The Self Within

LING YAT CHIU originally lives with his mother in Mainland China. They are later brought to Hong Kong by the father YUEN KING. The family support their living by dDIng tea businesses. When YAT CHIU reaches the age of ten, TING KING suddenly disappears and soon after his departure YAT CHIU's mother gives birth to YAT LONG. YAT CHIU is very unhappy about his father's leaving the family. He decides to learn to become a craftsman of ivory and rejects his father's money or help. Several years later, YAT CHIU's mother dies of illness. YAT CHIU therefore has to take up his parents' responsibility to take care of YAT LONG. He losses all his chances of meeting the girls and is still unmarried at the age of forty. YAT CHIU knows YEUNG HIU KWAI is a young widow. He helps her a lot when her husband passes away. He even takes very good care of her son CHI CHUNG and brother DUEN NG.… ...

--------- YAT CHIU originally has joint venture of an ivory workshop with his good friend KOV SUM. However ROU SUM has secret dealings of his own interests behind YAT CHIU's back. Since his secret business prospers well, he gradually quits from the joint venture and opens his own company for imports and exports of ivory. He now becomes a famous and wealthy businessman. YAT LONG is very angry with ROU SUM. He signs for not having the good fate others have. He has no choice but to cooperate with ROU SUM. One day, YAT LONG bumps into a girl in the street and there is stain of lipstick .on his shirt. They have special impression on each other. YAT LONG later finds this girl namely ROU LING DI is the only daughter of ROU SUM. Since they have no contact with each other before, they know nothing about each other at all. LING FONG just graduates from the foreign university and returns to Hong Kong.… ...

YAT LONG wants to refrain HUI KWAI from going freely in and out their home. He intensely hires a part-time maid in order to avoid HUI KWAI. However, HUI KWAI thinks this is done for the sake of her by YAT CHIU. She feels so happy deep inside. HUI KWAI implies YAT CHIU is arranging the marriage between them. YAT CHIU now gets to know what HUI KWAI wants and is rather surprised. He doesn't know how to reject so he decides to leave without saying goodbye. He follows the old craftsman TIN CHUNG LAW to return to Mainland China. YAT CHIU meets with his very first love YUEN QI. When he knows she is still unmarried he tries to get close to her. Their relationship is recovered. Actually YAT CHIU and YUEN QI grow up together in Mainland China. Since the day YAT CHIU comes to Hong Kong, they are out of contact with each other. Later YUEN QI graduates as a professional accountant and this coincides with the great revolution.… ...

--------- LUET SUEN knows LING DI is very enthusiastic in calligraphy. He arranges her to learn from his father YEW FUNG. They therefore have lots of opportunity to meet with each other. His father is also very pleased with LING DI. He intensely gives them chance to get close to each other. YAT LONG has special feelings for LING DI for quite long time but for the sake of LUET SUEN, he forces himself to keep a distance from LING DI. On the other hand, LING DI has good impression on YAT LONG too. She can feel the distance from YAT LONG and is rather puzzled. YAT CHIU returns to Hong Kong. He starts to decorate his flat for the marriage. HIUKWAI mistakenly thinks the marriage is between her and YAT CHIU so she tries hard to help. YAT CHIU feels it difficult to tell her the truth. It is Black Friday and the forwarding company has special programme for exchange of gifts. YAT LONG looks around for a.… ...

YUEN KING returns to Hong Kong with his youngest daughter XAT KA in order to stay with YAT CHIU again. However, YAT CHIU is upset for being left alone by YUEN KING many years ago. Together with a sister of different mother, YAT CHIU refuses. YAT KA goes to LING's home alone as she wants to improve the relationship with YAT CHIU. However, YAT CHIU and YAT LONG are not at home. She meets DUEN NG and they misunderstand each other. YAT LONG is happy to meet his father. He persuades YAT CHIU to accept YUEN LONG in order to bring the whole family together and happy. YAT CHIU agrees but YUEN LONG and YAT KA move to live at LING DI's home. Besides showing high respects, YAT LONG takes very good care of the father who he has never seen before. However, he is doubtful of why his father keeps him so wide apart. YAT LONG is aware of YUEN KING's sickness so he takes him to see a doctor for consultation.… ...

YAT LONG helps YAT CHIU to collect the money from KOU SUM and he takes LING DI together KOU SUM is so tactful that he is able to disguise his relationship with LING DI. YAT LONG tells LING DI all the cunning and deceptive deeds of KOU SUM. This embarrasses LING DI. It is BIG CHUN's birthday and LING DI celebrates with her. BIG CHUN is greatly impressed and nearly discloses her intimate relationship with KOU SUM. KOU SUM is regretful of having no son of his own. He ignores BIG YU and compels BIG CHUN to have a baby for him but his hope is not fulfilled yet. YAT KA is unfamiliar with the environment since this is her first visit to Hong Kong. In addition, she finds it difficult to compromise with the conservative character of YAT CHIU. Thus, she always quarrels with OUEN NG. They now become delightful opponents. YAT LONG meets his ex-lover MAY owing to the business contacts.… ...

YUEN QI is approved to go to Hong Kong. When YUEN KlNG and YAT KA first meet her, a good impression is built;. This makes the family happy. HIU KWAI is upset when she gets known of YAT CHIU's getting married with another girl. She even disturbs the1LING's family and declares that she terminates all relationship with YAT CHIU. This embarrasses YAT CHIU. YAT CHIU arranges his family to HIU KWAI's restaurant in order to welcome YUEN QI. HIU KWAI makes use of the chance to burst her anger on YUEN QI. YUEN QI understands HIU KWAI's feelings and remains quiet about what happens. On arrival in Hong Kong, YUEN QI tries her best to learn the living style of Hong Kong. Gradually, she feels Hong Kong is a best place for her to develop her ambition. Thus, she further her studies diligently. On the other hand, YUEN QI needs more time to understand YAT CHIU after the twenty-year departure. She begins to worry about their marriage.… ...

YAT KA wants to get close with DUEN NG. But she is being hunted by DUEN NG's evil-speaking in front of his schoolmasters. YAT KA is very angry and DUEN NG also feels sorry about it. LING DI and YAT LONG's emotion is improving. LING DI thinks it's time to tell LUET SUEN but she finds it difficult as she doesn't want to hurt him. So, she tries to refuse all the appointments with LUET SUEN and this makes LUET SUEN very mysterious. YUEN KING begins to prepare the wedding for YAT CHIU. However, YAT CHIU is busy with his workshop businesses and neglects YUEN KING's concerns. YUEN KING is very disappointed. Afterwards, YAT CHIU understands YUEN KING and the two reconcile. YUEN QI gets known that the embargo of ivory will be adopted sooner or later. She persuades YAT CHIU not to accept KOU SUM's stock. YAT CHIU therefore asks KOU SUM to cancel the agreement.… ...

LUET SUEN sends flowers to LING DI under the name of anonymous. He also arranges a secret appointment to spend a night 'with LING DI. LING DI misunderstands the appointment is arranged by YAT LONG so she attends it happily. she is disappointed when she finds it is instead LUET SUEN. The day after, YAT LONG returns to Hong Kong. When he finds LING DI met with LUET SUEN the night before, he is upset. After LING DI's explanation, YAT LONG decides not to deceive LUET SUEN any more. He takes the chance to express his emotions. YUEN QI finds that the accounts of YAT CHIU's workshop are vague. She voluntarily helps him to review and manage them. Besides, she amends the administration procedures entirely. The workers are frustrated and decide to resign altogether. YAT CHIU refuses YUEN QI's help because he doesn't want to ruin his relationship with the workers. But" conflicts arise between YAT CHIU and YUENQI.… ...

LUET SUEN finds something's wrong‧ between YAT LONG and LING DI. He guesses they have conflicts and therefore asks them why. However, both of them refuse to ~ay anything. LING DI suppresses herself and goes to LING's home but YAT LONG refuses to accept her explanations. He treats LING DI so wide apart that it makes her very unhappy. YAT CHIU is pleased with YAT LONG and LING DI's relationship and talks with KOU SUM. Unfortunately, KOU SUM doesn't like the personality of YAT LONG and greatly opposes to their further development. This makes LING DI confused. The united Nations officially approves the embargo of ivory. All finished products are not allowed for export. YAT CHIU loses all the capital. He begs KOU SUM to postpone the date of payment but is refused. YAT LONG understands KOU SUM's cunning plan and thus argues with him. LING DI tries to arbitrate but in contrast, deepens her misunderstandings with YAT LONG.… ...

When KOU SUM gets to know that LUET SUEN's father is the professor of an university, his attitudes towards LUET SUE~ becomes much better. KOU SUM recognises him as the best kind of husband for his daughter. He encourages LING DI to commute with LUET SUEN. Unfortunately LING DI cannot forget YAT LONG. f KOU SUM uses his authority to press LING DI to promote LUET SUEN as the deputy manager, so as to assist LING DI. YAT LONG applies for transfer to another department because he wants to avoid meeting with LING DI. YAT CHIU suffers great losses and has serious financial difficulties. He is forced to close the workshop business in order to pay his debts. YUEN KING lends all his savings to YAT CHIU to settle the crisis. YAT CHIU is impressed by the affinity relationship and gets closer with his father. YUEN LONG urges YAT CHIU and YUEN QI to get married. To comfort their eldest, they prepares the wedding immediately.… ...

On the date of YAT CHIU and YUEN QI's marriage, YUEN QI is late because of an interview. They miss the time for registration. YAT CHIU thinks YUEN QI intends to delay the wedding so he suggests to cancel the wedding. After YUEN QI's explanation, YAT CHIU accepts her advices and even allows her to work. LUET SUEN becomes a helpful assistant to LING DI. His performance is greatly appreciated by KOU SUM. YAT LONG feels the sense of inferiority when comparing with LUET SUEN. He is self-abased. YUEN KING feels YAT CHIU and YUEN QI are not true couples. with the hope to have grand-children, he induces the two to get closer. This makes the two feel funny. One night, YAT LONG returns to the company to get a confidential document. He sees LING DI is busy and very tired and even falls asleep on LUET SUEN's shoulder. YAT LONG is jealous and goes away angrily. LING DI is contradicted when she awakes. This day, YAT LONG is in bad mood.… ...

YAT CHIU accompanies YUEN LONG to his mother's grave. When talking about YUEN LONG's departure long time ago, YUEN LONG seems unwilling to say a word. YAT CHIU doesn't ask him but becomes abstruse. After the closure of the 1vory workshop, YAT CHIU succeeds to manage the tea business in accordance with YUEN LONG's advice. YAT CHIU determines to create another climax in his career. LAM TUN, one of the old workers in the tea house, shows his loyalty towards YUEN KING for many years. He decides to retire and go home. Before he returns to Mainland China, he passes away whilst he is asleep. YUEN KING is greatly shocked. KOU SUM is unhappy when he knows LING DI has contacts with YAT LONG. He intensely sends LING DI and LUET SUEN to Japan for a trip so that they are given more chances to develop their emotion. LING DI understands KOU SUM's purposes but she is, inconvenient to refuse.… ...

LING DI is unwilling to be manipulated by her father. She refuses to go to Japan. LUET SUEN also refuses. After KOU SUM's comforting, LUET SUEN decides to put all his efforts into his job. He hopes there will be some changes after a period of time. YUEN KING sees a close friend passes away. Besides, his heart-disease is getting worse and requires an operation. He thinks life is always changing. He refuses to do the operation whilst disguising his family about his illness. YUEN KING fears that he will leave the world quietly some day. Thus, he prepares his wills in advance and divides his properties to YAT CHIU and YAT KA.YAT CHIU is surprised as he discovers that 'YAT LONG doesn't receive any properties. YAT CHIU blames YUEN KING for his prejudice. At last, YUEN KING discloses that YAT LONG is not his son. YAT LONG becomes further self-abased after he gets known of his history.… ...

Whilst KOU SUM is shopping with BIG CHUN, BIG YU meets them. KOU SUM is able to disguise their relationship. KOU SUM takes away LING DI's post of General Manager, which forces her to come together with' LUET SUEN. However, LING DI determines to resign rather than to compromise. Conflicts arise between the father and daughter. BIG YU knows that KOU SAM has frequent contacts with a woman. She therefore searches and supervises him closely. Finally, she discovers his relationship with BIG CHUN. she is angry and compels the two to separate. Unfortunately, BIG CHUN declares she is pregnant at that time. BIG YU is greatly shocked since KOU SUM gives her up. LING DI suffers from career and family changes. She urgently needs someone to take care of. After knowing YAT LONG is leaving, she blames him for not considering their emotion and being selfish. Their relationship becomes worse. YAT LONG suffers repeatedly and leaves Hong Kong quietly.… ...

YAT CHIU finds the tea-house business is declining. He decides to pursue renovation and arranges for YUEN QI's assistance. . Although YUEN QI is dissatisfied for being arranged to work at the tea-house, she compromise and gives up her development opportunity ultimately. YUEN QI suggests to alter the tea packages and sends people to promote their teas at restaurants. Sales increase as a result of the expansion of the business scale. HIU KWAI also gives a hand at the tea-house. After a period of struggles, the tea-house attains a break-even only. YAT CHIU therefore has to cancel his own salaries as well as and YUEN QI's. Owing to the sense of justice, YAT CHIU tends to tolerate some rather inefficient workers. YUEN QI is discontent about this. YUEN QI meets CHAN ON who invites her to help him again. YUEN QI promises to work for him at night only. YAT CHIU and YUEN KING are not quite happy as YUEN QI always returns home late.… ...

Suffering from great family changes, LING DI put all her efforts in succeeding her father's businesses. However, some of the clients are taken away and LING DI is very worried. Fortunately, LUET SUEN shows lots of concern to LING DI who is impressed and tries to accept him again. BIG YU feels angry when she sees BIG CHUN's baby each time. Thus, she always stands against BIG CHUN. LING DI is upset to see such a broken family. She persuades the sisters to recover the families' business first and compromise is achieved between them. YUEN QI tries to free-lance for a publisher. Due to her good performance;' she is invited to write her own book. Looking at YUEN QI's a Achievement, YAT CHIU is jealous owing to his masculine thinking. YUEN QI is busy with her own business and neglects the family. HIU KWAI voluntarily takes care of YUEN KING and YAT CHIU. The families' feeling towards HIU KWAI is intensified.… ...

YUEN QI is jealous when she knows that YAT CHIU pretends to be HUI KWAI's husband. She even says YAT CHIU and HUI KWAI correspond well with each other. YAT CHIU feels rather funny about it. . YAT CHIU feels YUEN QI's pass10n for h1m gets to cool down gradually. He suspects YUEN QI changes her mind towards their emotion. Thus, he secretly watches her actions and finds out that CHAN ON is interested in YUEN QI. He mistakenly thinks there is close relationship between CHAN ON and YUEN QI. After returning home, he rails out severely. YUEN QI is angry and leaves home. -YUEN KING wants to arbitrate but finally he faints out. The family brings YUEN KING to the hospital and discovers his serious illness. They all persuade him to do the operation. YUEN KING scares he can't see YAT LONG again after the operation. To fulfil his hope, the family inform YAT LONG to return to Hong Kong.… ...

BIG CHUN is so weak that she nearly loses her baby. She is carefully looked after by BIG YU. They get to understand each other in difficulties. There are frequent contacts between LING DI and LUET SUEN. Their emotion is improved as they get to understand each other deeper. They have come to the stage for marriage. LING DI thinks out a plan to remove the conflicts between YAT CHIU and YUEN QI. This successfully recovers their emotion as before and their wedding is held formally. YAT LONG is displeased as he sees LING DI and LUET SUEN get together again. He determines to further his studies overseas. However, after meeting with YAT LONG again, LING DI finds she can't forget YAT LONG. She rejects to marry LUET SUEN. Though LUET SUEN is shocked severely, he accepts the fact ultimately. YAT LONG gets known of the cancellation of marriage between LING DI and LUET SUEN. He is happy and after struggling, he decides to stay.… ...