Nan Zhubin tentatively asked, "Stopped all of a sudden... just like that?"
Li Minglu thought for a moment, then nodded, "Yes."
In the cases that Nan Zhubin had encountered and understood, such a situation was extremely rare.
After all, [drug addiction] is listed in textbooks under [drug intervention harm]!
That’s not just a psychological issue; it’s also a physiological and medical issue!
These days, even losing a little weight or sitting down to read a book can be life-threatening for many people.
And now, right in front of him, Li Minglu says he stopped taking drugs just like that?
Nan Zhubin was very skeptical.
However, looking at the micro expressions on Li Minglu’s face, Nan Zhubin could tell he wasn’t lying.
[This is... very interesting.]
Not only was Li Minglu able to endure the massive onslaught of negative emotions after first using and then abruptly discontinuing the drugs, but he even had the extra willpower to resist drug addiction.
This indicated that there was obviously a very powerful self-motivation within Li Minglu, enabling him to do something that ordinary people couldn’t.
But in that case, why had he been unable to extricate himself from negative emotions year after year, even developing depression in the process?
This suspicion was temporarily set aside by Nan Zhubin, who planned to verify it bit by bit in the course of future consultations.
The drug history complemented a blank in Nan Zhubin’s previous consulting intervention records about Li Minglu.
It was also the prelude to the official start of the consultation.
Next, the second consultation of the day for Li Minglu truly began.
"I have to say again, I’m very glad you came for a second consult with us today."
Nan Zhubin smiled, "Are you here for the consultation out of your own will, or did your wife ask you to?"
This was to test Li Minglu’s willingness to self-rescue.
"It was me, I wanted to come," Li Minglu replied.
He said, lowering his head, "My wife... often finds it bothersome. When she used to bring me for consultations, her expression was not too good. Today, it’s better."
This seemed like a compliment, saying that Nan Zhubin’s consultation had gained favor from family members.
However, Nan Zhubin frowned inwardly, not because of the compliment, but because of the wording of Li Minglu’s statement.
["She ’brought’ me for consultations"?]
[Rather than "she ’and’ I" or "she ’accompanied’ me."]
[Clearly, he came for consultations of his own volition with an active intent to seek help, yet why use such passive wording?]
Nan Zhubin jotted down his doubt, continuing to organize the consultation.
"In your last consultation, you shared many past feelings. In the week since the last consultation ended and before today started, have you had any new feelings in life, or has anything happened that you can share with me?"
Upon hearing the consultant’s question, Li Minglu frowned and began to reminisce.
Nan Zhubin watched his expression as he pondered.
[Discomfort, but very mild. The overall level of negative emotion isn’t high, below-average.]
This time, Nan Zhubin asked an open-ended question, rather than a closed one that could only be answered with "yes" or "no."
Asking a visitor in this manner allows insight into what aspects the visitor cares about—because elements chosen as answers in such questions must be of significance to the visitor.
"This week, I finished a painting. It’s for a game to be used as a promotional image. They pay quickly, and it should be in the account next month. But I’ve started another painting, which I had previously committed to and can’t refuse. I feel... very tense, worried I won’t paint it well."
This is work-related.
"And then, my daughter’s monthly exam ended, and her grades were quite good. She’s very happy, and I want to be happy too, but... I can’t be. I feel really disappointed in myself; I think if it weren’t for me, she could be happier."
This is life-related.
"And then my wife arranged a dinner with friends and dragged me along. I... felt very uncomfortable."
[Clenched fist, hunched shoulders, arched back. Initiated a defensive posture.]
[This is the body re-experiencing the scenario, replaying the past state.]
"After that, there wasn’t anything else this week," Li Minglu said.
He thought for a moment and chose to delve into the topic that had stirred the greatest emotional fluctuation in Li Minglu just now.
"You just mentioned having dinner with your wife and friends, and that you felt uncomfortable?"
"Yes... very uncomfortable."
"Was it your wife who decided on this dinner gathering?"
"Yes, she arranged it with her friends and insisted on taking me along." Li Minglu pursed his lips, "I don’t like it, but she said someone with my condition should go out more and meet friends. And in case any friends have good advice, it could also help me..."
Feeling Li Minglu’s negative emotion, Nan Zhubin cooperatively furrowed his brows.
And he genuinely wanted to frown.
"Does she often take you out to meet friends?"
"How frequent, about once a week?"
Li Minglu stiffly looked at Nan Zhubin’s sofa armrest and reminisced, "At first, it was two or three times a week. Once we’d met with each friend once, the second time around, friends were less and less willing to meet up, so it ended up once a week at most, or once every two weeks."
Nan Zhubin asked, "What do you all do at these gatherings?"
Li Minglu thought about it, "Just share everyday life stuff. And my wife, her topics tend to focus more on me."
"What kind of things about you?"
"Just how I usually am, the things I do..."
Nan Zhubin keenly noticed a problem and somewhat boldly posed a question, "Does she talk about how she takes care of you?"
Li Minglu’s body paused distinctly, subconsciously pursed his lips.
[Discomfort, rejection intensifying, physical defensive stance tightening.]
"So, what she talks about are actually her things, not yours. Or rather, she’s using you to talk about her things," Nan Zhubin directly pointed out the crux of the issue, "You seem to be unhappy about this?"
Li Minglu finally diverted his focus from the sofa armrest and glanced at Nan Zhubin.
His lips trembled as if he wanted to say something, but another consciousness stopped him.
After several intense inner struggles, he finally said, "Maybe a bit... but really, it’s okay."
[A very obvious lie.]
Even without micro-expression analysis, it was visible.
Nan Zhubin felt he had grasped the key point of the issue.