RBNR Ch58: Holding hands

A permanent mark, also known as a lifetime mark.

Once experienced by an Alpha and Omega, the physical and psychological impact of the pain and shock inflicted by it will be unforgettable forever.

Qin Bao was mentally prepared but had never truly realized how difficult it would be. He and Feng Chengyu were so in sync, and the previous attempts had only made him feel strange and uncomfortable.

Now he knew how naive he had been.

Those were merely rehearsals.

When his body was split in two, Feng Chengyu’s knot trapped him tightly from behind, using terrifying force to confine him, his fangs deeply embedded in his neck gland.

The intense pain almost felt like death.

“Feng Chengyu… please…”

Qin Bao gasped and curled up in pain, unable to escape the control, like a fish being gutted on a chopping board.

…He was about to die.

He struggled violently and begged desperately.

Under the excruciating pain, his rationality completely vanished. He not only swore and cursed but also said many things he would never say normally, but Feng Chengyu showed no mercy.

Because the Alpha was also in agony.

Feng Chengyu’s abdomen, arms, neck, and temples bulged with terrifying veins. His pheromones surged out wildly, violently forcing into Omega’s body.

Even with Feng Chengyu’s formidable self-control, he couldn’t release his grip to respond to his Omega.

The entire marking process lasted at least half an hour.

“Xiao Bao.”

When Feng Chengyu finally released him, his eyes were bloodshot. The person in his arms had fainted, looking like someone pulled out of water, with droplets still falling from his hair.

The cabin was eerily silent, only their breathing, like a fetus’s heartbeat in the womb.

Qin Bao’s face was flushed with fever, his lips already bitten open. The edges of the wound were turning white from prolonged biting.

The primal, brutal instinct in the passive heat Alpha’s body continued to crave and incessantly plunder.

Feng Chengyu’s twisted, bulging veins had not yet recovered. He almost relied on his remaining willpower to overcome it, holding the person in his arms, gently licking and kissing the poor wounds on his lips.

His permanent mark was finally deeply imprinted into Qin Bao’s body.

From now on, Qin Bao belonged entirely to him, completely possessed.

But it was far from enough.

For Qin Bao, time felt disordered.

After waking from a dream and eating a little of what Feng Chengyu fed him, the second wave of heat quickly overwhelmed him again.

“Feng Chengyu…”

“I’m here,” the Alpha answered gently. “Spread your legs a bit.”

Food was spilled on the floor, the nutrient solution barely torn open.

They went through the second permanent marking.

Then the third, fourth…

As the number of times increased, the pain gradually decreased, from the initial pain and trembling to later bouts of overwhelming shivers, making Qin Bao almost doubt if he was already dead.

The previous experiences were nothing compared to this, the same for any Alpha and Omega pair.

Because this truly was the real connection.

No wonder everyone fears the permanent mark, yet everyone also craves it so much.

Underneath the pain, there is boundless pleasure.

…

The heat period brought them infinitely closer, more intimate than ever.

It even gave Feng Chengyu the illusion that they were deeply in love with each other.

After waking up one time, Qin Bao had regained some strength, his beautiful eyes looking refreshed, filled with the unique, lingering affection of the heat period.

With him looking at him like that, Feng Chengyu’s heartbeat quickened.

Qin Bao touched his chest and murmured, “I really like you…”

Feng Chengyu was momentarily stunned. “What?”

“Here…” Qin Bao’s hand rested over the beating heart, as if explaining in a dazed state, “Here, seems like it’s speaking… It says, I really like you.”

Feng Chengyu was silent for a long time before finally whispering, “Did you just realize that?”

There was no response.

Looking at Qin Bao’s chin, he saw that he had fallen asleep contentedly.

*

The Empire only has two specialized teams for interstellar travel, while the Alliance has dozens. Although the travel routes vary, there are two common points: the prices are exorbitant, and for a century, tickets have been in high demand with long waiting lists.

Feng Chengyu used his privilege for the first time.

His alumni were involved with the Alliance’s largest interstellar travel team, and through connections, he secured a special internal ticket, including an interstellar honeymoon suite.

“We met her at the alumni reunion last time,” Feng Chengyu told Qin Bao. “The one who wrote a love letter to the professor in thirteen lines.”

Qin Bao remembered: “Was it her?”

She was a graceful Beta sister who had jokingly suggested Feng Chengyu should book a ticket, and now they were actually using her help.

“Yes, she helped me get an internal ticket. In exchange, I have to bring her team to tour Grandpa’s mecha.”

Feng Chengyu laughed.

“Those people are all very calculative.”

Being clear and calculative, or perhaps it’s the reason their alumni friendship has lasted so long.

The two arrived on the Alliance’s travel spaceship, but the island of Suliran still retained its original appearance, with even the security personnel not having been withdrawn. Despite repeated confirmations of safety, Feng Chengyu couldn’t stay in one place for too long, which Qin Bao understood.

However, looking at the starry sky outside the window, he couldn’t help but ask, “Are we really going to Silver Water Star?”

The brochure in their room highlighted Silver Water Star as the trip’s main attraction.

The journey from Ella Star to the destination would take a full six months, and with the return journey, the trip would last a year.

If it really took a year to return, Brother Lu would definitely be frantic!

“We won’t. We’re still near Ella.”

Feng Chengyu held him from behind, his hand moving down.

“We’ll start heading back tomorrow.”

A new wave of heat was slowly hitting Qin Bao. His vision blurred, and he heard Feng Chengyu say, “Xiao Bao, do you see the brightest star on that screen?”

Qin Bao replied, “…What?”

Feng Chengyu’s finger pointed out, tilting his chin in the direction. “At eleven o’clock from Ella, the farthest and brightest one.”

His chin was damp, with a noticeable mixed sweet and floral scent.

Qin Bao was already dazed. He grabbed Feng Chengyu’s hand, put it back, and looked at the star map on the electronic screen, answering intermittently, “Mm… I see it.”

As the cabin’s angle adjusted, the blue giant shadow of Ella Star appeared outside the window.

And indeed, in the upper left corner of the window’s navigation screen, a star was clearly visible.

“That’s Feilu Star,” Feng Chengyu explained slowly. “It would take two months to reach with our current spaceship. If we used a mining spaceship at full speed, it would only take half a month.”

“I went there once with Grandpa on a mining ship of the Fuxing Group when I was little.”

That’s about right.

Feng Chengyu released his hand, holding Qin Bao’s waist.

Returning to their seated positions, Qin Bao hooked his arms around Feng Chengyu’s neck, tilting his head back. The dark starry background in the window clearly reflected their figures.

Feng Chengyu’s breath was heavy as he asked, “Have you ever seen what Feilu Star really looks like?”

Qin Bao shook his head.

“Do you want to see?”

“…Yes.”

The electronic screen’s camera zoomed in, and the ship’s astronomical telescope quickly captured and transmitted real-time images of Feilu Star.

Qin Bao widened his eyes slightly, seeing a tawny planet scarred and battered, with only a tiny patch of blue-green remaining, like a small oasis in a desolate desert.

He only knew that excessive mining of dysprosium had led to the harsh environment of Feilu Star and the resulting large number of refugees, but he never imagined it was so visually striking.

These images were not allowed to appear in the Empire. What people saw were still images from fifty years ago.

Qin Bao wanted to say something but couldn’t form a complete sentence due to the waves of heat.

Once this wave of heat subsided, leaving only its aftereffects, they kissed tenderly again.

The scene of Feilu Star had a significant impact on young Feng Chengyu.

“Do you know that feeling?” Feng Chengyu said. “To fall from a civilized place into another world, where everything you see is poverty and famine, realizing that our peace and prosperity are built upon the suffering of that star…”

Feng Chengyu did not stop. Qin Bao held him, lazily resting on his shoulder, allowing the Alpha to explore him.

In his extreme confusion, he tried to focus on why Feng Chengyu was sharing this with him. “So… you want to enforce the fifty-year mining ban on Feilu Star?”

“No, Xiao Bao, what you see is just Feilu Star. There are several other lesser-known stars in the same plight.”

Feng Chengyu wanted to analyze his own desires and reveal everything to his Omega.

“My uncle spent his whole life fighting for this, and my aunt has made countless efforts. We all have a responsibility. Hundreds of years ago… it all started with the Feng family, and it should end with the Feng family.”

The old marshal took his grandson to Feilu Star and planted a seed in his heart. When he grew up, he chose to enter politics, carrying the family’s mission and ambition to make a difference.

How could Qin Bao not understand?

He asked Feng Chengyu, “Will you push for other mining bans in the future?” And thought about the situation even an ordinary person like him knew, “I don’t think Fuxing Group and the royal family will agree.”

“Let’s try,” Feng Chengyu said gently. “It might not succeed, but in my lifetime, I still want to do something.”

Qin Bao hugged him tightly. “It will definitely succeed.”

Feng Chengyu asked, “Why?”

Qin Bao replied, “Because you’re Feng Chengyu. You’re so capable, you’ll definitely succeed in whatever you do—mm, Feng Chengyu!”

The Alpha delivered a powerful thrust, instantly blanking Qin Bao’s mind.

Immediately after, Qin Bao’s whole body trembled violently as Feng Chengyu pierced his neck again, injecting pheromones once more.

“Baoabo.”

Feng Chengyu laid him down, pressing his forehead against Qin Bao’s.

“Do you want to try the position you’ve learned?”

Qin Bao was almost driven mad. “No—”

“Try it,” Feng Chengyu said. “It’s a rare opportunity. Aren’t you curious?”

Qin Bao was being maneuvered around, and he grumbled softly, “You’re a pervert!”

Feng Chengyu replied, “I thought you liked it when I’m a pervert.”

Qin Bao: “…”

……

After fifteen days, their vacation came to an end, and they successfully returned home.

In terms of privacy, Feng Chengyu had won, and in terms of romance, Feng Chengyu still won.

Upon their return to the Alliance, they met Lin Zi, who had been waiting for them, and together they went to the private airport to board a plane back to their country.

Qin Bao wrapped himself up tightly, only showing his eyes, afraid that Lin Zi might catch a hint of something—he was already thoroughly marked.

Once on the plane, Feng Chengyu quietly told Qin Bao, “Lin Zi took suppressants.”

Qin Bao looked doubtful. “Really?”

Feng Chengyu nodded. “Really.”

Only then did Qin Bao remove the hat and scarf that had made him uncomfortable, breathing in the fresh air.

Even his hair still carried the scent of the permanent marking, exactly the same as Feng Chengyu’s.

Lin Zi, sitting in the back seat, was almost suffocating. Just the hint of their scent was enough. Anyone could tell from the healed, but indelible, bite mark on Qin Bao’s neck that they had been quite intimate over the past few days.

After being alone together for half a month, returning to the presence of a third person made Qin Bao feel a bit restrained. Not knowing where to put his hands and feet, he went to sit alone in the first row, pulling out the phone that Lin Zi had brought for him, and reviewed its contents.

There weren’t many unread messages, only a seasonal reminder from Ms. Rong and an invitation from Mr. Qin for dinner last weekend.

Then there were some work-related matters. Brother Lu mentioned that an internal screening for “Echoes” had taken place two days ago. He was too busy to attend, so Jin Si went instead, and the film was expected to be released in theaters by mid-year.

After replying to all the messages, Qin Bao subconsciously looked at Feng Chengyu.

Since the rut period, he seemed more sensitive to Feng Chengyu’s presence. He could almost always pinpoint Feng Chengyu’s location without much effort.

Feng Chengyu was also dealing with some work on his computer, his handsome profile deeply focused… As if feeling the same way, he paused and looked up.

“Baobao?”

It seemed Feng Chengyu was calling out to him.

Qin Bao’s heart skipped a beat and he continued to pretend to be absorbed in his phone.

After the plane landed, Feng Chengyu was ahead, discussing some matters with Lin Zi.

As the familiar scent approached, Feng Chengyu paused.

Spring had arrived, and the weather was warming up. The orange sunset cast its light over the land, giving everything a painterly quality.

The people around them were looking straight ahead, the golden light dancing on their eyelashes.

Qin Bao reached out and took Feng Chengyu’s hand.

“Let’s go.” He said, blushing and impatient.