By the end of September, the sweltering heat of Peng City finally showed signs of drifting away. Mornings and evenings became slightly cooler, though the days remained hot enough to make one smoke.
The second hand traced an unknown number of circles. Zhu Jinnian packed away the OH Cards (Note 1) on the table. The young woman sitting opposite checked her watch; the one-hour consultation seemed too short for her, leaving her somewhat unsatisfied.
(Note 1: OH Cards, known in psychology as subconscious intuition cards, are a psychological projection testing tool. They are a common game-like tool used by counselors to analyze a client’s latent psychological issues.)
Seeing her to the door, Zhu Jinnian suddenly called out to her. "Miss Lin, right now, I’m advising you strictly from a personal perspective..."
The young woman looked a bit dazed, frowning with her mouth slightly open.
"Break up."
Miss Lin reacted instantly and vehemently. "But—actually, the last time he cheated was four months ago. For the past few months, he said he’s completely cut things off with that first love and hasn't contacted her at all. It’s that wretched woman who won't give up. Besides, he’s actually quite good to me. That night it was raining, and I casually mentioned I was hungry, he..."
There was no shortage of women who came to "Streams in the Desert Psychological Studio" because they had encountered "scumbags." In Zhu Jinnian’s eyes, most of them were incredibly tedious. Furthermore, their problem wasn't psychological confusion or negative emotions—they simply had a hole in their heads. Take this Miss Lin: it was obvious the man cheated repeatedly, and she forgave him every time with the mindset of "he won't do it next time," yet she remained resentful.
Those who truly decide to break up cut things off cleanly with a single phone call. Those who are exhausted physically and mentally yet always respond to rational suggestions of a breakup with "actually, he's quite good to me" are like people standing on a skyscraper yelling that they want to commit suicide but never jumping. It’s all just playing around and teasing you.
Though the more counseling fees she earned the better, she truly felt bad for Miss Lin's wallet—the best solution was to break up, yet she chose psychological counseling and had already spent 600 yuan. Miss Lin had successfully painted the man’s first love as a woman more "bitchy" than a "bitch." The description of her appearance and mannerisms was so detailed that Zhu Jinnian felt she could pick this plain-looking but venomous woman out of a crowd on the street. Zhu Jinnian truly admired the sixth sense and the low IQ of women in love; they could sensitively and accurately identify the mistress's N-th burner account among a scumbag’s 500+ Weibo followers, yet still harbor fantasies about the man even while wearing a dozen "green hats."
Family of origin, personality, experience... all factors worked together to create these women who found it hard to say goodbye.
Zhu Jinnian helplessly saw Miss Lin out, unable to help recalling her frustrating career path over the past two years. Previously, she had worked part-time at a mid-priced psychological counseling agency in the city while studying for her master's. She started with appointment reception and gradually moved to small cases like relationship setbacks or poor exam performance to accumulate counseling hours. Her goal back then was to obtain a Level 2 Psychological Counselor Certificate and enter a high-end agency to take on more challenging cases.
The Level 2 Certificate was already the highest level for counselors in the country. The road to that goal was long and heavy; enriching her experience was more important. While still in school, Zhu Jinnian sent her resume to Streams in the Desert, the top-ranked studio in Peng City. She was rejected the first three times without even getting a chance for the written test. On the fourth attempt, she got the test but failed to make the interview. Near graduation, she submitted her resume for the fifth time and finally broke into the interview stage. Fortunately, the interviewer turned out to be Du Gezhi, a senior from the same club during her undergraduate years. Perhaps he had shown extra mercy, but she stood out among twenty-odd competitors and successfully entered Streams in the Desert as an assistant counselor.
Previously, she had only focused on accumulating hours and neglected to look into the internal news of Streams in the Desert. It turned out that several co-founders of this studio were from Southeast University of Political Science and Law—her alma mater. For instance, Du Gezhi, two years her senior, was the General Manager and one of the studio's five lead psychologists. Business Director Zhuge Qianhui had graduated five years before her; though they never met at school, she took good care of her. Then there was Nie Yuzheng, rumored to be the "soul-level" founder of Streams in the Desert. Although Zhu Jinnian had never met him, his name was already legendary. She had been on the job for over a month and had never seen him come to the studio, let alone hold office hours like the other lead psychologists. She suspected the man was just a figurehead used to boost the studio's prestige.
Although she knew she had a long way to go before becoming a lead psychologist, she hadn't expected an assistant counselor at a high-end agency would still be dealing with these kinds of relationship dilemmas.
Miss Lin looked quite uncomfortable when she swiped her card, and then checked the "Average" box under "Satisfaction" on the evaluation form.
Zhu Jinnian leaned against the front desk. She had a graceful figure, a beautiful face, and an indifferent gaze. Looking at the bright sun pouring down outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, she let out a satirical smile.
Du Gezhi walked out of another consultation room. A plump woman in her fifties swiped her card with a grin, drew a large checkmark next to "Very Satisfied" on the evaluation form, and booked her next appointment.
"New look?" Du Gezhi turned around, gesturing with his chin toward Zhu Jinnian's curled hair, which now ended just above her collarbone. Unlike her previous long curls, it suited her face shape better and was pleasant to look at.
Zhu Jinnian asked generously, "Does it look good?"
"Not bad," he answered from the heart.
"Thanks."
He then glanced at the evaluation form and smiled slyly. "Xiaonian, you don't understand women."
"Please, enlighten me."
"People like this come here just to vent; they don't need to know where their problem lies. In this situation, you should denounce the scumbag along with her. That way, she'll feel you are her soulmate. She won't stop talking for eight hours, will come five days a week, and contribute thousands in counseling fees every day."
"I’ve always strictly adhered to the principle of confidentiality. How do you know she came to denounce a scumbag?" Zhu Jinnian turned with interest and looked up at him.
Du Gezhi shook his head. "Our stance as counselors should be neutral, but when you encounter this type of client, you can't help but represent yourself by tossing a 'break up or get a divorce immediately' at them. This leads to them being unsatisfied with your 'service.' What they want is psychological validation, not rational advice. Besides, we counselors are not responsible for providing decisions."
"I set aside my identity as a counselor and tell them the correct answer from a friend's standpoint, yet they insist on jumping into the fire. These people aren't here to find a solution; they just want to portray themselves as blameless and others as full of faults to gain the listener’s sympathy and sense of justice. It’s a way to suggest to themselves again—I am perfectly right, perfect, and pitiful; whoever doesn't love me is a huge idiot." Zhu Jinnian looked away indifferently. "As for the visitor just now, I hope she doesn't come back to waste her money."
"If she can come to us, she shouldn't be short on money. You're feeling bad for her?"
"Not necessarily." Zhu Jinnian took a cup of coffee handed to her by the receptionist, Qiqi. "It’s not convenient for me to reveal the content of our chat, but I’ll tell you a detail. There was something wrong with her Gucci bag. Just now, she accidentally scratched it with her nail, and her first reaction was to check if the rhinestone on her manicure had fallen off. While a top-tier designer bag wouldn't get a scratch from a fingernail, her first reaction to check a fake diamond when facing such a luxury item is too suspicious. I think she moves in a high-consumption circle, but her income and family background aren't enough to support her. Also, when she showed me her boyfriend’s photo, she showed a longing for me to praise his looks. Although I thought the man was average, I still praised him as a handsome guy, and she was clearly very pleased. Her heart craves validation—whether it’s in what she eats, wears, or her taste in choices. This habit makes her value the 'evaluation' aspect particularly much. Streams in the Desert has a great reputation in the industry, so she naturally gravitates toward us."
Du Gezhi listened with interest and also picked up a cup of coffee.
"Combined with what she told me, I can infer that her boyfriend is not only a scumbag but also a dangerous narcissist who enjoys exerting negative influence on others and gloating over it. If she doesn't listen to my advice, there will only be a few outcomes: one, being dumped in a miserable state; two, forcing a marriage and regretting it later; three, a dead end. In my view, the first outcome is the best for her. Staying single keeps you safe."
Qiqi couldn't help but interject, "Why are there always so many women around scumbags!"
Zhu Jinnian shrugged. "Don't you think junk food tastes especially good?"
Du Gezhi crossed his arms, his gaze a mix of helplessness and a hint of affection. "Your tongue is so sharp. Will Hao Yiqi really dare to marry you in the future?"
Hao Yiqi was Zhu Jinnian’s boyfriend. They had been together for over a year and had just broken up recently. Du Gezhi didn't know this yet.
She automatically ignored his gaze. "It’s better to be a happy single dog than to be trapped in a man’s tender trap and tortured to death."
"Wait, you..." Du Gezhi was stunned for half a second. "When did you become a single dog?"
"A month or two ago."
"Weren't you two at the stage of meeting each other's parents and discussing marriage?"
"Yes." Zhu Jinnian nodded. "I didn't know he was a mama's boy until I met his parents. Plus, he’s the only son for three generations, burdened with the heavy historical task of continuing the family's 'excellent genes.' His mother stated clearly that she doesn't want a granddaughter, she wants a grandson—two of them, actually. And with a mysterious smile, she revealed that she knows a sonogram doctor and the head of obstetrics at a certain hospital. She promised me that once the historical task is completed, she’d transfer a 70-square-meter apartment to my name. What could I say? 'Thank you for the imperial grace'?"
Du Gezhi frowned and shook his head.
"The characteristic of 'the worst people' is that they never know they are the worst. Before, it was because I was blind. Now, if I know it’s a pit of fire and still jump in, I can't blame others for being awful." Zhu Jinnian raised an eyebrow with a cool smile. "My feelings for Hao Yiqi weren't to the point where I'd go through hell for him. I've spent years studying and working hard to save money, not to be a child-bearing tool for some family. They didn't treat me like a person, so they can't blame me for turning my back on them."
"Sorry, I didn't see at all that you'd been through a breakup. You don't look sad in the least." Du Gezhi took a step closer. Without Hao Yiqi, he didn't need to hide his admiration for Zhu Jinnian anymore.
"If you keep a dog for a long time, there are feelings, let alone a human being." Breaking up was painful, of course, but Zhu Jinnian was used to suppressing her emotions. If she had any psychological confusion that needed counseling, it was certainly how to express her feelings naturally. Despite saying this, she remained sharp. "The joy of jumping out of the fire is greater than the pain of a moth flying into the flame. After being sad for a while, it passes. Life isn't a TV drama; there’s no one you can't forget for a lifetime."
Her phone vibrated, interrupting their chat. Zhu Jinnian ended the topic at the right time, the emotions in her eyes unclear. She turned around and answered the call from an unknown number.
"Hello."
"Hello, this is the First Squad of the Peng City Criminal Investigation Detachment. We have a few questions for you and hope you will cooperate with our investigation."
"Criminal Investigation Detachment..." Zhu Jinnian froze slightly. Could it be a scam call? She then asked with a bit of coldness and impatience, "What is it?"
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