Scent is more than just a carrier of memory; it can seep into the very marrow of one's bones along with the past.
This marvelous chemical reaction is something science cannot explain, much like it cannot explain why Zhou Shu would suddenly lose consciousness upon smelling the scent of heavy rain.
After Jin Yan’s soft call of "Brother," time seemed to freeze. Aside from the intermingling scents of rain and seawater, no other molecules seemed to move.
He never could have imagined that the person he had been dying to see for five years would reunite with him in such a manner.
Seeing Zhou Shu’s stunned and startled face in the mirror, Jin Yan was about to take a step closer to say something more when he saw the man before him close his eyes and fall backward. Jin Yan’s heart nearly plummeted with him.
Everything happened too fast. Jin Yan rushed forward to catch him firmly in his arms. He called out a few times, but Zhou Shu remained unconscious.
In the next second, he scooped Zhou Shu up in a horizontal carry and dashed toward the door.
The man in his arms still had his brows furrowed, and the one holding him felt a tightening in his chest that made it difficult to breathe.
A man nearly 190 centimeters tall carrying another who was at least 185 centimeters—it was an indescribable sight.
Everyone in "Mist at Sea" who witnessed this scene was drawn to it, but fortunately, Julia was among them.
Quick-witted and fast-acting, she threw the clothes in her hand over Zhou Shu’s head to prevent him from being recognized by passersby, then grabbed Jin Yan.
"Stop! What happened?" Seeing her boss being carried by the man she had just tried to flirt with, Julia’s mind was a mess for a few seconds. However, her ability to handle crises allowed her to regain her composure quickly. "What’s wrong with Shu-ge? Did he suddenly faint?"
"You know him?" Seeing the person blocking him, Jin Yan’s first reaction was impatience; he only wanted to get Zhou Shu to the hospital immediately.
"Of course I do, he’s my boss. Wait a moment, don't move, we have our own car." Julia grabbed Jin Yan while making a call, signaling to Xiao Zhang with her other hand to bring the car to the back entrance.
Throughout this, Jin Yan’s arms were tense, his face clouded with lingering worry and confusion.
What was wrong with Zhou Shu? Looking at this Omega’s reaction, why did she seem entirely unsurprised? Did this happen often...
Scents may hold memories, but the time one did not participate in is a cruel reality.
There was a five-year gap where their memories did not overlap at all. Jin Yan had never felt a fear quite like this; a flash of regret even crossed his mind.
If he hadn't left back then, would he still have the right to stay by Zhou Shu’s side as a silent, enduring follower?
Instead of being shrouded in the panic and helplessness of this reunion, finding it hard even to breathe.
"Jin-ge, what’s going on?" Jiang Rong and Gou Feifei returned from outside, accompanied by the lingering scent of cigarettes.
Gou Feifei’s naturally alert genes picked up on something. He didn't say much, only pulling Jiang Rong aside to clear the path, and the two of them silently followed onto the production van.
On the road, the car was silent.
Jin Yan kept Zhou Shu in his arms, refusing to let anyone else touch him.
Julia had been fuming and was on the verge of calling the police, but the moment she pulled out her phone, the name associated with that face suddenly clicked in her mind.
"Are you Jin Yan?"
Jin Yan finally diverted his gaze from Zhou Shu’s face for a moment, but his expression remained blank, and he didn't speak.
Sensing the atmosphere in the cramped cabin, Julia decided that honesty was the best policy for survival.
"Hello, I’m Shu-ge’s assistant, Julia. Since you’re Jin Yan, I won’t hide anything from you." As she spoke, her eyes drifted to the two people in the back row, lingering on Gou Feifei for a second before looking back at Jin Yan. "Forget it, we’ll talk when we get home. Xiao Zhang, drop these two gentlemen off at the next intersection. We’re going back to the apartment."
Jin Yan had countless questions, but he suppressed them for now. He knit his brows and asked Julia, "Why aren't we going to the hospital?"
"Shu-ge’s status makes it inconvenient, and going back to his parents' house is also inconvenient." Julia didn't explain further, giving an answer that was perfectly reasonable yet ambiguous.
Jin Yan gave his silent consent, tightening his grip on Zhou Shu’s hand.
A few minutes later, the car stopped, and Gou Feifei and Jiang Rong got out as instructed.
The two were sharp; seeing the situation, they said nothing. However, as Gou Feifei stepped out, his eyes briefly met Julia’s. In the next second, a card appeared in Julia’s hand.
She curled her lips slightly, tucked the card into her bag, and took out her phone to handle matters.
"So you aren't Zhou Shu’s girlfriend."
Julia’s hand paused. Her eyes caught the slight relaxation in Jin Yan’s expression. She couldn't help but chuckle, admitting it freely: "I was just about to ask you out. Do you think if I were publicly cuckolding Shu-ge, I’d still be alive and standing here?"
Xiao Zhang coughed twice after hearing this, perhaps choked by the cold wind from the window.
Jin Yan seemed to have heard the answer he wanted and didn't press further. After a long while, he spoke again: "What exactly is wrong with Zhou Shu?"
"What’s wrong?" Julia suddenly gave a mysterious, mischievous smile, as if she were watching a good show. "You’ll find out for yourself in a little while." She checked her watch and propped her temple with a finger. "Just wait for him to wake up on his own. It won't take long—about three or four hours."
Jin Yan hated vague answers. He disliked the feeling of waiting for a mystery to be revealed, just as he preferred spoilers when reading books or watching dramas.
Yet, since childhood, whenever it came to Zhou Shu, he would always cease to be himself.
Zhou Shu was the exception to all his rules, yet he had no desire to avoid him.
When the car reached the underground garage, Julia and Xiao Zhang skillfully arranged everything, and Jin Yan carefully carried Zhou Shu upstairs.
He placed him on the bed and tucked him in. He wanted to do something, but his eyes didn't want to leave the man on the bed for even a second.
Julia leaned against the bedroom door, tilting her head with a laugh. "Such deep affection."
Jin Yan felt the sarcasm in her tone and frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing, I just think you two are interesting." Julia twirled her hair, indifferent to his hostility. "Since you’re here, I’ll head out. If Shu-ge wakes up and you have questions for me, call me from his phone anytime."
"Why would he let me touch his phone?" Jin Yan fell silent for a few seconds before dropping a bitter remark.
"Oh?" Julia arched an eyebrow. "Whether he lets you or not, you’ll find out soon enough."
Jin Yan’s mind was already a muddle, but he had no desire to continue this verbal tug-of-war with this Omega, especially since she was Zhou Shu’s rumored girlfriend.
Fine. It was only a few hours.
He had waited twenty-three years; what were a few more hours?
As the apartment door clicked shut, the tension Jin Yan had held all night finally eased.
He could finally look at the person before him properly and without restraint.
The sleeping Zhou Shu didn't have his usual cold gaze. With the sharp edges gone, a gentleness emerged, even a hint of childishness that reminded Jin Yan of the "Brother" he used to cling to every day as a child.
Later, at some unknown point, Jin Yan stopped clinging to Zhou Shu, and Zhou Shu seemed to have his warmth and cheerfulness gradually drained away by a pump.
In the years since entering the entertainment industry, his personality had grown increasingly cold, like a solitary glacier standing in the middle of the ocean, keeping everyone at a distance.
The company, acknowledging his talent, could do nothing about it. His manager only helped him accept offers and handle public relations.
All other matters, large and small, were handled by Zhou Shu’s own studio—or rather, by his assistant, Julia.
Zhou Shu trusted no one, keeping only Julia and Xiao Zhang by his side. He relied heavily on Julia, leading the outside world to constantly rumor that she was actually his girlfriend.
Zhou Shu hadn't clarified the matter immediately, which gave others a reason to make a fuss.
Later, he thought this might not be a bad solution, so he went along with it, treating it as a tacit admission. The two of them acted with ambiguous intimacy in necessary situations, which indeed saved them a lot of trouble.
They fooled the public, and they fooled Jin Yan.
About two years ago, Jin Yan had accidentally seen Zhou Shu’s promotional poster online and the trending topic "Golden Award Best Actor." He had spent the entire day scrolling through his phone.
He caught up on all of Zhou Shu’s works since his debut and finally saw the topic "Zhou Shu’s Official Girlfriend."
With just one glance, he had panicked and exited, uninstalling the app.
Jealousy, sadness, heartache, helplessness...
The feelings he had harbored for over twenty years might never be spoken. This return was meant to let him finally give up.
With that mindset, he had agreed to the dinner with his parents tomorrow.
Though he wasn't yet prepared for the emotions he would face meeting the aunt and uncle he hadn't seen in five years, or the "Brother" he had grown up clinging to.
But who could have guessed they would meet again early in this manner, and that he didn't actually have an Omega...
Jin Yan admitted that after confirming Julia wasn't Zhou Shu’s girlfriend, his heart finally touched the ground.
Only now could he settle down and think about everything Julia had said tonight. He felt like she was hinting at something.
She said he would know once Zhou Shu woke up.
Jin Yan went to the living room to pour a glass of water and put it by the bedside. He paced around the kitchen, feeling a bit at a loss.
He didn't know what Zhou Shu liked to eat now. This man’s palate was very delicate; he didn't dare to prepare something haphazardly.
He should have asked that Julia.
Jin Yan didn't dare leave the room for too long. After a quick turn in the kitchen, he returned to the bedroom. Selfishly, he took Zhou Shu’s hand back into his own, trying to suppress his heart, which had long since spun out of control.
He kept watch by the bed just like that, just as Zhou Shu had watched over him on the day of his differentiation at eighteen.
The scent of sea salt continued to drift through the bedroom. Jin Yan swallowed hard, his throat feeling dry.
The scent he had missed for so long seeped through his pores into his blood, stirring the longing that usually could only be beaten down by the crashing waves.
For the first time, Jin Yan felt that his gender as an Enigma wasn't all that impressive. No matter how strong his self-restraint, it was fragile before his weakness.
And the person still submerged in sleep was recklessly releasing his pheromones. Jin Yan sighed and closed his eyes.
After a moment, Jin Yan felt the hand he was holding twitch. He quickly opened his eyes, every cell in his body tensing up.
In the next second, Zhou Shu’s eyelashes fluttered, making Jin Yan’s gaze jump in sync.
As more signs of Zhou Shu waking appeared, Jin Yan’s heart beat faster and faster, eventually feeling as if it would leap out of his body, completely beyond control.
The moment Zhou Shu’s eyes fully opened, Jin Yan’s breath stopped. Everything went silent.
The air in the bedroom seemed to be woven into a dense net by countless intertwining emotions, enveloping them both so that neither could escape.
Then, Jin Yan saw the gaze of the man on the bed shift to the right. In just one more second, their eyes would meet.
Enigma, the strongest gender—it was all a lie.
Otherwise, why would he be on the verge of collapse, so utterly lost?
Just as Jin Yan decided to surrender completely and speak first to apologize, his hand was suddenly gripped back.
He was held very tightly, as if he had finally been caught and the other person was terrified he would run away.
Then, a voice that drove him even more mad fell into his ears.
He heard the man before him—the one he had hidden in his heart and yearned for for twenty-three years—speak to him.
The man didn't let go of his hand, trembling along with him. The two of them seemed to share some unspoken frequency.
He saw the man’s eyes shimmering as he pressed his lips together, carefully uttering four words.
He said, "Brother, don't leave..."
Following those words were two stray tears. One of them landed on the beauty mark beneath Zhou Shu’s lip, and in doing so, shattered Jin Yan’s last shred of sanity.
No one could save him now.
Jin Yan suppressed his voice and softly asked the person before him: "You... who are you?"
Upon hearing this, the light in the man’s eyes instantly extinguished. He paused for only a second before breaking into a devastated sob.
"Brother, I’m Zhou Duo. Don't you recognize me? Do you really not recognize me anymore..."
Jin Yan was already a man who had lost his wits. He didn't have time to process anything; he instinctively pulled the sobbing Zhou Shu into his arms, his heart aching as if it were being wrenched apart.
"You... don't cry..." Jin Yan had never been so panicked. He could only pat Zhou Shu’s back over and over, coaxing him like a child, his voice gentle enough to melt the ice of midwinter. "Stop crying, okay?"
Hearing this, the person in his arms cried even more pitifully. Eventually, he grew tired from crying and turned to soft whimpering.
He didn't say much else, just kept holding Jin Yan tightly, calling him "Brother" over and over in his arms, begging him not to leave, not to abandon him.
Only then did the delayed realization hit Jin Yan, his blood rushing to his head, the string in his mind about to snap.
Brother?
My... my brother is calling me "Brother"?
Either the world had gone mad, or he had.
But the trembling person in his arms was telling him that it was all real.
Jin Yan’s headache arrived along with his heartache. Finally, after calming the man down a bit, he remembered what Julia had said.
"Zhou... Zhou Duo?" He stroked the hair of the person in his arms, asking softly and tentatively, "Can I borrow your phone? I want to make a call."
"Zhou Duo" blinked, nodding obediently, and immediately handed the phone to his brother.
Jin Yan’s breath hitched again.
The night wind tapped against the window. A few clever gusts slipped through a gap that wasn't fully closed, lifting a corner of the curtain high.
What kind of script is my Best Actor playing that is driving me this mad?
He pretended to be calm as he took the phone. The first message that popped up was a picture sent by Julia.
Jin Yan clicked it nervously, watching as the circle slowly filled and the image became clear.
When it finally loaded, it was a medical certificate issued by a hospital—
Patient Name: Zhou Shu
Patient Age: 21
Patient Gender: Male, Alpha
Diagnosis: Suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder
Currently Known Personalities: 2
Second Personality: Zhou Duo, 18-year-old newly differentiated Omega
***
