Fourth party

Author: Xiao Nan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Writing this book was drawn to me by the existence of a new way of romantic relationships in this era that is not solely based on love. Using a recording method to sense their inner thoughts resonates with me, as someone who enjoys seeking emotions—it is meaningful and interesting. The emergence of the "fourth party" is directly related to the current social context. The 16 women interviewed in this book, who are deeply involved in the emotional lives of "fourth parties," mostly do not end up battered and devastated in love, becoming women filled with anger or lament. Instead, they have found a balance in this life and achieved a relatively satisfactory state of life, preserving as much of their love and happiness as possible. This may stem from their independent living capital and certain cultural literacy.
Li Yan, who grew up among boys, is now middle-aged. Under immense professional and family pressures in reality, she treats her childhood friends as "pressure valves." This is because such friends, unlike new acquaintances in today's society, do not require as much reciprocal effort to gain much in return. According to economic definitions, the cost of interaction is relatively low. Li Yan relies on pure love and her new social circle to alleviate stress, but she has become unable to bear the costs in terms of energy, physical strength, and time. Her relationship with Cheng Xiaofeng, both emotionally and sexually, has lost its purity. However, under such life pressures, people of her age can no longer endure more turmoil. The path ahead will certainly not be walked together, and they can only comfort each other in this form for the rest of their lives. Such an outcome cannot be denied as a form of happiness.
Ailin has always hurt herself with the lies of sexual friendship. Her spiritual love beyond marriage often keeps her trapped in the swamp of sex, causing her to suffer inexplicable harm every time she tries to escape. After the ideal of her pure spiritual lover shatters, she finally realizes that loveless sexual friendships do not exist. Sex has destroyed her friendships, but she has always longed to "have sex spiritually" with him, and him, and him. The truth tells Ailin that to preserve her friendship, she should no longer casually sleep with men without love. But will her emotional journey offer a new possibility for current relationships?