A Handful of Love

YUEN is a disciplined househusband who works as a part-time piano instructor. On the contrary, his wife TING, free-spirited and capable, is a director in a television station. Following his sister’s untimely death and the subsequent death of his brother-in-law from an illness, YUEN gave up his teaching job to raise his five nephews and nieces, all the while concealing the tragic news from the children. Every day, YUEN sends YAN, YEE, LAI, CHI and SHUN off to school and picks them up after school. CHI gets in a fight with a classmate who teases YUEN for being a homebound father. Upon returning home, CHI calls YUEN a disgrace. A debate among the siblings on the differences between sexes ensues. YUEN and TING decide to swap roles in the family. TING, who is clueless about housework, puts nothing but fast food on the table for the family of five……

A startled TING lies to the children that the picture was cropped from a recent photo of their father for business purposes. YUEN and the children visit TING on the set. SHUN is stunned by the brutal murder scenes and has serious doubts over TING’s tutelage. A speechless TING has to revise the plot accordingly. As a yearly ritual, YUEN and TING take the children out to celebrate their wedding anniversary, but AUNT LAURA chastises YUEN for a lack of romance and ill-treating his wife. YUEN brings a commemorative cake to the set, but TING is too busy to appreciate YUEN’s gift. Deep in the night, the couple shares the cake under candlelight, but their rare intimate moment is cut short when LAI alerts the police thinking that a robber has broken into the kitchen. The children realize that a private moment is what the couple needs and pool their money to pay for their cruise journey. TING is overjoyed but YUEN is worried……

YUEN’s best friend and matchmaker LEUNG is a screenwriter. Eager to hand in a script to TING, LEUNG asks YUEN to accompany him to shop for a PC, but YUEN is busy choosing an electronic dictionary for YAN. LAI and CHI want video games for Christmas but YUEN insists on giving them educational games as presents. The children are upset, but YUEN turns a deaf ear to TING’s advice. YEE, a star basketball player at school, suffers verbal abuse from a fierce opponent of a neighboring school. The careless TIGN has given more money than LAI and CHI needed for school by mistake. The two have spent the extra money on buying computer games which they had longed for, only to be found out and scolded by YUEN afterwards. YEE wins a close tie, but in the heat of the game, she breaks the arm of the opponent, who happens to be the sister of MISS LAW, class mistress of LAI and CHI. YUEN gives YEE a bitter scolding. Frustrated, YEE vows to quit the game……

YUEN places high importance on the farewell concerto of his music mentor, and is therefore upset that TING dozes off during the performance. TING’s assistant SIN explains to him that TING has burnt the midnight oil in order to attend the concerto. TING feels remorseful. An overweight LAI scores low marks in physical examinations and loses his self-confidence. He dares not tell YU and others that he aspires to become a gymnast. YUEN learns from FUN of LAI’s aspiration and at once arranges for LAI to practice gymnastics, which gives LAI a huge confidence boost. Inspired by LAI’s positive outlook on life, LAURA and DR CHO decide to get married and start a family. TING is entrusted with the project of the year—a drama series to commemorate the anniversary of the TV station—and is granted the privilege to shoot in the mainland. Meanwhile, YUEN is invited by the principal and FUN to take up the post of conductor of the school orchestra……

YUEN is hesitant to disclose the truth to YAN despite his grilling. TING has no choice but to admit to their father’s death. Years ago, the father entrusted his five children to YUEN’s care before leaving for the States to fight his losing battle against cancer, but lied to the children that he followed the medical team of Medecins Sans Frontieres to work in a third world country. It was his wish that the truth be told only when YAN turns eighteen years old. The children refuse to believe that they become orphans overnight. YAN condemns YUEN for depriving them of the right to pay respect to their father. A vexed YUEN and TING stay up late at night trying to figure out a way to pacify the children, who are crying their eyes out. YUEN prepares breakfast for the children the following day despite having the flu, while TING has taken a day off to stay at home. Still the children refuse to speak to them……

YUEN collapses from exhaustion after learning that the children have run away from home. Despite being hospitalized, YUEN and TING search frantically for the children. Freed from YUEN’s control, YAN lets himself and his siblings go on the loose and indulge in food and drinks. YEE grows weary. YUEN blames himself for all the problems. The under-aged siblings are shown the door when trying to check in a hotel. DR CHO happens to be there and puts the children up at LAURA’s. LAURA deliberately makes life difficult for the children and makes them work for their meal, hoping that they will learn not to take things for granted. The children endure a harsh, memorable night. The next morning, YAN smacks CHI for not eating the breakfast he prepares, and is maddened that SHUN refuses to take her medicine. Amid the chaos, TING and YUEN arrive and throw their arms around the children. Ashamed, YAN and YEE apologize to TING and YUEN……

YAN pledges to be a responsible big brother before his parents’ tombs. Much to YUEN and TING’s relief, the siblings open their hearts to well wishers and listen to words of comfort. LEUNG fails to hand in the script to TING and makes YUEN the scapegoat responsible for the “lost script.” YAN accompanies LAI and CHI to a dental check-up, but is forced to have his bad tooth filled instead. TING’s computer is down with virus due to LAI’s and CHI’s mistake, and again the troublemakers make their big brother take the blame. YUEN seeks out the truth and reminds YAN not to spoil his little brothers and sisters. Both sigh that it is tough to be the eldest of the family. LEUNG tries to borrow money from YUEN on the pretext that he is heavily indebted to a loan shark. Though a blatant lie, YUEN still lends him the money. TING can only respect his decision……

TING watches again the TV dramas directed by MICHAEL. Tension arises when she finds out that YUEN has lent out several episodes to LEUNG. YUEN feels uneasy upon learning from LEUNG that MICHAEL was rumored to be TING’s first love. FUN has a fight with her sister, FONG, and breaks her watch amid the fight. FONG runs away, leaving YUEN to console FUN. YAN is smitten with the beauty of the popular YAN YAN from another class, once voted a magazine Cover Girl. WAI, who secretly loves YAN, is green with jealousy. FONG works as a part-time waitress in a karaoke in order to save up money to pay for FUN’s damaged watch and chances on YEE. Worried about the injury to her arm, YEE lends her money and agrees not to tell YUEN and the family. YUEN and TING have a heated argument over a malicious article about MICHAEL. TING admits to admiring MICHAEL and raises new doubts over their relationship……

YUEN wakes up from his nightmare of MICHAEL and TING kissing each other passionately. LEUNG believes that TING’s pregnancy would end his nightmare once and for all. TING’s period is late and fears that a possible pregnancy will interfere with her work. TING hurries to attend a meeting with MICHAEL, only to find him out of office. His assistant PAUL frankly tells TING that MICHAEL always lacks good planning. TING is depressed to learn that no sooner had she tendered her resignation than the TV station reassigned her job duties to SIN. With TING’s pregnancy confirmed, YUEN talks his wife into giving up filmmaking. YAN happily buys a box of cookies from YAN YAN for charity, only to be hugely let down to see her driven off by a handsome guy in a limousine. SHUN takes part in an inter-school broadcast contest, playing the part of Cinderella……

It turns out that TING’s pregnancy is a false alarm. Although disappointed, the couple comforts the children and remains optimistic. YUEN plays “Winter Wonderland” on piano during a rehearsal with the chorus and wonders why FUN weeps quietly. FONG rebukes FUN for failing to get over her unfaithful boyfriend. LEUNG joins the family of seven for Christmas dinner and chances on his ex-lover MAN CHI. Their meeting ends in a row. YAN also bumps into YAN YAN in the company of the handsome guy and finds out that he is in fact her own brother. The family returns home in a bubbly mood, but MICHAEL drops by and invites TING to watch movie classics through the night. TING is not pleased. The seven family members are joined by LAURA, DR CHO, and LAURA’s two ex-husbands PACINO and YEUNG for the New Year’s countdown, though they are to arrive at different times……

TING is surprised to see FUN in YUEN’s company. YUEN is upset by MICHAEL’s presence. Though YAN and YEE have their lips sealed, there is an air of embarrassment. That night, YUEN eases TING’s mind by telling her about FUN’s boyfriend. LAURA asks TING to keep an eye on FUN and YUEN. LEUNG teases FUN for having a crush on YUEN, but FUN claims that the kiss is part of her healing process. MICHAEL takes TING’s advice and gives green light to the project. YAN rejects WAI’s love. Nursing a wounded ego, WAI refuses to talk to YEE. YAN YAN kisses YAN on his cheek, but SHUN believes that it is just a friendly gesture, like the kiss MICHAEL gave to TING. FUN has torn YUEN’s scarf by mistake and decides to knit a new one for him. TING joins MICHAEL for a business trip to America but lies to YUEN that she is to travel with a crew. YUEN also hides the identity of the scarf’s sender from TING……

The children’s efforts to keep TING end in futility. TING finds it unnecessary to contemplate on the problem as SIN and PACINO advise. YUEN tries ringing TING but her line is engaged. LEUNG makes the startling statement that she is on the line with MICHAEL; YUEN finds out to his relief that she is in fact reading SHUN a bedtime story. PACINO urges YUEN to stop seeing FUN to ease the tension with TING. YUEN decides to resign from his conductor post. YUEN’s failure to concentrate on his daily life offers little solace to the children. MICHAEL warns TING the undesirable consequences of a long separation. FUN offers her apologies to YUEN and is prepared to resign. YUEN has a clear conscience and resolves to stay at his job. Although clearly missing each other, neither YUEN nor TING is prepared to yield. The emotional support YAN YAN offers to YAN upsets WAI. Fortunately, YEE consoles her……

CHI ruins an artwork of his female classmate but refuses to offer his apologies. FUN punishes him for his mistake. YUEN reprimands CHI for not apologizing to his classmate, but CHI challenges his failure to reconcile with TING. Without the owner’s consent, LEUNG moves in to stay with YUEN while his flat is undergoing refurbishment. LEUNG chances again on MAN CHI and a fight breaks out. YEE and SHUN attempt to extort money from LEUNG when they find out that he has used TING’s towel and bathrobe. SHUN is instructed by LEUNG to feign illness to bring about TING’s change of heart. SHUN knowingly eats durian candies to which she is allergic, and despite having rashes all over her body, refuses to take her medicine. The news fails to reach TING, whose mobile phone is switched off. FUN visits the family and coaxes SHUN into taking her medicine. TING hurries home only to find FUN asleep by SHUN’s side, and the bowl of noodle prepared by YUEN……