Original subtitles

Business

can make a nation

as well as break a nation.

The essence of great business

is to manage the household,

govern the nation,

and bring peace to the world.

Welcome.

Mrs. Lin.

Hi.

You made

my husband's suit, didn't you?

It seems well-made to me,

so I'd like you to make the suits

for my two sons' trip abroad as well.

Can you give me some recommendations?

I see.

Then let's see if any fabric catches your eye first.

Please come this way.

Get me the knife.

Mrs. Lin, we can handle this.

I'm just cooking. What are you so nervous about?

Give it to me.

How difficult can it be to hold onto a man's heart?

Is there a need to be as flirtatious as you?

I don't believe in that.

I have my own ways.

Hsing.

Check how much reserve funds we have left.

Mr. Hsu.

Later, take Hsing

and buy all the cement from the black market.

Lin Teng.

Who does things like this?

No one would keep using his own money for the company.

It can't be helped.

General Ma and Fifth Master will definitely pin this on me.

Do you know how much cement is in the black market?

You can't buy them all.

This isn't the way to go about it.

See how much money we have

and buy however much we can.

Chunghua Cement has two factories.

There should be 2,000 tons in a week.

I've borrowed 500 tons from everyone today.

On the black market,

if we can get 1,000 tons,

it should be enough.

Mr. Lin.

Yilan Corp's finances can't afford

to buy 1,000 tons from the black market.

It's all right, we'll shoulder the cost for now.

With the situation right now,

if the cuckoo doesn't chirp,

we'll wait for it to chirp.

Masami.

I feel like your play today is a little surprising.

Playing with you,

of course, I cannot "deflate."

I practiced in secret for several days.

What is "deflate"?

To embarrass oneself.

Sometimes, when you Taiwanese speak, it's really very interesting.

Mr. Lin Teng.

You're here.

You're here?

General, you wanted to see me?

So,

regarding the cement,

what's the progress?

General,

the 3,500 tons

should be delivered in time.

I knew you'd be able to do it.

However, I asked you to come this time

because we originally ordered 3,500 tons of cement.

Then the military suddenly asked for another 3,000 tons.

So…

you must give me 6,500 tons of cement this time.

Get me another club.

We might not be able to fulfill this sudden increase.

To fulfill the order, there are always ways.

Where's the cloth?

Am I right?

I called you over because I know

you're capable.

Why is this a left-handed club?

Where's my right-handed club?

You see?

I can play with either hand.

You must think of ways, right?

I know you'll have a way,

so I'm giving this task to you.

I know the Central Cross-Island Highway is Young Mr. Chiang's important policy.

But if I can't get enough cement,

even you can't explain it to them.

General, give me 20 days.

I'll get you 4,500 tons in 20 days.

For the other 2,000 tons,

I need at least a month.

A month?

You want my men working on the Central Cross-Island Highway

to wait for you for a month?

Fine.

Then I'll make all of Taiwan's citizens

wait for you and see how patient they are.

Fuck.

Li-na, Chiao,

be sure to treat our two customers well.

- No problem. - Okay.

Mr. Chou.

Mr. Huang.

There's a shortage of cement right now

and it's affecting even the military.

Even the Resource Provision Bureau is summoned to explain.

I'm wondering

if we can slow down on issuing permits?

Otherwise, when they find out

permits aren't given to distribution, building material,

or construction companies,

the Resource Provision Bureau might not be able to take responsibility.

Chief, you know what?

I'm about to visit Ms. Tang at work later.

Do you want to join me

in visiting your favorite celebrity?

No.

That day, I don't know what…

Usually when I drink,

I don't black out like that!

- I'm sorry. - Why are you so scared? Here.

Why weren't you afraid when you bedded Master Chuang's girl?

I'm sorry.

Please.

Mr. Huang.

Please forgive me.

I still have

a 13-year-old daughter.

I'm sorry.

I'm truly sorry.

It's all my fault, all right?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

What's going on, Chief?

You're too stressed, aren't you?

Take Chief to rest.

All right.

Chief, come on.

Chief, have a good night's sleep.

Fung, put it on my tab.

The soup.

Give it to Hung-ta.

What soup is this?

Thick soup.

A reflection of Lin Teng's mood today.

Then I must have a bowl.

I'd say Lin Teng

is at his limit.

Get rid of Lin Teng

and Fifth Master will have nothing to fear.

But that Japanese woman Masami

has connections and a strong background.

She'll definitely help Lin Teng.

But I've prepared a big present for Masami.

I'd like to speak with Mr. Nguyen from Vietnam Enterprises.

Mr. Nguyen.

I am Lin Teng of Chunghua Cement. Here's the thing.

We have a cement shortage in Taiwan.

Not at all. Thank you.

I am Lin Teng of Chunghua Cement.

The last time we met

was in Shanghai, right?

Yes.

Long time no see.

Do you still have cement?

Here in Taiwan,

we're very low on it.

It's all right.

Thank you.

Hsueh-yu.

Pour me a cup of tea.

Hsueh-yu.

Hsueh-yu?

Mrs. Lin is not here.

Hsueh-yu.

Sanlang.

Where's Mrs. Lin?

She's at Mrs. Lee's.

At this hour, why isn't she home yet?

She's

playing mahjong.

She's still playing mahjong at this hour.

Carry on.

Lately, Mr. Lin

must be working hard for the country's development.

Men work for their country and family.

Mr. Lin is very resourceful.

If you ask me, the only one who can deal with Ma Jen-fu is him.

He's busy preparing the cement,

it just takes some time.

General Ma misunderstood.

I heard he's trying to get cement from people.

He's even calling abroad.

Last time, at the Yenhua Club,

I seemed to have seen Mr. Lin talking business with someone.

The Yenhua Club?

Beware of that place.

The women there

are formidable.

But they're businessmen.

There are just some places they must go to.

Sometimes what we see isn't even real,

right?

I live with him,

so I know him well.

Mrs. Lin, we only heard about it.

From whom?

Which gentleman or lady?

Forget it. Let's just play.

Whose turn is it?

Mrs. Lee.

Next time, do Mr. Lin a favor

when you're with General Ma

and put in a good word for him.

That's not a problem.

When my husband comes home,

I'll tell him if I remember.

Seven circles.

Five circles.

I won!

I won too.

Three winners?

How fun!

It's too much fun.

Mrs. Lin, you might want to go pray at the temple.

This is how it is when you start playing.

- No points hand. - Thank you.

- All concealed hand. - Got it.

All three of a kind.

Let's keep going.

Stop playing.

You can't win.

Am I not qualified?

When they're piling the tiles,

wherever it's messily piled

is where the tiles are marked.

I know.

But aren't you afraid that Mrs. Lee and the others will be mad at you?

I don't care.

I'm full.

I'm full.

I'm full.

Mrs. Lin.

Mrs. Lin, excuse me.

Sanlang.

Yes.

Tell Mrs. Lin

to not come home so late.

Apart from the bad reputation,

at home,

see,

there's no one taking care of the kids.

Besides,

I already told you several times,

to pay attention to Mrs. Lin.

Coming home so late

is so dangerous.

Yes.

Sanlang.

Tell Mr. Lin

that if he cannot even spare the time to eat with his family,

and the kids are forgetting

what their father looks like,

then he has no right to interfere with others.

I want to ask everyone for a favor.

See how much cement your companies have left

that you can spare

for the military.

Lin Teng.

How did things become like this?

Lin Teng.

If you borrow from us,

what about you at Yilan Corp?

Yilan Corp has another 200 tons,

which I will bring out first.

Mr. Lin.

You can't lend out everything.

We still have construction going on.

How much can we spare then?

About 70 tons.

Usually, we do the math precisely.

I need to go back and check.

Lin Teng.

I still have 130 tons,

but I need them too.

How about this?

I'll give you 80 tons for now.

Lin Teng.

We're all friends.

I have 100 tons.

But I'm making it clear,

I'm lending it to Chunghua Cement at a rate of NTD 45.

- Fuck you. - Mouse, are you a robber?

Screw you!

Think how much it costs on the black market now.

It's because Lin Teng is a friend that I charge him this rate!

Fuck.

Lin Teng, I have 160 tons, take half.

Just save some for me to run my business.

I bought it at NTD 30. I'll sell it to you at NTD 30.

I'm not making money off you,

unlike that worthless rat.

- What the fuck are you saying? - I'm calling you a trash!

- You… - Say that again!

Come on.

I'll toast you all.

Thank you.

Mouse.

Thank you too.

- He's agreeing and you won't even drink? - Shut up!

YENHUA CLUB

A club.

How nostalgic.

Master Chuang, just a minute.

In the past, Taiwan's clubs

are where we spent our happiest times.

Don't you agree,

Masami?

I've forgotten much about my past.

Isn't that perfect?

If that's the case,

how about treating this as your first meeting today?

However,

why does Mr. Chou look worried too?

Master Chuang, your room's ready. Please come this way.

Smile. The Japanese say you look sullen.

Cheers.

Please enjoy.

Master Chuang.

About this cement transaction,

I want to confirm something first.

How much are you buying?

Mr. Fukuyama.

I will buy them.

Master Chuang.

Our two months' worth of correspondence did not mention this.

Mr. Osawa.

We'll buy them.

We'll buy them.

Did pretty girls addle your brain?

We'll buy them all!

Then that's not a problem

since we've come to an agreement over the past two months.

Today it's about celebrating

our impending cooperation.

Particularly,

what moved me the most,

was that Master Chuang

surprised me by finding my Masami.

Please enjoy, everyone.

Excuse me for a moment.

Masami.

I've missed you dearly.

In the past few years,

I've been searching high and low for you.

Well…

I have nothing to do with you anymore.

Don't be mad.

I miss you.

Let us start over.

Don't touch me.

Don't touch me!

Don't touch me.

Ms. Masami.

Mr. Lin.

Watch where you're going.

Don't trip.

Are you all right?

Mr. Fukuyama

is from Sugita Company.

He has come to Taiwan

to do cement business.

Cement business?

There's a cement shortage all over Taiwan.

Who is he dealing with?

Master Chuang of Shanhua.

I do not know

who is the other person.

What's their deal?

I only heard Master Chuang say

he's buying cement from Sugita Company.

As for the other details,

I did not pay attention.

You accompanied them here?

Ms. Masami.

Can I ask you for a favor?

Can you listen to what they say?

Please.

Please don't make me go in again.

What's wrong?

Fukuyama

is my ex-husband.

I fear him.

Please!

Please don't make me go in again!

Do I need to report to you

who I was with

at the club last night?

You half-breed.

You're not Japanese.

When Fukuyama gets drunk,

he beats me.

I couldn't stand it.

So I escaped from home.

At night, I worked at a club in Jiufen.

For a woman to make a living,

I had no choice but to go down this path.

- Sir, please calm down! - You bitch!

- Don't! - How shameless.

Sir, please stop!

Did you steal my woman?

Asshole!

What are you talking about?

I'm not your property!

You're finally willing to come home?

I ran out of money. Of course I have to come back.

You played mahjong again?

I bought land too.

Mrs. Huang showed me a piece of land.

I thought it was nice, so I bought it.

I spent all the money on cement.

I'm going broke

and you bought a piece of land?

It's better to spend money on land than let you spend it on other women.

Shut up!

You know nothing!

I'd rather know nothing.

I know General Ma has you collecting cement.

I know you want to help your friends out too.

But have you ever thought about me and the kids?

There are things I really want to do too,

you know?

Before I married you,

I wanted to go study clothesmaking abroad.

Yet after I married you,

I prioritize you and regard you as my everything.

And now?

To you,

I'm nothing but a gambling wench!

Mr. Lin the benevolent,

I'm not just your wife!

I'm Chen Hsueh-yu.

MASAMI WESTERN CLOTHING

Mr. Lin?

Are you all right?

I couldn't really sleep

and wanted some fresh air.

You?

I have only two days left before General Ma's deadline.

I cannot get cement anywhere.

I'm sorry.

I couldn't help you.

Don't say that.

I'll figure something out on my own.

You've worked hard too.

Yesterday, Mr. Lin spent the whole night at that Japanese woman's shop, didn't he?

Speak.

He dares do it and you lot don't dare say it?

Maybe.

It's either he did or didn't. What's "maybe?"

Well…

Maybe after I came back,

Mr. Lin went elsewhere

and didn't spend the whole night there.

When did you come back?

Five in the morning.

He didn't even eat breakfast.

He doesn't even want his family anymore?

Mr. Lin

may have gone to talk business.

Because of the cement lately,

he has been very stressed.

I'm also very stressed about that Japanese woman.

Get the car ready.

Take me to the suit shop.

Mrs. Lin, don't.

Silence.

Go.

Yes.

I don't interfere with you

and you won't come home.

Mr. Lin.

Mr. Osawa is outside

and he wants to see you.

Osawa?

Osawa from Sugita Company.

Take all this evidence and report him.

Bring him down.

You are from the same company,

why do you want to report him?

He got the boss' daughter pregnant

and landed a job as my superior.

If not for him,

that position should have been mine,

who has worked hard for the company for so long.

Then why don't you report him yourself?

Mr. Lin.

Workplace politics between us Japanese

has its rules.

Japanese do not betray their own.

If I report him myself,

that'll make me a traitor to the company.

I'll lose my status at work.

My men will also do the same to me.

But this information you have

is the company funds Fukuyama misappropriated

and squandered when he was in Japan.

Moreover,

the amounts are not large.

I don't deal with your company.

So even if I told your director

he wouldn't necessarily believe me.

That's your problem.

If you report Fukuyama for me successfully,

I'll give you

what you need the most right now.

MASAMI WESTERN CLOTHING

Follow her.

I knew she had more than one man.

Can you believe a club escort's words?

Then should we go back?

Let's wait a bit.

Don't sell the cement to Master Chuang.

Can you sell it to Mr. Lin instead?

Who is he really to you?

You've gone this far for him.

You like him, don't you?

He's a friend.

You've been with General Ma for so long,

you must know that business is all about trade.

If you sell the cement to Mr. Lin,

I'll go back to Japan with you.

I've waited to hear this.

Then, in Japan,

how will we live?

For my trip here,

I plan to bring some gold back with me.

Then we'll want for nothing.

How will you bring them back?

After the war, deported Japanese people could bring nothing.

It's illegal.

You don't believe me?

I can bring it back.

It will be hidden within the cement.

Cement?

Sugita Company is friendly with Shanhua's Master Chuang.

The company will buy cheap cement.

Then

the gold will be hidden inside.

So Master Chuang

is not buying cement from you.

But Taiwan doesn't even have enough cement for itself.

Why would they sell to you?

You eavesdropped well.

Master Chuang.

About this cement transaction,

I want to confirm something first.

How much are you buying?

Mr. Fukuyama.

I will buy them.

Master Chuang.

Our two months' worth of correspondence did not mention this.

Mr. Osawa.

We'll buy them.

We'll buy them.

Please enjoy, everyone.

Excuse me for a moment.

Mr. Fukuyama.

Masami will eavesdrop on us.

She'll tell Lin Teng everything.

Your ex-wife is really something.

Yes.

Master Chuang, you are cautious.

I believe Masami should not stay in Taiwan.

Shouldn't you bring her back to Japan?

However,

about the gold,

can it pass through customs?

Then you must toast to Mr. Chou.

For the cement and customs,

Mr. Chou arranged everything this time.

We are counting on you,

Mr. Chou.

You're as sharp as you've always been.

How dare you scheme about such a thing.

Hand over Mr. Lin's cement!

Mrs. Lin!

It sounds like someone's being killed.

It's someone else's business.

Don't be nosy.

Let me go!

Let go!

Masami.

All right.

Masami.

Masami.

Wait for me, Masami.

Hello?

I see.

Masami.

I love you.

Who called?

I don't know.

I'll confirm for you.

Damn it.

Wait for me.

Mrs. Lin!

Pervert!

Ms. Masami!

Are you all right?

I need to see Mr. Lin.

There's…

something important I need to tell him.

Okay.

Let's go then.

Be careful.

Let's go.

Mr. Lin's home!

Quick, in the room!

Is she all right?

You talk.

I'll leave.

Mr. Lin.

I found out who's behind all this.

Hello?

Master Chuang.

She escaped.

She escaped?

Sorry.

Did you call the wrong number?

I don't seem to know you.

Get Mr. Huang quickly.

Yes.