Human beings have both a game-playing instinct and an empathy system. The quality of a relationship depends on which system is activated more: when interactions are consistently dominated by probing, control, and cost-benefit calculations, the relationship slides toward a game structure; when interactions are more grounded in understanding, responsiveness, and emotional resonance, the empathy system takes the lead, and the relationship can become stable and resilient. Therefore, the key is not who is stronger or more yielding, but whether the two parties, in their long-term interactions, are reinforcing each other's defense mechanisms or reinforcing each other's trust mechanisms.