Chapter 3
An Nuo gazed at her phone screen for a while, running her fingers through her hair that hung along her temples. She couldn't quite place why, but she felt a growing sense of agitation.
She looked away and pursed her lips.
Then, she placed the cup of water to the side and unlocked her phone, considering opening a game to pass the time. However, she accidentally tapped the adjacent QQ icon, which revealed a flood of unread messages – 99+ in total.
An Nuo was about to close it when her eyes swiftly glanced over a familiar name.
Presumably, someone was demanding her attention: "Ah ah ah ah ah, could you please reply to me? Please!"
An Nuo's forehead twitched, and she immediately closed QQ. Thirty seconds later, she sighed and, in a fit of annoyance, reopened the app.
Her fingertips swiftly swiped upwards, revisiting the messages.
Presumably, someone was demanding her attention: "Nuo Zhi, they said the illustration for Xin Shu's book needs some more adjustments..."
Presumably, someone was demanding her attention: "Really, this is the last time."
Presumably, someone was demanding her attention: "I'll pay you more, please reply!"
Nuo Zhi: …
Presumably, someone was demanding her attention: "Ah ah ah ah ah, you finally replied!"
Seeing this message, An Nuo suddenly regretted impulsively responding. She was a full-time illustrator, and since her college years, she had submitted illustrations to various magazines and publishing houses. She never forgot the bittersweet journey from having no one interested in her art to receiving requests from clients, and she remained true to her initial passion.
In her work, she strived to meet the unique demands of each client. However, she had never encountered someone as challenging as Xin Shu.
Xin Shu was a famous romance writer with an unclear gender. Five years ago, they had posted their first novel online, a suspenseful romance story that had catapulted them to instant fame. They received offers from publishing houses and film companies in no time.
Over the years, their career had been smooth sailing, with increasing popularity in the online literature community, thanks to their great debut and subsequent works. An Nuo's current job was to create cover art and interior illustrations for Xin Shu's new book.
After submitting her work, An Nuo received rejection feedback dozens of times. And every time, Xin Shu would insist that she be the one to make the changes.
The last time, she couldn't bear it any longer. An Nuo immediately revised her artwork one final time and sent the files. After venting her frustrations to the editor about Xin Shu's obsessive demands, she had promptly logged out of QQ and never logged in again.
An Nuo took a deep breath, sighed, and finally decided to swallow her pride.
Nuo Zhi: What's the issue this time?
Presumably, someone was demanding her attention: Xin Shu says the smile on the male lead's lips looks too stiff...
Presumably, someone was demanding her attention: Apparently, they think it's because you've never been in love...
An Nuo burst into laughter. "Can't he just say it all at once? Does he really need to split it into over a dozen messages? Isn't he exhausted?"
Presumably, someone was demanding her attention: Ah ah ah, please don't be angry...
An Nuo gritted her teeth but decided to endure.
Nuo Zhi: I'll make one final change. If he has any more issues, he can find someone else.
After sending the last message, An Nuo threw her phone onto the cushion in front of her and turned her head to look down. She gazed at the dental clinic across the street.
Coincidentally, the dentist happened to be walking toward the clinic from somewhere else. Despite the distance and the fact that she could only see his back from this angle, An Nuo was almost certain it was him.
He had taken off his white coat and now wore a black overcoat. His tall, slender figure moved gracefully, and he entered the clinic.
An Nuo's hand slid up to the window, and she shook herself from her reverie. She stared at the clinic's entrance for half an hour. It was only when An Nuo came to her senses that she realized she had called Ying Shuhe.
After a few beeps, Ying Shuhe answered the phone with a soft voice.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell again?" Ying Shuhe asked.
An Nuo nervously licked her lips and changed the topic, "When's your next dental appointment?"
Ying Shuhe seemed a bit puzzled, "Oh, let me think... Right, Dr. He mentioned I should go in on the 13th."
The 13th...
An Nuo calculated the time in her mind. There was still a week left.
Before she could say anything, Ying Shuhe continued, "If you want to see that dentist, you could schedule a dental cleaning, you know."
An Nuo rolled her eyes, "I'm never going back to that lousy clinic again."
She then hung up the phone.
A few minutes later, An Nuo picked up a cushion and buried her blushing face in it, struggling with her feelings.
Soon, she opened her eyes and gazed at the dental clinic across the street, firm in her resolve.
An Nuo picked up her phone, searched for the contact information of Wen Sheng Dental Clinic, and dialed.
"Hello, my name is An Nuo, A-Nuo like the peace of mind, Mi-Nuo like glutinous rice. I'd like to make an appointment for a teeth cleaning at your clinic."
When the receptionist asked if she wanted to specify a dentist, An Nuo hesitated for a moment. Recalling that yesterday, when he passed by her, his name tag read "Chen Bai," she finally said, "Chen Bai."
The receptionist immediately responded, "Alright, I've booked your appointment with Dr. Chen. When would you like to schedule your teeth cleaning, Miss An?"
An Nuo paused for a moment and quickly replied, "As soon as possible."
An Nuo headed to her computer and opened the artwork she had drawn earlier. With a stylus in hand, she began making the requested modifications.
The picture depicted a young man and woman during their teenage years. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled light on the ground and the two figures. The girl was squatting down, playing with a cat perched on the steps, while the young man stood behind her. His face was tranquil with deep, shimmering eyes, hands in his pockets, and a gentle smile on his lips.
After a while, An Nuo stretched, satisfied that she had corrected any flaws. She logged into QQ and sent the revised file to the editor.
She then returned to the room, sitting at the windowsill once more. Her short brown hair was gathered in a casual bun, glistening in the light.
She rested her hand on the windowsill, looking outside. An Nuo stared for an hour but saw him only leave the clinic once. When he did, he removed his mask, but she couldn't make out his features due to the distance.
She found herself thinking about her canceled flight reservation, with no regret for the loss in cancellation fees.
After another half-hour, the clinic's door opened again. An Nuo saw him wearing the black coat and waiting for the pedestrian light. Once he crossed the road, he was obstructed by a building, and An Nuo lost sight of him.
She turned her gaze away and her mind wandered for a moment.
Then, she got up, fetched a notebook computer she hadn't used in a while, along with a mouse and graphics tablet. She placed the computer on the cushion in front of the window and looked outside.
The six words "Wen Sheng Dental Clinic," which she rarely noticed, seemed to glow abnormally within her line of sight, radiating an unusual and eye-catching brilliance.
An Nuo lowered her head and slowly wrote four words on her graphics tablet.
"Mr. Wen Sheng."
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