Hello, question asker! I'm Jiang 61, and I'm here to help!
First of all, thank you so much for trusting us enough to tell us your problems and get answers. You ask, "Blind date, complex emotions, what should I choose?"
"He wants to talk with you about your problems."
1. Introduction
1. Boyfriend
Oh, the first one!
You said, "Here's the thing: I'm a contract nurse who has been working in a small city for a year. I matched with a guy named Du on a dating app, and he's a teacher in a township five years older than me. We didn't meet in person, but we talked on the phone. At the time, I had quite a good impression of him, and he would actively share things about himself with me. For a while, I was busy at work and didn't talk to him much. He got to know a new female teacher at his township unit and started pursuing her. At that time, when I tried to talk to him again, he said he had already told the new teacher that he had a girlfriend (which was a clear rejection of me, I guess). I didn't bother him after that. At the time, I felt quite sorry about it. I didn't ask him to meet up or talk more, so I just let it go. When you meet a friend, he should be in the sweet period of a relationship for most of the year."
You are a nurse on a contract, and your first boyfriend is Du, a wonderful teacher at the town's primary school with a permanent position. The two met on the phone, and you instantly liked Du.
Du also likes to share his things!
Because of your busy work schedule, you hadn't been able to get in touch with Du for a while. When you finally did, you found out that he'd already started courting the new female teacher in town. You felt a bit sorry for him, but you didn't want to bother him again.
The second
You said, "In the meantime, I had a blind date, and I was matched with a 4-year-older teacher from a rural school. We both took the initiative to chat at first, but then he gradually started messaging me as well. We only met once, and I treated him to dinner on the first date. He treated me to a game of claw machines. We didn't reveal our true feelings to each other, but I had a feeling that he had a crush on me. We were just chatting like two friends, but there was definitely something going on."
You started a second relationship with Xiaohui, who is also a teacher in a rural school and comes from a good family. You were more proactive and invited him to dinner on the first date!
You two get along great! You haven't yet told each other how you feel, but you have this feeling that the other person has feelings for you. You chat like good friends, full of love and affection.
3⃣️, hesitate
It's okay to feel unsure.
You know, Du chased after his gorgeous female teacher for most of this year. He also made her public in his circle of friends. She is so lovely! I was a little bummed inside, a little sad that it wasn't me. And I also met a new guy, Xiaohui, during this year. But then something happened that I didn't expect, and I felt so many emotions! A while ago, I messaged Du on WeChat, teasing him about when he would hold his wedding banquet and inviting me, saying that I had also met a new teacher. He said that I was doing well now and that he had broken up with her. I was so surprised! I thought he was almost married. After all that time, he told me that her parents didn't approve, that the woman was from a big city and had come here to take the exam and was in the same unit as Du. During the New Year, they came to the man's family home in the countryside to see the environment, and they hadn't bought a house in the city, so they finally broke up. At the time, I felt quite mixed up, not knowing whether I should be happy or sad. I was happy that I still had a chance. I still had feelings for him, but I also had mutual feelings for Xiaohui. I didn't know how to choose, and I was at a loss!
Oh no! Du has posted a photo of his girlfriend on his social media, and after looking at it, you feel bad because it's not you. You feel like you've missed a good opportunity. Later, you get in touch with Du again and find out that Du's girlfriend's parents don't like Du's family because they're from the countryside and don't own a house in the city, and they don't approve of their relationship, so they broke up.
At this time, your heart is filled with mixed emotions and you are sad because you already have Xiaohui and you have feelings for each other. It's totally normal to feel this way! You might be feeling a bit unsure about what to do next.
It's so easy to fall into the trap of comparison, isn't it?
You said, "Another thing is that I may also be more concerned about my parents' feelings. My mother has always hoped that I will find a job in a state-owned enterprise. They are all teachers in a township school. In terms of conditions, Xiaohui may be better. He has a house in the city but no car. Xiaodu has not bought a house, but he has a small car in the countryside. So I'm confused. I'm very complex inside and don't know what to choose (Xiaodu's teacher broke up with him, but when I talk to him, he is still concerned about me and is proactive. If we get back together again, it's possible, I guess). In my opinion, since I have known him for a longer period of time, Xiaodu's teacher will feel more secure. His way of getting along will be open and proactive, while Xiaohui's teacher will be like an ordinary friend, without any clear hints. But we have only just got along for two months, and although we have just developed feelings for each other, I don't know how to express it because I don't know how to express it."
You're in a tricky spot, just like Du's girlfriend! You're also trying to take your parents' opinions into account. So you started comparing Du and Hui in every way, from family conditions, appearance, and income to conversation and feelings.
You feel that although Xiaodu's financial situation is not very good, you feel very secure with him. He's also very transparent, open, and proactive, which you really appreciate. On the other hand, you have been with Xiaohui for a short time, and your parents hope that you will choose the person with the best financial situation. You have feelings for each other, and the key is that you are talking about it now, which is great!
So, you're feeling a little unsure about what to do next, which is totally normal!
3⃣️, Question
You said, "My parents want me to find someone with good conditions, and they may be more inclined to choose Xiaohui's family background. Although I haven't told my parents, I have tried it out, and I feel so conflicted inside. What should I do?"
? Test
Regarding marriage, you've talked to your parents about it, as you did before, and they'd love to find someone with good conditions. It's clear that Xiaohui is a great choice, but you really value the feeling of getting along with Xiaodu.
Question
You're feeling pretty torn right now. Should you follow your heart and go for Du, or should you listen to your parents and continue with Hui?
2. Reasons for hesitation
1⃣️, Attitude towards marriage
Let's talk about your outlook on marriage!
Your view on marriage is a basic understanding and attitude towards marriage issues. It's also one of the components of your life outlook! A correct view on marriage emphasizes that marriage must be based on love and adhere to the principle of the voluntary consent of the parties.
The wonderful thing about marriage is that it's all about love. When two people are married, it's a moral bond that's built on a deep mutual understanding, a common ideological foundation, mutual respect, and a mutual attraction. It's a beautiful thing to see two people become husband and wife and form a family together!
It's totally understandable to feel hesitant about marriage. After all, it's a big decision! And it's natural to have different views on what marriage should be. Some people might prioritize money, social status, or power. Others might feel pressured by their parents to get married. Whatever the reason, it's important to remember that marriage is about love and mutual respect.
It seems like there's still a bit of a misunderstanding.
From what the questioner has shared, it seems that their understanding of marriage is a little bit skewed. It's not just about love, and it's not the person you feel in your heart. It's a mix of what your parents think and feel. It's totally normal to feel a bit reluctant, and that can make it hard to decide.
2. Sense of boundaries
It's so important to have a sense of boundaries!
Having a sense of boundaries is all about understanding that everyone is an independent person in their own right. It's about knowing where your responsibilities end and someone else's begin. It's about protecting your personal space while also respecting the space of others.
It's so hard to know where the boundaries lie when they're not clear!
It's clear that the questioner and his family don't have a complete understanding of boundaries, especially when it comes to marriage. But, at the end of the day, it's the questioner's own business, and he should be the one to decide what's best for him.
It's totally normal to take care of other people's thoughts, especially your parents'. When you're not sure about boundaries, it's natural to feel a bit stuck.
3⃣️ Dilemma of choice
It can be tough to choose!
You know, choice phobia is also called choice difficulty. And it's pretty easy to see why. It's usually because people lack self-confidence and they're afraid of taking responsibility. They crave independence, but they're afraid of failure.
Extrapolating responsibility
The questioner is feeling a bit indecisive and is actually caught in choice anxiety. It's totally understandable! Because the questioner is not confident, he dares not take responsibility for his marriage. He says he respects his parents, but in reality he is passing the buck to them.
3. What can I do to help?
1⃣️, a correct understanding of marriage
It's so important to have a correct understanding of marriage.
First of all, it's so important to understand that marriage is a beautiful thing between two people, based on love. The two of you should have a deep mutual understanding, a common ideological foundation, mutual respect, be attracted to each other, and be willing to marry and start a family.
That suits us just fine!
We all know that marriage is our own business, so it's really important for us to be clear about what kind of marriage we want, what it is based on, and what kind of person is more suitable for us.
2⃣️, clear boundaries
It's so important to have clear boundaries!
It's so important to be responsible for ourselves! That means we need to be clear about our boundaries, know what's our business and what's not, and not need to listen to other people's opinions.
Choose!
Once we've got our boundaries in place and know what kind of marriage we're looking for, we can make choices that are right for us, even if others have different ideas.
3⃣️, build self-confidence
It's so important to build self-confidence!
It's totally normal to feel afraid when it comes to making big decisions. We all worry about making the wrong choice, or even failing. It's only natural to have doubts about ourselves. But here's the thing: when we try to do what we think is right, and focus on what we can do, we build confidence. And with confidence, we can take control of our destiny.
Just be yourself!
We get to know ourselves again, understand ourselves, know our strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages, areas of expertise, character traits, and boldly try, not afraid of failure, being ourselves. It's only in this way that we can take control of our own destiny.
Questioner, marriage is about your future. It's so important to get a good understanding of what marriage means to you, to know yourself, to build your self-confidence, and to set clear boundaries. That way, you can make sure you're getting the marriage that is right for you.
I just want to wish the original poster a happy life!
Comments
Life can be so unpredictable sometimes. Hearing that Xiaodu broke up with his girlfriend, I felt a mix of emotions. Part of me is glad because it seems like there's another chance for us, but then I think about Xiaohui and how much I've started to care for him too.
It's always tough when you have feelings for two people. I wonder if maybe I should just follow my heart and see where it leads. It's not easy, especially when considering what my parents would want for me. Xiaodu and I had a good connection before, and he seems to still care for me, which makes the decision even harder.
I feel like I need some time to think things through. Both Xiaodu and Xiaohui are great in their own ways, and I don't want to rush into anything without being sure. Maybe taking a step back and reflecting on what truly matters to me could help clarify things.
In situations like this, I often wonder what others would do. On one hand, Xiaodu has shown interest and has history with me; on the other hand, Xiaohui is new but also promising. It's difficult to decide who might be better suited for me longterm.
The timing of all this is strange. Just when I thought Xiaodu was out of reach, he's single again. Meanwhile, I've developed a relationship with Xiaohui. I'm torn between revisiting the past with someone familiar or exploring the future with someone new.