CH 4

21.

The psychiatrist lived in a simple apartment with two bedrooms and a living room downtown.

It was the first time the film emperor came over. While the psychiatrist was busy in the kitchen, he went around the house on his own.

He spotted an old-fashioned video player. Next to it were over a dozen of movie tapes with each one looking more and more familiar to him.

The film emperor picked it up excitedly and walked into the kitchen.

“You like these films too? They’re quite old though.”

The psychiatrist was in the middle of cutting the dried bamboo shoots, only responding with a hum without turning around.

The film emperor babbled on enthusiastically, “I really liked these films when I was in high school. It was at that time when I dreamed about becoming a movie actor in the future.”

The film emperor thought it was unbelievable, that there was someone out there with such similar interests as him.

22.

The psychiatrist cooked up three dishes and one soup. Although the taste wasn’t comparable to the chefs out there, it was still pretty good and really suited the film emperor’s taste.

To prove that point, the film emperor finished everything in his bowl and proudly showed the empty bottom of the bowl to the psychiatrist.

That was quite a childish gesture and it left the psychiatrist stunned.

The film emperor noticed it too and smiled sheepishly, “This is how I act in front of close acquaintances. Don’t laugh at me, okay?”

The psychiatrist immediately shook his head, “Why would I?”

The film emperor couldn’t help but wonder, if his previous partner was also as childish as him.

23.

The film emperor’s new movie had been released in the country for over a month now, achieving a major box-office success.

His popularity also soared along the way, possibly surpassing the position he was in three years ago.

A well-known media company wanted to do an interview with him and his manager agreed to it in his stead.

During the interview, the question naturally fell on the car accident three years ago that caused his sudden hiatus.

“Were your injuries severe?” The host asked.

The film emperor leaned comfortably back in his seat, answering plainly, “It wasn’t that bad, just some minor injuries. But I suffered some mental distress from it and decided to recuperate for some time.”

The host asked again, “I heard you got into a car accident when you were sixteen years old as well?”

The film emperor froze, not expecting the host to know about that too.

He sat up straight as he unconsciously clenched his hands tightly on his laps.

“That’s right. My mother passed away in that car accident.”

24.

After the interview, the film emperor drove to the cemetery alone.

He walked all the way to a tombstone and sat down with his legs crossed in front of it. There was a photo of a young woman on the tombstone.

He said, “Mom, I’m doing really well now.”

“I met a really skilled psychiatrist, who cured my illness.”

“He probably won’t be coming back anymore.”

25.

The interview video came out soon after and sparked a series of hot debates on Weibo on the same day.

Both the film emperor’s fans and passersbys expressed their sympathy for the tragedy he met.

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He never told any outsiders about the car accident that occurred when he was sixteen. Although he had chosen to move on from it already, having the incident presented nakedly and discussed by everyone still made him feel suffocated and his chest tighten up.

The psychiatrist called him at this time.

He said, “I saw the interview. Do you want to go on a stroll together?”

“Aren’t you at work?”

“There’s not a lot of patients today.”

26.

The film emperor drove the psychiatrist around on the road aimlessly. Eventually, he headed straight to the mountains.

The two of them walked along the mountain stream.

The film emperor said, “I used to come here to hike when I was in high school. Sometimes, my friends would tag along for a barbecue.”

The film emperor looked back at the psychiatrist, “Did I ever tell you about the time before I turned sixteen?”

The psychiatrist nodded with a smile.

The film emperor facepalmed himself. “I’m an idiot. Of course he had told you already.”

“It’s okay, you can tell me about it again.”

27.

The film emperor thought of the psychiatrist profession as a magical one. They could always unknowingly lead people to share everything inside of their hearts.

He told him a lot. About how childish he was when he still studying, how great of a person his mother was.

The psychiatrist listened silently as his eyes glistened with a warm light.

The film emperor’s heart trembled and his chest rose a little.

His words came to a stop, not continuing further.

The two of them walked through some steep stone stairs in silence. The psychiatrist had a hard time, so the film emperor reached out to pull him up.

That softness he felt from his palm made the film emperor forget to let go after he held on to it.

It was only until the psychiatrist pulled his hand away did he come back to his senses.

28.

The film emperor licked his lips nervously, asking, “Do you have someone you like?”

The psychiatrist lowered his head and looked down at the path they were walking on, “I did.”

The film emperor’s heart sank before an unusual happiness filled it right after, “Did? How about now?”

He didn’t answer.

Just when the film emperor thought he wouldn’t be getting an answer, the psychiatrist replied in a very soft voice.

“He’s not around anymore.”