Original subtitles

Crows and Sparrows

Winter, 1948. Our People's Liberation Army has

completely wiped out the enemy in the Huaihai region.

At the same time,

lackeys of the thuggish Chiang Kai-shek clique intensify their

persecution of the people in Nanjing and Shanghai,

even as they make preparations to scatter and flee like running dogs...

house for sale

The doorbell of Hou's house

The Legend of the White Snake

Ah Mei!

Yes!

You wretch! What are you doing there?

You scared me to death.

Go and see who's at the door.

Do you think it might be the Master back from Nanking?

Nonsense! The Master wouldn't be back today.

Just go!

Stop yelling! Here my turn!

I can't eat or drink!

I think about him from day to night.

Get away!

Alright.

I think of him...

Rain's stopped! When will you go out and sell?

Listen to me, the U.S.dollar is going up today.

We should keep the stuff indoor, shouldn't take it out.

Who are you looking for?

I'm here for the building.

Please come upstairs.

Who is it?

A guest of upstairs.

Weiwei, stop playing with fire!

Go read some books.

We can exchange all those old goods for matches.

Why do you have to burn them?

I told you already.

Things have been edgy out there these days.

They are doing raids everywhere.

Keeping these books at home means trouble.

There've been lots of problems at school.

The former principal was fired by the Ministry of Education.

Zhang and Wu have been arrested by security agents.

Who's there?

Who is it?

Mrs. Hua!

Jiajin.

Is that Mrs. Hou? Please wait a second. I'll be right there.

Mrs. Hou, please come in.

You are Mr...?

My surname's Hua.

Mr. Hua, sorry for bothering you.

It's mess in here, please have a seat.

No, thanks.

Sorry again for the trouble.

What was that about?

Who knows!

That guy looks sneaking. He might be...

Burn all this stuff immediately!

Leave it. You'd better get to class.

I'll burn them later.

Fine, fine.

Old Kong!

Old Kong!

Old Kong!

Old Kong just got home

and didn't hit the sack until dawn.

I know.

Why are you...

Old Kong!

Master Wei.

Come on! Hurry up.

This means trouble for the building!

So, we'll wait until Mr. Hou returns home.

When will he be back?

He comes back every Saturday.

Alright, Bye, then!

Goodbye!

Take care!

Don't bother to see me out.

Mrs. Hou, is this building...

You'll hear about it when the Master gets back.

OldKong, that man was here for the building.

This building is your property.

How can you let her sell it?

Weiwei, go stay with Grandpa Kong.

Mr. Hua, I have some shocking news for you.

What is it?

The building is being sold!

Is this news reliable?

Of course!

The man who was here just now is buyer.

We need to talk this matter over.

Hear me out.

Let's talk some other time.

Sorry, I have to get to class.

Just hear me out...

Stop meddling!

Get to the street.

Alright, listen to me.

No, off you go, lazy guy.

Just heat me out!

Grandpa Kong. I want to go out.

Alright, let's get out.

I'll take you.

Good Weiwei, we're not going.

Off we go!

Okay. We'll go inside and tell jokes.

It's cold outside. Let's get inside.

Sing!

You're all singing well.

Let's eat peanuts.

One for you, one for you.

One for you, one for you.

Well sung, everyone!

It's fun here. I wish we live up here.

Grandpa Kong used to live in the front building.

Sadly, a monkey took over it.

Why do you call him monkey?

Silly you, see, his surname is Hou,

and looks ugly. A typical monkey.

Stink monkey!

Monkey, monkey, he is not poor.

Traitor, traitor, live on the second floor.

Cut out that racket!

Ah Mei, don't mix up with them or I will punish you.

So you've made this your own playground, haven't you?

Making racket in your own place.

Be grateful I haven't kicked you out!

Grateful?

It's not like we're here for free.

If you have a problem, say it face to face.

Don't drag children into this.

Damao, Ermao, Xiaomao, get down.

Who is it?

Excuse me. Is this the building that's for sale?

No!

I'm coming!

Old Master, you're here at last!

I've been waiting for you. Come in!

Thank you.

Let's talk inside.

Right, right.

Now, what is it that's so urgent?

A shocking news!

Another bulletin from the Central Bureau, huh? Rumors!

Crack of dawn and you're already spouting nonsense. Git!

Here, listen to me.

Listen to this...

Good morning, Mr. Kong!

Morning.

Listen to this! This building is going to be sold!

I already know that.

Didn't you tell this to me earlier?

Hear me out. Can you guess why they're selling it?

Monkey is planning to flee!

This is your chance! You can get your place back!

Yeah, now that's the truth.

Listen, Old Master. Yesterday that woman from upstairs

was showing the building to someone,

and I heard her telling off Little Mao to move out quickly!

Looks like she's going to be ratcheting up the pressure on us!

Old Master, you've got to decide what you're going to do.

That's right, Mr. Kong. You're the one who should be our landlord!

Drop it! Just forget it!

How could you say such a thing?

This building belongs to you!

Hou had traitors backing him when he stole it from you.

But why be afraid of him now?

Nicely put. But to whom should I convey these arguments?

Listen to me, there's no justice

in this world!

Just drop it, Boss Xiao.

Alright, alright.

I'm not the only tenant.

I'm going to get Mr. Hua down here

so that we can all talk this over. Sound good?

Good, you're here, Mr. Hua.

We're going to have a group chat about this building.

Mr. Hua, as an educated man,

you're the one who needs to take the lead on this matter!

Hey, wait a minute. I haven't washed my face yet!

You can wash later. People are waiting for you, hurry!

Let's go! Hurry up!

Alright.

Everyone's in here! Mr. Hua's here!

Oh, Mr. Hua's here! Wonderful, wonderful!

Old Master Kong is such a old fogy!

I talked to him for a long time

and none of it is getting through his thick skull!

Old Master Kong won't listen to a dummy like me has to say!

Mr. Hua, we need you to get through

to him so we can figure out a solution to this housing problem.

Exactly!

I've been on at him about this for ages!

What do you women know? Get along with you!

What do you mean?

Mr. Hua just got up and hasn't had breakfast yet.

Go make him a cup of Chrysanthemum Instant Milk!

No, none for me.

Keep your voices down.

Monkey came back last night and is still sleeping!

Monkey's back? Perfect. I've been wanting to see him.

Keep it down.

Let me go take a look for you first.

I'm not afraid of him!

Listen to me, Old Master.

He seized your home illegally!

You might have been afraid of him when he was a powerful traitor.

But why now?

Right, Mr. Hua?

Now you listen to me.

If he was still a traitor, of course I wouldn't be afraid of him.

But he's got friends in high places

and has suddenly transformed himself into a big-shot official

who can treat us like dirt like he always has.

I've seen it all!

Mr. Hua,

I've worked as a newspaper proofreader

for a few decades now.

I may not know much,

but I am well acquainted with recent history.

First it was the Northern Expedition,

then Bandit Eradication,

then the Peace Movement, and now, some so called "suppressing chaos"...

During all this backing and for thing, the one thing that hasn't

changed is that the common people suffering.

As for that two-faced guy, he was clearly a traitor,

but then he had the nerve to call himself an "underground worker".

This old man sent his own son

off to fight the Japanese.

And then what?

One word from Hou claiming that

he was a member of the New Fourth Army

gets my son arrested and my apartment confiscated.

Tell me this, all of you,

How am I supposed to settle that account?

There's no justice in this world!

Mr. Kong, you may be too pessimistic!

There is justice in this world.

The day will come when accounts will be settled

and the evil forces exterminated.

The time just hasn't come yet.

I'll be in the grave long before that day comes!

Old Master!

Mr. Kong, you really are way too pessimistic.

I just mean the time isn't here yet.

Of course, if you're willing to take a stand now

and fight to get your home back,

that would be the best plan of all!

That's right! Old Master, if you stood up to him,

that would take care of everything!

They wouldn't dare kick us out, would they?

Mr. Hua, you must be hungry. Have a cup of milk.

It's real Chrysanthemum Brand. There's plenty more!

What do you say, Mr. Kong?

In that case, what are we going to do now?

Drink up! It's getting cold!

Thank you, but you drink it!

I haven't rinsed my mouth.

I never eat before I've rinsed my mouth.

Huh? But upstairs just now I saw you...

I didn't finish!

Not yet.

I'm sorry, really.

N-n-n-no problem, no problem.

Not yet.

Mom, I want money to buy toys!

Me too! Me too!

Shut up!

Go drink this!

Wow, it's milk!

Papa, have a drink.

Go to play.

Look, why don't we team up and ask them for moving expenses?

At very least

they'd have to give us moving expenses!

If they don't, we won't move, right?

Alright, alright.

Great! Mr. Hua, you be our leader. We'll unite and stick it to them as one!

No, no, no.

We could ask for moving expenses, that goes without saying.

But as for me taking the lead,

but with a creature like Hou,

I'm not even willing to speak to him.

Any conversation would just turn into an argument.

Boss Xiao, you're the best man for the job.

You take the lead, and the rest of us will be your rear-guard.

Alright! If you'll all be my rear-guard,

I'll be the vanguard strike force!

What was that for?

She's here, she's here!

She's here!

Ah Mei! Serve the long an soup!

When I think of him, I can't eat or drink.

When I think of him...

Well, you are all here.

The Master gave orders that

we'll be accompanying the Ministry to Taiwan

and that this building's to be sold.

All three of you had better start looking for a new apartment.

Slut!

Gimme some!

Don't you know what's good for you?

Get out!

Here, wipe your face.

Have a smoke.

Have some long an soup and go back to sleep.

No! I don't rest!

It's still early, not even noon yet.

No, I'm getting up!

This time, I've got too much to do.

I spend all my time at the Ministry in Nanking pushing papers,

and I have to run myself ragged buying and sell in Shanghai.

What a pain!

You're so busy every time in my place.

Is this how you are at home in Nanking?

Don't be ridiculous. Did you tell the tenants to move out?

I did,

but they keep having these secret conversations.

I have no idea what they're up to.

Damn them.

I've seen this before, and I know they're up to no good!

You fool.

Are you really so clueless about that Hua guy's intentions?

You're too suspicious!

Mr. Hua is an educated man...

These educated types are a calculating bunch!

What kind of "rear-guard� is him?

You're playing the fool fighting directly against them.

He'll be hiding himself and waiting to enjoy the spoils of battle.

He's a teacher. Of course he is uncomfortable

a guy like Hou for a handout.

Would he turn down moving expenses if you get them?

He...

So I'm in the wrong again?

Do you mean we shouldn't demand moving expenses?

The problem isn't whether or not to demand moving expenses.

If that Hou guy really was willing to pay up,

we could ask for anything.

The real problem is with our attitude.

How can we compete with folks like Little Broadcast?

They're businesspeople. All they care about is money.

I care about money too.

Fuel, rice, oil and salt all cost money!

Don't change the subject!

My point is that Hou is a thug.

At a time like this, we can't risk confronting him directly.

We'd just be asking for it.

Well, what do you think we should do?

Uh... how about moving onto campus?

But didn't you say that people at school were being arrested?

Yes, but there are a lot of people at school,

and at least a few of them should have scruples.

I'll go look into it today.

Hand me some spare change for the tram.

There won't be enough money to buy groceries again.

Hey! Newspaper! Wait a moment!

Hey, weren't you going to burn them?

But why? What's wrong with selling them for a little spare change?

Ah, women!

Are you selling or not?

Bring the newspaper downstairs.

No!

Teacher, Mr. Hua.

Morning, Mr. Hua.

Morning.

Mr. Hua!

Mr. Hua! Mr. Hua!

Mr. Hua, what do you think of our protest?

I, I, I support it. I support it.

Mr. Hua.

Old Hua.

Aren't you going to class? What are you doing here at the dorms?

I'm here to see if there's a flat available. I'm hoping to move in.

Alright.

We've been hoping to talk to you about something. Come in here.

Hello, Mr. Hua.

Come on, Mr. Hua. Sign this!

You're submitting a protest to the administration, aren't you?

Yes.

That's right! How did you know?

I guessed as much!

I could tell at a glance from this sneaking

about that you were up to something.

First they kicked out the old principal.

Then they arrested Old Zhang and Old Wu!

This won't be an easy one to sort out.

The new principal they sent here knows what's going on, for sure.

We're all in real danger!

And Old Zhang and the others are really no different from us,

liberals completely independent of any political party.

That's right. We're all non-partisan liberals.

That's right, every one of us!

Enough of these foreign platitudes.

Old Hua, put your name down here!

The thing is, what I mean is...

will issuing a letter of protest be effective?

And will it be of any help to Old Zhang and the others who were arrested?

I'm surprised. I never thought that this would be a problem for you.

You were good buddies with Old Zhang,

and the students have always supported you...

Don't get Mr. Hua wrong. Old Liu!

You interrupted him.

That's right. You're still very blunt!

When you go off at me, you're firing at the wrong target.

What I'm trying to say is that we need to

think things through a bit more carefully!

As for the protest letter...

I... I think...

of course I'll sign!

Right, right.

It's for sure.

There! Now I have to go solve my housing problem!

Okay, bye!

Principal, I have something I want to discuss with you.

Recently a problem has come up

with the apartment I'm renting off campus,

so I'd like to move here.

Would that be possible?

What a pity! Why didn't you say this earlier?

Just two days ago there was a vacant apartment, but someone took it today!

But don't worry, there's always a way.

You just leave it to me!

Great, thank you, Principal!

Sit, sit. I have something I want to discuss with you too.

OK.

Has there been any word since Mr. Zhang's arrest?

When the Municipal Department of Education appointed me Acting Principal

I told them NO and asked to be made Director of Student Affairs instead.

They wouldn't hear of it.

There's been some unfortunate misunderstanding.

It's absurd!

Mr. Hua, have you heard any gossip?

No, nothing!

I'd better be getting to class.

A good man in a difficult situation!

Mr. Hua, if you hear your colleagues gossiping,

please explain things to them for me.

As for that apartment, I'll figure something out for you.

Don't worry!

Thank you! Sorry for the trouble!

I'm sorry, Mr. Kong,

but the whole press is in retrenchment

and we don't have enough flats for everyone.

We really can't squeeze you in anywhere.

Of course. I know the press doesn't have any flats to spare,

but all I need is a few feet of space.

Just enough to fit a bed!

Let's talk about it later.

For now, get these proofs finished.

I heard that Xuzhou's been completely surrounded!

If Xuzhou is in danger, Bangbu isn't safe either!

Word also has it that Huang Wei's regiment

has already been swallowed by the Communists!

Even Sun Yuanliang and Qiu Qingquan's regiments have been overcome!

What should we do now?

Old Master Kong, what were you seeing Director Li for?

Are you hoping to move into the office?

They're suppressing chaos everywhere,

but more suppression just leads to more chaos!

They suppressed not only my son,

I don't even have a place to rest my old bones!

While suppression is causing more chaos

inflation is getting worse and worse.

Inflation! Inflation!

Inflation! Inflation!

U.S. dollars are going up!

Inflation! Inflation!

Quick, change your prices!

The U.S. dollar's up!

Dollars are up! No sale!

Sir, we're not selling!

Sir!

You are losing money.

We're going home... no more selling!

You're nuts! What's eating you now?

Dollar rate increase to six.

The market this afternoon will be a total wash-out.

Let's go back home and find Monkey!

Monkey? About the building?

Yes. I'm on edge every day we haven't figured out some solution.

Goddamn it, they might not care,

I, Little Broadcast, have to fight Monkey single-handed.

So you finally get it!

You're right again!

Who is it?

Me! Is Mr. Hou home?

Who?

My name's Xiao!

Xiao who?

Little Broadcast. Uh, no... Boss Xiao from downstairs.

Oh, it's you.

What is it?

I'm here to talk to Mr. Hou.

I'm sorry, the master hasn't gotten up yet.

You can say what you have to say to me.

Um...

Hello? Yes,

Manager Hou returned last night. What is it?

Yes, he brought the funds with him!

Manager Hou said

to acquire whatever quantity of goods you can.

Yes! I'll tell him!

Who was it?

Assistant Manager Hu.

Mr. Hou, about the building...

The master already told you,

he building is being sold, and everyone has to move out!

We didn't take any deposit from any of you,

so don't be getting crazy ideas!

If you don't move out, that's fine,

you'd just have to buy the building yourself!

Please, just hear me out!

Whether or not to buy your building

is a different matter entirely.

But if you're wanting everyone to move out...

Xiaoying, come in here.

Mr. Hou, this...

this is completely unreasonable. Mr. Hou.

If you want us to move out, I want to know why you...

Keep it down, will you?

The Master is still resting!

Oh, Boss Xiao!

Just now you kept saying "us".

Does that mean that you're representing all the tenants?

That's right!

The master made it clear

that every family is responsible for themselves. So mind your own business!

What, what do you mean by that?

Old Kong's son is a communist.

You'd better not go getting mixed up with him, understand?

The master said

that he's willing to give you a deal on the apartment if you play nice,

but not anyone else.

Big Mao's dad, someone's here for you.

Big Mao's dad!

Who is it?

Talk to you later!

Coming, coming!

What is it?

Come down here!

I...

Listen to me! That woman upstairs said that they'd give you a deal.

Does that mean that they're willing to sell the building to us?

That's right, but we don't have the money!

Shhh!

Go, go, let's talk inside.

Out you go!

Go out and play!

Play time!

Just go!

What do you want to do about the apartment...?

Sit down, sit down.

No, you...

Listen to me

The only thing in this world you can rely on is yourself.

Geezer Kong is an eccentric,

and that Mr. Hua on the back landing is broke and always dragging things out.

You can't rely on either of them!

But where is the money going to come from?

Just listen! Real estate is cheap now.

And aren't they saying that Monkey planning to flee?

This is our opportunity to slash the price and close the deal!

What nonsense! Tell me where's the money?

Wretch, you'll never get rich with that attitude!

Are you really telling me you can't figure out a way to get the money?

From where?

Idiot! Recently, the yield on gold is high.

Our business has been bad.

Why not buy some gold on spec?

Use the spec gold to buy the buiding,

lease out the rooms, and collect rent!

That's it! Great!

Today we've got our solution!

This building has its own telephone installed,

and I'm only asking three gold bars.

They'll need to put down a deposit, and pay the balance by the end of the month.

Tell that to Little Broadcast.

Three gold bars that cheap?

What do you know about the market these past couple days?

These past couple days the price of everything has been going up!

Everything except real estate!

Why?

Don't go spreading this around!

All the bigwigs in Nanking have slipped away.

We need to sell this place fast.

And the first step is to kick out Kong Youwen,

so that he won't cause trouble. Got it?

Go stir-fry me a plate of rice cakes!

Mrs. Hou!

Mrs. Hou!

Mrs. Hou!

Mrs. Hou!

Mrs. Hua! Please do come in and have a seat.

Oh, Mrs. Hou's not home.

Xiaoying will be right back. Please come in and have a seat!

Thank you, I'll just come back a little later!

Little sister,

you're so well behaved and pretty!

Come in and have some candy.

Mrs. Hua, please come in and have a seat!

Whatever you wanted to say to Xiaoying, you can say to me.

It's nothing important, really.

I just wanted to talk with Mrs. Hou about our housing.

Excellent, excellent! Have a seat, and let's talk!

Sit, sit. Please sit.

So, Mrs. Hua, what are you thinking about your housing?

Well, Mr. Hua

is actually willing to move,

but the rule in Shanghai is that

the landlord has to give the tenant moving expenses when moves out.

Mrs. Hua, we've been neighbors for so long now.

I have no intention of making you move.

You...

But didn't Mrs. Hou say all three families will have to move out?

Not at all! She just didn't understand. Actually, what I meant was...

Uncle Kong!

Be careful!

Alright, alright.

Those boys' racket drives me crazy!

That's right, they're the only ones I want to leave.

You're fine, Mrs. Hua!

If you're happy to stay, you can stay.

You can leave it to me to deal with the buyer about your lease!

That's wonderful. And, really...

why would we want to move out?

Exactly! Best to stay put if you can!

What is it? Is Mr. Hua not home?

He goes out every day. School keeps him so busy.

Don't you get lonely, then, Mrs. Hua?

Not at all.

When Mr. Hua gets back, you tell him what I told you

It's fine if you keep living here. It's no trouble at all!

Mrs. Hou, so that's settled about the apartment! We'll pay a deposit first,

and this... will be the sale price.

Done!

But I'm going to say this up front, Mrs. Xiao.

You'd better move fast.

The Master said that he'll only wait for you until the end of the month.

If you haven't paid up by the end of the month, you'll forfeit your deposit!

Fine. I agree. It's a deal!

Great!

Mind your own business!

Goodbye, Mrs. Hua. Come up when you have the time!

Okay, goodbye, Mr. Hou!

Mrs. Hou, I waited for you forever!

For me? About what?

About the apartment! I've already settled things with Mrs. Hua!

If everything's settled, that's great!

Done with classes?

You must be tired out from teaching.

Have some water!

Why aren't you saying anything? You're driving me crazy!

Just why did you go upstairs?

To talk about the apartment.

With him? What for?

I already told you.

I don't want to stay here.

We're moving... moving on campus.

Listen, Jiajin,

you really haven't learned a thing these past few years.

I'm at my wit's end just trying to support our family.

When do I have time to learn anything?

All families struggle to stay afloat.

That's a societal problem!

It's not my responsibility.

So it falls on my shoulders!

I know how you think.

Anything having to do with money is beneath you!

You're not willing to talk to him,

and what are we going to do if I don't?

Of course I'd never talk to him. Do you know what he is?

A traitor, a petty bureaucrat, a profiteer, and a thug!

That has nothing to do with me. All I want is our own apartment!

An apartment? They have those on campus!

But the apartments on campus aren't our own!

Is this one?

Of course! He said we could stay here.

He promised me.

Listen, I talked it over with him, and he agreed that we could stay!

Maybe he did.

But I prefer to move on campus

and have him pay us moving expenses.

Then you go tell him that yourself!

How are things going with the missus from the second-floor room?

Do you want me to help with anything?

Like hell am I going to get mixed up with these people who come looking for you.

Here, take this!

So you're off.

Back to Nanking?

No. First I need to deliver this money to the firm for the department chief.

Okay. When will you be back?

Saturday, of course!

Can't you come back earlier?

Why would I do that?

To have another chat with that Mrs. Hua.

Wise up. Don't worry yourself about things that don't concern you.

Manager Hou, your train tickets to Nanking tonight have been booked.

Alright.

Deputy Manager, when you obtain these funds from the Treasury,

go immediately to the Central Bank and buy gold at the official rate.

Yes, sir.

1.5 billion? That's a lot of gold bars!

I've already arranged things with the Ministry and the firm.

The Central Bank is to make the exchange tomorrow!

Yes.

This 1.5 billion may be considered a temporary

personal loan from the department chief to the firm.

He'd like a receipt from accounting.

Of course, of course.

What do we do once the gold is in hand?

Sell it on the black market, or...

No. Nothing of the sort. Buy up rice!

Peasants aren't going for gold-backed yuan anymore,

and a single ounce of gold can buy over six hundred pounds of rice.

That's where the money's at!

But wouldn't transporting

a huge shipment of rice cause trouble?

Trouble? No one would dare make trouble for us.

Say it's from a grain levy!

Ah Mei, can I help you?

No, thank you, Mr. Kong!

Wait a minute.

I have something to tell you.

Me?

The master passed on instructions that you're

to move out no later than the end of this month.

What? This month?

But that's cruel!

Cruel?

The master has been letting you stay

here temporarily because he pities you.

Don't think you can keep kicking around here forever!

Hey, if you don't move by the end of the month,

don't blame me if things get ugly!

Why are you being so ruthless?

I'll move once I've found a new apartment.

You scoundrel! Still dragging your heels, huh?

If you don't move out, just wait and see what happens!

Old Master, she's pressuring you to move out again, isn't she?

Hey, hear me out.

Do you know why Monkey wants to drive you out?

Because he wants to sell this place!

And do you know who he wants to sell it to?

Who cares?

Hear me out.

Stop talking nonsense!

Old Master doesn't want to hear your rubbish.

Just hear me out! Do you know

who the landlord is going to be?

It sure ain't gonna be you!

Stop going around everywhere wagging!

Out, out!

Close the door after you!

What were you going on about to him?

Old Mr. Kong is living on his own!

Cut the crap!

We haven't closed the deal on the building yet!

Get moving and take our goods out to earn a little cash.

We also have to go to the bank to buy gold.

Buy gold! We're going to buy gold!

Here take these thing.

We'll take our stuff out and sell it on the black market as quickly as we can.

Then we'll go to the bank and redeem our cash for gold at the government rate.

Once we've got the gold we'll sell it on the black market.

Then we'll go back to the bank and trade more cash for gold,

sell it on the black market again,

then back to the bank,

then back to the black market,

then cash for gold at the bank again...

What's this junk?

Here's our capital, right here!

Hey, what are you doing?

What the heck are you doing?

I... nothing! Me?

Why did you take out my penicillin?

I risked my neck to get that!

And the price of those silk stockings is about to skyrocket too.

That gold is mine. What are you doing taking my gold out?

Using it as capital!

Capital! Then why are you hording these goods?

I...

Fine, let's just stop fighting, okay?

More capitals, more profits.

Your gold and my goods.

We'll pool it together and use the lot! Sound good?

Trying to pull a fast one on me!

Where are you going?

Didn't you say to use them as collateral to borrow money from Monkey?

Collateral? And do you know how much cash we need?

Here, I'll write up an inventory for you.

Penicillin...

These five pieces of jewelry weigh 2.58 ounces altogether.

One ounce will be our deposit on the purchase!

The rest, including these goods, I'd like to use as collateral for a cash loan.

There are three more here.

These are quite some antiques you've got here!

Look! I've got two pairs of silk stockings,

a half dozen Parisian perfumes,

and even penicillin!

Penicillin?!

In Shanghainese, that sounds like "Your death is sealed!�

Mrs. Hou, this medicine is worth a fortune!

It can bring the dead back to life!

Two months ago, when I wangled this stuff,

you could sleep outside to be in line to buy penicillin, and still be empty-handed.

Funny, huh? I don't know what's what, is that it?

Get over here and put these things in the cupboard.

Penicillin!

Mrs. Xiao, I'll give you the money when the Master gets back!

Alright, alright.

That's enough! Go find a couple more people for a game!

You mahjong addict! Just would I find them?

Hah, there's one right here!

Me?

I wouldn't presume to play with the two of you.

I'm all thumbs.

It's just a little game of mahjong. Don't be afraid.

We're still one short.

I know someone.

If you don't mind having her, I could ask Mrs. Hua up.

Yes, go!

Mrs. Hua, Mrs. Hua!

Mrs. Xiao!

Let's go! Come upstairs with me to play mahjong.

Wei Wei is sleeping, and I really can't play.

Mrs. Hua. You need to get out more.

Monkey is pressuring us to move,

so we need to spend more time getting to know them.

I don't want to go if Monkey's home.

No, just a female visitor.

Let's go... come with me.

I... I...

Come on! Let's go!

In that case, just give me a minute.

Hurry up!

Damn it! I've had three good hands and not one win!

I had a great hand too!

Did you have the eight-circles tile I needed to win?

No, I didn't. I...

Just "eat" if you can.

Why did you discard that new tile? It's all I needed for an amazing hand!

I had to play that tile, but as soon as I did...

Hurry up!

The master's back!

Quick, put the game away!

You're back!

Why so early?

It's only Thursday!

You must be freezing!

We had nothing to do and were feeling bored,

so I said we might as well keep Mrs. Hou company to liven things up.

We weren't expecting you!

Never mind, we'll wrap things up and put the game away.

Mrs. Hua, please sit down.

Sit.

Sit.

Please sit.

Please sit down, too, Mrs. Xiao.

You're going to play today too?

Sure, sure. I'll play a couple rounds in your place.

Come on, then!

Damn! The moment you get back, the phone rings.

Yes, he just got back.

You sure got the news fast!

Hey, it's from the firm!

Tell them that every one of them is to stay put!

I'll be there at five o'clock to make an important announcement.

Hello?

They're really after you with these calls.

You get home and the phone starts ringing. Really!

Pung!

Mrs. Hua, isn't Mr. Hua home?

No, he's teaching.

Yesterday he told me that he wants to have a word with you.

Great, excellent!

Great!

Mr. Hua hopes that this building...

Mr. Hua is so busy!

Maybe, but not as busy as you, Mr. Hou.

Are you going to talk or are you going to play?

Come on, Master Hou!

I've won! Won big!

What a killer!

All one suit! A one-to-nine straight. A pair of eights.

Won without drawing or eating a tile.

Gained an inside-five to complete a meld on the discard and it's the only five at that!

No character tiles, no flowers, no jokers

And that's not all! Let me total it up myself.

Mrs. Hua, what is Mr. Hua thinking about your living situation?

He wants to move on campus.

Why?

It's nothing really.

He thinks that according to the usual custom,

the landlord provides moving expenses if they want the tenant to move out.

And what do you want?

Well, of course, it's inconvenient to move.

Master Hou, that tile you just played

is going to cost us all money!

Damn.

Let's deliver the protest letter first,

and if the authorities don't reply

we'll just go on strike!

Strike? Wouldn't that be going overboard?

Going overboard?

The students are already walking out of classes to support us.

Why is it that teachers like us are the ones who are so timid,

isn't that a bit cowardly?

Hey, what kind of attitude is that?

Let's not argue about that right now!

We'll deliver the protest letter and

decide what to do after we receive a response.

First we should discuss

how we're going to deliver this letter to the new principal.

Just hand it to him in person. Why fuss about niceties?

Who should deliver it, then?

I think...

This new principal of ours

has taken a liking to Mr. Hua!

What do you mean by that?

Old Liu! Cracking jokes at a time like this!

Fine! No more jokes. I'll deliver it!

Good.

In that case, I'll be off.

What?

You're here too? Where's the principal?

I don't know. I just got here myself.

I wanted to talk to him about my housing problem.

Mr. Hua, you're really willing to move on campus?

Why are you so surprised?

Didn't I say as much to you a couple days ago?

Mr. Hua, Mr. Hua! Leaving already?

Mr. Hua, I've already arranged that apartment you wanted.

Mr. Hua, have there been any developments among the staff?

Well... I couldn't say.

Okay, I'll take you to see the apartment!

Principal, I see you're busy.

I'll leave you.

I'll take you now.

It's this way.

Look at this place. Not bad, huh?

Fabulous!

But I'm not sure if I really deserves such a great place to live...

Nonsense! You're too modest!

You just wouldn't be able to move in today.

It needs to be tidied up first.

No rush, no rush!

Mr. Hua, I need to ask you a favor today!

That staff protest aimed at me is entirely the result of a misunderstanding.

I wouldn't want this matter to go any further.

No, Principal, don't misunderstand!

It wasn't me who delivered the protest letter.

I'm not the representative!

No need to explain, Mr. Hua. I understand completely!

Just retract this protest letter

and you can move into the apartment tomorrow!

No! You misunderstand!

The apartment and the protest letter are separate matters entirely.

Of course they're separate matters!

I'm letting you have the apartment as a personal favor.

It has nothing to do with anyone else.

As for this thing, please take it back!

Please.

No, I'm sorry, Principal. I can't do this!

And I don't want the apartment anymore!

Come now.

Sorry.

Mrs. Hua's the winner this round!

A complete thirteen-tile hand!

Why do you play like this?

What's that now?

Five circles!

Who played it?

That husband of yours!

Five circles?

Of course!

We'll settle this debt later.

Time for a snack!

Help yourself, Mrs. Hua!

Thank you.

Jiajin, Jiajin!

Weiwei, Weiwei!

Where's mom?

Where's mom?

I'm asking you!

I don't know.

Mom? Where's mom?

Please help yourself to some snacks!

Ah Mei, has Weiwei's mother gone out?

She's upstairs!

Jiajin, Jiajin!

Daddy, daddy!

Daddy, where's mama?

You're back so early today.

Mrs. Xiao dragged me over. I really didn't want to go.

I know I shouldn't play mahjong,

but since we're asking for moving expenses, I couldn't refuse the invitation.

Who wants moving expenses from them? I'm not moving!

You keep changing your mind.

What is it you really want?

Mahjong! Is that all you care about?

Do you care what disaster occurred at school?

That school apartment is a gonner!

Big Mao's mother, the rice ration is here!

We need to hurry and join the crowd!

Rice ration is here!

IDs! Don't forget your ID!

Mr. Kong, I'll go get your ration for you.

No need. I'll go myself.

Hurry, hurry, hurry!

It's already arrived at the rice shop!

When I think of him, I can't eat or drink...

What a drag!

The round isn't even finished and everyone splits

Now that's a first to me!

I'm off.

I won't see you out.

What do you think?

Interesting game, wasn't it?

So, tell me, what do you think of that woman who lives on the landing?

You want me to set you up with her?

Don't be ridiculous!

You think I came back today to wallow in your jealousy?

Stop dreaming!

The fighting's already reached Pookow!

The Department Chief dispatched me here to deal with company matters.

So you're going straight to the firm, then.

This building's got to be dealt with as soon as possible too, got it?

I've taken care of everything you asked me to.

I confronted Kong Youwen and told him to move out by the end of the month.

Little Broadcast's wife has already brought over gold and western drugs.

They're just waiting for you to give them money for their collateral.

Just give her a bit of cash from those public funds in the trunk!

Have her come get it.

Yes.

If our collateral gets us enough cash to buy two ounces of gold,

and we sell it tomorrow and then spec more to flip the next day,

then we'll have four ounces.

The day after that, we'll flip it again,

then we'll have eight ounces.

Eight times two is sixteen.

One two is two, two twos is four, two fours is eight,

That makes thirty-two ounces.

We'll spend three gold bars to buy the place,

two ounces of gold on renovations,

and move onto the terrace.

Then we can rent out every single apartment individually.

Let's see... one and a half gold bars up front for the front unit,

another one and a half for the upstairs unit,

and five ounces for the back apartment on the landing.

Two fives make ten three and a half gold bars exactly!

Redeeming the items we pawned, including principal

plus interest, will cost three ounces of gold.

Well, damn me if I won't have cleared thirty-two ounces of gold!

Damn it!

Daddy's hit the jackpot!

I've goddamn struck it rich!

I'm rich!

I'm... rich.

I'm rich.

Little Broadcast.

Yes?

I spoke with the Master and he said that

leaving aside your deposit,

he'll give you four thousand gold-backed yuan

for the rest of your goods and your gold jewelry.

That'll be enough for you to buy two ounces of gold.

This short-term loan will cost you twelve cents a day

and mature in ten-day's time.

If you don't redeem them by the deadline, you'll lose your collateral.

Ten days, what do you think?

If you agree to these terms, I'll go upstairs and get the money right now.

Ten days? Ten days it is!

Moron, move away.

Is he still in?

They are all waiting in the office.

Any news?

The situation is changing too quickly. We need to respond in kind!

All we've got are confiscated goods. How are we going to unload them?

That's exactly what I'm here about!

The Ministry has a transport vessel leaving for Guangzhou.

Box up all of the firm's textiles,

dyes, and hardware

and put a Ministry of Defense seal on them.

We'll smuggle it on board disguised as public property.

Yes, sir!

There's also this directive from the Ministry

to Maritime Inspections.

Mobilize everyone to carry it out immediately!

Yes, sir!

And how shall we deal with that rice shipment?

You moron!

With everything ass over tincups,

everyone hoards a few hundred pounds of rice.

The market's ripe, dump it!

Of course! Dump the rice and buy gold!

Rice rations, rice rations! Where's the rice?

Open up!

That good-for-nothing eats his fill and doesn't lift a finger...

Hey, you bum, you good-for-nothing!

You good-for-nothing!

You are back so soon.

Lying around like a corpse while we're

out getting soaked and swindled!

Shut up. Listen to me.

You go get our rations!

Get going! Go!

Look! You take a look!

Take a look here!

Forget rice rations.

Tomorrow we're off to buy gold!

Lazy swine you're impossible to wake!

All the gold will be long gone before your turn ever comes up!

Is that my fault? I couldn't sleep last night

with your snoring!

Let's go! People will already be lining up!

What's the trouble? Something wrong with it?

It's too cold. The engine won't turn over!

- Morning, Mrs. Hua! - Morning!

Get grocery?

Give me some money for the bus.

Didn't you say that teachers are on strike today?

Keep your voice down!

They didn't send out a notice today,

so the strike probably isn't going ahead.

I'm going to school and take a look!

I hear that Little Broadcast and his wife are planning to buy the building.

What should we do?

It's all your fault. First you say we're moving on campus,

then you say we're not,

and I end up having to eat my words.

Just listen to yourself!

You wouldn't have me sell out my friends

just for a two-room apartment at school, would you?

When did I ask you to do something like that?

Hou already said we didn't have to move...

Of course we won't move since we don't have any other choice!

We'll talk about this later.

We're not moving!

Then you go and talk to him yourself!

What? You want me to talk to him?

We just won't move and see what he does!

If we're staying, we at least have to tell them!

Just do what you want!

Mrs. Hua, off shopping?

I'll give you a lift!

No, thank you.

Mr. Hou, I want to have a talk with you about the apartment.

We still don't want to move.

I'm really sorry about all this back-and-for thing!

That's wonderful, Mrs. Hua! I told you you shouldn't move!

Come in, let's talk in the car!

No, thank you. I have to go shopping.

Goodbye, then!

Hey, isn't that Old Hua?

Why's he at school today?

Maybe he doesn't know about our strike!

What is it with you? You still trust him?

Look! There he goes to class with his books.

He's been bought for sure.

Maybe he didn't receive the strike notice!

Who is it?

Me!

Oh, it's Mr. Hua!

What's this? you're here for class!

Yes.

But it seems there's a teacher's strike today, is that right?

Mr. Hua, didn't you know about it?

I really didn't,

so I came to school to see what was happening.

I have something to attend to. Goodbye!

Watch out for this one!

Still pretending to be out of the loop.

He must be the instigator of the strike!

Follow him, and don't let him escape!

Take this list of names. There are twenty-five all together,

students and teachers.

See if the van's here.

Let's go!

What are you doing?

Let's go!

Get moving, there!

Does a guy named Kong live here?

Pardon me, what is it?

My name's Kong.

I see.

Is this where you live?

Yes, yes.

Son of a bitch! Why haven't you moved like you were told to?!

Seems you need me to come here and teach you a goddamn lesson!

You had this coming!

What's going on?

Keep out of this! Fuck off!

Ah Mei! Come upstairs! This doesn't concern you.

Get the hell out of the way, kids!

Move it!

Scram!

Get out of here!

What's happening?

What's going on?

Listen up, old man. I'll give you until tomorrow to move out.

If you don't...

That's what'll happen to you!

Hey, buddy, can I say something?

And you are?

Name's Xiao, Boss Xiao. People call me Little Broadcast.

I live in the front room.

Of course Mr. Kong will have to move,

but a single day

is just not enough time.

At least give him some time to prepare for the move.

Listen, pal, I'd really appreciate it

if you'd do me a favor.

Let him stay one more week,

and if he hasn't moved out, you can hold me completely responsible!

How about it?

Done! We'll take Boss Xiao at his word.

We're off! See you later!

See you.

So sorry for the trouble!

Really sorry.

See you later!

We'll see ourselves out! Bye!

- Weiwei! - Mom.

What happened? What's going on?

Some thugs smashed up Mr. Kong's room!

Why?

Monkey paid them to do it!

Ah Mei.

Horrible woman!

Ah Mei.

Mom, mom.

Don't worry, Old Master. I'll sort this out!

By the end of the week, I'll definitely have figured something out!

Really, listen to me...

That's right, Mr. Kong. Don't worry.

We'll figure something out...

I'm on the job!

You should all just stay put and see what he does about it!

So, what did you all say to him last time?

What did we say to him? No one was willing to take the lead!

Oh, but Mr. Hua...

What are you all doing?

Get away.

Why are you all so afraid of him?

That pair are nothing more than a thief

and a whore with countless shame things.

You should all be brave and refuse to move out!

Grandpa Kong, we don't want you to leave!

Don't leave, Grandpa Kong!

Er Mao, there's nothing Grandpa Kong can do...

Then get Big Brother Kong to come back and get revenge!

Yeah, get Big Brother Kong to come back!

Don't be sad, Grandpa Kong. We'll help you clean up!

Come on, let's clean up.

Get to it!

Mrs. Hua! Mrs. Hua!

What is it?

They arrested a bunch of people at school today,

including Mr. Hua.

I only escaped because I jumped the wall.

I came here just to tell you!

What should I do? Oh, what should I do?

Mom! Mom!

Try to keep calm, Mrs. Hua!

We'll all try to figure out what to do.

Mr. Hua was totally uninvolved with the strike.

I have to get going!

What's wrong?

What happened?

Mr. Hua's been arrested!

Arrested? Why?

Mr. Kong, please look after Weiwei for a while.

I need to go figure out a way to save him!

Mrs. Hua, Mrs. Hua!

Mrs. Hua, Mrs. Hua!

Mom!

Weiwei, Weiwei!

Wait, I'll go with you!

Hey, save your energy for the gold market tomorrow!

You'll oversleep again! We need to go get in line tonight!

Why Mr. Hua?

What has this world come to!

What has this world come to!

Please save him!

I'm truly sorry, but we really

can't take on this sort of case!

I'm looking for Secretary Gao.

Please release him! I'm begging you!

This type of thing is not our responsibility!

What are you doing?!

I'm here to see Section Chief Chen.

Go to reception.

Please do the right thing and release him. I'm begging you!

I'll kneel! I'll kowtow!

I already told you, we didn't arrest anyone!

You...

What is it? No news of him?

Nothing at all!

Don't fuss. Let mommy rest a bit!

Don't be anxious, Mrs. Hua. It won't help a thing!

We'll think of something!

I... I'll ask Monkey for help!

Him?

Why on earth ask him?

Monkey works in the Ministry of Defense. He's sure to have connections!

Mr. Hou, Mrs. Hou,

please help me!

If only you can get Mr. Hua released,

I'd do absolutely anything to repay you!

Mrs. Hua, how could you say such a thing!

Recently, incidents like this one involving Mr. Hua all too common.

The Ministry I work for in Nanking prosecutes over a hundred a year.

To be honest, these teachers have been acting completely outrageous!

That said, I know Mr. Hua, and know that he's a good man.

You just relax and leave this matter entirely to me!

So, you're going to bail him out!

Of course!

I have plenty of friends in the central government and the military.

That Chen Daqing is a former classmate of mine,

so it'll be no problem! I'll just place a couple of calls!

But, Mrs. Hua,

to settle this matter you'll have to appear in person!

Of course!

Just so long as there's a solution.

I'll take you to see my friends tomorrow afternoon!

Thank you, thank you!

Mr. Kong.

I've found a way to save him!

He agreed to take me to see some friends tomorrow.

Why is he willing to help you all of a sudden?

I never imagined it either!

Is Wei Wei a bit feverish?

Hey, Old Master!

You're going out to buy gold tonight?

We're going to get in line. We'll have to sleep on the streets tonight!

We'll leave the kids under your care!

Please.

No problem!

Mrs. Hua, we'll have you over if we're able to buy gold tomorrow!

I still want to find Mr. Hua for you!

Nonsense. What gold? Let's get going!

Back home with you!

If we aren't able to buy gold again, we'll be in serious trouble!

Think we'll fail if we stay up all night?

With everything in this world, "when there's a will, there's a way." Got it?

All you do is brag!

Hey, look. Even the blind are going to speculate in gold!

So what if I'm blind! Are you saying the blind can't be gold speculators?

Go! Just go! Quick!

Go, go, go!

Damao's father.

Who's in the front?

Our people.

They stole my money! My cash!

My cash!

Bread's here! One loaf per person!

Dammit! The guy distributing bread

is the head of that gang of hoarders. Not again!

What's he doing in the bank anyway?

It's a conspiracy!

The Central Bank is colluding with a gang of gold-hoarders.

All those people who forced their way to the front are in their gang!

Damn it! They stuff themselves with bread and then buy up all the gold.

There might not be any gold left for us!

Keep it down or you'll get yourself beaten up!

Ah Jun, here you go.

Little Camel.

Ah Da, take it.

Fuxing.

Li Zheng.

Ah Tu, take it.

Ah Tu.

I'm here! It's mine.

Calm down! Calm down!

Ah Tu, is he with us?

No, he's not!

We came from the city to buy gold.

You son of a bitch! Where the hell did you come from?

Get him out of there!

Goddamn it, drag him out if you have to! Drag him out!

Damao's father!

Please, after you!

Please.

To Garrison Command!

Manager Hou, your table is ready!

Mr. Hou, didn't you say

we were going to the military police to find a friend of yours?

Oh, let's wait here until it stops raining.

It'll be easier to find who I'm looking for!

Eat, don't be so polite.

Mr. Hou, we should be able to go see that friend of yours by now!

Not yet, not yet. Let's sit a while longer.

The rain hasn't stopped yet!

Besides, you don't get a chance to get out much, and I don't get much time off...

Mr. Hou, I'll keep you company some other day.

It's really past time...

You're such the good wife, Mrs. Hua!

You're so good to your husband,

but it seems that his treatment of you isn't quite...

It's nothing.

It's just that his personality is a bit peculiar...

That's right! He never gives me the time of day.

I'm sorry, Mr. Hou. He's such the bookworm!

When he gets out, he's sure to

apologize to you!

Don't mention it! You're so polite.

But, Mrs. Hua, I want you to repay me yourself.

That goes without saying!

Of course I should thank you personally.

In that case, Mrs. Hua, just how do you plan to repay me?

Do you...

Do you want me to give you some kind of present?

Don't play dumb, Mrs. Hua!

Mr. Hou, I don't understand what you mean!

Mr. Hou, we should be going!

Let's sit a little longer, just a little longer!

It's still raining. Come and sit.

Let's stay a little longer.

Mr. Hou, Mr. Hou!

Oh, no!

Come out dancing with me tonight!

I don't know how to dance!

That doesn't matter.

If you'll just spend one night with me...

Mr. Hou, you...!

Mrs. Hua, don't you know that I truly love you?

Mr. Hou,

you bully!

I'm doing you a good turn! I'm helping you!

You hypocritical beast!

Mrs. Hua, thank goodness you're finally back!

Weiwei's sick!

What? Sick?

I've already called the doctor. He's in the other apartment!

Gold...

thirty-two ounces of gold!

Hurry!

It's nothing serious. They'll recover after a few days of rest.

Alright, alright.

If they're in pain, just apply a hot water bottle.

Sure!

Excuse me, but there's also a little girl I'll trouble you to take a look at.

What's wrong with her?

She started running a fever yesterday,

probably because of a draft!

Then her mother, Mrs. Hua, hasn't been at home these past few days,

and I'm really no good at taking care of children.

I'm afraid she's caught a cold,

since she's been in this comatose state all today...

Doctor, what's wrong with her?

It's acute pneumonia!

You'll need to give her penicillin.

As soon as you're ready, I'll give her an injection!

Penicillin.

Penicillin.

The sooner, the better. You'd best go buy some right now!

OK.

Mrs. Hua, come here quick!

What's wrong?

What's wrong, Weiwei?

- What's wrong? - Her breaths are getting shorter and shorter.

Weiwei!

Use some warm water to moisten her lips!

Weiwei, Weiwei!

This is not working!

Mrs. Hua, do you have the money? You'd better buy the medicine right away!

To be honest, Mr. Kong, we don't have the money!

We don't even have enough to get by day to day,

and we don't have anyone we can borrow from.

Since Mr. Hua was arrested, our house has been...

Mr. Kong,

how much does the medicine cost?

Here... buy it with this!

Ah Mei, I'm afraid a month of your wages

wouldn't be enough to buy even a single injection!

That expensive!

Mrs. Hua, don't panic.

There's always a way.

I'll go figure something out.

Mr. Kong...

Mrs. Hua, I'll be right back!

Wake up, Weiwei, wake up!

Let mommy rub your chest.

Does that make you feel any better?

Weiwei! Say something, say something!

Weiwei, mommy can't die in your place.

Just answer me, Wei Wei!I Mommy's scared.

Why are you so quiet?

Answer me, answer me!

This coat might be worth something.

Grandpa Kong, Daddy's calling again!

Big Mao, you're old enough to know

how to take good care of your mommy and daddy.

I'll be right back!

Grandpa Kong, where are you going?

I'm going to buy medicine for Weiwei!

Mr. Kong, I'll go fetch you some hot water!

No, no, thank you! I'm about to leave for the office.

Wait, why on earth are you taking this trunk to the office?

Never you mind!

Mr. Kong, I found this trunk open just now.

Do you think someone messed with it?

Messed with it?

Penicillin!

Penicillin!

Where did this come from?

Where?

Ah Mei, it was you, wasn't it?

It's Mrs. Xiao's!

Fine, doesn't matter! A life's at stake!

Penicillin, penicillin!

Mrs. Hua, we've got penicillin!

There's a good girl, Wei Wei!

It'll be over in a second.

Stay still! Good girl!

Mom! Mom!

Weiwei! Weiwei!

Oh my!

How are you doing?

You're recovered too?

You're better!

Thanks, I'll close it, I'll close it.

Grandpa Kong, Grandpa Kong!

Weiwei, you're all better!

Mr. Kong's back?

- Grandpa Kong, Grandpa Kong! - Weiwei!

Slow down, Weiwei.

Say it! What did I tell you to say?

Say thank you to Grandpa Kong!

Thank you, Grandpa Kong!

Really! It's all thanks to you that this little girl is still alive!

Don't mention it.

Old Master,

come in here for a chat!

Grandpa Kong! Come down, Weiwei!

Let's go out and play.

Be careful, Weiwei!

Old Master, welcome.

Welcome, welcome.

- I'm not well dressed. - Don't get up.

Don't get up, please!

- You're both better! Congratulations! - Thank you.

You saved us both, Old Master!

Don't mention it.

Let's see what the news is.

Any chance of peace?

Peace?

Peace really is here!

Peace at last, for real! Look! Old Chiang's stepped down!

No more fighting.

What's that?

Really?

What's that? No more fighting?

Really! Old Chiang's stepped down!

Stepped down?

It's just that Big Boss Uncle Sam sees that Old Chiang reeks to high heaven,

and is swapping in Li Tsung-jen to dupe everyone!

Whatever the case may be, this might mean the war's over!

If peace is really here, then the people they arrested...

will be released for sure!

Mrs. Hua, congratulations!

Mr. Hua is sure to be released any day now!

That's wonder full!

And you, Ah Mei!

Now you can go back to the countryside and farm,

you don't need to be a servant anymore!

And you, Old Master, you deserve the heartiest congratulations!

Your young man should be back any day now!

As for us, Big Mao's mom,

as long as the fighting's done we'll be back in business!

Some day...

Praise be to Buddha, peace is finally here!

Monkey's back!

Has Geezer Kong moved out yet?

Are Little Broadcast and his wife home?

They're home.

Tell him to come upstairs in a moment.

Mrs. Xiao, you keep resting.

Sure, thank you!

Monkey will ask us pay the bill soon.

Let's go to exchange cash for gold again tomorrow, okay?

No good. All we'll get in exchange will be more trouble!

I'll go talk to Monkey and ask him to extend the deadline a couple days.

What's this?

Stabilization fee? What goddamned stabilization fee?

Damn! We're finished!

My money has been stabilized away!

What? Does this mean...

does this mean that gold...?

...has skyrocketed!

It was two thousand dollars an ounce!

Now it's six thousand five hundred dollars an ounce!

What? Six thousand five hundred dollars?

That's ridiculous! Six thousand five hundred?

That four thousand Monkey gave us won't even buy a single ounce now!

What goddamned son-of-a-bitch told you this?

Stop dreaming! Now we don't even have four thousand!

One doctor's visit and we're down to two thousand!

Just which son-of-a-bitch is claiming the price is sixty-five hundred?

Who else? Orders from Nanking! Motherfuckers!

Motherfuckers!

Government orders?

What kind of bastard government would do such a thing?

That order's bullshit!

We had more than two ounces of gold in capital,

and now they're worth less than three thousand dollars!

Those short-sighted bastards have killed our future!

That government of murderers!

Quiet down, my good wife.

If that guy upstairs hears, he'll kill you!

I don't care! I will go settle accounts with those daylight robbers!

Where would you find them?

The government's in Nanking!

Wife, disaster never strikes just once.

Not only can't we get our capital back,

all those things we took upstairs as security

are a lost cause too!

Heavens!

Just what have you been up to these past few days?

Geezer Kong is still kicking around here,

and Little Broadcast's not able to come up

with the rest of the money for the apartment

Meanwhile, Nanking has pretty much cleared out!

Tell me, are you planning to stay or go?

We should at least wait until after the Lunar New Year!

Tomorrow's the Kitchen God Festival!

Clueless woman!

Wait till New Year's passed and it'll be too late!

Don't blow up at me!

All year I've been doing everything I can to make things right,

just to be together with you.

Alright, alright, cut the crap!

Pack up everything in the next couple days,

and we'll go down to Guangzhou when we move the firm there.

Didn't they say the war would be over in a couple days?

Dream on! They've beaten us so badly we can barely catch our breath!

Of course we've asked them for a cease-fire,

but that's just so we can catch our breath to fight again.

What would you know about it?

So what are we going to do about this building?

Get the rest of the money from Little Broadcast!

Who is it?

Me!

Master Hou is home? excellent!

I have something to discuss with you.

What's that?

Listen, we want to redeem

those good we left here,

including the gold jewelry and the penicillin.

Tell me this first,

The deadline on the apartment is up. Where's the rest of the money for the sale?

You owe three gold bars, it's due today!

We'll have to trouble you for an extension for a few days on the apartment!

I'll just redeem the goods first.

The goods?

You agreed to a ten-day deadline. That's long passed.

What nonsense are you spouting now?

Say what?

Don't waste my time! The deadline on the apartment is up tomorrow.

Bring me three gold bars and I'll grant you the apartment.

If not, you'll move out tomorrow and forfeit your deposit!

That's ridiculous! So you're going to gobble up my things just like that?

Liar! 'Gobble up' you say?

Take a look at this!

Isn't this the agreement you and Little Broadcast wrote out yourselves?

And just how much money are those goods of mine worth?

You gave us only four thousand gold-backed yuan for our security.

If that's not gobbling up someone's property I don't know what is!

You two have to be fair!

No one forced you into this deal, and you wrote out the agreement yourselves.

Fairness doesn't enter into it!

But gold is now selling for sixty-five hundred.

My jewelry alone is worth twenty thousand!

You... you're kicking us when we're down, you opportunists...

Bullshit!

So you're accusing me of gobbling up your gold, are you?

Sue me, if you've got the guts.

Get out of her!

Stop pushing!

You bully! Are you blind! ?

Get out!

You can't push me around like Kong Youwen!

- Go! - Stop arguing!

Get away home!

We already pawned the goods to them, so there's nothing left to say.

Listen up, Hou,

I wrote that agreement and I won't be going back on it.

But is time really up on our goods and gold?

Anyone with a sense of reason or fairness

can answer that question for themselves!

Let's go!

We'll be back if we can, and if not, we'll have made them a gift of it!

So, fine it may be that our deal on the apartment is a lost cause,

and you've gotten my deposit for nothing!

But listen up, Hou, Little Broadcast knows the truth about you!

Son of a bitch! Who do you think you are?

What's that?

Cursing me? Nicely put!

Little Broadcast works on the streets and earns what he eats.

I'm no thief and no robber.

Everyone on the streets knows exactly what kind of man I am.

But you,

what the hell are you?

Fuck you!

Such...

Forget it! Why fight with him, the bum!

That dog doesn't even deserve to eat my shit!

I'm sure as hell not giving him a bargain on this building!

Call up Old Wei and tell him to get over here as soon as possible.

I'll sell him the building for cheap!

My poor gold!

It took me decades to save it, and I could never bring myself to exchange them.

Now that unscrupulous beast has gobbled down all of it, just like that!

What's there to cry about? Stop crying! Stop it!

It's all your fault! You're the one who exchanged my gold!

He got my penicillin the same way. Do you know how hard that was to get?

Why cry about it?

Stop...

Stop crying!

You weren't born with it, and you can't take it with you.

Stop this infernal crying!

You're going down! You hear me, Hou!

That man came back to look at the apartment again.

What should we do?

Fight it out! Everyone unite and duke it out with him!

I won't believe that...

He's here, he's here!

In that case, I'll have the full purchase amount sent over,

and have the place tidied up at the same time!

Excellent, I look forward to it!

Listen up, you three!

I've already sold this place to Mr. Wei here.

All of you have until no later than tomorrow morning to clear out!

I've got plenty of friends among the police, so don't you worry, Mr. Wei.

Okay, then. See you tomorrow!

Well I'm not moving a goddamn inch! What's he going to do about that!

But Mr. Xiao,

didn't you hear what he just said?

He's going to get the police to kick us out!

Him? His days of bullying are numbered!

Hey, Old Master, listen to this!

I've got a shocking piece of news!

Spare me! What kind of gossip this time?

This report is absolutely reliable!

I heard that last night the Communists fought their way to Liuhe.

Nanking's in chaos!

Now, that's a fact.

A rare treat to hear an accurate broadcast from you!

So don't you think Monkey's going to flee? Why fear him?

But he hasn't fled yet!

You...

Well, we're not moving. We'll fight it out with him to the end!

That's right! After all, he can't move the building!

Even if the police come, it's nothing to be afraid of.

We'll drag him into the fight!

Boss Xiao, Boss Xiao! What'll we do if Mr. Kong moves out?

He's planning to move?

He's packing.

I'll go see him!

Old Master, Old Master!

Damn you.

Old Master, we won't let you move out!

That's right, we won't let you move out!

Look, Wei wei! Grandpa Kong wants to move out. Are you going to let him do that?

Don't leave, Grandpa Kong!

Grandpa Kong, you can't leave!

I didn't say I was leaving. Who told you that?

Who told them?

What's this?

Telling lies at your age!

- I never! - Ah Mei!

Come up here now!

Hurry up!

Where is that package of goods I gave you?

Goods?

In the wardrobe I only found the silk stockings and the perfume.

Where's the penicillin?

Where did you put it? Bring it here!

That group downstairs is causing trouble again. You go deal with them!

Son of a bitch!

- Master Kong, are you leaving? - Are you afraid of him?

Don't be afraid of him.

None of us are moving out, Mr. Kong, so don't you move either!

Stick together, everyone. See what he does about it!

That's right, be stick together, everyone!

Get out, all of you! You're all evicted!

Get the hell out!

Mom!

Don't leave, Mrs. Hua! We're going to have our say, face to face!

What's this? Why haven't you moved out yet?

Ah Mei, come down here!

Throw his luggage out! You hear me?

Throw it out!

Don't bother. I'll do it myself!

Ah Mei!

Go upstairs.

You just watch your step!

Don't be stupid enough to mess with powerful people again!

You're not moving!

You can't leave.

Why would you leave?

Don't leave, Grandpa Kong!

Bring his luggage back in!

What the...? Are you looking for a thrashing?

We told you none of us are moving!

Where did you put the my penicillin?

I'll kill you if you couldn't find it!

You steal...

You damn girl!

Steal what?

Penicillin.

Where're you hiding? Say it!

Speak!

What are you doing?

Why are you beating her?

She stole my things! Mind your own business!

She stole your penicillin, didn't she?

What? You know!

Yes.

Because I stole it!

Don't falsely accuse her!

I'm the one you're looking for!

No!

Mr. Kong didn't steal it.

I did!

Alright, then! This place has turned into a den of thieves!

You're a gang of thieves, all of you!

Fine. Not one of you is leaving!

Bullshit! Thieves? You're the thief here,

you robber, swindler!

You swindled away my penicillin, my silk stockings, and my gold!

Alright, then, let's take this out on the street and thrash out the truth!

Thrash your mother! You get the hell out!

Clear off every one of you! Get the hell out!

Call us thieves, will you, Hou?

Let's go thrash out the truth on the streets!

You think you can bite us just because you're the lapdog of some high official?

You just try me, if you've got the guts!

What are you doing, Little Broadcast?

Let him go, Boss Xiao.

Let him call the police on us.

Today we're finally going to settle an old score with him!

Hou Yibo, you're a traitor and scumbag!

If you've got any clout left, you show us what you can do with it.

This old man is going to fight you for all he's worth!

Like hell you are!

Watch yourself, Kong Youwen! Your son's a communist,

and if you keep spouting nonsense, I'll finish you off, old man!

I'm spouting nonsense?

You rob Mrs. Xiao of her gold with your loan-sharking,

you illegally take over my building, and now you want to evict me!

You even try to seduce a good woman,

and you accuse me of spouting nonsense?

What? What did you say?

When he saw Mrs. Hua was in difficulty, he tried to take advantage of her!

Don't go, Mrs. Hua. You have nothing to be ashamed of.

It's this beast who's made a public spectacle of himself!

Shut up! I'll beat you to death, you son of a bitch!

Just try it!

Do your worst! I'll never be afraid of you again!

This building is mine, and I'm staying put.

Everyone is,

and we'll just see what you do about it.

That's right, we're not moving. What're you going to do about that?

Monkey, Monkey, he's not poor...

Traitor, traitor is on the second floor.

You're asking for it, all of you!

This is mutiny!

I'll have you all arrested!

Go ahead and make the call!

Move? Over my dead body!

We're not moving!

Hang up! Hang up!

What?

Long-distance call?

From the Ministry of Defense in Nanking?

Okay, okay!

Oh, D... Department Chief, it's you!

It's me! What's going on with you? Why haven't you called by now?

Get a move on!

An emergency decision has come down.

The garrison will be leaving Nanking immediately

and retreating to Guangdong!

I'm about to accompany the Minister to Fenghua

to meet the President for an urgent meeting.

Tomorrow I fly to Guangdong.

Hey, have you finished collecting all of the firm's funds?

You have until the day after tomorrow to bring them to me.

The Minister needs them. Understand?

I'll take care of it immediately!

Son of a bitch!

No wonder rushing around doing this and that.

The only thing you have time for is that woman downstairs!

Get out of my way! Move it!

Of course you want me to move out, so someone else can come in and take my place!

Goddamn it! So what if I did get myself another woman?

Leave if you want to leave.

I don't need any woman!

Stop this goddamn crying!

- It looks like it's all over! - What are you doing?

What did they tell you on that call just now?

What did they tell me? That it's over!

Nanking's fallen?

Any minute now!

Then... then what are we going to do?

What? Get the hell out now!

You mean today?

We'll fly out at dawn.

I'll go book the tickets!

How could they beat you so badly?

They're beasts! absolute beasts!

Damn them! The only thing devils like them understand is violence.

That's how we'll deal with them!

Is this the airline? Put Captain Wang on the line!

They're reaching out for the airline.

Captain Wang, is that you?

This is Hou Yibo.

I want two tickets to Hong Kong!

They're fleeing!

They're fucking fleeing!

Come on, please do me this favor.

Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Let's go, it's daybreak!

I really can't get over abandoning this building!

Move it! This dump's worthless!

Worthless? It's worth three gold bars!

I've got a lot more than that in here!

Do you think I'm going to have you sleeping on the streets in Hong Kong?

Wait, aren't you going with the firm to Canton?

Who cares about the firm at a time like this?

Move, fast!

Hurry up!

Quite!

Who?

Who is it?

Thieves! Thieves!

Let's go! Lung Hwa Airport!

Alright.

Hurry, let's go!

God damn it, you've woken everyone up!

Hurry up! Hurry! Hurry!

Damn it!

Hurry! Hurry!

Quite the speedy escape!

Shit! I'm letting you all off easy now,

but I'll be back to settle accounts with every one of you!

Fine! If you've got the guts, you come back

and we'll settle accounts so that you get everything you deserve!

Get up!

You're getting off easy this time!

Walk straight ahead, and if you turn your head even once, I'll kill you.

Move!

They've really fled!

Fled!

They're finished too!

Daddy!

Weiwei!

Jiajin!

Jiezhi!

You're finally back! Mrs. Hua!

What's wrong?

It's not serious.

It's just a bit wounded.

Why did they release you?

They shot Old Zhang and Old Liu.

They couldn't find any evidence against me,

but they beat me half to death anyway!

But why would they release you?

Yeah, Mr. Hua, why would they be willing to release you?

Yeah, why?

Now that Li Tsung-jen has taken power,

he's waving the flag of peace to dupe people.

Naturally, they have to release a few prisoners,

just for show!

Actually, a secret agent followed me all the way home.

They can re-arrest me any time they like.

But I'm not afraid!

Mr. Kong,

I may have suffered a lot,

but I've learned some valuable lessons!

Everything's great now that Mr. Hua's back!

We can celebrate a truly happy New Year!

We'll eat in a moment. Be patient!

So fun!

Fun!

This past year's kept everyone busy!

The bed's made!

The food's on the table!

And the candles are lit!

Time to light the firecrackers!

Hold on, hold on! I want to do one more thing first.

Little Mao, Second Mao, Wei Wei!

Take these carefully!

Alright, alright.

Let's all go to the front door!

Okay, take your time!

Come.

Attention! At ease!

Dress right, dress forward!

Count off!

This is an old couplet,

but it's been many years since...

I haven't put up a New Year's couplet

since this building was stolen from me.

I think it's a fitting one for this year!

The New Year is here, and a new society will be here soon.

Such a year.

Firecrackers explode, driving away the old,

With a door couplet on view, families welcome the new.

That's right! New Year's is upon us,

and a new society is coming too.

As for us, we'll need to adopt a new way of thinking.

Living in the old society,

we've picked up a lot of bad habits

That's why it's time for "out with the old, in with the new".

We need to learn how to become new ourselves!

Listen to me...

Leave it! The food's getting cold!

Let's all have a drink.

To celebrate a New Year of all being together!

The End