西關大少

Kwong Wan Transport Co. is one of the oldest shipping companies in Guangzhou. It is managed by MAU’s son, HIN. He works for years to keep the company in good business. HIN’s only son, CHI, is a spoiled young man. He is kindhearted but he likes to play and spend. HING used to be HIN’s servant maid. She is smart and hardworking, so MAU teaches her to be HIN’s assistant. HIN’s wife, YUNG, hates HING and thinks that HIN is having an affair with her. HEI’s family collects and cleans up manure for living. Although she comes from a poor family, she is an optimistic person. She is upright, too, always takes up the cudgels for the weak. CHI always comes home late and uses HEI’s manure buckets to climb up the wall. He often knocks over the buckets and she has to clean up later, so HEI dislikes him. On MAU’s birthday, YUNG’s brother, SAM’s son, dies from a drowning accident……

SUM loses his mind after his son dies. HIN orders his uncles, TUNG and CHEONG, his cousin, FAI and his sister, FUNG to control SUM. YUNG wants to hand in KUK to SUM. HING fails to stop her, so she hides KUK. SUM eventually finds KUK. CHEONG and FAI gloat, while SUM flies into a fury. SUM wants to kill KUK. HIN protects her against SUM. From then on, SUM always finds chances to have his revenge. CHI, HIM and, YEE are famous bullies in school. They bully HEI’s good friend, LAI. HEI cannot stand them and complains to the principal, MARTIN. HEI, nevertheless, is made a fool by the three for this. CHEONG is aggrieved when HIN lectures him in the company. He therefore sows discord among the staff. CHI comes home late again. HIN learns his bad acts from HEI and decides to restrain him more.

HIN punishes CHI. However, MAU defenses him and makes HIN really angry. TUNG and CHEONG pay no attention. Only HING tries to help settling them down. One of the ships is missing. HIN knows it has something to do with SUM. CHI means to get even with HEI. He spends money and labor to stop HEI from working, which makes HEI very embarrassed. MAU worries about HIN’s health and asks him to stop working until he feels better. YUNG stops HING from telling HIN important news of the company. HIN scolds HING when the company loses a big business deal. HING swallows the humiliation. HIN loses his temper over the missing ship. CHEONG stirs up people to leave the company. HIN is stressed and wants to give up. Luckily, HING supports him all the time.

HIN picks himself up again after HING encourages him. He also has more control over his temper; HING is glad. CHI recommends HEI to go to school to MARTIN. She loves to study and without realizing that is CHI’s plot. HIN is burning with anger when he finds out that the Customs have detained one of the ships. Apparently, CHEONG has hidden smuggled goods in the ship. SUM learns that HIN has spent a good deal of money to try to settle the detained ship event, so he decides to ask HIN to pay back his loan. HIN is expecting this and is prepared. CHEONG dislikes HIN and asks to sell his share of the company, but HIN refuses. HEI meets her dream lover, TONG, when she is buying some books. HEI is nervous. On her very first day in school, CHI and the others welcome her on the way. HEI feels something bad is about to happen. CHI tries hard to humiliate her in front of other colleagues. HEI is not scared of him and swears to fight against him.

HEI lives in her own dream and waits for TONG to pass by every day. SUM forces HIN to pay his loan back. YUNG does nothing to help. Only HING tries hard to gather money for HIN. Although CHI bullies her all the time, HEI determines to go to school every day. YUNG demands MAU to kick HING out of the family before she asks SUM to quit forcing HIN to pay his loan. MAU is in a dilemma. HING promises to leave when HIN settles the whole event. HEI is thrilled to bits when she finally meets TONG. CHI plays a practical joke on TONG to make HEI think that TONG has a traffic accident. She is heartbroken. CHI exposes her secret to TONG. She is embarrassed to see TONG now. HIN manages to work hard with all staff to gather enough money for SUM. When they are celebrating, YUNG is furious.

SUM urges all banks to force HIN to pay off all debts. HIN has no choice but to shut down the company. The closedown of the company has become the talk of town. HIN, however, leaves all business behind and goes traveling with HING. She encourages him to stand up again. All the loaners think that HIN has fled to somewhere and gather at HIN’s place. The rest of the CHOW family does not know what to do. The Guangzhou Finance Secretary holds HIN responsible for messing up Guangzhou’s economy by shutting down his company and demands him to explain to the public. CHEONG leaves the company after seeing it in trouble. HIN manages to ask the Finance Secretary be his creditor and convinces banks to lend him more money. The company is safe again. HEI dresses up to meet TONG, but is laughed at by CHI again.

HING keeps her promise and resigns. HIN does not try to keep her. He brings CHI to the company to let him learn more about management. But CHI only bribes the staff to praise him. YUNG demands MAU to order HING not to see HIN again after leaving the family. MAU feels very awkward. When HING is about to leave, everyone is sad. Suddenly, HIN announces that he will marry HING as his equal wife, not mistress. MAU agrees, but YUNG is furious and wants to run away. TUNG and CHEONG convince her to stay. CHI is happy for HIN and HING. HING is so touched that her dream has long last come true and cries. CHI troubles HEI’s family while they are working. He accidentally hurt HEI’s father, MR. HO. HEI swears to revenge.

HEI reports to the police that CHI has hurt her father. YUNG and the others arrive and turn the truth around. HIN learns from HING that CHI has hurt MR. HO, so he brings CHI to HEI’s home to apologize and lets HEI decide how to punish him. HIN stops all financial support to CHI. He blames HING for his punishment. He wants to take his revenge, but HEI uses HIN as her shield. TONG pretends to go out with HEI, but in fact, he uses HEI to pursue his boss’s daughter. CHI is nasty to HING when he receives very little salary only. HIN and HING are home late. YUNG throws a tantrum over it and annoys HIN. CHI manages to get some money from his grandparents. HIN is angry in learning that he has not changed.

HIN scolds MAU and the others for spoiling CHI. CHI tries to help in the company, but ends up creating more troubles. HIN is angry. HING protects CHI in front of HIN. He knows now that he is wrong being nasty to her. HIN accompanies HING to visit her great grandmother in the village. She is delighted and moved. TONG tries to borrow money from HEI in order to pursue another girl. HEI works and saves hard for him. However, on her way to see TONG, CHI pushes her and she drops all her money into a gutter. TONG gets angry. HEI asks HIN to give her money for CHI’s fault. HIN announces that he will find CHI a bride to control him. He is shocked when he learns that the bride is HEI. HIN is appointed to be the chairman of the Guangzhou Business Association. While he is successful in business and love, his company is about to face yet another difficulty.

HIN learns that HING’s brother, SHING, is going to meet SUM in Guangzhou. He wants to meet SHING before SUM. CHI spreads the rumor that TONG spends HEI’s money. TONG uses the chance to break up with HEI. HEI is deeply hurt and puts the blame on CHI. CHEONG suggests that he goes to Nanjing to deal with the company re-licensing. HIN ignores MAU and CHEONG’s objection and appoints SHING to deal with it. SHING is very confident that he will succeed, so he lists out many outrageous conditions. But HIN accepts them all. The lovesick HEI goes to the riverbank for a walk. CHI thinks that she wants to commit suicide and tries to save her. He accidentally pushes her into the water. She takes HIN to have a patrol around the school. HIN orders MARTIN to be harsher on CHI. SHING has no idea who will be the next representative of the Chamber of Commerce. He spends a lot of money to bride all possible candidates.

In order to support SHING’s spending in Nanjing, HIN orders to cut all share holders and senior staff’s salary. CHEONG is angry. HEI orders CHI to clean the school in HIN’s name. He cannot take it any more and decides to play a joke on her. HEI dresses up for TONG, hoping that he will be back with her again. She impresses CHI with her beauty. TONG is mean to her and hurts her deeply. She drinks a lot after that. HEI pretends to be drunk and shares her feeling with CHI. He falls in love with her without knowing it. In fact, she only wants to take her revenge. SHING spends like mad. HIN feels like fallen into a trap. He has to gather more and more money. All the old staff cannot bear seeing the company falling apart and ask to resign. HING manages to keep them all. HIN is exhausted by the re-licensing business, and worries HING.

SUM and SHING race each other to bride the most possible future representative of the Chamber of Commerce. Later, a candidate, LI, is arrested. HIN ignores CHEONG’s shouting in the company and sends more money to SHING. CHEONG asks TUNG to check SHING’s account. SHING does the same and exposes TUNG’s illegal deals. HEI begs TONG for his forgiveness. However, he is not moved. Seeing TONG and his girlfriend being close together, she knows that he only uses her and loses interest in him. CHI feels bad seeing her getting drunk but is not sure how to help. SHING asks for more money. HIN has to sell the family house. HING carries the money to meet SHING. He promises that he will get HIN the company license. HIN falls ill and worries everyone.

HIN is hospitalized. HIN’s staff worries that the company will be shut down again. Meanwhile, HIN appears and calms everyone. SHING asks for more money. HIN has to sell the antiques in the house. MAU and the others are all sad. HIN objects to HING’s objection and determines to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary. SHING tries hard to please all candidates. He even takes care of LI’s wife. Later, LI is released and promoted to be the representative of the Chamber of Commerce. CHI hosts the anniversary dinner. While everyone thinks that HIN is too ill to come, he and HING appear. HIN bursts into joyful tears when he learns that SHING has finally succeeded in getting the company license. Everybody enjoys himself at the party. HEI gives herself up after losing TONG. She hands in a blank paper during an exam. CHI exchanges his paper with hers.

CHI finally admits that he loves HEI and shocks her. HING worries about HIN’s health and tries to persuade him to have a complete body-check in Shanghai. However, he refuses to do so in case it delays their wedding. HEI manages to skip school with CHI and have a serious chat by the lakeside. They transform from enemies to lovers. HIN agrees to have a body-check in Shanghai. YUNG wants to follow him but he refuses. HING persuades HIN to let YUNG accompany him. HEI deliberately praises TONG in front of CHI and makes him jealous. She demands him to present her some flowers in public. He worries that he will be laughed at, so he does not want the others to know about their affair. HEI dresses up as another girl to test his loyalty. He is trapped and she takes the chance to punish him.

HIN is diagnosed of having last stage liver cancer. He is very depressed and wants to call off the wedding. After receiving his telegram, although feeling shocked, HING is determined to prepare for the wedding anyway. Her decision puzzles MAU and the others. HIN does not want to be a burden to HING. He sends YUNG back to Guangzhou to stop HING from organizing the wedding. YUNG is upset knowing that HIN only cares for HING. CHEONG is being difficult with HING thinking that she loses HIN’s love. HING determines to keep on preparing for the wedding until HIN comes back. HIN comes back after some therapy. He announces to cancel the wedding in front of everyone. HING begs him not to. MAU scolds HIN for being stupid, and helps him to think through and changes his mind.

HING makes a wrong decision and brings a big loss to the company. HING blames herself for this. The company’s business is deteriorating. HIN ignores the others’ objection and decides to put up the charges. CHEONG thinks that HIN has lost his mind and forces him to write a will. HIN is expecting CHEONG’s move and passes all the shares to HING and CHI. YUNG’s jealousy progresses daily. She is mean to HING, but HING puts up with her. HEI demands CHI to surprise her on her birthday. Luckily, HIN helps him and brings him and HEI closer. HIN is relieved that HEI is keeping an eye on CHI. While he is happy, he suddenly passes out. HING looks for YUNG while he lies in his dying bed.

Much to everybody’s relief, HIN finally wakes up. YUNG suggests him to see an unorthodox doctor and he agrees. Later, HIN dies leaving HING pregnant with his child and managing the whole company. CHI becomes very hardworking in the company and is slowly learning how to make business. HING is glad about CHI. HEI starts to feel distant from CHI. She imagines things and throws tantrum at CHI. He realizes her worries and explains to her that he loves her anyway. HEI is pleased again. CHEONG is mean to HING, but she puts up with him. HING is hospitalized after having a tummy ache. She asks SHING to take care of the company temporarily but CHEONG makes things difficult for SHING. YUNG wants to throw a party for CHI’s birthday. CHI invites HEI and her family to come. She goes shopping specially for the party and meets a movie star, BIK KEI.

SHING gets hold of some evidence of CHEONG and TUNG smuggling illegal goods and has them arrested. MAU wants to settle the incident with money, but fails. So he asks HING to persuade SHING to let them go. SHING wants to kick them out of the company board and monopolizes it, but HING disagrees and he leaves. Apparently, KEI and CHI are childhood friends. Seeing them together all the time, HEI feels jealous. HEI’s family attends CHI’s birthday party and embarrasses HEI. HEI feel distant from CHI again. YUNG learns that HING and HIN have pulled CHI and HEI together, so she determines to separate them. CHEONG teaches YUNG to order all the senior staff in the company to take leave. The company is in a mess. Luckily, HING persuades them to stay. A famous obstetrician, FONG, finds something wrong with HING’s baby and asks her to stop working and be hospitalized.

HEI meets YUNG while she is cleaning up manure. She is embarrassed, but YUNG pretends not too bothered. KEI breaks up with her boyfriend and stays with CHI all the time. HEI is jealous and worried seeing them together. YUNG pretends to comfort her and wins her trust. CHI explains his relationship with KEI to HEI and relieves her. FONG finds HING discussing the company business with FAI and FUNG in the hospital. She threatens not to be her doctor anymore and HING agrees to drop her work. CHEONG forces FAI to sign some document, but fails. He insults FAI instead. KEI has no proper occupation. CHI suggests her to work in the company to HING. FONG hears him mentioning work to her and becomes angry. He finds her unreasonable and starts yelling at her. HEI and CHI are both busy with their own work. They agree not to see each other for a month.

CHEONG has bribed FONG to lie about HING’s baby’s health. He means to force HING to hand over the company. FONG can no longer lie to HING and tells her the truth. HING forgives her. CHI misses HEI a lot and loses interest in work. He is only happy when he receives HEI’s letter. KEI’s ex-boyfriend has been nagging her. CHI helps her out and she starts to like him. HING assigns CHI to give a speech in a conference. He is very nervous about it. Luckily, KEI helps him to prepare. HEI and CHI meet again. YUNG suggests funding HEI and her family to open up a restaurant in order to pull the two families closer. In fact, she is setting them up. HEI’s father loses all the deposit money on gambling and upsets HEI.

CHI borrows money from YUNG again. She and CHEONG plan for another plot for HEI’s family. MAU and his wife HA think that HEI’s family is not decent people and object to CHI going out with her. CHI begs YUNG to help HEI and she finally reveals her true plan. She humiliates HEI in public. HEI is very upset and suggests breaking up with CHI. YUNG wants to pull CHI and KEI together and pleases KEI. KEI finds some love letters from HEI to CHI. She reads them without permission. YUNG plans to send CHI abroad to prevent him from getting back with HEI. CHI protests with a hunger strike. MAU begs YUNG to let CHI stay, but fails. HEI meets KEI when she is looking for CHI. KEI pretends to comfort her, but in fact, she tries to convince HEI to give up CHI.

CHI loses weight from the strike and worries everyone. YUNG insists not to give up. She warns everyone not to tell HING about the incident. HEI is too upset seeing CHI suffer and faints on the street. One young doctor, BONG, helps her. HING learns from KEI that CHI is on a hunger strike and goes home immediately. YUNG tries to stop her from seeing CHI and pushes her off the stair by accident. HING delivers her baby earlier. Luckily she and the baby, YAN, are safe. HEI finally cheers up after talking to BONG. CHI suddenly has a big appetite and agrees to go abroad. In fact, he is planning to run away with HEI. He asks KEI to help him. KEI dampens his spirits nevertheless. HEI thinks that CHI is going to leave her and is very upset. BONG tries to cheer her up again. CHI says farewell to HING in the hospital. HING is sad to see CHI go.

YUNG thinks that CHI has decided to break up with HEI and feels relieved. HEI goes to see BONG in his clinic and thanks him for helping her. CHI brings HEI to the train station. She finds out that he plans to run away with her, she is shocked and scolds him for being childish. HEI claims to split up with CHI. KEI feels sorry for what happens. CHI cries on her shoulder. CHI looks pale and wan. HING worries for him. He writes to HEI but receives no reply. He blames YUNG for losing her. YUNG is outraged seeing CHI listen to HING but not her, so she takes YAN away quietly and scares HING. CHI pretends to be lovers with KEI in order to make HEI jealous. Meanwhile, they meet HEI and BONG passing by. When they cross each other, they are like strangers.

CHI loses all interest in anything. KEI fails to cheer him up. YEE and HIM think that HEI and BONG are dating and tells CHI straight away. CHI warns BONG to leave HEI. CHEONG takes the chance to cheat CHI into signing some paper. HING comes back to work. CHEONG threatens HING with the illegal documents that CHI signs, but fails. She is upset that CHI is still not learning anything from her. YAN has a fever. HA scolds HING for neglecting him and stops her taking YAN to see a doctor. HEI follows BONG to do voluntary work in some poor areas. BONG starts to like her. CHI picks a fight with BONG. BONG accidentally falls down. HEI thinks that CHI has beaten him up and scolds him. CHI is heartbroken thinking that HEI does not love him anymore. MAU invites SHING to manage the company. HING worries that he will mess it up.

CHI follows HEI around. He is heartbroken seeing that she and BONG are close. HA is annoyed that HING neglects YAN for the company, so she takes him away from her. MAU decides to invite SHING to manage the company. CHEONG agrees with his suggestion for his own good, but HING objects. CHI totally gives himself up. He will not listen to anybody including HING. SHING brings a team of man, including TONG, to join the company. His ambition scares HING. HEI’s parents meet BONG’s parents. They both like HEI a lot. BONG takes the chance to propose to her and she agrees. CHI finally gives HEI up after learning that she is engaged to BONG. SHING spends lots of money in buying new ships and building a new pier. HING finds him pushing too fast and objects to his policy. CHI waits anxiously for HEI’s letter. KEI writes him a letter in HEI’s name.

CHI thinks that HEI has replied to his letter and encouraged him, so he works hard and pleases KEI. SUM agrees to lend SHING a huge amount of money to build a deep pier, with the condition of HING leaving the company. MAU wants to take the chance to ease SUM’s hatred over the CHOW family, so he orders HING to let SHING manage the company. CHI and HEI go back to the school to take some graduation photos. He is jealous seeing BONG and HEI are together. CHI recalls his time with HEI in the past. CHI suddenly falls on his knees to beg HEI to get back to him, but HEI turns him down. SHING spends like mad. Meanwhile, CHEONG and TUNG are taking advantage. TONG dates FUNG and shocks her. BONG’s father suddenly loses the contract to build the deep pier. He cannot take the pressure and has a stroke. CHI asks CHEONG and TUNG to give the job back to BONG’s father, but fails. So he asks KEI for some money to help BONG’s father.

CHI begs CHEONG and TUNG to give the deep pier contract to BONG’s father. CHEONG agrees only if CHI signs a contract to buy a ship. TONG treats FUNG very well. She is not experienced in love and feels flattered. HING learns that SUM has lent money to the company with a very high interest rate, so she interrogates SHING. But MAU orders her to stay out of it. HING is worried that TONG lies to FUNG, but she tells her to leave her alone. TONG pretends to be drunk and sleeps with FUNG. She is totally trapped. CHI is tricked by CHEONG and has bought a wrecked ship. SHING does not pay much attention, but HING is very annoyed. CHI asks HEI to warn FUNG about TONG, but FUNG does not listen to her. TONG pretends that he loses all his money and commits suicide. FUNG takes some of the company money and runs away with him. However, TONG takes the money and leaves her. She is totally shocked.

FUNG feels too shame to go home. She wants to commit suicide and luckily HING saves her. SHING bluffs that he is going to earn a lot for the company if he closes a deal with some westerners. So he borrows more money from SUM. HING sees no future in the company and hands CHI everything that she has. She suddenly asks to cash in her shares and shocks everyone. She has become the target of criticism. BONG and HEI get married. CHI comes late to bless them. HING forces MAU to give her the house lease and some antiques to pay for her shares in the company. HA does not let her to take YAN, but she insists to leave with him. CHI learns that HEI is going to England with BONG and feels sad. He rushes to see her off and has a traffic accident. KEI is hurt from saving him.

KEI is paralyzed after the traffic accident. CHI is very guilty towards her. The Governor of Guangzhou orders to stop building the deep pier. The company goes bankrupt. All is laden with sorrow. SHING bluffs that he will settle the whole event in Nanjing. After the accident, KEI is very depressed. CHI wants to give her a few words of comfort but does not know where to begin. There is no news of SHING from Nanjing. All the loaners including SUM come up to ask MAU for money and he faints. CHI and YUNG go to look for SHING in Nanjing. Apparently, he has given up the company. The company is shut down. TUNG and CHEONG leave the family. Suddenly, HING comes back with the money that she takes with her and returns it all to CHI. She wishes that with her money CHI can stage a comeback. MAU knows that he has misunderstood her and feels very sorry. Five years later, CHI meets HEI on the street again.

CHI is sorry for HEI after learning that BONG has died from a disease in one of their trips to help the poors. HEI is KEI’s physiotherapy nurse in the hospital. She is happy for him when KEI tells her that he becomes more mature now. BONG’s heroic act has been widely published. When the papers interview HEI, she cries with grief. BONG’s parents know that BONG’s dying wish is to help HEI to look for her ultimate love, so they encourage her to love again. KEI can walk again. She persuades CHI to take his chance to start again with HEI. He learns that HEI plans to leave for England for good and feels helpless. They meet in the rain again with different thoughts in their mind. Will they become lovers and be happy ever after?