On Happiness Road (2017) - full transcript
"There's this gift of love"
"I'm now giving it to you"
Yoo-hoo
Hello everybody
Chi, you need to be careful
I will
Oh dear
Are you okay?
Mom, where is our new house?
It's located on 168 Happiness Road
You need to remember it
Now repeat after me
Happi-ness Road
Happy as in happily ever after
Never forget it so you can find your way home
Happi-ness Road?
What does happiness mean?
You know, when you eat, sleep
and feel good - that's happiness
Isn't that something?
A kid asking such a big question
Dad, watch out
A philosopher when she grows up
A philosopher? How'd she feed herself?
She'd better be a doctor
Ouch, my butt
Umph
One, two...
Go!
Come, come with me
Wait!
Chi, what are you doing here?
Granny
What are you doing here?
Kiddo, you have happiness
when your belly is full
Ever seen trees and grass worry about anything?
Why burden yourself with so many worries?
Granny
Where are you going, Granny?
I'm heading home
Wait, Granny
I still need your help
Mommy
Chi
Recently, I keep having random dreams about...
...Happiness Road and my childhood
When I wake up...
...I often forget who I am and where I am
I remember now
Hmm...
I am Lin Shu-Chi
I was born in Taiwan on April 5th, 1975
I grew up on Happiness Road
Came to the U.S. to study...
...then found a job after
And got married
And now... here I am
Hello? What happened?
You finally answered the phone
Granny just passed away
Are you coming home?
Julia, greet your aunt
No
- Wen, no need to force her
- No!
- It's not necessary
- Say hi to your aunt
- Aunt
- Wen
you really not going back to see Granny off?
I'm too busy with work at the bank
Could you bring some things back
for me to give to my mom?
You should really go
while you still have a chance
Buns are smelly... I don't want it. No!
Julia, have some dumplings
I don't want to eat buns
These are dumplings
- I don't want to eat buns. No!
- These are dumplings
Stop it! Don't do that
No
No
Ahh...
Granny
Chi is just a kid
Don't punish her
Driver, please stop
Oh, gosh
This can't be the Canal
I can barely recognize...
Vote for No. 3
Ma'am, please vote for me.
Local and hardworking...
Thank you for your support
Vote for No. 3
Wait
Chubbie?
Uhm...
I... I'm... Your...
Who are you?
We went to grade school together
Remember? I'm Chi
I used to sit next to you in class
It's me. Lin Shu-Chi
Wow, you've changed a lot.
I couldn't recognize you
I mean, when did you get so pretty?
I didn't recognize you.
Forgive me for being rude
I'd say the canal's changed more than I have
My dad fought for the funding
for the renovation
Impressive huh?
Please vote for me.
Support your classmate, will you?
Every vote counts, thank you!
Please vote for No. 3
"Mayor Candidate No.3 Hsu"
He's right. Who am I?
When did I turn into the person I am now?
Maybe...
I should start from that Canal
The story of my childhood begins at this Canal
Dad
Look at me
Chi, here comes
your favorite strawberry ice cream
Catch them
Chi
That canal is so dirty.
What are you doing over there?
Your favorite cartoon Candy Candy
is playing soon
Time to head home now
I bought a backpack
for you to carry to school tomorrow
Wow
Give me that
Slow down! Don't run
Give me that! I want it
Fine, here you are
Mom, do you know that?
Dad made some ice cream in his factory today
It's strawberry flavor
What are you talking about?
Because the air today...
...smells like strawberry ice cream
You've been watching cartoons too much
What's going on in your head?
Thinking nothing but food
You're about to start first grade,
learn to behave
Alright
My cartoon is about to start
Don't run
Like a wild horse...
Auntie, look
Chi, what a nice backpack you have
Thank you
Candy Candy, hold my hand
Don't be afraid, you still have me...
Wow...
We are here
Chi
Here
Daddy needs to go to work now
This is for you to buy snacks
You spent money on lottery again
It's a hope
We could be rich
Which never happened
Chi, be good and behave
Dad, you be good at work, too
Chi, mom told you
When you get to the classroom, sit still
Mom has to go back for work
Do as what your teacher says
You need to speak Mandarin in school
- Stop Crying!
- No Taiwanese, you hear?
Here we are
I don't want to go in
Go ahead. Go inside
Your seat...
...over there
Go take your seat
Come on, go
Hello auntie
Hello
Chi, you be good and study hard
Mom needs to go work for money
Who's crying?
Big sis, don't go! I'm scared
Let go
I need to go back to work
Blonde hair with blue eyes...
She's a real foreigner
Get up
Are you done crying yet?
Be a good girl
I need to go back and work
Big sis...
Gosh, you're annoying
Hey, crybaby
- What?
- Are you going to cry too?
Quiet!
Everyone quiet
I'm taking attendance now. No. 1, Hsu Wen-Yueh
Here
No. 2, Chen Ji-Ji
- Wow! A Watch!
- No. 3, Chuang Betty
Chuang Betty
Where is Chuang Betty?
Chuang Betty, raise your hand
Ma'am, she peed herself
She peed herself
Don't laugh at me
Quiet!
Put your hands behind your back now
Betty, go call your mom
Tell her to bring you a new pair of underwear
Do you hear me?
Stop crying!
Ma'am, may I go with her?
Alright. Don't take too long
Here you go
You don't have money?
I have ten NTD
We can get change from the school store
No, that's not it
My mom works in Taichung
I am not allowed to call her
What about the lady who brought you here?
That's my cousin
She's going to beat me up...
...for causing her trouble
Oh, I have an idea
Mom, over here
Hurry!
Over here
Mom
Hey, don't come near me
Wait, it's you?
I thought you peed your pants
No, it's Betty
She sits next to me in class
Hurry and go change
I have to get back to work
Okay, let's go
Oh I see, so you just moved here from Taichung
Yes. My mom says once she has the money...
...she'll come get me to live with her
So now she's living
with her cousin who sells betel nuts
Wow, you are such a good kid...
...living with a relative all by yourself
A... B...
...C...
...E... F... G...
Chi
What?
Can you tell if this is a B or a P?
Leave me alone, you're so annoying
Everyone, let's practice spelling
What is this?
I know
That's a "Pongyi" (Taiwanese)
- Hahahaha, so stupid, that's a sofa!
- "Pongyi"?
What's a "Pongyi"?
That's not Mandarin
It can't be spelled with phonetics
So silly
Of course you can spell it
P-ong... Yeee. Fourth tone
This is a sofa
S-o-F-a, repeat it after me
S-o-F-a
Sofa
Okay, this is a chair
How do we spell it?
No, at home we call this "Yi-Ya" (Taiwanese)
Spelled Yeee-Ahhh. Fourth tone
Quiet! Be quiet
Hands behind your back
You're now in first grade
You need to speak only Mandarin at school,
no more dialects
From now on,
anyone using local dialect will be fined
What? Why?
I don't have any money
Chi, see you tomorrow
Bye-bye
Bye, teacher
Wow, it's a car
Wow, a doggie. Good boy
You're so cute
Ah... help!
Help!
- Dad!
- Stay back!
How dare you
That's my daughter you're barking at
Go away
Dad
Sweety, are you okay?
I'm okay
Dad, shouldn't you be at work right now?
Your mom went to prepare food at a kindergarten
I was worried you might get lost...
...so I came here to take you home
- Sit tight. Hold on to me
- Okay
So did anything interesting happen
on your first day of school?
There's a foreign girl in our class
She has blonde hair...
...but she speaks only Taiwanese
Really? She speaks no ABCs?
And the guy sitting next to me
was wearing a watch
A watch huh?
Sounds like he's from a rich family
Yep
Oh, that feels good
Chi, what are you doing?
Doing your homework?
What did you learn in class today?
The teacher taught us this today
Your "Mandogrin" textbook
Dad said Man-DOG-rin
Dad turned into a dog after chasing one away
Woof woof woof
It's ManDARin, not ManDOGrin
Chi, why don't you take your dad
with you to school
See if he can pick up some Mandarin
Dad, what is this called?
Pongyi
This is a sofa. Repeat after me
Sa-Hua
Sa-Hua?
Did you just say Yang Li-Hua, haha
Yang Li-Hua, the Taiwanese opera star
Like mother, like daughter. Two nutcases
So, my heroic dog-beating dad
now had his tail between his legs
He never turned into that prince figure again
Dad
Hey, Chi
What are you doing standing there?
I was afraid you'd forgotten the way home
- So I came out here to wait for you
- Dad
ls that so?
Your American daughter is back
That's right.
So no time for our gibberish today
When did this street and everyone here...
...become so old
You lied to me...
Dad, Mom is singing as loud as ever
She's overjoyed that you're back
There's nothing like a cheerful heart
Chi, you're back from the U.S.?
- Oh hey, long time no see
- It's been a long time
She's very busy in the U.S.
It's a long way coming back
Chi, come back more often
Can't wait to see your mixed baby
- Come by my house for some tea
- Sure. I'll see you later
Dad, let me take my luggage
Oh, don't worry. I still got it
Gosh, you have a bad back and knees
You're going to hurt yourself
No I won't, I'm strong like a dragon
and agile like a tiger
Why is there so much trash here?
You starting a museum or something?
Your mom's new hobby - recycling
Says you can turn junk into gold
You're home
You must be hungry
Look, all homegrown and home-raised
from the rooftop
I made all your favorite dishes
No chicken, don't worry. Try it
Delicious
But I'm exhausted. Can we eat a bit later?
Dad still dreaming
of becoming a millionaire huh?
Of course! A leopard can't change its spots...
...even if it emigrated to the moon
Chi, your room is ready
You must be tired from your flight
Go lie down for a bit
Mom, why so many dishes this
early in the morning?
I'm preparing food
for your dad to eat this whole week
Okay, now we can make the trip
to go see Granny off
Huh? Dad's not going?
Why is dad just getting home now?
Did he go out gambling all night again?
He's been working night shifts
as a security guard
Dad is working again?
Why haven't you told me?
You rarely pick up your phone
What can we do? We need more money...
...with his reckless spending
I don't give him spare money anymore
Dad, are you okay?
We're going to go now
I'm fine. You guys go ahead
I'll get some sleep
Alright. You take care
Excuse me, do you still need this?
Great! Thank you very much
Mom, stop going around collecting trash
Recycling is good for our planet
And I get to make money doing it
Don't you think that's great?
Cousin, what day did Granny pass away?
On the 5th of April
What?
Why does everyone
pick my birthday to pass away?
It's just more convenient for everyone
Visiting the graves once a year
on National Tomb-Sweeping Day
- Wow, I knew it
- Show it to me
I want to see it
Your look like the mayor
"Happy Children's Day"
Oh wow, this is from your dad
Oh, your dad is the mayor
No wonder you always come to school in a car
Don't push me
Chi, let's get out of here
Let's go
I'm so jealous of Hsu
His dad is the mayor
"Happy Pencil Box"
I bet he always gets the best birthday presents
Chi, your birthday is coming up
This is the chocolate
my dad sent me from America
I want you to have it
Wow, thank you
I've never had such a happy birthday
You were always unhappy on your birthday?
Not happy at all
Why?
On the day before my birthday
I would need to take a long trip...
...to Kaohsiung with my parents
for tomb-sweeping
We will be going again the day after tomorrow
It would take us a whole day just to ride there
Hurry up
Quick, get on
I'm so tired
You're tired? I'm exhausted
And I don't get to watch Candy Candy on TV
Saudi Arabia has announced plans
to cut down on the oil production...
Chi, what's it saying on TV?
- What country is it talking about?
- Saudi Arabia
What?
Saw-woo-Dee Ala bee-ya (Taiwanese accent)
Can't understand all that
Mandarin you're speaking
Oh my, this is so good
Wow
So pretty
Hey, Chi
Hello, Betty
Do you like the chocolate, Chi?
Yes! It's so good
America is awesome
ls America really that awesome?
Chi, what're you doing?
Come and chat with everyone
- You're such a cutie
- Chi, life is good in America, right?
It's alright
How much money do you make a year?
Do you make more than Wen?
Probably not
When are you going to have children?
Your kids will be Americans by birth
I haven't really thought about that yet
It's about time
you gave your mother a grandbaby
That's right, making money is not everything
But making money is important, too
True, but life is more complete with a child
Yes, Auntie. I know all this...
Chi, doesn't it cost a lot
to raise a kid in the U.S.?
I don't think so...
Maybe Chi's been too stressful to get pregnant?
- Want me to recommend a specialist?
- No, it's okay, really
Don't we have some secret family formula?
Oh, that's right. Too bad Granny already passed
She would have a secret formula
for you to boost fertility
- Yes
- Shall we try tossing a Poe to talk to Granny?
Aren't we taking it a bit too far?
Holy crap, my hair almost got on fire
Quick, someone put it out
I'll go find a fire extinguisher
Hurry!
Kiddo
You're all grown up now.
Why are you still afraid?
Still running away from things?
Granny
You're dead, and you still nag?
I'm not like you
I keep it simple
My life's down to earth
Granny, you're six feet below, you know that?
Technically, yep
But you've asked me to come help you
That's why I'm here
Haven't I always done that for you?
The bus is here
Here we are at Happiness Road
Move quickly
Excuse me
Coming through...
Excuse me
Excuse me, coming through
Let me pass, will you?
Sir, get up! The bus is departing
- Granny
- Hey Kiddo
- Are you picking me up?
- Yep
I got a chicken for your mom to raise
Lead the way
What a pretty rooster
It has only one eye
So cool
Granny, you haven't come to visit for so long
It's no fun for me here in Taipei
There is no mountain
Wow, what a pretty rooster
Oh, never would have thought...
...these veggie could grow so well in Taipei
Yeah, isn't it wonderful?
Granny
That poor rooster you brought
is being picked on
We need to save it. Come on
Chi, go downstairs
and buy me a pack of betel nuts
Make sure they're still green
Got it
Mom
Couldn't you stop chewing betel nuts?
It's not decent
- Yeah! The Marble King is mine!
- Give it back
Betty
Chi, have you come to play with us?
No, I want to buy betel nuts
Hi, a pack of betel nuts please
Who chews betel nuts in your family?
They're for my Granny from Hualien
Huh? Your grandma chews betel nuts?
That's right
All women chew betel nuts...
...when they become a grandma, no?
Does your grandma not chew betel nuts?
Of course not
Only savages and loose women chew betel nuts
Chi's grandma is a savage
Savage! Savage!
Chi is a Savage!
Don't say that
I'm not a savage!
Chi, why do you look so upset?
Granny, your betel nuts
Kiddo, you like fried chicken, don't you?
It disappeared
The aboriginals at Alishan...
...while making offerings to gods
at the end of autumn...
...they used to hunt people
and chop their heads off as offerings
Wu Feng couldn't stop them
from this barbaric custom...
...so he decided to sacrifice himself
and told the aboriginals...
...Tomorrow morning, there will be
a man in red clothes and red hood...
...shoot him and make him
your sacrificial offering
Would they shoot Santa Claus, too?
"Chi is a savage"
Welcome to "Taiwan's Next Top Singer"
Now, we have our singing champion on the throne
Let's welcome Miss Jolin Tsai...
No
Chi, you've been acting weird lately
Isn't fried chicken your favorite?
What's wrong with you? Something bothering you?
Chi, you have something to ask me, right?
Go ahead and ask
Granny, have you ever chopped off a mans' head?
Chi, how did you even
come up with such an idea?
It says in our textbook...
...the aboriginals
from Alishan chop people's heads off
Where did you hear that from?
Who told you the aboriginals
chop people's heads off?
But...
But what?
But my classmates say that...
...only the savages would chew betel nut
Granny is a savage...
...and Granny chopped off the chicken's head
Mom, I told you
not to chew betel nuts in Taipei, didn't I?
Kiddo, listen to me...
...people can call us
whatever they want - savages or aboriginals
To survive, we need to eat
Since this chicken was sacrificed to feed us
We must eat it without wasting
That's the way we show our respect to it
Do you understand?
Chi...
Kiddo...
Sweetie, did you have a bad dream?
She's tired from playing all day today
Don't be scared
Chi, I am off for work at the kindergarten now
After you finish eating...
...take Granny to the bus stop
Kiddo
You had nightmares again last night?
Come with me
Candy Candy, hold my hands
Kiddo, no more nightmares.
Granny promises you that
After all, your blood is
one fourth Amis aboriginal
Don't forget
You are different
Being different will give you strength
Chi is a savage
Betty, let's go
Okay
Granny
Granny
Here's some chocolate from America
It's really good
Okay, thanks, see you
Thank you, Granny
Bye
Remember to come find Granny
when you have trouble
Okay, I will. Granny
I will help you
Yes, you've always been good to me
Why didn't you show up earlier?
Make them stop bugging me
Didn't I shut them up by spilling that soda?
You didn't do that... I did
ls that so?
Auntie Chi, who're you talking to?
Hey, those are for your great-granny
You're not allowed to eat those offerings
Grandma
Sis, your son Wen is on TV
He's really famous now
Yeah, making lots of US dollars
He's like a stock market tycoon
Chi gets paid in USD as well
Oh, she's just a regular office worker
She doesn't make as much as Wen
I mean look at Wen, he's on TV
What's the point?
We barely ever see him,
and the grandkid only speaks English
She can't even pronounce grandma
"Chu's Comedy Show ♪..."
Oh, so silly
Chi, I thought you hated Chu's Comedy Show
That's right
Didn't you use to think
Taiwanese was crude and distasteful?
How come you enjoy the show now?
No, I never thought that about Taiwanese...
...just Chu's vulgar jokes
Oh? ls that so?
When did I start...
Actually, I would rent Chu's show to watch
while I was in the U.S.
I even laughed so hard with tears
Good morning everyone
What I am about to tell are
jokes from Chu's Comedy Show
Chu's Comedy Show
Hsu Sheng-En, this is a speech class
You need to tell some educational stories
Not some vulgar jokes
The summer vacation
before I went to primary school...
...my dad took me on an airplane
to go to Disneyland in the U.S.
My dad is in the U.S. Air Force
He flies an airplane and fights the bad guys
When I was a kid...
...Grandpa took me
to travel from Liugui to Kaohsiung
It was quite a long trip at that time
But it was so much fun
Dad...
Isn't it just an escalator?
What's the big deal?
I want stories about some place
really far away, like America
You have no idea
When I was young,
transportation was so inconvenient
Going to Kaohsiung was a big deal
Besides, that escalator was...
...the first one ever in Taiwan
Whatever, escalators are everywhere now
Hello? Oh, hey Wen
Really? OK, great
Saves you a bus ticket, not bad
Hey, Cousin Wen
Chi, I'm going to study in the U.S. soon
I'm going to stay with you guys
on Children's Day
The next day will be your birthday.
Is there anything you want?
I will buy for you
I want a digital watch
Just a cheap one
And I want a red one, is that okay?
Sure, no problem
What? A digital watch?
Dad, Wen is buying me a watch
So ridiculous
I can't believe Chu just said that
Dad, stop watching Chu's Comedy Show
He talks nothing but vulgar jokes
Who cares if those are vulgar jokes
As long as he's funny,
I forgive him for acting vulgar
One day, he went to play by the river...
...and saw many small fish
swimming upstream against the current
Seeing this, Chiang Kai-Shek
thought to himself...
Even such tiny fish can have such great courage
As people, how can we
have less courage than the fish?
Oh dear, isn't it special?
It's someone's birthday and
she's neither whining nor watching cartoons
Mom, let me tell you
I think my birthday is really important
That's because you have a watch coming
No, that's not why
It's because it's the day
a great man passed away
What? What great man?
Yeah, on the day you were born...
...the sky was clear and peaceful
during the day
Then at dusk, it suddenly began to pour
like there's no tomorrow
The God of thunder was busy at work that night
I risked my life to rush Mom to the hospital
I risked my life to rush Mom to the hospital
Move, get out of the way!
Make way, please! Move!
My wife is about to give birth!
Move!
Get out of the way!
Move out of the way!
President Chiang Kai-Shek...
...passed away last night
Our entire nation has sunken into deep sorrow
What a beautiful moment, so touching
Give it to me
Cut it out already
Don't act like I don't remember a thing
There wasn't a soul on the streets that day...
...just the downpour and the wind
However, I always believed that...
...our baby came to this world...
...on such a stormy day...
...it means she'll go places one day
Not sure it makes sense, but I'll buy it
Chi, you were born on a big day!
You are going to be great one day!
Yes! I should learn from Chiang Kai-Shek
Be a great person one day
Yeah, make us proud
Hey, but he died on that day
Maybe it's not a lucky day
Shut up! That's not important
Sorry, forget what I just said
Cousin Wen is here
Chi
Hi Wen
Auntie, uncle
Wen, could you help Chi
practice speaking Mandarin?
She needs to tell a story in her speech class
Sure. You guys go ahead and catch your train
I can take care of things here
Be good and listen to your cousin
I will
Chi, look. This is for you
The red watch I promised you
Thank you, Wen
- Wen
- What's wrong?
How come the watch is black?
Excuse me, sir
ls this watch red?
Wen, something wrong with your eyes?
Never mind...
Okay, I'll take this one
Chi, I'm really sorry
I bought this watch in Kaohsiung...
...it would be difficult to return
It's fine, black is good, too
As long as it's a watch
My birthday is awesome
Not only is it that great man's memorial day...
...I also get a new watch
Awesome
Great man?
Yeah, Chiang Kai-Shek
Who learned to overcome all odds
by watching fish swim upstream
He's my hero
Yeah! A watch
Wen, you have a scar on your face
Did you fall or something?
Chi, I'm going to tell you something
Recently, I have problem seeing colors...
Everything I see is in black and white
What? Why?
Because I read a certain book
with my classmates
One day, the police came
We were "invited"
to the police station for some tea...
Wen, are you a prince?
A prince?
If only I were that charming
You have a great sense of imagination
Imagination gives us the ability
to create beautiful things
But oftentimes...
...the truth is not what you imagined
I hope when you grow up...
...you will set off to find
truths and answers on your own
To find truths and answers on my own?
How?
Just remember...
...what people tell you isn't always true
Try to see the world
through your own eyes with wisdom
Eyes? Wisdom?
Yes. Even if your eyes
can no longer see properly like mine
But inside your heart,
there is another pair of eyes
A pair of eyes that see what others can't
That's wisdom
The prince who lived
in the No-Book-Reading Kingdom...
...read the books that were prohibited to read
So he was forced to drink poisonous tea
His eyes would never again see color...
What? Why is that?
But, if he could find his beloved princess
His eyesight would be restored
This is the end of my story
Thank you very much
Chi, where did your story come from?
It's something that happened to my elder cousin
I turned it into a story
Don't tell the story again to anyone
- ls that clear?
- Why?
Don't ask why. It's for your own good
Later, after a long time
Wen sent a postcard and a photo
Dear Chi, how are you?
America is a free country
I am excited to breathe in the air of freedom
Gradually, I can see
the glittering colors of a Christmas tree
And, I've found the princess of my dreams
Wow, that's awesome
I want to find my prince, too
Hello?
Are you still in Taiwan?
I am sorry. I don't want a divorce
What? Are you regret it now?
Do you actually know
what you want to do with your life?
Why are you asking me what to do?
I don't know either
It doesn't matter to you anyways
As long as she's Asian
Don't say stuff like that
Look, I...
Okay
What if I'm telling you I'm pregnant right now?
What?
I'm kidding
I wish I could say
I was surprised by your reaction
Okay, let's talk about this some other day
I'm really busy right now, ok?
Can we really see things with our hearts?
But the eyes in my heart seem to be clouded
Growing up means more things...
...become impossible to understand
Granny, what should I do?
Chi
Come
Let's see Granny off
Come find Granny if you have any problem
I'll be there to help you
Granny, you lied to me
Chi, don't cry
Don't cry. It's alright
Granny lived a long full life,
we should be happy for her
Don't be sad
Chi dear
Maybe you should think about having a kid?
Having a baby would change you completely
A baby can bring you
and your husband happiness...
...and help bring you closer
Mom, I'm too busy with work
Oh, just quit your job...
...and focus on having a baby
Your husband makes enough money anyways
The only thing that
kept me and your dad together...
...was having you
Stop pushing me
I don't want to become like you
I... I just want you to be able to live happily.
That's all
Sir, please stop the car
Take my mom back to 168 Happiness Road
Chi
Hey Kiddo, why so upset?
Your mom didn't say anything wrong
So now you appeared
Hey, you called me to help you...
...so I came
You are carrying a baby in your belly
Your mom is going to be a grandma
But you shouted at her furiously
Yeah, basically I walked down...
...the path my mom had planned out for me
I am not happy at all
How can I possibly raise my own child?
Who are you talking to?
Why are you unhappy?
Sweetheart, that's not polite
Come here
Mommy, that lady is really funny
She's talking to herself
Really? Have you made a new friend?
Not as a friend yet
Lin Shu-Chi?
Chuang Betty
Hsu Sheng-En
Lin Shu-Chi
Go stand outside
These are the questions and answers
for tomorrow's exam
Make sure to memorize them
Swallow them! Memorize them
Get full marks
She kicked us out just because...
...we didn't pay for after-school cram
Shh, be quiet, I can't hear
Come on
Let's go find something to do
- Chi, are you going?
- No
Aren't you usually the sassy one,
not scared of a thing?
Who's the fraidy cat now?
Fine. Who says I'm afraid?
- Chi, wait for me
- Let's go
Come up here
They're so fat
Dang it
You get such high scores by eating so much?
I bet that's it. Eat till you burst, you snobs
They should be
set free to fly around and get thinner
Good idea. Let me set you free
Fly, fly, Gatchamen
Flying through the sky
See how brave they are
See how strong they are...
Come, there's more fun stuff
Oh my god!
This is the first time I climbed a tree
Chi, catch me down there if I fall
I will
- Betty, watch out
- You little brat
You should hurry home after school to work
And you let out my pigeons again
I won't do it anymore
Don't you know
that's your father's source of income?
If you don't like to study...
...you'd better make me some money
All of you worshippers listen to me
God Almighty, we humbly receive Thee
Listen, your fortune is predestined
For this quarter,
the lottery numbers I see are...
...03, 08 and 10
Ma'am, it's okay
It's not a big deal to drop out
Besides, we're moving
Thank you for your concern
I heard Hsu Sheng-En is dropping out
What?
If he doesn't study now,
how can he become successful in the future?
What's the matter with you? Let's go
Open your text book
We are going to chapter 6 today
Repeat after me...
Play with a Ball
Play with a Ball
Hey, Chi, No.2 Gatchaman
I'm going to go get rich and save the world
- Bye
- Hey, Hsu Sheng-En
Where are you going?
Chi
I'm also leaving
to go carry out my mission in America
Bye now
Betty
How could you both just leave like that
Chi
Betty
Betty, what're you doing here?
My mom came to take me to Taichung
You're moving?
Why all of a sudden?
My mom says she's saved some money
She can have me live
in Taichung with her now...
...and we will go see my dad in America
Look, I drew this just now
My mom helped me write down our new address
It's for you
Thanks
Chi, come visit me in America one day.
Will you?
- I will...
- Betty
We need to go
Get in the car
Take care, Chi
Bye
Bye-bye Chi
Write me letters
Bye-bye Betty
Betty, bye-bye
"To Chuang Betty"
Hi Postman, do you have any letters for me?
Dear Betty, how are you?
Why didn't you write back to me?
Did you go to America already?
After you go to America,
please send me a Christmas card
So I'll have your address over there...
...that way I can write to you
Later, as I grew up, I realized...
...all those Christmas cards and chocolates
I'd received...
...while living on Happiness Road...
...had been sent by my mom from Taichung
The only thing I have of my father is one photo
Betty
Mommy
Are you missing your dad again?
No...
Mommy, I want to play the piano for you
Sure. Mommy enjoys hearing you play, Betty
Mommy, I want to learn ballet. May I?
Of course you may
Whatever you like, Betty. It's all fine
That's why I didn't write back to you
So that's what happened
Actually, I figure out later that...
...my mom had her reasons to spoil me
- What reason?
- Mommy
My drawing, for you
Wow, how lovely
You draw me like a poo-poo
You dummy
Ouch! That hurts. She's so mean...
Poor thing. Don't cry
It's not nice to hit your brother
Comfort him
- There, there. Stop crying
- That's my girl
Hi Beibei, I've come for some shaved ice
Hi Rusimi, good to see you
- Good to see you, too
- I want to join them
- Betty, you seem very happy
- I am
I think my life is pretty good now
Beibei, come play with me in a bit
Okay, I'll see you later. Bye
Mommy, I want a kiss
AnAn is such a baby
Beibei gets a kiss, too
BeiBei you're a baby, too
Hi Chi, you've come back
Come over to our place sometime
Yes, come play rubber ducks with us
Perhaps I could come back here and have a life
- Excuse me, is this Miss Lin Shu-Chi?
- Yes?
I'm calling from
the Happiness Road police station
Miss Lin, take good care of your mom
I will
Thank you
Mom
It's alright
We'll tell them at the court...
...you thought no one wanted it
That's why you took it
It's not a big deal
In fact, that's exactly the truth
Mom had always been cheerful and strong-headed
This expression of hers now...
...I'd never seen before
Except that one time many years ago
Lin Shu-Chi, step outside the classroom
Oh, my pink butterfly
You cruel little thing...
What do you see in my eyes?
Oh, I see many stars...
How I wish I could fall in love...
Chi, you need to study harder!
With your poor grades...
...you won't get into
honors class in middle school
I'm sorry...
Chi, come with me
We're going to downtown Taipei
Come on, Chi
Ma'am
I bought you this silk fabric from downtown
It's for you to make new clothes with
How beautiful. That's so nice of you
Uhm, as you know...
...Chi is going to middle school soon
Her grades are so bad
She needs your help, Ma'am
Mrs. Lin
Actually, you don't have
to spend money on gifts
Instead, you should spend
on your child's education
- Wouldn't that be wiser to do?
- I hear you
But we do labor work for a living
We haven't even paid off our mortgage yet
We have no extra money
to send Chi to cram school
I understand, Mrs. Lin
But it's really not a good idea...
...to have your child
lose the race on the starting line
Education is of vital importance
You're absolutely right
After that day...
...mom worked at even more places
to make extra money...
...so that I could go to cram school
I have really no idea...
Granny
Please pray to our ancestors to help me
I see that you don't like physics,
chemistry and math?
No, not really
Then why study these subjects?
Mom and Dad want me to become a doctor
What do you want to become?
Well...
Alright. I've got an idea
Well? Do you feel the power of your ancestors?
I don't think so
The power is definitely with you
When you go back, you will feel it
Alright
Wow! High scores
Granny, our ancestral spirits
gave me great help this time
Could you get them to keep on helping me?
Well, actually...
...it's not our ancestral spirits
that helped you do well
It's more like...
...what you believe in determines who you are
What made a difference
was how much you wanted it
That's how it works, Kiddo
"President Chiang Ching-kuo's funeral"
"English Vocabulary Book"
Right after I started middle school
Both the outside world and my physical body...
...started to change a lot
But there was only thing I care about...
Go! Chi. You can do it
Ladies and gentlemen...
Chi is attending
the best senior high school in town
Then she'll be attending medical school
We are so poor...
...that we have nothing but money
"Chi's Hospital"
Thanks for all your compliment
It's worth every bit of your hard work
Chi will make it to medical school for sure
It's too early to say
Mom
- I'm really sorry
- Mom
It's alright. Really
You're just too tired
All I took was some scallion...
...I had no idea about the consequence
I thought that nobody wanted it
Mom, don't worry about it
I'm here for you
You can always count on me, okay?
You have your own life in the U.S...
I was afraid to burden you...
I'm sorry
Mom, take some rest
Everything will be alright
Let me cook you something to eat
Would you like that?
Ugh!
What a smell
Since when did mom start to live like this?
And how come I never found out until now?
Granny, did I do this to my mom?
Did I choose the wrong path?
Kiddo, are you feeling regret?
You want to be 17 again?
I'm not sure
There's no way back
After the martial law got lifted...
...the air in Taiwan seemed freer
There were protests outside
the Presidential Palace all the time
It's blocked again
Your ID
Wait for us, Chi
What are you doing?
At that time...
I really thought...
...my future was full of hope
I hardly ever come to Taipei...
...Let's go ice skating
...that recognize facts and truths
All they've done was reading a book...
...the police broke into their houses
Not only they are going to jail...
They might even be sentenced to death
ls this really happening
after the martial law was lifted?
No
Give us back our free minds
Allow us to read history and facts
Release the innocent
Abolish the Betrayers Punishment Act
Fight political persecution
The government has
arrested pro-independence youths
This is a form of hypocrisy
The five of them could never
have formed an armed rebellion
This is a scheme set up
by the intelligence units
The military, police,
and spies should leave the campuses
Enable freedom of thought...
...academic freedom and freedom of speech
Attention
You have already violated
the Assembly and Parade Act
You will be forcefully removed
Enable freedom of speech
Please disperse immediately
Release the innocent
Bloody cop, back off
Thank you
All of a sudden...
...I heard a voice speaking to me
Lin Shu-Chi
Don't waste time on physics and chemistry
that you don't like at all
The daughter of that independent legislator
got into our school
What's she like? Let's go have a look
Ok, let's go
What do you like to read?
What do you like to do?
Are you going to law school?
Hold on, one at a time, please
Are you going to be a lawyer like your father?
I don't want to be like my father
I want to be a doctor
What is your main hobby?
Yeah, what's your hobby?
Hmmm, I like to watch
Andy Lau's Hong Kong dramas
Huh. There's nothing extraordinary
I thought she'd be into some really deep books
Wait
Hey, excuse us
Your father is a celebrity
That's why everyone's curious about you
Please don't take it personally
Why should I follow in my father's footsteps?
I wish I weren't related
to Chen Shui-bian at all
I hate being treated like an animal in the zoo
The times had changed...
...but the paths planned out
for us hadn't change
Seeing her plight...
...I decided to choose a path for myself
You are overreacting
I wanted to change my major, that's all
What is this gathering all about?
Give her some advice, won't you?
Isn't it better to study sciences
and become a doctor?
That's right. If you're a doctor,
you can save people
You should listen to your parents
How about being a lawyer or an accountant?
- Easy to make money
- No
I want to study literature or philosophy...
...or even history
Can any of those put food on the table?
You can become a teacher, a guaranteed job
I'll be fine. I can manage
I want to fight for a better society
Huh? What is she talking about now?
Don't force me. This is my life
Yes, she's right...
It's her life
That's right
Years ago when you left our hometown
to come to Taipei
I didn't stop you, did I?
Going to college has been great already
She'll at least have a decent office job
That's right
Didn't you always say? "Listen to your parents"
Now, listen to your parents
As long as there is food on the table
Let's eat
Bon appetit
What's wrong, dad?
My flat with elevator
and airconditioning... all gone
All going up in smoke
Granny, can you believe this?
I turned out to be a housewife...
Isn't it ironic?
Taste good
You're doing well if you can cook like this
It's a feat being able to feed yourself
Chi. Your dad has finally hit the jackpot
Enough! Bullshit luck
I won. Look
Have a look
Not now
Luck has been on my side...
Dad, not now. Mom is upset
The rabbit year is coming
I'll have a golden rabbit made...
...for my grandkid in the U.S.
Golden rabbits don't cost any money?
You don't even have any money
You spent it all on buying lottery
Okay... stop it...
Okay, stop fighting, come eat dinner
Listen, try my cooking
You always wish me bad luck
Stop fighting
Stop it. I'm quite a cook
Forget about dinner
Mom, stop saying that
Stop fighting
Can we please eat now?
Crap. Especially this stupid picture
Stop it! That's my idol
I'm going to throw it away
Give it to me
I need pocket money to eat
If I starve to death, you'll be a widow
Sooner or later, I'll be mad or dead
- What's wrong with Chi?
- Something wrong?
It did not take long
for my parents to remind me...
...why I always wanted
to leave in the first place
Seeing your parents bicker
can be a simple happiness
I've never seen that all my life
I've thought about...
...coming back to Taiwan
to raise a child on my own
But it doesn't feel like working
I'm too naive, aren't I?
Wait
You're pregnant?
Yes
My parents don't know yet
I don't know how to tell them
I'm very worried
What are you worried about?
Having a child is a great thing
It's a gift from heaven
So happy for you, Chi
Actually, I...
Oh dear, you got into a fight again?
They started it
They kept saying Rusimi's mom
ran away to Indonesia and abandoned him...
...and they told him to scram to Indonesia
So I told them off
But there's no reason to hit someone
That's because they called me an American...
...and told me to scram to America
Mommy, but I'm Taiwanese
Well, I see that they've said mean things...
...but still you shouldn't have hit people
It hurts mommy to see you bruised, you know?
But Mommy, I won the fight
How many were you fighting against?
Three
Oh no... I have to apologize
to three families this time?
They should apologize to us
OK, let me see
Can I really come back to this?
Back then, I was so eager
to leave Happiness Road
And now, I hesitate to come back
Hurry up, Chi
Come on, quickly
Hurry up
Before anyone notices
Lin Shu-Chi
Mom? What're you doing here?
I came to warn you
Don't go to those radical demonstrations
What are you talking about?
We worked so hard to send you to school...
...It's for you to have good education...
...and find a good job,
not to become a rebel on the streets
I saw it on TV
Oh, you saw me?
- You little brat
- It's not what you think
We're demanding labor rights...
...so workers like
you can have better welfare benefits
What benefits?
You get locked up for doing things like that
You're exaggerating
I forbid you to take part in those activities
Fine. Please go home
You'll miss the bus to Happiness Road
But of course, I wouldn't listen to my mom
After admitted to college
...I finally moved out from Happiness Road
"Mayor elected: Chen Shui-bian"
Thank you
As it were, I went on to graduate from college
Due to my low attendance...
...my grades were horrible
While all my classmates went study abroad...
...I had no idea
what I wanted to do with my life...
...or what I could do
You really have no idea
what you want to do with your life?
Do you?
My goodness
What happened to you?
Dad, are you alright?
What happened?
I fell in the factory
The doctor said I'll be fine
It's not bad
I can take a break for a while
You out of your mind?
What're we going to eat if you don't work?
No worries, the insurance will compensate
You...
Chi, you've graduated for some time now
When are you going to get a job?
Don't be as lazy as your father
It's only been a few months
I've been looking for jobs
Looking
What are you looking for?
Look at your father. He is injured
I'm begging you, go get a job soon
Don't put your parents in this position...
We told you to study sciences, didn't we?
It's not easy to get a job with your major...
Chi, can you go to the factory
and collect my stuff?
My boss's promised me a special bonus
- Don't forget to ask him for it
- Oh! Okay
One broken leg was only worth ten thousand NTD
This place is very different
from my childhood daydreams
I began to understand
why my dad didn't like to work
Born in the Chen family,
she wants to be a doctor...
...suffers from insomnia since high school
"EDITOR WANTED"
It was the only work I thought I could do
Miss Lin, you went to
a very prestigious university
Now, I have a couple of questions
Okay
Do you agree with downsizing Taiwan province?
Huh? Uh...
I guess I do
Excellent
Your stand matches ours perfectly
You are hired
What?
Next question
Do you like cats?
Mister, when are you going back to work?
I've worked the past 40 years of my life
I'm done with works
I already applied for retirement
Chi has a job now.
It's time for her to pay back
How could you retire without telling me?
What's the big deal?
I get my pension anyway
Please, how much do you get a month?
After started working...
...I began to understand
Mom's obsession with money
Every month I looked forward to the pay day
Chi
You haven't paid
this month's rent and utilities
Mom, all you want is money
Didn't I already give you some?
Not enough
Now your dad is out of job
You have to help support the family
Dad has a retirement pension...
...which you took from him
The money in
it isn't even close to being enough
Worked for 25 years,
got less than one million NTD
That money won't last forever
Mom
Here
Just like that, I turned into a busy adult...
...working hard to crank out money
to please my parents
What a day
Hey kid, I need to get my scooter repaired
Dad, there's a customer
Lin Shu-Chi
Hsu Sheng-En
Long time no see
That's your son?
- This is your shop?
- Yep
You? Where do you work?
Are you married?
No. I'm just an ordinary office worker
"Predict your future"
Sounds good to me
Do you still predict lottery numbers?
From time to time
No need to pay me, old classmate
No, I insist to pay
Don't worry. The honor is mine
By the way, you should visit my place sometime
I live in that PHD Homes...
...even though I never got any degree
Amazing
You even bought your own place
My mom passed away before I turned 18
Her health had been bad in her last years
Can you speak Mandarin?
Sure, I grew up in Taiwan
With your look, you can hardly work as an extra
I play a lot of instruments
I can sing, I can dance...
I'll show you...
Next
However, the money my mom spent on me...
...learning all sorts of skills...
Plus the stock market was booming
Making money was easy
You play the piano very well
This is on me
Sir, I came here to play the piano
and make a living
I have no time to go on dates with you
Get down
Over here
You be careful
Come inside
Don't be afraid
Don't be afraid
I'm here
I'll protect you
It's alright
Until that moment...
...I hadn't realized what I really wanted...
...wasn't money at all
After my mother passed away...
...this is the first time I feel happy again
My dad is sick
He's going to stay at home
My mom will take care of him
Auntie, don't call this number again
Dad! Mom
Earthquake
It's okay, don't be afraid
Let's hurry and go outside
- Don't be afraid
- It's shaking again, I'm so scared
I thought you're scared of nothing
Be careful
It's so terrifying
We are safe
Where are we going?
Mr. and Ms. Lin
Did it shake really badly upstairs?
- Are you guys okay?
- We're fine
But the house is a mess
We're fine
It was terrifying
I just heard the PHD Homes building collapsed
A lot of people died
Did you just say, the PHD Homes?
Yes. It's not far from here
The tall building
Excuse us. Coming through...
You're awake, miss
- Don't worry. Your baby is alright
- Baby?
Yes. Your fetus is fine,
but you'll need to rest
I'll be back
Mommy...
Where is Mommy...
Mommy...
Don't be afraid
Your mom will be here soon
Be brave, okay?
In this place of sorrow, everyone was crying
But a child could
still have such a beautiful smile
All of a sudden
I had this profound faith that...
...my child and I would make it
"Victims of the earthquake"
"Hsu Sheng-En, died"
My God. So that's how Hsu Sheng-En died
It was very sad
Life can be so cruel sometimes
It suddenly dawned on me that...
...I could no longer live that
routine life day after day
So, you went to the U.S. after that?
No, I kept on living my routine life
As we grow up...
...we become money-making machine
We seek changes, but it's so hard
The twin towers were attacked...
The twin towers were attacked...
Wen, are you guys alright?
We're fine
But it's retribution for those...
...companies with their fake earnings
Unjust ones are doomed to destruction
Those westerners have all come to my branch...
...seeking my help
I'm a high-ranking supervisor now
Chi, would you like to come to the U.S.?
I'll arrange you a job
Chen Shui-bian has been elected the president
Yeah, it's done
Candidate Lien Chan
requests to inspect the votes
I thought this time I would be happy forever...
This election is not fair
Let's go packing Daily News
They can't do this
Chi, why are you still here?
We need to get out of here, quick
Go. Quickly grab your stuff
How can this be happening?
Daily News is the one to be blamed to
This election is a lie
Chen Shui-bian should get down
I was very...
...very tired at this point
I really want to get away from it all
It looks like an egg yolk, so yummy
How come you can be so happy...
...but I cannot?
Because I look at things
with the "eyes of my heart"
Eyes of my heart?
I've long lost them
Cousin Wen
But your heart has another pair of eyes...
...to see things that others can't see
Chi, do you want to come to America?
Suddenly...
...I remembered a dream I had from long ago
Work hard in the U.S.
Learn to make loads of US dollars like Wen
I will
Don't cry
It's not like I'm never coming back
Chi, please call often
Yes, I will
Mom, don't just think about money
Take care of yourself
Take care of yourselves
Stay healthy
I will
Chi, goodbye
Goodbye
Chi, this is your savings over the years
Work hard in the U.S.
Take care of yourself
Life is peculiar
An event as horrible as 911 attacks...
...somehow brought me to come...
...and to live in the U.S.
It's like a childhood dreams came true
This is where all those ornaments...
...my mom made ended up...
Seeing a real Christmas tree
for the first time...
...isn't as awe inspiring as I'd imagined
Oh
I'm sorry
It's okay
You like Christmas ornaments, too?
I buy one every year to add to my collection
I guess you could say so
When I was little,
a lot of stay-at-home moms in my country...
...would assemble these for extra money
We didn't celebrate Christmas
But we sure made a lot of Christmas ornaments
Are you from Taiwan?
How do you know?
Because all the Christmas ornaments
say "Made in Taiwan"
Yes
Hey there
Hi
Hey, where you headed?
Walking back to Queens
To Queens?
That's going to take more than an hour
I'll walk you there
Okay
My name is Anthony
You can call me Tony
Hi Tony, I am Chi
Chee?
Okay
The result of DPP's primary election
has been announced...
Mr. Lin
No sleeping on the job...
- ...and no politics at work
- Sir, my apologies
That is unacceptable
You're lucky to have a job at your age...
...take it seriously
Stop sleeping on the job
Or just go home for good...
Sir
- Did you order a bento box meal?
- You scared me for a second
What brought you here?
I brought you a Chi-Special bento box
I see, you've come to feed me
It smells really good
Dad
Have you spent all your money again?
No...
I forgot to bring my wallet, that's all
Here. Take this
- Do you like the food I made?
- It's good
You're such a good cook
Just like your mom
But my husband doesn't like my cooking
That doesn't matter, so long as he loves you
All I want is for your American husband...
...to treat you right
How about I move back to Taiwan...
...and cook for you every day?
No
Your husband doesn't speak Chinese
What is he going to do here?
You two should stay in the U.S.
Dad, How do you like
the sauteed eggplant I made?
I like it a lot
I like everything you cook for me
It was my first time making it
Not bad right?
Not bad at all
You became such a good cook
after getting married...
Interesting...
Dad, he doesn't eat stuff like this
Once you're married...
...you'll stay in the U.S.
I won't be seeing you very often
You can come visit us
We don't speak the language, why bother
Oh, that doesn't matter
It'll be great
when you get your American passport
You'll bring me an adorable mixed baby
I just can't wait
Dad?
He's a bit sad, that's all
Don't mind him. Eat. Eat
I'm go talk to him
I can't bear it. My heart aches...
I still remember
when she was just learning to walk
Mr. Lin, don't worry
I'll take good care of her
Here. Have a drink
At that moment, I decided...
...for the sake of myself and my parents
I would lead a happy life in the U.S.
A very happy life
This is the golden rabbit that...
...Granny gave me when you're born
Take it with you to the U.S.
as a wedding present
Mom
Visit me in the U.S.
when your grandchild is born
Take Granny with you
Let Granny give it to the baby herself
Dad, mom... you two take care
Take care of yourselves
So do you. Take care
Mom, dad... Goodbye
Talk to you soon
I won't get to see my baby girl...
...from now on
She'll have a brighter future in the U.S.
It's not bad at all
It's okay, honey
It's okay. Let's go
Yeah
President Ma. President Ma
Tired?
Oh, you're back
Come on in
- Aww, you're sleepy huh?
- Auntie...
Sorry, we have no place to go but here...
Oh, that's alright. I live all alone
Nice to have you back to keep me company
Forget about that kind of guy...
...he's no good for you anyways
Yes? I'm telling you...
Yes, since the renovation, no mold...
You're welcome to check anytime
Miss
Where is my shaved ice?
I just ordered some shaved ice on the phone
There is another one available for rent
No, don't do that
Thank you. Have a good one
Oh, Yeah. The deal is done
No. Stop it
No. Let go of my shirt
Sit Down
Arghhhh, here comes the big monster
Let's play a game...
...to put toys away the fastest
Go
I go first
Betty, you're amazing
You take care of two kids...
...and make money at the same time
Listen to me...
...a child will squeeze out all your potential
You'll know soon enough
You can do it, too
It will turn a mom into a superhero
A mother's name is Strong
I don't think so...
I'm not sure if I can pull it off
Have you thought about why you wanted a child?
Well, I wanted a new life...
...to love me forever, I suppose
But, when it actually came...
...I was not so sure
Chi
Aren't you the sassy one,
not scared of a thing?
Who's the fraidy cat now?
Fine. Who says I'm afraid?
Auntie Chi, everybody says you're an American
They also call me an American
But I have no idea what America looks like
Well, America can be a boring place...
...where the houses
in the suburbs look all the same
One time, I walked accidentally into...
...someone's place and realized...
Wait, I'm in someone else's home
You're so funny, auntie Chi
Luckly, they didn't shoot at me
Bang! Bang
So you'd better stay in Taiwan
One pack of betel nuts
Okay, coming
I'm going, too
Eventually, you turned out
to be a real American
No, I'm not
One time, I sat at a roadside cafe with Tony
A drunkard threw a bottle at me
...got me bleeding all over my face
He yelled at me "Go back to Asia"
Tony said "My wife is a U.S. citizen"
Your husband sounds good
A nice person
Yes
But we're getting divorced
What?
We are completely different overall
Tony is scared of having kids
We've been to marriage counseling together
I often didn't get
what the counselor was saying
He didn't even know where Taiwan was...
Chi
Stop thinking about it
You're stressed out
Come with me
Come here
It's beautiful
Right, isn't it?
The sunset here is quite something
Every time I see this...
...it feels good to be alive
They're still keeping them
Fly, fly, Gatchaman...
Flying through the sky
See how brave we are
When I grow up, I want to be a boss
Make a lot of money
No.2 Chi, what do you want to do
when you grow up?
I want to be a great person and...
...change the world
Huh? What's that?
And you, No. 3 Betty?
I want to go to America with my mom...
...and live happily with my dad
Betty, wait for me...
You run too fast
Fly, No.2 Chi
Fly, No.2 Chi, fly...
Well, in the end...
...none of us fulfilled our dreams
No matter how hard I tried
I always ended up with nothing
Same here. It doesn't matter
As long as we live happily in the moment
Come. Come up
Mommy, wake up
They're such good kids
Mommy, where are we going?
We're going back to Happiness Road
Mommy, what is happiness?
Isn't that something
A kid asking such a big question
A philosopher when my grandbaby grows up
You're right
Right, right
Watch out
Mommy
- Daddy
- Hey, little man
Oh, you're getting bigger and bigger
Well, we're going home
Are you coming with us?
But mommy and I are Taiwanese
Well, Johnny and I are American
Come on, let's go
No
No! Please
Where is he taking him?
Come back
Please! No
Granny
Where are you going, Granny?
I need your help
I'm going home
But, where is my home?
I really don't know...
Kiddo, you know what?
What you believe in...
...determines who you are
Use the eyes in your heart to see
Grandpa
Grandma
Come here. Give me a hug
Chi, my baby girl
Let's go home
Let's go home
I really want to go home
Come
Let's go home together
Chi, did you have a bad dream again?
One, two, three, four, nothing to be fearful
Alright
The doctor says you're perfectly fine
There is nothing to worry about
Why did you come here?
What a surprise
Can you just...
...come home with me, please?
Things have really changed a lot around here
Yeah... just like us
Look, if you really
want to have kids that badly
We can talk about it some more
We can attend some
more counseling sessions together
Whatever it is that you need...
But you don't like kids
I can try
It... doesn't have to be right now...
...right at this exact moment that...
We want completely different things
from our lives
It's not even about having kids anymore
Let's just get divorced
I'm thinking about staying here with my family
It's gonna break your parents hearts
to see us break up
I always break my parents' hearts
But I really am tired now
She's coming back. Let's move
Chi
You're back
I've made some soup for you
Have some soup. It'll replenish your energy
Right, more energy
What makes you clean up all of a sudden?
To begin new life...
...and make room for our new guest
New guest?
What guest?
Anyways, it's a good thing
What do you mean "good thing?"
What are you doing?
Just trying to start over fresh
This is a picture of me
and my idol President Ma
Come on, he is a washout
No one likes him anymore
None of your business
He's still hotter than you
Fine, whatever makes you happy
Chi
Look at this, you wore this when you were small
I just found it
Your daughter can wear it one day
Dad, what are you talking about?
Do you want to live in Taiwan longer?
Don't worry about your husband
I'll give him a call...
Can you speak English?
Mom
Chi, come here
It's finally time to give you this
I mean...
...to give to your child
Although Granny isn't around...
...to see her great grandchild
I believe this golden rabbit...
...will protect you two
This baby will be born in the Year of Dragon
What're you giving her a rabbit for?
Chi
As soon as I win my lottery...
...I'll have a golden dragon for my grandbaby
Right
Our mixed grandbaby is going to be adorable
You already know that?
You were in the hospital...
...of course we got to know it
That's why we cleaned up the house
To welcome our new guest
Whatever you decide to do...
...you have my support
It's okay even if you want a divorce
How I wanted a divorce when I was young
You silly woman
Don't listen to your mom
Seriously, you can stay if you want
Stay for as long as you want
I will support you
But Dad
What will I do here if I come back?
I'm not good at anything
Worry about that later
Let's keep it simple
Just think about what you want for dinner now
That's right
Tell me what you want for dinner...
...and I'll cook for you
Microphone testing
Attention please
Now, it's time for me...
...the King of Pop on Happiness Road
To sing a song
For the prettiest girl in the world
Ms. Lin Shu-Chi
Dad, you're so goofy...
"A gift of love for you"
"I wish you true happiness"
Oh you're such a lousy singer
Let me have a go
"No matter where you are"
"Don't ever forget my wish for you"
"This journey of life..."
"...is ever so bittersweet"
"Be strong-willed"
"Be guided by your wisdom"
"And leave behind your beads of sweat"
"Create your own happiness"
Hello, Chi
Hello
Hello, auntie Chi
Mommy
Grandpa
I truly believe our family of four...
...will be happy forever
Hey, Kiddo
There's no such thing as happy forever
Holy cow
The students who's occupying
Legislative Yuan...
...should go to jail
You women know nothing about politics
What do you mean nothing?
Legislative Yuan is our parliament
Occupying parliament is illegal
The government must have
done something wrong...
President Ma can't be wrong
President Ma is a human being
It's impossible he would make mistakes
He was elected by our votes
That's nonsense
Every human being makes mistakes
Show some respects to him
"How are you, the me I used to be"
"Where did you get lost, in all that moving"
"For every time it goes down,
the sun is bound to come up"
"From every old scab,
a budding branch will sprout"
"Happiness - often found elsewhere"
"Fulfilled - are the dreams not my own"
"Chase after chase, it's me fearing to be alone"
"Who am I in the end, I can't say I know"
"Have you become the adult of your dreams"
"Has the story left you anything to feel"
"The sun may go down, your heart never gives up"
"Old scabs there may be,
new branches never fail to sprawl"
"Happiness - may just be carefreeness"
"It's a road - that leads to no end"
"Happiness - wants you to pave the way"
"It is a song, beaming from a crack in the sky"
"It is a song, with tears and warmth to cry"
"For you - this gift of love"
"With it comes - all the happiness to have"
"However time flies"
"Wherever you may end up"
"Forget not, my wish for you"
"I'm now giving it to you"
Yoo-hoo
Hello everybody
Chi, you need to be careful
I will
Oh dear
Are you okay?
Mom, where is our new house?
It's located on 168 Happiness Road
You need to remember it
Now repeat after me
Happi-ness Road
Happy as in happily ever after
Never forget it so you can find your way home
Happi-ness Road?
What does happiness mean?
You know, when you eat, sleep
and feel good - that's happiness
Isn't that something?
A kid asking such a big question
Dad, watch out
A philosopher when she grows up
A philosopher? How'd she feed herself?
She'd better be a doctor
Ouch, my butt
Umph
One, two...
Go!
Come, come with me
Wait!
Chi, what are you doing here?
Granny
What are you doing here?
Kiddo, you have happiness
when your belly is full
Ever seen trees and grass worry about anything?
Why burden yourself with so many worries?
Granny
Where are you going, Granny?
I'm heading home
Wait, Granny
I still need your help
Mommy
Chi
Recently, I keep having random dreams about...
...Happiness Road and my childhood
When I wake up...
...I often forget who I am and where I am
I remember now
Hmm...
I am Lin Shu-Chi
I was born in Taiwan on April 5th, 1975
I grew up on Happiness Road
Came to the U.S. to study...
...then found a job after
And got married
And now... here I am
Hello? What happened?
You finally answered the phone
Granny just passed away
Are you coming home?
Julia, greet your aunt
No
- Wen, no need to force her
- No!
- It's not necessary
- Say hi to your aunt
- Aunt
- Wen
you really not going back to see Granny off?
I'm too busy with work at the bank
Could you bring some things back
for me to give to my mom?
You should really go
while you still have a chance
Buns are smelly... I don't want it. No!
Julia, have some dumplings
I don't want to eat buns
These are dumplings
- I don't want to eat buns. No!
- These are dumplings
Stop it! Don't do that
No
No
Ahh...
Granny
Chi is just a kid
Don't punish her
Driver, please stop
Oh, gosh
This can't be the Canal
I can barely recognize...
Vote for No. 3
Ma'am, please vote for me.
Local and hardworking...
Thank you for your support
Vote for No. 3
Wait
Chubbie?
Uhm...
I... I'm... Your...
Who are you?
We went to grade school together
Remember? I'm Chi
I used to sit next to you in class
It's me. Lin Shu-Chi
Wow, you've changed a lot.
I couldn't recognize you
I mean, when did you get so pretty?
I didn't recognize you.
Forgive me for being rude
I'd say the canal's changed more than I have
My dad fought for the funding
for the renovation
Impressive huh?
Please vote for me.
Support your classmate, will you?
Every vote counts, thank you!
Please vote for No. 3
"Mayor Candidate No.3 Hsu"
He's right. Who am I?
When did I turn into the person I am now?
Maybe...
I should start from that Canal
The story of my childhood begins at this Canal
Dad
Look at me
Chi, here comes
your favorite strawberry ice cream
Catch them
Chi
That canal is so dirty.
What are you doing over there?
Your favorite cartoon Candy Candy
is playing soon
Time to head home now
I bought a backpack
for you to carry to school tomorrow
Wow
Give me that
Slow down! Don't run
Give me that! I want it
Fine, here you are
Mom, do you know that?
Dad made some ice cream in his factory today
It's strawberry flavor
What are you talking about?
Because the air today...
...smells like strawberry ice cream
You've been watching cartoons too much
What's going on in your head?
Thinking nothing but food
You're about to start first grade,
learn to behave
Alright
My cartoon is about to start
Don't run
Like a wild horse...
Auntie, look
Chi, what a nice backpack you have
Thank you
Candy Candy, hold my hand
Don't be afraid, you still have me...
Wow...
We are here
Chi
Here
Daddy needs to go to work now
This is for you to buy snacks
You spent money on lottery again
It's a hope
We could be rich
Which never happened
Chi, be good and behave
Dad, you be good at work, too
Chi, mom told you
When you get to the classroom, sit still
Mom has to go back for work
Do as what your teacher says
You need to speak Mandarin in school
- Stop Crying!
- No Taiwanese, you hear?
Here we are
I don't want to go in
Go ahead. Go inside
Your seat...
...over there
Go take your seat
Come on, go
Hello auntie
Hello
Chi, you be good and study hard
Mom needs to go work for money
Who's crying?
Big sis, don't go! I'm scared
Let go
I need to go back to work
Blonde hair with blue eyes...
She's a real foreigner
Get up
Are you done crying yet?
Be a good girl
I need to go back and work
Big sis...
Gosh, you're annoying
Hey, crybaby
- What?
- Are you going to cry too?
Quiet!
Everyone quiet
I'm taking attendance now. No. 1, Hsu Wen-Yueh
Here
No. 2, Chen Ji-Ji
- Wow! A Watch!
- No. 3, Chuang Betty
Chuang Betty
Where is Chuang Betty?
Chuang Betty, raise your hand
Ma'am, she peed herself
She peed herself
Don't laugh at me
Quiet!
Put your hands behind your back now
Betty, go call your mom
Tell her to bring you a new pair of underwear
Do you hear me?
Stop crying!
Ma'am, may I go with her?
Alright. Don't take too long
Here you go
You don't have money?
I have ten NTD
We can get change from the school store
No, that's not it
My mom works in Taichung
I am not allowed to call her
What about the lady who brought you here?
That's my cousin
She's going to beat me up...
...for causing her trouble
Oh, I have an idea
Mom, over here
Hurry!
Over here
Mom
Hey, don't come near me
Wait, it's you?
I thought you peed your pants
No, it's Betty
She sits next to me in class
Hurry and go change
I have to get back to work
Okay, let's go
Oh I see, so you just moved here from Taichung
Yes. My mom says once she has the money...
...she'll come get me to live with her
So now she's living
with her cousin who sells betel nuts
Wow, you are such a good kid...
...living with a relative all by yourself
A... B...
...C...
...E... F... G...
Chi
What?
Can you tell if this is a B or a P?
Leave me alone, you're so annoying
Everyone, let's practice spelling
What is this?
I know
That's a "Pongyi" (Taiwanese)
- Hahahaha, so stupid, that's a sofa!
- "Pongyi"?
What's a "Pongyi"?
That's not Mandarin
It can't be spelled with phonetics
So silly
Of course you can spell it
P-ong... Yeee. Fourth tone
This is a sofa
S-o-F-a, repeat it after me
S-o-F-a
Sofa
Okay, this is a chair
How do we spell it?
No, at home we call this "Yi-Ya" (Taiwanese)
Spelled Yeee-Ahhh. Fourth tone
Quiet! Be quiet
Hands behind your back
You're now in first grade
You need to speak only Mandarin at school,
no more dialects
From now on,
anyone using local dialect will be fined
What? Why?
I don't have any money
Chi, see you tomorrow
Bye-bye
Bye, teacher
Wow, it's a car
Wow, a doggie. Good boy
You're so cute
Ah... help!
Help!
- Dad!
- Stay back!
How dare you
That's my daughter you're barking at
Go away
Dad
Sweety, are you okay?
I'm okay
Dad, shouldn't you be at work right now?
Your mom went to prepare food at a kindergarten
I was worried you might get lost...
...so I came here to take you home
- Sit tight. Hold on to me
- Okay
So did anything interesting happen
on your first day of school?
There's a foreign girl in our class
She has blonde hair...
...but she speaks only Taiwanese
Really? She speaks no ABCs?
And the guy sitting next to me
was wearing a watch
A watch huh?
Sounds like he's from a rich family
Yep
Oh, that feels good
Chi, what are you doing?
Doing your homework?
What did you learn in class today?
The teacher taught us this today
Your "Mandogrin" textbook
Dad said Man-DOG-rin
Dad turned into a dog after chasing one away
Woof woof woof
It's ManDARin, not ManDOGrin
Chi, why don't you take your dad
with you to school
See if he can pick up some Mandarin
Dad, what is this called?
Pongyi
This is a sofa. Repeat after me
Sa-Hua
Sa-Hua?
Did you just say Yang Li-Hua, haha
Yang Li-Hua, the Taiwanese opera star
Like mother, like daughter. Two nutcases
So, my heroic dog-beating dad
now had his tail between his legs
He never turned into that prince figure again
Dad
Hey, Chi
What are you doing standing there?
I was afraid you'd forgotten the way home
- So I came out here to wait for you
- Dad
ls that so?
Your American daughter is back
That's right.
So no time for our gibberish today
When did this street and everyone here...
...become so old
You lied to me...
Dad, Mom is singing as loud as ever
She's overjoyed that you're back
There's nothing like a cheerful heart
Chi, you're back from the U.S.?
- Oh hey, long time no see
- It's been a long time
She's very busy in the U.S.
It's a long way coming back
Chi, come back more often
Can't wait to see your mixed baby
- Come by my house for some tea
- Sure. I'll see you later
Dad, let me take my luggage
Oh, don't worry. I still got it
Gosh, you have a bad back and knees
You're going to hurt yourself
No I won't, I'm strong like a dragon
and agile like a tiger
Why is there so much trash here?
You starting a museum or something?
Your mom's new hobby - recycling
Says you can turn junk into gold
You're home
You must be hungry
Look, all homegrown and home-raised
from the rooftop
I made all your favorite dishes
No chicken, don't worry. Try it
Delicious
But I'm exhausted. Can we eat a bit later?
Dad still dreaming
of becoming a millionaire huh?
Of course! A leopard can't change its spots...
...even if it emigrated to the moon
Chi, your room is ready
You must be tired from your flight
Go lie down for a bit
Mom, why so many dishes this
early in the morning?
I'm preparing food
for your dad to eat this whole week
Okay, now we can make the trip
to go see Granny off
Huh? Dad's not going?
Why is dad just getting home now?
Did he go out gambling all night again?
He's been working night shifts
as a security guard
Dad is working again?
Why haven't you told me?
You rarely pick up your phone
What can we do? We need more money...
...with his reckless spending
I don't give him spare money anymore
Dad, are you okay?
We're going to go now
I'm fine. You guys go ahead
I'll get some sleep
Alright. You take care
Excuse me, do you still need this?
Great! Thank you very much
Mom, stop going around collecting trash
Recycling is good for our planet
And I get to make money doing it
Don't you think that's great?
Cousin, what day did Granny pass away?
On the 5th of April
What?
Why does everyone
pick my birthday to pass away?
It's just more convenient for everyone
Visiting the graves once a year
on National Tomb-Sweeping Day
- Wow, I knew it
- Show it to me
I want to see it
Your look like the mayor
"Happy Children's Day"
Oh wow, this is from your dad
Oh, your dad is the mayor
No wonder you always come to school in a car
Don't push me
Chi, let's get out of here
Let's go
I'm so jealous of Hsu
His dad is the mayor
"Happy Pencil Box"
I bet he always gets the best birthday presents
Chi, your birthday is coming up
This is the chocolate
my dad sent me from America
I want you to have it
Wow, thank you
I've never had such a happy birthday
You were always unhappy on your birthday?
Not happy at all
Why?
On the day before my birthday
I would need to take a long trip...
...to Kaohsiung with my parents
for tomb-sweeping
We will be going again the day after tomorrow
It would take us a whole day just to ride there
Hurry up
Quick, get on
I'm so tired
You're tired? I'm exhausted
And I don't get to watch Candy Candy on TV
Saudi Arabia has announced plans
to cut down on the oil production...
Chi, what's it saying on TV?
- What country is it talking about?
- Saudi Arabia
What?
Saw-woo-Dee Ala bee-ya (Taiwanese accent)
Can't understand all that
Mandarin you're speaking
Oh my, this is so good
Wow
So pretty
Hey, Chi
Hello, Betty
Do you like the chocolate, Chi?
Yes! It's so good
America is awesome
ls America really that awesome?
Chi, what're you doing?
Come and chat with everyone
- You're such a cutie
- Chi, life is good in America, right?
It's alright
How much money do you make a year?
Do you make more than Wen?
Probably not
When are you going to have children?
Your kids will be Americans by birth
I haven't really thought about that yet
It's about time
you gave your mother a grandbaby
That's right, making money is not everything
But making money is important, too
True, but life is more complete with a child
Yes, Auntie. I know all this...
Chi, doesn't it cost a lot
to raise a kid in the U.S.?
I don't think so...
Maybe Chi's been too stressful to get pregnant?
- Want me to recommend a specialist?
- No, it's okay, really
Don't we have some secret family formula?
Oh, that's right. Too bad Granny already passed
She would have a secret formula
for you to boost fertility
- Yes
- Shall we try tossing a Poe to talk to Granny?
Aren't we taking it a bit too far?
Holy crap, my hair almost got on fire
Quick, someone put it out
I'll go find a fire extinguisher
Hurry!
Kiddo
You're all grown up now.
Why are you still afraid?
Still running away from things?
Granny
You're dead, and you still nag?
I'm not like you
I keep it simple
My life's down to earth
Granny, you're six feet below, you know that?
Technically, yep
But you've asked me to come help you
That's why I'm here
Haven't I always done that for you?
The bus is here
Here we are at Happiness Road
Move quickly
Excuse me
Coming through...
Excuse me
Excuse me, coming through
Let me pass, will you?
Sir, get up! The bus is departing
- Granny
- Hey Kiddo
- Are you picking me up?
- Yep
I got a chicken for your mom to raise
Lead the way
What a pretty rooster
It has only one eye
So cool
Granny, you haven't come to visit for so long
It's no fun for me here in Taipei
There is no mountain
Wow, what a pretty rooster
Oh, never would have thought...
...these veggie could grow so well in Taipei
Yeah, isn't it wonderful?
Granny
That poor rooster you brought
is being picked on
We need to save it. Come on
Chi, go downstairs
and buy me a pack of betel nuts
Make sure they're still green
Got it
Mom
Couldn't you stop chewing betel nuts?
It's not decent
- Yeah! The Marble King is mine!
- Give it back
Betty
Chi, have you come to play with us?
No, I want to buy betel nuts
Hi, a pack of betel nuts please
Who chews betel nuts in your family?
They're for my Granny from Hualien
Huh? Your grandma chews betel nuts?
That's right
All women chew betel nuts...
...when they become a grandma, no?
Does your grandma not chew betel nuts?
Of course not
Only savages and loose women chew betel nuts
Chi's grandma is a savage
Savage! Savage!
Chi is a Savage!
Don't say that
I'm not a savage!
Chi, why do you look so upset?
Granny, your betel nuts
Kiddo, you like fried chicken, don't you?
It disappeared
The aboriginals at Alishan...
...while making offerings to gods
at the end of autumn...
...they used to hunt people
and chop their heads off as offerings
Wu Feng couldn't stop them
from this barbaric custom...
...so he decided to sacrifice himself
and told the aboriginals...
...Tomorrow morning, there will be
a man in red clothes and red hood...
...shoot him and make him
your sacrificial offering
Would they shoot Santa Claus, too?
"Chi is a savage"
Welcome to "Taiwan's Next Top Singer"
Now, we have our singing champion on the throne
Let's welcome Miss Jolin Tsai...
No
Chi, you've been acting weird lately
Isn't fried chicken your favorite?
What's wrong with you? Something bothering you?
Chi, you have something to ask me, right?
Go ahead and ask
Granny, have you ever chopped off a mans' head?
Chi, how did you even
come up with such an idea?
It says in our textbook...
...the aboriginals
from Alishan chop people's heads off
Where did you hear that from?
Who told you the aboriginals
chop people's heads off?
But...
But what?
But my classmates say that...
...only the savages would chew betel nut
Granny is a savage...
...and Granny chopped off the chicken's head
Mom, I told you
not to chew betel nuts in Taipei, didn't I?
Kiddo, listen to me...
...people can call us
whatever they want - savages or aboriginals
To survive, we need to eat
Since this chicken was sacrificed to feed us
We must eat it without wasting
That's the way we show our respect to it
Do you understand?
Chi...
Kiddo...
Sweetie, did you have a bad dream?
She's tired from playing all day today
Don't be scared
Chi, I am off for work at the kindergarten now
After you finish eating...
...take Granny to the bus stop
Kiddo
You had nightmares again last night?
Come with me
Candy Candy, hold my hands
Kiddo, no more nightmares.
Granny promises you that
After all, your blood is
one fourth Amis aboriginal
Don't forget
You are different
Being different will give you strength
Chi is a savage
Betty, let's go
Okay
Granny
Granny
Here's some chocolate from America
It's really good
Okay, thanks, see you
Thank you, Granny
Bye
Remember to come find Granny
when you have trouble
Okay, I will. Granny
I will help you
Yes, you've always been good to me
Why didn't you show up earlier?
Make them stop bugging me
Didn't I shut them up by spilling that soda?
You didn't do that... I did
ls that so?
Auntie Chi, who're you talking to?
Hey, those are for your great-granny
You're not allowed to eat those offerings
Grandma
Sis, your son Wen is on TV
He's really famous now
Yeah, making lots of US dollars
He's like a stock market tycoon
Chi gets paid in USD as well
Oh, she's just a regular office worker
She doesn't make as much as Wen
I mean look at Wen, he's on TV
What's the point?
We barely ever see him,
and the grandkid only speaks English
She can't even pronounce grandma
"Chu's Comedy Show ♪..."
Oh, so silly
Chi, I thought you hated Chu's Comedy Show
That's right
Didn't you use to think
Taiwanese was crude and distasteful?
How come you enjoy the show now?
No, I never thought that about Taiwanese...
...just Chu's vulgar jokes
Oh? ls that so?
When did I start...
Actually, I would rent Chu's show to watch
while I was in the U.S.
I even laughed so hard with tears
Good morning everyone
What I am about to tell are
jokes from Chu's Comedy Show
Chu's Comedy Show
Hsu Sheng-En, this is a speech class
You need to tell some educational stories
Not some vulgar jokes
The summer vacation
before I went to primary school...
...my dad took me on an airplane
to go to Disneyland in the U.S.
My dad is in the U.S. Air Force
He flies an airplane and fights the bad guys
When I was a kid...
...Grandpa took me
to travel from Liugui to Kaohsiung
It was quite a long trip at that time
But it was so much fun
Dad...
Isn't it just an escalator?
What's the big deal?
I want stories about some place
really far away, like America
You have no idea
When I was young,
transportation was so inconvenient
Going to Kaohsiung was a big deal
Besides, that escalator was...
...the first one ever in Taiwan
Whatever, escalators are everywhere now
Hello? Oh, hey Wen
Really? OK, great
Saves you a bus ticket, not bad
Hey, Cousin Wen
Chi, I'm going to study in the U.S. soon
I'm going to stay with you guys
on Children's Day
The next day will be your birthday.
Is there anything you want?
I will buy for you
I want a digital watch
Just a cheap one
And I want a red one, is that okay?
Sure, no problem
What? A digital watch?
Dad, Wen is buying me a watch
So ridiculous
I can't believe Chu just said that
Dad, stop watching Chu's Comedy Show
He talks nothing but vulgar jokes
Who cares if those are vulgar jokes
As long as he's funny,
I forgive him for acting vulgar
One day, he went to play by the river...
...and saw many small fish
swimming upstream against the current
Seeing this, Chiang Kai-Shek
thought to himself...
Even such tiny fish can have such great courage
As people, how can we
have less courage than the fish?
Oh dear, isn't it special?
It's someone's birthday and
she's neither whining nor watching cartoons
Mom, let me tell you
I think my birthday is really important
That's because you have a watch coming
No, that's not why
It's because it's the day
a great man passed away
What? What great man?
Yeah, on the day you were born...
...the sky was clear and peaceful
during the day
Then at dusk, it suddenly began to pour
like there's no tomorrow
The God of thunder was busy at work that night
I risked my life to rush Mom to the hospital
I risked my life to rush Mom to the hospital
Move, get out of the way!
Make way, please! Move!
My wife is about to give birth!
Move!
Get out of the way!
Move out of the way!
President Chiang Kai-Shek...
...passed away last night
Our entire nation has sunken into deep sorrow
What a beautiful moment, so touching
Give it to me
Cut it out already
Don't act like I don't remember a thing
There wasn't a soul on the streets that day...
...just the downpour and the wind
However, I always believed that...
...our baby came to this world...
...on such a stormy day...
...it means she'll go places one day
Not sure it makes sense, but I'll buy it
Chi, you were born on a big day!
You are going to be great one day!
Yes! I should learn from Chiang Kai-Shek
Be a great person one day
Yeah, make us proud
Hey, but he died on that day
Maybe it's not a lucky day
Shut up! That's not important
Sorry, forget what I just said
Cousin Wen is here
Chi
Hi Wen
Auntie, uncle
Wen, could you help Chi
practice speaking Mandarin?
She needs to tell a story in her speech class
Sure. You guys go ahead and catch your train
I can take care of things here
Be good and listen to your cousin
I will
Chi, look. This is for you
The red watch I promised you
Thank you, Wen
- Wen
- What's wrong?
How come the watch is black?
Excuse me, sir
ls this watch red?
Wen, something wrong with your eyes?
Never mind...
Okay, I'll take this one
Chi, I'm really sorry
I bought this watch in Kaohsiung...
...it would be difficult to return
It's fine, black is good, too
As long as it's a watch
My birthday is awesome
Not only is it that great man's memorial day...
...I also get a new watch
Awesome
Great man?
Yeah, Chiang Kai-Shek
Who learned to overcome all odds
by watching fish swim upstream
He's my hero
Yeah! A watch
Wen, you have a scar on your face
Did you fall or something?
Chi, I'm going to tell you something
Recently, I have problem seeing colors...
Everything I see is in black and white
What? Why?
Because I read a certain book
with my classmates
One day, the police came
We were "invited"
to the police station for some tea...
Wen, are you a prince?
A prince?
If only I were that charming
You have a great sense of imagination
Imagination gives us the ability
to create beautiful things
But oftentimes...
...the truth is not what you imagined
I hope when you grow up...
...you will set off to find
truths and answers on your own
To find truths and answers on my own?
How?
Just remember...
...what people tell you isn't always true
Try to see the world
through your own eyes with wisdom
Eyes? Wisdom?
Yes. Even if your eyes
can no longer see properly like mine
But inside your heart,
there is another pair of eyes
A pair of eyes that see what others can't
That's wisdom
The prince who lived
in the No-Book-Reading Kingdom...
...read the books that were prohibited to read
So he was forced to drink poisonous tea
His eyes would never again see color...
What? Why is that?
But, if he could find his beloved princess
His eyesight would be restored
This is the end of my story
Thank you very much
Chi, where did your story come from?
It's something that happened to my elder cousin
I turned it into a story
Don't tell the story again to anyone
- ls that clear?
- Why?
Don't ask why. It's for your own good
Later, after a long time
Wen sent a postcard and a photo
Dear Chi, how are you?
America is a free country
I am excited to breathe in the air of freedom
Gradually, I can see
the glittering colors of a Christmas tree
And, I've found the princess of my dreams
Wow, that's awesome
I want to find my prince, too
Hello?
Are you still in Taiwan?
I am sorry. I don't want a divorce
What? Are you regret it now?
Do you actually know
what you want to do with your life?
Why are you asking me what to do?
I don't know either
It doesn't matter to you anyways
As long as she's Asian
Don't say stuff like that
Look, I...
Okay
What if I'm telling you I'm pregnant right now?
What?
I'm kidding
I wish I could say
I was surprised by your reaction
Okay, let's talk about this some other day
I'm really busy right now, ok?
Can we really see things with our hearts?
But the eyes in my heart seem to be clouded
Growing up means more things...
...become impossible to understand
Granny, what should I do?
Chi
Come
Let's see Granny off
Come find Granny if you have any problem
I'll be there to help you
Granny, you lied to me
Chi, don't cry
Don't cry. It's alright
Granny lived a long full life,
we should be happy for her
Don't be sad
Chi dear
Maybe you should think about having a kid?
Having a baby would change you completely
A baby can bring you
and your husband happiness...
...and help bring you closer
Mom, I'm too busy with work
Oh, just quit your job...
...and focus on having a baby
Your husband makes enough money anyways
The only thing that
kept me and your dad together...
...was having you
Stop pushing me
I don't want to become like you
I... I just want you to be able to live happily.
That's all
Sir, please stop the car
Take my mom back to 168 Happiness Road
Chi
Hey Kiddo, why so upset?
Your mom didn't say anything wrong
So now you appeared
Hey, you called me to help you...
...so I came
You are carrying a baby in your belly
Your mom is going to be a grandma
But you shouted at her furiously
Yeah, basically I walked down...
...the path my mom had planned out for me
I am not happy at all
How can I possibly raise my own child?
Who are you talking to?
Why are you unhappy?
Sweetheart, that's not polite
Come here
Mommy, that lady is really funny
She's talking to herself
Really? Have you made a new friend?
Not as a friend yet
Lin Shu-Chi?
Chuang Betty
Hsu Sheng-En
Lin Shu-Chi
Go stand outside
These are the questions and answers
for tomorrow's exam
Make sure to memorize them
Swallow them! Memorize them
Get full marks
She kicked us out just because...
...we didn't pay for after-school cram
Shh, be quiet, I can't hear
Come on
Let's go find something to do
- Chi, are you going?
- No
Aren't you usually the sassy one,
not scared of a thing?
Who's the fraidy cat now?
Fine. Who says I'm afraid?
- Chi, wait for me
- Let's go
Come up here
They're so fat
Dang it
You get such high scores by eating so much?
I bet that's it. Eat till you burst, you snobs
They should be
set free to fly around and get thinner
Good idea. Let me set you free
Fly, fly, Gatchamen
Flying through the sky
See how brave they are
See how strong they are...
Come, there's more fun stuff
Oh my god!
This is the first time I climbed a tree
Chi, catch me down there if I fall
I will
- Betty, watch out
- You little brat
You should hurry home after school to work
And you let out my pigeons again
I won't do it anymore
Don't you know
that's your father's source of income?
If you don't like to study...
...you'd better make me some money
All of you worshippers listen to me
God Almighty, we humbly receive Thee
Listen, your fortune is predestined
For this quarter,
the lottery numbers I see are...
...03, 08 and 10
Ma'am, it's okay
It's not a big deal to drop out
Besides, we're moving
Thank you for your concern
I heard Hsu Sheng-En is dropping out
What?
If he doesn't study now,
how can he become successful in the future?
What's the matter with you? Let's go
Open your text book
We are going to chapter 6 today
Repeat after me...
Play with a Ball
Play with a Ball
Hey, Chi, No.2 Gatchaman
I'm going to go get rich and save the world
- Bye
- Hey, Hsu Sheng-En
Where are you going?
Chi
I'm also leaving
to go carry out my mission in America
Bye now
Betty
How could you both just leave like that
Chi
Betty
Betty, what're you doing here?
My mom came to take me to Taichung
You're moving?
Why all of a sudden?
My mom says she's saved some money
She can have me live
in Taichung with her now...
...and we will go see my dad in America
Look, I drew this just now
My mom helped me write down our new address
It's for you
Thanks
Chi, come visit me in America one day.
Will you?
- I will...
- Betty
We need to go
Get in the car
Take care, Chi
Bye
Bye-bye Chi
Write me letters
Bye-bye Betty
Betty, bye-bye
"To Chuang Betty"
Hi Postman, do you have any letters for me?
Dear Betty, how are you?
Why didn't you write back to me?
Did you go to America already?
After you go to America,
please send me a Christmas card
So I'll have your address over there...
...that way I can write to you
Later, as I grew up, I realized...
...all those Christmas cards and chocolates
I'd received...
...while living on Happiness Road...
...had been sent by my mom from Taichung
The only thing I have of my father is one photo
Betty
Mommy
Are you missing your dad again?
No...
Mommy, I want to play the piano for you
Sure. Mommy enjoys hearing you play, Betty
Mommy, I want to learn ballet. May I?
Of course you may
Whatever you like, Betty. It's all fine
That's why I didn't write back to you
So that's what happened
Actually, I figure out later that...
...my mom had her reasons to spoil me
- What reason?
- Mommy
My drawing, for you
Wow, how lovely
You draw me like a poo-poo
You dummy
Ouch! That hurts. She's so mean...
Poor thing. Don't cry
It's not nice to hit your brother
Comfort him
- There, there. Stop crying
- That's my girl
Hi Beibei, I've come for some shaved ice
Hi Rusimi, good to see you
- Good to see you, too
- I want to join them
- Betty, you seem very happy
- I am
I think my life is pretty good now
Beibei, come play with me in a bit
Okay, I'll see you later. Bye
Mommy, I want a kiss
AnAn is such a baby
Beibei gets a kiss, too
BeiBei you're a baby, too
Hi Chi, you've come back
Come over to our place sometime
Yes, come play rubber ducks with us
Perhaps I could come back here and have a life
- Excuse me, is this Miss Lin Shu-Chi?
- Yes?
I'm calling from
the Happiness Road police station
Miss Lin, take good care of your mom
I will
Thank you
Mom
It's alright
We'll tell them at the court...
...you thought no one wanted it
That's why you took it
It's not a big deal
In fact, that's exactly the truth
Mom had always been cheerful and strong-headed
This expression of hers now...
...I'd never seen before
Except that one time many years ago
Lin Shu-Chi, step outside the classroom
Oh, my pink butterfly
You cruel little thing...
What do you see in my eyes?
Oh, I see many stars...
How I wish I could fall in love...
Chi, you need to study harder!
With your poor grades...
...you won't get into
honors class in middle school
I'm sorry...
Chi, come with me
We're going to downtown Taipei
Come on, Chi
Ma'am
I bought you this silk fabric from downtown
It's for you to make new clothes with
How beautiful. That's so nice of you
Uhm, as you know...
...Chi is going to middle school soon
Her grades are so bad
She needs your help, Ma'am
Mrs. Lin
Actually, you don't have
to spend money on gifts
Instead, you should spend
on your child's education
- Wouldn't that be wiser to do?
- I hear you
But we do labor work for a living
We haven't even paid off our mortgage yet
We have no extra money
to send Chi to cram school
I understand, Mrs. Lin
But it's really not a good idea...
...to have your child
lose the race on the starting line
Education is of vital importance
You're absolutely right
After that day...
...mom worked at even more places
to make extra money...
...so that I could go to cram school
I have really no idea...
Granny
Please pray to our ancestors to help me
I see that you don't like physics,
chemistry and math?
No, not really
Then why study these subjects?
Mom and Dad want me to become a doctor
What do you want to become?
Well...
Alright. I've got an idea
Well? Do you feel the power of your ancestors?
I don't think so
The power is definitely with you
When you go back, you will feel it
Alright
Wow! High scores
Granny, our ancestral spirits
gave me great help this time
Could you get them to keep on helping me?
Well, actually...
...it's not our ancestral spirits
that helped you do well
It's more like...
...what you believe in determines who you are
What made a difference
was how much you wanted it
That's how it works, Kiddo
"President Chiang Ching-kuo's funeral"
"English Vocabulary Book"
Right after I started middle school
Both the outside world and my physical body...
...started to change a lot
But there was only thing I care about...
Go! Chi. You can do it
Ladies and gentlemen...
Chi is attending
the best senior high school in town
Then she'll be attending medical school
We are so poor...
...that we have nothing but money
"Chi's Hospital"
Thanks for all your compliment
It's worth every bit of your hard work
Chi will make it to medical school for sure
It's too early to say
Mom
- I'm really sorry
- Mom
It's alright. Really
You're just too tired
All I took was some scallion...
...I had no idea about the consequence
I thought that nobody wanted it
Mom, don't worry about it
I'm here for you
You can always count on me, okay?
You have your own life in the U.S...
I was afraid to burden you...
I'm sorry
Mom, take some rest
Everything will be alright
Let me cook you something to eat
Would you like that?
Ugh!
What a smell
Since when did mom start to live like this?
And how come I never found out until now?
Granny, did I do this to my mom?
Did I choose the wrong path?
Kiddo, are you feeling regret?
You want to be 17 again?
I'm not sure
There's no way back
After the martial law got lifted...
...the air in Taiwan seemed freer
There were protests outside
the Presidential Palace all the time
It's blocked again
Your ID
Wait for us, Chi
What are you doing?
At that time...
I really thought...
...my future was full of hope
I hardly ever come to Taipei...
...Let's go ice skating
...that recognize facts and truths
All they've done was reading a book...
...the police broke into their houses
Not only they are going to jail...
They might even be sentenced to death
ls this really happening
after the martial law was lifted?
No
Give us back our free minds
Allow us to read history and facts
Release the innocent
Abolish the Betrayers Punishment Act
Fight political persecution
The government has
arrested pro-independence youths
This is a form of hypocrisy
The five of them could never
have formed an armed rebellion
This is a scheme set up
by the intelligence units
The military, police,
and spies should leave the campuses
Enable freedom of thought...
...academic freedom and freedom of speech
Attention
You have already violated
the Assembly and Parade Act
You will be forcefully removed
Enable freedom of speech
Please disperse immediately
Release the innocent
Bloody cop, back off
Thank you
All of a sudden...
...I heard a voice speaking to me
Lin Shu-Chi
Don't waste time on physics and chemistry
that you don't like at all
The daughter of that independent legislator
got into our school
What's she like? Let's go have a look
Ok, let's go
What do you like to read?
What do you like to do?
Are you going to law school?
Hold on, one at a time, please
Are you going to be a lawyer like your father?
I don't want to be like my father
I want to be a doctor
What is your main hobby?
Yeah, what's your hobby?
Hmmm, I like to watch
Andy Lau's Hong Kong dramas
Huh. There's nothing extraordinary
I thought she'd be into some really deep books
Wait
Hey, excuse us
Your father is a celebrity
That's why everyone's curious about you
Please don't take it personally
Why should I follow in my father's footsteps?
I wish I weren't related
to Chen Shui-bian at all
I hate being treated like an animal in the zoo
The times had changed...
...but the paths planned out
for us hadn't change
Seeing her plight...
...I decided to choose a path for myself
You are overreacting
I wanted to change my major, that's all
What is this gathering all about?
Give her some advice, won't you?
Isn't it better to study sciences
and become a doctor?
That's right. If you're a doctor,
you can save people
You should listen to your parents
How about being a lawyer or an accountant?
- Easy to make money
- No
I want to study literature or philosophy...
...or even history
Can any of those put food on the table?
You can become a teacher, a guaranteed job
I'll be fine. I can manage
I want to fight for a better society
Huh? What is she talking about now?
Don't force me. This is my life
Yes, she's right...
It's her life
That's right
Years ago when you left our hometown
to come to Taipei
I didn't stop you, did I?
Going to college has been great already
She'll at least have a decent office job
That's right
Didn't you always say? "Listen to your parents"
Now, listen to your parents
As long as there is food on the table
Let's eat
Bon appetit
What's wrong, dad?
My flat with elevator
and airconditioning... all gone
All going up in smoke
Granny, can you believe this?
I turned out to be a housewife...
Isn't it ironic?
Taste good
You're doing well if you can cook like this
It's a feat being able to feed yourself
Chi. Your dad has finally hit the jackpot
Enough! Bullshit luck
I won. Look
Have a look
Not now
Luck has been on my side...
Dad, not now. Mom is upset
The rabbit year is coming
I'll have a golden rabbit made...
...for my grandkid in the U.S.
Golden rabbits don't cost any money?
You don't even have any money
You spent it all on buying lottery
Okay... stop it...
Okay, stop fighting, come eat dinner
Listen, try my cooking
You always wish me bad luck
Stop fighting
Stop it. I'm quite a cook
Forget about dinner
Mom, stop saying that
Stop fighting
Can we please eat now?
Crap. Especially this stupid picture
Stop it! That's my idol
I'm going to throw it away
Give it to me
I need pocket money to eat
If I starve to death, you'll be a widow
Sooner or later, I'll be mad or dead
- What's wrong with Chi?
- Something wrong?
It did not take long
for my parents to remind me...
...why I always wanted
to leave in the first place
Seeing your parents bicker
can be a simple happiness
I've never seen that all my life
I've thought about...
...coming back to Taiwan
to raise a child on my own
But it doesn't feel like working
I'm too naive, aren't I?
Wait
You're pregnant?
Yes
My parents don't know yet
I don't know how to tell them
I'm very worried
What are you worried about?
Having a child is a great thing
It's a gift from heaven
So happy for you, Chi
Actually, I...
Oh dear, you got into a fight again?
They started it
They kept saying Rusimi's mom
ran away to Indonesia and abandoned him...
...and they told him to scram to Indonesia
So I told them off
But there's no reason to hit someone
That's because they called me an American...
...and told me to scram to America
Mommy, but I'm Taiwanese
Well, I see that they've said mean things...
...but still you shouldn't have hit people
It hurts mommy to see you bruised, you know?
But Mommy, I won the fight
How many were you fighting against?
Three
Oh no... I have to apologize
to three families this time?
They should apologize to us
OK, let me see
Can I really come back to this?
Back then, I was so eager
to leave Happiness Road
And now, I hesitate to come back
Hurry up, Chi
Come on, quickly
Hurry up
Before anyone notices
Lin Shu-Chi
Mom? What're you doing here?
I came to warn you
Don't go to those radical demonstrations
What are you talking about?
We worked so hard to send you to school...
...It's for you to have good education...
...and find a good job,
not to become a rebel on the streets
I saw it on TV
Oh, you saw me?
- You little brat
- It's not what you think
We're demanding labor rights...
...so workers like
you can have better welfare benefits
What benefits?
You get locked up for doing things like that
You're exaggerating
I forbid you to take part in those activities
Fine. Please go home
You'll miss the bus to Happiness Road
But of course, I wouldn't listen to my mom
After admitted to college
...I finally moved out from Happiness Road
"Mayor elected: Chen Shui-bian"
Thank you
As it were, I went on to graduate from college
Due to my low attendance...
...my grades were horrible
While all my classmates went study abroad...
...I had no idea
what I wanted to do with my life...
...or what I could do
You really have no idea
what you want to do with your life?
Do you?
My goodness
What happened to you?
Dad, are you alright?
What happened?
I fell in the factory
The doctor said I'll be fine
It's not bad
I can take a break for a while
You out of your mind?
What're we going to eat if you don't work?
No worries, the insurance will compensate
You...
Chi, you've graduated for some time now
When are you going to get a job?
Don't be as lazy as your father
It's only been a few months
I've been looking for jobs
Looking
What are you looking for?
Look at your father. He is injured
I'm begging you, go get a job soon
Don't put your parents in this position...
We told you to study sciences, didn't we?
It's not easy to get a job with your major...
Chi, can you go to the factory
and collect my stuff?
My boss's promised me a special bonus
- Don't forget to ask him for it
- Oh! Okay
One broken leg was only worth ten thousand NTD
This place is very different
from my childhood daydreams
I began to understand
why my dad didn't like to work
Born in the Chen family,
she wants to be a doctor...
...suffers from insomnia since high school
"EDITOR WANTED"
It was the only work I thought I could do
Miss Lin, you went to
a very prestigious university
Now, I have a couple of questions
Okay
Do you agree with downsizing Taiwan province?
Huh? Uh...
I guess I do
Excellent
Your stand matches ours perfectly
You are hired
What?
Next question
Do you like cats?
Mister, when are you going back to work?
I've worked the past 40 years of my life
I'm done with works
I already applied for retirement
Chi has a job now.
It's time for her to pay back
How could you retire without telling me?
What's the big deal?
I get my pension anyway
Please, how much do you get a month?
After started working...
...I began to understand
Mom's obsession with money
Every month I looked forward to the pay day
Chi
You haven't paid
this month's rent and utilities
Mom, all you want is money
Didn't I already give you some?
Not enough
Now your dad is out of job
You have to help support the family
Dad has a retirement pension...
...which you took from him
The money in
it isn't even close to being enough
Worked for 25 years,
got less than one million NTD
That money won't last forever
Mom
Here
Just like that, I turned into a busy adult...
...working hard to crank out money
to please my parents
What a day
Hey kid, I need to get my scooter repaired
Dad, there's a customer
Lin Shu-Chi
Hsu Sheng-En
Long time no see
That's your son?
- This is your shop?
- Yep
You? Where do you work?
Are you married?
No. I'm just an ordinary office worker
"Predict your future"
Sounds good to me
Do you still predict lottery numbers?
From time to time
No need to pay me, old classmate
No, I insist to pay
Don't worry. The honor is mine
By the way, you should visit my place sometime
I live in that PHD Homes...
...even though I never got any degree
Amazing
You even bought your own place
My mom passed away before I turned 18
Her health had been bad in her last years
Can you speak Mandarin?
Sure, I grew up in Taiwan
With your look, you can hardly work as an extra
I play a lot of instruments
I can sing, I can dance...
I'll show you...
Next
However, the money my mom spent on me...
...learning all sorts of skills...
Plus the stock market was booming
Making money was easy
You play the piano very well
This is on me
Sir, I came here to play the piano
and make a living
I have no time to go on dates with you
Get down
Over here
You be careful
Come inside
Don't be afraid
Don't be afraid
I'm here
I'll protect you
It's alright
Until that moment...
...I hadn't realized what I really wanted...
...wasn't money at all
After my mother passed away...
...this is the first time I feel happy again
My dad is sick
He's going to stay at home
My mom will take care of him
Auntie, don't call this number again
Dad! Mom
Earthquake
It's okay, don't be afraid
Let's hurry and go outside
- Don't be afraid
- It's shaking again, I'm so scared
I thought you're scared of nothing
Be careful
It's so terrifying
We are safe
Where are we going?
Mr. and Ms. Lin
Did it shake really badly upstairs?
- Are you guys okay?
- We're fine
But the house is a mess
We're fine
It was terrifying
I just heard the PHD Homes building collapsed
A lot of people died
Did you just say, the PHD Homes?
Yes. It's not far from here
The tall building
Excuse us. Coming through...
You're awake, miss
- Don't worry. Your baby is alright
- Baby?
Yes. Your fetus is fine,
but you'll need to rest
I'll be back
Mommy...
Where is Mommy...
Mommy...
Don't be afraid
Your mom will be here soon
Be brave, okay?
In this place of sorrow, everyone was crying
But a child could
still have such a beautiful smile
All of a sudden
I had this profound faith that...
...my child and I would make it
"Victims of the earthquake"
"Hsu Sheng-En, died"
My God. So that's how Hsu Sheng-En died
It was very sad
Life can be so cruel sometimes
It suddenly dawned on me that...
...I could no longer live that
routine life day after day
So, you went to the U.S. after that?
No, I kept on living my routine life
As we grow up...
...we become money-making machine
We seek changes, but it's so hard
The twin towers were attacked...
The twin towers were attacked...
Wen, are you guys alright?
We're fine
But it's retribution for those...
...companies with their fake earnings
Unjust ones are doomed to destruction
Those westerners have all come to my branch...
...seeking my help
I'm a high-ranking supervisor now
Chi, would you like to come to the U.S.?
I'll arrange you a job
Chen Shui-bian has been elected the president
Yeah, it's done
Candidate Lien Chan
requests to inspect the votes
I thought this time I would be happy forever...
This election is not fair
Let's go packing Daily News
They can't do this
Chi, why are you still here?
We need to get out of here, quick
Go. Quickly grab your stuff
How can this be happening?
Daily News is the one to be blamed to
This election is a lie
Chen Shui-bian should get down
I was very...
...very tired at this point
I really want to get away from it all
It looks like an egg yolk, so yummy
How come you can be so happy...
...but I cannot?
Because I look at things
with the "eyes of my heart"
Eyes of my heart?
I've long lost them
Cousin Wen
But your heart has another pair of eyes...
...to see things that others can't see
Chi, do you want to come to America?
Suddenly...
...I remembered a dream I had from long ago
Work hard in the U.S.
Learn to make loads of US dollars like Wen
I will
Don't cry
It's not like I'm never coming back
Chi, please call often
Yes, I will
Mom, don't just think about money
Take care of yourself
Take care of yourselves
Stay healthy
I will
Chi, goodbye
Goodbye
Chi, this is your savings over the years
Work hard in the U.S.
Take care of yourself
Life is peculiar
An event as horrible as 911 attacks...
...somehow brought me to come...
...and to live in the U.S.
It's like a childhood dreams came true
This is where all those ornaments...
...my mom made ended up...
Seeing a real Christmas tree
for the first time...
...isn't as awe inspiring as I'd imagined
Oh
I'm sorry
It's okay
You like Christmas ornaments, too?
I buy one every year to add to my collection
I guess you could say so
When I was little,
a lot of stay-at-home moms in my country...
...would assemble these for extra money
We didn't celebrate Christmas
But we sure made a lot of Christmas ornaments
Are you from Taiwan?
How do you know?
Because all the Christmas ornaments
say "Made in Taiwan"
Yes
Hey there
Hi
Hey, where you headed?
Walking back to Queens
To Queens?
That's going to take more than an hour
I'll walk you there
Okay
My name is Anthony
You can call me Tony
Hi Tony, I am Chi
Chee?
Okay
The result of DPP's primary election
has been announced...
Mr. Lin
No sleeping on the job...
- ...and no politics at work
- Sir, my apologies
That is unacceptable
You're lucky to have a job at your age...
...take it seriously
Stop sleeping on the job
Or just go home for good...
Sir
- Did you order a bento box meal?
- You scared me for a second
What brought you here?
I brought you a Chi-Special bento box
I see, you've come to feed me
It smells really good
Dad
Have you spent all your money again?
No...
I forgot to bring my wallet, that's all
Here. Take this
- Do you like the food I made?
- It's good
You're such a good cook
Just like your mom
But my husband doesn't like my cooking
That doesn't matter, so long as he loves you
All I want is for your American husband...
...to treat you right
How about I move back to Taiwan...
...and cook for you every day?
No
Your husband doesn't speak Chinese
What is he going to do here?
You two should stay in the U.S.
Dad, How do you like
the sauteed eggplant I made?
I like it a lot
I like everything you cook for me
It was my first time making it
Not bad right?
Not bad at all
You became such a good cook
after getting married...
Interesting...
Dad, he doesn't eat stuff like this
Once you're married...
...you'll stay in the U.S.
I won't be seeing you very often
You can come visit us
We don't speak the language, why bother
Oh, that doesn't matter
It'll be great
when you get your American passport
You'll bring me an adorable mixed baby
I just can't wait
Dad?
He's a bit sad, that's all
Don't mind him. Eat. Eat
I'm go talk to him
I can't bear it. My heart aches...
I still remember
when she was just learning to walk
Mr. Lin, don't worry
I'll take good care of her
Here. Have a drink
At that moment, I decided...
...for the sake of myself and my parents
I would lead a happy life in the U.S.
A very happy life
This is the golden rabbit that...
...Granny gave me when you're born
Take it with you to the U.S.
as a wedding present
Mom
Visit me in the U.S.
when your grandchild is born
Take Granny with you
Let Granny give it to the baby herself
Dad, mom... you two take care
Take care of yourselves
So do you. Take care
Mom, dad... Goodbye
Talk to you soon
I won't get to see my baby girl...
...from now on
She'll have a brighter future in the U.S.
It's not bad at all
It's okay, honey
It's okay. Let's go
Yeah
President Ma. President Ma
Tired?
Oh, you're back
Come on in
- Aww, you're sleepy huh?
- Auntie...
Sorry, we have no place to go but here...
Oh, that's alright. I live all alone
Nice to have you back to keep me company
Forget about that kind of guy...
...he's no good for you anyways
Yes? I'm telling you...
Yes, since the renovation, no mold...
You're welcome to check anytime
Miss
Where is my shaved ice?
I just ordered some shaved ice on the phone
There is another one available for rent
No, don't do that
Thank you. Have a good one
Oh, Yeah. The deal is done
No. Stop it
No. Let go of my shirt
Sit Down
Arghhhh, here comes the big monster
Let's play a game...
...to put toys away the fastest
Go
I go first
Betty, you're amazing
You take care of two kids...
...and make money at the same time
Listen to me...
...a child will squeeze out all your potential
You'll know soon enough
You can do it, too
It will turn a mom into a superhero
A mother's name is Strong
I don't think so...
I'm not sure if I can pull it off
Have you thought about why you wanted a child?
Well, I wanted a new life...
...to love me forever, I suppose
But, when it actually came...
...I was not so sure
Chi
Aren't you the sassy one,
not scared of a thing?
Who's the fraidy cat now?
Fine. Who says I'm afraid?
Auntie Chi, everybody says you're an American
They also call me an American
But I have no idea what America looks like
Well, America can be a boring place...
...where the houses
in the suburbs look all the same
One time, I walked accidentally into...
...someone's place and realized...
Wait, I'm in someone else's home
You're so funny, auntie Chi
Luckly, they didn't shoot at me
Bang! Bang
So you'd better stay in Taiwan
One pack of betel nuts
Okay, coming
I'm going, too
Eventually, you turned out
to be a real American
No, I'm not
One time, I sat at a roadside cafe with Tony
A drunkard threw a bottle at me
...got me bleeding all over my face
He yelled at me "Go back to Asia"
Tony said "My wife is a U.S. citizen"
Your husband sounds good
A nice person
Yes
But we're getting divorced
What?
We are completely different overall
Tony is scared of having kids
We've been to marriage counseling together
I often didn't get
what the counselor was saying
He didn't even know where Taiwan was...
Chi
Stop thinking about it
You're stressed out
Come with me
Come here
It's beautiful
Right, isn't it?
The sunset here is quite something
Every time I see this...
...it feels good to be alive
They're still keeping them
Fly, fly, Gatchaman...
Flying through the sky
See how brave we are
When I grow up, I want to be a boss
Make a lot of money
No.2 Chi, what do you want to do
when you grow up?
I want to be a great person and...
...change the world
Huh? What's that?
And you, No. 3 Betty?
I want to go to America with my mom...
...and live happily with my dad
Betty, wait for me...
You run too fast
Fly, No.2 Chi
Fly, No.2 Chi, fly...
Well, in the end...
...none of us fulfilled our dreams
No matter how hard I tried
I always ended up with nothing
Same here. It doesn't matter
As long as we live happily in the moment
Come. Come up
Mommy, wake up
They're such good kids
Mommy, where are we going?
We're going back to Happiness Road
Mommy, what is happiness?
Isn't that something
A kid asking such a big question
A philosopher when my grandbaby grows up
You're right
Right, right
Watch out
Mommy
- Daddy
- Hey, little man
Oh, you're getting bigger and bigger
Well, we're going home
Are you coming with us?
But mommy and I are Taiwanese
Well, Johnny and I are American
Come on, let's go
No
No! Please
Where is he taking him?
Come back
Please! No
Granny
Where are you going, Granny?
I need your help
I'm going home
But, where is my home?
I really don't know...
Kiddo, you know what?
What you believe in...
...determines who you are
Use the eyes in your heart to see
Grandpa
Grandma
Come here. Give me a hug
Chi, my baby girl
Let's go home
Let's go home
I really want to go home
Come
Let's go home together
Chi, did you have a bad dream again?
One, two, three, four, nothing to be fearful
Alright
The doctor says you're perfectly fine
There is nothing to worry about
Why did you come here?
What a surprise
Can you just...
...come home with me, please?
Things have really changed a lot around here
Yeah... just like us
Look, if you really
want to have kids that badly
We can talk about it some more
We can attend some
more counseling sessions together
Whatever it is that you need...
But you don't like kids
I can try
It... doesn't have to be right now...
...right at this exact moment that...
We want completely different things
from our lives
It's not even about having kids anymore
Let's just get divorced
I'm thinking about staying here with my family
It's gonna break your parents hearts
to see us break up
I always break my parents' hearts
But I really am tired now
She's coming back. Let's move
Chi
You're back
I've made some soup for you
Have some soup. It'll replenish your energy
Right, more energy
What makes you clean up all of a sudden?
To begin new life...
...and make room for our new guest
New guest?
What guest?
Anyways, it's a good thing
What do you mean "good thing?"
What are you doing?
Just trying to start over fresh
This is a picture of me
and my idol President Ma
Come on, he is a washout
No one likes him anymore
None of your business
He's still hotter than you
Fine, whatever makes you happy
Chi
Look at this, you wore this when you were small
I just found it
Your daughter can wear it one day
Dad, what are you talking about?
Do you want to live in Taiwan longer?
Don't worry about your husband
I'll give him a call...
Can you speak English?
Mom
Chi, come here
It's finally time to give you this
I mean...
...to give to your child
Although Granny isn't around...
...to see her great grandchild
I believe this golden rabbit...
...will protect you two
This baby will be born in the Year of Dragon
What're you giving her a rabbit for?
Chi
As soon as I win my lottery...
...I'll have a golden dragon for my grandbaby
Right
Our mixed grandbaby is going to be adorable
You already know that?
You were in the hospital...
...of course we got to know it
That's why we cleaned up the house
To welcome our new guest
Whatever you decide to do...
...you have my support
It's okay even if you want a divorce
How I wanted a divorce when I was young
You silly woman
Don't listen to your mom
Seriously, you can stay if you want
Stay for as long as you want
I will support you
But Dad
What will I do here if I come back?
I'm not good at anything
Worry about that later
Let's keep it simple
Just think about what you want for dinner now
That's right
Tell me what you want for dinner...
...and I'll cook for you
Microphone testing
Attention please
Now, it's time for me...
...the King of Pop on Happiness Road
To sing a song
For the prettiest girl in the world
Ms. Lin Shu-Chi
Dad, you're so goofy...
"A gift of love for you"
"I wish you true happiness"
Oh you're such a lousy singer
Let me have a go
"No matter where you are"
"Don't ever forget my wish for you"
"This journey of life..."
"...is ever so bittersweet"
"Be strong-willed"
"Be guided by your wisdom"
"And leave behind your beads of sweat"
"Create your own happiness"
Hello, Chi
Hello
Hello, auntie Chi
Mommy
Grandpa
I truly believe our family of four...
...will be happy forever
Hey, Kiddo
There's no such thing as happy forever
Holy cow
The students who's occupying
Legislative Yuan...
...should go to jail
You women know nothing about politics
What do you mean nothing?
Legislative Yuan is our parliament
Occupying parliament is illegal
The government must have
done something wrong...
President Ma can't be wrong
President Ma is a human being
It's impossible he would make mistakes
He was elected by our votes
That's nonsense
Every human being makes mistakes
Show some respects to him
"How are you, the me I used to be"
"Where did you get lost, in all that moving"
"For every time it goes down,
the sun is bound to come up"
"From every old scab,
a budding branch will sprout"
"Happiness - often found elsewhere"
"Fulfilled - are the dreams not my own"
"Chase after chase, it's me fearing to be alone"
"Who am I in the end, I can't say I know"
"Have you become the adult of your dreams"
"Has the story left you anything to feel"
"The sun may go down, your heart never gives up"
"Old scabs there may be,
new branches never fail to sprawl"
"Happiness - may just be carefreeness"
"It's a road - that leads to no end"
"Happiness - wants you to pave the way"
"It is a song, beaming from a crack in the sky"
"It is a song, with tears and warmth to cry"
"For you - this gift of love"
"With it comes - all the happiness to have"
"However time flies"
"Wherever you may end up"
"Forget not, my wish for you"