The Reborn Scummy A and the Sickly O Got Together - Chapter 35

That early morning was just the beginning. The book Wisdom of the Mind was indeed a genuine copy Feng Baiming had specifically purchased from Xinhua Bookstore.

As summer passed, she was about to enter her senior year. However, she had already met the credit requirements for graduation. Initially majoring in Business Administration upon enrollment, she had considered adding a second major after her sophomore year, perhaps Mathematics or Management. Yet her professor suggested she might want to pursue a humanities discipline instead, such as Literature, Art, or Psychology.

She expressed her confusion bluntly: “How would this benefit me?”

The silver-haired professor spoke gently, offering only a tactful suggestion: “In terms of practicality, the 21st century is often called the era of STEM. Literature and history may not contribute much to technological advancement or economic growth.”

“But the humanities should never be overlooked,” the professor added thoughtfully. “Your performance in your primary major is already outstanding, and your mathematics grades are particularly impressive. You’ve ranked first in both Micro and Macroeconomics. Given your strong foundation in finance, perhaps you could consider a second major that focuses more on humanistic psychology?”

Feng Baiming hesitated. “But,  it might not align with my future career plans.”

“Science and technology drive progress, improving material life. But humanities, art, and literature enrich the individual spirit,” the professor replied. “Of course, this is merely a suggestion. Still, it’s worth clarifying that disciplines outside STEM hold their own value.”

At the time, Feng Baiming thought, Of course they have value, art, literature, and humanistic care are tied to many industries and can generate significant economic benefits.

It wasn’t until she took another medical leave, self-studying her coursework at home, that her younger sister Feng Shaoyang, noticing her boredom, remarked, “Big sis, if you’re feeling lonely, you could always invite friends over.”

Without waiting for a response, her sister bluntly pointed out, “You’ve never had any close friends all these years. Don’t you ever feel lonely?”

“Maintaining friendships takes effort,” Feng Baiming countered calmly. “Besides, my health only improved in the last two years. Back in high school, I spent two and a half months out of every four-month semester resting at home. When would I have had time to make friends?”

She continued, “And preparing for the college entrance exams alone consumed all my time. Asking me to spend what little free time I had on trivial things like chatting or going out to eat, wouldn’t that just be wasting my life?”

Feng Shaoyang was stunned into silence by her sister’s unconventional perspective.

She gave a thumbs-up. “Damn, you’re something else. Your inner world is so rich you don’t need anyone else. And here I was, worrying you might feel lonely. I overthought it.”

Of course, there were moments when loneliness did creep in. Now, lulled by the soothing voice of the young woman reading aloud, Feng Baiming felt a rare drowsiness.

It was a warm, comforting sensation, so relaxing that it brought back these two memories.

Her heart wasn’t made of stone. During her extended leave in her freshman year, plagued by persistent low-grade fevers, she would occasionally browse the news on her phone in between self-study sessions. Beyond her parents and family, there was no one in her life to share the little things with.

After submitting her assignment to the professor who had suggested she take literature or psychology electives, she couldn’t help but ask: “If I major in literary appreciation, will I become spiritually richer and stop overthinking everything?”

The professor simply replied: “At this stage of human societal development, every confusion you experience has already been encountered by those before you. All the answers you seek have been written in books by people who shared your same doubts.”

Feng Baiming, who had originally planned to minor in mathematics during her sophomore year, ultimately chose literary appreciation instead. As for the bestseller “Wisdom of the Soul,” it became one of her research topics.

“The correlation between the popularity of contemporary inspirational literature and fast-paced industrialized society” was her initial thesis topic. However, her literary appreciation professor rejected it, remarking that despite being a literature major, Feng Baiming’s work reeked of an economics paper’s monetary focus.

The revised topic became “Macroscopic Changes in Literary Spirit Over a Century.” This didn’t stop her from reading through bestsellers like “Wisdom of the Soul” and “Your Youth Isn’t a Solo Battle.” She soon realized the former at least had some psychological basis, while the latter was essentially just a personal memoir.

Two pages of these books combined probably didn’t contain five hundred words, seeming specifically printed to scam money. The target audience appeared to be artistic youths like Lu Ping was currently pursuing, though such youths typically read “One Hundred Years of Solitude” and would likely consider these inspirational books lacking in sophistication.

She’d always believed such books couldn’t bring true spiritual wisdom, their greatest utility being similar to advanced mathematics, inducing sleepiness after just a few pages, making them perfect sleep aids. Yet now she began to feel there might be some merit to certain fragments within them.

Bathed in golden light, the girl’s delicate profile appeared serene and beautiful. Her long, thick eyelashes fluttered occasionally with each blink. After turning two pages, Luo Mingyue glanced at Miss Feng across from her and found herself holding her breath.

In the ergonomic chair, the slender-framed girl, a full head shorter tilted her head slightly. Her thin eyelids closed peacefully in the perfectly air-conditioned room, where sunlight danced with floating dust particles. Her tranquil slumber created such perfect harmony that everything seemed precisely as it should be.

Stopping her reading aloud, Luo Mingyue gazed long at Miss Feng’s sleeping face, suddenly understanding the profound peace that comes from the soul across the river of time.

So this was the truth, there existed emotions where simply looking at someone’s face could bring happiness.

On the wall’s shadow, one silhouette reached out a hand. Though Luo Mingyue never physically touched Miss Feng, in the shadow world, her hand made contact with the other’s profile. Just shadows touching shadows, yet it brought a smile to her face like a child receiving beloved candy.

Until Friday arrived, Feng Baiming would request Luo Mingyue read aloud each morning. “Wisdom of the Soul” was merely the beginning. “Did you gain any insights from reading it?” Feng Baiming asked.

With complex emotions, Miss Luo replied: “It contains profound life philosophies. It does bring a certain peace of mind.”

Feng Baiming nodded in satisfaction, thinking that reading indeed had its uses. Luo Mingyue cautiously asked her, “Miss Feng, do you particularly enjoy this type of book?”

Feng Baiming replied, “I bought it to study for my graduation thesis.”

Luo Mingyue suddenly understood, “Ah, I see.”

Feng Baiming added, “But my thesis topic was rejected by my advisor, so I’ve only read about a dozen pages of this book.”

Luo Mingyue could only console her, “Though I haven’t started university yet, I’m sure writing a thesis is quite challenging.”

Though inwardly she wondered, what kind of thesis could one write about motivational books? Miss Feng’s research direction seemed rather peculiar.

The next day, Feng Baiming handed her a poetry collection, an anthology of modern classics. Perhaps sensing her doubts about her reading taste, Feng Baiming clarified as she passed it over, “The ones marked with stars are my favorites.”

Curled up in the office chair, she listened as the pretty young alpha considerately read those selected poems aloud to her.

For some reason, time seemed to slow down in those moments, as if the scenes from the movie The Reader were being reenacted in real life with reversed roles.

Every day, Luo Mingyue would berate herself, this would be the last time yet each morning she would still bring milk and bread to Feng Baiming’s room.

It became an unspoken agreement. With no one calling for it to stop, the cycle continued endlessly. Time stretched languidly in the rhythm of the reader’s voice. Sometimes she could almost hear time transforming into flowing water, a vast river rolling past before and behind her.

Occasionally she would wish, if life could freeze in this moment, it might be the greatest happiness.

Friday arrived as scheduled. That afternoon, Feng Baiming returned to her family home to depart with her mother from the Feng residence.

That morning, Luo Mingyue brought her own book, a little-known collection of essays by a contemporary writer, written in a gentle, unhurried style. Feng Baiming rested her chin in her hand as she listened to a passage, thinking the writing style suited this young alpha perfectly.

If everyone had a corresponding animal, Feng Baiming thought Luo Mingyue resembled a golden retriever puppy or sometimes a slow-moving snail.

Her cautious personality, retreating into her shell with misty eyes at the slightest touch such traits didn’t seem typical of an omega. So was she more like a beta?

Feng Baiming remarked, “You have that arranged meeting with the Zhang family’s daughter tonight.”

Luo Mingyue immediately answered guiltily, “It’s not an arranged meeting. My mother accepted the invitation, and I couldn’t refuse.”

“These dinners are essentially the same as arranged meetings,” Feng Baiming said. “Under the pretense of elders gathering with the younger generation, only those of equal social standing get invited.”

Luo Mingyue still felt somewhat wronged, “Since Miss Feng understands this so well, are you still going to attend?”

Feng Baiming gave her a silent look, “You don’t want me to go?”

The question amused even herself. A faint smile tugged at her lips as she watched the pretty young alpha with interest, “Or do you find this method of introduction too antiquated, reeking of feudal patriarchal control over children?”

The young alpha flushed crimson at the first remark, then visibly relaxed at her subsequent teasing yet serious inquiry.

Luo Mingyue said sternly, “Young people have many ways to meet nowadays. This method is indeed too old-fashioned.”

If it weren’t for her still-red ears, Feng Baiming might have believed her answer. After stealing a few glances at those ears, she couldn’t help but purse her lips in amusement.

Despite being a tall, long-limbed female alpha, she possessed a pair of mesmerizing peach-blossom eyes that brimmed with emotion. Realizing she was being teased, those wide eyes now flashed with indignation, the corners tinged with a faint flush of pink.

An uncontrollable thought crossed Feng Baiming’s mind: “If those eyes were to glisten with unshed tears, how utterly captivating they would be.”

At that moment, she suddenly realized that the young lady of the Zhang family had remarkable discernment. Even during last Friday’s farcical banquet, where Qin Yan and Lu Jia stole the spotlight, she had still managed to spot this hidden gem in the darkness.

Feng Baiming said, “If you’re willing to go easy on yourself, I think many people would come to like you.”

Luo Mingyue looked puzzled, but Feng Baiming merely smiled faintly. “Have more confidence, Miss Luo. You’re already more outstanding than most people.”

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