GOD DAMN YOU TVB FOR STOPPING AT THE RIGHT MOMENT!! OMG, suspense, suspense!!! This episode would have my vote as the one with the best cliffhanger scene in recent memory.
Recap first...
Madam Cheung went into the room to look at Cheung Kiu and scolded Bo Kei for not informing her about Cheung Kiu's problem. Then Bit Man walked right up and said "Grandma, you never told me father said to many things to you!" and grandma said "He actually said more. He said this family has some black sheeps and as his mother and a matriach of this family I must do my duty to protect this family, even if I should be against my official daughter in law or my eldest grandson. All my grandsons shall be protected. Do you agree, Fung Yee? Kiu?" and they answered yes and she asked "Man?" and he answered reluctantly "Yes".
Ahhhh another evil plot diverted.
Once with Bit Ching and Bo Kei, Ching said to grandma "Grandma I was with you at the temple during those times, father was never there. How come you said what you said?" and grandma said "There are people who will make up stories and lie for their own gain and for my family, for my son, I who have been a vegetarian for so many years have broken my own vows. If these people who are selfish can lie, and so can I"
What she meant was she has been a devout Buddhist abstaining from lying but she did it for the family.
Bo Kei smiled gratefully and said "Thank you, mother" but grandma said "Chai Gau was right. You've inherited a large lock, this is not an easy responsibility. I do sympathise with you Bo Kei and thank you for looking after this family" and Bo Kei nodded gratefully.
Chai Gau and his men went to a restaurant for lunch to celebrate another evil plot diverted. They were very happy saying "Chai Gau Gor is the greatest. If wasn't for you, we would not have jobs left and we don't even know what will happen to Hing Fung Nin! Chai Gau Gor, surely now 4th Madam will promote you to 3rd manager position!" which I think is like lower ranked manager or supervisor.
Chai Gau humbly said "Don't say that! I didn't do what I did for the promotion. I did it for 4th Madam. (cue his favourite quote) How many decades are we left with? We should spend our time doing the right thing and helping 4th Madam was the right thing to do!" and so they drank happily.
Before that when Chai Gau was walking to join his men, he bumped into Pang Hang's young mistress who was speaking with a fellow villager bringing some dried guinea pig or something and she flirted with Chai Gau and told him they were from the same nearby village. Chai Gau asked the fellow villager to take home some rice to his adopted grandma.
Pause here.
Adopted grandma IS STILL ALIVE?? I thought she would have starved by now!
Anyway Chai Gau was very happy she paid so much attention to him.
Later that night he was walking home, slightly drunk when the mistress bumped into him and was practically all over him. She pulled him into the alley and even suggested he follows her back home for a night and Chai Gau was very tempted. He tried to kiss her but she pulled away and deliberately dropped a handkerchief on the floor and Chai Gau picked it up and followed her until someone called him "Chai Gau Gor!" and it was Bit Ching. He watched her walked out of sight and wasn't paying much attention to Bit Ching until Bit Ching said "Chai Gau Gor, don't be angry with 4th Mother. She had wanted to promote you but she felt the time wasn't right and you're a bit rash, always acting without thinking of consequences first. Be patient, you will get promoted soon" and Chai Gau suddenly woke up from the trance and said "4th Madam is right. Young Master, don't worry. I promise you, from now on I will work hard and learn the business. I will make myself useful and contribute to Hing Fung Nin!" and Bit Ching was rather happy to hear that.
Meanwhile Bo Kei found a famous doctor who examined Cheung Kiu and promised that he can cure him with 5 doses of medicine and gave the list to Bo Kei. Grandma and all were very happy until Bo Kei looked at the list, said thank you to the doctor and revealed the list is nothing more than just some nutritous soup recipe. All was disappointed. I thought it was very gracious of Bo Kei not to reveal the doctor's hoax.
Anyway Bo Kei and Bit Ching went to look for the priest who has yet to return. Disappointed they went home and saw the ex swindlers playing those bird picking cards again and the bird repeatedly chose the one which says Cheung Kiu will wake up and be alright. Bit Ching felt it was a trickery and used the bird again and again, much to the amusement of Bo Kei who later as she washed Cheung Kiu said "Cheung Kiu, don't ever call Bit Ching Cheung Bit Chun (Stupid) but call him Cheung Bit Hao (fillial son). I never quite noticed that but recently I noticed Bit Ching is all grown up. He used to sit with the men and drink after each delivery but now he spends his time learning the business. He has matured and he said he is doing all this so that when you wake up you will see how mature he has been."
Indeed.
Night time, we see Pang Hang's mistress lying on bed with ... BIT MAN!!!! They have been having an affair! But Bit Man wanted to leave and the mistress cried saying he didn't pay her much attention and said "At least that Chai Gau knew how to make me laugh!" and Bit Man angry said "Well why not go seduce Chai Gau then!" and he left in a huff.
Next day she passed by Chai Gau who was busy learning how to use an abascus when she pushed him into the alley and seduced him. Chai Gau refused to be seduced and then she kissed him on the lips. He wanted to kiss her as he grabbed her waist but she pulled away and said "Come to my place tonight. The side door will be opened" and so Chai Gau was in a dilemma.
Meanwhile Cheung Kiu's hand moved and he opened his eyes and said "Bo Kei".
He woke up?!
Nope, it was Bo Kei dreaming and she ran to Cheung Kiu shaking him but Cheung Kiu was still in coma. Bo Kei under a dilemma was thinking should she promote Chai Gau? She wanted to but felt Chai Gau was not ready yet. She thought to herself "If I don't promote Chai Gau, it would be unfair to him but to promote him may in the end hurt him more". She said to Cheung Kiu "Wake up. Wake up. I could do with your advise on what to do with Chai Gau".
Indeed.
Later that day Bo Kei went to see Chai Gau but was told he left earlier (IDIOT!) and she said to the men to relay a message to Chai Gau; "Tell him from tomorrow onwards he is the 3rd manager" and the men were very happy to hear that!
At night. Bit Man argued with the mistress and Bit Man was leaving as mistress said "Why are you leaving so early? Hang won't be back tonight. He is meeting with a friend in a restaurant" but again they argued about something and so Bit Man left. As he left by the side door, he saw Chai Gau standing in front of the main door, hesitating whether to walk in or not. Bit Man hid and meowed and snuck back into the side door and hid as Chai Gau walked in and went into the room to see a drunk mistress who was still quite happy to see him. Bit Man smiled and immediately ran to the restaurant and declared "Uncle! I saw Chai Gau standing suspisciously in front of your house and then I saw him walked in!" and Pang Hang looked murderous.
Bit Man, what a selfish evil man! He didn't even think that maybe that accusation will cause his lover's death as well. Maybe he did and didn't care.
Chai Gau and mistress was drunk, very drunk and as she sat on his lap and fed him the fried meat that is prepared like in his village, Chai Gau has flashbacks when he was a child and how his adopted grandma fed him the same food. Then he remembered what she said to him as she urged him to leave the village in Ep 1 and Chai Gau was filled with remorse. He immediately pushed the mistress away and urgently said "I can't do this! I can't afford to cross Pang Hang! I promised my grandma I will bring home carts of white rice! I am sorry, I have to go!" and as he ran the mistress cried out drunkenly "If you leave I will kill myself!!" and Chai Gau without a moment of hesitation said "Do as you please!" and he ran but heard crash and ran back him and the girl just hugged him and he tried to push her away when Pang Hang came into the room with his men! They immediately slashed him and he ran and fought and Pang Hang said "You dare to seduce my woman!!" and Chai Gau said "It's not what it seems! We didn't do anything!" but Pang Hang didn't care and Chai Gau ran for his life. Pang Hang went into the room and saw the woman drinking more and he wanted to strike her when she explained "I was drunk!! How would I know what was happening? Did you know he just climbed into the bed and tried to remove my clothes? I hugged him, thinking he was you! You haven't visited me in 5 days, can you blame me for drinking out of loneliness?" and Pang Hang angrily said "Are you speaking the truth?!" and she said "Of course I am! Why would I be interested in that smelly ugly Chai Gau? He pretended to be a dog, carried a bone in his mouth and ran on the streets like a dog, remember? Why would I want to seduce someone like that?!" and Pang Hang believed her and when he left, she sat down and sighed a sigh of relief.
Selfish woman. She and Bit Man deserves one another.
Pang Hang ordered "Men, get all men of the association to hunt this Chai Gau down. And when you find him, you don't need to even inform me. Just chop him into 18 pieces and throw the pieces into the river!" and someone asked "Should we inform the official first?" and Pang Hang said "NO. And Chai Gau doesn't have family here so I know he will find that Hong Bo Kei. One of you follow Hong Bo Kei day and night and when you see Chai Gau going to her, inform me immediately!"
Chai Gau ran back home to pack things when Bit Ching and men came by, knocked on the door and wondered why no one answered. Chai Gau remained silent and Bit Ching said loudly "Chai Gau Gor, open the door! We have great news! 4th mother said to promote you to..." and everyone said "3rd manager!!!" and everyone said "You must be so happy now!" and Chai Gau inside was crying and silently said "I am sorry" and then he heard a bunch of men coming and he ran away through the backdoor. Bit Ching saw the men kicked down the doors and all of them was confused what was going on.
Bit Man carried a gong and knocked on it many times and everyone came out and he declared "All you servant girls, lock your doors tightly! Our town has a rapist and he is someone we all know; our 3rd manager, Chai Gau!!" and everyone was shocked and Bit Ching came back and rushed to Bo Kei and said "4th mother can I speak with you in private?" and Bit Man sarcastically said "What? You're hiding that rapist Chai Gau issit?" and Bit Ching ignored him but Bo Kei said "Ching, whatever you want to say, say it here" and so Ching said "4th mother, Chai Gau is in trouble. Can you help him? Uncle's men is looking for him and I am afraid they will kill him before he can explain himself" and Lau Fong said "You know brother in law dislikes Chai Gau, could there be a misunderstanding?" but Bo Kei fiercely declared "If he did tried to rape Hang's mistress, then he deserves whatever is coming. You know how Pang Hang's ego is and he wouldn't normally spread such shameful news out unless there is some truth in it. If he had been usurping funds or stealing from the company, maybe I can forgive him but I hate men who rape! Ching, if you see Chai Gau tell him he is henceforth fired and Hing Fung Nin shall have nothing to do with this scumbag.Everyone, go back to bed" and Ching looks confused whilst Bit Man clearly enjoyed the show.
Pause here.
I know, I KNOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW Bo kei ain't that heartless! It is a strategy, to divert attention!
Indeed!
Bit Ching was carrying the rice into the shop when his men asked "Young master, won't 4th madam help Chai Gau gor?" and Ching said "No" and the men were angry and said "If Chai Gau Gor did do what he is accused of, we have nothing more to say but that should be decided in the courts. If he were to be killed just like that, that is not justice!"
Chai Gau has some very loyal friends I tell you.
Bo Kei heard and reprimanded the men to mind their own business and to work. Then she curtly told Ching to come to her and look at some mistakes in the account books. There were Pang Hang's men observing her and quietly she said "Pang Hang's men is following me. If Chai Gau ever look for you, bring him to me" and Ching understood.
That night Ching went to an old house and there was Chai Gau.
Pause here.
HOW ON EARTH DID HE KNOW WHERE CHAI GAU WAS? HUH?
Anyway Chai Gau begged "Young master, looking at my deeds and how I saved Master Mo and helped the business, please lend me some money so that I can run away" but Ching said "No, 4th mother said to tell her where you're and she will help you" and Chai Gau cried "NO! PLEASE DON'T TELL HER! PLEASE! She was right about me! I never thought of the consequences. I deserve this! I truly did!" and Ching asked "Did you tried to rape her?" and Chai Gau cried "NO! I DIDN'T! It wasn't like that at all!!" but Ching said he will find 4th mother but Chai Gau cried "NO, I BEG YOU DON'T TELL HER WHERE I AM!!" as he knelt down to beg and Ching promised him.
Chai Gau feels ashamed I think to see Bo kei.
Ching went home and told Bo Kei what happened and said Chai Gau didn't want to see her. Bo Kei looked worried.
Next day Bo Kei went shopping for medicine with swindler mother (not sure her name) and asked to use the bathroom and swapped places with the daughter dressed like Bo Kei. Bo Kei followed Ching to find Chai Gau.
Meanwhile Pang Hang found out where Chai Gau is and gave the order to burn down the house with Chai Gau in it!
Once there, it was night time and Chai Gau opened the door and saw Ching and Bo Kei. Immediately he tried to close the door as Chai Gau said "4th madam, please leave, please!" but they pushed down the door and Bo Kei told Ching to wait outside. Bo Kei asked "Did you do it?" and Chai Gau cried "No! I didn't but I think I deserve this! I did drink with her in the house!" and Bo Kei said "So you did seduce her?" and Chai Gau said "I didn't! She was the one who kept pestering me and I did went to the house through the side door which was unlocked. We drank, earlier we did kiss once but nothing else! She fed me my village's signature dish and I remembered my adopted grandma and I pushed her away. I didn't want to throw my future away! 4th Madam, you were right. I never thought of the consequences and I have thrown my future away!" but Bo Kei calmly said "Chai Gau, you said the door was unlocked?" and Chai Gau nodded as Bo Kei urged him to tell her every details when Pang Hang's men arrived and started to laid out the wood and throw I suppose the olden day equivalent of kerosene but for simplicity sake I shall call it kerosene. Ching ran in and Bo Kei told him to find the official quick! Meanwhile Bo Kei walked out and shouted "How dare you do this in front of me? If you do burn him alive, I will report all of you!" and the head honcho said "Do as you like 4th Madam" and they poured kerosene everywhere as Bo kei pushed them away and cried "Stop it! STOP IT!!" and Chai Gau bravely opened the door and said "4th Madam, run! Run before you hurt yourself too! Don't bother with me!" and suddenly the men threw the whole bucket of kerosene onto Chai Gau, drenched and shocked Chai Gau cried "4th Madam, help! 4th Madam..." and Bo Kei who didn't know what else to do turned to the head honcho and said "If you insist on pouring the kerosene and burning down this house with Chai Gau in it, please wait until I am in the house and sitting down comfortably and then you may set the house on fire as you like!" and she turned back as the man said "4th Madam!" and she walked in slowmo into the house with determination with Chai Gau crying "NO 4th MADAM! NO!!!!" and she walked slowly inside...
NEXT EPISODE! DAMN IT!! WHAT A CLIFFHANGER! SUSPENSE! SUSPENSE! HOW AM I GONNA SURVIVE ONE DAY TO KNOW HOW BO KEI WILL SAVE THE DAY FOR CHAI GAU? HOW????
Anyway next episode, Pang Hang outside the house, Bo Kei inside with Chai Gau, a confrontation of epic proportion between the 2 meanwhile swindlers were thrown out of house and Kiu told Lau Fong she and Bit Ching will be thrown out too!! What happened? Is Kiu gonna spend the next entire series bullying Fong and Fong alone?
What an episode! The last shot was simply amazing, with Bo kei walking slow mo into the house much to the shock of everyone. I think she was at her wit's end and what a scene! Clearly they can't burn the house with her in it. How on earth can they explain killing the 4th wife of the richest merchant in town! This is murder by the way!
Chai Gau is just darn stupid. He knew and he fell into the trap repeatedly. If after this he doesn't pledge his undying loyalty to Bo Kei and even Bit Ching, he is indeed useless!!
What more can I say about Bit Man? What a scumbag. Even old Madam Cheung showed a bit more class, grace and authority than Bit Man, Fung Yee and Pang Kiu.
I have no comments over the performances except Sheren Tang and Wayne Lai are both exceptional. I like how Sheren Tang approaches the role of Bo Kei. She is not a superwoman and at times she is at lost at what to do but she knew if she had to do something, she will risk her life for it. Whilst it is strange how she often save Chai Gau and all, like I said before maybe she saw herself in Chai Gau and moreover it is the right thing to do.
Other than that I have no comments on the performances because frankly I am beginning to feel other than Bo Kei, Bit Ching, Bit Man and Chai Gau, the rest are just there to stand in a particular scene.
Favourite scene...I really love this line, she certainly said it with style and she got more balls than all men combined! Except for Bit Ching, who is also as brave!
"If you insist on pouring the kerosene and burning down this house with Chai Gau in it, please wait until I am in the house and sitting down comfortably and then you may set the house on fire as you like!"
- Bo Kei to the head honcho
May 28, 2010 at 3:52 PM
Bo Kei is always saving Chai Gao from the mess he got himself into. Doesn't matter it's a Safe Guards clones. But, it's really refreshing to see a truly strong lady as a lead who is saving everyone ass.
The series title is indeed apt. 'Gan Gwok Hiu Hung'. It's means something like Lady Hero or Lady Warrior.
Of course, 'Hiu Hung' can also mean Chai Gau. Hiu Hung means someone really powerful, brave, smart etc, like a hero, but, an arrogant one. Dictonary give the meaning of 'Hiu Hung' as a formidable person or ambitious/ruthless person. 'Gan Gwok' is just a formal way of saying 'woman', and it usually meant to describe a heroine. It's part of a phrase 巾幗不讓鬚眉 (Gan Gwok Bat Yeung Sou Mei), meaning 'this woman is not inferior to man' or 'this woman is on par with men'. 'Sou Mei' is used to describe a 'man'
巾 - handkerchief
幗 - a woman's headgear
鬚 - beard
眉 - eyebrow