Things I Only Understand in Middle Age:

1. After marriage, if the opposite sex invites you to sit at their house, no matter how good the relationship, do not go.

2. Without passive income, you will work until age 80.

3. One person doesn’t drink alcohol, two people don’t play cards, three people don’t go to nightclubs.

4. Do not engage in one-night stands, or you will lose your job.

5. Buying a used Mercedes-Benz is better than buying a new car worth tens of thousands; it makes going out easier!

6. People who smile on the surface but are not genuinely happy should be decisively kept at a distance.

7. Do not respond to negative energy; responding will entangle you, and entanglement will drain you.

8. When dining together, do not sit with the company’s procurement or finance staff.

9. Laziness at 20 will have to be repaid at 60.

10. In the adult world, behind every relationship are interests. What leaves you is not betrayal of feelings but the dissipation of interests.

11. When drunk, stay away from the opposite sex; what happens afterward is entirely a matter of their words.

12. When looking for a partner, you should consider their parents, siblings, and friends—both men and women.

13. Children’s issues should be handled by the children themselves; even if your child suffers a small loss, do not intervene. Once adults get involved, problems escalate.

14. If you send something to someone and they don’t reply within 24 hours, do not chase repeatedly; no reply means rejection.

15. Love at first sight is romantic, but not necessarily lasting. Love that develops over time is rare but harder to break apart.

16. Do not easily act as a matchmaker for others; the closer the relationship, the more cautious you should be.

17. Those who make you wait too long will ultimately not choose you.

18. Never provoke someone who has more free time than you.

19. Interpersonal relationships are just a performance; don’t get too involved.

20. Do not fear losing; what you lose was never truly yours.

21. Your efforts contain the stability of your parents in their old age and the confidence of your children’s future.

22. Never look down on others; otherwise, you will surely fail miserably.

23. People who care too much about others’ opinions often achieve nothing.

24. Most people prioritize profit; once their status changes, their relationships and attitudes change as well.

25. Remember, liking is temporary and useless. Money, studies, future, and talent are what truly matter forever.

26. Think from the perspective of interests, and you will become smarter. Think from the perspective of emotions, and you will become dumber.

27. Those who know how to show weakness are wise; they are also strong.