Is This The Right Way To Repay A Favor? Chapter 33
byKiss Me
The person beside him seemed truly caught in a nightmare, muffled whimpers coming from under the blanket.
Shen Zhiyu found the sound irritating and lifted a corner of the blanket for him.
The moment his hand went up, the person unconsciously rolled toward him, reaching out of the sleeping bag and embracing him beneath the covers.
The wide sleeve slipped from his wrist, and a cold, slick sensation pressed against him, a damp stickiness smearing his neck.
The person was trembling unconsciously, and amidst the muffled whimpers, Shen Zhiyu heard a fragmented voice, “I really… can’t control… it anymore, Yuan Chong, what should I do…”
This guy, even while burrowed in his arms, was crying over another man.
Shen Zhiyu was furious, his liver aching, but the whimpering cries and the cold touch only made him more agitated.
Shen Zhiyu let out a deep breath, reaching out to pull Jiang Zhou into his embrace.
As if a drowning person had found salvation, Jiang Zhou gradually quieted down in the warmth, falling into a deep sleep.
The guests’ conversations slowly faded, and those who had planned to stay up all night gradually drifted off.
In the latter half of the night, the evening breeze softened, blowing gently.
After being covered for most of the night, the block of ice in his arms gradually melted, finally reaching a normal person’s body temperature.
Shen Zhiyu looked at the face nestled in his arms, unable to resist reaching out to rub it. The texture was lovely, fair and soft, making him want to take a bite.
The person seemed disturbed in their sleep, waving a hand impatiently, then pressing their face closer to Shen Zhiyu’s neck.
His collar had somehow become unbuttoned, exposing the long, beautiful line of his neck completely.
Shen Zhiyu lowered his head slightly and could see a stretch of continuous whiteness, like a boundless river of stars under the gradually thinning moonlight.
The surrounding temperature was rising, almost scorching Jiang Zhou. Yet, he unconsciously pressed closer to that flame, like a moth determinedly flying into the candlelight.
The physical reaction was instantaneous. Shen Zhiyu’s breathing grew heavy, his throat dry as if he were in a desert.
That dazzling patch of white was like an oasis in a thousand miles of barren land.
He couldn’t help but lean closer, and closer…
“I can’t…” Jiang Zhou’s sleep talk sounded against his chest.
Shen Zhiyu froze, then angrily bit down hard on that patch of white skin.
Jiang Zhou frowned in his dream, then chuckled softly, “Punishment…”
Shen Zhiyu recalled Jiang Zhou’s strange methods of self-harm and bit him again in frustration, then a third time…
Soon, the fair neck was covered in messy red marks. Satisfied with the sight, Shen Zhiyu hugged the person in his arms even tighter.
After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Zhou finally woke up. He was literally suffocated awake.
He felt as if he were in the center of a ball of fire, burning hot all around, with smoke filling the air, making it impossible to breathe.
Jiang Zhou woke up with a start, his mouth and nose covered by something that was hot and rising and falling rhythmically.
Jiang Zhou opened his eyes and saw only a chaotic deep gray. A solid, steady heartbeat thumped against his cheek through the fabric.
Thump, thump—
Each vibration was so clear, making Jiang Zhou’s cheek tingle.
This was… Shen Zhiyu?
Jiang Zhou’s body stiffened, and the slight confusion from waking up instantly evaporated.
Jiang Zhou didn’t have time to think about how he ended up sleeping in Shen Zhiyu’s arms. But judging from the current situation, he was clearly the one who had crossed the line.
Afraid of waking him, Jiang Zhou held his breath and quietly tried to move backward.
Just then, the arm wrapped around his back tightened without warning, pressing Jiang Zhou’s slight attempt to retreat back down, pulling him deeper into the warmth.
“Still restless even when asleep. You really know how to torment people,” Shen Zhiyu complained softly, one hand reaching out from under the blanket to tuck in the corner on Jiang Zhou’s side.
He was awake?
Jiang Zhou dared not move, lying stiffly, his face buried in that scorching cage. In his ears, his own frantic heartbeat mingled with Shen Zhiyu’s steady pulse.
The world seemed to shrink to a small space, the night thick as ink, enveloping them tightly.
Time passed minute by minute, and the tightly clasped arm showed no sign of relaxing. Instead, it exerted a silent, heavy constraint on Jiang Zhou’s back.
Jiang Zhou was tormented by shame and a certain indescribable flutter of emotion.
After an unknown period, the inky blackness gradually dispersed, and a grayish-blue climbed up from the horizon.
Dawn was approaching. The production crew’s camera operators were about to arrive. Jiang Zhou could even hear the rustling sounds of the camera crew beneath the observation deck.
If they didn’t separate now, they would be exposed.
Jiang Zhou tried once more to break free from Shen Zhiyu’s restraint. But the moment he moved slightly, the arm pressing against his back would tighten, squeezing him painfully.
The rustling sounds grew closer; they seemed to be starting up the stairs. Jiang Zhou was so nervous he could barely breathe.
The painful pressure suddenly, very slowly, began to ease.
Then, a low sound, almost a whisper, heavy with sleep, brushed past the top of Jiang Zhou’s head.
“Afraid of being discovered?”
Jiang Zhou lifted his head in that suffocating warmth.
He didn’t notice that when Shen Zhiyu said this, he deliberately emphasized the word ‘discovered,’ even carrying a hint of gritted teeth.
“Why weren’t you afraid when you burrowed into my arms last night?”
It was indeed his fault!
Jiang Zhou was overwhelmed with shame. “I’m sorry, I didn’t do it on purpose.”
The sound of the camera operators talking drifted up from the stairs.
They were coming up. If they didn’t separate now, it would truly be too late.
Jiang Zhou frantically pushed him, trying to retreat.
A very light, short muffled groan escaped from above Jiang Zhou’s head.
Jiang Zhou felt something and froze completely, forgetting even to tremble.
A scorching breath grazed Jiang Zhou’s earlobe. This time, he spoke almost directly against his ear.
Every word was delivered with a slow, deliberate, yet extremely dangerous malicious teasing, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.
“Kiss me, and I’ll let you go.”
!
Jiang Zhou’s mind buzzed, exploding into a blank slate.
He remained stiff, completely motionless.
“If you don’t kiss me soon, it will be too late,” Shen Zhiyu watched him, urging him unhurriedly, perfectly at ease.
The camera operators had already reached the observation deck, carrying their cameras and walking toward the guests.
His body made the choice faster than his brain.
Jiang Zhou suddenly closed his eyes and, relying on instinct, pressed toward the blurry outline.
A soft mass bumped heavily against a warm, hard contour dusted with fine stubble.
The hand pressing against Jiang Zhou’s back suddenly tightened and moved up. The large, scorching palm, with undeniable force, forcefully gripped the back of Jiang Zhou’s neck.
There was no maneuvering, no testing; it was a dominant crushing descent, branding him with his own hot and distinct mark.
A sharp sting came from his lips. Before Jiang Zhou could react, he was pushed away and stuffed back under the blanket.
Dong Qianqian on the other side seemed to be woken by the camera operators’ voices. “Is it morning?”
The guests gradually woke up.
Jiang Zhou got up too, the heat on his face refusing to dissipate, his ears burning red.
Cai Zhiyang immediately spotted Jiang Zhou. “CEO Jiang! Why is your face so red!”
“You were the first one to fall asleep last night. You didn’t catch a fever from the cold, did you?”
Jiang Zhou touched his face and went along with the suggestion. “I think so.”
Zhang Qian was the last to get up. Rubbing his eyes, he immediately started scolding Cai Zhiyang. “You dead pig! Your snoring last night sounded like an electric drill, and I couldn’t wake you up even if I pinched you.”
The guests chimed in with their complaints.
Jiang Zhou stood to the side, head lowered, quietly reaching up to touch his lip, which had been bitten open.
The culprit glanced at him openly and naturally, a deeply meaningful smile playing on his lips.
Jiang Zhou quickly lowered his hand.
—
“The sun is about to rise,” someone shouted.
Everyone simultaneously walked toward the railing of the observation deck.
At the edge of the gray-white sky, a golden line of dawn burst forth. The golden line rapidly expanded, spread, and flowed freely, setting the entire sky ablaze in a magnificent orange-red.
A red sun broke free from the silhouette of the distant mountains, instantly leaping to the mountaintop, radiating brilliant light that plated the entire observation deck in a golden glow.
The world was bathed in splendor.
No one spoke; everyone was awestruck by the sunrise over the green mountains. Jiang Zhou unconsciously sought out Shen Zhiyu’s figure. Shen Zhiyu seemed to sense it and looked back at him.
The morning light fell on the profile of Shen Zhiyu’s face, making even the tips of his eyelashes seem dusted with fine light.
Jiang Zhou’s breathing hitched slightly. For this moment, he selfishly didn’t want to look away.
“Ah—” Cai Zhiyang suddenly took the lead and shouted toward the rising sun, “I will definitely become a household name! I want to take on great roles! Win major awards!”
After Cai Zhiyang finished shouting, his emotions were high, and he pulled the others to shout too.
Perhaps inspired by Cai Zhiyang’s start, or perhaps due to the fervent atmosphere of the moment, the guests, encouraged by Cai Zhiyang, gradually let loose, one by one shouting their wishes toward the sun.
Jiang Zhou was pushed and urged by Cai Zhiyang.
Jiang Zhou pretended to think. “Let me think about what to shout.”
Cai Zhiyang pondered along with him.
What people seek is usually nothing more than career, relationships, and health.
Jiang Zhou was good-looking and well-educated, and Languang Media had recently gone public; his career had virtually hit the ceiling. Aside from looking a bit thin, he didn’t seem to have any other health issues.
From the current perspective, the only thing lacking was relationships.
Cai Zhiyang recalled the mention of a secret crush when they played the “I Have, You Don’t” game on the first night.
He couldn’t help but gossip, “CEO Jiang, you’re not still hung up on the person you had a crush on in college, are you?”
Jiang Zhou didn’t know why Cai Zhiyang brought this up. He fell silent, unable to utter a lie of denial.
Not denying it meant tacit agreement.
Shen Zhiyu, who was listening to their conversation nearby, suddenly darkened his gaze.
“CEO Jiang, you are truly devoted. Since CEO Jiang is still hung up on her—” Cai Zhiyang suggested, “Why don’t you take this opportunity to pray for a good relationship?”
As soon as Cai Zhiyang said this, the atmosphere around them instantly turned two degrees colder. He pulled his collar tighter, shrinking back. “Why is it getting windy again?”
“CEO Jiang, hurry up and shout. After you shout, and then Yu-ge shouts one, we should go down. It’s getting cold.”
Everyone was waiting for him to shout.
Jiang Zhou didn’t want to spoil the fun at the end.
He thought for a moment, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted toward the sun, “I wish him…”
He actually dared to shout that!
Especially right after they had just kissed.
Shen Zhiyu was so angry his face turned black; he should have bitten him to death just now.
He opened his mouth, and his voice sounded right next to Jiang Zhou, directly hijacking his words.
“World peace!”
All the guests:…..???