Xiao Xingxing nodded affirmatively and said, "A psychologist is a doctor you can talk to. After being rescued, haven't you had nightmares, or do you still feel scared?"
Xiaoxiao hummed and said, "I often dream of those bad guys."
"Then you need to see a psychologist." Xiao Xingxing relayed what Susu had explained to him before they left.
Susu glanced at Lan Yu and asked softly, "What did you tell her?"
"I was afraid she wouldn't want to see a psychologist, so I just said we were going out to play." Lan Yu whispered, almost in her ear.
To be honest, she found Xiaoxiao difficult to manage and was a bit afraid of the child.
Xiaoxiao wasn't her own child; she couldn't hit or scold her, yet couldn't control her. There was truly nothing she could do.
Xiao Xingxing helped explain to Susu, "Auntie Lan Yu, Mom, please don't blame her. I know she's most afraid of seeing doctors and getting injections. She has a phobia of needles."
Susu patted Xiao Xingxing's head and said, "Alright, we understand. We won't blame her. Let's go, the doctor is waiting."
Lan Yu smiled and walked towards Xiaoxiao, wanting to hold her hand and say, "So you were afraid of injections. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
However, Xiaoxiao refused to hold her hand and continued to walk with Xiao Xingxing.
Lan Yu had no choice but to walk behind her, feeling very helpless. She wondered how she could build a good relationship with Xiaoxiao.
While the two children were in the psychologist's consultation room, Susu and Lan Yu waited outside.
Susu then asked Lan Yu, "Why does Xiaoxiao still like to push you?"
Lan Yu sighed and said, "For some reason, this child has been hostile towards me since she came to our home."
"Have you discussed this with An Jing?" Susu asked. "Even though you're not her biological mother, you still need to discipline her. You can't let her be so impolite."
"I can't discuss this with An Jing," Lan Yu explained. "When An Jing is around, Xiaoxiao pretends to listen to me and acts very well-behaved. But as soon as An Jing is not home, she ignores me and doesn't want to talk to me much."
Susu understood. She hadn't expected Xiaoxiao to be so duplicitous at such a young age.
"I used to try to educate her as her mother, but not only did she not listen, she would also complain to An Jing when he returned, saying I treated her badly and bullied her." Lan Yu said with a headache. "Although An Jing didn't blame me and spoke up for me in front of Xiaoxiao, he probably felt in his heart that I wasn't good enough for Xiaoxiao. He emphasized to me a few times in private that I should treat Xiaoxiao like my own child. Sigh, I had no choice but to indulge her."
"That's indeed difficult," Susu understood her predicament. "I'll talk to An Jing when I have a chance. Xiaoxiao's education cannot be neglected either."
Lan Yu said understandingly, "Actually, Xiaoxiao has had a difficult life since childhood. She's more mature than other children and is wary of everyone. That's why her temper is worse than that of ordinary children. Her pretending to be fierce and tough is also a sign of insecurity."
"It's truly Xiaoxiao's good fortune that you can think this way." Susu felt that after being missing for so long, Xiaoxiao must have suffered a lot, and her psychological problems were likely much greater than Xiao Xingxing's.
After the psychologist's session, Susu and Lan Yu took the two children to the amusement park.
Susu watched them play happily and noticed that Xiaoxiao was very dependent on Xiao Xingxing, while Xiao Xingxing was always protecting Xiaoxiao, intentionally or unintentionally.
This reminded her of her own childhood with Yang Sijie. Childhood sweethearts had a rare kind of bond.
But as they grew up, it turned into an irreparable regret. She suddenly didn't want Xiao Xingxing to get too close to Xiaoxiao anymore, fearing that he might get hurt like her in the future.
After playing for a short while, she found an excuse to part ways with Lan Yu and the others and took Xiao Xingxing home.
Although Xiao Xingxing was a bit reluctant, he obediently followed her back.
As soon as they got home, Xiao Xingxing said regretfully, "Mom, I wanted to ride the carousel with Xiaoxiao one more time. Why were you in such a hurry to come back?"
"Your younger siblings are still at home, and I'm worried." Susu smiled. "We've been out all day, and I'm tired too. We can play with Xiaoxiao again later."
Xiao Xingxing said okay and went to find his younger siblings.
Susu watched Xiao Xingxing's retreating figure, feeling that he was much more innocent than Xiaoxiao.
As for their childhood sweetheart relationship, she was unsure whether to let it run its course or to cruelly sever it.
Perhaps the children were still young and didn't overthink things as much as adults did. Was she worrying too much?
She took this opportunity to call the psychologist to inquire about the day's treatment.
"Mrs. Qin, both children have psychological issues. Your son's psychological problems are relatively less severe. He likely has an acute stress disorder after encountering some unpleasant events. This can be resolved with proper guidance and counseling."
Susu couldn't help but feel relieved. It was good that Xiao Xingxing was alright.
She thought of Xiaoxiao and asked, "What about the girl who was with my son?"
"Are you referring to Xiao Xiaoxiao? Her psychological problems are quite severe. It's not just a simple psychological disorder; she's also self-deprecating, withdrawn, psychologically sensitive, and prone to outbursts."
Susu quickly asked, "Can her psychological problems be cured?"
"It should be possible, but it will take a long time." The psychologist suggested, "In the future, the two children should be treated separately by me, as their psychological problems are different and their severity varies. I will provide different treatment plans for each of them, so we can address the root cause."
"Okay, I will inform Xiao Xiaoxiao's parents. Thank you."
After Susu finished her call with the psychologist, she intended to contact Lan Yu. However, she recalled what Lan Yu had said about the situation.
Currently, Lan Yu couldn't manage Xiaoxiao. The only person who could manage her was An Jing.
So, she called An Jing's mobile phone, and he answered shortly.
"An Jing, are you busy right now?"
"I'm okay." An Jing was in his office, cross-referencing some data.
Susu said directly, "Today, Lan Yu and I took Xiao Xingxing and Xiaoxiao to see a psychologist."
"I know. Lan Yu mentioned it to me last night. They really should see a psychologist."
"Yes, the psychologist just gave me feedback on the treatment. They said Xiaoxiao's psychological problems are quite serious and require long-term treatment."
As soon as Xiao An Jing heard the word "serious," he stopped looking at the data on his computer and asked, "What exactly are her serious psychological problems?"
"The doctor didn't specify which type, they said it's comprehensive. I think it would be better if you accompanied her to Xiaoxiao's future psychological therapy sessions," Susu suggested.
An Jing said with some confusion, "Isn't it the same if Lan Yu accompanies her?"
"Today, I saw that Xiaoxiao was reluctant to see the doctor and didn't listen to Lan Yu much. It would be better if you accompanied her personally," Susu said tactfully, afraid of causing conflict between them as a couple.