Return of the Antagonistic Lady Boss

Chapter 882: Chapter 856: Only Qian Separates Virtuality from Reality

The man told himself in his heart that as long as he completed the task, he would get his reward!

But why did he feel his conscience was uneasy? It was only when he saw Qian that he realized the conscience he thought had disappeared long ago was actually still there.

”You didn’t sleep last night, did you?” Qian’s question seemed to be aimed at the insomnia he had written on the scale, yet it also felt like she was asking about what happened yesterday.

Her voice was very gentle, without the slightest sense that she was speaking as a doctor; it was more like a casual conversation between friends.

”Yeah, I didn’t sleep...” The man snapped out of the shock of recognizing Qian, only to fall into the suggestive cadence of her voice again. He clutched his hair in pain, as if he wanted to vent all the sorrow of his daughter suddenly suffering calamity out of nowhere.

”Insomnia will bring low mood, and it will also make you feel uneasy and intensify your anxiety.”

From the scale assessment, Qian had already seen that this virtual patient’s symptoms were anxiety.

By sheer coincidence, the virtual patient playing the role just happened to be the father of yesterday’s victim. A man who had gone through a major upheaval would surely also show signs of anxiety.

Qian’s treatment of him seemed to be for the sake of the assessment, but in reality every word she spoke struck at the deepest part of his heart.

When the man heard what Qian said, his emotions began to surge.

He thought of his blooming, prime-of-life daughter who had suffered such a bolt-from-the-blue disaster just like that.

He thought of the child’s tear-streaked, heartbroken face.

His wife only knew how to cry, and her crying made him, already worried about their daughter, even more anxious. He didn’t dare go into that hospital room, afraid of seeing a helpless child and a collapsing wife.

For the sake of making a living, for feeding his family, he had done many bad things. Now, for money again, he was sitting here ready to swindle his benefactor. This state of mind only worsened his anxiety. He couldn’t get any words out; he could only tug at his hair, his whole being in a state of jittery panic.

The judges had no idea what was going on beneath the surface. They just assumed this virtual patient playing the role was really putting in the effort and were busy praising him.

”We can give this extra in the crowd scene a bit more pay. His acting is really good, I almost believed it.”

Inside the therapy room, a strange silence fell between Qian and the man. The man was on the verge of collapse, anxious beyond measure. Qian also didn’t speak. The air stayed tense for a full minute.

The audience outside were baffled, while Mrs. Yu, sitting in the audience, slapped her forehead.

”Isn’t that the guy from yesterday?”

Mrs. Yu recognized him. This was the father of the hostage Qian had rescued yesterday. How could it be him?

The eldest brother was nervous for Qian, even clenching both fists. The second brother held her hand and found her palm slick with sweat.

Why wasn’t Qian saying anything? Could it be that the all-capable Qian was going to get stuck here?

Qian gave the man a full minute, then asked in a voice that seemed distant and ethereal.

”You’re feeling very lost inside, aren’t you? You don’t understand why things ended up like this, do you?”

”I’m not reconciled to it. Why? Why treat her like this!”

”Would you be willing to tell me about her?”

”She’s a very kind girl, especially well-behaved and sensible. They say children from poor families grow up early. She went out into society to work very young. Her mother’s in poor health, and her medicine costs a lot of money. Our family has been held up by the money my daughter and I make together.”

”She really is a good girl.”

”I don’t understand why heaven would treat her like this!”

”What you need to think about now isn’t why, but what to do.” Qian’s words were like a slap that woke a dreamer. The man lifted his head in bewilderment and looked at her, and their eyes locked.

Those confused eyes met the counselor’s calm gaze. In that moment the man forgot he was playing a virtual patient. He also forgot where this place was. He even forgot all the anxious worries that had been tormenting him just now.

The doctor’s confident eyes could save a patient, making a lost heart feel a little less desolate.

Another minute or so of silence passed.

Outside, the judges flipped through the script in confusion. What this extra was saying didn’t sound quite right.

He was originally supposed to play someone with an anxiety disorder who couldn’t sleep all night. The background set for this character was that he had witnessed a car accident involving a deeply beloved younger brother, which made him feel the impermanence of life. His fear of death and of facing an unknown future led to feelings of anxiety.

But how did this extra end up with a sensible daughter?

The judges looked at each other. One of them thought it over and came to a conclusion.

”Maybe they grabbed the wrong script. Even though it doesn’t match the original character setting, what he’s showing is still an anxious state, so the assessment can keep going.”

People outside, watching the glass room, assumed it was just a virtual treatment session.

Apart from Mrs. Yu, no one knew that a salvation at the level of the soul was underway.

”Do you blame yourself for her misfortune?” Qian asked. In her mind she was calculating every answer, every reaction the man gave. The stretches of silence were there to let him brew his emotions, to drag him onto her battlefield.

As long as it was on her turf, every client had to follow her train of thought!

”It’s not my fault, it has nothing to do with me, nothing to...” The man’s face turned deathly pale as he denied it. Qian had hit on the thing he feared most.

”The more you deny it with your mouth, the bigger the crack in your heart, isn’t that so? Because of this sudden disaster, when faced with a problem you can’t solve, your unconscious is already blaming yourself, but your conscious mind is resisting. Avoiding the problem is everyone’s first reaction when they encounter difficulties, but...”

Qian slowed to a stop. The man was unconsciously drawn in by her, wanting to know what she would say next.

”Out there, maybe you’re not a good person. But to your family, you’re a good father, a good husband. I understand you.”

These words suddenly struck the man’s tear ducts, and an astonishing scene unfolded.

He covered his face and burst into anguished sobs.

”I’ve wronged my child!”

It had to be that he had done too many bad things, and heaven was bringing the retribution down on his child.

The man sobbed in agony, and Qian sat beside him in quiet companionship.

The judges scribbled furiously on their scoring sheets. Qian was helping the virtual patient release pressure. This segment had to get full marks—and they should add a chicken leg to the extra’s boxed lunch too. His crying was so committed, it was indistinguishable from the real thing.

Only when the man’s sobs gradually weakened did Qian resume the treatment.

”A father is the sky over his child. When she’s met with misfortune, you should be the one protecting her. If even you can’t regulate your emotions right now, what should she do? Who’s going to protect her?”

The man finally stopped, covering his face as he stared blankly at Qian. He asked, almost without awareness, ”What should I do? Tell me, what should I do...”

”Accept the desensitization treatment I’m giving you and get out of your anxious state as soon as possible. If you don’t cooperate with me, your anxiety will spread to her, and even to your whole family. Psychological problems are contagious. By then she’ll be even harder to treat. Are you willing to cooperate with me? Are you willing to let that sunny, radiant child get back onto her own life’s track?”

”I’m willing!” At this point the man truly no longer realized this was virtual. Qian’s immersion had made him think of reality.

And her professional attitude, her confident gaze, made him see her as his lifeline.

”All right then. Next, I’ll help you do systematic desensitization. Please cooperate with me. We’ll now begin our treatment...”