Sports Medicine Master System-Chapter 81 - 74: Has My Reputation Already Spread to the Soccer World?
J Kidd cautiously walked into the storage room. After confirming that it was just as simply furnished as the others had said, he let out a visible sigh of relief. Only then did he sit down comfortably and even reach out to ask for a glass of water.
He couldn’t figure out what Chen Yu was up to, but the others had said that after going in, you could choose not to talk. Just sit quietly for five minutes, and then you could leave.
’So, I’ll just sit. It’s only five minutes.’
Chen Yu poured the water, still smiling at J Kidd as he asked if there was anything he wanted to talk about.
"No," J Kidd answered crisply.
Chen Yu nodded and just watched J Kidd in silence.
Chen Yu was fine with the silence. First, this was a new format, so the players weren’t used to it and were naturally wary of him.
Second, Chen Yu hoped the players would open up to him on their own.
This method of letting the other person speak first has many explanations in psychotherapy. For instance, it creates a less stressful environment for the patient. For some, speaking first is a form of pressure release. It also makes it easier for the therapist to observe the patient by seeing what they choose to reveal on their own.
But Chen Yu had read a book and was deeply impressed by one particular sentence.
The sentence went like this: The reason you let the patient speak first is because it’s their story, and they should be the one to write it.
Many times, psychotherapy is a process of rediscovering oneself.
A therapist should provide reasonable guidance, helping the patient recognize the problem and then proactively seek change.
So Chen Yu was patient. ’If you don’t talk, I’ll wait.’
This wasn’t a one- or two-day thing—he had a whole season. Five minutes after every practice. Over time, he was sure they would talk.
Before preparing for this chat, Chen Yu had specifically asked Byron for his impressions of players like J Kidd.
Regarding J Kidd, Byron had said he was very smart, smooth, and had high emotional intelligence.
But unexpectedly, after just two minutes, J Kidd was already getting restless.
"Chen, are you sure there’s nothing you want to say to me?" J Kidd asked tentatively.
Chen Yu laughed to himself.
’Smart people always overthink things. Unlike those carefree guys... they could sit here for half an hour, not just five minutes, and if you were to cut open their heads, you’d find nothing but blank space.’
Chen Yu shook his head. "Nope. But if you have something you want to tell me, I’m happy to chat."
J Kidd took a big gulp of water, seeming to feel awkward, and asked, "By the way, how’s Anfernee?"
"He’s doing well. The surgery was a success. Now comes the long recovery period."
J Kidd nodded repeatedly, then hesitated before asking, "So, will he be able to make a full recovery?"
Chen Yu thought for a moment, then asked back, "Are you talking about his health or his form?"
That question seemed to stump J Kidd. He was stunned for a good moment before saying, "Both."
Chen Yu nodded thoughtfully, then picked up the notebook on the table and wrote down a line with his pen.
J Kidd was instantly bewildered. He subconsciously sat up straight, trying to see what Chen Yu was writing, but he couldn’t.
In reality, Chen Yu hadn’t written anything. He was just pretending.
In psychotherapy, this could be considered a bluff, a move designed to create anxiety in the other person.
Chen Yu had a faint feeling that there was something worth exploring behind J Kidd’s seemingly casual question.
Closing the notebook and setting it down, Chen Yu smiled at J Kidd again.
J Kidd looked like he’d been caught red-handed. He quickly sat back, wanting to ask but not daring to. The urge was killing him.
What followed was a silence that stretched for over a minute.
You could tell that J Kidd wanted to speak several times, but having missed that initial moment, he couldn’t find a suitable reason to ask his question.
"Alright, time’s about up. That’s all for today," Chen Yu said with a smile as he stood up, signaling that J Kidd could leave.
J Kidd was a bit stunned, his eyes seeming to ask, ’That’s it?’
He stood up, but his gaze kept darting to the notebook out of the corner of his eye. After a moment’s hesitation, he turned to leave.
Chen Yu didn’t look at him. He picked up his water glass, turned to place it on a counter, and silently counted in his head. Sure enough, just as he reached the number 4, the footsteps behind him stopped.
"Chen."
J Kidd turned back, pointed at the notebook on the table, and asked, "Is there something wrong with me?"
"Nope. Why do you ask?" Chen Yu asked nonchalantly, sitting back down.
Before J Kidd could answer, Chen Yu suddenly asked, "By the way, I get the feeling you’re quite concerned about Anfernee’s condition. Are you worried that his absence will affect the team’s record?"
After more than a minute of silence, Chen Yu felt like he had gotten a read on J Kidd.
On the surface, he seemed worried about Hardaway’s situation, but thinking deeper, he was really worried about the team’s record.
The key was, Hardaway hadn’t just gotten injured. He wasn’t worried before, so why was he worried now?
Chen Yu quickly figured out the reason: domestic violence.
This was a very serious matter. It would affect his public image, and then there were the team’s and the fans’ reactions to consider.
The guy was smart. He had to know that in this situation, just apologizing wasn’t enough. To avoid the worst-case scenario, his best option was to win.
Keep winning, make the team see he’s irreplaceable, and get the fans to forgive him because of the victories.
J Kidd sat back down on his own, and as if he hadn’t heard Chen Yu’s question, asked, "Chen, are you married?"
Chen Yu smiled.
’Looks like I really did guess right.’
Chen Yu didn’t answer the question either. Instead, he asked, "I remember your wife is a TV host, right?"
How could Chen Yu not indulge in such juicy gossip? After getting home yesterday, he’d made sure to catch up on the news.
