How would you define a perfect and strong relationship? What makes a marriage successful? What makes you a perfect match for each other? What makes your relationship ideal?

  The answer is

  Big fat no!

  Arguments, disagreements, fights are all part of a relationship. Especially a marriage. Never take pride in the fact that you had never had any disagreements. But the real point of all this is to see whether your relationship is strong enough to face the changing tides of time. Can you move with the world and time or you’re stuck right where you began?

  If you think that just because you are together and had never had any arguments with your partner, you’re in a healthy relationship. Perhaps, your relationship is the weakest one since it hasn’t learned to ride on the tides of troubles, disagreements, and disappointments.

  But Xu Mey failed to understand this point. She was so stuck on the fact that Jie raised his voice at her and blamed her for the problems in their family that she didn’t want to look past it and focus on the crux of Jie’s outburst.

  Technically, he wasn’t even blaming her. He was just trying to give her a wake-up call which she very much needed. But even now, she failed to understand that. She failed to understand that the only reason they had been able to live together for 8 years wasn’t that they were perfect together. It was because Jie would always bow down before her for the sole reason that he didn’t want pride and ego to come between them.

  Xu Mey had been self-dependent for years now. She was so accustomed to it that she never bothered sharing her worries with Jie. He was okay with it but he was not okay to know that she was not willing to see that something bothered him as well. He also had his own troubles.

  Even now……

  Instead of choosing to follow him and trying to sort out everything, she chose to turn her back and run from these problems. Running away had always been super easy for everyone in life. But it takes real courage to face the pain and to confront the problems head-on. But that’s what makes you strong. That’s what shows how mature you are.

  "Xiao Mey, why are you here?" Xu Cheng was really surprised to see her as she came back with Xiamu and Azalea. He had not been able to attend the party because he had sprained his ankle a few days ago. So, he couldn’t even walk.

  "Dad……" Xu Mey called out softly and came to sit beside him. She placed her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

  "What’s wrong? Are you okay?" Xu Cheng inquired while he stroked her hair and looked at his son inquisitively. Xiamu shrugged his shoulders showing that he had no idea what was wrong with her.

  In fact, Xiamu really had no idea why his sister was acting like this. After seeing everyone off, she just came to him and said, she was coming with him. He couldn’t possibly stop her from visiting home, so he didn’t ask either.

  "Nothing’s wrong, dad. I just wanted to see you," said Xu Mey in a soft voice. "Also, you haven’t been well these days. So, I decided to come and check up on your health. Besides, it’s been days since I haven’t seen you. I missed you."

  Xu Cheng smiled affectionately as he heard her reason. He was glad to know that she came for him but he was also feeling a bit weird. There was a doubt in his heart that she was hiding something. But he didn’t want to probe at this moment.

  "You should have brought my grandkids with you. I miss them so much and it’s been a while I saw those two."

  Xu Mey’s lips pressed into a hard line as she remembered what Jie said to her. His words kept ringing in her mind. It was like a curse, she couldn’t get rid of.

  "You get well soon then you can play with your grandkids all you want," she answered trying to sound normal. "Now, tell me, have you eaten anything?"

  "Yes, I had my dinner already."

  "What about your medicine?" she continued.

  "I was just about to take it," he sounded like a kid who was guilty of doing something wrong since Xu Mey was squinting her eyes at him.

  "Dad, how can you be so careless? It’s almost midnight and you still haven’t taken your medicine? If you kept being this negligent with your health, how are you gonna get better? Is this why you didn’t want to stay in the hospital? You really don’t take care of yourself." She kept chiding him as she brought his medicine and stood beside him with her hands on her h.i.p.s to make sure that he took his medicine.

  "Sometimes I’m really not sure whether I’m your father or you’re my mother." Xu Cheng shook his head at her.

  "I’m gonna change my clothes now, but by the time I come back, you better put down these doc.u.ments." She warned before rushing towards the stairs.

  Seeing her receding figure, Xu Cheng turned to his son again, "Did something happen at the party?"

  "Nothing happened, dad," Xiamu answered honestly. Nothing really happened at the party at least in his opinion everything was fine.

  "Then why is she here?" Xu Cheng wondered out loud looking concerned.

  "I think you’re overthinking, dad. Sis is just here to see you. Why do you have to think so much about it?"

  Xu Cheng smiled at his son, "Now, you’re gonna be a father. Soon you’ll know why I’m worrying so much."

  "Are you trying to scare me, dad?"

  Xu Cheng shook his head at his son. "Absolutely not. I’m just warning you. There is an African proverb, ’It takes a village to raise a child.’ In other words, it’s not an easy job." He sighed out gloomily. "I have done a very poor job at parenting. I don’t want you to be the same."

  "And what about Sis? Why do I never hear you advising her?" Xiamu complained softly.

  "It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just that your sister thinks since I have never been a perfect father, I don’t deserve to teach her anything about parenting."