RBNR Ch40: April Fools’ Day

At five-thirty, Feng Chengyu called: “Are you ready?”

“Ready for what?” Qin Bao said nonchalantly.

Feng Chengyu said, “The reception. I’ll come pick you up at the hotel.”

Qin Bao wedged the phone between his shoulder and cheek, buttoning his final cufflink: “Oh, no need to pick me up, I’ve already left.”

That man always wore an irritating, thoroughly unflappable look. Qin Bao wanted him to think he was being stood up just to see if he could still keep his composure.

Feng Chengyu’s tone didn’t shift in the slightest: “You’re outside? Give me your location.”

Qin Bao: “…”

Failed to ruffle him.

Rattling off the street name swiftly, Qin Bao laid down a fierce ultimatum: “If you aren’t here in five minutes, I’m heading straight to the airport.” Then he hung up.

Mu Xian was putting the finishing touches on smoothing the collar when Qin Bao turned around with a rigid face, saying he had to head out: “I’ll come find you tomorrow.”

With that, he lifted his bag off the floor.

“Your jacket,” Mu Xian reminded him, retrieving it from the hanger and signaling for him to slide his arms into the sleeves.

“No need, I’ll put it on later.” Qin Bao gathered the jacket over his arm, his brows furrowing. “It’s hot.”

Hot from getting riled up.

Having arranged to take measurements the next morning, Qin Bao, impeccably dressed while cradling his suit jacket and slinging the slouchy, oversized bag over his shoulder, strode out of the bespoke shop. Viewed through the storefront display window, far from looking disheveled, he looked like he was in the middle of a street-style fashion shoot—not out of place in the slightest.

Before long, a black sedan slid quietly around the corner. Qin Bao paused for a fraction of a second, then pulled open the door himself and slipped into the back seat.

In the back, Feng Chengyu had already changed into formal attire, watching him get in with a half-smile.

Their suits shared an identical color palette, looking practically like a couple’s set.

On the spot, Qin Bao felt the urge to tell the driver to turn around so he could change into something else.

Lin Zi was there too, seated in the front passenger seat. Having arrived on an afternoon flight, regardless of whether he had overheard the couple’s exchange moments ago, he maintained an impeccably polite bearing.

Lin Zi said, “Young Master Qin has already prepared an outfit himself? Mr. Feng prepared one for you too, which I just brought over. It’s in the trunk, but it seems we won’t be needing it for now.”

Put that way by Lin Zi, it made it sound as though he had been remarkably eager.

The tips of Qin Bao’s ears burned red: “I was just hanging out at a friend’s shop, and he insisted that I try it on.” He emphasized, “It just happened to come in handy, so I didn’t bother taking it off.”

Saying so, he turned his glare on Feng Chengyu: “Do you even know my sizes, buying clothes for me like that?”

Feng Chengyu glanced at him and countered, “What do you think?”

Qin Bao: “…”

You’ve touched everywhere from top to bottom, proud of yourself, aren’t you?

He leaned back against the headrest and turned his face out the window.

However, he had misjudged Feng Chengyu on this count.

Lin Zi piped up: “Young Master Qin, you forgot—your measurements were taken during the wedding preparations. Actually, besides tailoring those ceremonial suits, Mr. Feng also commissioned several bespoke suits for you. I picked them up from your home before boarding the plane; they were hanging right inside the walk-in closet.”

Designing a walk-in closet larger than the bedroom hadn’t been without reason. Packing his luggage for this trip was the only reason Qin Bao realized he owned so many clothes—the movers must have hauled two entire vans of garments back then, as if terrified people wouldn’t know he was a walking clothes hanger brought to life.

And precisely because it was so massive, aside from pulling out seasonal pieces, Qin Bao hadn’t had occasion to open the other wardrobes at all, which explained why he had never laid eyes on the bespoke suits Feng Chengyu had ordered for him.

Qin Bao knew full well in his heart that there was only one reason Feng Chengyu had tailored these suits: to accompany him to social engagements like today’s. He was merely a lucky mascot symbolizing Feng Chengyu’s married status.

“Don’t make clothes for me next time. I’m very picky,” Qin Bao forced out. “My friend has great taste; I just made an appointment with him to take my measurements tomorrow. Having him make a couple of suits for me will be plenty.”

Having heard him bring up this person twice now, Feng Chengyu asked, “What friend?”

Qin Bao: “An older brother I’ve known since childhood, a student of my mother’s…” As he spoke, he remembered something, unzipped his bag, and fished out a box. “Here.”

“What is this?”

Feng Chengyu took it and opened the lid.

“A tie clip.” Qin Bao averted his gaze. “I have no use for it, you take it.”

It had been sitting in his bag for two or three days; better to hand it off and be done with it.

Stepping right out of a bespoke clothing boutique and claiming he had an “unneeded” tie clip on hand, Feng Chengyu’s lips curved faintly: “Bought for me?”

Seeing him smile, Qin Bao inexplicably grew irritable: “Who bought it for you? Someone gave it to me.”

The faint smile on Feng Chengyu’s face receded: “That friend gave it to you?”

Qin Bao mumbled vaguely, “Yeah.”

Stop prying and just take it.

Feng Chengyu snapped the box shut and set it aside.

Seeing his lack of enthusiasm, Qin Bao couldn’t help asking, “Aren’t you going to wear it?”

Feng Chengyu said, “I’m not wearing a tie today.”

Only then did Qin Bao notice that Feng Chengyu was indeed tieless.

The collar of his black dress shirt was casually unbuttoned, exposing the cool, fair skin around his Adam’s apple. Having spent the day somewhere unknown, he carried the scent of cologne, masking his natural pheromone aroma.

“Fine, up to you then. If you don’t like it, just toss it.”

Acting as though he couldn’t care less, Qin Bao zipped his bag shut with a sharp zip.

The car left Grodie’s urban center, heading toward a chateau estate nestled in the nearby outskirts.

Lush foliage cast cool shade over emerald lawns, while fountains and ornamental lakes complemented one another. Quite a few vehicles lined both sides of the driveway.

Dusk was falling, casting an amber sunset across the cobblestone path. Lin Zi stepped out to open the doors for them, and an attendant promptly stepped forward to receive them. Lin Zi presented the invitation, and the attendant made a deferential gesture of invitation.

Feng Chengyu gave a slight nod and led Qin Bao inside the chateau, while Lin Zi remained behind.

They were guided into a small reception parlor. The attendant produced a tablet displaying various animal motifs—both beasts and birds—and invited them to make a selection.

Feng Chengyu let Qin Bao choose.

Not grasping what this meant, Feng Chengyu explained to him, “Choosing a motif means choosing a mask.”

Wearing masks again?

Why are even formal receptions getting in on this game now?

“Don’t worry, pick whichever one you like,” Feng Chengyu said.

“What would I be worried about? It’s not like I haven’t worn one before.”

His face heating up, Qin Bao swiped through the tablet quickly and picked out an aesthetically striking bird at random.

The attendant gestured, “The thornbird. This way, please.”

It turned out the parlor led into several different corridors; they were escorted to one connected to a spiral staircase winding upward. Immediately after, the attendant handed them two identical thornbird masks, trimmed with deep blue plumage.

Only after seeing them put the masks on did the attendant step aside to grant passage.

On the stairs ahead, a couple wearing matching bird masks was entering arm in arm, appearing to be partners.

Feng Chengyu halted and turned to face Qin Bao. Instead of gesturing for him to take his arm, however, he held out his hand, palm up.

He was offering to hold hands.

Qin Bao placed his hand down, and Feng Chengyu clasped his fingers naturally: “Don’t wander off inside. Stay by my side.”

Qin Bao nodded.

With their palms pressed flush together, he could feel that Feng Chengyu’s palm ran slightly warm.

Following the stairs up to the third floor, the space opened up dramatically, filled with exquisitely laid-out refreshments and glassware.

Over a dozen guests had already arrived, conversing in hushed tones.

The chateau’s interior featured a hollow atrium design. Standing by the balustrade and looking down from different angles, one could take in the panoramic layout of the first and second floors.

Qin Bao noted that the seating across these three levels was categorized by the animal motifs on the masks; guests on their level all wore avian designs.

Qin Bao had never heard of an official business reception run like this.

Could it be a peculiar regional custom native to this small principality Grodie belonged to?

“Are you hungry? Want something to eat?” Feng Chengyu asked.

Qin Bao had already eaten some pastries at Mu Xian’s shop that afternoon: “Not hungry. What kind of place is this?”

“A respectable place.” The curve of Feng Chengyu’s lips visible beneath the mask arched slightly: “No police officers are going to burst in and haul you away.”

Qin Bao: “…”

Completely unnecessary question!

Since there was nothing fishy going on, Qin Bao moved to pull his hand back; staying clasped flush against Feng Chengyu’s palm was making them slick with sweat.

Before he could pull away, however, someone on the ground floor tapped a spoon against a glass. Guests drifted toward the railings in pairs and trios to look down. Qin Bao was even drawn a step closer by Feng Chengyu’s grip, their hands remaining linked while their shoulders pressed together.

The man tapping the glass was presumably the master of the chateau. He spoke with refined poise, first welcoming the gathered guests and raising a toast to everyone, before producing a slip of paper to present the first riddle.

It truly wasn’t an official business reception after all.

It was an entertainment mixer divided into factions to play parlor games.

The ground-floor guests tackled the riddle first. Guests on the second and third floors were forbidden from answering regardless of whether they knew the solution, until nobody below could answer, passing the baton to the second floor, and so forth.

The atmosphere was thoroughly relaxed. Each level took turns posing questions spanning astronomy, geography, and beyond—much of it far exceeding Qin Bao’s knowledge base.

Beyond solving riddles, they could unmask identities: the faction that solved a riddle could pick anyone from another faction to question. The selected target could bluff freely, but if guessed correctly, they were eliminated.

From time to time, someone removed their mask, their revealed face either drawing gasps of surprise or eliciting knowing chuckles from peers who had already seen through their disguise long ago.

Not a single guest was a politician Qin Bao recognized; instead, they all seemed to hail from academia.

The ground floor claimed a round. After a brief murmur among a few guests and the host, the master of the chateau suddenly directed his gaze toward the third floor: “The pair of thornbirds standing beside the balustrade.”

Qin Bao paused—calling them?

Looks like their identities are about to be targeted?

“What do you have for us?” Feng Chengyu remained remarkably composed.

The host dropped the theatrics entirely, calling out his name directly before the crowd: “Feng Chengyu, didn’t you say you had to rush back to accompany your Omega and couldn’t make it?”

Laughter rippled through the room.

Even though the question hadn’t been aimed at him, Qin Bao’s face flushed crimson.

Feng Chengyu hadn’t taken off his mask, but whether he removed the disguise seemed utterly irrelevant to everyone present.

Looking down calmly, Feng Chengyu murmured, “Shall I take my leave, then?”

The crowd chuckled again.

The host shouted a hasty “Don’t you dare!”, adding, “Look at you, always acting so aloof, threatening to leave at the drop of a hat. Even attending an alumni reunion, you have to stand at the highest vantage point.”

Standing tall and looking down, Feng Chengyu offered no rebuttal.

Alumni reunion…

Qin Bao realized with a start: this was an alumni gathering for Feng Chengyu.

He instantly recalled the photograph he had secretly snapped from Feng Chengyu’s album—in it, Feng Chengyu wore a graduation gown, with the university’s crest visible in the background.

No wonder the decorative emblems throughout the chateau had felt faintly familiar.

The host continued, “Now that you’ve graced us with your presence today, why don’t you properly introduce to us which Omega stole your heart and tricked you into the halls of matrimony? As for that long-legged bird beside you—please, I beg of you, you must keep his secret about slipping out to fool around behind his wife’s back!”

Anyone with eyes could see Feng Chengyu and Qin Bao holding hands, so everyone understood that the person beside Feng Chengyu was none other than the “wife” himself.

Even so, the crowd laughed and played along with the host, cheering for both of them to unmask.

Qin Bao grew tense.

His marriage had been kept strictly confidential. The people here weren’t politicians bound by protocol, but professionals from diverse industries; the moment he took off his mask, he might end up on the front page tomorrow. After all, the person he had married was Feng Chengyu.

With his career finally showing signs of life, Qin Bao didn’t want unexpected complications derailing things now.

Under their prenuptial agreement, Feng Chengyu wasn’t permitted to publicize it indiscriminately either.

Sensing a gentle squeeze on his hand, Qin Bao snapped out of his daze.

Turning his head, he met Feng Chengyu’s deep, steady gaze, and the tension winding through his body abruptly dissipated… He clearly didn’t know Feng Chengyu all that well, yet he felt an immediate sense of grounding calm wash over him.

Feng Chengyu reached up and slipped off his mask, revealing his handsome face.

Whistles broke out all around the gallery.

“Allow me to introduce him,” Feng Chengyu addressed the room below. “The person beside me is my Omega.”

“Getting married wasn’t easy for me. He is very shy, so I ask everyone to show some mercy and refrain from scaring him away.”