Fallen Angels (1995)

Takeshi Kaneshiro: He Zhiwu

Photos 

Quotes 

• He Zhiwu : Most people fall in love for the first time as teenagers. I guess I'm a late bloomer. Maybe I'm too picky. On May 30, 1995, I finally fell in love for the first time. It was raining that night. When I looked at her, I suddenly felt like I was a store. And she was me. Without any warning, she suddenly enters the store. I don't know how long she'll stay. The longer the better, of course.

• He Zhiwu : They say that love can change a man. I start to find myself looking better and more charming, and suddenly I discover that I'm turning blonde.

• He Zhiwu : We rub shoulders with many people everyday. Some may become close friends, or confidants. That's why I'm always optimistic. Sometimes it hurts. Not to worry - I try to stay happy. That night, I saw that woman again. I knew we'd never be friends or confidants. We'd let too many chances pass us by. Nothing happened, there was no chemistry. Maybe it was the weather, but that night I found her very alluring.

• He Zhiwu : I wish I could tell her some problems can't be solved over the phone. You meet the guy face to face and talk it out, or, if that fails, you punch him in the nose. Too bad I couldn't put it into words. But she seemed to somehow understand anyway.

  Charlie : I think you're right. Let's go.

• He Zhiwu : I was very talkative when I was small. But at age five, I ate a can of pineapple that had expired, and I stopped talking. For that reason, I have very few friends.

  He Zhiwu : I found it very hard to find work too. I finally decided to be my own boss. Having no capital, the only thing I can do is sneak into other people's shops after hours and run my own business. I'm not a freeloader. I just think it makes sense, since the rent's already been paid, to run the business around the clock.

  He Zhiwu : Who says nobody buys pork at 3:00 a.m.? I came yesterday to buy some, didn't I? If you want to do business, you have to take each customer's needs into account.

  He Zhiwu : Buddha said, "If I don't descend into hell, who will?" When you're the boss, you have to be kind, caring and tolerant. You can't just look to your own gain. I know very well there's no such thing as a free lunch, so I always work very hard until the wee hours.

  He Zhiwu : I don't make a lot of money, but I'm happy.

• He Zhiwu : I love ice cream. When I was little, an ice cream truck would stop by my house every day. I was always happy to see it. Once I asked my dad why he didn't drive an ice cream truck. He didn't answer. I later found out my mother had been run over by an ice cream truck.

• He Zhiwu : You rub elbows with a lot of people every day. Some strangers might become your friends or even confidants. So I never turn my back on a chance to rub elbows. Sometimes I rub till I bleed. No big deal, as long as I'm happy. That night, I ran into that woman again. I knew very well we'd never be friends or confidants. We'd had too many chances to rub elbows in the past. We had rubbed elbows till our clothes tore, but still no sparks. Maybe it was the weather, but that evening I felt a spark.

• He Zhiwu : One evening, Dad wasn't feeling well. I took him to the hospital. He passed away not too long afterwards. All these years, I've always felt like a little boy because of him. He was someone I could always turn to, someone to solve all my problems. Packing up his stuff that evening, I felt like a grown-up for the first time. But I don't want to be a grown-up. I sure wish Dad could always be with me.

• He Zhiwu : Watching Dad cook in the kitchen, I felt very happy. Though I know I'll never taste his steaks again, I'll never forget how they tasted.

• He Zhiwu : On august 29th, 1995, I ran into my first love again. But she seemed to have forgotten about me. I guess I'd gotten too handsome.