RBNR Ch14: How to win this person over?
Qin Bao was in a good mood after getting the watch. He couldn’t wear it, so he carried it around and took it out to look at it from time to time.
Brother Lu was anxious when he saw this, fearing someone might notice.
Qin Bao understood this better than Brother Lu: “Don’t worry, didn’t they say Bofenni only made that one piece? It hasn’t been shown to the public, so even if someone sees it, they won’t recognize it.”
Brother Lu thought it over: “That’s true.”
Qin Bao had taken a month’s break and gained a few pounds thanks to the old man’s care, though he was still slim. Unlike before, when he was extremely thin to fit the ideal aesthetic, he was now healthier. His baby face appeared even more delicate with a bit more flesh, reminding Brother Lu of Qin Bao when he was thirteen.
Back then, Qin Bao participated in an open audition. The organizers assigned agents to each group for the upcoming competition. While other models were looking for their agents, he quietly waited in place until Brother Lu called his number. He walked over with a proud demeanor: “Am I with you?”
During the past month, Qin Bao had canceled quite a few jobs. Apart from the higher-ups, no one at SISI knew the reason. Seeing him suddenly return, everyone was surprised, even Su He gave him several looks.
A few top executives called Brother Lu and Qin Bao in for a small meeting.
Director Leo said, “Your break actually came at a good time. We’ve been discussing your future direction these past few months. Right now, you’re registered as a youth model and are following those standards. The standards for adult Omega models are different. The International Model Association currently mandates that models over 180 cm must not be below 62 kg to walk the runway, with each additional centimeter adding one kilogram.”
Qin Bao said, “I know.”
Since he grew to 180 cm, he had been adhering to these standards.
“Good to know,” Leo said. “You’re about to turn sixteen and are over 180 cm tall. It’s time to transition. Next month, we’ll help you update your profile.”
Qin Bao frowned: “So soon? What about the jobs I’ve already taken?”
Updating his profile to adult Omega standards meant leaving behind youth brands and some unique top luxury resources, entering the real competitive arena against all models.
Leo: “The previous jobs will still follow the contract schedule. We suggest you adapt to the new standards as soon as possible.”
Qin Bao remained stern-faced until the meeting ended, understanding what was going on.
There was no real rush to update the standards. It could wait until he was seventeen or even eighteen. Youth Omega models with a height comparable to adults were rare resources due to their age advantage. Companies preferred to delay their transition, with some agencies even intentionally stalling.
Brother Lu also knew the real reason and consoled him: “You have a small frame and excellent head-to-body ratio. Gaining some weight won’t affect you at all. Haven’t you seen the online comments? They all say you’re a real-life BJD.”1BJD stands for “Ball-Jointed Doll.” These are collectible dolls characterized by their jointed limbs and customizable features, often with highly detailed and artistic designs. They are typically made of resin and can be posed in various ways, which is why the term “BJD” is used to describe people with an exceptionally refined or elegant appearance, often implying a doll-like, almost perfect beauty.
Qin Bao hadn’t searched for himself online in a long time.
When he first entered the industry, the company registered a Flow account for him, just like other models from the same company, with the prefix “SISI Qin Bao.”
“BJD?” Qin Bao sneered and mocked himself, “Soon, I’ll become a UFO.”
Brother Lu said, “The old man is concerned about you. I thought you were going to terminate your contract during your break, and I couldn’t sleep well. This result is actually a relief. The old man has given you plenty of space.”
Qin Bao didn’t know what to say, but he certainly wasn’t happy.
Brother Lu, ever the optimist and smooth-talker, said: “There’s no need to worry. Although the transition is sudden, at worst, you’ll have a break for a while. With your talent, you won’t have any trouble competing with adult models. It’s something you’d have to face sooner or later.”
Qin Bao wasn’t afraid; he just disliked being forced to change, feeling like he was walking smoothly on his path and then suddenly pushed to another road by a car.
In defiance, he said, “Got it. I’ll go home and binge-eat, gain a hundred pounds.”
“You don’t need to binge-eat; you still need to exercise,” Brother Lu laughed and patted his back. “Haven’t you missed dance class for a long time? Improve your diet while staying active, maybe shoot some videos. I saw fans asking to see you dance.”
What has been happening online lately?
Qin Bao logged into his Flow account during his free time, struggling to recall his password and searching for it for a while. He found that his followers had grown from over ten thousand to nearly a million, with his inbox flooded with private messages.
His dance video from the competition, his photos from various shows, his casual outfits, and even his school had been thoroughly dug up by fans. No wonder he always encountered crowds at the school gate, even when he left early, and people snapping photos on the subway.
His latest Flow post was from a few months ago, a picture of a chicken sandwich with a caption that simply had a “cheering” arm emoji.
The comments below were all very recent, mostly with his photos.
【Bao! Mommy loves you so much!】
【Baby is so beautiful (sighs, wants to keep fish in baby’s collarbone (licks)】
【Does BB really like this ugly cloth bag? He’s carried it many times, and he looks so good carrying it. I want the same one.】
【I’m different; I want to buy baby the same as the doll.】
【Don’t get thinner! Already thin enough! Please, someone fix the model industry, pity the child!】
【Qaq eat more! Sandwiches are not enough! Give me hotpot! Barbecue! Big plate chicken! Baby is still a baby! Needs to eat all the world’s delicious food!】
【Feeding you Guo Bao Rou!】
【Feeding you big chicken legs! Small lobsters!】
…
Qin Bao was a bit stunned by the situation and chose a reply: 【I don’t like small lobsters.】
Then he turned to check his private messages.
To his surprise, apart from some fan confessions and encouragement, there were also some offers from companies. They inquired about modeling contracts and also about artist contracts, like hungry wolves sensing a delicious cake and eager to get a piece. He wasn’t very interested.
But some private messages were disgusting, with some alphas sending explicit photos and using lewd language, sexually harassing a young Omega model from afar.
“Strong A, very big.”
“Can do ten hours, can provide uninterrupted companionship during mating season.”
“You look very enticing, big brother knows how to bite.”
Qin Bao wasn’t a soft target. He replied with an international-friendly emoji: “You can’t bite me.”
The filth of the internet didn’t affect Qin Bao’s mood. He was just a model; once the phone was off, he forgot about it. It was more important to focus on his homework.
The exams were coming up; he couldn’t afford to mess up here.
However, having the same watch as Feng Chengyu still left him feeling uneasy.
What was going on? Was it because although the watches had the same functions, for privacy reasons, the custom one didn’t actually include the wearer’s DNA and pheromones? As an Omega, it wouldn’t be useful even if it did.
Moreover, Ms. Rong was right; the watch was indeed a bit too big for him.
One day, passing by the old man’s study, he suddenly smelled a fragrance of daffodil.
The weather had turned cold; it seemed like there was no autumn in the capital, only summer and winter. The daffodil flowers on the old man’s desk were blooming for the second season, standing proudly and gracefully, with a strong fragrance, not as delicate as when they first bloomed.
That’s it; it must be missing that subtle fragrance.
So, he found a perfume shop online and custom-made a men’s fragrance with daffodil.
He wore a white shirt, put on the watch, and stood in front of a brass dressing mirror, trying to mimic the indifferent expression from Feng Chengyu’s photo. As a model, he was used to his advantages; clothing and accessories were just embellishments on him.
But it still wasn’t right.
Wearing this watch, he really didn’t look as good as Feng Chengyu did.
Recalling the other’s strong and muscular arms, he irritably thought, surely he couldn’t just chop off the same arms, could he?
In a daze, it seemed like Qin Bao really saw Feng Chengyu standing in the mirror.
His heart raced again, and even the glands on the back of his neck started throbbing, making him feel hot all over. Qin Bao stood there, alarmed. He finally realized a fact: he seemed to have developed feelings for Feng Chengyu.
Help.
The other person hadn’t even glanced at him properly.
Could he possibly have a masochistic tendency?
But that feeling couldn’t be denied; it was exactly as Xu Tangzhou had described.
It turned out that the brain really does replay details of interactions, takes secret photos, competes, tries to attract attention, wants to imitate, and desires to have what the other person has.
But what to do?
They had hardly ever met, there was a significant age gap, and their social circles were completely different, making it almost impossible to have any further contact.
For the first time in his life liking someone, Qin Bao was distressed, tossing and turning in bed all night trying to confirm this. The next day, after going to bed early and waking up with dark circles, he came to the conclusion: Feng Chengyu seemed a bit old for him.
Which means: 1) Feng Chengyu might already have a partner. 2) If not, he might get one soon if he doesn’t make a move.
Most importantly—an alpha who is not sleazy or greasy, has charm, and smells good is truly a rare resource!
The question is, how can he win this person over?
The whole day, the second-year high school students were taking exams, and Qin Bao did quite well.
The exam wasn’t over yet, and when he put down his pen, the proctor signaled him that he could leave early.
Qin Bao left the classroom early but didn’t go out of the school gate. He called Tu Yisen to ask where he was and then headed towards the gym. Inside the gym, a few older alphas were playing basketball, and the mixed scent of pheromones and sweat filled the air.
“Watch out!” someone shouted.
A ball came flying straight at him.
Qin Bao, about to cover his nose, raised his hand and caught it, then tossed it back.
The person who made the mistake, seeing his face clearly, forgot to catch the ball and ended up getting hit instead. He turned red and apologized: “S-sorry.”
Qin Bao didn’t say anything, turning to find Tu Yisen and the others.
The school team members were practicing equipment on the other side and saw Qin Bao too. Feng Chu was more enthusiastic than Tu Yisen, jogging over: “Qin Bao! Want to have dinner together tonight? Tu Yisen has something to announce.”
They all knew that Qin Bao recently liked to eat.
Qin Bao had come to find Feng Chu, so he didn’t chat about other things and called his name: “Feng Chu.”
Qin Bao had no expression, making Feng Chu think something was wrong.
Then Qin Bao asked: “Does your brother have a partner?”
Feng Chu was caught off guard and stunned: “…Huh?”
Qin Bao was straightforward, clarifying: “I’m asking if your brother is currently in a relationship, has a boyfriend, or a girlfriend?”
Feng Chu quickly shook his head: “No! How could that be! He’s single!”
Qin Bao felt slightly relieved. Following the principle of knowing oneself and one’s opponent, he asked another question: “What about before? Did he have any previous relationships? Was it Bete or Omega? What were they like?”
Footnotes:
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