chapter 142: give in

["Ka Yan" Company]

Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) was horrified when he walked through the doors of "Ka Yan" at noon. The employees were all chatting and doing nonsense.

His eyes bulge out as he shouted, "What in the world is going on?"

The "Ka Yan" workers gasped and quickly got up and lined in a straight row. "Mr. Wong!"

"Where do you people think you are? At home? We're not paying you to sit around and do... this!"

"We're sorry!" The employees say in unison.

Wong Sheung looks at Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam), "Where are the managers?"

She reports, "Michelle and Miss Man both called out sick today and Chris took a personal day off."

"What?! All of them? This is ridiculous! What kind of company do you people think I'm running? The managers calling out, the workers not working, this is all too ludicrous! I won't have this anymore. Absolutely no work is being done today and I'm still paying all of you guys!"

"Mr. Wong, it's almost the New Year! You shouldn't be so angry and doing this now. It's bad luck," Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) cautions.

He scoffs, "It's my bad luck to have hired and been stuck with all of you!"

Gam (Louis Yuen) asks him, "Speaking of absences, where is your daughter, Mr. Wong?"

"That's right!" Lily (Rain Lau) chimes in. "I haven't seen her today."

"She didn't call out sick," Ying Gei confirms.

"She's sick today. I gave her the day off," Wong Sheung answers.

"Is she really? You know, Mr. Wong, if the head of the company is not so rigid, you can't expect the rest of the company to be strict, isn't that right?" Gam asks.

"Also! Who's the one always coming in at noon?" Ying Gei asks.

Wong Sheung is flustered. "This is ridiculous! If you people don't shut up right now, I'll have you all fired! Get to work!" he screams.

Like that, the carefree day for the "Ka Yan" employees concluded and they all began to work like workers ants... well almost.

[Streets]

Joey (Bernice Liu) bit her lip as she held onto the note that Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) had slipped her in one hand and her cell phone in the other. As much as she didn't want to, she dialed his number and then crumbled up the paper. She waited patiently, listening to each ring until Ah Biu finally answered.

"Hello?"

"That was a very dirty trick!" Joey yells at him.

"What? Who's this?"

"Joey!"

"Oh." He laughs.

"You're so pathetic if you have to pick girls up this way. Besides, I already told you that I'm not interested."

"Miss, what kind of person do you think I am?"

"A lousy busybody."

"Joey, Joey, Joey. You really don't know me."

"I know you well enough to know that I don't like you."

"Do you think I memorize our witnesses and suspects' addresses and phone numbers? Do you know how many cases we have each week? How do you expect me to remember all of the information and give it to you? You're really something."

Joey is silent. "Well, it was just last night! You should remember."

"Oh, really? You met me last night and you couldn't remember my name today."

"I remembered eventually!"

"Because I leave a lasting impression, so of course you remembered me eventually."

Joey is flustered. "Stop playing around with me. I need to find the witness!"

"I told you already. It's none of your business. Leave this to us. We're not very 'close,' so why should I help you? I would get in trouble if anyone found out I talked about the case outside of the police station."

"Ah Biu, please. This is very important to me."

"Why?"

"Meet me tonight at 'La-Go-Go.'"

"Miss Wong, are you asking me out?"

"It's what you want, isn't it? Don't be late." Joey hangs up the phone. She sighs. She figured that she'd sacrifice one date if it would allow her to meet the salesgirl from the wedding boutique and find more information from her.

[Car]

"Fei Fei! I'm so touched that you're taking me out today," Gwai Yan (Celine Ma) coos.

"Yan Yan, how many times do I have to tell you? Get off of me when I'm driving! Do you know how dangerous that is?" Gwai Fei (Stephanie Che) says impatiently.

Gwai Yan scoffs, "You're driving at a hundred miles an hour! Talk about safety." She rolls her eyes.

"If you don't stop it, I'll make you sit in the back," Gwai Fei threatens.

Gwai Yan quiets - for a second. She starts up again, "Where are we going, huh, huh?"

"You'll know when we get there. Now, leave me alone!"

"You're no fun, Fei Fei!"

Gwai Fei sighs. She knew Gwai Yan wouldn't leave her alone until she told her. "Fine. We're going to the temple."

"The temple? What for?"

"It's almost New Year. It's tradition and it's good luck."

Gwai Yan winks, "I get it! You're praying the New Year will bring you a husband."

Gwai Fei rolls her eyes.

["Tung Mat Yuen" Café]

"Sa Sa, I'm going to the bank," Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) announces as she gets up from her chair at the register. She had stopped crying, but happiness wouldn't return to her until Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) was back, Fiona (Sherming Yiu) was sane again, Rose (Kenix Kwok) was discharged, and Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) was finally married with the one he loved. "Am I just a bad mother? How could things end up like this?" She sighs.

Nim Chi is walking through the door when she bumps into someone.

"Ma Chi! Are you all right?"

Nim Chi looks up. To her delight, it was Ah Sing! Ah Lam (Linda Chung) was behind him.

"Ah Sing?" Her lips form a wide smile, revealing her white teeth. She starts to cry again - but happy tears this time.

Ah Sing takes his mother in a warm hug. "I'm so sorry. I was wrong in yelling at you, at everyone. I now know that you guys were looking out for me, that you really did want to help Fiona, but I was blind. I'm sorry for making everyone worry."

Sa Sa (Kingdom Yuen) smiles and says, "Aiya! Stop with the big dramatic apologies. You're acting like you're in one of those melodramatic TVB series."

He laughs and looks down at Nim Chi. "Ma Chi, stop crying! Your make-up is starting to run. You won't look pretty anymore."

"Ah Sing, I'm so happy that you've come back," Nim Chi says finally and wipes her tears.

"Everything's okay now," he assures her.

"Auntie Chi," Ah Lam greets.

"I'm so embarrassing!" Nim Chi blushes, "For making a scene like this in public."

"Do you consider me an outsider now? I'll have to tell your godson," Ah Lam teases.

Nim Chi notices that the air was very still and that something was missing. It was Fiona! "Where's Fiona? How come she's not here with you?"

Ah Sing looks away. Ah Lam notices and answers for him. "We had to do what was best for her and everyone else."

"Best for her?" Nim Chi looks at them confused.

"We had to send her away."

"Away? Where? What have you done with her?"

Ah Lam closes her eyes and swallows hard. She knew that Nim Chi wasn't going to take it well. "We entered her into a mental institution."

"You..." Nim Chi steps backwards in shock. "You left her all by herself, lost and confused as she is, to a bunch of strangers in... in a mental hospital? How could you do such a nasty thing? Institutionalizing someone is the worst thing that you can do. Y-you're treating her like an animal! Poor Fiona." Nim Chi starts to cry again.

Ah Sing sniffs and fights back his own tears upon hearing Nim Chi's words. He then looks at Ah Lam and screams, "I told you it was horrible!"

"Ah Sing! We've been through this over and over again. I thought we made it clear just an hour ago! What's wrong with you?" She shakes her head in disgust. "I'm through helping you. I thought we made a breakthrough, but we didn't. You're still the same childish and indecisive person you always were. I'm leaving. Don't ask me for help again." She runs away from "Tung Mat Yuen."

Ah Sing turns to Nim Chi. "Come, let's go take Fiona home."

Nim Chi nods her head in agreement, "Yes, that's what a family should be like. We don't abandon someone just because they're not 'normal.'"

"I won't give up on her." Ah Sing looks determined.