L'Escargot

FUNG is so worked up that he has completely lost control of his car. In a split second, he crashes into an abandoned hut and falls off the cliff, eventually plunging himself into a deep coma. LOK tells YEE about FUNG’s disappearance, and the two of them decide to look for him in the countryside. Unfortunately, their efforts are in vain. YEE has fallen ill and as she is still recuperating in bed, LOK receives notification from the police informing her of the latest investigation progress. LOK rushes to the spot at once but all she can see there is just a car. ON overhears neighbors outside his door moaning about the rent increase. Uncle PING suggests holding a demonstration to express their opposition, but ON points out that there are actually no grounds for objection as long as the rent increase is lawful. ON manages to get all his siblings back to discuss the property ownership of LING’s HOS flat……

LOK takes LING’s advice and is going to confide in FUNG. FUNG gets LOK’s call and asks her to come to his mansion. With CHAN HO’s help, YEE finally manages to sneak out of the house and moves into FUNG’s residence. WAH keeps vomiting all day long, so CHIM asks the doctor to come over to see her at once. As advised by the doctor, WAH’s pregnancy is going quite well, which gives the couple a real thrill. It is not until the next day that FUNG comes to discover the gift left by LOK. FUNG begins his job search after leaving the Goal Jim Group. But under the shadow of CHIM, FUNG can no longer hold a place in the property industry. Desperate to live an independent life, YEE decides to apply for the job as a painting teacher. ON and the rest of his siblings are all busy shopping in preparation for the upcoming family outing. When they return home to pick up LING, they are shocked to see her lying unconscious on the floor.

FUNG is planning to get back with LOK but when he sees her going out with CHIM again, he is totally mad and disappointed. ON has prepared a meal for KIU and himself but KIU is going to have dinner with CHUNG-WAI instead. ON is so worried about KIU that he goes to find her in the restaurant. KIU and CHUNG-WAI are trying to get a taxi, and ON is furious to see them so close to each other. After a terrible quarrel with ON, KIU rushes back to her parents’ place for a temporary stay. WAH decides to have in vitro fertilization so that CHIM will have no more excuse to get back with LOK. FUNG has earned a huge sum of commission from the property development project. Desperate to prove that he is as smart as CHIM, FUNG even decides to buy a luxurious apartment for himself. FUNG invites LOK to his housewarming party intentionally, taking it as a great way to seek revenge. LOK means to drink herself into oblivion……

ON is taken to the police station for investigation. It is originally categorized as an industrial accident but ON is later detained on suspicion of handling stolen property. KIU tells CHUNG-WAI about ON’s situation, and CHUNG-WAI is kind enough to accompany her to Barrister PAO’s office to seek consultation. Believing that KIU will not be able to afford the legal fees, Barrister PAO refuses to take the case. Realizing how helpless KIU must be at the moment, CHUNG-WAI offers to put her up temporarily. Having stayed with CHIM for quite a number of days, WAH believes that he has probably got his secret lover out of his head. But the truth is that… CHIM who has successfully bid for the land decides to put FUNG in charge of the property development project. CHIM has once again failed to return home for dinner for the sake of LOK, which infuriates WAH no end……

KIU attributes LAM’s disappearance to their long-running accommodation problems, and urges ON to recover the money from CHIM as soon as possible. Hoping to share her joy with FUNG, YEE brings him to a cafe to let him get a glimpse of her favorite painting “Mona Kitty”. FUNG manages to convince CHIM to invest in a property development project in Sheung Shui. With complete confidence in FUNG, CHIM has also offered him a high degree of autonomy over manpower recruitment in respect of the Sheung Shui project. During their casual chat at home, WAH asks CHIM to spend more time with her while CHIM suggests going on a trip overseas together. LAN keeps skiving day after day, leaving LING to look after her newborn baby alone. LING cannot put up with LAN any more and finally walks out the door after a terrible quarrel with her……

FUNG is shocked to see YEE sitting by his side when he wakes up from his stupor. He reveals to YEE that he has already called off his wedding, and YEE just feels so sorry for him and LOK. FUNG is resolved to concentrate on his career but unfortunately ends up being dismissed as a result of unauthorized absence from work. Knowing that LOK and FUNG have officially broken up, KIU suggests that LOK should consider revealing the truth to him. LOK is however reluctant to rub salt into FUNG’s wound and rejects the idea straight away. LOK finds it so hard to face her family that she is going to move away temporarily. KIU tells ON that she has found a very nice flat, but ON explains that he has given all his savings to CHIM as a settlement for what the KWOKs have owed him all these days and that he has no more money for property purchasing at the moment. KIU is furious to hear what he says……

LOK and FUNG decide to tie the knot and the KWANs are all so happy for the pair. ON needs FUNG to inform HOI of his marriage in person. Knowing that FUNG is marrying, HOI asks SIM to move back to the public housing flat so that FUNG and LOK can enjoy their new life in the HOS flat. His idea is strongly opposed by FUNG, though. HONG has joined ON’s renovation company. Desperate for more business opportunities, HONG keeps offering special discounts to clients without consulting ON or any of his teammates, which irks HOI and the rest of the company profoundly. ON is shocked to see a group of shopkeepers and the District Council member demonstrating in the mall. The shopkeepers recognize ON and rebuke him for ganging up with CHIM in pushing up the rent. CHIM is heartbroken to hear that LOK and FUNG are going to the bridal shop for the fitting. CHIM follows the pair to the bridal shop……

Knowing that LOK is beset by financial problems, CHIM is going to offer help with a well-thought approach. LOK reveals to FUNG that CHIM is looking for an investment consultant, following which FUNG decides to recommend himself to the business tycoon. ON and KIU are busy looking for a new residence. With the help of the real estate broker, the couple have finally found a flat which suits them well in every aspect. WING has been trying to avoid KING ever since he rejected her, but KING is not going to give up and makes a confession of love once again believing that WING is still fond of her. FUNG has finally managed to settle his debts. He points out to LOK that there is an anonymous investor who has helped push the share prices up. LOK runs into CHIM, during which CHIM explains to her what he has done to help FUNG……

KIU gets back to the bank early in the morning, hoping to study more about the American stock market with the office computer. WAI takes out a rather new laptop and passes it to her, saying that she can keep it for personal use if needed. KIU follows her colleagues to the pub for a drink and invites ON to join them too. But ON is not sociable enough and feels a sense of inferiority when chatting with KIU’s colleagues. ON has a chat with WAH when receiving occupational therapy at the medical center, during which WAH also encourages him to set up a renovation company of his own. HONG is unable to reach SHUN after giving him the money. He goes to the factory to look for SHUN, but is shocked to find that he has been conned. HONG reveals the truth to LAN. LAN is so distressed that she is going to call ON at once, but is stopped by HONG right away. YEE gets FUNG a spare copy of his photos as promised……

KIU tells ON about her reunion with YEUNG CHUNG-WAI when he gets back home, which reminds ON of how he and WAI used to woo KIU years ago. With WAI’s help, KIU has finally secured a job with Cosmo Bank. KIU is shocked to see a dead mouse on the floor when she returns home from work. Unfortunately ON is so busy with work that he cannot come back at once to do the clean-up, so KIU would rather wait in the street. Suddenly WAI turns up… ON arrives home and is startled to see WAI there. KING has located WING, and realizing that she is the one who has caused his dismissal, WING gives her a horrible telling-off. HONG has had a number of job interviews but does not get any offer. Left with no better alternatives, WING decides to work as a van driver again but is careless enough to have caused a car accident later on. WING turns to KING for help and KING has finally managed to find him a job with a luxurious clubhouse……

KIU manages to look after the family during ON’s stay at the hospital, which has earned herself great respect from everyone. Having spotted WING taking medicine inside the kitchen, HONG and LOK suspect that he is on drugs. Upon his discharge from the hospital, ON announces his decision to move away. To save up more money for their future, ON and KIU start to consider renting a small studio flat. KIU has tea with her parents, during which PUI-YIU suggests putting LAM up at her place. WING swerves to avoid the girl BOOK KING while delivering food, and crashes the motorcycle soon afterwards. As a result of that, WING is sacked from his job. CHIM runs into LOK and starts to feel for her having noticed how she keeps struggling for work and life. CHIM asks his staff to acquire the PR agency which LOK is serving and make it Goal Jim Group’s internal PR department. Now that they have separated from LAM, ON and KIU feel so upset.

LOK accompanies LAN to the clinic for a prenatal check-up. After returning home, LAN proudly reveals to LING that she is carrying a boy, which thrills LING enormously. Now that LAN is expecting a boy, she has started to make more and more requests to the family. LAN has a chat with LOK in the middle of the night, during which she persuades LOK to start co-habiting with FUNG, and LOK is well aware of her sister-in-law’s real intention. FUNG reveals to SIM that he has purchased an HOS flat but SIM does not seem to be very excited about the news. FUNG invites LOK to his new home for a housewarming dinner, during which HOI suddenly appears but is driven out of the apartment by FUNG right away. ON who is in charge of the renovation of CHIM’s serviced apartment discovers that the contractor has been carrying out substandard works. The contractor boss WAI forces ON to carry on with the renovation without revealing anything……

KIU returns home and is shocked to see the newly washed clothes in her bedroom. It is actually LAN who has put the clothes there. WING takes HONG to a psychiatrist, who manages to find out that financial stress is the cause of HONG’s depression. In order to save up for the down payment, ON keeps working day and night despite the acute stomach pain. FUNG suggests co-habiting with LOK so that her family can enjoy more living space. But due to LING’s strong opposition, the pair have finally given up the idea. LOK’s colleague DAISY is being so nice to her all of a sudden. Believing that LOK is in a relationship with CHIM, DAISY asks LOK to get her a job in the Goal Jim Group. CHIM brings a prestigious client to the new estate for a look, after which LOK discovers a bag full of money being left unattended on the floor……

BEN agrees to provide a better offer as requested by SIU-LAN, while HONG and ON have both promised to sell their flat too. But as soon as ON has left, LAN asks HONG to withhold the plan so that they can try to negotiate for an even better price. LING spoils ON’s daughter HAU-LAM excessively, which annoys KIU quite a bit. KIU suffers from a bellyache after eating a fat-rich meal prepared by LING, which worries ON no end. ON gives HONG a call, and is shocked to find that he and LAN are actually taking part in a demonstration outside the Goal Jim Group’s headquarters. The water supply is suddenly cut off when LAN is washing her hair, and a heap of hell bank notes are found near the door soon afterwards. HONG is knocked down by a car while trying to catch the guy who has thrown in the hell bank notes. ON goes to see CHIM at the Goal Jim Group asking for an explanation……

Like the majority of people in Hong Kong, renovation contractor KWAN KA-ON is desperate for more living space as he and the other eight family members have been residing together in a very small flat. They are a happy family after all, despite the petty bickering over the trivia of everyday life once in a while. Noticing that her daughter is growing up day by day, ON’s wife SZE LONG-KIU would like to buy another flat so that the girl can have a better living environment. ON and KIU are shocked to see the soaring house prices in the property agency, which remind them of one of the most painful experiences in their life. ON’s little sister KA-LOK goes on a date with her boyfriend TING TOON-FUNG, during which she reveals that ON is planning to purchase a new flat. FUNG returns home after work, and makes a grimace of disgust when he sees his father TING HOI having his dinner in the living room……