The atmosphere in the reception room became less stagnant amidst Fu Hua's clumsy yet sincere interactions and Yun Mengxi's gradually opening responses.
There was a subtle relaxation floating in the air, somewhere between formal counseling and friendly chatting.
Yun Mengxi's fingertips no longer tightly wrapped around the drawstring. She leaned back slightly into the sofa.
However, although her body was no longer tense due to nervousness, the heavy gloom and inexplicable panic entrenched at the bottom of her heart did not truly disperse.
They were like tides, only temporarily receding, ready to surge up again and drown her at any time.
Yun Mengxi looked at Fu Hua opposite her, whose posture was still correct and expression focused, and a trace of hesitation flashed across her heart.
How about... forget it?
Master Fu Hua... she looks like a very good and serious person, but... this is my own problem.
Inexplicable sadness, poor sleep, and those indescribable fears... speaking them out would only make others worry, right?
If these words are heard by my brother...
Brother has already worried a lot about me. Should I continue to trouble him?
These emotions, I should digest them myself. Just like many times before, find a small space belonging only to me, curl myself into a small ball, wrapped in a quilt, cry when I should cry, get angry when I should get angry.
When the quilt is lifted, I will be the perfect superstar, good sister, beautiful girl again...
This was a deeply ingrained aspect of Yun Mengxi's character.
Subconsciously considerate of others, afraid of becoming a burden to others, accustomed to internalizing stress and negative emotions, bearing them alone.
It wasn't that she didn't crave talking and help, but the thought of "not wanting to trouble others" often took precedence over her own needs.
This character allowed her to maintain a rare purity and gentleness in the complex environment of the entertainment industry, but it was also like an invisible shell wrapping her true fragility within.
But this time, the feeling was different.
The panic was too strong, as if something extremely terrible was hanging overhead, like the Sword of Damocles ready to fall at any time.
The fragmented images in dreams, the dull pain like her heart being squeezed upon waking, and that silent tear left at the corner of her eye... they were all silently screaming "abnormal."
She really needed an outlet this time... a guidance that perhaps could help her understand or even dispel these hazes.
Master Fu Hua... is the successor of the Taixu Martial Arts School. Even my brother says she is unfathomable.
Could it be... she really possesses incredible insight like those super powerful psychologists in novels, or like "Detective Edogawa Homu"?
With just one sentence, one look, she can see through all my disguises, precisely find the "knot" in my heart, and then use some method I've never heard of but is incredibly effective to solve the problem with a "swish"?
From then on, I won't have to be tortured by these emotions anymore and can sing and live easily...
This slightly childish and unrealistic fantasy, mixed with the deep desire for relief and the growing unease, finally pushed Yun Mengxi to make a decision.
She took a light breath, her fingers once again unconsciously rubbing the sofa fabric.
She moved her gaze away from Fu Hua's face and landed on a void outside the window. Her voice was lower than when discussing work just now, and much softer, as if carefully touching a precious memory.
"Master Fu Hua... actually, besides work, there have been some... other feelings recently that trouble me greatly."
She started, not going straight to the "anomalies" that terrified her most, but choosing an entry point that was relatively safe and seemed to explain part of the emotional pressure.
"Maybe... it's related to some experiences since childhood." Yun Mengxi paused, organizing her thoughts. "My brother, Yun Feng, you know him."
After seeing Fu Hua nod, Yun Mengxi continued to narrate.
"He is two years older than me. We went to the same schools since childhood, but we are very different... Brother is really too excellent."
The corners of her mouth curved into a subtle arc with the warmth of memory, but there was also a trace of complex emotion in her eyes.
"No matter what it is, study, sports, or even interpersonal communication... he always seems to easily do the best, always 'someone else's child,' the number one.
"As for me... although not bad, I'm just at the upper-middle level. Sometimes even if I try my best, I can't catch up to the height he can reach casually.
"Fortunately, the atmosphere in the schools we attended was relatively good, not so 'score-oriented,' and parents were quite open-minded." Yun Mengxi's voice was calm, with no resentment audible, only the indifference of stating facts.
"But, I could feel it... adults' attention and expectations unconsciously fell more on my brother.
"For me, it seemed to slowly change from 'hope you can be as excellent as your brother' to 'it's good as long as our Mengxi is happy and healthy,' 'with your brother around, you don't need to work so hard,' more of a... um, pampering and protection."
She shrugged slightly, as if saying "there's nothing bad about this."
But Fu Hua keenly captured the fleeting, extremely subtle loneliness in her eyes.
It was a subtle disappointment of being defaulted as "not needing to bear expectations," even though it might be wrapped in more love.
So... is the relationship between Yun Mengxi and Yun Feng actually not good?
Fu Hua almost immediately denied this thought. When Yun Feng knew she was willing to give Yun Mengxi psychological counseling, the joy and concern contained no calculation.
This wasn't the whole picture.
"However," just as Fu Hua expected, Yun Mengxi's tone suddenly became brisk, and her eyes brightened a bit. Obviously, the next memory made her feel warm and happy.
"These didn't affect my relationship with my brother much.
"He never showed off or pressured me in private. Instead... he especially liked to tell me about his 'daydreams' when it was just the two of us."
Her expression became vivid, with the interest of sharing a secret.
"At that time, he super wanted to be a big star! Not an entrepreneur, but the kind of true superstar standing on stage, illuminated by countless lights, cheered by tens of millions!
"He would describe to me what he imagined his concert would look like—how big the stage was, how dazzling the lights were, what songs to sing, and even gestured the 'cool entrance moves' he designed with his hands and feet.
"He said, becoming a star means being able to convey your voice and thoughts to more people, creating joy and touch. That is a particularly cool, particularly fulfilling thing."