Flirting with a Cunning Doctor

The next day, Tang Chen went to Ye Cheng’s private clinic.

Truth be told, at first glance, one couldn’t tell this place was a clinic at all.

The interior design was modern, the furniture was grand, and it gave off an incredibly comfortable vibe.

Adhering to the principle that there are fewer patients in the morning, Tang Chen arrived a little after nine o’clock.

The moment he stepped through the door, he couldn’t help but yawn.

With his eyes half-closed, he leaned lazily against the glass door.

Hearing the commotion inside the clinic, a slender figure walked out.

He wore a white lab coat, his features were clean and gentle, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his straight nose.

He gave a polite smile.

“What seems to be the trouble, sir?”

Tang Chen lifted his gaze to look at him.

Internally, he gave a round of applause.

Excellent. A perfect interpretation of the term ‘refined scoundrel.’

Since it was their first meeting, he naturally couldn’t lose in terms of momentum.

Straightening his back and shoving his hands into his pockets, he put on the arrogant and provocative expression unique to rebellious kids.

“I’ve come all the way here; what else could I be doing? It seems the doctor’s IQ isn’t very high.”

Ye Cheng wasn’t angry upon hearing this; he simply smiled.

“I understand. People tormented by toothaches are usually quite irritable. Lie down first; let me see how serious your condition is.”

Tang Chen curled his lip and walked inside while yawning.

Unlike a hospital, the interior wasn’t filled with the unpleasant smell of disinfectant; instead, there was a faint, refreshing fragrance that made it easier to relax.

The inner room was tidy, with various medical instruments arranged in an orderly fashion.

In the center was a fully functional dental chair.

Tang Chen walked over and lay down casually with his hands still in his pockets.

Ye Cheng put on gloves and fiddled with the sterilized instruments on the tray, the metal clinking crisply.

He skillfully picked up a mouth mirror and a probe.

When he turned to look at Tang Chen, he smiled.

“Open wide.”

Tang Chen gave a soft “tsk,” but he still obediently opened his mouth for him.

The mirror and probe reached deep into his oral cavity, poking back and forth.

The sensation of foreign objects touching sensitive gums was unpleasant.

Occasionally, his tongue would brush against something cold and hard, making him instinctively frown.

The probe pressed gently against a molar further back.

Ye Cheng’s voice sounded above him.

“Does it hurt?”

Tang Chen wanted to speak, but with his mouth open, he could only let out a couple of “mn-mn” sounds, resulting in two blurred words.

“A bit.”

The probe pressed further in.

“And here?”

Enduring the discomfort, Tang Chen shook his head.

The preliminary examination ended quickly.

Tang Chen subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

The moment Ye Cheng turned his back, he sat up with obvious impatience.

Putting the instruments away, Ye Cheng looked back with a gentle, shallow smile.

“Afraid of seeing the doctor?”

Tang Chen looked at him with unreserved disdain and snorted.

“How is that possible? Are you joking?”

“Is that so? Then you’re very brave.”

Ye Cheng’s lips curved into a smile, his tone sounding like he was coaxing a child, even adding a symbolic word of praise at the end.

Tang Chen jumped off the dental chair and glared at him fiercely.

However, one does not strike a smiling face.

For a moment, he couldn’t seem to think of a reason to curse him out, so he simply said:

“Wipe that smile off your face. Looking at it is annoying.”

Ye Cheng seemed to have a very good temper.

“Alright, alright. I can certainly grant a patient’s reasonable request.”

With that, he pulled back the curve of his lips, but his eyes still held a distinct smile—complete outward compliance but inward defiance.

He made a gesture, inviting Tang Chen to sit on the sofa in the outer living room.

A complete set of Gongfu tea tools was laid out on the coffee table in front of them.

Ye Cheng leisurely warmed the cups and added the tea leaves.

The air was filled with a pleasant, swirling fragrance; the scent he had smelled earlier was likely this tea aroma.

Tang Chen crossed his legs and casually surveyed the surroundings.

He found that the environment here was exceptionally good.

Rather than a clinic, it felt more like a high-end apartment.

He really knows how to enjoy himself.

Tea was poured into a cup, and a small, exquisite teacup was pushed in front of him.

The white porcelain contrasted with the emerald green tea, making it quite pleasing to the eye.

Tang Chen glanced at him and didn’t act reserved, picking it up to take a slow sip.

Although he lived like an illegitimate son, his lifestyle was still much better than that of an average person.

Tasting tea was considered an elegant pastime in high circles, so he naturally knew a thing or two.

Just as he picked up on the flavors, he glanced at the man opposite him.

His eyes held obvious surprise, an expression that said: ‘Ah, I didn’t expect someone of your level to actually have some tea-making skills.’

Then, he raised an eyebrow and reluctantly expressed a sliver of approval.

“Mn, it’s alright.”

Ye Cheng nodded in acceptance, his lips habitually curling into a slight arc.

Finally, they moved on to the main topic.

“You’ve grown a wisdom tooth, but it’s growing well—there are no issues with it. The one causing pain is the cavity next to it.”

Tang Chen subconsciously straightened his back and leaned forward slightly.

“Will the wisdom tooth hurt later?”

“If it grows crooked or fails to erupt properly, it will hurt.”

Tang Chen frowned and made an impulsive decision on the spot.

“Then pull it out.”

Ye Cheng, however, did not quite agree.

“You’re young now and don’t realize it, but wisdom teeth can be very useful when you’re older. They can serve as support for dentures and help distribute chewing force.”

Tang Chen’s lips twitched upon hearing this.

“Dentures…”

He lifted his eyes to glare at the man opposite him.

“Are you pulling it or not?”

“No.”

Ye Cheng refused without hesitation.

“Heh, I’m giving you a chance to make money and you don’t want it?”

“I am a doctor. I must be responsible for you. How could I casually pull out a perfectly good tooth?”

Tang Chen was stunned, a bit surprised by his integrity, which felt strangely unexpected.

He ran a hand through his hair in slight annoyance and gave a soft “tsk.”

“…Boring. At worst, I’ll just go find another doctor.”

“Fair enough.”

Tang Chen raised an eyebrow.

“You’re not going to try to persuade me anymore?”

Ye Cheng smiled, speaking as if it were a matter of course.

“That is your own choice.”

The personality of a rebellious kid is exactly this: if you tell me to go one way, I’ll insist on going the other, just to spite you.

Tang Chen seemed to hold his breath.

He picked up his teacup and took another sip, which served as a tacit acceptance of Ye Cheng’s decision.

Ye Cheng smiled.

“Then let’s begin the treatment.”

That meant lying on the dental chair once again.

When the dental drill came out, emitting a high-speed whirring sound, Tang Chen’s expression turned even worse.

The moment it reached into his mouth, he clenched his fists and couldn’t help but shudder.

Ye Cheng’s movements paused.

His gentle eyes, visible above his mask, looked at him and asked with apparent concern:

“Does it hurt a lot?”

Tang Chen felt deeply looked down upon.

A vein throbbed at his temple.

He let out a muffled, blurred snort.

“It doesn’t hurt!”

Ye Cheng’s eyes curved.

“If you’re afraid, just close your eyes,” he said gently.

Tang Chen became even more annoyed.

The man in front of him had eyes that tilted slightly upward at the corners.

He was pretending to be a perfectly serious, abstinent doctor.

But according to the data, he was clearly completely different—extremely belly-black and skilled at scheming.

Moreover, while this guy’s tone was soft, his actions were unhesitating—fast, accurate, and ruthless!

Tang Chen’s eyebrows twitched; he really wanted to punch someone.

Twenty minutes later, the first treatment finally ended.

Tang Chen sat up to rinse his mouth, his face scrunched up in clear distaste.

Ye Cheng removed his gloves and mask, laughing softly and looking to be in a quite good mood.

He didn’t forget to remind Tang Chen:

“There are three more sessions. The last one will be the formal filling. Come back in a week.”

Tang Chen nodded impatiently, signaling that he heard.

“If you’re unsure about the wisdom tooth, you can also come to me to see if it’s growing crooked.”

“…Oh.”

“Speaking of which, what is your name? Fill out this form so I can record the medical progress.”

Tang Chen took it, finished writing quickly with his head down, and tossed it back to Ye Cheng.

The other man looked down to see a dashing, unrestrained handwriting that was somewhat messy.

Truly, the handwriting reflected the person.

“Twenty-five years old?” his tone was surprised.

Tang Chen immediately glared at him.

Ye Cheng shook his head.

“It’s nothing. I just didn’t expect it; you don’t really look it.”

“What do you mean by that?!”

“Mn… it’s just that your face looks quite young. That was a compliment.”

Ye Cheng added that last part specifically, as if smoothing over a pet’s fur.

A certain brat gave two huffs of disdain.

“A mature person doesn’t constantly worry about looking young.”

It was a provocation, but a very effective one.

At least Tang Chen couldn’t continue to dwell on the “baby face” issue.

Instead, he asked:

“How much is the fee?”

Ye Cheng smiled.

“I’ll collect it all together during the final filling. Don’t worry, my fees are very reasonable—not much different from a hospital.”

Tang Chen gave a casual response, waved his hand, and turned to leave without a shred of lingering.

Stretching his long legs, he stepped into the driver’s seat.

He wasn’t in a hurry to start the car; instead, he tapped the steering wheel, lost in thought.

He pulled out his phone, swiped it open, made a call, and spoke to the person on the other end for a few minutes.

He was using his connections to get Li You a promotion.

Once he got busy, Li You probably wouldn’t have time to hang out at bars.

The original host had intentionally created trouble for Li You and then stepped in to help just to gain his favor, but Tang Chen had no such intentions.

By comparison, he was actually being truly good to Li You.

Unresolved feelings were a significant hassle.

Perhaps Li You had guessed something, as he called the next day to thank him and offered to treat him to a meal.

Tang Chen couldn’t think of a reason to refuse for the time being, so he simply agreed.

Arriving at the agreed-upon restaurant, he easily recognized Li You, whom he had never truly met.

Although his looks weren’t outstanding, his “gentle as jade” aura was rare—like a soft wind or a light rain, he looked very comfortable to be around.

During the meal, the conversation flowed back and forth, and they ate quite happily.

Even Tang Chen had to admit that the other person was very decent—gentle and meticulous, he knew how to be considerate of others’ feelings.

Most people would easily develop a favorable impression of him, let alone a love-starved rebellious kid like the original host.

After finishing the meal, they bid each other farewell.

Both of them stood up, and it was only then that Tang Chen discovered a very serious problem.

When he entered the restaurant earlier, Li You had been sitting, so he hadn’t noticed.

Now, standing together… he was actually several centimeters shorter than Li You!

No wonder the original host’s massive shoe cabinet was filled almost entirely with shoes that had a bit of a heel.

And here he thought the original host just wanted to be taller; he never expected it was because he was shorter than the person he liked…

Tang Chen felt a strange sense of pity while also wanting to laugh.

Since Tang Chen had come out to race today, he had simply picked out a pair of comfortable sneakers and ignored those height-increasing shoes.

At this moment, his expression became rather colorful.

Li You noticed something was wrong and tilted his head in concern.

“What is it? Are you feeling unwell?”

Tang Chen pursed his lips and waved his hand with a calm face.

“It’s nothing. I have something to do, I’m leaving first.”

“Alright then. Take care of yourself.”

“…Oh!”