223 The Apology 21 (2/2)

Joann's lips curved into a bittersweet smile and she told Xu Jing with sincerity, ”Thank you but I now know the mistakes that I've done in this relationship.” Before Xu Jing could say anything, Joann continued, ”In other words, you turned towards Qing Qing to find things that you're missing in our relationship. Things like attention, respect and affection.”

Xu Jing nodded. Then Joann asked, ”Then in that case, why didn't you demand all those things from our marriage? You're one half of this relationship too, you have all the rights in the world to make that demand. It would have fully justified.”

Xu Jing was stumped. He had not really considered it from that perspective before. Indeed, why hadn't he made the demands?

Seeing the look of confusion on her husband's face, Joann commented, ”Looks like we both have something to learn from this particular incident. One of my friends said marriage is like a coming-together of two parties. The structure is going to be out of balance if one party contributes too little or too much.

”I realize that describes our marriage almost perfectly. You've been doing so much of the work, while I reap most of the reward. In a way, perhaps this extra-marital affair is a good thing because it allows us to see the problem in our relationship. Like I said earlier, the both of us have something to work on in this relationship. You could try to be more assertive and I a bit more attentive. After all, marriage is a give and take, and not a one-sided give and one-sided take.”

Xu Jing felt like he was conversing with a woman that was not his wife. Joann normally would not have said these things to him. She had her own ways of doing things that he was just coming along for the ride. To hear his wife say all these things, for the first time in a long time, Xu Jing felt hopeful.

Perhaps the situation was still salvageable.

Joann told Xu Jing in a sincere tone, ”Xu Jing, I apologize for everything that I have done and for everything that I should have but did not do in our marriage. I cannot guarantee that I can change overnight but I shall try my best to meet you in the middle.”

Xu Jing was beyond shocked. When his wife said they needed to have a talk, he did not expect it to lead to him getting an apology from his wife while he was the one who had an extra-marital affair.

”However, that doesn't mean that everything has been forgiven.”