RBNR Ch5: Your Future Wife

Barbecue restaurant.

Wanting to continue the gathering, the group felt it wasn’t lively enough and called more friends, both familiar and unfamiliar, and even those who brought their early relationship partners. Gradually, the group swelled to twenty or thirty people.

Amid the noise, Tu Yisen asked, “Last time I went to pick you up, that friend you live with, called Yueyue, can you call him out?”

Qin Bao, holding a bottle of beer, replied, “We’ve fallen out.”

Qin Bao was often absent from school and didn’t have many close classmates. Apart from this group of childhood friends, the number of people who could be called his friends was very few. Li Nanyue once had a place among them, but not anymore.

“I still wanted to get to know him better!” Tu Yisen glared, “Why? What happened that made you fall out with him? You haven’t deleted his contact number, right?”

Qin Bao: “…”

Actually, if you talk about being offended, Li Nanyue didn’t really offend him that much. After all, it wasn’t the first time he had encountered such things since he was a child.

When he was young, there was a teacher who was especially kind to him, both gentle and enthusiastic. When he was sick, the teacher even came to his home to take care of him. His mother often went out for sketching and wasn’t at home, and Mr. Qin was also busy from dawn to dusk, so he treated the teacher like a family member. When tutoring sessions went late, his father even had the teacher stay over.

Until one day, Qin Bao, in his sleep, heard his mother’s scream.

It turned out that she came home late at night and found Mr. Qin and the scantily dressed teacher asleep in their bedroom. The teacher insisted it was a mistake of sleepwalking, but the lingerie she was wearing was obviously unconvincing.

The family valued privacy and didn’t use housework AI, so Mr. Qin couldn’t defend himself. Because of this incident, the couple had a fierce quarrel.

Later, there were some other similar incidents, and Li Nanyue wasn’t the worst among them.

Qin Bao was just angry at that time, but now he felt it was unnecessary.

Shan Yiming, after sending Shan Yike away, finally had some free time and came over to Qin Bao, saying, “I just ordered a few skewers of tenderloin for you, without spice. They make it pretty good here. Do you want some sweet soup?”

These were all Qin Bao’s favorite foods.

“Yes, please.”

Shan Yiming was about to place the order.

Qin Bao suddenly stopped him and said, “No need.”

Shan Yiming was used to arranging things for him, “Huh? Why? I saw you didn’t eat much earlier.”

Qin Bao moved his lips and said, oddly, “Just enjoy yourself, don’t worry about me. I’m a grown-up and can order for myself if I want something.”

Tu Yisen sighed, “Oh, something’s off here.”

Shan Yiming agreed, “It does seem a bit off.”

Qin Bao opened a bottle of beer for each of them and said, “Drink up. Drinking should keep you two quiet.”

More and more people joined later, and the gathering didn’t end until two in the morning.

During this time, several people came to ask for Qin Bao’s contact information, of all genders. Some were simply attracted by his appearance, while others recognized him. Qin Bao didn’t give his contact information to anyone.

Tu Yisen blocked for him once, saying, “Don’t bother. This one’s already taken and doesn’t make new friends. Heart locked and love sealed!”

Qin Bao pushed his head and said, “You’re crazy.”

Minors are not allowed to use vehicles alone. When it was over, Shan Yiming called his family’s car and told the AI to send Qin Bao home first.

He slept until the afternoon the next day.

Half-awake, Qin Bao dreamed of a banquet scene.

An Alpha with thin eyelids had a pair of ink-black eyes, holding a wine glass, speaking coldly with others, and looking at him from afar.

Those fingers were pale and slender, with distinct joints and slightly bulging veins, full of the strength of a young man. Neatly dressed, only one pure white sleeve was rolled up, revealing a wildness beneath the composed exterior that didn’t match this high society. On closer inspection, he wore a watch with an unrecognizable brand.

The watch had a dark blue face with simple hands, seemingly without any special design, only exuding a sense of understated luxury.

A faint scent of daffodil lingered.

It remained in his nostrils even after waking up.

Qin Bao felt a bit annoyed. He thought he was only focused on the person’s face but didn’t realize he noticed all these details.

How could this be?

Was he just so fond of that watch?

*

Half a month flew by, and school started.

When Qin Bao entered the school gate, it caused a stir. For the first time, he entered the classroom, chased by others while wearing a hat.

It turns out that the print ad Qin Bao shot for a well-known brand in the first half of the year was released during the summer vacation. Now, his image can be seen everywhere on the streets of the empire and online.

Qin Bao was somewhat famous when he first enrolled. People at school only knew he was good-looking and worked part-time as a model. His name frequently appeared on confession walls. Now that the ad had become popular, freshmen reported in droves, and Qin Bao suddenly experienced the troubles of being a “celebrity.”

The news spread wider and wider. By the time school was over, even more people were blocking Qin Bao, and he could barely leave the classroom.

In the end, it was Tu Yisen who ran down from the third floor, squeezed into the crowd, and took him away.

Tu Yisen: “If this keeps happening, how will you go to school?”

Qin Bao was also troubled by this matter: “I’ll have to arrive late and leave early. I’ve already applied to the teacher.”

Anyway, he frequently took leave before, sometimes for a whole week. His situation was special, and as long as he kept up with his studies, the teachers would agree.

Another annoyance was that Tu Yisen’s arm was still around his shoulder, placed there when they were breaking through the crowd.

Qin Bao, being considerate, said obediently, “Could you please take your arm off? Thank you.”

“Forgot.” Tu Yisen awkwardly removed his arm and asked, “Taking leave all the time is so troublesome. How long do you plan to keep this up?”

Going off to be a model, like a commodity waiting to be sold, pointed at and talked about.

No one saw this as a serious matter, nor did anyone think Qin Bao could stick with it for long. It was just a whim.

Qin Bao: “I’m not playing around.”

His face was full of seriousness, making Tu Yisen want to laugh.

Qin Bao frowned: “What are you laughing at? You think I can’t do it?”

Tu Yisen raised his hands in surrender: “No, no, I would never think you couldn’t do it. With your stance, you’d be more than qualified to be a star. I was just asking. Anyway, I’ll be here for another six months. If anyone blocks you again, just call me.”

Qin Bao was finally satisfied: “Thanks in advance.”

Tu Yisen was heading to play billiards, and since Qin Bao had nothing to do, he went along.

The club was full of familiar faces, but Shan Yiming wasn’t there. Someone said his family found out about his participation in motorcycle races, and he’s been grounded lately. Qin Bao originally had something to ask him, but since he didn’t respond to messages, he turned to Tu Yisen.

“You said last time you knew someone from the Feng family.”

Qin Bao bit on a drink straw.

“The cousin of that Feng… what was his name?”

Tu Yisen made a trick shot and answered in the pause, “Feng Chengyu.”

Qin Bao slowly “remembered”: “Oh… right, Feng Chengyu.”

Tu Yisen asked, “Why are you asking?”

Qin Bao said, “I saw Feng Chengyu wearing a nice watch at the banquet that day. I wanted to buy the same model, but I couldn’t tell the brand, so I wanted to ask.”

Tu Yisen put away his cue, waiting for his opponent to shoot: “There’s a brand you don’t recognize?”

“Yeah.” Qin Bao said, “Can you ask?”

Tu Yisen said, “Of course, no problem. I’ll ask after I finish this game.”

After the game, Tu Yisen went to make a call, and Qin Bao took his cue.

Qin Bao didn’t play much billiards, and his skills were poor. Combined with his distraction, he lost quite badly.

Tu Yisen came back and clicked his tongue, telling him to step aside. Then he said, “Feng Chu said his brother returned to the country not long ago. He doesn’t have his new contact number yet. He might see him over the weekend and will definitely ask for you when he does, but you have to give him a signed autograph.”

Qin Bao nodded but was puzzled: “I’m not a star.”

After thinking about it, he felt it wasn’t a bad deal and agreed, “Sure, it’s just writing a name. I’ll practice when I get back.”

By the weekend, Qin Bao still hadn’t received a call from Tu Yisen.

He had work that day, and as soon as he appeared at the shooting location, many people cast glances his way. Brother Lu, who was in a good mood due to his popularity, was busy attending to him personally.

It was a well-known light luxury fashion brand in both the Alliance and the Empire. There were five models participating in the shoot. Throughout the day, Qin Bao changed into more than a dozen outfits. Although initially a bit restless, the fierce competition and intense work soon took away his attention.

Feng Chengyu was also very busy.

Even on weekends, he spent the whole morning in meetings and the afternoon on field visits. In the evening, when he finally had some free time, he rushed to the Feng family mansion to participate in a family meeting about the mansion’s renovation.

The century-old mansion exudes an antique charm; it is where the Feng family took root and flourished. The statue of the founding father still stands before the ancestral hall.

Feng Chengyu’s parents did not inherit the family business and generally did not participate in such events. The other two significant members of the Feng family simply did not have time to attend, so Feng Chengyu was sent as their representative.

The main house of the mansion was dilapidated and needed maintenance, but the courtyard had a foundation subsidence issue that required a complete overhaul. Some uncles proposed using this opportunity to replace the original landscape with a more modern one and to divide the courtyard and the east and west wings into independent areas based on the number of people in each branch of the family.

“Chengyu,” one uncle said on behalf of the others, “this suggestion has been made since your great-grandfather’s time, but it has never been acted upon. Now, the family is growing, and every event turns the mansion into chaos. It’s better to establish independent areas as soon as possible. Since you just returned, you should listen to your elders if you have any questions.”

Except for one elderly uncle with mobility issues, no one in the Feng family lived in the old mansion.

Even the main branch, headed by the old master, moved out decades ago.

The suggestion sparked heated discussions among the family members. Some saw through the main agenda of the meeting, which was to “divide the family.” The main branch of the Feng family had produced one Alpha after another, all of whom were outstanding, creating a significant gap between them and the other branches. The proposal was made partly because they felt they could no longer benefit from the main branch and were worried about future uncertainties. They also thought it would be easier to manipulate Feng Chengyu, who was a junior compared to the two significant members who did not attend.

“Alright.”

Feng Chengyu’s response was amicable, but his statement was far from agreeable.

“I’ve listened to your opinions, and I disagree.”

Sitting at the end of the long table, dressed in black, he exuded a calmness and steadiness beyond his years as the only Alpha of his generation qualified to sit at the table.

“The preservation of the old mansion is the root of the Feng family, a beautiful memory we all maintain together. We have an obligation to pass down the family spirit to the next generation. Foundation issues can be repaired, and landscape damage can be restored.”

“You are right; the family is growing, and it will only get bigger in the future. It is impractical to keep dividing the ‘territory.'”

“There are ways to manage the chaos during events: we can pre-count the participants and prepare as if for a formal external event.”

The uncle replied, “It’s not as simple as you think. We have to organize several events a year, and we can’t trust outsiders with it. Everyone is busy; who has the energy to handle this? It’s easier to divide the areas.”

A junior raised a hand timidly: “I don’t mind the trouble. I’m willing to help organize the events.”

Voices arose.

“I can make time too.”

“Yes, we have so many people; we can take turns.”

The ones speaking up were all young people.

“What right do you kids have to speak?”

The uncle’s face darkened, and so did the faces of several elders beside him.

The value of the land was increasing, and while they didn’t plan to sell it immediately, claiming it early had its benefits.

Feng Chengyu spoke again, his tone gentle yet firm: “When my grandfather was alive, he emphasized equality in family affairs. Everyone has the right to express their opinion. How about a vote? Everyone gets one vote, regardless of age, which is very fair.”

His pale complexion and resemblance to his father, Professor Feng, combined with the elegance and subtle coldness reminiscent of the late old master, exuded an almost imperceptible ruthlessness.

“If there are no other suggestions, let’s start voting now, including phone votes for those not present.”

The meeting concluded.

Feng Chengyu stepped out of the hall and smoked beside a Luohan pine.

His cousin, Feng Chu, approached: “Brother, you were so cool just now. Those shameless people still dare to call themselves elders! My grandpa always warned us never to touch the main house, no matter what happened in the future. They got so scared when they heard we were going to call the Marshal to vote that their legs turned to jelly.”

Feng Chu’s grandfather was the old master’s own brother. While the latter went into politics, the former chose to go into business, but the two families remained very close.

“Can you really find the time to organize events?” Feng Chengyu didn’t respond to his flattery, exhaling a puff of white smoke that blurred his deep-set features. “It’s easy to say but hard to do well.”

It was Feng Chu who had been the first to raise his hand and speak up earlier.

Feng Chu was a Beta and had always been straightforward: “Hehe, I should be able to. I’m planning to major in event planning. Organizing exhibitions and such, it’ll be good practice.”

“Good.” Feng Chengyu looked down at him, encouragingly. “Keep it up.”

Encouraged, Feng Chu felt great and lingered: “Brother, I have another question for you.”

“What is it?”

“Well, it’s not actually my question, but my future sister-in-law wants to ask.”

Feng Chengyu frowned, puzzled: “Who?”

“Qin Bao,” Feng Chu scratched his head. “Xiao Bao from the Qin family, your future wife.”