Ever since the abdominal pain first surfaced, Zhou Shu had grown somewhat lethargic.
Coincidentally, recent events had once again pushed him into the eye of the media storm. He was "made trending" yet again, with various marketing accounts seizing the opportunity to stir up trouble.
As the person at the center of it all, the Film Emperor didn't care in the slightest. He simply agreed to his father’s plan to "purify the Haicheng paparazzi" once more, leaving the subsequent response entirely to the company. He didn't even let Zhu Lili intervene.
Zhou Shu had always been indifferent to such matters, and given how absurd this entire misunderstanding was, he found it utterly beneath him. He would rather let people speculate or criticize as they pleased. Whether they were grasping at shadows or using the chance to suppress his career, he no longer wanted to waste his energy elsewhere.
After all, nesting at home and being pampered in every possible way by his younger brother was far more worthy of his attention.
During these days, Zhou Shu relaxed completely. Occasionally, he would accompany Jin Yan to work, hiding in his lounge to read, but more often, he stayed in the apartment waiting for Jin Yan to finish his shift.
The two would always play around for a bit before cooking a few simple dishes or ordering takeout. They would huddle together on the sofa, eating while watching movies. When Jin Yan wasn't home, Zhou Shu grew increasingly fond of making himself a cup of hot chocolate as the sun began to set, followed by a nap.
He was like a satiated cat, lazily curled up in plush bedding, with the rest of the world sealed away.
It would have been perfect if not for the intermittent, dragging pain in his lower abdomen...
The "regrowth" of Zhou Shu’s reproductive cavity had been ongoing for a week. During this time, his physical reactions were no different from a woman’s menstrual cycle. Sudden abdominal cramps, unpredictable moods, feelings of insecurity, and a frantic craving for sweets—it was exactly as the legends described, minus the messy reality of blood.
Consequently, whenever Zhou Shu experienced a sharp pang of pain, Jin Yan would become exceptionally tense and even more submissive. Usually, he might tease a bit, but the moment Zhou Shu’s brow furrowed, Jin Yan even breathed with extreme caution. He was terrified that his exhaled carbon dioxide might disturb his brother’s mood, leading to the catastrophe of sleeping in separate beds.
Enigmas truly possessed an innate alertness that surpassed other genders. After only two or three occurrences, Jin Yan could already accurately read every one of Zhou Shu’s expressions.
A slight twitch of the eyebrow meant he wanted hot water. A heavy knit of the brow meant "do not speak"—simply release pheromones quietly and wait three minutes to be rewarded with a clingy, soft brother. A movement of the corner of the mouth meant he wanted to eat; if his expression grew irritable, a cake had to be presented immediately—his brother’s favorite was sea salt cheese flavor.
When his stomach hurt, Jin Yan had to stay by his side, preferably holding him in his arms. When the pain became unbearable, Zhou Shu would bite Jin Yan’s shoulder. Occasionally, he would use enough force to leave a shallow tooth mark, which Jin Yan found incredibly adorable...
Watching his brother oscillate between irritability and clinginess, Jin Yan felt no resentment. Instead, he felt a flicker of excitement. To have someone show you every facet of their emotions—and for that person to be your lover—was truly a delight. Taking care of him had become a deeply fulfilling task.
He was perfectly content to be a puppy circling a haughty cat, letting the other do whatever he pleased, never tiring of it.
Zhou Shu thought he could enjoy a few more days of this peaceful life, but a phone call from Zhu Lili disrupted his peace.
"I say, how do you manage to hit the trending searches while hiding at home? I’m seriously impressed..."
Trending?
Confused, Zhou Shu asked impatiently, "What trending search? I haven't even left the house lately."
"Didn't you go to the hospital a few days ago?" Zhu Lili asked.
"The hospital..." Zhou Shu was silent for a few seconds before answering honestly, "I went a week ago. Why?"
"A week ago?" Zhu Lili thought for a moment and summarized the trending content. "Basically, you and Jin Yan were photographed at the hospital."
Zhou Shu’s first instinct was to deny it. He said firmly, "Impossible. My dad just dealt with the paparazzi recently."
"No, no!" Zhu Lili laughed helplessly and explained, "It wasn't the paparazzi. It was a passerby. It wasn't even a negative post originally. I think she’s a casual fan of yours; she just took a photo of your backs and said you looked pale, like you were sick and visiting the doctor. She hoped the online rumors would stop there."
Zhu Lili paused before adding, "Originally... it was nothing. The girl posted it because she was excited to see the Film Emperor in person. She praised your looks and didn't even intend to disturb your life. But her post was spotted by marketing accounts, and then it spiraled out of control."
Zhou Shu listened in silence for a moment before asking, "What about the girl? Was she cyberbullied?"
"The girl deleted the photo as soon as she saw things going south, but who knew the fire would spread so fast? Before she could even throw water on it, the flames hit the sky." Zhu Lili sneered, then comforted him, "But don't worry, she’s already deactivated her account. She shouldn't have received too many nasty comments."
"Mm... that’s good," Zhou Shu said. "Keep an eye on the situation. I mean the girl."
"I know, don't worry. I’m watching. If it gets bad, we’ll send out lawyer letters." Zhu Lili immediately understood his meaning and finished his thought.
"Mm." Zhou Shu gave a cold acknowledgment and hung up.
After the call, Zhou Shu redownloaded the social media app, clicking "Forgot Password" twice before he could log back in. It was rare for him to actively search for his own trending topics. He opened the rankings, and sure enough, the name "Zhou Shu" jumped out at him.
#ZhouShuHospital#
#FilmEmperorZhouShuSuspectedIll#
#ZhouShuAppearsAtHospitalWithMysteriousMan#
#ZhouShuScumbagAlphaDeceivesLittleO#
...
Zhou Shu’s expression didn't change much for the first few tags, but when he saw the last one, he momentarily lost control of his emotions.
*Zhou Shu, Scumbag Alpha, Deceives Little O?*
He could accept "Scumbag Alpha," but what was this about "deceiving a little Omega"? The only Omega near him was Zhu Lili, but she hadn't gone to the hospital with him. Could it be...
A thought suddenly rose in his mind, making his hand freeze in mid-air as he was about to click the topic.
That "Little O"... they couldn't possibly be talking about Jin Yan, could they?
Zhou Shu shook his head and took a deep breath. After mentally preparing himself, he opened the topic. Immediately, he was swept away by a flood of comments that made his head throb.
[Who is that person next to Zhou Shu? Why call him a Little O? He doesn't look like an Omega at all!]
[I don't care if he's an A, B, or O, I just want to know why he's so close to Zhou Shu! Can someone dig up the details?]
[Actually, I thought the dating denials from Zhou Shu’s studio and agency a few months ago were very strange. It felt like they were deliberately hiding something... Thinking about it now gives me chills!]
[Upvoting the person above!!!]
[According to a reliable source, Zhou Shu has been in a stable relationship for a long time. Those previous rumors have already been debunked.]
[Debunked? Are you joking? Does one sentence from a "reliable source" wash away Zhou Shu’s scumbag Alpha behavior? Don't make me laugh. I’m a Zhou Shu hater for life!]
[Who even are you? Stop stirring up trouble. How is it a stable relationship now? There’s no way Brother Shu is dating!]
[Wait... am I the only one who noticed the handsome younger brother next to him is gently tugging at Zhou Shu’s sleeve? He looks so young and cute! He has the expression of a little puppy who did something wrong.]
[Holy crap! You’re right, how can he be so moe!!! I can't take it, I’m shipping this CP!]
[Don't flip my CP! The younger brother is clearly taller than the Film Emperor and has a sturdier build, right?]
[I still don't believe it. I haven't seen many Alphas in the industry more "Alpha" than Film Emperor Zhou. Now you’re just pulling out some random kid to top my peak Alpha? I don't agree!]
[Speaking of which, do you guys remember "Chu Xun"?]
[Oh right! When Brother Shu played Chu Xun, he was so "O"! So "O" that my bones went soft...]
[Even so, I’m still Team Alpha Shu!]
...
As Zhou Shu read on, his eyelid began to twitch uncontrollably. In all his years, he couldn't find a single word to describe his current mood.
But since he had started, he might as well finish. Zhou Shu went to make himself a cup of brown sugar ginger tea and continued reading while holding his phone.
The subsequent comments were more of the same—half were still bashing him, while the other half supported him unconditionally. However, the supporters had suddenly split into two camps. One side consisted of solo fans who firmly believed the Film Emperor would never fall in love, while the other side consisted of CP fans who had suddenly started shipping them based on a single blurry photo of their backs.
Zhou Shu was starting to feel sleepy. Just as he was about to refresh the page one last time before exiting the app, a bright line of text caught his eye.
#FilmEmperorMessesAroundWithOmegaAndGetsThemPregnant;PairSeenAtOBGYNInFullDisguise#
Seeing this, Zhou Shu was fully awake. His drowsiness vanished instantly as he stared at the latest topic, laughing out of sheer anger.
He didn't intend to click in to see the comments. He simply took a screenshot and sent it to the other person involved.
[Look, everyone says I got you pregnant.]
Half an hour later, Zhou Shu received a reply from Jin Yan.
[I think this trending search is great. I like it very much.]
[And tonight, Brother can make it a reality. Let's try.]
[It’s okay, I’m not afraid of pain.]
Zhou Shu gripped his phone, dazed for a moment. Through the screen, he could almost visualize the seductive look in Jin Yan’s eyes as he said those words. A crimson flush began to spread from the tips of his ears to the rest of his body.
Sigh. This "Little Omega" of his was truly going to be the death of him...
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
营销号 | Marketing accounts | Social media accounts that post sensationalist or paid content to drive traffic.
唯粉 | Solo fans | Fans who only support one specific celebrity and often dislike "shipping."
磕对cp | Shipping the right couple | Internet slang for finally finding a romantic pairing that one enjoys or that seems "real."
渣A | Scumbag Alpha | A derogatory term for an Alpha who is unfaithful or treats others poorly.
小O | Little O | A cute or diminutive way to refer to an Omega.
楚洵 | Chu Xun | A character Zhou Shu previously played, noted by fans for being "Omega-like."
妇产科 | OB/GYN | Obstetrics and Gynecology department.
