Actresses Joke About Marriage, Money and Who Peels the Shrimp

Chen Hsiao-ching says softness works better than force when dealing with her husband. At a press conference for SET TV’s prime-time drama Needle and Thread Fate, she described herself as someone who “uses softness to overcome hardness,” both on screen and at home.

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I use softness to overcome hardness. He cannot do anything against me.

Chen plays the second wife of a character portrayed by Huo Cheng-chi, while Yeh Hua plays the third. Their roles bring plenty of conflict to the drama. Chen said she has used a coquettish approach with her husband, who is 12 years older, since they began dating. She also said she has held the financial authority in the relationship from the beginning.

Asked whether this approach makes it easier to receive gifts, Chen replied, “You don’t need to act cute to get gifts!” She then drew laughter by saying that, even now, she does not know that shrimp have shells. Her parents peeled shrimp for her as she grew up, and her husband continued the practice after they married. She said her daughter has inherited the same tendency to be looked after. Yeh responded that she peels her own shrimp.

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You don’t need to act cute to get gifts!

Yeh plays a forceful and capable second wife, a role that has drawn abuse on social media and in private messages, including insults calling her a “poisonous woman” and a “dead mistress.” She said the comments do not bother her, adding, “If you dare to play it, don’t be afraid.” Yeh said she does not see the character as simply evil, but as someone who clearly knows what she wants. She saves messages praising her acting because they encourage her.

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If you dare to play it, don’t be afraid.

Yeh said she usually dislikes arguing, but can become “crazy” when provoked. She recalled a former boyfriend once angering her so much that she nearly drove into him, although he jumped away and was not injured. She now considers her reaction excessively intense and sees some similarity between that side of herself and the character’s willingness to love and hate fiercely.

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I peel my own shrimp!