How It All Goes Down
Nick — Macau
- Nick arrives at the airport in Macau greeted by Bernard Tai, son of Carol Tai, and his entourage of ostentatious cars.
- Commence the name-dropping of the young money as they compare their planes — attendees of this party appear to be more Bernard's crew than Colin's.
- Bernard takes the crew to Macau's old town, offering a secret password in an apothecary shop ("ginseng royal jelly") and they walk into a dogfighting arena (2.9.14).
- Wait, what?
- Colin and his buddies are uncomfortable. Once Colin says he's not into it, they leave to Bernard's disgust.
- At the hotel, Bernard puts up a scene in the hotel lobby because their rooms aren't ready, dropping slurs left and right.
- Colin suggests wasting time in the casino to avoid any further scenes.
- True to form, Bernard demands the best VVIP gambling salons for his crew.
- Nick's cousin Alistair arrives and there is brief discussion of his lady Kitty Pong.
- Bernard is frustrated no one is interested in the VVIP rooms and everyone wants to gamble on the main floor.
- Flashback to 1986 Singapore with Nick face down in a ditch, Bernard standing over him.
- Someone else witnessed the event and tells Bernard to back off.
- When Bernard's car pulls up, he threatens to do "part two" to Nick the next day (2. 9.79).
- The kid "who had come to Nick's rescue" asks him if he's okay and gives him a handkerchief for his bloody elbow (2.9.80).
- This kid is Colin Khoo.
- Apparently Bernard is mad at Nick because Nick told the teacher he was trying to cheat off of him.
- Colin admits he's nice to Bernard only because his parents told him to be.
- The two boys bond over liking Sylvester Stallone and sucking at speaking Mandarin.
- When Colin's grandma shows up, she offers Nick a ride. She knows the family, says that they are practically family, and insists on taking him home.
- She asks Nick if he knew his mother was going out of town. He did not.
- She silently chastises Eleanor for her irresponsibility and can't understand how Shang Su Yi let her son marry Eleanor.
- The boys are friends and the rest is history.