🍒 Chapter 40: He Said His Surname Is Xie.

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The week the baby was born, Shen Shuhan couldn’t resist coming over. Even though Shen Shuyi had already hired a nanny and a professional postpartum caregiver to take care of himself and the child, Shen Shuhan insisted that foreigners didn’t really pay attention to postpartum care. He worried that Shen Shuyi wouldn’t eat or sleep well and might develop lingering health problems.

He had postponed his own commitments for over a month, but thanks to Shen Shuhan, Shen Shuyi’s postpartum period was much smoother than it would have been alone. Shen Shuhan didn’t really know much himself, but having an extra pair of hands was always helpful.

After Shen Shuyi finished his month of recovery, Shen Shuhan had to leave. Despite spending the month resting, Shen Shuyi hadn’t gained weight. In fact, he had lost some, and his chin looked sharper. According to Shen Shuhan, it was sharp enough to poke someone.

Still, Shen Shuyi, as the father, had to handle many things personally. Before leaving, Shen Shuhan left a large sum of money. Shen Shuyi now owed him for decades, but Shen Shuhan said it didn’t matter. He was the baby’s uncle, and the money was simply a red envelope for his nephew.

Shen Shuyi couldn’t ignore it. He had been missing for over a month. If he didn’t return soon, his fans might even think he had quit his career. On top of that, he still had to keep his whereabouts from Xie Chenzhou. Shen Shuhan, in his analysis, suspected Xie Chenzhou probably already knew everything. 

Considering how obsessed he had been with Shen Shuyi before their marriage, there was no reason he wouldn’t know where Shen Shuyi was now, yet he didn’t come looking. Another possibility was that Xie Chenzhou had moved on, but Shen Shuyi didn’t think that was the case. He felt that if Xie Chenzhou was really like that, he wouldn’t let himself get too emotionally involved either.

After Shen Shuhan left, Shen Shuyi transitioned from juggling part-time work and school while pregnant to caring for his child while studying. He wanted to continue working, but he simply didn’t have the energy. Thanks to the nanny and caregiver Shen Shuhan had chosen, Shen Shuyi could leave the child in their care, but he still couldn’t relax completely.

He hadn’t realized how difficult and exhausting taking care of a child could be. He regretted his earlier recklessness but looked forward to the future he had chosen.

A week after Shen Shuhan left, the agency he had hired to manage his nanny and caregiver called. They needed to temporarily replace the staff. In this country, employers cannot communicate directly with nannies about employment terms; everything must go through the agency to protect both parties. This included salary, leave, and contract duration. 

The agency’s call caught Shen Shuyi off guard. The baby was only a little over a month old and already recognizing people.

Shen Shuyi didn’t yet know the baby’s gender because differentiation could happen at different ages. Some children differentiate within their first year, others much later. Shen Shuyi wasn’t worried about that. His main hope was for the baby to grow up healthy and safe.

He suspected the child might not be Beta, and could even be an Enigma like Xie Chenzhou. Although young, the baby seemed sensitive to pheromones, showing reactions when near items with Shen Shuyi’s scent. When Shen Shuhan visited, the baby also reacted to his candy-scented pheromones. Shen Shuhan suggested that the baby’s attachment wasn’t necessarily due to pheromones, which Shen Shuyi agreed made sense.

Suddenly replacing the caregiver staff worried him. The agency apologized but did not explain why, only promising compensation. Three new staff arrived: two nannies and one caregiver. They were all female Betas, but one nanny was particularly strong, capable of lifting heavy objects and skilled in household tasks. Like Shen Shuyi, she also knew some basic self-defense techniques.

The agency confirmed the extra person was intentional as part of the compensation. With one nanny for childcare, one for household tasks, and a caregiver for early education and play, Shen Shuyi felt much more at ease and finally slept better at night.

The new staff brought small gifts, including a baby blanket with a subtle scent similar to Xie Chenzhou’s pheromones. The agency had customized it based on the application form, ensuring safety and non-toxicity. Shen Shuyi tested it on himself first before letting the baby use it. Surprisingly, the baby loved it. Whenever wrapped in the blanket, he would giggle and calm down when restless, often rubbing himself against it.

Shen Shuyi’s glands were shrinking, and the cycles of his heat were lengthening. Luckily, the suppressant worked. Sometimes when a heat period approached, he would lie next to the baby, sharing the blanket, and it was surprisingly comforting.

When the baby was about to turn one, Shen Shuyi’s glands had almost completely disappeared. His studies had stabilized, and the Omega institution scheduled biannual checkups. During one, they confirmed his Omega glands had vanished, with no pheromone reaction. Physiologically, Shen Shuyi was fully Beta again, no longer under Omega protection or medical benefits. He felt relieved, free to be himself, though he wasn’t sure if Xie Chenzhou would accept him now.

Sometimes when filling out documents, writing “married” and Xie Chenzhou’s name, memories surfaced. In the past two years in this country, he had experienced what it was like to be an Omega, constantly cared for and pursued, fragile like glass, and highly valued in the marriage market. He remembered that even when surrounded by Omegas, Xie Chenzhou’s gaze always lingered on him. Shen Shuyi chose him, and now he chose Xie Chenzhou in his own future.

After completing the institution’s procedures, Shen Shuyi hurried to anatomy class. When he returned to his apartment, the baby had just woken up. At four o’clock, it was time for a bottle. With the nanny’s help, Shen Shuyi prepared the milk and held the baby, who clapped and squealed in delight.

The baby could already say a few simple words. Shen Shuyi laughed and asked, “Why are you so happy today? Do you know your birthday is coming?”

He hadn’t yet decided how to celebrate or even chosen the baby’s full name. The nickname was Yuechu, because the baby was born at the beginning of the month. Shen Shuhan teased him for being lazy and demanded a new name, but Shen Shuyi insisted simple was better for the child’s health.

After feeding, he handed the baby back to the nanny to play and went upstairs to study. He felt unusually sleepy. Checking the calendar, if his glands hadn’t fully disappeared, today would be a heat day. But he felt no such sensation, just drowsy, perhaps because his body was adjusting.

He placed the blanket the baby usually used on his desk and rested. The scent had faded, now mostly carrying the baby’s milk smell. He slept lightly until someone knocked at the door. The nanny asked if he should let the visitor in.

“Who is it?” Shen Shuyi rubbed his eyes. He lived near the school, and many admirers sometimes came by. Usually, he didn’t let anyone in because it was dangerous.

The nanny replied, “He said his surname is Xie.”

Shen Shuyi instantly woke up, bolting from the room. The blanket slipped from his shoulders without him noticing.

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*Translator Note: 📌📌📌

Finally Xie is here. I seriously couldn’t stand that long separation🤧

!! guys, we only have five more chapters until the end of the main novel. 😭 I’m gonna really miss our Shen Shuyi 😞 *