The Reborn Scummy A and the Sickly O Got Together - Chapter 34

The boundless night enveloped the capital in a vast silence. Qin Yan’s words carried an unmistakable air of condescending mockery.

Though she couldn’t see the young man’s expression, Feng Baiming could easily picture him on the other end of the line, his eyes slightly narrowed, lips curled into a half-smirk, teasing and insinuating with biting sarcasm:

Feng Baiming, are you really so concerned about this matter without any ulterior motives?

You want to play the saint, the morally superior one? Then ask yourself, Miss Feng, do you even deserve it?

Feng Baiming remained silent for a long moment, so long that even Qin Yan began to feel he had overstepped.

He shifted the topic, bringing up Luo Mingyue instead: “I don’t know what deep-seated grudge Luo Mingyue holds against Lu Jia, but it’s clearly not something that formed overnight. These two grew up together, spent over a decade side by side. If it were affection, it should have been deeper than most.”

“But if it’s hatred, then it must have festered over years. Who knows how much Luo Mingyue despises Lu Jia in her heart?”

“And yet, despite that, she still has kindness in her. Now that I’ve been dragged into this, she feels guilty. But does that mean she’ll give up on her revenge against Lu Jia in the future?”

Feng Baiming replied, “No. Hatred lasts longer than love, and it makes people narrow-minded, selfish, and bitter. To hate someone is to refuse to let go of yourself. It’s not so easy to understand that truth.”

“It’s not about understanding,” Qin Yan said with a bitter laugh. “People can know the right thing and still fail to act on it. Everyone knows staying up late and eating junk food is unhealthy knowing and doing are two separate things.”

“If Luo Mingyue seeks revenge against Lu Jia again in the future, she’ll likely target only Lu Jia and avoid dragging others into it,” Qin Yan continued. “Baiming-jie, you’re staying with the Lu family now. What will you do?”

Feng Baiming said nothing, but Qin Yan pressed on relentlessly: “Will you stand by indifferently? Or will you defend Lu Jia? Or maybe you’ll play the saintly Madonna and try to save them both or just one of them.”

Cornered by his repeated provocations, Feng Baiming finally fell silent. Qin Yan chuckled in amusement on the other end. “Knowing you, you wouldn’t rush in blindly to play the hero without understanding the full story. But you’re no pushover either. Luo Mingyue might intervene when she sees injustice, but you, Feng Baiming, wouldn’t.”

“Baiming-jie, twenty-one years have passed in the blink of an eye. Could it be that even you, the iron tree, are finally blooming, learning what it means to like someone?”

At this point, she was almost grateful they weren’t speaking face-to-face, or she might have been tempted to punch him. Heartbroken himself, Qin Yan seemed determined to ensure no one else lived in peace, now acting like a prickly porcupine with its quills raised.

Feng Baiming replied coolly, “You’re overthinking it.”

Qin Yan’s voice was playful. “Maybe it’s because you’ve never liked anyone before, so now that it’s your first time, you don’t even realize it’s love.”

She scoffed. “What, is life some third-rate romance novel to you? Or have you watched too many Qiong Yao dramas?”

Qin Yan shook his head, phone in hand. “I’m just giving you a friendly heads-up. And to be fair, Luo Mingyue’s flaws and strengths are both striking. This era praises ruthlessness and cutthroat ambition, but deep down, we all know a kind and gentle heart is a rare treasure.”

Feng Baiming finally couldn’t help but respond: “I understand, I truly do. Many people despise gentleness and kindness in this era, considering them useless traits. What we value now are social skills, boldness, cunning, and ambition because ultimately, these are qualities that bring money and power. That’s why gentleness and kindness have become things many look down upon. They often mean having to consider others’ feelings and making compromises for them.”

“Gentleness and kindness have become synonymous with passivity and weakness. They don’t lead to worldly success as defined by society.”

“But they remain precious,” Feng Baiming said.

Qin Yan burst into laughter again, prompting Feng Baiming to retort irritably: “Do my words strike you as naive? Don’t you think the same way?”

“Not at all,” came the reply. “I was just thinking how much you really like Luo Mingyue.”

Their conversation was going nowhere fast, this exchange with Qin Yan was undoubtedly the most frustrating dialogue of her life so far. Without question.

Every additional word exchanged with this guy felt like a waste of breath. After decisively hanging up, Feng Baiming calmly reflected that nineteen-year-old Qin Yan was naturally far from mature. He simply projected his own mindset onto others, viewing all relationships through tinted lenses, convinced that any interaction between opposite genders must involve romantic undertones.

Serves him right to be played by Lu Jia, Feng Baiming thought with rare agitation. With his mind constantly filled with nothing but love and romance, it’d be a cosmic injustice if someone didn’t take advantage of him.

Though spring had long since passed, leaving only the stifling, sweltering heat of summer that could scorch away all passions and grievances, Lu Ping seemed to live in perpetual springtime, his mating season never truly ended.

During Feng Baiming’s first month at the Lu residence, with the formidable grandmother’s presence looming large, Lu Ping had initially tried ingratiating himself with cold persistence. Whether showing off wealth or playing the eager lapdog, he had no qualms about such tactics in his pursuit.

Now that it was clear Feng Baiming held no hope for him, Lu Ping could no longer restrain his springtime urges and had been making frequent outings these past few days.

His absence at dinner had become a recurring theme. With the Lu matriarch and Third Miss Lu often skipping meals as well, and Lu Jia under house arrest, dinner gatherings had dwindled to just Lu Xi, Lu Le, Luo Mingyue, and Feng Baiming.

While the Lu sisters chattered away with gossip, Feng Baiming and Luo Mingyue remained comparatively quiet.

The sisters first brought up the return of the Zhang family’s alpha heir from abroad. They were well aware of the Zhangs’ small gathering at Dingmao this Friday, knew Feng Baiming was one of the main guests, and that Luo Mingyue and their aunt would be accompanying her.

They privately mocked how the intimate dinner seemed arranged like an imperial selection for the Zhang heir, while outwardly asking their aunt if they could tag along.

Third Miss Lu replied airily, “Oh dear, whatever would you two go for? The Zhangs only invited Mingyue and me. If I brought you two, people might think I’d acquired two more daughters.”

Undeterred by the gentle rebuff, Lu Xi and Lu Le clung to their aunt’s arm affectionately: “Since Miss Zhang likes Mingyue-jie so much, Auntie, you could just mention it. Adding two more chairs would be as easy as waving your hand.”

The flattery pleased Third Miss Lu, but she still said airily, “Then I’ll give it a try. Whether it works out or not, don’t gossip behind my back.”

The two sisters exchanged guilty glances. Lu Xi said, “How could we ever speak ill of Auntie behind her back?” Then she and Lu Le rolled their eyes at each other. Though Third Miss Lu smiled warmly on the surface, inwardly she thought: I don’t believe a word you two say, who knows how many times you’ve badmouthed me in private.

Dinner was just the four younger family members. Without elders present, Lu Xi and Lu Le spoke even more recklessly. Third Miss Lu, who was fond of socializing and often out, was usually the one initiating contact, it was rare for others to reach her.

Having promised to ask the Zhang family about bringing two more people to their gathering, she’d now disappeared like a hidden dragon. The sisters simply divided the task between the other two.

Lu Xi called out, “Sister Bai Ming, could you take me and Lu Le to Friday’s gathering?”

Lu Le added, “Sister Ming Yue, could you ask the Zhang family’s young lady if we could bring two more people?”

Feng Bai Ming replied coolly, “The elders made the arrangements. It’s not my place to interfere.”

Luo Ming Yue answered gently, “Why do you want to go?”

Lu Xi’s eyes darted mischievously. “Naturally to liven things up! After all, it’s your first blind date, having more family there to support you can’t hurt.”

Luo Ming Yue, who’d been sipping mung bean and lily porridge, nearly choked. Covering her mouth, she forced the mouthful down, tears springing to her eyes from coughing. Someone handed her a pristine tissue, and she finally managed to clear her throat.

For some reason feeling slightly guilty, she glanced at Feng Bai Ming. Accepting the tissue from Miss Feng, she murmured, “It’s not a blind date, just an invitation from the Zhang elders. Isn’t Miss Feng attending too?”

Feng Bai Ming was about to explain: It’s an old family connection, can’t be refused. But inexplicably, she added, “If not for the elders’ ties, I wouldn’t want to attend this gathering either.”

She then saw the beautiful young alpha beside her break into what might have been her first genuinely happy smile these past few days.

Since the Qin Yan incident, the two had barely spoken, though living under the same roof meant constant unavoidable encounters, passing in hallways, meeting face to face.

The other always smiled at her, though the expression resembled suppressed tears more than joy, those eyes perpetually misty, the smile simultaneously pleading, aggrieved and fearful.

Once, after a brief nod in passing, Feng Bai Ming had turned back inexplicably to find the girl standing motionless, watching her walk away.

Feng Bai Ming had once told her sister about a rescued golden retriever puppy, finally understanding why humans adored young dogs, those eyes brimming with such pure, hopeful joy.

When you suddenly realize you’ve become someone’s entire world, how can you remain unmoved?

In this fast-paced era chasing power, wealth and conventional success, genuine emotion still holds the power to move hearts.

She didn’t want Miss Luo looking at her so sorrowfully, nor could she fathom why the girl seemed so distressed in her presence.

Now, seeing Luo Ming Yue’s rare bright smile, Feng Bai Ming felt an unexpected calm before catching herself with quiet dismay at how much she’d come to care for this girl.

Lu Xi and Lu Le observed this brief exchange keenly. Lu Xi remarked, “Sister Ming Yue, you’re grown up, how can you still choke on porridge?”

Lu Le winked at her sister and mouthed: What’s up with these two?

Omegas are always sensitive to subtle changes, and even though everyone present was wearing scent patches, the two sisters could still detect the faint traces of pheromones leaking out likely indicating their owners’ improved moods.

Seeing that neither of the other two was going to help them out, Lu Xi and Lu Le simply chatted between themselves, ignoring Luo Mingyue and Feng Baiming.

It was impossible for the other two not to overhear their conversation, given they were all sitting at the same table. Soon enough, Lu Xi brought up Lu Ping: “Big brother’s changed his taste. Remember all his ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends?”

Lu Le replied, “How could I forget? He always went for those ordinary, ‘simple and cute’ types more like simple-minded and easy to fool, if you ask me. A couple of designer bags and they’d fall for him. But despite their innocent, plain-Jane looks, they had no qualms about spending his money.”

“This time, he’s switched it up,” Lu Xi gossiped, her eyes gleaming. “I caught a glimpse of her tall, with long black hair. Couldn’t catch her scent, though. Either her scent patch is top-notch, or she’s a beta.”

“He’s dated betas before, so that’s not surprising,” Lu Le said. “Guess he’s just changing his usual type?”

Lu Xi continued, “I heard she’s some artsy, literary type. He’s putting in way more effort this time. Yesterday, I saw him come home with a bag full of books. I asked if they were cheap romance novels.”

“Guess what he said?” Lu Xi snorted.

Lu Le took the bait. “What?”

Feng Baiming and Luo Mingyue couldn’t help but perk up their ears, Lu Xi and Lu Le had a real talent for banter, playing off each other like a comedy duo.

Lu Xi recalled the scene: “Lu Ping was dressed completely differently, plain-colored T-shirt, cropped pants, and even these half-rimmed non-prescription glasses. Gotta admit, he almost looked respectable.”

Feng Baiming glanced at Luo Mingyue, who quietly reminded Lu Xi, “You just insulted yourself too.”

Lu Xi: “And he didn’t even get mad! Just calmly told me that reading broadens the mind and I should pick up more books. This coming from the same Lu Ping who failed Chinese in the college entrance exams?”

Lu Le, Feng Baiming, and Luo Mingyue, three people with wildly different personalities, all had the same thought in perfect sync: Lu Ping is just putting on an act to seem sophisticated!

Soon enough, Feng Baiming found out exactly what books Lu Ping had been carrying. Waking up early one morning, she spotted Lu Ping sitting in the living room with a tall young woman.

The Lu family’s living room was equipped with a full home theater system, the heavy curtains drawn. Feng Baiming had just finished her morning stretches when the movie started playing.

As she passed through, Lu Ping greeted her with uncharacteristic politeness. “Good morning, Miss Feng.”

The woman beside him had long, flowing hair and looked up from the book she was holding, One Hundred Years of Solitude, its title clearly visible to Feng Baiming.

Feng Baiming didn’t understand how the woman could multitask, reading One Hundred Years of Solitude while also watching The Reader, but there was no denying she had an unusual aura.

Dressed in a plain gray top and a camel-colored long skirt, she wore heeled ankle boots even in summer. Her features were somewhat understated, her makeup muted and minimalist.

Yet she happened to be holding a thick copy of One Hundred Years of Solitude. Against the backdrop of the movie’s audio, Kate, who played the female lead, listened as a male voice read excerpts from the book.

The literary young woman smiled faintly, exuding an air of noble grace amidst the stormy winds and bitter rain.

Feng Baiming found it all rather eerie. She couldn’t fathom how such a temperament had been cultivated, and it struck her that Lu Ping’s tastes had indeed changed drastically, no wonder Lu Xi and Lu Le had made a point of gossiping about it at the dinner table.

She politely replied, “The Reader is a good movie. I like it too.”

Lu Ping immediately beamed. “Great taste! This is what people with refined tastes have in common!”

Feng Baiming nearly stumbled but humbly said, “My taste probably still doesn’t compare to Young Master Lu’s.”

She quickly escaped the scene, yet upon returning to her room, she recalled the quiet moments in The Reader when Misha turned the pages and softly read the book’s contents.

Luo Mingyue had just finished washing up and passed through the living room, where she saw Lu Ping with his new girlfriend or perhaps someone he was still pursuing. According to Lu Xi, this literary young woman was so high-level that Lu Ping might end up being the one played this time.

Luo Mingyue wondered how a literary youth could be so formidable. But after seeing this lady who multitasked by watching a movie while reading One Hundred Years of Solitude, she had to admit the woman was something else.

After exchanging greetings, Luo Mingyue grabbed some breakfast bread and milk and was about to return to her room to eat when she bumped into Miss Feng, who had just stepped out.

Luo Mingyue quickly smiled. “Good morning, Miss Feng.”

The other woman looked her up and down. “I was just about to look for you. Come to my room to eat, and afterward, we’ll read together.”

A visible question mark might as well have popped up over Luo Mingyue’s head. Without waiting for a response, Feng Baiming turned decisively clearly, it wasn’t a request but a command.

This accurately played to Luo Mingyue’s nature, leaving her no room to hesitate. She followed the firm directive into Feng Baiming’s room.

Luo Mingyue had once considered digging up some of Lu Jia’s two-faced past to share with Feng Baiming, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She didn’t want to be remembered by Miss Feng as someone so despicable.

So after breakfast, just as she was about to explain, she was handed a book titled The Wisdom of the Heart.

Struggling, Luo Mingyue asked, “Why do you want me to read this?”

Feng Baiming replied, “Have you seen The Reader?”

“Kate Winslet’s iconic film, yes, I’ve seen it,” Luo Mingyue said. “Do you want me to read to you like Misha did?”

But why The Wisdom of the Heart?

Luo Mingyue wrestled with the thought. At the very least, something like The Gardener would have been better, or even One Hundred Years of Solitude.

“Miss Luo, I once told you that reading is a powerful act. It allows you to glimpse the vastness of the world even within confined spaces. Books broaden our horizons and liberate our minds.”

“Never give up on reading,” Feng Baiming tapped the title The Wisdom of the Heart. “Start with this one, then move on to poetry. You can also read books you’ve brought yourself.”

“But why?” Luo Mingyue remained puzzled. “Why do you want to listen to me read?”

Feng Baiming sighed. “Alright, it seems I’ve inconvenienced you. I apologize, I didn’t consider that this would take up your time.”

Luo Mingyue wavered between leaving and staying. Remembering how little she had ever done for Miss Feng in the past, she finally made up her mind. Simply reading aloud to Miss Feng wasn’t something that could stir one’s heart.

Her clear, mellow voice rose with the morning light as she gently recited the words from the book.

Sunlight draped over them like gauze, casting a faint golden hue around them.

Feng Baiming sat opposite her in an ergonomic chair, just a small consideration on her part. She didn’t know how to persuade Luo Mingyue to let go of her hatred for someone, but she didn’t want to see Luo Mingyue become another Qin Yan.

Kindness and gentleness were precious things. She listened quietly as the beautiful girl turned the pages. Time flowed like a river, wading through its currents, until on the other side, she read:

“Taking the first step is always the hardest, but trapping yourself in resentment and regret will make you miss the scenery of life. You were meant to walk in the light, not confine yourself in self-made prisons. A closed heart will waste our lives away.”

So, let’s just read slowly like this, Feng Baiming thought. After all, reading was always a safe choice.

Support The Reborn Scummy A and the Sickly O Got Together