Is This The Right Way To Repay A Favor? Chapter 45

Close Your Eyes

Shen Zhiyu stood so close that Jiang Zhou could almost feel the steady rise and fall of his chest and the breath that moved with his respiration.

Jiang Zhou subconsciously lowered his head slightly, relaxing his neck, allowing the other person to do as he wished.

At some point, the towel shifted, moving from the top of his head down to the back of his neck.

Shen Zhiyu meticulously wiped away the remaining water droplets from the nape of his neck.

A slightly warm fingertip brushed against his skin unintentionally, and the heat that the medicine seemed to have just quelled surged up again, carrying a more intense impulse.

Jiang Zhou couldn’t help but shrink his neck, a faint whimper escaping his throat.

“Jiang Zhou, who taught you to take a cold shower?”

“Because you didn’t want me to see you like that?”

“I’m not worthy of seeing it?”

Jiang Zhou’s heart sank.

Damn it, Shen Zhiyu misunderstood.

Jiang Zhou indeed didn’t want Shen Zhiyu to see him in that state because he felt disheveled and wretched. He didn’t want to dirty Shen Zhiyu’s eyes.

It wasn’t that he thought Shen Zhiyu was unworthy.

Jiang Zhou bit his lip, trying to explain.

But before he could, his jaw tightened, and he was forcefully lifted up.

Jiang Zhou saw his icy eyes.

“You misunderstood,” Jiang Zhou’s throat rolled, his voice hoarse. “I was just… too hot.”

Shen Zhiyu stared at him for a few seconds, then released his hand, looking somewhat dejected. “Where are you hurt?”

Jiang Zhou shook his head. “Nowhere, Yuan…” The word was forcefully changed under Shen Zhiyu’s gaze. “Everyone arrived in time, I wasn’t injured.”

“I will definitely be careful next time,” Jiang Zhou promised.

“You think there will be a next time?” Shen Zhiyu looked at him coldly.

Jiang Zhou immediately corrected himself. “I promise there won’t be a next time.”

His phone rang. It was someone from the crew calling to ask if he was still filming his scenes tomorrow.

“Yes, I’ll head back shortly.”

Only then did Jiang Zhou realize that Shen Zhiyu had come wearing his costume.

The character he was playing this time was the Senior Disciple of a sect. He was wearing a dark, cloud-patterned plain silk robe, with a wig piece pasted at his temples. His long hair was neatly combed and tied up with an ancient-style Chi-patterned crown.

Shen Zhiyu’s forehead was full and smooth. This styling made his brow peaks look like clouds and his eyes bright and striking.

Jiang Zhou’s moral compass was swayed by his looks.

He thought, even if such a stunning villain was inherently evil, he would be willing to forgive him, and even willing to fall into depravity with him.

This was Shen Zhiyu’s first time trying an ancient costume look, and Jiang Zhou really wanted to take a picture of him.

Jiang Zhou clenched his teeth, trying hard to control his expression, not letting his eyes show too much fervor, but his earlobes uncontrollably flushed red.

Shen Zhiyu hung up the phone and frowned at Jiang Zhou.

What was that expression on his face? Was he feeling wronged now?

Yet, looking at that expression, the fire in Shen Zhiyu’s heart unknowingly subsided by more than half, and a strange sense of affection arose.

How could someone look so obedient and pitiful when feeling wronged, making one want to pull him into an embrace and cherish him properly?

Shen Zhiyu sighed almost imperceptibly and reached out to stroke the top of Jiang Zhou’s head.

Jiang Zhou’s voice was muffled. “I’m sorry.”

Because of his accidental call, Shen Zhiyu rushed back to Haishi from Yanzhen. He hadn’t even had time to remove his costume or hair, which showed how urgently he had left.

From what he said, he had to rush back to Yanzhen shortly to continue filming tomorrow.

Shen Zhiyu’s exhausting back-and-forth trip was all due to his carelessness.

The urge for self-punishment, which hadn’t appeared for a long time, uncontrollably surged up at this moment.

This time it came urgently and fiercely. Jiang Zhou was about to lose control of himself.

“Can you… go out first?”

Shen Zhiyu looked at his constantly twitching lips and unconsciously clenched fingers, instantly guessing what was happening.

He abruptly pulled Jiang Zhou into his arms.

Jiang Zhou resisted, trying to escape.

The back of his head was firmly pinned in place by a more forceful hand. An irresistible pressure came down, his teeth were easily pried open, and a scorching breath was forcefully poured in, carrying a sense of chastisement that instantly made Jiang Zhou feel dizzy and suffocated.

The air in his mouth was completely squeezed out, his breathing was stolen, leaving only pain and a strange heat churning and intertwining.

Jiang Zhou’s vision completely blurred, tears blurring like spreading ink. Just as the dizziness was about to turn into darkness, the storm-like torture suddenly withdrew.

Jiang Zhou coughed violently, his waist so weak he could barely support himself, relying entirely on Shen Zhiyu.

The person in front of him was backlit, shadows covering his face, making his expression unclear.

The only sounds in the air were Jiang Zhou’s ragged gasps, like a survivor of a catastrophe, and an aftertaste of overbearing pressure mixed with scorching punishment lingering around them.

Shen Zhiyu slowly wiped away the residual moisture and blood from the corner of Jiang Zhou’s lips with his thumb.

The urge for self-harm and his rationality hadn’t even finished fighting for dominance in his mind before they were torn to shreds by this almost brutal kiss. Those fragmented torments were completely crushed by the domineering, conquering aura, like a red-hot branding iron, searing his heart again and again.

“Still want to?” Shen Zhiyu looked down at Jiang Zhou, as if looking at an unrepentant prisoner.

Jiang Zhou shook his head, his voice still slightly trembling. “No.”

“Can you still walk?”

“Mm.” Jiang Zhou gently pushed Shen Zhiyu away. But all the strength had been drained from his body, and the next second, he clung helplessly to Shen Zhiyu again.

“The medicine is kicking in,” Jiang Zhou explained, blushing.

“Mm.” Shen Zhiyu was pleased by his reaction. “Hold onto my neck.”

Shen Zhiyu bent slightly, extended his long arms, and directly picked Jiang Zhou up.

Jiang Zhou gasped, instinctively hooking his arms around his neck.

Seeing that he seemed to be heading outside, he panicked slightly. “Put me down. I can walk by myself after I recover a bit.”

“No time. I have to leave immediately.”

“I want to take you home first.”

—-

The car stopped at the back entrance of the bar.

Jiang Zhou only realized after getting into the car that not only had Shen Zhiyu returned, but his manager, Wang Lei, had also come back with him.

Wang Lei looked natural when he saw Shen Zhiyu carrying Jiang Zhou out, and politely greeted him as President Jiang.

Jiang Zhou felt a little ashamed and didn’t want Shen Zhiyu to go through trouble, repeatedly saying he could go back by himself.

Shen Zhiyu shut him down with a single sentence.

“I want to see Zhouzhou.”

On the way back, Jiang Zhou couldn’t stop stealing glances at Shen Zhiyu, who had unlocked a new look.

His gaze was so frequent it was impossible to ignore.

Shen Zhiyu put down his phone, resting his elbow on the armrest between them, and propping his chin with his right hand.

“Do you like this look?”

He deliberately lowered his body, adopting a posture that gave Jiang Zhou a slightly elevated view.

The car lights weren’t on, only the flickering orange-yellow light from the streetlamps outside, cast by the moving car, flashed across his face like a revolving lantern, giving a dreamy, illusory feeling.

This was the first time Jiang Zhou had looked at him from such a commanding perspective.

Shen Zhiyu was wearing full makeup, much heavier than his daily look. Due to sweating, the eyeshadow and eyeliner around his eyes had smudged into mottled blue light, his lipstick was blurred, and the foundation was patchy, revealing a more flushed undertone beneath.

He looked like a perfect deity defiled, possessing a messy, broken beauty, like the morning after a night of debauchery.

Jiang Zhou was startled by his absurd thoughts and hastily averted his gaze, not daring to look at Shen Zhiyu again.

The kitten had been looked after by Jiang Zhou these past few days.

Perhaps due to the earlier fright, the kitten hadn’t entered its cat bed these days, hiding under the sofa instead. Even when feeding, it would only sneak out to eat after Jiang Zhou had left.

The kitten heard the sound of the door opening and meowed twice.

Shen Zhiyu called out, “Zhouzhou.”

Jiang Zhou’s hand trembled as he turned on the light, and his earlobes couldn’t help but flush red again.

Hearing the familiar call, the kitten tentatively poked its head out from under the sofa. Seeing it was Shen Zhiyu, it scampered over.

Shen Zhiyu crouched down. The kitten immediately flipped onto its back, asking for pets.

This kitten truly had two different sides.

Jiang Zhou had painstakingly served it for days and hadn’t even managed to touch a single hair, let alone have it actively ask for belly rubs.

The kitten purred contentedly.

Jiang Zhou asked, “Would you like something to drink?”

Shen Zhiyu checked the time. “No need, it’s too late.”

It was already three in the morning. It would take Shen Zhiyu over two hours to rush back to Yanzhen. After arriving, he would have to redo his makeup and hair, then continue filming.

Jiang Zhou felt a pang of distress, even wanting to immediately call the crew and ask them to delay Shen Zhiyu’s scenes.

“Do you still need to shower?” Shen Zhiyu asked.

“?” Jiang Zhou felt like he was always a beat slow when facing Shen Zhiyu, never able to keep up with his leaps in thought.

“Do you need to shower before bed?” Shen Zhiyu picked up the cat, rubbing its head with one hand.

No matter what happened outside, Jiang Zhou always had to take another shower before going to sleep once he returned home.

Jiang Zhou nodded.

Shen Zhiyu asked again, “Is ten minutes enough?”

Jiang Zhou was inexplicably pushed into the bathroom.

He hesitated to turn on the shower, his mind still a bit fuzzy, unsure of the current situation.

Shen Zhiyu waited at the door for a moment. Hearing no running water, he reminded Jiang Zhou, “Nine minutes left.”

After the reminder, he didn’t forget to add, “Make the water hot.”

Jiang Zhou obediently turned up the water temperature. When he came out, his entire body was flushed red from the heat, and his deer eyes were misty and wet.

Shen Zhiyu couldn’t resist reaching out and pinching his flushed face. “Quite obedient.”

Jiang Zhou stood there awkwardly, feeling very flustered.

He didn’t know why Shen Zhiyu wanted him to shower. Although he knew it couldn’t possibly be what he was hoping for, a faint spark of hope still flickered in his heart.

Shen Zhiyu released him and led the way toward his bed. “Go to sleep. Can you fall asleep in ten minutes?”

Jiang Zhou followed him blankly, yet inexplicably obediently got into bed.

Shen Zhiyu covered him with the blanket, then sat down on the edge of the bed.

Jiang Zhou’s body, hidden under the blanket, instantly stiffened. His fingers unconsciously clenched and unclenched, his heart pounding so fast it felt like it would leap out of his throat.

“Take your hands out,” Shen Zhiyu said.

Jiang Zhou obediently extended his hands, placing them on the blanket, his wet deer eyes looking up at him.

Shen Zhiyu reached out, his large, warm palm covering Jiang Zhou’s eyes.

“Close your eyes. Eight minutes left. I’ll leave once you fall asleep.”