RBNR Ch39: Already miserable as a married young man

Feng Chengyu took another cigarette from the pack and lit it.

Tall and handsome, his profile under the tree’s shadow flickered, making his emotions hard to read. His shirt buttons were lazily done, and his hair still messy, yet he felt untouchable.

The coolness of the early morning in the sweltering heat was still refreshing. Qin Bao, who didn’t smoke much, sat on the balcony for a while and then wanted to go back inside.

The small balcony was too narrow, and Feng Chengyu only moved his hand holding the cigarette to the side, not moving himself.

Qin Bao had to step over him, “Excuse me, thank you.”

Feng Chengyu responded with a “Hmm” and looked up. His gaze was deep and dark, making Qin Bao’s heart race.

When he walked back into the room and looked back, he could only see Feng Chengyu’s back.

What’s going on?

Why does it make him feel like a scumbag… Clearly, he had asked, and Feng Chengyu himself was willing before they got into bed.

Halfway through his shower in the bathroom, the door suddenly opened.

Feng Chengyu asked, “Can I join you?”

Huh?

He’s already in, why is he asking?

Showering wasn’t like doing it, Qin Bao wasn’t mentally prepared to face him naked like this. Caught off guard, he quickly turned his back: “…Then stand a little behind.”

The sound of the shower drowned out any movement, making it hard to tell what Feng Chengyu was doing.

Qin Bao sped up, trying to take a quick shower, when suddenly a pair of hands wrapped around his waist.

Feng Chengyu had entered the shower.

I just told you to stand a little behind, not to stand like this.

Qin Bao grumbled inwardly.

Unable to see Feng Chengyu’s expression, Qin Bao could only see the hands placed on his waist. The knuckles were reddened by the hot water, the blue veins on the back of the hands stood out, and the fingers were very long, able to insert all the way to the base.

Qin Bao’s Adam’s apple moved unnaturally: “…”

Immediately, he was dragged backward by those hands.

“Feng Chengyu!”

With a “snap.”

His back pressed against the chest, followed by a sharp pain in his earlobe, which was bitten.

Unable to stand steadily, Qin Bao could only hold onto the vintage golden shower rod, whispering, “What are you doing? I told you no more, didn’t you understand?”

“Yes, you did.” Feng Chengyu bit his earlobe, “I didn’t agree.”

Those lips moved from his earlobe to the back of his neck, turning his skin red along the way, finally stopping at the bite mark on the back of his neck. The canine teeth re-entered the gland, and Qin Bao immediately arched his body, instinctively grabbing Feng Chengyu’s hair.

The prey was paralyzed, giving up the struggle.

A moment later, the Alpha’s soft lips left the back of his neck, covering his slightly open lips.

A sweet scent mixed with a fresh fragrance filled him. Realizing what was happening, Qin Bao’s eyes widened.

He tried to push the person away, but was turned around, with Feng Chengyu raising his hands and pinning them against the cold wall, one arm tightly around his waist, deepening the kiss.

The hot water flowed, turning into small streams.

The kiss finally ended, and Qin Bao, spitting and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, said, “Feng Chengyu! Are you a pervert?!”

Feng Chengyu, his face dripping with water, reached over, pushing Qin Bao’s wet hair back to reveal his forehead. Looking at his red eyes, he retorted, “Is this what you call perverted?”

Then he pulled Qin Bao’s hand away, lips against lips, saying, “You need pheromones, and I have many ways to give them to you.”

With that, he kissed him again.

They spent an hour in the bathroom. The sun had already shone into the room, casting a thin golden light on the patterned carpet through the curtains.

Qin Bao lay on the bed sulking, a new bite mark overlapping the one on his neck.

The glow from the Alpha’s healing lick was still there, making the wound look a bit pitiful. Feng Chengyu found a new gland patch, tore open the package, and was about to stick it on him when Qin Bao smacked his hand away heavily, turning his flushed face to the side.

“Go away.”

Damn it, what relief is there like this? In a few days, wouldn’t the pheromone dependence come back the same?

He just wanted to live a normal life and work normally.

Who knew trying to be clever would backfire, Feng Chengyu might as well not have come.

“Don’t move.”

Feng Chengyu warned in a low voice.

Finished speaking, he ignored whether Qin Bao was still sulking, and forcefully stuck the gland patch on.

Qin Bao’s skin was very fair, and the light flesh-colored gland patch was a shade darker than his skin tone. It was supposed to be invisible, but it was still quite noticeable.

After sticking it on, Feng Chengyu touched his damp hair, then carefully blow-dried it with a hairdryer.

Finally, Feng Chengyu picked up his clothes, putting them on piece by piece, buttoning each button neatly, regaining that polite yet distant demeanor. Before leaving, he said, “Join me for the banquet tonight.”

Qin Bao: “…”

So he came to find him just to attend the banquet together?

Who’s taking advantage of whom here?

Qin Bao replied bitterly, his voice soft, “I have a flight back home this afternoon, no time. You go by yourself.”

Feng Chengyu ignored him: “Get some good sleep, I’ll pick you up at six.”

“Do whatever you want.” Qin Bao said sulkily, “I’ll leave as soon as I wake up.”

Far away from you.

He slept until noon, and the PR from Baofenni, who had agreed to see him off, called, saying they were preparing to come to the hotel.

Qin Bao scratched his head irritably: “…Thanks, I have something come up, no need to see me off.”

The other person was considerate: “Do you need help rescheduling your flight?”

Qin Bao said, “No need, I don’t know when I’ll leave yet.”

Hanging up the phone, Qin Bao felt like killing someone.

What had he agreed to when signing the contract, why did he agree to accompany Feng Chengyu to some damn banquet?

He knew well about such occasions, having attended a few with Mr. Qin and Ms. Rong when he was young, knowing a bit about the procedures.

Banquets were pre-registered with identities, seats were prepared, and even the food and drinks were customized according to the attendees’ preferences. Attendees also knew who would be there, engaging in hypocritical small talk, which was particularly boring.

In such a formal setting, with Feng Chengyu’s status, it would be inappropriate to attend alone if he had already arranged for company.

Qin Bao had no choice but to go.

But going meant he needed new clothes; he couldn’t wear a big T-shirt to such a place.

That meant going shopping.

Qin Bao felt even more like killing someone.

*

As a historic city in the West, Grody had not only luxury brands but also many famous ready-to-wear shops, some of which were even more expensive than luxury brands. Custom orders there required months or even over a year to reserve and measure.

After attending the Baofenni event the previous night, Qin Bao wanted to keep a low profile, so he checked out a few ready-to-wear stores to see if there were any suitable clothes.

“Qin Bao?”

Someone suddenly called his name.

Qin Bao turned around, and the Alpha behind the counter wearing black-framed glasses looked very familiar. The scholarly air about him also seemed familiar. After searching his memory for a moment, he matched the face with the name: “…Mu Xian?”

Mu Xian was a student of Ms. Rong. When Qin Bao was young, he often ran into Mu Xian at Ms. Rong’s studio. Mu Xian was very talented, and even his grandfather had praised one of his works.

But one year, Qin Bao stopped seeing him. Later, he heard from Ms. Rong that Mu Xian had switched to studying fashion.

“I saw you at the Baofenni show yesterday, and I wondered if I might run into you. I didn’t expect you to walk in today.”

Mu Xian walked over, smiling at Qin Bao, “Long time no see, Bao’er.”

“Long time no see.”

Qin Bao was also surprised.

Clothes really could change a person’s temperament. Wearing a suit, Mu Xian looked like a completely different person, no longer the student covered in paint from those days.

Seeing the soft measuring tape hanging on Mu Xian’s shoulder, Qin Bao asked, “Is this your store?”

“I wish.”

Mu Xian said.

“This is my master’s store. I’m an apprentice here.”

There was indeed an elderly man with silver hair in the store. Mu Xian introduced them, and Qin Bao, who understood a bit of the local language, heard Mu Xian introduce him as “a younger brother I knew when he was little” and “a very famous model.”

After a few polite exchanges, Mu Xian brewed a cup of black tea for Qin Bao, saying, “Sorry, this is all we have. We don’t drink much coffee here.”

“Thank you, I’m not picky about tea. Even plain water is fine.” Qin Bao sat in a single chair, “But I need to pick out an outfit for tonight. Do you have anything suitable?”

“With me here, if it doesn’t fit, I’ll alter it for you right away.”

Mu Xian said.

After pouring the tea, he asked Qin Bao about Ms. Rong’s recent situation, “How is our teacher?”

Qin Bao said, “She’s doing well. My grandfather has been holding art exhibitions these past few years, and she’s been helping him.”

Not just helping, after her divorce, Ms. Rong closed her studio and returned to Qin Bao’s grandfather to continue studying oil painting. Last year, she exhibited some good works at his art show.

“Art is art, whether it’s installation or oil painting, the teacher will excel in either.” Mu Xian said, “But you, I didn’t expect you to stick with it for so long and be so successful.”

When Mu Xian left the studio, it was the year Qin Bao participated in a competition. Qin Bao had secretly signed up, and a few times Mu Xian had quietly taken him to rehearsals and training.

Qin Bao nonchalantly said, “Since I started, I just kept going. I have no talent for anything else, so I might as well make the most of my only advantage.”

Mu Xian laughed, “It’s not just a little advantage; it’s a gift from heaven.”

Mu Xian remembered the time when the interviewer asked Qin Bao why he wanted to be a model, and Qin Bao answered it was to make money.

To outsiders, it seemed like Qin Bao was a pampered young master, but Mu Xian understood his thoughts—at that time, Qin Bao’s parents were separated, and Ms. Rong’s studio was struggling, relying on his grandfather for collaborations and facing his patriarchal disdain and sarcastic remarks. If becoming a famous model could make a lot of money, Qin Bao could help his mother maintain her studio.

But Qin Bao never mentioned this to anyone, not even Ms. Rong.

Mu Xian was genuinely surprised that, although Ms. Rong’s studio eventually closed, Qin Bao continued to thrive in the industry.

After chatting for a while, Qin Bao began selecting clothes.

Hearing that he needed an outfit for a formal event that night, Mu Xian picked out two for him. After Qin Bao tried them on, Mu Xian was still dissatisfied.

Mu Xian suggested, “Clothes are dead, but people are alive. These outfits look stiff on you. Why don’t you come back for a fitting, and I’ll make a custom suit for your body shape? You can always use a well-fitted suit for formal occasions.”

Qin Bao asked, “Don’t I need to book an appointment and wait?”

Mu Xian laughed, “Others do, but not you.”

Mu Xian was busy, and the chosen outfit needed urgent alterations to the trouser legs, so they scheduled the fitting for the next morning.

Looking at the room full of clothes, Qin Bao suddenly remembered the tie clip he bought for Feng Chengyu a few days ago.

He opened his carry-on bag and found that the box was still inside. He had brought it all the way to Grody.

He thought coldly, I’ll give it to Feng Chengyu later.

Checking his phone, Feng Chengyu hadn’t made a move or sent any messages. Their conversation still lingered on the last message Qin Bao sent.

Qin Bao: [Just do your thing.]

There were few bubbles in the chat, with Feng Chengyu sending more messages and Qin Bao replying less.

Apart from the necessary preparations for the wedding, such as “Check the planning group announcement” and “Fit the dress at ten in the morning,” the only non-formal exchange was the day Shu Helan sent the helmet, where they said a few casual words.

They had nothing much to say to each other. Qin Bao didn’t understand Feng Chengyu, and Feng Chengyu didn’t understand him either.

Qin Bao’s desire to share was stifled. Whenever Feng Chengyu sent a message, he wanted to ask what he had seen and done that day, and then talk about his own day and experiences.

But every time he saw messages like “Not coming home today,” he was reminded that their relationship was just a contract.

He was already miserable as a married young man, falling in love in a contract marriage was even worse.

Just a little more, and he might have thought Feng Chengyu came to Grody in the middle of the night out of concern for him.

Just a little more, and he might have taken the initiative to reveal that he still liked Feng Chengyu.

_____

Author’s Note:

Xiao Bao: I admit I also got a little carried away.