When Easterly Showers Fall on the Sunny West (2008)

In POON’s mansion, CHONG FUNG-YEE orders a dim sum chef to prepare breakfast for her father-in-law POON KWAI-FAN. It concerns FAN that his grandson POON CHEUK-WAH has not got married, he urges YEE to arrange marriage for WAH. With a wish to bring her son WAH good luck, YEE consults a fortune teller. The fortune teller tells her she has two sons and one of them is going to have a big trouble. MUK HING comes to Guangzhou for the first time. He asks CHEUNG FOOK-TAI to find him a job. TAI finds him a place to settle down in a compound. After family’s downfall, YIP HEUNG-YEUNG and YIP HEUNG-CHING are earning a living as a hawker selling porridge in Liwan. Out of sympathy, CHING gives poor HING a bowl of porridge. HING sells his jade pendant, the last piece of possession he has, and YEE sees the pendant by chance. She orders her maid KAM to investigate whether the pendant belongs to the son she abandoned.… ...

WAH returns home from military school, YEE and POON SIU-TONG are delighted to see him again. YEE tells her mother PAK SAU-WAN that HING is arrested, and her mother says she should never try to involve herself in it. But YEE feels guilty, she attempts to rescue HING. CHING believes HING did not kill anyone, she asks WAH to help HING. HING fails to escape from jail and ends up getting beaten badly. One day, CHING encounters an old school friend CHOI-DIP. She is jeered at by DIP. Fortunately, WAH appears to help her. HING is sentenced to death for murder. YEE asks TONG to help rescue HING. TONG finally promises as he knows she is nervous. TONG withdraws a huge sum of money from bank and tries to bribe cops. Just before execution, a court document arrives stating that HING is found not guilty of all charges and ordered to release. FAN flies into a rage when he gets to know that TONG has taken the money.… ...

YEE keeps the true identity of HING hidden from TONG, she does not tell him the truth that HING is indeed his son. HING meets CHEUNG again. They see FONG PO-KEI who is distributing leaflet advocating complete banning of prostitution. CHEUNG makes a fool of KEI. KEI encounters CHING, her old school friend. She invites CHING to a party celebrating a sister’s resignation. In the party, CHING feels giddy after dancing with WAH. TSUI YIU-CHUNG attempts to gloss over the fact when FAN is asking him about TONG’s work performance in the bank. HING visits the Poon family with a wish to express his gratitude to WAH. TONG promises to find HING a job. On the other hand, KAM suggests sending HING abroad for learning. CHUNG examines goods in the warehouse and is shocked to find munitions. CHUNG’s wife CHONG FUNG-TAK is not happy with CHUNG for he has helped TONG.… ...

WAH asks CHING out for a movie. CHING hopes to bring with her parents together, WAH agrees. DIP seems unusually enthusiastic about the date and sends movie tickets to CHING. TONG believes HING is his lucky star after he has brought him to a casino and won big money. TONG encounters the swindler who conned him into purchasing munitions. He asks HING to follow him. CHING goes to see movie with her family, but they are forced to leave because they hold fake tickets. WAH apologizes to her and confesses his love to her. CHING is delighted but is hesitated to accept his love. YEE refuses to accept CHING after she has known that CHING does not come from a rich family. CHUNG suspects the bronze pig head that TONG gets from the swindler belongs to TONG’s enemy. He tries in vain to persuade TONG not to take it. KONG and his daughter KEI are invited to TONG’s home for dinner. In fact, TONG wishes to arrange marriage for his son.… ...

CHING gets sick while taking care of WAH. She does not dare to tell her brother about it. HING is hired as a chauffeur by the POON family. He tells everyone in the compound about this good news. YEE returns home, she tells the family that she has lost a valuable ring and suspects HING has stolen it. She demands HING to leave. HING believes the ring is stolen by CHEUNG and wants to have it back. While WAH is kept under close surveillance by YEE, the only way he can get in touch with CHING is by sending letters. HING does not want to leave the POON family, by giving YEE his jade pendant, he wishes to compensate YEE for the loss of the ring. Nevertheless, YEE hides her feelings and sympathy, and asks him to leave. Realizing that he cannot develop a relationship with CHING, WAH drowns his sorrows. HING gives him encouraging words saying that he should never give up.… ...

YEE discovers a box and a letter dropped by the kidnapper while in search of WAH. For fear that WAH may get killed, TONG keeps the matter hidden from FAN and quietly collects money to pay ransom for the release. Nervous and distressed, he has a quarrel with CHUNG. TAK, displeased with the dispute created by TONG, tears up the telex to TONG from other banks replying about the money available for his use. HING and WAH are seized during an attempt to escape. Eventually, HING finds out the kidnap is a scheme perpetrated by SHEUNG KWAN. KWAN orders to kill HING, but HING manages to escape. FAN overhears YEE’s conversation and gets to know about the whole thing. Immediately, he orders the army to rescue WAH. YEE believes HING is the kidnaper. TONG points his gun at HING and threatens to kill him. Before it is too late, YEE reveals HING’s true identity, that he is indeed TONG’s biological son.

TONG is told the whole story that YEE abandoned their son because she wanted to conceal her premarital pregnancy. TONG blames her for ruining HING’s whole life. YEE receives a phone call from the kidnapper demanding to collect ransom escorted by herself and HING. After YEE’s begging, FAN finally agrees to pay the ransom. On the other hand, CHING suspects CHEUNG is the kidnapper as she identifies the watch he is wearing belongs to HING. In fact, the watch is stolen by a customer in the casino. Outside the casino, CHEUNG and CHING encounter the real kidnapper. They follow the man into the forest in rural west where they find WAH. In the escape, they meet officer LEUNG YIM-BIU. CHING begs BIU for help. YEE appears to pay the ransom as agreed. Aiming to kill HING, KWAN demands to have the money delivered by HING. BIU and his army arrive timely to make a successful rescue. YEE expresses her gratitude to HING.… ...

To safeguard their family honor and reputation, YEE and TONG decide not to disclose HING’s true identity. WAH wants to see CHING soon after he has got well, but they are kept apart by YEE. As instructed by YEE, HING sends gift to CHING. Refusing to accept the money gift, CHING asks HING to send WAH a letter instead, she thinks it is the best gift for her by doing so. BIU wants CHING to be his mistress, but she refuses. YEUNG who originally promised to decline BIU’s proposal, later accepts the marriage when he is told that he will be offered help in his business. With the help of HING, WAH manages to escape surveillance successfully by changing his clothes with HING, and sneaks out to meet with CHING. WAH tells CHING that he will go to Nanjing soon to complete his military training. Disappointed, CHING does not utter a word about becoming BIU’s mistress. KEI is delighted to learn that CHING and WAH are falling in love with each other.… ...

BIU and his army arrive at the POON family. Uncompromisingly, FAN claims that CHING is WAH’s arranged fiancee. Then, YEE expresses further that not until WAH has finished his military training can he get married with CHING. CHING is invited to stay in the POON family. This is to help WAH concentrate on his duty and to provide a good opportunity for CHING to learn the appropriate etiquette of a noble family. YEE is strict with her because she wants to frighten off her. Avoiding any unhappiness caused to YEE, TONG suggests that HING should work in the bank instead of work at home as a domestic helper. Then CHUNG is asked to brief HING on the bank operation. Meantime, HING nearly gets into big trouble. Going against YEE’s will, TAK is to give CHING as much support as she can. TAK suggests that CHING should learn cooking from a chef. Quietly, CHING asks HING to bring her to chef CHUEN from whom she wants to learn cooking.… ...

HING helps CHING hide the truth and results in a punishment of clearing up the mud on the pond bottom. In the bank, HING reminds the staff to examine the checks carefully, yet no one takes his words seriously because they think he is inexperienced. CHEUNG meets HING in the bank. He identifies a customer cashing a check is a con man indeed. At once, HING and CHEUNG dash out to find the man after he has left and are able to get the money back successfully. HING receives CHUNG’s praise and is promoted to perform front desk tasks. YEE gives CHING a cooking challenge and the invited rival is Chef CHUEN. CHUNG’s son YU-FUNG who has poor performance in school, has fallen in love with his teacher. TAK is in jealous rage when she has heard FUNG saying that CHUNG has once fallen in love with an older woman. Again, YEE aims to give CHING hard time by asking her to handle the marriage of a servant.… ...

For fear that TAK will stir things up, YEE prefers to tell her the truth about HING’s identity. Then, TAK tells CHUNG about it on returning home. She warns him that he should keep a watchful eye on HING because HING may take over his power in the bank. TONG wants to speed up the development of the bank and diversify its business into security trading. In order to obtain the trading license, CHUNG arranges a meeting with a government official named SUEN NGAI. During a dinner meeting, CHEUNG disguises himself as a waiter and tries to listen to what KONG and NGAI say. Then, CHEUNG gets to know NGAI is in favor of giving the trading license to KONG. After investigation, HING finds out NGAI is not getting along with BIU’s subordinate SUN. He helps NGAI collect a bad debt owed by SUN. However, things are not as smooth as TONG expected. NGAI brings LAI-LING with him to TONG’s home for a dinner.… ...

After CHING has asked KAM about the story happened between LING and the POON family, she brings LING to meet her old flame. Then, LING is told everything that YEE has done for her. Finally, LING offers her apology to YEE. BIU is promoted to the rank of commander. In revenge for losing CHING, he deliberately assigns WAH to his troop, and demands to take CHING away. YEE tells him CHING is abandoned and lets him take her leaving the POON family. WAH attempts to stop it, but CHING claims that for the good of the POON family she does not want any help. In fact, it is a plan of YEE and CHING to repel BIU. KEI believes what CHEUNG has said about a swimming fund raising event to help opium victims is true. WAH is given a task to close opium syndicates. Though he thinks BIU assigns difficult job to him intentionally, he works very hard.… ...

FAN blames WAH for his unawareness of being exploited. WAH apologizes to HING for the trouble he has caused. HING encourages him to strive hard to gain success in his military and political career. KONG invites TAK and CHUNG home for dinner, he attempts to persuade CHUNG to work for him. Though CHUNG refuses, TAK wants him accepting the offer. WAN reveals that it is TAK’s idea when YEE tries to learn more about CHUNG’s decision. Knowing that YEUNG is drowning his sorrows because of financial difficulty, CHEUNG makes a suggestion to him, to collaborate with him to get money by fund raising cheating. Opium syndicates open again, WAH discovers the business is supported by BIU. KEI organizes an anti-drug demonstration with other students. Under strict command, WAH has to dispel demonstrators. Pretending to be sick, WAH seeks to escape his duty. Still, BIU deliberately gives him hard time by asking him to escort a ship loading with opium.… ...

HING gives BIU money with a wish that BIU will treat WAH fair. On the fund raising event day, CHEUNG and YEUNG unseal the collection box and steal the money. This is discovered by KEI. In the changing room, KEI is aware that she is being taken photo when changing clothes. FUNG drops his camera and dashes away. YEUNG who is picking up the camera gets caught. TAK anxiously seeks help from YEE when she gets to know that FUNG is the one who took the photo. HING faces a dilemma when YEE asks him to persuade YEUNG into becoming a scapegoat. KONG makes an offer to the POON family that he will not sue WAH if he is given the right to share the security trading license for two years. Yet, FAN turns it down without a second thought. HING meets YEUNG in jail. He attempts to persuade YEUNG into pleading guilty to the offense, if he agrees to do so CHING will be given in marriage and will have a good future.… ...

WAH gets locked up. As suggested by HING, WAH sends CHING a letter about the rescue plan. KONG goes to buy herbs and supplements for pregnant MEI, and is diagnosed of infertility by a Chinese medicine practitioner. He tends to believe MEI is carrying another man’s baby, he pushes her off the staircase, causing her miscarriage. On returning home, KEI demands KONG to cancel the accusation against YEUNG, he however orders someone to beat YEUNG up in jail. CHING keeps begging YEE for asking FUNG to confess his crime despite getting wet in the rain, nevertheless, she gets turned down. HING feels heartbreak upon knowing that CHING keeled over from exhaustion. CHING declines to attend the adoption ceremony of becoming a member of noble family. She speaks to YEE frankly that she would rather save her brother than to getting married. CHEUNG attempts to lure a staff of the photo printing shop in effort to get the photo taken by FUNG.… ...

TAK develops an obsessive enmity toward CHING and her family when she heard her husband and mother talking about their son’s accusation. WAH seeks to marry CHING secretly. So, HING makes arrangement for them. But the plan is finally exposed when he attempts in vain to get WAH’s seal. With a wish to draw WAH home, YEE pretends to be sick. To uphold family honor, she does not allow WAH to marry CHING. She threatens to kill herself as WAH refuses. Just before WAH is about to depart for Nanjing, he meets CHING and ends their relationship unwillingly. YEUNG is seriously injured in an attack by KONG’s people and his boat is destroyed by an arson fire. It turns out that KONG ordered the attack to punish YEUNG after he has paid a visit to MEI. In rage, KEI runs away from home after she is told by CHEUNG about the attack and what her father has done. To help KEI in the escape, CHEUNG brings her to the compound where she can settle down.… ...

When CHING is worrying about her future, she gets to learn that Big Happiness Restaurant is recruiting waitress. On the first day she starts working in the restaurant, she splashes water on a customer whom has molested her. Though she is blamed by HONG, she decides to stay and continue to work after listening to HONG’s advice. In order to draw KEI home, KONG stops providing her financial support. Suggested by CHEUNG, KEI agrees to get money from her father by cheating. HING is given hard times by YEE and TAK after he has helped YEUNG. He drowns his sorrows in Big Happiness Restaurant. While CHEUNG feels smug about conning KONG into buying a fake vase, KONG appears to get his money back. CHEUNG informs HING about the collaboration between BIU and KONG to attack Dongshan Commercial Bank. Immediately, HING advises his family about the scheme.… ...

FAN falls into a coma after gunshot. WAH returns home hurriedly from Nanjing to help arrange TONG’s funeral. During the funeral, BIU speaks insincerely in front of the military commanders and officers. WAH points his gun at BIU with obsessive rage. YEE tries her best to stop him. BIU and KONG viciously spread false rumors to blackmail Dongshan Commercial Bank, causing many customers to withdraw their money. WAH faces a serious liquidity problem as soon as he takes over the family business. CHUNG reports that there are three other banks offering corporate finance services to DC Bank. In order to gain BIU’s trust, HING informs him the sources of getting financial support. Later, CHUNG receives replies from the banks declining to offer loan service. TAK believes HING is the one who has betrayed the family, and she tells YEE about it. In rage, YEE orders HING to leave.… ...

CHING rushes to WAH, telling him about the assassination plan and hope to rescue HING at once. However, WAH refuses to help as he tends to believe HING in now in alliance with BIU. Without choices, CHING discloses the truth that HING is his brother. When BIU is persuading HING into collaborating with him, HING rises in revolt. It turns out that BIU has known about HING’s plan earlier, he manages to subdue HING. Fortunately, CHEUNG appears in time to help. Then, HING kills BIU with his gun right in front of his father’s grave. HING confesses his crime to Minister WOO and hands in to him a secret assassination name list he got from BIU. Finally, HING is released. YEE and the POON family finally realize that they have blamed him wrongly. Upon waking up from coma, FAN recognizes HING as a member of the POON family and appoints him to be the person in charge of family business and affairs. Soon after, he dies peacefully.… ...

Local government invites Dongshan Commercial Bank to invest in a railway project. KONG realizes that DC Bank does not have sufficient fund to support the investment project, so he suggests a financial aid to DC Bank. Believing that there is an ambition behind KONG’s support, CHUNG dissuades HING from accepting KONG’s offer. KEI’s birthday is approaching. CHEUNG appears abruptly in a gathering KEI has with her school friends. He is not aware of being teased. WAH visits CHING at Big Happiness Restaurant. He wishes to start a relationship with her again However, CHING hopes to concentrate on developing her career than starting a relationship at the moment. Still, taking a strong dislike to CHEUNG, KONG attempts to lure CHEUNG into breaking up with his daughter. CHEUNG believes the breakup will bring KEI a better future, so he accepts KONG’s request and his money as well. Soon after, he spends the money on prostitutes.… ...

Rumor about the love affair between WAH and KEI spread rampantly. HING suggests getting married is the best way to break the rumor and to end unnecessary problems. He adds that the problem also involved the crisis faced by the Dongshan Commercial Bank and the family. Extremely reluctantly, WAH has to accept the final decision made by his family. KONG suddenly keels over during a quarrel with KEI and is diagnosed with brain tumor. To avoid agitating her father, KEI promises to get married in the end. Companies’ shares are exchanged between the POON and the FONG families. Both families are busy doing pre-wedding preparation. TAK seeks reply from CHUNG on the loan application approval to a friend in Hong Kong. CHUNG agrees to get it approved. On the wedding day, YEE gets angry to see CHING whom is serving as a service attendant in the wedding. After the wedding, KEI and WAH agree to sleep separately.… ...

HIING does not approve the application and withdraw CHUNG’s authority to approve loan to customers. CHUNG blames TAK for not making clear about the person’s background before promising to help. One day, HING and YEE go outing. The mother and son put their pressures and burdens aside and enjoy a happy moment. CHING and the other waitresses are being disturbed when they are selling porridge in an open-air stall. An opportunity comes when TAI visits then and tells them there is a Chinese restaurant for selling. CHING thinks they can run a business on their own. So, they pay a site visit shortly. During a discussion, HONG tells everyone that she has won a lottery and has the money to pay the deposit for the deal. In the end, CHING becomes the restaurant owner. She shares her joy with HING.… ...

HIING and his people encounter a troop disguising as citizen, soon they reach an outpost successfully. It turns out that the donation money is used by the military force to wipe out the bandits. Shortly, HING begins the cooperation with the military department. On the opening day of CHING’s restaurant Tsui Hei Lau, HING asks CHEUNG to send a congratulatory flower basket to CHING. He also arranges media coverage for the event. CHEUNG encounters KEI dinning at Tsui Hei Lau. He tells her he still misses her very much. However, KEI says it is just too late. HING is assaulted by bandits and CHUNG gets caught. At the beginning, HING promises the bandits to stop supporting the military department, but then again is dissuaded by KONG. The bandits open fire when they find out that HING does not keep his words. CHUNG is later killed by crossfire in a gun battle. HING tells the family that CHUNG is kidnapped and killed by a gunshot.… ...

In front of CHUNG’s grave, TAK claims to seek revenge for his death. Although YEE offers her deep apology to TAK, it puzzles her as she is forced by TAK to disown HING from her family. YEE sends KEI a god statue which most people believe it helps bring offspring, and actually it carries a message to KEI that she should prepare to pregnant soon. Feeling disappointed, WAH quits his military and political career and decides to go back to Dongshan Commercial Bank to work after persuaded by his mother. On the first day he starts working, YEE prepares cakes to treat all the staff in the bank. HING feels upset and jealous to know that WAH has received praise for his performance. CHING travels to Fuzhou to discuss tea import matter after Tsui Hei Lau is found to have used poor quality tea. KONG wants to marry again. TAK attempts to marry her daughter CHONG SUK-WOON to KONG, yet WOON refuses and runs away from home.… ...

In order to exploit new business opportunities for Dongshan Commercial Bank, HING seeks to invite overseas investment from American banker. TAK attempts to sneak into HING’s room and steal a confidential document successfully. She hands the document to KONG. During a discussion over a capital injection deal, HING is turned down by a banker named Raymond Hall. HING aims to destroy the rival bank’s reputation by sending someone to place a bomb outside Nam Ping Industrial Bank. It turns out that Raymond is an old friend of WAH. WAH persuades Raymond into investing in Dongshan Commercial Bank successfully. After the deal, HING becomes even anxious about the loss of his power and being replaced by WAH one day. Unfortunately, the bomb accident injured CHING. HING goes to visit her. WAH finally realizes that HING is dating CHING. Without jealous feelings, he sends them best wishes.… ...

YEE dashes out the restaurant upon knowing CHING is HING’s girlfriend. Someone attempts to assassinate HING during an event. HING gets injured by a gunshot. Fortunately, WAH is there to save his life. Upon knowing MEI’s drug abuse problem, YEUNG promises to help her eliminate her addiction problem. CHEUNG and KEI stay overnight in KONG’s house to take care of MEI during her rehabilitation treatment. Prompted by CHEUNG, KEI finally tells him how she feels, tells him the fact that she does not sleep with her husband at all because she still loves him. YEE gets mad to know that WAH and KEI pretend to love each other. TAK attempts to blackmail the brothers, and discloses to WAH that his marriage with KEI was indeed a plan. The truth stuns WAH and KEI. CHEUNG blames HING for his selfishness and scheming to get what he wants. Conflicts between WAH and HING over love and career cause them to fall out with each other.

KEI blames her father after she has discovered that he lied about having cancer. WAH and KEI agree to divorce. YEE keels over when she is trying to prevent them from separating. YEE visits TAK and wishes to share with her the sorrows. TAK tells her the fact that she has stirred up conflicts deliberately. YEE returns home with a heavy heart. Her pain over the increasing conflicts between her two sons eventually overwhelms her, she keels over again. Jealousy rises up inside HING when WAH and CHING appear together. CHEUNG is leaving with KEI and MEI together. KONG keels over suddenly when he attempts to stop them from leaving. KEI is kidnapped soon after she has said goodbye to MEI. The kidnap is schemed by HING in the hope of forcing her to cancel the divorce. HING threatens to sue her for committed adultery in case she broke her words. YEE informs WAH soon after she has learnt that KONG is hospitalized.… ...

With a wish to earn HING’s repentance, CHING accompanies him to his hometown. Finally, HING realizes his family means a lot to him. He hopes to reconcile with WAH, nevertheless, he gets cold shoulder as WAH is still angry with him about KEI’s imprisonment. Realizing that he will not live long, KONG no longer objects to KEI’s decision to marry CHEUNG. KONG instigates WAH to seize power from HING. HING gets to know WAH has a private meeting with the directors of Dongshan Commercial Bank. In the hospital, HING forces KONG to sign an agreement. When WAH is hurrying to get the agreement back, he falls off a cliff accidentally. After failing to save WAH’s life, HING is left with deep regret and sadness. An enraged KEI rushes at HING and blames him for causing her father’s death. YEE keels over when she is told that WAH died after cliff fall. CHING is completely disappointed with HING for he is still trying to make distorted excuses.… ...

YEE is diagnosed with amnesia results from psychological cause after WAH’s death. She recognizes HING wrongly as WAH. HING orders his servants to keep WAH’s death hidden from his mother. TAK visits YEE. She starts to feel sympathy for her and attempts to bring her home, but is finally forced to leave alone by HING. KEI lends CHING money to pay HING back. For fear that CHING will not contact him any longer thereafter, HING tells her about his mother’s sickness. While HING is away, KAM attempts to talk to CHING privately and ask her to take YEE leaving. Shortly afterwards, YEE is brought to TAK’s home secretly by CHING, but HING appears to take her away. CHING is so despaired of him. Tsui Hei Lau is forced to close after its business license is withdrawn by the restaurant union, all the staff now become jobless. KEI suggests fighting for their rights through lawsuit.… ...

News of Japanese invasion spreads to Guangzhou. Minister WOO seeks support from HING so as to have Dongshan Commercial Bank remain in business in Guangzhou. YEE recalls her memory of WAH upon seeing his pictures. Soon after, she asks HING to go outing with her together. HING finally realizes she has complete recovery of memory. At this time, someone wants to kill HING. In an attempt to save HING, YEE falls to the ground after being shot. Tsui Hei Lau is closed owing to the outbreak of war. Friends of Tsui Hei Lau realize it is time to say goodbye and to pursue their own futures. CHING visits HING who reproaches himself for causing his beloved mother’s death. She tells him to repent before it is too late. HING decides to leave with CHING together and settle in Hong Kong. Notwithstanding, HING postpones his departure eventually as he cannot resist the lure of fame and fortune offered by Minster WOO.… ...