01x23 - Episode 23

[bunniefuu]

THIS STORY IS FICTIONAL - ANY

SIMILARITIES TO REALITY ARE COINCIDENTAL

I want you to live here comfortably.

It took me a while to find a condo unit

that met my requirements.

First, it must be close to

your mom's place

so we can look out for each other.

Second, it must have three bedrooms.

One room is ours,

and the other two are for the kids.

Two kids to a room.

Just nice for four kids.

Say that again, Lin Musen.

Sure!

Three rooms.

One room is for us,

while the other two rooms

are for the kids.

Two kids to each room.

Two plus two equals four.

Who's going to bear you so many kids?

Ms. Li Zhenyu, of course.

Why have so many kids?

I'm blind, so who's going to

look after them?

I am. I can also hire two helpers.

We can easily handle four kids.

No, thank you. I just want one kid.

One?

And it'd be better if that's a daughter.

We shall give her all the love

in the world.

Where's the groom?

He won't be coming.

Why not?

He's been arrested.

Our kid will be five

when you're released from prison.

I have to break my promise.

I won't wait for you.

The first five years of a child's life

are too important.

Between keeping my promise

and being a dutiful mother,

I choose the latter.

At this point in time,

nothing is more important than our child.

When you're released,

you may visit our child.

But I won't let her acknowledge you

because she will have

a normal family by then.

Our chance came and went.

I can't wait for you.

I've finally found you.

-How did you know?

-You were here?

Because I'm resourceful.

I quietly put a tracking device on you.

Don't believe me?

The tracking device is Bro Gen, isn't it?

That's right, Uncle Gen is

my walking tracking device.

I have no choice. Daddy tasked me

with looking after you.

I have to know your whereabouts.

Uncle Gen said you'd come to a park.

I'm surprised by how big this park is.

I'm breaking out in a sweat.

Tell your dad this isn't necessary.

To be honest,

I'm somewhat responsible for

the state you're in today.

How are you responsible?

I asked Daddy to hire you.

Missy Mo, you were very young at the time.

Besides, you said before that

I had this coming.

I have nobody to blame but myself.

Exactly!

You were such a fool.

He Jianzhi was

your get-out-of-jail-free card.

Why wouldn't you use it?

He's doing very well, you know.

-He's bought a hou

-Not interested.

Fine, I won't talk about him.

I have something for you.

This is indispensable to daily life -

a mobile phone.

I've saved my number on it.

If you need anything, just call.

Call even if you don't need anything.

Why should I call you?

To talk about your problems and stuff

I studied psychology.

You can share your troubles with me.

I have no troubles.

That's impossible. Everyone has troubles.

I don't.

I don't need your phone either.

There must be people you want to contact.

No.

What about your good friend Jintiao?

Don't you want to call him?

No.

Turning your back on family and friends

after serving jail time?

Anyone associated with me

will come to no good.

That includes you.

You'd better leave.

I haven't finished my mission.

Here's some money. Take it.

There's also a credit card inside.

Missy Mo.

I'm able-bodied.

I'll look for a job tomorrow.

I don't need money, a credit card

and your mobile phone.

Take them back.

There are lots of mosquitoes here.

Go, if there's nothing else.

What about you?

Don't tell me you're going to

sleep here tonight?

All right, I'll keep you company.

What's on your mind?

You must be scratching your head,

wondering why I'm dating Richard.

You gave him your business card

at the bar that day.

He wouldn't forget an attractive

and capable lawyer to boot.

He didn't look me up,

and I'd forgotten about him.

Until one day,

I ran into the man I hate most.

How much is the membership fee?

Mm about S$180,000.

S$180,000?

I'm not as rich as you.

Come off it, you're the favorite

in the partner race.

Megan.

Megan.

-I'll see you later.

-Sure.

Don't you recognize me?

I'd recognize you

even if you turned into ash.

Can we talk?

I'm a lawyer.

Conversations are chargeable.

It's S$100 per minute.

For you, it's S$300 per minute.

Megan.

The time starts now.

I'm happy

to see you again.

I'm very sorry.

What I did to you is unforgivable.

I'm sorry for hurting you.

I didn't have a choice.

If I hadn't caved in to

my family's plans for me,

I'd have lost everything.

But, deep down, my heart was broken.

Let me make it up to you.

I'm my own person now.

No one can stop me doing what I want.

If you could forgive me,

I'd make it up to you.

Finished?

Two minutes. S$600.

Sorry, but my time is precious.

Please pay up.

Megan, don't be like this. Megan!

You can do anything if you're rich, huh?

Hire a hitman, stage a car accident,

get a pregnant woman k*lled.

You knew all this,

didn't you?

I can make it up to you.

Make it up to me?

How?

I lost my baby.

What about me? I almost died.

You people were cold-blooded!

I don't need your disgusting money!

Don't be like this, Megan.

-Give me another chance.

-Let go.

-Come on.

-Let go!

Megan.

You heard the lady.

She asked you to let go.

First it was you, then it was that jerk.

You two led me to Richard.

How I regret it now.

I shouldn't have asked you out

for a drink that night.

We cannot escape our fate.

We had dinner that evening.

He was easy to talk to.

He comes across as

How should I put it?

He doesn't hide his nasty streak.

What do you mean?

He's a self-confessed bad boy,

but he's not a villain.

He rewards his staff fairly

and generously.

It's an interest-furthering

quid pro quo relationship.

No favors owed.

Like him and Liu Mu.

And you.

When you work for him,

you get the reward you deserve.

But when something goes wrong,

you have to bear the consequences.

It's the same for him.

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

You win some, you also lose some.

You don't have to feel grateful

when you gain something.

You don't have to blame others

when you lose something.

You made your own bed and must lie in it.

That's right.

Back then, I made a choice

between my prospects

and friendship.

I choose to walk on this golden path

and betrayed a longtime friend.

Do you look down on me?

No.

I might have done the same if I were you.

Richard also said that

Lin Musen had been rewarded handsomely.

When he's released from jail,

he will be taken care of.

He'll have everything and anything

he wants for the rest of his life.

I guess he'll be released soon.

In the last few days.

Will he look you up?

He won't.

What makes you so sure?

He and I go back a long way.

I know him.

Will you look him up?

I won't.

That's cruel.

Some things are not

what you knew them to be

when they come back into your life.

Jianzhi,

I want to ask you something.

Do you like me?

Worried that Richard may come down

any minute?

I'm not married to him.

I'll tell you a secret.

He and I haven't slept together yet.

I've wised up.

If a man wants me,

I won't make it easy for him.

I want a man who truly loves me.

So do you like me?

You know the answer.

I want you to tell me.

Yes.

I like you.

I'm crazy about you.

Would you, for me, give up everything

Richard has given you?

I would.

That was a quick answer.

Looks like I mean a lot to you.

I'm sure you know that,

all these years,

I've been waiting for you to say yes.

Jianzhi.

You're wonderful to me,

and you respect me.

I really appreciate it.

Really.

But do you know why

I keep you at arm's length?

I find you difficult to read.

Why would you think that?

You got together with a woman overseas,

and you have a five-year-old kid

with her, right?

No need to feel awkward.

Loneliness is hard

when a man is working overseas

I get that.

That you kept this secret for so long

got me believing that

you could resist the temptation.

If I said yes to you,

how much longer would you keep it from me?

-Zhenting

-You don't have to answer me.

Because that would never happen.

Did you hear it from Richard?

He thought I knew.

I let him think that.

Jianzhi.

I'm very grateful

to have a friend like you.

If it weren't for you,

my life would be a mess.

No matter what happens in future,

we'll always be good friends, right?

Of course.

TOMATO CUP NOODLES

Are you going to sleep here tonight?

Okay.

I bought these from a cardboard collector.

Yours and mine.

We'll sleep rough tonight.

Tuck in.

Mm, delicious.

It's restaurant quality.

I'll let you in on a secret.

A big secret.

Growing up,

I dreamt of becoming

a char kway teow hawker.

Really?

You're kidding.

Really, I'm not kidding.

That old man loves char kway teow.

And he eats only from this one stall.

The only stall.

Whenever my mom knew he was coming home,

she'd take me to that stall

to wait in line for char kway teow.

I absolutely loved watching the hawker

rustle up the dish.

He was focused.

Exceedingly so.

His every move

reminded me of a professional dancer.

I was enthralled.

I thought, I want to

grow up to be like him -

a char kway teow master.

A master.

Not a hawker.

Then, my parents' marriage

started to sour.

My dad came home less and less.

Human feelings are complicated.

When you resent and hate someone,

you may still love them.

One day, Mom was told he was coming home.

She went to the char kway teow stall,

like she always did, and joined the line.

But, that night,

her husband didn't come home.

I told her, "Mom, Dad isn't coming home."

"Let's finish

this char kway teow ourselves."

She hit the roof.

She threw a fit.

She yelled.

She complained bitterly.

I never ate char kway teow

after that day.

I also gave up my dream of becoming

a char kway teow master.

But I love to cook still.

I once lived in France for six months,

learning cooking from a retired top chef.

No wonder.

I thought the meal

had been prepared by your cook.

But after all those lessons,

I didn't cook a single meal

until today.

Why?

I only want to cook for the person I love.

Aren't I lucky then!

A toast to you guys.

Cheers.

I thought

I'd never find love in this life.

Women, to me,

are playthings.

With money, I can have

as many women as I like.

But I was wrong.

I would, in fact, find love with a woman.

Perhaps I'd been too lonely.

Do you know what loneliness is?

Loneliness is believing

you have everything

when, in fact, you have nothing.

Not even someone who loves you.

I want to thank you.

Thank you for introducing me to Megan.

And you should give up on her.

He Jianzhi, it didn't escape my attention.

You like her, don't you?

Don't vie with me.

You'll never be able to beat me.

It's not that I want to concede defeat,

but I'm not even given

the chance to compete.

That's for sure.

I've known Zhenting for many years.

If she wanted to accept me,

we'd have gotten together a long time ago.

She only sees me as a good friend.

But you're still hung up on her?

Not anymore.

Say what's on your mind.

Have you heard the name "Arthur Thng"?

Yes.

He's the scion of a wealthy family.

His family is powerful

and prominent in Indonesia

I saw him pestering Zhenting previously

and made him leave.

What's with him now?

Has Zhenting ever mentioned him?

Yes.

She called him a nuisance.

He kept pestering Zhenting

probably because she'd rejected him.

Don't tell me it was something else?

It happened many, many years ago.

Zhenting was a polytechnic student

at the time.

Arthur Thng made it clear to the world

that he was wooing her.

To someone as rich as him,

money is no object.

Zhenting isn't the money-grabbing type.

Just because a man is rich

doesn't mean she'll date him.

Arthur wooed Zhenting for the longest time

before winning her heart.

Zhenting then

became pregnant by him.

There was an accident afterwards,

and Zhenting miscarried.

The accident came out of nowhere.

Wake up, Zhenting!

I've always believed

it was orchestrated.

Arthur Thng disappeared afterwards.

I heard he'd gone to the US

for further studies

and married a rich man's daughter.

Richard.

If you weren't serious about Zhenting,

I wouldn't have told you this.

But since you're serious

about the relationship,

I felt obliged to let you know.

You'd have found out sooner or later.

As your good friend,

I don't want you to think that

I'm keeping secrets from you.

Sure. All's good.

What do you want?

Stay back.

Come on.

Hey.

What do you want?

Go away.

What do you want?

Bet you didn't think

I could sleep rough on the streets.

If you thought

I was an over-indulged, cosseted girl

from a rich family,

you couldn't be more wrong.

I once went missing for a period.

Even my parents weren't able

to contact me.

I'd gone backpacking on my own,

visiting countries that were dangerous

and avoided at all costs by travelers.

Hey. Why didn't you say

I was dicing with death?

Why should I? We're not related.

I have nothing to do with you.

Says who? Our lives are interconnected.

If you hadn't saved me back then,

I'd have been run over and died

I am here because of you.

In the same way,

if you hadn't saved me,

your life would've turned out differently.

Destiny has our lives intertwined.

Our lives are interconnected,

in a peculiar way.

I'm hungry.

Lin Musen, I said I'm hungry.

I'm not hungry.

Are you a robot?

Even robots need refueling.

I know you're broke.

Between saving your pride

and filling an empty stomach,

the latter's more important, right?

Come on. Follow me.

Why aren't you eating or drinking?

You like coffee, right?

With extra condensed milk.

How did you know?

How did I know?

Your friend, what's his name?

He's a bit of a goofball.

Jintiao.

He told me you liked your coffee

with extra condensed milk.

I've quit coffee.

I get it.

The coffee is unchanging

but not the person.

Sipping the unchanging coffee

while mind-wandering to

the changed person,

you must feel terrible.

I know why your heart is like still water.

Because love is gone

from your heart.

Don't be a smart Alec.

Deliverance from desperation is possible.

Don't give up hope.

Why are you grinning? What's so funny?

I know what

"deliverance from desperation" means.

Besides,

I'm not in a desperate situation.

I'm out of prison. I'm free.

I'm doing fine.

I don't think so. You've got nothing.

You have no money, no roof over your head,

no You're

You don't have You're-so-Pretty.

You're in desperate circumstances.

Hey! We haven't finished the food.

You're wasteful.

Stop following me.

What do I tell my daddy

if I don't complete my mission?

VIRTUE SHINES BRIGHTLY

Your mission is accomplished

if I take the phone

and Mr. Mo's money?

Offering prayers? I'll join you.

-Do you run an old folks' home?

-Yes.

I'd like to donate this money.

What are you doing?

You know how much there is?

And also this watch.

Sir, please write down

your contact details.

We'll send you the invoice.

That's okay. Thanks.

Lin Musen.

You're not to give away the mobile phone.

Anytime I call you, you must answer it,

or I'll keep following you.

I mean it.

I'll take the mobile phone

on one condition.

sh**t.

Call me only when

you have a nightmare

or need to talk to someone.

Is that a yes?

Otherwise, take the phone back.

Yes.

Stay here, don't go anywhere

I need to buy something.

Hi, Jiahui.

When did you get back? It's been ages.

-Yesterday.

-Oh?

I see.

-How have you been?

-I'm well.

-How are your folks?

-They're well.

And you?

Same old, same old.

Jiahui.

Let's catch up another time. Bye.

Bro Jintiao?

Your legs

I'm okay.

I thought you were in Thailand.

When did you get back?

Yesterday.

Have you seen Bro Musen?

He's still inside.

He was released yesterday.

He was released yesterday?

I went to the prison from the airport,

hoping to fetch him,

but he'd left.

I thought he'd look you up.

He didn't.

But I'd written to tell him

that I'd moved house

and given him my new address.

I told him to look me up when he got out.

Granny Thunder.

-Jiahui! You're back.

-Grandma.

When did you get back?

-Grandma.

-You've become prettier.

-Grandma!

-What is it?

Stop praising Jiahui.

Where's Liu Mu?

Liu Mu?

Did he look me up when I wasn't around?

Liu Mu has been released?

Yes, yesterday.

But he'd left when I went

to fetch him from prison.

I thought he'd look Bro Jintiao up.

He didn't.

I know where to find him.

I don't think Bro Musen

would look Sis Zhenyu up.

Liu Mu has only ever loved

one woman - You're-so-Pretty.

Li Zhenyu is You're-so-Pretty.

You're-so-Pretty is Li Zhenyu.

Careful, Beibei. Watch where you're going.

Okay.

Can you walk faster?

Mommy, I've got sand in my shoes.

Get it out, then. I'll be waiting ahead.

Okay.

I'm pregnant.

It's yours.

I've decided to keep the baby.

I want to give her a complete,

stable family.

I want her to grow up

happily and healthily,

the way other kids do.

Our kid will be five

when you're released from prison.

When you're released,

you may visit our child.

But I won't let her acknowledge you.

I'm done, Mommy.

Let's go.

How did sand get into your shoes?

No idea.

-Does it still hurt?

-No.

Mm.

Auntie Xiaomei.

Jiahui?

-How have you been?

-I'm well.

-Hi, Granny Thunder. Sit down.

-Sure.

I haven't seen you in ages.

You look even prettier.

You too.

No, I'm old.

I hear you've moved to Bangkok.

I work in a hotel there as a manager.

And also because your boyfriend is there.

When is the wedding?

We're planning it now.

Congrats!

Thank you.

Zhenting and you used to be close.

You'd often join us for meals.

Now, with both of you living busy lives,

you've grown apart.

Everyone's busy.

That's true.

Since Zhenting became a lawyer,

she's been working long hours.

She hardly comes home for meals anymore.

-Are you guys finished?

-Can't you see they're talking?

Why did you yell at them?

Good grief! You're useless.

Don't hit him, Granny Thunder.

Sitting in a wheelchair all day

must put him in a tetchy mood.

What can we do?

The doctor got him to do physiotherapy,

but I see no difference.

There's an old sinseh

known for his acupuncture skills.

Stroke patients who couldn't move

one side of their bodies

were able to walk

after two months of acupuncture.

Why not let him try it?

Sure.

-I'll help him make an appointment.

-Okay.

You're very kind.

I didn't realize how good you were.

What's the point of saying this, Grandma?

Be quiet.

What's with him?

Is Sis Zhenyu around?

She

Did she go out with Liu Mu?

Didn't I say Liu Mu would look her up?

I told you to keep your mouth shut.

He's out?

He got out already, Jiahui?

Yesterday.

Liu Mu came to see Zhenyu, right?

If I saw him,

I'd scald him with boiling water!

-You can't do that.

-Be quiet!

I can't do that?

He knew he was going to jail,

he made Zhenyu marry him.

He didn't make her. Zhenyu wanted to

Yes, that foolish girl

wanted to marry him.

But so what?

If he loved Zhenyu,

shouldn't he have said no?

He wanted my daughter to wait for him.

He couldn't be more selfish.

Good thing heaven has eyes.

He was arrested

before he could marry Zhenyu.

Otherwise, my daughter's life

would have been ruined.

You can't put it that way!

Why can't I?

Zhenyu is my daughter.

I'll fight him to the death

for my daughter!

Auntie Xiaomei.

I know he's your cousin, Jiahui.

But what he did was unforgivable.

Didn't you watch the news?

Many investors were elderly people.

They'd dipped

into their retirement nest eggs.

They then lost their money.

How do you retire with no money?

He even cheated the elderly

out of their money.

What an evil thing to do!

Did you guys know he was hurting

and suffering inside?

Stop it.

Bro Musen was made a scapegoat.

Stop defending him already.

He's not stupid.

Didn't he know he was being used?

He was willing to be used by others.

Is Zhenyu with Liu Mu?

I'm here.

Lin Musen.

What do you want?

I'm asking you. What do you want?

I just want to see the kid.

The kid?

Whose kid?

My kid.

You listen to me, Lin Musen.

Beibei is my daughter.

Her surname is Wang.

I accompanied Zhenyu

on her prenatal check-ups

I rushed back from the fish market

to take Zhenyu,

who was in labor, to the hospital.

I stayed with her in the delivery room

for one whole day and one whole night,

welcoming Beibei into this world.

I changed Beibei's diapers,

gave her milk and bathed her.

Day by day, I watched her grow up.

I am Beibei's father.

You?

What have you done for Zhenyu and Beibei?

You have a nerve to claim her

for yourself.

I told you once that

Zhenyu is a kind and simple girl.

I asked you to cherish her,

to give her a simple, happy life.

Do you remember?

You ignored everything I said.

Or you wouldn't be in this state now.

It's too late.

With certain things, when you lose them,

they are lost forever.

Zhenyu has a good life now.

Beibei is a happy child.

I'll do everything in my power

to protect them.

I will not let you destroy our happiness.

Lin Musen! Beibei is my daughter.

Mine!

You hear me?