The Good Old Days

The Good Old Days was a television drama produced by Hong Kong broadcaster Asia Television in 1996. It was first aired from 15 April 1996 to 20 September 1996. The series is one of several ATV series that was well received in viewership ratings. After the network shut down in 2015, broadcasting rights along with many other ATV dramas were sold to rival network TVB for 17 million HKD. Plot The drama series takes place around the days of the Nationalists' Republic of China, and also Warlord Era and World War II. The era itself was considered as the most turbulent period in China's modern history. It depicts how the three women, Sau Hau, Man Fung and Ding Man, strive for their own way of living during this time. The story begins in a small village in the 1920s with Sau Hau (Amy Chan) becoming a servant for the powerful Fong family who owns a winery. The Fong family takes a liking to her and arranges a marriage between her and their eldest son, Ho Sang (Steve Ma) who is away on a trip in Guangzhou. Meanwhile, while on his trip, Ho Sang meets Man Fung (Sheren Tang) who has just been sold by her mother from the village unknowingly into prostitution. Ho Sang saves her just in time and the two begin a relationship. When Ho Sang returns to his village, he is furious at the arranged marriage to Sau Hau but eventually agrees due to his mother's illness. He is extremely cold to Sau Hau and distances himself from her, while continuing to see Man Fung when he returns to Guangzhou for work and tells her that he does not have feelings for Sau Hau. However, as time progresses, he eventually warms up to Sau Hau and begins a relationship with her with Man Fung unaware. Sau Hau's friend, Pui Pui (Kiki Sheung) is forcibly sold by her father and married to a local abusive warlord as his sixth wife. Ho Sang makes the decision to enlist in the army for the Northern Expedition and leaves his home behind to the disapproval of Man Fung, Sau Hau, and his family. Later, Man Fung and Sau Hau both discover they are pregnant. When Man Fung returns home to her mother, she is discovered by the village and almost killed by Sai Fan (Paul Chun) for being pregnant as a single woman. She reveals that the baby is Ho Sang's and hence, Sai Fan's grandchild. Sau Hau saves her and Ho Sang writes a letter home to confirm this. Man Fung is married into the Fong family as Ho Sang's second wife but is disliked by the family especially when Sau Hau has a miscarriage after saving her.