Phoenix Rising

The rich bride-to-be Yim Pui-wu is sentenced to death for the murder of her adoptive mother, Mrs. Yim Hung Nim-tsz shortly before her wedding. Sitting in the courtroom, Kong Lai-nga bursts into tears after hearing the judgment. Wu enjoys privilege in the prison which ends up provoking strong resentment of the other inmates against her. Hoi visits Wu in the prison. He is not going to give Wu up as he strongly believes Wu is innocent. Hoi and his mother visit his ill father in Singapore. Nga follows them and soon she finds that Tsz is not going to appeal Wu’s case. Nga meets with Ying Leung. Leung offers her financial help to hire a lawyer for Wu’s case. Wu flashes back the date of her wedding, it was cancelled because her mother-in-law-to-be broke her leg in an accident. Nga was the nurse who sent Tsz to the hospital. In the hospital, Wu asked Nga to stay away from Tsz and returned the wedding present to Nga.… ...

It turns out that Wu and Nga are biological sisters. Wu thinks the background of Nga may bring her troubles as Nga has once been a dancing girl. Wu is locked up in a dark cell after she hits Wei. Nga starts working as a cleaning worker in the prison with a wish to see Wu more. Leung visits Nga and brings her son a present. In fact, the boy is the illegitimate child of Leung and Nga. Leung thinks Nga should not work in a prison, yet Nga believes it is worth doing as Wu is her biological sister. Wu enjoys no more privilege since Hoi has renounced the engagement. She is injured by Hon Wan, a violent inmate in the prison. Nga is hurt by a police dog when she is trying to save Wu. The sisters are sent to the hospital together. In the hospital, Nga gives Wu her words of support and sincerely tells her that she is not going to leave her alone. The sisters become friendly again.… ...

Wu keels over as she marches around the playground. Sophie sends her to the hospital. Sophie tells Wu that she can lend her books so that she can help herself to reverse her judgment. Sophie encounters Ma Hak, a man she has known when she was studying in England. At that time, Hak was chasing Sophie. Yet, Sophie tells him she will never love him. Sophie continues to tell him she was raised in an orphanage, and she returns to Shanghai again because she wants to find her two long-lost sisters. Wu begs Nga to buy Kar Wai-sze off, the witness of her case. Yet, Nga hesitates to reply. Hak starts to work as a prison doctor. Sophie once again tells Hak not to waste his time as she is not going to love him. In the hospital, Nga begs Sze to amend the statement she made. Before she is to agree with it, Sze needs Nga to lend her money. Their conversation is noticed by Sophie. Nga meets Sze in the church and gives her money.… ...

Nga’s mother asks the help from Leung when she has learnt about the arrest of Nga. So, Leung finds the head of the police department for assistance. In fact, Leung’s mother has approached the police chief for the release of Nga and Sze. Leung’s mother claims that she did it because she does not want to see her grandson losing his mother. Leung talks to Nga and blames her for doing things in such an insensible way. Wu and Nga exchange messages by hiding notepaper in the church ground. However, this is noticed by Sophie, and soon she realizes that Wu and Nga are her long-lost sisters indeed. Nga and Fei visit Sze again and attempt to convince her for assistance in Wu’s appeal. Regrettably, Sze is knocked down by a car when she is fleeing from the sisters. Before dying, Sze affirms that she saw Wu pushing her adoptive mother off a building. Nga and Sophie attempts collect evidence in Wu’s bedroom.… ...

Wu often has nightmares in prison. Bad things always happen to Wu, she is often bullied by Wan. Luckily, she receives the support from Madam Wong, who is also a death row inmate. Madam Wong tells Wu that she is a scapegoat actually, she is here for money. Wu has a sudden thought that it may work if she can find a scapegoat. She needs Nga’s help, and Nga hesitates to give her reply. Madam Wong breaks down before her execution. Wu feels depressed. Wu cuts her wrist and wants to kill herself. Soon, Nga promises to find Wu a scapegoat without telling Sophie, but Sophie notices it. Upon knowing that Nga is Sophie’s sister, Hak helps Sophie in the appeal of Nga’s case. Hak is going request the use of a lie detector in the court, but Wu refuses. Wu finally breaks down and admits that she murdered her adoptive mother.… ...

Wu is deeply moved when Hoi reassures her he is not going to leave her alone. A prison doctor collaborates with the drug dealer, testing new drugs on prisoners who are awaiting their execution. Wu suffers from spasm after taking the drug. Wu attempts to flee during the skirmish caused by Wan and other women inmates. She hears the conversations between the prison doctor and the dealer, and realizes she becomes a lab rat. Wu threatens the doctor and demands him to find her a scapegoat. The doctor poisons the food given to Nga and causing her to suffer from diarrhea. Nga is told that she is diagnosed with stomach cancer, and is just given two months to live. Nga is shocked. She leaves Leung a message when she decides to go somewhere else with her son together. She encounters stormy weather. Leung manages to catch Nga up. On the day of execution, Nga has a heavy heart as she is not able to save Wu at last.

Leung deliberately tells Nga that Wu is executed. Wu feels heartbreak, and goes to see Wu the last time. Nga feels sorry that she cannot save Wu, and thinks she is not a good sister. Sophie tells Nga that Wu’s execution is postponed until the heavy rain stops. Nga confesses to the murder, and requests the release of Wu. Soon, Nga is accused of murder, and Wu is set free. Leung is stunned to learn about Nga’s confession. Wu and Sophie visit Nga. Nga tells them she only has two months to live, while Sophie tells her that she has to treasure every moment now. It turns out that Hak is the younger cousin of Leung. Sophie lives at his home. Leung’s wife, Ko Lei-lei, steals Nga’s son. Leung is angry and slaps her on the face. Risking his future, Leung is determined to save Nga and willing to be the witness in Nga’s case.

A new inmate called Yip Tzu-shan comes to the prison. She is pregnant, and she shows no fear in front of Wan. Dr. Lo always wants to test the new drug on Nga. Sophie blames Leung for not showing up in the court at last to give the witness testimony in Nga’s case. She decides to move out of his home. Leung’s mother tells Sophie the fact that Leung has tried his resolute effort to help Nga indeed. Hoi brings Wu to a wedding dress shop where Wu is giddily choosing her dress. Sophie encounters the couple, she blames Wu for going scot-free while Nga is put in jail for her sake. Wu feels regret and decides to adopt Nga’s son as a compensation. Wu meets Dr. Lo and asks him for not testing the new drug on Nga. Back in the prison, Shan is injured during a dispute she has with Wan. In fact, they are not getting along with each other the first time they met. Nga accuses Wan of bullying the inmate. Nga has whole body twitches after Dr.… ...

Warden Shing discovers the vicious collaboration between Dr. Lo and the dealer. However, Hak stops Sophie from telling Nga the truth. Hoi and Wu pay a visit to an orphanage with Hoi’s mother together. Hoi’s mother always gives Wu the cold shoulder. Wu brings Nga’s son together with her to a public event. On this occasion, she tells the media that she has forgiven Nga already, and she praises Hoi’s mother for being nice. Her action has brought her a better relationship between Hoi’s mother and herself. Hak proves that Nga has not got any deadly diseases at all, he speculates the whole thing is made up by Wu. Then, Sophie tells Wu that no cancer is found on Nga, and she demands Wu to admit her guilt. Wu pretends herself does not understand what she is talking about. Sophie is shocked. Dr. Lo’s death has made the appeal of Nga’s case even more difficult.… ...

During a radio interview, Leung receives an urgent call from the mayor and immediately he rushes to the mayor’s home. It turns out that the mayor’s secret lover has suddenly died in his home. The mayor needs Leung to move the body, and threatens him with the withdrawal of the pardon. Leung reluctantly promises to be the witness for the mayor. Leung has his assistant to check the background of Wan after his is told by Sophie that Nga is bullied by Wan again. Wu is having the rehearsal of her wedding, she tells Sophie she will bring Nga’s son with her to France where the boy will receive his education. Leung decides to give up the mayor election. His wife rages. Without obtaining the consent of Nga, Sophie and Hak get her out of the prison, and they all become escaped convicts in the end.

On Wu’s wedding day, Nga wants to go to the church and to attend wedding. The presence of Nga really shakes Wu up. She is afraid that Nga has known everything. She tells Nga initially that she has bought Dr. Lo off to give a false medical report that Nga is diagnosed with cancer. Nga is shocked to hear the story. As wanted by the police, Hak hesitates to go to the police station when he encounters a thief. Nevertheless, he is arrested while leaving the scene. The police chief says Hak is involved in Nga’s escape. Leung arrives timely and demands the release of Hak. Leung locks Hak up as Hak is not willing to tell him where Nga hides. Wu learns from the radio about the death of Nga, Nga dies after eluding arrest. Wu and Hoi are making honeymoon trip to Paris. Nga wants her son back and to renounce her relationship with Wu.… ...

Because of the escape, Nga is locked up in the dark cell. During a visit to the prison, Leung has a heavy heart as he thinks of Nga. Nga hears Leung’s voice, she sings a melody and wants him to know where she is. Leung does hear she sings, he tells her he must save her. Walking out of the dark cell, Nga sees a new inmate is being abused by Wan. The new inmate is Sophie. She comes here as she worries about Nga. She is sentenced to two years in prison for helping Nga to escape. Lau Sing, the secret lover of Mayor Ngai Tung-leung, dies. Sing’s family hopes Leung will find out the truth behind Sing’s death. Leung threatens the mayor to leave Shanghai. Leung’s mother kills the mayor for fear that the matter will ruin Leung’s future. Consequently, Leung is not able to get the pardon for Nga.

The Mayor dies suddenly. Nga grows increasingly desperate. Leung will soon become the Acting Mayor. He visits the prison again. Nga knows that she is executed by the time Leung becomes the Mayer. Leung sends the prisoners gloves, and puts a message inside the gloves that Nga will receive. Nga is deeply touched when she read the message from Leung saying that he must save her. Sophie discovers a secret exit, she decides to escape and asks the help from Hak. Hoi’s mother attends women’s event with Wu together, Wu is delighted when she learns Hoi’s mother is going to nominate her as the Vice Chairlady. Wu thinks her father will become an obstacle to her, she decides to send him to the rural hometown. Hak informs Leung about Sophie’s escape plan, and hopes Leung can help. Inmate Wah threatens Sophie to bring her together after she learns the escape plan.