Hope For Sale

HARPER WONG (LO KA LEUNG, GALLEN) was born and grew up at a market. He manages his adopted father, CHAI’s vegetable store. His neighbours, YING (LUI SHAN) and LAI (LIEW HIU TUNG) treat him like a god while his good friends, KUEN (TSANG WAI MING) and KEUNG (CHAN KWOK PONG) take him as their leader. HARPER finds some hawkers selling contaminated vegetables and threatens to report them. He scares them away from the market. His brother, SCOTT (LI KA SING, DICKSON), crashes his car into YUMMI’s (NG WING MEI). She demands compensation. HARPER arrives on the scene and settles the argument with some money. HARPER’s wife, CHU (NG MEI HENG, MELISSA), is dominant. She scares everyone off, but HARPER treats her like a queen. CHAI has bet on the same Mark Six combination for 17 years. He finally wins the first prize which gives him $20 million. YUMMI and her mother GI meet HARPER while they are moving house.… ...

YUMMI threatens to call the police because CHAI and some others have gathered outside her flat. HARPER asks them to leave first. Seventeen years ago, CHAI used to share Mark Six tickets with YUMMI’s father, SHUI. They won it once, but SHUI took all the money and disappeared. CHAI’s daughter, KI (NG MAN YAN, NATALIE) and SCOTT follow YUMMI hoping that they can get the valid ticket back. CHU’s mother, HUNG (PAK YAN) does not like HARPER very much because of his poor family background. CHU tries to flatter HARPER for her own face. CHAI and KEUNG break into YUMMI’s home to look for the ticket. Meanwhile, YUMMI comes back home. They flee from a window and drop into a dumpster. She calls the police. They are all arguing in the police station and blaming each other. YUMMI decides to sue CHAI and KEUNG. CHU and HUNG are annoyed when they are called to the station. CHAI loses control and throws his shoe at YUMMI.… ...

HUNG criticizes CHU for getting pregnant and marrying HARPER. She then blames HARPER, but he cannot talk back. YUMMI finds CHAI’s Mark Six ticket and plans to take all the money. HARPER begs her to settle the case charging against CHAI and KEUNG, but she refuses. CHAI finds GI has blacked out at home and sends her to the hospital. However, YUMMI is not impressed. GI asks her to let go of the ticket because SHUI abandoned them once he had money. She worries that bad money will bring nightmares to them again. In court, YUMMI gives vague testimony, so CHAI and KEUNG are freed. She worries that her boyfriend KEI (TANG HO KWONG) has met an air accident. She fears GI’s warning will come true and wants to share the money with HARPER. He agrees, but the ticket has gone missing.

HARPER, CHU and YUMMI cannot find the ticket. Everyone is disappointed. YUMMI claims HARPER owes her $10 million. HUNG hurries CHU to apply for emigration to Canada. HARPER does not want to leave his family, but CHAI supports the idea. He finally agrees to do so. CHU signs him up for a series of courses in preparation for their life in Canada. Everyone is happy about his bright future. SHUI tries to divorce GI, but she refuses. YUMMI runs to the market and SHUI follows. CHAI sees him and starts bombarding him about his bad acts. With some neighbours’ help, they chase him away. KEI proposes to YUMMI on his return to Hong Kong.

YUMMI is busy organizing her wedding. Her best friend, RAY (TAI CHI WAI) helps her. She dislikes KEI’s secretary. After transferring her, she brings CHU into KEI’s company. GI sets up a flower shop in the market with CHAI and the others’ help. CHU is impressed with KEI’s look and talent. She feels that HARPER is an embarrassment in front of her colleagues, so she signs him up for more courses and leaves him no time to have lunch with her. CHAI does not want to bother HARPER studying, so he takes care of the store alone but makes a big mess. The market management company proposes a huge rent increase. HARPER represents the tenants for negotiation and misses his appointment at the Canadian consulate. During the negotiation, the management company representative thinks that SCOTT has threatened him with a bottle of thinner, so HARPER and the others are arrested.

CHU meets KEI’s partner STEVE (LO HING FAI) and gets a ride from him. HARPER sees all this and is unsettled. STEVE asks CHU out for dinner. They start to like each other. KEUNG thinks that he has a terminal disease, so he dates LAI who has loved him for a long time. However, love does not spark between them. Later he finds out that he only has a small benign tumour. CHU dresses up for work and attracts lots of attention annoying YUMMI. RAY hits KEI when he is drunk. He also says that he does not want YUMMI to marry KEI. YUMMI thinks that he is in love with her and is bothered. CHU suddenly wants to resign. YUMMI is curious about her act. Later, she finds one of CHU’s earring left in KEI’s car and suspect that they are having an affair.

KEI denies that he is having an affair with CHU, but YUMMI disbelieves him. CHU suddenly starts work as an insurance agent and puzzles HARPER. YUMMI wants to follow CHU around, but HARPER ruins her plan. She accuses CHU at seducing KEI, but HARPER does not believe her and scolds her for lying. CHU tells him that she has to accompany HUNG, but HUNG calls him up later and makes him realize this is a lie. He waits for her to come home and tells her his travelling plan, but she ignores him. YUMMI finds a hotel bill at KEI’s home. She asks HARPER to go with her. When they get to the hotel, YUMMI sees CHU walking in with a man. She rushes up and finds it is STEVE. She is relieved, but HARPER’s heart is hurt. Later he regrets that he did not interrogate them. On SCOTT’s birthday, everyone gets drunk. YUMMI finds them annoying.

STEVE is clingy towards CHU. She can only keep seeing him. YUMMI tries to avoid RAY. KEUNG wants to split up with LAI. SCOTT grabs the chance to tell LAI his feelings. YING informs everyone about CHU and STEVE. CHU wants to stop seeing him but he suddenly kisses her. CHAI arrives and scolds her, but HARPER is stunned. CHU packs her stuff. HARPER believes that she will come back later and does not try to stop her. HUNG tries to persuade CHU to divorce him. YUMMI betrays RAY and uses his idea in her proposal. YUMMI encourages all the market tenants to stop renting their shop and participate in her supermarket plan.

LAI refuses SCOTT. KEUNG tells him that he is finished with LAI and encourages him to keep on trying. CHI’s sister MIA (LAU, ALICE) harasses SHUI’s mistress for GI’s sake. When YUMMI sees her, she is immediately under pressure. Apparently, MIA was the third party between her and her previous boyfriend, NAM. YUMMI and KEI try out their wedding outfits. His mind is somewhere else but she does not notice. She is relieved that RAY will be transferred out of Hong Kong. HARPER begs CHU to go to Canada with him. He leaves her an air ticket and waits for her at the airport. KEI drinks alone. Suddenly,RAY shows up and asks him not to marry YUMMI again. On the wedding day, YUMMI is kidnapped. Luckily, MIA saves her. YUMMI makes it to the registry office, but KEI regrets his decision and tells everyone that he is in love with RAY. HARPER waits until CHU appears…

YUMMI hides the truth about KEI and RAY and turns her wedding banquet into MIA’s birthday party. A gang leader PAK loves MIA, but she is scared of him. GI is heavily in debt, YUMMI asks her to divorce SHUI and use the compensation to pay off the debt. MIA asks PAK to investigate KEI. He thinks that YUMMI has sent someone to beat him up. YUMMI is furious and resigns when her boss assigns the supermarket project to RAY to handle. All the market tenants who are intending to participate in her project have already stopped renting their shops. They are annoyed with YUMMI, but she does not want to explain. HARPER meets CHU again after a little separation. They are like strangers. She proposes a divorce, although he is sad, he accepts it. YUMMI and HARPER are in a similar situation. They finally resolve their conflicts and become friends.

HARPER accompanies YUMMI to pack her stuff in KEI’s place. She throws everything into a bin and is determined to forget her past. CHAI and SCOTT are jobless. HARPER wants to set up a wholesale business to bring work to everyone. On the opening day of MIA’s restaurant, PAK comes to congratulate her. LAI tells MIA about her pregnancy and asks her to keep it secret. SCOTT loses his confidence in asking LAI out again. He signs up for a confidence-training course. CHAI tells MIA about his trouble. He is touched and starts crying. They have no idea that they are being observed. SCOTT makes a mistake with the time and almost loses a big order. HARPER manages to keep the client after some hard work. His talent impresses YUMMI. PAK sends some men to beat CHAI up after seeing some pictures implying that MIA has a relationship with him.

PAK leads some men to the market and wants to beat up CHAI. Fortunately, MIA arrives in time. She explains that CHAI cries for LAI’s pregnancy. SCOTT is shocked by the news. KEUNG leads CHAI and SCOTT to propose a marriage to LAI, but she refuses. HARPER’s store is out of stock. YUMMI buys some from KEI for him. LAI agrees to marry SCOTT. However, she asks for a huge amount of money and a big banquet. HARPER disagrees, but LAI uses her baby as a weapon. SCOTT thinks that LAI is going for an abortion and becomes very nervous. HARPER realizes that he truly loves her, so he agrees to pay for everything. MIA decides to have a talk with PAK. After that, his feelings are hurt and he kicks her out. Meanwhile, she sees NAM again. LAI refuses to sleep with SCOTT on the wedding day using the excuse that his room is too old.

CHAI knows that he is getting old and losing his fitness. He worries that he will be forced to give up playing football. MIA searches for NAM, but fails. YUMMI works for a new company. She is hoping to find another boyfriend there. She quits when she finds out that she is the oldest one there. Both GI and MIA find YUMMI acting strangely after breaking up with KEI. They ask HARPER to pay more attention to her. He finds lots of condoms in her handbag one day and follows her around. He pulls her away when he sees her dressing up sexily and asking all men in the pub to bid for her. Apparently, she is only helping her friend to get more customers. CHAI is bullied in a game centre. MIA scolds those kids for him. She also encourages him to take a fitness training course. HARPER asks CHAI to find a company. He thinks about MIA.

MIA finally finds NAM. He is in a bad shape. He swears at her to scare her off. LAI is unhappy about HARPER taking care of their shop alone, so she forces SCOTT to learn from HARPER. He thinks that SCOTT wants to work properly now, so he teaches him patiently. HARPER brings YUMMI to a dating party. However, he is very popular there and changes her mind about him. Everyone thinks that CHAI has a crush on GI and makes her avoid him. CHAI decides to write MIA a love letter. Meanwhile, she gets back to NAM, so he denies having anything to do with the letter and says it is KEUNG’s. NAM only wants MIA’s money, but she is blinded by love.

YUMMI quits her job in the pub and invests in HARPER’s store. They celebrate in a pub. KI and her boyfriend, TAU, kiss in front of everyone. HARPER is annoyed and hits him in the face. YUMMI starts working in the store. She sees everyone skiving apart from HARPER, so she plays a trick, which makes them all work hard afterward, with him. NAM shows up while CHAI is trying to reveal his plot to MIA. CHAI insists to work for MIA when he learns that NAM is also working in her restaurant. YUMMI thinks that HARPER is interested in her, so she makes him a pillow and secretly tidies up his room. CHU asks HARPER for some money. He still loves her and cares about her. When YUMMI finds out about it, she becomes jealous. He realizes that she loves him and asks KEUNG for advice. She overhears it and learns that he is not really interested in her.

YUMMI wants to leave Hong Kong to hide from HARPER. Meanwhile, a loan company asks him for SCOTT’s debt. She stays to help him once again. CHAI tries to tell MIA about NAM’s plot, but she defends him. He feels this is unfair and gets KI and KEUNG to look for evidence. SCOTT returns from Shenzhen and is blamed by everyone. LAI takes the chance to stir up an argument between him and HARPER. YUMMI meets KEI and RAY again. She can finally let go of them after talking to HARPER. SHUI becomes a beggar after his mistress takes away everything from him. GI takes care of him and makes him feel guilty. CHU faints and is sent to a hospital. HARPER cares a lot about her and makes YUMMI sad. He tries to take revenge on STEVE, but he talks to him sarcastically. YUMMI cannot bear his behaviour and slaps him on the face. HARPER feels sad when he sees CHU still loves STEVE.

YUMMI and HARPER become soul mates. SHUI and GI get back to each other. However, YUMMI notices that he stares at the next-door shop owner, Mrs CHEUNG. She asks him what is going on between them. He tells him that HARPER is Mrs CHEUNG’s son. When she tells HARPER about it, he is shocked. SCOTT and LAI are addicted to stock trading. HARPER reminds them to be careful, but they ignore him. CHU tries to avoid STEVE. She asks help from HARPER. CHAI thinks that she is going to trick him again and scolds her. CHAI finally finds evidence of NAM stealing money from the cashier. However, MIA will not believe him. PAK sends some men to beat NAM up. He asks MIA for a breaking up fee and makes her believe what CHAI has told her. HARPER worries about CHAI and KEUNG, so he calls the police.

SCOTT shows off in front of everyone after earning a little bit of money from stock trading. KEUNG and the others are lazy at work. When HARPER proposes some ways to improve the situation, they start complaining. KI wants to leave TAU and asks for KEUNG’s help. He starts loving her. SCOTT buys meals for everyone and becomes popular. CHAI still loves MIA. She eventually agrees to give it a chance. HARPER sees CHU very often and they get on well again. SCOTT wants to expand the store prematurely. CHAI disapproves of his proposal and annoys LAI. She finds out the secret between CHAI and Mrs CHEUNG, so she blackmails him to hand over the store to SCOTT. CHAI agrees to do so in case MIA finds out. HARPER decides to pull out from the store. He meets CHU for a drink to share his unhappiness.

CHU and HARPER sleep together after drinking. They both feel awkward about it and he tries hard to get back with her. He quits his work at the store and takes care of Mrs CHEUNG’s business. YUMMI is disappointed when she learns that CHU and HARPER are together again after a short trip. She meets STEVE and finds out the truth about CHU hiding from him. HARPER is very successful in managing Mrs CHEUNG’s restaurant. She asks him to take care of her business in Canada and he agrees to think about that. CHAI discovers that he will be more comfortable to be just MIA’s friend. On CHAI’s birthday, HARPER brings him some presents but he is kicked out. He decides to emmigrate with Mrs CHEUNG to Canada. YUMMI tells him the situation between CHU and STEVE. CHU is grateful when he pulls them together again. He tries to date YUMMI, but she is scared to start a new relationship.

CHAI’s store is suspected of selling contaminated vegetables. Everyone blames SCOTT, but he will not admit his fault. He is in debt after losing money in stock trading. LAI wants to leave him. HARPER tries his best to help him. His sincerity makes him ashamed and he wants to kill himself. LAI is shocked after talking on the phone with SCOTT. She gets help from HARPER. Finally, he settles everything. LAI and SCOTT become family again. He decides to live a new life. HARPER wants to stay with the market. He plans to rent some stores again. He asks for YUMMI’s love again, but she still refuses him. GI and YUMMI move out. They finally lose contact. Two years later, they meet on a street again. However, they have already had a partner. Will two people who love each other end up with separate lives?