That evening, as soon as Dr. Jin finished work, he saw a message waiting on his screen.
[Jin Yan, explain yourself.]
The corners of Jin Yan’s lips curled upward as he dialed his brother’s number.
“Ge, what do you want me to explain?” His voice was laced with laughter, sounding not at all confused, but rather like a mischievous child playing a prank.
He was a deliberate offender, yet utterly endearing.
“Don’t you know exactly what?” Zhou Shu said, his tone stiff as he struggled not to let his heart soften. “What is the meaning of that sentence: ‘I am his Omega’?”
“Hmm? What was that?” Someone was playing dumb despite having trended on the hot search list once again.
Zhou Shu repeated the comment Jin Yan had left on the pet hospital’s official website, his tone a mix of doting affection and helplessness. “Why don’t you tell me properly—how exactly did you become my Omega?”
Holding the phone with one hand, Jin Yan began to take off his white lab coat and hang it on the rack.
“What else was I supposed to say?” He switched the phone to his other hand and put on his jacket. “You’ve already made the official announcement. Now that I’m the one listed in your spouse column and have been outed, I had to do something.”
Seeing that Zhou Shu was momentarily speechless, Jin Yan became even more emboldened. “Unless… Ge, did you want to tell everyone that *you* are my exclusive Omega?”
“...”
This man, truly—the moment he took off that lab coat and his glasses, he became like this.
No, it would be more accurate to say he was only like this when he was in front of Zhou Shu.
Thinking of this, the bashfulness Zhou Shu felt from being teased actually dissipated a little.
He cleared his throat twice. “I’m not there yet.”
His tone was heavy, maintaining his usual cold persona; he sounded like a completely different person from the brother who usually lost himself in passion.
Yet this adorable contrast gave Jin Yan a great sense of satisfaction. He drew out his words, speaking with pointed implication: “Oh… not *yet*, I see.”
He emphasized the word "yet," as if deliberately hinting at something.
As expected, Zhou Shu easily read into this high-level flirting. His exquisite, handsome face, hidden away in a room where no one could see, flushed a shade of crimson.
“Then, why didn't you tell people you’re also an Alpha? Why did you have to say Omega?” Zhou Shu deliberately changed the subject, still refusing to let go of Jin Yan’s act of pushing them to the top of the trending charts again. “Besides, in what way do you even look like an Omega?”
Jin Yan laughed a few times upon hearing this. He leaned closer to the receiver, his voice carrying a laziness reserved only for Zhou Shu’s ears. “Ge, are you silly?”
“You…”
Just as he finished enjoying his verbal jab, Jin Yan immediately followed up with an apology.
Jin Yan cut Zhou Shu off, striking first. “I’m not, I didn’t.” He coaxed softly, acting spoiled toward the person on the other end of the line. “Ge, I was wrong.” After saying that, he blew a kiss into the receiver.
Sure enough, the cold Film Emperor lost his temper in a single second.
“But, Ge, I want to ask you something.” Jin Yan shifted the conversation back to the previous topic. “Aside from saying I’m an Omega, what other choice did I have? Who was the one who took a photo of the marriage certificate and posted it online while I was asleep?”
Zhou Shu was stunned, freezing for several seconds.
Right, he had actually forgotten about the marriage certificate.
Two Alphas couldn't legally register for marriage, so he really couldn't blame Jin Yan...
After blaming the other for so long, it turned out the fault lay with his own impulsiveness.
Zhou Shu sighed inwardly. Just as he was about to comfort his younger brother for the baseless accusation, a thought popped into his head.
“Wait, that’s not right...”
“Hmm?”
“Then why didn't you say you were a Beta?”
“Um...”
Jin Yan thought to himself: *Oh no, Ge actually reacted quickly this time.*
He tried to suppress his smile, pressing down the corners of his mouth, but in the end, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Zhou Shu remained silent for a moment before he, too, broke into laughter.
The two of them shared a silly moment of joy over the phone for a long while before Zhou Shu finally accepted the reality.
“Fine. Since that’s the case, you can just be my Omega with peace of mind.”
“Sure.” Jin Yan’s eyes brightened, and his tone took a playful turn. “Then… Ge, can you make me pregnant tonight?”
...
The two of them stayed on the trending lists for an entire month. A few days prior, Zhou Shu had asked Zhu Lili to spend money to have the searches removed, but later he simply gave up.
This wave of official announcements—the romance plus the retirement—was too overwhelming. Furthermore, Jin Yan’s information was constantly being exposed to the public eye.
When an “Omega” partner with a face like that was unearthed, the netizens felt that letting it go easily would be an insult to the high-speed 5G internet.
At the same time, several artists who had worked with Zhou Shu shared his announcement.
Some offered sincere congratulations on the marriage, while others lamented his retirement as if shedding tears from afar.
Whether they were being genuine or fake, Zhou Shu couldn't tell and didn't much care.
There were also those who used his momentum to catch one last wave of the Film Emperor’s popularity.
A few obscure actors from the *Drunken Rouge* crew shared Zhou Shu’s post, claiming they had once met the Film Emperor’s Omega when he came to a club to pick up Zhou Shu after the wrap party.
At that time, Zhou Shu had said Jin Yan was his younger brother.
Later, someone dug up the fact that Jin Yan and Zhou Shu’s families had been friends for generations; they were childhood sweethearts who grew up together.
After that, things spiraled out of control, and the topic stayed on the charts in various forms for over a month.
Later, Zhou Shu’s mother heard the rumors during a gathering of socialites and was somewhat surprised.
She had told Zhou Shu many times before that she hoped he would stop pursuing an acting career. After all, she had watched him become an overnight sensation upon his debut and then leave everyone else in the dust over the years.
Although Zhou Shu never told his family about his experiences, she could always hear news about the “Film Emperor” from various sources.
She knew that whenever Zhou Shu landed at any airport, he lost his freedom. Thus, she realized that while their family’s influence was flourishing locally, they couldn't cover the sky with one hand once they left Haicheng.
She also knew what Zhou Shu had gone through over the years.
The malice, magnified by the intensity of "love," was exceptionally clear in the eyes of Zhou Shu’s mother. She could almost see how those crazed "anti-fans" attacked and hurt her son.
Because of this, the mother and son had many arguments. She couldn't understand why someone who was normally so indifferent to worldly desires would be so obsessed with the world under the spotlight.
Later, she gradually let it go, thinking that Zhou Shu insisted on staying in the entertainment industry because of Zhou Duo, so she stopped mentioning his retirement.
But now, she hadn't expected her son to not only take the initiative to retire but even post his marriage certificate.
Posting the marriage certificate carried the risk of netizens digging up Jin Yan’s information. Perhaps one day, others would find out that Jin Yan was an Enigma.
Did he not even care about that?
Puzzled, Zhou Shu’s mother spent several restless nights. Finally, when the two of them came home for dinner, she called out to her son.
“Xiao Shu.”
“Yes, Mom, what is it?”
“Come here for a moment. Follow me to the study.” After saying that, she headed toward the second floor.
Zhou Shu and Jin Yan exchanged a look. Jin Yan nodded, signaling for him to go see what was wrong, and only then did Zhou Shu follow.
“Mom, what is it that needs to be said in private?” Zhou Shu closed the door and sat down beside his mother.
Zhou Shu’s mother opened her mouth, looking as if she were hesitating to speak.
Zhou Shu didn't rush her; he just waited quietly.
After a long while, his mother finally spoke. “Xiao Shu, why exactly did you announce your retirement and go public with your marriage to Yan-yan?”
“Not bad, Mom. You even know about that.” Zhou Shu smiled, teasing her gently.
“Don’t give me that.” His mother gave him a helpless glare. “What exactly are you thinking? Don’t you know that after announcing the marriage, it’s very likely everyone will find out Yan-yan is an Enigma?”
“Also, you wouldn't listen no matter what I said before. Why the sudden retirement now?” She paused. “Is it… because of what happened last time?”
Zhou Shu knew his mother was referring to the time he was sprayed with an inducer and locked in a hotel room.
He lowered his head in thought, then looked up with a light laugh, his eyes full of tenderness. “It is… but it also isn't.”
Using both affirmation and negation, his answer was like a wave that crashed onto the shore only to quickly retreat into the depths of the ocean, making it impossible to grasp.
But this time, the wave came gently; it truly looked like the tide was going out.
“What do you mean?” his mother asked urgently, wanting an answer.
Zhou Shu smiled to comfort her. “Mom, don’t worry. It’s not that I’m deliberately hiding it, but I can’t quite explain why myself.”
He leaned back against the sofa and handed his mother a cushion.
“Back then, you asked me several times why I entered the entertainment industry and I never answered. Now I can tell you: it really was for Yan-yan.” At these words, his mother’s gaze trembled, though she looked as if she had expected it. Seeing that she didn't interrupt, he continued, “I wanted him to be able to see me even in Country A. I wanted him to walk toward me just like he did when we were kids.”
He paused, his eyes clouded with a hint of sadness. “After all, he had been gone for three years without contacting me. I wanted to place a bet on myself, to see if he would eventually reach his limit and come back crying for me to comfort him.”
“He loved to act spoiled when he was little; everyone thought he would definitely differentiate into an Omega. But who knew the child would end up as an Alpha?” At this point, Zhou Shu’s mother frowned and began to wipe away tears. Zhou Shu leaned forward, pulled out a tissue, and handed it to her, saying softly, “Actually, it was because of a misunderstanding, and also because of things I said… that Yan-yan left without saying goodbye. He suffered a lot; he didn't feel any better than I did.”
“Xiao Shu…” His mother wiped her tears, sniffled, and took Zhou Shu’s hand. “Mom knows you were hurting too, otherwise how could Duo-duo have manifested?”
“When Yan-yan came to find us and told us who Duo-duo was, your father and I were both shocked. I never knew you were suffering so much. Why didn't you ever tell us...”
Zhou Shu leaned closer to his mother and lightly patted her back. “Mom, don’t cry.” He sighed and explained warmly, “Some things aren't worth mentioning; they would only cause you extra worry. Just like what Yan-yan went through when he differentiated into an Enigma… wasn't I also the last one to find out?”
His mother’s lips moved a few times as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, it turned into a weary sigh.
“Fine, have it your way. You children have all grown up.”
“Mom, that’s not it.” Zhou Shu squeezed her hand, continuing patiently, “Actually, the decision to retire this time was because of Yan-yan, but also because of you all.”
“This time, when I was locked in that dark room and then got injured, I knew that even though you didn't say anything, you were upset for days.” He stopped for a few seconds, his brow furrowing slightly. “The dark circles under your and Dad’s eyes from staying up late, the many messages Auntie Fang sent to Yan-yan, plus Uncle Jin’s poor health. I really… couldn't bear it anymore.”
He said, “I’ve started a family now. I really don't want to see both families constantly worrying about me anymore.”
The entertainment industry was never something he felt attached to, and fame and fortune were not things he pursued.
All he ever wanted was for that boy to be able to see him at a glance among the crowd, just as he could see the billboards among the skyscrapers at a single glance when he was young.
Now that the boy was back, who else did he need to see him standing in the center of the light?
After a bit more coaxing, Zhou Shu’s mother finally stopped crying.
She sighed softly and was helped up by Zhou Shu. “Alright, go on down. Yan-yan must be getting anxious waiting.”
Zhou Shu acknowledged her, and the two walked out of the study.
“Xiao Shu…” Just as the study door opened, his mother suddenly called out to him. “Then, Duo-duo, right now...”
Zhou Shu was taken aback. After a moment of silence, his expression turned tender. “Duo-duo is still here.”
He thought for a moment and smiled gently. “Besides, isn't Duo-duo just waiting for me downstairs?”
***
