FADE IN
Act 1
EXT. SHEK O BEACH - 10:45
Cloudy. PETER is sitting in a bench reading his smartphone.
PETER (V.O.): The thunderstorm warning won't end until 11:15.
Scrolling down a page, something gets Peter's attention.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In the historical fiction "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", the fourth one "Yan" which existed for 48 years wasn't mentioned.
We see on screen the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280) of China's Han Dynasty: Wei (north of Yangtze), Shu (in the southwest) and Wu (in the southeast).
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've never read Luo Guanzhong's novel originally published in 1522.
We see on screen "the novel's chief theme is the nature of human ambition"...
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Its opening lines "The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide." highlight the cyclical theory of the rise and fall of any empire.
Surfing the web further, Peter finds something interesting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, there's a mention of a related work by the late Ronald Fung (馮兩努) who applied the ancient wisdom in modern business.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
INT. OFFICE - DAY (1993)
Surrounded by files, Peter (38) takes a cold call.
SOMEONE (from phone): Sir, I wonder if time is right for you have a chat with me on asset management...
PETER (To phone): No, I'm busy!
SOMEONE (from phone): When would be the appropriate time then?
PETER (To phone): Six months later!
Peter hangs up.
INT. OFFICE - DAY (Six months later)
Peter takes a cold call.
PETER: Hello, who is it?
SOMEONE (from phone): I was the one who called you six months ago...
INT. FUNG'S OFFICE - DAY (Days later)
RONALD is briefing Peter and his WIFE about a proposal.
RONALD: It's a strategic long-term investment with good returns. You pay the 20-year management fee upfront...
Peter and his wife are wondering.
RONALD (Cont'd): It's cheaper. I myself have also subscribed to the same.
RONALD shows them his papers.
RONALD (Cont'd): I'd share part of my commission with you.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.): I committed and paid. A fortnight later, when Ronald delivered me my papers, he gave me $3000.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Through our casual exchanges, I knew we're around the same age.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As his father died young he had to double his effort in doing things.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Like me, he took the HKU Matriculation in 1973 but wasn't admitted.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): From 1973-1974, he taught English in both day and evening schools so that he could further his studies in Canada.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I just taught in a day school, focusing to re-sit the HKU matriculation exam again and hoping that I might be admitted.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When he became a degree holder and an Assistant Education Officer, I was still a matriculant and a Housing Assistant.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As to the investment outcome, I got consistent negative returns.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Anyhow, Ronald would engage me occasionally. In 2008, he died at the age of 54.
Act 3
EXT. SHEK O BEACH - CONTINUOUS
Having input the prompt: "At Shek O Beach, Hong Kong, a man is sitting in a bench, reading his smartphone" in an AI art generator in his smartphone, Peter sees a cubist image appearing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yes, I'm like that when learning about the 4th Kingdom and remembering Ronald.
Seeing the blue sky appearing, Peter goes to the beachfront.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Be better, I'm going to swim to the faraway outer limit of the swimming area.
We see Peter - the lone swimmer - swimming along the outer buoy line.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Alive and kicking, I feel my privilege.
FADE OUT
THE END
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