Chapter 219 - The psycho

Yan Mei entered the room. The office of her therapist was white and had only minimalist decorations. The therapist smiled at her as she stood up, gesturing Yan Mei to sit on the chair in front of her desk. 

Yan Mei smiled back as she sat on the chair. The therapist sat back down again, then the therapist's secretary came with a mug of coffee for the two of them. 

"Mrs. Lei," the therapist greeted, "How have you been?"

Yan Mei gave her therapist a small smile as she took a small sip of her coffee. 

"I'm feeling great, Ms. Qing. Thank you for asking."

Ms. Qing, Yan Mei's therapy, heaved a sigh. She then gave Yan Mei another smile as she stared straight at her eyes as if seeking some answers. 

"Are you happy?"

Yan Mei blinked her eyes a few times, Lei Zhao's figure suddenly appearing in her mind. A smile crept on her face as she nodded, answering Ms. Qing's question.

"I'm genuinely happy, Ms. Qing," she said, the therapist listening to her. "Since I have met my husband, Lei Zhao, I have been happy with my life when I have wished for it for a long time," she added, Ms. Qing nodding slowly as her lips turned into a tight line for a bit. 

For some reason, her reaction had made Yan Mei feel a bit nervous. With Ms. Qing's action, she thought that she was not convinced--as if she would want to ask for more. 

"Mrs. Lei..." Ms. Qing held Yan Mei's hand that was on her desk, a sincere smile curling on her lips as she asked her a question, "Are you sure that you're happy?"

Yan Mei fell silent once more. Ms. Qing released her hand as she gave her a small Hershey chocolate, making Yan Mei blink her eyes a few times as she stared at the little piece of sweet. 

"You are here for a reason, are you not?" Yan Mei looked at the chocolate that was in the palm of her hand. "I know that you are genuinely happy with your husband, but with you visiting, there must be something that is bothering you."

Now Yan Mei understood why Ms. Qing's profession was being a therapist. Ms. Qing's voice and choice of words were enough for her to let her feel at ease even though she knew she had difficulty trusting strangers. 

Yan Mei didn't say a word as she shyly stared at Ms. Qing. With her reaction, Ms. Qing smiled sweetly at her as she spoke, making her feel comfortable so she could open up to her. 

"What stays in this room, stays in this room unless you share it with your husband. It is my job to make you feel at ease when even you, yourself, cannot do so."

Yan Mei nodded once as she ate the chocolate given to her. She chewed slowly as Ms. Qing patiently waited for her. Yan Mei drank a little of her coffee as she looked at Ms. Qing, her heart nervously beating as she started talking to her. 

"Memories of the past started haunting me, Ms. Qing," she almost said in a whisper, but it was enough for her to hear. The therapist nodded slowly as she gently urged her to continue.

"Go on, Mrs. Lei."

Yan Mei took a deep breath, then released it. Her fingers on her mug started shaking. She remembered one of the memories that had haunted her up to this day. Her eyebrows slightly creased as she felt like the presence of that man was inside the room, when he wasn't. 

That is how much it had affected Yan Mei. It had been years since it happened, but still, it had bothered and haunted her this much. 

To calm herself down, Yan Mei drank her coffee as if it was water. She then put the mug down as she stared right back at Ms. Qing, who was waiting patiently for her. 

"I was in a cold dark room," she said, her lips almost trembling. "In that room, I always felt pain and headache. I..."

Ms. Qing didn't say a word. She slowly opened her notebook specifically for her patient's log that was on her desk. She took down some notes about what Yan Mei was telling her. 

"Someone took me and made me stay in an empty room. There was no food, no water, and I have always been alone."

Now, Yan Mei had a scared expression on her face. Her head was almost shaking as she suddenly stopped sharing, Ms. Qing furrowing her brows in worry as she had never seen an expression such as this on Yan Mei's face. 

Yan Mei remembered that the wait inside that room made her anxious and, at the same time, happy. She was uneasy because she was alone in the room, and at the same time glad since the man wasn't back yet. 

She then remembered how the creaking of the door made her body cold even though there were times that she sweated to death inside of that room. Yan Mei felt cold sweat running down her back as her eyes started pooling tears. 

"N-no... the psycho... he's haunting me."

When Ms. Qing held her hand out of worry, Yan Mei immediately jolted in her seat as she instantly pulled her hand away from her, both of her hands covering her mouth as she almost shouted. 

"I-I'm sorry, Ms. Qing," Yan Mei apologized as she realized that it was her who held her, and not the man he feared. She sighed as she took deep breaths, trying her best to keep her composure in front of her therapist. 

"Mrs. Lei," Ms. Qing said, worry evident in her voice. "If I may ask, what is haunting you?"

Yan Mei did not say a word as she stared blankly at the door. The voice of the man echoed in her head as she imagined what had happened years ago. 

"Did you miss me, little kitty?"

"Mrs. Lei?"

Ms. Qing looked at the door as if Yan Mei was talking to a person whom both of them cannot see. Yan Mei then averted her gaze on the door as the hands on her skirt tightened on its cloth. 

"Those are his words," she mumbled, Ms. Qing furrowing her brows in wonder. 

"Whose words, Mrs. Lei?"

Yan Mei's body stiffened as if she looked at Medusa, and the beastly snake had petrified her. She then looked at Ms. Qing, her eyes reflecting fear as she answered her therapist's question. 

"Him. The psycho."