Fragrance of the First Flower Episode 1

SUBWAY CAR - DAY YI-MIN (33, subtly made-up but weary-looking, wearing a simple dress) sits leaning against the transparent partition of a subway car. A tired normalcy hangs about her, at odds with her attempt at presentability. A PA announcement reminds passengers transferring to another line to disembark at the next station. Scene 2: INT.

SUBWAY STATION - DAY Yi-Min follows the crowd towards the transfer platform. She arrives just as the train pulls in, some passengers rushing to board. Caught in the hurried flow, she gets on. Scene 3: INT.

SUBWAY CAR - DAY Yi-Min catches her breath, looking up at the electronic display showing the line and next station. She freezes. YI-MIN (Softly, dismayed) Ah. She realizes she boarded the wrong train just as the doors close. Frustrated, she checks her phone for the time. Scene 4: INT. SUBWAY PLATFORM - DAY The train stops, doors open.

Yi-Min rushes out and walks directly across the platform to wait for a train going the opposite direction. She pulls out a wedding invitation, double-checking the address and floor number. Scene 5: INT. WEDDING VENUE LOBBY - NIGHT The elevator doors open, revealing Yi-Min and other guests.

She joins the queue at the gift table, taking out a red envelope (traditional wedding gift). She glances at the amount inside, then hesitates, noticing there's no sign indicating gifts for the bride's or groom's side. YI-MIN Excuse me, is this for the bride's side? ATTENDANT (Smiling) Yes, we're accepting all gifts here.

Yi-Min is caught off guard, looking at the wedding photo card on the table – it’s a lesbian couple. She's momentarily flustered. YI-MIN Oh, I'm sorry... I didn’t mean it like that, I'm very happy for them, it's just, I think I'm in the wrong place. JIA-XIN (O.S.) Yi-Min!

Yi-Min turns to see JIA-XIN (33) waving at her. She nods apologetically to the attendant and walks towards Jia-Xin. JIA-XIN Over here! Jia-Xin points towards a different gift table clearly marked for the bride's and groom's families. They hand over their gifts and receive wedding favors. JIA-XIN Where's your husband? Didn't he come? YI-MIN He had something come up. JIA-XIN He always has something come up. The last time I saw him was probably your wedding day. YI-MIN (A small laugh, resigned) Probably. Yi-Min shrugs with a helpless, almost indifferent smile. JIA-XIN Your son's in preschool, right? YI-MIN Yeah. JIA-XIN Bilingual? YI-MIN They have English classes, but it's not a full bilingual program. JIA-XIN You should consider switching to a full English immersion school. I can recommend a few. Scene 6: INT.

WEDDING VENUE - BANQUET HALL - NIGHT Yi-Min and Jia-Xin are seated at a round table with other friends, people arriving and greeting each other.

Yi-Min stands with Jia-Xin and their friends beside the newlywed couple in front of a decorated backdrop. The PHOTOGRAPHER checks the shot, adjusting positions. PHOTOGRAPHER The tall guy in the suit on the right is blocking people, can we switch it up a bit? After shuffling around, Ting-Ting ends up next to Yi-Min. PHOTOGRAPHER There's a gap on the right, everyone squeeze in a bit closer. He means the space between Yi-Min and Ting-Ting. They move closer, the group tightening for the photo. Scene 10: INT.

SUBWAY CAR - NIGHT Yi-Min rides home with the group, everyone carrying identical wedding favor bags. They chat amongst themselves, holding onto straps and handrails. FRIEND A If you're new to investing, I recommend looking into ETFs. FRIEND B Don't those involve using a foreign brokerage account? FRIEND A Not necessarily. JIA-XIN (To Yi-Min) What's an ETF? YI-MIN I don't know. Friend A overhears. FRIEND A ETF stands for exchange-traded fund. It's like a basket of different stocks, so the risk is lower. TING-TING I've heard it's like a fruit platter. FRIEND A Exactly! You're into investing too? TING-TING (Shakes head) Just heard a friend talking about it. FRIEND A There are a lot of different investment options now, unlike traditional methods. Plus, entering and exiting the market is very flexible. FRIEND B What else do you recommend? FRIEND A It depends on your needs. Come by my office sometime and we can talk more. FRIEND B Sounds good! FRIEND A I don't think I have your Line. Let's connect. The friends exchange Line QR codes. Yi-Min and Ting-Ting don't ask for each other’s. One by one, people get off at their stops until it's just Jia-Xin, Yi-Min, and Ting-Ting left. JIA-XIN (Exhausted tone) Please, once you have kids, unless you're loaded, who has time for playing the stock market? (To Ting-Ting) You, enjoy your freedom while you still can. TING-TING Having kids must make life more interesting though. Jia-Xin throws a pointed look at Yi-Min. JIA-XIN (To Yi-Min) See? That's the difference between having kids and not having them. She's full of hope for the future. Jia-Xin sighs dramatically as Yi-Min forces a laugh. The train arrives at their station. JIA-XIN This is me. Let's hang out again soon! Jia-Xin waves goodbye, exiting the train. The doors remain open, the constant chatter now gone, leaving a conspicuous silence. It’s just Yi-Min and Ting-Ting.

The doors close, the train starts moving. They stand facing the windows, a distance between them. Yi-Min stares at the station names displayed above, trying to think of something to say. YI-MIN Which stop are you getting off at? TING-TING Muja. YI-MIN So you're transferring at Nanjing Fuxing too... Two more stops. A beat of silence. They ride in awkward quiet for a while before Ting-Ting speaks again. TING-TING How about you? YI-MIN I live in Dazhi now. Ting-Ting nods slightly. The silence resumes. Yi-Min takes out her phone, pretending to check messages. Scene 11: INT. SUBWAY STATION - NIGHT They exit the train, riding up the escalator one after the other.

At the Muja line platform, they both stop. It feels like something should be said, but neither speaks. TING-TING See you around. YI-MIN Yeah, see you. Yi-Min turns and walks towards the connecting bridge to the opposite platform, her back to Ting-Ting. Her expression betrays her inner turmoil. She’s tempted to turn back but doesn't. Yi-Min’s phone vibrates in her bag. She takes it out. Seeing the caller ID, a small, genuine smile lights up her face. Reaching the top of the escalator, she answers. YI-MIN Hello? In the distance, across the tracks, Ting-Ting raises her phone to her ear as well. TING-TING This is my number. YI-MIN I know, you haven't changed it. TING-TING Just in case you forgot. Yi-Min takes a deep breath, watching as Ting-Ting hangs up. Ting-Ting gives a slight smile before boarding her arriving train. Yi-Min walks across the bridge, her pace slowing. She watches through the glass as the train pulls away. Looking out at the cityscape through the station windows, fragmented memories resurface. Scene 12: EXT. VOLLEYBALL COURT - DAY - FLASHBACK A volleyball soars through the air. It reaches its peak and begins to descend. A pair of toned, athletic legs with white kneepads – Yi-Min (17) jumps, seemingly defying gravity. She spikes the ball with a powerful swing. On the other side of the net, an opponent anticipates her move and jumps to block. Yi-Min lands. The ball lands behind her. No one picks it up. The referee blows the whistle, the scoreboard flips – a point for the opposing team. Yi-Min glances at the COACH (50s, stern) standing arms crossed on the sideline. He's not looking at her. Guilt washes over her. Standing next to the coach are other uniformed players, including a younger Ting-Ting (15) and Jia-Xin (17). Play resumes. Yi-Min plays sloppily, flustered. The coach signals for a timeout. The whistle blows. Players gather around the coach, some teammates from the sidelines handing out water bottles. Yi-Min takes a bottle from Ting-Ting, gulping it down as she listens to the coach’s instructions. COACH How many times have I told you, attack and retreat! The back row needs to cover for short balls! You train together every day, why do you look like strangers out there? Each of you playing your own game. What is this, a performance? We're a team! There's a reason why we have six people on the court! His gaze settles on Yi-Min. COACH You, take a break. Yi-Min hesitates, reluctant, but obeys. COACH Jia-Xin, you're in. The whistle blows. They huddle, hands stacking one on top of another. Yi-Min leads the cheer. YI-MIN Focus, everyone! Let's win this! One, two, three— ALL PLAYERS Go! Go! Go! The players take their positions. Yi-Min remains on the sideline. Jia-Xin isn’t performing well. The coach scans the line of substitutes. Ting-Ting watches the game intensely, shouting encouragement. COACH Zhong Ting-Ting. Ting-Ting is caught off guard. She walks towards the coach. COACH Warm up. TING-TING Oh, right. Her reaction reveals she wasn't expecting to play. She starts rotating her wrists and ankles. COACH You've practiced formations with the seniors before, haven't you? TING-TING Y-yes, a few times. COACH I'm putting you in. Are you confident? TING-TING Um... She can't bring herself to say yes. The coach sighs. COACH Wait on the sidelines. Ting-Ting moves behind the coach, continuing her warm-up. The coach calls another substitute over, speaking to her quietly. He signals for a substitution. The other player takes the court. Ting-Ting and Yi-Min stand side-by-side, one benched, one too afraid to play. Scene 13: INT. GYMNASIUM - HALLWAY - DAY - FLASHBACK The team sits in a dejected circle on the floor, leaning against the wall by the windows. Yi-Min is drenched in sweat, head hung low. Ting-Ting and other junior players arrive with a water cooler, finding spots to sit amongst the seniors. COACH Your opponents didn't even make it to the finals last year. I was planning to use this game to train the juniors. And what happened? The seniors are struggling, and none of the juniors are ready to step up. He doesn't name names, but Ting-Ting knows he’s talking about her. Shame washes over her. COACH No ambition, no care for the outcome, just playing for fun, right? Do you even need a coach? YI-MIN We're sorry, Coach. The other players echo her apology in hushed tones. ALL PLAYERS We're sorry, Coach... COACH (To Yi-Min) And you, Captain? What do you have to say? All eyes turn to Yi-Min. She thinks for a moment. YI-MIN We're sorry, Coach. It’s not the answer he's looking for. He sighs again. COACH Being captain isn't just about saying sorry. Think about how to lead your teammates. I have no one else to put in. (Looking at the juniors) You joined the team to play volleyball, not to hand out water. Or do you want me to make you team managers instead? Ting-Ting surprises everyone, speaking up. TING-TING (Determined) We will work harder, Coach. We will train hard with the seniors. We're sorry, Coach. Thank you, Coach. The coach stares at her, surprised. He nods slowly. Yi-Min glances at Ting-Ting, taking in her words. Scene 14: INT. GYMNASIUM - NIGHT - FLASHBACK The volleyball team runs laps around the gym, Yi-Min leading the pack. YI-MIN Keep up! She calls out to a lagging junior player. Ting-Ting bursts through the gym doors, out of breath. She drops her bag and quickly changes into her volleyball shoes. Yi-Min walks towards her. TING-TING I'm sorry I'm late, Senior! YI-MIN How late are you? Ting-Ting checks the clock on the wall. TING-TING Twenty minutes... YI-MIN (Disbelieving) Twenty minutes? TING-TING No, wait. We're supposed to arrive ten minutes early to warm up, so... I'm thirty minutes late. YI-MIN Didn't you say you were going to work harder? And you're late? Ting-Ting hangs her head, ashamed. YI-MIN Go run thirty laps around the outside track and then come back in. TING-TING Thirty... Yes, Senior. Thank you, Senior. Yi-Min rejoins the team, continuing their drills. Scene 15: INT. GYMNASIUM - NIGHT - FLASHBACK Players are paired up, practicing sets and spikes. Ting-Ting walks back into the gym, hands on her stomach, still out of breath. Yi-Min, practicing attacks with a few other players, sees her as she goes to retrieve a ball. YI-MIN Done already? TING-TING (Panting) Ten...ten more laps... YI-MIN (Sighs) Do them later. Grab some water and come here. Yi-Min brings Ting-Ting up onto the stage, going through arm stretches. Ting-Ting mirrors her movements awkwardly. Yi-Min walks over, correcting her form. YI-MIN Watch me. Like this... (demonstrates) You need to be aware of the distance between your body and the ball. And your hand goes like this... Extend your arm... Ting-Ting listens intently, nodding, but keeps pressing on her stomach. Yi-Min notices her pale face. YI-MIN Are you on your period? Ting-Ting shakes her head. YI-MIN Did you have dinner? Ting-Ting hesitates, then shakes her head again. YI-MIN You can't do that. You need energy to play. You have to eat something before practice. TING-TING I'm sorry, Senior. I'll eat next time. YI-MIN If you're not feeling well, just take a break. TING-TING No, Senior. I'm fine, really. I can keep going. Ting-Ting takes the volleyball from Yi-Min, practicing diligently. Scene 16: INT. YI-MIN'S FATHER'S CAR - STREET - DAY - FLASHBACK Yi-Min (17) sits in the back seat, looking out the window, her school bag beside her. Her FATHER (50s) drives. FATHER Your mother and I have been talking, and we think it's about time for you to quit the volleyball team. When you joined in your first year, we were happy you wanted to try something new, get some exercise. But you're in your third year now. Your studies are getting more intense, and we’re worried about you. You're pushing yourself too hard. Yi-Min ignores him, pointedly rolling down the window. They stop at an intersection. Across the street, she sees a food stall selling red bean cakes. Ting-Ting helps her MOTHER (40s) bag steaming hot cakes and make change for customers. Students in uniforms line up to buy them. FATHER Xiao Min, what do you want for dinner? Your mother was thinking Din Tai Fung, the shrimp fried rice. Do you want fried rice or dumplings? YI-MIN Anything’s fine. Seemingly not wanting to be seen by Ting-Ting, Yi-Min turns away from the window and rolls it back up. Scene 17: INT. SCHOOL - HALLWAY - DAY - FLASHBACK Yi-Min stands in the hallway, looking out towards the track field. Ting-Ting is running laps. From the other end of the hallway, a group of boys shouts towards her, catching Yi-Min’s attention. BOY A Red Bean Girl! Hey, Red Bean Girl! BOY B Cream Puff Girl! Haha, Big Boobs Girl! BOY A (Laughing) Dude, shut up! Yi-Min observes Ting-Ting. She ignores the taunts, focused on her run. Scene 18: INT. SCHOOL - TRACK FIELD - DAY - FLASHBACK Ting-Ting, still running, spots Yi-Min standing at the edge of the field. She stops. TING-TING Hi, Senior. YI-MIN You haven't finished your ten laps yet? TING-TING I finished them already. YI-MIN Then why are you still running? The sun’s so strong, you'll get heatstroke. TING-TING My stamina's really bad. I need to train harder. Yi-Min seems surprised by Ting-Ting’s determination but maintains her senior's demeanor. YI-MIN Right. TING-TING I’m going to keep running then, Senior. Ting-Ting resumes running. After a beat, Yi-Min starts running too. Ting-Ting smiles, noticing Yi-Min running beside her. Yi-Min smiles back, then speeds up, overtaking her. Ting-Ting pushes herself, catching up, and then passing Yi-Min. They run, a mix of competition and unspoken support between them. Scene 19: INT. YI-MIN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Yi-Min enters her dark apartment. The TV is off. Her husband, REN-XIU (35), sits on the sofa scrolling through his phone. She glances at the blank TV. Yi-Min opens the fridge to get a drink, looking inside. YI-MIN That's unusual. Mom didn't make you bring back any leftovers? REN-XIU What leftovers? YI-MIN You know, how Mom always cooks a ton of food and wants us to take some home. REN-XIU Oh, you mean your mom… He puts down his phone and turns to face her, finally engaging in the conversation. REN-XIU No, we didn't go today. Yi-Min frowns. YI-MIN You didn't go to your mom’s? But we agreed... REN-XIU (Nonchalant) It’s just dinner. We can go tomorrow. YI-MIN But tomorrow we're supposed to go hiking with Wen-Zheng's family, right? REN-XIU Oh, right. Yi-Min sighs, exasperated. YI-MIN So is it confirmed or not? REN-XIU I'll check. He picks up his phone to text. YI-MIN You told me it was confirmed! I already asked the teacher to reschedule Xiao-Zhe's art class. Now she has to find another time to make it up. REN-XIU Alright, alright, I'm asking now. YI-MIN Did you at least tell your mom that you weren't coming today? He doesn't respond. YI-MIN (Frustrated) I'm talking to you… REN-XIU No, I didn’t. YI-MIN And what did you do at home all day? REN-XIU Relaxed. It’s Saturday. I just wanted to enjoy my weekend… YI-MIN You get to relax at home on the weekend. When do I get to relax? It's like I’m raising two kids. (beat) Give me your phone. REN-XIU Why? Yi-Min holds out her hand expectantly. He reluctantly hands her his phone. She dials a number and immediately shoves the phone back into his hand. He glances at it – it's ringing, the call timer counting up. He scrambles to answer. REN-XIU Hi, Mom... Yeah, we already ate… Don't worry, Yi-Min took care of everything. Yes... Is your leg feeling any better? You have to take the medicine the doctor prescribed... Yi-Min walks past him, retrieving a video game controller from under the sofa cushions and placing it in a drawer. He watches her, silent and chastised. She goes into the kitchen. The table is dirty. She wipes it down, then washes the cloth and wipes it again. She opens the cupboard, putting away the dishes one by one. Scene 20: INT. YI-MIN'S APARTMENT - XIAO-ZHE'S ROOM - NIGHT Yi-Min enters her son's room, turning off his bedside lamp and kissing his forehead. He sleeps soundly, still clutching his favorite mini handheld fan. She gently removes the fan, tucks his hand under the covers, and adjusts the blanket. Scene 21: INT. YI-MIN'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT Yi-Min sits on her bed, looking at her phone. Her most recent call: a familiar phone number. She contemplates, lost in thought. Yi-Min opens her photo gallery. The photo she took of the lesbian wedding. She zooms in – on her face, and Ting-Ting's. She glances towards the living room, where Ren-Xiu is now asleep on the sofa. Quietly, she closes her bedroom door. She dials the familiar number. Holding the phone to her ear, she waits. [END OF EPISODE 1]