Life Art

I.T. specialist FONG CHI-CHUNG is young, scrupulous and efficient. He takes very good care of his subordinates, too. In return, they support him wholeheartedly. While chatting with his mother WAI-LING, CHUNG discovers that she has become a more amiable person than before. He finds out later that it is because she is learning calligraphy from renowned calligrapher YAM CHING-CHUEN. Affected by him, she has become less rigid in her opinions. CHUEN is very excited, as his daughter YAM CHI-WAH, who has gone to Beijing for two years, has returned. WAH has a bent for art. She has won countless awards for her works and illustrations since childhood. An accident has left her right hand paralyzed. She finds herself inferior ever since. The company that CHUNG works for is cooperating with an I.T. company in Mainland China. Executives of that company have come to Hong Kong to visit CHUNG’s company.… ...

On their way home, CHUNG keeps on reproaching WAH for not helping LING. CHUNG’s superior, KO BUN, blames CHUEN YING-WAI, leader of CHUNG’s opponent team, in a meeting. BUN assigns CHUNG’s team to take over the project that WAI’s team is working on. CHUNG is the programmer responsible for the cooperation with the Mainland I.T. company. However, his Putonghua is so bad that he cannot communicate with them. As a result, WAI, who speaks fluent Putonghua, steals his limelight. WAH bumps into JAOSN, a classmate of hers at Peking University and who is a Singaporean. The two have a good chat. Learning that CHUNG would like to learn Putonghua, LING takes him to CHUEN to learn from him. CHUNG knows then that WAH is CHUEN’s daughter. TAI-WAI meets LIU SIU-BING at a wedding banquet. TAI-WAI and BING used to be lovers, but they fell out at the Marriage Registry.

WAH goes to the shop a friend of TAI-WAI to buy a digital camera. CHUNG happens to be also at the shop. When he sees that the salesperson is trying to sell WAH some old models, he steps up to give her some advice. The relationship of the two has improved. CHUNG has no mind in his Putonghua lessons for he finds CHUEN’s teaching too slowly. JASON invites WAH to go shopping for furniture with him. They go to BING’s gallery to buy some paintings afterwards. BING feels that JASON has had a crush on WAH. In the evening, BING goes to CHUEN’s place for dinner, during which she tells CHUEN that JASON is running after WAH. JASON expresses his love for WAH, but she refuses him right away. CHUNG goes to Xiamen for business. He throws up at the hotel after work. He tries to seek help from the hotel staff but they cannot understand his Putonghua. Fortunately, he meets CHUEN. CHUNG hurts WAH accidentally.… ...

To calm herself down, WAH moves into the villa of a good friend of hers for a while. All by herself now, she recalls how her father left her hand paralyzed accidentally because of a misunderstanding back when she was a teenager. CHUNG visits WAH at the villa, only to be treated coldly. Because of his poor Putonghua, CHUNG’s big boss mistakes that WAI is to be credited for the project in a meeting. WAH returns home. She tells CHUEN that she is going to work at her friend’s florist as an assistant. BUN is in a meeting with the mainland company. He requests for a markup of 20%. JIANG FENG, the General Manager of the mainland company, does not say anything about BUN’s abrupt request. CHUNG goes to the florist to apologize to WAH. Once again, WAH gives him the cold shoulder. CHUEN is worried, as WAH refuses to go for physiotherapy. CHUNG asks him about WAH’s childhood and characters. Later, he manages to goad WAH into changing her mind.

CHUNG finds out by chance at a car park that BUN and WAI are in fact relatives. WAI succeeds in making CHUNG promise not to disclose his relationship with BUN. As a matter of fact, some colleagues of them have heard WAI calling BUN “Uncle”. Mistaking that CHUNG has broken his promise, WAI asks CHUNG for an explanation. To prove he has not betrayed WAI, CHUNG makes his colleagues believe that they have actually misheard what WAI called BUN earlier with a trick. JIANG finds the markup unacceptable and decides to call off the cooperation. BUN demands CHUNG and BUN to try all they can to recover the deal. JIANG agrees to meet up with CHUNG. However, their meeting ends in discord when CHUNG refuses to go to the nightclub with JIANG’s assistant. CHUEN tells WAH that his calligraphy and painting studio is understaffed. WAH agrees to give him a hand. It is in fact all made up by CHUEN. When she finds out, WAH leaves home in a rage.… ...

CHUNG tries very hard to console WAH. The two are on good terms again. BUN gives CHUNG a good dressing-down and puts all the blame on CHUNG. KA-SING worries that he has taken advantage of SIU-MAN when he was drunk. He keeps asking MAN if anything has happened the night he was drunk. He is relieved when she says No. TAI-WAI forces himself to ask the help of BING in patching up CHUEN and WAH. Their effort proves to be futile nevertheless. To make things even worse, CHUEN leaves in anger. BUN blames CHUNG again in meeting. CHUNG finds out at last he has been used by WAI all along. CHUNG quarrels with BUN. As a result, he receives a warning letter and is forced to take leave. Upset, he goes to a cafe to have a break, where he meets WAH again. WAH gives him some words of consolation and encouragement. FONG, a relative of CHUEN, has to go to Shanghai to take care of her husband who has fallen ill.… ...

Everyone has become very energetic since KENNY came. CHUNG is forced by BUN to take annual leave. He can therefore take KENNY out with WAH. CHUNG’s teammates cannot meet the deadline. He rushes back to the office to give them a helping hand. They work together the whole evening and manage to solve the problem. BUN asks NELSON, the big boss, if he is selling the company. NELSON replies No. Feeling that his power in the company is still strong, he keeps on making things difficult for CHUNG. CHUNG cannot stand it anymore and decides to resign. He is stopped by his subordinates though. WAH has received a letter of acceptance from the Peking University. She, nevertheless, decides to stay in Hong Kong. CHUEN is overwhelmed. CHUNG cannot make up his mind as to whether to quit or not. He visits the Giant Buddha with WAH and KENNY. Inspired by the peaceful atmosphere there, he seems to care less about worldly matters.

CHUNG’s subordinates go to his place, bringing with the news that the company will be bought out. They are worried, and hope that CHUNG would not resign for the sake of their morale. The die is cast. It takes BUN by surprise that JIANG is their new boss. BUN fires CHUNG with the excuse the JIANG finds his performance unsatisfactory. CHUNG is miserable. As he is leaving the company, he bumps into JIANG and finds out the truth. CHUNG is reinstated. BING goes to TAI-WAI’s home for dinner. The two have yet another quarrelling. Deep down, TAI-WAI still loves her, yet he is too arrogant to ask for her forgiveness. KENNY is drawing. WAH joins him. CHUNG thinks very highly of WAH’s drawing. He arranges for her a meeting with the publisher of a children books publishing house. BUN’s power has been weaken since JAING took over the business. Everybody in the company is very pleased.

WAH receives the news from the publishing house that her works have been adopted. She tells CHUNG the news immediately. Though busy, CHUNG manages to find time to congratulate WAH. He also sends her the newest drawing software as a token of congratulations. BUN and WAI discuss how to cope with their current unfavorable situation. They come up with the idea of setting up a sex-trap with WAI as the bait. WAI goes to an art show to meet JIANG. He makes an exhibition of himself for not doing his homework. On the other hand, CHUNG also goes to the show with his mother and CHUEN. He bumps into JIANG, who appreciates him even more. TAI-WAI has found the motorcycle he used to ride with BING. He goes around to borrow money so as to buy the motorcycle to please BING. TAI-WAI runs into LAW PO, an old friend of his. TAI-WAI lost BING years ago for helping PO. PO borrows money from TAI-WAI again.… ...

TAI-WAI discovers that BING is going to Shanghai for business with a male business partner. He wants to stop her with his motorcycle but to no avail. CHUNG invites WAH and KENNY to go on an outing. The three of them have a very good time together; and WAH’s feelings for CHUNG have grown stronger. A well-known financial radio is interviewing JIANG. By foul means, BUN gets JIANG’s personal information from the reporter. KENNY finds out at last that his parents have separated. CHUEN and the others try hard to cheer him up until he finally smiles again. KENNY’s father has recovered. He returns to Hong Kong to tell KENNY a piece of good news, which is he and FONG have patched up with each other, and that they are going to take KENNY to the States. WAH visits CHUNG at his place. She has mixed feelings when she sees CHUNG chatting on the Internet with his girlfriend JANICE.

It is the birthday of SING. CHUNG lets him leave earlier to celebrate with his girlfriend. To his disappointment, his girlfriend, who is an insurance agent, asks him to take out another insurance policy worth ten thousand dollars as soon as they meet. CHUNG is buying take-away when he sees SING being beaten up on the street. It turns out that SING’s girlfriend has already got a boyfriend before she met SING. MAN keeps asking SING to do this and that since the night when he was drunk. Finding that he has had enough, he goes to her apartment to give her a good telling-off. LING asks MAN to give her a hand in making clothes, during which she makes MAN realize she has been unreasonable with SING. MAN apologizes to SING; he forgives her. The deadline for WAH to submit her comic is approaching. CHUNG takes her to the countryside. The trip provides her with fresh ideas and inspiration for her drawing.

WAH and CHUNG go to a ball. WAH’s beauty makes her the most charming lady of the ball. WAH’s skirt gets torn. CHUNG therefore invites JIANG to a dance instead. WAI wants to show off in front of JIANG but ends up hurting himself. He does not give up though. He expresses his love for JIANG at the company later. KENNY has sent a letter to CHUEN and the others. Unexpectedly, his letter inspires WAH. TAI-WAI meets up with BING’s business partner, FUNG YAT-KO. Intuition tells him that KO is his rival in love so he tries hard to display his strength in front of KO. CHUEN promises not to poke his nose into WAH’s business. Alternatively, he shows his concern by writing her notes. WAH appreciates his understanding. JIANG has got stomachache. CHUNG accompanies her to the doctor’s. Because of this, he gets to know more about her. WAH’s comic is very popular among the readers of a children magazine.… ...

WAH reports CHUEN’s missing to the police. The police carry out a search on the mountain yet CHUEN is nowhere to be seen. At dawn the next day, WAH and CHUNG find CHUEN finally. To their relief, CHUEN is only slightly injured. In taking care of CHUEN, who is bedridden in hospital, TAI-WAI gets the opportunity to be alone with BING. However, he misses the opportunity to apologize to her, as he does not want to lose face. CHUEN is discharged. TAI-WAI plans to invite BING to dinner at his place with the excuse of celebrating with CHUEN. To his disappointment, BING has to go to the Mainland for business with KO. MRS. MAK is displeased that LING neglects her work for the sake of CHUEN. She deliberately mocks LING in front of MAN. It dawns on WAH how much CHUEN cares for her when she is taking care of him. WAH opens her heart to CHUEN.… ...

The family and friends of CHUNG, who is disappointed in both love and career, try all they can to comfort him. LING also asks WAH to give CHUNG some encouragement. WAH asks CHUNG out. The two of them spend the whole night chatting. When he returns to the office, he is moved to learn that JIANG has defended for him at the head office. He decides to resign in the end. MRS. MAK finds out that apart from being a famous calligrapher, CHUEN is also wealthy. She therefore tries very hard to fawn over him, only to make a spectacle of herself. KO moves into BING’s place. TAI-WAI is worried sick. He goes to BING’s place to threaten KO with words. The outcome is nevertheless self-defeating as KO seizes the opportunity to express his love for BING. WAH sees that CHUNG is only putting on a happy looks. She is just about to cheer him up with scissor-cuts when BUN suddenly shows up…

It suddenly occurs to CHUNG that he has been having some special feelings towards WAH. On the other side, WAH is fidgety, fearing that CHUNG will come to understand her love for him. It is rumored that LING is going out with CHUEN. It turns out that MRS. MAK is the one who spreads the rumor. WAI has been performing well recently. He dines with JIANG and dances with her, too. BUN has regained his power in the company. He has become the old him and torments his subordinates whenever he pleases. As a result, SING and other staff cannot take it anymore and quit together. They have a talk with CHUNG. They wish that he will join them and open up a company of their own. To stop the rumor, LING avoids meeting CHUEN. After talking to CHUEN, who gives her a few words of comfort, LING realizes that one really should not take other people’s words too seriously.… ...

CHUNG beats SING, as he wrongly believes that he has slept with his younger sister. As soon as she sees this, MAN tells CHUNG that she is only dally with SING who she thinks is innocent. TAI-WAI sees KO and PO together. He takes BING to where KO and PO are having a meeting. TAI-WAI takes them for triad members and so calls the police. It is found out later that it is only a misunderstanding. WAH goes to CHUNG’s office to give him comfort. WAH is trapped in an elevator. CHUNG waits outside the elevator when she is waiting for the rescue to come. CHUNG confirms that he is really in love with WAH. WAH does not know what to do when CHUNG reveals his love for her. MRS. MAK forces CHESTER to sleep with a tycoon for money. CHESTER goes to LING’s place to hide away from her. TAI-WAI wants to win back BING’s heart with the motorcycle that they used to ride together. Meanwhile, KO shows up on a motorcycle.… ...

WAH and CHUNG have finally become lovers, but WAH wants to keep a low profile. CHUEN and LING both find WAH and CHUNG rather furtive recently and they guess that there must be something going on between the two young persons. With a trick, CHUEN and LING manage to find out that they are really going out. With the help of LING and others, CHESTER is able to go to Beijing to study. When she is gone, they are astonished to learn that MRS. MAK is heavily in debt. MRS. MAK puts the blame for CHESTER’s leaving her on LING. JIANG meets up with CHUNG and tells him that she will be transferred back to their office in Beijing. It turns out that BUN has made a snitch on her to the head office. Using the photos of JIANG dancing with WAI, he accused her of leading a promiscuous life. As a result, WAI is fired. TAI-WAI, who is unlucky with love, goes to Guangzhou for a chill out.… ...

CHESTER has returned from Beijing. LING visits her mother with her. When they arrive at her place, they see MRS. MAK being hit by some loan sharks. MRS. MAK is saved. She comes to realize her wrongs at last. TAI-WAI and BING have married. As BING is busy with her work, TAI-WAI takes up the responsibility of doing the housework. People tease that he is living on BING’s earnings. He resolves to do something great. When CHUEN learns this, he entrusts him with the running of Treasure Hunt so that he can go painting in Huangshan with his friends. Master WONG TO-LING, a good friend of CHUEN’s, sells some pieces of works to TAI-WAI. Not knowing that they are forgeries, TAI-WAI takes them all. CHUNG and his staff celebrate for the deal their new company has recently made. CHUNG takes WAH away midway. WAH is touched to see that he has prepared a surprise for her birthday.… ...

TAI-WAI has sold Master WONG’s works at the price of two hundred millions. Just when he is feeling smug, the property developer who bought the paintings turns up, accusing him of selling forgeries. The developer produces some evidence and demands for compensation. TAI-WAI finds himself in a dilemma. The publishing house would like to use WAH as the focus of their new marketing event. They suggest organizing a book party for her but she does not really welcome the idea. WAH bumps into JANICE and learns from her her profound relationship with CHUNG. TAI-WAI meets with Master WONG. Unfortunately, he is unable to prove that Master WONG has sold any paintings to Treasure Hunt. CHUEN learns of this. He is willing to compensate for the property developer. It shocks him when the developer asks for ten million dollars. WAH goes up the hill to comfort CHUEN, but CHUEN gives her some words of consolation instead.… ...

JIANG returns to Hong Kong secretly now that BUN’s evil deeds have been exposed. JIANG offers to buy out CHUNG’s company and reinstate him. CHUNG would like to explain to WAH, but she refuses to accept his explanation. What’s even worse, she suggests that they stop seeing each other for the time being. CHUNG learns from his partners that they in fact do not want to work for JIANG again. In order to pay off his debt, CHUEN plans to sell Treasure Hunt. He would like to hold a teacher-and-student joint exhibition, which he plans to include WAH’s works created in the past, before it closes down. The father and daughter inscribe their names on their paintings together. And by doing this, it seems that they finally understand each other. Master WONG shows up and reveals the truth in front of the press. The selling of forgeries comes to light at last. CHUEN is moved.… ...