“No.”

“Then I must have been mistaken.” As she spoke, Niu Shurui idly played with the beads of a Newton's cradle, setting off a rhythmic clicking sound. Ye Li’s brow furrowed subtly. He was about to speak when he saw Niu Shurui smiling as she walked towards him.

“Why do you keep looking at me today?” she asked.

Ye Li remained silent, watching as she perched on the armrest of the sofa, her large white coat draped behind her. She leaned forward. The bow tie at her chest had come undone, revealing her collarbones, and lower still, the faintest hint of cleavage.

The glimpse ignited a spark in his memory. Almost instantly, Ye Li’s gaze sharpened. “What are you doing?”

Niu Shurui leaned closer, stopping just short of his cheek. “Tell me,” she coaxed, “what did you see?”

What is she doing? The thought barely formed before Ye Li lost the ability to think coherently. An unfamiliar fragrance drifted towards him, and his body felt as if it had stepped into soft, yielding water. He sank, enveloped and pulled into its depths.

Just as he strained to inhale the scent more deeply, it vanished. He straightened, leaning forward, and quickly realized the scent emanated from Niu Shurui.

She gazed at him, eyes bright with amusement and a hint of encouragement.

His defenses crumbled. He reached out, pulling her close. His hands, restless and needy, explored the curves of her waist and back beneath her clothing, instinctively finding their way inside.

The smooth texture drew a sigh from him. The constant tension he carried finally eased. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing deeply. His hand slid up her flat abdomen, his fingertips brushing against a restrictive edge.

He paused for only a second before pushing past it. The soft, yielding sensation was even better than he’d imagined. A growing fullness pressed against his palm, the unfastened fabric of her blouse taut against the back of his hand, yet nothing could stop his touch.

A soft moan seemed to echo in his ears.

Ye Li lost all control, desperate to tear away the pristine white fabric, to see with his own eyes how he was toying with her.

The rhythmic clicking stopped. His awareness, momentarily stalled, was jolted back by a rush of icy clarity. He was still clutching something. He looked down. There was no soft flesh, only a plush toy. His fingers, still kneading, were buried in its fur. The toy stared back at him with two black beady eyes, its unchanging smile mocking him.

Niu Shurui stood by the desk, as if she had never moved.

Ye Li threw the toy to the floor and stood up. “You hypnotized me?”

Niu Shurui didn't bother to deny it. “It’s happened before, hasn’t it?”

Ye Li’s chest heaved. His expression, usually as impassive as layers of concrete, cracked, revealing anger. Niu Shurui, momentarily surprised, smoothly replied, “I apologize if you feel offended. But as your psychiatrist, I would do it again.”

He stiffened for a moment, then, for some reason, averted his gaze.

“Your symptoms have changed as a result,” Niu Shurui continued. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’ll prescribe you some new medication to help you be a little bolder.”

Catching his eye, she added, “Ye Li, do what you want to do. You did things you weren’t supposed to when you had OCD. Why are you hesitant now that you’re allowed?”

“Unsatisfied desires bring pain, but satisfying them brings boredom. But boredom allows for control.” Niu Shurui walked over, picked up the discarded toy, and patted away invisible dust. Poor thing, she thought, taking the brunt of his grip and then being thrown on the floor.

She glanced at her wrist, hidden beneath her sleeve. A red fingerprint stood out starkly. She didn't know exactly what Ye Li had seen, but those few pinches had been real.

If she hadn’t stopped him, his trance would likely have been broken by her cry of pain.