L'Escargot

Like the majority of people in Hong Kong, renovation contractor KWAN KA-ON is desperate for more living space as he and the other eight family members have been residing together in a very small flat. They are a happy family after all, despite the petty bickering over the trivia of everyday life once in a while. Noticing that her daughter is growing up day by day, ON’s wife SZE LONG-KIU would like to buy another flat so that the girl can have a better living environment. ON and KIU are shocked to see the soaring house prices in the property agency, which remind them of one of the most painful experiences in their life. ON’s little sister KA-LOK goes on a date with her boyfriend TING TOON-FUNG, during which she reveals that ON is planning to purchase a new flat. FUNG returns home after work, and makes a grimace of disgust when he sees his father TING HOI having his dinner in the living room……

ON and HOI come to a luxurious mansion for a sub-contract renovation project. ON discovers that the concrete floor is not even enough and needs his team to carry out the leveling works at once. The interior designer and the property owner GAO WANG-CHIM come to check the renovation progress, during which CHIM is so impressed by ON’s strong sense of responsibility that he decides to put him in charge of the renovation of the entire house. FUNG and LOK go shopping together. LOK tries on a dress and a pair of shoes at a prestigious boutique, and later on takes a photo of them in secret. Thinking that the luxurious fashion items are too expensive to afford, LOK ends up buying herself a pair of shoes in a bargain shop. LOK is almost knocked down by CHIM and CHIM is generous enough to write her a cheque for HK$10,000 as a gesture of apology……

BEN agrees to provide a better offer as requested by SIU-LAN, while HONG and ON have both promised to sell their flat too. But as soon as ON has left, LAN asks HONG to withhold the plan so that they can try to negotiate for an even better price. LING spoils ON’s daughter HAU-LAM excessively, which annoys KIU quite a bit. KIU suffers from a bellyache after eating a fat-rich meal prepared by LING, which worries ON no end. ON gives HONG a call, and is shocked to find that he and LAN are actually taking part in a demonstration outside the Goal Jim Group’s headquarters. The water supply is suddenly cut off when LAN is washing her hair, and a heap of hell bank notes are found near the door soon afterwards. HONG is knocked down by a car while trying to catch the guy who has thrown in the hell bank notes. ON goes to see CHIM at the Goal Jim Group asking for an explanation……

LAN receives a legal letter from the Goal Jim Group advising that it has already secured 80% of property ownership and will proceed to the compulsory auction process soon enough. LAN puts all the blame onto ON now that her dream is completely shattered. Filled with regret, ON promises to look after HONG and his family as best as he can. After his flat is auctioned, HONG moves back to LING’s property with his family. LOK and her boss have a lunch meeting with their clients at a deluxe restaurant. LOK runs into the assistant to the Chinese Medicine professor inside the restaurant, from whom she learns that it is CHIM who has arranged for the professor to visit HONG. Knowing that LAN has been selfishly using his siblings’ personal resources, HONG is consumed with anger and cannot help giving her a telling-off……

KIU returns home and is shocked to see the newly washed clothes in her bedroom. It is actually LAN who has put the clothes there. WING takes HONG to a psychiatrist, who manages to find out that financial stress is the cause of HONG’s depression. In order to save up for the down payment, ON keeps working day and night despite the acute stomach pain. FUNG suggests co-habiting with LOK so that her family can enjoy more living space. But due to LING’s strong opposition, the pair have finally given up the idea. LOK’s colleague DAISY is being so nice to her all of a sudden. Believing that LOK is in a relationship with CHIM, DAISY asks LOK to get her a job in the Goal Jim Group. CHIM brings a prestigious client to the new estate for a look, after which LOK discovers a bag full of money being left unattended on the floor……

After receiving the call from HOI, LOK rushes to the hospital to see ON. ON, however, blames HOI for startling LOK and causing her to worry. Not wanting KIU and the rest of the family to worry about him, ON asks LOK to keep this to herself only. LAM’s fingers are getting itchy after she has helped tidy away the shoes. ON and KIU are shocked to see the rash on LAM’s palms, and the girl is later diagnosed as having scabies. Fearing the spread of scabies among the family, LAM asks to put up in the hotel for a day to ensure her own health as well as that of her baby. ON has finally completed the renovation works for CHIM. CHIM offers ON an extra bonus and another renovation contract, but ON rejects him right away. FUNG’s siblings tell him that SIM has gone to the hospital to visit a child. Knowing that SIM is looking after his stepbrother, FUNG is consumed with anger……

LOK accompanies LAN to the clinic for a prenatal check-up. After returning home, LAN proudly reveals to LING that she is carrying a boy, which thrills LING enormously. Now that LAN is expecting a boy, she has started to make more and more requests to the family. LAN has a chat with LOK in the middle of the night, during which she persuades LOK to start co-habiting with FUNG, and LOK is well aware of her sister-in-law’s real intention. FUNG reveals to SIM that he has purchased an HOS flat but SIM does not seem to be very excited about the news. FUNG invites LOK to his new home for a housewarming dinner, during which HOI suddenly appears but is driven out of the apartment by FUNG right away. ON who is in charge of the renovation of CHIM’s serviced apartment discovers that the contractor has been carrying out substandard works. The contractor boss WAI forces ON to carry on with the renovation without revealing anything……

CHIM offers to drive ON home, during which ON makes a sincere apology to CHIM. The two of them have finally become friends. FUNG returns to his old residence to get back some personal belongings, and he becomes even angrier with his father when he sees SIM there busy cleaning up the flat. LOK points out that SIM is still very close to HOI, with which FUNG also agrees. FUNG asks HOI to give up his family in mainland China but HOI… MIKE brings LOK to a business gathering with a client called VICTOR, during which VICTOR tries to date LOK but is rejected. MIKE is not happy with LOK’s attitude and gives her a telling-off right away. Their conversation is however accidentally overheard by CHIM who passes by. LAM gets bullied by CHO-KWAI. Having noticed everything, LOK points out to ON that it is all a plot by LAN who has been trying to force his family out of their residence……

KIU manages to look after the family during ON’s stay at the hospital, which has earned herself great respect from everyone. Having spotted WING taking medicine inside the kitchen, HONG and LOK suspect that he is on drugs. Upon his discharge from the hospital, ON announces his decision to move away. To save up more money for their future, ON and KIU start to consider renting a small studio flat. KIU has tea with her parents, during which PUI-YIU suggests putting LAM up at her place. WING swerves to avoid the girl BOOK KING while delivering food, and crashes the motorcycle soon afterwards. As a result of that, WING is sacked from his job. CHIM runs into LOK and starts to feel for her having noticed how she keeps struggling for work and life. CHIM asks his staff to acquire the PR agency which LOK is serving and make it Goal Jim Group’s internal PR department. Now that they have separated from LAM, ON and KIU feel so upset.

KIU has seriously started job hunting, hoping that she and ON can move out of the studio flat and purchase a property of their own as soon as possible. KIU has a job interview with a bank but is not chosen for the second interview as a result of age discrimination. Knowing that Mr CHEUK is also planning to acquire U & I PR Agency, CHIM asks CHEUK’s nephew VINCENT out for dinner and tries to convince him to give up the acquisition plan. To facilitate CHIM’s acquisition plan, MAN-WAH has also arranged a dinner gathering with Mr CHEUK. WING has been jobless since his dismissal. Without anything to do, he just keeps wandering about day after day. WING has almost used up his savings, and reluctantly turns to LOK for help. LOK receives HR’s notification and is astonished to learn that she is entitled to a significant increase in salary……

KIU tells ON about her reunion with YEUNG CHUNG-WAI when he gets back home, which reminds ON of how he and WAI used to woo KIU years ago. With WAI’s help, KIU has finally secured a job with Cosmo Bank. KIU is shocked to see a dead mouse on the floor when she returns home from work. Unfortunately ON is so busy with work that he cannot come back at once to do the clean-up, so KIU would rather wait in the street. Suddenly WAI turns up… ON arrives home and is startled to see WAI there. KING has located WING, and realizing that she is the one who has caused his dismissal, WING gives her a horrible telling-off. HONG has had a number of job interviews but does not get any offer. Left with no better alternatives, WING decides to work as a van driver again but is careless enough to have caused a car accident later on. WING turns to KING for help and KING has finally managed to find him a job with a luxurious clubhouse……

ON suffers from severe low back pain as soon as he wakes up. KIU urges him to see the doctor but ON does not listen to her. To allow more time for revision, KIU goes back to the bank earlier than expected to go through the reference materials. ON manages to find KIU a second-hand computer but it breaks down right after being turned on, leaving KIU all the more disappointed. During their chat, CHIM suggests ON set up a company of his own, but ON just cannot make up his mind. CHOI-YEE does a photo shoot in the street for her assignment, and has FUNG and LOK captured in secret. HONG has a gathering with his friend YU, during which YU reveals that a European client is looking for some electronic components. HONG approaches the electronic components supplier CHAN SHUN asking if there is any room for collaboration……

KIU gets back to the bank early in the morning, hoping to study more about the American stock market with the office computer. WAI takes out a rather new laptop and passes it to her, saying that she can keep it for personal use if needed. KIU follows her colleagues to the pub for a drink and invites ON to join them too. But ON is not sociable enough and feels a sense of inferiority when chatting with KIU’s colleagues. ON has a chat with WAH when receiving occupational therapy at the medical center, during which WAH also encourages him to set up a renovation company of his own. HONG is unable to reach SHUN after giving him the money. He goes to the factory to look for SHUN, but is shocked to find that he has been conned. HONG reveals the truth to LAN. LAN is so distressed that she is going to call ON at once, but is stopped by HONG right away. YEE gets FUNG a spare copy of his photos as promised……

Desperate to help LOK and her family, FUNG tries margin buying but ends up suffering a great loss and owing a huge debt to the financial institution. To avoid the debt collectors, FUNG decides to put up at Lamma Island with LOK tentatively. It is the grand opening of ON’s renovation company, but when he and KIU return home, they find the flat is overwhelmed with a horrible smell. ON and KIU go to visit LAM at YIU’s home. KIU is a little upset realizing that LAM is not as close to her as she used to be. Not wanting to be separate from LAM any more, ON suggests purchasing a flat in the name of his company. WING goes to chill out at the video arcade on his day-off but gets a call from LING all of a sudden telling him about KING’s unexpected visit. WING has rejected KING and is shocked to see HONG sitting sadly outside the door upon his return home. HONG has received a legal letter urging him to repay HK$600,000……

Knowing that LOK is beset by financial problems, CHIM is going to offer help with a well-thought approach. LOK reveals to FUNG that CHIM is looking for an investment consultant, following which FUNG decides to recommend himself to the business tycoon. ON and KIU are busy looking for a new residence. With the help of the real estate broker, the couple have finally found a flat which suits them well in every aspect. WING has been trying to avoid KING ever since he rejected her, but KING is not going to give up and makes a confession of love once again believing that WING is still fond of her. FUNG has finally managed to settle his debts. He points out to LOK that there is an anonymous investor who has helped push the share prices up. LOK runs into CHIM, during which CHIM explains to her what he has done to help FUNG……

LOK is filled with remorse after having sex with CHIM. LOK decides to resign, but CHIM tries every possible way to get her to change her mind. KIU cannot bear to see Mr and Mrs WONG end up divorced, so she finally agrees to cancel the property sale and purchase agreement. As a token of thanks and compensation, Mr WONG has given KIU HK$100,000. LAN who is about to give birth urges HONG to send her to a private hospital for a Caesarean delivery. HONG has no choice but to accept her request. The nurse in charge asks ON to pay a deposit on behalf of LAN. Knowing that ON will end up paying all the fees for HONG, KIU stops him at once. KING goes to have breakfast with WING and LING, during which she tries to push WING into marrying her, which embarrasses him no end. After a long and intense debate, WING finally gives in to LING’s and KING’s persuasion and agrees to tie the knot with KING……

LOK and FUNG decide to tie the knot and the KWANs are all so happy for the pair. ON needs FUNG to inform HOI of his marriage in person. Knowing that FUNG is marrying, HOI asks SIM to move back to the public housing flat so that FUNG and LOK can enjoy their new life in the HOS flat. His idea is strongly opposed by FUNG, though. HONG has joined ON’s renovation company. Desperate for more business opportunities, HONG keeps offering special discounts to clients without consulting ON or any of his teammates, which irks HOI and the rest of the company profoundly. ON is shocked to see a group of shopkeepers and the District Council member demonstrating in the mall. The shopkeepers recognize ON and rebuke him for ganging up with CHIM in pushing up the rent. CHIM is heartbroken to hear that LOK and FUNG are going to the bridal shop for the fitting. CHIM follows the pair to the bridal shop……

FUNG is astonished to discover that LOK is having an affair with CHIM. He rebukes LOK for cheating on him for money, and LOK just does not know how to explain it all. LOK is not back yet even in the middle of the night, which worries the whole family no end. ON manages to locate FUNG and asks him about LOK’s whereabouts at once. FUNG, who is in a horrible mood, reluctantly reveals to ON how LOK has betrayed him. ON gives LOK a severe telling-off as soon as he sees her, making her extremely guilty and embarrassed. ON goes to see CHIM to ask for an explanation. But before CHIM can respond, ON has already given him a punch in the face. CHIM stays up all night to look after LOK who has fallen sick, thus failing to return home until the very next morning. Realizing that CHIM is lying to her, WAH starts to feel a little worried. YEE runs into the blink drunk FUNG and brings him to a five-star hotel for recuperation……

FUNG is shocked to see YEE sitting by his side when he wakes up from his stupor. He reveals to YEE that he has already called off his wedding, and YEE just feels so sorry for him and LOK. FUNG is resolved to concentrate on his career but unfortunately ends up being dismissed as a result of unauthorized absence from work. Knowing that LOK and FUNG have officially broken up, KIU suggests that LOK should consider revealing the truth to him. LOK is however reluctant to rub salt into FUNG’s wound and rejects the idea straight away. LOK finds it so hard to face her family that she is going to move away temporarily. KIU tells ON that she has found a very nice flat, but ON explains that he has given all his savings to CHIM as a settlement for what the KWOKs have owed him all these days and that he has no more money for property purchasing at the moment. KIU is furious to hear what he says……

KIU urges ON to recover the money from CHIM, but ON rejects her request at once as he does not want LOK to get involved with CHIM any more. CHUNG-WAI asks KIU to come over to his room for a word, during which he reveals that KIU will soon be promoted to replace the bride-to-be ANNIE as a senior executive. Desperate to buy a property of their own, ON and KIU keep working all day and night and can only afford to talk to each other over the phone. FUNG goes to meet CHIM pleading for the position as Accounts Manager with the Luxurious Apartments Section. Knowing that YEE is also at the office, FUNG would like to thank her in person. LOK is a little upset when she sees FUNG passing his jade pendant to YEE as a gift of thanks. WAH falls unconscious midway through a sauna session, but is lucky enough to have been rescued by ON in the nick of time……

KIU attributes LAM’s disappearance to their long-running accommodation problems, and urges ON to recover the money from CHIM as soon as possible. Hoping to share her joy with FUNG, YEE brings him to a cafe to let him get a glimpse of her favorite painting “Mona Kitty”. FUNG manages to convince CHIM to invest in a property development project in Sheung Shui. With complete confidence in FUNG, CHIM has also offered him a high degree of autonomy over manpower recruitment in respect of the Sheung Shui project. During their casual chat at home, WAH asks CHIM to spend more time with her while CHIM suggests going on a trip overseas together. LAN keeps skiving day after day, leaving LING to look after her newborn baby alone. LING cannot put up with LAN any more and finally walks out the door after a terrible quarrel with her……

LOK is extremely depressed after being insulted by FUNG. CHIM is going to set off to the airport right after the meeting so that he and WAH can fly out of Hong Kong together for an overseas trip. But knowing that LOK has sank into a horrible mood, he finally has a change of heart. FUNG proposes bidding for a piece of land to facilitate the property development project, which CHIM finds quite feasible after learning about the details. FUNG goes to pick YEE up at the university, which comes as a real surprise for the girl. Not long after, YEE’s classmate BING shows up and invites her to his birthday party. BING is actually a family member of the Amber Group, which happens to be one of FUNG’s strongest rivals in the land auction. Knowing that KING has been prying into his financial status, WING feels a lack of respect from her and is totally furious……

ON is taken to the police station for investigation. It is originally categorized as an industrial accident but ON is later detained on suspicion of handling stolen property. KIU tells CHUNG-WAI about ON’s situation, and CHUNG-WAI is kind enough to accompany her to Barrister PAO’s office to seek consultation. Believing that KIU will not be able to afford the legal fees, Barrister PAO refuses to take the case. Realizing how helpless KIU must be at the moment, CHUNG-WAI offers to put her up temporarily. Having stayed with CHIM for quite a number of days, WAH believes that he has probably got his secret lover out of his head. But the truth is that… CHIM who has successfully bid for the land decides to put FUNG in charge of the property development project. CHIM has once again failed to return home for dinner for the sake of LOK, which infuriates WAH no end……

After being told off by WAH, LOK is filled with shame and keeps wandering about in the street. CHIM gets back to the office in the morning, and is utterly surprised to see LOK’s resignation letter and the diamond necklace he gave her. In order to avoid CHIM, LOK decides to move back to LING’s flat. Fearing that LOK will take it as a long-term residence, LAN means to pour scorn on her. Knowing that LOK has rendered her resignation, FUNG goes to wait for her around her residence. Upon his return home, CHIM is shocked to discover that WAH has purposely broken her diamond necklace. KING receives notification from the Housing Authority inviting her and WING for an interview. Knowing that their total income has exceeded a set limit, KING urges WING to resign as soon as possible. KIU finally reveals to LOK how ON was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen property. Left with no way-out, LOK decides to turn to CHIM for help……

FUNG is planning to get back with LOK but when he sees her going out with CHIM again, he is totally mad and disappointed. ON has prepared a meal for KIU and himself but KIU is going to have dinner with CHUNG-WAI instead. ON is so worried about KIU that he goes to find her in the restaurant. KIU and CHUNG-WAI are trying to get a taxi, and ON is furious to see them so close to each other. After a terrible quarrel with ON, KIU rushes back to her parents’ place for a temporary stay. WAH decides to have in vitro fertilization so that CHIM will have no more excuse to get back with LOK. FUNG has earned a huge sum of commission from the property development project. Desperate to prove that he is as smart as CHIM, FUNG even decides to buy a luxurious apartment for himself. FUNG invites LOK to his housewarming party intentionally, taking it as a great way to seek revenge. LOK means to drink herself into oblivion……

ON gives LOK a hard slap, which infuriates LING. LING lambastes ON for being too quick to criticize LOK, leaving ON speechless for quite a while. LING gives LOK a few words of consolation, after which she has a heart-to-heart talk with ON about his relationship with KIU. ON accidentally reveals to LING his separation from KIU, which shocks LING profoundly. KIU tells CHUNG-WAI about her separation from ON, following which CHUNG-WAI makes a serious confession of love to KIU in a bid to woo her again. KING comes to visit the KWANs, during which she reveals to WING that they have been allocated a public housing flat as wished. WING’s heart sinks when he realizes that the flat they are going to move in is a haunted one. Having received the commission from a renovation project, LAN decides to redeem LING’s HOS flat as early as possible……

LOK takes LING’s advice and is going to confide in FUNG. FUNG gets LOK’s call and asks her to come to his mansion. With CHAN HO’s help, YEE finally manages to sneak out of the house and moves into FUNG’s residence. WAH keeps vomiting all day long, so CHIM asks the doctor to come over to see her at once. As advised by the doctor, WAH’s pregnancy is going quite well, which gives the couple a real thrill. It is not until the next day that FUNG comes to discover the gift left by LOK. FUNG begins his job search after leaving the Goal Jim Group. But under the shadow of CHIM, FUNG can no longer hold a place in the property industry. Desperate to live an independent life, YEE decides to apply for the job as a painting teacher. ON and the rest of his siblings are all busy shopping in preparation for the upcoming family outing. When they return home to pick up LING, they are shocked to see her lying unconscious on the floor.

LING is found dead and the whole family is deeply saddened by her demise. ON is so devastated by LING’s death that his vision is starting to deteriorate, to which he does not pay much attention at all. Soon after LING’s funeral, LAN takes out all the jewelry left by LING and suggests distributing the items among the family members. To everyone’s surprise, LAN claims that she will leave all the jewelry to the rest of the family. WING and LOK come to realize that LAN’s real target is not the jewelry but LING’s HOS flat. ON is shocked to the core when he learns about the truth. He gets so worked up that he falls down in a faint all of a sudden and is sent to hospital straight away. ON is diagnosed as having sudden blindness, which has come as a huge blow to him. After serious consideration, ON finally decides to reveal the truth to KIU……

FUNG is so worked up that he has completely lost control of his car. In a split second, he crashes into an abandoned hut and falls off the cliff, eventually plunging himself into a deep coma. LOK tells YEE about FUNG’s disappearance, and the two of them decide to look for him in the countryside. Unfortunately, their efforts are in vain. YEE has fallen ill and as she is still recuperating in bed, LOK receives notification from the police informing her of the latest investigation progress. LOK rushes to the spot at once but all she can see there is just a car. ON overhears neighbors outside his door moaning about the rent increase. Uncle PING suggests holding a demonstration to express their opposition, but ON points out that there are actually no grounds for objection as long as the rent increase is lawful. ON manages to get all his siblings back to discuss the property ownership of LING’s HOS flat……

CHIM tries to bring LOK overseas for a secret wedding, thus fortuitously causing WAH to suffer a miscarriage midway through her pregnancy. This is indeed a very serious blow to WAH. ON has bought a shabby hut on a stretch of abandoned farmland, with which he hopes he no longer has to cope with any kind of rent increase. HONG is so grateful to ON for yielding up the HOS flat to him and LAN, and would like to pass on all their savings to him as a token of thanks. LAN rejects his idea at once insisting that the money will come in handy when their daughter is old enough to join a study tour. Consumed with rage, KIU finally reveals to HONG and LAN how ON has been suffering with sudden blindness. HONG and LAN are incredibly shocked and ashamed to hear the news. CHUNG-WAI asks KIU about her relationship with ON, but unfortunately for him, KIU is still unable to choose between him and ON……