Is This The Right Way To Repay A Favor? Chapter 40

Overnight Stay

Jiang Zhou eased off the accelerator, allowing the two cars ahead to merge and pass him.

“You don’t have any dirt on you.” He pressed the accelerator again, maintaining a steady speed.

Languang Media’s team had, of course, investigated Shen Zhiyu. They had even dispatched a three-person squad specifically to South Korea to follow him for an entire year. In the end, they found nothing, and the trio couldn’t help but give Shen Zhiyu a thumbs-up upon their return.

This was perhaps one of the reasons Jiang Zhou held Shen Zhiyu in such high regard.

In the entertainment industry, a place rife with temptation and mired in mud, few people could reach the pinnacle and still remain true to their original intentions and maintain their integrity.

“It seems your team still needs to work harder,” Shen Zhiyu chuckled, his words carrying a deeper meaning.

“I told you, don’t think too highly of me.”

It was that phrase again.

Jiang Zhou didn’t know what Shen Zhiyu meant by “not good.”

After saying this, Shen Zhiyu closed his eyes.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhou turned the music down slightly.

Shen Zhiyu quickly fell asleep. After exiting the highway, Jiang Zhou followed the navigation, driving around Qingzhu for a long time, but still couldn’t find Shen Zhiyu’s villa.

They had set off at two in the afternoon, and by the time they reached Qingzhu, it was almost dinner time.

Shen Zhiyu was sleeping soundly, showing no signs of waking up.

Jiang Zhou simply parked the car by the roadside, quietly waiting for Shen Zhiyu to wake up.

Jiang Zhou recalled the day Shen Zhiyu returned to the country; Shen Zhiyu had also fallen asleep in his car, completely unguarded. He had sat in the car waiting for Shen Zhiyu to wake up, and had even secretly taken a few photos of him sleeping.

Thinking this, Jiang Zhou unconsciously opened the camera on his phone, but before he could take a picture, he was caught red-handed.

“Taking a sneak photo of me?” Shen Zhiyu suddenly reached out and snatched the phone from Jiang Zhou’s hand.

The photo album on the phone was clean, without a single picture.

Fortunately, the previous photos had been moved to a secret space.

Jiang Zhou breathed a sigh of relief.

Shen Zhiyu didn’t return the phone to him. Instead, he held it up and took several selfies from different angles. In a few of the selfies, Jiang Zhou’s figure was also captured in the frame.

“Next time, don’t be sneaky. Just take the picture.”

Shen Zhiyu finished speaking and handed Jiang Zhou his phone back. He rolled down the window and looked around.

By this time, the sky had completely darkened. The streetlights in the villa area swayed in the evening breeze, flickering unsteadily.

“Turn right at the next intersection, third house in the second row,” Shen Zhiyu directed.

Jiang Zhou started the car and arrived at Shen Zhiyu’s house.

This was one of the earliest developed villa areas in Haishi, boasting a prime location and beautiful scenery—a sanctuary within the bustling city. The villas had large footprints, and every house had a yard.

Shen Zhiyu got out of the car to open the gate, then returned to help Jiang Zhou carry the gifts and local specialties prepared by Jiang Zhou’s father.

The people inside the house heard the noise and came out to help.

This was the first time Jiang Zhou had met Xi Wanyu.

She looked even younger than she had in the video, showing no signs of age, and was gentle and beautiful.

Jiang Zhou politely greeted her as Auntie.

Xi Wanyu warmly stepped forward and linked arms with him, leading him inside. “You must be A Zhou. You look so well-behaved. Come in quickly and eat.”

Jiang Zhou didn’t even have time to refuse before he was inexplicably pulled to the dining table.

Xi Wanyu kept piling food onto his plate. “Zhiyu told me to cook extra dishes, saying you were too thin and needed to nourish yourself. I thought, how thin can a person over six feet tall be? But looking at you now, you really are thin.”

“Come, A Zhou, eat more.”

“Don’t mind if Auntie’s cooking isn’t good.”

Jiang Zhou hadn’t expected Xi Wanyu to be so warm and generous beneath her gentle and beautiful exterior.

Compared to her, he felt a little awkward.

Only Xi Wanyu and the two children were home.

The two children had gotten hungry early and had eaten dinner before six. They were currently watching cartoons in the living room.

Xi Wanyu said, “Their father is away on a business trip. He’s always traveling; I don’t know where he finds so many things to be busy with every day.”

As she complained, Shen Zhiyu’s father called. Xi Wanyu went out to the balcony to answer the phone.

Shen Zhiyu was already used to this and motioned to Jiang Zhou, “Eat, don’t mind her. Their calls never end in less than an hour.”

This was the first time Jiang Zhou had witnessed such a family atmosphere, and he felt a faint trace of envy in his heart.

He ate silently.

Shen Zhiyu put a few pieces of food on his plate. “CEO Jiang, eat more vegetables! If we don’t finish these dishes, my mom will cry.”

Jiang Zhou: “?”

His expression suggested, You must be kidding me.

Jiang Yue came to the dining room for water. Hearing this, she nodded in agreement. “It’s true, Brother! Last time, Mozi and I ate too many snacks, so we only ate a few bites of dinner, and Auntie cried.”

Jiang Zhou: …..

Jiang Zhou focused on eating.

After finishing his meal, Jiang Zhou offered to clear the dishes.

Shen Zhiyu pressed his hand down. “Don’t move, I’ll do it.”

Jiang Zhou followed his gaze. He saw Xi Wanyu looking toward the dining room while still talking to her husband on the phone.

Jiang Zhou immediately let go.

“Go to the living room and play with them,” Shen Zhiyu said.

Jiang Zhou went to the living room to find Jiang Yue.

“Have you packed your things?”

“Not yet. Aren’t we going back tomorrow?” Jiang Yue was distracted, watching TV.

“Then go pack now. We’re leaving soon,” Jiang Zhou said.

If Jiang Yue stayed another night, his trip would have been pointless. It wasn’t like he could stay overnight too, right?

“No, let’s stay one more night. Auntie has already prepared a room for you.”

Prepared a room for him?

“Brother, aren’t you staying here for the night too?” Jiang Yue asked again.

Jiang Zhou: ? When did I say that?

Shen Zhiyu finished cleaning up the dining room and walked over.

“It’s too late today. Stay here for the night and leave tomorrow.”

“How can I impose like that?”

“How about Yueyue stays one more night, and I’ll come pick her up tomorrow.”

Jiang Zhou was hesitant to stay.

Xi Wanyu seemed to hear the disagreement and quickly hung up the phone, coming over.

“A Zhou, it’s fine for you to stay the night. Auntie has prepared a room for you.”

“Auntie, thank you for your kindness.”

“But it’s still early, and it’s convenient for me to go back now. I shouldn’t trouble you further.”

Shen Zhiyu quietly interjected, “You didn’t sleep all last night, and you drove for several hours this afternoon. It’s too dangerous to drive back. I’m worried.”

There were other people in the living room, and Shen Zhiyu casually brought up the fact that he hadn’t slept all last night.

His words made it too easy for people to misunderstand. It was fine if the children didn’t understand, but his mother was right here.

Jiang Zhou felt his face flush. “I’m not tired, I can manage.”

Xi Wanyu misunderstood, just as he feared.

Seeing that Jiang Zhou was so unwilling to stay the night, she guessed that her son had been too rough with him last night.

Xi Wanyu shot her son a few cold glares.

“In that case, to put our minds at ease, let Zhiyu drive you back.”

How did this situation keep getting more complicated?

He hadn’t slept, but Shen Zhiyu hadn’t slept last night either.

Although Shen Zhiyu had managed to nap in the car later, the fatigue on his face was obvious.

Jiang Zhou naturally couldn’t trouble him.

In the end, Jiang Zhou agreed to stay the night.

Xi Wanyu gave him a set of Shen Zhiyu’s pajamas.

After showering, Jiang Zhou changed into Shen Zhiyu’s pajamas.

Shen Zhiyu’s pajamas carried the familiar scent of citrus mixed with cedar that clung to him.

Jiang Zhou pinched the corner of the fabric and sniffed it. This scent, lingering around him, fueled a growing sense of craving.

Jiang Zhou waited for the restless urge of the punishment’s toll.

But after waiting for a while, he realized that he hadn’t developed the restless urge to self-harm.

The entire house was heated.

Jiang Zhou went downstairs in the pajamas, which hung loosely on him, like clothes draped over a skeletal hanger.

Jiang Yue laughed at her brother’s comical appearance for a long time.

Everyone chatted in the living room for a bit, and then Xi Wanyu went upstairs.

The house had four floors: the basement held the audio-visual room and gym; the first floor was the living room, dining room, and kitchen; the second floor contained Xi Wanyu’s room and two guest rooms; the third floor housed Shen Zhiyu’s room, a music room, and another guest room.

Jiang Yue and Ye Mo didn’t want to sleep and pestered Shen Zhiyu to continue telling them ghost stories.

The storytelling moved from the living room to Shen Zhiyu’s room.

Jiang Zhou was also forced to follow them into Shen Zhiyu’s room.

His room was large, with an independent walk-in closet and bathroom. The main bedroom was accessed after passing through the closet.

The bedroom was decorated in a dreamy princess style. The feature wall and carpet were pink, and even the sheets and duvet cover were pink.

“My mother likes pink,” Shen Zhiyu explained.

He had no requirements for the decor; as long as it was habitable, it was fine. Xi Wanyu was responsible for the home’s decoration, and he never offered any opinions, letting her do as she pleased.

The two little ones had already jumped onto his bed, waiting for Shen Zhiyu to continue the ghost story.

Jiang Zhou didn’t dare to join them on the bed and sat on the sofa against the wall.

“The next day. Xiao Fang finished school and was walking home with her classmate. As they walked, her classmate suddenly disappeared, leaving only her on the vast, empty street.”

“A strange ‘thump-thump-thump’ sound came, and Xiao Fang turned around to see two green-faced, fanged…”

Jiang Zhou leaned back on the sofa, listening to Shen Zhiyu’s ghost story. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and finally, he stopped resisting and fell into a deep sleep.

The ghost story, in the end, didn’t lull the two children to sleep, but instead put Jiang Zhou to sleep.

The two little ones grew more excited the more they listened, pestering Shen Zhiyu for another story.

“Shh! Your brother is tired and asleep. Let’s not wake him up. How about we go downstairs to tell the story?”

The two children followed Shen Zhiyu, got off the bed, put on their shoes, and tiptoed out of the room.

After going downstairs, Shen Zhiyu told them ghost stories for another half hour. Close to eleven o’clock, the two children finally succumbed and fell asleep.

Shen Zhiyu carried Ye Mo to the room next door.

After closing the door, just as he was about to go upstairs, Xi Wanyu was standing at the doorway, watching him.

Shen Zhiyu: “Finished your video call?”

Xi Wanyu hummed. “I think A Zhou is a very well-behaved child. Don’t bully him.”

“Got it,” Shen Zhiyu replied dismissively.

Xi Wanyu saw his attitude and knew he hadn’t taken it to heart.

Xi Wanyu shook her head and sighed.

Shen Zhiyu returned to his room.

Jiang Zhou hadn’t woken up; he was completely sound asleep.

The pajamas he wore were large, and the neckline was loose. In his side-sleeping position, half of his shoulder was exposed.

Beneath the pale skin, his bones protruded.

Shen Zhiyu reached out and touched him. The temperature was chillingly cold.