Written by Funn Lim
The themesong, no matter how many time I hear it, is still awful. At least I didn't miss the 1st 15 minutes. So here is a recap of episode 7, which is quite charged with emotions and drama as well as romance and intrigue.
Ok where did episode 7 begin? Oh yes...
Jun almost fell when Sung Man held her and they looked into each other's eyes when a smitten Sung Man asked "Are you alright?" and a shy but equally as smitten Jun said "Yes I am". Jun went home really happy when she overheard her parents discussing about her time for marriage when her father said "There is no rush for that my dear wife. Then you won't complain you had no company. She can still wait until the right suitor comes along". Her father noticed her muddy shoes with Ko Wa and also her tanned complexion and she lied. Ko Wa lied.
Meanwhile...
Bak Chuen is working hard, putting all his efforts into his job. One time King Yin got a big business deal and a guy deposited 4,000 worth of silver bars. Bak Chuen, the trouble makers, some other students and Fu Yi Chek had to take these bars into the secret chamber underneath somewhere in the bank. Wow, so much money! Anyway, King Yin came by to have a look, very proud that he is doing something good to earn points in Mr Kiu's eyes when he suddenly realised he dropped the jade that his mother gave him I think the episode before. He went into frantic search, and his father, Mr Cho immediately asked King Yin to search the students. So he searched and he found the jade on Bak Chuen's body. Bak Chuen was shocked. In a room, every student had to recite the laws of Ding Fung Sing which Bak Chuen had to summarise as trustworthiness, integrity, honour and above all else, honesty. And that was when Mr Cho scolded Bak Chuen and said "If you know these rules so well why did you steal? Did you know you have broken every rule?" and Bak Chuen innocently said "I didn't. I swear it!" but Mr Chong said "Why did you do it? Stealing and lying about is is never right" and Bak Chuen kept protesting his innocent with Fu Yi Chek looking on helplessly and then Mr Cho dropped the bomb; "If that is the case, you can no longer stay in Ding Fung Sing. We will not tolerate your presence. Get out!" and Bak Chuen said "No, Master Cho, please I didn't do it, I didn't!" but well he packed his bags and left dejectedly. Mr Kiu saw him walking out and so when he was sitting Mr Cho talking about business, Mr Kiu quietly asked "I know Fan Chi Chai and I was wondering is it necessary to kick him out of Ding Fung Sing?" and Mr Cho smugly said "I know you recommended him but if I remember correctly Boss, you were the one who said I must treat him the same as other and when he breaks the rules, he must be fired". Mr Kiu smiled and said "Of course" and Mr Cho said "Well what I did was within what is right looking at the circumstances" and Mr Kiu said "Of course, I am not questioning the reason for your actions". Then Mr Cho said "I do know that bosses of other banks never quite visit their banks as often as you do sir, since they let the first taukeh run the administration without much supervision. May I ask sir, with your frequent visits, am I doing something wrong or not enough?" and Mr Kiu was taken aback by his words and smiled and said "Of course not! You know me, I can't just sit and do nothing. I enjoy my visits, it means nothing more than visits. I certainly am not questioning your efficiency, you have done a good job and I trust you with my banks". Mr Cho smiled, that fake smile of his and so did Mr Kiu.
Then when alone Mr Kiu asked his servant, "Does Fan Chi Chai strike you as that kind of person?" and the servant said "No sir, he doesn't".
I tell you Mr Kiu likes Bak Chuen.
Pause here. I wonder why Mr Kiu doesn't trust his own son in law? If he doesn't trust Mr Cho why let him run the bank, why not let Yun Tin run it? So far Yun Tin may be ambitious but he has done well. Quite curious.
Anyway one problem with this scene. MAJOR problem because in this scene I discover Mr Kiu knows ESP. No where did he ask nor did Mr Cho explained why Bak Chuen was punished, not the details nor nature of the wrong he did and they went on as if he knew. Shouldn't Mr Kiu ask Mr Cho what exactly did Bak Chuen did wrong instead letting us viewers assume Mr Kiu asked someone else?
Fu Yi Chek looked for Bak Chuen and found him by the river, drinking drunkedly and he tried to advice Bak Chuen. Sung Man came along and angrily said "Fu Yi Chek, save your breath. If he doesn't even love himself, if he doesn't even make an effort and just want to waste his life away by drinking like the 1st time I met him, let him rot. He doesn't need nor deserve your attention. Come on Fu Yi Chek, let him be. Let this useless weakling drink". So Sung Man dragged him away and Bak Chuen continued drinking. As he was walking, he remember how his family died (very sad scene, every time I remember that scene I feel a tinge of sadness, especially how his father died) and he fell crying and screaming "Father! Now I know how it feels to be accused of something I didn't do! Father!!!" and then he remembered the chain of events which involved one other student (not one of the troublemakers) who suddenly bent down to pick up suddenly and when they were walking up from the chamber, that student bumped into him hard. Then Bak Chuen realised "It was him".
Back in school, that student was having a conversation with one other sudent who said in disbelief "Who knew Fan Chi Chai is that kind of man. Do you?" and the student said "Neither did I". Then that student was running errands when a few men (who is in the world's 3rd oldest profession, that is loan sharks) dragged him away and he said he will pay them, give him more time. Bak Chuen saw everything. That night, that student received a crypted letter from Bak Chuen to meet at the hills. He went dead of night leaving Fu Yi Chek eyes wide opened when he quietly shut the door.
Bak Chuen was there and he said "It was you! You stole that jade to pay off the loan sharks. Why did you let them accuse me?" and that student slyly said :"I don't know what you're talking about" and Bak Chuen said "I saw everything this morning" and that student said "So what? Who would believe you? It is your word against mine. What can you do about it"?
Urghhh. Hate that guy. For once Bak Chuen reacted like a normal human being would...
"I will not be framed for a crime I did not commit. I will never face injustice again. I don't mind dying but I will not suffer injustice and have my reputation destroyed". That student said "So what?!" and Bak Chuen said "Never" and he charged at that guy, held his hed tightly under his strong arms and together ran towards the edge of the hill. The student screamed NOOOOOOOO and Bak Chuen suddenly stopped at the edge and forced the student to admit he was wrong which he did. Bak Chuen let him go, they turned around and there was Fu Yi Chek and the servant of Mr Kiu.
Next scene we see Bak Chuen standing before his parents' grave I think. He paid his respect and he said "Father, I now know how you felt when you were framed. I swear to you I will not let you die being framed. I will work hard and I will find out who was behind all this and I will restore the good name of our family. I promise father, I promise".
Bak Chuen thanked Mr Kiu personally for allowing the servant, I think Mr Kwan to follow Fu Yi Chek. Mr Kiu was pleased that Bak Chuen is back and Mr Kiu invited Bak Chuen to play the chess with him. Bak Chuen won, impressing Mr Kiu with his calmness and his ability to quite from the Buddhist text. Bak Chuen explained he stayed in the monastery for some time but did not elaborate more. Mr Kiu thanked him for his company and was even more impressed with Bak Chuen's attitude and personality.
During steamboat session, Yun Tin took the opportunity to kick Mr Cho by insulting his son King Yin for being reckless in his accusation and almost destroyed a man's life and the bank's reputation. King Yin was very queit and Mr Cho said to his son "You listen to Master Yun Tin now! He is teaching you a good valuable listen so learn" but full of daggers of course. King Yin nodded and said thank you to Yun Tin. Mr Kiu was there too and Mr Cho explained that that student had a pitiful life. He was a gambler, but reformed and then he couldn't pay off his debts and so he had to steal. Mr Kiu told Mr Cho to remind the students the seriousness of this student's action and to instill in them the values in line with the bank's philosophy.
Jun was in her room when Ko Wa asked Jun to go visit that rich girl they visited in the last episode. Jun was curious but she went along when she realised Ko Wa actually meant Sung Man. So they met with Sung Man secretly and Ko Wa saw Sung Man was carrying a kite. Ko Wa asked Sung Man "Why a kite Mr Cheong?" and Sung Man replied "Because Miss Kiu wants to play kite" and Ko Wa playfully asked "Why a butterfly kite?" and Sung Man laughingly replied "Because it is nice". And so they played kite and Jun allowed Ko Wa to leave to find Bak Chuen to give him a pouch he made for him and her brother for 2 hours.
I forgot when was this scene, whether it was earlier or later. Anyway Sung Man and Jun chat and talked about their hopes and dreams when Jun hoped she could be as widely travelled and well read as Sung Man, hoping to visit the many places. Sung Man then said "You could do that too" and Jun said "You don't understand our town's policy on women. I could not leave and travel alone" and Sung Man expressed his surprise at the policy and said cryptically "I will take you with me, if you will" and Jun was blushing as he gently held her hands. That is like a confession of love and like a promise of marriage already.
Whilst they played kite which suddenly (and conveniently) snapped and flew away, Sung Man and Jun went in search of it. Ko Wa found Bak Chuen in the market again purchasing a big huge melon (at which point my family quipped why not he buy a cucumber since he had to carry that huge melon around and Moses Chan looked frail and I added better a japanese cucumber, smaller) when Ko Wa noticed he was coughing and was sick. So Ko Wa dragged Bak Chuen who was still carrying that melon to the hills to find herbs for some natural cure which they did and that was like theit little dating time.
Sung Man and Jun found the kite but they had to cross a river for that and discovered the raft floated away. Jun was very worried and Sung Man assured her that Ko Wa will know what to do if she didn't see them. Well Ko Wa was panicking also.
Anyway they sat beneath a shed and Jun was very distressed since it was already at night. Sung Man took her attention away and talked about constellation of stars and even knew ENGLISH! Yeah he said the alphabet M and Jun was very impressed with his depth of knowledge. SO WAS I. Wow! Is there anything that Sung Man doesn't know? I am in love with him I tell you and again I can't help but feel he would have been an ideal candidate for the emperor's daughter or someone of that status.
Anyway Ko Wa came back with the search party with Mr Kiu. They found them alright at the shed where Jun was sleeping with her head on Sung Man's shoulder who was also asleep and I think they were holding hands.Last scene was Ko Wa looking rather surprised a their intimate position (well any contact is initamate back in those days between a well bred missus and a gentleman scholar) with Mr Kiu looking rather annoyed at their intimacy. In fact he looked furious.
Next 5 episodes will be interesting. Ko Was was blamed and so punished by that eager butler, Mr Kiu was not pleased at Jun's conduct with Sung Man, crisis at Ding Fung Sing when Mr Cho made his move to kick Mr Kiu out and King Yin turned bad! DRAMA! Finally!!
Great episode tonight. Enjoyed the scene with Bak Chuen losing his temper. That theft had me guessing who did it? Who did it? Well it was a big surprise at who did it and how Bak Chuen dealt with the situation. For once Bak Chuen finally woken up from his slumber and has a new purpose in life; to find clear his family name.
I love Sung Man and how positive he was. I also love the scene where he scolded Bak Chuen and I forgot to mention Bak Chuen thanked him afterwards and they became really good friends.
Anyway performances wise everybody seems to have suddenly woken up from their slumber. John Chiang had more expression that just dead pan serious look and Moses finally had some anger in him and no longer looking like a wood that sleepwalks or looking at everything with wide eyed (not wonder but) boredom. Pity him though, that melon is huge. Tavia is gorgeous and I love the romantic scene with Sung Man about the alphabet "M". I find their courtship very romantic and I will certainly weep for them when they can't be together. The younger guys did ok, although Stephen Wong is more subdued and Chris Lai will now have more role in terms of his character having much to do. Hopefully he is not evil but then like father, like son eh? I meant his character.
Sonija Kwok. As promised a paragraph on her performance. Her chinese costume is still not impressing me. But she does look like a maid, a very jovial happy one. In fact Bak Chuen did asked Ko Wa why she is always so happy and to Ko Wa she was like what is there not to be happy about. I agree. I find Sonija gave a very good performance tonight, especially those shocked, surprised or her best, by being playful and happy. Who knew automatons could have emotions eh? Well she did and frankly I really like her Ko Wa in here. I find her optimism very infectous and I love the scene where she playfully teased Sung Man about the kite. In fact it felt like an impromptu scene with Sonija add-libbing to Steven why a butterfly kite because Steven looked slightly taken aback by that question. Interesting now I remember Sonija once had a dispute with Steven right? With Steven claiming they dated before and Sonija who dated everyone coming out and denied it and frankly I believed her. They looked very comfortable with one another here. In fact Tavia seems very serious in that scene. Anyway a job well done to Sonija. I am sure she may lack in the drama department or the "2 or more reaction to one single action" acting moment (cue the hot soup) but what more can I ask for as long as she is genuinely lovable as Ko Wa? What more indeed.
Something on Tavia. I did say she is gorgeous but you have to watch this to believe it. The costume suits her.
In fact you can see a lot of genuinely expensive stuff in here, from the gold plated looking steamboat (maybe it is just copper), the scenery, the mansion, the set, so many ke-le-fes (where for once we can see two servants standing outside a room whilst the masters eat- very opulent and for once, a resemblance of someone rich), the costumes and to me the most amazing of all, that chess set Mr Kiu and Bak Chuen was using. Like gemstones or mable carved into such beautiful pieces. Amazing expensive stuff.
But the themesong still suck and the end song didn't suck as much but Moses Chan sang that I think and that suck.
