Darkness & Lights

Kang-Yi, a bright 17-year-old, comes home for her summer vacation from her college in the capital, Taipei. Her father Ah Xiu, who lost both his... More

Kang-Yi, a bright 17-year-old, comes home for her summer vacation from her college in the capital, Taipei. Her father Ah Xiu, who lost both his wife and his sight in a car crash several years ago, tries to make ends meet by running a small massage parlour in his home; he has a staff of three, all of them blind or partially sighted. Ah Xiu and his new wife Bao-Hui(also blind) do thier best to support Kang-Yi's schooling and to bring up her younger brother Ah Kee, who is somewhat retarded. The 18-year-old Ah Ping has just arrived in Keelung. His Mainland-born fether has returned to China and entrusted the boy to the care of Song, a friend from his days in the army. Ah Ping has been expelled for misbehaviour mentor Song is the "big Brother" of a local triad gang. "big Brother" SOng is also an old friend and regular customer of Ah Xiu's. In fact, he gave Ah Xiu the money to set up the massage parlour. Kang-Yi develops an immediate crush on the boy and soon finds an excuse to stay out all night with him, showing him the night market and other favourite places and taking him on a dawn boat-ride around the harbour. But this relationship infuriates Kang-Yi's former classnmate Ah Lim, who considers himself her boyfriend. And Ah Lim happens to be the son of Big Sister, the boss of a rival triad gang. Next thing, junior members of the two gangs are picking fights with each other in public. Their leaders meet and try to negotiate peace under the auspices of Xiao Gu, the corrupt captain of police. Xiao Gu, however, has taken an instant dislike to Ah Ping, and he's happy to leave the gangs to slug it out... Close