Episode 17

This is the episode where Yuen and Ka are both featured quite heavily. The recap first..

Dinner at Cho Ba's mansion and everybody said how unreasonable Hor Ma was and Hung was quite glad to hear that when grandma, being a changed woman said "Well, maybe we were hard on her. Let us not talk about that first, let her cool down first and then we ask her again" and Cho Ba said "Yeah, it was very stressful for Hor, all these years it was also very difficult on her, let us all just wait for a while and then ask her later, let's not push her" and Hung knew half her war was lost since grandma too has mellowed down when in the past grandma would be the first to cry FATTY!!

Next target? Yuen...

Yuen came home after a business trip. He is always not at home is he? Anyway he came home, was in his room when Hung came in teary eyed and guess what? She told him what happened, whilst he must have gathered some from the office colleagues. Hung said meekly "I hope I am not placing too much on you but I hope you would talk to Hor Ma. Maybe she will listen to you and let Ka and Hou (I think she may have said Chung too) to come work at Ka Hou Yuet Yuen. Why should the older generations' conflicts burden the younger generation?" and Yuen said "They have misunderstood you mother. I will ask Hor Ma". I think sometime here or later Yuen even said to Hung "I see you more as my mother than Hor Ma" but I can't remember when.

Next day he went to the shop and saw Hor Ma. Hor Ma was very happy to see him because let's face it, almost 20 episodes in and this is probably like the 3 time she has seen him and 1st time actually talked to him so that confirms that

1. poor Yuen is so neglected

2. he is not a ghost, I repeat he is not a ghost!

Pause here.

I know Hor Ma loves all her children equally but it would be nice to show her tried calling Yuen or say things like "Yuen ahhh, it is Hor Ma, your real mother. Yuen ahhh, why you don't come home for dinner like Ka and Chung ah?"

Never once.

Anyway he gave her some souvenir, asked about her health and Hor Ma cut the chase and gently said "You are not here to ask about my health are you Yuen? Is it about Ka and Chung?"

Yuen nodded and said reluctantly "Hor Ma, mother (as in Hung) is sincere. She really wants what is best for us all. What is so wrong letting us all, all 6 of us working under one roof? Hor Ma, I heard what happened in the office. No no Mother didn't tell me but I heard it from my colleagues. Hor Ma you can't be that unreasonable, blaming mother for everything. I know she did wrong in the past but she has been very good to me, like a real mother. Hor Ma, please consider her proposal.." and Hor Ma heartbroken that Yuen was telling her off essentially said sadly "Yes I will think about it. Maybe you should go back to your office now" and so Yuen left and Hor MA went back to making the dough with tears in her eyes.

As Yuen turned around there was Hou, angry and eyes glaring at Yuen. He dragged Yuen outside where Hing, Yuet and Chung were all there. Hou angrily said "Yuen, how can you be so rude with Hor Ma? How can you say things like that to her?" and Yuen defended himself and said "I have been very gentle with her. I said nothing but the truth!" and Hou said "Truth? What did that woman said to you?" and Yuen retorted "Mother didn't say anything. She just wants what best for us". Hou said "That woman is not as simple as you think she is!" and Yuen retorted "Yuet you have no job! Chung, look at you! It is 3pm and what are you doing? Playing basketball! Hor Ma has been very unreasonable! You know what she said to mother in front of everyone, humiliating her? Hor Ma unreasonably dragged out issues like the wedding bouquet and demanded mother to transfer the shares immediately and change the name Ka Hou Yuet Yuen to Hor Ma's Biscuits! She was being unreasonable!!" Hou exploded "Have you forgotten who is your mother?! Hor Ma is YOUR MOTHER!! Not that woman!!" and Yuen said "What is the difference? Mother was always there for me. Yes I was 8 when I lived there and like you all I didn't like her but guess what? She took very good care of me, she even miscarriaged because of me! WHat did Hor Ma did for me? When I tried to run back to her, what did she do? She sent me back to Cho Ba! She didn't care about me and I won't deny it that I feel mother was more of my mother than HOr Ma has ever been!! And look at all of you! What is so wrong we all work together?"

Hou then understood and said "You have mistaken about Hor Ma! She loves you very much!" and Yuen bitterly said "No she doesn't!" and then Hou tried to drag Hou to the shop and said "Come! Come with me, we all sit down and trash it all out!" and Ka appeared and Hou said to Ka "Ka! Yuen thought Hor Ma never cared about him! We must let Hor MA explain and defend herself. Come on, say something!" and Hing said "He thinks Hor Ma doesn't love him!"

Ka looked stunned for a moment and then strangely and quite detached said "Hou, Yuen is a big boy now. He is no longer a child. He can think for himself, he can decide for himself. What can we do? We have said what we wanted to say and what needed to be said. Let him decide for himself" and so that was that. Even Yuen was stunned by Ka's response. Or maybe Chris LAi has this stunned look naturally.

Pause here.

This is a good scene. Finally some conflict and I understand why Yuen is so bitter. It must have been difficult for him. He must have rebelled and mistook Hor Ma's insistence that he go back to Cho Ba as betrayal, as if to mean she didn't want him. I am sure Cho Ba and Hung were threatening legal action everytime Yuen ran back to her, after all they had more people, not necessarily money and they had custody. But I thought Yuen was thoughtless to chastise Hor Ma, even if he was very gentle about it. But he was right about Chung being useless and lazy. His thinking was all 6 of them work together isn't that bad and frankly I think so too. But Hung never had any intention to give them anything, she wanted to cause quarrell only.

Ka was with Yuet in a restaurant waiting for a client but Astrid came instead and gloated "Are you waiting for Mr ---? Oh don't bother. He has decided to pass the project to me since we are more reputable company" and Ka said "I wonder how you could cope considering all your workers are gone?" and Astrid said "Don't worry for me. Worry about yourself, with what you promise them, such high salaries and yet no work? I doubt you can last long" and Yuet said "Worry about yourself first!" and then suddenly Ka's voice was heard saying "Cha tau! Cha tau! Cha tau!" and it was Ka's voice as her ringing tone and Ka was very angry and just left with Yuet and Astrid smiling happily.

Pause here. I made a mistake as in the company's name is Cha Kan meaning Work Hard or Work Diligently but Ka did jokingly laughed when Astrid said that might as well been Cha Tau meaning unemployed. That's what that word meant.

Anyway continue...

Hung was in a restaurant waiting for someone and it was Ka. She smilingly said to Ka "Ka, I know we have many misunderstandings but I am glad you're willing to put it all behind. I want only what's best for you and I really like your proposals. In fact the last function you did for the company, that bridal fair, it was a great idea and so I have decided to pass all of Ka Hou Yuet Yuen's PR work to you" and Ka happily said "Well I have a new proposal.." and Hung said "Wait. Since Yuen is the head of PR in the company, I feel it is more appropriate you let him hear your proposal and let him decide" but I have a request. I have always hope you will call me mother" and Ka looked like "SHIT!" but Hung laughed and said "No no, I was just kidding!" and so Ka, smile faded reluctantly knowing that he will have to kow tow to this vile woman.

At home Auntie Sa was being very bitter with their decision not to join Ka Hou Yuet Yuen. She kept saying "Poor Ka Mei! She won't have her gym! How can I explain to her?!". Chung went to Hor Ma and said "Hor Ma, can you please tell that someone not to use my computer anymore?" and even Yuet said "Well not only you Chung, mine too!" and Auntie Sa quickly said "What? Can't I borrow your computers to do some research for your Hor MA, beauty products and all?" and Yuet retorted "What? All the way to Portugal? Because your searches were on Portugal!" and Auntie Sa said "What you understand you Lor Lui (adopted daughter)? My Ka Mei needs those information too". Ka said "Auntie Sa you kept saying about Ka Mei, how does she look like now?" and AUntie Sa bragged "My daughter has blossomed into a real beauty! I have her pictures!" and so she showed them all Ka Mei's Facebook and in all the pictures she was looking like a tomboy (I believe those pictures were from was it The Academy?) and everybody laughed and said "Wow, she IS pretty!" and then they left and Auntie Sa wasn't very happy with their reaction. Hor Ma smiled and told them "Actually Ka Mei is very pretty now".


During dinner, Ka said "I have an announcement everyone. My company will be handling all of Ka Hou Yuet Yuen's PR business from now on" and Yuet was first to object and said "I thought you decided not to work for her? No wonder you were so quiet with Yuen today!" and Ka said "What can I do? I have promised my employees high salary in return for them to work for me and one of them has a pregnant wife." and Yuet said "BUt we can find other projects, we can sustain ourselves" and Ka said "Like how? This month yes but next month? How long can we sustain? Ka Hou Yuet Yuen's business is huge" and Yuet said "But how would she have agreed to give your small company millions of dollars of projects? Have you thought about that?" and Hou said "Ka, that woman is up to no good! Why was it not me who went there instead of you?! Look at you now!" but Ka was determined and Hou and Yuet both stood up, arguing with Ka when grandpa shouted "ENOUGH! Why are we always arguing these days??" and Hor Ma said "Everybody quiet. Ka, I have said I do not approve but it is your decision to make. I will not question your decision as you're big now. Just be careful and be very wary of that woman. Now let us all just eat" and everybody sat down and Ka looked rather sad knowing perhaps Hor Ma was right but then he was under great stress whilst everybody else glared at him except Chung who just looks miserable.

Then we have the cringe moment that is who else but Sum and of course Bosco and we find out they were neighbours when they were young! How small the world is! And they suddenly talk to each other literally like babies for reasons I am not sure why. Perhaps the writers thought it was cute, I thought it was a complete waste of time. And amazingly Bosco was like only a few hours older than Sum, or was it few years?

AND...

Bosco is a total miscast. In order for Sum to fall deeply for him enough to sacrifice her morals (I read Bosco was married or something), that character has to be older, respected and therefore a hunky experienced very skilled doctor. So it should have been someone older, much older, someone more mature to contrast with Raymond's Hou. With them babytalking, I wonder why Sum chose him over Hou. I mean Raymond Lam vs Bosco, who would you choose? We all know Sum likes Hou, as they're close in age and so to have her be in love with someone, that person must NOT be like Hou, so he must be respected and such. And so SUm may have mistaken respect for love. What a wrong wrong wrong casting choice!!

Anyway just a few minutes scene only and I was glad to be rid of it.

It was Hing's birthday and Hung said to Cho Ba "Is there a birthday? You asked for a cake to be made?" and Cho Ba told Hung "It's Hing's birthday and I will be at Hor Ma's place to celebrate Hing's birthday. Don't wait up for me!" and Cho Ba walked away for a moment and Hung took Cho Ba's glasses and step on it hard, looking very jealous and then CHo Ba took the glass case and Hung said smilingly "Well have a great time" and CHo Ba left. She then asked the nosy male relative drive Cho Ba eventhough Cho Ba said he can take taxi but Cho Ba's eyes is still blurry.

Halfway the car broke down (well supposedly) and Cho Ba took out his glasses which was shattered. Cho Ba coud hardly see and said to the nosy relative "I can take a taxi" but the relative lied to Cho Ba all taxis were full when Cho Ba can't see and the taxis were empty. Cho Ba then called Hou and told Hou to pick him up but the relative gave Cho Ba the wrong location deliberately and so Cho Ba waited for a long time and his phone ran out of battery but Hou wasn't there and relative said "Come on, Cho let's just go home" but Cho Ba said "No no, I will take a bus" and so the relative left him but hid behind, called HUng who ordered "You will follow him! When he is tired enough he will come home on his own!" and he followed CHo Ba who tried to cross the street but can't see much and as red lights turned green, he was in the middle and he fell hard as cars honked but he walked on and fell again hard after bumping into some barricade and his head and hands and knees were bleeding, the cake kinda trampled on. But he walked on as relative called Hung and Hung was very angry. Cho asked for help and took a bus to Hor Ma's place but again he fell down hard because someone knocked him down and relative called Hung and said "I think he is giving up. He is at the phone booth!" and Hung smiled. Cho Ba called home as in Hor Ma's place and asked "Hor, do you have Hou's phone number?" and Hor Ma said "Cho tried looking for you but can't see you. Cho, Hing would know your sincerity. It is ok if you can't make it. Go home, it is late now" and CHo Ba put down the phone and called Hung at last. He didn't speak and Hung was waiting for him to speak knowing it was Cho Ba but CHo Ba suddenly slammed down the phone and said "I will make it to Hor Ma's place! Nothing can stop me!!" and so he marched on. Hung was so angry she threw the phone against the wall and relative tried calling her but couldn't get her but followed on.

Cho Ba walked on, limping with a half smashed cake box and then Hing saw Cho Ba and also that nosy relative who quickly hid behind a wall and Hing asked "Cho Ba! You're here... Cho Ba, what happened to your hand? Your knees? They're bleeding!" but Cho Ba smiled and said "Hing, I am finally here at last." and Hing didn't quite understand and Cho Ba now with tears in his eyes said "I bought you your favourite Black Forest cake. But I am afraid it is now smashed. Cho Ba is like that, so useless, always breaking things that are well and good. Hing, the road home is such a difficult road, I realise that now but I am finally home, I made it" and Hing knew what Cho Ba meant and was very touched and I think she hugged him. Can't remember.

Pause here. What Cho Ba did, by defying Hung and striking out on his own is very significant. He said he is finally home and his heart is now with Hor Ma's place. Hung knew it too. But Cho Ba didn't know HUng ordered the obstacles, he just wanted to make it.

At Hor Ma's place, they all celebrated Hing's birthday with a smashed cake that Auntie Sa said "It is a smashed cake!!" but everybody said "It is ok! It is Cho Ba's present! It is good enough to eat!" and So Hing made a wish that "I do not have any birthday wish this year. But I just hope Hor Ma will forgive Cho Ba, Yuet will forgive cho Ba, Hou will forgive Cho Ba, Ka will forgive Cho Ba, Chung will forgive Cho Ba: and she blew the candle. Of course no one heard her wish since she said it in her heart.

I suppose Hung forgave Cho Ba because next scene it was Ka, Yuet, Hou, Chung, Yuen and Hing all at Cho Ba's place eating with grandma as it was mooncake festival again and I am not sure what was said, but Hou wanted to leave abruptly but was persuaded to stay. Then I think Ka and Yuen came back and Yuen said "Ka your ideas are all very good. I think the promo will be successful" and Ka was exceptionally quiet.

Then they all sat down, with Ka's workers there also and even Hung complimented Ka on his ideas and then Hung said "But Ka, I would like you to emphasise on the family theme more" and nosy relative said "What better way to emphasise than to use our own lady boss as an example? Especially her relationship with Yuen, like mother and son!" and Hung smiled and the Hor Ma gang looked like they're ready to vomit whilst Ka was even more exceptionally quiet. Hung modestly said "Oh no no, please no no, I can't be a model!" and Yuen stood up and said "I think it is true, mother has been very good to me and she never blamed me for what happened, her miscarriage and loved me and stood by me. I think the idea is great" and even grandma said "Well Hung has been exceptional with Yuen, I think the idea is great too" and even Cho Ba thought so and all along Yuet, Chung, Hou and Hing all looked sick to the stomach. But Ka was very very quiet as the relative kept singing Hung praises until Hung laughed and said "Ok, ok if you all insist, fine use my story with Yuen if you want to" and Yuen held her hand and smiled at her. Then Ka stood up and said "Yes, the family theme should be emphasises. But I am afraid after what I have to say, that won't be so" and everybody was surprised and mumbled why and Ka said "I am afraid after what I have to say, Auntie Hung will throw me out and never welcome me back" and Hung said "Why would I do that? What is it Ka? Say it" and even Cho Ba said "Say it" and so Ka, after years of being silent and silly and a joker as a way to protect himself revealed "I have made a promise to someone to take care of my 2 brothers when I moved in here... When Auntie Hung had the miscarriage, I was 17. I was very scared, I was also crying" and everybody, including myself wonder why was he crying but I think it was because he was 17, young and didn't know what to do, so more out of fear than sadness for Hung and he continued "and I was also at the hospital, outside Auntie Hung's room when I heard she said to *nosy male relative's name* that 'How can you have an affair with that woman in the office? What is I tell your wife?! You don't want me to tell her? Fine, you tell a lie for me. Say that I miscarriaged because of Yuen'" and everybody was shocked and Hung denied it..

pause here

It is an established fact that she had a miscarriage on her way to meet Yuen's teachers for his disciplinary problems so I wonder why she asked relative to lie? Plot hole in my opinion

Continue...

Ka stood in front of a stunned Yuen and use his finger and angrily poked Yuen's forehead and angrily said "You stupid Yuen! You have been a stupid scapegoat all these years! and you said Hor Ma didn't care about you, that this woman did! But you didn't know every weekend Hor Ma would see me and ask me how you were and gave me written instructions on how to take care of you! If you don't believe me, I still keep the notes upstairs and I can show you! Hor Ma loves you very much, constantly worries about you and you fool, you consider that woman your mother! You're so STUPID! You're a fool! You're nothing but a foolish boy!!" and Ka knelt in front of Hou and said "Hou, you're right" and Cho Ba asked "Ka, if it was true, why haven't you told me back then?" and Ka angrily said "Cho Ba would you have listened? You were under her spell!!" and Ka said to Hung "You're nothing but a manipulative vile liar!!" and Hung angrily denied and said "I swear it isn't true!!" and Yuet came and said "What about that function where you deliberately sabotaged?!" and grandma asked "Function? That bridal fair that Hor came to help?" and Yuet said "Yes!" and Hing came to Cho Ba and said "Cho Ba, that night when you came for my birthday, I saw *nosy male relative* following you and he didn't help you!" and Cho Ba turned to *nosy male relative* who was scolding Hing for saying something he didn't understand and Cho Ba angrily said "*nosy male relative*, you! You were there and you didn't bother to assist me? I have been taking care of you all these years and you didn't help me?!" and Cho Ba slapped *nosy male relative* hard on the cheek and grandma looked at Hung and said "Did you do all that?" and Hung angrily said "Say what you all want, I didn't do what you all said. I will not be bothered by these accusations!" and so she ran to the stairs when CHo Ba grabbed Ka and emotionally said "Ka, don't worry about your company. I have millions in my account and if I have to use them all to help your company stay afloat, I will! And if anyone dares to stop me from seeing my children, I will fight with then till the end!!" and Hung angrily ran back upstairs.

Pause here.

Here Ka really took charge. He looked like he was about to gag at the hypocrisy of what he was seeing when Hung was being complimented as the best mother in the world that he could no longer stand it. This is my favourite scene of this episode and the way he poked Yuen's head so hard was typical of an angry older brother scolding the stupid younger brother. You may wonder why he kept this secret all these years? Why didn't he tell Yuen or Cho Ba or grandma? Well he was only 17 then, who would believe him? Moreover he couldn't tell because he had to stay to protect the 2 brothers as promised to Hor Ma. So he had to "Yan hei tan seng" as chinese loves to say (translated loosely as have to gulp down all the injustice and be very patient). I kinda pity Ka sometimes, he had such a big burden.

Anyway Hor Ma was closing up her shop or whatever when she had flashbacks of all her children boarding the bus to school, and Ka running back to her and then later must be after divorce when Ka alone came to her and Hor Ma was rather sad and then she saw all the children in the bus and she smiled again.

Pause here.

Very strange scene. It was as if all 6 children had left her!

Anyway then she saw a van pulling up in front of her and it was Ka, Hou, Yuet, Chung, Hing all running to her and suddenly Yuen appeared, running to her, holding her hands and said "Hor Ma, I am very sorry" and Hor Ma hugged him as she tearfully cried, happy that all her children had returned to her at last.

Next episode, all about Hing and her boyfriend and a very objectionable mother who said angrily "She is mute!" and I would have retorted "You lady is blind!" because I mean HIng is such a nice girl you know!

Anyway I wonder after all children reunited with Hor Ma, what is there more to say? When is Cho Ba moving back in? Why is there a wedding with Cho Ba and Hung? How is Cho Ba ever gonna look at that woman the same way after all the revelations tonight??

Episode wise this is pretty explosive and everytime Ka has something to say, he says explosive stuff like Nin Chi Yung. I however agree that all 6 children should work at Ka hou Yuet Yuen, force that woman to retire and takeover the company. It is a good idea. Hor Ma must be more progressive in her thinking! However the whole Hor Ma-Yuen-Hung scene a bit too late. I feel very little for Yuen and I feel not much is shown between Hor Ma and Yuen. Perhaps the series should have shown more on how they were like when separated, to show to use how life was changed and all instead of skipping forward so soon or showing the Korean romance love story. I wouldn't mind a 50 episodes series if the story is properly paced but as it is, it is just too fast, too much of flashback and yet some no flashback at all. I feel the writing is pretty bad.

The most vile person is not Hung. It is Auntie Sa. I hate hate hate her!

Peformance wise, everybody was good except for 2; that guy who plays Chung who is like an automaton but sulky one and Chris Lai. All he had was confusion. I hope there will be a scene with Hung where he shows revulsion and ask that woman "Are you even capable of love?" which we know she does since she loves Sum and then ask "Have you ever loved me?" and now this...

Why can't she actually love one of the children? I mean wouldn't it be more interesting to have one of them really loved by her and so his loyalty is fixed on her and not based on some lie? I hate it that every problem is fixed in 1 hour. I would be better to have one to have such loyalty for her because she did somehow genuinely bonded with that child. It is possible.

Raymond Lam, Lee Sze Kei and everybody else were in top form with special mention to Har Yu who gave a heart wrenching performance of a man trying to redeem himself and find his way "home". I stil; blame Cho Ba and Ka was right to say "Would you have listened!" to Cho Ba.

The best belongs to Moses Chan who really shine tonight. I love his stony face when meeting Hung, knowing it was like begging your enemy. Then all those hypocrisy, his face showing revulsion which was very obvious. Then he scolded Yuen which was the highlight and then screaming at Hung which was the ultimate highlight. He really hates her you see! Fantastic performance by Moses Chan.

I wonder who is playing Bosco's other half? I thought I saw Shirley Yeung! Could she be the one since there aren't any other female role left?

Anyway favourite scene/quote to end my recap...

You stupid Yuen! You have been a stupid scapegoat all these years! and you said Hor Ma didn't care about you, that this woman did! But you didn't know every weekend Hor Ma would see me and ask me how you were and gave me written instructions on how to take care of you! If you don't believe me, I still keep the notes upstairs and I can show you! Hor Ma loves you very much, constantly worries about you and you fool, you consider that woman your mother! You're so STUPID! You're a fool! You're nothing but a foolish boy!!
- Ka to Yuen