“Yan-yan, we finally kissed in a crowd.”
What was once a distant hope had finally come true today. Moreover, it happened on such a memorable day—Zhou Shu’s twenty-eighth birthday.
This kiss, shared under the gaze of thousands and the glow of stage lights, acted like a machine that could freeze time, momentarily suspending the breath of everyone in the venue. The vast hall fell into a sudden hush, so silent that even the faint sound of shallow breathing seemed to echo.
By the time the audience reacted, the two had already pulled apart, and the microphone was back in Zhu Lili’s hand.
She cleared her throat twice and pointed toward the audience. “To those of you with quick reflexes who managed to snap a photo—remember not to post them online, okay? You all understand; Tree-ge has decided to retire and really doesn't want to take up public resources. We’ll just keep the sweetness to ourselves as a family; no need to show the outsiders.”
“And you lot, those babies crying into your hands in the corners—take it easy, don’t hyperventilate.”
It had to be said that Zhu Lili was a manager with exceptionally high EQ and IQ. In just a few sentences, she spoke directly to the fans' hearts, pulling them into the "inner circle" while simultaneously smoothing over the atmosphere. Although it was likely impossible to stop all photos from leaking, her words served as a reminder for everyone not to spread them excessively.
The fans, however, were clearly still in a state of daze. But that was fine; recovering from excessive shock was always easier than recovering from excessive grief. Zhou Shu and Jin Yan’s high-profile kiss had significantly diluted the sorrow of the farewell meeting.
The final exit and farewell were lighter than expected. Zhou Shu and Jin Yan held hands as they descended on the lift, waving goodbye to the fans. Thus, this impromptu farewell meeting concluded perfectly, adding one last brilliant stroke of color to Zhou Shu’s acting career.
As expected, many fans had taken high-definition photos of the "kiss" that night, but they all sent them privately to Zhou Shu via direct message instead of posting them on social media. It was unclear whether Zhu Lili’s speech had been effective or if the fans themselves possessed a high degree of self-discipline. No photos of the kiss leaked online; there were only a few high-sweetness shots of them holding hands or cutting the birthday cake.
Zhou Shu selected a few photos sent by fans, saved them to his phone, and replied with his thanks. The replies he received were still filled with the fans' sincere blessings. He hadn't expected that retiring would actually bring him closer to his fans, a realization that brought him great comfort.
Some "CP fans" even went to the official website of Jin Yan’s pet hospital to leave messages, saying they would frequently lurk there in hopes of seeing Dr. Jin gently petting cats again.
This year, Jin Yan gave Zhou Shu a gift. He said that since they had been apart for five years, he owed Zhou Shu five years' worth of birthday presents. Now that he was finally back in the sixth year, he felt that nothing he did could truly make up for it. After much thought, he established a foundation in Zhou Shu’s name specifically to rescue stray animals.
In response, Zhou Shu posted a message on his official page, asking fans not to send him gifts or mail them to the company anymore. He urged them to donate their pocket money to the foundation instead, so they could work together to help homeless animals. They would also organize frequent offline events in the future. If his fame could bring any positive effect to public welfare, then his three years of drifting in the entertainment industry would have been worth it.
After Zhou Shu’s birthday, the rings Xiang Shan had custom-made for them were finally finished. The style was the simple one Zhou Shu had requested—low-key plain bands for both. Zhou Shu’s version was slightly thinner, featuring an exquisite, clear, fancy-cut diamond in the center shaped like a raindrop. Jin Yan’s version had no diamond, but the plain silver surface was engraved with a subtle wave pattern.
When the two rings were placed together, they looked like a drop of rain about to fall into the ocean. The inner bands were engraved with each other’s names in Pinyin, rendered in beautiful cursive script designed and carved by Xiang Shan herself.
The rings were exactly what Zhou Shu had envisioned. Upon receiving them, he immediately took a photo to send to Xiang Shan to express his gratitude. However, in a momentary slip of the finger, he sent it to his pinned chat instead.
A moment later, Zhou Shu’s phone vibrated. He swiped the screen open, and a message that made his fingers freeze appeared.
[Ge...]
Zhou Shu closed his eyes briefly, silently propping his forehead in his hand for a while. Fine, the surprise was gone. He thought to himself, *Forget it, we’ve been married for so long anyway; one less surprise won't hurt.*
But this blunder was truly foolish; he had to explain it somehow. So, Zhou Shu sent a message back to Jin Yan.
[Sent to the wrong person.]
As expected, the person on the other end was stunned, sending back three question marks before immediately calling him.
“Hello.” Zhou Shu picked up the phone, unable to suppress a smile, his voice trembling slightly.
“Ge, explain yourself. What do you mean, ‘sent to the wrong person’?” Jin Yan’s helpless voice came through, clearly fishing for some coaxing.
Zhou Shu didn't have time to coax him. After thanking Xiang Shan, he had an appointment at the hospital for a physical and a re-examination of his reproductive cavity.
“Exactly what it sounds like,” he replied, his tone incredibly haughty.
Jin Yan laughed out of sheer exasperation, whimpering on the other end, “Is this what happens after being married for a short while? You’re already tired of me and looking for someone else?”
“That’s right, I’m tired of you. What are you going to do about it?” Zhou Shu refused to back down, continuing to tease him while packing his things.
“Oh...” Jin Yan drawled, his voice dropping to a low murmur against the receiver. “Then it seems I’ll have to make sure Ge experiences another ‘unforgettable night’ tonight.”
“...” Zhou Shu lost. After a two-second pause, he uttered three words: “Shut your mouth.”
A triumphant chuckle came from the other end. The two bickered affectionately for a while longer before hanging up.
In early March, Haicheng was still bone-chillingly cold. The heavy snowfall had turned into a mix of rain and snow; the former was clearly more pleasant. Zhou Shu put on a dark gray overcoat, grabbed a matching umbrella, and drove to the suburban hospital.
He had arranged for Zhu Lili to accompany him. They figured that although Zhou Shu had retired, his popularity remained high. If he were photographed at the hospital’s obstetrics and gynecology department, they could claim he was just accompanying Zhu Lili.
When he first made the suggestion, Zhu Lili had agreed readily. While Zhou Shu felt deeply grateful, a sense of wariness instantly rose in his heart.
Sure enough, Zhu Lili, an expert in "forced consumption psychology," sent Zhou Shu a link to a new haute couture gown while they were waiting outside the consultation room.
Zhou Shu’s jaw tightened as he muttered two cold words: “In your dreams.”
Zhu Lili had expected this. She didn't care at all about Zhou Shu’s "use her and toss her" behavior and thoughtfully sent him her measurements. She even claimed, “I, a beautiful and peerless Omega, am sacrificing my reputation to accompany you to a doctor’s appointment, yet you won’t even spend money on me.”
Zhou Shu rolled his eyes internally. It was only after he forwarded the measurements to a designer friend that he suddenly realized something. Today was Monday; the hospital was quiet. He had fallen into her trap and suffered a great loss.
Eventually, Zhou Shu snapped back to reality at the sound of his number being called. Zhu Lili accompanied him into the familiar examination room.
As they sat down, a familiar voice greeted them: “Oh, we meet again!”
It was the same enthusiastic middle-aged doctor from last time. She looked back and forth between Zhou Shu and Zhu Lili. Only after confirming that the registered patient was still Zhou Shu did she breathe a sigh of relief. “You gave me a scare. I thought you’d grown a reproductive cavity only to regret it and want to mark an Omega instead.”
Zhou Shu was choked by this gossipy remark. He coughed twice and habitually walked over to the bed beside the equipment to lie down.
The doctor laughed and chatted casually with Zhu Lili while applying the ultrasound coupling gel to Zhou Shu’s abdomen, just like last time. When the cold probe touched his warm skin, Zhou Shu couldn't help but shiver, still unaccustomed to the sensation.
Zhu Lili leaned in, staring at the screen with curiosity. After a long while, the doctor pulled the probe away and nodded. “The reproductive cavity is developing very well. You are now ready for a permanent mark.”
As soon as those words left her mouth, the person standing by the screen raised an eyebrow and let out a mockingly dramatic “Wow~.” Zhou Shu took a deep, helpless breath, beginning to regret why he had insisted on bringing Zhu Lili along.
On the outside, however, he maintained his unflappable "iceberg" face. He nodded slightly and thanked the doctor, wanting to end the consultation as quickly as possible.
But the doctor remained as enthusiastic as ever. Perhaps because it was a slow Monday, she printed out the report and looked at Zhou Shu with maternal affection, beginning her instructions.
“As an Alpha who has gained reproductive capabilities, you must protect yourself when you’re out and about!”
“Even though no one but an Enigma can mark an Alpha, you never know—what if you actually run into one? What would you do then!”
Zhou Shu felt a headache coming on, but Zhu Lili was having the time of her life, holding back laughter as she chimed in, “Yes, yes, yes! Doctor, you are absolutely right! An Alpha has to protect himself when he’s out!” She finished by shooting a pointed look at Zhou Shu.
Zhou Shu turned his face away, finding it very difficult to keep his temper in check.
But the doctor seemed eager for conversation and wouldn't let them leave, prattling on incessantly.
“I’m telling you, young man, an Alpha marked by an Enigma will enter heat. Also, when an Enigma is in their susceptibility period, you’ll be forced into heat as well.”
“If an Alpha in heat is permanently marked by an Enigma, it’s the same as an Omega—the sperm will definitely implant. You will definitely get pregnant.”
At this point, Zhou Shu choked on his own saliva and couldn't stop coughing. Beside him, Zhu Lili was laughing so hard tears were streaming down her face.
“Alright...” After he finished coughing, Zhou Shu finally decided to interrupt the doctor. He took a few sips of water to steady himself and stood up directly. “Thank you, Doctor. Don't worry, I will definitely protect myself.”
“Oh, that’s good, that’s good!” The doctor stood up with a relieved expression, offering one last important reminder. “If you don’t want to get pregnant, you must remember to take medication after a permanent mark! And make sure it’s the kind specifically for Alphas—don’t buy the wrong one and take the Omega version!”
Zhou Shu swallowed hard, suppressing a face that was on the verge of turning bright red. He said in a low voice, “Thank you, Doctor. We have things to do, so we’ll be going now.”
The doctor waved goodbye reluctantly, adding at the last second, “My daughter loves your movies! Come back and book an appointment with me next time!”
“...”
As Zhu Lili’s sharp laughter echoed behind him, Zhou Shu thought to himself: *I am absolutely never coming back to this hospital again.*
