RBNR Ch60: Are you a puppy?

In the end, the scene was changed to a cheek kiss.

However, unfortunately, Qin Bao couldn’t get it right on the first try. Whether it was due to the emotions not being in place or some other issue, it took seven NGs.

The production team intentionally leaked behind-the-scenes footage, and unscrupulous media wrote that Qin Bao and the male lead “fell for each other because of the scene” and “delivered a pure love kiss on set.”

Of course, Feng Chengyu saw the news. He really made Qin Bao suffer.

Whether it was a true “kissing scene” or not, Feng Chengyu approached it with the highest standards.

Qin Bao didn’t know how Feng Chengyu managed to find the time, but somehow, late one night, he appeared in the hotel room of the film crew…

Feng Chengyu really went all out.

In front of Qin Bao, Feng Chengyu had long removed his mask, but Qin Bao would never know what harsh elements lay hidden beneath that noble and aloof exterior.

It turned out that the kissing scene was only a small part of what Feng Chengyu cared about.

Qin Bao was forced to cross out the male lead’s titles in the script and count them one by one.

A total of forty-seven times, each had to be called out to Feng Chengyu.

Qin Bao stubbornly refused—his character addressed the male lead as “brother.”

He could do it with others, but not with Feng Chengyu.

Even when Qin Bao first met Feng Chengyu at fifteen, and Qin’s father required him to call Feng Chengyu “brother,” he had never once complied.

The reason was unclear to Qin Bao. Whatever it was, it was impossible for him to call Feng Chengyu “brother.”

Unfortunately, this time he had no choice. Whether due to the pheromones that had fully integrated or the tie reappearing on his wrist and ankle, he found himself not only humiliatingly calling Feng Chengyu “brother” but also “good brother.”

Feng Chengyu asked, “Do you like him or me?”

In and out of the scene, he was forced to choose his favorite “brother.”

“Like you…”

He babbled incoherently.

In the end, the number of times he called “brother” far exceeded forty-seven, and Feng Chengyu finally let him go. Exhausted, Qin Bao lay on the bed, even in his daze, still cursing, “You bastard, pervert…”

Early in the morning, before the sky had even lightened, Feng Chengyu woke up.

He soon discovered that his arms were pinned above his head and immobilized, tied up with Qin Bao’s tie and clothes.

“Feng Chengyu.” Qin Bao straddled him, a sinister expression on his face, “I want you to experience that feeling too.”

With that, he kissed Feng Chengyu’s chin, Adam’s apple, and continued to kiss downward.

Feng Chengyu: “……”

A few minutes later, Qin Bao lifted himself, looking down from above at Feng Chengyu, his lips moist. His face was deeply flushed, silently questioning, do you understand now?

If Feng Chengyu begged for mercy, Qin Bao might reluctantly let him off.

Feng Chengyu’s eyes were dark, his voice hoarse, but his expression was smiling, “Baby, are you sure you’re not rewarding me?”

Qin Bao frowned, “I’m punishing you!”

Feng Chengyu moved slightly, his voice low, “…Alright, please continue the punishment.”

Qin Bao was taken aback and quickly got off him, wiping his mouth and cursing, “Shameless!”

The possessiveness of an S-grade Alpha, after a permanent marking, became even more intense, more exaggerated than any textbook example.

Not only did Feng Chengyu thoroughly take care of him, but he also didn’t forget to pierce the nape of his neck and flood it with pheromones, entirely out of instinct, not caring that Omega no longer needed temporary marking.

He came in the dead of night and left at dawn.

Leaving Qin Bao alone, gasping on the bed. Perhaps because of the heavy resentment he felt, he struggled to get up. When he opened the door, he startled Xiao Xu: “Bao, Brother Bao!”

She peered inside mysteriously, “Did your boyfriend come?!”

Qin Bao looked wooden, “Yeah, he left.”

Xiao Xu was greatly disappointed.

Qin Bao had a new gland patch on the back of his neck and took out a new blocker, his every word squeezed out through gritted teeth: “Here, use it.”

Xiao Xu blushed as she used it, and after she was done, she reluctantly added, “Your scent is sweet and smells like daffodils, it’s really nice.”

Qin Bao grumbled: “……”

Xiao Xu said, “I’m so envious of you, your relationship is really great.”

Qin Bao: “……”

He fidgeted for a few seconds before finally answering, “Yeah.”

Since the permanent marking, their relationship had been heating up. Qin Bao had noticed it. Sometimes he could even clearly feel Feng Chengyu’s “affection.”

Was Feng Chengyu really in love with him? Or was it the result of the permanent marking?

He really wanted to ask.

But every time he saw the deep blue watch on Feng Chengyu’s wrist, and recalled the night Feng Chengyu proposed marriage, he hesitated.

If he was wrong, he would really need to live on another planet, because that would mean he had lost his last shred of dignity.

But that didn’t stop him from moving towards Feng Chengyu.

He had Feng Chengyu’s permanent mark on him.

An Omega with a permanent mark could boldly do anything with his Alpha.

*

By the end of June, “The Seaside Guido” officially wrapped up.

In the second half of the year, Qin Bao became active again in the fashion industry, shooting some seasonal ads, attending a few events, and took on new endorsements.

Unfortunately, Qin Bao missed out on some opportunities. For example, a well-known brand called Mist approached him, hoping he would endorse their entire product line, including gland patches and inhibitors. However, since he was already permanently marked, he had to regretfully decline. Not long after, he heard that Mist was looking for models for their new products.

Qin Bao didn’t want to break his single persona, but he also didn’t want to reveal his relationship status. Even Xiao Xu only learned about his permanent marking much later.

Brother Lu was very understanding of this.

“You’re just starting your career now. If it was just about getting married, it wouldn’t matter much. But your partner is Mr. Feng… it’s better to keep a low profile.”

The public opinions about the Feng family were mixed.

Since the Imperial Council successfully passed the fifty-year ban on mining on Feilu Star, with rare ore transportation completely managed by the Ministry of Commerce, and the direction fully opened, Feng Chengyu had taken ruthless measures in the past six months. According to the new law, he had cracked down on the Fuxing Group, seizing three mining ships within a month.

Royal investments were hit hard, and a prince publicly complained to the media about being unable to afford palace maintenance fees, even carrying photos of the Feng family’s renovation of their ancestral home a few years ago. The news stirred up a lot of noise online.

【Well done, I’ve always hated how the royal family is leeching off everyone! Why should some people be born higher than others?【Dog head】】

【Support the ban on mining! In times of peace, is military spending really necessary? Support the Feng family!】

【Support the ban on mining +1 Support the Feng family +1】

【Haha, cutting military spending, and there’s not enough rare ore, what will you use to operate mechs? If the Tuduo suddenly attacks Ella, you’ll all be crying.】

【Who says there isn’t enough rare ore? After hundreds of years of mining, no rare ore? I want to ask where Fuxing Group sold it!】

【Could it be that they’re colluding with the royal family?【Shush】】

【For those in front, our rare ore is probably in the Alliance【Cover mouth】】

【To be honest, doesn’t anyone think the Feng family is overreaching?】

……

In December, an international charity organization launched the first fundraising event for Feilu Star refugees. Many people from politics, business, and entertainment circles participated, including Qin Bao’s neighbor, the big-time actor Ying Chen. He spent a fortune, selling his flashy green sports car and moving out of the villa district, which might mean he’s gone bankrupt.

Qin Bao didn’t participate in the event, but when the donation list was later published, his contribution from nearly a year ago was prominently listed, with an amount ranking among the top donors.

At that time, Qin Bao was caught up in negative news about his “terrible acting.”

The big production “Echoes” had gone through script delays, project restarts, actor changes, and re-investment trials. It faced one final test and was scheduled for a summer release but was delayed to the New Year due to various reviews.

After “Echoes” was released, it received continuous praise and impressive box office results, with fans’ ratings skyrocketing, except for Qin Bao’s role, which received uniformly negative reviews.

【I thought the replacement was for something better, but it’s hilarious.】

【I never had high hopes for the model, but I didn’t expect him to be so bad in the director’s lens.】

【Some BB really lives up to expectations, truly a vase among vases.】

【【Ugh】【Ugh】What a pity for a masterpiece, it would have been perfect without him.】

【Let me tell you a scary story, another movie of his just wrapped up……】

When Brother Lu burst into the studio, Qin Bao was scrolling through online reviews on his computer.

“Damn it! Someone sabotaged me!” Brother Lu swore, “I just came back from the theater. Do you know how much of your footage was cut, and what’s left are not the director’s selected takes! A lot of it is from scenes where you’re just walking through or NG! I tried contacting the director, but he won’t answer, and the editor said they used these takes in the internal screening! Damn, who used such underhanded methods!”

Qin Bao appeared relatively calm: “I have a rough idea of who it is.”

He closed his computer, maintaining a calm demeanor, though his eyes were reddened.

He had never cared about reviews before because of his confidence as a model, but now, entering a new industry and putting in effort, he inevitably cared about others’ opinions—acting is meant to be evaluated.

He was angry, but it was too late.

A movie that’s already released in theaters cannot be withdrawn. He would have to swallow this loss.

Brother Lu asked, “Who is it?!”

Qin Bao replied, “It was An Qingyan who warned me at the time, but I didn’t take it seriously because I thought it had been so long, and with so many people’s hard work on a project, they’d definitely ensure the quality. Worst case, they’d just cut some of my scenes. I didn’t expect him to be so shameless.”

Brother Lu was frantic, “So who is it?”

Qin Bao said, “It’s Zou Jiudong.”

“Zou Jiudong—the young master of Sufeng?” Brother Lu asked, “How did you get involved with him?”

Brother Lu wasn’t aware of the past events. Qin Bao briefly explained, causing Brother Lu to frown and stand up, ready to confront someone. Qin Bao stopped him, asking, “Brother Lu, was Jin Si the one who went to the internal screening for ‘Echoes’ instead of you?”

Brother Lu nodded, “Yes.” Then he realized, “She should have known about it a long time ago. Why didn’t she say anything? Ugh… this doesn’t add up. I said she’s been focused on the entertainment industry, with live streaming and web dramas. Let me call her.”

Jin Si had rarely come to the studio this year, saying it had no use for her, and she might as well focus on her studies.

However, not long after, Xiao Xu excitedly informed everyone that Jin Si was live streaming and had become a somewhat well-known internet celebrity. Later, they heard that Jin Si had joined a web drama shoot and frequently posted photos on Flow, eventually officially leaving the studio.

Qin Bao said, “No need. I’ll contact her. Brother Lu, consult with Sister Lü and have her contact the director. I want to find out what’s going on and whether there are any backup copies of those scenes.”

Brother Lu agreed and acted accordingly.

Qin Bao called Jin Si, initially thinking she wouldn’t answer, but after several rings, she picked up: “Qin Bao.”

“Si-si, I want to ask you something.” Qin Bao spoke calmly, skipping pleasantries, “During the internal screening, you already knew my scenes were maliciously edited, didn’t you?”

Jin Si was silent for a long time before finally responding, “Yes.”

Qin Bao said, “I see.”

He was about to hang up, but Jin Si called out, “Qin Bao—”

“Speak.” Qin Bao held back his frustration.

Jin Si’s voice trembled, “I’m sorry, I didn’t think much of it. I just thought you had plenty of opportunities, and this wouldn’t impact you. You see, when I asked if you wanted to do a film, you clearly said you had no intention, and opportunities seemed to come to you easily…”

Qin Bao asked, “How much did they pay you?”

Jin Si hesitated, “…Who?”

“Sufeng, or Zou Jiudong,” Qin Bao said, “Did he give you money or promise to make you famous?”

Jin Si hadn’t expected Qin Bao to see through her so quickly and stopped pretending. She hurriedly explained, “I didn’t take any money from him! Qin Bao, believe me! He just promised me some resources. I didn’t pass the acting exam, and this was the only way to realize my dream—”

Qin Bao said, “Understood. That’s all.”

Jin Si cried, “Qin Bao, don’t you blame me?”

“I don’t blame you, Jin Si. Because you’re no longer my friend.”

Qin Bao hung up.

He also closed Flow, blocking out everything for now. He had work in the afternoon and couldn’t let it affect his performance.

After work, he found Xiao Xu crying, saying, “I’ve cut ties with her,” indicating she had already learned about Jin Si’s actions.

Qin Bao sighed, holding her and letting her lean on his shoulder, “It’s okay, it’s not that serious.”

After Xiao Xu finished crying, she wiped her face awkwardly and said, “Brother Bao, you’re so mature now.”

Twenty-one-year-old Qin Bao: “…”

By the time he got home, it was already evening. The January weather made Qin Bao’s fingers numb from the cold.

He sat on the steps outside his door for an unknown amount of time, suddenly feeling a familiar scent approaching through the icy cold. He looked up and met Feng Chengyu’s calm eyes.

“Feng Chengyu,” he called.

“Here.” Feng Chengyu patted his head.

Immediately, he hugged Feng Chengyu’s leg.

“Are you a puppy?”

Feng Chengyu rubbed his hair.

“Yes,” Qin Bao said, a little puppy needing comfort. Finally, he let his eyes well up, “I’m very angry right now, very angry, and might even bite.”

Feng Chengyu picked him up and carried him inside like a child, stepping on the snow, “Then you haven’t peed under my streetlight, have you?”

Qin Bao was so upset that he bit Feng Chengyu’s neck.

Feng Chengyu said, “You’re really a dog.”