Who would study psychology unless they had some issues?!

Nan Zhubin picked up the water glass in front of him and took a sip: "Got it."

...

The brief consultation break passed in a flash.

Nan Zhubin quickly sat back in the consultation room.

Knock knock knock——

"Come in."

The door pushed open, and in came a petite figure.

The visitor is female, seemingly young, like a high school student.

However, women's appearances can be deceiving, considering nutritional issues or naturally youthful looks, the actual age might fluctuate five or six years or even ten years or more.

Nan Zhubin decided to play it safe, waiting to gather specific age-related information during the conversation.

"Hello, please have a seat."

The visitor sat on the single sofa opposite Nan Zhubin, slightly curled up, looked up at Nan Zhubin, then lowered her head.

Then she looked up again, and lowered her head.

Nan Zhubin maintained a moderately warm professional smile: "What's your name?"

The visitor shared her name, followed by basic information; she's a sophomore.

"Teacher." The visitor took a deep breath, as if making up her mind.

"I want to consult about... emotional issues."

Emotional counseling, a topic with vastly different upper and lower limits.

Nan Zhubin nodded, composing himself.

Then heard the visitor shift her tone: "Teacher, uh, it's that when I was little, the family conditions were really poor. My dad was quite chauvinistic, and I always felt my mom lived very unfairly..."

Hmm? Emotional issues, but why start with childhood experiences?

His rich consulting experience allowed several possibilities to flash across Nan Zhubin's mind in an instant, causing a slight ripple in his emotions.

Uncertain, best to listen further.

"And then, later my dad perhaps caught a fortunate wave in the times, made quite a bit of money, became a sort of nouveau riche. And then—he changed."

When she reached this point, the visitor took a deep breath.

Since it was about emotional problems, although the visitor was curled up slightly on the single sofa, overall her body did not show much of the emotion of "cowering."

Only by this point, her tone carried many irregular pauses and her body made many extra movements to relieve inner discomfort.

"Previously there were economic constraints from my grandparents, but after having money, he, uh, revealed his true nature. Started often not coming home at night, and began the usual domestic violence and such."

Domestic violence can certainly be considered "normal," young lady.

Nan Zhubin thought, refraining from interrupting the visitor's narrative.

"Later my mom simply couldn't take it anymore and divorced my dad. During the divorce, I was awarded to my mom."

"However, when he divorced, my dad was surprisingly dignified, gave my mom quite a sum of money. And my mom wanted to live her own life, so she eventually left me with my dad, letting me live with him."

The visitor summarized: "So I don't really have feelings for either of my parents."

At this point, the situation began to feel increasingly dire. Even in divorced families, this was a rather stressful scenario.

Nan Zhubin felt a growing sense of unease.

"Later, one day my dad informed me that he was getting married again."

The visitor's lips slightly pursed: "At that moment, I actually had some malice towards the woman my dad was talking about."

The longer the buildup, the more intriguing it becomes later.

Nan Zhubin blinked.

Sure enough, the visitor continued: "But later, when I saw my stepmother, my entire perspective suddenly shifted. She was just…so beautiful."

"She was tall, smelled fragrant, spoke softly, and dressed fashionably. It felt like...she was the kind of person I wanted to become when I grew up."

"Moreover, her…figure, how to put it, carried that alluring, voluptuous charm…Teacher, as a man, you should understand, right?"

"You as a man should understand this, haven't been asked this often, but this is the first time a girl has asked me this."

Nan Zhubin held his expression, slightly leaned back.

So what you mean by "emotional issue" actually is…

Watched as the visitor's neck, cheeks, and ears visibly turned red: "It's just, I've never thought of myself as obsessed with looks, but seeing my stepmother for the first time, I felt…I'm not alright. I even somewhat understand my dad."

"And she was very kind to me too; the first time we met, she hugged me, called me 'Little Darling'—Teacher, you must know, my mom has never hugged me like that, nor called me that."

The visitor's speed picked up: "She also brought along a brother, also quite nice. Treated me well, respected my dad."

"At that moment, I suddenly hated my dad again, thinking—how's this damn man's luck so good, he's nothing much, why can he find such a great stepmother?!"

Nan Zhubin pursed his lips.

At least…your father's taste is quite good, and your family's taste seems somewhat hereditary.

The visitor took a deep breath, barely stabilizing her emotions: "Teacher, do you think my situation is normal? I heard psychology has specific analyses of 'maternal love complex'?"

Nan Zhubin also took a deep breath, steadied himself: "I'm not sure about your exact situation with your stepmother, but…"

"Step mother." The visitor suddenly interrupted.

"…Hmm?" Nan Zhubin blinked.

"It's stepmother, not stepmother." The visitor emphasized.

Nan Zhubin went along: "Alright, I'm not certain about your exact situation with your stepmother, but psychology does have the term Oedipus complex to describe…similar scenarios."

...

The Oedipus complex refers to an individual's psychological development in the early stages—typically ages 3-6—where they develop a sense of love and possessiveness toward their mother. During this stage, one also tends to see their father as a rival and develops feelings of fear, jealousy, and even hostility.

From a broader perspective, this is a necessary stage in everyone's lifelong development. In this phase, individuals choose to identify with their father, internalizing his image, values, and morals, thereby forming the Super-Ego, and freeing themselves from possessiveness toward their mother.

However, there are two problems here:

Firstly, as mentioned above, this generally occurs during childhood and needs overcoming. Failure in this can significantly impact future intimate relationship cognition.

Secondly, the Oedipus complex's maternal love situation typically appears in boys' psychological developments…

What usually occurs in girls is known as the Electra complex, a paternal love complex.

...

The visitor did not give Nan Zhubin the chance to explain the above.

Upon hearing Nan Zhubin mention the Oedipus complex, she hurriedly interrupted: "Isn't there? Isn't there?"

"That day she hugged me, I silently ran away. Since then, I hardly talk to my stepmother, my dad sometimes asks me, saying stepmother feels disappointed because stepmother feels disliked."

"But actually, oh gosh, actually I…"

The visitor said as suddenly squeezed her legs tightly.

"I don't know how to handle things with my stepmother, but I do really like her."

"Normally, I wish they would travel together or something. Then at night, I would hide in my stepmother's wardrobe to sleep. Smell her scent, covered with her clothes…"

Nan Zhubin's pupils slightly dilated.

First consultation, haven't established a strong consultation relationship, yet able to talk about privacy so deeply?

Or is it that…the visitor's usual life is too suppressed?