216 The Apology (14)

"I don't quite know the history behind it but from how I see it, the word means the coming together of two individual 'happiness' [1]. Two individuals, two families coming together to create something joyful," Xiu Ling explained.

Joann imagined the chinese characters in her mind and she nodded after giving it some thought, "You have a point."

"This suggests that marriage is a partnership," Xiu Ling continued. "Each party has to contribute to the marriage to ensure that joy is maintained. One cannot exist without the other in the marriage.

"I know this might sound like a cliche but marriage needs work. If only one party is contributing, then the joy formed would be one-sided. You need two individual happiness [1] to join together to create the word, joy [2]."

Xiu Ling hoped Joann understood what she was trying to express.

She continued, "And if you notice, both happiness was written in the same way, they're a perfect reflection of each other in the word, joy. This means that both party have to work equally as hard so they can reap the same amount of joy from the marriage. If only one party is putting in the effort and both parties are consuming the joy in the marriage, it's understandable that someone will eventually feel hollowed-up. They're doing the work of two person even though they're just one. And we have to ask, when happiness gets spread too thin, is it still happiness? Marriage is not only a task but it is also an equilibrium."

Xiu Ling was done giving her advice. Joann took a sip of her drink and seemed to ruminate on what her best friend had said.

"Xiu Ling, thank you for your advice. You've given me plenty to think about. I will consider what you've said when I make my decision. You've been a wonderful help," Joann said.

"I'm glad that I'm able to help somehow. Know that no matter the decision that you made, I will support you."

Joann nodded. She remembered her mother-in-law saying something similar to her not that long ago. Even though the affair was a regrettable event, Joann could not say she regret finding out about it. For one, it helped her realize how fortunate she was to be blessed with such good and supportive friends and family; for another, she was given a whack in the head about the problem in her marriage. She was being too complacent before this much needed wake-up call. It felt like her eyes had been opened.

It was as Auntie Xiu had said, she would need to fight if this was something worthwhile. However, the problem was Joann was not quite sure whether this was something worth fighting for or not. Thankfully, she had something planned that would help her find that out.

...

The camera was rolling and both Xu Jing as well as Joann were ushered into the scene by the director. They were at the set for a reality tv show called, "The Call of Joy."

After meeting with Xiu Ling that afternoon at the cafe, Joann returned home and finally requested to talk to her husband. Xu Jing who had been waiting for this moment could not have been happier when he heard that news.

On the one hand, he worried that this meant Joann was going to break the news of the divorce to him in person but ultimately he was glad that she had forgiven himself enough to communicate with him in person. Even if it might end up in a break-up, at least he was given his chance to explain his side of the situation.

Furthermore, Xu Jing believed they would be able to overcome this hurdle and an open channel of communication was a good start. He realized he had not apologized to Joann in person for what he did so that the first thing he did when he was allowed back into their bedroom.

Before he could get down on his knees, Joann stopped him. She said she was not yet ready to forgive him so he could spare all the theatrics. This made Xu Jing's heart drop.

Then, Joann dropped a stack of document on the bed. "I'm willing to give us a chance... provided that you agree to appear on this show."

Xu Jing picked up the document with a frown. He could not understand the relationship between earning his forgiveness and appearing on a television show but to salvage his marriage, he was willing to give anything and everything a try.

He read through the document and realized it was a contract for a 13-episode mini series called "The Call of Joy". It was going to be a reality tv cum documentary, recording the everyday life of him with his wife.

The theme of the series was based on a similar concept from a series called "Happiness Trio" that was popular a while back. The series featured three pairs of celebrity couple. However for the couples, one half of them wasn't a real celebrity, instead they gained their celebrity status because they were married to one. While they were successful in their own right, the only way the audience knew about them was through their celebrity other half. This meant that there was a sense of mystery to them.

The couples were shuttled away from their everyday life to a secluded village with all the necessary amenities for a comfortable lifestyle. The point was for them to get away from the hustle and bustle of the everyday life and enjoyed the time with nothing but the accompaniment of their loved ones.

The series was a runaway hit. For one, it featured not drama but sweet moments between the couples that normally hid away from the public eye. It satisfied the need for public voyeurism and as an added bonus, it made the viewers feel warm inside.

After the series ended, the station had been trying to recapture that magic but they couldn't find the perfect casting.