The narrator feels that it's better to be "lovey" than "dovey" when it comes to love, and so he invites his wife to come downstairs and "show it in front" of him. He's pretty sure that she's just trying to "hide true love" , and that's why she slaps her husband so hard. The narrator doesn't know what to make of this, but he's sure that her husband's mistress tried to commit suicide eight years ago. He remembers that when parents forced marriages were fragile, the one who was left behind couldn't get them back, no matter what sacrifice they made. Now, though, he still has to go see a doctor because his wife's slapping has left him with a "left ear buzzing" . He can't figure out what's going on, and he wonders if his wife is really a "plotting young girl" who's trying to ensnare her husband.