Don't Lie to Your Therapist—She Already Knows Your Fate

’I can’t believe Doctor Wen has a hobby like this.’ 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Then, turning his head, he saw the items on the wooden shelf, and Zhao Yu suddenly felt the gift box he brought was completely out of place.

He had bought tea. Originally, he wanted to buy nutritional supplements, but then he figured a psychologist was still a doctor. What if she thought the supplements were subpar? In the end, he’d settled on tea.

But now, he was still feeling very uneasy.

"I can sign, but a few places need to be changed."

Wen Ying used a ballpoint pen to circle several clauses that restricted her. Zhao Yu had assumed she would ask for a larger share of the profits, or maybe an extra million or two on her base salary. He never expected it would be about these clauses.

He had been about to call the operations director, but he made the executive decision to agree on the spot.

In return, Wen Ying guaranteed she would stream on the platform at least once every month.

By the time Zhao Yu had sorted out the contract, it was already one in the afternoon. He planned to head back immediately.

"Mr. Zhao, your ride is this afternoon, right? Aren’t you going to stay and look around for a few days?"

Zhao Yu gave Wen Ying a wry smile. He was just a miserable wage slave; what right did he have to take a leisurely vacation?

"The director is waiting for my report, and I’m swamped with work. Maybe I can come visit you again next time, Doctor Wen? If you don’t like the tea... what is it that you like, Doctor Wen?"

"Treating people’s illnesses."

Zhao Yu: "..." ’There’s really nothing I can do about that,’ he thought. ’I can’t just offer myself up as a patient, can I?’

But Zhao Yu probably hadn’t considered the implications. Since Wen Ying had suggested he stay for a few days, what did that mean?

Was she the kind of psychologist who made idle chatter?

"Mr. Zhao, if something were to happen on your way back, would you still insist on leaving?"

Zhao Yu: "..." This question once again went completely over his head.

"Doctor Wen, I don’t suppose you could tell me what might happen?"

"A car crash."

"Then I’ll take the train."

"A mudslide."

Zhao Yu: "..."

"Doctor Wen, is there... something on me?" Zhao Yu asked in a low, panicked voice.

’I’ve been single for over twenty years and never once deceived a girl. And while I’m not the type to help every old lady cross the street, I’ve never done anything bad. I’m just a regular office drone!’

Wen Ying nodded. "Indeed, something is not quite right. Your complexion is dark. From a psychological perspective, there’s an issue with your magnetic field. In short, it’s not a good time for you to travel these next few days."

Zhao Yu was completely stunned!

’Nothing like this happened on my way here. Now that Doctor Wen is saying this, did something happen on the trip over?’

Zhao Yu wanted to cry but had no tears. He wanted to make a name for himself, get a promotion, and a raise, but he didn’t want to lose his life over it!

"If those things are happening because of me, then I definitely can’t buy a ticket!" Zhao Yu immediately cancelled his ticket on his phone.

But where to stay was a big problem.

"There’s an old hotel down the street. It’s fine for a stay. Thirty yuan a day. You can stay there," Wen Ying said, as if reading his mind.

"Doctor Wen, is there any hope for me?"

"Of course. As I said, I’m a qualified psychologist. This is a psychological issue. A prescription should clear it right up."

Zhao Yu breathed a sigh of relief.

"But, you still have to leave here in three days."

"Not even with the medicine?"

Wen Ying just smiled without answering. Just then, Zhao Yu’s phone rang.

"Mom, what’s up?"

"A wedding? I didn’t hear about this. I have to go back today? But I’m on a business trip right now. The boss said if I do a good job this time, I can get a promotion and a raise."

"I don’t have to go back? Great! I’ll send you a red envelope. You and Dad can go on my behalf!"

Zhao Yu breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Wen Ying after hanging up.

"Doctor Wen, my cousin is getting married. The whole thing, from start to finish, is exactly three days. If I had gone back, would it have affected them?"

Zhao Yu was utterly convinced.

"Take a look at the things on the shelf. Pick one."

Zhao Yu’s eyes immediately landed on an old lighter. "Doctor Wen, besides lighting cigarettes, what else is this lighter for?"

"Warding off evil."

"..."

"Just kidding. It can help give you some courage. You can pick this one if you want, but at night, you have to open it and let it light up."

"Why?"

"You’ll know when night comes. That lighter is ten thousand yuan."

"..."

"To be precise, the axe on it is ten thousand yuan."

Zhao Yu brought the lighter closer to his eyes, searching carefully for the axe...

And there really was one.

’Is this your golden axe, your silver axe, or your iron axe?’

It was a tiny axe. The artistry was just like the axe from the storybook he’d read in elementary school—simple, authentic, and it spoke to the heart.

But...

"Doctor Wen, what did you use to draw this?" Zhao Yu didn’t voice his internal thought: ’It feels strange. It doesn’t look like it was engraved, and besides, how could you engrave something on this material without professional tools?’

"A ballpoint pen."

"..." Zhao Yu had never felt his psychological problems were so complex.

He casually asked about a few other items. Twenty thousand, forty thousand, even eighty thousand...

Zhao Yu decisively picked up the lighter!

’I knew it. The lighter is the one for me,’ he thought. ’I wonder if I can get this reimbursed when I get back?’

’After all, this is a sacrifice for work. The boss should understand, right?’

After seeing Zhao Yu off, Wen Ying opened the tea packaging. Inside were tins of tea that sold for a few hundred yuan each on the market; the two tins were worth about a thousand yuan in total. Wen Ying kept one and planned to give the other to Uncle Zhang.

After all, as things stood, Uncle Zhang’s family were the closest people she had in this world, even if they were just neighbors.

On his way, Zhao Yu ran into Aunt Zhang. When Aunt Zhang heard that Wen Ying had told him to stay, she enthusiastically led him to the town’s only old hotel. The hotel was a bit dilapidated and had no other guests.

The proprietress was a woman in her forties who usually just passed the time playing cards. She looked at Zhao Yu with some curiosity.

"We haven’t had a guest in this hotel for half a year. Since you’re here, let’s say thirty for one day, or fifty for two! How long are you staying?"

"Three days."

"A hundred yuan. ID card."

Zhao Yu obediently took out his ID card, worrying inwardly, ’I haven’t walked into a den of thieves, have I?’

’Thirty for one day, fifty for two, and a hundred for three...’

’No wonder no one stays here. I wonder if Doctor Wen knows about this situation?’

’Or is this whole street just a little strange?’

Though he was full of complaints and anxiety, he put on a smile and took out a hundred yuan.

The proprietress, of course, had no idea what was going on in Zhao Yu’s head. She beamed at her customer, especially one so handsome. After all, she was tired of seeing the same old faces on this street.

"I don’t require a deposit. The rooms only have a bed and a bathroom. Whether you like it or not, this is the only place to stay. I’ll take the hundred yuan. Go on up and pick a room for yourself."

Standing on the second floor, Zhao Yu never would have imagined that his room, at a hundred yuan for three days, could be this luxurious.