All-rounder Artist

Chapter 458: Chapter 436 Junior Brother Glowing_1

Performing masked is not a problem!

This gave Lin Yuan some confidence, but according to the rules, contestants who lose games have to reveal their faces. Even the winners would eventually have to unmask themselves. So he still had to face this hurdle!

“Seek a psychiatrist.”

Lin Yuan decided to take the advice.

The person he sought help from was Sun Yaohuo. Senior Yao Huo was the one who gave him the most peace of mind. However, when Sun Yaohuo learned that Lin Yuan was seeking a psychiatrist he was startled, “Is there something bothering you, junior?”

“Somewhat like that.”

Sun Yaohuo hesitated for a moment, initially meaning to have Lin Yuan talk to him, but then thought since Lin Yuan was seeking a psychiatrist, the issue might not be something Sun Yaohuo himself could solve, so he took it seriously:

“No problem!”

Sun Yaohuo was incredibly serious—as serious as Lin Yuan had never seen him before, not even during their recording sessions. Ultimately, at Sun Yaohuo’s insistence, he found a suitable psychiatrist for Lin Yuan, “This psychiatrist has a great reputation, and she is the best in the Yan Continent. Plus, she can maintain absolute confidentiality, even towards me.”

“Thanks.”

“There’s nothing to thank.”

Sun Yaohuo said earnestly, “It’s more important to help you figure out your problem. I’ve also consulted a psychiatrist before because of some music-related worries. I believe your problems must also be related to music. She already arrived at Qin Continent. I’ll pay her fee. All you need to do is go see her. Whether she should visit you or…”

“I’ll go.”

“No problem.”

The next day, Sun Yaohuo drove Lin Yuan to the appointment. Along the way, of course, they also brought up Lin Yuan’s voice change. He dropped Lin Yuan off at a high-end apartment building, “She’s upstairs. However, she doesn’t know who you are. You’ll have to do the talking. I’ll wait downstairs.”

“Okay.”

Lin Yuan got out of the car.

As he arrived at the agreed-upon apartment, Lin Yuan felt a nameless nervousness. Some of his secrets were too deep to be spoken, even to a psychiatrist. Can his problem really be solved under such cautiousness?

“Knock, Knock, Knock.”

As he knocked on the door, Lin Yuan still had his worries.

A woman in her thirties opened the door, she was quite beautiful. There was nothing unusual on her face when she saw Lin Yuan. She smiled warmly, “You must be the pre-arranged guest. Please come in.”

She didn’t call me a patient.

Lin Yuan thought, feeling amused.

Inside, he was invited to sit on the sofa, and she took the seat opposite him, “There are different beverages on the table. I can prepare whichever you prefer. The curtains are drawn so the room is a bit dim. If you don’t like it, I can turn on the lights.”

“No need.”

Lin Yuan didn’t bother her. He made himself a cup of tea. She introduced herself in turn, “My name is Lin Li. You can call me Dr. Li or Sister Lily.”

“Mm.”

Lin Yuan nodded, took a sip of the tea, mentally bracing himself before he said, “My name is Lin Yuan, and I’m a songwriter who has published some songs.”

“How interesting.”

Lin Li laughed, “We’re kindred spirits. I’ve actually dealt with many artists. You’re not the first songwriter I’ve met in my professional career. Would you mind letting me listen to some of your music that you think is representative?”

Lin Yuan said, “My stage name is Xian Yu.”

Lin Li paused for a few seconds before slowly saying, “Then I suppose there’s no need to play any music. I’ve listened to all of your work. You can just tell me about your troubles, or you can write them down.”

Lin Yuan was taken aback.

He remembered Jin Mu was shocked when he found out Lin Yuan was Xian Yu. But compared to that, Lin Li was very calm. Not that Lin Yuan thought there was anything particularly shocking about it, “No need to write it down. I just have a problem; I don’t know why I have a fear of cameras.”

“Fear?”

“Fear of cameras.”

“Does that include taking selfies?”

Lin Yuan nodded. He had never taken a selfie. At least not since he’d arrived in this world. He hadn’t taken a single selfie, “Knowing the people there lightens the symptoms, and putting on a mask takes care of the problem.”

“I see… ”

Lin Li smiled, “There is a pathological condition called scopophobia. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it. But in most cases, people with scopophobia have severe insecurity about their appearance. But you’re clearly not the case. I’ve never seen a more handsome client. Even in the entertainment industry, you’d be among the handsomest.”

Lin Yuan remained silent.

Lin Li continued to smile, “I imagine you’re tired of this sort of praise. What I’m trying to tell you is, no one normally doubts themselves because they look too good, unless you’ve had plastic surgery.”

“I haven’t had plastic surgery.”

“I figured as much.”

Lin Li started counting on her fingers, “Let’s rule out another possibility. Do you ever feel bothered by the attention your appearance draws? For example, stares from the opposite or even the same gender…”

“No.”

“Okay.”

Lin Li slightly furrowed her brows, “If none of these reasons apply, it’s hard for me to deduce normally. So, let’s consider an abnormal assumption. Have you ever felt, even for an instant, that you’re not you?”

Lin Yuan was stunned.

Am I not me?

While Lin Yuan didn’t answer, his unusual restlessness didn’t go unnoticed by Lin Li. Her surprised look quickly disappeared as she quickly said, “Don’t rush to answer my first question. Listen to my second one. Have you ever imagined a different life?”

“Yes.”

Lin Yuan spoke.

Lin Li topped up Lin Yuan’s tea with some hot water, “We all have such fantasies. If I hadn’t become a psychologist, I’d probably be in a classroom teaching children right now…”

“Today is Sunday.”

Lin Yuan reminded her seriously.

Lin Li was taken aback, immediately followed by a laugh, “Your problem is a bit tricky, but it’s actually not that severe. Hear me out. You may have another dormant personality. It may have been triggered or hidden for some reason. It disappeared covertly, but its lingering effects remain deep within you.”

Lin Yuan: “…”

Does a previous life count as another personality?

He decided to be more explicit since he felt a sense of reliability from this doctor, “I seem to have had a different experience, but I’ve forgotten about it. It’s kind of like amnesia symptoms…”

“Did you actually go through that?”

“Scientifically speaking, no.”

“I am a believer in science. Although psychology can seem mysterious to some, it doesn’t transcend the realm of science. The only rational explanation I can think of is that you might have been less attractive in the experiences you forgot, but I tend to lean towards the idea that you fantasized about disfiguring yourself.”

Lin Yuan’s brain jolted abruptly.

Some fragments from his past life flashed through his mind, causing a moment of pain to cross his face. He nodded gently, “I seem to have had a lost dream. In that dream, I was very popular. But then everyone saw my disfigured face. They said they would never leave me, but they eventually did, one by one, until one day everyone was gone…”

“Your fans?”

“Who knows.”

“I don’t know why you’d have a dream like that. Maybe it’s because you’re attractive to the point where a backlash occurs. But I can happily tell you a piece of news. This is the traumatic shadow that the dream has left on you. It’s not something that can be cured by medication, and you probably won’t have any sudden bouts leading to a loss of self-control…”

“Indeed, I don’t.”

“Then give it a try.”

Suddenly, Lin Li pulled back the curtains behind her. The dazzling light instantly filled the room, “Try to step out of your shadow. Try to embrace your new life. Because the past dream is already beyond your reach, but you need to stitch up your scars yourself.”

“I understand.”

Lin Yuan stood up to thank her.

At the moment he walked out of the room, Lin Yuan activated the System, “I always thought you were blocking my memories. Turns out, I was the one actively avoiding the past. I still don’t want to think about what happened, but I should know how to face the camera now…”

Lin Yuan came downstairs.

Sun Yaohuo was waiting for him. From a distance, he could see the slender figure of Lin Yuan suddenly glow under the sun. This vision was so stunning that it got Sun Yaohuo questioning:

Can my junior shine?

Meanwhile, upstairs, Lin Li was looking at Lin Yuan through the window. A gentle smile crept onto her lips. Artists always have minds that ordinary people can’t understand. But it’s because of these incomprehensible minds that they can shine in this world, isn’t it?

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ps: This chapter could actually have been left unwritten, and the story could have continued straight to the competition. But as a plot point that was introduced at the beginning, it’s better to fill it in. It helps to add depth to the characters, and it prevents any misunderstanding about why the protagonist always stays behind the scenes. But there won’t be any more information about his past life. The psychologist is explaining from a scientific perspective, so there’s no concern about the protagonist revealing any secrets.