Is This The Right Way To Repay A Favor? Chapter 83

Phone Call

The temporary post-production and special effects team worked overtime, and everything proceeded in a tense but orderly manner.

By late November, a trending topic about Shen Zhiyu suddenly appeared.

“Explosive: Shen Zhiyu Caused the Death of Fellow Trainee Xie Xuan.”

When the topic first appeared, netizens didn’t believe it, thinking it was just like the previous rumor spread by Xu Binbin—a baseless accusation disguised as a revelation.

But this time, the exposé included audio and photo evidence.

There were many photos: Shen Zhiyu and Xie Xuan in a hospital room, photos of them walking together, eating together, and so on.

The leaked audio was even more explosive. In the recording, Xie Xuan tearfully recounted his misfortunes to Shen Zhiyu, including childhood bullying, life pressures, the unfair treatment he faced after coming to Korea, and molestation by a teammate. He expressed hopelessness about life and a desire to die.

Shen Zhiyu spoke very little. Two of his sentences were muffled and unclear, but his final sentence was distinctly audible.

“As long as you’ve thought it through.”

The audio was recorded on November 21, 2016.

That same night, Xie Xuan committed suicide by taking sleeping pills.

At the time, Xie Xuan left a suicide note in which he detailed the unfair treatment he suffered and his despair about life, while also thanking everyone who had been kind to him. He had lived a life of too much suffering and held no attachment to life, only feeling sorry for his parents and hoping to repay them in the next life.

Shen Zhiyu was on his list of thanks. He had written that these people were rays of light in his dark life. However, his world was too dark, polluted, and vast for these scattered rays of light to penetrate.

Xie Xuan’s suicide caused a sensation both domestically and internationally at the time, sparking an uproar. It was after that incident that the treatment of artists working overseas saw a qualitative improvement on the surface.

Out of gratitude, fans of many other artists spontaneously offered flowers on the anniversary of his death.

Shen Zhiyu also gained some goodwill at the time because of Xie Xuan’s acknowledgment.

The person who leaked the information was Xie Xuan’s cousin, Xie Qing. He stated bluntly that Shen Zhiyu’s words were the final straw that crushed Xie Xuan, and he specifically chose the anniversary of Xie Xuan’s death to expose Shen Zhiyu’s actions.

After the exposé, Xie Qing started a live stream online to answer various questions from netizens.

Public opinion quickly fermented, dominating the headlines across all major platforms.

Shen Zhiyu had completely disappeared from the public eye after his second live stream co-watching of “Dream Making in Peach Blossom Spring.” He didn’t even renew his endorsement deal with a brand he had represented for ten years. Aside from occasionally posting pictures of his cooking on social media, he was practically retired.

A single stone stirred up a thousand ripples. Netizens immediately began scrutinizing public video clips of Shen Zhiyu and Xie Xuan from over a decade ago, analyzing them frame by frame.

In addition, the teammate who was exposed for molestation and subsequently retired that year also cryptically posted, “It’s dawn.”

Of course, netizens didn’t buy it. Regardless of others’ integrity, he had been definitively proven guilty and forced to retire. People flooded his comment section, directly cursing him into self-isolation until he deleted the post.

The trending topic went live in the middle of the night, keeping netizens up all night.

When Wei Yan called, Jiang Zhou was still asleep, nestled in Shen Zhiyu’s arms.

Shen Zhiyu even answered the phone himself.

Wei Yan was momentarily speechless, unsure if he should discuss the matter in front of the person involved.

Shen Zhiyu seemed to have anticipated it and asked directly, “Is it about Xie Xuan?”

“Yes,” Wei Yan replied, already putting on his shoes, preparing to head down to the company.

“Don’t worry about it. Let it trend for a few more days,” Shen Zhiyu said.

Wei Yan stopped in his tracks upon hearing this. “Don’t worry about it?”

He hesitated for two seconds before asking, “Mr. Shen, could you please let CEO Jiang take the call? I need to report to CEO Jiang.”

This person was quite stubborn, still seeking Jiang Zhou after Shen Zhiyu gave a clear instruction.

Looking at it this way, his A-Zhou was truly remarkable, cultivating such loyal subordinates.

“Alright, you go back first. I’ll have him call you later,” Shen Zhiyu said before hanging up.

After the call ended, Wei Yan neither walked out nor walked in, just stood in the entryway.

His wife, who had helped him grab his briefcase, walked over, looking confused. “Why aren’t you rushing anymore?”

Wei Yan: “Perhaps, maybe, I don’t need to go.”

His wife was surprised. “You don’t need to go for something this big?”

“Wait a bit,” Wei Yan said, scrolling through the real-time comments on the trending topic.

The more he scrolled, the more anxious Wei Yan became.

This was a large-scale, premeditated trending topic. Marketing accounts and trolls were deployed in shifts, creating a much greater commotion than the previous slander by Xu Binbin, giving the distinct impression that someone intended to drag Shen Zhiyu into the abyss.

Shen Zhiyu hung up the phone and reached out to pat the person in his arms, calling him softly, “Jiang Zhou.”

Jiang Zhou was groggy with sleep. Thinking Shen Zhiyu wanted him, he burrowed deeper into his embrace.

He mumbled two sentences, his voice slurred, “I’m so tired. Just once.”

Shen Zhiyu pinched his cheek, finding it amusing. “What nonsense are you thinking about all day? Wei Yan called you. Are you going to answer him?”

Recently, Jiang Zhou had been busy dealing with multiple artists terminating contracts, team members resigning, and the special effects production for Deep Space Echoes. He had been staying at the company, working late into the night every day.

The two of them hadn’t been intimate for nearly a month.

Today, Jiang Zhou had finally managed to return home a bit earlier and had been thinking about it. But as soon as he hit the bed, he fell asleep almost instantly.

Seeing the dark circles under his eyes and his weary expression, Shen Zhiyu hadn’t had the heart to bother him and let him sleep.

When Jiang Zhou heard Shen Zhiyu call him now, he thought he was initiating something, which led to his reaction, only to be teased by Shen Zhiyu in return.

Jiang Zhou angrily punched him and reached out his hand. “Where is my phone?”

Shen Zhiyu looked down at him. “Still sleepy?”

After being teased, Jiang Zhou was mostly awake. Moreover, Wei Yan was always sensible; calling in the middle of the night definitely meant an emergency. Jiang Zhou was worried about work and had no mood to sleep anymore.

Jiang Zhou made a move to get up. “I’m not sleeping.”

Shen Zhiyu held his waist, preventing him from rising. “Answer it right here.”

He even thoughtfully handed him the phone and dialed Wei Yan’s number. “It’s about my trending topic. I told him not to worry about it for now.”

Hearing that it was a trending topic related to Shen Zhiyu and an urgent call in the middle of the night, Jiang Zhou’s internal alarm bells went off.

It was likely the Ye family was making a move again.

The call connected quickly. Wei Yan tentatively called out, “CEO Jiang?”

“It’s me.”

Wei Yan briefly explained the trending topic, speculating that someone was deliberately targeting Shen Zhiyu, and asked for Jiang Zhou’s opinion.

“I’m heading to the company now, you…”

“Ah!”

Before Jiang Zhou could finish speaking, Shen Zhiyu suddenly grabbed him, his warm lips close to his earlobe. Jiang Zhou was startled and let out a sharp cry.

“CEO Jiang? What’s wrong?”

Jiang Zhou held the phone away, using his other hand to grab Shen Zhiyu’s mischievous hand, questioning him with his eyes. “What are you doing?”

Shen Zhiyu looked completely justified. “You,” he said, guiding Jiang Zhou’s hand along with his own.

Jiang Zhou was extremely sensitive. His breathing quickly became ragged. He wanted to pull his hand away, but Shen Zhiyu held him firmly.

“CEO Jiang? Are you going to the company now?” On the other end, Wei Yan was anxious, waiting for an answer.

Hearing Wei Yan’s voice while being restrained, a strange sense of shame flooded Jiang Zhou, bringing with it a tide of shameful pleasure. Jiang Zhou couldn’t control himself. Fearing he might make a sound, he lowered his head and bit hard into Shen Zhiyu’s shoulder.

Jiang Zhou was truly desperate. A clear row of bloody marks appeared on Shen Zhiyu’s shoulder and neck.

Jiang Zhou gasped, buried in his shoulder, almost pleading, “Stop for now—”

Shen Zhiyu didn’t stop; instead, he sped up, even instructing Jiang Zhou, “Tell him not to worry about it for now. I know what I’m doing.”

How could Jiang Zhou ignore something this major?

Moreover, public relations couldn’t wait. The longer they waited, the more they would lose the optimal time for a response.

But this man was truly wicked, openly telling him to return the call while secretly grinding him down until he could barely speak.

Another wave of sensation washed over him. Jiang Zhou lowered his head and bit down again, struggling to hold back.

“Don’t go, don’t worry about it for now.” Jiang Zhou inhaled sharply, giving the instruction in one breath before hanging up the phone.

Wei Yan hung up, still a little stunned.

His wife, who was waiting with him, saw his bewildered expression after he hung up and guessed, “Did CEO Jiang also say not to worry about it?”

“Yes,” Wei Yan nodded.

“Then let’s not worry about it for now. Go back to bed. You finally got home early today.”

Wei Yan changed his shoes again and returned to the room with his wife.

After the phone call ended, Jiang Zhou finally couldn’t suppress his voice and cried out.

Shen Zhiyu kissed his neck, his tone suggestive. “So excited? Hmm?”

Jiang Zhou trembled all over, his mind going blank. He couldn’t help but sob softly.

Shen Zhiyu kissed his earlobe again. This spot was Jiang Zhou’s most sensitive, capable of prolonged aftershocks.

Jiang Zhou gasped weakly, completely lost. His fingers unconsciously scratched several marks onto Shen Zhiyu’s back.

This time lasted a long while. It took Jiang Zhou a long time to recover. He buried his face in Shen Zhiyu’s neck, sobbing quietly, his shoulders slightly shaking.

“Is it because we haven’t done it in a while?”

“Or because of the phone call?”

Shen Zhiyu stroked his beautiful, pale spine, gently wiping away the fine sweat on his back.

But it seemed counterproductive; the sticky sweat, when touched by his hand, smeared into a mess, looking even more chaotic.

Jiang Zhou had no strength to answer.

More accurately, he didn’t want to answer.

But a certain someone wouldn’t let him go without an answer, grabbing him and kissing him hard twice. “Zhou Zhou?”

As soon as Jiang Zhou heard him call him Zhou Zhou, a shiver ran down his body.

This was all due to the days when Shen Zhiyu had “repaid” him tenfold. Whenever he called him Zhou Zhou, there would be even more unexpected ways to tie him up.

Jiang Zhou had been tied to the bed, tied in the bathroom, and even tied in front of the mirror…

Shen Zhiyu’s hand moved away. Jiang Zhou heard the rustle of fabric. He jolted and suddenly flipped over.

A tear clinging to his eyelashes fell with his movement, landing right on Shen Zhiyu’s lips.

Shen Zhiyu opened his mouth and drew the tear into his mouth.

Jiang Zhou watched, his heart pounding, momentarily forgetting what he was going to say.

Shen Zhiyu looked at the flushed face hovering above him and slightly raised an eyebrow.

Jiang Zhou gritted his teeth, wearing a look of resignation. “Both.”

Shen Zhiyu: “What?”

Jiang Zhou turned his face away. “I said both.”

“Okay, it’s been a long time… and, and the phone call. Both.”

Shen Zhiyu chuckled softly twice, raising his hand to ruffle Jiang Zhou’s hair. “Zhou Zhou is so good, such an honest good boy.”

“Good boy, help me—”

Jiang Zhou lowered his head, blushing, and kissed Shen Zhiyu along the corner of his lips and downward…