Episode 13

Is it possible to feel sorry for Hung? I almost did... recap first...

It was grandma's birthday and Hor Ma made a big cake and told the kids to bring it to her. All were there to celebrate with Grandma, they swan, they joked, they had fun and Grandma even forbade them to go home and must stay for the night which they did. Hung of course played along. After swimming Hou passed by Sum's room and saw she had many trophies. For someone who had doesn't know much English, Raymond Lam was pretty bad at disgusing his command of English. Of course I heard him speak before, it was kinda HK-ish but here he actually spoke very good english so bad job Raymond! Anyway she won many trophies and may I say UNIVERSITY OF LONDON!! So that was where she went! My alma mater! Why not Oxford? Cambridge? If Uni of London famous for its medical school?? I know they're famous for Law and Economic studies. Anyway one word Hou couldn't read was Ceramic which Sum won for best ceramic and took some time to figure it out. It seems she made a habit of winning trophies for everything. I think Sum left for a moment and Hou discovered that Sum was listening to his voice messages done when he was young and that kinda brought back memories. Luckily no flashback scenes I think. I am not sure because everytime I hear the boy or the girl's voice, my brain went into deep freeze. I was preparing myself for the onslaught of those Korean style puppy first love so I didn't want to see so I blocked them all out. So whether there was any flashback, frankly I really can't remember. And then all of them gathered by grandma's bedside and waited until she fell asleep and then they went to bed.

Next day Hung woke Cho Ba up because there was to be an interview with some TV show at the mansion to promote the company since the busy wedding season is coming. It was big business. Hung and Cho Ba and everybody (children all left already except for Yuen who was there since he is in the company) was there and Cho Ba related his story on how he was feeling really down and then met a fortune teller who gave him some wise words of advice which he took to heart and worked hard and achieved success. He credited the success to Hung as his wife. Then the lady nosy relative said "I can't stand it anymore. Cho, it was Hung who spent all night thinking of that advice and paid the fortune teller $2000-00 to read it out to you" and Cho Ba was very surprised and held Hung. Even grandma was touched but Hung dismissed it and said "It is nothing really". Then Hung was asked if she had any regrets and she said "I have none, except that I could not give Cho a child or two". Yuen looked mightily guilty and that was when we will know why he seems so much on Hung's side. Yuen said "Actually it was my fault. I was very naughty back at school and always played truancy. One time mother (Hung) had to come to bail me out of trouble (not from police, but as in school) and she had a miscarriage in the bus. It was my fault" but Hung said "No no you can't blame yourself. I actually fell on the bus" and one nosy relative said "Yeah it was the bus' fault" but Yuen felt guilty over what happened. That explains why Yuen seems more in favour of Hung. And Hung seems rather ok but we all know she ain't.

Anyway pause here for a second...

Do you think Hung loves Cho Ba? She definitely did a lot for him but was it out of love? Maybe it was out of necessity and also out of love back then. She seems immensely jealous whenever Cho BA spends time with Hor Ma. Whilst someone said to me how can Cho Ba credit the success to her, what about Hor Ma? Frankly this part I have to agree with Hung. Hor Ma has always run a small shop and is still running a small shop. Hung for her spitefulness took Hor MA's shop name which was wrong. I believe someone as driven as her could have used any name and make the business into a million dollar company. Hung to her credit did take Ka Hou Yuet Yuen's name and made it into what it is today. I doubt Cho Ba did anything to that effect but he may have first made the earlier batched of pastries and such. Of course HUng did what she could to crush her competitors, mainly Hor Ma, but out of spitefulness rather than just business but give credit where it is due; without Hung, there won't be any mansion or million dollar company.

I must add though I just feel Yuen's story in this series is just not there. His presence is not even important at all. In fact his character is rather redundant at this moment and NOBODY or rather NOT EVERYBODY AT ANY GIVEN TIME ackowledge his presence and even if they did it just feels like he was some bystander who so happened to be there. In fact I feel maybe 6 children are a bit too much. Maybe reduce to 4 will be more better story wise.

continue...

Auntie Sa brought in a huge bouquet of flowers and it was for Hor MA. The card was from someone name Jo and everybody speculated it must be Cho Ba and everybody said "Hor Ma, it means Cho Ba misses you! Give him a chance! Finally reunited!" and Hor Ma didn't quite object to that.

Pause here.

Seriously this is the first time I kinda pity Hung. I don't know why. Maybe the fact that all of them hoped for a reconciliation and for better or for worse, Hung did establish a business with Cho Ba, did it by his side, genuine or not. I was kinda irritated that Hor MA considered the possiblity of reconciliation. It does explain why Hung would of course go all out to crush her. I would too since Hor Ma is now invading her territory. And frankly I like it better is Hor Ma and Cho BA never reconcile. Sometimes 12 years of abandonment and hurt can't be erased by just the revelatuon that Cho Ba wasn't happy, he wanted back, he regretted... all nonsense. Friends maybe but as husband and wife, the trust is gone.

Anyway Hor Ma read the card (she can read English! But CHung can't! Useless son!! What school he attended?!) and said "It is from Nin Chi Yung's sister, Joey Nin! She wrote to say thank you for my kind words and she felt deep gratitude for what I did for them". All of them were disappointed and Hou said "Well at least for that small moment we had that opportunity imagine what if, well anyway, doesn't matter". Hor Ma did look well disappointed perhaps?

Yuet was encouraging Ka to go for interviews.

Pause again..

Interviews? You mean finding business right? Because like 2 episodes earlier he already said he was opening his own PR company and now he is looking for a job? There must be some mistake.. maybe I heard wrongly before...

Continue..

Yuet was in the elevator encouraging Ka and promised to buy him dinner. Astrid was standing behind her. When Yuet realised that she quickly said goodbye. As Astrid and her walked into the office Astrid asked her about Ka and sarcastically said "Wow, he is STILL looking for a job? You know he can officially change his name from ---- (his nickname in the family which I did not catch) to -- (which I didn't catch also but it means "Unemployed no-good doer" which is worse in CHinese). Yuet felt insulted but kept quiet. Astrid then said "Do give him some advice; that he must not sexually harass his new female colleagues!".

Lunch time Yuet rushed out to see Ka and she had only 15 minutes to eat. She gobbled up quickly because Astrid "she is like some crazy boss these days, nothing satisfies her, she finds fault in everything!". Suddenly a call came and it was Astrid and over the phone Yuet had to explain she was eating, she would be back soon but Astrid demanded to know some figure and Yuet had to put the phone down for a second and check the info in the files she had with her and because of that her lunch box accidentally fell onto the pavement (GOODBYE LUNCH!) and as Yuet was looking, Ka could hear Astrid shouting "Are you listening to me? Is it so difficult to find that figure? What are you doing? HEY! ARE YOU LISTENING?! ARE YOUUUU LISTENING! OH MY GOD, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!!!!" and Ka quickly pressed the record button and then Yuet took back the phone and said the figure and then said "Ok ok I will be back now" and so Yuet had to rush.

Later during dinner, Ka said he didn't get the job and then Astrid was there as well. Maybe Ka invited her. Yuet was surprised, me too. Anyway Astrid seems a tad friendlier with Ka when suddenly all of them, in the restaurant heard a loud annoying voice of a very irritated demanding woman who kept saying "What are you doing? HEY! ARE YOU LISTENING?! ARE YOUUUU LISTENING! OH MY GOD, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!!!!" repeating again and again and Astrid realised it was her voice and Ka took the phone cooly and explained he chose that voice as a ringtone because it was very interesting. Yuet smiled to herself and then Ka kept pressing the repeat button until the waitress came and said "Sir could you please reduce the volume of your ringtone? The voice is disturbing the customers" and Ka playfully said "Really? (he points to Astrid) You're saying HER voice is irritating? She is saying YOUR voice is irritating. It is her voice by the way" and Astrid quickly tried to take back the phone and said something I can't remember... yeah she said to Yuet "Consider yourself fired!!" and Ka said "Really? Congratulations Yuet! You got an extra one month salary. Quickly thank her" and Yuet dutifully said "Thank you" and Ka and Yuet left and before that Ka pressed the play button again and her voice boomed in the restaurant and Astrid was so frustrated she sat down heavily.

A very funny scene. And the voice WAS irritating.

By the road Ka and Yuet sat down and Yuet said "I am now officially unemployed and no Ka, there is nothing funny about that. I have to find a new job" and Ka said "No need, you're employed in a good company with $20,000 salary a month" and Yuet looked at him and asked "What?" and Ka said "You come work for me".

Back at home the whole family heard Ka coming up with his company name which is I think if I am not mistaken is "Ka Jun" meaning Ka as in Ka's name but also means More and Jun means hard work for success or maybe ambition. It is from Seung Jun which means ambition in a positive manner. Anyway please confirm if this is the company's name. Whatever it may be it means More Ambition. But read in another way it may mean More Disaster and grandpa didn't like the name and they joked about what it acually means, even CHo Ba who was there for dinner. Cho Ba was happy Ka was striking out on his own and said "Well you will be very busy since you have your first big client!!" and Ka was surprised and said "Who Cho Ba?" and Cho BA said "Well Ka Hou Yuet Yuen (as in the bigger company) of course! You will make the event for the coming bridal season promo for the company!" and there was plenty of ideas contributed by everybody and then Hung called and asked where Cho Ba was and CHo BA said he was with Ka and he said Ka had some brilliant ideas for PR work and he even foolishly told Hung who stopped listening when she heard Hor Ma's voice in the background. Consumed by jealousy, she later called Astrid and gave her the same idea Ka had.

Pause here...

I do feel the less Hung do the more Cho Ba will stay with her. In a way foolish woman but like I asked, are her actions driven by for love for this man or immense resentment and jealousy for Hor Ma?

The event came. The idea was 38 pairs of couples in wedding gowns walking down the platform in the middle of the shopping complex with tales of their love stories, to sell the chinese wedding pastries. Then some free gifts for everybody. A good idea actually. Interestingly Hor Ma and everybody was there and even more interestingly for a big event for the company, Hung wasn't there. For a moment I thought it was for the smaller Ka Hou Yuet Yuen but it was for Cho Ba's company. Which made me wonder; shouldn't it be more wise for Hor Ma and gang to stay away?

Then Ka received bad news. None of the models were coming as they were going to another event organised by Astrid with the same idea for some bridal event. Ka panicked but Hor Ma calmed him down and told him to just call his friends for help, find any couples and get the young TV actress Hou suggested which his ex girlfriend is acquainted with. So Hing and everybody even Auntie Sa went out to the civil marriage registration centre and gave some ang pows and perhaps some good coupons and persuaded the married couples to go. Hor Ma and Cho Ba dressed in traditional wedding gowns (HA! HUNG! FUMING! She deserved it! After all she forced them to this) and became emcees for the day. They recounted their own wedded bliss (awkward!) and remembered a time when they had to deliver some wedding pastries to some couple at some village accessible by boat. It was their business motto that no matter what the goods must be delivered. But there was hurricane but still they went by boat, each holding huge packages. As the boat was filled with water, they had to stand and hold the boxes high up. But that meant they weren't holding still so one fell on the other repeatedly but they weren't angry; in fact they were laughing at the unexpected fun (I think Cho Ba never had that fun with Hung). When they arrived at the jetty (very small town) they saw the happy couple and the entire family waiting for them. They felt very welcomed as they were greeted by laughter, smiles, happy tears and it was a wonderful memory for both Cho Ba and Hor Ma.

Meanwhile, in probably the funniest scene Auntie Sa and grandpa was backstage arranging things when grandpa excitedly said "I got a couple to join the show! He is my senior and he will be here soon!" and Auntie Sa rather shocked dramatically said "Your senior? But father you are already 70 ish!!" and grandpa was like having the yeah lor expression. Why so funny? Imagine if grandpa is so old, his senior must be so much older! And he asked his really old buddies to be models!!

Anyway everybody arrived and it was a huge occassion which Ka looked on proudly. Even Sum was there, all dressed up in traditional wedding gowns. Hor Ma and CHo Ba introduced an old couple in wheelchair married some 90 years ago or something like that since it was during Man Chor period! That must be grandpa's senior. And everybody toasted Hor Ma and Cho Ba as happy couple and both looking at each other rather shyly and then they gave out free gifts and coupons and the nosy relatives were there to 3G it all to Hung who looked at Hor Ma and Cho Ba both smiling happily with the children surrouding them and the event a great success. Hung looked on with red eyes, switched off the phone and pondered, perhaps insulted, perhaps humiliated, perhaps jealous, perhaps resenting that there they were a family reunited and she alone in the big lonely mansion. Whatever that was on her mind, she was clearly planning something awful in return...

Next episode, Hung suggested Cho Ba to choose allegiance since Yuen is handling the PR in the company so surely they can't give more work to Ka. So Cho Ba was in a dilemma; to choose between 2 sons but Yuen looked quite guilty. Maybe that wasn't what he wanted.

This is not a particularly memorable episode, sometimes it reminded me of Heart Of Greed especially the grandma birthday scenes, too happy, maybe too forcefully happy. They all ignored Hung though, which is really cool. And grandma seems happier, not that resentful anymore. Ka had some funny scenes of course but I was just so confused with the PR event at the end since everybody was there so I thought the shop was the smaller shop in question. The event looked colourful and workable but I didn't quite feel like really happy to see Hor Ma and Cho Ba toasted as a happy coupld. Of course this is call comeuppance for Hung but that last scene with Hung looking on, almost tears in her eyes, I kinda pity her for the 2nd time in this episode. She seems so lonely in that quiet house and even Sum kept running there to help. Did she deserve all this? Of course but she did spent 12 years with this man and built this business into an empire. Cho Ba is spineless, we all know and these scenes seem to pave the way for a reconciliation between Hor Ma and Cho Ba which I disagree unless Cho Ba stands up for the children against Hung which I hope is the case. At some point Cho Ba must tell Hung "NO!".

Performance wise, Moses is at his best as the fool as in the joker and his scenes with Astrid were funny. That handphone ringtone is the irritating version of the one he had in Heart of Greed where the ringtone is his voice saying "Your mother calls you, your father calls you, your uncle calls you" and etc etc etc which was annoying after I heard it for the 3rd time.

Chow Chung as grandpa is someone I am warming too. He has some good scenes, like beating Susanna on the head. This time he had that funny line about his senior coming to help with the event. I don't know why, but it was really funny, especially with Susanna Kwan's reaction.

Everybody else generally gave competent performances except for the dumb one (the one who played Chung) who just seems so sully and unhappy and miserable ALL THE TIME and frankly I have yet to get a good look of his face and of course the most ignored character that is Chris Lai. Poor actor. To be in a big production and yet not really in it. I almost forgot Hor Ma has 6 children and I thought 4 only since focus are always on the 4k, especially Raymond Lam.

Susanna Kwan is funny in here but I am wondering why is she still so well treated eh after all she did? It was like as if what she did last episode was so last episode, this episode all forgotten. Auntie Sa must be reminded of her wrongdoings!

And finally Michelle Yim, that last scene was very well acted. That anger. That subdued intense rage in her. She talks calmly, she walks slowly, she even had small movements but this is one formidable woman. She convinces by conniving his way into people's conciousness and she is controlling by appearing to be not controlling. I think Michelle Yim's performance thus far does embody all these qualities. But I still wonder, does Hung love Cho Ba for real?

I do look forward to the next episode. I would hope to read some feedback on these points:-

1. Do you like it if Hor Ma and Cho Ba reconcile?

2. Do you think Hung really love Cho Ba? I mean if she really loves him shouldn't she treat his children I mean sincerely better than she did?

3. Do you miss Nin Chi Yung? I do...

Favourite quote/scene...

... grandpa excitedly said "I got a couple to join the show! He is my senior and he will be here soon!" and Auntie Sa rather shocked dramatically said "Your senior? But father you are already 70 ish!!"