Monday, March 29, 2010

Wo Ju (Woju) – Snail Space 蜗居, Episode 21

A new house -- a large, multi-family one, similar to the one from the longtang -- appears and Haiping and Su Chun are living there now. Haiping is trying to find a job but is unsuccessful. Su Chun suggests that instead of studying for three years Haiping should open an online store and sell things from her home.

In a club, Boss Chen and Secretary Song are sitting and drinking wine. Song tells Chen to continue paying Haizao her salary, even though she doesn't come to work, until she quits.

Haiping calls Secretary Song and asks to meet him. He agrees.

Interesting moment in a coffee shop: Song's wife and her friend are out to enjoy themselves a little. Song's wife asks for a drink menu but is told that there isn't one, and that they must order from the counter. The friend says: "For once we go out for some pizazz and we suddenly we are like peasants entering the city" [i.e. they don't know how to behave or the procedures for things]. Song's wife is spending money and treating herself because of Song's affair. Her friend tells her to divorce, but Song's wife says that is not a possibility, since she is over 40, not beautiful, and divorced so no one will want her. They rush off the pick up their children for extra classes.

Haiping returns the visa card and house key to Secretary Song. He leaves.

Young Bei says he and Haizao should get married. Haizao tells Haiping, who says she shouldn't get married just to make up for mistakes in the past.

The investigation team discovers that the apartment Haiping and Su Chun were living in, and the villa where Song and Haizao had trysts, are owned by the same person: Boss Chen. The team says Chen has no background, so there is suspicion about him. They plan to investigate all the projects of his company.

Boss Chen calls Song and says the dingzi hu are more difficult to move than Mount Tai. Chen goes to Song's office. Song has looked into the background of Grandma Li: her grandfather owned the street that they are demolishing but then his relatives moved in from the countryside and didn't return the housing after [1949] Liberation. Song says he will go meet her.

Haizao tells Young Bei they should wait to get married and he is infuriated, chasing her into the bathroom. Then he apologizes.