The Psychologist Episode 15 Recap
> The Psychologist Recap
The following morning, Ye Jiahui arrived at He Dun's home with several old books on psychiatry. He noticed the manuscript He Dun was reading and asked if she was researching bipolar disorder, to which He Dun clarified she was only helping her teacher translate a thesis. Ye Jiahui mentioned he had previously studied this field, including psychopharmacology, and believed that "disease of genii," another name for bipolar disorder, could be treated effectively by combining both medicinal and non-medicinal interventions.
He Dun felt enlightened by his words, realizing that cued recall training in cognitive therapy might be a viable approach. Ye Jiahui, however, cautioned that typically, severe mental disorders necessitate medication, but acknowledged that existing drugs frequently had problematic side effects that could complicate a counselor's judgment and treatment. He Dun thanked him, calling his insights a breakthrough, and offered to introduce him to her teacher.
At the radio station, Qian Kaiyi was engrossed in reviewing the proposals for "Night Talk to Your Heart." A colleague approached him, and Qian Kaiyi shared his realization about why their program lagged in second place: it was too preachy. He felt they focused too much on their own academic discussions rather than genuinely engaging with the audience or assessing whether listeners truly benefited from the content. Meanwhile, Li Li discovered her mother, Qu Xiaohong, had borrowed from loan sharks.
Li Li confronted her mother at a card game, but Qu Xiaohong remained defiant, blaming Li Li's unemployment for her financial woes. Li Li, exasperated, agreed to settle the debt this one time but warned her mother there would be no repeat. Qu Xiaohong reacted indignantly, feeling unappreciated after all she had done to raise her daughter.
Li Li, in tears, recounted her mother's neglect: how she battled a high fever during her national college entrance exam, fainted distributing flyers to pay her mother’s debts, and how her father had to buy her first sanitary napkins and teach her how to use them, all because her mother was absent playing mahjong.
She also recalled her father's first heart attack, when she called her mother all night to no avail, ultimately relying on neighbors to get him to the hospital. Li Li concluded that the family was no different with or without her, lamenting that she felt "even inferior to a blade of grass." Later that day, in the quiet meeting room, Qian Kaiyi was still pondering. His colleague, Xiao Li, brought him some Hot and Sour Rice Noodles.
He asked if he had been too harsh in his argument with Dongzi. Xiao Li affirmed his correctness but reiterated that He Dun should offer to share cases willingly. She also pointed out that the lengthy nature of counseling meant He Dun couldn't provide enough material for their thrice-weekly show. They then discussed a trending comment from the show about a woman whose husband's adult sister moved in, constantly clinging to him and even wanting to sleep with him.
The top reply, from a psychologist, suggested the woman might be suffering from severe postpartum depression and that the "sister" was likely her own daughter. They considered this for a future topic. Professor Ji attended an interview at a cafe near the radio station to discuss his upcoming book.
He explained that he had begun preparing the book long ago, inspired by a departed friend who had made him realize the profound importance of making psychology accessible to the general public, considering its impact on health and life itself. When asked if he had ever loved anyone, Professor Ji firmly replied, "No." Unbeknownst to him, Ye Jiahui, dressed in black, had been discreetly listening to the entire interview from a nearby table.
As Professor Ji denied having loved anyone, Ye Jiahui abruptly rose, knocking over a cup before quickly exiting the cafe. That evening, as rain poured down, He Dun noticed that her client archive cabinet had been disturbed. She called Li Li to inquire, but Li Li confirmed she hadn't touched it and reiterated He Dun's own strict rules against others accessing the visitor files. He Dun dismissed it as her own carelessness.
Moments later, she heard Ye Jiahui calling her name from outside. When she opened the door, she found him collapsed in the rain. She helped him inside, and after he regained consciousness, she told him he had a fever and had been calling for his mother in his sleep. Ye Jiahui, seeking professional insight, asked He Dun to analyze why he persistently felt as though he had died at the age of seven.
He Dun asked what had happened that year, and he revealed that his mother had abandoned him and never returned. This triggered a memory for He Dun of her own parents' divorce, where her mother had insisted on taking both children. When Ye Jiahui repeated his question, He Dun stated that as a professional counselor, she could only analyze problems for actual clients and thus couldn't directly answer his personal question.
Instead, she offered him her personal statue of Telesphorus, explaining it was a gift from her mother during a childhood illness and had become her guardian angel. She hoped it would bring him comfort and aid his recovery. Though touched, Ye Jiahui questioned giving away something so precious, but He Dun assured him it was merely a symbol and that she simply wanted him to feel better. He accepted the gift.
The next day, Mo Yu, a new employee, was among those invited to dinner by a colleague celebrating their first week at the company. After accepting the invitation, he went to a barbershop for a haircut. The enthusiastic stylist, Tony, persistently upsold him on various services and products, eventually convincing Mo Yu to purchase a 5,000 yuan membership card despite his initial reluctance.
Later that evening, Mo Yu, having changed into new clothes for the dinner, arrived at the restaurant only to discover his colleagues had changed the venue without informing him. The following morning, Mo Yu brought an assortment of milk teas for his colleagues, tailored to their individual preferences. They thanked him and expressed regret that he had missed dinner, to which he awkwardly responded that he had an urgent family matter.
Later, they talked about going to karaoke that night, and Mo Yu mistakenly believed he was included, but again, he was not explicitly invited. On his way home, he received a message from a colleague asking him to create slides for a proposal, which he dutifully returned to the office to complete. Alone and hungry, he ate Hot and Sour Rice Noodles. As he ate, he listened to He Dun's radio program, which was discussing people-pleasing personalities.
Inspired by the show, he decided to contact He Dun for a psychological consultation. Upon arriving at He Dun's studio, Mo Yu explained his difficulty in refusing colleagues' requests, even when he had his own work to do. He Dun, making formal introductions and explaining the consultation process, asked for a specific example.
Mo Yu recounted a rainy morning when he arrived at the office, his clothes soaked, only to immediately receive a group chat message from colleagues asking him to buy coffee (including a latte, cappuccino, large ice-free Americano, and a defatted latte). He internally longed to change his wet clothes, but he ended up complying. He Dun noted that he seemed to habitually prioritize the needs of others above his own.
Mo Yu admitted that he not only struggled to refuse but also actively pleased others. He recalled the dinner invitation where he was unintentionally excluded, spending the night wondering if he had done something wrong, yet still buying milk tea for everyone the next day. He mentioned how they again went to karaoke without him that night, and one colleague still asked him for help with slides, which he did.
Noticing Mo Yu’s tension, He Dun suggested a game to help him relax. She asked him to imagine her as the demanding colleague and describe her personality. He stated that she was very capable and admired by their boss, which led to many tasks, but he often ended up doing a significant portion of her work. He Dun then asked him to try having a conversation with her, imagining He Dun as that colleague.
