The Season of Fate

Ruffian TING TAI-LIK is gambling with a Manchu Gege on the train. MA WING-CHING as a side watcher keeps reminding LIK that Gege has some rare and valuable objects from Qing Dynasty that can be used for mortgage. Finally when LIK is defeated, he realizes that it is a fraud. Gege and CHING dash off during the messy situation. In fact, Gege named LEI SHI-MUI and together with CHING, they are both con artists. LIN SHEUNG-CHUN gets her best friend LEUNG GAU-MUI, who is a chief cook, goes with her to offer first incense at the temple. Hoping the business of HEI SHEUNG FUNG that belongs to her deceased husband can turn better. When CHUN gets home and has breakfast with her mother-in-law MADAM KWAN, WONG YEUK-LAM appears. Actually LAM has got some mental problems and she turns up in splendid attire just to give her “Mother” CHUN a shock.… ...

GAU feels sorry for CHUN when she was being attacked by LAM. It reminds CHUN about her marriage and how she ends up at the KWAN family… The wholesale seafood suppliers want CHUN to settle the arrears and CHUN has to beg for an extension. The inn owner is suspicious about the identity of CHING. While figuring out somewhere else to stay, CHING notices that the rich man MASTER YAM will be back to town for offering sacrifices and visiting his relatives. CHING therefore assumes a false identity as the representative of MASTER YAM in front of the mayor. The relatives of the KWAN family, KWAN CHIU-YAN and KWAN CHIU-YI also run a restaurant. They want to go through the wholesale seafood suppliers and make CHUN sell the restaurant. While LAM is doing the housework, she accidentally finds the gold jewelry that CHUNG has hidden… GAU volunteers to take out his savings as to help CHUN pay off her debts.… ...

CHUN brings LAM home and keeps questioning her, yet LAM defends CHING by saying that everything comes of her own accord. CHUN offers to help YUN-YUET while knowing that he is very fond of KAM-FUNG. CHUN wants to set up a trap as to crash the conspiracy of CHING but he sees through her tricks. The mayor brings along the other people to the big house and tries to fawn on CHING. CHING indicates that the welcome banquet for MASTER YAM must have some foreign wine. He visits CHUN at the restaurant and sells her some pills that can turn the Chinese wine into brandy. Yet he does not expect CHUN to turn him down. For the sake of making CHUN to fall into his trap, CHING reveals to YAN and YI about CHUN owning a large number of foreign wine. As to beg CHING for selling his magic pills, CHUN acts as a servant and gets fool around by CHING. When CHING and MUI try to leave the town, they meet their enemy LIK.… ...

While driving into town, TIN suffers from a diarrhea and asks CHI-FO to pull the car aside. After escaped from the chase, CHING takes away the wallet that TIN has left in the car… CHUN and the other people catch CHING and want him to return the money that he has cheated. When GAU searches CHING, he finds the name card of YAM FEI-YEUNG inside the stolen wallet. The vehicle is unable to start and TIN has to walk to town alone. Since TIN has no money, he snatches a pudding cake from a village kid because of hunger. While evading capture from the villagers, TIN gets to see KAM-FUNG taking a bath by mistake. After being beaten mercilessly, TIN is kept in prison. CHING tries to leave while GAU is sleeping but falls into the trap that GAU has set… CHUN wants CHING to work and when he delivers some takeaway food to the police station, he finds TIN is caught and being put into prison again.… ...

CHING brings TIN and the mayor to the restaurant and TIN proves that CHING does work for the YAM family. TIN wants the mayor to catch those people that have beaten him up. The news worries the entire LIN family and GAU volunteers to be the scapegoat for YUN-YUET as a reward to the LIN family. As to save GAU, CHUN turns to CHING for help and signs on an IOU that contains no figures to him. CHING finds TIN very depressed after the matter is settled. TIN is worried that his father will discover his scandals since YEUNG will be in town soon. On the day when YEUNG arrives, apart from receiving a grand welcome, he finds that all villagers are full of praise for TIN… YEUNG talks to CHING privately and asks him to leave quickly. YAN and YI show CHUN the IOU that CHING has sold them and want CHUNG to pass the restaurant to them. YEUNG meets LAM and realizes that she is his junior apprentice.

LAM breaks into the YAM family and after recognizing YEUNG as her SENIOR BROTHER YAM, LAM faints on the spot. YEUNG verifies that CHING is the son of his SENIOR BROTHER MA ON-SHAN. While CHUN is talking to GAU about LAM, old UNCLE HEI voluntarily tells them the relationship between LAM and the other apprentices… YUENG gives CHING some money but he refuses to accept; moreover, CHING declares that he wants to turn over a new leaf. CHING proposes to CHUN to work at HEI SHEUNG FUNG. As to keep the business run, he plays a small trick and gets back the IOU that is held by YAN. CHUN arranges MUI to stay with the KWAN family and CHING shares the same room with GAU at the LIN family. TIN finally finds out that FUNG is one of those people that has gone against him. He purposely goes with some girls to her shop and fools FUNG around. CHING offers to help FUNG and capture the heart of TIN.… ...

CHUN finds the gimmick CHING has used is very improper but has no way to stop him. TIN complains to CHING that inspecting those roads and bridges under repair is a boring job. CHING advises TIN that he should revenge FUNG by gaining her love and then deserts her afterwards. The bodyguard of TIN looks for FUNG at the department store. On behalf of TIN, CHI-FO asks FUNG to dine out the following day… CHUN goes with GAU to visit YEUNG in the hope of YEUNG can accept GAU as his apprentice but YEUNG rejects them. YEUNG wants to establish a trading company and asks his son to go to work but TIN takes a chance and gets away. YEUNG meets LAM and knows that she wants to catch some fish at the brook. He leaves all his business behind and accompanies LAM. The bureau chief suddenly comes with his followers to the restaurant. Claiming that the restaurant runs in an unethical practice, and it has been put under sequestration.… ...

CHUN goes back to her room and weeps, LAM purposely finds her to apologize. Learning from MADAM KWAN, CHING and MUI get to know about the misfortune of CHUN. MUI points out that CHING has gone too far. MADAM KWAN finds that it is the night of the full moon and true enough LAM goes wild and attacks CHUN with a pair of scissors… The business of the restaurant is bad. Suddenly lots of customers rush in and CHUN has to hurry and serve them. In fact, CHING has played a “false customers” trick. Hanging around the charity school, TIN finds FUNG acting as a voluntary English teacher and looks upon FUNG with special respect. Although the school is established successfully, many students cannot attend since they have to earn a living. TIN therefore proposes to YEUNG with a “Free Meal at School” scheme. CHUN decides to reveal to LAM about her illness but unexpectedly it becomes a terrible blow to her.… ...

After eating the five-color fried rice made by YEUNG, LAM remembers lots of things. CHUN tells GAU all the cooking techniques that she has observed from YEUNG. GAU tries to cook in the same way and everybody gives praise to the great taste. LAM recklessly tries out many ways to cure her own sickness and the situation becomes risky. CHUN has to visit the YAM family and asks YEUNG to cook; yet her request is being rejected. Under the persuasion of MRS YAM, YEUNG finally agrees to go to the KWAN family and cook for LAM. TIN proposes to his father to hold a charity ball in order to raise fund for the school. The mayor lets HEI SHEUNG FUNG and GUT HING LAU to have a cooking contest as to select which one to be in charge of the catering. YEUNG promises to take GAU as his apprentice if he wins the contest. In order to get some valuable ingredients, CHUN goes to the city and tries to borrow money from her friend.… ...

UNCLE HEI informs everybody that all the game inside the restaurant has died. Dying to win the contest, GAU pays the Taoist priest to help. As to stop GAU, YEUNG has offended the opposite side. YEUNG brings GAU home to cure his wound and his inspiration helps GAU restore his confidence. Everybody worries that the dishes GAU makes cannot compete with the valuable dishes from GUT HING LAU. CHING therefore thinks of some impressive titles for all the dishes as to make them sound much outstanding. After finished tasting all dishes, the mayor and the bureau chief suffer from abdominal pain and nose bleeding before the announcement is made. Eventually they become unconscious. When CHUN finds a big packet of laxative with CHING, she jumps to conclusions and asserts that CHING is the perpetrator who has poisoned the judges. It makes CHING angry and leaves the LIN family.… ...

CHING assumes that CHUN brings along the police to arrest him while he is having a high fever, and therefore attacks her without verification. GAU impersonates CHING and dashes off so that CHUN can bring CHING to escape. CHUN visits GAU and points out that he has no need to carry the poisoning charges on his back. Yet GAU is willing to be the scapegoat since CHING has saved him twenty years ago. When CHING finds the box that GAU has hidden, he realizes CHUN and GAU are his old mates. CHING decides to convince TIN to help out. The poisoning case is over, YEUNG announces HEI SHEUNG FUNG as the winner in the cooking contest. Since GAU wins the competition, YEUNG has to fulfill his promise and take GAU as his apprentice. After going through all the course of events, CHING, CHUN and GAU decide to leave everything behind and become good friends again.… ...

GAU has to mediate in the dispute when CHING and CHUN raise an argument about the management techniques. CHING suddenly mentions that he is going to work at YUENG’s trading company. After joining the trading company, CHING follows TEI and TIN to purchase some ginseng as stock. A salesman purposely approaches CHING and wants to corrupt him… CHING mentions to MUI that running business is even more profitable than being a swindler. CHING wants to take this chance and find out the reasons why his father had to commit a crime. YEUNG teaches GAU how to make use of one’s affection towards his lover and integrate it with the process of cooking. After taking the dumplings that made by YEUNG, LAM manages to recall her past memories. TIN tours around the countryside with FUNG and their relationship become closer. YEUNG is upset when he finds out LAM has asked CHING to the KWAN family to try out the dumplings that he made.… ...

While YEUNG and KWAN are visiting the charity school, they are shocked to see TIN and FUNG cuddling there. CHING dates GAU and specially offers him a chance to express his love to CHUN, yet his plan is failed. YEUNG decides to send CHING to Borneo for establishing a branch. CHING, CHUN and GAU have a drink in the moonlight to talk about the past in former days… CHING brings CHUN and KAU to the temple and has secretly arranged a fortuneteller to claim that CHUN and KAU match very well. Yet the fortuneteller turns around to reveal that CHING and CHUN have the husband-wife looks. LAM suddenly proposes to elope with CHING and forces to give him a train ticket. Before CHING sets off, he goes with TIN to the provincial capital for sightseeing. Yet TIN is raided and when YEUNG and his wife arrive, they realize that CHING has saved their son. The overseas assignment for CHING is temporarily set aside.… ...

LAM is stunned by CHING and after she awakes, her memory is retrieved. Yet LAM cannot figure out why CHUN stays back to maintain the restaurant and family in such hardship instead of leaving. YEUNG wants GAU to prepare five identical dishes and points out that there is a hidden lesson for GAU to learn from it. GAU has to ask for help and CHUN lets him know that his palate has got a problem. GAU requests CHUN to accompany him for seeing a doctor… CHING finds CHUN and exposes to her that GAU is her secret admirer while CHUN is worrying about the sickness of GAU. TIN gives some movie tickets together with his car and bodyguard to CHING so that he can go for a date. While waiting for CHUN, CHING is mistaken for TIN and being grabbed by the kidnappers. Although knowing that CHING is kidnapped, YEUNG refuses to pay for the ransom.… ...

While escaping with CHUN, CHING makes a slip and falls down the cliff. As to save him, CHUN is also in danger. When realizing CHUN treasures him so much, CHING takes the chance and reveals his love to CHUN… While YEUNG is about to praise GAU for being able to unify the taste of all dishes, GAU reveals his sickness honestly. Together with the folks, the mayor and the bureau chief come to the KWAN family and propose to build a Lady of Chastity stand for CHUN. CHUN finds it hard to object while MADAM KWAN and all the others are in favor of the idea… CHING informs CHUN that he decides to take her away from Kau Kau Town. But when CHING calms down to think about CHUN has to become a wife of a swindler if she roves all over the places with him, he eventually asks GAU to bring CHUN away from Kau Kau Town. In order to know the place where CHUN is meeting her adulterer, LAM forces MUI to tell everything.… ...

LAM leads everybody to catch CHUN and her adulterer and really find KAU and CHUN being together. CHING visits CHUN at the firewood room and she condemns CHING when he wants CHUN to leave with him. YEUNG agrees to consider when CHING turns to him for help and promises to leave Kau Kau Town if YEUNG can manage to save CHUN and GAU. Everybody meets at the ancestral temple to hold a public trial against CHUN and GAU. CHING is eavesdropping outside and knows that GAU wants to let his status of being a eunuch known to the public in order to spare CHUN… YEUNG suggests to the mayor and the bureau chief to trivialize the matter and they decide to chase CHUN and GAU away from Kau Kau Town… When LAM and CHING visit the YAM family, LAM proposes to be the godmother of CHING. YEUNG has to agree with it in front of everybody.… ...

GAU brings CHUN to live in Ng Tuk Village temporarily. When CHUN goes out to the market, she realizes that the villagers are not kind and friendly at all. CHUN insists to leave the village and while they are setting off, they see the villagers appear with angry… After the matter is settled, ONE-EYE LUNG and SCAR-FACE KEUNG explain to them about the origin of Ng Tuk Village. YEUNG and TEI visit LAM and assign HEI SHEUNG FUNG to be in charge of the welcome banquet for the Commissioner CHAN. When LAM takes over to run the family business, she then realizes CHUN has been taking all the responsibilities alone as to save more money. The night before the banquet is held, the chef whom is recommended by YAN has left a letter and gone. TIN spares no pain to carry the father of a student down the hill for seeing a doctor. FUNG rewards him with a kiss and YEUNG happens to see it. As to make TIN leave FUNG, YEUNG asks him to study abroad.… ...

As to prove that SHAN has committed a crime, YEUNG shows LAM and CHING the testament that SHAN has written to confess before he died. TIN purposely buys LAM a gift and brings it to HEI SHEUNG FUNG as to thank for her help so that he need not study abroad. When TIN is leaving, he has a clash with YUN-YUET. It upsets TIN when CHING makes an apology for him. CHUN and GAU open a cooked food stall in Ng Tuk Village. Grabbing away the business from the other, CHO brings along the other villagers to provoke CHUN and GAU ends up having a big fight with them. CHING offers a hundred dollars to FUNG if she agrees to attend a mutual familiarity. During the meeting, CHING brings TIN to show up unexpectedly… CHUN successfully convinces CHO to run the restaurant together and the business hastens prosperously. GAU accidentally takes something poison and CHUN takes care of him for days. When GAU gets well, he launches some new soup.… ...

TIN reveals to his father that CHING and FUNG are swindlers and wonders why YEUNG does not dismiss CHING. YEUNG has to make good use of CHING indeed. FUNG resigns as teacher and TIN claims that the charity school needs FUNG and asks her to stay. When TIN softens his heart and forgives FUNG, CHING brings out the proofs that FUNG is a courtesan in Hong Kong. LAM wants to take some medicine to recuperate from fatigue and does not expect to fall sick in bed. YAN and YI go to the KWAN family to make acquisitions of HEI SHEUNG FUNG, but they meet with failure. YUN-YUET and BING find that CHI-FO goes to visit his relatives in Ng Tuk Village around Mid-Autumn Festival. He even offers to give the LIN family a ride so that they can spend the festival together with CHUN. CHING is touched by the sincerity of TIN and FUNG and promises to help them to elope.… ...

The KWAN brothers pronounce to the neighborhood all dishes made by HEI SHEUNG FUNG are actually some takeaway food from GUT HING LAU. Seeing that the foreign wife of UNCLE HEI is working as the chef inside the kitchen, the KWAN brothers leave sulkily. CHING then realizes the chef is impersonated by GAU since CHUN knows that LAM is sick, therefore both of them sneak back to town and visit the family. MADAM KWAN finds a strange man and later on realizes that CHUN has dressed up as a man. When CHUN leaves the KWAN family, she accidentally bumps into the police. While CHUN cannot get away from them, luckily CHING appears in time to help her out. YEUNG gets a western doctor to cure LAM and finds that LAM falls sick because of TEI. CHUN is caught by YI and the mayor puts her under interrogation. YAN shows up and points out that CHUN and GAU are both innocent.… ...

When CHUN and GAU are about to say goodbye to LAM before going back to Ng Tuk Village, the customers are creating a commotion. GAU has to stay back and act as the Chef de Cuisine temporarily. The patrons are satisfied with the cuisine. MR LEE, who is a bosom friend of the Southern King, invites HEI SHEUNG FUNG to be the representative of Kau Kau Town and participate in the “Cooking Competition for Guangdong, HK and Macau”. CHUN asks GAU if he minds to expose his status of being a eunuch in case they stay in town. CHING specially invites a calligraphy connoisseur in town to examine the testament of SHAN and finds out that it is a fake one. CHING makes use of the scandal that YAN has once sexually harassed the wife of UNCLE HEI and threatens the KWAN brothers to carry CHUN back to town in a sedan. It amuses everybody in town. CHING follows TEI to a temple and finally knows about her relationship with YEUNG.… ...

KWAI dines at HEI SHEUNG FUNG and mentions that CHUN looks like a Royal Highness Concubine… After knowing it, CHING asks CHUN to attract KWAI with her beauty. YEUNG receives a phone call and KWAI wants him to transport some goods. KWAN wants to have dinner with her husband but finds that YEUNG is talking on the phone with a very unnatural look. She is then mistaken that YEUNG is flirting with LAM and complains to TIN tearfully. TIN promises to help his stepmother and go against LAM. CHUN finds that GUT HING LAU is plagiarizing all the dishes from HEI SHEUNG FUNG. After being the major shareholder of GUT HING LAU, TIN contrives a plan to take away HEI SHEUNG FUNG’s eligibility of the “Cooking Competition for Guangdong, HK and Macau”. TEI reveals to YEUNG that CHING has asked her to investigate about KWAI and takes it as a threat to keep YEUNG with her.… ...

CHING is depressed after KWAI has escaped. CHUN purposely leaves all her work behind and goes drinking with him as a comfort. GAU decides to go back to Ng Tuk Village alone. When he says goodbye to YEUNG, YEUNG encourages him to fight for his love. After getting the news that KWAI has died, CHING takes a look at the coffin home and MUI finds a cuff in KWAI’s hand… While CHING is feeling down and stays at the LIN family, TIN brings along the police to arrest him. CHUN cannot tolerate and reveals to TIN about his real identity. LAM inquires YEUNG about the testament and he claims that everything is done just to avoid CHING wasting his time on his father’s death. CHING publicly points out that YEUNG is the killer and ends up fighting with him in the street. When BING knows that CHING has fallen out with YEUNG, she wants CHING to leave. While CHING is leaving, CHUN catches him and pushes him to bear his soul.… ...

Due to the conflict between YEUNG and CHING, LAM has a relapse and behaves like a young girl again. After GAU has left, HEI SHEUNG FUNG falls into a predicament. YEUNG proposes to the KWAN family about investing his shares and passes the control to GAU. CHUNG agrees straightforwardly. TIN meets CHING and reveals that FUNG has disclosed about his target of grabbing all the assets from YEUNG. CHING feels unjustly accused. CHUN wants to stop CHING from going against YEUNG and meanwhile CHI-FO informs CHING that TIN has an accident… When TIN is discharged from the hospital, CHING decides to give up investigating about his father’s death. Big Brother HUNG is the chief of KWAI, he appears suddenly to threaten YEUNG with the death of KWAI as to make YEUNG smuggle the national treasures for him.… ...

The anti-smuggling team finds that apart from gold, there are also a lot of national treasures hidden inside the ship. YEUNG then points out that CHING is the plotter. GAU and CHUN go home after being released. They mention that CHING has pleaded guilty to all charges… While worshipping to God, YEUNG and LAM are brought to an abandoned house. HUNG wants YEUNG to think of a way to get back all the national treasures. When YUENG realizes that LAM is only acting dumb, he kidnaps LAM back home. After hearing the conversation between YEUNG and LAM, TIN finds that everything is contrived by YEUNG and breaks down… CHUN does not want CHING to die of injustice and decides to save him together with MUI. Under the persuasion of LAM and TIN, YEUNG intends to surrender himself. Yet in the meantime, TEI snatches the gun from YEUNG and fires at LAM… GAU seizes HUNG all by himself and unexpectedly CHING and CHUN offer to help.… ...