Dao Ming Si & Michelle are walking on their way to the library.
Michelle: “Why do we have to go to the library?”
Dao Ming Si: “According to this Zhong Ze’s words, if my family’s business is this big in Taiwan, then I’m thinking if we go to the library and look at all the newspapers and magazines, we should be able to find some information about my family. This way… Maybe it would help me remember some things. I know doing this is very stupid but do you know that not letting other people know who I am, and not letting my family know that I'm looking for them, is a very hard thing?”
Michelle: “Right.”
Dao Ming Si: “I’m saying the truth. Or do you want me to just grab someone from the streets and ask them, do you know where is Dao Ming family’s home?”
Michelle (shrugging her shoulders): “Why not?”
Dao Ming Si: “The question is that…”
Just then a girl walks by Dao Ming Si & Michelle. Dao Ming Si stops her.
Dao Ming Si: “Hey Miss. I want to ask you. Do you know where is the Dao Ming family’s home?”
Girl: “Dao Ming family?”
Dao Ming Si: “Yes. Dao Ming family’s home.”
Girl: “Of course I know.”
Dao Ming Si looks at Michelle in surprise.
Girl: “Who doesn’t know about Dao Ming family’s home. (Dao Ming Si stares at her.) What?”
Dao Ming Si: “Where is the Dao Ming family’s home then?”
Girl: “Their family’s business is based here in Taiwan. There’s so many… so very impressive. It’s everywhere.”
Dao Ming Si / Michelle: “Really?”
Girl: “Yes.”
Dao Ming Si (getting loud): “Then, then… then where is it? You still haven’t told me!”
Girl (pointing to a tall building across the street): “Look, this tall building that looks similar to an emperor’s palace is developed by their family. (looking at Dao Ming Si) You are so strange.”
The girl walks away, leaving Dao Ming Si and Michelle looking at each other.
Dao Ming Si: “Is this for real? What a coincidence.”
Michelle: “Well, then… Let’s go over and take a look.”
Dao Ming Si (still not believing): “It’s not possible.”
Dao Ming Si & Michelle walks into the lobby of the building, which is a hotel, and looks around. As Dao Ming Si walks around the corner, he hears his mom’s voice.
Dao Ming Feng (walking and talking at the same time): “The pillows in the room are not soft enough.”
Assistant (following meekly behind): “Yes.”
Dao Ming Feng: “The fruit basket is not fresh enough.”
Assistant: “Yes.”
Dao Ming Feng: “The room service is too slow.”
Assistant: “Yes.”
Dao Ming Feng: “The menu should also be changed.”
Assistant: “Yes.”
Dao Ming Feng (stopped walking): “The Dao Ming family don’t employ idiots. Those that need to be dismissed will be dismissed.”
Assistant: “Yes.”
Dao Ming Feng: “Of course, that also means you too.”
Assistant: “Yes.”
Dao Ming Feng: “So the words I just said, I will never say again. Did you hear clearly?”
Assistant: “Very clearly.”
Dao Ming Feng (staring straight ahead at the spot that Dao Ming Si was standing before): “Also, this is not a place for you to collect dusk. Have it cleaned up immediately.”
Assistant: “Yes.”
Dao Ming Si & Michelle are sitting in a park. Michelle is sitting there with her drawing pad, drawing. Dao Ming Si is sitting there thinking.
Dao Ming Si (finally breaking the silence): “I don’t know what I’m afraid of. Even if my mom is mean, she couldn’t be meaner than the land lady, Grandma. But I don’t understand why my legs would…”
Michelle (looking up from her drawing): “It should not be unfamiliar/strange. If it was unfamiliar in the first place, then it can only be unfamiliar. But because it’s familiar, that’s why the feeling is unfamiliar. That’s how it helps people clear away what they are frightened of. (pause) Let me help you.”
Dao Ming Si (confused): “Huh?”
Michelle: “Even though now, your mom is our only clue but your family is so big, so it shouldn’t just be only your mom. I don’t believe that within your home, there’s not someone who is nice to look at.”
Scene shifts to show Dao Ming Si’s mom leaving a building and getting into a car. Michelle gets into a taxi and follows her.
Michelle narrating as following few scenes all show what's she talking about: “Your mom is really impressive. She’s very busy everyday. Doesn’t matter if she’s in her own office or in other people’s office, she seems to be constantly talking business with people, even during meals. Even with a whole table full of food, she won’t eat. When she’s not talking business with people or having meals, her mouth would still not slow down because she would be busy scolding at people.”
Dao Ming Si: “Hey, time schedule. The important thing here is my mom’s time schedule through out the day ok?”
Michelle: “Well, with regards to the time schedule, there’s a big problem. Because even though everyday she has a couple of places she has to go, for example, the hotel, the office, but the times that she stays there varies. Sometimes, she would go home all of a sudden to change clothes, then come back out.”
Dao Ming Si: “What the heck?!?!?”
Michelle: “Don’t be impatient. After following her for so many days, I’ve finally found the one slot of time for us to make our move. This is the one habit of your mom’s that doesn’t change. Everyday, after she leaves the home, her first stop is always to the hotel. After 12 minutes, which is 7:57 a.m., your mom would definitely arrive at the hotel. So from the time when your mom finds out and when she rushes home, we have a total of 12 minutes.”
So one day, after Dao Ming Si’s mom leaves the house in a car, Dao Ming Si & Michelle rushes up to the gates to go inside. The guard that was closing the gate stops them.
Guard: “Mr. (then he realizes that the guy is Dao Ming Si) Oh, master.” (he bows and stands aside)
Dao Ming Si (pushing the guard aside and running inside with Michelle): “Get away!”
Guard (after Dao Ming Si runs away, speaks into a microphone): “Butler Lau, Butler Lau, the master has returned, the master has returned.”
Dao Ming Si & Michelle runs through a long driveway full of trees, the same place where San Cai was standing in the rain and waiting for Dao Ming Si in MG1, looking very confused.
Dao Ming Si: “So weird, what…”
After a while, they finally found the front entrance of the mansion. As they were running through the main door, the Butler runs out to greet him.
Butler (running toward them): “Master, it’s really you. You’ve finally come home.”
Dao Ming Si (speaking to Butler): “Yeah. (then whispers to Michelle) Plan begins…”
Dao Ming Si pushes Michelle away and runs in the other direction. Both runs up the stairs. The Butler runs after them, but wasn’t sure which one to follow so he stayed at the foot of the stairs. Then he seems to remember something and runs toward the foyer for the phone.
Dao Ming Si’s mom is walking up the stairs in the hotel when her cell phone rings.
Dao Ming Feng (answering the phone): “What’s wrong?”
Butler: “Hello Madam. I’m Butler Lau. Yes. Reporting to you, the master is home and he has brought a girl home too. No, not San Cai. Looks like a foreigner.”
Dao Ming Feng: “Listen carefully. No matter what you do, make sure you find master and stop him.”
Butler: “Yes, yes. I’m going right now. Yes.”
Butler hangs up the phone and runs to the front entrance yelling.
Butler (yelling): “Everybody come at once. Master has come back but now he’s missing. Go find master!”
Dao Ming Feng (making a call): “Tell the driver to bring the car to the front entrance. Quickly.”
Dao Ming Si & Michelle is standing in a room totally lost. Michelle has a stop watch in one hand, watching the time. They’re running all around trying to open the doors to the rooms. As they were running around, the guards finally caught up with them and started to run after them.
Dao Ming Si (to Michelle): “Why didn’t you tell me there was so many people?”
Michelle: “How was I to know?”
They continue running finally finding an open door which leads to a hallway. As Dao Ming Si was pushing Michelle through the door, the Butler showed up grabbing Dao Ming Si from behind.
Butler (wrapping his arms around Dao Ming Si): “Master, I’ve finally found you.”
Dao Ming Si pushes him back outside, up against the wall, and wrapped his hand around the Butler’s throat.
Dao Ming Si: “I’m warning you. Stop following me. (yelling) Do you hear me?”
Butler in pain, nods his head frantically. Dao Ming Si lets him go and runs into the hallway after Michelle, closing the door. Dao Ming Si’s mom walks in through the main entrance with 4 body guards behind her and hears the Butler yelling, “Master, master, don’t run! Come back Master!”
Dao Ming Feng: “What are you standing there for?! Hurry up and go catch him.”
Four body guards: “Yes!”
Dao Ming Si & Michelle continue running and searching. Finally he finds his room. He walks in and looks around. Michelle comes in after him.
Michelle: “Ah Sing. What’s wrong Ah Sing? Is it this one?”
Dao Ming Si walks over to the bed and on the little table next to the bed, he sees a picture of him, Lei, Xi Men & Mei Zuo. He grabs the picture and stares at it. At this moment, Yu Sao comes in and sees Dao Ming Si.
Yu Sao (happy): “Master, master you’ve come home!”
Dao Ming Si gets scared and backs away from her.
Yu Sao (confused): “Master? What’s wrong with you? You… you don’t recognize me? You don’t even recognize me? I’m Yu Sao.”
Michelle (looking at the stop watch): “8 minutes left.”
Yu Sao: “Master. Don’t be scared. Ever since you were a little kid, Yu Sao have watched over you, why would I harm you?”
Just then the Butler runs in with some guards. The guards run up to Dao Ming Si and restrains him.
Dao Ming Si (struggling): “What are you doing?”
Butler: “Madam said we have to catch you. Don’t make this difficult for us.”
Dao Ming Si starts struggling and fighting with the butler and the body guards. Michelle goes up to help him. Dao Ming Si & Michelle got lose but as they try to run out the room, the Butler grabs Dao Ming Si from behind again.
Butler: “Master, please don’t do…”
Dao Ming Si throws him off and the Butler falls onto the sofa, then onto the ground. Dao Ming Si grabs Michelle and runs out of the room with the picture frame in his hand. Yu Sao follows them out.
Outside the room:
Yu Sao (calling out to Dao Ming Si): “Master.”
Dao Ming Si & Michelle stops and turns around.
Yu Sao: “Follow me. Master.”
Dao Ming Si hesitates for a couple of seconds, then decides to follow Yu Sao.
Dao Ming Si (running after Yu Sao while holding onto Michelle’s hand): “Yu Sao be careful.”
Butler runs out of the room and sees Dao Ming Si’s mom.
Butler (out of breath): “Madam. The master… he… is gone again.”
Dao Ming Feng (angry): “Useless idiots! Continue looking! Search each and every corner of this house! No matter what, find him!”
Butler (standing up very straight): “Yes Madam! (turning to one of the guards) You go look over there. (turning to the other two guards) The two of you, go that way. (pointing to two more guards) You two follow me.”
Dao Ming Si, Michelle & Yu Sao walked all the way to the back entrance of the house, the same entrance that F3 came through when they came to save Dao Ming Si in MG1.
Yu Sao: “The front entrance must be filled with lots of people now, if the two of you don’t want to get caught, then you have to go this way. Hurry and leave. Master. Hurry! Go!”
Yu Sao watches them leave and goes back out to the front entrance. She meets up with Dao Ming Si’s mom and two guards.
Yu Sao: “Madam.”
Dao Ming Feng: “Where is he?”
Yu Sao: “Who? Oh, you are talking about Master. I heard that Master came back. I thought I saw him before and followed him here but… I lost him.”
Dao Ming Feng: “All are idiots! Can’t even catch two people. Continue searching for me! Have to find the two of them!”
Two body guards: “Yes!”
Michelle & Dao Ming Si are running through the garden area.
Michelle (gasping for breath): “So close!”
Dao Ming Si (also gasping for breath): “I know that my family is very rich, but I didn’t think the house was THAT big. But the feeling is so cold.”
Michelle: “Cold?”
Dao Ming Si: “Yes, cold. Except for that old lady.”
Michelle: “You mean Yu Sao?”
Dao Ming Si: “Yu Sao… Yu Sao… Yu Sao… Strange, she looks
like she’s very nice to me but why can’t I remember? Who is she?”
Michelle: “Stop thinking about it already. (She takes the picture frame from Dao Ming Si’s hands) We now have a picture. (staring at the photo) Aye, they look like very good friends of yours. At least now we have a new clue. Your school and your friends.”
Dao Ming Si grabs Michelle by the hands again and ran out of the mansion grounds.
Yu Sao and F3 are meeting somewhere near a lake.
Xi Men: “Ah Si came back? Was
he by himself?”
Yu Sao: “Um, no… There was also a girl. Don’t know who she is.”
Mei Zuo: “Oh no, is it another Zhong Ze?”
Yu Sao: “But from the looks of her, she doesn’t look like a bad person. She seems to be helping our master. And very nice to him too.”
Xi Men: “How nice?”
Yu Sao: “Huh? How nice? Well… Master Xi Men… This I don’t know.”
Lei: “Doesn’t matter who she is. If she’s nice to Ah Si, then that’s good.”
Xi Men: “Yu Sao, so they invaded the home, looked around, then left?”
Yu Sao: “He was afraid that Madam would catch him. If he gets caught this time, he’s sure to be locked up again.”
Mei Zuo (smiling): “Was it the same as fighting the 18 monks of the monastery?”
Lei (smiling): “Yes. Ah Si is always making people nervous and surprised. This move is really like Ah Si’s personality.”
Yu Sao: “Oh that’s right. Three masters, I’ve been out for a long time. I have to hurry back now. If there’s any more news on Master, I will tell you all immediately, ok?”
Xi Men: “Yu Sao, thank you.”
Yu Sao leaves and Mei Zuo takes his cell phone out to make a call.
Xi Men: “What are you doing?”
Mei Zuo: “I’m telling San Cai.”
San Cai, dressed as she was in the club/bar, is advertising the fruit wines on the streets.
San Cai: “How is it Mr.? Is it good? Thank you. Welcome to try fruit wine. Miss, do you want to try some fruit wine? Welcome to try fruit wine. It’s very good. Miss, do you want to try some?”
San Cai’s cell phone starts ringing, Mei Zuo’s calling her, but she ignores it.
Mei Zuo: “No answer.”
Xi Men: “Strange. These past two days I’ve been looking for San Cai, but her phone is either shut or no one answers. (looks around at Lei and Mei Zuo) You two also? What is San Cai busy at?”
Lei: “She should not be busy at anything. Maybe she’s hiding.”
Mei Zuo: “Doesn’t matter if she’s busy or hiding, just as long as she doesn’t have amnesia, it’s ok. We could search all of Taipei for her.”
Xi Men (making a call on his cell phone to the pastry shop that San Cai works at): “Lao Ban Niang. I’m Xi Men. I want to ask if San Cai’s there? (pause) Huh? Then, do you know where else is she working at?”
Yu Sao gets back to the mansion and sees Dao Ming Si’s mom, sitting on a sofa, waiting for her.
Dao Ming Feng: “You’re back, Yu Sao?”
Yu Sao: “Madam, how are you?”
Dao Ming Feng: “Did you see Ah Si? I said, there’s so many people in this house, Ah Si and this girl couldn’t have grown wings, so how can they have disappeared like that? Yu Sao, did you secretly help them out?”
Yu Sao: “No, Madam. I just went to see Master Xi Men and Master Mei Zuo. I… I didn’t see our Master. I also don’t know who he is with. I don’t even know where he is now.”
Dao Ming Feng: “Yu Sao, you are getting old, you shouldn’t be using your head so much.”
Yu Sao: “Madam. You want to bring up my retirement again?”
Dao Ming Feng: “I was soft hearted before when you said you heard that Ah Si is sick and you worry so much that you couldn’t sleep. After continuously begging me, I’ve finally agreed to let you come back. But now you are not looking after this house, you can’t even figure out what’s good for Ah Si or bad for Ah Si. If you still don’t want to retire to go home and rest, then you are not only torturing yourself but you are also torturing me.”
Yu Sao: “Madam. I’m very clear about this home’s business, however, even if I want to look after it, I can’t. But, our master, why does coming home to his own house, he has to sneak in? And then run away so quickly? Master is brought up by my own hands. So, no matter what, even if I’m so old that I can’t even crawl, I would protect Master until the end!”
Dao Ming Feng: “Did you forget? Ah Si, doesn’t remember you at all. So whether you are here in this home or not, it will not have any effects on Ah Si. These past twenty years or more, you have done a lot for the Dao Ming family. So, you must not, at this age, do something to ruin all the things you’ve done and to ruin your status in this family. I’ve already told Butler Lau to have all your stuff packed up. Just tell him where you want to go and he will send the car for you.”
Dao Ming Si’s mom walks away after this and Yu Sao sits down on the sofa with tears in her eyes.
Night time, San Cai is still advertising drinks on the street. As she’s advertising, she turns around and didn’t notice that Xi Men & Lei standing was in front of her.
San Cai (not knowing it was Xi Men): “Mr. Would you like to try some fruit wine?”
Xi Men and Lei both pick up a cup.
Xi Men (drinking it): “Tastes weird.”
Lei (drinking also): “But it’s not hard to drink at all.”
San Cai (smiling): “How did you guys know I was here?”
Mei Zuo walks up from behind.
Mei Zuo: “We came by to find you to settle some things with you.”
Mei Zuo steps back and looks at San Cai’s clothes from head to toe.
Mei Zuo (bursts out laughing): “Why are you dressed so ugly?”
San Cai (holding the tray of drinks toward Mei Zuo): “Mr. Do you want to try some fruit wine?”
Xi Men puts his empty cup back on the tray.
San Cai (looking at Xi Men): “Thank you.”
Xi Men: “Aye, she said thank you to us, how can we yell at her?”
San Cai (pushing the tray of drinks toward Mei Zuo again): “Do you want to try it? It’s very good.”
Mei Zuo finally takes a cup and drinks.
San Cai: “Thank you.”
Mei Zuo looks at her and smiles.
Next scene, Mei Zuo, (holding a bottle of fruit wine that San Cai was selling and playing around): “Miss, you want to try some fruit wine?”
San Cai (sitting down and eating food): “No, thank you.”
Xi Men: “Hey San Cai. Why do you make yourself work so hard? What’s the purpose?”
San Cai (finishes eating and stands up): “Cause I want to earn more money. Besides saving for tuition money, there’s… let me tell you guys the truth. (pointing to an electronic billboard across the street) You guys should have seen these electronic billboards. I want to put up an ad to look for Dao Ming Si. Of course, I won’t reveal his identity. But to use this kind of advertisement is very expensive so I had to work an extra job.”
Mei Zuo: “Why didn’t you tell us this?”
San Cai: “Because you guys said that a big commotion is very stupid. And the more I think about it, the more stupid I think it is also. Good thing I didn’t tell you guys that day, if not, you guys would have said I was a fool.”
Xi Men: “Would we?”
Lei: “I never saw a bull that’s a fool.”
San Cai: “Who are you calling a bull? I still haven’t yelled at you for leaving that SMS on my phone. How can a bull do a handstand? Why don’t you do it and let me see.”
Lei: “I’m not going to listen to you.”
Mei Zuo and Xi Men look at each other then back at the billboard, a thought coming to mind.
Dao Ming Si is walking around at night and stops to sit on the side of the street, looking at a newspaper, trying to find a job. San Cai is also walking to somewhere that F3 told her to go.
San Cai (getting to the meeting place): “Weird. Told me to come and he’s still not here. What is Mei Zuo doing?”
San Cai waits around and then suddenly looks up at the electronic billboard. A message comes across the top.
Message: “Ah Si, I will wait for you forever. 0917-595600”
San Cai stands there staring at the billboard, feeling tears of happiness coming to her eyes.
San Cai (very touched): “Lei, Xi Men, Mei Zuo. Thank you guys. Thank you.”
At another place, another billboard is also displaying the same message. Dao Ming Si is standing there looking at it. Meanwhile, back to San Cai, she’s standing there waiting when her cell phone rings.
San Cai: “Hello?”
Guy: “Where are you?”
San Cai: “Who are you?”
Guy: “I’m Ah Si.”
San Cai: “You’re not.”
Guy: “Oh, I really miss you.”
San Cai: “Stop playing. I’m waiting for a call.”
She hangs up and the phone rings again.
San Cai: “Hello?”
Guy: “Hey, I’m really also called Ah Si. If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you my id.”
San Cai (getting annoyed): “Mr. Can you please stop playing?”
Guy: “Oh come on. What’s wrong with making a new friend?”
San Cai: “I beg you ok? I’m really waiting for a very important call. I work two jobs every day just to advertise this notice. He is missing. Right now he can be in a very dangerous situation, but all I can do is wait. Wait for his voice. His face, when he speaks, is becoming more and more unclear. I really regret not taking more pictures with him, not using a V8 camcorder to record it down. Do you understand what is regret? Have you ever experienced it? If you’ve ever been regretful before, I beg you to please hang up ok?”
San Cai hangs up the phone and it rings again.
San Cai: “Hello?”
Guy (again): “Sorry, it’s me again. I forgot to say. I hope you find Ah Si someday. Good luck.”
San Cai (thinking): “All the billboards in the city is lit up. It’s like my hope/wish. Don’t know why, but I have this really strong feeling that Dao Ming Si saw the advertisement. He is now standing at some place looking at my hope/wish.”
San Cai’s phone rings again.
San Cai: “Hello? (pauses, then yells out) YOU ARE NOT!”
She hangs up looking very upset. Dao Ming Si is walking toward a pay phone. He takes out money and stares at the phone.
San Cai is walking home and her phone rings again.
San Cai: “Hello?”
After listening for a few seconds and finding out it was another prank call, she hangs up. San Cai finds F3 waiting for her in front of her home.
Mei Zuo: “San Cai, how come your phone is not working?”
Xi Men: “Did you see it?”
San Cai (nodding her head): “Thank you.”
San Cai’s phone rings again.
San Cai: “Hello?”
Guy: “Do you want to know where Ah Si is? Come out and have some coffee.”
San Cai: “Stupid.”
She hangs up the phone looking annoyed.
Mei Zuo (seeing her expression): “What’s wrong?”
San Cai: “Nothing. Just that… My phone has been ringing nonstop and it’s all strange prank calls.”
Xi Men: “Ah Si never called?”
San Cai: “Everybody that calls says they are Ah Si.”
San Cai’s phone rings again. Mei Zuo gets upset and takes the phone from San Cai.
Guy: “Miss, do you want to have some coffee?”
Mei Zuo: “Sure, where do we go?”
In front of the pay phone, Dao Ming Si picks up the phone and gets ready to dial the number.
Mei Zuo (talking on the phone): “Say something.”
Xi Men: “Mei Zuo.”
Mei Zuo: “Why are you not saying anything?”
San Cai grabs the phone back from Mei Zuo.
San Cai (to Mei Zuo): “What are you doing?”
Mei Zuo: “Yelling at him.”
San Cai: “Forget it.”
Mei Zuo grabs the phone again and turns it off. San Cai sees him and grabs it back.
San Cai: “Hey! Why did you turn it off?”
Mei Zuo: “Do you want to continue getting those calls?”
San Cai: “What if Dao Ming Si calls?”
Dao Ming Si is calling San Cai’s number and gets a message that the call is not connecting because Mei Zuo turned the phone off. He hangs up and dials again. At that moment, San Cai turns the phone back on and it rings. This time it really is Dao Ming Si calling.
San Cai: “Hello? (Dao Ming Si doesn’t say anything.) Hello? Hello? Say something.”
Mei Zuo gets angry and takes the phone from San Cai again.
Mei Zuo (thinking it was another prank call): “You are Ah Si right? I tell you, you stupid, useless bastard, if you call again, I’m going to smack you until your mouth is slanted.”
Dao Ming Si hears Mei Zuo’s words and quickly hangs up the phone. Mei Zuo also hangs up.
Mei Zuo: “Don’t know why people are so bored.”
San Cai (talking very quiet but with a hard tone): “Give it back.”
Xi Men: “San Cai maybe we used the wrong way.”
San Cai (to Mei Zuo): “GIVE IT BACK.”
Mei Zuo: “Can you wake up please?”
At this moment, Lei starts walking away in the background.
San Cai (looking at Mei Zuo): “I want to ok? This is my only hope/wish now.”
F3 is by the waterside drinking beer.
Mei Zuo: “Can’t find the person but found a lot of trouble. Should have use my phone number. See how I would treat those bastards.”
Xi Men: “It’s because we wanted San Cai to be the first one to answer Dao Ming Si’s call.”
Lei: “Let’s stop the advertisements. The more hope we have in it, the bigger the disappointment.”
Xi Men: “I’m afraid San Cai would break down again.”
Lei: “No matter how many times she breaks down, she can still handle the truth.”
Xi Men (with a smile): “I wonder if you are an alien from outer space sometimes.”
Lei: “I am.”
Xi Men: “Come on. From now on, there will be less of a chance that we can get together to drink beer. Cheers.”
Mei Zuo: “Why is there less of a chance that we can get together?”
Xi Men: “I actually wanted to wait until we find Ah Si, then have you guys celebrate with me.”
Mei Zuo: “Celebrate what?”
Xi Men: “I’m starting work tomorrow. Graduation vacation is over. Should stop playing.”
Lei: “That’s right. Graduation vacation is over.”
Mei Zuo: “Cheers.”
Dao Ming Si is back at the apartment, sitting out in the balcony, drinking coconut juice. Michelle walks up to him.
Michelle: “Aye, Did you know that you are not one, two, three, si (four) that si, you are this si.” (she writes the Chinese character for his name on a piece of paper for Dao Ming Si to see.)
She sits down next to Dao Ming Si on the bench.
Michelle: “And at Ying De, you guys are known as F4. Do you know what F4 means? It means flower guys, the meaning of Flower Four. You guys are so famous in school, everybody knows about you guys. I just went to ask for a little information and found out. Look, I even have their phone number and address.”
Dao Ming Si (doesn’t seem to care): “I already called. I saw their advertisement.”
Michelle: “What advertisement?”
Dao Ming Si: “It’s all over the electronic billboards on the streets. I call them and they yelled at me. (getting angry) Who are they? How can they just yell at people?”
Michelle: “They’re looking for you and yelling at you? Maybe they didn’t know you are you.”
Dao Ming Si: “Even if I’m not me, they shouldn’t yell at people. Maybe I shouldn’t find out who they are.”
At this moment, Grandma walked in and heard Dao Ming Si talking.
Dao Ming Si: “Or maybe I shouldn’t find out who I am.”
Grandma is in the background looking at her plants.
Michelle: “Ah Si.”
Dao Ming Si: “Why is it that
all the people around me doesn’t seem to be good people? What kind of person
was I in the past? (He gets mad and throws the coconut on the ground.) Who am
I?”
Grandma: “What’s going on? What are you doing? Breaking the house?”
Michelle (gets up and goes over to her): “Grandma.”
Grandma (pointing to her plants): “Look. I knew it, don’t help me to water the plants. Do you want to kill my plants?”
Michelle: “I’ll help you.”
Grandma: “Now.”
Michelle: “Ok.”
Grandma: “This minute.”
Michelle (walks over to get a water can): “This minute.”
Grandma walks over to Dao Ming Si.
Grandma: “If you find out you are a bad person, then you should change. The past is the past. The present is the most important. The most important thing is… to remember to pay your rent.”
Grandma walks away, while Michelle looks at her smiling.
Grandma: “Hurry up and water the plants.”
Michelle: “Yes. Yes.”
Grandma: “You’re going to dry up all my plants.”
Michelle: “Oh course not. I’m watering now.”
Grandma leaves and Michelle continues watering the plants then runs over to Dao Ming Si and splashes him with water. Dao Ming Si jumps up in surprise.
Dao Ming Si: “What are you doing?”
Michelle: “I’m trying to cool down your fire.”
Dao Ming Si runs after Michelle. She splashes him with more water. He catches up with her and picks her up.
Dao Ming Si: “I’ll throw you down.”
They continue splashing water at each other until the water can ran out.
Michelle (smiling): “You’re smiling. You’re happy again.”
Dao Ming Si smiles at her and she smiles back.
Next morning, Michelle goes to Mei Zuo’s home and wait for him. When he drives by in the car, she stops him. Mei Zuo gets out of the car.
Michelle: “Senior.”
Mei Zuo: “Who are you?”
Michelle: “I’m doing a life style report on the graduated seniors. Don’t know if senior have some time available?”
Mei Zuo: “Life report? There’s no need for it.”
Michelle: “Please senior. This would reflect on my next semester’s classes. Please senior.”
Mei Zuo (finally giving in): “Ok, get in.”
Michelle & Mei Zuo get in the car and drive to a café.
Mei Zuo: “How come I don’t remember seeing you in Ying De before?”
Michelle: “There’s so many girl students in Ying De. How can you remember?”
Mei Zuo (flirting): “I remember all the pretty ones.”
Michelle (smiling): “Then I’m not pretty enough.”
Mei Zuo (laughing): “Pretty? Not only are you pretty, but you’re pretty quick with your responses too.”
Michelle: “I’m very happy to get a compliment from senior. Well, senior, have you started working? All the other students really want to know about how F4 is doing after graduating. You guys should have started working at your own companies now, right?”
Mei Zuo (leaning back on the sofa): “With regards to this, Xi Men is the first one, but it should be soon for me and Lei.”
Michelle: “Well, what about Dao Ming Si?”
Mei Zuo (a little hesitant): “He’s still not back from his graduation vacation yet.”
Michelle: “Senior, I’m going to ask you a question, please don’t be mad.”
Mei Zuo: “Ask.”
Michelle: “Why is there a rumor that says that something has happened to Dao Ming Si senior?”
Mei Zuo: “Really? Where’d you hear it from?”
Michelle: “Um, the advertisements in the newspapers and also the electronic billboards on the streets.”
Mei Zuo doesn’t answer.
Michelle: “You must be really worried. Your relationships are so close.”
Mei Zuo: “Isn’t this a “life style” report? Why did it become a “gossip style” report?”
Summary of MG2 Episode 8:
Scene opens with the continuation of the interview between Mei Zuo & Michelle.
Michelle: “You must be really worried. Your relationships are so close.”
Mei Zuo: “Isn’t this a “life style” report? Why did it become a “gossip style” report?”
Michelle (laughing): “Oh Sorry. I’m very curious about F4’s things. (pausing) Then what have you been up to lately?”
Mei Zuo: “Nothing much. Playing ball, watching movies, go to the Pub and listen to music.”
Michelle: “Senior, you like going to the Pub? Then could you recommend a few good ones?”
Mei Zuo: “There’s so many Pubs around, you still need me to recommend one to you? (pauses, thinking) Well, there’s this Pub around here that the atmosphere is pretty good. We always go there.”
Michelle: “Really? Then what’s the name of it?”
F3 is sitting at a table in a Pub drinking.
Xi Men (takes out something from his pocket): “Oh, right. This is Ah Si and San Cai’s postcard from Spain.”
Mei Zuo takes it to read it. Meanwhile, Michelle just came into the Pub dragging Dao Ming Si behind her.
Michelle (pulling Dao Ming Si along): “This is the place.”
Michelle looks in and sees F3 sitting at the table. She turns back to Dao Ming Si.
Michelle: “Come on. What’s wrong?”
Dao Ming Si looks like he doesn’t want to go in.
Michelle: “Ok, to go in or not, you make the decision.”
She turns to leave and Dao Ming Si calls out to her.
Dao Ming Si: “Hey, Ya Sha.”
Michelle (looking back): “I’m leaving first.”
Dao Ming Si: “Hey!”
Michelle leaves and Dao Ming Si has no choice but to slowly walk into the Pub.
Back at F3’s table:
Lei (after reading the postcard): “Seems like their tone of voice is the same. (pauses) Ah Si and San Cai is now taking different paths toward the future.”
Xi Men: “Without Ah Si here, the feeling is sort of weird.”
Dao Ming Si walks slowly around the Pub toward the bar area. He finds a seat at the end of the bar and sits down with his back to F3’s table. F3 is sitting only a couple of feet away. A girl walks up to F3’s table and drapes herself over Xi Men.
Girl: “You haven’t been out to hang around for so long. Come dance with me. How about it?”
Xi Men: “But I have something to do and I have to speak with these guys.”
Girl: “Oh please. You always use this excuse every time. Come.”
Xi Men: “Why don’t you ask Mei Zuo? Mei Zuo dances very well.”
Girl: “I don’t care. I want you to dance with me. Come.”
Xi Men: “Another time ok?”
Girl: “Come. Now.”
Lei can’t seem to stand it anymore, so he turns and walks away from the table toward the bar area where Dao Ming Si is sitting. But he stood a couple of seats away from Dao Ming Si. Dao Ming Si sees him standing a couple of seats away and turns his face to one side so that Lei can’t see him.
Xi Men: “Be a good girl. I’ll dance with you another time.”
Girl (still not giving up): “Now.”
Xi Men: “I have some business now.”
Girl: “Let’s go dance now. Since you haven’t been out to play for so long. How about it? Let’s all go to dance together. Let’s go.”
Xi Men: “Today is my day with
the boys to get together, don’t ruin our fun, ok?”
Girl (finally seeing that she’s not able to convince Xi Men, gives up):
“Ok, I’ll let you go this time. Next time, you have to remember to
call me. Ok?”
Xi Men nods his head at her.
Girl: “Then I’ll see you next time. Bye.”
Xi Men waves at her. The girl walks away but was stopped by a guy at a table right behind F3’s.
Guy 1: “Come. Come.”
Guy 2: “Did you see our Senior Xi Men? So cool. So handsome.”
Guy 1 (speaking to the girl): “Stop staying over there playing dumb. Why are you trying to suck up to the asshole? Senior Xi Men is an asshole.”
Mei Zuo makes a move to stand up, but Xi Men stops him.
Guy 2: “Come. Drink beer.”
Guy 3 (speaking to his other 2 friends): “He comes from a very rich family. You guys? How can you compare?”
Guy 1: “That’s right. Of course you shouldn’t even be talking to him.”
Guy 2: “I don’t believe that. When they were in school, they’re really all well-behaved. Look guys.”
Guy 2 gets up and walks over to F3’s table where only Mei Zuo & Xi Men is sitting.
Guy 2: “Senior. (pouring a cup of wine and handing it to Xi Men) Just pretend I was that girl before and have a drink.”
Xi Men (looking at the cup the guy just poured): “I’m sorry. I think we’re not sitting at the same table. Please go back to yours.”
Guy 1 (calling out to his friend): “Hey Michael. Come back.”
Guy 3: “They are the very famous F4.”
Guy 2 (still sitting at F3’s table): “It’s F4? I think it’s F3.”
Guy 1: “Yes. You are right. There’s no F4 now.”
Guy 2: “F3… Funny… Funny Three. Let me cheers one with you guys.” (holds up the cup again)
Xi Men and Mei Zuo just sit there smiling their fake smile at him. All of a sudden, Mei Zuo gets up out of his seat and pushes his hand in the guy’s face. And a fight breaks out. Dao Ming Si is still sitting to one side looking at the whole scene. Lei, who was still standing by the bar, very calmly takes out a wad of money and hands it over to the guy behind the bar counter.
Lei: “Your Pub’s going to need to renovate.”
Mei Zuo & Xi Men finishes hitting all the guys and started to walk away. Suddenly, one of the guys gets up and picks up a bottle and goes after Mei Zuo. Dao Ming Si sees the guy and quickly walks over and grabs the guy’s hand that was holding the bottle before he can hit Mei Zuo in the back.
Guy (looking surprised at Dao Ming Si): “What are you doing? Let go! Dao Ming Si.”
Dao Ming Si struggles with the guy and pushes him away.
Guy (gets up): “I’ll remember this!” Then he runs away.
Lei (standing there looking at Dao Ming Si surprised): “Ah Si.”
Mei Zuo (after snapping out of his shocked state, rushes over to Dao Ming Si and grabs him by the shoulders): “Ah Si! It’s really you. Ah Si.”
Dao Ming Si suddenly pushes Mei Zuo away toward a table.
Mei Zuo (rights himself, turns in shock and surprise): “Ah Si?”
F4 stood there looking at each other, then Dao Ming Si slowly walks pass Xi Men and toward the door.
Xi Men (calls out to Dao Ming Si as he was walking by): “Ah Si.”
Dao Ming Si pauses for a second then continues walking out then started running. F3 hesitated for a couple seconds then ran after Dao Ming Si calling his name. After running for a while, F3 finally manages to corner Dao Ming Si on an overhead bridge, with Xi Men & Lei standing on one side and Mei Zuo standing on the other.
Mei Zuo (out of breath): “Ah Si. What are you running for?”
Xi Men (also out of breath): “Take a closer look. It’s us.”
Dao Ming Si just continues to stare at them breathing heavily.
Lei: “Ah Si really doesn’t remember anything.”
Mei Zuo: “He has to remember! If not he wouldn’t have helped us before.”
Xi Men (talking to Dao Ming Si): “Doesn’t matter what you remember, what you forgot, come back with us. We will help you to remember.”
Dao Ming Si tries to get pass Mei Zuo.
Xi Men (shouts out): “AH SI!”
Dao Ming Si (shouts back angrily): “How did I know guys like you?”
Xi Men: “But for the past 20 years, the four of us have always been together.”
Dao Ming Si: “How can I be like you guys?!?! I’m not that kind of person!”
Mei Zuo (yelling): “What nonsense are you talking about!”
Lei (talking to DSM): “Why don’t you just ask yourself the reason for helping us out before? That’s because between all of us, no matter who gets into trouble, anyone of us would come out and help the another first thing. Even if we lose our life, we don’t care.”
Mei Zuo: “Ah Si. (grabbing Dao Ming Si by the shoulders) Because we are the best…”
Dao Ming Si (throwing Mei Zuo’s hands away and starts running again): “Get away!”
F3 continues to run after him. They ran until they are by a railroad track. The red signal is on for ‘no crossing’ because there’s a train that would be coming soon. Dao Ming Si manages to run across the train tracks to the other side but F3 couldn’t get across in time.
Dao Ming Si (on one side of the track, yelling back at F3): “I HATE MY PAST!”
Mei Zuo (yelling back from the other side): “WHAT NONSENSE!”
Lei (also yelling): “You can hate your past but you can’t forget San Cai!”
The train runs past just as Lei was finishing his sentence. When the train passes, Dao Ming Si is already gone.
F3 is at a place somewhere, Xi Men & Lei is standing there silently while Mei Zuo is sitting down. Mei Zuo gets up suddenly and kicks at a soda can in anger.
Xi Men: “What are you doing Mei Zuo?
Mei Zuo: “How can he forget everything? EVERY little thing, he’s forgotten.”
Xi Men: “Just think of the good side. When he helped us before, that is totally Ah Si’s personality.”
Mei Zuo: “So he does remember right? He helped because of us right? Right?”
Lei: “Mei Zuo. Admit it. Ah Si really doesn’t remember anything. Did you forget what he said before? He not only questions us, but he also questions his past. No?”
Mei Zuo: “In the past, he’s such a bully, likes to give red tags – I’ve never said anything against it but always follow his ways. This time if he would only listen to me for once! Why can’t he just listen to me this once?”
Mei Zuo (frustrated, shouts out): “AH SI!!!”
Dao Ming Si is walking in the streets all the while having flashbacks of the scenes that just happened. He sees the billboard ad again and stops to stare at it. Meanwhile, San Cai is sitting in front of one of the electronic billboards, waiting for Dao Ming Si to call. Then she goes home and stares at the lights that Dao Ming Si put up for her in the design of the meteor necklace, in MG1.
Dao Ming Si finally goes back to the apartment, where Michelle is sleeping. He tries to take off his shoes without waking her, but he made a lot of noise and she woke up. Dao Ming Si picks up the photo of him and F3 and sits down on the floor to stare at it.
Michelle: “You’re back. So what happened?”
Dao Ming Si: “Happened? I ran away.”
Michelle: “Ran away? Why?”
Dao Ming Si: “I don’t know… It’s just that… Ya Sha… Do I have to find my past?”
Michelle: “Isn’t that what
you wanted all along?”
Dao Ming Si: “What if… I’m saying what if I don’t like my
past? Then why do I have to go look for them?”
Michelle (pointing to the picture
in Dao Ming Si’s hands): “You’re saying you don’t like them?”
Dao Ming Si: “I feel that my past is not something that I should have memories
of. Doesn’t matter if it’s family or friends, it wasn’t what
I was hoping for. (pause) Didn’t you say I was very lucky? I could live
all over again? Then shouldn’t I start over and live “Ah Sing’s”
life?”
Michelle: “Living a new life is very hard. Do you feel it?”
Dao Ming Si: “I’m going to look for a job tomorrow.”
Having said that Dao Ming Si goes over to the table and fills out a working paper. He wrote his real name, Dao Ming Si, on it but then he stares at it and crumbles it up. Then he takes another paper and writes the name Ah Sing.
Next morning, Dao Ming Si is walking all around looking for a job. Finally he comes to this breakfast café called Orange, which has 3 workers there. The boss is named Ah Lun, his wife is named, Yi Ling and a worker called Da Xin. The café seems to be very busy. Dao Ming Si walks into the café and goes to the stove counter where Ah Lun is frying eggs.
Dao Ming Si: “I want to ask if you are hiring?”
Ah Lun stares at him and takes his working paper and puts it in his pocket.
Ah Lun (continues to fry eggs): “What’s
your name?”
Dao Ming Si: “I’m called Ah Sing.”
Ah Lun: “Ok.”
Dao Ming Si (surprised): “Am
I hired?”
Ah Lun (looking very busy): “Didn’t you say you are looking for a
job? (looking at Dao Ming Si) Hurry. (he motions to the plate of food on the
counter) You have to be quick, fast and precise.”
Dao Ming Si understands and picks up the plate of food and walks over to Da Xin.
Dao Ming Si: “Sorry. Can you
please tell me where Table A is?”
Da Xin (looking at Dao Ming Si): “Table A?”
Dao Ming Si: “Table A.”
Da Xin (looking over at Ah Lun then back at Dao Ming Si): “Oh, Table A is facing the streets, Table B is in the back. (yelling to Ah Lun) Table C wants another order of French Toast, egg omelet, a cup of tea, a cup of chocolate, and a cup of milk. Fast ok?”
Dao Ming Si brings the plate of food over to the customer. Then he walks back to the stove counter.
Dao Ming Si: “Is there anything
else that needs to be done?”
Ah Lun (reading the order on a piece of paper in one hand and oiling the stove
top with the other): “What did you say your name was again?”
Dao Ming Si: “My name is Ah Sing.”
Ah Lun: “Ah Sing, you come in.”
Dao Ming Si walks behind the stove counter and Ah Lun hands Dao Ming Si two eggs.
Ah Lun: “Here. Two fried eggs. I have to go to the bathroom.”
Ah Lun walks away while Dao Ming Si stares at the two eggs in his hands, not sure what to do. Then he takes the spatula and tries to crack it open.
Ah Lun (coming back): “Hey, what are you doing?”
Dao Ming Si: “Well, I’ve never…”
Ah Lun (shocked): “You don’t know how to fry an egg? You can’t even fry an egg? Aye move over. Sorry then I can’t hire you. You can’t even fry an egg, you won’t do. Don’t bother me. I’m very busy. Go.”
Dao Ming Si walks out from the back counter, pouting.
Customer (calling out): “Lao Ban, can you please clean this table?”
Ah Lun: “Oh, ok.”
He throws a towel on the counter, calling out, “Da Xin.”
Da Xin: “I can’t. I’m busy now. Yi Ling. Yi Ling.”
Yi Ling: “I’m taking an order.”
Dao Ming Si stands there remembering Michelle’s words that living a new life is very hard. He then reaches over and takes the towel and goes to clean the table. Ah Lun tries to stop him but Dao Ming Si didn’t listen. Ah Lun, Da Xin, and Yi Ling all stare at Dao Ming Si cleaning the table.
San Cai is having lunch with her parents at home.
San Cai (putting down two dishes of food): “This is the dish that Dad must eat everyday, carrots. And mom’s favorite dish, omelets."
Dad (fake laugh): “Dad is very happy. Can taste San Cai’s cooking. Doesn’t matter if its stir fry carrots, even if it was raw carrots, dad would eat it. Just pretend I’m a rabbit, I’ll eat it everyday."
San Cai (picking up her bowl and chopsticks): “Then let’s eat.”
San Cai starts eating but mom & dad just sits there staring at her.
San Cai (noticing their stare): “Ma, what’s wrong?”
Mom: “Mom and dad is really worried about you. We watch you leaving early and coming back late from work everyday. You are not happy. At night, you hide in your room and cry. Mom and dad is also hiding in the room and crying. (starting to cry) I don’t know what to do so I go to the temple and pray. Why does my daughter have such a hard life?”
San Cai: “Ma, I’m fine.”
Dad: “Right. Nothing’s wrong. Our whole family is fine. Look, dad is selling cars now and I’m getting better and better at it. San Cai is fine now. As long as our family is happily together everyday, no matter what happens we can fight against it. Right? Dad’s happy then San Cai’s happy. San Cai’s happy then Mom’s happy. We would be very happy. Let’s eat.”
Xi Men gets introduced to the employees at work. They wanted to give him a pretty assistant, but Xi Men said that if he gets a pretty assistant, he won’t be able to concentrate on his work. So Xi Men hand picked a guy wearing glasses to be his assistant. Xi Men and assistant walks into his office.
Assistant (opening the door for Xi Men): “Please come in Master. Master Xi Men.”
Xi Men (walking in and looking around the room): “Call me manager. Don’t call me Master.”
Assistant: “Oh ok. Manager. Manager what time do you eat lunch? Is there anything special that you like to eat? Or don’t like to eat? Also, Manager what time do you like your coffee break? Should I have someone…”
Xi Men (interrupting him): “I’m here to work.”
Assistant (bows): “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Xi Men: “Can you please get me the reports for this quarter to look over? Also, have a meeting set up for 2:00 p.m. this afternoon.”
Assistant: “Today?”
Xi Men: “Is there a problem?”
Assistant: “Eh, Master. No, I meant Manager. Today is your first day of work. Um, nothing. I’ll go tell everybody about the meeting.”
Assistant leaves and Xi Men sits at his desk.
San Cai is getting ready to leave the house. She opens the front door and finds Mei Zuo standing outside waiting for her.
San Cai (surprised): “What are you doing here? Hey, why did you wake up so early today?”
Mei Zuo: “What? I can’t
wake up early?”
San Cai (seeing the look on Mei Zuo’s face): “What’s wrong?”
Mei Zuo: “We’ve stopped the electronic billboard advertisements.”
San Cai: “I know.”
Mei Zuo: “Can you find someone to work for you this morning?”
San Cai: “Why…”
Mei Zuo: “Please?”
Mei Zuo & San Cai arrive at a beach.
San Cai (standing with Mei Zuo and staring out at the water): “Wow. This feels so comfortable. Haven’t been to the beach for so long.”
Mei Zuo: “Do you still remember our first trip together?”
San Cai: “Of course I remember. You and Xi Men both brought along a girl.”
Mei Zuo: “Did we?”
San Cai: “Yes and they both have very good bodies too. Made me feel very self-conscious. And you guys also…”
Mei Zuo (interrupting San Cai): “We saw Ah Si.”
San Cai (quickly turning to face Mei Zuo): “Where?”
Mei Zuo: “At the Pub.”
San Cai: “’So where is he now?”
Mei Zuo: “He helped us in a fight and then ran away. We couldn’t catch up with him. He really doesn’t remember anything. I saw him in a torn T-shirt and jeans. From his expression, behavior, I suddenly feel very scared.”
San Cai: “Scared about what?”
Mei Zuo: “He doesn’t want to remember his past. He just wants to live
the life he has now.”
San Cai: “Then he must be living very well now.”
Mei Zuo: “Maybe.”
San Cai: “Then I don’t
have to worry.”
Mei Zuo: “San Cai, Are you not worried that Ah Si will never come back?”
San Cai: “What’s the point of worrying? Isn’t it true that even
you guys couldn’t catch him?”
Mei Zuo: “At the time when Ah Si was standing in front of us, I had this really weird feeling. There’s a part of me that suddenly envies Ah Si. He lost his memories, lost his identity, but he has found a care-free new life. Do you know, in another 2 days, I’ll have to wear a suit, wear a tie and live this boring working life? Can you see me like that?”
San Cai (smiling): “Definitely would be very handsome.”
Mei Zuo: “Well, of course. But I don’t want to be that me.”
San Cai: “But this is the way the world is. There’s not one person who can live the life that they want. But don’t you feel that’s the surprise in it?”
Mei Zuo: “What surprise?”
San Cai: “Because most of the time, we can’t have what we want, so when you finally get what you want, you would feel extra happy. (pause) What I said is true. Like now, if we come to the beach everyday, then it wouldn’t be so special anymore. But if we come once in a while, then we would feel that the water is extra blue, the wind is extra comfortable and the feeling’s extra good.”
Mei Zuo: “You dry cracker San Cai, you are very special.”
San Cai (smiling): “Right. Because you are around pretty girls everyday, so of course, I become special.”
Mei Zuo: “San Cai. You are finally better. I was worried that once the electronic billboard ad is stopped, you would break down again.”
San Cai: “Dao Ming Si is living his new life now. How can I stay in the past and not move forward? We never know what tomorrow will bring unless we welcome it. Mei Zuo, you have to experience your new life. Good luck!”
Mei Zuo: “Ya. Jiao You.”
Both started yelling “jiao you” out to the water.
Back at the café, after the peak hour for business has passed, Ah Lun and Da Xin is sitting at a table counting the money while Yi Ling is fixing her make up.
Da Xin (looking at Dao Ming Si’s working paper and whispering to Ah Lun & Yi Ling): “Don’t you guys think its strange? His last name is Ah and his first name is Sing. And the rest is all blank. Very weird.”
Dao Ming Si is in the back counter cleaning up.
Ah Lun (speaking loudly so that Dao Ming Si hears): “Who cares what his last name first name is. He can’t even fry an egg, how can I hire him?”
Da Xin (whispering): “Don’t be so rude, ok? He’s been cleaning tables all morning. Right and he’s still washing dishes now.”
Ah Lun (still speaking loudly): “I didn’t tell him to do it.”
Da Xin: “Hey, you are so bad. He’s helping you out and you’re saying stuff like that.”
Ah Lun: “Hey I’m kidding. I open the shop all day and only earn this little money. Of course, I have to count everything.”
Yi Ling: “But until now, he still hasn’t rest at all. (pause) At least he’s more serious than Da Xin.”
Ah Lun: “Hey, how can you compare him with Da Xin?
Da Xin (speaking to Yi Ling): “Right. You compare him to me, what’s wrong with you? Me and Ah Lun are good friends.”
Ah Lun: “What I meant was, my café has one lazy worker is enough, if there’s another lazy worker, then you be the boss and I’ll let you hire me.”
Da Xin (speaking to Ah Lun): “Hey you turnip cake. You scolding me?”
Ah Lun: “That’s the way it is.”
Da Xin (getting loud): “You
scolding at me?”
Ah Lun (getting loud too): “I scold then I scold.”
Ah Lun and Da Xin both started pushing at each other and arguing at the same time. Ah Lun almost falls against Yi Ling who was putting on her mascara.
Yi Ling (yelling): “What the heck are you two doing?”
Ah Lun and Da Xin both quiet down and sits down quickly. Ah Lun then continues counting the money and then pulls one bill aside to give to Dao Ming Si. Yi Ling seeing him pull only one bill, reaches over and pulls out another. Ah Lun stares at her for a few seconds then relents, not daring to contradict her, and takes the money over to the counter, where Dao Ming Si is still cleaning.
Ah Lun: “Ah Sing. Eh, thanks for your hard work. I’ve thought it over and decided that we just can’t hire someone who can’t fry an egg. (hands Dao Ming Si the money) This is the money for your work for today, ok? Hurry up and go look for a new job, huh? Stop wasting time here.”
After saying this Ah Lun walks back to sit down at the table and Dao Ming Si just stares at the money that he is holding.
At the pastry shop, San Cai’s boss is putting out some heart shape cakes in the display case.
Boss: “Look. Pretty? This is especially made by the chef for Valentine’s Day.”
San Cai: “Oh that’s right. In another couple of days, it will be Valentine’s Day.”
Boss: “We get lots of business during this time. But the part time workers are all taking off on Valentine’s Day. I can’t find anyone to work.”
San Cai: “Lao Ban Niang, I’ll work overtime.”
Boss (happy): “You can work overtime? But, your tall, handsome boyfriend, he’s not celebrating with you?”
San Cai (at the mention of Dao Ming Si, she hesitates a little before answering): “When two people are together, every day can be Valentine’s Day. It’s ok.”
Boss: “That’s good then. I’ll pay you extra then.”
San Cai: “Thank you Lao Ban Niang.”
Boss: “You’re welcome. I’m the one that should thank you.”
Dao Ming Si is riding his bicycle when he stops at a grocery shop. He buys a huge bag of eggs to bring home so that he can learn how to fry an egg. After many tries, with Michelle helping him, at cracking the egg, frying the egg, burning the egg, Dao Ming Si finally manages to fry the perfect one.
Next day, back at the café. Dao Ming Si walks into the shop again.
Da Xin: “Hey, why are you here again?”
Dao Ming Si: “I’m here to look for a job.”
Ah Lun: “But I already told you yesterday… (sees Michelle walking into the shop) Welcome!”
Da Xin & Ah Lun both stare at Michelle with their mouths open.
Da Xin (with eyes open wide): “Wow!”
Michelle walks over to a table and Da Xin pulls her chair out for her.
Da Xin: “Miss, please take a seat. One person? What would you like?”
Michelle: “I want a fried egg.”
Ah Lun: “Oh, fried egg. No problem.”
Michelle (pointing to Dao Ming Si): “I want to eat the egg that’s prepared by him.”
Ah Lun (looking from Michelle to Dao Ming Si and back again): “Him…”
Summary of MG2 Episode 9:
Continuation scene from Orange Café:
Michelle (pointing to Dao Ming Si): “I want to eat the egg that’s prepared by him.”
Ah Lun (looking from Michelle to Dao Ming Si and back again): “Him… But Miss… He does not…”
Da Xin (interrupting Ah Lun): “Let me. Miss. Let me do the introductions… This person is not really one of our workers. Also, he doesn’t know… (he stops talking, looking at the way Michelle was smiling at Dao Ming Si and the way Dao Ming Si was smiling back at Michelle) You guys… know… He is your…”
Yi Ling (finally takes notice that Michelle and Dao Ming Si knows each other): “Ok Da Xin. Stop talking.”
Da Xin: “Oh, Ok, Ok.”
Yi Ling (speaking to Dao Ming Si): “Ah Sing, right? Go and fry an egg for this young lady.”
Ah Lun, Da Xin and Yi Ling all stand over the stove counter and watches Dao Ming Si fry an egg.
Yi Ling (nods her head): “Not bad.”
Da Xin (smiling): “He’s improving.”
Ah Lun (sticking his nose in the air): “It’s ok.”
When the egg is ready, Dao Ming Si sets the plate in front of Michelle.
Dao Ming Si: “Please try it.”
Michelle smiles at him and takes a bite with everybody watching her.
Dao Ming Si (looking at Ah Lun): “Then can I work here?”
Da Xin (answering for Ah Lun): “Well, since you have such a pretty girlfriend… we’ll hire you.”
Ah Lun (looking at Da Xin): “Hey! Are you the boss or am I the boss?”
Da Xin: “Well then?”
Ah Lun: “Oh course not.”
Da Xin: “Why?”
Ah Lun (flustered): “Because… Because I’m the boss. Once the boss says no then it’s no. I can’t take back what I said.”
Da Xin: “But he’s just to help us out, that’s not good? (turns to speak to Yi Ling) Yi Ling, you talk to him.”
Dao Ming Si: “Forget it. Ya Sha, let’s go.”
Michelle (standing up): “If they don’t hire you, it’s ok, at least you’ve tried your best. That’s what matters.”
Michelle and Dao Ming Si gets ready to leave when Yi Ling calls out to them.
Yi Ling: “Ah Sing. (Dao Ming Si turns around) He doesn’t hire you. I hire you. Because I’m Lao Ban Niang [lady boss]. And nobody can say no to Lao Ban Niang’s words. Our café needs people who are hard workers.” (she stares hard at Ah Lun)
Ah Lun (giving in to Yi Ling’s stare): “Very well. (to Dao Ming Si) What are you standing there for. Go wash the dishes.”
Dao Ming Si (smiles and walking toward the back): “Thank you Loa Bang Niang. Thank you boss.”
After Dao Ming Si goes over to the back counter, they wave Michelle back to the table, “Sit Sit.”
Da Xin (to Michelle): “Do you want anything else to eat? My cooking is very delicious.”
Ah Lun: “Hey hey. Hurry up and go to work. (turns to Yi Ling) And you.”
Yi Ling (retorts back as if daring him to order her around): “Me what?”
Ah Lun (softens up): “Do you want to apply more lipstick?”
Yi Ling (searches for her mirror): “Did it come off?”
Da Xin: “That’s not fair!”
Next morning, Dao Ming Si wakes up at the crack of dawn to go to work. Michelle sits, drawing a picture of Dao Ming Si working at the stove counter. Meanwhile, Qing He drives his car up to San Cai’s pastry shop. It’s Valentine’s Day and there’s a lot of people buying stuff and the line was out the door. Qing He waits in line in order to have a chance to speak to San Cai.
San Cai (talking to customers): “Hi, This is your cake. Thank you. $350. Hi, Happy Valentine’s Day, what can I help you with? Ok, please wait. (Finally it’s Qing He’s turn) Happy Valentine’s Day, what can I help you with?”
Qing He: “Happy Valentine’s Day to San Cai.”
San Cai (looking up and seeing Qing He): “Qing He. Stop playing. I’m very busy today.”
Qing He: “I’m not playing. I had to stand in line in order to talk to you.”
San Cai: “The customers are on line to buy cake. Stop wasting their time.”
Qing He: “But I have something to talk to you about.”
San Cai (trying to wave him aside): “Stop playing. I’m really very busy.”
Qing He: “Then you must accept my proposal for a dinner tonight.”
San Cai (looking at Qing He): “I feel that the way you are dressed today, is more suitable to have dinner with my mom.”
Customer: “Miss. How long are you going to be talking?”
San Cai: “Sorry. Sorry. Qing He, go away. (Qing He finally stands aside) Hi, what I can get you?”
Customer: “Can I have a chocolate cake?”
San Cai: “Sorry. We’re sold out of the chocolate flavor. Mango tastes pretty good too. It’s very good to give as a present to a girl. Please wait.”
Qing He: “San Cai then how about I go home and change then come back tonight to pick you up?”
San Cai: “Qing He. There’s really no need. I have to work all day today. (to customer) Thank you.”
Qing He: “But, today’s Valentine’s Day, why can’t two good friends go out for dinner?”
San Cai: “Qing He, I really don’t have time today. (to customer) Sorry. Total $350. Thank you. You give $500.”
Qing He: “San Cai, come on. I have everything planned tonight. (with a dreamy look on his face) This restaurant doesn’t have a lot of people and is very quiet. We can have a lot of fun, barbecuing hot dogs. So don’t think of anything else.”
Customer: “So where’s this restaurant?”
San Cai (smiling): “This restaurant is his home. I don’t think you would want to go. Here’s your cake. Thank you.”
Qing He (surprised): “San Cai, very impressive. How’d you know it was my home? (hopeful) Then I’ll pick you up tonight?”
San Cai: “Qing He, I really have to work all day today and don’t have time to think about other things. (to customer) Happy Valentine’s Day, what can I get you?”
While San Cai is busy with the customers, Qing He slowly walks away, planning something in his head.
Back at the Orange Café:
Da Xin and Ah Lun are sitting at a table with Yi Ling between them fixing her make up while Dao Ming Si is cleaning up. Da Xin & Ah Lun seem to be arguing about something.
Da Xin: “What are you saying? Don’t say stuff about people.”
Ah Lun: “Then what do you want to do?”
Da Xin: “I don’t want to do anything. I’m not happy.”
Ah Lun: “If you’re not happy, then leave.”
Da Xin: “Hey. Hey, who do you think I am? If I don’t finish washing the dishes, I will not leave.”
Ah Lun (slams his hand on the table and gets up): “I don’t want you to wash it!”
Da Xin (gets up and yells back over Yi Ling’s head): “Then I won’t leave!”
The two of them continue arguing and Yi Ling once again stops them.
Yi Ling (yelling): “Have you two argued enough already? Now, who’s going to wash the dishes?”
Dao Ming Si (cleaning a table, volunteers): “Me. I’ll go wash it. I’ll wash it now so you all stop arguing.”
Dao Ming Si hurries toward the back to wash the dishes. Ah Lun & Da Xin both hold up a V sign smiling at each other. It was all a plan to get Dao Ming Si to go over to the area where the dishes were. As Dao Ming Si rolls up his sleeves, preparing to wash the dishes, he sees an envelope lying on top of the dishes. He picks up the envelope and looks inside to find money from his wages. Dao Ming Si walks over to the where Ah Lun, Da Xin & Yi Ling were sitting, thanking his colleagues and is very excited at receiving his first salary.
Dao Ming Si: “Thank you. This is my first wage.”
Ah Lun: “We broke the rules. If you haven’t worked a whole month, you shouldn’t be getting any money. If it wasn’t because of some sort of Valentine’s Day you wouldn’t be getting it. I was only thinking about your girlfriend.”
Yi Ling (sighs): “Such a pretty couple. Why are some people so lucky?”
Ah Lun: “Hey, I’m jealous.”
Dao Ming Si: “But Ya Sha’s not really my girlfriend.”
Ah Lun (hears and grabs the envelope with the money back): “Ok, then.”
Da Xin grabs it out of Ah Lun’s hands.
Da Xin: “Then you’re not right. You should use this chance from our nice boss, Ah Lun and make use of it. You can’t throw away this good chance. Right boss?”
Ah Lun: “Stop talking nonsense. (he tries to snatch the money back) Give me that back.”
Yi Ling (getting up out of her seat and grabs the money out of Da Xin’s hands): “Have you two played around enough?”
Yi Ling (giving the money back to Dao Ming Si): “Doesn’t matter if you guys are lovers in the future or not. You have your wage now, you should go and thank Ya Sha. Don’t forget she helped you get this job.”
Dao Ming Si (taking the money): “I will. I want to thank her too, but I don’t know what to do to thank her. What do you guys think I should do?”
Da Xin (thinking hard): “Well… Let me see… Use your own hands and make her… Ah yes, I have it. How about a Valentine’s Day dinner? That will… (looking at Dao Ming Si’s eager face) …not work. Will not work.”
Dao Ming Si (crushed): “Why won’t it work?”
Yi Ling / Da Xin / Ah Lun (at the same time): “Of course it won’t work for you.”
Dao Ming Si (still not understanding): “Why?”
Ah Lun: “You couldn’t even fry an egg.”
Dao Ming Si (trying to defend himself): “Why? I… But I can learn. Da Xin, Yi Ling, Ah Lun, don’t you think?”
Da Xin: “Looking at you like this, I think I can’t help myself. Let me, the kitchen’s greatest chef, Da Xin.”
Ah Lun (continues): “And me, the kitchen’s greatest master, Ah Lun.”
Yi Ling (continues): “And me, the kitchen’s greatest magician, Yi Ling.”
Ah Lun (finishes up): “Teach you all that we’ve learned.”
Dao Ming Si: “Teach me what?”
Da Xin: “Italian Spaghetti!”
Dao Ming Si carries a bag of ingredients
home, dropping it on the kitchen table. Then he takes out the ingredients from
the bag one by one while checking it off from the piece of paper in his hand.
As he is making sure he has everything, he comes across the term “bao xiang,”
which is actually a term in cooking, but he thought it was an ingredient. He
looks around the kitchen and can’t find it of course because there is no
such thing. So he calls Grandma for help.
Dao Ming Si (calling out): “Grandma, do you have bao xiang? Grandma.”
He goes to her room and knocks on her door. Grandma opens the door.
Dao Ming Si: “Grandma, do we have any bao xiang here?”
Grandma: “Bao what xiang?”
Dao Ming Si: “That is bao this xiang…”
Grandma goes into the kitchen to help Dao Ming Si. Grandma is holding a tomato
and reading from the piece of paper that Dao Ming Si was reading from before.
Grandma: “Put in water to cook, then peel skin off.”
Dao Ming Si, wearing a mouth mask, is trying to cut an onion but he was doing it very dangerously. Grandma (after putting the tomatoes in the boiling pot turns to look at Dao Ming Si): “At the rate you’re cutting, you’ll not complete the job until tomorrow morning. Let me do it. I’ll take care of it.”
Dao Ming Si (taking the mouth mask off): “Then what am I suppose to do?”
Grandma (picking up the bag of clams and hands it to Dao Ming Si): “Open the shells and clean the sand.”
Dao Ming Si looks at the clams blankly and Grandma repeats, “Open the shells and clean the sand. Go, go, go.”
Dao Ming Si takes the bag and walks away muttering, “Open the shell and clean the sand.”
Grandma takes over the chopping of the onions.
Dao Ming Si walks to the backyard with the bag of clams. He puts a newspaper on the floor and pours out the clams onto a plate. He picks one up and tries to peel it open. Then he tried throwing it. When that didn’t work, he looks around the backyard and noticing a hammer he gives a tiny smile as a thought comes to mind. He goes over and grabs the hammer. He hits one with a hammer and when he see that it works, he smiled happily like a little boy. Then he grab another clam and smash it up. He finds it slow to hit the clams one by one, so he pours the plate of clams onto the newspaper and wrapping the clams up, begins to smash the clams. He seemed to be having lots of fun with smashing. When he’s done, he walks back into the kitchen with the cracked clams happily. Grandma is chopping onions and her eyes were tearing while cutting the onions.
Dao Ming Si: “Wow, Grandma. You’re very quick, chopping so fast.”
Grandma takes off her glasses and wipes the tears.
Dao Ming Si (turning to look at her): “Grandma, what’s wrong with you? Are you thinking about something really sad?”
Grandma: “Give me the mouth mask back.”
Dao Ming Si quickly takes it off and hands it to her. After taking it from Dao Ming Si, Grandma sees the clams with cracked shells.
Grandma (pointing to the plate in Dao Ming Si’s hands): “What’s that?”
Dao Ming Si answers proudly: “Clams that have been opened and cleaned.”
Grandma takes the plate out of his hands to look.
Dao Ming Si: “I’ve tried a lot of ways, but it was very hard so I used a hammer!”
Grandma couldn’t believe her ears and said “I’ll do it. I’ll do it.”
Dao Ming Si: “Then what should I do?”
Grandma (moving past Dao Ming Si): “Wait.”
Dao Ming Si (with his head down): “I wanted to do something to thank Ya Sha. But I didn’t think I would ruin it. I’m so stupid.”
Grandma (hearing Dao Ming Si’s words): “What you just did was the easy part. But the rest is going to be hard. This pot of ingredients must be cooked for 2 hours. A small flame and the taste would not be rich enough. A big flame would boil it dry. So, I don’t think you can do it. I think I better do it myself, ok?”
Dao Ming Si hurries to snatch the job with her: “I can do it. Grandma, this I can do. I know how to do it.”
Grandma (with a look of disbelief): “You need to watch for 2 hours!”
Dao Ming Si: “2 hours, right.”
Grandma: “You need to stir it every 10 minutes.”
Dao Ming Si: “Every 10 minutes stir once, ok ok, I can do it! I can do it!”
Grandma: “Stirring too hard is not good and stirring too soft is not good either.”
Dao Ming Si: “I can do it.”
Grandma nods her head and steps aside. Dao Ming Si sets the timer to ring every 10 minutes and sits by the table near the stove carving coconut lanterns.
Scene changes to Xi Men’s office. He’s walking with his assistant when his cell phone rang.
Xi Men (answering): “Hello Qing He. What do you want.”
Mei Zuo is driving his car when his cell phone rang.
Mei Zuo: (Using F4’s nickname for Qing He) “What are you calling me for?”
Lei is playing the violin when his cell phone rang too.
F3 and Qing He meet up at a club. Mei Zuo sits down next to Qing He and pours a glass of Pepsi.
Qing He (looking at Mei Zuo): “I can do it myself. Thank you.”
Mei Zuo: “How’s San Cai?”
Qing He: “San Cai’s ok, she’s working so...”
Mei Zuo grabs Qing He up suddenly and pulls him out of his seat.
Mei Zuo: “So what?”
Qing He (talking really fast): “Hey, if you want to hit me, let me finish speaking first.”
Mei Zuo lets him go.
Xi Men: “Hurry up and talk.”
Qing He (fixing his shirt): “You guys know today is Valentine’s day right? Well, all the lovers are meeting today. Then you guys should know that this year’s Valentine’s day, San Cai, in the wake of Dao Ming Si’s disappearance, should be feeling very unhappy. Who can stand being all alone on Valentine’s day, having their lover missing?”
Xi Men (getting impatient): “Can you get to the point please?”
Qing He (clearing his throat): “The
point is that I want to get together everybody’s power, to give San Cai
a Valentine’s day gift in place of Dao Ming Si. This is a very important
thing, no?”
Mei Zuo: “That’s a good sincere idea.”
Xi Men: “From your smug expression, you must have come up with an idea for a gift then.”
Qing He: “Of course, I’ve come up with an idea. I, Qing He and F3’s gift should not be too cheap, right? Whatever diamonds, watches, things that money can buy is not good enough. The important thing is to take out our good intentions and friendship to give a gift, right? Let San Cai…”
Lei (interrupting Qing He): “What kind of gift are you thinking about?”
Qing He (standing up): “This gift is not money, and not flowers or cards, it’s…”
Mei Zuo: “Hurry up and spit it out.”
Qing He: “We call into the radio station and dedicate a song to San Cai.”
Xi Men: “Dedicate a song?”
Mei Zuo: “It seems to be…”
Qing He (interrupting Mei Zuo): “A very good idea. Right? (picks up some pieces of paper) I have all the lines written out for you guys to say. (he hands F3 each a piece of paper) All you guys have to do is call in and follow your lines from this paper.”
Qing He (clears his throat and reads from the paper): “My dear San Cai. This is…” (he looks at Mei Zuo and clears his throat)
Mei Zuo (making a face at what he’s reading): “The one who loves you the most, Mei Zuo.”
Qing He clears his throat again and looks at Xi Men waiting for his line.
Xi Men (gives Qing He a look of ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this’): “The one who protects you, Xi Men.”
Qing He then turns to Lei and clears his throat. Lei stares at him for a while and then pours himself a drink without saying anything.
Qing He (reading for Lei): “This is the one who cares the most about you, Lei and from junior high school, always protecting you by your side, Qing He. Specially dedicating you a song. Wishing you on this no lover’s Valentine’s day to forget about all your loneliness. Remember the brightness of friendship, bringing you our deepest good wishes to be happy, to be beautiful. We cannot be with you in the past but we are willing to promise to the sky, that in the thousands, millions of days to come, we would be with San Cai to continue to pass through the wonderful days and future ahead. (finishes his speech) Well? (looking around at F3) Is it very touching?”
Mei Zuo (looking at him): “This is your special gift?”
Qing He: “Yes, if we recite this together, San Cai would be very touched.”
Xi Men (getting up out of his seat): “Qing He. I feel that it’s TOO touching, so I think I should leave this job for you to do. I still have to attend another meeting, I’ll pay for this.”
Qing He: “Hey, wait a minute. You’re not going to look anymore?”
Xi Men (turning back): “I still have to tell you one thing and that is please don’t mention my name.”
Xi Men turns to leave.
Qing He: “Hey, wait a minute. This won’t work. Are we not F3 plus one? We can’t be missing any one person.”
Mei Zuo (standing up): “If we can’t be missing any one person, then you should be the one to represent us all.”
Qing He: “Hey, how can you guys be like this? San Cai’s very lonely now. She really needs our concern. (turns to Lei who is still sitting) So you guys don’t care about San Cai anymore?”
Lei (getting up also): “Even if we care, we don’t need to use this way.”
Qing He: “But if you guys don’t voice your concern, then how will San Cai know?”
Xi Men: “Then you say it all by yourself. I will remember to turn on the radio tonight. Bye bye.”
Qing He (standing all alone, calling out to F3): “Hey, can’t you guys just do this for San Cai this once? If you don’t think this is touching enough, I have something even more touching.”
At the pastry shop, San Cai is all alone sitting there watching the couples outside and feeling sad. Then she starts to clean up the shop.
Michelle returns to an empty home and sees a note by the coconut lantern.
Note 1: “Please dress formally and go out to the balcony.”
She walks over to the doorway to the balcony wanting to take a look outside and finds another note.
Note 2: “Please follow the rules and change into a formal dress.”
Michelle laughs and walks over to the closet door and finds another note.
Note 3: “Know that you don’t have any formal wear.”
Michelle (laughing): “Right. What’s with all the rules then.”
She opens up the closet and finds a note hanging inside.
Note 4: “Poor soul without a dress cannot go out to the balcony.”
Michelle laughs hard and then notices a nicely packaged box inside the closet. She takes it out and sits on the bed to open it. Inside the box she finds another note.
Note 5: “Sponsored by Grandma.”
She looks inside the box and finds a very pretty dress. She puts it on and walks out to the balcony to find Dao Ming Si dressed up as a waiter. The balcony has been decorated very nicely with a table and two chairs in the middle. On the table is a bottle of wine and a coconut lantern.
Dao Ming Si (seeing Michelle): “Miss, how many people?”
Michelle (laughing): “I didn’t make a reservation.”
Dao Ming Si: “Ah, that’s ok. (pointing to the chair) How about this seat?”
Michelle: “Ok.”
Dao Ming Si goes to pull the chair out for her.
Dao Ming Si: “Please sit.”
Michelle (sitting down): “Thank you.”
Dao Ming Si: “What would you like to eat?”
Michelle: “Um, how about a steak?”
Dao Ming Si: “Ah, sorry but we are sold out of the steaks today.”
Michelle: “Then how about some Denmark pig’s feet?”
Dao Ming Si (thinking): “Denmark’s pig’s feet… (leaning down and whispering to Michelle) Let me tell you, our restaurant’s pig’s feet is really bad.”
Michelle (laughing): “Then what do you suggest I have?”
Dao Ming Si: “Do you want to try our special for today?”
Michelle: “Ok.”
Dao Ming Si: “Great. Please wait.”
Dao Ming Si brings out 2 plates of spaghetti and sets one in front of Michelle.
Michelle (looking at her plate): “Wow, very pretty. Did you make it?”
Dao Ming Si (pouring wine into a glass): “Of course, it’s made by… our chef.”
Michelle: “Then, can I meet him?”
Dao Ming Si (hesitates): “Eh, but… Oh ok, I’ll take care of it. Please wait.”
Dao Ming Si walks away then comes out with what looks like a small white wastebasket on his head.
Dao Ming Si (pretending to be the chef): “Miss, are you looking for me?”
Michelle sees his “hat” and bursts out laughing again: “Definitely a very handsome and talented chef.”
Dao Ming Si (bowing): “Oh, thank you.”
Michelle: “Then can I ask this handsome and talented chef a question?”
Dao Ming Si: “Yes.”
Michelle: “What’s the purpose of this whole plan with the romantic and pretty Italian pasta?”
Dao Ming Si: “The explanation is very long. May I sit down and say it?”
Michelle: “Sure.”
Dao Ming Si takes his “hat” off his head and sits down across from Michelle.
Dao Ming Si (explaining): “Today is a very special day. I got my first wage that I worked for with my own hands. This feeling is very special, very happy, very exciting, and also a bit touching. So, I thought of someone who is very important to me. It’s her that made me want to live again. In order to save me, she’s not even scared of the person who’s holding a knife in his hands. She could have left me with a past that I didn’t like, but she chose to be with me and waste her life. I don’t know how to go about thanking her, can’t even cook a simple meal for her to eat, so I…”
Michelle (looking very touched): “This whole speech is also prepared for you by Da Xin?”
Dao Ming Si: “No.”
Michelle: “Then say it again later. I want to write it down.”
Michelle then gets up out of her seat and puts her hand out toward Dao Ming Si.
Dao Ming Si (staring at her hand): “What?”
Michelle: “Inviting you for a dance.”
Dao Ming Si: “I don’t know how to dance.”
Michelle: “Didn’t you say you have to thank me? Then it should be that what I say, you have to do.”
Dao Ming Si: “I’ve already cooked for you Italian pasta to eat. What more do you want?”
Michelle: “I want to dance.”
Dao Ming Si: “You would regret
it.”
Michelle: “I won’t. Come on.”
Dao Ming Si: “Then you can’t laugh at me.”
Michelle: “Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to hide my laughter.”
Dao Ming Si takes her hand and dances with her. They chatted while dancing, then it started raining and they ran back inside the apartment.
It was raining very hard in the city and people were running around trying to get to a dry place. The radio is playing and a DJ is talking.
DJ: “My dear friends, it’s raining again. People say that the 7th (Chinese Valentine’s day) brings rain. Why does it have to rain on the 7th? Why is the sky not loving enough? I think God must have a reason for doing this. Because when it rains, everybody would be carrying an umbrella. Could be that underneath the umbrella, there could be a lot of new feelings developing. Let us come and see this fax that just came in. This fax is sent from someone named Xiao Ting. Xiao Ting wants to tell Ah Ping these words: ‘I’ve had a crush on you for a long time, but you’ve never noticed. Can you please turn your head and look careful at me, this person who’s beside you?’ (pause) I believe Ah Ping that you always look straight ahead of you but you’ve never taken a look to the side of you. As a matter of fact, the best things for you, the best person for you has been beside you all along. (pause) If there’s any friends who would want to express their love, apologize or breakup, hurry up and send me a fax. I’ll be waiting.”
Meanwhile, Qing He drives his car to look for San Cai in the rain. San Cai is running in the rain when Qing He drives by in his car calling out to her through those loud speakers that are attached to his car.
Qing He (through loud speaker): “San Cai. Hurry up and get in. Hurry.”
San Cai runs over and gets in the car. In the car, Qing He purposely raised the volume of the radio. The radio is playing Lee Hom Wang’s The One I Love is You (the theme song from the show, that Vanness was in, Peach Girl.)
Qing He: “Good thing I came to pick you up.”
San Cai (drying herself with a tissue): “How did you know I was here?”
Qing He: “I estimated wrongly the time you would get off from work. So, I was late getting to the pastry shop and then it started raining. I think you must not have an umbrella and would be nearby waiting until the rain stops. So I drove around to look for you.”
San Cai: “What are you saying? Why do you have the radio turned up so loud?”
Qing He: “Eh, nothing. My hearing is not too good lately, so I have to turn it up to hear it.”
San Cai (concerned): “What’s wrong with your ear?”
Qing He: “Uh, nothing. Nothing wrong.”
San Cai: “Qing He. Are you ok? Why are you so nervous?”
Qing He: “Uh, right. Why am I so nervous?”
The song finishes playing and the DJ’s voice is back on again.
DJ: “Actually, every Valentine’s day, most of the songs picked are between lovers who want to express their love for one another. And every listener feels that their own love is the most special, but I feel that, love, should be the same all around. However, today, I’ve received a very special fax. I would really hope to share it with you after the commercials.”
Back in the car:
Qing He (very nervous): “It’s coming, it’s coming.”
San Cai: “What’s coming?”
Qing He: “Eh, nothing. San Cai, suddenly I want to drink a coke. You stay in the car and wait for me ok?”
Qing He opens the car door and leaves. San Cai was about to stop Qing He when the DJ came on the air and started reading out Qing He’s dedication.
DJ: “Just before, I was saying that I’ve received a very special fax. The fax is sent by Taipei’s Qing He.”
San Cai, hearing this, turns to stare at the radio in surprise.
DJ: “Qing He wishes San Cai will forever be San Cai. Do you feel it’s very special? Also, Qing He wants to say to San Cai, do you still remember our first year in junior high school? (Lei is listening to the radio and staring out at the rain through the window.) There was a time when I failed my math test. The teacher said if we fail by one point then we have to have our palms hit once. (Mei Zuo is sitting in his car listening to the radio.) I have to be hit a total of 24 times. (Xi Men is in his room sitting on the sofa listening to the radio.) I was so scared that I was shaking in my seat. When the teacher called my name, I almost fainted. San Cai, at that moment, you raised your hand and said to the teacher please give half of the punishment to you. The teacher asked why? You said you should be responsible for teaching me, so the reason why I failed the test, you should take half of the responsibility. I will forever remember that afternoon that you took on half of my punishment. (San Cai is sitting in the car with tears coming down her face.) San Cai, I really wish that I can take half of your grief for you now. I really wish I can take half of your unhappiness. I really wish, my best San Cai, my good friend, can find happiness. Forever your friend Qing He. (pause) San Cai do you know that Qing He sang a song especially to give you? It’s called Close to You.”
The radio then plays the song and San Cai is still crying in the car while Qing He is standing outside in the rain waiting.
San Cai (looking out at Qing He, rolls down the window): “Qing He, what are you doing standing there? Come back in.”
Qing He runs back into the car. San Cai takes a tissue and wipes him dry. Qing He also takes a tissue and dries San Cai’s tears for her.
San Cai: “Thank you.”
Qing He (blaming himself for making San Cai cry): “How can this be? F3 was right. This was a stupid idea. I wanted to make you happy and now I made you cry. I feel so bad.”
San Cai: “Because I’m happy that’s why I’m crying.”
DJ: “We usually don’t accept call-ins, but today, we will make an exception this once. Hello?”
Xi Men (calling in) : “San Cai, you know I usually don’t do these things. But Qing He, this kid, really have touched me this time. I feel that what he said is right. If you care, then you should say it out loud. So I want to tell you that when you are crying, you are really ugly. (San Cai laughs at this.) Only when you are smiling are you ok to look at. So now you know, from now on you have to cry less and smile more. That’s it. Happy Valentine’s Day. Bye Bye.”
Next call is from Mei Zuo.
Mei Zuo: “Dry cracker San Cai.”
San Cai (smiling at Mei Zuo’s voice): “Mei Zuo.”
Mei Zuo (shouting): “Jia you!
Jia You! Jia You! Jia You!”
DJ: “San Cai, jia you. There’s still one more. Hello? How are you?”
Lei is holding the phone against the speaker of a radio and plays a tape.
Little kid’s voice: “I am Dao Ming Si. Today the topic I want to talk about is “My Wish.” My wish is to protect my dad, my mom, my sister, and Xi Men, Mei Zuo, and Lei and to protect my bride. I won’t let them be hurt by bad people. Won’t let them be sad. So I have to hurry up and grow up, that’s my wish.”
Back in the car, San Cai is crying non stop after hearing this.
Next morning, Michelle wakes up to find Dao Ming Si gone already. She goes outside to the balcony and sees the 2 plates of spaghetti is soaked with rain. She finds a note stuck on the coconut lantern that says, “Good morning lazy pig.”
At the café: Dao Ming Si is works diligently. Da Xin keeps pestering Dao Ming Si for information on the previous night.
Da Xin (nudging Dao Ming Si): “What happened yesterday? (to customer) Thank you for coming.”
Dao Ming Si (turning away, pretending not to hear): “What?”
Da Xin (pulling him back): “Yesterday night. What happened?”
Dao Ming Si: “Nothing.” (walks away)
Da Xin (following Dao Ming Si): “Ah Sing, what happened yesterday?”
Dao Ming Si (still trying to avoid the question): “What?”
Da Xin: “Stop playing dumb. Come on, what happened?”
Dao Ming Si: “How do I know what happened.”
Da Xin (not giving up): “What happened? Talk.”
Dao Ming Si: “Go away.”
Ah Lun (looking at the two of them): “Hey, what’s the matter with you two? Anyway… (looking at Dao Ming Si and joining in with the pestering) So, what happened yesterday night?”
Da Xin: “What happened? Tell us.”
Yi Ling comes up to the three of them.
Yi Ling (giving them a hard look): “Table A, one egg omelette, 2 fried eggs.”
Ah Lun: “Yes, at once. (looks around) Ah Sing, we don’t have anymore eggs. Go across the street and get some ok?”
Dao Ming Si: “Ok.”
Dao Ming Si starts walking away.
Da Xin (blocking him): “You can hide now, but you can’t hide forever.”
Dao Ming Si pushes pass him smiling.
Da Xin (calling after Dao Ming Si): “Hey, give me a report when you come back.”
Ah Lun (joining in again): “That’s right.”