drinking or going to bars be calling him from a bar three or four times recently?

Shen Zhiyu thought Lu Shen wanted to completely indulge himself before taking office, but he never expected him to indulge to the point of sleeping with Yuan Chong.

Shen Zhiyu called Lu Shen.

Lu Shen didn’t dare answer, hanging up and turning off his phone immediately.

Listening to the cold dial tone, Shen Zhiyu was left with nothing but an unbelievable mess in his mind.

What kind of charm did this Yuan Chong possess to make them all fall for him like this?