CHAPTER 33: CHAPTER 33: THE ESSENTIAL TOUCH IN LIFE (SEEKING MONTHLY VOTES, SEEKING FAVORITES)

Shen Jingqi mentioned the HL’s Rhesus Monkey experiment.

According to the research by HL, a psychologist from M Country, and his colleagues, newborn monkeys spend six months with two mothers. The iron-wire mother holds a milk bottle, while the cloth mother wears soft clothing. The infant monkeys only go to the iron-wire mother for milk when they are extremely hungry, and at other times, they prefer to stay with the cloth mother. Moreover, when the infant monkeys encounter danger, like the threat of a large wooden spider, they run to the cloth mother and cling tightly to her. The experiment concluded that physical contact plays a role in the development of the infant monkeys that even surpasses the role of food. Particularly, the warmth provided by the cloth mother is what the infant monkeys long for.

This warm touch is a necessity of life.

"Warm touch~!"

Li Baiyu said slowly.

"Yes."

"Actually, the subsequent impact of this experiment is even greater. It involves a concept in the middle."

"Contact deprivation."

Some infant monkeys were placed in wire cages, isolating them from opportunities for physical contact with other monkeys.

These infant monkeys were kept alone for more than 3 months, and some were confined for more than a decade.

The research team observed the reactions of these infant monkeys and recorded them.

Some infant monkeys exhibited abnormal behaviors such as blank staring and stereotyped movements.

Some infant monkeys showed signs of autism, depression, and anorexia.

Some infant monkeys engaged in self-harm.

These monkeys exhibited almost no activity and had no interest in play, love, or reproduction, and were often bullied in the monkey group.

This device that isolates the infant monkeys has a name.

"Pit of Despair."

Stainless steel structure with a one-way mirror. The infant monkeys’ only connection to the outside world is water and food.

The outside world views such research as "against emotions, without respect for life," and unethical.

HL, however, only cared about the published research results.

He gained a national science medal from this research and was appointed as the president of the Psychology Society in M Country.

"This might be related to his personal history."

Shen Jingqi looked at Li Baiyu and tentatively said it.

"In his autobiography, he recalls his mother being very cold towards him, with almost no emotional communication."

"His entire life was a battle against depression, and he invented the ’Pit of Despair’ to simulate that extreme loneliness, helplessness, and trapped feeling."

"Are you sympathizing with him?"

Li Baiyu asked.

"I don’t sympathize with him, nor do I condemn him. Everything is not simply one-sided or a single statement. I just want to see clearly what happened inside."

Shen Jingqi replied.

Li Baiyu fell silent.

Shen Jingqi saw her fingertips trembling slightly.

She struggled to use chopsticks to pick up a big piece of hollow vegetable, her gaze vacant as she bit forcefully.

Continuously picking up, stuffing into her mouth.

Li Baiyu finally put down her chopsticks.

Shen Jingqi suddenly felt he was somewhat cruel.

Why did he bring up such a story to her?

Perhaps when she wasn’t quite ready.

"I’m done eating."

Li Baiyu wiped the corner of her mouth.

"The rest is all yours."

Li Baiyu pointed to a few boxes on the table.

Each still had some left.

Li Baiyu ate the most hollow vegetables and also had a few pieces of the fried meat.

Including the piece Shen Jingqi picked for her in her bowl, she ate it too.

Shen Jingqi nodded.

He had talked so much, and seeing Li Baiyu’s appearance, he also felt somewhat unable to eat.

But since Li Baiyu let him eat, he still picked up his chopsticks.

The eating manner was clearly somewhat slow-paced.

"Quickly eat, it won’t taste good if it gets cold."

Li Baiyu said.

"Senior, I shouldn’t have said so much to you."

Shen Jingqi looked at Li Baiyu.

"I’m fine, really fine! You might be overthinking!"

Li Baiyu blinked.

"I meant the attachment experiment."

"What does it have to do with me?"

"Because touch is your topic too."

"My topic, my topic, my topic!"

Li Baiyu’s voice gradually rose.

"Why, when I’ve done nothing, and can’t do anything, do I have to bear this topic?!"

Li Baiyu’s eyes instantly reddened.

"Some things are beyond your control."

"I don’t want to hear these."

Li Baiyu’s eyes burst with emotion:

"I now have the strength to control, I want to do what I can, what I want to do. Everything that happened before, is in the past. Stop mentioning concepts like the original family. I don’t want to hear it, nor do I disdain to hear it. What attachment, what touch, I don’t need them."

Li Baiyu tightly grasped the paper cup in her hand, crumpling it into a ball.

When released, the paper cup slowly expanded but left some marks.

"I’m fine like this now, I don’t want to spend more time doing other things."

"I’ve told you, the most urgent problem I want to solve now is ’Illusion’! Because it hasn’t occurred these days, I relaxed my vigilance. But this is not an excuse for other chaotic things to appear."

"For you psychologists or counselors, easily analyzing early experiences, original family, whether it’s one year or two, some even take over ten years. I don’t have the time to do these things."

Li Baiyu, in her spare time, had also looked up information about psychological counseling and therapy.

With her cleverness, she soon grasped the full picture.

Even if the person opposite wasn’t a bushy-bearded old man, Li Baiyu didn’t want to discuss lengthy and barren parent-child years.

It’s hard to imagine simply chatting for over a decade with this delicate boy in front of her.

Compared to chatting, she’d rather do something else.

Even childish cards like last time could distance herself from some verbal things.

Yes, she just doesn’t want to communicate, and doesn’t know how to communicate.

Apart from occasions where she needs to showcase her professional ability, privately, Li Baiyu prefers to be alone.

No need to speak.

No worries about sharp words or the sound of rejection.

"As for touching, there’s no necessity, right."

Li Baiyu shook her head.

"There’s no need for physical contact between people either, this way it’s clean and hygienic."

"Are you Virgo? I don’t mean anything else, nor is it a stereotype."

Shen Jingqi wanted to laugh a bit, couldn’t help but ask.

Considering rigor, added another sentence.

"No."

Li Baiyu’s lips puffed up slightly, quite cute.

"This isn’t a germophobia. It’s the minimum respect for health!"

"You’re absolutely right."

Shen Jingqi spoke earnestly.

"Actually, you might view contact as very serious or formal. In reality, there are many ways to engage in contact."

Shen Jingqi peeked forward:

"Do you like Tuantuan?"

"Of course."

"When you hold Tuantuan, that’s a form of contact!"