Transition from Act 2 → Act 3
INT. CAR – NIGHT (Driving back)
Adrian rests against Norah’s chest, her eyelids heavy.
Norah whispers: It’s all gonna be okay. I’ve got you.
Adrian closes her eyes, her breathing slowing.
CUT TO — Adrian’s POV memory.
Light and sound overlap, drawing the audience into a flashback.
Act 3: The Childhood
Adrian’s Family Background (Hunan → U.S.)
Father
He had once been an official in the Chinese bureaucracy, but after a corruption scandal came to light, the family fled in haste to the United States.
Outwardly he maintained an air of authority and self-importance, but inwardly he was filled with resentment, convinced that fate had humiliated him.
He frequently threatened Adrian’s mother with words—never striking her, but using humiliation and scorn to maintain control.
He kept a mistress, seeking validation and admiration. Adrian knew, but chose silence, because on some level she even sympathized with him.
Mother
She had once relied on her husband’s privilege within the system, but after emigration she found herself fallen from grace and trapped in hardship.
She resented him constantly, feeling her life had been ruined by the marriage.
Toward her daughter she was harsh and merciless: verbal abuse, denial, blame—pinning every failure of the family on Adrian.
At times she would even strike Adrian, venting her uncontainable anger.
Though she understood, deep down, that her husband had a mistress, she chose self-deception, unwilling to face it outright.
Adrian’s Position
As a child she had tried to help her mother, wanting to ease her burdens.
But her mother’s response was always cruel, even accusing Adrian of being the cause of the family’s decline.
After repeated rejection, Adrian stopped helping her and grew cold.
She understood her father’s frustration, and even turned a blind eye to his affair, because compared to her mother’s coldness, his vanity seemed almost comprehensible.
With her mother, however, communication was impossible—an unbridgeable rift.
Psychological Impact
She longed to be loved and recognized, yet feared that intimacy would inevitably collapse into accusation and violence.
Betrayal carried a double meaning for her: it was painful, but also something she could understand, even excuse.
In Norah she sought a substitute mother/partner figure, but Norah’s strength and control reproduced the very shadow of her mother.
Thus, this explains:
Why Adrian clung to the romantic idealism of A Chinese Odyssey—because she had no access to genuine tenderness in reality.
Why, as an adult, she could endure Norah’s manipulation—even submission—because it mirrored her mother’s pattern, though at least Norah’s control carried love.
Why she never exposed her father’s affair—because she needed, somewhere in her heart, a figure who was “not entirely bad.”
Norah’s Family Background (Hong Kong → U.S.)
Father
Emigrated from Hong Kong to the U.S. during the 1970s–80s, from an ordinary background, building a restaurant through sheer hard work.
Diligent and down-to-earth; not a man of many words, but conscientious and polite with customers.
His values were simple: as long as one works hard, one can stand firm. He had little ambition for higher social status, content instead with a steady life.
Mother
Came from a working-class family in Hong Kong, skilled in managing the household, long accustomed to working alongside her husband in the restaurant.
Plainspoken and pragmatic—sometimes sharp-tongued, but soft-hearted at her core.
She never demanded that Norah “surpass others”; she only wanted her daughter to do well in school, have prospects, and live more easily than they had.
Family Atmosphere
The restaurant was modest in scale, but clean and orderly, built on hard work and good reputation.
Life at home was busy and fast-paced, but steady and warm.
They often welcomed Adrian into their home to eat and do her homework, treating her almost like a second daughter. They pitied her and hoped she could escape the storm inside her own family.
In the community, they were regarded as honest, easygoing Hong Kong immigrants.
Norah’s Position
Growing up in such a family, she learned to be caring, gentle, and attentive to others.
Toward Adrian she was especially kind—not only out of friendship, but also from a subconscious impulse to both protect and guide.
She was not manipulative by design, but possessed a quiet pull, a gentle way of leading that gradually drew Adrian into dependence on her.
To outsiders, Norah was the considerate, reliable friend; but only with Adrian did her affection carry an undercurrent of possessiveness.
Psychological Impact
On the surface, she appeared warm, kind, and grounded.
Beneath, she carried a strong sense of possession toward Adrian: unwilling to let go, unable to accept that Adrian might wholly belong to someone else.
Later, when she became entangled in the drug trade, it was not out of nature or intent, but because Dominic had pulled them both in—and her protective/possessive drive led her, almost unconsciously, deeper into the spiral.
This setup makes the relationships more nuanced:
Adrian’s family = broken, violent, cold → she longs for a refuge.
Norah’s family = humble, warm, accepting → they give Adrian a temporary haven.
But safety combined with an undercurrent of possessiveness ultimately twists, in adulthood, into a complex bond of love and entanglement.
#13 FIRST MEETING AT DIM SUM
INT. DIM SUM RESTAURANT – DAY
A crowded Chinatown dim sum hall. Steam drifts from stacked bamboo baskets; carts rattle past, waiters bark orders in Cantonese and English. Families crowd around circular tables, the air thick with chatter, clinking porcelain, and the squeak of tea trolleys.
At one large table, ADRIAN (9) sits with her parents. Across from them, NORAH (10) with hers. The adults speak over each other in Cantonese—rent, suppliers, competition—threads of worry woven into every word.
Adrian sits small and silent beside her father, hands folded in her lap. She stares at the steam rising from a basket of siu mai but doesn’t reach for it.
Norah notices. Calm, assured, she lifts the bamboo lid, a cloud of steam spilling upward, and nudges the plate across.
NORAH (soft, matter-of-fact) You should try this one. It’s the best.
Adrian looks up, startled. Their eyes meet. A shy, tentative smile flickers across her face. Norah grins back—open, certain.
Beneath the table, out of sight of the adults, Norah nudges Adrian’s shoe with her foot. Adrian startles, then stifles a giggle. The parents keep talking, unaware.
#14 PLAYDATE
INT. NORAH’S RESTAURANT – KITCHEN / BACK ROOM – AFTERNOON
Steam hangs thick in the air. Cooks shout in Cantonese, woks clang, flames roar.
In the corner, a small TV perches atop a fridge, volume low. Onscreen flickers A Chinese Odyssey — Stephen Chow’s face glowing in the haze.
ADRIAN (9) and NORAH (10) crouch on overturned crates, shoulders touching, eyes locked on the screen.
ONSCREEN — ZHIZUNBAO (Stephen Chow) (subtitles in Cantonese)「曾经有一份真挚的爱情摆在我面前，我没有珍惜……」
Adrian mouths the line in Mandarin, her face deadly serious, as if reciting scripture.
ADRIAN (whispering in Mandarin)曾经有一份真挚的爱情摆在我面前，我没有珍惜……
Norah leans closer, grinning.
NORAH (Cantonese, teasing) 你咁细个，明乜嘢爱情呀？(You’re so young—what do you know about love?)
Adrian shushes her, still staring at the TV.
ADRIAN (imitating solemnly, in Mandarin) 等我失去的时候，才后悔莫及！
She clutches her chest, then collapses against Norah in mock agony.
Norah bursts into laughter, nearly tipping off her crate.
NORAH (Cantonese, hamming it up in Stephen Chow’s voice) 如果可以再嚟一次——我一定会讲，我爱你！
They dissolve into giggles, snatching chopsticks to duel like swords, reenacting scenes with wild exaggeration.
A COOK storms past, waving them away. COOK (Cantonese, exasperated) 唔好喺度阻住晒，走啦走啦！(Don’t block the way, get out, get out!)
The girls ignore him, lost in their private world—half movie, half make-believe.
CLOSE ON — Adrian’s face. Flushed, eyes shining. For her, this isn’t just play.
#15 DINNER AT NORAH’S
INT. NORAH’S HOUSE – DINING ROOM – EVENING
The table is crowded with steaming dishes—roast duck, stir-fried greens, bowls of soup. Norah’s parents move quickly, reaching across to pile food onto each other’s plates.
MOTHER (Cantonese, cheerful) 快啲食啦，唔好客气！(Come, eat, don’t be shy!)
Adrian sits between Norah and her mother, shoulders slightly hunched, chopsticks poised but unmoving. She watches the flurry of hands, the laughter, the warm rhythm of voices all in Cantonese—so different from the icy silences at her own home.
A platter of red-braised pork passes. Adrian’s eyes flick to it, then away. She doesn’t reach.
Norah notices. With a sly smile, she slides a piece onto Adrian’s bowl.
NORAH (whispering) 好好食㗎。 (It’s really good.)
Adrian looks up—surprised. Their eyes meet. She lowers her head and takes a bite.
The flavor is rich, sweet, unfamiliar. Her expression softens.
Around her, the table hums with chatter and clinking bowls. Adrian doesn’t speak, but she lets the warmth seep in, like sitting inside a hearth.
CLOSE ON — Adrian’s face.
Silent, but her eyes shine. For the first time, she feels what it’s like to belong to a family.
#16 AFTER DINNER / MOVIE NIGHT
INT. NORAH’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
The TV flickers with Kung Fu Hustle. Stephen Chow staggers, pratfalls, and takes a cartoonish punch that sends him flying.
On the couch, ADRIAN (9) and NORAH (10) double over with laughter, clutching their stomachs, nearly spilling the bowl of melon seeds between them.
ONSCREEN — a slapstick fight erupts, over-the-top sound effects filling the room.
The girls howl. Norah leans into Adrian, gasping for breath.
NORAH (still laughing, Cantonese)佢哋打得好蠢呀！(They fight so stupidly!)
Adrian wipes tears from her eyes, nodding.
ADRIAN (Mandarin, between giggles) 要是真打架，这样一招就输了。
She jumps up, mimicking a kung fu stance with crooked chopsticks.
ADRIAN (loud, dramatic) 我天下无敌！
Norah shrieks with laughter, snatches a pillow and hurls it.
NORAH (Cantonese, playful) 打低你！(Take that!)
Adrian collapses to the floor in mock agony, groaning.
ADRIAN (clutching her chest, mock-serious) 哎呀……我输了！
Norah falls beside her, still laughing. For a beat, both lie on the carpet, catching their breath.
NORAH (softer, Cantonese)同你一齐，真係好好笑。(It’s only this fun when you’re here.)
Adrian turns her head toward her, smiling faintly.
ADRIAN (quiet, Mandarin) 我也觉得。
CLOSE ON — Adrian. Her laughter fades into a glow of wonder. For her, this isn’t just play. It’s the feeling of being seen, of belonging.
INT. NORAH’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
The TV clicks off. The room falls into a hush. Norah and Adrian sprawl on the couch, still catching their breath from laughter.
NORAH (Cantonese, playful) 仲未瞓啊？(Not sleepy yet?)
Adrian shakes her head, eyes gleaming.
They exchange a grin. Then, like conspirators, they snatch up their flashlights and tiptoe away.
INT. NORAH’S HALLWAY – NIGHT
The house is hushed, shadows stretching along the walls. The girls creep down the hallway, giggling under their breath.
As they pass the closed bedroom door, a sound seeps out—muffled voices, the squeak of bedsprings, a woman’s breath quickening.
The girls stop.
A strip of light glows beneath the door. Two shadows flicker across it—entwined, shifting.
Adrian’s eyes widen. She leans forward, transfixed. Her hand trembles on the flashlight.
ADRIAN (a whisper, Mandarin) 他们在……？
Norah’s face tightens. She lunges, grabbing Adrian’s wrist.
NORAH (Cantonese, urgent) 唔好睇！快啲走！(Don’t look! Come on!)
Adrian resists for a beat, staring, caught between awe and confusion. Then Norah yanks harder, pulling her down the hall. Their footsteps scuttle into the dark.
INT. NORAH’S ROOM – CONTINUOUS
The girls tumble inside, shutting the door softly. Both pant, shaken.
Adrian hugs her flashlight.
ADRIAN (tentative, Mandarin) 刚刚……他们……
NORAH (Cantonese, sharp) 唔好讲。唔准。(Don’t say it. Don’t.)
Silence hangs. Then Norah flicks on her computer, eager to distract.
The screen glows blue, casting long shadows. She clicks clumsily—ads pop up, then a grainy adult clip fills the screen.
Onscreen: blurred skin, muffled sounds.
The girls stare, faces bathed in flickering light. Their breathing quickens.
Adrian whispers, voice trembling.
ADRIAN (in English) Are we… bad?
Norah shakes her head, steady despite the flush in her cheeks.
NORAH (low, in English) No. We’re just us.
A beat. Adrian slowly reaches out. Their fingers brush—then lock together.
The air thickens. Shoulders lean closer. A charged pause.
Adrian snorts. Norah giggles. In seconds, they collapse into laughter, clutching their sides.
Norah slams the space bar. The screen goes black.
They fall back onto the bed, laughing, breathless, side by side in the dark.
WIDE SHOT — their small figures on the mattress, laughter and heartbeats tangled, a secret binding them tighter than either can name.
INT. NORAH’S ROOM - LATER
We hear the PHONE RINGS from the living room. Norah pays attntion to the sound.
We hear Norah’s mother picking it up in the kitchen. After a moment, she knocks on Norah's room, Norah quicly slams the laptop close. Norah's mom calls out in Cantonese:
NORAH’S MOTHER: Adrian，係你妈妈。(Adrian, it’s your mother.)
The laughter dies instantly. Adrian’s face freezes. She sits up, wiping at her cheeks, suddenly wary.
She drags herself to the phone.
INT. NORAH’S LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS
ADRIAN (into phone, Mandarin, tentative) 喂……妈。
Her mother’s voice blasts through—sharp, relentless.
We don’t hear the words clearly, just the harsh rhythm, rising and falling, overlapping with the hum of the TV in the background.
Adrian’s shoulders hunch. She grips the phone tighter, head bowed, whispering muted “嗯” and “好.”
Finally she hangs up, the silence heavy.
She turns. Norah and her mother both watch her, concerned.
NORAH (softly, Cantonese)点呀？(You okay?)
Adrian forces a small smile, shaking her head.
ADRIAN (quiet, Mandarin)没事。……但我得回去了。
Norah’s mother rises gently, taking her keys.
NORAH’S MOTHER我送你返去。(I’ll drive you home.)
Adrian nods, lips pressed tight.
CLOSE ON — Adrian’s face.
The warmth of the evening has drained away, replaced by something guarded, resigned.
#17 OUTSIDE ADRIAN’S HOME
EXT. ADRIAN’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Norah’s mother’s car rolls to a stop at the curb. Inside the car, silence hangs heavy. Adrian stares out the window, her reflection faint in the glass. Norah sneaks glances at her, chewing her lip.
From the apartment building ahead, the sound of shouting seeps into the night—a man and woman arguing, words muffled but sharp, punctuated by the crash of something thrown.
Norah’s mother kills the engine. She turns, her voice gentle.
NORAH’S MOTHER (Cantonese) 记住，小心啲。要保护自己。(Be careful. Take care of yourself.)
Adrian nods quickly, not trusting her voice. She reaches for the door handle.
Before she can step out, Norah catches her hand. Their fingers squeeze tight.
CLOSE ON — two small hands intertwined in the dim light.
Adrian looks at her. Norah’s eyes shine with worry, unwilling to let go.
Finally, Adrian forces a faint smile, slips free, and climbs out.
She walks toward the building. The shouting grows louder as she approaches the door. For a moment she hesitates, shoulders stiff, then pushes inside. The door shuts behind her.
Back in the car, Norah presses her face to the window, straining for one last glimpse. Her mother places a hand on her shoulder.
WIDE SHOT — the car idles at the curb, the apartment looming above, its windows lit, voices still spilling out.
FADE OUT.
#18 BACK TO PRESENT / CAR RIDE
INT. CAR – NIGHT
Match cut:
The apartment door shuts on nine-year-old Adrian — CUT TO the present, car door slamming shut.
The road hums beneath the tires. Norah drives, her face rigid, eyes fixed ahead. Beside her, ADRIAN (now 20s) slumps in the passenger seat.
Her head leans against the window, as if asleep. Streetlights streak across her face in brief flashes.
For a moment she is still. Then—a single tear slides down her cheek.
She doesn’t stir. Doesn’t wipe it away. Just breathes, slow and heavy, like the body beside her carries too many memories.
WIDE SHOT — the car gliding through the dark, two women inside: one alert, one adrift, their silence heavier than the night outside.
Transition: ~2 min
Adrian/Norah montage: ~7–8 min
Childhood scenes: ~18–20 min
Return to present: ~2 min
≈ 30–32 min