CHAPTER 21

Guan Han glanced at her watch and said, "Exactly 3 o'clock in the afternoon, with 28 minutes remaining."

Qin Yinong made a low humming sound, closed her eyelids, and relaxed.

Qin Yinong's psychiatrist, Dr. Wang, was a woman in her thirties with a kind and gentle appearance that naturally evoked a sense of closeness.

"Here she is." Dr. Wang nodded gently and kindly.

Qin Yinong sat on the couch opposite her, smiling familiarly, "Long time no see."

Guan Han closed the door to the consultation room.

Inside the room, calming and sleep-inducing incense was lit, gently wafting in the air, creating a soothing and mild fragrance.

Wang Lin and Qin Yinong had known each other for many years. Since Qin Yinong started experiencing significant mental pressure shortly after entering her career, she had intermittently sought psychological adjustment here. Every time she came, she was on the verge of breaking down, and her mental state was highly tense. However, each session had a significant effect, and Qin Yinong's career had been thriving. The things that could harm her became fewer, and the frequency of her visits gradually decreased.

Wang Lin thought she was getting better and was preparing to congratulate her in advance. Little did she know that she frequently heard about her sister's mishaps from Qin Yinong, and her sister had left in that particular way. After that, the situation worsened, and she has been stuck in the same place until today.

She couldn't bear it anymore, so she came over to chat with Wang Lin, talk about things, have a nap, and then leave. Shortly after, she would come again, repeating this cycle.

There was a long couch in the consultation room, and Wang Lin brought her a pillow. Qin Yinong lay flat on the couch with the pillow, closing her eyes amidst the gentle scent of the aromatherapy.

Wang Lin, like an old friend, started with a greeting, "You haven't been here for a few months. Is work keeping you too busy?"

"Yes, I've been busy with filming, traveling back and forth abroad, it's quite troublesome."

"Did you meet any interesting people this time?"

"Well, the director, I guess. He's quite amusing. His name is Thompson, he has a big beard. He loves cooking in his spare time. When we're not shooting, he makes turkey for us to eat. But his culinary skills are really lacking." Qin Yinong chuckled. "He's brave, I must say."

The relaxed topic gradually eased the stiffness in Qin Yinong's body.

They chatted for a few moments.

"Do you still have nightmares at night?" Wang Lin asked.

Qin Yinong's shoulders immediately tensed, assuming a defensive posture. Wang Lin gently placed her fingers on her temples and pressed lightly.

Qin Yinong's tense shoulders gradually relaxed.

"Yes." Qin Yinong replied, "It's still the same as before."

After a pause, she continued, "I always dream of my childhood. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. Sometimes she's teaching me to read and write, sometimes she's playing with me, taking me out to fly kites. Sometimes it's when that man was hitting my mom, and she would put on the MP3 headphones she bought for me... But every dream ends with... with her leaving for abroad, even though she promised me before she left that..."

Qin Yinong's eyelashes trembled violently, and teardrops glistened at the corners of her eyes, silently seeping into the roots of her hair at her temples.

She couldn't continue speaking and began to sob softly.

Wang Lin sighed inwardly, gently prying open her clenched fist, and softly asked, "What about Yao Yao? Have you dreamt of her?"

"Yao Yao" is the name mentioned by Qin Yinong. Wang Lin doesn't know who Yao Yao is, whether it's a male or female, and she is uncertain about the specific characters represented by those two characters. She only knows the pronunciation. Two years ago, Qin Yinong mentioned this person for the first time, and since then, the frequency of mentioning them has increased. Part of the reason is Qin Yinong's own disclosure, and the other part is Wang Lin's guidance in encouraging her to talk about it.

Because Wang Lin noticed something: those two characters "Yao Yao" had a calming effect on Qin Yinong, like water to a stranded fish on the shore. No matter how agitated her emotions were, they would quickly calm down, and a smile would involuntarily appear on her face.

Sure enough, as soon as Wang Lin mentioned "Yao Yao," Qin Yinong gradually stopped crying, and the fluctuation in her chest subsided.

"I dreamt of her leaving me." Qin Yinong's eyelashes quivered slightly, as if she wanted to open her eyes but resisted and kept them closed.

She often mentioned this, and Wang Lin could infer certain things from the details. For example, she and this "Yao Yao" must have some kind of agreement, and when the designated time limit is reached, they would separate.

"Does she want to leave you?" Wang Lin inquired.

"I don't think so." Qin Yinong sighed.

"Have you ever thought about keeping her with you?" Wang Lin asked gently.

In truth, Wang Lin was quite curious about who this person was. She had known Qin Yinong for many years, and their relationship had developed beyond that of doctor and patient, naturally evolving into a friendship that went beyond those boundaries. Whether as a doctor or as a friend, she wanted Qin Yinong to recover as soon as possible. Over the years, she had done everything she could, exhausted all options, and could only maintain a period of stability for Qin Yinong. She had an intuition that "Yao Yao" might be the remedy for her. If there was someone who could soothe her wounded heart, so far, that person seemed to be the best choice.

However, "Yao Yao" could also be the knot that exacerbated her condition.

Wang Lin had to proceed cautiously.

Qin Yinong shook her head.

"Why not?" Wang Lin inquired.

Qin Yinong remained silent, her thin lips tightly pressed together, silently expressing resistance. This was a rare occurrence.

Alright.

She couldn't touch this question either. However, in a certain sense, it further emphasized Qin Yinong's attachment to "Yao Yao."

Wang Lin decided to let it go for now.

.....

Every five minutes, Guan Han would check her watch. On the tenth five-minute interval, Wang Lin emerged and gently closed the consultation room door behind her.

Guan Han approached quietly and glanced at the closed door.

They exchanged a glance.

Wang Lin mouthed, "She's asleep."

Guan Han breathed a sigh of relief and mouthed back, "Thank you."

Since Wang Lin had only scheduled a session with Qin Yinong this afternoon, she was now free. Qin Yinong was sleeping inside, and Wang Lin and Guan Han sat on the couch in the reception room. Guan Han held an iPad, checking Qin Yinong's schedule and browsing the internet to see if there were any new edits of Tang Ruoyao's videos. If there were well-edited ones, she would save them to Qin Yinong's account's favorites folder.

A barely noticeable gaze scrutinized her.

Guan Han put away the tablet and looked up, saying, "Dr. Wang, do you have something to tell me?"

Wang Lin's face showed a conflicted expression.

For a psychological therapist, her next course of action would likely be considered unprofessional.

Guan Han responded calmly, "Just say it."

Wang Lin made up her mind and gritted her teeth, "Who is Yao Yao?"

Guan Han remained unfazed and replied steadily, "Did Qin Jie ask you to inquire about it from me?"

Wang Lin shook her head, "No, I came on my own."

Guan Han narrowed her eyes slightly, "In your capacity as a doctor or as a friend?"

Wang Lin said, "As a friend."

Guan Han responded indifferently, "I have nothing to disclose."

Curiosity got the better of Wang Lin, "What if it's in the capacity as a doctor?"

Guan Han replied expressionlessly, "By circumventing her and directly asking me, it's inappropriate. I will truthfully inform Qin Jie about this matter."

Wang Lin remained silent.

Guan Han reopened her tablet, lowered her head, and began scrolling through the screen, saying, "I'm busy now, please feel free to do as you please."

.....

Qin Yinong slept until it was dark in the room. The room was dimly lit, and supporting herself on the sofa. She shook her dizzy head, reached out and turned on the table lamp, but the light was too bright, causing her to close her eyes.

Qin Yinong dialed a phone call to Guan Han outside the door.

Guan Han pushed the door open, carrying a package of takeaway in her hand.

She unpacked the food and spread it on the coffee table. She handed the chopsticks to Qin Yinong, who took a bite of the rice and dishes. The temperature was just right, and she raised an eyebrow with interest.

"Guan Han."

Guan Han looked up, seeing a refreshed and energetic Qin Yinong who had just woken up. There was a hint of playfulness in her expression.

"What's up?" Guan Han asked.

"How do you manage to prepare everything just right every time?" Qin Yinong pointed with her chopsticks at the stir-fried dish with minimal oil and salt, which was steaming hot.

Guan Han smiled rarely, saying, "I don't know either, perhaps it's a telepathic connection."

Qin Yinong made a clicking sound and made a face as if she had a toothache.

Guan Han cleared her throat and explained seriously, "Actually, it's because you always sleep for four to five hours, so the margin of error isn't too big. I order the food on the fourth hour and specifically instruct them to wrap it in tin foil for insulation so that it won't cool down easily. If you wake up late, Dr. Wang... there's a microwave here, so you can heat it up. Anyway, you're not picky."

There was a very brief pause when she mentioned Dr. Wang, but Qin Yinong didn't notice.

Guan Han's eyebrows slightly furrowed, a hint of struggle flashed in her eyes, but ultimately she swallowed the information about Wang Lin privately inquiring about Tang Ruoyao.

The most important aspect of psychological counseling is maintaining a complete sense of trust in the therapist, so one can freely express themselves. When Qin Yinong was in a bad state, she had tried reaching out to several internationally renowned counselors, but she couldn't even establish the most basic level of trust.

Wang Lin was the first psychological therapist she had encountered since her debut, and she easily gained her trust. Later, as Qin Yinong built up walls around her heart, Wang Lin became the only one she trusted. If Wang Lin's trust were to be shattered now, Guan Han didn't know who else she could turn to as a replacement.

"Have you eaten?" Guan Han managed to gather her complicated thoughts quite well, and Qin Yinong, in a relaxed mood, didn't think too much about it and asked.

"I've already eaten." Guan Han said. "I heated up the pastries I brought."

Qin Yinong: "..."

Guan Han added with a hint of resentment, "Dr. Wang even took one from me. I didn't even get to taste it."

The implication was clear.

Qin Yinong looked at her aggrieved expression and suddenly felt like laughing.

"Did she say it was delicious?" Qin Yinong teased her intentionally.

"It's delicious." How could it not be delicious?! She almost took a second one! Fortunately, Guan Han reacted quickly and protected it in time!

"Well, I'll make more tomorrow and you can bring some to her." Qin Yinong thought for a moment and came up with this "brilliant" idea.

Guan Han: "!!!"

Not only does she not give it to her, but she also wants her to personally deliver it!

Guan Han opened her mouth but kept her eyes lowered, muttering, "Okay."

Qin Yinong chuckled and patted Guan Han's head gently, saying affectionately, "I was just kidding. If you want to eat, come to my house tomorrow for breakfast, and I'll make it for you."

She was genuinely in a good mood.

Until she finished her meal, Qin Yinong's serene smile never disappeared from her face. Guan Han even softened her breathing, hoping that such a pleasant smile would stay for a little longer.

As they were leaving, Wang Lin specifically mentioned the pastries and asked where they were purchased. Qin Yinong looked at Guan Han with surprise, and Guan Han had an icy expression. Qin Yinong understood and replied gently, "I was in Binzhou this morning, and I bought the pastries there. I bought too many and didn't finish them, so I brought them back."

Binzhou was over two thousand kilometers away from the capital.

Wang Lin couldn't hide her disappointment. "Ah, then forget it."

Guan Han subtly straightened her posture and standing upright without leaving a trace.

After leaving the psychological clinic, Guan Han accompanied Qin Yinong to the car. Once they were inside, Qin Yinong glanced at Guan Han several times and jokingly asked, "Are you satisfied?"

Guan Han awkwardly tugged at her long hair, trying to conceal her slightly flushed ears.

"I found a few more edited videos of Miss Yao for you. Do you want to watch them?" After a pause, Guan Han abruptly changed the subject with a stiff tone.

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