Is This The Right Way To Repay A Favor? Chapter 93
byNew Year’s Eve
The film Deep Space Echo successfully passed its review and officially began its pre-release promotional warm-up.
Since the incident where Ye Tianming took Ye Mo away without permission, and with the tacit approval of Old Master Ye, the Ye Group proactively extended an olive branch to Languang Media. Everything was quietly shifting toward a brighter direction.
On New Year’s Eve, Old Master Shen arrived in Haishi.
Jiang Zhou was invited to attend Shen Zhiyu’s family gathering.
The gathering was held at the Shen family villa. Upon arrival, Jiang Zhou realized that besides the Shen family, his father, Aunt Fang, and Yueyue were also present. Jiang Yue and Ye Mo were excitedly digging for worms in the yard, while his father and Aunt Fang were chatting casually with Old Master Shen in the tea room, filling the room with laughter and warmth.
Jiang Zhou’s eyes felt slightly warm. “How did you…”
Shen Zhiyu took his hand and led him inside. “The more people, the livelier.”
The laughter and conversation in the tea room paused briefly at their arrival, and several gazes simultaneously fell upon their clasped hands. Jiang Zhou was unaccustomed to being overly intimate in front of elders and gently tried to pull away.
Shen Zhiyu acted as if he hadn’t noticed, instead tightening his grip, and calmly greeted the elders one by one.
Only when Jiang Zhou’s ears were flushed did Shen Zhiyu release his hand, thoughtfully pulling out a chair for him.
Under Shen Zhiyu’s introduction, Jiang Zhou shyly greeted the elders. The two families conversed happily, the atmosphere harmonious, as if they had known each other for a long time. They even talked about the amusing trip they took together last month to Yongnan Village to pick tea.
Jiang Zhou quietly shot Shen Zhiyu a questioning look.
The other man leaned close, his warm breath brushing Jiang Zhou’s ear. “They all love tea. After tasting the tea Uncle Jiang brought last time, they liked it so much that they went to Yongnan Village for a few days.”
Jiang Zhou recalled the few days last month when Shen Zhiyu had been away, acting mysterious, only allowing phone calls and refusing video chats. It turned out he had taken his family to Yongnan Village.
This person had quietly done so much behind the scenes.
A warm current surged unexpectedly through his heart, and Jiang Zhou’s eyes instantly welled up. He quickly lowered his head, struggling to suppress the tears that threatened to spill.
Shen Zhiyu suddenly stood up.
This action drew everyone’s attention. Jiang Zhou raised his tear-filled eyes, just as a tear rolled down his lashes.
The elders exchanged glances.
Xi Wanyu was the first to speak. “Ayu, what did you say to Azhou? Why did you make him cry?”
Jiang Zhou opened his mouth to explain, but his throat was choked by surging emotions, and more tears silently streamed down.
He was momentarily flustered.
Father Shen’s expression darkened, his voice carrying an undeniable authority. “Shen Zhiyu, come upstairs with me!” With that, he turned and went up the stairs.
Shen Zhiyu gave Jiang Zhou a helpless look and followed.
Jiang Zhou hastily wiped away his tears, wanting to chase after them to explain.
After they got together, Shen Zhiyu often talked to him about his childhood.
When Shen Zhiyu was little, he lived with his grandfather in the military compound in Jingshi, only moving to Haishi with his parents when he started primary school.
The bond between generations was most evident in the Shen family. Old Master Shen was strict with Father Shen but doted on Shen Zhiyu immensely.
When he first returned to his parents’ side, Shen Zhiyu was lazy, easygoing, and willful. Father Shen came from the military, was demanding and severe, and placed great importance on discipline. Later, when Father Shen changed careers and personally took charge of his son’s education, corporal punishment became commonplace.
Although Shen Zhiyu had exaggerated his father’s discipline somewhat when telling these stories, partly to gain Jiang Zhou’s sympathy, Jiang Zhou didn’t know this. Seeing Father Shen’s stern demeanor just now, he couldn’t help but worry for Shen Zhiyu.
Moreover, Shen Zhiyu hadn’t bullied him at all. This was a complete misunderstanding.
“It’s alright, Azhou,” Xi Wanyu gently comforted him. “Let the father and son talk it out. Go play with Yueyue and the others for a bit. Dinner will be ready soon.”
In someone else’s home, Jiang Zhou couldn’t insist, so he reluctantly walked toward the yard.
Jiang Yue and Ye Mo had already dug up quite a few earthworms and were excitedly discussing taking them back to Yongnan Village tomorrow for fishing. Jiang Zhou couldn’t focus on their game, anxiously watching the closed window on the second floor.
Jiang Yue put the earthworms into a box and noticed her brother’s distracted look.
“Brother, are you worried about Brother Yu?”
Jiang Zhou nodded softly.
“Don’t worry, Brother!” Jiang Yue blinked her bright eyes. “Uncle Shen is really nice, not fierce at all. He even plays ‘Eagle Catches the Chicks’ with us!”
Listening to his sister’s innocent comfort, Jiang Zhou’s worry didn’t lessen one bit. This was probably the exclusive grandparental affection Shen Zhiyu had mentioned.
He distractedly stayed with the two children in the yard, his gaze occasionally drifting toward the main entrance of the house.
After an unknown amount of time, Shen Zhiyu finally walked out alone, slowly. He didn’t immediately approach Jiang Zhou but stood quietly under the porch. His head was slightly bowed, and the warm yellow light cast a soft glow around him, but his profile conveyed a sense of silence.
Jiang Zhou immediately stood up and walked over, his voice carrying an urgency he hadn’t realized was there. “Are you okay?”
Shen Zhiyu raised his head, his eyes deep. He gently took Jiang Zhou’s hand, his fingertips slightly cool, and whispered, “No.”
Jiang Zhou’s heart instantly clenched. He scrutinized Shen Zhiyu, his voice trembling. “Did Uncle hit you?”
Shen Zhiyu remained silent, leading him upstairs by the hand.
Jiang Zhou took the silence as confirmation. He felt distressed and guilty; he should have rushed up immediately to explain things clearly.
Preoccupied with concern for the other man’s injuries, Jiang Zhou let him lead the way, not even noticing where they were going.
It wasn’t until the bedroom door clicked shut that Jiang Zhou snapped back to reality, looking at Shen Zhiyu in confusion.
Shen Zhiyu said nothing, simply pulling him into a gentle embrace, resting his chin on Jiang Zhou’s shoulder like a child seeking comfort. This quiet, dependent hug melted Jiang Zhou’s heart completely, and guilt washed over him again.
He raised his hands, gently returning the embrace, his palm lightly stroking Shen Zhiyu’s back. He whispered, “Did Uncle really hit you? Where are you hurt? Let me see.” He tried to push him away to check.
Shen Zhiyu tightened his arms, holding him closer, and shook his head gently into Jiang Zhou’s neck. His voice was muffled. “No. I just got lectured.” He paused, tightening his embrace further. “He said I made you feel wronged.”
“I wasn’t wronged,” Jiang Zhou quickly explained, his heart both sore and soft. “I was just so moved earlier. I’m sorry, I should have explained it to them…”
“I know.” Shen Zhiyu interrupted him, straightening up slightly and cupping his face with both hands. His thumb gently wiped away the moisture from Jiang Zhou’s eyes, his gaze deep and tender. “So, how are you going to compensate me?”
Jiang Zhou looked up, catching a fleeting glimpse of mischief in the other man’s eyes.
Damn it, he’d been tricked again! Jiang Zhou was annoyed, his cheeks flushed. “Shen Zhiyu!”
Before he could finish, Shen Zhiyu lowered his head and kissed his lips.
The kiss started lightly, a gentle caress meant to soothe. But soon, feeling Jiang Zhou’s tacit permission and response, it deepened, becoming warm and lingering.
He meticulously traced the shape of Jiang Zhou’s lips, sucking gently, as if savoring the world’s most precious honey, pouring all unspoken words into this silent kiss.
After a long while, Xi Wanyu’s laughing voice called from downstairs, “Dinner is served!”
Jiang Zhou was jolted back from the lost moment of kissing. He thought he heard footsteps on the stairs, and a thrilling sense of shame blossomed deep inside. He pushed Shen Zhiyu away, slightly breathless.
His cheeks were crimson, his eyes watery. Seeing him like this, Shen Zhiyu’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He couldn’t resist leaning down to peck Jiang Zhou’s slightly swollen lips again, his voice husky. “I don’t want to go eat dinner. I want to eat you.”
Jiang Zhou shyly raised his hand to hit him, but his wrist was gently caught. Shen Zhiyu naturally held his hand and called out in response, “We’re coming.”
—
The New Year’s Eve dinner was exceptionally warm and lively, filled with continuous laughter. Although Father Shen was reserved, he chatted with Father Jiang about tea and current affairs, maintaining a harmonious atmosphere.
Shen Zhiyu sat next to Jiang Zhou, naturally serving him food and pouring drinks from time to time, his gestures full of unspoken intimacy.
After the meal, the adults moved to the tea room to continue their casual conversation, while Yueyue and Ye Mo, full of energy, played with a new puzzle on the carpet.
Shen Zhiyu leaned over and whispered in Jiang Zhou’s ear, “Shall we go out for a walk?”
Jiang Zhou nodded happily.
The winter night air was crisp and clean. The villa area was quiet and deserted, with only the streetlights casting warm halos on the road.
The two walked side by side on the peaceful path, fingers intertwined. Suddenly, a clear sound of something cutting through the air came from the direction of the city center.
“Whoosh—bang!”
The first cluster of fireworks broke through the night sky, bursting open like a giant golden umbrella, instantly lighting up half the heavens.
“It’s midnight,” Shen Zhiyu said softly, stopping.
Immediately after, more fireworks rushed into the sky, painting the night curtain into a dazzling scroll of light. The fiery trees and silver flowers took on a thousand forms, accompanied by rising cheers, welcoming the arrival of the new year.
Jiang Zhou looked up at the magnificent spectacle, his eyes reflecting the changing lights.
Shen Zhiyu, however, wasn’t watching the fireworks.
His gaze remained gently fixed on Jiang Zhou’s profile, illuminated by the light, watching his slightly upturned neck and the faint curve of his lips.
Another grand cluster of fireworks, like a cascade of stars, bloomed directly above them, momentarily illuminating the world as if it were daytime. Shen Zhiyu gently turned Jiang Zhou toward him.
Jiang Zhou sensed the movement and turned his head, his eyes still sparkling with the brilliant fragments of the fireworks.
The next moment, an incredibly gentle and deep kiss descended upon his eyes.
Jiang Zhou instinctively closed his eyes.
Shen Zhiyu’s hand steadily supported the back of his neck, their lips and tongues gently intertwining.
Jiang Zhou tilted his head slightly, actively parting his lips to dance with him, their breaths mingling.
The sky full of fireworks became the grandest backdrop behind them. The continuous sound of the fireworks muffled all other noise, yet their heartbeats resonated clearly in each other’s chests.
After a long time, not until another wave of fireworks subsided into silence, did Shen Zhiyu gently release him. Their foreheads touched, and their warm breaths intertwined into white mist in the cold air, intimate and affectionate.
“Happy New Year, Jiang Zhou.” Shen Zhiyu’s voice was low and husky with emotion, carrying endless devotion.
“Happy New Year, Shen Zhiyu.”