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……