Chapter 14.1 - The Fragrance of that Tea (Part 3)
Ai Jingchu hadn’t anticipated that a casual “thank you” would pull Zeng Li into such a storm.
That morning, he had been quietly eating rice porridge and pickled vegetables, but before long, a group of people sat around him, all asking for his phone number, chattering away without end. He wasn’t one to engage in small talk, but given that they were all older than him, he reluctantly gave out his number. Afterward, they promised to look after Zeng Li, ensuring that she wouldn’t be bullied at work, that her boss wouldn’t assign her tedious tasks, and that she wouldn’t be pressured into writing summaries, reflections, plans, and so on.
Ai Jingchu had been reminded of how Zeng Li looked that morning, sitting there on the mountain top, speaking of her past as if she were a punching bag. Without thinking, he had muttered a “thank you.”
Now, he glanced at Zeng Li, who was fidgeting as though she were a hot potato, and casually removed his gloves, asking, “Did you charge her for reattaching the orthodontic appliance?” His voice, which had been hoarse from the earlier conversation, came out lower than usual in the still, echoing treatment room.
However, he wasn’t speaking to Zeng Li; it was to Zhou Wen, as though the gossip had nothing to do with him. He remained calm, composed, and unruffled.
Zhou Wen quickly shook her head. “No.”
Ai Jingchu responded, “Then you should issue a twenty-yuan charge slip, have Zeng Li go downstairs to pay first. Otherwise, they might leave before the office closes. We’ll proceed with the next step once she returns.”
Under the gaze of everyone present, Zeng Li barely held back the urge to strangle Ai Jingchu. She sat up, took the payment slip, and left the consultation room.
Even at a time like this, he didn’t forget to make sure she paid before others left for the day!
With gritted teeth, Zeng Li stood in line at the billing window on the first floor. It felt like everyone in the world was there to pay their bills at that moment. The line was long, and she had to wait quite a while. By the time she caught her breath and returned to the fourth floor, things had changed.
The head nurse was gone.
Fan Fan and the other students were focused on their molds. Zhou Wen was sitting beside the treatment bed, waiting for Zeng Li.
Ai Jingchu was at the computer, reading through patient records.
The room was completely quiet, and it felt as if even the sound of a pin dropping would echo through the stillness. It seemed that everyone had returned to their usual roles, and the previous gossip had settled down.
Zeng Li handed the payment slip to Zhou Wen, who took it without looking at her and quickly instructed her to lie back down, finishing the remaining tasks. Soon after, she asked Ai Jingchu for a check.
“It’s done. You can schedule the next appointment,” Ai Jingchu said to Zhou Wen, his voice calm and professional.
At that moment, Zeng Li almost thought she had imagined the entire scene. She was dying to know what had happened after she left, but it seemed like everything had resumed as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
As Zeng Li stood up, she remembered that she had taken off her hair tie when she lay down earlier because the ponytail was pressing on the back of her head, but now, it was missing. She bent down to look around the floor, but it was nowhere to be found. She checked her bag, and still nothing.
“Let’s schedule for Wednesday,” Zhou Wen said.
“Okay,” Zeng Li replied distractedly.
Then, Zhou Wen winked at her.
Zeng Li was puzzled. Zhou Wen had quickly looked over to Ai Jingchu, then, with Ai Jingchu’s back to them, she made a pitiful gesture, as if pretending to wipe away tears.
Zeng Li couldn’t help but feel awkward as she left the room, glancing at Ai Jingchu’s back. There was still something important she needed to address…
But after everything that had just happened, she couldn’t bring herself to ask in front of everyone. Yesterday, when she took the day off, Director Li had reminded her to ask Ai Jingchu when he would be free for a meal, since he wanted to treat him. In the past, when she had taken leave for follow-up appointments, they would usually allow just a few hours, or at most half a day. But this time, the response was unusually quick—Director Li asked her if a whole day would be enough. This was how she ended up with some free time during lunch to go on a blind date.
If today’s attempt didn’t work, Director Li might think she wasn’t doing her job well enough and take it out on her later.
Zeng Li was conflicted, but she really couldn’t bring herself to ask in front of everyone. With a sigh, she left the room.
After waiting for a long time at the elevator, Zeng Li suddenly realized why Ai Jingchu had wanted her to pay before leaving. She turned back, stood in the hallway, and saw Ai Jingchu still sitting there. Taking a deep breath, she finally mustered the courage to call him.
She saw him take out his phone from his pocket and answer it, putting it to his ear. His phone, like last time, was in a transparent plastic case, as if he didn’t want it to get dirty during work—a clear sign of his obsession with cleanliness.
“I’m Zeng Li.” She had intended to address him by title, but couldn’t decide whether to say “Ai Jingchu,” which felt awkward, or “Ai Teacher” or “Dr. Ai,” which felt overly formal.
“I know,” Ai Jingchu said, his gaze shifting from his computer screen to meet Zeng Li’s eyes through the glass.
Zeng Li wondered if he would hang up and then walk out to confront her directly. What would everyone think if they saw them on the phone like this?
Fortunately, he didn’t hang up.
The two of them locked eyes through the glass, still a good distance apart, their conversation continuing by phone.
“When are you free tonight? Director Li from our office wants to invite you to dinner,” Zeng Li said.
“You can tell him not to bother. I got the message,” Ai Jingchu replied.
“I’ve turned him down many times, but he insists. If you don’t go, he’ll ask me to call you again,” Zeng Li said helplessly.
Ai Jingchu paused for a moment, then replied, “Alright, tonight. If he’s free.”
“No problem,” Zeng Li said, taking charge. “I’ll call him and have him confirm the time and place.”
“Good,” Ai Jingchu said.
