Chapter 331: – Confused Counselor
Lin Jin looked despondent when he got in his mom’s car. He yawned and rested his head against the car window. Within just a few minutes, he was falling asleep again.
Even though he had gone to bed relatively early the night before, the conversation with the black cat filled Lin Jin’s head with thoughts: Does he want to be a woman? Maybe let’s not be one, okay? What will the therapist ask about tomorrow? Maybe I should just wait and have surgery later?”
Anyways, these questions kept spinning in his head, making him dizzy. Although he was extremely tired when he first laid down, after half an hour, he became more and more awake because his mind wouldn’t stop racing.
As a result, Lin Jin didn't fall asleep until after 2 am. He originally thought his mom might let him sleep in, so he didn’t worry too much about it. But he was woken up at 8 in the morning because she had already made an appointment with the doctor and needed to be there by 9.
Appointments were fine, but why did you make it so early?
Lin Jin felt resentful and yawned non stop. His top and bottom eyelids felt like they were glued shut. As soon as he closed his eyes, he really didn’t want to open them again.
“Just hang in there. We’ll come back around ten. Then you can take a nap and have lunch after. Lin Jin’s mother noticed his sleepiness and assured him. “The doctor is very quick and professional. My friend’s son was so rebellious, then he went there and became fine after.”
“It sounds like they’re a big deal.”
The car slowly drove to a commercial district. His mom parked the car in a highrise parking lot opposite a large shopping mall and then called Lin Jin to come out.
She pulled out her phone to ask for the exact address. Lin Jin on the other hand just looked around, confused.
Weren’t we seeing a therapist? Why did we come here? Aren’t we going to a hospital?”
Could it be that I misunderstood?
“It’s on the eleventh floor. The doctor will come to meet us after we go up" his mom explained as she hung up the phone. Naturally linking arms with Lin Jin, she smiled and asked, “Why didn’t you change your clothes? Didn’t you take a shower yesterday?”
“I didn’t sweat, and I just changed into these clothes yesterday so I didn’t bother washing them.”
Lin Jin usually cared a lot about his hygiene. In the summer, he showered once a day, but in winter, he'd only shower every other day. It wasn’t because he was too lazy to do laundry, but simply because it was cold.
“If you decide to be a girl in the future, you’ll need to shower every day. Boys will only like girls who are clean" his mom never hesitated to teach Lin Jin tips on being a girl. “And when you speak, be soft and gentle. Don’t always be so loud and careless.”
"Okay." Although Lin Jin felt impatient and thought his mom’s comments were completely irrelevant to him, he kept nodding as if he found them beneficial.
His mom led him into the highrise building and they took the elevator up to the eleventh floor. When the elevator doors opened, Lin Jin saw a middle aged woman with curly hair waiting.
The woman was dressed in something similar to a lab coat, with a pen pinned to her chest. She looked to be quite smart and at first glance, looked like a doctor.
"Hello, are you Mrs. Wu Juan?" The woman, who may be a doctor, greeted Lin Jin’s mother with a smile and then turned to Lin Jin and complimented "Your daughter is so beautiful."
His mom was a bit embarrassed. She nodded to confirm her identity, then corrected "This is my son…"
Lin Jin looked totally indifferent. He had his hands shoved in the pockets of his denim shorts and continuously yawned in a carefree manner.
The woman seemed taken aback. How could someone’s son be so pretty? Are you sure you didn’t bring your daughter to prank me?
They followed the doctor into an office. Before entering, Lin Jin noticed a sign that read “Sunshine Psychological Counseling Studio” hanging on the door.
So, she wasn’t a doctor, just a psychological counselor at most, right?
It felt like his mom had been misled.
The furnishing in the office was very cozy, with a wooden round table set near a floor to ceiling window. The counselor boiled a pot of water and poured it for them. Then with a gentle smile, she asked Lin Jin’s mom, “Mrs. Wu, you mentioned over the phone that your son needed counseling?”
“Yes" His mom very directly said “My son wants to become a woman and I want you to see what his mental state is like.”
Lin Jin knew what his mom was thinking, she was worried it was just an impulsive phase. So he sat to one side and silently played on his phone.
What was the point of this kind of counseling anyway? They might help with family conflicts or people with depression, but they probably don’t have much experience with gender issues.
Lin Jin had expected a seasoned therapist from those top tier hospitals, not just a counselor. The difference was big. With his bias, he barely paid any attention to the counselor and just played on his phone while the counselor talked with his mom.
"Okay, I think I understand the situation. Mrs. Wu, could you please step outside for a bit? I'd like to have a one on one chat with your son" the counselor said with a smile and sent Lin Jin's mother out of the room before turning her attention back to Lin Jin. Her eyes were filled with astonishment. If it weren't for the earlier correction, she would still be unable to believe that this cute looking girl before her was actually a man.
She was still half suspecting that Lin Jin's mom was playing a prank on her.
"Can you tell me about yourself?" Although she was skeptical, she had been paid after all. This professional counselor saw Lin Jin’s empty glass and poured him some more water. Then she looked at him with a kind smile and softly asked "Why do you want to be a girl? You do look great, but being a woman isn't as easy as you might think."
Lin Jin indifferently crossed his legs and yawned, still feeling sleepy.
The kind counselor frowned slightly, sensing that this boy before him that was dressed as a girl might be difficult to handle.
"How about we talk about your family? Or maybe something interesting?" The counselor continued with her friendly smile and asked Lin Jin "Or shall we listen to some music?"
"Whatever" Lin Jin shrugged.
So, the counselor started playing some music from the laptop on the table. It was a song that Lin Jin found somewhat familiar but not particularly enjoyable.
"Take a deep breath in, and out..." the counselor's voice grew softer as she instructed Lin Jin, "Close your eyes, imagine you're lying in bed, relax yourself."
Without really thinking, Lin Jin followed her directions. He took several deep breaths, closed his eyes, leaned back in his chair and his head drooped slightly.
"Just relax, don't think about anything else. What do you see in your mind?" she coaxed gently.
The counselor made an effort to guide Lin Jin, even demonstrating herself. With her eyes also closed, she continued guiding Lin Jin in a gentle voice "Listening to this music, what comes up in your mind? Is it the ocean? Or some other scene?"
Lin Jin nodded slightly, resting his hands on his abdomen and relaxing his body some more. After a while, he felt like he was sinking into darkness, as if surrounded by warm water, feeling as though the world had turned beautiful.
However, the counselor soon realized that Lin Jin before her had actually fallen asleep!
Translator's Notes: For consistency, I’m going to translate them like so (sorry counselors). 精神病醫生 (mental illness doctor) as psychiatrist, 心理醫生 (psychology doctor) as therapist, and 心理咨詢師 (psychology consultant) as counselor.