A.E. Insights: Current and Rising Siu Sangs of TVB

It's been many years since TVB raised and promoted their last group of siu sangs (Raymond Lam, Bosco Wong, Ron Ng, and Kenneth Ma). These four men all had different strengths and weaknesses, and are all now at varied peaks and lows in their careers. With many artists busy with looking for other work and money making opportunities, TVB is now left in a dilemma. So our question is...

TOPIC: What is your opinion of the previous promoted siu sangs and how are they doing so many years later? Also, with the drainage of lead actors, who should become the next siu sangs?


Iris: Raymond, Bosco, Ron, and Kenneth are all successful now, but at differing degrees.  I personally think they're all talented and handsome guys, but very different from each other and now all at different positions.

If you had asked me who was my favorite out of the four before "Moonlight Resonance" came out in 2008, I would've quickly said Raymond Lam.  Besides being good looking, he had the best acting chops out of the four and most charisma.  He delivered memorable performances that left an impact.  From 2002's "A Step into the Past" to 2006's "La Femme Desperado", there was no question: Raymond was definitely the best actor out of the new generation.  I absolutely loved him in "Survivor's Law".  He shined as the kind, witty, passionate, yet slightly gullible lawyer.  Unfortunately, his career made a turn for the worst following the hugely successful "Moonlight Resonance". His popularity skyrocketed, and he received characters that capitalized on his success as an idol/pretty face instead of the talented actor he truly is. All of his roles since MR have been boring and fail to show his versatility and charm.  Nowadays though, I wouldn't say I have a favorite out of the four.  What about you, Niki?

Niki: Now I'm desperately trying to remember some of the older series I've seen them in and drawing a blank, hehe > u <; I did remember Raymond in "La Femme Desperado", Raymond did have a very likable character. His acting was natural and playful and he carried the emotions well. Yeah, his characters now emphasize on his looks and the characters themselves had nothing much to them. But I don't think I had a favorite, just because I didn't really know or bother to pay attention to the actors back then. Now, I think I would choose Kenneth as my favorite. He's a pretty good actor and his sweet and innocent personality outside just makes me favor him a bit more.  

Iris: Kenneth would probably be my current choice in terms of solely acting and personality.  He's shown acting skills and vast improvements.  I also really like his offscreen personality as well, as he is a modest, humble, shy, yet playful and youthful person.  However, like many people have noted, Kenneth lacks the charisma.  He has the likability and sincerity, but not the "X-Factor" that some people are just born with, which affects how memorable he can or can not be in his performances.

As for Bosco and Ron, they were more of the "heart throbs" back when they first started with mainly teenage fan bases.  In contrast to Kenneth, they have the charisma, but are not as skilled in the acting department.  In recent years, they've been demoted to second lead roles.  In Bosco's case, this has actually come to benefit him.  Not quite ready to take on lead roles, being demoted allow him to take on different roles and develop his acting more in a smaller capacity.  This setback paid off for him as he received critical acclaim for his supporting role in "Lives of Omission".

Unfortunately, things have only gotten worse for Ron.  He gave the most memorable performance of his career when reprising the role of "Chung Lap Man" in "E.U." in 2009, and was the most natural and emotive he had ever been.  He continued giving solid performances in "A Chip Off the Old Block" and "OL Supreme", successfully shedding his "impulsive hothead" typecast.  However, with his vast improvements, he became demoted to second lead and 2011 became the worst year for him so far in terms of roles and performances.  They all either lacked a dynamic, were underdeveloped, or just plain unlikable, not allowing him to show his acting skill.  Even in "L'Escargot", he was only able to show his acting in his one crying scene.  Real life girlfriend Viann Zhang has only caused the actor more trouble and career bumpiness.  What is your opinion on Bosco and Ron?

Niki: Yeah, I get what you mean. Kenneth is sincere, but when it comes to charisma, he's beaten. For Bosco, I did take notice that he has a broader range of characters to work with. He turned from a witty and playful cop in "7 Days in Life" to the sly and manipulative gangster in "Lives of Omission" and managed to portray the characters well. Bosco can definitely take advantage of the demotion as his chance to improve his acting skills and he also has Myolie supporting him mentally (and also perhaps through the very expensive gifts they like to give each other). As for Ron, I really feel sorry for him. When he finally improves, his characters couldn't get more boring. I hope he gets better characters soon and also that his girlfriend won't keep making trouble for him to fix. Speaking of "OL Supreme" though, I really liked his dorky character "Ah K"; he was so cute there. This year, I would say his character in "Forensic Heroes" was likable and had potential. But in the end, he didn't have enough screen time and the character ended up being under developed. If it wasn't for that, maybe that character could have been a pick up for Ron this year. For "L' Escargot" though, I remember you mentioning that even though his acting was solid during that emotive scene he was still over shadowed by Linda?

So, Ron's heart breaking tale aside and moving on from our old siu sangs, who do you think will be the up and coming ones?

Iris: Yes, Linda received praise for her crying scene when all she did was scrunch up her face and force out a couple tears. Meanwhile, Ron fully emoted and even had snot coming out of his nose. I hope in the future, Ron will get better roles before I completely forget he's a decent actor.

And now to discuss the next siu sangs of TVB.  Ruco Chan and Raymond Wong are the latest to have been promoted to lead actor, and both came with over a decade of experience.  This makes it hard for the young and newer actors to catch up.  Most recently, Jason Chan has been given the chance to lead in an upcoming series with Linda, so that will be interesting to watch.  Jason's handsome and friendly exterior, coupled with his educated and modest personality make him very likable.  However, his acting is still green and could use a lot of work.

Niki: Ah yes, Jason. I heard that he was being promoted lately. What is his drama with Linda? His acting should improve as he goes along.

There's also Matthew Ko, who was recently in "Sergeant Tabloid". I don't know if he's going to be a siu sang in the future, since his acting still needs work. But his character in "Sergeant Tabloid" was cute and likable, and he was able to garner some attention. It was a good improvement from when he was in "Man in Charge", where he was still unnatural and quite wooden in front of the camera. His handsome and charming looks makes him a good candidate to promote though. I also appreciate his straightforward personality.  It's quite refreshing.

Iris: Jason and Linda are starring in "Ferris Wheel of Happiness", which is a romance drama I think.  It is a smaller production, so it'll allow Jason to improve without having such a large weight on his shoulders.

I agree with what you said about Matthew.  He showed significant improvements in "Sergeant Tabloid", but I'm unsure as to if his acting truly improved or if it was the character.  Whatever it is, he shows potential.  He has the looks and charm, and is starting to improve.  I also like his straightforward and honest personality, which is hard to come by in the entertainment industry.  He's not ready to be lead yet, but I hope TVB gives him good supporting roles and potentially groom him into a siu sang in the future.

The one I have the most confidence in being the next siu sang though, is Edwin Siu.  He has been in the industry since 2002 and starred in "Aqua Heroes" in 2004, where his acting was mediocre.  However, since returning to TVB in 2008 and restarting his whole career, his acting has improved by heaps and bounds.  He's worked very hard, and it shows.  This year, he surprised and impressed everyone with his comedic talent in "Daddy Good Deeds" and made a complete 360 in "Gloves Come Off" as a semi-villain.  He has the hardworking and modest personality, charm, talent, and handsome yet cute looks.  He definitely has what it takes, and has the most range of all the rising actors right now.  All I'm saying is, he better get the recognition and promotion he deserves!

Niki: Edwin definitely has what it takes to become a siu sang. If TVB would open its eyes and promote him better I would be so happy. He was adorable in "Daddy Good Deeds"; he and Steven were the best part of the show. He really surprised me with his role in "Gloves Come Off". I didn't expect it, but he was actually able to scare me. His character didn't get that much screen time, being a minor role, but Edwin really shined and made the most out of it.

But speaking of recognition, Him Law is getting a lot of attention lately and all for the wrong things. All we've been hearing lately is rumors and scandals of Him, from him dating Tavia to the photo shoot case, as opposed to his acting. However, he is a pretty good actor, and his popularity is growing right now. So what do you think of him as a future siu sang?

Iris: Out of the younger guys, Him is the most natural actor. He has a lot of potential and has improved. However, he is definitely getting recognized for all the wrong things and has become a regular tabloid target. His real life personality is probably the worst out of everyone's with a history of domestic violence and several scandals, which makes it hard for me to look beyond it and truly enjoy his acting nowadays. Him is probably TVB's first choice to promote right now, but I hope Edwin gets the recognition he deserves too and that Him matures. In general, Him is an actor who I like as an actor, but not as a person.

In contrast to Him, Vincent Wong is someone whose real life personality is very likable but his acting leaves much to be desired. I have heard good things about Vincent being a friendly
and down to earth person, and something about him makes him seem approachable, unlike Him. His acting though is only acceptable. He presents likability in his performances, but doesn't possess a lot of charm and his acting still needs work. He is most likely not becoming a siu sang anytime soon too, as he is a new father and he and wife Yoyo Chen are taking off time from acting.

Niki: Him really does have the worse personality out of the potential stars right now. He should change that soon or it could be what ruins him. And I agree with what you said about Vincent. His acting is nothing special, but his personality is very likable. Even though he's not going to become a siu sang anytime soon, it's nice that he's spending some time with his family.

Another rising star seems to be Benjamin Yuen. He has been getting praises lately for his acting in the sitcom "Til Love Do Us Lie" and in "Hippocratic Crush". After watching these two series, I can say that Benjamin has good acting skills. He's natural in his performance and is likable, but his roles are still limited. Looks wise, he's not extremely handsome but still possesses a good amount of charisma. While he's a good actor and has the charisma, I still don't see him in a lead role yet. Perhaps it's because he hasn't gotten too many significant roles yet, but he's someone to look out for.

Iris: I didn't watch either series, but I have heard many good things about Benjamin's performance and character. I actually first noticed him back when he debuted in "Your Class or Mine", which was also where I first noticed Him. It's nice to see that he's showing more potential and talent. He's far from being lead actor material right now, but it's nice to see him getting praise and more major roles.

One last notable actor is Oscar Leung, who has consistently given solid and memorable performances despite portraying minor roles. His popularity and recognition level has increased since "L'Escargot", which makes me happy. For some reason, I can't seem to see him in a lead role though. He's probably not very favored by TVB executives. Perhaps second male lead?

With the drainage of artists and amount of artists that are still relatively green, it's hard to choose who has what it takes to be the next few siu sangs. I think just having the guys experiment with different and increasingly major roles will tell. If I were to pick a few that could potentially be the next group of siu sangs though, I'd say promote and invest in Edwin Siu and Him Law, then train Jason Chan, Matthew Ko, and Benjamin Yuen to eventually fill the void. The one with the most popularity is definitely Him, but I think Edwin will have the most successful long time career. All these guys have their individual charms, strengths, and weaknesses, and I'm interested in seeing where their careers take them the next few years.

Niki: I can't see Oscar in a leading role either, but he does definitely deserves bigger roles. Second lead should be appropriate, he'll be able to expand his abilities further.

The next couple of years will surely be interesting. The artists drainage will provide a great opportunities for these new batch of artists to rise. Their career roads should be bright if they take this chance to improve themselves. With so many artists leaving now hopefully TVB will take good advantage of these potential stars. In time, with some polishing, training, and investment Edwin Siu, Him Law, Jason Chan, Matthew Ko, and Benjamin Yuen will be ready to make up for the lack in leads.

Top 10 TVB Artists of 2011

Every year, Next Magazine holds an awards presentation.  The main component is the list of top 10 TV artists for that year.  The results have recently released, which is why I have decided to put together my own list.  The results are based off on the whole 2011 year, and does not include series that started airing in 2012.  These artists have been picked based on onscreen performance (i.e. notable performances in actual series) as well as offscreen performance (work ethics, personality, improvements, etc).

#10 - Steven Ma
2011 was a year full of ups and downs for the well respected and gentlemanly Steven Ma.   His series "7 Days in Life" was moderately well received, but like most of his series, aired at a bad time slot.  For the first time, his ancient series "The Life and Times of a Sentinel" was able to snag the "golden" time slot as it aired during the summer.  Known as one of TVB's most loyal artists, Steven's career took an unexpected turn when he shocked and saddened many by announcing he would be leaving the TV company after 18 years of hard work with little recognition. In an effort to get him to stay, TVB executives offered to give him the Best Actor award. No longer interested in awards and just wanting to peacefully leave the company and start a new life in China, a tired and worn looking Steven refused and put his effort into filming his final TVB series, "Daddy Good Deeds" and hosting variety show "Book of Words". Steven worked hard this year as well as all the other years he worked for TVB, and deserves a fresh start and success elsewhere.  However, he will definitely be missed.

#9 - Raymond Wong
Raymond may have played second fiddle to Ruco Chan in "The Other Truth", but ended the year with a bang with his captivating portrayal of lead character "Tung Book Sin" in the unexpected big hit "Bottled Passion". His performance was met with critical acclaim and gained him even more fans, securing his status as lead actor. Fans on JayneStars.com even voted him as the Best Actor of 2011 over Kevin Cheng!

#8 - Nancy Wu
Known for her solid and interesting performances in supporting roles, Nancy delivered a breakthrough in the role of the lawyer "Eva Chow" in "Forensic Heroes 3".  Despite only appearing in a handful of episodes, she maximized the screen time she had and left viewers with a deep impression.  Nancy's performance was met with praise and she became the "black horse" candidate for the race for Best Supporting Actress, making it into the top 5.  This year looks like it will be an even brighter one for Nancy.  Will she finally be boosted up to lead actress status?

#7 - Sharon Chan
Viewers only saw Sharon once in the whole year of 2011.  However, with a role like "Ho Lai Ching" in "Ghetto Justice", that was all she needed to make an impact.  Portraying a pitiable and well meaning prostitute, Sharon became one of the most successful breakthroughs of the year.  Her portrayal of "Ho Lai Ching" did not come without hardship, as she broke her collarbone while filming and spent many months recovering.  Instead of giving up, she toughed out the rough filming conditions that came with the character.  Deservingly and not surprisingly, she took home the Best Supporting Actress, after years of unappreciated and overlooked hard work.

#6 - Linda Chung
"Yes Sir, Sorry Sir" may have failed to boost the careers of Moses Chan, Tavia Yeung, and Ron Ng, but unexpectedly generated a huge amount of press coverage for Linda's "Ms. Cool", who was only playing a supporting character.  "Ms. Cool" was so successful and loved that a spin off series for the character was filmed.  In one of the year's biggest shockers of the year, Linda did not take home the "My Favorite Female Character" award despite predictions and buzz.  However, I think having an entire spin off series based off the character is enough to make up for it!

#5 - Kate Tsui
2011 was an extremely busy year for Kate.  She graced television screens in Hong Kong almost all year round, with six of her series aired (including the previously warehoused "A Great Way to Care" and mini series "Dropping By Cloud Nine").  Her partnership with Bosco in "Lives of Omission" was the most talked about on screen couple of the year.  What made 2011 a great year for the actress though, was the improvements made in her acting.  She appeared much more natural and even cute in "Forensic Heroes III", while still retaining the fierceness and power that makes her, well...Kate Tsui.

#4 - Bosco Wong
Bosco seems to have been demoted to second male lead lately, but this didn't stop him from achieving even more popularity and praise.  His performance as gangster "Michael/Bai Co" in "Lives of Omission" was critically acclaimed and generated a lot of buzz.  Despite only being second lead, he emerged as the black horse candidate for Best Actor as well as My Favorite Male Character, competing against co-star Michael Tse, "Laughing Gor" himself.  Some even noted that Bosco out shined Michael.  It seems being demoted to second lead has only made Bosco more likable and popular!

#3 - Kevin Cheng
As an actor who was starting to be more known for his good looks than acting, portraying the role of "Law Ba" in "Ghetto Justice" gave Kevin the career push he needed.  Usually appearing uncomfortable onscreen and even somewhat wooden, Kevin successfully emerged himself in the unique role of "Law Ba".  It seems that 2011 was not only the year his career was resurrected, but also the year he learned to be more laid back and not take himself so seriously.  The result?  A much more likable and charming Kevin.

#2 - Myolie Wu
Myolie has always been the young TVB actress with the most versatility and skill, but recent years had her plagued with undeserved criticism for weak roles.  This was the year she finally fought back and won over viewers again.  "The Rippling Blossom", "Curse of the Royal Harem", and the sleeper hit "Ghetto Justice" all did well and gave Myolie much praise.  She won Best Actress for "Curse", making her the first rising "fa dan" to win the coveted title.

#1 - Ruco Chan
Ruco may not have won any anniversary awards, but 2011 truly was his year to shine.  After 17 years of hard work in the entertainment industry, 2011 was his break out year.  He won critical acclaim for his first leading role as "Keith Lau" in "The Other Truth".  As a result, he became the new favorite among producers when casting people for their productions, particularly Amy Wong.  In a mere 3 months, he pocketed $500,000 HKD from promotions and functions.  He became the new hot topic and household name in Hong Kong, dominating the tabloids and tvb.com blogs much longer after "The Other Truth" finished airing.  To finish off the year, he won Jaynestar's Sexiest Man Alive poll, beating out Kevin Cheng and Raymond Lam.  With "Ruse of Engagement" to be aired soon and the upcoming "Chok Crew" and "Seaside Love", there's no doubt that 2012 will be an even brighter year for Ruco.  He has secured his status as leading actor, and there's no kicking him out.

In my opinion, these are the 10 artists in 2011 that stood out in particular.  They all exhibited something outstanding and made great accomplishments.  We are four months into 2012, so it will be interesting to see what they will be able to accomplish with the remainder of the year.

What are your thoughts?  Who do you think stood out this year?  Comment with your own top 10!

"Finding Life's Sweetness" Chapter 6

It was Friday night again, a time for working people everywhere to relax.

Simon was tending to his bar when Ethan walked in.  "Ethan, good to see you!  What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I wanted a drink, and who better to patronize than my old friend?" Ethan replied.  "One beer please."

"Coming right up", Simon said, and decided to spark up another conversation.  "So how are you and Ella?" he questioned.

"Pretty good.  We're going to the beach to watch the sunrise tomorrow", Ethan told him.  "Hopefully she doesn't fall asleep or get bored", he added a bit nervously.

Simon laughed at the remark and handed him a beer.  "That sounds like something she would enjoy.  She needs the relaxation", he said.

Ethan nodded.  "I think the peace and serenity should be great", he noted.  "Also, if things go along like I hope, we might spend the whole day together."

"Sounds interesting", Simon replied.  "What are you going to do and where are you going?"

"I don't know yet", Ethan shrugged.  "I want to plan it as we go, see what she'd like to do."

"Aw, if I was a girl I'd be so swooned by your thoughtfulness", Simon joked, poking fun at his friend.

"Har har", Ethan replied, sarcastically.

"So what's going on in the great Simon Ng's love life?" he moved on.

"Like a desert experiencing an extreme drought", Simon replied.

Ethan wrinkled his eyebrows.  "Really?  A young good looking guy with a lot of money who's surprisingly not a jerk isn't getting any love?  What's wrong with this picture?" he made fun of Simon.  "Maybe your magnetic attraction force that seems to surround every rich young guy is broken", he added with a laugh.

"Very funny", Simon sarcastically replied.

"Here's a weird story though", he started.  "I am currently the fake boyfriend of someone", he straightforwardly said.

Ethan choked on his beer.  "I'm sorry, what?  What made you agree to do that?" he asked, curiously.

Simon shrugged.  "I'm doing it as a favor to her", he replied.

"You must like her if you're willing to do that", Ethan smiled.  "So who's the special girl?" he probed.

"Kristy, the assistant manager at my dad's agency.  And I find her interesting, I don't exactly like her", he defended.

"Come on, Simon.  We're adults now.  If you like someone, just say it.  We're not kids anymore", Ethan teased.

"I'm not even supposed to tell you about this", Simon replied, but then his face softened.

"She's different though.  Ambitious, tough, intelligent, and a feisty and fiery spirit unlike any other girl I've met", he talked about her fondly.  "Very stubborn though", he added with a chuckle.

Ethan started pointing at Simon.  "I've never heard you talk about a girl like this, you are definitely in love with her", he said.

Simon laughed.  "I guess I am", he replied.

"Be careful though, she sounds like a potential heartbreaker", Ethan warned, jokingly.

"We'll see about that", Simon said.

Quinn and Vince entered the bar in commotion.

"Why did you drag me here?" Vince complained.

"So you can have a little fun!  You've been so boring lately!" Quinn complained back in a huff.

Simon and Ethan looked up and caught sight of the two.  "Quinn, hey!" Simon called.

"Hey, Simon!" she yelled.  She nudged Vince.  "That's the handsome son of the owner of the agency I was telling you about", she told him and skipped over to him.

Vince followed Quinn over to the two guys and took a good look at Simon.  "Hmph, what's so special about him?  I'm just as handsome as him", he thought to himself.

Simon pointed to Vince.  "Your boyfriend?" he asked Quinn in a friendly tone.

Quinn looked appalled.  "He wishes!  This is Vince, my good friend and flat mate", she introduced.

"Nice to meet you", Simon and Ethan said to Vince and shook his hand, who appeared annoyed at the "He wishes" comment.

"So what are you two talking about?" Quinn asked, enthusiastically.

"Our love lives.  Or in my case, lack of it", Simon joked.

"Interesting", she replied, intrigued.  "I still find it hard to believe you wouldn't have a girlfriend", she pondered.

"That's the same thing I said to him", Ethan agreed.

"How hard is it to believe?  You've made several of my girlfriends run away", Vince teased her.

"Whoa, Quinn, what did you do?" Simon asked in deep interest.

"Nothing!  Girls just don't like the presence of another girl at their boyfriend's place", she replied, defensively.

"I can see how that would cause some problems", Ethan laughed.

A guy from the other side of the bar came over beside Quinn.  "Hi there, what's your name?" he asked, flirtatiously.  Clearly, it didn't take him long to take a liking to her cute and fun personality.

Simon and Ethan watched without much reaction, but Vince's nose flared.  What was this chump doing talking to Quinn?  Looking for a quick hook up?

"Quinn, what's your name?" she replied with a smile.

"Johnny.  May I buy you a drink?" he shot Quinn a smile.

"Sure!" she said with her usual enthusiasm.

Another guy came over, ready to sweep Quinn off her feet as well.  "I'm Daniel, I couldn't help but noticing your cute face from over there", he said with a smile.

Vince's eyes widened.  Another guy?! he yelled to himself.

He reached over and put an arm on a grinning Quinn's shoulder.  "Hey, Daniel, can't you see she's with me?" he told the guy.

Not wanting to pick a fight, the guys simply left.

"Huh, cheap and undetermined", Vince said about them, satisfied.

Quinn threw his arm off her shoulder and yelled "What did you do that for?"

"They were obviously trying to hook up with you!" Vince replied.

"So?  I wasn't going to follow any of them to a hotel room!" she said, angrily.  "They offered me a free drink!"

"If it really means that much to you, I'll pay for your drink", Vince offered.

"That's not the point!" Quinn screamed.  "But you can definitely pay for my drink", she added.

"Ok then, everything's fine", Vince said.

"No, everything's not fine!  Why did you ruin my fun?" Quinn whined.

"Nothing good was going to come out of that!  Who knew what those guys were really like?" Vince claimed.

Quinn groaned.  "Who are you to say that?  I know you've picked up girls at bars before.  I've seen you do that once, and it was not much different from what they did!" she said.

"Yeah, but you know me and what I'm like", he answered.

"I wasn't trying to find a boyfriend here, Vince.  I only wanted to mingle a bit", Quinn rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to go to the restroom", she said, and left in a huff.

Vince bit his lip.  Ok, maybe that was too much, he thought.  But who knows what they could've done to Quinn?

Simon and Ethan had been observing the two's bickering in amusement the whole time.

"So what's up with you and Quinn?" Simon asked, curiously.

"We told you.  We're friends and flatmates", Vince repeated.

"That didn't just look like an argument between two friends", Ethan said.

Simon nodded.  "Somebody seemed jealous", he noted.

"Rich boy, what are you talking about?" Vince grumbled.

"It's pretty obvious.  Why else would you have such a big reaction?" Ethan questioned.

"She's my friend!  I have to look out for her", Vince said.

"Even if you're just looking out for a friend, you don't have to look like your eyes are going to pop out of your head at the sight of her with another guy do you?" Simon joked.  Simon and Ethan both burst into laughter.

Vince faked laughter.  "Har, har, har, are you two done laughing at me yet?" he asked, annoyed.

"Ok, sorry, Vince.  We aren't trying to make fun of you", Simon apologized after he managed to stop his laughter.

"Yeah, sure you didn't", Vince rolled his eyes.  "I'm going to go to the restroom", he said and left the two guys.

He turned the corner to where the restrooms are and saw Quinn standing there talking to...another guy?!  Seriously?

He hit his head against the wall.  Come on, Vince, why do you care? he thought to himself, extremely annoyed.

===================

Author's Note: A very dialogue driven chapter with several character interactions.  I am slowly developing the relationship between Simon, Ethan, Vince, and Quinn.  These four will quickly become close friends in the near future, while the three girls will under go more bumps.

It was pretty fun writing lines for Simon and Ethan, as the two are supposed to be good buddies who make fun of each other a lot. :)

Aw, poor Vince!  He seems to be in denial that he loves Quinn, doesn't he? :P I love writing their scenes, hehe.

Preview of what's coming up: Ethan and Ella go on their first real "date".

"Finding Life's Sweetness" Chapter 5

"Excuse me, I have a package for a Ms. Ella Yeung", a delivery man said to Quinn, who was dozed off at her desk.

Quinn jumped up quickly.  "What?" she looked up in confusion to see a bouquet of roses infront of her.  "Oh, sorry.  Ella!" she called.

Ella stepped out of her office.  "What are you yelling about Quinn?" she asked and caught sight of the roses.

"Someone sent you roses", Quinn said with a mischievous smile.  Ella signed off on the delivery and opened the card that was hidden in the roses.  The card simply read "From, Ethan".

Quinn peeked over Ella's shoulder to look at the card.  "Is it from the guy who was waiting for you outside the bar the other night?" she asked, curiously.

"Yes", Ella bluntly replied, not sure what else to say.

"Get back to work", she told her, and took the roses into her office.  She stared at them as she thought hard.  She and Ethan had only met twice, but he had managed to leave a heavy impression on her.  He was the only one who had ever challenged her in such a way, and she wasn't sure what to think about that.  She agreed that there were some things that she should change in her life, but didn't want to listen to someone so easily.  Was he worth listening to?  Only time would tell.

**********

Kristy sat impatiently at her desk.  For some reason, she felt...unfulfilled.

Her eyes landed on the plaque sitting on the front of her desk.  It read "Kristy Wong - Assistant Manager".  All of the sudden, the words seemed to stare at her in the face.  She had been working as an assistant manager for about a month, but was already growing impatient and yearning to get higher up.  Ella was alright, but she wouldn't be satisfied until she found herself at the top, over Ella.

That wasn't the only thing bothering her though.  Her mom had visited her last night.  She wasn't nearly as angry as she had been on the phone the other day.  Even so, their encounter last night managed to be even more unpleasant than their phone call.

Knock, knock!  Kristy ran over to look through the peephole at who was at the door.  Who could possibly be looking for her?

She saw her mom (Mary Hon) standing outside and froze.  If there was someone who managed to even come close to slightly frightening Kristy, it was her mom.  She wasn't intimidating, mean, or scary in anyway.  However, Kristy had gotten her bluntness from her mother.  Only, she was an entire different kind of bluntness.

"Sweetie, it's so nice to see you!" she said after Kristy hesitatingly opened the door for her.

"Mom, what are you doing here?  It's Friday night, how did you know I was home?" Kristy asked, trying to feign politeness.

"Who are you trying to kid, Kristy?  You're always home", she answered, making fun of her.

"That's not true, I went to the bar with a couple colleagues a while ago", Kristy attempted to defend herself.

"Oh, a bar isn't the best place to meet men, sweetie", her mom said.  She paused and added "Then again, I'm happy you're going out at all."

"I didn't go there to meet men, mom.  I just went to blow off some steam", Kristy replied.

"I didn't realize you knew how to do that", her mom laughed.  "Anyway, I was just in the neighborhood meeting up with some friends and decided to stop by.

"That's very nice of you, mom", Kristy said, biting her lip to keep herself from saying something rude.

Kristy's mom proceeded to sit down and pulled a couple of pictures from her purse.  "Many of my 
friends showed me pictures of their sons.  Some are quite handsome and seem to have good character", her mom informed her.

Her daughter replied with a groan.  "How many times do I have to tell you I don't want to be set up?" Kristy complained.

"You and I both know you're not going to find a boyfriend any other way", her mom stated.  Before Kristy could get too offended, she quickly added "It's not because you're not pretty!  You just never put yourself out there."


Kristy squirmed in discomfort.  Getting a boyfriend wasn't in at all in her interest, but she'd take any opportunity to prove her mom wrong.

"I will find a guy, mom.  You'll see", Kristy said.  Her mom didn't look too convinced.

Kristy walked into the pantry to pour herself a cup of coffee.

What was she going to do?  Even if she could find a boyfriend, she didn't want to deal with having one.  Too much baggage, like she needed anything to keep her down.  She stood there pondering while slowly sipping her coffee.

"Hello, pretty girl", Simon greeted her as he came in.  Kristy cringed at his greeting and suddenly thought of a brilliant idea.

She nudged him and straightforwardly asked "Do you want to be my boyfriend?"

Simon dropped the cup he had been holding, feeling shocked, then smiled.  "My charm finally got to you, huh?  You really don't beat around the bush do you?" he asked.

"Don't be so flattered", Kristy scoffed.  "I'm asking you to be my fake boyfriend to prove to my mom I can find my own", she cleared up.

"So you're using me?" Simon feigned offense.

He thought about it for a moment.  "Okay, I'll do it.  Then again, technically that means you can't find a boyfriend on your own.  A real one anyway", he joked.

"Whatever", Kristy rolled her eyes.

"Fake or real relationship, you will fall for me eventually", Simon stated.

"Yeah, keep thinking that", she replied, sarcastically.

"I have a few conditions", she proposed.  "You can not say a word of this to anyone, you may refer to me as your girlfriend, and you most certainly can not touch me when my mom's not around."

"Why don't you just tie strings on me and control me like I'm your puppet?" he joked.

"If everything goes my way, I will be able to do that", Kristy added in a sneaky tone.

Simon looked slightly taken aback.  "So...when are we meeting your mom, sweetie?" he asked.

"Don't call me that", Kristy grumbled.

"You said I can't call you my girlfriend", Simon defended.  "Well, now you can't call me any other pet name that makes me want to vomit either", she added, and started to walk away.

"I'll tell you when we'll meet her", she called out.  She said that as if their "relationship" was just another business deal.

Simon admired her as she walked away.  Something about her blunt, feisty, and headstrong personality was (to him anyway) very attractive.

"I'll get through to her eventually", he thought to himself.  "She's one tough cookie though."

==========

Author's Note: There was so much more I wanted to include in this chapter, but decided to leave it for the next one to keep the length consistent.  It seems a lot more easier and organized to focus on specific characters each chapter as opposed to trying to squeeze in a scene with each person.

We got to see what Kristy's mom is like, and it's rather clear where she got her bluntness from, heh.

I used (attempted to anyway) a couple instances of foreshadowing, especially with Kristy.  I'm not too good at it though, so it isn't too clear but I have some of you will be able to catch it.

More of Ella and Ethan soon, I know I haven't focused on them much.  I'll do my best to not make it as boring and underdeveloped as it has been.

Preview of what's coming up: Focus on all the guys and Quinn, as well as Quinn and Vince.  :D  Really looking forward to writing this chapter.  Stay tuned!

"Finding Life's Sweetness" Chapter 3

"How about this jacket?" Quinn held up a black jacket for Vince to see, who was lying on her bed.  It was her first day of work as the O.A., and Vince had encouraged her to dress to make a good impression.

As a result, Quinn had been digging through her closet all morning trying to find something appropriate for the office while Vince gave her input.  Most of her pieces were bright colored and fun.  Having never worked in an office before, she came to the realization she didn't have any proper work attire.

Clothes were sprawled all over her bed.  "I never noticed how much your clothes resemble that of a hippie's before", Vince laughed.  "Do you even have a button down shirt?  That'll go with the the jacket and the skirt", he advised.

"Oh, I think I do somewhere", Quinn answered, continuing to look through the mess of her closet.

"Be right back, I need to use the bathroom", Vince said.

"Found it!" Quinn yelled.  The shirt was very wrinkled and clearly hadn't been worn in forever.  She'll just ask Vince to iron it for her.

Before Quinn could change out of her pajamas, she heard a knock at the door and went to open it.

A young female in a floral dress stood at the door step looking confused.  "Who are you?" she asked.

"Who are you?" Quinn asked back.

"What are you doing here?" the female interrogated in an increasingly angry tone.

"I live here?" Quinn replied, in a tone that yelled "Duh!".

The female looked at Quinn, who was only dressed in a tank top and pajama pants and started to freak out.  "Where's Vince?!" she demanded.

At the moment, Vince finally walked out of the bathroom.  "Who's at the door?" he asked as he approached the living room.  "Angie?"

"Vince, who is this?" Angie asked angrily, pointing at Quinn.  Quinn put her finger down,  "I'm his friend, who are you?"

"I'm his girlfriend!  Vince, what is a girl doing living in your apartment?" Angie yelled.  Vince looked at the two in desperation, clearly freaking out and unsure of what to do.  "Um...Angie, I'd like you to meet someone.  This is my good friend Quinn", he introduced with uncertainty.

Angie didn't look too happy.  She held up her handbag and started hitting him.  "Jerk!" she yelled in a huff, and left.

Vince collapsed onto the couch with his face in his hands.

Quinn looked at him and bit her lip. This wasn't the first time a girl had stormed out of Vince's life after seeing he had a female roommate.

She sat down next to him and playfully punched him. "There will be other girls. Besides, you're Vince the ladies' man!" she exclaimed, in an effort to cheer him up.

Vince smiled halfheartedly back. "I didn't like her that much anyway," he replied. "Go get dressed for work, you don't want to be late."

***********

Quinn strolled into the office. Ella happened to be in the open office area talking to one of her subordinates.

"Ms. Yeung!" Quinn called. Ella looked up from her work. "Quinn, you're here just on time. Come with me to my office", she said.

"Did you get here alright?" Ella asked after they settled down in their office. "Yes, thanks for asking", Quinn replied. She appreciated her boss' politeness but felt rather uncomfortable with the formalities.

"I'd like you to copy these papers for me and enter these accounts into the computer", Ella said and handed her two folders of papers. "Before you get to work though, let me show you around and introduce you to everybody", she said.

Quinn nodded. "That'll be great", she said and followed Ella out.

"Simon!" Ella called. "Come here, I want to introduce you to someone", she said.

Simon approached them and put his hand out to Quinn for a handshake. "Hello, you are?" he asked.

Quinn shook his hand. "Quinn Tong, the new office assistant. And you?"

Kristy showed up next to them. "He's the big man's son who doesn't have anything better to do than bum around here", she told Quinn.

"I help out too, I just bum around on the side", Simon corrected. "I'm Simon. This pretty little devil here is Kristy, the assistant manager", he said.

"Hello Simon and Kristy", Quinn said with a smile.

"Ella, I'll show Quinn around for you", Simon offered. "Good, get you off my back for a while", Kristy smirked. "He's your problem now", she whispered to Quinn.

"I can hear you, you know", Simon replied. Ella laughed at the two's bantering. "That'll be great, thanks Simon. Any problem with that, Quinn?" she asked.

"A tour given by a charming guy like him? Why would I have a problem with that?" Quinn laughed.

"See, everyone agrees I'm charming except you", Simon said to Kristy, who only replied with a roll of her eyes.

Simon showed Quinn around and then back to her office space. "This will be your office space, but you'll probably spend a lot of time in the copy room. If you have any questions or need help, I'm usually hanging around here in the early afternoon", he said.

"Just curious, what exactly do you do around here?" she asked.

"I'm usually here from 12 to 2. I run a bar and don't have to go to work until 6. I spend an hour or two a day here just helping out", he explained.

"I'd love to go to your bar sometime. You have so much time though, why would you spend it here?" she said.

"Like you said, I have so much time. I have people to run the bar so I don't even have to go to work if I don't want to. I like the people here and my dad appreciates me helping out with the agency whenever I can, so why not? It's play and work at the same time", Simon replied.

Quinn nodded. "I see. You're quite a filial son then. I should get to work now, thanks for showing me around!" she said.

"No problem", he replied.

**********

It was a couple hours into the work day, and Quinn felt herself nodding off at the computer.

There was an hour of work left and she had finished all her tasks. They were tedious, but relatively easy to do once she learned her way around the computer program and copy machine.

There was no boss breathing down her back either, which was a huge bonus. She still felt restless though, and started squirming in her seat.

"I'm bored", she mumbled to herself. She pinched herself to stay awake.

She peeked over at her colleague's desks to see what they were up to. To her amusement, Lily was painting her nails and Eric was playing online poker.

Quinn logged onto MSN Messenger and IMed her friends until it was time to leave work.

Heh, maybe working in an office wouldn't be so bad after all. Certainly better than working as a waitress or busboy.

**********

"I'm home!" Quinn called.

"You're still employed aren't you?" Vince asked nervously.

"Yes I am", Quinn said in an "in your face" tone.

"Oh good", he answered, relieved. "Wait...you are employed at the same job right? Not a different one?" he asked.

"Yes, silly!" she said.

The two sat down to have dinner and chat after a long day like they always do. Only today, the atmosphere was a little awkward. Quinn and Vince kept staring down at their plate.

"I'm sorry about what happened this morning", Quinn apologized.

"Don't worry about it, it wasn't your fault", Vince replied quietly.

"Maybe I should move out. I think I'm the reason why so many of your relationships don't work out", Quinn said in a low voice.

Vince put down his fork and looked up for the first time during their whole meal. "Don't be crazy! I told you, it's not your fault", he argued.

"But..." Quinn started.

"No, end of discussion", Vince said. "Besides, you pay me rent. I'm not going to just kick out my tenant", he added as he mustered up a smile.

"Ok then", Quinn said.

Vince sighed. The truth was, Quinn definitely was the reason why so many of his relationships didn't work out. What girlfriend would be comfortable with their boyfriend living with another girl? At the same time, Vince couldn't imagine what it'd be like to not live with Quinn anymore. He wouldn't be able to tell her to leave. What was he going to do?

===========================

Author's Note: This chapter was very focused on Quinn, as well as Quinn and Vince. Of course, there was also some more bantering between Simon and Kristy! The next chapter or two will begin focusing on Ella and Kristy. Friendships between the characters will start developing as well. Hope this chapter didn't bore you too much!

Originally posted on TVB Interaction.

"Finding Life's Sweetness" Chapter 2

"One mocha frappuccino with extra whipped cream please", Quinn told the cashier at Maggie's Cafe. She quickly paid, got her drink, and went to plop down on one of the comfy sofas. She was exhausted and craved something sweet to give her an energy and mood boost.

She had been running around all morning trying to find a job. It turned out that these days, bosses were more interested in laying off people than hiring people.

What was she going to do? Where else could she look? Quinn knew Vince would only continue to harass her if she didn't go home with a new job. She swore, sometimes, Vince acted more like her father than her best friend. He always lectured her on how she had to change her carefree lifestyle and get some stability in her life.

Quinn had never had much stability. In fact, her friendship with Vince was probably the only consistent thing in her life. She preferred making things up as she went along. If she wasn't happy, she'd fix the problem, which often resulted in her quitting or getting fired from numerous jobs she hated.

The bell on the door of the cafe rang and Ella walked in, interrupting Quinn from her thoughts. She observed Ella in her work attire as she brought her daily espresso. Hm...what would it be like to wear formal clothing and go to work at the office everyday? Sounded a bit boring and suffocating, but in Quinn's unemployed state, a little appealing.

"How are you doing today, Ms. Yeung?" the cashier asked. "Good, and you?" Ella politely answered.

"Fine, how has work been?"

"Like it's always been. We're a little short on people though, we could use some more help around the office", Ella replied.

Quinn's ears perked up. "Wow, what luck!" she thought and quickly ran over to Ella, slightly frightening her. "Hi! I'm Quinn Tong. Sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear. You're looking for help around the office? That's perfect, I'm looking for a job!" she excitedly said.

Ella looked at her with surprise. "Um...yes we do. I can only give you a job as an office assistant though. You'll be doing tasks like copying papers, organizing information, answering phone calls, and running errands from time to time. Are you capable of doing such tasks?", she asked Quinn.

"Yes, I'll take it!" she eagerly replied. It sounded far from the most interesting job in the world, but at least she'd have one.

"Ok, but I'm warning you, it doesn't pay much."

"I'll take it anyway!"

Ella was quite surprised at Quinn's eagerness. She looked relatively young and had probably just been fired. She seemed desperate, and Ella really did need some extra hands at the agency.

Ella took a business card out of her purse. "Here's my card, report to work tomorrow at 9AM", she said and hurried off.

Quinn looked down at the card, which read "Starry Marketing Agency". She pumped her fist into the air. "Yeah!" she exclaimed. Vince will be proud, and finally stop lecturing her.

**********

Simon peered over Kristy's shoulder while she worked on her computer. "So, do you have a boyfriend?"

Kristy didn't bother to even look at him. "No, why are you so nosy?", she bluntly replied.

"Just wondering. I thought an attractive young woman like you would have a boyfriend for sure", Simon said.

Kristy scoffed. "Men are a waste of time".

Simon laughed. "Perhaps they're just scared of you", he teased.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be besides bothering me at work?" Kristy asked impatiently.

"I told you, I run a bar. I don't have to go to work until 6pm. I don't even have to go to work if I don't want to."

"You don't have a girlfriend? I would think a rich guy like you would have a line of girls following him around."

"Haven't found the right girl. I know I may seem so charming and flirty, but I'm not much of a playboy. I'm more old fashioned than you'd think. Don't care to entertain the girls that you claim follow me around. Is this game of 20 questions over yet, Ms. Wong?" Simon answered playfully.

"Pfff. That still doesn't justify why you're always here", Kristy said.

"Truthfully? I'm a boring person. Other than tending to my bar, I don't do much with my life. Besides, the people here are..." he looked at Kristy thoughtfully. "Interesting", he finished.

She gave him a weird look. "Nonsense", she said, and went back to work.

Someone knocked on the door. "Come in", Kristy said, and Ella walked in with a file in her hand.

"Kristy, read over this file", she said. Kristy took it from Ella's hand.

"Ella, don't leave yet! I have something to ask you", Simon called before she could walk out.

"Yes?" Ella turned around.

"My good friend Ethan Chan is hosting a function tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me and meet him. He's a business man, maybe you two could work together", Simon proposed.

He turned to Kristy. "You can come too if you want. I'd be more than happy to go with two such pretty and capable women", he said to her sweetly. Kristy almost shivered at the thought. "No thank you", she replied.

Simon didn't look too surprised. "Ella?". Ella thought about it for a second. "Sure, why not?" she replied. A little mingling wouldn't hurt, especially since she didn't have anything better to do.

"It's a date then! I'll pick you up at 6", Simon said. "Ok", Ella smiled.

Kristy rolled her eyes. "Can I work in peace now?" she said in an impatient tone.

Ella and Simon quietly tiptoed out.

**********

Ella examined herself in the mirror in her deep blue strapless dress and black cardigan.  It had been forever since she had gone to a social event.  This outfit seemed fitting for a function, neither too casual or formal.

Right on time as always, Simon rang the door bell.
   

At first glance, he looks like yet another playboy.  If there was something Ella had learned from being friends with him for five years, it was that that couldn't be any farther from the truth.  The two had always been on friendly terms, and he was the one person at the agency she was close to, yet he doesn't even officially work there!  Nevertheless, they were never anything more.  Simon was an easygoing guy who Ella enjoyed being around and talking to, but nothing else.

Ella opened the door to see Simon looking handsome in a suit.  "Ready to go?" Simon asked with his usual warm smile.  She smiled back and said "Yes".

The function was lively with many chattering people and great music and food.  Ella took a second to absorb the atmosphere.

"There's Ethan!" Simon said, excitedly and went off to greet him. Ella followed behind.

Simon tapped Ethan's shoulder. "Buddy, I haven't seen you in so long!" he exclaimed. "Yes, it has been too long!" Ethan replied.

Simon turned to Ella. "Ethan, I'd like you to introduce to someone. This is Ella, a friend of mine and the manager at my dad's marketing agency. Ella, this is Ethan. He's a good buddy of mine from college!" he said.

Ethan gave Ella a charismatic and friendly smile and shook her hand. "Pleasure to meet you", he said to her.

"Pleasure to meet you too", Ella answered as she shook his hand.

Ethan looked to be in his early to mid 30s and was very handsome. He wore spectacles that made him look mature and even more attractive.

The two spent a couple seconds longer staring at each other than two new acquaintances usually would. Ella felt herself growing a bit shy. Her polite smile became a shy one. Ethan smiled back.

Simon seemed to automatically sense the sparks and quickly made an excuse to step away.

"Hey, is that Tim from college?" he said as he pointed to no one in particular. Simon gave Ethan a pat on the shoulder. "Take your time chatting you two!" he hastily said before leaving them alone.

Ethan laughed at Simon. "He hasn't changed at all", he said to Ella, and they began engaging in small talk.

"So you are the manager at Starry Marketing Agency, huh?  Extremely impressive that such a pretty young woman like you is so capable and smart!  I love an intelligent woman", Ethan complimented Ella.

Ella felt herself turning red.  "Thank you, you're not so bad yourself.  You organized a very nice function", she replied.

In a matter of minutes, Ella and Ethan grew more comfortable with each other and their small talk became more engaging discussion.

"One should always be professional", Ethan stated.  "At the same time, they shouldn't become too obsessed with organization and structure."

"Yes, but I can't help being a neat freak and trying to live a structured life", Ella laughed.

"That's fine.  Striving for perfection is tiring though.  Learning to be more relaxed and flexible will make live easier and more enjoyable", Ethan replied.

He looked down at his watch.  "I'm sorry, but it's almost time for me to go up and speak.  It was very nice talking to you, Ella", he said, sincerely.  He handed her his business card.  "Feel free to give me a call, whether it's for business or just to talk", he said.  He gave her one last warm smile before walking to the stage.

Ella stared at the business card in her hands.

"So, how'd it go?" Simon popped up next to Ella with a wide grin, scaring her.

That night, Ella tossed and turned in bed, thinking about her encounter with Ethan.  Her mind switched between thinking of Ethan himself, and what he said.  His words echoed in her head.  "Learning to be more relaxed and flexible will make life easier and more enjoyable", she repeated to herself.

That's what Ella needed to do.  Be more relaxed and flexible.

===================================

Author's Note: Things are picking up!  The last main character, Ethan, has been introduced.  What do you guys think of him?  Do you agree with what he said?

I feel like everyone will only continue to like Simon even more.  He is certainly very likable and I love writing his bantering scenes with Kristy.  Simon and Ella also have a sweet friendship.  Although they're not a couple, hopefully this will be a nice treat for TaRo fans.  :)

Ella is beginning to go through development and taking notice of her weaknesses.  Kristy may seem like a robotic character now with her bluntness and seriousness towards work, but she will open up soon too.

Vince didn't appear this chapter, but he will be back next chapter.  More hilarity will ensue between him and Quinn.  Speaking of Quinn, her first day of work will be next chapter as well!

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and will continue to read!

Originally posted on TVB Interaction.

"Finding Life's Sweetness" Chapter 1

A young woman in her late 20s walked down the streets of Hong Kong with an undeniable air of dominance.  Her face was straight, appeared tough, and ready to intimidate the first person that dared get in her way.

She was Kristy Wong (Mandy Wong), an up and coming marketing professional.  She had been voted the one to watch by business magazines all over Hong Kong, as well as one to be feared.  

It was her first day of work as the assistant manager at Starry Marketing Agency, her latest promotion in her climb up the corporate ladder.  

“One day, I will be the manager”, Kristy thought to herself as she step foot into her new work building.  She strolled into the elevator full of people and hit the third floor button, completely oblivious to the ones warily observing her.

**********

Ella Yeung’s (Tavia Yeung) office is one of the neatest and most organized spaces one will ever see.  Everything was where it had to be, and in alphabetical order no less.  Ella could be a little obsessive compulsive, and she admitted it.  Without organization, she felt anxious and uneasy.  

However, that didn’t stop her from being one of the most respected and capable in her field.  Firm and professional yet fair, she had her subordinates under her control while still being well-liked.  To the world, Ella Yeung was the closest anyone could get to perfection.

Knock, knock!  Ella’s secretary, Daisy, (Natalie Tong) walked in with Kristy beside her.  “Ms. Lam, the new assistant manager Ms. Wong is here”, she announced.  

“Hello Ms. Lam”, Kristy said, with an insincere smile that showed she was all business.  Ella reacted with her usual welcoming smile.  “Hello there, Ms. Wong.  I’ve heard a lot about you”, she answered.

“Good things I hope”, Kristy replied.  “Of course”, Ella replied back.

As they sat down, the two women observed each other in great detail and were impressed with what they saw.

"She looks professional, elegant, and intelligent. What a refreshing change from my previous boneheads of bosses", Kristy thought.

"Fiery spirit of a fighter this girl has", Ella thought. 


Kristy reminded Ella a bit of herself when she first entered the marketing world, confident and ready to conquer. After being manager for almost five years, 32-year old Ella had begun wanting something more. But what? What could a modern day woman want besides her career?

"Welcome to Starry Marketing Agency. It's a pleasure to have you as our new assistant manager," Ella said.

"Thank you, I look forward to working here and learning from you. Who knows, maybe one day, I will be the one sitting in your seat", Kristy replied with a smile.

"Maybe", Ella laughed. "I worked hard for this position though and I won't lose it so easily".

"Then I'll just have to work even harder."

"I like your ambition. Now let's introduce you to your subordinates", Ella said as she led Kristy out to the open office.  "You just met Daisy, that's Eric, Lily, Jennifer, and Johnny.  The door over there will be your office", Ella pointed to Kristy.


"Hello, everybody!" An attractive young man in his late 20s (Ron Ng) walked in with two bags in his hand.  "I have everyone's favorite treats!" the man called out.  All the employees started crowding around him.  "Two egg tarts and milk tea for the lady boss", he said enthusiastically as he handed the treats to Ella.


The man turned to Kristy.  "Who are you?" he asked with a confused face.  "Who are you?" Kristy asked back in a demanding fashion.

"Simon, this is Kristy Wong, our new assistant manager.  Kristy, this is Simon Ng.  He is the son of the owner of this agency", Ella introduced.

"Nice to meet you", Simon said to Kristy with a charming smile, and put his hand out for a hand shake.
Kristy brushed off and ignored the gesture.  "The boss' son, huh?  That would make you the rich kid born with a silver spoon in his mouth?" she cooly asked.

"I guess you could say that", Simon replied.  "But I don't sit around doing nothing while I squander away all my father's money, so don't get the wrong idea."

Kristy looked unimpressed.

"What?  Never see a handsome boy before?" Simon teased.

Ella watched the two in amusement.  "Simon runs his own bar.  Many of us like to go there and relax.  He also comes to help out here at the agency too, even if it's just to deliver us snacks", she told Kristy.

"Good to know", Kristy replied, and proceeded to take the last latte in the bag of snacks Simon brought before going to her office.

"Hey, I was saving that for myself!" Simon complained.   The door shut.

"She's a feisty one isn't she?" he said to Ella.  She only replied with a laugh and returned to her own office as well.

Left alone, Simon turned to see Daisy, Eric, Lilly, Jennifer, and Johnny huddled in the corner eating their snacks and holding back giggles.  Clearly, they had been intently watching the pair banter.  "Get back to work you guys!" he yelled, playfully.  The five quickly ran back to their desks.

**********

Handsome 25-year old real estate agent Vince Wong (Bosco Wong) unlocked the door to his apartment after a long day of work.  He walked in to see his roommate and best friend since high school, Quinn Tong (Leila Tong), casually lying on the couch watching TV while munching on potato chips without a care in the world.

He bit his lip nervously.  "Quinn...what are you doing home?  I thought you don't get back from work until 7", he asked cautiously.

Quinn finally turned away from the TV and acknowledged Vince.  "Oh, you're home?  Wow, that was a really good show!" she said enthusiastically.

"Quinn..."

"I got fired, okay!

"You got fired again?!  Quinn, this is the fourth time you've gotten fired this year!  And the year's only half over!" Vince yelled.

"Well, apparently bosses don't like being told by their employees they're wrong and stupid like a monkey with its head cut off", Quinn replied bluntly.

"No one wants to be told that!"  Vince sighed.  "Quinn, I know you're outspoken.  I love that about you as much as I love your...vivid way of talking", he said about his dearest friend with a smile.  He grew serious again.  "However, work isn't the place to fully exercise the freedom of speech you love having so much.  We're not 16 years old anymore.  You need to find a new job that you can keep", he told her.  "Okay?"

"Whatever you say, daddy", Quinn answered Vince with a salute.  She got up and went back to her room.

Vince shook his head.  "Oh, Quinn.  You haven't changed a bit since we were kids", he said with a fond smile.

========================

Author's Note: Originally posted on TVB Interaction, I will be posting "Finding Life's Sweetness" here as well to start off the collection of fiction Asian Entertainment Experience will offer.  Stay tuned for Niki and SeraDev's fictions!

I hope you didn't find it too terribly boring. I was trying to properly set everything up. Apologies for the slow pace and relatively uninteresting start. I think I introduced the characters decently enough though! Hopefully, it'll get better as it goes on. Do give feedback! :)

Originally posted on TVB Interaction.

"Finding Life's Sweetness" Forewords

This lovely poster was made by Lynne from TVB Horizon!
Synopsis: Three women, all want different things in life.  One wants perfection, one wants money, one just wants to live a happy life.  What happens when these three women’s lives intertwine?  This is the story of three young women’s journey in facing friendship, love, and the struggles of life itself.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Cast:

Ella Yeung - Tavia Yeung

Kristy Wong - Mandy Wong

Quinn Tong - Leila Tong

Ethan Chan - Ruco Chan

Simon Ng - Ron Ng

Vince Wong - Bosco Wong

Character Descriptions

Ella Yeung - Manager of Starry Marketing Agency.  She is a hardworking and for the most part, independent young woman who strives for control and perfection in her life.  Tired of taking care of herself her whole life, she has a soft side and secretly wishes for someone to look out for her.

Kristy Wong - Assistant manager of Starry Marketing Agency.  She is an ambitious, confidant, demanding, and slightly greedy individual feared by her subordinates.  She is blunt and sarcastic in her words and does not show much compassion. 

Quinn Tong - A quirky, independent, and free-spirited individual who has trouble keeping a job due to her outspokenness.  She finds a job as the O.A. at the marketing agency.  Her wish is to live a happy and carefree life.

Ethan Chan - A charming, slightly rebellious, and laid back businessman.  He can be a bit lazy and unconventional, but gets things done when they have to be.

Simon Ng - The son of Marcus Ng, the owner of Starry Marketing Agency.  He runs his own bar, Simon's Bar.  He is attractive, flirty, and playful, but can be caring and thoughtful as well.  He is the only one who isn't scared of Kristy, and finds himself bothering and challenging her at work.

Vince Wong - Real estate agent.  He is funny, sweet, a bit silly, and has been Quinn's best friend since high school.  Although a self-proclaimed ladies' man, he secretly loves Quinn and is very protective of her, often helping her out of trouble.

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Author's Note: This is my second attempt at writing fan fiction, after having written my first [very rushed, very shoddy] fan fic "Deceiving Assumptions" for TVB Central.  Although I won't be using the actual script format, this may end up playing out like a screenplay for a drama.
Inspired by dramas revolving around women like "La Femme Desperado" and "Beauty Knows No Pain", I decided to put my own spin on this type of series with my own characters and cast.

Just a bit of extra information, but I wrote Tavia, Mandy, and Ruco's characters with them in mind.  Tavia is in desperate need of a meaty character, even if it's just on paper.  Kristy Wong is a character I'd love Mandy to play.  Quin, Ethan, Simon, and Vince were written first, and I picked the actors I thought would be perfect for the role.