To cut the long story short, each fought their opponents and each won and so in the end they were to meet at the final, but that would be towards the end of this episode. In between some earth shattering things happened and frankly I kinda guessed half but not the other half.
Remember the disappearance of Pai Jeung? Someone gave me an enticing theory; what is Pai Jeung accidentally shot Shing, and out of guilt he ran away whilst because of the knowledge that he did not shoot Shing, Wing Tak could walk into Au Yeung Biu School like he owns it? Enticing but not logical because it does not explain the other 3 shots and the women's shoe. The truth is scary BUT not as creative.
Cham is concerned about Jeung, as well as having problems of his own, his he kept grabbing his chest (aka heart) and his wife refused to talk to him. When someone asked if he had a talk with Fong Fong to dissuade her from divorcing him, he even declared "If she wants a divorce so be it!" and then he quietly said "You know, I need a place to stay, and since I need to train Jeung, you don't mind I stay here for the time being?" and everyone welcomed him.
Meanwhile everyone was certain that Thai looking fighter was Man Kwan but how could he have survived? Leung said "Anyone who practices kung fu knows you can never stop yourself from doing the styles you were trained with. I have noticed this guy, and he has never once used any of those styles that that Wing Man Kwan used. It can't be him..." and Kuen said she knew someone who worked in the government officer in the area he was supposed to be from and so said she will do some digging and Tong in a rather strange way smiled at his sister and said "Ok". Why I said strange is why Kenneth Ma giving Shirley Yeung that extra sweet sort of smile??
Later Tong and Fong Fong in office and Fong Fong kept getting calls for Tong and she was annoyed and he knew she was annoyed. Anyway it was first Kuen who said "It is so strange brother! My friend said such a name exists but when he went to find the address, no one was there. It was as if entire family just abandoned the place" which is curious but we know Tak probably either killed them all (not likely) or paid them an obscene amount of money and they left as agreed. Another call and this time Fong Fong was annoyed as Tong in a rather cute scene took the call, and I feel Tong isn't scared of anyone except Fong Fong (!) and I think this time it was the caretaker who I can't remember what he said, probably telling Tong someone was there to pay respect at that site he thought his father was buried. So Tong rushed out.
Tong is also very very upset. He has tried looking for Pai Jeung in many places but he couldn't find him so he was pre-occupied and Ching was with him all the way. I would say less out of guilt and more out of love. Anyway he wanted to go to the supposed crime scene again and as he cycled with Ching past an old man, suddenly he stopped and he turned and shouted "Pai Jeung!" and indeed it was Pai Jeung who begin to run as Tong on foot pursued him and finally fell on top of him (ermmm.. Tong, he is a very old man you know?) and Pai Jeung was hysterical as he cried and tried to get free whilst Tong was hysterical asking "Pai Jeung, where were you? I have been looking for you for so long! How did father die? Where is he buried? Tell me! TELL ME!!!!"
and back at the school and everyone was there looking at Pai Jeung who I think was sitting down or standing up but not kneeling. Wai Lan angrily asked "Pai Jeung, you've disappeared for so many years! Where were you? What happened? Tell me!" and by the way Ching was there. Pai Jeung cried as he narrated his story;
And flashback..
"That night I was with Brother Shing and we faced that scumbag Wing Tak together. We tried to make him confess but Wing Tak didn't and in the end ..."
And we see Pai Jeung handcuffed Tak, Shing wanted to take him back to the police station, Tak boasted if he dies so will they and Shing (which is Kevin's finest and only best moment in this series up until this episode) cried he shouldn't have let him enter his house because he caused so many deaths, he is not afraid of death since he felt as guilty as Tak should feel, so he was prepared to die and Tak then agreed to be taken to the station and so they walked.
We saw until this part in the earlier episodes. Now we shall know what happened.
Tak handcuffed, Shing leading the way, Pai Jeung at the back and Pai Jeung narrated "We were on our way to the station, all was calm until something happened that changed everything"
and suddenly Chu appeared and she looked young and ordinarily dressed (since Wing Tak ain't rich then-and again no backstory as to Chu-Tak love story) and she cried "Tak!" and Shing and Pai Jeung were stunned at her sudden appearance and Tak took advantage and did some kung fu action and wanted to run and Shing fought with him as I think Shing dropped the gun which Chu picked up and Tak screamed "Shoot! Shoot!" and Chu fired one shot and it hit Shing in the chest! Shing stunned, fell to the ground as Chu was panicking and Pai Jeung stunned as well started to run when Tak urged Chu "Shoot that one too! SHOOT!" and she did and it hit Pai Jeung's shoulder and he ran and Tak said "Chase after him, finish him off!!!" and Chu reluctantly did and ran into the woods when she saw Pai Jeung bleeding heavily hiding on the grassy ground and he motioned to her to please don't reveal his whereabouts and Chu looked at him and mouthed "Stay low.." as Tak shouted "Do you see him?" and Chu shouted "NO! I think he escaped!" and Tak said "Fine, come back" and she did. Pai Jeung hid and saw Tak and Chu leaving when Shing's hand suddenly held onto I think Chu's leg and her shoe came off, covered in blood. At this point Pai Jeung narrated as he cried "Brother Shing wasn't dead!!" and everyone was quiet as he narrated "But that scum Tak, he took the gun and fire 2 more shots straight at Brother Shing's heart, and Brother Shing was murdered. That SCUM TAK WOULDN'T EVEN LET BROTHER SHING LIVE!!!" and he cried very very hard as Ching who now knew the extent of her father's cruelty bowed her head in shame as Wai Lan or someone asked "Why didn't you report this to the police?" which is true since Tak wasn't big and rich then so he wouldn't have that sort of protection he has now. Pai Jeung narrated "I wanted to! In fact I ran back to find my police brothers when I saw the commissioner passed by and I wanted to go to him when I saw..."
And he saw Tak and Chu with their luggage, shaking and was running when the commissioner found them and he said "Good news Tak! A businessman will invest in the new pharmacy's factory, we are gonna be rich!" and then he noticed Chu shaking violently and he asked "Is everything ok?" and Tak solemnnly said "That Shing still thought that I killed his father in law and step mother in law. He was very persistent and we fought and a gun misfired. Shing died. That Pai Jeung saw everything, so now we have to run" as Chu said "We didn't mean to! Tak didn't mean to!". Chu! He did! He meant it! He fired at him point blank TWICE. The commissioner said "This is.. unfortunate. But I can't let this once in a million lifetime opportunity be wasted. This is what I will do. I will put the blame on Pai Jeung. I will lock him up in prison for the rest of his life. Meanwhile go back to Shing's body and bury him" and Tak agreed. Pai Jeung heard everything and knew he had to run.
"So that night I packed my bags and took my wife and young son and escaped. There were many times I wanted to write you (Wai Lan) a letter to explain everything. I knew what Wing Tak tried to do to you, putting you into some mental institution and the threats. But I realise by you not knowing the truth was the reason Wing Tak has no harmed you all. So I decided to keep quiet for your safety"
Which is true. Wai Lan was young with so many infant children, she would have been easy for Wing Tak to kill if he knew she knew and if he was desperate to silence her. By her not knowing he can dismiss her claims as someone in mourning, someone crazy.
Anyway Pai Jeung cried hard as someone asked "Why now then? Why did you reveal yourself now?" as Pai Jeung said "I passed by one day and saw all of you all grown up. I realised it is not fair that you should never know the truth about what happened to your father" as Jeung emotionally cried "I will win this grand championship, and when I do, I will be famous and I will use my fame to reopen the case and make sure Wing Tak pays for what he did to our family!! as Pai Jeung said "Good! Good! I will be your witness! I am not afraid! My wife died several years ago, my son is all grown up. I have nothing to fear anymore, I want that scumbag Tak to pay for what he did to Brother Shing!!"
And so the truth finally revealed. May not be creative BUT Shing died a terrible death. Number one lesson when shot and killer still around; pretend to have died. Shing could have been alive had he not touched Chu's leg. But then he was disorientated. Anyway a good twist with Chu's involvement, so now Ching knew her mother was as involved as Tak, except Chu did spare Pai Jeung's live. It also showed how manipulative Tak was, egging her to shoot, to chase, to kill.
Ching said she has to leave and Tong ran after her as she looked very disturbed and Tong asked "Are you ok?" and Ching said "I will be fine..I will ask daddy again where your father is buried" as Tong quietly and gently said "If I may ask a favour from you; it is important your father doesn't know Pai Jeung is back. So I hope you won't ask your father where my father was buried although I appreciate your help" and Ching still in shock nodded.
To know your father was a murderer of 3 people is one thing, to know your mother participated must be shocking!
Cham went to see Fong Fong and he said "I received your divorce papers. Can't you wait until after the grandchampionship?" and she ignored him and before he left he said "You can forgive me for what happened to your father but you can't forgive me for what happened with your sister?" and she ignored him still and he said "I will not agree to this divorce. I will beg you for forgiveness, you'll see" and he left and he clutched his chest (bad bad news) and told his 2 god daughters he was alright whilst Fong Fong looked at him from the corner.
Night before the final. Jeung couldn't sleep, he was not resting well when a knock on the door and it was Wing Tak! Tong asked "What do you want?" and Tak said solemnly "I have thought for a very long time and I do not wish for Shing to be a wandering ghost. I think it is time I reveal where he is buried.." and Tong said "So you're admitting you murdered my father?!" and Tak sighed "No I am not admitting anything. I just know where he is buried, that's all. He is buried in the forest near the bridge." and someone asked "Why are you telling us now?" and Tak said "My wife misses my daughters very much and the only way they will return to our home is if I reveal where Shing is buried. That is all I have to say" and he left. Tong knew why Tak was there; to disturb Jeung so that Jeung would not have enough rest! So Tong said "Whatever it is, we wait until after the championship!" and everyone went back to sleep.
But Tong couldn't sleep, he paced the house and knocked on his mother's door and found her empty bed and angrily he said to himself "I said to leave this until after the championship!!"
which I understood why but then... as Uncle later said "How can you expect her to sleep? She has pined for Shing for so long, it is understandable she would rush to dig him up". So Tong finally said "Ok, we all go to mother to help her" and Jeung wanted to go but Tong said "No brother, you stay. You have to rest!" and so Jeung stayed but he couldn't rest, he couldn't sleep as Cham urged him to rest so guess what? Creepy sister to the rescue. She told him to lie down as she gently caresses his temples and told him stories of their childhood and he closed his eyes, trying to calm down.
At the burial site, all dug, and it was raining and someone saw a shoe and Wai Lan dropped to her knees and used her hands and everybody used his or her hands and my god, what a deep hole they have to dig! Finally, Tong jumped in and dug and found a bone. He gave him mother and Wai Lan cried "Yes! This is your father! He once broke his arm and it was not quite properly healed, I can see the marks here!" and Tong knew they found Shing and in a rather sad emotional scene everybody cried "Father.. father" but thankfully the voices all muted for extra dramatic effect as Shing stood on his father's grave for the past 2 decades and teary eyed and looked very very very very very very very very very disturbed. In fact I think he looked like he could kill Wing Tak now which I wished he did. Even uncle was crying!
Back at home, Jeung heard sounds and he rushed out and I think Cham was there and they saw them carrying in a basket covered in clothes and for once Uncle actually took charge when everyone was too stunned to do anything whilst Cham just shook his head.
"Everyone, your father is home. Pay him respect and come morning we will properly bury him and can properly send him on his way and to the altar"
And so they did. What an emotional night.
Morning, Jeung and Cham on trishaw, Jeung dressed like his father did and in fact somehow I lost Jeung in the series, now it was as if Shing was there. I was hoping for some consistency although we did see a spark of Jeung in that emotional scene with Pai Jeung. Cham said to a very tired Jeung "Have some sleep now, you will need the rest" as they passed Bing Bing and Fong Fong. Jueng shouted "Stop!" and he rushed to and I mean really rushed to Bing Bing who smiled and said "I don't think we can ever be together again. But I do wish you will win that grand championship and I say this with sincerity" as she offered to shake his hands and he reluctantly did. In fact he looked like he was in pain. Bing Bing said "Sister and I are leaving town and the office will be taken care by an apppointed caretaker for the time being. Good luck Jeung" and so she left as Cham cried "Fong Fong, can't you forgive me?!" as they rode away and Bing Bing looked at Fong Fong. In fact I think Bing Bing forgave Cham already but not Fong Fong. Jeung looked like he was in major pain.
Pause here.
Why? Why did he let her go then if he still loved her? Obviously Jeung still very very keen on Bing Bing. Bing Bing seemed ok, so she isn't leaving because she felt shame, she just felt they can't be together perhaps thinking her lies put off Jeung but obviously it didn't. And since Bing Bing seems understanding and nice again, WHY NOT LET JEUNG BE WITH HER?! I know she was mean, she was low, she was malicious but if someone will repent, why not?
Anyway competition time. Jeung having known how his father died, found his father's remains, got dumped by his girlfriend.. all in the space of 24 hours, of course was disturbed. Both signed death warrant and frankly both ready to kill the other.
Fight began and it was a close call. Each beat the crap out of the other. Each has grudges against the other. Jeung kept thinking of his father, his mother, his grandparents, his family and fought hard, ready to kill. Man Kwan thought about his sifu, his family, himself almost executed, etc and fought hard, ready to kill as well and he unleashed the secret style that his sifu taught him before he was executed and everyone knew then that was Wing Man Kwan. But Jeung himself fought back and fought hard. Half time and they had to be forcibly pulled apart as each wanted to kill the other. Inside waiting room, Cham said "Don't waste time. If you see an opportunity, hit quick and hit hard, that's the only way to defeat him. Understand?" and Jeung nodded and Cham said "Also, promise me, if I ask you to raise the white flag (aka surrender/admit defeat), you will do so. Understand?" and Jeung asked "Why?" and Cham said "Just do as I say" and so Jeung agreed.
Fight continues. Meanwhile Cham was so worried he has grabbing his chest area, obviously in paid and Fong Fong was there and saw him doing that and was worried. Competition continues and it was fierce. Since I can't describe a fight scene as eloquently as Jin Yong or Gu Long, I shall just skip the details and say each punched the other so very hard that each was so very bloody looking and ended up flat on their backs on the stage, unable to get up and covered in sweat and blood. Quite realistic. Someone shouted "Get up! Get up!" and whoever gets up wins. Tong and other shouted "Get up! Get up! Get up!"
and we saw Jeung and Man Kwan still flat on the floor, each too tired to move but each tryin to move their limbs in attempts to get up. And the crowd shouting "GET UP! GET UP! GET UP!"
and...
next episode (DAMN IT!), Cham threw in the white handkerchief, explained why he wanted Jeung to admit defeat as he laid dying on hospital bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT?! Next episode will be a very very sad one!! Cham's gonna die? WHAT?! Until then, I tell you this episode has the best cliffhanger for this series and one of the best for a lot of series thus far. The last scene was harrowing, the lightning superb. I still wish for open air fight, and a heavy rain to give it a dramatic effect but well.. the stage inside studio is ok. At least the lightning and atmosphere can be manufactured and controlled. And kudos to make up department for what looks like a very realistic bloody look. Kung fu wise, nothing fantastic. It's the look, the feel. Fantastic way to end this episode though I cursed!
The saddest though was that digging up father's remains scene apart from Shing being shot so many times. What a way to die. That Tak so despicable, even had to involve his wife. How will Ching face her mother knowing her mother participated in the murder as well? I hope there will be such a scene between Ching and Chu, such an opportunity is too good to miss! Anyway the sad part was not really how Wai Lan looked at the bones or everyone else crying in the rain but strangely Tong's very quiet reaction. He just stood on where his father was buried, in the hole that is and just stood there silently, doing nothing much but looking rather shocked with a tinge of hatred. Or maybe I imagined that tinge of hatred but definitely shocked look. I really hope Tong has a chance to kick that Wing Tak ass. Jeung can kick Man Kwan (unless he redeemed himself but looks like that won't happen), Wai Lan can kick Chu (even if she was a reluctant participant, she was a participant nonetheless and deserved to be kicked) and Tong can kick Tak. The rest can kick either of these 3 of they wish.
I also feel for Ching. What a sad knowledge isn't it? That your perfect family is built on deaths, murders and lies.
Performance wise, for that quiet moment, I shall give Kenneth Ma due credit for a job classily done. He could have gone emo, he could have gone dramatic but he didn't and thank you for that. I am still rather confused as to why he gave that sweet goofy smile to his co-star Shirley. You must watch to know what I mean. And I think I remember that quite accurately. Or maybe my mind playing tricks on me. Also I like his interaction with Fong Fong.
Kevin Cheng did a credible job until he started going emotional. However looking back at that murder scene as Shing, I think that was Kevin;s finest moment when he cried how he too deserved to die like Wing Tak for bringing into the house a monster. But please someone tell Kevin to not scream too much. Not for his voice but for my ears. Quite painful to hear, more so to watch except for that one scene, his finest moment.
Dominic Lam did a credible job as the scumbag Wing Tak, past and present. However his problem is not his acting but his character being rather not very well written, even now. He is such a failed villain in the sense nothing grand, nothing great. I mean yes maybe that's the intention perhaps but I find his Wing Tak could have been a better villain, more memorable villain.
Kara did a fine job with her shaking and all. Maybe a bit of overacting on the panicking part but overall I have no complaints.
Everybody else was ok, not much comments since each has very little scenes. In fact some relationships seem lost, like Yan and Yau.
Ram Chiang was ok until he starts talking kung fu. I don't find him credible as a kung fu master. This role should have been Yuen Wah!
Jacky Heung, not much to do except to look like he is about to kill and fight and in both he did very well.
2 more episodes and this series will end. I hope the ending is great, and I don't want a all stand together clap clap sort of stupid ending. I am still wondering; is Man Kwan redeemable?
April 25, 2011 at 12:43 PM
"Kuen said she knew someone who worked in the government officer in the area he was supposed to be from and so said she will do some digging and Tong in a rather strange way smiled at his sister and said "Ok". Why I said strange is why Kenneth Ma giving Shirley Yeung that extra sweet sort of smile??"
Maybe he's happy that Kuen finally does something helpful (meaning she finally grow up) or that Kuen finally able to let go of that failed love and be productive again?
"Tak said "Chase after him, finish him off!!!" and Chu reluctantly did and ran into the woods when she saw Pai Jeung bleeding heavily hiding on the grassy ground and he motioned to her to please don't reveal his whereabouts and Chu looked at him and mouthed "Stay low.." as Tak shouted "Do you see him?" and Chu shouted "NO! I think he escaped!""
It is interesting and ironic that it's Chu's kindness who lead to her husband's downfall. If she has killed Pai Jeung that day, there will be no living witness to tell the truth (beside Chu and Tak).
"Why? Why did he let her go then if he still loved her? Obviously Jeung still very very keen on Bing Bing. Bing Bing seemed ok, so she isn't leaving because she felt shame, she just felt they can't be together perhaps thinking her lies put off Jeung but obviously it didn't. And since Bing Bing seems understanding and nice again, WHY NOT LET JEUNG BE WITH HER?! I know she was mean, she was low, she was malicious but if someone will repent, why not?"
I also wonder at this part. Jeung seems to still loves Bing Bing. Why not ask her to stay? He didn't seem to be angry with her anymore.
I guess he couldn't ask her to stay. If he did, creepy sister will have no chance. We can't have that, can we?
"Anyway the sad part was not really how Wai Lan looked at the bones or everyone else crying in the rain but strangely Tong's very quiet reaction. He just stood on where his father was buried, in the hole that is and just stood there silently, doing nothing much but looking rather shocked with a tinge of hatred. Or maybe I imagined that tinge of hatred but definitely shocked look. "
I think he also slowly fell down on his knees while standing on the hole.