The Little Nyonya

Deaf and mute Ju Xiang is born into a wealthy Straits Chinese family but she is treated as a servant as her mother Tian Lan is only a bondmaid in the family who was impregnated by Huang Yuan, the head of the household.

Ju Xiang and Tian Lan are busy preparing Tok Panjang, a traditional Peranakan dinner feast for important guests. Japanese photographer Yamamoto Yousuke chances upon Ju Xiang and is mesmerized by her beauty.

Charlie Zhang lusts after Ju Xiang but his actions are stopped by Chen Sheng. Tian Lan objects when Charlie sends someone to ask for Ju Xiang's hand in marriage as his second wife.

Huang Yuan decides to marry Ju Xiang off to Charlie Zhang. Tian Lan's objection to the marriage falls on deaf ears and she advises Ju Xiang to accept her fate. Ju Xiang appears to be calm but is secretly harbouring thoughts of escape. She lands in the hands of human traffickers as soon as she steps out of the house.

Ju Xiang follows Yousuke to Singapore and both get married. Ju Xiang becomes pregnant the following year. During the height of the Japanese Occupation, Ju Xiang defends Yousuke when he becomes the target of the Chinese community.

Juxiang and her daughter Yueniang lead a life of poverty after Yousuke returns to Japan. Chen Sheng takes pity on them and offers his help. Juxiang is worried when 8-year-old Yueniang is still unable to speak. Chen Sheng’s wife Meiyu suspects him and Juxiang of having an affair when she spots him playing with Yueniang.

Yousuke suddenly returns looking thin and pallid but he urges himself not to talk about what happened to him. Juxiang gives Yueniang a beating when she refuses to acknowledge Yousuke as her father.

Juxiang is heavily injured when Japanese soldiers kick her for resisting their lewd advances. Yousuke shoots an officer dead and escapes with Juxiang and Yueniang. While protecting Juxiang and Yueniang, Yousuke is shot and dies. Juxiang too dies shortly after from internal injuries.

Yueniang travels to Malacca to seek refuge with her grandmother Tianlan. Years pass and Yueniang grows up to be as pretty as Juxiang. As Huang Yuan has stopped remitting money home, Yueniang attempts to make Nyonya kueh for sale to make ends meet.

Guihua attempts to drive Tianlan and Yueniang out of the house by telling tales to Huang Yuan. Huang Yuan decides to let them stay on the account that Tianlan has been safeguarding his home all these years and he had already forgiven Juxiang before he left for England. Guihua decides to treat Yueniang as her maid instead.

Huang Yuan’s family business deteriorates under his leadership and Jincheng and Tianbao are equally incapable of handling it. On the other hand, Charlie Zhang’s business booms with support from the Japanese and he scoffs at Tianbao and Jincheng when they approach him for a business collaboration.

Zhenzhu visits the polo club with Tianbao. Robert senses Zhenzhu’s interest in him and takes the opportunity to get fresh with her but is stopped by Chen Xi. Enraged, Robert attempts to hit Chen Xi with a club but he manages to dodge the attack.

Madame Chen sets a task for Zhenzhu and Yuzhu to each cook a dish. Zhenzhu sabotages Yuzhu’s dish by knocking a bowl of salt into it. Yueniang urges Yuzhu not to give up. Yuzhu manages to whip up a new dish in the nick of time and steals the limelight from Zhenzhu. Zhenzhu’s hatred for Yueniang intensifies when Yuzhu reveals Yueniang has helped her.

Yueniang is trapped in the well. Chen Xi suspects something amiss when he spots her beaded shoe next to the well. He uncovers the well lid and discovers Yueniang floating in the well. Alarmed, Chen Xi immediately lowers himself into the well to save her.

Da Sha discovers the weakened Yueniang being carried to an abandoned warehouse. Da Sha is frightened when he sees Yueniang’s weak self and feeds her with birds nest. Yueniang gradually recovers after Da Sha feeds her birds nest everyday. Meanwhile, Chen Xi bribes Guan Cai Ming for Yueniang’s whereabouts. He soon realizes someone has been secretly trailing his movements but is knocked unconscious when he confronts his stalker.

Da Sha discovers the weakened Yueniang being carried to an abandoned warehouse. Da Sha is frightened when he sees Yueniang’s weak self and feeds her with birds nest. Yueniang gradually recovers after Da Sha feeds her birds nest everyday. Meanwhile, Chen Xi bribes Guan Cai Ming for Yueniang’s whereabouts. He soon realizes someone has been secretly trailing his movements but is knocked unconscious when he confronts his stalker.

Long-ge is at his wits’ end and seeks refuge with Yidao. Yidao agrees to let them stay in his house as he owes Long-ge a favour. Chen Xi promises Yueniang he will marry her if they manage to escape.

Under Yueniang’s persistent questioning, Ah Tao finally reveals it was Chen Xi and Yuzhu who saved her. Yueniang is grateful to Yuzhu and also wishes to thank Chen Xi personally. She discovers that Chen Xi is none other than the Chens’ chauffeur whom she has befriended.

Yidao and Xiao Mian Hu are at loggerheads and decide to fight it out to determine the winner. Yidao wins despite being the underdog. Yueniang witnesses the fight and worries about Yidao’s marriage proposal.

Guihua, Xiufeng, Zhenzhu and Yuzhu visit Madame Chen to congratulate her on her 80th birthday. Guihua reminds the girls to be mindful of the ‘tests’ Madame Chen may set for them. Yueniang secretly roots for Yuzhu to win. Chen Xi discovers Yueniang’s scalded hand and wants her to rest but she insists on helping him prepare for his grandmother’s birthday.

Madame Chen sings praises of the food Yue Niang prepared. Madame Chen plays along when Yue Niang thinks she is an old maid in the Chens’ household. She only discovers Madame Chen’s and Chen Xi’s true identities when she is dragged to dine together with Gui Hua, Xiu Feng and the others. Meanwhile, Yue Niang refuses to follow Chen Xi back to the Chens. She tells him he has to either ask for her hand in marriage or elope. He agrees and asks Yue Niang to await good news from him. Mei Yu paints a tarnished picture of Yue Niang in front of Madame Chen, causing her to send someone to Malacca to check up on Yue Niang.

Madame Chen sings praises of the food Yue Niang prepared. Madame Chen plays along when Yue Niang thinks she is an old maid in the Chens’ household. She only discovers Madame Chen’s and Chen Xi’s true identities when she is dragged to dine together with Gui Hua, Xiu Feng and the others. Meanwhile, Yue Niang refuses to follow Chen Xi back to the Chens. She tells him he has to either ask for her hand in marriage or elope. He agrees and asks Yue Niang to await good news from him. Mei Yu paints a tarnished picture of Yue Niang in front of Madame Chen, causing her to send someone to Malacca to check up on Yue Niang.

Robert Zhang visits the Huangs and accidentally discovers Yue Niang locked up in her room and finds an excuse to stay for the night. Yu Zhu secretly releases Yue Niang but is mistakenly raped by Robert Zhang who thinks Yu Zhu is Yue Niang.

Yi Dao fetches Yue Niang back to his house and orders the matchmaker to dress her up. Yue Niang does not resist and is transformed into a beautiful bride. Yue Niang initially decides to succumb to her fate but is finally determined to make her escape. While making her escape, she is discovered by one of Yi Dao’s henchmen.

Upon advice from a medium, Madame Chen refuses to send Chen Xi to the hospital even though his condition worsens. Despite objections from the family, Chen Sheng carries the barely alive Chen Xi to the hospital. Zhen Zhu regrets marrying Chen Xi when she discovers he is in a critical condition.

Yue Niang refuses to allow Tian Lan’s body to be carried out from the backdoor and insists that the body be carried out from the front door instead. Tian Bao refuses to give way but is stopped by Yue Niang, Yi Dao and his henchmen. Gui Hua calls the police but the group still refuses to give way. Huang Yuan has no choice but to step in to mediate.

Ah Tao bids Yueniang farewell when she is chased out by Guihua for defending Tianlan. The British return to Singapore after the war. Yueniang decides to sell bird's nest in Singapore when the country starts to prosper, and devises a strategy to attract buyers to buy her bird's nest at a high price.

Ah Tao bids Yueniang farewell when she is chased out by Guihua for defending Tianlan. The British return to Singapore after the war. Yueniang decides to sell bird's nest in Singapore when the country starts to prosper, and devises a strategy to attract buyers to buy her bird's nest at a high price.

Yueniang falls into a trap when the silk she has bought turns out to be of inferior quality. Chen Xi sends his chauffeur Ah Lie to Singapore to check on Yueniang and learns she has been cheated and cannot even afford her rent. Chen Xi asks Ah Lie to pose as a businessman to buy her cloth.

Chen Xi is shocked to see Yuzhu looking like a completely different person. He is dealt another blow when he learns that Zhenzhu did not help when she witnessed Yuzhu being raped by Robert Zhang. Disappointed with his wife, he becomes indifferent towards her. Zhenzhu begs Meiyu to think of a solution but there is nothing the latter can do.

Yueniang suspects Black Dog is behind Chen Sheng's murder and searches for him high and low. Yueniang finally enlists the help of a prostitute to lure Black Dog into revealing the truth. Black Dog is about to silence Yueniang when Yidao suddenly appears to stop him. Black Dog finally confesses that Tianbao is the mastermind.

Yueniang avoids Chen Xi's hints of rekindling their relationship. Yueniang learns that Madame Chen is in a coma. Remembering how she loved listening to Chen Sheng sing pantun, Yueniang sings to her for three consecutive days and nights and Madame Chen miraculously awakes.

Anqi and Ah Tao send Yueniang to the hospital when she suddenly faints. Under Anqi's incessant questioning, Ah Tao finally reveals that Yueniang has contracted terminal cancer. Yueniang refuses to undergo an operation but remains optimistic about life. Back in the 1970s, Yueniang and Paul marry and she gives birth to a son whom they name Zuye. Zuye subsequently has three sons and a daughter who is none other than Anqi. Anqi suspects she is not Yueniang's real granddaughter. Who is Zuye really? Is he Yueniang and Paul's son or the son of Robert Zhang and Yuzhu?

Anqi and Ah Tao send Yueniang to the hospital when she suddenly faints. Under Anqi's incessant questioning, Ah Tao finally reveals that Yueniang has contracted terminal cancer. Yueniang refuses to undergo an operation but remains optimistic about life. Back in the 1970s, Yueniang and Paul marry and she gives birth to a son whom they name Zuye. Zuye subsequently has three sons and a daughter who is none other than Anqi. Anqi suspects she is not Yueniang's real granddaughter. Who is Zuye really? Is he Yueniang and Paul's son or the son of Robert Zhang and Yuzhu?