"Your dad's old tactic to get you out of bed, remember?" "That's what got him killed." "Hey, get up!" "I've loaded toothpaste on your toothbrush already!" "Loy, please!" "Behave like a proper guy once in a while, OK?" "Look, it's way past 11 o'clock." "It's not right to make the lady wait." "If waiting pisses off she can just walk out." "But why did you consent to the match in the first place?" "Your mom has called many times to make sure you are up." "Stop nagging." "You know how to tackle your mom but I don't." "I'm the one she hisses at, day in day out." "Shut up!" "Shut up!" "You sure know how to tackle me!" "Color treatment again?" "So soon?" "Do you think my money grows on trees?" "Look in the mirror and check the gray roots yourself." "I've tried my best to cover them up this time." "But I can't say it will work much longer!" "Fast graying comes with fatigue." "A lot on your mind lately?" "Oh, my mind is constantly occupied by one big question:" "How come all the salons have cut their prices but not yours?" "Isn't that enough to do the harm?" "I am charging you as little as humanly possible!" "I've already fired 3 out of my 5 assistants!" "At this rate, I'll have to sweep the floor myself very soon." "You're so melodramatic." "It's even tougher than the time of SARS!" "You run a shop too so you should know." "Well, that depends on who's in charge." "Not every store owner can roll with the punches." "Hello!" "Say Hi, Yo Yo!" "My Yo Yo is so sensitive to the chemicals around here." "He sneezed non-stop during his last visit." "Then why the hell did you bring him?" "Because he needs his daily exercise." "Not to mention we are having dim-sum today!" "Yo Yo!" "Beef ball!" "Beef ball!" "Let me be clear:" "He is not allowed on the dining table." "He needs to learn his place!" "My Yo Yo has impeccable manners so don't you worry." "By the way, has anyone cared to get Loy out of bed yet?" "Can't you see all my fingers are tied up?" "You women are so hopelessly fussy." "Done!" "It's all done." "Nice and pretty." "Wow, look at my 10 little eggplants!" "This shade of purple is in vogue now." "You'll beat your future daughter-in-law in looks." "Daughter-in-law?" "Not so fast!" "What if she turns out to be a pain to look at?" "What?" "You don't trust my taste?" "She's hailed as the "Toilet Princess" in the neighborhood." "Oi Lin, time to go!" "Leave that for later." "Come on." "Let's go!" "I knew they'll lose their license sooner or later!" "Their books were a mess when I audited them some time ago!" "Their CEO took millions in wages." "The whole place is a joke!" "This restaurant has great Fung-Shui!" "We held our own wedding banquet here." "But this place is tiny!" "How many tables can you have?" "There is another floor above us!" "Is that so?" "I am actually not all that familiar with this area." "Loy's father took me to the Hilton whenever we ate out." "We had our wedding banquet at the Hilton too!" "I remember telling him," ""People are not going to adjust the value of their gifts according to the venue's prestige."" "But he wouldn't listen." "What are you smiling about?" "Just to be warm and gracious." "I know my manners." "Would you prefer I doze off?" "Ah!" "You are the expert here, Mrs. Chiang." "Which dehumidifier would you recommend for me?" "Well, is it for the living room or bedroom?" "There's a new model which is both stylish and quiet." "It can purify the air in the room and... filter out dust and pollen." "Wouldn't that be pricy then?" " Not too bad!" " You lucky man!" "Sitting on a big pension like that." "Any idea how bad the business climate is?" "People are going store-to-store hoping to save pennies... on a simple faucet!" "Thank God we have Oi Lin here." "She has connections to quite a few construction companies." "Really?" "Most residential units now have air-conditioners, oven hoods... and other appliances pre-installed." "Our store happens to carry several Korean-made appliances." "That's right!" "Korean goods are far superior these days." "They beat the Japanese in style." "Trump Southeast Asia for reliability." "Let's invite our buyers to have coffee with Mrs. Chiang then." "Marvelous!" "Get the dog off the table, could you?" "Hey where are you going?" "I'm calling our buyers!" "That's what you call "immediate action"." "What perfume is she wearing?" "Strong enough to wake you from a coma." "Think of something to say when she comes back!" "Can't you sense the generation gap?" "You're still mad... at grandpa for matching you with that baldy." "So don't push me." "Had I known this is how you'd turn out," "I should have married the baldy instead of raising you!" "Please forget what I said." "Manning a store is so round-the-clock." "It's hard to find the time to date." "Who doesn't need to work in this day and age?" "Women should focus more on work rather than their looks." "Indeed, someone like you with both beauty and brains... is one in a million." "Too much pork fat in the Cha-siu bun, huh?" "Listen to your oily tongue!" "When are you scheduled to appear in court?" "Next week perhaps." "You're up for probation soon." "Can't you tough it out?" "What if they decide to extend your jail term?" "We shouldn't count on the public defender this time." "My uncle knows a lawyer..." "Your uncle will bump me off one of these days." "My uncle is nothing like you." "What does the guy look like?" "He ought to be rich if his family owns a store?" "Who gives a damn?" "It's over and done with." "It's you I'm worried about." "Hi Sam!" "This is Mrs. Chiang from Big D Trading..." "There is a bowl missing!" "It's in use!" "Your mom is quite smitten by her." "Sure, smitten by her homeliness." "You can't have more than one beauty under the same roof." "Or else Uncle Ching may succumb to temptation!" "When my maid starts work," "I'll make her take cooking lessons from you." "A maid?" "Maids cost more than $3000 a month!" "Why so generous all of a sudden?" "I'm thinking of getting my mom out of the nursing home... and have her looked after by a maid." " Nursing fees shot up?" " Please come by some time." "Exactly!" "Over $7,000 a month now!" "How much can an old lady eat up?" "$500 plus for diapers alone!" "Can you believe it?" "Playing the good son, huh?" "Aren't you worried that she may lose her balance... and stomp on your midget dog?" "How can a pretty woman like you be such a downer?" "Back to work!" "Have you been to Karaoke lately?" "Who exactly would I go with?" "Still reading novels?" "It's the cheapest form of entertainment out there." "I check them out from the library for free." "Don't just read." "Go out and have fun once in a while." "I did!" "I was out looking for your next apartment." "In a time like this, you can rent a small flat... for just about $4,000 a month." "It's still a bit early." "Huh?" "Don't rush." "Take your time." "I know that!" "Am I that stupid?" "Girls with pretty faces... tend to be stupid." "That's it!" "Completely toast!" "We can get spare parts over on Apliu Street." "Wait." "Go dig through my dad's old shed..." "They all got thrown out by your mom a while ago." "That can't be true!" "Just pick any new one and give it to her!" "This is the old lady's heirloom." "Hard for her to handle new stuff." "Hey boss!" "Why on earth did you get rid of dad's tools?" "Hell, no!" "I simply returned them to their rightful owner." "The garbage men picked them up... and delivered them to the incinerator." "The minute they flared up, your dad received them with open arms, shaking with joy!" "Dad!" "Did you really have your wedding banquet at the Hilton?" "That dump was called the Hilltown!" "It's way past the Hilton, somewhere around Central Market." "All fixed up!" "Awesome!" "What's going on?" "Get your butt up!" "Pick up the phone!" "Oh, you are up!" "See?" "Noodles with mushrooms and scallops!" "It will wake you right up!" "Let me get the soup." "Good!" "I'll sleep some more after breakfast." "Be good for a change." "It's humid today." "I have a lot of ironing to do." "What's the tumble dryer for?" "Your mom says dryers are bad for clothes." "But you are the older sister." "You call the shots!" "I call the shots?" "I can't even get you to behave!" "Twice a month your mom lectures me on... how to deal with you." "Who the hell... called so early just now?" "My ears are excellent, you know?" "I could tell whose voice it was over the phone... even though I haven't heard it for over 10 years." "Is it Dad?" "What, calling from the grave?" "The baldy from your blind date then?" "I wish!" "The call was for you!" "Who would be calling me on the land line?" "Yeah, who?" "Who in the world would?" "Chill out!" "Let her wait!" "Can't you pretend to be haughty?" "Nobody takes an eager-beaver seriously." "I wouldn't bother if it were me." "She's just another middle-age gold-digger with sagging breasts." "I bet you anything she's just been dumped." "Come on, get in!" "People say winter's over once the cotton tree blooms." "But with the erratic weather these days, the cotton tree may get confused, don't you think?" "Thanks!" "Hi guys, the shop sign is here." "I need you desperately!" "First off, I need to replace the two air-cons on the ceiling." "Secondly, my show opens in a couple of days." "I hope you can make it." "Last but not least, I want to recruit you as a talent!" "Talent?" "A model, that is." "For black and white stills!" "Model?" "Me?" "Yes!" "You!" "Is this your idea of a joke?" "I mean it." "Do I have to..." "Stripping is not necessary." "What about my toes?" "I'd like to show off my sexy toes..." "Now this is the Loy I used to know!" "This place is enormous!" "See how high the ceiling is!" "You'll need a fire truck's ladder to reach the top!" "I decided to return to work a couple of years ago." "At first I was sharing a studio with other artists." "Until you found this terrific bargain." "Until someone finally gave me alimony!" "I'm divorced." "$150,000 or so." "Not a lot, really." "Support the Government." "Pay your taxes." "It's 14% less than last year's!" " Mitsubishi air-cons are sold out." " $150,000?" "!" "These shopping receipts are worth at least $80,000." "Why are you listing only $20,000 here?" "$20,000 is plenty, your Majesty!" "If you go any higher than that you are inviting trouble." "You wouldn't want to attract IRD's scrutiny, would you?" "$150,000?" "Crunch the numbers one more time!" "Nothing more to crunch!" "See all these finger prints here?" "It's your job to sort it out!" "I told you from the beginning..." "I intend to pay only $80,000 in taxes." "How can you budget taxes?" "You'd like to see my license suspended?" "You charge me $10,000 just for filling out this form!" "You've got to do a better job!" "Get lost, you midget!" "What are you kicking Yo Yo for?" "You've scared the shit out of him!" "Loy!" "Why are you still moseying?" "Haven't I asked you to send over the dehumidifier?" "But you haven't picked which one to give." "What's there to pick?" "The cheapest one of course!" "They get it for free." "What more can they expect?" "You are the one who refused their payment." "That's because their niece looks acceptable." "She can assist me to run the shop once the knot is tied." "Losing a dehumidifier is fine with me." "Oi Lin is quite the gem." "Why else would her uncle care so much about her?" "You'd better make it clear to them:" "When all is said and done, Oi Lin will no longer work for them!" "I don't want anyone holding grudges down the road!" "Listen to that tone!" "You really are good at scaring people off, Your Majesty!" "Aunt!" "Please suit yourself!" "Hi there!" "Oh my..." "Thank you so much." "So thoughtful of your mom!" "So very generous!" "If you ever need anything from our store in the future... please make sure to let us know." "Will do!" "Goodbye then!" "Oh wait, Mr. Chiang!" "Oi Lin, fresh egg tarts should be out of oven by now." "Why don't you go have coffee with Mr. Chiang?" "I am pretty tied up here." "Go on!" "What would you like?" "A coffee and an egg tart." "And you?" "Why?" "Dieting?" "Our low-fat egg tarts are excellent!" "How about sugar-free iced tea?" "Who said I am dieting?" "I am just not thirsty." "You need to order something." "If the 2 of you share 1 tea set and stay for 1/2 an hour, we'll be out of business in no time." "How much is a cup of tea?" "$12.00" "Drinks only, double charge." "Seating only, triple!" "Triple charge?" "Seriously?" "We have our reputation to protect." "If everyone comes just to sit, there will soon be gossips circulating on the Internet... about the quality of our food." "Understand?" "You don't need to stay, you know?" "But I've promised my Aunt to take you out for coffee." "Doesn't matter." "You can go." "Fine with me, really." "Your friend is very stubborn." "Mariticide." "She murdered her husband." "I've read it." "You are giving me a spoiler!" "I did it for your benefit." "The story sucks!" "That's what you think!" "How can the cop be so dumb as to fall for that woman, knowing all along she killed her husband for the insurance." "It is crazy, plain and simple!" "That's exactly what makes the book a fun read!" "What's more - the cop goes on to name her... as the sole beneficiary on his own insurance policy!" "Would you have liked it better... if the book were about murdering a wife?" "Murdering a mom sounds even better!" "Or killing the uncle and aunt?" "Our store used to be on the street level... before we moved it up!" "The street is a fountain of fun." "There is so much going on." "People spotting, animal spotting and car spotting." "Fist fights, cop chases... you name it." "Water trucks cleaning the road can be a spectacle too." "Right!" "You have it all." "The only disadvantage is the onslaught of dust." "Oi Lin - the name means lotus, right?" "The lotus is said to be "dust proof", the chosen flower of the Buddha." "When people hear that I'm called Oi Lin, they naturally assume I am a.k. A Irene in English!" "Is Irene your other name then?" "Well, Loy, are you a.k.a. Roy in English?" ""Loy" means "come"." "You may call me "Come"." "As in "Come here, shake hands!" "Woof woof!"" "You don't have to try so hard to tickle me." "Don't get me wrong, kiddo!" "After we say goodbye at the bus stop," "I doubt we'll ever see each other again." "That is, as long as you don't cross over to this side of Hennessy Road." "I dislike going to your neighborhood." "Why is that?" "Your proximity to the Tax Office!" "Isn't that bad enough?" "Our neighborhood is way better." "We have trams running!" "Trams?" "What's so great about trams?" "Just ask anyone around... which one he prefers the tram or the Tax Office?" "The "Ding Ding" chimes trams make are so pleasant." "Especially when you find yourself awake at the crack of dawn." "They are as comforting as a lullaby." "I am not a fan of the tram." "Let me be honest with you - I already have a boyfriend." "That's great." "His name is Xu." "He is in jail for battery and assault." "Uncle wants me to move on." "That's why..." "You are old enough to make your own decisions!" "I've been on 3 matches so far this year." "And you are one of those strangers I met." "You learn to let... the small things go so that you can take a stand on the bigger issues." "That's how it goes!" "The air-con models you asked for are all out of stock." "The next shipment will arrive in a few weeks' time." "Please do what you can to speed it up." "I have stacks of jobs to do next week!" "Damn!" "Where have all the towels and sheets gone?" "I don't see a bed anywhere." "Where will you sleep?" "Let me do it." "I'm on my way." "Give me 5 minutes!" "5 minutes!" "Hi, may I speak to the attorney Mr. Cheung?" "The tram is coming!" "Hurry up or we won't make it!" "There's always the next one." "What if there's no next one?" "It's still not the end of the world." "Hey, you can't do this to me!" "Wake up!" "Now!" "Come on, you lazy brat!" "A useless piece of crap!" "Get up, you slouch!" "Up, now!" "What?" "I'll tell you what!" "See this?" "This is our business registration which you promised to have it renewed a few months ago." "Have you done it?" "Of course not!" "You brushed it off as usual!" "Do you know what has happened?" "We are now being summoned to appear in court!" " With a judge and a fine!" " Please, not now." "You are hopeless!" "Utterly spoiled by your Auntie!" "What have I done to deserve you!" "ESS43127/2008..." "Loy Chiang for Big D Trading Ltd." "Mr. Chiang, the summons noted that your company... failed to pay your Business Registration fee of $750... by June 17, 2008." "How do you plead?" "Guilty." "Xu Wang, you are accused of the battery and assault... of Stewart Kwok on January 25th of this year... in the Pik Uk Correctional Institution." "How do you plead?" "Not guilty." "The court will schedule a hearing at the..." "East Kowloon District Court." "This is my ex-girlfriend." "Oh yeah?" "And she is gorgeous!" "Really?" "You don't believe me?" "See for yourself!" "Detective stories are all about liars." "The bad guy lies; sometimes the witness lies too." "Even cops lie." "But then at times, what sounds like a lie... turns out to be nothing but the truth." "Have you ever thought of becoming a cop?" "My dad once asked me what I wanted to do... when I grew up." "I told him: "Sherlock Holmes"." "But he said no way." "In his opinion, the role model in law and order for the Chinese was Judge Pao." "Ha ha ha..." "You have a cavity!" "It's true!" "Hey!" "I was actually... very depressed when I met you just now." "When is he released?" "Next month." "I hope it doesn't get affected by the new indictment." "With the bad economy and all, many folks got themselves locked up on purpose for free food and housing." "So judges counteract by going light on sentencing." "Boss!" "Where is Uncle Ching?" "He took the dog to the vet." "He didn't care as much when I came down with a cold!" "Are you suggesting the dog should take himself to the vet?" "This is too salty!" "No, not at all!" "Get your tongue checked!" "You always take her side!" "Some voodoo soup she fed you!" "Hey listen." "Your left profile is better looking than your right." "Ask your ladyfriend to... aim the light 10 feet away... at your 2 o'clock, understand?" "From that angle you'll look like Clint Eastwood!" "Clint Eastwood?" "As a male model you need to push your masculinity." "So your old girlfriend is now a photogra..." "Photogra... how do you say it in English?" "Pho-tog-ra-pher." "What?" "Pho-tog-ra-pher." "Damn it!" "I've been teaching my son "Photo-gra-fa" all these times!" "Ha!" "You can rule out English schools for him then." "Your star is rising!" "She officially announced to you she's divorced!" "That means something." "That doesn't necessarily mean anything." "You can't fool me, Loy." "Rich guys are mostly faithless skirt-chasers." "Not like you, the gentle and devoted... childhood sweetheart." "Right, the gentle and devoted..." ""fill-in" guy." "Have more con-fi-den-ce in yourself." "Is that how you pronounce that word?" "Yeah, more or less." "Those electronic dictionaries there - go pick one up!" "I thought about it, but the price tag..." "You have no idea how much it costs to raise a kid." "You'll know soon enough." "You'll know." "My advice to you..." "Do some jogging every morning." "You'll feel energized for the rest of the day." "Are you upset?" "No." "That's the sought-after image these days." "Men with sharp and bright looks are out of fashion." "Where will they be published?" "Haven't I told you?" "It's for an airline's in-flight magazine." "So my mom won't come upon it in the beauty salon." "So you really are upset." "When have I ever got upset with you?" "When we first broke up," "I dreamed of you from time to time." "You looked so quiet, deflated and lonely, just like how you were posing earlier." "It is as though you were waiting for something to happen, but it's not entirely clear." "I wanted to give you a call after I woke up." "But..." "Had he been unkind to you?" "It was the other way around actually." "When I found out he was fooling around," "I was only mildly upset, but not a tear." "It's not in you to cry anyway." "I did, once, when I thought of you." "Are you dating?" "No girlfriend." "But I've been on several matches." "Matches?" "To appease the elderly, that's all." "Just the occasional dim-sum lunch, no big deal really." "Twice a year, around the times... we pay homage to the dead, the memory of my old man gets on her nerves." "She'd then work on me, to show she's done all she could to get me married." "I'm so used to it by now." "Are you sure you don't want these back?" "I have plenty more at home." "Oh I've read this one already." "This one too." "You've got to take them all with you." "I am trying to make room." "Pork Chop bun, egg tart, coffee and tea!" "Hey, where is the Indian guy?" "The Indian guy?" "Yeah, well-built, with an attitude." "He's one of you!" "A well-built Indian waiter?" "Are you sure?" "Yes we are!" "He's here the other day." "No such waiter here." "Not in the last 10 years since I joined." "Could it be a different cafe?" "No!" "It's this one!" "Time to visit your Fung Shui master." "You're seeing things!" "I am glad I have you as my witness." "Witness?" "I don't want to be "silenced"!" "You won't be!" "I will come to your rescue on the 11th hour!" "Hmm..." "May be he's hiding from the loan sharks..." "So he underwent a "face job" and pulled a Houdini trick!" "That waiter just now..." "They are the same person!" "Ha ha..." "Hey didn't you order a Pork Chop bun?" "Oh shit!" "Hey you..." "Before we knew each other, we were just two fellow bus passengers most days." "Then, one day, there was this low-life who pressed his body to my side on a crowded bus, molesting me." "As I was about to scream, someone punched the low-life in the face, giving him a bloody nose." "That someone must be your..." "Xu." "His name is Xu." "The knight in shining armor!" "My uncle took me in after mom and dad passed away." "As a child I'd managed... to take care of myself." "Never any whining, even when I got bullied, for fear... that my uncle's wife might find me bothersome." "So, I was really touched by what Xu did for me." "That was very touching indeed!" "No one did anything on the bus that day, except him." "I doze off naturally once I get on the bus." "I wouldn't be aware of it if someone gets murdered on board." "You can't doze off without a seat, can you?" "I don't know why but there's always a seat for me." "Good for you!" "My shift is on." "Let's meet for tea after Xu gets out." "Hey..." " Bye!" " Bye!" "I heard you're one of the key players in... that new residential project in North Kowloon." "I can cut you the best deal in town." "The best, whatsoever." "Hi!" "How's Yo Yo doing?" "Feeling better?" "Not entirely." "We've been to the vet a few times." "Auntie asked me to give you this - a herbal prescription... to treat dog ailments." "Blend it with milk for easy feeding." "Stop goofing around!" "We are swamped here." "What's with her?" "She is jealous of your dog!" "It's the tax season for Christ's sake!" "I am up to my elbows with piles of books!" "They don't call it massage these days." "They call it "muscle pushing"." "Sounds more professional, I suppose." "I'd better be going!" "Please, Loy..." "Try it out yourself." "You'll feel so much better afterwards." "Is this the latest frost-free model?" "Well, let me see..." "Free delivery?" "No surcharge if you pay with a credit card." "Early jogs are good for you." "I kept asking you to jog with me but you never did." "Sorry Dad." "I know better now." "Ah... fresh air!" "The more you take in, the longer you live!" "Time to go!" "Look, Dad!" "That's the guy..." "You're nothing but a sweet-talker!" "Remember how you promised to take good care of me always?" "But where the hell are you now?" "Gone just like that!" "Leaving me all alone..." "Watch over me if you meant what you said." "Bet you have no idea what I have to live with." "You got away." "Lucky you!" " Thanks." " Thanks." "Perfect!" "You read novels, and he reads novels too." "The two of you will never run out of things to talk about!" "Oh uncle, please!" "I've promised your mother to look after you." "If you really go with Xu, she'll never forgive me!" "Tell her to blame me, OK?" "He's already landed himself in prison." "But he just won't stop!" "Always the fighter, ha!" "Now you have to get him another lawyer with your money." "What do you see in a life with him?" "Right, that would be the best for all of us!" "I'll speak to my son about it." "They must be sufficiently fond of each other to have met so frequently." "OK, deal!" "Surprise, surprise!" "At first they requested a big wedding feast." "Not anymore!" "Times are bad, I guess, and she's not getting any younger." "The doorman said there is a small flat going for sale." "The asking price is $1 million or so, negotiable." "So?" "That's worth considering if Loy is..." " getting married..." " What?" "Is this not enough space for them?" "Can he afford a mortgage?" "He told you he intends to move out?" "No... no." "Why would he discuss that sort of thing with me?" "Don't bother to include Ching for meals from now on!" "I'll get you breakfast!" "But I've been trying to lose some more weight!" "You need to eat more with all that jogging." "Moreover someone else will cook for you once you get married." "Who says I am getting married?" "A cup of tea, please." "What's up?" "You sounded so urgent." "Are you done with the books?" "Nope." "Neither am I, really..." "I can return them to you." "No, no." "That's not the point." "What I meant is I am not technically finished with them." "As soon as I've gone through 2/3 of a book and... got the gist of the plot," "I'll skip over to the last page to find out about the ending." "Are you that way too?" "No." "Even when the book is most boring and predictable?" "What is that you want to talk about?" "Ah!" "You probably won't believe this but..." "I ran into that Indian waiter the other day!" "He was dressed in some Chinese period outfit, the kind worn by funeral home attendants..." "Get to the point!" "Well, this is what I've heard - your uncle and... my mom were planning our wedding feast!" "Perhaps you should sort this out with your uncle." "You were all in this together, weren't you?" "My uncle told you about Xu's court appearance." "You showed up, faked a chance encounter and... coaxed me into visiting that photo exhibition with you." "The work of a so-called "ex-girlfriend"!" "So convincing that it got me fooled." "You may not like it but the presence of this scar... might lower my chances of conviction, you see?" "Next time, before you take a swing, can you first think about me?" "Can you try not to make me worry?" "Can you?" "I understand." "I do!" "Wake up." "Wake up." "The tables have finally been turned!" "A little money in the bank." "A career in the making." "And a life I can call my own - what more can I hope for?" "So you really were unhappy!" "There's a price to pay for everything." "People work their butts off for 8 or more years... to become doctors and lawyers." "Who am I to complain?" "Get dressed!" "My client will arrive any minute." "This late?" "That's right, for indoor shots." "C'mon!" "Let's get going!" "Know your way home?" "Hi there!" "What price range do you have in mind?" "Take a look at this. 2002 Toyota HIACE." "Very low mileage." "It's yours for just $110,000." "This '97 model is in excellent condition!" "It's known as the workhorse in the industry." "Very heavy-duty!" "Very reliable!" "I can cut you a deal for $45,000!" "The lowest!" "Nowhere else can you find a bargain like this." "You call that the lowest?" "Are you serious about buying?" "I can throw in free diagnostics if we have a deal." "That's a $2,000 savings!" "Oh that's minor!" "A little paint is all it takes to make it go away." "So it's not as new as you're suggesting, right?" "$40,000!" "Sorry, no way." "I'll get fired!" "$43,000!" "$40,000!" "Why don't you just go steal one!" "What were you saying?" "Is this how you treat a customer?" "Go to hell!" "Xu!" "You go to hell!" "Xu!" "My nephew went all the way to Apliu Street to... get new parts for your heater." "A new plug, too." "That should keep it going for a good long while." "Loy has always been a genius!" "When he's just a kid he managed to take apart a watch and reassemble it." "Wow!" "Smart kid!" "Alright then!" "I need to go now." "Oh this isn't necessary!" "Really!" " Yo Yo!" " Hi sis, Grocery shopping?" "Yeah." "Has he recovered?" "He has." "And so has his appetite for BBQ pork." "You'd better watch out." "He should stay away from fat for a while." "Now let me take a look." "Hey Yo Yo, I'm making a special soup today." "Why don't you come with your daddy to lunch?" "Speaking of food, sis, can you point me to an honest butcher around here?" "None of these butchers dare to cheat!" "Not me, anyway!" "Would you mind taking me there?" "Not at all!" "I have to buy beef too." "Follow me!" "Yo Yo..." "Yo Yo!" "That's how men are!" "I wonder how long his tantrum will last!" "Couldn't take even a small provocation." "What do I care?" "No free lunch for him anymore, though." "This is none of my business but... he is such a calculating tight wad!" "Being calculating has its own benefits." "He owns properties!" "Hefty rental income, plus the pension." "There is something to be said for being frugal." "Don't let him off the hook when he asks for a ceasefire." "Make the relationship formal." "Everything in black and white." "Haven't you heard of the entire estate being passed on to... the beloved dogs when the owner dies?" "No way!" "Nothing is real unless it's on paper." "Paper with signatures!" "Thank you." "Don't let her get away with it..." "Where have you been?" "It's my morning off!" "Oi Lin!" "Your aunt just got an earful on the phone." "You were seen walking hand-in-hand with a man!" "She went nuts and gave us a hard time." "She?" "Who?" "Who else but Mrs. Chiang!" "None of her business who I go out with." "But I thought you..." "The thing is, she now accused us of a bait and switch!" "She brought up the dim-sum lunch she paid for, and the dehumidifier she gave us." "She offered to marry you on one hand... while hugging a different man on the other." "What sort of woman does a thing like that?" "She told me about her boyfriend very early on." "What?" "She's got a boyfriend?" "Then why agreed to be matched at all?" "Why?" "She had to follow orders, the same way I did!" "But that's not even close!" "You... you weren't seeing anyone!" "We were serious about the match!" "We were genuine!" "Let it go." "Let it go?" "Just like that?" "How much of a loser are you?" "Why didn't you tell me about the boyfriend?" "What kind of a man are you?" "Where's your pride?" "Doesn't this bother you at all?" "What?" "I brought back a new one." "Wait!" "No jogging today?" "Had enough, I guess." "Going somewhere fancy?" "No... there's mildew all over it, so..." "Right." "It's moldy alright." "How's your mom these days?" "Same old." "Looking more fetching by the day!" "My dad... lived and died a commoner, but... my mom... reinvented herself as the Empress Dowager!" "I always harbor a curiosity towards your mother..." "As in how she looks without make-up?" "How could you guess that?" "You're not the only one there." "My dad was curious about it too!" "Have you ever... laughed out loud, mouth wide open?" "That's so un-lady-like!" "Hello... yes Peter!" "Oi Lin!" "Want to change the channel?" "Don't bother." "It's OK." "Oh, Kung Fu!" "I made a run to the airport today." "The customer complimented me on my driving... and gave me a $50 tip!" "Not bad!" "Let's move your stuff over in a couple of days." "Just let me speak to my uncle first." "When will that take place, may I ask?" "I need time to think it over." "He is my only family, Xu." "I should go home." "You call that a home?" "Xu..." "I am tired." "I don't know how much more I can take." "You don't love me anymore!" "I just saw two suspicious-looking guys sneaking... a heavy sack into the back of a van." "I've memorized the van's license plate number!" "Let me save this number first." "What were you saying?" "Well, I may very well be... a witness to a crime." "But then again, the cops probably won't believe me." "The defense lawyer will suggest I am imagining things... as a result of reading too many detective stories." "Comes court date I'll most likely show up late as usual." "And mom will yell at me for being nosy." "I, too, think you are being nosy!" "Where the hell is my daybook?" "Is it with you, Loy?" "Of course not." "Why would I need it?" "Why wouldn't you need it?" "It's time you start learning book-keeping instead of idling." "But that has always been Uncle Ching's forte!" "Ching?" "He's not even family!" "You can't expect an outsider to takeover our books!" "Don't say anymore." "Morning, Mrs. Chiang!" "Hi..." "Lunch is ready!" "Go wash your hands." "How are you doing?" "Not now!" "Can't you see there are customers here?" "Why?" "I smell dog on you!" "Nope." "Who did you meet?" "Who did you see?" "We ran into each other, that's all." "Ran into?" "You are my sister!" "He is my man!" "Why?" "Have I not been good to you?" "You couldn't find a husband so I took you in." "No wonder he's been staying away!" "No wonder you cuddle his damn dog all the time!" "Now I know!" "It takes two to tango." "Go look at yourself in the mirror!" "What do you suppose he sees in you?" "You are just a free maid to him!" " A free maid!" " Shut up Mom!" "Why?" "Why are you always on her side?" "Have you lost your mind?" "You forgot whose son you are?" "Don't you walk away!" "You stole first my son and now my man." "I will never forgive you!" " Never!" "Let go of me..." " Stop, Mom!" "Mom..." "What's the matter?" "Uncle Yiu, call the ambulance!" "Make the call!" "What's wrong, Boss?" "Hey Uncle!" "The cop's here!" "Her blood pressure is high." "Is that ongoing?" "Any problem with the heart?" "I..." "I am not sure." "You've never have it checked?" "No." "But she's in perfect health until now." "She's 63." "How can she do without a regular check?" "She... she's 63?" "Is she really your mother?" "But... but she never reveals her age to anyone." "Well then how old are you?" "Me?" "I'm... 41!" "So how young can she be if you are over 40?" "She needs to be admitted for further tests." "Be a good son for a change and wait here!" "Loy..." "Loy..." "Mom!" "How are you feeling?" "Dad, is mom going to die?" "Wouldn't that be a dream come true for you?" "The minute she goes, you will be a free man!" "Unleashed at last!" "No more scolding." "No more lectures." "There is money in the bank." "You can sell the business, live the life you like... and sleep all you want." "You'll be so happy!" "Come on, let's go." "Loy!" "Easy!" "It's me." "Why don't you go home and rest?" "It's all my fault!" "My only sister for all these years, she deserves better from me." "Truth be told, we haven't done anything improper." "I cooked for him a few times." "He took me to a movie once." "Bought me coffee once." "You know, throughout all these years, he is the first man to ask me out!" "I..." "I..." "You should go home." "You aren't cut out for this." "There is food in the fridge for you." "Go home and take a long shower." "In the old days, we had some nice times around here drinking beer over video games and manga." "Whenever you heard the clomp, clomp, clomp of her high heels, you knew your parents were heading home from supper... and we'd find somewhere to disappear to." "She would lecture my dad on how best to run his business." "Once, my dad blamed her for having placed an order of 500 high-end cookers." "But the goods were all sold out... in less than two weeks!" "I don't seem to have inherited any of their good genes." "Therefore," "you made the right decision then... to ditch me!" "This is, of course, a no-brainer." "It's not as if you hadn't already known!" "Loy..." "You don't have to console me!" "Hear me out!" "I really enjoy being with you, past and present." "I can speak to you most freely and casually." "My darkest secrets, my deepest sorrows, the most hurtful insults I'd received," "I could confide all of them in you safely." "Which is more than I could ever do with my husband." "He only heard what I had already filtered." "Because you cared about what he thought of you." "It may not be for you... that I gave up dating altogether." "At some point I realized I'll never make an OK husband... or a passable dad." "I can't even manage to be an average guy!" "As my dad lay dying in the hospital," "I still couldn't get out of bed in time... to say a last goodbye." "It's my mom's turn to go now!" "Give yourself a break." "This will come to pass." "I am in love!" "Why?" "It shouldn't be too difficult to walk through life the way I'm doing now, right?" "Is it really so difficult... to love somebody?" "Loy!" "You are an easy person to like!" "I know." "You've said it before." "This tastes so bland!" "It's the doctor's order:" "Stay away from salt." "What's the point in living when you can't even enjoy eating?" "Let's not talk until you are done!" "Drop that tone of speech!" "Do I look like a dying person?" "How's the store?" "Same as usual." "Nothing bad has happened in your absence." "Like you would know if something bad did happen!" "Hear, hear..." "It didn't take you long to get your groove back." "Oh what a life I have!" "You have no idea!" "You have no idea what you did the other day." "How could you openly humiliate our own sister like that?" "There's really nothing going on between them but... you went off like a bomb!" "She almost left, you know." "She didn't, did she?" "Who made you congee if she did?" "Then tell her not to make congee again tomorrow." "I'd like rice vermicelli, with mushrooms, lean pork, duck leg and a little Chan-pei." "Mushrooms, lean pork, duck leg and Chan-pei..." "Still mad at me?" "Why don't you take a look at the flowers?" "Very pretty!" "Very expensive!" "They are the most extravagant flowers I've ever bought!" "Get lost!" "Go away!" "Go away!" "He's leaving now..." "Come back in after I put on make-up, scumbag!" "Hey Loy!" "I am taking off!" "Alright!" "Good night!" "Good night!" "Take it... take all of it..." "Ha, a pacifist!" "Surrender your wallet without so much as a grunt!" "You call yourself a man?" "You call yourself a man?" "Such a wimp!" "How are you going to protect Oi Lin, huh?" " Ah... you are..." " Shut the hell up!" "Look at you!" "Coward!" "You wet your pants, didn't you?" "I used to think you were the knight..." "in shining armor..." "But no..." "You are no more than a brute..." "Now, that's more like it." "Harder!" "Yeah, harder!" "I..." "I can... make her laugh." "Can... can you do that?" "Sir, Sir." "Are you able to stand up?" "Call the ambulance." "Paging console for ambulance." "Our position:" "Junction of Johnston Road and Li Tung Street." "Repeat:" "Johnston Road junction Li Tung Street, over!" "The ambulance should be here shortly!" "Where is the man?" "The one who roughed you up?" "The man you were with." "Don't tell me he doesn't exist!" "You mean the CID?" "He's a CID?" "Do you know him?" "Where is he now?" "Who did this to you?" "He's a CID!" "May be he went undercover." "No wonder they kept saying "no such person!"" "Sir, I suggest you close your eyes and take it easy." "We can talk more when you get to the hospital." "OK?" "No wonder..." "He's a cop!" "Don't mind me!" "I am fine!" "Thanks." "Wait..." "Hi Dad." "Mom will be released from the hospital soon." "Do you remember... when I was a child, I took apart mom's watch... and she hit me with a big rattan stick?" "I cried so hard then." "I just got beat up again... but I didn't cry!" "I am a grown-up now." "I am a grown-up at last." "Dad!" "Hello?" "Hello?" "Hello..." "Oi Lin." "Xu?" "Hello?" "Xu?" "The van is sold." "I've moved out of the apartment." "The money's in your account now." "What's going on?" "I am no good." "I failed you again and again." "I can only handle things one way." "Xu, what happened?" "I..." "Go on." "Tell me." "Xu!" "Hello?" "You there Xu?" "I am sorry." "I want the China Rose kind of red." "Let's use this one." "It's the closest." "Is that so?" "Just go with it!" "Keep an eye on the time!" "Yes I know." "OK, this one then!" "Great!" "Why?" "The colors are getting fewer and fewer." "New colors are coming in next week." "Your favorite brand from the U. S!" "It's almost summer now." "Let's do the toes too next time." "Sure!" "There's this middle-age woman the other day, with pink finger nails and..." "Purple toe nails!" "Perhaps in her mind, she's still a cute little girl of 16!" "Miss Oi Lin Lo!" "Miss Lo!" "Yes!" "You can rinse!" "You have a cavity!" "So I really have a cavity!" "Fill it?" "Would you like it filled?" "Ching Tsang and Queenie Chiang." "We are gathered here today for your wedding ceremony, in the presence of these witnesses." "Upon signing this marriage certificate, by the power vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife." "You may exchange wedding rings now." "Wait!" "I have a few requests to make!" "What now?" "You have to promise me, first, you won't have mistresses!" "No mistresses!" "Say it loud and clear!" "No misters and mistresses, OK?" "Second, you'll love me more than you love the dog." "I'll love me more than you love the dog!" "What else?" "Third... you mustn't die too soon!" "What do you take me for?" "God Almighty?" "Say it!" "I need you to promise me not to die too soon!" "Come on!" "OK, OK!" "I won't die then!" "The queen beat out the prince in a race to the chapel!" "That's quite a plot twist!" "How's the love nest coming along?" "He's still shopping around for the cheapest decorator." "He might end up moving in with you!" "I don't think so!" "No!" "So it's just you and your auntie from now on!" "Please look this way!" "Ready?" "1, 2, 3..." "Smile!" "More joyous this time!" "Ready?" "Smile!" "Everyone!" "See you all at the reception over there!" "I knew I'd find you here!" "Really!" "I can usually guess who the murderer is... by the time I get to page 67.4." "Page 67.4?" "Page 67.4 is just the average number." "Some short stories last 80 or 90 pages, while some go as long as 500 or 600." "67.4 means..." "I'm pretty good at guessing." "So have you guessed it?" "The murderer?" "I don't have cavities anymore." "Really?" "Let me take a closer look." "Yes I know the drill." "I'll never pay triple." "Tea and egg tart... please!"