Original subtitles

Created & Directed by WONG KAR WAI

EPISODE 16

HONG KONG BLUES

They're just a pair of earrings.

Either you leave and never return,

or I will.

Only one of us can stay.

You met Ling Zi because of Miss Wang.

Now your fight with Ling Zi

is also because of Miss Wang.

Who suffers more? Men or women?

If you ask me,

caring people suffer more.

These two women seem like

they were bound to you by fate.

He met Ling Zi

originally

because of me.

By a stroke of fate, I caught hepatitis A.

The universe gave me a mission.

Are you leaving?

Fate brought us together.

If you ever come to Japan for business,

please reach out to me.

I hope I get to.

This is my business card.

Without that business card,

he couldn't have gone to Japan, you know?

In other words,

that business card was his ticket to becoming Mr. Bao.

1988

SUGIMOTO HEADQUARTERS, TOKYO

Mr. Yamamoto says he's eager to see you.

He's in a meeting right now,

but he invites you to Rie in Ginza.

Thank you.

Take care.

What is Rie?

It's a club in Ginza.

Is it expensive?

The average person can't afford it.

Damn.

1988 was the peak

of Japan's financial bubble.

Ginza was an intoxicating place.

As a Shanghainese visitor,

I was completely disoriented by the language barrier.

I was lost.

GINZA, TOKYO

Excuse me!

Would you do me a favor?

Can't he hear?

Excuse me.

What?

Rie.

Rie?

Where is Rie?

No idea.

That was rude.

Can I speak to Mr. Jin? I'm his daughter.

I'm calling from overseas.

Please tell him to answer the phone.

Hello?

What's so urgent?

Buy a fridge?

Sure.

The bigger the better.

Buy an imported one.

I already gave you this month's money.

I have nothing left.

She's your wife, not my mom.

Why don't you buy one for her?

I have no conscience?

Listen.

You won't find anyone

in Tokyo, Shanghai, or the whole world

with more conscience than me!

Unbelievable.

What?

Are you Shanghainese?

Are you Shanghainese too?

Yes.

I can't believe this.

What a coincidence.

What's the matter?

Is that Rie over there?

Yes.

I'm looking for someone.

Who?

Are you a member?

You need a membership to get in.

Mr. Yamamoto told me to meet him there.

Which Mr. Yamamoto?

I have his card.

Let me see.

Kosaku Yamamoto!

Bald guy?

You know him?

I do. I work at Rie.

I'll get you in.

This is the back. Let's go around front.

Even the back door is so nice.

No wonder I got lost.

It must have been eye-opening for Mr. Bao.

Were it not for Ling Zi,

he couldn't have gotten into Rie.

Right. Here, sit.

Let me ask you.

A lot of people told me that, back in Japan,

Ling Zi was an escort.

Is that true?

I've been afraid to ask.

What's that about?

What is he talking about?

Describe it in detail.

Where exactly was she working? What escort?

Nonsense.

If she were really an escort,

would she need Mr. Bao's help opening Tokyo Nights?

Exactly.

What a silly question.

That's true.

What did she do then?

She couldn't speak Japanese.

Didn't know the customs.

She could only do one thing.

Wait tables.

"Yamamoto Kosaku"

Mr. Yamamoto already let us know.

Please wait here.

Take good care of him.

Yes.

-Let's go. -What did she say?

Take care.

Coming.

What did she say?

Wait a minute.

-Take care. -Hurry.

-I didn't understand a word. -Wait here.

Come on.

Take care.

Have fun.

I'll be back soon.

Okay.

Take care.

Come over here.

What?

What did she say?

Why'd you pretend like you understood?

She already heard from Mr. Yamamoto.

He told you to wait here.

Follow me.

Why is no one here tonight?

Is business slow?

What are you talking about?

Business is great but it's a special day.

Our star hostess opened her own shop.

so the Madame is taking everyone there to show support.

Even though she quit?

That's generous of your Madame.

Ginza is all about making people happy.

The Madame is proud that her baby bird is taking flight.

It's a good thing. well on thin It reflects well on the Madame.

This way.

On the house.

How generous.

Thank you.

Why did you leave?

I'll just wait for him here.

The Madame left you in my care. Don't just run off.

Go inside and wait for him over a drink.

It's too expensive.

Madame said to not charge you.

What if Mr. Yamamoto doesn't show?

He won't be here so soon.

He's at the new shop.

Where is the new shop?

I'll go look for him there.

I couldn't tell you even if I knew.

Madame would fire me.

Help me out.

No. It wouldn't be ethical.

It's so cold. Go wait upstairs.

What's the rush?

I'm here on a seven-day visa.

I have to leave tomorrow morning.

This is my one chance to see Mr. Yamamoto.

I don't know when he's coming back.

It's freezing out here.

You won't go upstairs?

No.

Suit yourself then.

Have you had dinner?

No.

There is a ramen shop over there. It's cheap and yummy.

He may be back after you eat.

Okay?

Listen.

First, he's not coming back so soon.

Second, eating ramen is fast.

I'll wait at the intersection and get you as soon as I see him.

-Just tell me where the new shop is. -No clue.

Come on.

Just help me out here.

I don't want ramen.

Hurry.

Right here.

Long time no see.

Welcome.

Long time no see. Welcome.

Come in.

Sit here.

Sit.

Eat. I'll go wait outside.

Take care of him.

Shanghainese?

What?

Are you from Shanghai?

What do you want to eat?

What's the fastest?

Ramen.

Okay.

Sit.

One ramen!

Hey, let me know when he's back!

Have another one.

It's too much. I can't eat all this.

Are these sides free?

Hush. Just eat.

Will you call your friend and ask?

You talk too much. Eat.

What's up with you? Calling me every ten minutes.

It's getting really late.

-What if he doesn't come back? -How would I know?

I can't tell you what I don't know.

Nobody else can either.

Your nose is bleeding.

Let me get you a tissue.

Here you go.

Thank you.

It's okay.

I just need to stand for a while.

It's too cold outside.

I'll keep you company.

How long have you been in Japan?

Three years.

I worked hard to get this job.

Spent a whole year learning to bow.

Madame said I'm not cut out for Ginza.

Why?

I'm too stubborn,

I'm not a gentle person,

so I can only be my own boss.

-What? -It's true. That's what she said.

I've thought it through anyway.

If I go back to Shanghai,

I'll open a shop. Be my own Madame.

I already have a name for it.

Tokyo Nights.

Give me a call when you want to come by.

I'll save you a good seat.

You listening?

I have too much on my mind.

Everyone at the factory

is depending on this deal.

It's no laughing matter.

Here. Have this.

What is this?

I got it from the temple.

Look.

It says "Great Fortune."

I'll lend you my luck.

Tonight, you will meet with Mr. Yamamoto.

-Guaranteed. -Can you be serious?

I can't count on luck.

What else do you have at this point?

Let me ask you,

what if your luck is bad?

Maybe he drinks too much,

or another young man from Shanghai stops him at the new shop?

What then?

Okay. Don't curse me.

Faith makes it come true.

What are you going to do now that you've lent me your luck?

Just return it next time, silly.

I'll go check if he's back.

And that's why

you shouldn't lend your luck to others.

If she didn't lend him her luck,

Mr. Bao would still be Ah Bao.

Ling Zi would've stayed in Japan, and so would I.

If Ling Zi had kept her luck,

she would've been rich by now.

I'd be well off too.

I wouldn't have met you all,

or be sitting here at Tokyo Nights.

What's wrong with meeting us?

Not everyone would be so nice

and eat with you every day for years.

Forget the "if"s.

You'll understand when you're my age.

The universe has its rules.

A single choice can define your life.

Even if you know right from wrong,

you can't escape from destiny.

This is Ah Bao from Shanghai.

B-A-O. Ah Bao.

You're my friend for life!

Of course.

Bao-san!

You okay? Did you drink too much?

I'm completely fine.

I knew you could hold your liquor.

I'm so happy.

-Long time no see. -Mr. Yamamoto.

I'm going back first thing tomorrow.

So I'll be off.

Ah Bao,

the sewing machines will be taken care of.

You promise?

Hundreds of salaries are depending on you.

We need you to come through.

-Got it! -See you.

Thank you.

Got it!

Thank you.

Mr. Ah Bao, thank you for today.

Reiko,

get a taxi for him.

Yes.

Are you okay?

Here, wipe your mouth.

Thank you.

I'm sorry.

No problem.

Rinse.

-Done. -Rinse again.

Hurry.

Okay.

Go back upstairs. It's cold out.

Let me get a taxi for you.

It's okay. I can go by myself.

Are you sure?

Thank you for today.

What for? I didn't do anything.

Oh yeah,

have your luck back.

No. Keep it.

It's clean.

That's not what I meant.

Keep it. I'll just get another one.

Buy me dinner in Shanghai one day.

I should go back.

SIX MONTHS LATER

Thank you for coming.

This rain is annoying.

Don't get your kimono wet. Go back in.

Thank you.

Oh right, Reiko?

Yes.

This is from Ah Bao.

Thank you!

See you next time.

Thank you.

Take care.

Thank you.

Reiko.

Yes.

Reiko!

Yes.

Coming!

Good work today.

"Ling Zi - Manager"

If it were me,

I wouldn't have come back.

I'd have thought Mr. Bao was a scammer.

You're still talking "what if"s?

You really think Ling Zi would be better off

if she never met Mr. Bao?

She just might.

At the time,

there was a graduate student courting her.

A foreigner?

That wouldn't have worked.

Not at all.

A government sponsored exchange student.

Leagues better than Mr. Bao.

So she left this time to find him?

Why not?

Plenty of fish in the sea,

but you only ever meet a few that matter.

He should be back in China by now.

You think he's married?

That'd mean he has a family.

You shouldn't break up a family.

You can still chat if you're married.

That's just you.

But what if he's not married?

Again with the "what if."

Here's another one for you.

What if Ling Zi comes back right now?

She'll see that you drank all her liquor,

and diluted it with water.

You'd be done for.

It was you.

What's the point?

When it comes to love,

once you turn away,

there won't be a way back.

The past is in the past,

and what's done is done.

Life goes on.

Chief, how does this look?

How's the agenda coming along?

MeiPing is still editing it.

Who's greeting the reporters?

Mr. Li. He knows them well.

Are we set for the celebration dinner?

Yes, at The Grand Lisbon.

Okay.

Wait a minute.

I don't see Mr. Bao on the list.

Mei Ping says Mr. Bao isn't coming.

Hello?

Hello, it's me.

I never thought you'd call me.

It must be serious.

Mr. Bao's not coming to the ceremony.

Is there something I should know?

He worked on San Yang to help Miss Wang.

Miss Wang is no longer involved,

so he is no longer interested.

It can't be that simple.

Does he have other plans?

It is that simple.

Sometimes

people aren't as complicated as you think.

Madame, here's the guest list and menu

for San Yang's celebration dinner tonight.

No Miss Wang, and no Mr. Bao.

Unsurprising.

He returned the fish and gave up San Yang.

What's he playing at?

He wants a bigger fish.

Where would he find bigger fish

than the ones on Huanghe Road?

Hong Kong.

HONG KONG

Mr. Bao, we're big fans of yours.

While you're here,

let's look at a few more brands?

If it can help grow Shanghai Fashion,

I'll stay as long as I need to.

Very good.

Then let's strike while the iron is hot.

Great.

Betty, the bill.

My brother told me

you have the best resources--

Sir, leaving already?

Yes. Thank you.

Thank you.

It turns out, Xuezhi didn't find her prosperity

in Hong Kong like she'd said.

Making millions each year was just a dream.

Waitressing at the Peninsula was the reality.

Give me a minute.

Sounds good.

After her divorce in 1988,

she was afraid to be laughed at

by family and friends.

All she could do was make up a fairy tale.

What are you doing in Hong Kong?

I'm helping Shanghai Fashion

strike deals with imported brands.

I hear you're doing pretty well.

Selling brands on Nanjing Road.

Just taking a stroll there used to be a big deal.

I surprised myself.

Didn't you start a company?

I did,

but it failed.

Didn't have your luck.

Win or lose, it's normal in business.

If you still want to build something,

and make money,

go back to Shanghai.

There are lots of opportunities.

I'm not going back.

What would I do?

Sell tickets on Route 13 again?

Once I ran away,

there was no going back.

Shanghai is different now.

You're different too.

Seeing you do well...

I'm happy for you.

One has to commit.

Stay or leave.

Just no regrets.

There is no remedy for that.

If you don't want to go back,

stay here

and be my Hong Kong representative.

No need.

You depend on yourself, and I depend on myself.

Or else, what's the point?

We agreed on another ten years.

There are four years left.

Don't jump to conclusions yet.

Four years...

Then I'll see you in 1997.

See you in 1997.

Betty!

Can I ask you?

Do you have someone?

I'm still on my own.

Same old.

And you?

I do.

That's good.

Just pretend you never saw me today.

Xiao Wang,

don't give up!

TWO MONTHS LATER

I've wanted to come by since last month.

The elevator operator told me you weren't feeling well,

and you were resting at home.

As soon as I heard you recovered,

I came right over.

I left some imported snacks there.

Give them a try, Uncle Ye.

It looks to me like you're doing well at No. 27.

It's all thanks to your guidance.

It's a shame about Mr. Ma's product over at Shanghai Fashion.

If Mr. Bao came to me for support,

it wouldn't have been ignored

and left with no export permit.

The market is volatile.

I was going to come to you,

but as soon as Mr. Bao came back,

a big order came in.

200,000 pairs of Walmart jeans.

There was no choice.

I came back soon as I felt better.

Is the contract signed?

We're still waiting on the permit from your office.

You know, I could help with that.

This order is too big.

Mr. Bao wanted a seasoned veteran,

so he's dealing directly with Chief Jin.

Chief should manage the big picture,

but in my day-to-day with foreign vendors, I'm quite independent.

I could help you negotiate pricing.

After San Yang,

we have the edge on pricing.

Nobody can get a lower quote than us.

Then,

Uncle Ye...

Don't worry.

This was an exception.

Under normal circumstances,

we'll still come to you first.

That's good.

I just want to help Uncle Ye and Mr. Bao execute a large order.

You will.

We'll keep in touch.

Thank you, Uncle Ye.

Mr. Bao is out?

He just got back, so he's making rounds.

Uncle Ye heard about the Walmart order from the Department of Commerce

while I was in Hong Kong.

It was by no means a done deal.

He bluffed in front of Mei Ping

to help me save face.

Mr. Bao,

this is not the end.

Pressure makes diamonds.

Once I'm ready,

we'll take on Nanjing Road again.

Take care.

Mr. Ma's T-shirts could not replicate San Yang's success.

But I at least proved my commitment.

All in all,

Mr. Ma and I had a long way to go

before either of us

could reach Nanjing Road.

Mr. Bao,

we've verified the brands

you brought back with you. you

These are all reputable brands overseas.

This will greatly boost

our profits

and give us an edge

on our application

to issue new shares.

The foreign vendors are in Shanghai.

We will discuss the details

at the Red Heron tonight.

Sounds good.

By the way,

what's the biggest roadblock for your IPO?

I might be able to help.

We need a broker.

The company

needs a long term partner.

Shanghai's brokerages only have eyes for our rival, Luwan Retail.

Don't worry.

There are hundreds of brokerages.

Look beyond the local ones.

Mr. Bao,

you have one in mind?

I'll give it a shot.

Great.

I'll wait for news.

You went all the way to Hong Kong

to help him with imported brands,

and now with brokers too?

You're punching above your weight.

You want to fly high,

but can you survive the fall?

I'll stand right back up.

No counters? I'll find a whole store.

On Nanjing Road,

we must have our own place.

When we were trading stocks,

we had to watch dozens at once.

Sure, we did pretty well.

But if Shanghai Fashion gets listed,

we'll only have to watch this one stock.

Our future profits can be way easier.

Why miss such a good opportunity?

Business is not about who makes the most money.

It's about who lives the longest.

Don't dream about overnight success.

Take it one step at a time,

slow and steady.

Understand?

Madame,

thank you.

-Take care. -See you soon.

Madame,

Mr. Bao's back. He's at the Red Heron.

Mr. Bao, your guests aren't here yet.

The appetizers are ready.

Going with the usual?

Please. Thank you.

What about drinks?

Same old.

Got it.

TWO HOURS LATER

See you, Madame.

Mr. Bao.

Long time no see.

What have you been up to, Miss Li Li?

Raising fish.

My fish are getting bigger.

Congratulations on making a killing then.

And you, Mr. Bao?

Have your tastes changed?

I still don't eat fish.

That's okay.

I'll ask you again in a little while.

Why bother?

In case you feel adventurous one day.

I wouldn't want to miss it.

I hear you frequent Nanjing Road nowadays.

It's the same everywhere.

Big fish eat small fish.

You should take this one.

Thank you.

If The Grand Lisbon can help, just let me know.

I will.

It's been a few months.

Mr. Bao has changed.

He's been to Hong Kong.

He's even more classy now, right?

That's not it.

When he passes my shop,

he doesn't buy cigarettes anymore.

It seems he's moved on from Huanghe Road.

But I heard he went to Hong Kong out of desperation.

His business was failing,

so he went for a bail-out.

That's not true.

He's focused on Nanjing Road now.

Advising on Shanghai Fashion Corp's IPO.

Wow. Impressive.

It takes a challenge

for people to grow.

Mr. Bao and Miss Wang lost contact.

Tokyo Nights is empty.

All his friends have left.

For him, it's time

for new friends and new business.

Or he'll have no one left to talk to.

How was Hong Kong?

How's the project going?

I ran into Xuezhi.

What are the chances?

That's fate right there.

How is she?

Not bad.

You're somebody now.

The real deal.

Was she nicer to you this time?

Same old.

You know her.

Did you have lunch with her? Where?

At the Peninsula.

That fancy?

So she's doing well then. Her business must be taking off.

Not bad.

Is she still single?

New boyfriend.

What about the ten year pact?

Will you see each other in 1997?

Of course.

But what if you find out she's happily married and has kids?

Better than not seeing her at all.

How are things with Fang Mei?

Even in 1997, it'll be the same.

Just me, barely holding on.

While you were away,

I was either at my shop or at home.

Occasionally Tokyo Nights.

I'm glad you're back.

Now I can also go to the Peace Hotel.

I miss bowling so much,

every time I see a round thing,

I feel the urge to throw it.

I'm serious.

How's Tokyo Nights?

Same as me.

Barely holding on.

It was open for a few days.

¥220. Here's ¥50 in change.

I'll get you another ¥30.

Hurry up.

I'm dying.

Why do I have to do this?

Ling Zi, come back already.

I can't do this anymore.

They gave up quick.

There was no leader.

Not everyone can run a restaurant.

Hey, it's been months.

Any word from Ling Zi?

No.

I'm telling you.

It's no longer a question of when.

It's whether Ling Zi will come back at all.

If she doesn't come back,

it means she's found something better.

At Mr. Ge's birthday,

Ling Zi wished

for Tokyo Nights to last forever.

friends would stay together.

So as long as friends stay together,

Tokyo Nights will still live on.

What do you mean by that?

What I mean is,

Ling Zi's birthday is in two days.

If she doesn't come back then,

we'll close Tokyo Nights.

TWO DAYS LATER

In one minute,

Tokyo Nights will officially close.

Starting next month,

I'll be collecting rent from a new tenant.

The money will be the same,

but the feeling

will be different.

Whether or not Ling Zi is here,

today is still her birthday.

We should have some cake.

"For Lease"

Why is it so heavy?