Wax and Wane (2011)

Although they learned everything about noodles from the same noodle shop, YUNG SHING-FUN and MAN WING-CHEONG have been at odds with each other for many years. Man Kay Noodle Factory, which is established by CHEONG and renowned for its hand-made noodles, is now managed by CHEONG’s eldest son KA-FUNG and his cousin HO KA-MOON. FUN’s Man Cheong Shing Group, on the other hand, prouds itself for its fully mechanical noodle workshop. FUN’s eldest son as well as the Group’s CEO, YUNG YI-TSUN, is holding the press conference of the Group’s new products but their noodle master is nowhere to be found. In fact, as instructed by FUN, the noodle master is now at the birthday banquet of FUN’s, MAN FA-TUNG, trying to swap noodles produced by Man Kay with Man Cheong Shing’s. MOON catches the noodle master red-handed. FUN absolves him from the blame with the excuse that there are rat feces on Man Kay’s noodles. FUNG flies into a fit of anger……

FU is conducting an interview with a boat family. When she returns to the pier, she is surprised to see TSUN waiting for her. Firmly believes that she is alienating HANG from him, he offers her a check and tells her to leave HANG. FUNG gives TSUN a severe beating, believing he is bullying his younger sister. TSUN reports to the police. HANG talks to his mother, LAI-YING, wishing that his other family members would also accept FU and let FUNG off. MOON is very worried about FUNG’s lawsuit. CHEONG’s foster son LAI PAK-HEI is a lawyer but he is currently out of own on business trip. MOON tells him to come back at once. HANG agrees to work at Man Cheong Shing on the condition that TSUN will let FUNG off. CHEONG takes Man Kay Noodle Factory’s deeds to see TSUN. Going down on his knees, he begs TSUN to give FUNG a chance. TSUN does not pay him any attention though. TSUN has a meeting with CHEONG and FUNG……

CHEONG proposes to exchange the location of his noodle shop with Man Cheong Shing shares. According to TSUN’s investigation, ZITA, daughter of the owner of Wah Fook Property, and FU’s relationship is no more than that of an interviewee and an interviewer. TSUN believes FU is misleading him purposely. He offers to gives CHEONG five percent shares in exchange for his noodle shop. Finding the offer humiliating, FUNG and CHEONG blame HANG for lining up with TSUN. On the other hand, FUN is not happy with the transaction either, but TSUN assures him this is a bargain, as they can purchase Man Kay at a price lower than the market price. He also has the confidence to suppress FUNG and MOON’s ambition. FU visits FUN and makes quite an impression on him. MOON feels she is being neglected at Man Cheong Shing. FUNG finds that different batches of flour are being used together. He turns off the machines……

FUN goes to his mistress WONG SAU-PING, who is also HUNG’s younger sister, after quarreling with TSUN. FUN apologizes to PING for failing to promote HUNG. On the other hand, he tells HUNG to continue his good work. FUN’s staff CHAN YAT-CHUNG takes PING and her son to FUN’s villa. Coincidentally, YING, YI-LAM and LEE KIU are also going to the villa. LAM and LI-KIU call PING a tramp and beat her and her son. YING has been admitted to hospital. FU calls on her with her cooking notes. FUNG puts forward a quality improvement proposal. Claiming that their production as well as benefits will be affected, TSUN rejects the proposal immediately. HUNG learns that HANG has come up with some ideas for new products. Now that FUNG’s proposal has been turned then, he invites HANG and FUNG to work together with him. HANG and FUNG have developed a new product named “Heart-to-heart noodles”. FU tries the noodles out at a wedding banquet……

TSUN is looking for an assistant marketing manager. HANG encourages FU to have a go so that FUN and TSUN can understand her more. FUN hopes that TSUN can give HANG an opportunity. TSUN agrees to let him take charge of a new product line. CHAN CHIK-MAN has fallen asleep in a cardboard box. MOON delivers the box to Dongguan, China, so as to teach him a good lesson. FUNG and his wife, KO WAI-TING, have a prenatal test, and are glad to learn that they are both fit to be parents. FU’s first duty at Man Cheong Shing is to escort guests at the “Heart-to-heart noodles” press conference. Someone has sent TSUN a dead rat. He reminds his secretary not to take in any pink presents. On the other hand, he tells the security guards to pay attention to women named CHIU. TSUN is astonished when his former girlfriend, NANCY, shows up. He believes FU has brought her deliberately to embarrass him.

YING blames herself for FU’s injury and for lining up NANCY and TSUN. She asks TSUN how his relationship with ADA is going. HANG reports the progress of the noodle eating competition to LAM and TSUN, who are both consultants to the Marketing Communication Department. LAM fully supports the project, whereas TSUN gives HANG full authority to take charge of it. HANG is surprised that YING has not talked to FUN yet about his plan to marry FU. Using her own marriage as an example, YING advises him to think twice. FUNG questions TSUN why low quality noodles supplied by their counterparts are being used. TSUN explains they are merely responding to market demand. CHUNG suggests MAN to participate in the noodle eating competition. After watching how MOON gobbles large quantities of noodles down in a short time, MAN decides to challenge her. Encouraged by HANG, FUNG presents his quality improvement proposal at a meeting……

The MAN’s have made a spectacle of themselves publicly. MOON blames herself for taking part in the competition. TSUN’s meeting with the Marketing Communication Department runs up to midnight. FU suggests patching up FUN and CHEONG. While TSUN supports the idea, he doubts if she can persuade CHEONG. MOON and MAN are fired after they are caught fighting with each other. FUNG pleads for MOON. He also suggests using MOON as their endorsement. He quits after TSUN has turned down his suggestion. FU and HANG upload the video clip of MOON taking part in the noodle eating competition on to the Internet respectively. They believe MOON can return to Man Cheong Shing if she shoots to stardom. On the other hand, CHUNG begs FUN to hire MAN again. MOON meets MAN at a training course. With a view to proving that he is more able than her, he volunteers to help the instructor demonstrate how to use a fire extinguisher and almost has an accident.

MAN is grateful to MOON for saving his life. To show his appreciation, he decides to call her “Master” from now on. ZITA treats FU to dinner to thank her for her help. FU invites TSUN to join them. FUNG returns to the office after dark. LI LEUNG, director of the factory, is trying to steal the noodles with his creditors. FUNG tries all he could to invite TSUN to try his newly developed burdock noodles. TSUN announces a pay rise at the company’s ball. Everybody is excited by the good news. TSUN has broken up with his girlfriend. HANG gives him a few words of consolation. TSUN tells his brother job is and will always be his first priority. FU is very pleased to see the brothers are on good terms again. TSUN shows his American agent around the noodle factory. The agent is deeply impressed by MOON’s traditional noodle making skills and FUNG’s burdock noodles. TSUN apologizes to FUNG for looking down upon him and his family……

TSUN tries to find out more about the shares allocation from CHUNG but to no avail. He then turns to FUN, who admits giving some shares to PING and her son. KIU barges in Man Cheong Shing, accusing HUNG of letting his younger sister destroy FUN’s family. TSUN stops her in no time. Feeling that YING has made him lose face, FUN moves out to live with PING. YING proposes a divorce. When FUN insists that he has done nothing wrong, she leaves in tears. TSUN shows YING the family photos they took for the company’s new commercial. She sighs, feeling that it is a blessing to have a harmonious family. She asks TSUN to give MOON an opportunity. He promises to give it a thought. TSUN has hired an image consultant for MOON. The image consultant concludes that MOON needs to be improved in every way. MOON throws a tantrum, believing TSUN is meant to make her a laughing stock.

MOON bombards TSUN for disgracing her. FU tells her TSUN is only trying to improve her image so that she can act as Man Cheong Shing’s endorsement. HEI invites MOON to dinner. MAN tells her the restaurant is a very popular place for lovers to express their love for or propose to their loved ones. When she arrives at the restaurant, she is hugely disappointed to know that it is MELODY’s birthday. TSUN cannot find Wah Fook Property’s confidential document anywhere. He believes HUNG has taken it. FU and HANG help him to search for the document. It has been quite some time since FU went out. TSUN finally finds her, who has twisted her ankles in the rain. He takes her to a bonesetter, after which they have dinner together. TSUN takes MOON to shopping. Everybody in the family likes her new image very much. Much to CHEONG’s relief, MOON assures him she will only wear TSUN’s clothes at work.

MOON has had enough of courses TSUN has enrolled her in. TSUN cheers her up. The shooting of the TV ad has finally finished. MOON and TSUN are so excited that they hug each other. CHEONG sees them as he walks into the studio. HEI tells CHEONG MOON and TSUN get along very well with each other. CHEONG hits TSUN with a wooden stick. FUN commends on their family photos, only to be given the cold shoulder by TSUN. TSUN tries to sound her mother out. To his surprise, she is aware of CHEONG’s secret. TSUN decides to keep a distance from MOON. She is upset by his sudden change of attitude. The burdock noodles are selling well in the US market. TSUN encourages FUNG to carry on with the development of other products. MOON recommends MAN to TSUN. Taking her recommendation, TSUN has a talk with MAN. MAN claims he has a very intimate relationship with MOON, resulting in a warning from TSUN.

CHEONG wants to cook some noodles for his friend who is seriously ill. FUNG and MOON therefore take him to the workshop. When TSUN discovers this, he blames FUNG for mixing business and personal matters. TSUN plans to recommend MOON for the company’s “Elite Training Program”. He asks FU about MOON’s personalities and childhood. TSUN has decided that it is not the best time for the company to go IPO. As such, he intends to premiere MOON’s TV commercial at the press conference originally meant for the IPO. MOON, obviously very wrought-up, gives a speech at the premiere. For the first time ever, FUN finds her very familiar. HANG apologizes to FU for failing to attend a meeting. He invites her to lunch but she turns him down. FU complains HANG to ZITA. HANG shows up suddenly with a huge surprise. She nods her head yes when he proposes to her. FU is absent from a meeting because of a phone call……

Unable to give PING some shares, FUN buys her an apartment in his neighborhood as compensation. TSUN hires a private detective to find out if FU is going out with another man. The investigation report finds that she has been recently going out a lot with her first boyfriend, DONALD. HANG is not happy that TSUN should do so, but FU finds it not a bad thing, as TSUN will then know more about her. DONALD barges in ZITA’s restaurant and stabs HANG with a knife. When he comes round, HANG announces that he is marrying FU. When they are home, FUN tells his family he is not going to support HANG. TSUN takes the initiative to back his brother up. FUN is mad. YING runs into MOON when she visits HANG at the hospital. Memory of the past flashes back to her. TSUN hears that FUNG is moving house for HUNG. Not until then does he know that PING has moved into his neighborhood.

HANG has been discharged. He wishes that CHEONG would let him marry FU. When he knows that FUN does not support them, CHEONG assures HANG he has his back. MOON has missed her flight but TSUN does not say anything about this. She confesses not wanting to leave HEI, and decides not to study abroad altogether. PING suggests FUN and YING to throw a 40th anniversary party. FUN’s idea takes everybody by surprise, but YING is pleased about it. She invites CHEONG’s family to the party. YING feels dizzy at the party. LONG-LONG, FUN and PING’s son, is running a fever. FUN is on the phone the whole evening checking up his condition. TSUN invites FUN and YING to go up the stage to share the secret to their successful marriage. FUN’s phone rings again and he leaves in a hurry. YING passes out.

YING has finally come round. She appreciates how FU has put the situation under control. She announces HANG and FU’s engagement and invites their guests to celebrate with them. YING faints again. TSUN makes FUNG tell him where PING lives so that he can look for FUN. LONG’s school calls HUNG to tell them LONG is not feeling well. PING and FUN hurry to the hospital. HUNG vents his anger on his staff when he returns to the workshop. FUNG takes him to a bar, where he tells FUNG his bitter past in Mainland. YING is diagnosed with early stage of dementia. With a view to cheering her up, TSUN suggests HANG and FU putting forward their wedding. CHEONG could not believe it when TSUN invites him to be Man Cheong Shing’s consultant.

MOON supports CHEONG’s taking up of the post of consultant, but FUNG feels there is something unusual about TSUN’s change of attitude. YING and FU are discussing about FU’s wedding at her new shop. TSUN gives them a ride. YING walks away shortly after they get there. Man Kay Noodles Factory will be pulling down soon. CHEONG and FU plan to return to the factory to takes photo. MOON waits for FU at the factory. YING has come. Her words confuses MOON. Meanwhile, FU has come as well. She is astonished that YING is taking MOON for her late mother, SUK-KUEN. The memory of how she pushed KUEN down a stairs comes back to YING as she looks at their old photos. She confesses causing her miscarriage to TSUN and FU. YING would like FUN to buy a pair of gold bangles wit her. As he has promised LONG to take him home after school, he turns her down with a make-up excuse. YING has a relapse and is knocked down to death by a car……

FUN blames himself for his wife’s death. HANG tells him it was only an accident. TSUN, who walks past, asks FUN where he was when the accident happened. There is something wrong with Man Cheong Shing’s production line. Their American agent would like to withdraw from the cooperation. If that is the case, Man Cheong Shing will lose a lot of money. TSUN is worried. FUNG has developed a new kind of healthy noodle. He suggests introducing it to the Mainland China. Something urgent comes up. TSUN has to go on a trip. He authorizes HANG to take care of their mother’s funeral, promising his younger brother he will return on the day of the funeral. He fails to keep his words though. TSUN requests FUNG to produce a large quantity of healthy noodles in a short time. He also tells FUNG why he could not make it to his mother’s funeral. Unwilling to see HANG blaming his brother, FU tells HANG TSUN has been away to resolve the crisis of the company.

FUNG and his staff manage to meet the production target. TSUN is very satisfied with their hard work, and promises to give a bonus to them. HANG tries to talk TSUN into forgiving FUN. Two American pop stars are visiting Hong Kong. HANG invites them to a marketing event, where they get the chance to taste Man Cheong Shing’s noodles. The event proves to be very successful, and the American agent agrees to cooperate with them again. TSUN flies into a fit of anger when he goes home to find PING and her son. HANG takes them away in no time. This does not clam TSUN down though. He tells FUN MOON is indeed his daughter. This comes as a blow to FUN and he has a stroke. FU meets with some supermarket representatives on behalf of TSUN. Later, she writes him a note to cheer up him. He is touched. Rather surprisingly, FUN wakes up from his coma, though he has difficulty with his mobility. He is upset that TSUN is no longer around……

CHUNG calls on FUN at the hospital. FUN is very touched. He resumes CHUNG’s duty so that he can accompany him every day. TSUN visits FUN with his favorite snack. The father and son are finally reconciled. FUN is discharged. PING has made some soup for him. She begs his helper to take it to FUN. TSUN goes up to see what is going on. KIU has been injured. TSUN gives PING a good telling-off. But when KIU tells him the truth, he realizes how reckless he has been and apologizes to PING. What is more, he lets she and LONG move in. FUNG takes HUNG to a gym, where HUNG reveals his secret. FUN has bought MOON many clothes, as he would like to take her to dinner. TING and others are all very pleased for her, but she’s only looking forward to good food. FUN tries to introduce a man to MOON but she is not interested at all and makes herself a laughing stock.

Embarrassed, MOON makes a dash for the washroom. She sees MELODY kissing a man. On the other hand, HEI is determined to run after MELODY. In order to thank CHEONG and his children for their contribution to Man Cheong Shing, TSUN decides to give shares to them. FUN praises CHEONG for the way he raises up his children. FU, who has been very down lately, has gone disappeared. ZITA informs TSUN about this. He has finally finds her, who is in tears. FUN suggests FUNG cooking longevity noodles for TUNG on her birthday. MOON advises HEI to be careful with MELODY but he mistakenly believes that she is badmouthing his girlfriend. MOON throws a tantrum at MELODY’s law firm. FUN cannot bear to see MOON feeling upset about HEI. He decides to teach him a lesson. As a result, HEI moves out of CHEONG’s house altogether.

With a view to hiding away from FUN, MOON eats like a horse in TUNG’s birthday banquet while waiting for the best time to sneak out. She cannot be more embarrassed when CHEONG and FUN each brings her a bowl of noodles and requests to take photographs with her. FUN is not pleased that CHEONG competes with him in every way. He reveals his affair with KUEN on impulse, surprising everybody in the banquet. KIU tells TSUN the grudges between FUN and CHEONG. TSUN feels very sorry for what his father has done. Mistakenly believes that CHEONG has betrayed her for the sake of Man Cheong Shing shares, MOON leaves home in anger. FUNG orders the production of the 5-coloured noodles be stopped. In the meantime, he is determined to file a lawsuit against FUN. He, taking along the sales report of Man Cheong Shing, asks HEI to give him a hand. HEI turns him down though……

MOON is starving but she does not have a penny. She gets red-handed when she is trying to steal bread. Fortunately, TING sees her, helps her out of her plight and even finds her a flat. TSUN meets with TING, telling her he would like to find MOON a job. FUNG sees them. When HUNG tells him TING and TSUN have entered a hotel together, he is more certain TING and TSUN are going out again. TSUN cannot understand why FUNG’s attitude has changed so suddenly. He plans to ask FU what is going on. He runs into HANG, and tells him what he thinks. HANG tells TSUN what KIU has told him in return. FUNG and HUNG have secured Man Cheong Shing a contract with a mainland group. TSUN promises to promote them Director and Assistant Director for the Research and Development Department respectively. PING and her son have moved in with FUN. LAM goes home to give her two brothers a good telling-off as soon as she has learnt about this……

TSUN falls into a deep trance looking at the pair of earrings he has bought FU. ZITA appears with a birthday invitation. She recognizes that the earrings are designed by FU’s favorite designer. ZITA wears the earrings TSUN bought her at her birthday party. HANG finds it strange that FU is wearing exactly the same pair. HEI is astonished to learn that MOON is working as a waitress. He advises her to return home. TING is not feeling well. TSUN runs into her, and accompanies her to the doctor’s. It turns out that she is pregnant. FUNG sees them again. TING tells FUNG the good news, only to be accused of carrying TSUN’s baby. As if this is not enough, TSUN shows her the door. FU asks TSUN about the whereabouts of TING after a meeting. HANG overhears their conversation. Later, he asks FU to marry him right in front of TSUN so as to force TSUN to tell him there is nothing going on between he and TING.

Interrogated by HANG, FU has no choice but to tell him what happened in the evening when she and TSUN were both drunk. HUNG informs PING that his mother has passed away. PING worries a lot about him. Adopting ZITA’s advice, FU revisits the inn in Japan where she met HANG. She is hugely disappointed when she sees him acting intimately with TSUN’s ex-girlfriend. TSUN hires a private detective to find out if HUNG is having an affair with PING. In addition, he returns home suddenly to check out about them. As expected, they are together. HANG looks very depressed when he is home. TSUN gives him a few words of consolation. HUNG befriends with HANG and mentions FU and TSUN in front of HANG purposely. FU tells TSUN HANG is going out with another girl. TSUN believes there must be some misunderstanding between the lovers. He therefore tells her not to think too much before she finds out more about the truth. HUNG bribes FUN’s domestic helpers.

Informed by his private eye, TSUN makes a dash for the villa. He is surprised to find FU there. Just when they are wondering what is going on, HANG appears. He tells FU he has quit and moved out of home. He proposes to FU but she rejects him. FUNG learns that FU has seen HANG and that HANG and TSUN had a fight in the office. FUNG blames FU for failing to handle her relationship with TSUN properly. FU denies his accusations, and tells him to be on his guard against HUNG. He does not think so, firmly believing that the YUNGs are indebted to them. CHEONG overhears their conversation. He did not know until then that FUN has been lying all these years. MOON would like to patch up FUNG and TING. FUNG insists to take TING for a DNA test. Humiliated, TING kicks him out in anger. HUNG has been sowing discord between TSUN and HANG. TSUN decides to give him the axe.

HUNG has applied for funding for the purchase of machine yet it never arrives. TSUN therefore suspects he is embezzling the company’s money. HUNG defends himself in no time. FUNG finds it unreasonable that TSUN should fire HUNG. He wants to reason with TSUN, but HUNG stops him. FUN is angry, too, blaming TSUN for showing no respect for him. HUNG discovers that MOON is staying with CHUNG and MAN. He sends someone to follow CHUNG and informs FUN at the same time. HUNG waits for MOON at a supermarket warehouse, making their encounter sound like a sheer coincidence. He tries to talk her into becoming a girl in the upper class, only then will she be good enough for HEI. MOON moves in to live with FUN. FUN is thrilled to bits. He thanks HUNG for making this possible. LAM goes home for dinner. She is so furious to see LONG and MOON that she calls them “mongrels”. FUN scolds her and shows her the door.

PING helps MOON decorate her room. She is also grateful to MOON for standing up for LONG. MOON is cooking in the kitchen when TSUN appears. She despises him for destroying the relationships of FUNG and TING, and HANG and FU. TSUN is thinking of entering the red wine business, which is part of his plan to save the company. He does not involve FU, as there is possibility that he will break the law in do so. On the other hand, FUNG hires a private eye to investigate TSUN’s red wine business. FU has been waiting for HANG at the marriage registry the whole afternoon but he has failed to show up. FUN breaks off with TSUN. What is more, he takes out the contract that can serve as a proof that TSUN has transferred a hundred million dollars from Man Cheong Shing to his red wine company. TSUN moves out. HANG takes over his position of CEO. HUNG, who has resumed his duty, teases at TSUN.

TSUN and KIU have become TING’s neighbors. KIU cannot understand why he does not feel embarrassed at all. TSUN meets with ZITA’s father, CHUNG-TAI, hoping that he will support him financially. TAI tells him only ZITA’s fiance will have his support. Man Cheong Shing does very well the first day it enters the stock market. FUNG is very excited. He announces his plan to open a factory in Mainland China. FU does not feel well. FUNG finds a medical report in her handbag. He demands FU to tell him who is the baby’s father. FU refuses to tell him though, and moves out to live with TING all together. FUNG discovers that HANG indulges himself in alcohol and drugs. As a result, he has to authorize HUNG to endorse important documents for him. FUNG has found out the truth. To his surprise, HUNG is in the know of HANG’s recent behavior. He also invites FUNG to join them……

MONG and HUNG make an inspection of the factory. MAN complains to MOON about the deteriorating quality of the flour but she pays no attention to him. FU and TING would like to run a small shop together. On the other hand, TSUN is busy sourcing funds with a view to buying back Man Cheong Shing. HUNG, however, manages to make TAI and other businessmen withdraw from investing in TSUN. HUNG tells MOON how TSUN spoke ill about Man Cheong Shing at a press conference. He wants to use her to earn quick bucks by gathering inside information from her suitor. MOON goes home to find FUN having a stroke. CHEONG tidies up the house. He is astonished to find in FUNG’s room TSUN’s signature samples. TSUN visits FUN at the hospital. HANG picks up a fight with him. HUNG forces MOON to dig out more inside information from her suitor as well as what is going on between TSUN and TAI.

MOON runs into HEI. He accuses her of becoming another person and begs her to get back to him. HUNG plans to buy more Man Cheong Shing shares but FUNG refuses to join him. Refusing to give up, HUNG spends all his saving on buying Man Cheong Shing shares. No sooner has he done so than TAI clarifies at a press conference that he has no plan to buy out Man Cheong Shing. HANG exposes HUNG’s evil deeds. As soon as he has run away from HANG’s office, HUNG tells PING to wait meet for him in the villa. PING arrives on her own. HUNG asks her why. She lies that she does not want their son to lead a poor life with them. He wants to returns home to pick LONG but PING stops him. TSUN announces the reconstruction of the company’s management at a press conference. HANG has quit his drinking and drug habit. He goes to FU’s shop to propose to her once again.