Playing Mahjong, Dr. Tang's Lifelong Reputation Is Completely Ruined

"Mommy, can I have chocolate ice cream, please?"

Ye Cheng pointed at the chocolate-flavored ice cream in the freezer and called out to Tang Yuyao with shameless enthusiasm.

Tang Yuyao was stunned, as if doubting whether her ears had deceived her.

The shop clerk standing before them wore an equally bewildered expression.

The clerk's eyes darted between the two before landing on a startling conclusion—this must be one of those… adventurous young couples. And judging by the dynamic, the stunning older woman was clearly the dominant one.

Just look at what she’s done to this poor guy.

"Mommy, why aren’t you answering? Can I have this, please?" Ye Cheng blinked, utterly devoid of shame.

Tang Yuyao’s scalp prickled with embarrassment. She didn’t dare respond. Instead, she grabbed her shopping and bolted, unable to endure the clerk’s judging gaze any longer.

As Tang Yuyao fled, Ye Cheng blinked again, shifted his attention back to the clerk, and cheerfully declared, "Hey, handsome, could you pack up everything my mommy bought? I’ll take it with me."

The clerk: "…"

Two minutes later, Ye Cheng emerged from the store, hauling a massive bag of groceries. Not far away, Tang Yuyao stood in the shadows, glaring at him with palpable fury.

Ye Cheng waved enthusiastically and shouted, "Mommy! Over here! I got all your stuff for you!"

Tang Yuyao: "???"

Passersby turned toward the commotion, their eyes eventually settling on Tang Yuyao.

Just like in the store, curious and amused glances rained down on them. Unfazed, Ye Cheng kept waving with a grin.

Tang Yuyao’s embarrassment reached critical levels. She fled like a startled deer, her high heels clacking frantically as she rushed toward the underground parking garage.

Once inside, the strange stares finally disappeared. She slowed her pace, exhaling in relief.

"Dr. Tang, why’d you run so fast? I almost couldn’t catch up!"

Ye Cheng’s voice suddenly rang out beside her. Tang Yuyao yelped in surprise.

"Ah!"

She stumbled backward—snap!—the sound of a breaking heel echoed through the garage. Tang Yuyao teetered, her body tilting dangerously toward the ground.

Horror flashed in her eyes. If she fell headfirst, she could end up a vegetable.

Ugh… Why is today so unlucky?!

She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable pain.

But seconds passed, and the expected impact never came. Cautiously, she peeked open one eye—only to see that insufferable brat who’d been calling her "mommy."

"Dr. Tang, was that a heroic rescue just now? Pretty cool, right? If you’re moved by my bravery… can I get that chocolate ice cream?"

Ye Cheng blinked earnestly.

Tang Yuyao: "???"

---

A few minutes later, inside a white Mercedes.

Ye Cheng happily licked his chocolate ice cream, lounging in the passenger seat as the wind tousled his hair.

Behind the wheel, Tang Yuyao massaged her temples, stealing glances at him.

She desperately wanted to crack open Ye Cheng’s skull and examine its contents. How could he, in such a perfect, dramatic moment, still be fixated on that damn ice cream?

Unbelievable.

And then there was what he’d done to her in the store…

Just thinking about it made her breath hitch. A flush crept up her ears, and her foot unconsciously pressed harder on the accelerator.

"Dr. Tang, you must be loaded, driving a sports car like this. Guess being a doctor really pays, huh? Slurp slurp..."

Ye Cheng continued enjoying his ice cream while marveling at her wealth.

Tang Yuyao shot him a glare. "Are you obsessed with money or what? Doctors make good money? You only see the rewards, not the years of suffering. Most majors finish at undergrad, but we med students are pushing thirty by the time we graduate. Missed our best years. Still think it’s easy cash?"

Ye Cheng blinked. "So… you’re thirty now?"

Tang Yuyao: "..."

SCREECH!

She slammed the brakes, pulling over abruptly.

Ye Cheng yelped in panic. "Dr. Tang, don’t do anything rash! Crimes of passion start at three years in prison, max penalty is death! Aaaah—!"

A minute later, the car smoothly resumed its journey toward Great Sea City Noble Academy, entering the school’s exclusive vehicle lane.

In the underground parking garage, the white Mercedes glided into place.

Ye Cheng, cheeks still red from earlier, helpfully guided her.

"Yeah, just like that… back up, back up…"

Once parked, Tang Yuyao turned off the engine, unbuckled her seatbelt, and glared at him.

"Why are you still sitting there?" Her tone carried a clear edge—she hadn’t forgotten his "thirty" comment.

Thirty?!

She was barely twenty-six, maybe twenty-seven! Round it down, and she was practically a fresh-faced twenty-year-old! Barely any age gap between them!

Ye Cheng, cheeks still stinging (courtesy of Tang Yuyao’s pinching—she’d nearly ripped his face off), unbuckled and climbed out.

"Dr. Tang, you’re way too sensitive…"

Tang Yuyao huffed and stepped out, her long legs carrying her gracefully across the garage. The sharp clicks of her heels echoed in the empty space.

Click.

She popped the trunk open, revealing a mountain of shopping bags—far too much for one person to carry.

Today was supposed to be a happy shopping day. She’d planned to treat herself to some ice cream… until Ye Cheng showed up.

Not only had he humiliated her, but he’d also taken advantage in a way she couldn’t even voice.

The frustration was unbearable.

Who knew this brat had such audacity? A simple joke, and he went all in!

Little demon!

Hearing him still yapping, Tang Yuyao stopped mid-step and shot him another glare.

Ye Cheng instantly sealed his lips, whistling innocently while looking anywhere but at her.

Tang Yuyao: "..."

With no outlet for her anger, her chest heaved. "Quit standing around! Help me carry this! You expect me to haul all this alone?"

Ye Cheng hesitated. "But… class is about to start. I—"

"Hmm?" Tang Yuyao’s eyebrow arched.

Ye Cheng gulped. "I’ll hurry!"

Snapping to attention, he saluted before grabbing armfuls of bags and sprinting off.

Ye Cheng took the bulk of the items, while Tang Yuyao carried the remaining smaller things as the two headed toward the school infirmary.

...

Infirmary.

"It hurts so much."

The moment Tang Yuyao returned, she kicked off her high heels, tossing the broken pair aside—they had already been left in the car earlier.

Fortunately, Tang Yuyao had the habit of bringing extra shoes when she went out, or else she might have had to rely on Ye Cheng to carry her back.

That little brat already had a mischievous look about him.

If she really let him carry her back, who knew how much he’d tease her? Tang Yuyao shook her head, dismissing the thought from her mind.

She sprawled out on the sofa, limbs splayed, with no trace of ladylike grace.

Though this was the infirmary, very few people actually came here.

These rich young masters and pampered heiresses were all treasured gems at home—if they got hurt, they’d be sent straight to private medical clinics. Why would they ever come to her little infirmary?

The only reason this place existed was because the school was required to have one, making it a cushy, low-effort job.

Since arriving, Tang Yuyao had completely fallen in love with the infirmary life. She slacked off every day, clocked out on time, and lived the dream.

On top of that, she received a hefty paycheck every month. Bliss!

Compared to this, her old life as a young mistress back home seemed downright dull. She much preferred lazing around like this, doing whatever she pleased.

At least here, she was free—no one bossed her around or demanded she do this or that.

Most importantly—no one nagged her about marriage!

Now that was the best part!

So what if she was a "leftover woman"? She wasn’t stealing or cheating, and she was perfectly happy on her own. Why should she spend the rest of her life with someone she didn’t even like?

Arranged marriage?

Family legacy?

Screw that! The sooner that nonsense collapsed, the better!

"Hey, you—little brat, give me a foot rub." Tang Yuyao, with zero grace, shoved her freshly freed foot right into Ye Cheng’s face.

Ye Cheng: "..."

He squinted, studying it for a moment before launching into a clinical analysis.

"Dr. Tang, your sweaty feet are pretty severe. Might be due to staying up late and kidney deficiency..."

Before the foot rub could even begin, Ye Cheng had already diagnosed her with kidney deficiency, hyperhidrosis, and a whole list of other issues.

Tang Yuyao was stunned.

When she finally snapped out of it, her face flushed red with rage, and she started kicking wildly.

"You little shit! Learn how to talk properly!"

"A gorgeous woman like me asks you for a foot rub, and you have the nerve to complain? You should be thanking your lucky stars!"

Tang Yuyao seemed to have hit her boiling point, words tumbling out unfiltered—straight from the lizard brain, no higher thought involved.

What could she do? Ye Cheng was just too infuriating, never playing by the rules.

Ye Cheng, meanwhile, responded with a dismissive wave. "Yeah, yeah, sure thing, Ms. Sweaty Feet..."

His half-hearted agreement only pushed Tang Yuyao further over the edge.

Barefoot, she stomped across the floor and lunged at him.

"You little bastard! Today, I’m gonna teach you a lesson!"

Tang Yuyao initiated her attack.

Rear naked choke!

Ye Cheng was pinned to the ground, rapidly losing HP—not just from the chokehold, but also from the relentless elbow strikes. Hmm... not bad, actually.

Click!

Hurried footsteps echoed from outside the door as two female students rushed in, supporting a pale-faced classmate suffering from low blood sugar.

"Dr. Tang, my friend’s blood sugar dropped, could you—"

The voice cut off abruptly. All three froze, staring wide-eyed at the scene before them. The esteemed Dr. Tang was currently locked in what looked like an underground MMA fight with some guy they’d never seen, and it had reached the most intense elimination round yet.

Ye Cheng was on the verge of tapping out.

Realizing they’d walked in at the worst possible moment, one of the girls blurted out an apology.

"Sorry, Dr. Tang! We’ll come back later—let’s go, quick!"

The two supporting girls hauled their friend away at lightning speed.

Tang Yuyao was mortified. As soon as she processed what had happened, her face burned crimson, and she scrambled off Ye Cheng, crawling toward the door in a desperate attempt to explain.

"Wait! It’s not what you think! Come back! Let me explain!!!"

Her voice cracked with despair.

Ruined. Her flawless reputation was utterly ruined.

Sob...