The Reborn Scummy A and the Sickly O Got Together - Chapter 15

Feng Shaoyang stayed at the Lu residence for about a week. During this time, Feng’s parents visited their daughter intermittently.

As for the highly trusted monk favored by the Feng family, he didn’t insist that Feng Baiming must remain by Lu Ping’s side at all times. Instead, he remarked, “Since the feng shui there is favorable, to truly benefit from its auspicious energy, you’ll need to stay there for at least two hundred days out of the year.”

Luo Mingyue recalled that in her past life, Feng Baiming had indeed lived with the Lu family for over half a year, though she left before completing a full year.

At the time, the Lu family had earnestly urged Miss Feng to stay longer, as if she were a beloved and cherished relative.

Yet, in private, Luo Mingyue overheard Lu Xi say to Lu Ping, “It seems Miss Feng truly has no interest in you, she barely even glances your way. What’s the point of her staying any longer? That icy expression of hers honestly unnerves me a little.”

Lu Ping replied, “Anyway, I refuse to grovel after someone who treats me coldly ever again. These days, I pray every morning and night, hoping Miss Feng will hurry back to her own home.”

Back then, Luo Mingyue hadn’t been close to Feng Baiming, and she had considered Lu Ping and the others prime examples of two-faced hypocrisy.

Still, she had reasoned that they were her family, and after all, truly virtuous people were rare. Besides, wasn’t it just part of adulthood to wear a polite facade while thinking differently in private?

Now, reborn in this life, Luo Mingyue wasn’t worried that Feng Baiming would be led astray by Lu Ping. Her admiration for Feng Baiming remained unchanged whether in her past life or this one, she had always looked up to her.

Just like in her previous life, when Feng Baiming was leaving the Lu residence, everyone stepped forward to bid her farewell. Luo Mingyue had said with sincerity, “Miss Feng, you’ve shown me that strength and conviction matter far more than gender whether one is an alpha, omega, or beta.”

Meeting Feng Baiming’s gaze solemnly, she added, “You are the kind of person I aspire to become.”

At that moment, Feng Baiming had regarded her with an expression Luo Mingyue rarely saw on her usually reserved face, one of faint emotion.

There had been something like anticipation in her eyes as she asked softly, “In your eyes, what kind of person am I?”

Luo Mingyue answered, “You are strong, beautiful, and unshakably true to yourself. You never let others’ words sway you. If I were your family, I would be proud to have someone like you as my child.”

Feng Baiming’s gaze softened, and even her voice grew gentler. “Miss Luo, keep my contact details. When you have time, I’d like to share a meal with you now and then.”

Luo Mingyue smiled, her eyes curving. “With finals coming up, I’ll be free once exams are over.”

Yet later, after her exams ended, Luo Mingyue carefully drafted a message and sent it to Feng Baiming. By evening, there was still no reply. She hesitantly sent it again, wondering if poor signal had prevented the message from reaching Feng Baiming.

That night, however, Lu Xi and Lu Le returned from a banquet, and Lu Xi mentioned that Miss Feng had attended the event that evening.

Lu Le said enviously, “That pink diamond necklace around her neck isn’t particularly high in carat weight, but it’s a masterpiece from a renowned designer. Only with their family’s current influence could such a piece end up in her hands.”

Luo Mingyue abruptly interjected, “Did Miss Feng attend a banquet tonight?”

Lu Le glanced at her, “Yes, I knew this afternoon she’d be going. I even texted asking if she wanted to go together, but she politely declined.”

Lu Xi added meaningfully, “Mingyue, Miss Feng really isn’t the same as us. Do you know who her escort was tonight? A popular male actor.”

She couldn’t quite recall the actor’s name now, but from that moment on, she never opened that contact with the black-and-white landscape profile picture again.

That youthful crush ultimately faded into the imperceptible memories of the past.

–

In this second chance at life, within just a week, Luo Mingyue refrained from any outrageous behavior, merely observing coldly as Lu Ping tried every means to get close to Feng Baiming.

She never held any resentment toward Feng Baiming for the unanswered message, because deep down she agreed with what Lu Xi had said.

Thus, she came to regard Feng Baiming’s appearance in her life as nothing more than a beautiful passing scenery of her youth.

The slender white waterbird stood solitary in the lake, its beauty lying in the freedom of its soaring wings.

Having witnessed this beautiful bird’s resolute independence, she felt utterly content.

Indeed, someone like Lu Ping could never earn a second glance from a young lady of Feng Baiming’s stature and strong character.

Soon, Feng Shaoyang left for summer camp, and Feng’s parents embarked on their own travels. Feng Baiming spent most of her time in the master bedroom on the first floor of the Lu residence, busy with her English graduation project.

Lu Ping openly complained to his sisters in the living room, “What kind of omega is this? Really opens my eyes. I’ve met my share of high-and-mighty omega young ladies, but with enough sweet talk, they’d still give you a sweet smile.”

Lu Xi nodded in agreement, “Not just cold-faced, I think her heart’s cold too. Is she just born this way? She’s polite enough when we interact, but that aloof distance, she never lets you get any closer.”

Lu Ping shrugged, “Let whoever likes this type pursue her. Not my cup of tea, she’s nothing like how an omega should be.”

It was then that Luo Mingyue, sitting across from them, spoke up, “How should an omega be? Aren’t we all just people? Must we enforce gender stereotypes?”

Both Lu Ping and Lu Xi looked at her. The siblings had long noticed Luo Mingyue’s change while she’d never been talkative, she’d grown even more silent lately.

And there was the biggest change of all. Lu Xi asked with a grin, “Mingyue, you don’t even talk to Lu Jia anymore. Did you two have a falling out?”

Luo Mingyue replied calmly, “People grow up. Childhood friends drifting apart is common enough nothing strange about it.”

Lu Xi and Lu Ping were taken aback by this. Only after Luo Mingyue had left did they snap out of it, exchanging bewildered looks: Since when did Luo Mingyue talk like this?

That evening at dinner, all the Lu family children had gathered in the dining room. Their grandmother couldn’t return tonight, and when Feng Baiming arrived, she looked listless. Her usually pale complexion now bore faint red flushes on both cheeks.

Luo Mingyue was the first to show concern: “Miss Feng, are you feeling unwell?”

In her previous life, she remembered Feng Baiming often catching colds and fevers when she first came to the Lu household. But whether it was due to that monk truly being an enlightened master, Feng Baiming indeed fell ill much less frequently in later years.

Feng Baiming shook her head, giving the young alpha a surprised glance. She hadn’t ruled out the possibility that both Luo Mingyue and Lu Ping might be pursuing her, yet over these past couple weeks, Luo Mingyue hadn’t shown her any particular warmth.

At most, their interactions were limited to chance encounters in the Lu residence, where Luo Mingyue would offer an exceptionally gentle and friendly smile nothing like Lu Ping’s constant invitations to go out or gifts.

“It might be a slight fever, nothing serious,” Feng Baiming said, rubbing her temples. “I’ll just have a little something and go rest.”

But it turned out to be more than just a mild fever. Feng Baiming only managed some porridge before leaving the dining room.

After she left, Lu Le suddenly remembered something: “That contagious disease causing blisters and scarring has been making rounds again recently. I heard many in the capital have already caught it.”

Hearing this, Lu Ping, an alpha instinctively touched his face: “Then I’d better stay home these days. My handsome face absolutely can’t be scarred.”

As if the capital’s air was cursed with jinxes, misfortune struck exactly where they’d feared.

Around nine that night, Luo Mingyue instructed a servant to bring some food to Feng Baiming, adding thoughtfully: “If she’s asleep, just leave it by her bedside.”

But soon the servant came running out in panic, gathering the remaining young masters and misses in the living room: “Miss Feng has developed a high fever! She looks terribly ill!”

Lu Ping frowned impatiently: “Just give her fever reducers, what’s the big deal?”

The servant covered her face anxiously: “But her exposed wrists are covered in blisters! Could she have caught that disfiguring disease?”

At these words, Lu Ping and Lu Xi immediately covered their noses and mouths, backing away rapidly while Lu Le shrieked: “Get away from us! Don’t even speak to us!”

The servant whimpered and fled.

“Call 120!” Lu Ping ordered. “Have an ambulance take Feng Baiming away!”

But Luo Mingyue was already at the phone, contacting their family physician and quickly describing the symptoms. The doctor asked: “Are you with the patient now? Can you describe the blisters in detail?”

Switching to her mobile, Luo Mingyue headed straight for the master bedroom. “Luo Mingyue, have you lost your mind?” Lu Ping shouted. “Why are you going near her? Just let the ambulance handle it!”

None of them followed as she entered Feng Baiming’s room.

The air conditioner blew cold air into the room where Feng Baiming lay curled tightly under the blankets.

Approaching the bed, Luo Mingyue carefully pulled back the covers to reveal the girl’s fever-flushed face. Feng Baiming pressed her hands over her eyes in discomfort: “I think the fever’s worse, just some medicine, please.”

Luo Mingyue carefully examined the rash on her wrist and sighed in relief. She recalled that this hadn’t happened in her previous life’s memories either.

Replying to the doctor on the phone: “It’s seasonal eczema. I had it when I was a child.”

After the doctor carefully inquired about the rash’s appearance and confirmed it wasn’t herpes, he still cautioned her: “You should still be careful. If it turns out to be another type of rash, we can’t rule out the possibility of contagion.”

After hanging up, Luo Mingyue left the bedroom to find Lu Ping and the others already fully suited up in protective gear. Despite her repeated assurances that it was just seasonal eczema, they remained skeptical.

“Miss Feng needs rest right now. If you drag her to the hospital and the Feng family finds out, what do you think they’ll tell Grandmother?”

Lu Ping and the others, still wary of Grandmother’s authority, eventually pushed the caretaking responsibility onto Luo Mingyue: “Since you haven’t presented yet, you’re still just a child. If you’re so certain it’s just eczema, then you can take care of the Feng family’s young miss.”

–

Carrying a tray with hot water and fever medicine, Luo Mingyue entered the room and sat by the bed.

As she helped Feng Baiming sit up to take the medicine, the latter swallowed the capsule with water, her eyes now swollen as well.

Peering through puffy eyelids at Luo Mingyue, Feng Baiming asked wearily: “Why are you the one taking care of me?”

“I’ve taken the medicine. You can go back now.”

As she spoke, Feng Baiming noticed the rash on her wrist:

“What’s this? I’ve never had anything like this before.”

“It’s just seasonal eczema. The recent humid weather has caused an allergic reaction on your skin.”

Feng Baiming’s eyes widened before she quickly lay back down, burying herself under the covers: “I’ll rest tonight and go to the hospital tomorrow. You should return to your room.”

Luo Mingyue remained seated by the bed, speaking softly: “You still have a fever. Sick people need someone to care for them.”

“I don’t need it,” Feng Baiming said. “I’ve been sick often since childhood. I’m used to being alone.”

“That’s different.” Luo Mingyue didn’t move from her chair.

“How is it different?” Feng Baiming asked curiously.

The young alpha replied earnestly: “Not needing something and having no one to provide it are two different matters. When I was sick as a child, my classmates knew how pitiful it was to have no one to care for you.”

“Miss Feng, you see? Even children know sick people need company and care.”

Miss Feng retorted: “But I’m not a child.”

Luo Mingyue answered calmly: “That’s alright. I haven’t presented yet, so I’m still a child.”

Feng Baiming was momentarily speechless at this shameless reply before finally saying: “Do as you please.”

Then she heard the young alpha say gently: “Thank you, Miss Feng.”

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