Deng believes that a minor separation may actually benefit the relationship, because they have been together for almost 10 years.
She says that one unexpected result of their temporary separation is that she is performing better at work, as she has thrown herself into her job.
The downside is that she misses her husband, especially when she hits a snag and needs to discuss her problems with him. She also worries about his health, because he is not used to taking care of himself.
"It is a price we must pay for better career development and our relationship," Deng says.
Experts say that the price may be higher than they think.
Married couples should stay together and being apart wreaks havoc, say the experts, who add that if issues are ignored they often get worse with time.
"I think the 'weekend couple' is against human nature," says Han Xueqing, director of the Clinical Psychology Department at Beijing Tongren Hospital.
Human beings are constantly in pursuit of security and safety most of their lives, he says, and spouses may feel insecure or feel that their marriage is threatened if they are apart most of the time.
In a society that is now morally wide open and full of pressure and temptations, constant separation will harm the chemistry between spouses. The old adage that absence makes the heart grow fonder is not always true, and being away from each other may slowly kill the intimacy of marriage, Han says.
"Marriage needs maintenance. It is very important for weekend couples to have effective communication and mutual trust."
Wu Can, 35, a marketing manager with a Fortune 500 international company in Shanghai, could not agree more. He knows it takes really hard work to keep a long distance relationship working.
Landmark building should respect the public's feeling
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