Dr. Ou's Psychotherapy Chapter 42

Inversion and Illusion

---

As a rule,

I don't dance.

But it was hard to say no to Alyssa.

~ The End of the Fucking World

———

"Who are you?"

Yi Zhize met his eyes, the tear mole crimson and enchanting in the dark: "I am... your psychiatrist."

"I don't have any psychiatrist." Ou Tingyun asked, "Why are you in my bedroom?"

"Your bedroom?"

"I put three different locks on it so that no one can get in, including my parents."

Yi Zhize understood that Ou Tingyun's personality, at the moment, was in an illusion of his own world.

Since his parents were mentioned, it should have been when he was a teenager. Not expecting to be able to cross time and space and meet him then, Yi Zhize could not help but chuckle softly.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing," Yi Zhize said, "let go of me first."

"No." Ou Tingyun untied his tie and bound his hands together, "You have trespassed on my territory and will be punished."

"Tingyun, did I tell you that I'm actually a lawyer?"

"Aren't you a psychiatrist?"

"I am your personal psychiatrist, and I am a lawyer by profession."

"So?"

"Article 245 of the Criminal Code states that anyone who illegally trespasses into another person's home shall be sentenced to up to three years' fixed-term imprisonment or detention. Article 238 stipulates that anyone who illegally detains another person or illegally deprives another person of personal freedom by other means shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of up to three years, or to detention, control or deprivation of political rights. Where there are circumstances of assault or insult, the penalty shall be heavier."

"What are you trying to say?"

"It is clear that you are more guilty of detaining me than I am of breaking into your bedroom."

"Mr. Lawyer, I wonder if the Protection of Minors Act can take care of me?"

Yi Zhize laughed, "Yes, that was a mistake on my part. Tingyun, I forgot that you are now underage."

"Now that I've got you tied up, I'm safe." Ou Tingyun spoke mysteriously, "I want to show you something."

"Okay."

Ou Tingyun pulled out a box and opened it. Inside were neatly arranged knives, large and small, as well as some animal specimens and glass vessels holding blood and organs.

"What's this?"

"Specimens from my dissections." Ou Tingyun expertly put on white gloves and took out a tube of red liquid, "My mother is a doctor, I got the tools from her office and, of course, some of the experimental subjects."

"Why?"

"I like to dissect." Ou Tingyun said, "More precisely, perhaps, I like the feel of the blade separating the flesh from the blood."

"You like blood."

"You could say that." Ou Tingyun looked at him, "Would you hate me?"

"No."

"I have an antisocial personality."

"I know."

"I can't relate to people properly."

"Mhmm."

"I can't control my behaviour sometimes."

"You do have control."

"Will you get sick of me?"

"No."

With a loud 'clang', Ou Tingyun slammed the glass vessel full of blood to the floor, the crimson liquid dripping through his fingers and onto the floor.

He picked up a shard and cut through the tie that bound Yi Zhize: "I'm going to let you go."

"Okay."

"You won't ask why?"

"Are you willing to tell me?"

"I will." Ou Tingyun said, "I don't have any friends."

"You do."

"I don't."

"There is." Yi Zhize said, "You have a friend named Zhize."

"Zhize," said Ou Tingyun, "I like that name."

"Thank you."

With a 'bang', Ou Tingyun closed the whole box: "You can't see this, I can't let Zhize see it."

"Why not?"

"You'll hate me."

"I won't."

"I've already seen it."

"What should I do, what should I do, what should I do?" Ou Tingyun fell into an obvious panic.

"Tingyun," Yi Zhize took his hand, "I remember you telling me that you like to read mystery novels."

"Mhmm." Ou Tingyun held his hand, "I like to read Sherlock Holmes, but I don't really like Sherlock."

"You don't like Sherlock Holmes, who's the main character, so who do you like?"

"Moriarty," Ou Tingyun said excitedly, "professor of mathematics, businessman and philosopher, highly reputable on the surface, but behind the scenes a criminal genius with no conscience or morals."

"Is that how you want to be?"

"I... want to, and I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"Because I have someone I care about, and I don't want to hurt them." Ou Tingyun said, "If I became completely bad, my lover would be in danger."

"Who is your lover?"

"It's..." Ou Tingyun covered his head and frowned in pain, "It's... my lover. I don't remember, I can't remember, my mind is so scrambled right now, I may not have met him yet. But I know that there is someone who is very important to me, whom I can never, ever, let down. Who is he? Who is it?"

"Alright, don't think about it." Yi Zhize said, "I know."

"You know?"

"I know."

"Zhize, I want to play a song for you."

"Okay."

———

Give me all your love now

Cause for all we know

We might be dead by tomorrow

I count

But if you're not ready for love

How can you be ready for life?

How can you be ready for life?

So let's love fully

And let's love loud

Let's love now

Cause soon enough we'll die

Cause soon enough we'll die

~ We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow

———

The music was mellow, and Ou Tingyun extended his right hand to him, "Zhize, can I invite you to dance with me?"

"I won't."

"Then, will you promise me something?"

"Hmm?"

Ou Tingyun wrapped his arms around his waist and buried his head in the side of his neck, "My mind is so confused, there are so many thoughts. The other personalities are screaming, they want to drive me away. Normally, the master personality is too powerful. I feel so lucky to have this opportunity, I don't want to leave. But I feel like I'm leaving, I feel like you don't belong to me now, or I don't belong to you now, and I don't want to leave. Will I ever meet you again?"

"Mhmm."

"Will you still be like this and be so good to me when we meet again?"

"Mhmm."

"Zhize, I like you."

"Good."

"Zhize, let me hug you again."

The breathing of the lover in his arms gradually steadied and Yi Zhize placed him on the sofa.

Just as he picked up the blanket that had fallen to the floor and placed it over the man's shoulders,

Ou Tingyun suddenly opened his eyes and stared at him calmly.

Their eyes met and his first words were, "Who are you?"

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: February 2, 2023