Before Shiller could ask, Selina began to mumble, "Actually, I haven't discussed this issue seriously with him. I just start complaining to him after being annoyed by certain people."
"Bruce isn't the kind of person who, when you complain about someone being bad, tells you to just let it go or be more tolerant," Selina continued. "I really dislike those types of people. My friends wouldn't say that. They would carefully analyze the person with me, to see which part of them I can't stand the most, and how long I can endure them; should I make them leave my life now, or can I wait a bit longer."
"Bruce analyzed quite a lot of them, more than anyone, and he concluded a pattern, which is that I can't stand people who have a lot of power but no talent."
"If someone has all sorts of flaws but is very skilled in their professional field, I have great tolerance for them. But if it's the other way around, I can't accept it. For example, if someone is perfect in all other aspects but messes up only in their professional field, I find it hard to put up with them."
Selina took a deep breath and said, "Bruce told me this is a projection of some kind of regret psychology of mine."
"Although I always say I didn't have to be a Flying Thief and I had other choices back then, I know in my heart that when I say I had choices, being a Flying Thief was actually the best choice. Other careers would barely keep me fed and were also illegal. Being a Flying Thief at least made money and satisfied my hobbies. The situation in the slums is such that being a thief is quite a decent career path."
"But sometimes, when I steal jewelry, I think about what job I could do to afford such jewelry? Of course, sometimes I know what the owners of these jewels do, but I'm not very familiar with these professions, nor do I know if I could do it, so it's just a thought."
"But when I truly entered high society, I found those things weren't that difficult, and I could do better than most people. In other words, if I hadn't come from the slums, or even if I wasn't from a wealthy background, just an average family that could support me through high school, maybe I could have taken another career path, and one day could afford to buy those jewels with my own efforts."
"So I really can't stand people who can still mess up these things. I often think 'if only I were there back then,' 'if it were the younger me,' and then dislike them even more."
Shiller smiled and said, "That's quite true. When you realize the importance of starting points, you'll understand even more how much your talents could be amplified on a better platform. Comparing it to your own past experiences inevitably brings regret and heartache."
"Is my assessment correct?" Selina asked, "Or am I just too arrogant?"
"Judging by your past achievements, madam, you are definitely not an arrogant person," Shiller shook his head and said, "Reaching the top from the slums and reaching the top from the wealthy class, which is harder?"
"It seems like each has its difficulties, but you've reached the top of the wealthy class from the bottom of the slums, and even considering Bruce as a contributing factor, it's indeed a miracle."
"The problems those people face would likely be a piece of cake for the younger you or even you now. Having such a regretful feeling is perfectly normal."
Shiller didn't exaggerate. Though, on the surface, it seemed Selina got into high society mainly through a relationship with Bruce, the point here is how Batman came across her and how he got enchanted by her.
First of all, Batman isn't concerned with petty thieves, he can't manage them all. He encountered Catwoman because she was a top-tier Flying Thief, pulling off major heists that various police officers and detectives couldn't catch her for, which left Batman to step in.
If she were just an ordinary pickpocket on some street in the slums, she might have been a thief for a lifetime without ever encountering Batman. After all, thieves in Gotham are the least harmful category of criminals. Batman is too busy catching major offenders, let alone pickpockets.
So, from an orphan at the bottom of the slums to a top talent in the criminal world, it was all achieved by Selina step by step, which indeed proves her abilities.
Then comes the heaviest aspect: Batman and criminals are arch-enemies, yet even so, he got charmed by Catwoman. Even the Bruce of this universe, when he met Selina, was still Batman, yet they still got involved.
And later, Selina's success in Hollywood also proved that she is indeed a very charming person. Her expressions, gestures, appearance, demeanor, interpersonal skills, and personality are all easily likable, which is also a kind of talent.
So most of the world's difficulties don't seem too hard to overcome for her. Sometimes she's just too lazy to think, but if you really let her try, she'd truly manage. Whether it's solving problems at the root with force, unraveling and getting to the truth with wisdom and intuition, or simply winning people over with charm, it's never hard for her to resolve.
It's fair to say that if she hadn't been born in the slums but in an ordinary middle-class family, she could have become a gymnastics champion, a movie star, or even a Wall Street elite, and indeed could legally buy her jewels with her income.
Though in her eyes, legality might not be much of an issue; otherwise, she wouldn't have stolen in the first place. But people always romanticize the path untaken. Leaving everything else aside, at least the jewels bought legally can be worn openly, while the ones acquired as a Flying Thief can only be admired furtively by herself, sharing them with anyone involves risks. That alone is a significant improvement.
Selina rested her face on her hand, tapping her cheek with several fingers in turn: "Bruce told me to boldly speak out if I'm unhappy, to enjoy the thrill of outsmarting others. I'm not interested in that, don't want to waste my breath on that bunch."
"Indeed, that's one way," Shiller said, "but you also truly have no obligation to offer free assistance to those people. Since you are already familiar with high society, why not make some interest exchanges?"
"What do you mean?" Selina asked.
"Wisdom is valuable," Shiller said. "Of course, not just wisdom; your beauty, voice, acting skills, even your thieving skills can bring you benefits. It's just that wisdom is more subtle. Have you tried giving people advice?"
Selina thought for a moment and said, "I have a few friends in Hollywood. They often face some annoying issues, like harassment, unpaid wages, or being replaced temporarily. When they ask for my help, I occasionally lend them a hand."
"Of course, because I have to work myself, I don't have the time to go beat up the person causing the problem, so I give them some advice. Most of the time, it works really well and solves the problem quickly. They're also very grateful to me and introduce me to job opportunities. Is this what you mean by mutual benefit?"
Shiller understood. No wonder Selina was doing so well in Hollywood. Shiller remembered she had only been in Hollywood for a short time and had already landed a supporting role in a famous film series. Every year, thousands of young people rush to Hollywood with dreams of becoming superstars. Even for the smallest roles, there are countless people fighting for them, not to mention those with connections. The fact that Selina quickly landed such a role could definitely be considered a resource move.
At that time, she might not have known anything about the unspoken rules of Hollywood, but just relying on her talent and instinct for socializing, she managed to secure such valuable opportunities.
"You can do the same now," Shiller said. "Pick some problems faced by upper-class people that you can solve, and help them discreetly. They will naturally reciprocate in ways you desire."
"That's the problem," Selina frowned slightly. "I don't even know what I want. Should I ask them for jewelry?"
"It's not impossible. Some jewels are privately owned by collectors and you'll never see them if they don't show them."
Selina's throat rolled as if very interested, and she asked, "If I help them, I can see them?"
"Not only can you see them, but they might give them to you," Shiller chuckled, "If you decline, they might think you're pretending."
Selina laughed too, "That's true. People I've helped before were eager to give me things, and I couldn't refuse even if I wanted to."
"In this way, you won't find people who aren't good at their professions so annoying anymore. On the contrary, you'll start to like them more. If they were smart enough to solve their problems on their own, you wouldn't have access to those good things."
Selina had an epiphany and slapped the table, "That's exactly right, Professor! In this way, they become my resources, like a gold mine. I can dig as much as I want…"
Selina seemed to be lost in her own fantasy of being buried in jewelry, spacing out. Shiller silently continued eating his breakfast. After a while, Selina wiped her mouth and said, "Sorry, Professor, take your time eating. I'll head back to my room."
After saying that, she dashed away. Shiller shook his head, thankful that it was him here today, only teaching the legal front-end. If Greed were here, surely he would have explained "how to create problems idiots can't solve" and "how to eat both the upstream and downstream of a banker." With Catwoman's insight, Bruce handling the killing and Selina handling the burial, the Multiverse might just gain a pair of Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Shiller slowly finished his breakfast and was about to head back to his room for a rest when he saw Bruce hurrying out.
Shiller was a bit puzzled. Even if Selina had an epiphany, it shouldn't have been so fast that…
"Bruce," Shiller called out to him, "Where are you going?"
Bruce looked a bit frantic, "Aisha caused trouble, and the Rebirth Alliance is calling in parents…"
"What trouble did she cause?"
"I don't know yet, just that another kid involved is named Franklin!"
With that, Bruce quickly got in the car and sped away.
Shiller shook his head as he watched the car disappear into the distance. If the Rebirth Alliance likes calling parents this much, they'll probably be busy until the wedding ends.
Shiller returned to his room, thinking about Peter and the Human Torch fighting mutants in a bar, and he wanted to check which universe that bar belonged to. He instinctively shouted, "Brainiac."
Then he realized, he was in the Fusion Universe, not his own universe. So, he picked up his phone, and the next second, it rang with a familiar beep beep sound.