The Psychologist Episode 35 Recap
> The Psychologist Recap
He Dun and Qian Kaiyi arrived at the mental hospital to visit Fu Tang, who was sitting, seemingly catching mayflies. Qian Kaiyi greeted her, but Fu Tang complained that he had scared away the mayflies. When Qian Kaiyi remarked there was no pond nearby for mayflies, Fu Tang explained that the mayflies were in her eyes, and she was catching them with the net of her vision.
She then beckoned He Dun and Qian Kaiyi closer and abruptly pushed their heads together, causing them to kiss. This act triggered a memory for Fu Tang, who spoke of her son. She recalled leaving him when he was only seven, and how in her eyes, he remained that age. A nurse then called for Fu Tang's relative to collect medication, prompting Qian Kaiyi to leave.
Fu Tang continued to tell He Dun about her son, describing him as sometimes well-behaved and sometimes mischievous. He loved playing at the neighbors', but she worried about germs, so she would sometimes scrub him clean with a brush, even when he cried. She also burned his clothes and schoolbag after he visited others.
Despite this, he was clingy, more so than girls, and would help her in the kitchen, read with her, and loved the paper planes she made for him. One day, she found him standing silently in the living room. Upon approaching, she discovered his music box shattered.
Fu Tang's demeanor grew agitated as she confronted him, asking why he would do such a thing, reminding him she had told him many times not to touch it, and questioning if he disliked spending time with her. Her son cried and apologized, but Fu Tang's emotions escalated, and she hugged him tightly before putting him out of the room. After recounting this, Fu Tang asked He Dun if she was horrible.
He Dun gently assured her that she wasn't, that she was just ill, and that she loved her son very much. Fu Tang revealed that she never saw her son again after that day; his foster father sent her to the mental hospital, a choice she now believed might have been for the best. When Qian Kaiyi returned, he told He Dun that he saw Professor Ji's name on the medication register for Fu Tang.
He deduced that Fu Tang was "F," the patient Professor Ji had been secretly protecting and researching for years, and that the letter they found earlier was also meant for her. He Dun then connected the dots, realizing that Professor Ji was Fu Tang's son's foster father, the one who sent her to the mental hospital, and that Fu Tang's son was none other than Ye Jiahui.
She noted that Ye Jiahui's experiences closely matched Fu Tang's story of her son, especially their ages when separated. He Dun concluded that Ye Jiahui's quest for the "F" file was to uncover information about his mother and that his resentment towards Professor Ji stemmed from being separated from his mother as a child. Qian Kaiyi questioned the lack of concrete proof, and He Dun admitted she didn't dare press Fu Tang for more details, fearing to upset her.
They decided to seek confirmation from Professor Ji directly. Upon arriving at Professor Ji's home, He Dun hesitated at the door, expressing her fear of discovering a truth that might tarnish her image of her mentor. Qian Kaiyi encouraged her to trust Professor Ji and seek the truth. He Dun entered alone and found Professor Ji in a visibly poor state, even mistakenly watering flowers with tea. Seeing his frail condition, He Dun's resolve to confront him faltered.
She exited, embracing Qian Kaiyi, and confessed that seeing Professor Ji's aged appearance made her realize she couldn't bring herself to expose his secrets. As they spoke, Professor Ji emerged and handed He Dun an archive, stating that it contained all the information she sought and inviting her to ask questions if she had any doubts after reading it. Reading the file, He Dun learned about Professor Ji's initial encounter with Fu Tang.
He recounted that in his early days at the Psychological Association, full of passion for research, he took on a unique counseling case. The patient suffered from long-term bipolar disorder, which had led to severe mysophobia, an aversion to human contact, and episodes of impulsive or aggressive behavior, interspersed with periods of silence. Over time, she had retreated into her room, rarely interacting with anyone. The referrer had omitted to mention that the patient was a beautiful woman.
Professor Ji described the sunny afternoon when he first saw her on a ladder, looking back at him, an image that would haunt his dreams for decades. He recalled her meticulousness, her insistence on a specific order for her books, including Darwin's "Origin of Species" among what she considered "fairy tales" because it wasn't "serious science."
She had rejected his handshake, explaining her refusal to touch people, and described her room as a "kingdom" where she was the "king" with a "soldier." The file also detailed her admission to the Mental Hospital in City H in 1998, noting that she exhibited early signs of schizophrenia and was forcibly admitted due to her unstable mental state under medication. He Dun was puzzled by the extensive use of psychotropic drugs, which seemed uncharacteristic of Professor Ji's usual approach.
Meanwhile, Jin took Lili to the beach. He suggested they run with sandbags tied to their legs, an activity Lili quickly grew tired of. Their exercise turned into a playful chase, during which Lili knocked off Jin's hat and discovered a scar on his head. He explained it was from a mission, and a touched Lili called it a "scar of honor."
Later, while attempting to demonstrate a self-defense move, Jin accidentally performed a shoulder-throw on Lili, abruptly ending their fun. Later that night, Jin arrived at Lili's apartment to apologize for the shoulder-throw incident. He brought a UNIFON facial mask, which Lili appreciated, and a bone soup prepared by his mother. Lili teasingly complained about the lack of meat, but Jin explained the nutritional benefits of bones.
He then revealed that his mother knew about their relationship and wanted to meet her. Lili expressed apprehension about meeting his parents so soon, especially in her current state, but Jin assured her that his parents were very amiable and had already spoken highly of her. Despite her worries, Lili was visibly happy about the prospect. The next morning, He Dun woke up on the sofa and saw Ye Jiahui preparing to leave.
She called out to him and offered her apology, feeling she hadn't been supportive enough as a friend. She encouraged him to confide in her if he truly considered her a friend, believing it might ease his burden. Ye Jiahui, however, coldly rejected her offer, stating he hated her sympathetic gaze and didn't need saving, asserting that her actions only made him feel like a "wretch."
He questioned if she now viewed him as a patient or even a "psychopath," and told her not to impose her moral standards on others, as they were different and handled things differently. He Dun reiterated her apology if her words had hurt him and reaffirmed her belief that his actions had reasons, suggesting he release his pent-up emotions. Meanwhile, Qian Kaiyi presented a new program format to his leader at the radio station.
He proposed a segment featuring classic stories from the 1990s, where listeners' submissions would lead to real-world investigations and the uncovering of historical clues. He aimed to provide an immersive experience, emphasizing that genuine stories held more power than fabricated ones. His leader was skeptical, comparing it to a previously criticized narrative program, but Qian Kaiyi argued that the past failures stemmed from fabricated stories, whereas his concept relied on truth.
He also noted that while real stories were often hard to come by due to privacy concerns, their radio format offered an advantage. He then revealed the proposed theme: "The Forgotten Lovers of the Past." Later, Ye Jiahui visited He Dun's studio. He Dun asked him about his mother when she was young. Ye Jiahui admitted his memories were a mix of good and bad, but he remembered her as beautiful.
She taught him violin, read him bedtime stories, and smiled even when he playfully flew paper planes indoors. To him, she was intelligent and strong, even if others perceived her as fragile. He recounted a childhood memory where, after being pushed away by a stranger during a meal, his mother intervened. She gave him milk candy, told him to close his eyes and count to ten, and while his eyes were closed, she bravely overturned the stranger's table.
Ye Jiahui explained that he had initially been hesitant to share these memories because society often views children from broken families with sympathy and attributes their adult mistakes to their upbringing, which he found unfair. He asserted that he didn't need sympathy or forgiveness for his mistakes, stating he was capable of bearing the consequences. He Dun responded that while she couldn't forgive his past mistakes now, choosing to be his friend was a separate matter.
She acknowledged their shared experience of unusual suffering and memories, but urged him not to let the past dictate their present, emphasizing that each day was a new beginning, and they shouldn't dwell in past pain. She concluded by expressing her belief that his mother loved him deeply.
