Monday at the suburban hospital was much like the break of dawn—a beginning, yet desolate and quiet.
At this moment, the speed at which Zhou Shu fled the hospital was as if he were chasing the morning sun, running faster than anyone.
Zhu Lili walked behind him, laughing with pure schadenfreude. Once she caught up, she deliberately poked at his sore spots, keeping the word "contraception" constantly on her lips until Zhou Shu was practically gnashing his teeth.
Ultimately, however, he still valued their friendship enough not to abandon her on the roadside.
Perhaps because he had heard the terms "permanent mark" and "pregnancy" too many times today, it had triggered a sort of character immersion. After dropping Zhu Lili off at home, Zhou Shu’s mind was unexpectedly filled with the topic of "Alpha contraception."
This led him to drive, almost unconsciously, to the entrance of a pharmacy. After parking, Zhou Shu hesitated in the car for a moment before finally opening the door and stepping out.
He bundled himself up in a disguise, ensuring that not even his parents would recognize him before pushing the door open and entering the pharmacy.
"Hello, handsome. What can I get for you?"
To ease the awkwardness, Zhou Shu maintained a calm demeanor upon entering, pretending to browse casually.
A second later, his eyes caught sight of the birth control pills locked in a glass cabinet. Zhou Shu pointed. "Get me a box of those."
"Huh?" The pharmacist turned to look and said naturally, "Oh, birth control. Which brand would you like?"
"...Any."
The pharmacist had clearly seen it all. She pulled out the most popular brand and placed it in front of Zhou Shu.
Unexpectedly, after a few seconds, the medicine was pushed back. Zhou Shu pressed a fist to his lips and coughed twice. "Not this one."
"What?"
"This is for Omegas." Zhou Shu’s throat shifted as he let out a resigned sigh. "I need the one for Alphas."
The pharmacist was clearly stunned for a moment, but her expression instantly returned to normal. "Alright, here you go."
"Thanks."
Zhou Shu took the medicine, paid quickly, and hurried out the door, having "chased the morning sun" twice within a single hour.
Sitting in the car, he felt a bit dazed. He didn't really know why he had bought the medicine, just as he couldn't understand how an Enigma could be even more composed than an Alpha.
After driving home, Zhou Shu placed the medicine in the drawer of his nightstand. He took out his phone to send Jin Yan a message, then called a private chef to come over and prepare a steak dinner tonight.
After all, his reproductive chamber was fully developed; in a way, it was something worth celebrating.
Seeing that it was still early, he returned to the bedroom intending to catch up on some sleep. Just as he lay down, he suddenly remembered the pair of rings.
He hadn't had the chance to put the ring on Jin Yan yet; he hadn't found the right moment. But Jin Yan clearly knew about them, yet he didn't seem anxious at all.
Thinking of Jin Yan's facade of composure while his heart was likely fluttering like a trapped bird, Zhou Shu let out a soft laugh.
He took the rings out, stroking them gently in his palm before sliding his own onto his ring finger.
Zhou Shu’s fingers were long and slender, with a certain bony elegance, but Jin Yan’s fingers were even longer than his. Zhou Shu touched the other ring remaining in the box, thinking that Jin Yan would surely look even better wearing it.
Some said that because the ring finger is connected to the heart, wedding rings must be worn there.
Previously, Zhou Shu had always scoffed at such claims, finding them too sentimental. But as that brilliant, sparkling "raindrop" settled onto his ring finger, the sacred meaning of the ring finally found an answer in his mind.
He admired it alone for a while. When he took the ring off to place it back in the box, Zhou Shu heard a voice speak from within him.
"Brother Zhou Shu."
"Duo Duo?" Zhou Shu’s hand froze in mid-air. Realizing what was happening, he sat up excitedly. "Duo Duo, you’re awake."
"Hehe, I’m awake." *And I was awakened by you,* Zhou Duo thought but did not say.
Even in a dormant state, Zhou Duo could sense Zhou Shu’s emotions. In the past, when Zhou Shu was stuck in a dead end and couldn't balance his mood, Duo Duo would appear to comfort him and smooth over the traces of his paranoia.
But this time, Zhou Duo didn't sense any sadness or distress. Instead, he felt the happiness overflowing from Zhou Shu’s entire being.
He was genuinely relieved, and today, it was time to do something.
"Brother Zhou Shu, I want to apologize to you..." Zhou Duo’s sudden words left Zhou Shu stunned for a moment. Before he could react, Zhou Duo continued his explanation. "When we first met Brother Jin Yan, I couldn't distinguish my own feelings for him, and I made you jealous."
Hearing this, Zhou Shu thought back to the moment he first saw Jin Yan after five years. He had fainted immediately, subsequently summoning Zhou Duo.
That day, he had felt a bitter ache because he was jealous of Jin Yan’s meticulous care and pampering of Zhou Duo. Later, he was jealous that Zhou Duo could act spoiled toward Jin Yan without restraint. And after that, there was the matter of the two of them going to register their marriage behind his back.
Thinking about how this sensible child had figured out the situation step by step on his own, Zhou Shu felt a sharp pang of heartache. He felt he owed Zhou Duo a great deal.
Zhou Shu exhaled softly and said gently, "No, Duo Duo, don't say that."
"Don't worry, Brother Zhou Shu, I'm very smart. Brother Jin Yan only has you in his heart—of course I know that!" Zhou Duo’s tone carried a hint of pride. He paused, his voice turning into a tremble. "So..."
"Brother Zhou Shu," Zhou Duo said, "I want to grow up."
*I want to grow up...*
These words were like a seashell washed ashore by the waves, making one lament the helplessness of its life while being unable to resist praising its courage. Finally, the emotions shifted, turning into a sense of pity.
This wasn't the first time Zhou Shu had heard this. Zhou Duo had confessed to him before that he might be leaving soon.
Zhou Duo had to grow up eventually; he had to go live his own life. All good things must come to an end.
No matter how close two people sharing one body were, they were ultimately not a single entity.
The two of them talked for an unknown amount of time, until finally, Zhou Duo fell asleep.
Before drifting off, he murmured softly that he didn't want Zhou Shu to view his departure as a permanent separation. They should just treat it as if they had both shared a long, vivid dream. Now that Zhou Shu had awakened, it was time for him to sleep peacefully.
As the other breath within his body gradually faded into silence, Zhou Shu sat dazed on the bed for a long time.
Later, he went to the bathroom. Looking at the redness at the corners of his eyes in the mirror, he felt a blockage in his chest that was difficult to relieve.
He took a shower. When the mist in his eyes was dispersed by the steam, perhaps the emotions deep within his gaze wouldn't be so easy to discern.
Thus, after Zhou Shu stepped out of the bathroom, he lit a cigarette for the first time in a long while and slowly paced to the balcony.
The little child who would wake up at the scent of heavy rain was truly going to grow up.
Zhou Shu exhaled a cloud of smoke. The cold winter air made the white smoke appear thicker; it lingered and swirled in the air before finally dissipating completely.
Jin Yan returned just in time to see everything.
He froze when he saw the flickering light on the balcony. First, he stared deeply at that silhouette for a moment, then turned to open the door and step out.
When he came back in a few minutes later, he happened to see Zhou Shu closing the balcony door.
Jin Yan instantly adopted a posture as if he hadn't seen the scene just now.
"Ge, I'm home."
As they approached each other, Jin Yan originally intended to kiss Zhou Shu’s lips, but ultimately settled for a kiss on the forehead.
His gaze happened to fall on the delicacies on the dining table, and he smiled. "Why is it so lavish today? Did you make this?"
Only after smelling Jin Yan’s scent did Zhou Shu’s mood improve slightly. He gave a faint smile and joked, "Keep dreaming. As if I could make these."
Jin Yan laughed along, changed his clothes, and pulled Zhou Shu to sit at the table.
During the meal, Zhou Shu’s spirits remained low, and Jin Yan didn't call him out on it.
After dinner, Jin Yan asked Zhou Shu if he wanted to do something at home or go out for a walk to clear his head. Zhou Shu shook his head to everything.
Finally, after they finished clearing the dishes, they lay down on the bed. Jin Yan hugged Zhou Shu from behind, quietly staying with him. Neither of them spoke.
After an unknown amount of time, a soft sigh escaped Zhou Shu’s breath in the quiet room.
Jin Yan’s heart ached instantly. He kissed the back of Zhou Shu’s neck and asked softly, "What's wrong, Ge?"
Zhou Shu didn't answer, but his shoulders trembled slightly.
"Don't cry." Jin Yan extended his tongue to gently lick Zhou Shu’s gland, comforting him softly. "I'm here. I'm always here."
Unexpectedly, in the next second, the person in front of him turned around. He sat up abruptly and then pressed his entire weight onto Jin Yan.
"Ge..." Jin Yan’s heart stirred. Sensing that Zhou Shu’s behavior was abnormal, he still cooperatively returned the kiss.
"Mm," Zhou Shu responded indistinctly, not slowing his frantic biting and nuzzling.
It wasn't until the hands of the person on top of him began to slide downward that Jin Yan realized just how off Zhou Shu’s emotions were.
"Ge, tell me, what happened?"
Jin Yan couldn't be sure what had caused Zhou Shu to suddenly lose emotional control and smoke on the balcony.
One had to know that since the two of them registered their marriage, Zhou Shu had never touched tobacco again.
However, Zhou Shu still didn't speak. He began to tear at their clothes, his eyes clouded with mist, so beautiful that one couldn't look away.
Jin Yan thought that if this was the case, he wouldn't ask. He let Zhou Shu have his way, being utterly cooperative.
It was only when Zhou Shu proactively sat atop him that Jin Yan’s eyes suddenly widened, looking at him in disbelief.
Their gazes locked for a long time, the heat burning in the depths of their eyes growing more intense. At this moment, even a spark invisible to the naked eye could easily ignite a conflagration.
"Mark me." A flash of fire appeared for an instant, and the surrounding temperature climbed steadily.
"Haven't I already marked you?" The man pinned beneath the heat panted heavily, as if standing still, waiting for a heavy rain to rescue him.
The one who started the fire had a blurred gaze, his eyes filled with longing.
Finally, he whispered four words.
"A permanent mark."
The prairie fire of the blazing flames officially began.
The Enigma could no longer suppress his emotions. As if trying to make up for all the lost time and the bitterness of his past restraint, he plundered wantonly.
The Alpha’s throat gradually grew hoarse. Physiological tears fell continuously, only to be kissed away by the Enigma.
At the final moment, the Enigma still gritted his teeth to halt his desire. Breathing heavily, he looked at the Alpha on top of him, trying to read his emotions, terrified that there might be even a hint of reluctance.
The Alpha did not retreat in the slightest. Instead, he exposed the most vulnerable throat of a mammal to the Enigma, speaking with a suppressed voice.
The Enigma forgot to breathe, willingly drowning in the sea.
