Is This The Right Way To Repay A Favor? Chapter 87

Title: Status

Jiang Zhou rushed into the living room, his steps halting at the sight before him.

He saw Xie Xuan’s parents both kneeling before Shen Zhiyu. The elderly man’s eyes were red-rimmed, and the elderly woman was already in tears, overcome with emotion.

Shen Zhiyu was also stunned by their sudden actions. He bent down, trying to help the couple up.

“Uncle and Auntie, what are you doing? Please get up! Let’s talk properly!”

“A’Yu, our Xie family has wronged you!” Mr. Xie’s voice was hoarse, and he insisted on staying kneeling. “That scoundrel Xie Qing! How dare he use Xiao Xuan’s death to harm you!”

Mrs. Xie was sobbing uncontrollably, intermittently explaining the situation: “A while ago, Xie Qing came to us and asked for all of Xiao Xuan’s audio recordings, saying he wanted to leave a memento for the fans. We… we gave them all to him. Who knew he would actually edit the recordings to slander you!”

“A’Yu, you and Xiao Xuan were so close back then…” She choked, unable to continue, only shaking her head repeatedly. “We truly have no face to see you!”

Shen Zhiyu used force, practically half-lifting and half-cradling the two elders, helping them sit on the sofa.

“Uncle and Auntie, please don’t say that. We are all deeply saddened by Xie Xuan’s matter. The fault is not yours, but with those people who harbor ulterior motives.”

Jiang Zhou silently offered a box of tissues and stood quietly to the side.

Mr. Xie’s hand trembled as he took out an old-fashioned voice recorder from a worn briefcase he carried and handed it to Shen Zhiyu.

“A’Yu, this is the original recording Xiao Xuan made himself when he went to see you that day, not a single sentence was edited.” His voice was hoarse but clear. “We only saw the news online these past two days! Only then did we realize Xie Qing was blaming Xiao Xuan’s death on you!”

“We are old and don’t understand online matters, but we cannot stand by and watch Xie Qing use fake evidence to ruin you! They said this can help you clear your name.”

Mrs. Xie wiped her tears and eagerly interjected: “We can also record a video! We can tell everyone everything! We absolutely cannot let you suffer this injustice for nothing!”

Shen Zhiyu gripped the heavy voice recorder, his fingertips slightly white. “Alright. Thank you, Uncle and Auntie.”

—

The video was recorded by Jiang Zhou.

He adjusted the lighting and angle, set up his phone, and gently guided the two emotional elders to clearly state the sequence of events—from how Xie Qing requested the recordings to their anger and guilt toward Shen Zhiyu after learning the truth.

Shen Zhiyu sat quietly beside them, his gaze constantly following Jiang Zhou. Watching his focused profile, watching his gentle, guiding demeanor…

An indescribable emotion surged in his chest, mixed with gratitude, pride, and overwhelming love.

The recording was interrupted several times by Mrs. Xie’s crying, but it was completed under Jiang Zhou’s gentle encouragement.

After seeing off the two elders, who apologized repeatedly, the house suddenly fell silent.

Shen Zhiyu remained seated on the sofa, head lowered, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the voice recorder.

Suddenly, the sofa cushion beside him dipped slightly. Jiang Zhou had sat down.

He didn’t speak, but simply reached out and gently covered Shen Zhiyu’s hand holding the recorder. His slightly cool palm enveloped Shen Zhiyu’s warm fingertips.

Shen Zhiyu looked up at Jiang Zhou. He turned his hand and tightly grasped Jiang Zhou’s.

Outside the window, the sky was fully bright, and the sunlight pierced through the morning mist.

—

After the trending topic fermented for a week, Languang Media finally released an official statement.

The statement first expressed deep regret over Xie Xuan’s passing and explained that their previous silence was out of respect, not wanting to disturb the peace during his death anniversary. It then severely condemned Xie Qing’s actions of exploiting the deceased for hype, presenting evidence of Xie Qing’s family’s long-term oppression of Xie Xuan and exposing Xie Qing’s gambling habits. Simultaneously, regarding the previously edited audio, Languang Media released the full dialogue, completely clarifying the misleading content.

Finally, the statement included the video featuring Xie Xuan’s parents themselves.

With solid evidence piled up, the rumors collapsed on their own.

The online commentators arranged by Languang Media quickly followed up, linking this incident with the earlier Xu Binbin incident and combining it with industry discussions about Shen Zhiyu being targeted for smear campaigns, further guiding public opinion.

Soon after, an “insider” broke the news, claiming that since Shen Zhiyu’s return to the country, his immense popularity had encroached upon others’ interests, leading to organized suppression. Otherwise, how could one explain why he, who had always enjoyed an excellent reputation, suddenly faced a dense barrage of negative news within a year?

Under deliberate guidance, netizens gradually believed this “conspiracy theory.”

Shen Zhiyu’s first variety show upon returning to the country instantly became a hit, and his subsequent continuous dominance of the charts indeed drew envy. Furthermore, the complete loss of resources and near disappearance after the Xu Binbin incident seemed to confirm the authenticity of the leak.

Public opinion completely reversed. Shen Zhiyu not only regained sympathy but also garnered a large number of new fans.

At the same time, Dream Weaving in Peach Blossom Land resumed broadcasting.

The latest episode focused on the “Ten-Minute Break” segment, which resonated deeply with genuine emotion across the internet. Many netizens spontaneously created derivative content, generating long-tail popularity.

Shen Zhiyu’s role in the show as a warm, redemptive character perfectly echoed the real-life storm. Through joint editing by the production team and Languang Media, his public image was further enhanced.

Concurrently, the CP edits of Shen Zhiyu and Jiang Zhou also became increasingly popular. Netizens even gave them a CP name: “Yu Ni Tong Zhou” (Sailing with You).

The fan-made content for “Yu Ni Tong Zhou” was endless. Shen Zhiyu, who was originally uninterested in CP content, spent an entire afternoon watching them with relish since the subject was Jiang Zhou, even marveling at the fans’ imaginative abilities. Many details that the people involved hadn’t even noticed were magnified and interpreted one by one.

The most crucial thing was that the interpretations were quite convincing.

When Jiang Zhou returned home that evening, he paused the moment he pushed the door open.

Shen Zhiyu was wearing a Haishi Yunde International School uniform, lounging lazily on the sofa.

“What are you doing?” Jiang Zhou didn’t immediately react.

Shen Zhiyu was dissatisfied with his attitude, which was a far cry from the videos—lacking the expected look of astonishment and fervor.

“You don’t love me anymore,” Shen Zhiyu complained with a frown.

Jiang Zhou: “?”

Shen Zhiyu accused, “You saw me in a school uniform and didn’t pounce on me!”

???

Jiang Zhou was even more confused.

When had he ever pounced on Shen Zhiyu in a school uniform?

Shen Zhiyu hooked his finger, his eyes shimmering and moist, and he softly asked, “The netizens all said that the look in your eyes when you saw me on the show was impossible to hide.”

“Student Jiang, did you want to pounce on me back then?”

His uniform was neat, but his gaze was anything but innocent. Stripped of his cool, aloof demeanor, only blatant seduction remained.

Jiang Zhou allowed Shen Zhiyu’s fingertips, which were wrapped around his hand, to slowly slide upward. The warm, slightly teasing touch made his heart tremble.

He raised an eyebrow, trying to remain calm, “What did you watch?”

Shen Zhiyu didn’t answer, only lowering his voice to continue teasing, “The netizens said that when you saw me in the school uniform, the fervor in your eyes couldn’t be hidden. If it weren’t for the cameras, you would have devoured me right there and then—”

“Is that true?”

Jiang Zhou tried to pull his hand away, but failed, instead being held tighter by Shen Zhiyu. Shen Zhiyu’s gaze was burning, filled with the unique affection reserved for lovers.

Jiang Zhou’s throat felt warm, and he spoke softly, his voice tinged with huskiness. “The netizens were wrong.”

Shen Zhiyu: “Hmm?”

“It wasn’t that I wanted to pounce on you in the school uniform,” Jiang Zhou’s gaze fell on Shen Zhiyu’s slightly parted lips, and he slowly said, “It was that I wanted to pounce on you. No matter what you wear.”

With that, he gave Shen Zhiyu no further chance to perform, lowering his head and kissing him. His other hand stroked Shen Zhiyu’s neck, and he actively fell into his embrace.

The school uniform and suit fabric rubbed against each other, making a faint sound. After a brief moment of surprise, a triumphant smile spread in Shen Zhiyu’s eyes. He obediently tilted his head back to receive Jiang Zhou’s proactive kiss, his arms skillfully wrapping around Jiang Zhou’s waist.

He mumbled indistinctly, “Student Jiang, hurry up, we only have ten minutes for the break.”

—

Meanwhile, Languang Media struck while the iron was hot, leveraging the residual popularity of Dream Weaving in Peach Blossom Land to quickly tailor a new variety show, Heart’s Secret Language, for Dong Qianqian.

The show centered on Tarot divination, deeply capitalizing on the attention and buzz generated by her accurate prediction during the Yu Liang incident. The team not only equipped her with a professional Tarot consultant team but also meticulously designed a mysterious visual image for her.

In no time, the title “Tarot Queen of the Entertainment Industry” spread through press releases, successfully capturing the public imagination.

As soon as the program filing was approved, recording work was swiftly put on the agenda.

However, what Jiang Zhou didn’t expect was that while he was reviewing the procedures, Shen Zhiyu showed up uninvited.

The other man leaned against his office desk, demanding to participate in the first episode’s recording. He confidently raised an eyebrow and smiled, “I’ll go support Qianqian. And while I’m at it, help her achieve instant fame.”

Jiang Zhou’s hand holding the document paused, and he looked up at him. “You want to go public?”

His reaction did not meet Shen Zhiyu’s expectations.

Shen Zhiyu immediately pouted, his eyelashes half-lowered, adopting a thoroughly aggrieved expression, his voice laced with three parts of complaint: “Am I that embarrassing? Am I so unpresentable?”

“Jiang Zhou, are you tired of me?”

Jiang Zhou: …..

He naturally didn’t mean that. It was just that he still had many concerns.

For example, what would Shen Zhiyu’s friends and family think? Could the fans accept it easily? Was Shen Zhiyu planning to stay in the entertainment industry, and was going public appropriate?

But Shen Zhiyu gave him no chance to hesitate, tapping his finger on the desk in a posture that screamed, “If you don’t agree, I won’t leave.” His voice was mournful, “CEO Jiang, I’ve been with you for so long, you have to give me a status, right?”

Jiang Zhou: ….

In truth, Shen Zhiyu had been subtly showing off several times already.

Ever since he couldn’t resist posting pictures of the food he cooked on social media, fans had curiously asked why he suddenly liked cooking. He specifically chose one comment to reply to: “He’s a picky eater, and he only likes my cooking.”

Another time, Shen Zhiyu posted two photos of them wearing matching bracelets. A fan commented, “Are these bracelets from the same series?” He replied directly: “Yes, we are a couple.”

Such instances were countless.

Every time Jiang Zhou saw them, he couldn’t help but laugh.

He had never realized that Shen Zhiyu had such a childish side.

Indeed, love makes people childish.

In the end, under Shen Zhiyu’s aggrieved attack, which was clearly written with the demand “Give me status now,” Jiang Zhou reluctantly nodded in agreement.