RBNR Ch51: Control the mind if not the body

The weather was different this year; temperatures kept dropping, but the snow hadn’t arrived.

Before evening, the sky was already dark, obscuring even distant buildings. The sky seemed to be brewing a storm.

Qin Bao was reading by the bed in his bedroom. He had fallen behind in his studies this semester, and his final exam results were not ideal. As usual, whenever he had time, he would slowly catch up.

A faint sound of a car came from downstairs.

Qin Bao looked downstairs and saw a black official car parked in the empty space in front of the garage. Lin Zi got out first and opened the door for the person in the back seat.

Feng Chengyu stepped out of the car. He was wearing a black coat, his facial features sharp and defined, his complexion appearing cold and pale in the dim surroundings, reminiscent of when they first met—so cold and aloof. Over the years, as his status had risen, the overt sharpness he once had had been completely restrained, making his presence even more intimidating.

Sensing something, Feng Chengyu glanced up at the window.

Qin Bao immediately looked away, his gaze falling on a highlighted line in his book.

In the few minutes it took Feng Chengyu to come upstairs, Qin Bao couldn’t read a single word.

It had been two weeks since Qin Bao last heard from Feng Chengyu. During this time, they hadn’t contacted each other, and Feng Chengyu’s occasional updates had ceased. According to the contract, Qin Bao had the right to question him, but somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

Feng Chengyu entered the room but stopped at the door.

He had already taken off his coat downstairs and had likely washed his hands, as his sleeves were rolled up, revealing a sturdy forearm with a quietly ticking dark blue watch.

“What are you doing?”

Feng Chengyu asked.

“Reading.” Qin Bao replied, his tone unchanged from the past. “Aren’t you busy anymore?”

Feng Chengyu walked over, and Qin Bao watched him in surprise.

Feng Chengyu looked down at Qin Bao for a moment, then pulled him up to make room, sitting back down on the soft sofa with him in his arms.

“…”

Qin Bao didn’t know how to react.

“Feng Chengyu.”

“Yes,” Feng Chengyu said, “let me hold you for a while.”

The light scent of daffodils enveloped Qin Bao. The bond was so strong that he had no reason to resist. Feng Chengyu’s body was large enough, but Qin Bao was also long-limbed. The two of them, squeezed into the single sofa, were tightly pressed against each other.

Feng Chengyu didn’t speak, and Qin Bao didn’t feel like talking either.

A floor lamp by the sofa cast its light on them, illuminating the paper and projecting their intimate shadow on the wall.

It seemed like Feng Chengyu wanted to read with him.

Qin Bao could feel the gaze from behind him falling on the page, scanning each familiar word that formed incomprehensible sentences.

It was time to turn the page.

Qin Bao pinched the edge of the paper, but the next second, the book was taken away and fell to the floor with a rustle.

His chin was turned, and his lips were kissed.

It felt like an electric current shot up his spine, reaching the top of his head. Qin Bao stopped pretending, forgetting about the script, and kissed Feng Chengyu back, adjusting his position to sit face-to-face on Feng Chengyu’s lap.

The hem of his hoodie was lifted, exposing his skin to the cold air.

The kiss grew hotter, and his sides hurt from being pinched.

Qin Bao didn’t stay idle either, stubbornly unbuttoning Feng Chengyu’s shirt one button at a time.

The Alpha’s scent grew stronger, mixed with his own long-dormant Omega scent, climbing and spreading.

He was lifted up.

Then set down heavily.

…

After checking, Qin Bao found no wounds on Feng Chengyu. The imagined scenarios of him being secretly injured, concocted from reading too many scripts, hadn’t happened. Feng Chengyu demonstrated his natural strength through action.

Qin Bao was carried to the bed.

They paused, staying in the arched doorway of the master bedroom for a long time. The rough floral wallpaper rubbed his back painfully, and this time it was Qin Bao who grabbed Feng Chengyu’s hair.

The next few hours were chaotic.

Pillows were thrown everywhere, and the blanket hung precariously off the bed.

When Feng Chengyu finally scooped Qin Bao up, his fingertips were soft, and he could only lean against Feng Chengyu’s shoulder, panting, a fresh bite mark glistening on that shoulder.

Then Feng Chengyu grabbed the blanket and wrapped Qin Bao up.

“Little silkworm.”

Feng Chengyu lowered his eyes and described him.

Qin Bao’s face turned red with embarrassment. Trapped in the blanket, unable to move his arms and legs, he could only murmur, “So childish… let me go.”

Feng Chengyu leaned over, kissed him on the forehead, then, from behind, hugged him tightly through the blanket.

Is he crazy…

Qin Bao suspected Feng Chengyu’s preferences had regressed to that of a schoolboy.

“Feng Chengyu.”

After a long while, Qin Bao spoke softly in the dark.

He didn’t really know what he wanted to say, but at this moment, something inside him was stirring, and he couldn’t ignore the possible consequences.

“Xiao Bao.” Feng Chengyu suddenly said, “Let’s live apart for a while.”

Qin Bao stiffened: “Why?”

Feng Chengyu explained, “I’ve been very busy lately, and there are more people around me. I often need to hold meetings. It would be more convenient for me to stay at the old place.”

Qin Bao knew that since Feng Chengyu had been promoted to vice president, more people had joined his team. Besides Lin Zi, there were three other secretaries, each responsible for different tasks. One of them, a Beta, had graduated from Feng Chengyu’s alma mater and was a renowned top student. She was highly capable and often represented Feng Chengyu in media appearances.

They were from the same school, with matching backgrounds and appearances. There were even speculations online that she was Feng Chengyu’s spouse.

“Fine, whatever.” Qin Bao said, “You don’t need to explain work to me.”

The vice president’s office of the Imperial Council wasn’t big enough for meetings?

And this huge house wasn’t enough either?

“I’ll be on set next month. Whether we live together or not makes no difference to me.” Qin Bao said indifferently, “You didn’t have to specifically inform me. I’m not waiting at home for you every day. I don’t have time to care if you’re here or not.”

Feng Chengyu’s tone was unreadable: “Okay.”

Qin Bao lay there, looking at the darkened sky through the skylight. It seemed to be snowing.

That unsettled feeling hadn’t completely gone away, mixed with a stubborn refusal to accept it.

“Then how will we fulfill the contract’s agreement to spend every Monday and Friday together?”

Qin Bao questioned, feeling justified.

Even though they had long since lost track of what they owed and made up for.

Feng Chengyu said, “Temporarily canceled.”

Qin Bao almost choked on his breath, restrained himself, and muttered, “Then how about we just cancel it entirely? It’s been annoying for a while anyway. It would be more convenient for everyone. What do you think?”

If it’s canceled, don’t think about reinstating it!

Unexpectedly, Feng Chengyu responded, “Fine, we won’t stick to Mondays and Fridays anymore.”

Qin Bao: “…”

The blood that was about to boil inside him slowly cooled, making the earlier frustration seem utterly ridiculous.

He tried to break free, but Feng Chengyu tightened his embrace. “Where are you going?”

“To take a shower.”

Not wanting to stay near him for another moment, Qin Bao rolled off the bed and slammed the bathroom door shut.

Soon, Feng Chengyu entered. Qin Bao had grown accustomed to his sudden intrusions and regretted not locking the door.

Suddenly being pressed against the cold wall, he exploded with anger, “Feng Chengyu! Don’t touch me anymore!”

Feng Chengyu looked down and kissed him, roughly continuing to make out with him in the bathroom, repeatedly savoring the marked scent on his glands.

“Damn it! Bastard!”

“Mm.” The bastard responded.

“Pervert…”

“…Mm.” The pervert continued kissing downwards.

Using this tactic.

Qin Bao took a deep breath, gripping his hair tightly. The word “leave” was on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it back.

…

*

At the end of the month, Qin Bao, accompanied by Xiao Xu, went to Grody to shoot a new season’s perfume advertisement.

During the past half month, he had been in a cold war with Feng Chengyu. He wasn’t sure if it was one-sided, as Feng Chengyu had barely contacted him before that.

Had they reached a fatigue phase?

So what if the compatibility was so high?

It was just a setup.

Qin Bao thought coldly.

Fortunately, he hadn’t said anything, nor had he revealed everything out of momentary loneliness or impulse. Feng Chengyu was available to hang out when he had time and left when he didn’t. It was done well.

This was the proper way to handle a contract marriage.

Only he had been foolishly numb, blinded by time and illusions, forgetting the original reasons for their marriage and the compromises he had made.

Control your mind, if you can’t control your lower body.

He reminded himself.

It was still cold in the country, but Grody was still in summer.

The shooting location for the ad was in a desert with scorching temperatures. Several ice machines were set up on-site to provide relief.

The perfume’s theme this time was “sexual attraction,” aligning with Qin Bao’s public image. The makeup and setting brought out the “desire” in him vividly.

While resting on set, a photo of him sweating and drinking water was posted by the studio, causing a frenzy among his fans.

An unexpected event happened that afternoon.

The weather was hot, and the shooting was only planned for an hour, which Qin Bao could handle with the help of cooling fans.

But then, seven or eight Alpha models, who were waiting in the wings, came on stage, and the overwhelming scent of their pheromones almost attacked him.

These models were all muscular, dressed in tribal costumes that exposed their upper bodies and thighs.

Sunlight made the bronzed skin of the Alphas shine with sweat. In the camera, the desert’s heat slightly distorted the image.

This was the ideal scene for the director.

At first, Qin Bao cooperated well.

After about ten minutes, he called for a stop, and Xiao Xu brought out a suppressant for him to use again.

Although Feng Chengyu’s mark had faded significantly, Qin Bao should not have been so sensitive to Alpha pheromones with the suppressant.

After using the suppressant again, Qin Bao managed to hold on for another ten minutes before he ran to the side and vomited.

“Qin Bao—”

Xiao Xu’s face turned pale as she rushed over, patting his back and calling for water to rinse his mouth.

Qin Bao took the water and pushed her away, not wanting anyone to see him so disheveled: “Go away…”

“I’m not leaving. Don’t scare me. We’re going to the hospital.” Xiao Xu was almost in tears, “What’s wrong? Is it heatstroke?”

The symptoms didn’t improve after vomiting.

An Alpha came forward to help, but as soon as he approached, Qin Bao started vomiting again. The scene became chaotic, and work had to be halted. People rushed him to the hospital.

After an examination, the doctor at Grody came to the ward with a report, dismissing others and said to Qin Bao, “Do you know you have pheromone rejection syndrome?”

Qin Bao lay weakly on the hospital bed: “Pheromone rejection syndrome?”

He had heard of pheromone dependency but never about pheromone rejection.

Could this be due to Feng Chengyu?

Seeing his confusion, the doctor explained, “Pheromone rejection is a genetic defect found in a small number of Omegas, usually detected during early sexual characteristic examinations. You should have been tested for this when you were younger; it’s a standard check.”

Qin Bao shook his head: “I don’t remember being tested.”

Hearing it was a defect, he asked the doctor, “What are the symptoms?”

“The symptoms are difficulty in distinguishing most Alpha pheromones and a rejection response,” the doctor said. “It becomes more pronounced with age and around the time of heat.”

Qin Bao suddenly understood: “So I think Alphas smell bad?”

The doctor said, “This varies by individual. Some find the scent of the rejected target unpleasant, while others may feel violated.”

Qin Bao: “…”

No wonder he always thought Alphas smelled bad—Tu Yisen was smelly, Shan Yiming was smelly, and most of the Alphas he encountered were smelly. There was no difference.

Except… Feng Chengyu.

And his heat was indeed approaching.

“What are the implications?” he asked the doctor.

“Usually, as long as you use suppressants regularly to block Alpha pheromones, there shouldn’t be major issues. If you can have a permanent mark with a partner, the symptoms may even disappear completely,” the doctor said, then added delicately, “As for the impact… it’s quite difficult to find a partner who doesn’t cause rejection and can spend a lifetime together.”

Qin Bao responded with an “oh” and said, “Then I won’t look for one.”

The doctor shook his head: “Due to physiological conditions, Omega inherently needs an Alpha’s mark. Currently, there is no heat suppressant that doesn’t cause resistance. Omegas without a permanent mark might not survive their heat in the end.”

Qin Bao had read social news about Omega individuals in their forties or fifties who passed away during their heat. He knew that some single Omegas considered gland removal as an option.

Seeing his concern, the doctor reassured him, “You’re still young. Don’t be too pessimistic. With so many people in the world, there’s bound to be someone special for you. It’s not entirely unsolvable.”

The doctor evidently had the second method in mind.

Finally, the doctor prescribed some medication and advised, “Communicate with your family in a timely manner and maintain a good mindset. You will eventually meet the right person.”

Qin Bao frowned, lost in thought.

He wasn’t worried about his genetic defect but suddenly realized something.

Since he began developing, every time he left home or went to crowded places, Mr. Qin always reminded him of two things: to use gland patches and to take the suppressant.

The gland patches were easy to understand; they not only masked his scent but also served as a form of care for the glands.

However, the suppressant was different. Most Omegas only used it close to their heat or to block others’ scents, and sometimes even Alphas used it in situations requiring boundaries.

This meant that Mr. Qin’s constant reminders to use the suppressant were unnecessary.

More importantly, in their household, except for his divorce from Ms. Rong, Mr. Qin didn’t do anything without the approval of the old master.

Qin Bao rested in the hospital for a day. The next day, after finishing the advertisement shoot, he flew directly to the Empire’s capital and returned to the Qin family home.

The large house was quiet.

Old Master Qin was practicing calligraphy in his study. When he saw Qin Bao burst in, he smiled and quickly put down his brush. “Xiao Bao—”

“Grandpa.” Qin Bao said coldly, “Does Feng Chengyu know about my pheromone rejection syndrome?”

____

Author’s Note:

Here it is, the second confrontation between Xiao Bao and his grandfather.

Xiao Bao isn’t worried, but let’s keep our fingers crossed for him.

Because translating “pheromone rejection syndrome” is like translating Feng Chengyu’s ecstatic syndrome.