PATRICK: Deborah said herself she's a person desperate to marry. It wasn't even a year into our marriage and she already asked me if I wanted children. I said yeah and she really went to do it. She asked me whether if I liked a boy or a girl, she had so many theories: "If you like a boy, then in the two weeks prior to my period, meaning the safe weeks, we have to eat oysters and a piece of steak every day!" I really did eat those oysters and steak for two weeks straight until she had her period. She said it was the time of ovulation, then at the early hours of 6am, Deborah woke me up and told me to "get to work" (make a baby)! After 'work', then get back to sleep. On the next morning, she woke me up for 'work' again at 6am! Then on the third day, we went to 'work' again. I said: "Enough, enough, we hit the target!" Are you crazy? Asking me to 'work' every day? We can't be [making love] for three days straight, we're humans!
Eat Veggies, Stop the Meat, Gets Jennifer instantly
The house we lived in before was amazing, it was at Sheung Sze Wan. The house had a garden and an ocean view. Our room was facing the ocean, very romantic. That was the place where we made Nicholas. My children (Nicholas/Jennifer) really were intentionally made, so I have always pointed at my son and said: "You are made by me intentionally! You were not happily made by your mother and I!" This way he can cherish life a little more. The same for Jennifer, one day Deborah said to me: "Aiya, it's ovulation time, let's make a girl." What secret does Deborah have? She said we have to eat more vegetables, and didn't allow me to eat meat for two weeks. Well unexpectedly we hit the target again (got pregnant). But, one time at The Peninsula hotel we bumped into teacher Hui Pui, he saw us from behind and then patted Deborah's back and said "Deborah!". Just like that, without a sound, the baby was gone. The baby fell out (miscarriage)! At the time, she was pregnant for about two months. I wasn't unhappy, should I have gone and smack teacher Hui Pui for that? It was only later that we had Jennifer. Accidents is life, the Heaven just wants to give you a boy and a girl.
Two Children is Enough, Tubes Tied
Two is enough, I always say I have strong decision making skills, when Jennifer was 6 or 7, I got mines cut (tubes tied). Actually it's a very simple surgery, very different from women. I attach heavy importance to family, if we have a few more children, raising them isn't a problem, but it is educating them that is difficult. Having a boy and a girl is enough! That's how we know to cherish life. I went to get my tubes tied alone, Deborah didn't know. Luckily I got them tied, otherwise if there are more children popping out, we won't even know who they belong to, haha. Nicholas is a boy, so I believe he resembles me, but Jennifer's facial appearance looks a lot like me. We all have the "Tse Family Nose", that's our symbol.
Open-Minded Father, No Generation Gaps Whatsoever
My children and I don't have any generation gaps. Ever since childhood, to when they became adults, whatever they played with, I played along. My greatest achievement is I don't put up the Father attitude. Many people says a few words to their son and then starts putting up the Father attitude. I'm smart, Nicholas is stupid. He puts up the black face, while Cecilia [Cheung] has the white face. Nicholas is very strict with his children. As for Cecilia, I think it's hard to find such a young and famous person. Once they got married, they had two kids without a sound, otherwise how would I have grandchildren?
Land of the Free, Don't Stick to Children
Nicholas is extremely good-nature and filial, so I don't blame him for not being too close to me. I can live without seeing for several months or even call him. Sometimes when he gets back to HK and calls me to tell me he's going out with friends, I'll be really happy and understand him. Shooting movies is hard work, don't always stick to Daddy, you know? I'm very open. They give me a call once and a while for dinner and to see me, but so what? Will I not remember how they look like if I don't see them? I have my own life. When they have time and invite me out for dinner, I say no, I already got plans to play mahjong with friends. Sometimes they have a group of 20 or 30 people and ask me to go too.
The Reason for the Divorce
Back then when I divorced Deborah, our children had the same reaction because they always saw us quarreling. Deborah asked them: "Hey, would it be good for your father and I to get back together?", They said: "No way right?" It's really hard to get along when personality differs, always arguing. We started arguing after age 50, perhaps because she was menopausal and I was beginning andropause. When our fate ended, our marriage ended too.
Profile
Name: Patrick Tse Yin (Birth Name: Tse Ka Yuk)
Also known as: 'Fourth Brother' (Because he's the fourth son in his family)
Birth Date: August 9, 1936
Debut: Tested into Leng Kwong Acting Training Class. That following year, he switched to Dik Wah company, and did his first film Teddy Boy Corky Chiu (1954). He has worked with several famous actresses at the time and became the Southeast Asian Cantonese Film Siu Sang. He joined TVB in 1979 and had a few representive works like Love and Passion.
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