Episode 02

Wow, more drama. Quite intense too. Anyway a quick major spoilers' recap.

Before that, as written in Episode 1, Fala is the mute girl. Tavia Yeung the adopted daughter. Raymond Lam the 2nd son. All with Lee. As for Har Yu, he got I suppose Moses the eldest son. Who is the youngest I don't know yet. Linda is the daughter of Michelle. So who is the one more child? I thought Har Yu got 2 children? We will know more in coming episodes. Lee Heung Kam is the mother of Har Yu, who I think has a couple who are relatives staying with them. I am not sure if Michelle has any children with Har Yu. As for Lee, her father who was the one who started the mooncake business stays with her as well as her younger sister, Auntie Sa (Susanna Kwan).

Ok, recap.

We now see Har Yu;s family and his big mansion which is the only mansion we see in TVB series nowadays. Like as if there are no others. So he is now filthy rich, business ran by Michelle, who now sports a severe looking mushroom hair and looking fantastic for her age. Her role in this episode is not much but her presence felt. Linda comes home and everybody seems like one big happy family. Of course it is all a lie. Anyway Linda said in passing "I saw Ah Hou at the pier. He looks so dark now, he is a delivery boy" and she actually said those things in a good natured way but Lee Heung Lam whom I shall call the grandma was boiling.

In the car as she was with that 2 nosy relatives (not sure who they are, must be Har Yu's brother and wife perhaps?) she was so upset and she then burst out saying "How dare that bitch abuse my favourite grandson that way? He should be studying, living in luxury but now he is just a delivery boy! A delivery boy! Oh I am so upset! How dare she!!!" and she made a fuss stopping somewhere.

Meanwhile Lee and her usual customers were having a happy chat. Fala was there and they were laughing happily when suddenly they saw the grandma and 2 nosy relatives walking on. Lee went to her and the grandma wasted no time and said to everybody there "You all be the judge! You be the judge of this wicked woman's actions! How wicked she is? When she could have let my son take care of all the children, where my Ah Hou (Raymond Lam) could have live a life of luxury, when he and everybody else could have gone overseas to study and run the many bigger shops that this dingy one, she refused to let them. What she did? This selfish woman held on to them, making them live in poverty with her! I know she is bad news! I know you're wicked!! My son's death... you caused his death!!" and at this point one of the customer thought Har Yu died but actually when Lee married Har Yu the I think younger brother died and grandma blamed it on Lee for being bad luck I think. Lee stayed quiet but was very upset and so was Fala who was close to tears. Then Grandma continued and called Lee selfish, wicked, evil, a bad mother, and said "Why is it you're not dead? Why is it yesterday there was flooding and you didn't drown in it? Why must you live to cause my family, my son, me so much suffering when you should just help everybody and just die!!" and one customer was so offended she said "Old woman, don't you think you have gone overboard? Your son right? Didn't he left her for another woman? How can you blame everything on her? Go away! You wicked old woman. Shut up and just leave! This is not your shop to simply say such malicious things!" and Lee Heung Kam was forced to leave but she did continue to berate Lee. The customers all said "Wow. What a bad mouth old woman! How can you stand her?" and Lee smiled sadly as if well you just had to. She told Fala to hush, everything is ok and so went back to her work.

At home which was very spacious by the way. Stop for a moment. Clearly Lee is not destitute. Her home is big, comfortable and nice. Obviously the grandma if she loves her grandchildren so much she could have asked her useless bastard son to PAY for their education. Anyway...

We are introduced to nosy Auntie Sa (at this point I am no sure if she is called Auntie Sa yet so I stand corrected but I will just call her Auntie Sa for now) who just returned from.. Portugal I think. They were having dinner when Raymond told Fala that he had successfully got her some job application and asked her to try out. Tavia explained government will subsidise the pay for the first 3 months for disabled employees and thought since she doesn't like working in the shop and is always hopeful for an office work she can try. Lee was surprised to hear this was what she wanted when Auntie Sa rudely interrupted them and said "Girl, take my advice. They will employ you and after the 3 months period is up they will sack you! You will do better staying at the shop!" and everybody was annoyed with her and Fala sign languaged (but we hear her voice narrating her sign language as obviously we the audience wouldn't know what she was signing) "I think I prefer to stay at the shop. I like it there, family is family and I like to stay around my family" but Lee asked "Did you just say that because you want to or because you had to?" and Fala signed she made up her mind although she looked rather crestfallen. Tavia and Raymond were disappointed with her decision.

In the kitchen, the three were having a chat when suddenly Auntie Sa came in and then loudly said "You know, I said what I said in your best interest. I am your elder, my advice is of course true and useful. You certainly made the right choice" and all 3 were busy signing between themselves saying "Did you know she just bought a huge comforter? Do you really think she is planning to stay here? I thought she has her rich husband in Portugal and his chain of supermarkets, why would she want to stay with us poor people? Oh god, she is using all my facial cream now, how? Is she really staying?" and all the time Auntie Sa was smiling and being a busybody was like "Huh? What you're saying? Huh? Huh?" and after a while she suspected something and upset she said "You think I don't know you are all gossiping about me? Huh?" and she ran out and asked her father what a series of sign language meant and the old man wrongly intepreted those hand gestures as saying "no shame, living off us" and she ran back in and angrily said "You rude children! Is this how your mother taught you to treat your elders?!" and she ran out and complained to her father "You promised you won't tell anyone! You promised! How can you! Now they all looked down on me!" and the 3 were puzzled and Lee was like "What on earth are you saying?" and Auntie Sa blurted out "What? You knew and you told the children and pretended not to know? Fine! FINE! Ok, so what?!" and the old man was like "I didn't say anything" and Lee was like "What is going on?" and the old man said "Your sister is now following your footstep. Her husband had an affair and she left him" and everybody was like "What?!" and the 3 children explained they were just talking about a comforter, facial cleanser and Auntie Sa knew she blew her own cover and said "Fine. Yes I left him. He said she was just there to clean the room. But which cleaner would wear just a bra and hide in the cupboard? Oh I left him alright. Before that I dragged that adulteress' hair and slapped her hard. I worked hard with him for the supermarket. Even when he lost everything I was by his side. Look now! Look what he had done to me!!And I won't be as stupid as you sis. I told my daughter she can say goodbye to her heartless father. He will never see her again. He said he has no money but I hired a private investigator. Even if he has only a apri of underwear left, I will want half of that!" and Lee and grandpa said "It's ok. You have us, we are family, even if were to live just porridge we will get through as a family" and Fala good naturedly signed "After all we are one family, we will stay as one" and Auntie Sa thought she was mocking her and everybody repeated what she said and happily she smiled.

Linda decided to pay Lee a visit and came to see her. No one recognised her except for Lee and When Auntie Sa knew who she was she immediately said "Oh that ungrateful bitch's daughter" and of course Linda was feeling rather ashamed and everybody said no need to listen to her. As they sat down Linda updated her on her life and again AUntie Sa said "You know why your mother and stepfather is so busy now that mooncake festival is coming? Because they stole your auntie's business that's why!" and Linda was quite silent, in the end it was an awkward visit. In my view at least Linda made an effort to visit them.

Next scene we see Raymond busy doing tai chi with grandma and he persuaded her grandma "Grandma, why not this mooncake festival all the siblings have dinner with grandpa instead of you? I mean every year on the 15th of the 8th month you have dinner with us and on the 16th wit grandpa. But grandpa is now in his 80s (not sure if he said 80s or 70s) why not just let him have his way for this year? Please grandma..." and grandma said she will think about it.

At home, Michelle told Har Yu "We have an old customer who had our discount coupons but went to that woman's shop instead. She fell down on the way. Why don't you ask her to change her shop's name to make life easier for everybody?" and Har Yu said "But it is her shop, we have shared the name for so long, I think there shouldn't be any problem" but the nosy relatives said "But we are big companies. We did the promotion with the ame Ka Hou Yuet Yuen and we have different packaging. What is that woman with her traditional way and old shop got mistaken with ours?" and Har Yu said "Well we can afford to give them some business" but the relatives drove home the point "But if they eat her stuff and got sick, we may get sued! We are after all using the same name!" and Har Yu said "That's quite true" and Michelle ended the conversation by saying "Well, you handle it. If not send these 2. Talk to her, persuade her, point is get her to change her shop's name".

Grandma then came home and said to Har Yu "This year for mooncake all the children can go to that woman's house for dinner. I am going for a cruise to see the full moon, so we can have the dinner later" and Har Yu said "ok".

Then we see flashback back to 1996, after the separation. Lee had a problem. It was near mooncake festival when suddenly her workers and her sifus all wanted to quit and join the new Ka Hou Yuet Yuen. One of them was Wayne Lai. She gave them more salary and better benefits and so they kinda decided to stay. Lee had dinner with Har Yu who was just busy slurping his mee as she said "I know you need masters to make the mooncake. Can I ask you, can I request that you do not take my workers? Find elsewhere but not take my workers" and Har Yu said "It is not my decision. It is Ah Hung's (Michelle) decision to make. Wait for her to come back and talk to her" and Lee said "Can you not do this? Can you just for once please let me win this time, please?" and Har Yu said "I am sorry, it is business. These men are free to go where they want. Anyway I have to go" and rudely he left.

Lee was upset, she went back and the 2 main sifus suddenly said "Well we need a break. We will come back later to finish the job" when just minutes before they were all talking about joining the new company, to haggle for better salaries. Lee faced them and specifically Wayne and sternly said "If you wish to take a break now, you are free to take the break for as long as you want. There is no need for you to come back" and Wayne acted very wronged and annoyed and said "Boss how can you say that? I have promised you I will finish the job so I will, I am a man of my words" and Lee bitterly said "Really?I trained you since young. I know how much you can make per day, but today you only made 30 and all 30 have thick skins and the yolks are everywhere. I taught you quality control and clearly your heart is not in this. I know you're all haggling for higher salaries but why is it you can do this to me? How can you not have your heart in this anymore?" and Wayne angrily said "YOu think your offer is so good? I work hard for you madam! I work so hard and is this the way you repay me for my hardwork? If we go let us see how you can finish the mooncake orders! How you can deliver to the customers! And see how you can explain to your father how you throw all his effort away and close this shop!" and Lee angrily said "That you don't have to worry for me. I will no longer sell mooncake. I can everything else but I won't see mooncakes. I will take out my own money and buy the most expensive mooncakes out there and personally deliver them to each and every of my customer and I will bow down and apologise for not delivering my own mooncake and then I will stop selling mooncakes!" and Wayne was shocked and said "Fine. If this is the way you want it ..." and Lee retorted "Leave the kitchen, all of you. I will pay your salaries and you can leave as you like it" and angrily Wayne left and the other workers followed suit and apologised to Lee but Lee said "I know it isn't your fault. It is ok, don't worry" and so from then on Ka Hou Yuet Yuen stopped selling mooncakes and I suppose the business suffered.

Anyway suddenly one day Lee got a call and Har Yu was visiting. Rare occassion. Auntie Sa was angry and said "He is coming? GOOD! I can use the mop and beat the crap out of the heartless bastard" but Lee gently said "Can you stop with this nonsense? I don't want to make a scene and he is here to spend some time with the children" and Auntie Sa said "Sis! Don't be so stupid! Don't fall for his tricks!" but angrily she left to go to the toilet and the door was jammed and she was screaming to be let out and Lee cunningly said "Oh dear, the key won't work. Get the locksmith!!" and so Auntie Sa was locked in.

Har Yu arrived with 2 nosy relatives. Good naturedly he smiled and said " I have great news! This year for the mooncake festival the children will be having dinner with you on the 15th! Great news!" and Lee was very happy and Har Yu said "YOu know it took me a lot of effort to persuade mother but finally she agreed!" and Raymond was taken aback and said "You persuaded grandma?" and Har Yu said "Of course!" and that tim Auntie Sa was banging the doors and they were making excuses that she was rehearsing a play. Then he said "And I have another matter to discuss with you. I hope you will change your shop's name ..." and he explained about the customer falling and all and Lee was very upset and quietly asked "Is it Ah Hung's (Michelle) idea?" and Har Yu laughed it off and said "Why would you want the name? We have been using the name, your business is so small you can just change it" and Lee said "BUt the shop was started by my father. THe name is rightfully his. How can you ask him to do that?" and Har Yu said "Oh come on.. it's just a name, is it so hard for you to do just that?" and Raymond was so upset he stood up and said "Well I am upset! How can you ask mom to do that?" and Har Yu said "Is that the kind of tone you use with your father?!" and Raymond said "The shop is mom's. You can't ask her to do that" and Har Yu angrily said "I am your father, this is elders speaking. You have no right to voice your opinion so you better sit down!" and Raymond angrily said "Fine! FINE!" and he left and as he passed by the toilet and heard Auntie Sa said "Sis! NO! NO! Don't give in!" he opened the door and said to Auntie Sa "Well, it is now up to you..." and Auntie sa nodded, took the mop as Har Yu and relatives were pressuring Lee and ain it for his head. They were beaten out of the house, shoes and broken glasses and all these while Lee and the children were smiling at Auntie Sa's antics. As Har Yu left he got a call and it was Lee and he said "So you agree? Fine you can have them on the 15th" and next we see is Auntie Sa berating Lee "Why did you agree sis?" and the children were asking too and Lee calmly said "This in exchange for dinner on the 15th with Ka Hou Yuet Yuen Heng Chung Chau (all the children, including Linda), it would make father the happiest man. The name is nothing" and Auntie Sa said "Well wait till you tell father. He would explode!" and the father came home, sat down and was told the good news and he was like "Really? Oh I am so happy!!" and Auntie sa said "Well father, in exhange you have to give up the shop's name!" and the father looked at her for a while and burst into a wide smile and said "Who cares! He can have the name! I have my grandchildren for dinner! This is great news!!".

Back at the mansion, grandma was suddenly very upset. Har Yu saw her and asked "Why are you so upset?" and she said "I don't want to have the children have dinner with her on the 15th. I changed my mind" and Har Yu was thinking of the trade off and said "But you were going on a cruise" and like a petulant child she said "NO! I don't want the children there on that day! I don't want! I don't want!!".

Next episode we will see perhaps a battle of wills and a secret dinner reunion with all the children and a confrontation with Lee and grandma and another slap in store.

So, my reaction. My reaction is one of extreme hatred for that useless husband. Spineless and definitely a jerk. How can a man change so much so suddenly? Michelle is still very minor in here but in actual fact she makes the decision, she runs the business and with the children everywhere, quite obviously she engineered the family to be torn apart, to see each other probably only a reunion dinner a year.

I think Lee was fantastic in the scene with that ungrateful Wayne Lai. The dialogue was very realistic and I thought her character acted admirably. Whilst at time Lee seems too controlling of her emotion, too quiet, some scenes she really was explosive and the way she was quiet and yet her face etched with upset, anger, disbelief, disgust, all there. Fantastic performance in this episode.

Michelle Yim looks great. She speaks very softly in here and yet very controlling. I can see who's the boss in the family.

Raymond Lam so far so good. He played his Ah Hou well, playful, young and yet when angry just the right touch of anger and disgust at his father.

Tavia so far nothing much and so in Linda.

I am however very impressed with Fala's sign language abilities. Looks credible and so far her performance is fine. She has yet much to do but she displayed again the right emotions at the right time.

Lee Heung Kam is really scary. I mean that in a good way. Her character is so old she is chid like and I think that is apt. I thought her scene with Lee was explosive and her dialogue so real, the way she kept asking why Lee isn't dead yet. Seriously a mother in law from hell.

Susannah Kwan is loud, brash and talk too much. But that is her character and I thought the scene where Raymond let her out is like unleashing hell on the unsuspecting fools. Whilst I feel she may be too loud, her delivery of the lines, the dead pan way she said "Oh, the adulteress' daughter" straight to Linda's face in a way like Linda doesn't matter a bit was spot on. And frankly in real life I would agree with her reaction even if Linda didn't quite deserve her wrath.

I have not much complaints on the performances and whilst the flashbacks a bit jarring, like suddenly woosh a flashback, they're essential to the plot.

My concern is actually with the execution of some plot points. In this one, a major problem with common sense. The way teh show goes it was as if all the children are allowed to meet once year for reunion dinner on the day after mooncake festival. The next episode's trailer shows how they had to secretly meet for fear of upsetting the grandmother. If the children were young I would understand that. But now that all the children are adults, I don't understand what is the bloody problem of them like Linda just walk up and visit? Who are to stop them? Are the children automatons? Like Raymond who persuaded grandma to what he wanted, it shows a bit of effort would have persuaded the grandma to yield their way. All were fueled by misunderstandings and back stabbing only. So seriously if the mother can't expect the children as adults to visit her as and when they like or say have reunion every weekend over steamboat at the house, how useless are these children?

And why even the father has a nickname. Father is called Cho Ba. I mean what the heck? You only have nicknames for your parents IF YOU'RE CLOSE TO THEM AND RESPECT THEM. Like ma-da or in this case Hor Ma for Lee. But to hear Raymond calling Har Yu Cho Ba is a bit unrealistic. And why should any of them be so cordial to him? If her children staying with her can't stand up for her rights, what chance she has with the other children not with her? I feel the flaw of this episode is hearing Raymond go Cho Ba. I was like surely the son must resent the father, surely the son would resent him more for being such a jerk to his mom. It was like the only reasonable human being with the right emotions programmed into her it the loud Auntie Sa when I would expect some resentment from each side's children for the parents of each end. So far I see none. And why should she be so accomodating to him? When will I see her say NO to his face?

So it is true, this series has some scenes that seems to defy common sense but so far so good. My blood is boiling. And if my father were to acted the way this Cho Ba did, I certainly wouldn't call him by his nickname. I mean he may call him that before but the writers should make a very pointed gesture that since separation the children at Hor Ma's side stopped calling him that. That would hit home the point the dynamics of the relationship changed. Now I really wonder how they would treat that Ah Hung. Will they be smiling cordial, even polite or all out snub? I hope the latter because that is what a normal human being would do. Look at it this way; your mother was hurt, bullied, snubbed and pushed aside. And you still call your father who caused it all by his nickname? And I certainly won't see him or sit down and chat with him or have him say "What kind of attitude is this? I am your father!" and I would have retorted "Only if you start acting like one!!".

When will I see a logical retort like that? When?

Anyway I do look forward to episode 3. As I can see another slap. So this is it isn't it? One slap every other episode, one argument every episode and hopefully somewhere along the way a full on bitch fight.