Paige Chua’s language of love

SINGAPORE — Deep down, Paige Chua is a bit of a softie.

In the upcoming Channel 8 drama Beyond Words, the 34-year-old plays the part of a conflicted mistress (opposite Terence Cao). But she defended her character, saying: “She isn’t a vain person — through this role I got to understand what third parties go through and why they make the choices they do.”

The actress said that while selecting the roles, the drama’s producer was more worried than she was, and feared she couldn’t accept the character. “(But) as long as there are no intimate scenes or anything (rated) R21, it’s fine,” Paige said.

At the press conference for Beyond Words, Chua let us in on what she is really like when she is with her boyfriend of 12 years. Hint: She is definitely not cool and aloof with him.

Q: How do you romance your partner?

A: I’ll say “I love you” in a direct manner; it doesn’t have to be very elaborate. When I’m in love, I’m a sweet, affectionate person, and I say “I love you.”

Q: If you are to declare your love in the most imaginative way you can, what will you do?

A: Book an around-the-world trip and tell him: “This is a journey of love, and I’ll love you all 365 days.” If there isn’t enough money, we’ll go backpacking instead.

Q: After you return from an overseas work trip, what is the first thing you do when you see your partner?

A: If we don’t get to meet (first), it’s enough to send a text message or a smiley. Then when we do meet, we’ll usually hug first.

Q: If your partner makes you angry, what must he do to cheer you up?

A: When I’m angry, I don’t talk, and he has to give me space and let me calm down. It would be best if he served my favourite spaghetti bolognese after I cool off — that would bring the argument to an end! (laughs)

Q: How long does it take for you to cool off then?

A: It depends on how serious the matter is. Perhaps a day? It has never gotten so bad that I had to leave the house or the country. Our quarrels usually don’t drag on to the next day, or I wouldn’t be able to sleep.

Q: Would you make the first move to resolve the disagreement?

A: It doesn’t always have to be the guy who makes the first move, and sometimes I’ll text him first and ask, “Can we talk?”

Q: What’s one thing you’ve done for your partner that you still find unbelievable?

A: I’m particular about my privacy and I dislike having others go through my belongings. One ex-boyfriend thought my wallet was too heavy and he cleared it out, throwing out name cards I no longer needed and other items I had completely forgotten about. The wallet ended up losing a lot of weight. This isn’t something I would normally allow but it’s only when I love someone deeply that I would let him manage my belongings.

Q: If you could describe you or your partner as a superhero, who would it be?

A: I like Iron Man, so I hope my partner is just as humourous. Personally, I’m fond of Jean Grey from The X-Men, but I don’t know if Iron Man and Jean Grey would make a good match! TOGGLE.SG

This story was translated by Zara Zhuang, and first appeared in http://www.toggle.sg/en/