Episode 08

I missed the 1st 30 minutes, forced to watch Criminal Minds. So when I switched over, some things have already happened in 30 minutes;

1. I suppose Hor Ma lost the trademark case because it was mentioned after - wow! So fast can settle, in 30 minutes! HK justice system is so efficient!

2. I suppose Auntie Sa insulted Hung at the court or rather outside of it because later Hung did say since Sa said she came back with $4m to fight with her, surely she can pay all that $4m as damages in a defamation suit. Yes Hung sued Sa for $4m and a public newspaper apology for someone Sa said.

3. Auntie Sa must have been scared out of her wits because ...

at the start of where I started, Auntie Sa was at the park crying pitifully and the children and Hor Ma went to her and asked "What's wrong Sa?" and Auntie Sa tearfully said "Sis, I had a dream when I was sleeping. I dreamt I was in a shanty town, in a slum area where people live and shit at the same place! Why am I so pitiful? I fought very hard for that bastard's $4m, I am not a greedy materialistic person, I just got back what I should get and now this vile woman wants to take away all my money! Why did I ever return to HK? I just wanted to fight for justice on behalf of father and I ended up about to lose everything! Everything sis! When I could have used $2m to buy a house and the balance another house to rent out. Why did I ever bother?!"

Of course what could Hor Ma say?

At home AUntie Sa was arguing with her lawyer over the phone and then complained about having to pay so much to fight the winnable case. She estimated overall $600,000 and Auntie Sa was unwilling to pay. So she said with a heavy dramatic sigh "Well that's it. Gotta talk with that woman and bastard husband to let go of the claim! Sis! You go!" and of course Hor Ma was surprised by her suggestion whilst Hou said "But AUntie Sa, you caused the problem, why should Hor Ma go beg them?" and Yuet also voiced the same opinion and AUntie Sa quite hurtfully said "Well, sis was the root of the problem. She caused the problem first with that stupid husband of her! Sis, you go and talk with them!" and Hor Ma said "Alright" and Auntie Sa said "Well remember, I won't pay a single penny and I won't publish any apologies! Oh yeah, Hou you go with your mother, if not they will bulldoze her! MOre people go the better!" but Hor Ma said "Hou, kids, you all stay back. Nin Chi Yung will go with me. Yuet, don't tell Ka about this. He is busy with work overseas, I don't want to trouble him". Yuet nodded.

So Hor Ma and Nin Chi Yung went to that mansion. Hor Ma was walking with a cane, because of her bad back. Nin Chi Yung held her. We see Hung, grandma, nosy relatives and Cho Ba sitting whilst Yuen (at least finally some show of allegiance to Hor Ma) and a very determined Sum begged Hung "Please mother" "Please AUntie Hung" "Mother please let the case go mother" but Hung refused steadfastly. When they heard Hor Ma is here to see Cho Ba, the female nosy relative quickly said "Why that fatty is here! Why can't she let you (Cho Ba) go? She is one woman so stubborn, so unwilling to let go of the past. Doesn't she know no matter what Cho won't return to her?"

Pause here.

What a delusional woman. Which right thinking woman would want back an ungrateful spineless cowardly wuss? At this point anyway?

Continue...

So Cho Ba stood up and said "I will not entertain her! I won't want to give her hope of a reconciliation!!" and Hung smiled happily and then said "Remember Cho, I will not settle for anything less than $4m and an apology in the papers. That woman declared she brought home $4m to fight with me, so I will take all that she got! Cho, don't play nice!" and even grandma agreed. Yuen and Sum looked on helplessly.

All of them went down (they were upstairs) and saw Nin Chi Yung (cue the insults) and Hor Ma. Hor Ma stood defiantly and said to Hung "Cho, is the business at Ka Hou Yuet Yuen so bad, that you have to sue Sa for $4m? Hung, I know my sister has a big mouth and may have said some insulting offensive words to you. On her behalf I am here to apologise and Hung, you can't possibly ask for such a big sum. Let her have some savings left. The money she took from my father, and I have here $200,000 as a token of apologies. Please HUng, please accept it"

Hung defiantly said "The case is between your sister and I not between you and I" and Cho Ba frustratingly said "Look Hor, why is it you are always this bloody stubborn? Keep your money, we won't settle! Leave Hor, don't make a scene! You're always such a troublemaker who knows now shame! LEAVE!" and Hor Ma said "Hung, Ka Hou Yuet Yuen is built on the premise of a happy united family. You even published your family pictures every year in the papers. How would it look like to the public when you're so insistent on killing my sister's fortune and taking every penny she has got? Do you want her to kill herself over money? Do you want the company's reputation ruined by your stubborn actions? I am not asking you to let it go without anything. Please Hung, take this money, just accept this small sum as a token of my sister's apologies" and Sum and Yuen quickly said "Mother (Auntie Hung) please take the money! Take the money!" but Hung defiantly and without looking at Hor Ma said "No, nothing less than $4m and apology in the newspaper" and so all of them walked towards the stairs whilst Sum and Yuen begged HUng to take the money. As they all walked up Hor Ma was so angry she shouted "Cho, I will be waiting here for you to accept the money. I will wait here for you to think about what I said and come down to talk to me like a decent human being!" and so Hor Ma and Nin Chi Yung sat down on the sofa.

Must be some hours later as Sum and Yuen continued to beg, even grandma seems to think taking the money should settle ll but Hung said "No!".

They all came down for dinner and I think it was HUng who said "Still here? Well we will be having dinner. You may join us if you want" and walked to the dinner table. Hor Ma slowly got up, now in pain because of her bad back and held by Nin Chi Yung, walked to the dinner table and held out the ang pow money to Hung and said "Please take the money" and bastard Cho Ba and bitchy Hung kept on eating happily whilst Sum and Yuen looked on, very distressed. Then Hor MA walked to grandma and said "Please take the money". She was literally begging and grandma was a bit willing to take but Hung said "Hor Ma please leave this house. Please show Hor Ma the door" and the nosy relatives pushed Hor Ma away and Hor Ma stumbled and fell hard, her bad back becoming worse. She became rather pale and Sum and Yuen and Nin Chi Yung quickly ran to her and helped her up and she was wrecked in pain.They slowly walked her to a nearby sofa as that bitch and bastard continued eating. Even grandma stopped eating, quite concern. The nosy relatives were simply nosy.

Nin Chi Yung gently said to Hor Ma "Hor Ma , perhaps I should take you to the hospital, no point in begging them anymore" but Hor Ma refused and Sum said "Hor Ma I take you to the hospital" but Hor Ma again refused but in serious pain. Sum said "Ok Hor Ma, I will run up to take my equipments so that I can check your bad back ok? Just wait for a while" and Sum ran up. Grandma walked to Hor Ma and said "Are you ok? You look pale. Go to a hospital! Don't be so stubborn" but Hor Ma refused and I think by that time that 2 stopped eating and walked to the living room, unconcerned.

Hor Ma asked Nin Chi Yung to held her up (Yuen was there but I see so few interaction between Hor Ma and Yuen I thought Yuen was either a ghost or Hor Ma didn't even recognise her own son!!) and slowly hobbled to Cho Ba and HUng. She said to Hung "Take the money please" and Hung of course arrogantly refused and this time Hor Ma snapped.

"Fine. If you won't take the money, I shall see you in court. I will be a witness and I will testify that you're some kind of a drug provider, providing drugs to the children!" and Hung laughed at the silly idea and said "Seriously Hor, is that all you can think of? What ridiculous testimony then!" but Hor Ma stood defiantly and said "Well you are. Madam (grandma), Cho, you both are truly blinded by this woman! Look at Ka and how you made him addicted to share market" and even Cho Ba exclaimed how ridiculous the idea was and Hor Ma poured out her bitterness  (well in a way that is true), "Would you deny that you did not ask Nin Chi Yung to teach him how to play at the stock market? Would you deny that at 18 he won a few millions only to lose the millions later, later he won some more and lost even more! You corrupted his mind! He was a good boy only to become addicted!" and Hung said "What ridiculous idea! Who told you that? What proof?" and Hor Ma said "Nin Chi Yung can be my witness to that!" and grandma looked rather surprised at the revelation, Yuen was like a ghost hovering at the back (I mean nobody seems to mention him by name!) and Cho Ba was exceptionally quiet.

Nin Chi Yung came forward and said "IT IS TRUE! You asked me to, remember? That year was your birthday, Ka refused to call you mother. You met with me at the cafe next to the shop, now closed and you said to me that you were very angry at Ka's rudeness. You wanted to teach him a lesson, you wanted to get back at Hor Ma whom you call that fat bitch and you told me to teach Ka to play the stock market!" and Hung denied it and Nin Chi Yung shouted "It is all true!! I can remember every single word you said. Do you want me to spell them all out for you? You even gave me an increament of $3,000 and a promise to make me manager!"

Hung of course said no but Cho Ba was even more quiet. Hung then said "I may be a stepmother but I have done my best with Ka! I did! It is not easy being a stepmother!" but Hor Ma said "Did you really did you best? Can you really admit you did? What about Chung? You sent him to study overseas since he was 12, he was so young, England (I think she said England) was so cold and you all knew Chung has asthma, how he suffered I dare not imagine, that poor child!" and Hung angrily said "Yes I sent him there, for education and I go back there every year to help him study for exams! I have done my best!" and Hor Ma angrily said "Your best? I was there 6 times a year and all I could see in his dorm room were expensive toys!" and Hor Ma began to count every stuff she saw there, each worth more than $3000 in pounds by the way. Sum was now standing at the stairs, listening intently and Hung said "Well I love him, so I bought him toys, what is so wrong with that?" and Hor Ma angrily countered "You love him? You were spoiling him! I don't see you treat Sum the same way!" and Hung looked alarmed as Hor Ma continued "You didn't buy her expensive toys. You even bought her a second hand car, giving her low allowance and forcing her  to work to earn her own allowance! You know why the different treatment? Because you wanted to teach Sum your own child the value of hard work and money but to Chung, you spoilt him! You spoilt him rotten!" and Hung angrily denied "No I did not!" and Hor Ma continued "And I will tell you why you sent him to study there at so young an age! I know! I know it all!"

Pause here.

I suppose Nin Chi Yung told Hor Ma since it took Hor Ma so long to come to Hung and fight with Hung. If Hor MA knew she would have fought with HUng earlier, so I suppose Nin Chi Yung knew a lot.

"You sent him there because of Sum. You sent Sum to study over there but she was very lonely and knowing that she is close to Chung then, you sent Chung there as well. But when Sum got used to the environment there and was accepted into another school you took Sum to that school and left Chung! You abandoned Chung when he is no longer useful! Chung because quiet and lonely! This is a perfect case of a servant accompanying the crown prince to study!".

Pause here.

I think the word used isn't servant but the meaning is simple. Back in the old days the crown prince has a study mate, some servant or someone with lowly rank and quite simply the prince got all the education and the servant is there merely to accompany him. What she meant was Sum was the beloved one whilst Chung was in the end discarded. Quite true.

Hung denied all that angrily and Sum as she heard what was said was crying quietly, her guilt got to her as she knew what Hor Ma said was true.

Hor Ma then said "Hung, I am ready to let go of all these. Just take the money Hung, take the money please and I will let it all go" but Hung said "NO! I will not accept! No!" and Hor Ma kept begging, Hung kept saying no, grandma was nodding her head, maybe she knew what Hor Ma said was true whilst Sum was still crying. But Hor Ma kept begging and suddenly Sum ran down from the stairs, crying and said "Hor Ma! Stop begging! Please stop begging her! I will pay the $4m for you. I will borrow from my friends, I will get the money somehow and I will pay on your behalf! Please Hor Ma, please stop begging her!" and Hor Ma looked at Sum, quite touched with what she heard whilst Hung was holding back her daughter, shocked at her daughter's outburst whilst suddenly Cho Ba who was crying silently stood up and said "Hor, you're always like this! You're so stubborn! Why do you bring up the past? Here, I take the money! Let's assume I am scared of you! Just leave, just let us be! I know, I know it all! I know what happened! Just go Hor!" and he took the ang pow much to the surprise of Hung and when Hung held him back, Cho Ba pushed her hands away and ran upstairs. Hor Ma was very surprised at Cho Ba's outburst and as she looked at him run tearfully upstairs, her eyes seem to register this newfound understanding of her cowardly heartless ex-husband, that things aren't as simple as they looked. In the end Hor Ma left.

Pause here.

I believe Cho Ba knew what Hor Ma said was true. On the surface the family was so happy but the truth is it was a family divided. He must have known Hung did what she did to divide the family and perhaps he did nothing because he was fooling himself those were for the best, maybe he was too ashamed to admit he made the wrong move, for whatever reason for that split second he was a bit human. Still I hated him. What a wuss! Anyway Hung knew she lost the war when even her own daughter turned her back on her.

At home Hor MA was very happy the case was settled but Auntie Sa wasn't.

"Sis, didn't I say I wasn't going to pay money to them? Didn't I tell you not to agree? Now you paid them $200,000! Why did you take Nin Chi Yung with you? He wasn't of any help at all!" and Nin Chi Yung said "Some things that were said should not be listened by the young ones!" and Sa continued "I mean you worked so hard for that money! All the biscuits, pastries!" but Hor Ma looked at her and said "Well I didn't pay. You did" and Auntie Sa was like WHAT?! and Hor MA explained "Remember you invested $200,000 into the shop? I took the money from  there to pay them so you paid them". Hor Ma walked back into the room with the kids and Nin Chi Yung approached Auntie Sa and said "Miss Sa! Let Hor Ma go! She was so bullied over there, being cornered by so many of them, and she alone like one lone gunman with an AK47, she took a lot of hits!" and Sa said "How you know?!" and Nin Chi Yung said "I was there! I took some of the hits too!" and she asked "Why were you there?" and he said "I was there as a witness! I know things" and she asked "What things?" and in the room Hor Ma can hear them arguing and laughed a little. Hor Ma asked where was grandpa and they said grandpa went down to eat. Grandpa returned and they all went to the living room and Sa was still arguing with Nin Chi Yung "Who are you to Hor Ma? Who are you to speak to me like that!" and Nin Chi Yung raised his voice and said "Of course I have every right to speak to you like this! I treat Hor Ma as my mother already!" and Sa said "Oh please! Don't tell me you are in love with me?!" and Nin Chi Yung surprised "In love with you?! Never!" and Sa said "GOOD! Because if you're, I will buy poison and poison you with it!" and Nin Chi Yung said "You know what? No need to buy poison. I will buy charcoal and poison myself!!" and Sa angrily said "I don't want to speak with you! You make no sense!" and she walked away and Nin Chi Yung angrily said "Neither are you!" and all the while Hor Ma, Yuet, Hing, Hou and grandpa were all laughing at their antics and grandpa said "It is good to laugh sometimes!" and they laughed happily even more.

Next episode, Cho Ba did the unexpected and Hou seems to have a girlfriennnnnnnnnnd...

Oh my god, the dreaded love stories is coming!!

Again argument, quarrel and a shove all settled in 2 episodes. Kidd is right, this is like got a clocure every 2 episodes except maybe for the love issues. Not such a bad thing but kinda reminded me of the Seasons (Kwai Jit) series. Why not make it into that concept eh? So everybody can argue until infinity and beyond.


Anyway I think the argument between Hor Ma and Hung was explosive. What Hor Ma said was true and I think the best moment was Sum's reaction. She too knew her mother is terrible. How can a terrible woman like that teach such a good daughter? Sum actually has an opinion of her own and whilst she may be mostly driven by guilt, I think in some ways she is also driven by here affection for Hor Ma whom she knew was being dealt with badly by her mother. Poor Chung. No wonder he looks so miserable. What about Yuen?

Talking about Yuen, like I said he seems to be guest starring tonight and if he didn't speak I would think he is an apparrition of something because notice carefully, nobody seems to look at him, acknowledge him or even call him out! And Sum was the one who said she will pay for Hor Ma and what did Yuen say? Nothing. Maybe he was busy floating on air or something.

Cho Ba's tears was interesting. So he knew... he knew and did nothing! BASTARD. Listen to me... B-A-S-T-A-R-D!!! Hung may be vile and malicious but she was spurred on by a useless father! Even grandma is useless if not why was she nodding her head when Hor Ma recounted what Hung did and did not do properly.

Ahhh Hung, vile woman.

Performance wise, what more can I say? Focus is again on Lee Sze Kei who again was in top form. She is a mother scorned and she was very believable as a very angry mother. In fact she is very believable as a mother. Just for a second imagine Nancy Sit in this role. I would bet each sentence is punctuated with a deep heazy sighhhhhhhhh... Lee Sze Kei was on fire tonight!!

Lee Heung Kam confused me with her nodding.

Har Yu was also in superb form as the disgusting Cho Ba who for that slight second had me pitying him for reasons I do not know but I am sure the series will take many episodes and very painfully tell us why in minute details why he isn't such a bad father. The way he was eating whilst Hor Ma begged.... urgghhhhh ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hiyahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! My fly kick at his stupid face. Which means Har Yu was very good.

Michelle Yim ... urgghhhhh ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hiyahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh chopppp choppppp slashhhh swishhhhhhh! Me cutting her Hung up. That vile woman was manipulating everybody to her way and when Cho Ba pushed her hand away I kinda felt good. Which means Michelle Yim was also in top form, whispering instead of shouting. A very controlling performance of a very controlling character.

Wayne Lai.....SUPERB. I love his arguing with Susanna Kwan. So funny. Which mean he will fall for Auntie Sa right? WHY? Oh yeah someone said because this series has already such a big cast who are all related to one another by blood and by marriage and by some form of close relationship so no room for other actors so where to get love stories? From within the family of course! Why would Nin Chi Yung fall for Sa is beyond my understanding. Wayne again has his scenes with Lee Sze Kei and also Michelle Yim, 2 formidable woman and Wayne held his own. I love hs chemistry with Lee Sze Kei. I don't mind a son-mother story between them in another series or even as lovers! Anyway I am afraid later on Wayne also has very little role.

Of all the young ones today, not many had any active roles in tonight, save for Linda Chung and Chris Lai. As I have observed, Chris Lai is just not doing anything nor given enough to do. And after what Yuen witnessed tonight and still he feels allegiance to Hung, Yuen is indeed hopeless. At least tonight he did the right thing to beg on behalf of Hor Ma. Anyway Linda Chung was also in top form as the guilt ridden and yet upright Sum. That scene where she cried silently by the stairs and then ran to Hor Ma and said she will pay for her touched my heart and I felt her sincerity. Such a classy lady as in Sum. I am sure like many warned she will be wishy washy later on but for now, Sum to me is a character to be admired and Linda's performance embodied all that. She may speak softly or even gently and even behave rather like a high class well educated lady which is a good thing, but Linda can play someone determined, independent, someone who knew what's right and do what's right. She had improved so much, I suppose my feelings for her now improved is because of her performance in that Steven Ma series (oh dear I can't remember the name and the title! Help me!!) and she proved she can play a dignified person and actually looks dignified for real. There is a sense of sincerity in her performance in here and I shall enjoy that raw sincerity until all those love love stuff comes in. For now, Linda is proving her mettle by her performance tonight.

I do look forward to the next episode even if I knew and I am ready for an onslaught of bad writing coming soon.

So... were you touched by Sum's outburst? What did you make of Cho Ba's tears?

And as usual, my favourite scene and quote... I am sure you can guess which one...

Hor Ma! Stop begging! Please stop begging her! I will pay the $4m for you. I will borrow from my friends, I will get the money somehow and I will pay on your behalf! Please Hor Ma, please stop begging her!
- Sum to Hor Ma