Little Moon, long time no see.
Xu Yueliang’s throat bobbed as she swallowed, the early autumn day suddenly turning so hot it made her head spin.
She parted her lips but couldn’t utter a sound. You Weiwei was the one who cried out instead. “Ah? Doctor Lin, you two know each other?”
Lin Qimian gazed at Xu Yueliang, locking eyes with her intently. Xu Yueliang only dared hold that gaze for an instant before her lashes fluttered down. Her fingers clenched the strap of her bag, and she said nothing.
She offered no label for their relationship, so Lin Qimian simply replied, “Mm. Moon had a tooth pulled at my clinic before.”
You Weiwei’s eyes went wide. “You’re the one who pulled Moon’s tooth! So you’re a tooth… puller…?”
Lin Qimian smiled. “Yes, Oral Surgery.”
You Weiwei gave an awkward smile and gestured to the promotional flyers in her hand. “I thought you were…”
“Part-time science outreach.” Lin Qimian waved the materials she held, her gaze shifting back to Xu Yueliang’s face. “Moon, can you help me out? It’s an event for our hospital.”
“H-Help.” Xu Yueliang answered promptly this time, whipping out her phone at once. “Do I need to scan a code to download the app?”
Lin Qimian laughed, her lips curving upward, eyes crinkling above her mask.
“No need,” she said. “Just listen while I explain.”
“Ah, okay.” Xu Yueliang glanced around, nearly spinning in place. “Then we… we… where should we…?”
“Are you hot?” Lin Qimian asked her.
“Ah?” Xu Yueliang froze, lifting her eyes for a fleeting glance. Her gaze darted like that of a startled deer.
To think she could be this frightened just from a bit of attention.
Lin Qimian trimmed the unnecessary flourishes from her words, adopting a brisk, professional tone. “If you’re not too hot, we can do it right here.”
“Not hot, not hot.” Xu Yueliang waved her hands frantically.
“Good, then…” Lin Qimian eyed the benches lining the corridor. “Let’s sit.”
“Mm-hm.” Xu Yueliang dropped onto the seat at once.
Lin Qimian handed the snacks she carried to Weiwei first, then settled beside Xu Yueliang.
There was just one flyer. As she pointed to the images and explained them, their bodies naturally drew closer.
Even so, Xu Yueliang kept her back ramrod straight, careful not to breach the safe distance between them.
The basic educational content flowed from Lin Qimian’s lips without effort, her mind on autopilot.
Her mouth kept talking, but her eyes wandered elsewhere.
Xu Yueliang had a small, pert nose. It quivered faintly with each held breath, every long pause sending her chest rising and falling in dramatic waves.
Her hair was half-tied up today, a few wispy strands slipping free behind her ear to veil her pale, tender lobe. Lin Qimian’s words hitched for a moment—and that ear flushed visibly pink.
Xu Yueliang’s neck was slender, adorned with a silver necklace that matched her skirt perfectly. The delicate chain dipped into the hollow of her collarbone. Lin Qimian’s brows furrowed; Xu Yueliang was sweating.
The day was warm, but the covered corridor offered shade from the sun, and Xu Yueliang was dressed lightly. She shouldn’t have been perspiring after just two minutes.
Yet a fine mist of moisture gleamed on her skin, giving Lin Qimian the sense that every inch of Xu Yueliang’s body was capable of weeping.
Lin Qimian paused her explanation. “Got it all?”
“Mm!” Xu Yueliang nodded vigorously, fingers twisting together as she prepared to recite. “The five standards for healthy teeth…”
“No need.” Lin Qimian smiled, gathering up her materials and rising first. “Just commit it to memory yourself.”
“Mm-hm.” Xu Yueliang sprang up too, hands clasped neatly in front of her, eyes fixed downward, avoiding Lin Qimian’s face.
“Thank you, Doctor Lin.” She bowed to her.
Lin Qimian said nothing, studying her for several seconds.
Heat seemed to pour from Xu Yueliang from the inside out, thickening the air into something stifling and oppressive.
Lin Qimian reached over and took the snacks from You Weiwei’s hands. “Task complete. Here’s your prize.”
“Mm!” Xu Yueliang snatched up the reward with nimble hands, hugging the two packs of soft candies to her chest.
“Then…” Lin Qimian fixed on Xu Yueliang’s bowed head. “See you.”
Xu Yueliang clutched the snack bags and nodded.
Lin Qimian smiled suddenly. “If you’re really this scared, don’t force yourself to come next time.”
She turned to You Weiwei. “You’ll need to bring a different friend. If Moon stays this frightened, she’ll end up having a panic attack.”
You Weiwei bounced over to Xu Yueliang’s side and hugged her arm, rubbing it affectionately. “Hey, I didn’t expect her to be so scared. It won’t happen next time—I’ve gotten used to it. Next time I’ll come by myself.”
Xu Yueliang’s gaze flickered as she looked up at Lin Qimian.
Lin Qimian curved her lips in a slight smile and beckoned to them before turning and walking out of the corridor.
It wasn’t until her figure vanished from sight that Xu Yueliang let out a long, deep breath. Then she suddenly dropped to a squat on the ground, hugging her knees and bursting into tears.
You Weiwei was stunned. She crouched beside her, rubbing her back vigorously with a bewildered expression. “Moon, what’s wrong? What’s the matter…?”
Xu Yueliang cried for a little while before wiping her eyes with her hand. “Let’s head back.”
You Weiwei nodded quickly. “Okay, okay.”
Xu Yueliang clutched her two bags of snacks and strode toward the exit. Even after they climbed into the car, her eyes were still red.
She and You Weiwei hadn’t known each other for long. They lived in the same building and worked in the same industry, but they chatted more online than in person.
Online, Xu Yueliang was always bubbly and adorable. In real life, whenever they grabbed a meal together, she was lively and upbeat.
You Weiwei had seldom seen her looking so down, much less crying.
She knew Xu Yueliang was timid, but she hadn’t realized it ran that deep.
The car drove on for a stretch before You Weiwei noticed that Xu Yueliang had shaken off her gloom and was rummaging through the snacks in her lap. She ventured, “Moon, what was that about earlier? Are you really that scared of Doctor Lin? Is pulling a tooth really that terrifying? Doctor Zhao even told me that if I want braces, I’ll have to get two teeth pulled too…”
Xu Yueliang sniffed. “Doctor Lin is wonderful. She’s not scary at all.”
She squeezed the snack bag in her hand. “She’s great at extractions too. Not terrifying in the least.”
You Weiwei pressed, “Then why did you look so frightened back there? When Doctor Lin was giving you that lecture, you were shaking like a leaf.”
“Huh?” Xu Yueliang turned to her. “Was I shaking?”
“Not quite yet,” You Weiwei said. “But you looked like you were about to keel over from fear. I figured Doctor Lin might seem aloof, but she’s actually pretty gentle—and drop-dead gorgeous to boot. She doesn’t have the face of some strict disciplinarian at all… Oh, she put on a mask when she came out. You didn’t even get to see her face.”
Xu Yueliang pursed her lips. “She was wearing one at the hospital before too.”
“No, she wasn’t at the hospital,” You Weiwei countered. “She didn’t have it on when I was there—she only put it on right before coming out. So you’ve never seen her full face? What a pity!!! She’s insanely beautiful!!!!!”
Xu Yueliang went still for a moment, then sniffed again as her eyes started to redden once more.
She lowered her lashes and stared at the snacks in her lap, her voice catching in her throat. “I know she’s beautiful.”
You Weiwei frowned. “Seriously, what’s going on with you?”
Xu Yueliang thought it over, then said abruptly, “Weiwei, have you run into any old classmates these past couple of years?”
You Weiwei’s eyes widened. “Doctor Lin’s an old classmate of yours??!!!”
Xu Yueliang shook her head. “No… I have a class reunion coming up…”
You Weiwei asked, “From when?”
Xu Yueliang murmured, “Middle School.”
You Weiwei pulled a face. “Then I’d say skip it.”
She leaned back into her seat. “The people who organize class reunions are always the ones doing well. And the ones who show up? They all think they’re better off than everyone else.
“Gatherings like that, with a big crowd? They’re not about rekindling old friendships—they’re just excuses to show off.
“Our line of work? Sure, we’ve made decent money at our level, but try saying ‘female streamer’ out loud. It sounds awful.
“Whoever hears those words doesn’t immediately jump to the wrong conclusions? It’s never a compliment.
“The polite ones might say it’s cool. The rude ones grill you on what you actually stream, whether you hook up privately with the big-spending Big Bros—hell, they might as well ask if you’re a hooker…”
You Weiwei sniffed, her own eyes misting over. “Ugh, it makes me want to cry too. When I went home for New Year’s, Mom wouldn’t even let me tell the relatives what I do. ‘Electronics factory worker’ sounds way better than ‘female streamer.'”
She gazed out the window and let out a long sigh. “Sigh, imagine being like Doctor Lin. Doctors, lawyers, civil servants, cops, teachers… You can say it with your chest held high. Makes the whole family proud…”
Xu Yueliang kept her head down. After a long pause, she murmured an “Mm.”
You Weiwei turned to her. “Is there someone you had a crush on at this reunion?”
Xu Yueliang shook her head vigorously. “No, no!”
You Weiwei grinned knowingly and patted her arm. “Hey, who didn’t crush on a couple people back in Middle School? Still, I’d say don’t go. First thing they’ll ask is what you’re up to these days. Tell the truth, and it’s awkward. Lie, and it’s worse—someone’s bound to call you out eventually…”
She thought for a moment and said, “If you still like that person, you might as well come up with some ideas yourself and get in touch privately. Don’t mention our profession at first—wait until you’re more familiar, and it’ll go much better.”
Xu Yueliang asked her, “When you went to the dentist, did the doctor ask about your job?”
You Weiwei shook her head. “No, why would the doctor ask that? Even if he did, I wouldn’t want to say.”
Xu Yueliang nodded. “Yeah, don’t say anything.”
You Weiwei sighed again.
The atmosphere in the car grew heavy, and the two of them didn’t speak for a good while.
After getting out of the car, they walked back together. You Weiwei said, “Then next time, I won’t ask you to come with me. You’re still scared, even if you’re stubborn about it—your tears are honest…”
Xu Yueliang looked up. “When’s next time?”
You Weiwei rubbed her cheek. “Not sure. The doctor said to wait until the inflammation goes down on my side. I think it’ll take about a week.”
Xu Yueliang said, “That long?”
You Weiwei replied, “I’m in no rush. The more I go, the more scared I get. I need to take a break.”
“Mm.” Xu Yueliang lowered her head again.
The two of them entered the elevator and went back to their respective homes.
Xu Yueliang pushed open the door and went inside. The curtains were drawn in the room, making it pitch black.
It was almost time for her stream, so she needed to eat lunch, set up the live streaming room, do her makeup, and fix her hair. There was no time to think about anything else.
But suddenly, she lost all motivation. Her chest felt stuffy, her limbs went limp, and she didn’t want to do anything.
Xu Yueliang set her bag down, slipped on her slippers, and went into the workroom.
As soon as she turned on the light, it became a dazzling world, like the stage in a fairy tale where dreams come true.
But Xu Yueliang knew this wasn’t a stage, and there were no dreams here.
She hugged the two bags of candy and sat down in the live streaming room chair. Next to the computer screen was a sticky note with cute cartoon patterns and a line of unfamiliar handwriting: You have to keep going!!!
You have to keep going.
Xu Yueliang curled her legs up in the chair, tore open one bag of snacks, and took out a small packet.
Sour Girl Soft Candy, in various colors and flavors, coated with a thin layer of sugar frosting.
Xu Yueliang tilted her head back and poured half the small packet into her mouth. It was all sweet, all sour.
After finishing the candy, she stood up, did two big warm-up stretches, and then dashed out of the workroom.
She ordered takeout but also fried an egg for herself and boiled a small handful of vibrant green vegetables.
She would keep living, keep working. If only her skin were a bit thicker, her courage a bit greater—she’d ask You Weiwei if her gums had healed from the inflammation.
Not today? Then tomorrow. No tomorrow? Then the day after.
