Flirting with a Cunning Doctor

Finally, the time for the formal filling arrived; it felt like the bitter days of suffering had finally come to an end.

Tang Chen lay on the dental chair, feeling the material filling his tooth. Then came the dental drill again, with its high-pitched, whirring sound.

It had to be said that Ye Cheng was extremely meticulous and rigorous in his work. He repeatedly used articulating paper, placing it on the tooth and having Tang Chen grind his teeth to check for any discomfort.

When it was over, he handed a mirror to Tang Chen. Tang Chen opened his mouth and looked; the filling had been carved with ridges that perfectly matched his upper teeth.

Without looking closely, it appeared just like an ordinary, healthy tooth—aesthetic and with excellent biting force.

Tang Chen nodded inwardly. It seemed he hadn’t endured all that suffering for nothing.

As he paid the fee, Ye Cheng lowered his head to make records. Tang Chen sat to the side watching him, looking like he wanted to say something but was hesitating. Finally, with an awkward expression, he spoke up:

“If I have time in the future, I might stop by here… the tea you brew is alright.”

Ye Cheng’s hand paused. He turned to look at him, finding that “it’s your honor that I think highly of you” expression.

He couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle.

“To be honest, I hope I don’t see you here.”

Instantly, Tang Chen’s shoulders slumped a bit, like a lonely little wolf pup, as he let out a dissatisfied low grumble.

“If you come here, doesn’t it prove your teeth have problems again? Meeting outside is much better. Besides, we’ll always have opportunities to see each other again.”

Ye Cheng curled his lips into a smile, speaking slowly and with a certain tone of certainty, as if he had already foreseen it.

He was referring to the grand birthday banquet hosted by the Tang family.

Aside from the celebration, this banquet was intended to build connections with other families. The Ye family, being preeminent in the business world, was naturally among the invited VIPs.

In the original plot, the host attended as well, but he had no real presence; the focus was on revealing the Male Lead’s extraordinary background.

Generally speaking, this kind of large-scale occasion was a prime opportunity for the original host to act out and rebel.

However, the result was always more loss than gain. Jumping around just to attract the attention of people who don’t care about you was truly a foolish behavior, yet one he often couldn’t help but repeat.

Tang Chen shook his head and sighed, picking up a piece of cake to eat slowly while taking a sip of red wine. People around him were forming their own little circles, while he was like a transparent person—no one paid him any mind.

As the neglected eldest son of the Tang family, it would have looked bad not to let him come, as they worried about gossip. Therefore, the Tang family’s consistent approach was to simply leave him out in the cold.

Only his half-brother, Tang Zhe, always found his presence grating and would look for trouble from time to time. The two of them couldn’t stand each other, causing the situation to escalate.

This time, Tang Zhe intended to walk over and mock him, but he was stopped by Father Tang. His voice was authoritative:

“You are the heir to the Tang family. Constantly bickering with him—doesn’t that seem beneath your status? I’ve taught you so much; when will you truly take it to heart?”

Tang Zhe was indignant:

“How can I just stand by and watch him? He’s always out there ruining our Tang family name. Can’t we just kick him out? He’s not even my brother!”

“Tang Zhe! Watch your words. You’re twenty-two years old; can’t you be more mature?! Do you want everyone to hear you?” Father Tang hissed in a low voice.

This matter had always been a thorn in his side that he couldn’t pull out, and seeing Tang Chen only made his mood worse. He lectured Tang Zhe sternly, “Anyway, you are different from him. Just focus on being yourself and don’t worry so much about him.”

Hearing his father’s words, Tang Zhe couldn’t erupt immediately even if he was unwilling. He could only grit his teeth and secretly glare in Tang Chen’s direction.

But at twenty-something, he was ultimately not calm or mature enough. Moreover, he had grown up doted on by his parents; his personality was clearly one of bold and unrestrained indulgence.

After staying quiet for only a short while, he couldn’t stand Tang Chen’s defiant, self-satisfied attitude and couldn’t resist walking over.

Seeing this, Father Tang couldn’t help but shake his head and sigh. The wife sitting beside him patted his arm.

“It’s not completely incomprehensible why Xiao Zhe is like this. Talk to him slowly; if your attitude is too severe, it will be harder for him to listen.”

“His temperament is too unsettled. How old is he now? If this continues, how can I feel at ease handing the company over to him?” Father Tang knit his brows, his eyes full of worry.

“These things can’t be rushed. Didn’t you have to learn everything bit by bit back then?”

“It’s different! In any case, we can’t keep indulging him. Keep an eye on him; don’t let them start a scene.”

The Tang couple whispered for a few moments, but when they turned back, they saw a strange sight.

Tang Zhe and Tang Chen were standing opposite each other.

Tang Zhe was mocking him with a cold laugh, while Tang Chen glared back, refusing to back down. Beside them stood a man with a gentle smile, wearing a well-tailored silver-grey suit.

He carried an air of impeccable etiquette and manners that clearly came from an elite upbringing. His aura was exceptionally outstanding.

It was a strange face they hadn’t seen before, but he looked like he came from a background that was anything but simple.

Father Tang pondered, and something suddenly flashed through his mind. He quickly stood up and walked toward them.

If his son were just having a spat with Tang Chen, it would be one thing, but he absolutely could not brashly offend the young master of the Ye family.

He walked over, putting on a somewhat doting smile.

“Xiao Zhe, what are you all chatting about?”

“Dad! He…” Tang Zhe immediately opened his mouth to say something, but was stopped by a tug on his arm.

Father Tang said:

“This must be Ye Cheng, who returned from overseas not long ago? I heard your father mention you before—young and promising, already able to help out with the family business. Unlike my son, who still acts like a child even now.”

Ye Cheng smiled:

“How could that be? I think Tang Chen is quite mature. I’ve met the young master as well… he’s very eloquent.”

Father Tang’s expression shifted slightly, though he remained smiling.

“You flatter him. Speaking of which, the banquet is about to begin. Please, take a seat.”

They exchanged polite smiles and were arranged into seats. Father Tang patted Tang Chen’s shoulder, signaling for him to step aside for a chat. Tang Chen put down his wine glass, gave a low chuckle, and followed behind his father.

“How do you know the young master of the Ye family?”

His tone was serious, getting straight to the point. Perhaps the son he had intended to give up on suddenly pulling such a move had left him shocked and caught off guard, causing him to forget his usual pretense.

Tang Chen shrugged:

“I ran into him when I was out racing.”

Father Tang frowned suspiciously:

“Racing? Would the Ye family’s young master do such things?”

“Why couldn’t he? Besides, since you don’t believe me even when I tell you, why bother asking?” Tang Chen curled his lip into a fake smile, looking somewhat impatient. As an attitude toward a father, it certainly wasn’t good, but it was understandable.

The expression on Father Tang’s face shifted several times before he softened his voice, saying warmly:

“Xiao Chen, I know you’ve always felt that I neglected you, but in truth, Papa values you very much. The way to raise a boy is different from a girl; I had to train your independence, letting you go out and struggle so you could grow…”

“Go out and struggle?” Tang Chen sneered, cutting him off unceremoniously. “I’ve been independent and away since middle school. Tang Zhe is in university now, right? And he’s still living at home? Is he some little princess raised in a deep boudoir?”

These words made Father Tang knit his brows.

“He is your younger brother; he’s smaller than you. Moreover, being a parent is not easy; you’ll understand my difficulties in the future. You are three years older than Xiao Zhe; take care of him more. I hope the two of you can get along harmoniously and not make me worry.” He paused for a moment before adding earnestly, “You’re young now and there are many things you might not understand. You can come and talk to me. Ye Cheng is a friend very much worth having. You… try your best to hold onto that.”

Tang Chen didn’t want to hear any more and gave a random nod of perfunctory agreement.

Seeing his attitude, Father Tang knew he couldn’t rush it for now. He turned back to whisper a few words to his wife and son, telling them to pay more attention.

After returning to his seat, Tang Chen’s annoyance was clearly visible. He had an aggressive aura as if he wanted to stab his plate into pieces, causing the people at the same table to frown frequently.

At the same time, Ye Cheng was also a bit exhausted from dealing with the subtle flattery of the people around him. He leaned toward Tang Chen and whispered:

“Want to go for a walk?”

Tang Chen pursed his lips and nodded.

The two used the excuse of going to the restroom to step out for some fresh air.

They exited through a side door and walked along the corridor.

The end of it was indeed the restroom, but that was just a pretext. They walked straight out of the corridor and stepped into a European-style garden.

The fragrance of roses was rich and they bloomed brilliantly. In the center was a fountain featuring a statue of a graceful young girl holding a water pitcher, with water gurgling out.

After walking for a while, Tang Chen turned around, staring at Ye Cheng with bright eyes. He seemed unable to resist speaking:

“How did you end up being the heir to the Ye family?”

His tone was slightly sharp, as if he felt a bit of anger at being deceived.

“I have always been. I never intentionally lied to you.”

Ye Cheng met his gaze, putting away his constant smile as he spoke seriously.

“With the rare bit of time the family gave me, I just wanted to do what I liked. You understand that feeling too, don’t you? Besides, I truly consider you a close friend.”

Tang Chen opened his mouth as if to say something but didn’t know where to start. He ran a hand through his hair and said dejectedly:

“You… forget it!”

“Do you still consider me a friend?” Ye Cheng’s expression was sincere.

Tang Chen seemed a bit flustered by his gaze. He turned his face away and said impatiently:

“Yes, yes. Why are you so naggy?”

Ye Cheng smiled:

“I just wanted to confirm. I was afraid you’d get angry and stop talking to me.”

“Hilarious. Do you take me for a child?”

“Of course not. Didn’t I just say you were mature?”

Tang Chen grunted.

The atmosphere between them returned to its usual familiar and relaxed state. Ye Cheng glanced at him and spoke cautiously:

“Your father… has he always treated you this way?”

Tang Chen sneered:

“How else? I’m not even really his son, am I?”

“Actually, I’ve heard a bit about your situation. Generally, people would advise you to get along well with your father. As a friend, seeing you like this, what I want to say might not be quite right, but I truly feel that since he’s a relative who doesn’t treat you like family, then so be it. Blood may be a bond, but not everyone is suited to be a parent. You’re already an adult; instead of living under his thumb like this, why not carve out your own career? Repay the upbringing costs they’ve given you all these years so you no longer owe them anything. You are an independent individual.”

Tang Chen lowered his head, falling somewhat silent. It had to be said that Ye Cheng’s words were very provocative. The original host had indeed been heading in this direction; he had a good business mind and the company he managed was growing larger and larger.

He could completely stop relying on Father Tang and begin repaying the upbringing costs. But blood is thicker than water after all; the original host still held some hope for familial love, waiting for Father Tang to turn back and give him some attention.

At this moment, Tang Chen felt a bit of empathy for the original host, though their situations weren’t exactly the same.

He spoke slowly:

“Actually, I tried to go find my… mother. Back when I was in middle school, when Tang Zhenlin kicked me out of the main residence, I wanted to see my biological mother. She already had her own family and another child.”

He spoke, curling his lips into a smile.

“She’s a very ordinary woman, and doesn’t look like much. She didn’t recognize me. When she saw me, she even asked if I was lost and gave me a milk candy.”

Back then, the original host had stood blankly by his biological mother’s home, his mind a complete void.

She had asked concernedly:

– Little boy, are you lost? Don’t cry. Auntie will give you a piece of candy.

A very gentle voice. To be able to treat a stranger like that, she was probably a mother who doted on her child.

The original host had curled his lip, turned around, and run away, completely ignoring the woman’s calls behind him.