Little Meteor Chapter 3
byChapter 3: “University Classmate.”
When Shen Mu went to Jiang Chengxuan’s office, he was eating a boxed meal. It was already 9:30 PM, and the meal had no warmth whatsoever; the rice was already clumped together. It had probably been sitting out for a long time—being a doctor really wasn’t easy.
Jiang Chengxuan saw him enter and put down his chopsticks. “You’re here?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Shen Mu waved his hand. “You should finish eating first.”
Jiang Chengxuan finished the rest of his meal in a few quick bites, then got up to throw away the trash. When he returned, he washed his hands. The cuff of his white coat was damp, so he casually rolled it up, put on gloves, and said, “Sit here, let me take a look.”
When the cool fingertips cupped Shen Mu’s chin, he instinctively recoiled slightly.
Shen Mu obediently opened his mouth and pointed to a spot. “This one.”
Jiang Chengxuan examined it carefully. The smell of disinfectant mixed with a hint of mint drifted into Shen Mu’s nostrils.
He released his hand. “All done.”
Shen Mu looked at him and pressed, “Do I need a root canal?”
Jiang Chengxuan smiled. “That scared?”
“Ah,” Shen Mu admitted honestly, “I’m terrified.”
“Does it usually hurt? Does it get worse at night?”
Shen Mu shook his head. “It hasn’t hurt much, only when I eat ice cream or soft candy.”
“Then it likely hasn’t decayed down to the pulp yet. You might not need a root canal.”
Before Shen Mu could feel happy, Jiang Chengxuan added, “But we still need to drill it open with a tool to see if the nerve is exposed.”
Drill it open.
The mere thought of that scene terrified Shen Mu, and his face went pale. “You didn’t have to say that last part.”
Jiang Chengxuan couldn’t help but laugh. “Actually, dentists aren’t that scary.”
Shen Mu still looked utterly miserable. “Yes, thank you very much.”
Jiang Chengxuan ruffled his hair. “It’s okay, relax.”
The gesture was too natural. Shen Mu froze for a moment, feeling he shouldn’t stay there any longer. He stood up. “Thank you for today. I’ll be going now.”
Jiang Chengxuan called his name. “Shen Mu.”
Shen Mu stopped. Jiang Chengxuan looked at him for a moment, then said gently, “Take care on the road.”
Shen Mu smiled. “Okay, bye.”
On the way here, he had been too scared, and when Jiang Chengxuan was examining his tooth, his attention was entirely focused on whether or not he needed a root canal. Only now did he remember how Jiang Chengxuan looked.
Jiang Chengxuan at 32 was no different from Jiang Chengxuan at 23. The only difference was probably his aura.
He used to think Jiang Chengxuan’s eyes were beautiful. His pupils were light-colored, like amber soaked in sunlight, and when the corners of his eyes drooped slightly, he looked very gentle—though that gentleness was just an illusion.
He felt his crush back then was very obvious. Although he never explicitly said anything, Jiang Chengxuan simply pretended not to notice what he clearly understood.
He wasn’t in the College of Medicine, so why did he go to the College of Medicine cafeteria every day to eat? He also had classes every day, so why did he seek out Jiang Chengxuan whenever he had free time?
He was no longer the Shen Mu of the past, who would pursue someone blindly and think it was a huge honor if Jiang Chengxuan gave him a chance to get close.
He could control himself, he thought.
Although he intended to see the dentist the next day, he forgot all about it once he got busy on set. The crew needed to rush the schedule, and the few scenes they were shooting today were particularly important. It wasn’t until nearly noon that he had time to grab a drink of water. Jiang Chengxuan’s call came through, his voice mixed with the background sound of a hospital announcement. “Are you done yet?”
“Not yet, but almost.”
Jiang Chengxuan said, “Can you ask the director for an hour off right now? I’ll take you to the dentist.”
If Jiang Chengxuan hadn’t mentioned it, it would have been fine, but once he did, the presence of Shen Mu’s tooth became strong again. Shen Mu licked it with his tongue. “I can.”
Jiang Chengxuan chuckled softly. “Then come find me to get the number. I’ve already booked the appointment for you.”
He had to admit that Jiang Chengxuan was indeed thoughtful and considerate. If he had to wait until he had time to register himself, who knew when that would be. He was currently experiencing the benefit of having a doctor friend.
The dentist, Doctor Yu, was quite familiar with Jiang Chengxuan. Seeing him, Doctor Yu couldn’t resist teasing, “Oh, what brings you here?”
Jiang Chengxuan smiled. “Take a look at him.”
Doctor Yu’s gaze fell on Shen Mu. His first impression was that the man had excellent bone structure—high, defined brow bones, deep-set eyes, and a nose bridge that flowed smoothly from the glabella, giving him a refined look typical of mixed heritage.
Seizing a rare piece of gossip, Doctor Yu raised an eyebrow. “Is he your—”
Shen Mu answered for him. “University classmate.”
Jiang Chengxuan glanced at him, then nodded. “Yes, university classmate.”
“Oh,” Doctor Yu drew out the sound. “Then go get an X-ray, and I’ll take a look.”
The X-ray results were fortunate: the decay hadn’t reached the dental pulp. Doctor Yu said, “We can fill it directly. No root canal needed for now.”
Shen Mu finally relaxed completely. Doctor Yu noticed his fear and smiled. “Are you that afraid of the dentist?”
“Ah, I’ve been scared since I was little.”
“It’s okay, relax.” Doctor Yu switched to the turbine drill. “Aching is normal. Raise your hand if it hurts too much.”
Shen Mu was terrified the moment he heard the sound, unconsciously gripping his clothes tightly.
“Almost done.” Jiang Chengxuan’s voice came from above, and he gently patted Shen Mu’s shoulder.
Doctor Yu’s technique was excellent, and the filling only took about ten minutes. Shen Mu genuinely didn’t feel too much pain.
Doctor Yu was very meticulous. He removed his gloves and instructed, “It’s best to eat fewer sticky candies. Your teeth aren’t great, and you also have wisdom teeth. I suggest you have them pulled, or the inflammation will be even more painful.”
Shen Mu immediately covered his face and gave a dry laugh. “Pulling wisdom teeth isn’t necessary, is it? They don’t hurt normally.”
Doctor Yu couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction. “Doctors won’t force patients to make decisions, and I won’t forcibly hold you down and pull your wisdom teeth. It’s just a suggestion, no need to be so nervous, right, Doctor Jiang?”
“That’s right,” Jiang Chengxuan checked the time. “Want to go to the cafeteria together for lunch?”
“Sure,” Doctor Yu took off his mask. “You two go ahead, I’ll clean up.”
“I won’t be joining you. I have something to do this afternoon,” Shen Mu smiled. “Doctor Yu, thank you very much today.”
He also thanked Jiang Chengxuan as he left. Doctor Yu gave Jiang Chengxuan a meaningful glance. “I didn’t expect you to get rejected too. I feel a little more balanced now.”
Jiang Chengxuan’s face showed no emotion. “It’s normal for patients and doctors to maintain distance.”
“Patient?” Doctor Yu turned around, shaking the water from his hands after turning off the faucet. “That person just now was a university classmate who needed you to personally arrange his appointment.” He deliberately emphasized the last four words, his eyes full of teasing amusement.
Jiang Chengxuan looked at him and smiled gently. “Are you very free?”
Doctor Yu was perceptive and didn’t continue the teasing.
Shen Mu was indeed not in the hospital cafeteria, but Jiang Chengxuan wasn’t sure if he genuinely had something to do or simply didn’t want to eat with him.
Doctor Yu nudged his shoulder. “Hey, could he be your Ex-Lover?”
Jiang Chengxuan’s sexual orientation was no secret, and he hadn’t deliberately hidden it. Although people’s minds were more open now than before, many still couldn’t accept it. When people offered to set him up with a girlfriend, he would push it off whenever possible, or say he didn’t want to date right now. When he absolutely couldn’t avoid it, he would be quite frank and say he wasn’t interested in women. Those who understood, understood.
Shen Mu was his first crush, yes, but they never became lovers. That was his own fault; he hadn’t seized the opportunity back then. Now, the distance Shen Mu maintained was exactly what he deserved.