There is such a saying in the U.S., “Behind every successful man, there is a capable woman.” This wisdom can be explained in Chinese sayings in a more straightforward way.
People in China used to call “hula” （忽悠）someone (Flattering in non-sincere ways that can cause hallucinations in someone’s mind) as “Patting a horse’s butt” （拍马屁）. Yet every once a while, they may accidentally reach to a true tiger’s butt instead. Another Chinese saying of “Never touch a tiger’s butt” (老虎的屁股摸不得）is self-explanatory. However even the tiger may start getting the hula-fever after a while because he simply needs doze off under all the hula noises. However what others may not know is that he may have a smart and tough tigress on ultra alert at that time, who will simply kick his butt to alert him.
The same wisdom apples vice versa in gender.