中国社会的离婚率逐年提升，调查显示“不忠”是婚姻的头号杀手。然而现实版的“婚外恋”不止是三个人的感情纠缠，还加入了一支以劝退第三者为生的职业团队。
《廊桥遗梦》（The Bridge of Madison County）作者沃勒（Robert James Waller）于3月10日去世，享年77岁。
沃勒花11天完成的《廊桥遗梦》讲述了一段为期4天的罗曼史。《国家地理》杂志的摄影记者Robert Kincaid与家庭主妇Francesca Johnson的一见钟情与婚外恋虽然招致了评论者的诟病，却俘获了广大读者的心。这部小说连续三年占据《纽约时报》畅销书榜榜首，1995年翻拍的同名电影的票房也高达1.82亿美元。
资中筠先生是《廊桥遗梦》的中文初版的译者，她认为在家庭伦理之外，书中表达的另一层思想是对现代市场经济社会的逆反。她说，“男主人公罗伯特·金凯就是这一逆反的化身。他的一切言论、行为都是竭力挣脱市场化了的世俗的枷锁，追求归真返璞……作者调动了一切想象力塑造出这样一个‘最后的牛仔’，与这高度组织化的市场社会格格不入，处处要反其道而行，包括对爱情”。
然而，今天的婚姻故事已经脱离了浪漫主义的叙事，设想一下，当婚外恋落入现代市场经济社会，还加入了职业团队解决婚姻问题，此时的故事会如何发展？
《经济学人》杂志持续关注了中国离婚率提高的问题：
Surveys suggest that infidelity is the “number one marriage killer”.
调查显示，不忠是“婚姻的头号杀手”。
In many respects growing infidelity is a predictable consequence of economic development.People are increasingly willing to put their own desires above familial obligations or reputation.Improved education and living standards mean they have more financial freedom to do so.Most Chinese couples previously had few chances to meet members of the opposite sex in social situations after marriage, but migration means that many couples live apart.Even if they live together, the pool of temptation has grown larger and easier to dip into, thanks partly to social media.
从各种方面来看，与日俱增的不忠行为是经济发展可以想见的结果。人们越来越乐于将个人的欲望置于家庭责任或声誉之上。教育水平的提升、生活标准的提高都赋予了他们更大的经济自由去这么做。从前，大多数中国夫妻很少有机会在婚后还与异性社交，而现在，人口流动使许多夫妻分居两地。即使俩人生活在一起，日积月累的诱惑有了社交媒体后也更容易引人上钩。
然而，婚外恋不一定以离婚收场，还能够催生以维持婚姻为目的的产业——“小三劝退师”。这些公司在摇摇欲坠的婚姻关系中发现了商机。
据《纽约时报》报道：
One response to marital infidelity is divorce.But divorce can be costly, especially for women.Aside from the social stigma that falls more heavily on women, family property and finances in China tend to be registered in the husband's name.A divorced woman can find herself homeless, adding to the pressure of taking measures to save the marriage.
离婚是婚内出轨的一种结果。但是离婚付出的代价过于高昂，这点针对女性尤甚。因为除了要承受接踵而来的社会非议，家庭财产还通常归在丈夫名下。一个离婚的女人可能会无家可归，这种压力也会驱使她们采取措施挽留婚姻。
Mistress-dispelling services, increasingly common in China's larger cities, specialize in ending affairs between married men and their extramarital lovers.
“小三劝退”业务在中国的大城市中越来越普遍，专用于结束已婚男人与婚外情人的关系。
The services are not cheap.Mr.Kang charges a base fee of 300,000 renminbi, about $45,000, but he said that costs can mount if counselors need to rent expensive apartments or cars to endear themselves to the mistresses.Clients usually pay half the fee in advance and the balance once the case is successfully concluded.Mr.Kang said the balance is waived if the mistress is not dispelled.
而这种服务并不便宜。（从事该行业的）康先生的最低收费是30万人民币，约4万5千美金。他还说，如果顾问需要租用昂贵的公寓或者汽车来接近那位情妇的话，收费还得往上涨。客户通常先支付一半费用，事成之后再结清余额。康先生说，如果情妇未被劝离，那么余额就无需支付。
“沃勒”
《洛杉矶时报》提及了“小三劝退”服务中存在的问题：
Part detective, part confidant, they specialize in sabotaging extramarital relationships by steering lovers away from cheating spouses.They're known as mistress hunters, affairs doctors or splitting specialists—an antidote to the rising divorce rate and loosening morals.
一边走侦探路线，一边走知己路线，这些公司专职破坏婚外情，其工作就是将情妇从出轨的男人身边带离。他们是所谓的“情妇猎手”、婚外情医生或称分离专家——也是离婚率提升与道德基础松动的一剂解药。
Some also skirt ethical and legal lines, vilifying women and resorting to subterfuge as sneaky as the people they hunt.
一些公司也打道德与法律的擦边球，他们会中伤情妇，诉诸手段的狡猾程度也同那些情妇半斤八两。
《廊桥遗梦》中有一句经典台词是：曾经的梦是如此美妙，虽然美梦未能成真，梦过已经足够（The old dreams were good dreams; they didn't work out but I'm glad I had them）。可能有了罗曼史的慰藉，现实才不至于太过令人失望吧。
词汇总结
infidelity[ɪnfɪ'delɪtɪ]
n.无宗教信仰；背信；（夫妻间的）不忠实；（翻译或临摹的）不准确；失真
Surveys suggest that infidelity is the “number one marriage killer”.
调查显示，不忠是“婚姻的头号杀手”。
temptation[tem（p）'teɪʃ（ə）n]
n.引诱；诱惑物
Even if they live together, the pool of temptation has grown larger and easier to dip into, thanks partly to social media.
即使俩人生活在一起，日积月累的诱惑有了社交媒体后也更容易引人上钩。
waived[wev]
adj.被遗弃的；被抑制的；推迟的
Mr.Kang said the balance is waived if the mistress is not dispelled.
康先生说，如果情妇未被劝离，那么余额就无需支付。
sabotage['sæbətɑːʒ]
v.妨害；对…采取破坏行动
Part detective, part confidant, they specialize in sabotaging extramarital relationships by steering lovers away from cheating spouses.
一边走侦探路线，一边走知己路线，这些公司专职破坏婚外情，其工作就是将情妇从出轨的男人身边带离。
vilify['vɪlɪfaɪ]
v.诽谤；中伤；轻视；贬低
Some also skirt ethical and legal lines, vilifying women and resorting to subterfuge as sneaky as the people they hunt.
一些公司也打道德与法律的擦边球，他们会中伤情妇，诉诸手段的狡猾程度也同那些情妇半斤八两。
