It’s quite ironic that some girls romanticize men’s indifference and silence, thinking it represents mystery, depth, masculinity, and charm. In reality, men’s silence is often just a way to protect themselves.
I once witnessed a scene at a restaurant. A family of three was dining—the little girl and her mother sat on one side, while the father sat alone on the other.
Throughout the meal, the girl was mischievous, making noise by tapping bowls and crossing her legs, creating a ruckus. Her mother patiently corrected her repeatedly, trying to end the meal peacefully. The mother’s tone varied, clearly aiming to teach proper table manners to her daughter.
On the father’s side, he sat there as if nothing was happening, silent, as if the child’s actions had nothing to do with him. His demeanor made me think that this was probably a form of self-protection. To many men, taking care of children seems like a woman’s job; they only need to take care of themselves.
Sometimes, when the child’s behavior goes too far and attracts attention, he might impatiently furrow his brows and coldly say, “Teach her well.” Thinking that’s enough responsibility in raising a child.
Between the chaos caused by the child and the wife’s efforts to discipline, he chooses the easiest way out—staying silent most of the time and occasionally complaining. This is a common phenomenon in marriage—mothers are busy all around, while fathers perfect the art of invisibility, throwing in some blame and complaints.
Some men, appearing mysterious and silent, might actually lack substance in their minds, unable to say anything wise. In some unconventional CEO novels, the “cool and aloof handsome guy” is portrayed this way because he’s simply not smart enough to say anything intelligent, appearing silent and reserved.
So, stop obsessing over those cold and silent men. It’s time to remove the undeserved halo from them.
Xiao Chun always narrates the story of her “cursed” husband in a self-deprecating manner. At a friend’s gathering, she casually says, “It’s all because of my high cheekbones; I offended the heavens and cursed my husband.” She says this with a unique sense of humor, making people laugh and cry.
“With my high cheekbones, his salary couldn’t increase, stuck at two thousand three; he couldn’t even bother to shower for a week,” she continues, with a hint of sarcasm in her eyes. “Because of me, he faced gossip from relatives and neighbors, ended up with hormonal imbalance, and found a mistress. Little did he know, he accidentally fell into a ditch and perished.”
Her friends couldn’t help but laugh at her stories, drawn to Xiao Chun’s ability to joke about misfortune. “Everyone says I curse my husbands, with nowhere to go, I had to use the compensation he left me to study,” she adds. “In a new place, where no one cares about my cheekbones, when I say I’m a widow who curses her husbands, my classmates think I have some mysterious spell, pretty cool.”
Then she adds, “Last week, a girl said she wanted to take things further with me, and I instinctively told her, ‘My cheekbones are specialized in cursing husbands.’ She laughed and said she’s a woman, so I can’t curse her.”
Xiao Chun concludes with a brighter tone, “Her words made sense to me. So, dear husband in the heavens, don’t worry. I might be on the path of loving women now. Rest assured, with my ‘girlfriend,’ two women with high cheekbones, if you ever come back, you might not have a way out from our curses.”
Amidst laughter from friends, Xiao Chun bid farewell to the past in her own way, embracing a new life. No matter how life treats you, face it bravely, a little self-deprecation won’t hurt.