RBNR Ch19: Coming-of-Age Ceremony

At school, there was an alpha named Zou Jiudong who pursued Qin Bao in the most high-profile manner. He was also a first-year student, majoring in Performing Arts. On his first day of school, he arrived in a limited-edition sports car, and was a super-rich second-generation heir. His family’s entertainment company, Sufeng Entertainment, was a leading figure in the industry, with countless small companies under its wing.

This young master looked quite good and, combined with his background, was extremely arrogant.

One day, when Qin Bao simply walked by downstairs, Zou Jiudong caught a glimpse of him and immediately decided he wanted to win Qin Bao over.

In a public class, Zou Jiudong maneuvered his way to sit next to Qin Bao and started chatting with him in a lowered voice.

Qin Bao ignored him. Zou Jiudong then said, “Why are you studying design? You’re so beautiful, you should major in acting. Be my boyfriend, and I’ll guarantee you fame.”

Qin Bao looked at him strangely and asked seriously, “Are you sick?”

He even tapped his own head to indicate.

Zou Jiudong had never encountered such an ungrateful person before. He thought the other party might not recognize him, so he smiled generously, “How about we grab a coffee after class? Let’s get to know each other, and I’ll take you for a spin.”

Qin Bao replied with just two words and looked at the blackboard, “No time.”

The next day, when he went to school, Zou Jiudong had scattered a carload of flowers, with petals leading from the car door all the way to the intersection Qin Bao had to pass, attracting a lot of onlookers.

After a night of investigation, Zou Jiudong had thoroughly understood Qin Bao’s background and was itching to make a move.

Qin Bao walked forward without looking sideways, while Zou Jiudong followed behind, “No wonder your legs are so long; you’re actually a supermodel. I knew you were extraordinary at first sight. Yesterday, I was rude, but it was because I fell for you at first sight. Look, I’m introducing myself again today. Can you give me another chance?”

Qin Bao frowned and covered his nose.

Zou Jiudong thought for a moment and quickly said, “Is it that you don’t like the smell of flowers?”

“I don’t like you,” Qin Bao shook his head and told him, “Your pheromone smells bad.”

Zou Jiudong’s face darkened instantly: “You…”

Looking at Qin Bao’s face and seeing that he wasn’t getting angry, Zou Jiudong had to swallow his anger, though he still felt itchiness inside. This type of delicate and arrogant personality was really tempting.

He found Qin Bao’s phone number from somewhere and started sending harassing text messages. Whenever Qin Bao blocked one, Zou Jiudong would get another number, with increasingly explicit messages as time went on.

Qin Bao spent little time at school, but every time he returned, Zou Jiudong would be waiting for him.

Zou Jiudong loved to act romantic. Sometimes he would bring a bunch of heart-shaped balloons, sometimes hire human-shaped dolls, and sometimes give gifts to the whole class, saying he was treating everyone to help him.

Qin Bao thought of Zou Jiudong as a lunatic.

He had been very busy lately, balancing his career, studies, and trying to calm the two stubborn old men at home. He had no time to deal with Zou Jiudong.

He was about to hold his eighteenth birthday celebration.

Grandpa wanted to make it more grand, and Grandfather also wanted to use this opportunity to introduce his grandson to the public. The two started to compete over the event, each sending Qin Bao a list of party plans. Every time Qin Bao reviewed one list, the next one would have more added programs, making him gasp.

Qin Bao became very sought-after. After having dinner with Grandpa, he would be called by Grandfather the next day. Both sides bribed Qin Bao and inquired about each other’s information.

It got even more exaggerated as they started to argue over the gifts for his coming-of-age ceremony.

Seeing that Grandfather’s gift list included a cruise ship, Qin Bao felt completely distressed. Was this still the Grandfather who always scolded him for being “extravagant”? The capital was thousands of miles from the seaside. Was he supposed to use the cruise ship to tour a wetland park?!

So he told Mr. Qin: “I don’t want to have a coming-of-age ceremony. It’s just a birthday. There’s no need to make it so complicated. On my birthday, we can just have a meal together as a family. No need for gifts. I have everything, and I can buy whatever I want myself.”

Mr. Qin also thought the two old men were over the top and disagreed with some of their actions, but he still refused his son’s suggestion.

“That’s not acceptable. The coming-of-age ceremony is very important and must be given proper attention. Besides, many family friends will be coming. They have watched you grow up, and it would be very rude not to invite them for such an important day. A few days ago, Director Feng even called your grandfather—”

Qin Bao caught the key word: “Director Feng?”

He knew that Feng Rui’an was Feng Chengyu’s aunt.

He also knew that the Feng and Qin families had been very close in the past. He had heard that before Feng Laozi passed away, the two families even celebrated the New Year together.

Moreover, when Grandpa had his grand birthday party last time, the Feng family had come. Naturally, they wouldn’t miss this time for his coming-of-age ceremony.

So, does this mean…

Qin Bao calmly asked Mr. Qin, “Will the Feng family come too?”

Mr. Qin glanced at his face, with no change in his expression, and said, “They will all come, including Feng Chengyu.”

Qin Bao’s heart skipped a beat: “Oh.”

He hadn’t seen that person for more than two years, only occasionally reading about him in the news or newspapers. He hadn’t seen even a single photo or footage of him.

Yet, Feng Chengyu’s presence was so strong. Even though they were in completely different circles, he often heard people around him talk about Feng Chengyu.

Each time Feng Chengyu appeared, it represented the current Feng family. Every word he said as a legislator could be a barometer for today’s political climate.

With Marshal Feng retired and Director Feng gradually stepping back, Feng Chengyu had emerged. The Feng family, once a hidden giant within the alliance, was finally extending its reach again.

One day, Brother Lu was flipping through a current affairs magazine in the lounge and came across a page with Feng Chengyu’s photo. After pondering for a while, he asked Qin Bao, “Bao, can you tell me if the Feng family has some dark forces behind it in the alliance? Look at Feng Chengyu—I feel like he has deep scheming.”

The photo of Feng Chengyu was from his election campaign for a legislator.

Qin Bao was speechless: “What are you thinking? With how handsome he is, does he look like he’s part of any dark forces?”

Brother Lu said, “He does. His eyes are so cold; it’s quite intimidating.”

Qin Bao: “…”

Brother Lu added, “The internet says so. If you don’t believe it, go check for yourself.”

Qin Bao had looked it up often.

He warned Brother Lu to spend less time online: “The worst people online love to twist the truth, brainwashing concerned middle-aged people like you to turn you into their pawns.”

The term “middle-aged” hit Brother Lu hard, and he never brought up politics again.

Regarding the coming-of-age ceremony, Qin Bao no longer resisted. He made a quick decision: the birthday would be celebrated at the Qin family’s place, inviting Grandfather, Grandmother, and his mother. No programs would be arranged, and no gifts from the gift list were allowed.

Grandfather won, and walked around humming a little tune.

Grandfather then didn’t speak to Qin Bao for almost a week and went off to attend a painters’ seminar.

A week before the coming-of-age ceremony, Qin Bao was cornered by Zou Jiudong in the dance studio.

That day, class had ended late. Qin Bao was tidying up his things while on the phone with Xu Tangzhou. Xu Tangzhou said he wouldn’t be able to attend Qin Bao’s birthday because his father’s old leg injury had flared up and needed surgery to implant a joint bone.

Xu Tangzhou’s father had also been a military officer, injured in battle like Qin Bao’s grandfather. Now, he received veteran’s benefits. Due to a broken marriage, he had been drinking heavily, and recently, he fell down the stairs, requiring another surgery.

“I’ve already prepared your birthday gift. I was planning to attend, so I bought it early and left it at my brother’s house,” Xu Tangzhou said. “Even though I can’t come, I’ll have my brother send it over. Qin Bao, give me an address.”

“Gifts are not important. We’ll talk about it later.”

Qin Bao was quite worried about Xu Tangzhou’s condition.

“Do you really not need my help?”

Xu Tangzhou replied again, “I really don’t need it. I’m busy at school all day, and we’ve hired a caregiver at home. I just need to accompany my father during the surgery. Qin Bao, I’ve made progress in this exam, and my dad is very happy.”

Since deciding not to go abroad with his mother and aiming to enter the capital in the future, Xu Tangzhou had gradually faded out of the modeling industry. Maybe it was his brother’s help, but his contract with the agency was also terminated.

Qin Bao was very happy for him and often encouraged him.

After hearing this, they chatted for a while longer before hanging up the phone.

Turning around, he found that the dance studio was now empty.

As he reached the door, he saw Zou Jiudong standing there. He frowned and was about to leave when Zou Jiudong grabbed his arm and coldly said, “Qin Bao, are you taking my kindness for granted?”

Having just finished exercising, Qin Bao’s forehead was a bit damp, and his neck still had the adhesive pad on it. His body had no Omega pheromone scent, only a faint smell of sweat.

Even so, Zou Jiudong was infatuated, and his tone softened: “It’s fine if you don’t like me; I won’t force you. But after pursuing you for so many days, don’t be so ungrateful. If you spend a few months with me, I’ll give you everything you deserve. You won’t lose out.”

Qin Bao stopped walking, let go of Zou Jiudong’s hand, and let his backpack fall heavily to the ground: “How do you expect me to spend time with you?”

Hearing this, Zou Jiudong almost went mad. He pushed Qin Bao against the wall and leaned in to sniff his neck: “I’ll let you do whatever you want.”

Qin Bao, still holding a bottle of water, tilted his head slightly. The bottle pressed against Zou Jiudong’s chest.

This movement made Qin Bao’s long neck and the elegant collarbone under his white T-shirt fully visible. The bottle followed his movement, sliding from his chest to Zou Jiudong’s abdomen.

He said, “Just four abs? Is that all you’ve got?”

Zou Jiudong’s breathing grew heavy, his eyes reddened. He immediately started removing his shirt, revealing his bare skin.

Qin Bao didn’t even raise his eyelids, scanning him like he was just a piece of meat: “Just four? Go practice more.”

“You must be eating well, to be so picky?” Zou Jiudong smiled instead of getting angry, pressing closer again. “Those things are secondary; what’s most important is the bite. I’m so obsessed with you, aren’t you curious? Let me tell you, our compatibility must be very high, or I wouldn’t have wanted to have you in bed the first time I saw you.”

Qin Bao replied indifferently, “Is that so?”

“Have you never been bitten by someone with high compatibility?” Zou Jiudong tempted him, “Why not try it? There’s no one else here right now. I guarantee you’ll find it irresistible.”

Qin Bao wasn’t much shorter than Zou Jiudong. Despite being pressured, he didn’t seem flustered.

He straightened up and leaned in to whisper in Zou Jiudong’s ear: “…Kneel.”

Zou Jiudong became excited, thinking that Qin Bao was into this. Despite his arrogance, he should have resisted, but his back shivered with Qin Bao’s breath, and he obediently kneeled down.

Qin Bao looked down from above and tapped his face with the water bottle.

Without his shirt, Zou Jiudong suddenly felt that Qin Bao wasn’t flirting but intentionally insulting him.

“I’ve told you how many times, you really stink.” Qin Bao showed a look of disgust, hitting him harder with the water bottle. “Please look in the mirror before our next meeting, and stay away from me, or I’ll take you out myself.”