Zhang had several opportunities to leave Beijing and met up with Shen, but she did not make it finally. Shen thought that she lost the chance purposely and that she did not love him at all and would not like to live with him any more, though they had been together for so many years. Living under long-term depression, Shen felt mentally broken and could not get the deserved warmth and comfort from his family. The distance of time and space enlarged the gap of their love. Without being understood by his beloved and with his doubt about her, this great writer was pining away day by day.
張兆和有多次離開北平與他團聚的機會，最終都未達成，沈從文認為她是故意錯過的，他開始懷疑，經過了這么多年，張兆和仍然是不愛他的，并且不愿意與他共同生活了。長期的壓抑，使精神處在崩潰邊緣的沈從文無法從家庭中得到應有的溫暖和慰藉。空間和時間令他們感情的裂痕越來越大，所愛之人的不理解以及自己對愛的懷疑，讓這個偉大的作家的眼光一天天黯淡下去。
　　
In 1995, Zhang sorted out her husband’s drafts of works. She confessed her guilty towards her husband in the book named The Following: “I have no idea whether it is a happiness or misfortune for Shen to live with me. I didn’t understand him completely. Later I knew him more, but not until now when I am sorting his compositions have I truly understand his philosophy of life and the burden he had undertaken. I know what I did not know in the past and I understand what I did not in the past. But it is too late! Why didn’t I try to understand him and help me when he was alive? Why did I leave so many conflicts unsolved? It is too late for me to feel regretful now.”
1995年，張兆和整理完沈從文生前的遺稿，在《后記》中深切地懺悔著自己對沈從文的一片深情的辜負———“從文與我相處，這一生，究竟是幸福還是不幸？得不到回答。我不理解他，不完全理解他。后來逐漸有了些理解，但是，真正懂得他的為人，懂得他一生承受的重壓，是在整理編選他遺稿的現在。過去不知道的，現在知道了；過去不明白的，現在明白了……太晚了！為什么在他有生之年，不能發掘他，理解他，從各方面去幫助他，反而有那么多的矛盾得不到解決！悔之晚矣。

Decades of Shen and Zhang’s love and hatred is a valuable lesson that deserves our learning. Love is the only thing in the world that cannot be forced. It is like a balance scale, where if one side give too much and was too heavy, the other side would stand up and feel arrogant. If love has lost balance, why not let her (Zhang) fly to other places in pursuit of her own sky? Holding her tight in hand without letting her go would only result in a failed marriage, a failed love and a tortured life.
沈從文與張兆和幾十年的愛與怨，情與癡，洋洋灑灑地揮就了一部值得現代人借鑒的婚姻圖冊. 愛情是這世上惟一不可以勉強的東西，它就像天平，如果一方付出過多，過于沉重，只能高高地翹起另一端的驕傲。愛既已失衡，不如放手，讓她去發現別處天空的遼闊。緊緊抓在手里，不肯釋懷的結果，便是累及婚姻，錯愛一人，煎熬一生。