Other path taken

Xue You’s mom finds the surgery discharge bill and assumes it’s for an abortion. When he struggles with explanation, I Ling lies to take the blame thinking she is helping him out. He turns around and gets mad at her. I think he is mad because he thinks she is giving herself excuse to not try to have children with him. I would like to think it’s more about telling his mom the truth, but he’s still the baby living at home indulged by her. If he were truthful he would be wanting his wife happy in her own home and he has yet to reach that point. She was finally stepping up to take the heat from him as a concerned wife and got crap in return. It is no wonder these two don’t progress. It is always one step forward two back with them. I like the casual friendliness between I Ling and colleague. It is so clear they are better suited. His roving eye is more to tease her than him actually being interested. His gaze following her and him getting her comfortable sandals as well as getting her to eat show how he really feels. He has matured enough to realize it has to now be unrequited because of his past immaturity, but he takes it on the chin and keeps looking after her. The single mom is also better suited for Xue You. She is calmer and kinder. Her child would be a good ballast between him and his mom. He would get his priorities settled much quicker with her. But she should not try to weave her and child into his life just because he is unhappy in marriage. With a child involved she should have kept better distance unless his circumstances changed. It is selfish and harmful to get him and her son so attached if he can not be a true father figure in his life. It is too confusing and misleading. While exploring distractions that can lead to infidelity, it neither strengthens the couple nor makes two stronger separate couples. The writer just keeps everything murky. While slices of life are often that way, it is unclear what point the writer is trying to make.

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