At the heart of each man sits a teacher who likes to teach women. And because she'd shown timidity, Tuck Heng had encouraged and taught her the rudiments of running a business.
"The world is changing. Those who can't change won't survive. Clinging to tradition will make us lag forever behind the foreign devils. We have to aim high to help others."
How could she disagree with his noble sentiments? Tuck Heng was forward-looking
in some ways and backward-looking in others. Like the fingers of her hand, his
faults and virtues were of different lengths. A wife, if wise and patient, accepted
her husband's hand and did not seek to cut off one of his fingers. Marital
fidelity was not in the nature of man. Marriage was about mutual dependency,
duty, loyalty and devotion.
-- A Bit of Earth (376).
Last Modified: 8 August 2002