RBNR Ch19: Coming-of-Age Ceremony

There was an Alpha in the school named Zou Jiudong, who pursued Qin Bao in the most high-profile manner. He was also a freshman, in the acting department. On his first day of school, he drove a limited-edition sports car. He was a super rich second-generation heir; Sufeng Entertainment, the current leading giant in the entertainment industry, was his family’s business, with countless small subsidiary companies under it.

This crown prince looked quite decent, and coupled with his background, he was extremely arrogant.

That day, Qin Bao was merely passing by downstairs. With just one fleeting glance, he formed the thought of getting his hands on Qin Bao.

During a public lecture, Zou Jiudong sneaked into the seat next to Qin Bao and lowered his voice to strike up a conversation.

Qin Bao ignored him, so Zou Jiudong said: “Why still study design? You’re so beautiful, why not study acting? Be my boyfriend, I guarantee you’ll be famous.”

Qin Bao gave him a very strange look and asked seriously: “Are you sick in the head?”

As he spoke, he even tapped his head with his finger to gesture.

Zou Jiudong had never seen someone so unappreciative. Thinking the other party might not know who he was, he smiled magnanimously: “Then how about grabbing a cup of coffee with me after class? We can get to know each other, and I’ll take you for a spin.”

Qin Bao only said two words before looking towards the blackboard: “No time.”

Who knew that the next day at school, Zou Jiudong would get a sports car full of fresh flowers. The petals were scattered 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 already found out Qin Bao’s resume clearly, making his heart itch even more unbearably.

Qin Bao walked forward without looking sideways, and he followed behind: “No wonder your legs are so long, so you’re a supermodel. I knew you weren’t simple the first time I saw you. Yesterday was my fault, I spoke abruptly, but it was also because I fell in love with you at first sight and couldn’t control myself. Look, let me reintroduce myself today, can you give me another chance?”

Qin Bao frowned and covered his nose.

Zou Jiudong thought for a moment and hurriedly asked: “Do you not like the smell of flowers?”

“I don’t like you.” Qin Bao shook his head and told him, “Your pheromones stink so much.”

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

Looking at Qin Bao’s face, he really couldn’t get angry, so he had to endure it. His heart actually felt quite itchy; this kind of delicate yet arrogant type was truly captivating.

He got Qin Bao’s phone number from who knows where and sent harassing text messages all day. When Qin Bao blocked one, he would add a new one, going from confessions and pursuits at the beginning to becoming increasingly explicit later on.

Qin Bao spent relatively little time at school, but every time he went back for class, Zou Jiudong would be waiting for him.

Zou Jiudong loved playing the romantic. Sometimes he pulled a huge bunch of heart-shaped balloons, sometimes he hired human-sized mascots, and sometimes he handed out gifts to Qin Bao’s entire class, saying he wanted to ask everyone for an assist.

Qin Bao just treated Zou Jiudong as a psycho.

He was very busy lately, having to juggle his career and studies, while also busy appeasing the two stubborn old men at home. He simply had no time to pay attention to him.

He was about to hold his eighteenth birthday coming-of-age ceremony.

Grandpa wanted to hold a grand one, and his maternal grandfather also intended to use this opportunity to introduce his grandson to the public. The two began to compete over this matter. They each had someone make a banquet itinerary and handed it to Qin Bao. Every time Qin Bao looked at it, the next list handed over would have quite a few more programs added, leaving him dumbfounded.

Qin Bao became very highly sought after. If he ate with his grandpa today, he would definitely be called away by his maternal grandfather another day. Both sides simultaneously bribed Qin Bao and probed for enemy intel.

What was even more exaggerated was that they started competing over Qin Bao’s coming-of-age gifts.

Seeing a cruise ship on the gift list drafted by his maternal grandfather, Qin Bao felt entirely unwell. Was this still the maternal grandfather who frequently called him “extravagant”? The capital was a thousand miles away from the seaside; was he supposed to use that cruise ship to tour the wetland park?!

So he said to Mr. Qin: “I’m not having a coming-of-age ceremony. It’s just a birthday, there’s no need to make it so complicated. On my birthday, our family can just have a meal together. Everyone doesn’t need to give gifts either, I have everything, and I can buy whatever I want myself.”

Mr. Qin also felt the two old men were too exaggerated and disapproved of some of their actions, but he still rejected his son’s proposal.

“That won’t do. The coming-of-age ceremony is very important and must be taken seriously. Moreover, many old family friends will come; they all watched you grow up since you were little. It would be very impolite not to invite them on such an important day. A few days ago, Director Feng even called your grandpa—”

Qin Bao caught the keyword: “Director Feng?”

He knew that Feng Ruian was Feng Chengyu’s aunt.

He also knew the Qin and Feng families had an excellent relationship in their early years. He heard that before Old Master Feng passed away, the two families would even celebrate the New Year together.

Moreover, at his grandpa’s major birthday last time, people from the Feng family had come. For his coming-of-age ceremony this time, the Feng family naturally wouldn’t be an exception either.

Then, didn’t that mean…

Qin Bao calmly asked Mr. Qin, “Will people from the Feng family all come?”

Mr. Qin glanced at his face and said without any change in expression, “They will all come. Feng Chengyu is coming too.”

Qin Bao’s heartbeat quickened: “Oh.”

He hadn’t seen that person again for over two years, only occasionally reading information about him from the news and newspapers. He rarely even saw a single shot or photo of him.

However, Feng Chengyu’s presence was so intense. Even though they were completely not in the same circle, he could often hear people around him discussing and evaluating Feng Chengyu.

Because every time Feng Chengyu made an appearance, he represented today’s Feng family. Every word he spoke as a parliament member could represent the current political weather vane.

Marshal Feng had retired, and Director Feng was gradually retreating behind the scenes, so Feng Chengyu stepped forward. The Feng family, this behemoth hidden in the depths of the Alliance, finally extended its claws and fangs once again.

One day, holding a current affairs magazine in the lounge, Brother Lu flipped to the page with Feng Chengyu’s photo. He pondered for a moment and asked Qin Bao, “Bao, can you disclose a little to me? Are there dark forces of the entire Alliance behind the Feng family? Look at this Feng Chengyu, the more I look at him, the more I feel he is deeply calculating.”

Feng Chengyu’s photo was still the one from when he was running for parliament in the national election.

Qin Bao was speechless: “What are you thinking about? He looks so handsome, does he look like a dark force?”

Brother Lu said, “He does. His eyes are so cold, it’s scary to look at.”

Qin Bao: “…”

Brother Lu added, “That’s what everyone says online. If you don’t believe it, go see for yourself.”

Qin Bao hadn’t read it any less.

He warned Brother Lu to spend less time online: “The bad elements on the internet nowadays love reversing right and wrong to brainwash middle-aged people like you who care about current affairs, so they can groom you into their reserve pawns.”

The word “middle-aged” hit Brother Lu hard. From then on, he never mentioned current affairs again.

Qin Bao didn’t resist the coming-of-age ceremony anymore, but he cut the Gordian knot and made a choice. His birthday would be spent at the Qin family home. He would invite his maternal grandparents and mother to attend. No programs would be arranged, and neither side was allowed to give any gifts on their gift lists.

Grandpa won, humming a little tune as he walked.

His maternal grandfather, however, didn’t speak to Qin Bao for nearly a week, turning around to attend a painters’ seminar instead.

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

Class ended a bit late that day. Qin Bao was packing his things while talking to Xu Tangzhou on the phone. Xu Tangzhou said he couldn’t make it to Qin Bao’s birthday because his father’s old leg injury had relapsed and required hospitalization to implant a new joint bone.

Xu Tangzhou’s father was also once a military officer, injured in battle like Qin Bao’s grandpa, and was now receiving veteran subsidies. Due to the broken relationship with his wife, he became a long-term alcoholic. A few days ago, he fell down the stairs and had to undergo surgery again.

“I’ve already prepared your birthday gift. Originally I was going to attend, so I bought it in advance and left it at my brother’s house,” Xu Tangzhou said. “Even though I can’t come in person now, I’ll have my brother deliver it. Qin Bao, give me an address.”

“The gift isn’t important, we’ll talk about it later.”

Qin Bao was more worried about Xu Tangzhou’s situation.

“Do you really not need me to come help you?”

Xu Tangzhou said again, “I really don’t need it. I have classes at school all day myself. We hired a caregiver at home, I just have to accompany him on the days of the surgery. Qin Bao, I improved on my exams again this time, and my dad was very happy too.”

Ever since deciding not to go abroad with his mother and aiming to get into a university in the capital in the future, Xu Tangzhou had gradually faded out of the modeling circle. He didn’t know if his brother’s family helped out, but his contract with the agency was also terminated.

Qin Bao was very happy for him and often cheered him on.

Hearing this, the two talked for a while longer before hanging up the phone.

Turning around, there was no one left inside the dance studio.

He walked to the door, only to see Zou Jiudong standing there. He frowned and was about to leave, but his arm was grabbed by the latter, and a gloomy sentence entered his ear: “Qin Bao, I gave you face, didn’t I?”

Qin Bao had just finished exercising. His bangs were a bit damp, and a gland patch was stuck to the back of his neck. There was no Omega pheromone scent on his body, only a faint smell of sweat.

Even so, it made Zou Jiudong feel captivated, and he couldn’t help but soften his tone: “It’s fine if you don’t like me, I won’t force it. But I’ve pursued you for so many days, don’t be too unappreciative. Keep me company for a few months, and I’ll give you everything I should. You won’t suffer a loss.”

Qin Bao didn’t try to leave anymore. He let go of his hand, and his backpack dropped heavily to the floor: “How to keep you company?”

As soon as he replied, Zou Jiudong couldn’t help but want to go crazy. He pushed him against the wall in one swift motion, lowering his head to sniff the side of his neck: “However I want you to keep me company.”

Qin Bao was still holding a mineral water bottle in his hand. Hearing this, he slightly turned his head away, and the bottle in his hand pressed against Zou Jiudong’s chest.

This movement completely exposed the slender lines of his neck, and the beautiful collarbones under the collar of his white T-shirt faintly appeared. Following his movement, the bottle slid all the way down from the chest to Zou Jiudong’s abdomen.

He spoke up: “How many abs do you have, to be this arrogant.”

Zou Jiudong’s breathing grew heavy, and his eyes turned red. He immediately raised his hand to take off his clothes, revealing his bare flesh.

Qin Bao didn’t even lift an eyelid. He glanced at it twice like looking at a piece of meat: “Only four? Go back and practice some more.”

“Are you used to eating really well normally, to be this picky?” Zou Jiudong didn’t get angry but laughed instead, pressing over again, “Those are actually secondary. The most important thing is the bite. I’m so obsessed with you, aren’t you curious? Let me tell you, our compatibility must be very high, otherwise I wouldn’t have wanted to fuck you to death in bed the first time I saw you.”

Qin Bao said lukewarmly, “Is that so.”

“Have you never been bitten by someone with high compatibility?” Zou Jiudong lured him, “Try it out first and see how it is. Anyway, there’s no one else here right now. I guarantee, you’ll definitely be unable to stop.”

Qin Bao wasn’t much shorter than Zou Jiudong. Being pressed like this, he didn’t show any panic.

He straightened his body, leaned over, and whispered into Zou Jiudong’s ear: “…Kneel down.”

Zou Jiudong became excited, thinking to himself that Qin Bao was into this kind of thing. Arrogant as he was, he should have resisted, but shivers ran down his back due to Qin Bao’s breath, and he actually knelt down obediently.

Qin Bao looked down at him from above and patted his face with the water bottle.

Zou Jiudong wasn’t wearing a top. He suddenly felt that Qin Bao acting like this didn’t seem like flirting at all, but rather intentional humiliation.

“How many times do I have to say it, you really stink.” Qin Bao revealed a look of disgust, patting him with the water bottle harder and harder. “Please go back and look in the mirror. Next time you see me, stay far away, otherwise I’ll kill you first.”