Dr. Ou’s Psychotherapy - Chapter 10

Temptation and Jealousy

As a pianist, Mu Xin had a distinctly artistic temperament.

His half-length hair was just above his shoulders, with slight curls at the end; his whole person looked as if he was unperturbed and serene, yet with a touch of indescribable melancholy.

Perhaps, Yi Zhize thought, artists have always been aloof in a way that is incomprehensible to ordinary people – coming from life and yet above it.

It is like the laws and regulations.

Mu Xin’s words interrupted his thoughts, “Yi Zhize, that’s a very nice name.”

“Thanks.”

“Does it have any special meaning?”

“No.” He didn’t like his name and didn’t want to think of all the past events associated with it.

Mu Xin suddenly asked him, “Which piece did you like best at the concert that day?”

“I liked them all.” With strangers, he was not willing to reveal his preferences.

“It was Romeo and Juliet, I think.”

Yi Zhize glanced at him in slight surprise and did not say anything.

Mu Xin smiled, “Music is a special symbol for emotions, and musicians are the decoders of these symbols.”

Yi Zhize changed the subject, “Mr. Mu, I don’t really like to owe people favours, I hope you will accept my gratitude.”

“How would you like to thank me?”

“I’m afraid you’d feel presumptuous if I mentioned material compensation directly.”

“I have several more concerts in City A in the next little while. How about you buy tickets to all of them as a thank you to me?”

“Okay.”

It just so happened that You Shirui had just finished her internship for the day and was passing by when she caught a glimpse of Yi Zhize.

She wanted to go up and say hello, but when she saw Yi Zhize and Mu Xin chatting happily, an inexplicable sense of crisis rose up in her heart. Perhaps she was too dizzy from the CP and hadn’t thought hard enough, but she immediately opened her WeChat and sent a message to Ou Tingyun: [Teacher Ou! Your date is about to be snatched away by someone else!!!]

The message was not immediately replied to by Ou Tingyun, so You Shirui calmed down: although as a tutor, Ou Tingyun had always been tolerant of his students and was both a teacher and a friend, it was inappropriate to speculate about her teacher’s private life…

With this in mind, You Shirui tried to cancel the message.

The two-minute deadline for cancellation had already passed, so her hand flicked to delete.

At that moment, Ou Tingyun replied: [What are you talking about? Where did you get that from?]

You Shirui had an idea: [Teacher, I mean the research subject!]

Ou Tingyun: [Which one?]

You Shirui: [Mr. Yi!]

[Where is he?]

[Just at the hospital.]

[With who?]

[I can’t see too well from where I’m standing, maybe it’s a girl…]

[Exact location.]

[Corridor on the 6th floor of the Emergency Department.]

After sending this message, You Shirui didn’t know whether she should stay here and wait for Ou Tingyun or just run away.

So she opened up a small private group created by her sisters at the same school and asked the others for their opinions.

To her surprise, she didn’t get an opinion, but instead created a scandal about Ou Tingyun and Yi Zhize.

Fanning the flames while watching, the discussion in the group became more and more heated.

You Shirui could only silently block the messages and ignore them.

Within ten minutes, Ou Tingyun arrived at the scene.

You Shirui waved at him and then pointed in the direction of Yi Zhize.

Ou Tingyun nodded his head to indicate that he knew.

He looked at the end of the corridor and saw Yi Zhize’s figure.

The lawyer was standing by the window, carefully listening to the man beside him, and the sight of him was disconcerting.

With a gentle smile on his face, Ou Tingyun walked towards the two men and called to him softly, “Zhize.”

Yi Zhize looked at him in surprise, “What are you doing here?”

Ou Tingyun smiled, “This is a hospital, I’m a doctor, why can’t I be here?”

Yi Zhize said in disbelief, “Not long ago, I clearly sent you back…”

“There was a meeting at the hospital on short notice, so I came back.”

“Then why didn’t you go to the meeting?”

“It was over.” Ou Tingyun spoke naturally and calmly, without any pretence, and smoothly directed the conversation back to Yi Zhize: “Zhize, why did you come to the emergency department?”

“Because of an elder of the family.”

“Did you encounter any difficult problems? I know the head of the emergency department well, so I can ask him for you.”

“Thank you, it is alright.”

Mu Xin had been standing quietly by.

Ou Tingyun gave him a deep look and asked Yi Zhize absently, “Who is this?”

“A friend I’ve just met.”

Although Ou Tingyun’s gaze was smiling, his aura clearly contained a trace of hostility.

Mu Xin was clearly not interested in Ou Tingyun, so he said to Yi Zhize, “Mr. Yi, let’s meet again next time.”

“Okay.”

As soon as he had left, Ou Tingyun asked him, “Zhize, haven’t you just met each other? What’s the point of seeing each other again?”

Yi Zhize explained, “Mr. Mu helped me.”

“So?”

“I promised to go to his future concerts.”

“Zhize, you’re just too kind-hearted, I think you’ve been swindled by him.” Ou Tingyun analysed, “That concert ticket of his is pricey, perhaps he can’t sell it and is looking for you to be the victim of injustice.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Yi Zhize didn’t care about that. In his values, he would repay a favour, his intentions were more important than the form, and he wouldn’t be calculating.

Ou Tingyun glanced into the ward, “Zhize, your elder, what’s wrong with him?”

“It’s a heart problem,” Yi Zhize said, “Xie Decheng, my grandfather.”

“Has he always been treated at this hospital?”

“Mmm.”

“Okay, I’ll keep an extra eye on him for you.”

“Thanks.” Yi Zhize hesitated for a while, but still whispered, “Tingyun, you’ve helped me a lot and feel a bit guilty. You know, I don’t like to owe people favours.”

Ou Tingyun looked at him with a gentle smile, “Then tell me, what have I helped you with?”

Yi Zhize hung his head, his gaze falling on the bandage on Ou Tingyun’s right hand, “You were injured.”

“So, didn’t you cook for me and take care of my commute to and from work?”

“I sometimes harass you in the middle of the night.”

“You’re my patient, who will you bother if not me?”

“My grandfather…”

Ou Tingyun interrupted him and said, “Zhize, interactions between people are not simply a linear relationship. As soon as a connection is made, it is like a spider’s web, and there is no way to categorise them one by one.”

Yi Zhize looked up at him.

Ou Tingyun continued, “You and I, for example, although we have a professional relationship, we can also develop a friendship at the same time. Is that not so?”

“En.”

“Besides, I still have to trouble you with that inheritance dispute case at my house, Barrister Yi.”

“Okay.” The afterglow of the setting sun poured in, cloaking his side with a pale golden hue.

“How’s your mental state these days, Zhize?”

“Still not too optimistic,” Yi Zhize looked out of the window, “but with your hypnotic assistance, it’s better than before.”

“If there is nothing serious wrong with your grandfather, he will probably be discharged in the next two days.” Ou Tingyun said, “Let’s make an appointment for an intensive treatment this weekend in the afternoon.”

“Okay.”

“By the way,” Ou Tingyun added, “which concerts have you bought tickets for? I’m going too.”