The Reborn Scummy A and the Sickly O Got Together - Chapter 39

Zhang Zhuoran’s response didn’t bring awkward silence to the dinner table, instead, Third Miss Lu and Mrs. Zhang were grinning from ear to ear.

Having thrown out such a pointed remark without seeing his stepmother get angry, only to have her laugh happily, Zhang Zhuoran was utterly bewildered.

His father, however, shot him a dark look.

Only his uncle spoke up for him: “Look at this kid, say what you will about him, but he’s straightforward and means no harm. I just worry that such a simple nature might leave him easily fooled, counting money for the very people who cheat him.”

Though even that didn’t sound entirely complimentary.

Third Miss Lu chuckled. “Exactly! Such an innocent child is rare these days.”

Luo Mingyue watched as her mother and Mrs. Zhang deliberately provoked Zhang Zhuoran. She never expected that someone from their social circle could be so easily baited. When others handed him the perfect setup, so obviously digging a pit for him, he actually jumped right in without hesitation.

She couldn’t help but wonder was intelligence truly predetermined by nature? Weren’t environmental factors supposed to shape it too? How could Zhang Zhuoran still be this naive?

As the hot dishes were served one after another, the atmosphere grew lively. Among life’s four essentials food, clothing, shelter, and travel food ranked first, and soon, glasses were clinking all around.

Between bites and sips, the conversation flowed effortlessly. Apart from Luo Mingyue and Feng Baiming, who remained relatively quiet, even Zhang Zhuoran jumped back into the discussion, ensuring the gathering was thoroughly enjoyable for both hosts and guests.

Mrs. Zhang felt she had made the right choice inviting Third Miss Lu. The two women worked in perfect, unspoken harmony.

Her husband, still mindful of his eldest son’s dignity, seized a rare opportunity to praise Zhang Zhuoran: “Zhuoran joined his university’s football team as a freshman in the U.S. Even the cheer captain had a crush on him.”

Zhang Zhuoran grinned. “Western girls, even omegas, are so outgoing, always making the first move.”

His father added boastfully, “And she was a blonde, blue-eyed American beauty.”

Mrs. Zhang laughed. “I was almost afraid Zhuoran would marry some foreign omega and refuse to come back. How many has he dated overseas, I wonder?”

Zhang Zhuoran was about to brag about his extensive romantic history when he caught Feng Baiming’s indifferent expression and Luo Mingyue’s watchful gaze fixed on her. His irritation grew.

Regarding Feng Baiming, his mother had repeatedly emphasized that securing this match would be a win-win his chances of inheriting his father’s company would double.

But he believed that as his father’s only alpha son, the company was rightfully his, regardless of his future wife’s background.

His mother, however, countered, “Can you guarantee your stepmother won’t have another alpha child?”

Given his stepmother’s current age, she certainly could. Reluctantly, Zhang Zhuoran resigned himself to the idea, no matter what Feng Baiming looked like, she was still an omega. A little sweet talk, a display of his pheromones and alpha charisma, and she’d be hooked.

Upon meeting her, he was genuinely impressed. Among all the omegas he’d dated, Feng Baiming’s looks were top-tier, and for the first time, he regarded her with sincere interest.

Only to quickly realize her personality was equally top-tier, in how much it repelled him. No matter how beautiful, she was as dull as a block of wood.

Although others admired Feng Baiming, this eldest daughter of the Feng family neither engaged in gossip nor discussed luxury goods. Not to mention, she showed no trace of admiration when hearing about his overseas studies.

Instead, she wore an expression that appeared polite and indifferent, yet her eyes clearly conveyed, “This person is boring.”

Zhang Zhuoran thought Feng Baiming was wasting her pretty face, an omega like her could only be tolerated by those social-climbing, pretty-boy alphas desperate to flatter her.

Take Luo Mingyue, for example.

A granddaughter whose father had run off, inheriting little of the Lu family’s wealth, with a mother who was nothing more than a socialite, now at this age, still unable to find a second husband willing to take her in.

And yet.

For some reason, though he disliked Feng Baiming’s personality and looked down on Luo Mingyue, the mere presence of competition stirred something in him. Seeing Luo Mingyue’s attentiveness toward Feng Baiming ignited a certain mentality in him.

Only when something is contested does it become desirable. The moment someone openly displayed interest in Feng Baiming right before his eyes, he too wanted to claim the prize.

More than winning Feng Baiming’s favor, he wanted to see his rival defeated.

Feng Baiming was genuinely annoyed. Old-generation connections, obligatory social appearances, she didn’t care and wasn’t afraid of mingling.

But the way Zhang Zhuoran kept looking at her was truly unpleasant.

Her instincts told her this man was about to spew nonsense. His gaze grew increasingly smug and repulsive, brimming with a disgusting sense of entitlement, so much so that she had no doubt he was about to do something stupid.

Sure enough, Zhang Zhuoran seized an opening and steered the conversation: “Before coming, my mother insisted that I should always be a gentleman toward an omega lady. Knowing I’m a looks-oriented person, she worried I might slight the omega ladies present.”

The remark came out of nowhere, drawing many eyes toward him. Zhang Zhuoran smiled. “Turns out her worries were unnecessary, every omega lady here is exceptionally beautiful.”

The compliment wasn’t particularly clever, but at least he managed to feign a humble tone, appearing somewhat sincere.

The Third Miss Lu giggled. “Is this your way of praising a certain omega lady while including us aunties in the flattery?”

Everyone read between the lines. Regardless of whether the remark was appropriate, the topic now revolved around Zhang Zhuoran and Feng Baiming.

All the adults present were either married or had been married multiple times. No matter how messy their own households were, how meticulously they calculated their assets down to the third decimal place, they still felt compelled to urge the unmarried toward relationships.

Feng Baiming found herself thrust into the spotlight. Her mother, unruffled, simply said, “She’s still young. Let her finish her studies first.”

Someone immediately countered, “She’s not that young. She could find a partner now, get engaged before graduation, and have her first child right after. In our day, women her age were already mothers of two.”

Whether Feng Baiming’s mother was inwardly furious remained unknown, but outwardly, she maintained a pleasant tone. “Times have changed. Besides, children have their own fortunes. She has her own aspirations as parents, we should support that.”

Zhang Zhuoran said with a smile, “An omega with Miss Feng’s temperament is quite rare. If my future girlfriend were this outstanding, I’d fully support her in pursuing her studies too.”

His intentions were as clear as day, and the onlookers even cheered him on. Someone remarked, “Bai Ming and Zhuoran standing together regardless of anything else look very well-matched.”

Feng Baiming could no longer hold back. Her voice was cool and clear, spoken softly yet audible to everyone at the table.

She replied indifferently, “At a previous banquet, when Miss Luo accompanied me as my plus-one, people also said we looked well-matched standing together. It seems I’m just too versatile, born with a face that pairs well with anyone.”

The teasing and playful attempts to set the two young people up were met with this unexpected response, causing an awkward moment of silence.

Song An had long noticed Luo Mingyue’s different attitude toward Feng Baiming. After all, she was the control group having experienced Luo Mingyue’s polite detachment firsthand, she could see more clearly than anyone else the attentive affection Luo Mingyue showed Feng Baiming.

This displeased her, making her feel the sting of defeat all too plainly, and her mood soured.

But seeing her elder brother Zhang Zhuoran being put in his place immediately reignited her fighting spirit.

Song An was the first to break the awkward silence, chirping sweetly, “Ah, now that you mention it, just seeing Mingyue-jie and Baiming-jie sitting together is such a delight.”

Her words held no exaggeration. Even without her saying it, the two girls, three years apart in age made a striking pair. The petite omega, though exquisitely beautiful, carried an aloof and distant air, her presence so commanding it was hard to imagine what kind of alpha could possibly stand beside her.

Yet seated next to her was a tall, slightly baby-faced alpha girl with mesmerizing peach-blossom eyes and a trace of youthful innocence. When she smiled, her radiance was impossible to ignore bright, captivating, and full of life.

Compared to Feng Baiming, Luo Mingyue might lack the same imposing aura, but her gentle sincerity shone like a luminous pearl. Strangely enough, she complemented the cold and distant omega perfectly.

Two completely opposite looks, two contrasting auras, united only by their equally exceptional beauty. Unless you saw them together in the same frame, you’d never imagine how naturally they seemed to belong side by side.

They were undeniably more pleasing to the eye than Feng Baiming standing next to Zhang Zhuoran, whose presence paled in comparison, making him look more like a bodyguard beside the young mistress.

Not everyone was keen on playing matchmaker for Feng Baiming and Zhang Zhuoran. After all, elders tended to hastily pair up any unmarried young people they could find.

As soon as Song An finished speaking, an elder eagerly chimed in:

“I’ve been meaning to say, these two sitting together brightens up the whole room. Honestly, Third Miss Lu and Madam Feng must have done something right during pregnancy. I’d love to know what they ate to have such beautiful children.”

And so, Zhang Zhuoran could only watch in stunned silence as the elders who had been trying to set him up shifted their focus, wholeheartedly praising how stunning Feng Baiming and Luo Mingyue looked together, so stunning, in fact, that they seemed made for each other.

The conversation then veered into uncharted territory when his stepmother, Mrs. Zhang, sighed and remarked, “Just imagine if these two had children someday, how breathtakingly beautiful they’d be!”

Zhang Zhuoran snorted in disbelief. “They’re just friends, Mrs. Zhang. What are you even saying?”

The Third Miss Lu chuckled mischievously. “Oh, come on, we’re just joking around. No one’s taking it seriously.”

Only Luo Mingyue felt awkward, though she couldn’t help but entertain the thought, if Feng Baiming ever had children, whether alpha, omega, or beta, she hoped they’d take after Feng in looks.

After all, while Luo herself was attractive, her beauty was the kind that tended to attract unwanted attention, far from Feng Baiming’s refined and elegant charm.

Feng Baiming, noticing how far the conversation had strayed, glanced at Luo Mingyue, who was biting her lip.

The pretty little alpha’s gaze was distant, her ears flushed crimson.

Feng herself didn’t mind the teasing from the older generation, she had long accepted that her personality, often described as aloof, was matched only by her impenetrable thick skin.

Few jabs could ever pierce her sense of shame.

But Luo Mingyue seemed far more sensitive, and since she’d been dragged into this by Feng’s earlier remarks, Feng discreetly nudged her under the table.

Luo’s wandering eyes snapped back, and Feng whispered, “Don’t take it to heart. The elders always like to tease us youngsters.”

Luo stared at Feng’s lips, glossed in maple-sugar pink, and found herself thinking, if they ever had a daughter, she’d better inherit her mother’s mouth…

She snapped out of it just as Feng noticed her flustered expression, her face burning red.

Feng raised an eyebrow. “You’re really this easily embarrassed?”

How could Luo possibly admit she’d been imagining whether their hypothetical child would look more like her or Feng?

This dinner, originally arranged to set up Zhang Zhuoran and Feng Baiming, had Luo Mingyue and Zhang Song An as supporting players. But not everyone was willing to play along with the Zhang family’s schemes, and Feng figured she and Zhang Zhuoran likely wouldn’t cross paths again.

It was Song An, the sharp-eyed omega girl who wore her shrewdness plainly, who rescued the younger generation from further elder small talk.

“Since there’s a designer mall downstairs,” she suggested brightly, “why don’t we go take a look? It’d be a shame to come all this way and not browse.”

Zhang Zhuoran had zero interest in humoring his half-sister. Feng, eager for fresh air, agreed immediately.

Then Luo Mingyue also accepted, followed by Chuan Ping. Zhang Zhuoran’s eyes flicked between Feng and Luo before reluctantly muttering that he’d tag along too.

Once outside the private room, Song An immediately tried to loop her arm through Luo’s, but this time, Luo was ready. With a quick sidestep, she darted to Feng’s side like a lost puppy finding its owner, neatly evading Song An.

Pouting, Song An complained, “So Mingyue-jie and Baiming-jie are this close? And here my dad was trying to play matchmaker.”

She shot Zhang Zhuoran a gleeful look. “Guess my brother doesn’t stand a chance, huh?”

Flustered, Luo stammered, “Feng-jie and I are just—”

Just what? She froze. Casual friends? Friends? Close friends?

Suddenly, she had no idea how to define their relationship.

Song An asked curiously, “Just what? Why did you stop talking?”

Feng Baiming said, “Miss Luo and I are very good friends. I admire her greatly, but it’s not the other relationship you’re imagining.”

Luo Mingyue quickly added, “Yes, Miss Feng and I are just very good friends.”

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