All language subtitles for THE FALLS

MARCH 2020

How much longer do you need?

It's already 7:30. We'll be late.

Did you hear me?

Can't you prepare your school things
the night before?

I have to ask you daily to do it.

It's the same thing
every morning since the tenth grade.

Is it so hard to get ready earlier?

No one asked you to give me a ride.

I can go by myself.

You'll go by yourself?

You think I'll feel better
if you're late every day?

Stop. It's so early in the morning.

I have an English quiz
in the first period.

Look at the camera.
Lift your bangs up.

There is sanitizer
on both sides.

If you wear bangs, lift them up
and look straight at the camera.

Are you done with your report?

SUBJECT: SALARY ADJUSTMENT

Why send this kind of email?

I don't understand.

Why should we decide
about our pay cut by 10% or 20%?

-If we deduct too little, the company--
-Pin-Wen.

What's the matter?

It's just past 8:00.

I received the same message this morning.

Just like you, I'm also getting a pay cut.

Caesar was born
to a declining noble family.

In history he's known
as the founder of the Roman Empire.

In 48 BC, he defeated Pompey
and returned to Rome.

However, his best friend,
the infamous Brutus,

plotted to assassinate him.

In the end, do you know
how many times he was stabbed?

No.

-Oh, hello, Dean.
-Teacher.

I want to speak with the students.

Compared to last year,
the company's growth

was below expectations.

That's why we hope everyone present
can lead by example,

first, to share this difficult time,
through a pay cut.

DAUGHTER

The company has no fixed pay cut target.

You'll decide the percentage
of your pay cut.

I believe…

I believe that
after this salary adjustment,

we can all work together…

Pin-Wen, answer your phone.

I'm in a meeting. I'll call you later.

Someone tested positive
in our class.

-What?
-Can you pick me up at the hospital?

Did something happen?

My daughter's classmate
tested positive. I have to pick her up.

Wang Shu-Ying.

Wang Shu-Ying.

Hey, Xiao Jing.
You're home so early.

Uh, Mrs. Zhang, are you going out to shop?

Well, Miss, Miss…

Miss Luo.

Hello.

How's your daughter doing?

She should be fine.

Hello? Hello?

Director Chen, can you hear me?

Stay at home for a while.

I don't understand.
Wh-- What do you mean by that?

Your daughter needs to be
quarantined at home.

Spend time with her.

Xiao Jing.

Xiao Jing, come out.
I want to talk to you.

-What is it?
-Just come out here. We need to talk.

Just tell me what you want.

-I don't need to go back to work.
-But you don't need to stay home with me.

The company told me.

But you don't need to quarantine
if you're fine.

I already told them
my daughter's classmate tested positive.

Why did you tell them?

I took the rest of the day off,
so I had to give my boss a reason.

You better keep your distance from me.

That classmate sits behind me.

Xiao Jing, come out and eat.

You go ahead.

Come out and eat.

The food's ready.
Don't let it get too cold.

Can I eat in my room?

Why can't you eat here?

The rule when in quarantine
is not to eat with family members.

There's just the two of us here.

We can sit farther apart.

What if I test positive later on

and get you infected?

-Hello, are you Miss Luo?
-Yes.

This is your food.

-Thank you.
-Thank you.

Xiao Jing, come out and eat.

Did you hear me? Come out and eat.

Hello?

Xiao Jing, didn't you hear me
knocking on the door just now?

I was reading.

Reading doesn't affect your ears.

I was wearing earbuds!

Next time, you can just send me a message.
You don't need to knock.

I guess I gotta pamper you
since I can't work.

Do you think you're staying in a hotel?

You told your boss
about what happened to me for no reason.

How can you blame me?

Can you come out and eat now?
The food's getting cold.

I'm not hungry yet.

Xiao Jing.

Why are you sitting here?

Are you okay?

I think I'm sick.

Do you want me to bring you to a doctor?

That kind of thing
would happen so quickly.

Uh, in fact, the disease is spreading
at a rate that is difficult to believe.

Now, in Europe, we originally believed

that their basic public health
and medical systems

wouldn't collapse so quickly.

But evidently it has.

Where's Xiao Jing?

She's in her room.

How long has this blue tarp
been hanging there?

It's been almost two months.

I can't take
being stuck here all day anymore.

I really shouldn't have called you.

But aside from you,
I don't know who to call.

What happened?

We've been in quarantine for over a week.

She just stays in her room all day.

The other day in the living room,
she suddenly said that she's sick.

I asked her what's wrong,
but she wouldn't tell me.

Even the look in her eyes is different.

Aren't all kids her age the same way?

But the problem is
she's not acting like the kids her age.

She placed this note by her door

not long before you arrived.

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE

You want me to talk to her?

I don't know.

When I made curry rice for her that day,

after she finished the food,

she used the spoon
to write "bitch" on the plate.

There, there.

It's all right.

Don't worry.

Are you afraid that I'll get you sick?

Oh, right, you already got married.

I don't know why.

After being apart for so long…

…I still can't help
but have feelings for you.

Xiao Jing will be fine.

I'll talk to her later.
Don't worry about it.

Xiao Jing!

Xiao Jing!

Xiao Jing!

Xiao Jing!

Xiao Jing!

Hello.

Is this
Miss Luo Pin-Wen's residence?

Yes.

I'm an officer from Sanmin Police Station.

Miss Luo is in Cheng Hsin
General Hospital's emergency room.

Please head over.

Excuse me, miss. Your insurance card.

I'm sorry.

The police called me saying that
my mom was brought to the emergency room.

So I came here as fast as I could.

I'm sorry, but we're in a pandemic.

I can't let you in
if you don't provide your insurance card.

What should I do, then?

Go home and get the insurance card,
then come back.

EMERGENCY

You can't come to the hospital
during your quarantine period.

I know I'm under quarantine,

but I didn't even take a cab to get here.

I can't just stay home
and leave Mom here in the hospital alone.

What if something bad happened to her?

Did you get to see her?

Yes.

So how is she?

I know you've had a rough night.
Have dinner at my place.

Let's just talk along the way.

I'm still under quarantine.

And won't Auntie feel weird about this?

I told her about this before I came here.
She should be prepared.

By the way, when will your quarantine end?

Tomorrow's the last day.

Why was she brought to the hospital?

They found her standing
by the bridge, and quite emotional.

Later on, someone called the police,
and they brought her to the hospital.

How is she now?

She's sleeping.

I went to your house a few days ago.

For what reason?

Your mom asked me to come.

She said that
you shut yourself in your room

and don't talk to her at all.

That's because
my classmate tested positive.

And she was sitting right behind me.

Did you place a note on your door saying,
"Keep your distance" for your mom?

So what if I did?

I wanted to remind her
that I could be infected

and she could get infected too.

I think the problem
was your attitude.

Great. My attitude again?
I've already apologized to her about this.

Did you call your mother

a bitch?

Bitch?

She told me
that night you were in the living room

and you told her you were sick.

I only went out to shower and get water.

I was always in my room.

I didn't go to the living room.

You must be Xiao Jing.

Nice to meet you.

Come on in. Come in.

Come in.

Qi-Wen, do you mind
if I give Xiao Jing a tour of the house?

Go ahead.

Xiao Jing, come on.

We use this area most often.

The three of us
eat breakfast together here.

Try pushing it.

Give it a strong push.

Uh, I heard about what happened
to your mom from Qi-Wen.

Well, if you wouldn't mind,

you're welcome
to stay here for a few days.

Uh…

Uh, let's have breakfast.

The food's going to get cold.

Hey, kid.

Tell me, who are your parents?

I'm sorry. I just want to know
if he is your child.

Frank is--

Qi-Wen and I are Frank's parents.

Can you take me to the hospital?

Xiao Jing,

don't act like this.

Don't worry.

I won't ask you to stay with Mom.

I just want you to take me back
to the hospital.

Does Mom know?

About what?

That you have a son, Frank.

Xiao Jing,

I was planning on
explaining this to you today

and let you two get to know each other.

You divorced Mom
when I was in ninth grade.

I can't believe
I already have a brother who's that age.

Did you tell Mom or not?

Does she know or not?

Does she?

I didn't tell her.

She had a nervous breakdown
because she's under too much pressure.

The doctor recommends she stay here
a couple more days for observation.

If it's just for observation,
we can do that at home.

Xiao Jing, it's better
for your mom to stay at the hospital.

It's better for her to stay?

I can't even get inside.
How will I take care of her?

Be sure to take your medicines on time.

Don't tire yourself out too much.

-I'll go ahead.
-Aren't you coming up?

Ma…

Dad's busy.

He's gotta go.

Come on.

Mom, time to eat.

Just leave it there.

Auntie, do you need anything?

This is my last day.

What's the matter?

I know this is awkward,
but I haven't been paid in three months.

Is everything okay with your family?

I'm sorry.

You see, my mom's sick.

I'll figure out
how to pay you really soon.

Please don't worry about it.

I'll get going.

-Next!
-Hey, where's my special combo?

BENTOS

-Okay, next.
-Thank you.

Okay, a special combo. Next!

Thank you!

Okay, a special combo.

-Next!
-Thank you.

Thank you. What would you like?

-The special combo.
-Okay, special combo!

Hey, Xiao Jing.

Well…

-Your mom's registered mail came again.
-Oh.

Uh, I notified her several times.
I don't think she took care of it.

And the maintenance fee,
you haven't paid for it in four months.

All right, thank you, sir.
I'll tell my mom about it.

Okay.

Oh, hey, Xiao Jing,

for the work outside,

each unit owes 300,000
for the waterproofing and renovation.

I've been telling you
about this for months.

Uh, okay, I'll go
and tell my mom about that.

Okay.

Thank you. Thank you, sir.

-Uh, don't forget.
-I won't. Thank you.

-Uh, goodbye.
-Mm.

Whoo! Yeah!

Ya-hoo!

Why did you suddenly come here?

The quarantine period ended yesterday.
You didn't go back to school.

Is Xiao Zhen back?

Only the two of you
didn't go back.

We thought you tested positive too.

And you still came here?

Who is Xiao Zhen?

Our classmate who tested positive.

-I see.
-We planned to surprise you.

We kept ringing the doorbell,
but no one answered.

Then your mom came to open the door.

That's right. Before you came here,
we heard that your mom was sick.

We didn't think
she'd be having more fun than us.

Ms. Luo, why are you sick?

Uh, Ms. Luo,

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that.

Oh, it's fine.

I don't think
it's a bad thing to ask, right?

Bye, Ms. Luo, take good care of yourself.
We hope we can come visit here every day.

Okay.

All right, get home safely.

-Bye.
-See you soon, bye.

Goodbye.

-Take care.
-Goodbye.

Bye.

What did you tell them about me?

We just chatted about you.

What did you chat about?

We call each other
every once in a while to check in.

Check in about what?

Don't act like this, okay?

They just came to spend time with you.

It's not like anything went wrong.

Actually, I'm fine by myself.

I really find that hard to believe.

Why did you run out that night?

It wasn't raining, but you insisted
you got drenched by the rain.

You were even brought to the hospital.

What did you say?

Take your medicine.

Xiao Jing, are you ready?

It's 7:30. You're going to be late.

Xiao Jing.

You're still in your pajamas?

Where are you going?

To work.

Aren't you going to school?

Are you fine now?

How am I not fine?

Wait for me, okay?

I need to wash my face.

It's 7:30. I'm going to be late.
I'll go ahead.

She's pretty good.

-Nice!
-Careful.

Good job!

Ma?

Why are you sleeping here?

I fell asleep while waiting for you.

I'm sorry, I should have let you know.

Have you eaten?

Not yet.

Can you wait a bit longer?
I'll go and make something for you.

Ma?

Do you need help with that?

I don't, just do your thing.

I can do this myself.

I think the problem
is the product variety.

If there aren't enough varieties,
it's very…

Why is my computer locked?

Louis, can you wait for me?

Pin-Wen, come. Let's talk in my office.

Pin-Wen, I really think
you should rest for a while.

Why should I do that?

You sat on your seat all day yesterday

and didn't even move an inch.

Everyone freaked out.

That's because
I couldn't do anything on my computer.

Someone changed my keyboard settings.

No one touched your keyboard.

No one touched the stuff on your desk
even while you were away.

If I'm willing
to take a 60% pay cut,

can I come back to work?

Xiao Jing.

Come on, we gotta catch the bus.

I left work early,
so I came to see if I could pick you up.

What happened to your car?

I was in a rush this morning.

I bumped into the pole
at the company parking lot.

Wanna go grab a bite? Come on.

How are your advanced test preps?

It's all right.

When does enrollment open?

I'm not gonna apply.

My test scores aren't that great.

You know what?

Your dad might be coming back.

When he came to see me,

I told him that I'm quite busy lately,

but maybe we can try to talk it out.

Ma?

Can we really afford this expensive meal?

Is there a problem?

The building manager
gave me a dunning letter the other day.

And he said that we haven't paid
the maintenance fee for a few months.

Oh, don't mind him.

I don't know
what's wrong with that baldie.

He's hostile towards us.

To be honest,

I invested in a South African fund
a few months ago.

Its value went down for a while.

Some of our loan payments got delayed.

But it's already recovered from that.

Is everything fine with you
at work these days?

I'm doing great.
They're all glad that I'm back.

It's not in here.

It's not in here either.

-Ma?
-It's not in here.

-What are you looking for?
-Where did I place it?

It's not here.

Ma?

Where exactly did I put it?

Mama?

Mama!

Did you go through my stuff?

I didn't.

You won't admit it?

Why is my foreign currency passbook gone?

And the gold in my closet?

It's for your studies abroad.

Where did you take them?

How was I supposed to know
you had any of that to begin with?

You bitch!

Where exactly did you take them?

I didn't take them.

I think you should get out now.

I had a dream last night.

I dreamt about a building.

It didn't have any safety railings.

It was so quiet inside.

No one came or went.

After a while, I heard a child's laughter.

Next, I saw a child
who recently learned to walk.

They started to totter

from one end of the building
towards the balcony with no railing.

Then I heard a woman's scream.

The mom had realized that her child
was about to fall off the edge.

She rushed towards
the direction of the child.

The child walked right up to the cusp…

and suddenly stopped
to look back at that woman.

The woman was running so fast
she couldn't stop,

and she tumbled below.

Then what happened?

Then I woke up.

After you woke up?

I came to your room.

Why did you come here?

To sit and watch you sleep.

Why don't you ask me

how long I've been sitting here?

How long have you been here?

Just until now.

All right, stop lazing in bed.

I'll take you to school in 15 minutes.

Be home for dinner.

Sir, excuse me.
Can you please stop on the side?

Look at how scared you are.

When have I become your nightmare?

You're coming to work with me, then?

Let me tell you upfront first,
I'm very busy. I don't have time for you.

Come on.

Aren't you coming to work with me?

Do you think I'm lying
about going to work?

That's not what I'm thinking.

What are you thinking, then?

You're going to be late for school.
Get going.

"Been engrossed in."

Remember this phrase
because it's in the passive voice.

"Then what have you been engrossed by?"

"The most affectionate principle
by my mother."

"Affectionate," an adjective.

"Being loved, deeply loved."

"Being deeply loved by mother…"

Number two, Zhonglun neighborhood,
calling for the second time.

The fire is now under control.

-Over there.
-I didn't realize that.

-Sir?
-Yes.

Hey, Xiao Jing.

Your unit caught fire.

What happened?

I have no idea. A fire suddenly broke out.

Where's my mom?

Uh, she's in the hospital now.

Uh, don't go upstairs yet.
It's still very dangerous now.

Go see your mom at the hospital first.

Hello, I'm Luo Pin-Wen's daughter.

How is my mom doing?

Your mom's vital signs are stable.

But she has minor burns on her right hand.
We need to examine her further.

Has she had any physical
or mental problems before?

She was brought
to the hospital last month.

Was it at this hospital?

Yes.

Doctor,

can I go and see her now?

Yes, but don't stay too long.

Don't stick around hospitals
unless you need to.

Let her get some rest first.

We'll transfer her
to the psychiatric ward.

Mom.

Xiao Ling, all the water here
needs to be cleaned up.

Also, clean up the water over there too.

Xiao Jing, you're finally home.

What is your family
going to do about all this?

-I'm so sorry.
-The entire building has no electricity.

We can't even use the elevator.
We can't cook anything either.

Your mom used to complain

about how our shoe racks looked
when we put them outside.

Now look at what she's done
to the rest of us. Where is she?

Hello?

Is this Ms. Luo Pin-Wen's home?

Yes.

-Who's this, please?
-I'm her daughter.

Ah. Your mom left the company
about two weeks ago.

Could she stop by to do some paperwork?

She left the company?

Why are you sleeping
with the door open?

I was too tired. I dozed off.

Is your mom okay?

Not really.

Auntie, why are you here?

After finishing my work in the next alley,
uh, I passed by here.

Your neighbors said
that your unit caught fire,

so I came to take a look.

Your electricity is finally back.

Have you eaten?

Not yet.

There was a long line
of people outside the pharmacy

even before it opened at 9:00 a.m.

As the door opened,
everyone rushed in to buy face masks.

Some even started lining up
before 8:00 a.m.

Did you tell your dad what happened?

No.

I shouldn't ask you these things.

Auntie,

I'll find a way to pay you
what my mom owes you.

I didn't come to your house today
to ask you for money, Xiao Jing.

I worked for your family
for over ten years.

I've been here since the beginning.

You were still so small
when you first moved here.

Perhaps it's because I'm not educated.

I don't understand why

such a good family
has turned out this way.

I'm too exhausted today.

Tomorrow morning,
I'll go and help you clean up.

I'm going to her office tomorrow
to get her stuff.

I'll be back before noon.

Mm.

This is our department head,
Director Chen.

Xiao Jing, I'm very sorry
about what happened to your mother.

What are you sorry for?

How did you know
she's still in the hospital?

I heard about it.
What exactly happened?

When I came home from school,
our unit had caught fire.

It caught fire?

What happened to her in this office?

To be honest,
since your mom left the company,

she still drives to the office daily

and parks in the manager's space.

She even rammed into someone's bumper
a few days ago.

All that aside,

she doesn't have an access card.

When she gets here,
she sits all day at the reception area.

Why didn't you do anything?

What can we do?

Call the police?

Your mom and I
have worked together for so many years.

Since your mom worked
at the company for 12 years,

this is a token from all her colleagues.

We'll also wire
her severance pay to her account.

How much is it?

According to company policy,
it's six months' pay.

Can I have one month of that in cash?

Then wire the rest to her account.

Auntie?

Auntie?

I'm at the back.

Ah.

Auntie.

I washed all the clothes
your mom left on the floor.

There's no space anymore.
I just hung them everywhere.

I'm really sorry.

We delayed your pay for so long.

My mom insisted that I give this to you.

Isn't your mom still in the hospital?

I stopped by the hospital this morning,

so she told me to withdraw money.

If it's not convenient,

you can give it to me some other time.

No, it's fine.

Thank you, Auntie.

Without you around here,
I really don't know what I'd do.

Thank you.

Take good care of yourself.

I will.

The man who visited, is he your dad?

Why haven't I seen him again?

My parents are divorced.

We only asked him to come that day
since it was an emergency.

You've been the only one taking care
of your mom since she got sick?

Yes.

And she takes medication
as prescribed at home?

I always give it to her on time.

Do you see her actually swallow them?

No.

Taking her medication on time

is important to stabilize
your mom's condition.

Dr. Chen,

can my mom still recover?

Do you want to see her?

Honestly, I can't tell you
when her situation will improve.

It may be soon,

or it may take a while.

But this kind of illness,

if you don't treat it with proper meds,

it might possibly get worse.

Your house caught fire

because your mom
was having an episode back then.

We'll keep an eye on her,

and we hope
there won't be any more accidents.

What should I do?

Spend more time with her,

understand her,

make sure she takes her meds.

And just be there for her.

How should I do that?

Try not to be too harsh on her.

Try to put yourself in her shoes,

and change the way
you treat each other, hmm?

I wanna get out!

Let me go!

They're coming for me!

Many years ago,

I saw this painting
in an art museum abroad.

The original piece

was a very intricate pastel painting.

Originally,

the sun's rays

was shining on the distant mountains.

Every rider

wore colorful outfits.

But this painting
might be hanging here for too long.

Its colors have faded.

Only a shade of blue is left.

In 19th century France,

when painting horse races,

the painters focused
on their beauty while sprinting.

However, Degas was unlike the others.

Do you know Degas?

He was the greatest painter
during that era,

without peers.

You see, last week,

I saw the same painting here again.

It made me think of a lot of things.

Which painting was it?

Degas' painting about horses
that I told you about this morning.

Have you forgotten?

I didn't forget.

I just didn't make
the connection right away.

When I saw that painting again last week,

I felt quite emotional.

Degas painted those riders riding
their beautiful horses on the valley.

Where did they come from?

Where were they going?

Degas didn't tell us exactly

any of that, did he?

Aim well before throwing it. Go.

Okay, next.

They said this is part of our therapy.

Just what on earth is this, anyway?

If we can recover
from what these quacks in here do to us,

then I'd say
we'd still be crazy or stupid.

Wonderful!

But I guess it makes you wonder,

can people really recover
just by throwing balls?

Of course not.

-Next.
-Come on over.

But throwing balls gives us something
to do, so that we won't think too much.

Next.

How long have you been here?

-Next.
-Almost two weeks.

-Good.
-I'll get discharged tomorrow.

-Next.
-Come on over.

I didn't hear you sing last night.

That's 'cause I don't sing
for anyone locked up here.

The only reason I feel like singing
is when I miss someone very much.

I don't do it to say good night
or lull anybody to sleep.

Go on.

Next.

What kind of friend are they?

Come on over.

Pin-Wen, it's your turn.
Pin-Wen, get a ball.

Okay, next.

-Okay. Stand behind the red line.
-Okay, it's your turn.

Aim at the bucket and throw it in.

-You got it in. Amazing.
-You can do it.

Okay, that's fine.
You can do it next time.

How can I help you, miss?

I want to check
my mom's bank account.

I brought her ID.

Tell me, how old are you?

I just turned 18.

Anyone under 20
is legally underage, you know?

Unless your mom accompanies you in person.

My mom is in a hospital right now.

Can you just help me out?

We've gotten all the collection letters
that you've sent,

the ones threatening foreclosure.

Maybe you can find a lawyer to be
your legal guardian in place of your mom.

Then you can have them come here with you.

I just want to know
our financial situation, that's all.

Why do you keep saying things
that I can't understand?

Will you still go back to school?

I've already taken leave

until the end of the semester.

Why did you do that?

There are no classes to attend anyway.

We're just preparing for the exam.

Oh.

Ma?

What are you doing?

There are people outside our home.

What kind of people are they?

They're guards.

Guards?

What are they doing outside?

They're spying on us.

Mama? Ma?

Are the guards you're talking about

just standing there

or the kind…

who march around?

Standing.

-Standing?
-Standing.

Okay, just wait here.

What are you doing?
Why are you here?

There's nothing to see here.
You can go now.

What? Can't you understand me?

Just leave!

Mama.

They're gone now.

We're all right.

Mm.

I can't even peel eggshells well now.

It's all right.

Look at my egg.

It wasn't peeled smoothly.

Why are there
so many dark spots on the table?

It became this way
after this place caught fire.

Oh.

Mama?

Why don't we just sell this place?

That's impossible.

We've been living here for so long.

But we haven't paid
any of our loans for three months already.

We have an $80,000 mortgage,

plus the loan for your car,
that's 120,000 in total.

That doesn't include
the parking and maintenance fee.

-And for the renovation work--
-How did you know these things?

I checked your bank account.

Who gave you the right to do that?

The bank sent us several dunning letters.

This place will be foreclosed next month.

We can't afford to live here anymore.

I won't sell the place.

If I sell this place,

what if your dad comes back?

He won't come back.

Don't be ridiculous.

A few days ago,
he told me he's moving back.

A few days ago?

I've been with you these past few days.

Have you forgotten?

I haven't seen him for a long time.

He came back,
you weren't just aware that he did.

And all of his important stuff,
it's still here.

His old photos,

his books and his records.

He'll be back sooner or later. Mm.

Dad has been gone for three years.

He doesn't want these anymore.

He did come back,
you-- you just didn't know it.

He did come back.

You just didn't know it.

He did come back.

He did.

He came back, you just didn't know it.

You just didn't know.

He did come back.

-Talk to Dad.
-He did come back.

Ask him when he's coming back.

FATHER

Hello, Xiao Jing.
How are you doing?

Will you tell Mama

when you're moving back here.

She's right beside me.

Just tell her.

Why are you making your dad do this?

You can't tell anyone
that he's coming back.

Because if you do,

I won't forgive you.

Okay.

I won't tell anyone.

Eat your breakfast,
then I'll take you for a walk, okay?

Thank you
for walking with me every day.

-I'm sorry about this morning.
-Ah!

I shouldn't have
spoken to you that way.

Forget it.

Don't worry
about our household affairs.

I can take care of all of that.

-Just give me a while.
-Ah!

How are you fixing them?

I will find a job tomorrow.

What kind of job?

A few days ago,
I passed by a supermarket.

I saw a notice by the entrance
that they're hiring staff.

Would you want that kind of job?

There's nothing wrong with it.

Anyway, it's work.

With work, I'll have income.

Ma?

I don't think
you need to rush to find work.

You should rest at home.

I have to go out and work.

I can't just stay at home every day.

You don't have any work experience?

I worked for a while after…

after graduation.

But when my child was born,

I-- I stopped working.

If that's the case,
then why do you want to work again?

My child is all grown up.

So I'm bored at home.

Basically, the position
you're applying for

won't be more interesting
than staying at home.

I just want…

to work and to meet more people.

Does our chat make you nervous?

No.

No, it doesn't.

I think I've just stayed at home too long.

Mm, so…

Not used to social stuff?

That's right.

Is your family fine with you working?

My husband…

My husband passed away a few years ago.

I'm sorry.

I wasn't trying to pry or anything.

It's just that a lot of people
tend to quit after a little while,

and family issues come up a lot.

I… I won't have that problem.

You don't seem like the type
who works at a supermarket.

I… I really can do it.

Start working here next week, then.

We have milk deliveries every day,

at around 7:00 to 7:30 in the morning.

They'll arrive at our receiving area.

Before we open the store,

we must get everything prepared and ready.

Do you know what's
the most important thing for milk?

I don't.

Its temperature.

It's your first day of work.

I'll teach you how we do things.

Right after closing,
we'll pull down the blinds.

Do you know why we use blinds?

I don't.

Do you have curtains at home?

Mm-hmm.

Well, curtains can
control the temperature,

but can also conserve energy
and keep pests away.

When you come to work in the morning,
pull the blinds up,

then turn on the lights,

and check the temperature.

Our milk area's temperature
is zero to three degrees Celsius.

If you have no questions,
let's check our list of prices.

One oyster omelet to go.

Okay.

-Are you busy?
-Yes.

As they say,
being busy is a good thing.

The stall owner's body language
attests to that.

After lockdown is lifted,
people also get a breath of fresh air.

After the pandemic
broke out five months ago,

this lively scene
in Lukang Street, Changhua,

is like getting rain after a long drought.

Do you want to eat with us?

It's all right
even if you don't chat with us,

because we're always saying
you're our resident beauty.

The guys must have been lining up for you.

Luo Pin-Wen.

Don't you know who I am?

I-- I could hardly recognize you.

She's my younger sister.

Sis, I'll walk around up ahead.
So you can talk with your friend.

Why didn't you come see me
after you got discharged?

Didn't I give you my phone number?

I…

I couldn't find any reason to see you.

We can have a chat just like in the past.

What are you busy with now?

I actually opened a small art gallery
with my sister.

A gallery?

I didn't tell you, right?

I used to work at an auction house.

Later on,
I started hearing a voice talking to me.

That's when I realized that I was sick.

For the last few years,

my sister has been taking care of me.

What kind of person
was talking to you then?

It was a guy who sounded very young.

His voice was always gentle.

When I first started hearing him speak,

I was pretty surprised,
it was quite interesting.

It was like someone
was talking sweetly to you all day.

But later on,

it was very agonizing.

So much that I couldn't even work anymore.

So one day,

I wanted to drive the voice away
with the power of my own voice.

I sang throughout the night,

and sometime during the night…

the voice that arrived so quickly
left just as suddenly.

Then a while ago…

when I was hospitalized,

I never heard his voice again.

So I started missing him.

And now,

singing is just a form of longing for him.

Do you still miss that person?

Yes, I do.

I really miss him a lot.

Do you want to hear his voice again?

I don't.

I don't want to at all.

Mama?

So how was your work today?

It was great.

I met a friend today.

Was it a former colleague?

Someone I met when I was hospitalized.

Mama?

Don't worry.

I'm fine.

I just want some peace and quiet.

Is this biscuit box shorter?

I remember it used to be this long.

-I think it has really gotten shorter.
-Uh, it's always been that size.

I just bought one last week.

I really think it's smaller.

But the price is still the same.

Please step aside.
We can figure it out later.

I'll ring up the other customers.

Oh, never mind, then.

It's fine even if it's smaller.

I won't buy it anymore.

Businessmen nowadays
just cut down on materials,

and they keep the price the same. Ow!

Ow.

Can't you see
that there's a long line behind you?

Damn you, why are you hitting people?

Old man,

I'm tired of watching
you act like a child.

Are you crazy?

You're the one who's crazy.
Watch what you're saying!

-All right, stop fighting.
-You even have a sidekick, huh?

I--

Don't stop me!

-I'll kick you.
-That's $80.

I'll kick you.

I'll kick you. You're running away?

Where are you going? Hey! Don't stop me.

Get back here!

You better run!

Watch your back!

Ma?

Did you take your medicine this morning?

I did.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

I just really like how you were just now.

When I'd meet slowpokes like that before,

I'd always hold it in
while waiting in line.

I don't want to put up with it anymore.

Mama?

They finally removed it.

Over ten years ago,

when I came here
with your dad for the first time,

sunlight flowed in this way as well.

Let's find a real estate company
in a few days

and see how much
we can sell this place for.

Try not to think too much.

I'll go to a real estate company tomorrow.
Just focus on working.

-Oh, Manager Chen, I'll do it.
-Oh, it's fine. It's fine.

I just like to move things around.

You've been here for two weeks.

How have you been doing?

I'm doing great.

Thank you, Manager Chen.

During your break time,
you can chat with coworkers.

You know, when you're working here,

it's very important to build relationships
with your colleagues so work is easier.

I don't know any of them.

I'm not sure I'd know what to say.

Well, you gotta talk to them first, right?

Being more proactive
won't put you at a disadvantage.

Pin-Wen.

Pin-Wen.

What is it?

Are you free

this Saturday?

Anything I can do to help you?

I was just wondering

if I may have the pleasure
of taking you to dinner.

I already went
to the real estate company.

They've come to see our place.

But the market isn't very good.

The value of the place
may only be $32 million.

After commission and taxes,

around 30 million will be left.

No, that's so low.

I remember that your dad
bought this place for $45 million.

Ma, I've calculated it.

Even if we only get $30 million,

after paying the $16 million loan,

we'll still have 14 million.

If we can get the money deposited soon,

with the interest we'll get,

add that to your current salary,

then we'll have
almost $40,000 income per month.

Let's rent a cheaper place.

Even if the rent is $15,000,

we'll have 25,000 to live on.

I think you'd better check
with another company.

That price is no good.

Don't worry, Mom.

The real estate agent is really nice.

He even promised
to help us find a place to rent

after we sell this place.

Okay.

I'm glad both the buyer and seller
attended this contract signing session.

The property price is $32 million.

Now, after deducting the fees,
commission, and applicable taxes,

the buyer will receive 30.6 million.

And since the said property
caught fire before,

the owner is willing to compensate you
by selling the place furnished.

Is everyone fine with that?

Okay, good.

-Oh, hello, everyone.
-Mr. Zhao.

Everyone, this is our manager, Mr. Zhao.

Hello, everyone. Have a seat. Have a seat.
Sit down, everyone.

Gosh, this is such a great day.

I believe that you've all
made a wonderful decision.

Hey, sir, ma'am, may I ask if you're
buying this property for yourselves?

No, it's for our child.

Oh, how wonderful, then.

-Xiao Yang.
-Yes?

-Where is the property located?
-Uh, at the corner of Alley #9.

Uh, the building covered with a blue tarp
that was undergoing renovation before.

Oh! I got it.
That's a great place in the neighborhood.

You're in luck. Wow!
Now that it's renovated,

it's even better now.

Uh, sorry, sorry. Sorry to disturb you.
Go on. Continue, okay.

I just came to say hi

and also to be here
to share your happiness, all right?

Good. Just a moment.

-You can sign it in a bit. Give it to him.
-Okay.

-Congratulations.
-Thank you.

All right, Ms. Luo,
you can stamp over there.

Uh…

If you wouldn't mind,
can I call you Mr. and Mrs. Chen?

-We don't mind.
-Mr. Chen.

You bought this 165-square-meter unit
for $32 million.

That means… Goodness.

That's a real bargain.

Last year, the fifth floor unit
in the same building

sold for 920 per square meter.

Do you know why I remember that?

Because, you see,
I was the one who sold it.

Mr. and Mrs. Chen,

you've seen many properties
during this period of time.

Do you think $32 million is reasonable?

Mm?

Huh?

-Xiao Yang.
-Yes?

Is it reasonable?

Uh, well, since the property
caught fire before,

then I believe its value
would go down because of that.

-Was anyone hurt from the fire?
-Well, um, I think…

-Well--
-We're both fine.

May I ask if you two compared the price
with other real estate companies?

No.

Young lady,

if you sold this property for $32 million,

even if I had to borrow from a loan shark

and put my life at risk,

I'd still find a way to buy the place.

I'm sorry, ma'am.

If you're not greedy,

please, trust me,

I can find a way better buyer
to help you sell the place

at $42 million within this week.

Xiao Yang, how much did they pay you?

Five hundred thousand?

Or one million?

Why did you ask to meet me today?

We're moving.

Why?
Aren't you living comfortably there?

Mom left her company.

We really can't afford
the mortgage anymore.

Why didn't you come to me
if you're having difficulties?

Actually, we were wanting
to sell the place quickly

because we don't want
to live there anymore.

It's filled to the brim
with all these memories.

Do you still remember
the time when I called you?

It was in front of Mom.

I asked you if you'd come back.

I'm sorry.

Back then, I was just too busy.

I forgot to call you back.

What exactly happened?

Since Mom got sick, she…

She always believed that you'd come back.

No matter what I say,
I couldn't convince her otherwise.

But I know that you don't belong with her,

or with me either.

Are you still
mad at me about Frank?

Adult problems are more complicated
and frustrating than you can imagine.

Dad, can you please stop
trying to give me these pitiful excuses?

Why should I suffer
because of your lousy marriage?

Why should I deal with
a mom I don't even know?

Why should I accept a brother
I didn't even know about?

Why should I have to
put up with your lies? Why? Why me?

What do you want me to do, then?

In a few days,

we'll be moving out.

I'll leave all your stuff there.

Find some time to pick it up yourself.

And, Dad…

take good care of yourself.

I'm looking for Luo Pin-Wen.

Please come in.

There's no need. I'll just wait outside.

Um, no, it's okay, it's okay.

Please come in.

Ma?

-Ma?
-Yes?

-Your friend is here.
-Okay.

You've got a very unique taste.
So that's your type?

Tsk. Don't speak nonsense, child.

He's only inviting me for dinner.

That's not true. He's totally weird.

He's wearing a suit
with all his hair slicked back,

holding a bouquet of flowers.

He wants to come in, but he won't.

Can you take care of yourself?

Yes, I can.

Then, call me if you need anything, okay?

Okay.

Um…

Pin-Wen, these are for you.

Okay, then.

We'll get going.

-Take care.
-Okay.

This steak house
was my wife's favorite restaurant.

I used to bring her here once a month.

It's because of the ambiance
and music here.

The owner invested a lot of money
in the sound system.

This sound quality,
you can't hear anywhere else.

Where's your wife?

Just like your husband,

she passed away already.

She's just been gone a lot longer.

Fifteen years.

What about your children?

We don't have any children.

She was hospitalized for a long time.

So I took care of her.

Was that your daughter earlier?

Mm-hmm, she's Xiao Jing.

She seems like quite a sensible child.

She's all right.

Did her dad's death change her a lot?

I'm sorry.

No, I should be sorry.
I shouldn't pry about your family.

I'm the one who should apologize to you.

I shouldn't have lied.

My husband didn't pass away.

We're divorced. It's been three years.

Actually, I worked
at a multinational company

for over a decade.

I got fired

a while ago.

And for what reason?

I guess, because…

just a few months ago,

I was diagnosed with psychosis.

Have you recovered now?

I'm relying on…
I've been taking medication to control it.

So what happened to your hand
is also related to your illness?

I don't mean to pry.

I couldn't help but notice

the wrist brace you wore
the first day you came in to apply.

I hurt my hand

when I was sick before…

because I wanted to make dinner
for my daughter.

The fire was too big,
and the pot caught fire.

I almost burned down the place.

What about your ex-husband?

Didn't you ask him for help?

He's already married.

He has a kid.

Manager Chen,

I wanted this job too much before.

That was why I lied.

If you can't accept this,
I can stop going to work next week.

It's fine.

Everyone has a painful past.

It just depends on how painful it is.

Also,

no one knows what the future will bring.

Mama?

Why are you up so early?

Shh.

Lower your voice.

What's the matter?

There's a snake behind the television.

A snake?

I couldn't sleep last night,

so I came to sit here
and opened the glass doors.

Then a snake came inside.

So you've been sitting here since then?

That's right.

I was worried.
What if it went to your room?

Why didn't you wake me?

It's a snake.

I can't let you deal with it.

Hey.

Don't go over there.

It's very dangerous.

Then, what should we do?

Call the fire department.

Try not to disturb the neighbors.

What is it now?

First, a fire. Now, there's a snake.

The fire department's
been here twice in a month.

How can we live this way?

The snake came in here itself.
It's not our fault.

Why'd you come up here, anyway?

Xiao Jing, I'm here
on behalf of all the residents.

They can't take it anymore.

Besides, how can a snake get in here?

Sir.

-Oh.
-I see it.

Huh.

Did you use scaffoldings
for renovation work?

Yes, for the work done outside.

It climbed up through the scaffolding.

It's been here a while.

The scaffolding are gone.

It can only go indoors.

Thank you.

Uh, excuse me.

Do you think
these snakes would come up again

and hide in the building?

Basically, they shouldn't.

Call us if this happens again.

Okay.

I told you there was a snake.

-I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
-How long is this going to take?

-We're moving some stuff.
-You own the street?

No, we're just moving.

Man, are you still blocking the road?

We're moving. No, it'll just be a minute.

Get out of my way!
How am I supposed to get to work?

It'll just be a minute.
It shouldn't take much longer.

-Get going, the hour's late.
-I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.

Hey. What do you want to do, then?

We're just moving.
It'll only take 20 minutes.

And in 20 minutes, I'll be late for work.

-Can't you back out of the street?
-Why should I do that?

So what do you want, then?
Can't you back out of the street?

-Who acts this way?
-Did you pass your driver's exam?

They teach you how to back up?

Oh, be careful. Easy, now. Slowly, please.

Be careful, okay?
That's a bit heavy. Come up. Okay.

Up there. Careful. Come on, now.

Watch out. Almost there.
Okay, come on. Come up.

Be careful. That's it,
yes, come on, come on.

All right. Whoo. Yeah.

Let me help you. Hold on. Okay.

Over here. Here, you can…
Uh, a bit higher.

Okay. Over to that side a bit.

Okay. You're almost there.
Easy, now. Come on.

So tell me, is there anything else
I can help you with?

Manager Chen,
I'm really embarrassed about today.

If you didn't help us,

Xiao Jing and I
wouldn't be able to manage.

No worries. It's what I should do.

You've been busy the whole day.

You should get some rest.

Xiao Jing, I'll go ahead.

-Thank you, Chen.
-Bye.

"Miss Luo, is there anything else
I can help you with?"

"Manager Chen,
thank you for your help today."

"If you didn't help us,
we wouldn't be able to manage."

"No worries. It's what I should do."

"You've been busy the whole…"

Hey, Pin-Wen.

I think you should
rest today and even tomorrow.

-It's fine, I--
-I'll file a leave for you tomorrow.

-I can go to work tomorrow, it's fine.
-You should rest at home.

I'll just call you tomorrow

to see what else I can help with.

Okay?

-Thank you, Chen.
-No worries.

-And I'll close the door for you.
-Uh, okay. Okay.

Thank you.

Mama?

I really think Manager Chen

is serious about you.

Don't speak nonsense again.

It's true.

He's quite nice.

He looks interesting too.

I thought I told you to keep quiet.

Wait, did you call your dad?

I did.

Did he say anything
when you told him we're moving?

Don't care whether
he said anything or not.

He wants nothing to do with us.

Why are you saying that?

He's your dad, after all.

He was just the man
who provided the sperm.

Where did you learn to speak so nastily?

I learned it from you.

When I was little,

you and Dad fought really badly
for a long time.

You even said that he's irresponsible,

and he was just the man
who provided the sperm.

Do you still remember?

I think I was in grade two at that time.

When you and Dad fought again,

Dad brought me out saying

that we're going to the amusement park.

But it was already 4:00 p.m.
when we arrived.

The park was about to close.

Only then did we find out

that the amusement park
closes at 5:00 p.m.

I remember Dad not talking much that day.

We didn't
even know where to go at all.

We wandered outside for so long.

We ate at McDonald's

and bought a teddy bear.

It was almost 10:00 p.m.

Mama?

I just realized what that sound is.

What sound?

The sound I hear in my ears.

Roaring.

Every time I hear that sound,

it's like a very noisy machine
got into my ears.

Sometimes, it fades away by itself.

But many times, the sound continues.

And it makes me feel so irritated.

I want to throw things around…

or maybe hurt myself.

It wasn't until earlier…

that I figured out what it was.

What is it, Ma?

The sound of waterfalls.

Waterfalls?

When you were talking
about your dad just now…

that sound came back.

I told myself…

this time, I must get away from it.

I want to do that…

but I can't ever seem to do it.

Surprisingly…

that roaring sound…

suddenly went away.

I started hearing
the sound of rivers and streams.

I thought that the roaring sound
was from a machine.

But it wasn't.

It was the sound of waterfalls.

Mama?

Are you okay?

Xiao Jing, can you promise me one thing?

What is it?

Never ask me again if I'm okay.

I'll figure out a way to recover…

and live a good life with you.

2020 ADVANCED SUBJECTS TEST

You haven't really been able to study much
because of me the last six months.

I'm really sorry.

I can still get into a public college,

but not in a top-ranked course.

You should prioritize
the major you want to study.

Don't mind if it's public or private.

But I'm still hoping
to get into a public college,

in Taipei, specifically.

Then I can stay at home.

I can even save on some rent.

It's easier to get
a part-time job in Taipei too.

You'll study a major
you're not interested in?

-Uh, here's your seafood pancake.
-Okay.

-Please enjoy.
-Thank you.

Actually, I'm not sure what I want to do.

I have time, every major has its own path.

It won't be a problem.

Mama?

This Saturday,

I'm going to a barbecue with my friends.

Are you going to work?

Yes, I am.

It's fine.

You can go.

I'll be home before dark, then.

Let's have dinner after.

Did you bring your EasyCard and wallet?

I did.

Your face mask?

It's in my pocket.

Did you bring your phone?

It's in my bag.

Okay.

Are those students
from an all-boys school?

There won't be any boys.

It's just my classmates
as well as some teachers.

Did you bring your EasyCard and wallet?

Yes.

I also brought my phone and face mask.

Okay.

Hey.

Mama?

Remember to call me if you need anything.

Take care. Be careful.

The water's flowing very quickly.

-Be careful.
-All together now.

Hi! Ms. Luo!

Ms. Luo!

Love you!

Hi!

Girls, it's time. Pack up, let's go home.

Hurry!

Hello?

-Are you Xiao Jing's mom?
-Yes, I am.

I'm Xiao Jing's teacher.

After our barbecue,
when we were about to leave,

the river suddenly rose up,

and some students, they got swept away.

Uh, did Xiao Jing get swept away too?

Don't worry for now.

There are many media
and TV reporters on the scene,

so it's very chaotic now.

I'm so sorry, Ms. Luo.

I might not be able to call you again.

I still need to contact other parents.

I'll get in touch with you
if I have any news.

Over 30 students and faculty
were having a barbecue by the riverside,

yet it became an irrevocable tragedy.

The cause was a release of dam water
without any warning.

And this is not
the first accident involving public safety

to occur that has managed
to claim innocent lives.

Is this due to human error
or mechanical failure?

This is our exclusive report
from the scene.

We've just received news a while ago

that the search and rescue team
has found some of the bodies.

This tragedy came without any warning.

The rescuers saved a drowning girl

and immediately rushed her to shore
for first aid.

The rescuers didn't give up any hope,
performed CPR on the stretcher,

-and carried her to the ambulance.
-Nice and easy.

Almost 200 search and rescue
personnel kept pouring onto the scene

carrying inflatable boats
to rescue people as soon as they can

before it gets dark.

This large-scale drowning disaster
happened this afternoon.

Thirty-five students and faculty
went to the riverside for a barbecue.

Unexpectedly, the dam upstream
released water without any warning,

trapping many of the students and faculty.

Why did these teachers bring
the students here to play with the water

without knowing how dangerous it is?

And according to the latest footage,

rescuers seem to have found
some of the students.

Let's see the other scene.

-All right.
-Another one here.

-Come on out.
-Take her to the ambulance.

This way.

-Make way!
-Follow us over here.

-Hurry!
-Follow us. Right this way.

Xiao Jing.