RBNR Ch37: You want his pheromones

In the afternoon, Qin Bao received a call from the renowned modeling agency, Fufang Agency. The call lasted about half an hour. The agency director was exceptionally sincere, taking the initiative to set up a meeting with Qin Bao and offering to fly over in person to talk things through.

Qin Bao politely declined for now, using his university classes as an excuse, saying he didn’t have time.

The representative then asked if they could contact his manager directly so they could start preliminary discussions.

“Let me discuss it on my end first, and then I’ll get back to you, alright?”

He didn’t even have a manager anymore, which left him with no choice but to slump over the back of the campus bench and offer that excuse.

Jin Si sat beside him on the bench. Because Qin Bao wouldn’t let her treat him to dinner, she insisted on buying him milk tea instead, thoughtfully ordering it sugar-free. Still, Qin Bao drank very little. Looking as though he had no bones in his body, he lazily leaned against anything he could find.

Jin Si said, “You look so tired today. Are you feeling unwell again?”

Over the past six months or so, aside from promotional material completed in advance, Qin Bao had zero public exposure and hadn’t appeared on a single runway. Having missed two consecutive fashion weeks, he had long fallen off the model rankings. Rumors online claimed he had offended some big shot and was shelved.

As for university, he had taken back-to-back medical leaves of absence, which led Jin Si to assume his health was genuinely poor.

Qin Bao: “No, I’m great. I’m not that fragile.”

Don’t worry, it’s just overindulgence in lust.

Could he actually say that out loud?

Jin Si hesitated before asking, “Qin Bao, can I ask you a question?”

Thinking she had noticed something, Qin Bao subconsciously touched the scent patch at his nape: “Go ahead.”

“Are you switching careers to act in movies?”

It turned out she had seen the trending news on Flow as well and was asking about that.

Qin Bao lowered his hand: “No, I have no plans for that right now.”

Jin Si: “I didn’t think so either, but they wouldn’t believe me when I told them.”

“They?”

“People at school. Zou Jiudong was pursuing you before, and doesn’t his family own Sufeng Entertainment? Coincidentally, he took a leave of absence right around the time you were off, so everyone’s been guessing if he’s backing you to get into film.”

“He took a leave of absence?” Qin Bao was slightly surprised, but couldn’t care less, saying with disdain, “I would never get mixed up with him.”

“Then you’re still going to be a model,” Jin Si nodded. “I saw online that your contract with SISI expired, and you haven’t signed anywhere yet. Which agency are you leaning toward?”

Qin Bao shook his head, looking a little lost.

In truth, Fufang Agency sat at the absolute pinnacle of the pyramid. With branches worldwide, they could manage Qin Bao’s work across different countries, offering seamless coordination in every region along with top-tier resources. Signing with them practically guaranteed an effortless, smooth-sailing career with zero worries.

Yet what Qin Bao hated to admit most was that he was still waiting for SISI.

He was someone who clung intensely to the past, practically carrying an imprinting complex. When his childhood toys grew worn and battered, he refused to let the adults throw them out; even if they bought him a brand-new identical replacement, he still felt the original was irreplaceable. He never made friends haphazardly—once he recognized someone, that was it. Getting hurt left him miserable and holding grudges for ages. Even falling for Feng Chengyu back then… had lingered as an obsession for several years.

His display name on Flow was still SISI Qin Bao. Even though he had terminated his contract with SISI, he had yet to change that prefix.

He truly was still waiting.

However, SISI hadn’t made a move, and with his fierce pride, he refused to go crawling back to them on his own.

So, even though his beloved career was finally within reach again, he still didn’t feel any lighter. To him, new things could never compare to the old, and new people couldn’t hold a candle to those from his past. Yet this second chance hadn’t come easily; it felt like a dream, making him afraid to rush into a decision.

Jin Si was a classmate he was relatively close with, but she wasn’t from the industry and didn’t truly understand him.

Qin Bao couldn’t confide the tangled mess in his heart to her.

At times like this, he missed Xu Tangzhou terribly.

They had been out of touch for far too long.

Was he doing alright?

If moving abroad to start over truly offered Xu Tangzhou a chance to heal, then he was willing to let go.

That evening, Feng Chengyu didn’t come home as promised. An unexpected development occurred at the hearing, pushing it to the following day, which required him to hold strategy meetings with other councilors from his coalition.

The news channel broadcasted a ridiculous spectacle outside the venue: one councilor was screaming curses while hurling eggs at another’s car window, creating complete pandemonium that quickly became a laughingstock.

Qin Bao watched the entire news clip without spotting Feng Chengyu once.

Given Feng Chengyu’s character, losing his temper or brawling was utterly beneath him. Even if he clashed with someone politically, he would surely look down on them from on high, watching them like a clown.

Right after, the meeting was delayed into a third day.

Feng Chengyu didn’t return home for three consecutive days. He sent Qin Bao messages on Dingxun, but Qin Bao only read them without replying.

Their agreement stipulated meeting on “Mondays and Fridays” to begin with; Feng Chengyu had no obligation to report his whereabouts.

Qin Bao even felt it would be best if Feng Chengyu couldn’t make it back on Friday either. That way, returning home punctually every day due to having no work wouldn’t look as though he was waiting for anything.

Still, aside from classes, Qin Bao found something to occupy his time: Uncle Sheng had recommended a familiar driving instructor, so he started carving out hours to learn how to drive.

After just two days of lessons, he received a call from Shu Helan in the evening: “Xiao Bao, are you home right now?”

Qin Bao had just stepped inside: “…I am.”

Could people who weren’t his elders address him properly by his name?

He sometimes felt this best friend of Feng Chengyu’s was sneaky and wicked.

Shu Helan chuckled, “Then wait twenty minutes for me. Your husband asked me to drop something off.”

Husband.

Qin Bao hung up on the spot.

Now he was certain—this guy wasn’t just sneaky, he was genuinely wicked. Birds of a feather truly flocked together; Shu Helan and Feng Chengyu were cut from the exact same cloth.

Twenty minutes later, Shu Helan arrived in his silver sedan.

The sunset’s afterglow reflected off the car’s body, rippling with radiant hues.

The moment Shu Helan stepped out, he sized up the house before him: “Tsk, truly extravagant. Are you sure that guy Feng Chengyu isn’t just leeching off a wealthy benefactor?”

Qin Bao stood on the driveway outside the garage with a sea of white hydrangea blooms behind him. With his presence there, the entire backdrop looked like a luxury real estate advertisement poster.

“What did he ask you to give me?” Qin Bao asked.

“Hold on.” Shu Helan popped the trunk and retrieved a square box. “Open it and see for yourself.”

Qin Bao had a creeping suspicion it was something strange.

It felt a bit heavy. Taking it with skepticism, he opened the lid, only to find a silver-white motorcycle helmet. He paused, genuinely surprised: “…”

Shu Helan said, “He did his homework thoroughly, pulling strings overnight to order this. It has top-tier safety ratings, perfect for beginners. He said if it feels comfortable on you, he’ll find time to take you for a custom-molded one fitted specifically to your head.”

What on earth? It was just a helmet.

Did he really need to order it overnight and specifically have a friend deliver it?

“A bit too early for that, isn’t it?” Qin Bao felt somewhat embarrassed. “I don’t even have a license yet, and the school provides helmets.”

Shu Helan wore a profoundly meaningful smile: “Not having a license is one thing; whether you take it for a spin is another.” He nodded toward the bike parked inside the garage. “With that beast sitting there, your husband can barely sleep at night, terrified that you’ll take off on a wild ride the moment you lose your temper.”

Hearing “your husband” with every other sentence left Qin Bao utterly speechless.

Helplessly, he wasn’t that close with Shu Helan, and the man didn’t know the reality of their arrangement. Correcting him wasn’t an option, leaving Qin Bao to swallow the bitter pill in silence: “…I wouldn’t touch it without a license anyway. What is he worrying about?”

Regardless, he still said to Shu Helan, “Thanks for dropping it off. I won’t invite you inside.”

With an unbonded Alpha and Omega alone, Shu Helan hadn’t planned on playing guest anyway.

Still, he hadn’t expected Qin Bao to be this direct. He was beginning to grasp what Feng Chengyu saw in him.

Before leaving, Shu Helan rested a hand on the car door, as if suddenly remembering something: “By the way, Xiao Bao, could you give me your friend An Qingyan’s phone number? There’s something I’d like to ask him.”

The man had driven all this way; Qin Bao had no reason to refuse.

Since they shared no prior connection, he figured it had to be official business, so he forwarded An Qingyan’s contact card: “Sent it to you.”

“Thanks!” Shu Helan waved. “See ya.”

Qin Bao walked into the garage, placed the helmet on the motorcycle, found a good angle to snap a few photos, and sent them to Shan Yiming.

Qin Bao: [Got a helmet to match your son.]

The two hadn’t spoken since parting last time, and Qin Bao hadn’t specifically expressed his gratitude yet.

This was the least awkward way he could think of to break the ice.

Shan Yiming replied very quickly: [How did you manage to buy that?]

Qin Bao: [?]

Shan Yiming: [I tried ordering the exact same model for you, but they said it was out of stock and told me to wait.]

Attached was a screenshot of an order.

Shan Yiming caught on almost immediately: [Got it. It wasn’t out of stock; you just intercepted it before me.]

Qin Bao realized the truth as well: he hadn’t intercepted it—the man surnamed Feng had bought it first.

A warm sensation stirred in his chest. In any case, he had accepted the man’s kindness, so he sent a copy of the photos to Feng Chengyu as well.

Feng Chengyu was likely busy, only replying half an hour later.

F: [Do you like it?]

Qin Bao typed awkwardly: [Yeah, thanks. Let me know how much it was and I’ll transfer the money to you.]

Feng Chengyu ignored the second half of the message entirely.

F: [Put it on and let me see.]

The more Qin Bao read that sentence, the weirder it felt, overlapping uncomfortably with certain scenes from that night. Caring little about whether Feng Chengyu wanted to see it or not, he locked his phone with burning cheeks.

He resolved never to casually chat with Feng Chengyu again.

The next day, Ms. Rong called, asking Qin Bao to accompany her to pick out a birthday gift for his grandmother. It had been a long time since mother and son went shopping together, so Qin Bao gladly agreed.

Qin Bao had impeccable taste. As a top model, whatever he bought would quickly sell out, with crowds clamoring to get the exact same pieces, making him a favorite among luxury brands.

Every time Ms. Rong took her son shopping, she would return loaded with spoils, and the items purchased to meet quota requirements were never left idle, boasting high practical utility.

Over time, whenever Ms. Rong’s circle of friends heard Qin Bao was around, they would rush to the scene to join the shopping spree, regardless of where they were.

Before long, Qin Bao was surrounded by his mother and four aunties.

The aunties chattered away, asking this and that. Qin Bao showed zero impatience. He was a natural clotheshorse with striking features; when shopping, the aunties loved holding items up against him to check the fit, and loved buying things for him too.

Finally catching a break when everyone headed to the VIP lounge to sip tea and pick out jewelry, Qin Bao enjoyed a brief moment of quiet. Wandering around on his own, he came to a stop before a display case showcasing an exquisite tie clip.

Having wrapped up most of her shopping, Ms. Rong walked over and linked her arm through his, leaning in to look: “This style seems a bit too youthful for your father.”

Saying so, she realized something and smiled, “My mistake. Bao’er, are you buying this for Chengyu?”

“Why would I buy it for him?” Qin Bao’s earlobes flushed red. “It’s for myself.”

Qin Bao rarely wore formal suits. Refraining from calling him out, Ms. Rong played along smoothly: “If it’s for yourself, the style next to it suits you very well. But this one truly complements Chengyu. With him working all day, he probably doesn’t have time to go shopping anyway; you might as well pick it up for him while you’re at it.”

“Then… fine.” Qin Bao signaled the sales associate to wrap it, muttering, “Guess he’s getting lucky today.”

After paying, he refused gift wrapping, casually shoving the box straight into his oversized tote bag.

As if it truly were just an afterthought.

Afterward, he entered the VIP lounge to wait for the aunties, absently scrolling through his phone for a while. Sitting off to the side, he downed two glasses of ice water, yet the heat on his face still hadn’t cooled down.

Ms. Rong reached out to touch his forehead, asking with concern, “Bao’er, you seem to have a fever.”

With his long limbs, Qin Bao leaned back against the sofa with a cool front.

He merely felt a slight lack of strength in his hands and feet, and the air felt suffocatingly close: “Probably not?”

Ms. Rong cupped his face with both hands to gauge the heat: “Your temperature truly is elevated. Do you feel dizzy? Should we go see a doctor?”

Qin Bao shook his head, but what followed was an incident of utter social death.

Overhearing their exchange, one of Ms. Rong’s close friends covered her mouth and giggled: “Oh, Qiaoqiao, you’re being silly! Bao’er is a newlywed—isn’t this completely obvious?”

Ms. Rong paused.

Qin Bao frowned: “What do you mean?”

The auntie said, “You young folks are like dry tinder meeting an open flame. Little Feng has been swamped with work and away for just a few days, so your symptoms are completely normal. Xiao Bao, let Auntie tell you—you’re just craving his pheromones!”