Chapter 18

Take eighteen bites.
“It looks like the inflammation has already gone down,” Zhou Chaoli said. “You can start considering the extraction. We can schedule a time—just make another appointment.”
He wore a mask and blue medical gloves. When he leaned close, a faint disinfectant scent clung to him.
Ying Tao lay back, able to see only the man’s gentle, calm eyes.
Once, she’d been obsessed with them.
But now… she couldn’t quite see them clearly.
The bright lamp above stung her eyes. Her mouth was propped open. Inside her mouth it felt sour and numb, saliva pooling uncontrollably.
She knew she must look ridiculously miserable right now, baring teeth like this.
If it were the past, she probably wouldn’t have let him see.
Zhou Chaoli smiled too. “You really are different from when you were little.”
“Back then, you needed someone with you for everything. Every time your tooth hurt, you refused to go to the hospital.”
“Now you can handle things on your own.”
Ying Tao held the cup to rinse, then spat out the water.
Her teeth still felt numb and swollen in a way that was unfamiliar, as if the cold dental tools scraping her gums were still there.
Hearing that, she only pressed her lips together and smiled.
“People have to grow up.”
Zhou Chaoli paused, gaze light as it rested on her.
Only for a moment.
“Yes,” he said softly. “You’ve grown up.”
Ying Tao sat and rested for a while.
In the past, she couldn’t have asked for anything more than being alone with Zhou Chaoli.
But now, she felt uncomfortable all over.
“Um…”
She chose her words carefully. “Little Uncle—if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back first.”
She grabbed her bag and walked out.
Behind her, Zhou Chaoli’s voice suddenly sounded.
“Tao-tao.”
Ying Tao’s steps paused. She turned back, hesitant. “Little Uncle… is there something else?”
Zhou Chaoli looked at her and smiled gently. “Why… don’t you call me Chaoli-ge anymore?”
“…”
Ying Tao froze.
Only after a long while did she come back to herself.
“I didn’t know any better before. I was used to being wild and having no sense of boundaries, so I followed He Li— Mingye-ge and called you that.”
“But now I’m grown up. I can’t keep messing around like that. It’s not… proper.”
“You’re Xiao Bai’s uncle, which makes you my uncle too. I grew up with Xiao Bai, so I just followed him and called you that.”
She didn’t mention the past at all.
She only stayed stiff and restrained, keeping the proper distance a junior should keep.
Just like he’d demanded at the beginning.
Zhou Chaoli’s expression turned complicated. “Mm. I understand.”
“Our Tao-tao really is different now.”
Ying Tao tugged the corner of her mouth awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
Luckily, Zhou Chaoli didn’t leave her hanging for long.
“Like this,” he said. “I’m off in half an hour.”
“Go out through the clinic lobby. Turn right and you’ll see the cafeteria.”
“Go wait for me there.”
“Huh?” Ying Tao didn’t react in time.
Zhou Chaoli asked, “What’s wrong? Do you have something urgent to handle?”
“I—”
Before she could speak, Zhou Chaoli cut in. He wore the same mild smile as always.
“Tao-tao, I just want to have a meal with you.”
“I’ve been back for a while now, and it seems this uncle of yours still hasn’t properly talked with you.”
“You’re not going to refuse even this, are you?”
Ying Tao fell silent.
After a long while, she sighed and nodded, agreeing.
“Alright. I’ll go wait in the cafeteria.”
/
Besides the on-duty medical staff, the cafeteria also had plenty of patients and family members buying meals.
Ying Tao didn’t want to go in and take up a table.
Since there was still time, she sat on a bench in the small park and basked in the sun.
Bored, she lowered her head and played a game on her phone.
This mobile game had been developed by Shen Minglin’s company. It hadn’t gone public yet. Shen Minglin gave her a beta-test account.
Usually, all she did was level up and clear daily tasks—nothing special.
Recently, a rare-material mission came out. A ton of people were competing to farm the dungeon. Ying Tao logged on to join the rush.
Her character name was “One Slash and Your Peach Blossoms Bloom All Over the Sky.”
Very mighty. Very domineering.
She loved it.
Right now, world chat was full of party requests. She followed the trend and sent out her own shout.
“Abyss Realm farming Xuanhuang Tokens. Looking for a party, carry me plz~”
The world chat scrolled fast. Her message got pushed up in seconds.
Ying Tao didn’t force it.
She only had one shout-horn, and she couldn’t be bothered buying more. Not spending money on mobile games was her last bit of stubborn pride.
While she was farming materials in the newbie village, an invite suddenly popped up.
[BK has sent a party request]
Ying Tao blinked, surprised.
She wasn’t unfamiliar with the name BK.
Even though it was still in beta, dungeon difficulty reviews were already out.
Abyss Realm was basically hell-mode.
This was the player who had cleared every dungeon during beta—without spending a single cent.
Back then, a famous game streamer had gotten invited by Tianyi, got a beta account, and livestreamed the game as promotion.
During a dungeon run, a player named BK absolutely showed off—perfect operations, ridiculous positioning.
Afterward, the streamer shamelessly begged to be carried.
BK coolly tossed out one line: “Too trash.”
The livestream chat exploded with laughter.
They said from then on that streamer got renamed “Too Trash.”
Ying Tao knew all this because of Miao-miao.
Miao-miao liked games, and since she wanted to intern at Tianyi, she paid extra attention to the new game about to launch.
But…
Why would this god click on Ying Tao’s party request?
Ying Tao fumbled in panic and accidentally hit Accept.
She jolted and sat up straight.
There weren’t just BK and her in the party—there were three more people.
[Jingcheng Bai-ye]: Yo. Pulling a girl in?
[Jingcheng Bai-ye]: Peach-blossom little sis?
Help. So greasy.
Ying Tao shuddered in disgust.
[One Slash and Your Peach Blossoms Bloom All Over the Sky]: My name is One Slash. Thanks.
[Jingcheng Bai-ye]: Oh.
[Jingcheng Bai-ye]: One Slash little sis.
[One Slash and Your Peach Blossoms Bloom All Over the Sky]: ?
If it weren’t for BK, she’d have left the party already.
[Fox Mask]: Sexual harassment? Banned.
[Jingcheng Bai-ye]: Don’t don’t don’t, my bad.
But the next second, the system message popped:
[BK has kicked Jingcheng Bai-ye from the party. Hero, we shall meet again in the jianghu.]
[BK]: Kicked.
“What the hell!” Zhou Lubai couldn’t hold it and cursed. “Bro, why’d you kick me?”
He Mingye glanced at him lazily. “Too loud.”
Zhou Lubai: “...Fuck.”
He Mingye looked away again, leaning back into the sofa.
On the screen, the female rogue named One Slash stood off to the side, a line of text popping up over her head.
[One Slash and Your Peach Blossoms Bloom All Over the Sky]: God gamer is so cool.
He Mingye’s gaze sank, but deep in his eyes, an extremely faint smile flickered.
[BK]: Get up here.
BK had a gorgeous mount: Xuanming Wind-Rider.
It was a limited reward only the very first player to clear the dungeon when it released could get.
Up to now, only a handful of players had managed to clear every stage.
Ying Tao was surprised.
Was he asking her to ride together?
She controlled her character and walked over.
They rode the wind, weaving through a sea of clouds.
Once inside Abyss Realm, Ying Tao was clearly struggling in the dungeon.
Her class was an “assassin” if you wanted to be nice. In reality, she was just squishy—one hit and over half her HP was gone.
This boss was absurd.
Not only did it have a crazy amount of health, it could also transfer damage. If it dropped to low HP, it would go berserk.
Normally, you needed two teams working together to clear it.
Before this, she and Miao-miao had tried a few times and never passed this stage.
Now, she dodged the boss’s pursuit while chugging potions like her life depended on it.
Right when she was about to die—
BK blinked in, popped his ultimate, and yanked the boss’s aggro to max.
That class was supposed to be crowd-control. Its attack stat wasn’t even high.
Yet BK somehow shredded two-thirds of the boss’s HP.
In her shock, BK tossed her a flat line:
[BK]: Don’t space out. Blink in and take the head.
Ying Tao hurried to dodge, then chained a combo and cut the boss’s last bar down.
They actually won.
She was stunned.
She’d died on this stage so many times. She’d been stuck here for more than a month.
[Bright Lantern Three Thousand]: ? Stealing the kill at the last second?
[Bright Lantern Three Thousand]: @One Slash and Your Peach Blossoms Bloom All Over the Sky, stop playing dead and spit out the Xuanhuang Token.
Ying Tao frowned. What was wrong with this person?
[One Slash and Your Peach Blossoms Bloom All Over the Sky]: I took it with my own skill. Why should I spit it out?
[Bright Lantern Three Thousand]: Bullshit. We’ve been grinding this boss all day. You leecher has the nerve to talk?
[BK]: I told her to take it. Problem?
Ying Tao lifted a brow, surprised he’d speak up for her.
[One Slash and Your Peach Blossoms Bloom All Over the Sky]: Yeah, God gamer told me to. Problem?
Bullies always picked on the soft ones.
Facing the actual top player, the other side instantly lost its edge and even started acting cute.
[Bright Lantern Three Thousand]: God gamer~ this person is pure deadweight. You worked so hard to get it and she just—one slash and steals the kill—
Ying Tao had run into toxic players before, but this level of ridiculous was a first.
She was getting mad, but before she could type—
BK replied.
[BK]: She leeches. I’m happy.
[BK]: Any objections?
Ying Tao felt satisfied.
It was her first time experiencing being backed up in a game.
And it even felt a bit like she was riding his coattails and throwing her weight around.
“What’s wrong with those two?” Tang Mingfei was furious.
If it weren’t for the Tianyi endorsement, she wouldn’t bother with this trash MMO.
With a sour face, she slammed her phone onto the desk.
“What’s wrong?” her roommate Shen Qian jumped. “Why are you so mad?”
Tang Mingfei rolled her eyes. “None of your business.”
Shen Qian shrugged, not caring about her attitude at all. She put her headphones back on and went back to memorizing words.
“It’s just a game.”
Her closest friend, Sun Shengnan, tried to calm her. “Is it worth being that mad?”
“By the way, didn’t you go to an audition two days ago? How did it go?”
“Pretty much a sure thing,” Tang Mingfei said confidently. “The director seemed pretty satisfied with me.”
“Hey, Feifei.” Sun Shengnan asked again, eyes shining. “You said before that He Mingye is your brother. Is that actually true?”
Tang Mingfei covered her guilt. “Why would I lie to you? Of course he’s my brother. We grew up together. We’re really close.”
“Then can you help me get two tickets?” Sun Shengnan’s eyes were practically glowing.
“His concert tickets—I can’t get them no matter how much I offer. If you’re that close, you just have to ask and he’ll definitely give you some, right?”
“O-Of course,” Tang Mingfei said, not very confident.
Sun Shengnan relaxed. “I knew it. Feifei, you’re so capable. You can definitely solve something this small.”
“In appreciation class the other day, that girl with the surname Tao was bragging to her roommate that she could get He Mingye concert tickets.”
“I was listening from behind and I almost died laughing.”
“His tickets are priceless and impossible to buy. Even insiders can’t get them. If she can get them, I’ll eat my words.”
“Oh right—how are things with Senior Lu?” Sun Shengnan nudged her arm teasingly.
“Didn’t you go on a date last time?”
“I heard he got you a variety show. I’m so jealous.”
“Feifei, look—someone like Senior Lu, a second-gen star kid, chases you. And He Mingye is your brother too.”
“In the future you’ll definitely blow up. I’ll be counting on you to carry me.”
“…” Tang Mingfei shoved her impatiently, really just guilty. “Why should I carry you? Work hard yourself.”
Then Tang Mingfei turned and saw Shen Qian had taken off her headphones at some point and was pouring water.
Their eyes met.
Shen Qian raised a brow.
Tang Mingfei snapped, “What are you looking at? Eavesdropping is so uncultured.”
Shen Qian was speechless. “Ma’am, this is a dorm. If you need privacy, go outside.”
“You!”
Tang Mingfei was furious. In the end, she yanked Sun Shengnan and stormed out, slamming the door.
/
On Ying Tao’s side, after one run, she logged off.
Before logging out, she added BK as a friend and thanked him, then went offline.
She’d been sitting too long. Her whole body ached, so she stood up to stretch.
Zhou Chaoli came out from the clinic lobby and saw the little girl entertaining herself in the park.
He paused, not hurrying over.
She seemed to have no awareness at all—didn’t notice him.
Maybe she was too bored.
She hopped along the pebble path, playing hopscotch.
It made him think of the first time he’d met her.
She’d been just over six, trailing behind Zhou Lubai’s group of little demon kings, looking obedient.
The teenage boy beside her had unconsciously circled her behind him.
Whatever the boy fed her, she opened her mouth and ate.
Then she slowly grew up, into what she was now—tall and graceful, clean and bright.
Zhou Chaoli called her, “Tao-tao.”
The girl looked up like she was waking from a dream.
In that instant, it was as if the stars shifted and peach blossoms danced through the air.
She had a pair of very likable eyes—round, sweet arcs. When she smiled, she looked incredibly sweet.
“Little Uncle.”
The girl called him politely, distantly.
Zhou Chaoli’s throat went dry. “Tired of waiting? Let’s go eat.”
“Okay.”
She didn’t refuse, following him into the cafeteria.
Zhou Chaoli picked a few dishes. “I remember you like sweet-and-sour ribs, but you just got your tooth filled, so you shouldn’t eat that.”
“Do you want yuxiang shredded pork? Tomato and beef brisket?”
“…Anything is fine.”
In truth, she didn’t like carrots much.
And she didn’t eat beef.
Ying Tao silently picked out the carrot shreds.
If He Little Dog were here, it’d be great—he would’ve picked them out for her.
No—he’d probably knock her head and say shamelessly,
“Aren’t you a rabbit? You don’t like carrots but you like meat. Looks like you’re a tyrant rabbit.”
“Pfft—”
Ying Tao got amused by her own daydream and laughed out loud before she could stop herself.
“What is it?” Zhou Chaoli asked gently, smiling. “Did you think of something happy?”
Ying Tao stiffened instantly.
Right. Why was she thinking of him for no reason?
She shook her head, vague. “Nothing.”
Zhou Chaoli paused, then asked, “Tao-tao, have you been doing well lately?”
“…Okay.”
Thinking of what she’d done to He Mingye, Ying Tao felt guilty for no reason.
She was doing fine.
Just… almost walked onto the road of crime.
Ying Tao didn’t have much to say, and Zhou Chaoli didn’t seem to know what to talk to her about either.
In the past, she was always the one starting topics, chirping nonstop like a little sparrow.
But now, Ying Tao looked uninterested—distracted, even.
Maybe she should cheer him up a bit.
They were friends once, after all.
And besides, she’d been the one who got handsy first while drunk.
“Oh right,” Ying Tao suddenly remembered. “Little Uncle, do you know a record shop owner in Taiwan?”
She remembered Zhou Chaoli loved collecting rare vinyl records. He’d taken her to that shop before.
But the owner opened whenever he pleased. You almost never ran into him by chance, let alone commission him to find something.
Zhou Chaoli gave a low “Mm.” “You’re looking for a record?”
Ying Tao nodded. “If possible, could you ask him to help me find Abbey Road?”
She remembered He Mingye loved The Beatles. His favorite album was Abbey Road from 1969.
He used to have a Japanese pressing, but it got scratched.
“I want…” Ying Tao smiled. “He Li— I mean Mingye-ge’s birthday is coming up.”
“If I can find it before then and give it to him as a gift, he’ll definitely be happy.”
She’d asked Lu Ziyue for help before too, but he hadn’t found it.
He Mingye and her birthday were actually on the same day.
The year was different, but the month and day were the same.
When they were little, Aunt He even said it was “fate.”
What fate.
It was clearly a cursed connection.
Otherwise, how could he clash with her this hard?
But…
She actually did prepare gifts for him every year.
He just never came back, and she never got the chance to give them.
This year, she’d at least show something.
As Miao-miao put it, what was this? Compensation from a “scummy girl”? A tiny remnant of conscience that a player king hadn’t completely lost?
Zhou Chaoli watched her.
The moment she mentioned He Mingye, her expression came alive. Even her brows and eyes brightened into a vivid smile—only she didn’t notice.
“Sorry,” Ying Tao realized she’d said too much. She apologized. “If it’s inconvenient, you can ignore it. I’ll keep looking myself—”
“I can,” Zhou Chaoli said.
“I’ll help you look for it.”
Ying Tao froze, then nodded blankly. “Thank you. When you find it, I’ll transfer the money to you.”
“Tao-tao.” Zhou Chaoli’s smile was no longer as warm as before. A bitterness mixed in.
“Do you have to be this distant with me?”