"Mum, can you tell me a little about you and dad's relationship, why does he always hit you when you two argue?"

Lady Chen sighed and began to speak.

​​

"The physical abuse is both our faults. Sometimes, when we don't agree with certain things, we start to argue and give each other our points. I am someone that doesn't like being controlled by other people, including your father. So when I feel like he is trying to cage me, I start arguing with him, and because of my stubbornness, I tend to talk to him without respect. And him being hot-tempered, could not tolerate it, and will end up hitting me."

What Lady Chen said is the absolute truth. Both of them (Lady Chen and Chen K) are at fault.

One had anger issues, why the other one doesn't like being controlled by others.

One thing about Chen K is that he is too possessive of everything that belongs to him.

He was the reason Lady Chen quit her acting career. When they were dating, he didn't mention anything he didn't like to Chen Ju Ju, and for her to stop doing them. So that was one of their problems.

Imagine after getting married, then your partner tells you to quit your job because he didn't like it, and he didn't tell you about it before you two got married. No woman would take it likely.

So that was what happened with Lady Chen's marriage. She got into a lot of serious arguments with her husband back then, till she quit her acting career.

What was the reason Chen K asked her to quit her job?

It's because he didn't want to see his woman getting intimate with another man.

There were so many other reasons for their arguments, and another one is this.

Chen K liked to pick the outfits for Lady Chen whenever he was around. He does not even care about what Lady Chen actually wanted, so he was always imposing his choices on her, which was very wrong.

And because Lady Chen was stubborn and wanted things her own way, they got into an argument. When she saw that her words couldn't get him to change his mind, she decided to spew some annoying words, thereby provoking him.

The thing here is that, if Lady Chen never said some provoking words to him, Chen K would never lay his hands on her. But if Lady Chen continued to allow him to have his way all the time, her whole life would be controlled, and she might never have her freedom ever again.

When Chen Lihua heard all these, she was speechless for a while.

"Mum, I can't believe that the matter between you and Dad was this simple. I don't even know whom to support any more. I used to hate him so much because he was a woman beater, imagine hitting you sometimes in my presence, or absence, I don't like and support it in any way. Is it now you that it's so strong-headed and always asking for a beat? I don't even know what to say to you."

Chen Lihua was indeed confused. She hated men that beat their wives, even their hitting their sisters and mothers, so her dad wasn't an exception. But what can she say about wives that do not respect their husbands? She didn't support that as well.

As for her dad hitting his sister, Aunt Lin, she doesn't even care or feels terrible about it.

In fact, she felt that Aunt Lin deserved the hits she got from her dad because she (Aunt Lin) is a trouble maker. She was always going about, causing trouble.

She wondered if she had any other talent apart from causing trouble.

Sometimes, she too wants to hit, but there's no way she would hit her family elder, so she just let her be.

At least with this new understanding today, the hatred Chen Lihua had for her father reduced a bit.

Sometimes, her mother would annoy her that she wouldn't know how to retaliate, and she had seen her mother argue with some people on some occasions. Therefore she knew her mother's words were really provoking.

She remembered once witnessing a woman splashed a glass of water on her mother after getting into an argument with her at a restaurant. She had happened to see that because she went to the restaurant with her mother back then.

"Lihua dear, don't hate your father anymore. We were both at fault for whatever happened back then," Lady Chen said. And after not hearing any response, she continued.

"You have to forgive your dad. He was coming to the states to apologize to you and bond with you a little when that accident happened." Lady Chen revealed.

Chen Lihua almost became teary when she learned the truth. So she forced herself to stay calm.

She thought, 'So I caused his death?'

Lady Chen seemed to have seen through what she thought, so she said immediately, "Hua'er, don't think too much about what I just said, you didn't cause his death. I just want you to forgive him, and allow all the bitterness you have in your heart for him to wash away. In a few hours, you would be standing at the altar, so I want you to stand at the altar without any resentment for him in your heart."

Chen Lihua was sniffing by now, but she managed to hum, "Mmmmm."

"Sweetheart, don't cry. But does it mean that you have forgiven him?" Lady Chen's eyes shone brightly as she asked while trying to hide the little excitement in her voice.

"Not really, but I don't hate him like that anymore. But it doesn't mean that I won't vent some of my anger on him if the opportunity was still there." Chen Lihua said.

"Ok. With what you just said, does it mean that if your father was alive, you would allow him to walk you down the aisle?" Lady Chen asked as she stood up from the sofa and began to walk around nervously.

"Why the sudden question?" Chen Lihua asked in confusion, without sensing anything amiss.

"Just answer the question," Lady Chen retorted impatiently.

Chen Lihua pulled her phone away from her ear to view the caller ID. And when she confirmed it, she placed the phone back on her left ear, before giving a vague reply, "Maybe."

"That's good!" Lady Chen almost shouted excitedly.

"Don't forget to call Longwei and apologize to him. I've got so many things to do, see you tomorrow, bye," Lady Chen said and terminated the call without waiting for another response from Chen Lihua.

"Mom....," was the last thing Chen Lihua managed to say before the call ended