Who would study psychology if they didn't have some kind of problem?

Chapter 398 Together

The entire Mindfulness Raisin Exercise took less than twenty minutes.

At this point, you can end the mindfulness practice, or even the entire consultation.

Of course, you can also chat with the visitor for a while to explore what they have gained from this mindfulness training.

But then he heard the rumbling sound coming from Xu Pengcheng's stomach again.

And the other person's restlessness at that moment, but out of politeness, they had no choice but to press them down on the sofa.

Nan Zhuren decided to cut the Gordian knot and end it when it was time to end it.

Anyway, the key issues have all been resolved this time, and there will be many more mindfulness training sessions in the future, so there's no need to rush.

The gains have been made; the remaining summary and insights gained can be left for the visitor to reflect upon at their own pace, as if it were homework.

However, a basic closing remark is still necessary to connect the dots.

"How do you feel right now?" Nan Zhuren asked with a smile.

His volume increased again, his speaking speed increased, and he began to pause, carrying a refreshing quality that pierced through the haze.

Xu Pengcheng was somewhat dazed.

He raised his hand to wipe his eyes, as if sensing something, and realized that they were already brimming with tears.

Can a single raisin really taste this good?
So delicious you'll cry?

"I don't know what to say, teacher..."

Nan Zhuren smiled and said, "It's alright. Perhaps this is a sign that you've already gained a lot from the training just now. Because there's so much to learn, it's hard to sort it all out at once."

"The key now is for you to remember this feeling and summarize it. We will do a simple review during our next consultation - you can treat this as homework, and you have a week to complete it."

Xu Pengcheng nodded quickly and slightly.

"What we are doing today is the most basic mindfulness training. But we can also use mindfulness techniques when we eat in our daily lives."

Nan Zhuren advised, "The key is to eat slowly and attentively. For you right now, pay attention to eating small amounts frequently."

"The trick is to experience the food before eating—you can skip the steps of listening and touching, but you must look carefully, smell carefully, and feel carefully."

"Chew slowly; pause for ten seconds before swallowing."

Nan Zhuren elaborates on the steps of mindfulness in daily life as much as possible: "The focus is not on eating, but on feeling the 'eating process,' which allows you to establish a completely new connection with food."

As he spoke, he pulled out an A4 sheet of paper from the side, took out a pen, and placed it in front of Xu Pengcheng.

"You can write down the specific steps and then practice them multiple times over the next week."

“When we meet next week, I hope you can share a few experiences of mindfulness with me—this is our second assignment.”

……

In the past, when the consultation ended, the students would have a dazed expression and be reluctant to leave.

Take one step and look back three times.

Some students even stand frozen at the door of the counseling room for a moment, looking as if they've discovered a new world.

When Xu Pengcheng left today, he had an expression on his face that said, "The world feels unfamiliar."

But his steps were hurried.

When Nan Zhuren came out, Xu Pengcheng was no longer visible.

In front of him was Teacher Zhao, who was staring blankly at a bag of raisins that had been opened.

Nan Zhuren doesn't have the habit of eating snacks, but Teacher Zhao does.

Or rather, given the work pressure Ms. Zhao used to face, it would be strange if she didn't have the habit of stocking up on snacks.

To be fair, if Nan Zhuren had arrived a year or two later, we might have seen a Teacher Zhao suffering from bulimia nervosa.

Her past life and work situation almost met all the prerequisites.

"Ah, Teacher Nan, you're out."

After a moment of deep thought, Teacher Zhao suddenly realized something upon seeing Nan Zhuren: "You just came out, took some raisins, and left without saying a word—you only took one."

Teacher Zhao looked at her with a curious expression: "Are you practicing mindfulness?"

"Professionals understand immediately." Nan Zhuren nodded, walked closer to Teacher Zhao's desk, and pointed to an open drawer.

"Luckily, you have a wide variety of items here, and you actually have raisins—if it were hawthorn rolls, chocolate, or something like that, it would be a real problem."

Teacher Zhao has a whole drawer full of snacks, but there are specific considerations when choosing foods for mindfulness training.

At the very least, it can't be anything sticky or with juice splattering everywhere.

That would cause a lot of interference during the process of "dissociation of the five senses".

Teacher Zhao looked nostalgic: "When I was in college, the teacher also taught us mindfulness classes. At that time, a classmate brought two slices of toast, so the whole class shared that little bit of toast, and everyone took a small bite."

"Even until graduation, toast was our class's favorite food," Teacher Zhao said with a smile.

Then she looked expectant: "Teacher Nan, I've only taken one mindfulness trial class and haven't received any systematic training—could you teach me?"

Nan Zhuren raised an eyebrow: "Want to learn?"

"Yes." Teacher Zhao nodded, a hint of anticipation in her smile. "Mindfulness is very useful for relieving anxiety, isn't it? I think students will really need it..."

What motive did Nan Zhuren have for refusing this offer?
of course not.

"Okay, let's take a break and get ready to begin." Nan Zhuren smiled as well.

As he spoke, Nan Zhuren showed a hint of concern: "I wonder how much Xu Pengcheng will gain this time..."

……

Xu Pengcheng stood at the entrance of the convenience store, one hand pressed against his stomach.

In high school, you can't go into the cafeteria before mealtime. And even if you did, there would be no food.

However, the convenience store was always open, and students could replenish their energy with food during their free time if they ran fast enough.

However, Xu Pengcheng is currently somewhat troubled.

He was hungry and impatient when he came out of the consultation room.

But when he stood at the entrance of the convenience store and saw the food, he felt a tightness in his body.

There was no feeling of rejection or nausea.

However, they also did not have a strong appetite.

"Eat small amounts frequently, slowly, and savor the food," Xu Pengcheng whispered, repeating Professor Nan Zhuren's mindfulness tips.

Just as I was about to make up my mind to step into the convenience store, my whole body suddenly stopped.

"Jun Kai? Ming Chen?"

Two familiar figures were inside the convenience store.

It was quite a feat for Lin Junkai to bring Li Mingchen, who has mobility issues, out during this short break between classes; and Li Mingchen actually did come out.

Xu Pengcheng suddenly felt a guilty sense of having been caught stealing, and turned to leave.

"...Pengcheng?"

The greeting made Xu Pengcheng, who was about to leave, stop in his tracks and slowly turn around.

Lin Junkai's expression was somewhat conflicted. He hadn't exchanged pleasantries with Xu Pengcheng in private for a long time, and even this small gesture seemed to require a lot of courage.

But he still said, "You've come looking for something to eat too... What would you like to eat? My treat?"

Xu Pengcheng was stunned for a moment. Looking at Lin Junkai's reaction, he suddenly remembered what Nan Zhuren had said earlier.

They probably also hope you'll understand them, they want your friendship, and they feel guilty for causing you trouble.

He nodded subconsciously.

Then I saw Li Mingchen's expression.

On the face of this student with limited mobility, he saw a similar conflicted expression to his own: "clearly hungry but just no desire to eat."

He lowered his head and thought for a moment, then mustered his courage: "Okay... Shall we eat together?"

"I just came back from Teacher Nan's place, and I learned something really interesting..."

(End of this chapter)