Is This The Right Way To Repay A Favor? Chapter 65

Softness

The mountain wind, carrying rain and mist, slammed heavily against the car window, making a dull thumping sound.

The vehicle struggled to climb the winding mountain road. The layered peaks were shrouded in gray-white rain and fog, thick as ink. The wheels crushed through the mud, splashing mud onto the lower edge of the window, blurring the view.

Jiang Zhou’s heart rose and fell with the car’s jolts.

Since finishing Crazy Motorcycle, Shen Zhiyu had moved seamlessly into a new project, filming a martial arts drama. Because it involved a lot of action scenes, his guest role was scheduled to last a week.

But last night, Jiang Zhou woke up from a nightmare and had been restless ever since. He called Zhang Fanshu to ask about Shen Zhiyu, and the assistant only said he was in makeup and everything was normal.

For some reason, a strong sense of unease kept churning in Jiang Zhou’s heart. He finally couldn’t stand it, called Wei Yan, and traveled all the way to the mountainous area where Shen Zhiyu was filming.

He needed to see Shen Zhiyu with his own eyes to feel at ease.

The filming location was a national nature reserve. The mountain roads were winding, and the paths were tangled, extending deep into the mountains.

The rain and mist were pervasive, making visibility extremely poor. It took them three full hours to reach the temporary camp the crew had set up in the mountain hollow.

The camp was in chaos. The director left behind was unshaven, with sunken eyes, yelling hoarsely into his phone, “Search again! Focus on the Eagle Beak Cliff area again!”

Jiang Zhou scanned the area. Not seeing Shen Zhiyu, his heart plummeted.

The director clearly hadn’t expected Jiang Zhou to show up. He quickly hung up the phone and managed to compose himself. “Mr. Jiang, why are you here?”

“Passing by.”

The director couldn’t imagine how Jiang Zhou could have “passed by” to reach this secluded mountain area. He signaled someone to make tea while trying to ease the tension.

Jiang Zhou’s gaze swept the camp again, still finding no trace of Shen Zhiyu.

“Still filming in this weather?” he asked, feigning casualness.

“Yes, the weather was fine when we started this morning, but who knew it would pour rain as soon as we got up to Eagle Beak Cliff? Everyone was caught off guard and scattered. We haven’t found everyone yet.”

An ominous premonition washed over him like cold rain.

“Where are the others?”

“The rain was too heavy, the path was obscured, and they scattered in the blink of an eye…”

Jiang Zhou was restless, a vein throbbing in his temple. He could no longer maintain his composure. “Where is Teacher Shen?”

Just then, Zhang Fanshu stumbled back. Seeing Jiang Zhou and Wei Yan, his eyes immediately reddened, and his voice choked. “Mr. Jiang! Teacher Shen is missing! I’ve been looking for over an hour and can’t find him…”

Jiang Zhou froze. “What did you say?”

“Everyone scattered. Teacher Shen didn’t have his phone, so we can’t contact him.” Seeing Jiang Zhou’s face change drastically, the director quickly explained, “Mr. Jiang, please don’t worry. This area is a developed zone; there won’t be any danger.”

This sudden news made Jiang Zhou’s vision swim. He couldn’t care about anything else. He grabbed Zhang Fanshu and headed out. “Where was he last? Take me there!”

The director stood stunned. Wei Yan quickly followed, calling the rescue team.

Zhang Fanshu led Jiang Zhou deep into the rainforest.

Fear grew wildly like vines, and terrifying images flashed uncontrollably through Jiang Zhou’s mind.

Slipping, falling off a cliff, being torn apart by wild beasts…

Every possibility made his liver and guts tremble.

“Shen Zhiyu!” Jiang Zhou roared as he walked, but his voice sounded abnormally weak in the rain forest, instantly shredded by the wind and rain.

The only response was the intensifying sound of rain and the rumble of thunder.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, they finally reached Eagle Beak Cliff, where Shen Zhiyu had disappeared.

Other crew members were also searching. Besides Shen Zhiyu, several actors and staff members were still scattered.

Everyone split up to search. Jiang Zhou meticulously searched around Eagle Beak Cliff, not letting go of the slightest possibility.

After trudging through the mud for what felt like an eternity, just as Jiang Zhou was about to be swallowed by despair, a faint sparkle of light caught his eye at the edge of a steep slope, which had been washed clean by the rain, exposing deep brown soil.

Jiang Zhou stumbled forward, kneeling in the cold mud and water. With trembling hands, he picked up the bracelet.

The silver light of the bracelet flickered faintly in the gray mist.

Jiang Zhou’s heart was violently seized. A thick, metallic taste of rust surged up his throat, choking him. He opened his mouth, wanting to shout Shen Zhiyu’s name, but only managed a broken, inarticulate sob.

Jiang Zhou crawled toward the bottom of the steep slope, which was shrouded in mist and seemed bottomless.

Without the slightest hesitation, Jiang Zhou grabbed the slippery vines and protruding rocks, carefully scaling down the steep cliff face.

Wei Yan followed, unable to stop him in time.

Sharp stones and branches scraped Jiang Zhou’s palms and arms, leaving a stinging, burning pain.

Jiang Zhou was oblivious. His eyes were fixed downward, searching for any possible trace in the dense mist and thick rainforest.

“Shen Zhiyu!” Jiang Zhou shouted hoarsely while moving down with difficulty. The sound echoed between the cliffs, only to be swallowed by the wind and rain.

There was no response.

Jiang Zhou’s heart sank little by little to the bottom of the valley.

After an unknown period, just as his arms were aching and he was nearly exhausted, a depression half-hidden by dense vines below caught his attention.

It didn’t look like a naturally formed rock crevice but an opening.

Jiang Zhou’s heart pounded.

He held his breath and carefully pushed aside the wet vines, revealing a stone cave.

Jiang Zhou grabbed a vine, used the leverage to jump to the entrance, and scrambled inside on all fours.

The stone cave was narrow and pitch black, and a damp, cold draft blew into his face.

Jiang Zhou crawled inside. The entrance was tight, but the interior suddenly opened up, much larger than expected.

Jiang Zhou rubbed his eyes, struggling to adjust to the cave’s light. The walls were rugged stone, and an underground stream gurgled nearby. The air was cool, carrying the scent of moss and damp earth, temporarily isolating them from the raging storm outside.

“Shen Zhiyu—” Jiang Zhou wiped the tears from his face, his voice trembling uncontrollably as it echoed in the empty space.

The only reply was the echo of the flowing stream and the sound of water dripping from the stone walls.

Fear began to creep up his heart thread by thread, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.

Using the faint light, Jiang Zhou followed the direction of the stream, inching deeper into the cave.

The cave was deep. The further he went, the more open the space seemed, and the brighter his vision became.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, the stream took a bend deep inside the cave, forming a recessed platform.

“Shen Zhiyu—” Jiang Zhou’s voice was already hoarse from shouting, gradually weakening.

Just then, Jiang Zhou faintly heard an extremely weak sound, seemingly coming from the platform after the stream’s bend, but it was intermittent, obscured by the sound of the flowing water.

Jiang Zhou’s heart leaped. He held his breath, trying hard to distinguish the subtle sound.

“Jiang Zhou?” A weak, tentative voice, filled with disbelief, pierced through the water noise and clearly reached him.

It was Shen Zhiyu’s voice!

A huge surge of joy instantly ignited Jiang Zhou’s exhausted nerves. He sprinted toward the source of the sound.

Turning the corner, on the rock beside the stream, he saw the figure that had haunted his dreams.

Shen Zhiyu, also on the rock at the stream’s bend, saw the person stumbling out.

Jiang Zhou was soaked through, his hair plastered messily to his face, his clothes covered in mud. The deer eyes that were usually so rational and restrained were now fixed on Shen Zhiyu, filled with the wild joy of finding what was lost, and the lingering terror that hadn’t yet dissipated.

“Jiang Zhou?” Shen Zhiyu was completely stunned, his voice full of disbelief. “How did you—”

The nerves that had been taut all along suddenly relaxed. His body reacted before his mind. Jiang Zhou opened his arms and slammed into Shen Zhiyu’s embrace. The force of the hug was so great it felt like he was trying to crush Shen Zhiyu.

The suppressed sobs finally broke through his throat, turning into completely uncontrolled weeping.

“Wuwu—” Jiang Zhou cried, his whole body shaking violently. All the fear and despair from the journey surged out with the hot tears, soaking the fabric near Shen Zhiyu’s neck.

Jiang Zhou clung desperately to Shen Zhiyu, terrified that if he let go, this person would vanish.

Shen Zhiyu was frozen by the sudden impact. The violent trembling and burning tears of the person in his arms caught him off guard. He had never seen Jiang Zhou so out of control.

He stood stiffly, allowing Jiang Zhou to hold him, clearly feeling the intense shaking of the body in his arms, the scalding tears burning his skin through the thin clothing.

The unrestrained weeping echoed in the empty cave, tugging at his nerves with every sound. A nerve hidden deep in his heart seemed to snap amid the crying, giving rise to a softness he had never felt before.

Shen Zhiyu’s heartbeat accelerated in an unfamiliar rhythm, carrying a subtle discomfort of having his private domain forcibly invaded, chaotic and helpless.

Shen Zhiyu opened his hands and gently placed them on Jiang Zhou’s wet, trembling back.

“Why are you crying?” Shen Zhiyu spoke, his tone very light, carrying a helplessness and softness that even he hadn’t noticed.

The crying stopped abruptly.

Jiang Zhou’s body instantly stiffened. He still held Shen Zhiyu tightly, but the desperate force immediately relaxed by more than half.

That earth-shattering bout of crying had exhausted all his strength and courage. As the impulse receded, rationality gradually returned, and intense embarrassment overwhelmed him.

Jiang Zhou abruptly let go, practically springing back to retreat.

Shen Zhiyu, however, reached out and wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him back into his embrace.

“I’m sorry. I… I thought something had happened to you.” Jiang Zhou’s eyes darted around nervously, avoiding looking at Shen Zhiyu’s face.

Seeing his utterly embarrassed, nowhere-to-hide expression, a strange sense of satisfaction inexplicably arose in Shen Zhiyu’s heart.

His gaze swept over the other man’s red-rimmed eyes and mud-streaked cheeks. He couldn’t resist leaning down and kissing the corner of Jiang Zhou’s lips.

The touch was cool, carrying the dampness of the cave and Shen Zhiyu’s clean scent, a gentle brush.

The cave instantly fell silent, leaving only the clear sound of dripping water and the mingled, deep and shallow breaths of the two men.