Chapter 2, Appointment

She is observing, her peripheral vision catching sight of the handrail by the stairs on the second floor

No. I thought for a moment: "I would like to have orthodontic treatment, can I make an appointment with him?"

Six years ago, when Nianxiang was eighteen years old, she developed wisdom teeth, and the attending physician recommended that she undergo orthodontic treatment

She took out the small note that Comrade Lao Nian had given her last night and read aloud the name on it: "Xu Runqing ... ... Is there a doctor named Xu Runqing here?"

The most fearful aspect of longing is pain, where does this aftereffect manifest? ... It manifests during the teething period ... . ... Fear of pain prevents one from having teeth extracted.

Lan Xiaojun came across a series of exclamations filled with vented indignation while scrolling through her social media feed. Out of concern and sympathy for the situation, as well as a desire to witness the unfolding drama, she decided to make a friendly phone call.

"Pfft—" Lan Xiaojun immediately exclaimed: "What the hell... Xu Runqing? Is he handsome or not? Damn, is he handsome or not!"

Appointment time: 9:00 AM on XX Month XX Day, 201X

Isn't Comrade Lao Nian said to be his close friend? ... Unexpectedly ... ? ... So young?

Nianxiang shrank her neck slightly, silently giving a glance to her mother, who was watching silently from the side—why hasn't she intervened to rescue me

Xu Runqing glanced at the boy lying on the dental chair, his brow furrowing slightly. After standing up, he removed a disposable glove, putting it on as he walked over. After taking a few steps, as if recalling something, he casually pulled off the glove from his right hand and returned to the computer.

She shifted her gaze and uttered a soft "Hmm," then asked, "What about tomorrow morning?"

She is a first-year graduate student in the Department of Stomatology at University B. In just over a month, it will be the internship period arranged by the college. However, the number of internship positions allocated by the school is limited, and she is uncertain whether she will be within that range. If not, she will need to find an internship unit on her own

Oh, which expert is this, such a big name

Just as she was thinking about answering the phone and turning to leave, the person who had been facing away from her also happened to turn around, placing the case file in a folder and handing it to the assistant: "Have we scheduled the next appointment?"

Let's talk about it later; isn't it still undecided where to intern? There's no rush to consider it at this moment. After thinking for a while, Nianxiang added, "I won't be going back to the dormitory today either. I have to make another trip to the hospital tomorrow morning. The dentist I made an appointment with is too popular, and I couldn't get a slot today."

Lan Xiaojun chuckled twice, sighed, and asked, "Since our internship period is so long, do you have any plans to rent a place to live?"

With this thought in mind, I casually asked, "What is the reputation of Xu Runqing that you have heard of?"

So now

The fingers gripping the mouse clicked a few times, and the gaze swiftly swept through the appointment section. Just as it was about to click on Fang Xiaoyang's file, the sight suddenly shifted and returned to the name that had just been glanced over.

By the time it was her turn, it had already been fifteen minutes later

Nianxiang stood in the waiting hall of Ruijin Dental Hospital, looking at the appointment queue ahead with seven or eight people, poking at the screen of his phone to count little sheep

Not far away, there was a person sitting with their back to her, presumably writing a case report, with their head lowered, revealing only a silhouette.

She was hesitating whether to go up and greet him while catching a glimpse of the true face of Mount Lu, and just as her foot was lifted but not yet set down, the phone she was holding in her palm buzzed to life.

Such an eager tone made it difficult for her to say, "I haven't seen the person yet." She recalled the elegantly curved white wrist and the upright silhouette she had just seen, and vaguely replied, "It's fine."

Looking down, I saw my roommate, Lan Xiaojun

The nurse at the front desk couldn't help but glance up at her when she heard the name, nodding slightly: "Yes, we do. May I ask if you have an appointment?"

In fact, the matter began like this: Comrade Feng mentioned that the milk at the supermarket was on a big promotion, encouraging Nianxiang to carry a few boxes back. As a weak woman with no strength to even lift a chicken, Nianxiang, after consulting with Comrade Feng, drove her old car to the supermarket at the entrance of the community. The distance from her garage to the underground parking lot of the supermarket is, at most, just a few hundred meters.

There stands a doctor in a white coat, holding a medical record and flipping through it. The cuff of the white coat is neatly turned up slightly, and from this angle, one can still faintly see his elegant wrist.

The nurse clearly seemed unfazed by this, raising a standard smile and softly saying to her, "Certainly, please wait a moment."

Thoughts

The final outcome was that I solemnly assured Comrade Lao Nian that I would never drive without a license again, and I also made a very valiant promise in front of Comrade Feng... Tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock, I will promptly head to the front line without any delay

The consequences of the "car accident" and "driving without a license" are that the usually cheerful Comrade Nian has erupted in fury

The results came back—then there was a thunderous eruption

This can be overlooked, as he managed to get through the teething period without any major issues. Although his teeth are somewhat misaligned, it does not affect his appearance, and Comrade Feng did not take it to heart

Graceful and elegant, with red lips and white teeth, possessing a commanding presence, like a jade tree in the wind, with looks surpassing Pan An, beauty akin to a crowned jade, handsome and dashing, with a striking demeanor, talented like Song and with a face like Pan...

As I pushed the door open and walked out of the hospital, I heard Lan Xiaojun's gloating voice, feeling utterly dejected: "Can there be a bit of roommate affection?"

Faced with such a severe situation, the thought lingered pitifully for a long time, nodding with tears in her eyes. ... To speak of it, correcting this thought was not without possibility, but she feared the pain and lacked the courage to resolutely step into the hospital while there was still a way to retreat.

Comrade Feng then began to consider this matter, and since Comrade Lao Nian's close friend happened to be a dentist, through various inquiries, he was inspired to think about getting his teeth corrected

Comrade Feng is very at ease, and the thoughts are also very reassuring

Until recently, when I was about to go for my dental internship in my first year of graduate studies, the situation escalated dramatically

The thoughts are also somewhat bothersome

Good

She was daydreaming when the nurse had already completed the procedures: "Hello, Dr. Xu is not working this afternoon, and the morning patients are fully booked. Please let me know when it is convenient for you, and I will help you schedule an appointment."

Nianxiang nodded slightly and raised his hand to point to the second floor: "Is Doctor Xu on the second floor? Can I go take a look first?"

Whispering a quiet thank you, he quickly ascended the stairs

The nurse glanced at the computer and replied, "Sure, I will schedule it for 9:00 AM tomorrow. Does that work for you?"

Nianxiang couldn't help but interrupt her: "Xiao Jun, turn off Baidu."

Lan Xiaojun expressed her doubt with a sigh, saying: "Are you sure you saw Xu Runqing? Don't mistake him for his assistant. I heard that Dr. Xu's assistants are all quite handsome..."

This statement is truly shocking, which shows just how furious Comrade Lao Nian must be

Lan Xiaojun: "... ... You know this too."

Comrade Feng calmly glanced at Comrade Lao Nian, who was rampaging like a fire-breathing dragon, and exchanged a look—"It is indeed possible to intervene and save you, but how are you progressing with the matters you were supposed to consider?"

Is it certain that you are a patient and not a guinea pig

Just a moment ago, there were people standing by the staircase handrail, but now it is completely empty. I thought of ascending the stairs, following the directions indicated by the nurse, and at a glance, I saw the consultation room on the left.

It seems... quite young

Upon entering, several serious accusations were immediately levied against Nianxiang, such as violating laws and regulations, breaking the law despite knowing it, failing to report known facts, and treating human life as if it were worthless

Of course, if you are truly afraid, you can keep it for me to correct. After all, we are also first-year graduate students in oral medicine, and the internship is just around the corner. If you can wait, I will personally take care of it! You will be my first patient.

Driving without a license is illegal, do you know that? It's surprising that you, a graduate student, are unaware of such a basic principle?" Comrade Nian, with his neck strained, glared at Nianxiang sitting on the sofa, and angrily continued, "And you even got into an accident. Fortunately, it was just a minor scrape while reversing. If you had crashed on the road, wouldn't I be looking at your corpse right now?

It sounds as if you have witnessed it with your own eyes

The assistant took the folder he handed over and placed it aside: "It's settled. Doctor Xu, Fang Xiaoyang has arrived."

As a lazy person, just the thought of sending out resumes makes her feel a tingling sensation rising from the soles of her feet to the top of her head

A tall boy in a school uniform is lying on the dental chair, seemingly holding something in his mouth, with the left side of his face slightly puffed out. Next to him stands an assistant-like person who is organizing the instruments. Noticing someone behind her, she turned to glance at him.

Thus, over the course of these six years, the issue of whether to undergo orthodontic treatment has become a historical legacy problem for the Yan family

The "matters to be considered" hinted at by Comrade Feng actually refer only to dental correction

Speaking of internships

I recalled that small note with the name of Ruijin Dental Hospital and the doctor's name, glancing at it, I read out a name: "Xu Runqing"

The gaze of longing shifted from the beautiful face of the nurse to her delicate fingers, and one could not help but exclaim—private hospitals are indeed superior, as both the environment and the nurses are exquisitely like a painting

As she just nodded, Comrade Feng, as a guiding figure of the Nian family ethos, finally put down the sunflower seeds, cleared his throat a few times, and began to ease the rather intense emotions of Comrade Lao Nian.

The thought brings a sense of wanting to cry

Tsk... ? ... Have the benefits of private hospitals really improved to this extent? ? Even the doctors one casually encounters have such appealing wrists.

The nurse handed her the appointment slip and smiled, nodding: "Certainly, Dr. Xu's office is located in the examination room on the far left of the second floor"

She retracted her foot that was about to step forward and turned around to answer the phone

However, it is unfortunate that an unexpected incident occurred along the way. Shortly after returning home, my colleague who had been on a business trip also came back, and the first thing he did upon arriving home was to invite his close friends to go fishing