Is This The Right Way To Repay A Favor? Chapter 56
byDon’t Move
Jiang Zhou received Shen Zhiyu’s message while already on set.
He was once again disguised as a student doing practical training for the crew, hiding in the crowd and secretly observing Shen Zhiyu.
Shen Zhiyu had finished filming and was currently removing his makeup. According to the itinerary Wei Yan had organized, he was supposed to eat lunch and then immediately take a car to Hengcheng for a cameo role.
Jiang Zhou walked to an empty corner, took out his phone, and replied to the message.
“When is it convenient for Teacher Shen?”
Shen Zhiyu’s reply was quick. He said, “Now.”
Now?
Did he discover me?
Jiang Zhou looked around, but no one seemed to notice him.
Fortunately, he was prepared and had come with an excuse.
However, he couldn’t appear too early.
“Okay, I’ll be there in half an hour, is that alright?”
How interesting.
He was right here on set, yet he was lying that he would arrive in half an hour.
What was going through this person’s mind?
The more Shen Zhiyu thought about it, the stranger it felt.
Jiang Zhou constantly claimed to have had a crush on Yuan Chong for many years, even extending his affection to him because he resembled Yuan Chong.
But Jiang Zhou’s extended affection was far too excessive.
Living next door to him, acquiring another company at a high price just to sign him, offering him the company’s top resources, specifically coming to the set to watch him, sending a doctor overnight when he heard he was sick, mobilizing a star-rated hotel chef team when he had a poor appetite, placing an assistant by his side, being his long-time fan, and even using a fan account to bid a high price for his cufflinks…
All these actions truly did not seem like something done purely out of extended affection.
Oh, and he forgot the so-called repayment of a favor.
Did a favor need to be repaid to this extent?
The strangest thing was that Jiang Zhou’s love for Yuan Chong was so intense that intimate contact with him made Jiang Zhou want to harm himself. Yet, when he personally heard that Yuan Chong and Lu Shen had slept together, Jiang Zhou showed no sign of sadness, only embarrassment?
Jiang Zhou said he was used to it. But if you truly loved someone, could you really remain so unaffected?
Shen Zhiyu certainly couldn’t.
He didn’t even need to reach the level of love.
He had only been intimate with Jiang Zhou once, and already he felt an absolute possessiveness and desire for private control over Jiang Zhou.
Before they were intimate, Shen Zhiyu thought having the body was enough; after all, he liked Jiang Zhou’s body.
But now, he wanted more than just the body; he wanted Jiang Zhou’s heart and soul to be given to him as well.
The sneaky person was still hiding in the corner, looking around.
Shen Zhiyu inexplicably found it a little cute and raised his phone to take a picture.
Zhang Fanshu came to the set to find Shen Zhiyu. “Teacher Shen, lunch is ready.”
“Good. You don’t need to come with me. Take a taxi to Hengcheng now; I’ll arrive later.”
Shen Zhiyu transferred ten thousand yuan to Zhang Fanshu. “For the fare.”
“Understood.” Zhang Fanshu accepted it without asking further questions, quickly tidied up his things in the RV, and left in a taxi.
Shen Zhiyu greeted the crew members, got into the RV, and instructed the driver to take the car back to the hotel.
“I’ll review the script in the car. We leave at 2:30 PM, you can go up and rest.”
The driver had just finished eating and was waiting to depart. He was delighted to have two hours of rest and happily went upstairs.
Only after the driver left did Shen Zhiyu send a message to Jiang Zhou.
“Yunhe Hotel underground parking lot. I’m waiting for you in the RV.”
—
Jiang Zhou took a taxi to the hotel.
Following the location Shen Zhiyu sent, he navigated several turns and found a white nanny van tucked away in a corner of the underground garage.
Jiang Zhou knocked on the door. After a moment, the door was opened from the inside.
A burst of post-shower heat rushed out, carrying the scent of citrus body wash.
Jiang Zhou’s face was flushed by the heat, instantly turning red.
Shen Zhiyu was dressed casually in a white crew-neck shirt and gray three-quarter pants.
He had just washed up, holding a towel, wiping his hair with one hand while opening the door for Jiang Zhou with the other.
Jiang Zhou hadn’t anticipated such a visually impactful and seductive scene upon arrival.
The sensor lights in the parking lot had gone out, leaving only the light inside the vehicle illuminating Shen Zhiyu. Wet strands of hair were still dripping water, soaking into the white shirt and revealing the taut lines underneath.
Such a sight was enough to tempt anyone.
Jiang Zhou’s throat bobbed, his voice tinged with a slight hoarseness. He rationally shifted his gaze. “Teacher Shen.”
Shen Zhiyu glanced at him. “Come in.”
Jiang Zhou had originally planned to hand over the item and leave immediately, but since the other party had invited him, he politely stepped into the vehicle.
Shen Zhiyu rubbed his hair again, the towel casually draped over his shoulder. He sat down at the dining table and opened the lunch prepared by Zhang Fanshu.
Jiang Zhou closed the door and his gaze fell on the dining table.
A few stalks of boiled greens, half an ear of corn, and a bowl of millet porridge—a meager, almost harsh meal.
The management of body shape among artists in the industry was ruthlessly strict. Jiang Zhou had even heard of extreme practices where female actors ate only one stalk of greens a day.
But Shen Zhiyu didn’t need to do this at all. He was already well-built and exercised regularly.
Jiang Zhou pursed his lips, finally unable to resist asking, “Is this all you’re eating for lunch?”
“Mm.” Shen Zhiyu used his chopsticks to turn over the few greens, picked one up, chewed it twice, and swallowed it, wearing an expression of utter boredom.
“Where are the others?”
There was no one else in the car. Wang Lei and Zhang Fanshu were absent, having gone somewhere.
When he got back, he definitely needed to speak seriously with Zhang Fanshu. When he hired Zhang Fanshu, the point Jiang Zhou valued most was his excellent cooking skills and his qualifications as a nutritionist.
Now it seemed Zhang Fanshu hadn’t been utilizing his skills effectively.
“Brother Lei went with other artists. I sent Zhang Fanshu to Hengcheng ahead of time.”
Hearing this, Jiang Zhou frowned in disapproval. No wonder the car was empty; they had all left again.
Last time, Shen Zhiyu went out to eat alone, got drunk, and didn’t even have anyone to look after him. If Jiang Zhou hadn’t been there, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Although, the outcome even with him there wasn’t much better.
It seemed necessary for him to arrange a few more assistants. They needed to monitor Shen Zhiyu’s diet and constantly watch his state when drinking.
Shen Zhiyu scooped the porridge in the bowl, the spoon clinking against the enamel with a faint, crisp sound.
The bland, thin millet porridge was too jarring. Jiang Zhou sighed softly and asked, “What do you want to eat?”
“Is CEO Jiang going to cook for me?” Shen Zhiyu put down the spoon, a subtle curve lifting the corner of his mouth.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had CEO Jiang’s cooking, come to think of it.”
Jiang Zhou had intended to order takeout, but hearing Shen Zhiyu’s words, he glanced at the kitchen area in the RV.
The utensils and seasonings were quite complete. Jiang Zhou nodded. “Alright.”
“There are ingredients in the fridge. Just make something simple. I have to leave at 2:30.”
Jiang Zhou checked the time. He still had two hours.
Jiang Zhou went to the fridge to look for ingredients. When he opened it, the fridge was fully stocked with ingredients and fruits of every kind.
With so many ingredients, the lunch prepared was incredibly sparse.
Shen Zhiyu didn’t change his expression. “It’s too hot, I don’t have an appetite.”
So it wasn’t that Zhang Fanshu was careless; it was the main person who lacked an appetite.
Jiang Zhou took a few ingredients from the fridge. He turned back and saw Shen Zhiyu sitting at the dining table scrolling on his phone. His hair tips were still dripping water, the towel tossed aside, and his shoulder area was damp.
Jiang Zhou’s mother-hen instinct kicked in again, and he couldn’t help but say, “Wet hair makes it easy to catch a cold.”
“Mm.” Shen Zhiyu looked up from his phone screen. “I’ll blow-dry it right away.”
His hair was a bit longer than before. The wet strands on his forehead hung over his brows. As he lifted his head, a drop of water slid from a hair tip and fell into his eye.
It also dripped into Jiang Zhou’s heart.
The thumping sound of his heart buzzed, sounding as if it were right next to his ear.
Jiang Zhou slowly lowered his head and turned to enter the kitchen.
Soon, the humming sound of a hairdryer echoed inside the vehicle.
Jiang Zhou made three dishes: lemon shredded chicken, chilled seafood salad, and stir-fried zucchini. They were all appetizing dishes that weren’t fattening.
Shen Zhiyu finished blow-drying his hair and sat on the sofa, watching Jiang Zhou.
The kitchen in the car was fully open, allowing him a clear view of the entire scene.
Jiang Zhou was wearing a thin, long-sleeved knit shirt and black trousers today. Both sleeves were folded up to his wrists, revealing a small section of his pale, slender forearms.
Looking further down, there was a thin waist. That waist was truly slender, easily spanned by a hand, or easily snapped by one.
Jiang Zhou was busy in the kitchen, methodically arranging the steps for each dish.
As his figure moved back and forth, that tempting waistline swayed, making Shen Zhiyu feel parched.
No wonder everyone said that once a person indulged, they would constantly feel aroused and inexplicably want to be intimate anytime, anywhere.
Shen Zhiyu felt he was currently in that stage.
Easily tempted, constantly wanting to act on it.
Now was not a good time, and Shen Zhiyu didn’t intend to make a big move here.
He just wanted to tease the cat.
Shen Zhiyu put down his phone and walked over to the kitchen. “Is there anything I can help with?”
Jiang Zhou was focused on cooking with his back to him, his fingertip hovering above the wok to test the oil temperature. Shen Zhiyu’s voice suddenly rang out, startling him. The hand testing the oil temperature trembled, and his fingertip plunged directly into the hot oil.
There was a light sizzling sound.
Jiang Zhou quickly pulled his hand back, and the spatula clattered onto the countertop.
Shen Zhiyu’s expression changed. He took a few steps forward, grabbed Jiang Zhou’s arm, pulled him to the sink, and immediately turned on the faucet.
The icy cold water rushed over the reddened fingertip.
“Sorry—” Shen Zhiyu’s voice was slightly strained, but the grip on Jiang Zhou’s wrist was very gentle. “Did I scare you?”
The cold water washed away some of the burning pain. Jiang Zhou turned his head and saw Shen Zhiyu’s tightly pressed lips and worried eyes.
“I’m fine.” Jiang Zhou moved his fingers.
Shen Zhiyu held him, his grip not lessening at all.
The sound of running water continued, and the burning sensation mostly subsided.
Shen Zhiyu turned off the water and carefully examined his finger. The fingertip that was scalded was slightly red and swollen.
“Does it hurt?” Shen Zhiyu frowned slightly.
In Jiang Zhou’s eyes, this level of pain was actually very minor. Especially compared to the harm he used to inflict on himself, it was almost negligible.
But when Shen Zhiyu asked him this, his nose suddenly felt a little sore, and his eyes felt warm for some reason.
“Mm—” Jiang Zhou nodded, as if possessed.
“Wait here, don’t move.” Shen Zhiyu turned and quickly went to find the first-aid kit.
Jiang Zhou watched his hurried back, his wet fingers curling slightly. His heart inexplicably softened.