When Things Get Tough

After graduating from university, Wai Chi Ho joins the police force. Under the guidance of his superior, Lam Man Kong, Wai works hard and is thought highly of by his seniors. Learning from Wong Chuen that a gang is going to rob a jewelry workshop, Wai goes with his men to trap them. When the robbers are about to act, Wai discovers that they carry grenades, and in order to escape, they take someone hostage. Lam arrives at the scene. Failing to persuade the robbers to surrender, Lam secretly assigns his man, Tsing Kwan, to disguise as the taxi driver and then offers himself to be the hostage and leave with the robbers by the taxi. With his wits, Lam disovers that the robbers carry faked grenades. Working with Tsing , Lam capture the robbers. Tsing's father died in his job when Tsing was still a kid and his mother left him. To make up for……

Lam's only daughter, Ching, studies interior design abroad. After graduating, she decides to return to Hong Kong to stay with her lonely father. Tsing always kept Ching's company in their childhood and the latter has had an affection for him. Returning to Hong Kong, Ching finds that she and Tsing are not fit for each other in many respects and thus she gradually turns to treat him as a brother. Tsing is assigned to pursue a suspect but he uses private execution, seriously injuring the latter. Tsing is thus rebuked by his seniors. Since Wai is working with Tsing, he is also accused of neglecting his duty. Wai airs his complaints to Tsing and the two have a dispute. The suspect complains about being injured by Tsing who is then held under investigation. His new senior, Chung, pleads for him frees Tsing from being punished. After his resignation, Lam teaches judo in a district centre and he asks Wai and Tsing to demonstrate……

Ching gets acquainted with Wai. Finding that they share common interests, the two become close friend§. Wai's mother, Yuk Mui, runs a bar. Tsing and Wai take Ching there for a chat. When Mui first meets Ching, she treats the latter as her daughter-in-law. In order to match Wai and Ching, Mui asks the latter to help her renovate the bar. Tsing takes Ching to Tai 0 to receive his uncle and his family. Tsing meets his cousin, Siu Mei, who his always been fond of him. Mei thinks that Tsing love's her and follows him wherever he goes. Tsing feels much annoyed and Ching sympathizes with him. Tsing goes with Ching to attend an alumni party and comes across Fong Po Yee. Seeing that she is about to be struck by a falling lamp, Tsing acts quickly to save her but she is in turn hit by him. Tsing suspects that someone intends to kill Fong and thus asks her for information to help him with his investigation……

Ching asks Tsing to accompany her to watch a dance performance. Tsing misses the appointment when he is suddenly stopped by an ex-girlfriend, Mimi, who asks him to negotiate with a usurer for her. Wai happens to visit Tsing and thus Ching asks him to go with her instead. When Wai takes Ching home, they come across Mimi fooling around with Tsing in the streets. Ching becomes more furious when later Tsing lies to her about missing the appointment. Fong is much annoyed when Tsing keeps on asking her for information. Astonished to find that someone messes up her clinic on purpose, she agrees to supply he-r patients' data for Tsing's reference. Tsing is assigned to protect Fang day and night. However, the two do not get along well and often try hard to trick the other. On the way driving to hey clinic, Fong finds that her car has been treated and she cannot stop it……

Tsing is curious about clinical psychology that Fong studies and offers to be mesmerized by her. Tsing unconsciouly reveals his love for Chinq and that he often despises himself since he is not well educated. Fong thus knows more about Tsing. Mui's sister, Lan, comes to stay in Hong Kong. Mui asks Tsing to go with her to receive her. Not having met each other before, Tsing and Lan create much ridicule. Wai ontinuously proves himself in his job and is finally gets promoted. Feeling glad for Wai, Tsing, however, is jealous of him. Wu Chun Wah, a renowned brain specialist, is constantly working under pressure and he cannot afford failures. He suffers from insomnia and nightmares, thus he asks Fang for treatment. Fong is frightened but finds it exciting when she discovers that Wu has a subconscious to kill. Since she is not supposed to disclose her patients' information, she decide~ to handle the problem herself……

Fong finds that Wu's condition is getting serious. Working with her brother, Chi Kin, Fang lies to the police that someone threatens to kill her. Thus, she takes the chance to pass Wu's data to Tsing for his investigation. Tsing concludes from clues that Wu is a psychotic killer and confirms it from Fong who is then forced to tell him the truth. Tsing and Fong try to trap Wu who foresees their act. Wu sues the two instead and makes complaints about Tsing to the police. Tsing is transferred to work in the office and he also deters Wai in his promotion. Ching apologizes for Tsing to Wai who then agrees to excuse him. Realizing that Ching treats Tsing as a brother, Wai decides to court her. Fong apologizes to Tsing that she involves hi~ only to be rebuked by him. Ching disputes with Tsing over his attitude. During the judo lesson, Lam is injured by a student by accident. He comes across Lan who offers to massage for him……

Wu invites Fong to dinner at his home. Tsing decides to apologize to Fong and learns that she is on he-r way to Wu's house. Fearing that Wu would do harm to her, Tsing hurries the-re and catches Wu re-d-handed. Tsing arrests Wu immediately and thus saves Fong. The two compromise with each other and become- intimate friends. Tsing resumes his post and Wai finally gets promoted. Their colleagues hold a celebration for them. Wai introduces Ching to Ma Yau Fook who decides employ a designer to be responsible- for the renovation of a restaurant. Ma is a lustful man who the-n asks Ching to go with him to Taiwan to discuss about the job. Ching is forced to agree to it. Fearing that Ma would do hey harm, Wai agrees to go with her. Ching and others pretend that they forget Tsing's birthday. Disappointed, Tsing invites Fong to celebrate with him……

Tsing fails to return Hong Kong on time and so he asks Wai to inform Fong about it. Fong immediately calls Tsing, asking him for an explanation. She doubts about Tsing's sincerity towards her when the latter responds casually. After much thoughts, Fong concludes that Tsing still loves Ching. In her sorrow, Fong decides to go to the States alone. Disappointed, Tsing buries himself in work. Wai and Tsing force Ling's friend, May, to tell them about the supply of LSD. The two subsequently find that a new underworld leader,Mok Wing Tim, runs the business. Wai and Tsing thus watch him closely. Wai learns from Wong that Mok, a dominant figure- in the underworld, is known for his ruthlessness. Since he is extremely cautious, it is not easy for Wai to find evidence against him. Mei visits Tsing, reveals her love for him and hints their marriage to him. Astonished, Tsing tries hard to avoid her……

Tsing decides to interrogate Mok but is beat up by his men instead. Tsing misses the appointment with Mei. In a rage, Mei goes again to the disco to have fun with Wong. Wong lures Mei to take in LSD, the latter makes an attempt. Tsing comes in time to save Mei and he warns Wong. When Mei regains her consciousness, she insists that Tsing marries her immediately. Much annoyed, Tsing rejects her. Finding it hard to accept the fact, Mei leaves in a rage. To expand his business, Mok forces Wong to sell drugs. Wong is forced to agree to it. After taking in LSD, Mei fools around in the streets. Wong comes across her and takes her home. Though Wong is tempted to rape Mei, he gives it up fearing that Tsing would be after him. Wong perchance discovers that Mei comes from a well-off family. Hoping to cheat money out of her, Wong thus pretends to court her. The two quickly becomes lovers. Tsing decides to stop Mei from getting along with Wong……

Wong is reluctant to sell drugs for Mok and so he often finds excuses to reject him. On the other hand, Wai forces him to be his spy. Not wanting to go against Mok, Wong tries to avoid Wai. Mok sends his men to beat Wong up when he refuses to sell drugs to a youngster. Mei comes to his rescue and injures Mok. When Wong goes with Mei to apologize, Mok, in a rage, rapes her. Mei decides to kill herself but is stopped by Wong. Wong finds that Mei is sincere towards him and he truly falls in love with her. He then offers to work with Wai, pretending to work for Mok in order to gather evidence against him. Though knowing that Mok raped Mei, Wai is caught in a dilemma of telling Tsing the truth since he is working against Mok. Learning that Mok is going to make a big transaction of drugs, Wong informs Wai and Tsing so that they plan ahead to trap Mok……

Mei finds Wong and holds, the gun at him right away. When struggling, Wong seizes the gun and by accident injures Mei who then loses her consciousness. Scared, Wong decides to run away. Before he leaves, he wipes off all evidence and makes Tsing appear guilty of it. When Mei regain her consciousness, she suddenly comprehends everything and shoots herself. Seriously injured, Mei goes into a coma. Tsing becomes the-suspect and is suspended. convinced that Tsing is innocent, Wai, ignoring his seniors' objection, tries hard to clear him of the charge. Making use of the drugs at hand, Wong threatens Sung Tim to help him escape, Tim pretends to yield and takes him as his man. In fact, Tim is making use of him to frame Tsing. Finding out that Mei is harmed by Mok, Tsing thinks that Wai keeps things from him. Discontented that Wai tries to crack the criminal case by all means, Tsing disputes with him……

Wong sneaks into the hospital and repents before Mei. However, she is still in coma. Discovering Wong's whereabouts, Wai and Tsing go arrest him but he- finally slips away. Finding no way out, Wong is forced to work with Wai to trap Mok. Mei regains her consciousness and comprises with Wong, starting a new life with him. Mei reveals that she attempted to kill herself, proving Tsing's innocence. Lam and Ching thus realize that Wai has been hiding the truth for fear that Tsing would act rashly. With the help of Lam and Ching, Tsing and Wai compromise with each other. Ching comes across an old friend, Fok Chun Wei, who then persuades her to join his company as designer. Thinking that his handsome, Fok is confident that he can win Ching's affection. However, Ching is unmoved. Occupied with her work, Ching often neglects Lam who then feels much lonely. Lan keeps him company and the two become intimate friends.

Ching is assigned to be responsible for an exhibition of curios. Knowing that the curios are costly, she spends much effort in matters of security which earns appreciation from Rosa, her manager. One day, Ching supervises the transport of gold buddha to the exhibition venue. On the way, Ching is frightened when some robbers seize the buddha and shoot a guard death. Ching blames herself for the guard's death and losing the buddha. She feels much guilty when Rosa rebukes her of insisting to have her own way of transport. To show self-reproach, Ching resigns. Rosa agrees to it while Fok asks her to stay. Ching is thus caught in a dilemma. Disovering that the security officer, Pak Wei Shun, is involved in the robbery, Wai and Tsing go to arrest him. Before they leave, they tell Ching and Fok about it, much to their delight. When Wai and Tsing find Pak, he has already killed himself, leaving the two doubting about the case.